Life & Work with Kayla Jones of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Jones.

Hi Kayla, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’d love to! I’ve been writing for over a decade now and I originally started with poetry. I loved the medium because it gave me the space to talk about the vulnerable things that I wasn’t always brave enough to say out loud. Eventually, I transitioned into writing fiction and the rest is history!

As of right now, I’ve published three poetry books and novella. But by the time this interview comes out, I would’ve published my fifth book, Hold Me As I Land, which is an adult contemporary romance.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wouldn’t say it’s been a smooth road. Like all things, there are high and low moments, but I’m still here! I’d say my biggest struggle is writer’s block and imposter syndrome. Since I work a 9-5 on top of trying to write and market my books, sometimes I get creatively blocked which can last for weeks or even months at a time. It can be frustrating, but I try to remember to be patient with myself and not force it if it’s not coming out. Good things take time.

As for imposter syndrome, I do struggle with thinking that my work truly matters and if it’s good enough to be in the same space as fellow indies or even in the ranks of traditionally published works that I respect. But similar to how I approach writer’s block, I just have to remind myself that my audience is out there and that comparison is the thief of joy. I just have to focus on myself and what I have going on and the rest will follow.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in writing contemporary romance and poetry! I’m not known for much, but I do hope that my upcoming release, Hold Me As I Land, starts putting people onto my work. I’m super proud of my journey up until this point and even more proud of the story I’m putting out. The process of writing Hold Me As I Land wasn’t easy, but I can say that I’m so excited to share it with the rest of the world.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I don’t really use any apps or listen to podcasts all that much, but I am an avid reader! Some of my favorite authors who I just enjoy (and helped inspire a lot of what Hold Me As I Land ultimately turned into) are Kennedy Ryan, Tia Williams, Kristina Forest, Bolu Babalola, Eric Jerome Dickey, Terri McMillian, etc.

I’d also say Romancing the Beat, which is a craft book that details the process of writing a romance novel, really helped me when I was deep in the developmental edits for Hold Me As I Land. I swear by it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kaylanjones.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaethewriter/