Buzzin’ about with Tifany Jones

Hi Tifany!  Thank you so much allowing me to spotlight you on All the Buzz!  It is truly a pleasure.  I also want to thank you again for spotlighting me on Sistah Confessions.

Thank you. You don’t know how much I appreciate this wonderful opportunity. It is such a blessing, and it was my pleasure to feature you on Sistah Confessions.

First, tell me about your upcoming literary works.

I currently have two books in the editing stage. The Powder Room is an inspirational non-fiction read for young women dealing with issues of beauty and self image.  I introduce 3 important beauty concepts and combine them with the truth of God’s Word to give the reader a “makeover”.  My novel, Since You Went Away From Me, is the bittersweet tale of four African American women’s struggle to maintain a façade of happiness, hope, and faith when the painful secrets of their mother’s past forces them to confront the skeletons in their own closet.

How do you find time to write, as well as host your radio show, Sistah Confessions?

That is the question of the hour. I recently moved from Kansas to Maryland still while hosting the show. Between hotel rooms, no shows, technical difficulties, and hosting the show on I-95 in a van with children I bribed (or threatened) to be quiet, I can honestly say it has been tough. It took my husband to sit me down and tell me how much he believed in my gift to push me forward and continue to write. I have to sneak time in wherever I can, but it is worth it. Sometimes we get so caught up in life we tend to forget what’s more important. I’m trying not to make that mistake.

What is the premise behind Sistah Confessions?

Sistah Confessions was launched not only to help promote new authors, but to show how their characters love, laugh, hurt, and feel in the same ways we do. Each of us has a story to tell. I am so interested in why a person behaves the way they do. Why do they act the way they act? I use the character’s story to bring out the issues we face in our own lives.

How does your upbringing/events in your life, influence what you do?

I used a line from a Mary J. Blige song on my website that says, “If you look in my life and see what I’ve seen.”  Everything I am is because of what I have experienced good and bad. Had it not been for the mercy and love of God I’d hate to think of what I would be doing now. Today, I am influenced by love and not hate. I’d like to think what I do will make a difference in someone’s life.  My experiences have influenced me to do better, and with God’s help I have.

What motivates you to do all that you do?

I have a heart for people, especially young women who are confused about who they are. Sistah Confessions is just my beginning. My vision is so much bigger than me or my show. I want to use this experience to find ways help others. When I know what I have done has brought a positive change to someone I feel like I have made it. Like, together we accomplished something beautiful. Love motivates me. 

In all of the interviews you’ve done, what is the one most important thing you have learned?

Patience and discretion. As a writer, I used to feel like I have not achieved anything because my work is not in print. It took listening to other authors who have spent years, sometimes 5-10, just writing. Nothing just happens. It takes time and dedication. It might not come when I want it to, but if I keep at it it will. Though the vision tarries wait on it…

As for the discretion, I would have to say I’ve learned I cannot please everyone and stay true to myself. There are some things I do not agree with, but association is everything. This was a hard lesson, but now I will be more careful and purposely connect to like minded people that have the same vision I do.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

I love Bertice Berry. How she uses her characters conversations to draw you in is genius. When I read her books, especially Redemption Song, it’s like you become the person and experience every bit of their life. She makes you feel what they are saying. I also like Victoria Christopher Murray, Patricia Cornwell, and James Patterson.

Who is the one author that you would love to interview, but haven’t yet?

Bertice Berry without a doubt. I would love to get lost in her conversation.

What book(s) are on your nightstand right now?

Watered Colored Pearls by Stacy Hawkins Adams, Double Cross by James Patterson, and the unfinished manuscript Since You Went Away From Me by Tifany Jones.

If you had to do this all over again, would you change anything?

You know what I would love to say yes, but my answer is no. Everything I have done thus far has shaped who I am and will later become. We are our experiences. I just hope I’ve learned from them.

Thank you again for chatting with me on All the Buzz.  I wish you continued success in all that you do.

Renee thank you for this opportunity, you are such an inspiration, and I wish you nothing but the best.

Readers, you can check Tifany out at www.tifanyjones.com and listen to her show on www.blogtalkradio.com/sistahconfessions.