We recently connected with Donald Jones and have shared our conversation below.

Donald, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

At Alchemy Media Publishing Co., we believe that everyone has a story. Not only that, but our unique experiences may help someone else if only they had the chance to know your story.

In today’s world, when so much information is at one’s fingertips, we often hear the lament that, “I have a story to tell, but I don’t if it’s worth sharing. And I certainly don’t know where to begin.” At Alchemy, we’re here to tell you that your story matters…perhaps more than you know. And we can help.

Donald, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was born during the middle of the post World War II baby boom to upwardly mobile Black parents. In the Spring of 1968 as I approached my high school years, our family prepared to move from an interracial suburban enclave in Chicago to a racially polarized Memphis TN in the immediate aftermath of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. For a Chicago kid like me, it was to be quite a culture shock and I was quite apprehensive. As it turned out, that move and the events that occurred during the next few years fueled both my interests and my ambitions. In fact, my second book, LITTLE DID I KNOW: The Coming of Age of a Black Boomer recounts our family story and my teenage years as I navigated high school during a time of politics, protest and social unrest. It culminated with my matriculation at an Ivy League school, but not without drama and notoriety.

And here’s the rest of the story…

Although I graduated with honors, the Memphis City School system refused to award me a diploma due to the politics and protest I mentioned above. It was a tumultuous time in Memphis and across the nation and a seminal moment in American history. My small story was just one small episode in the larger sweep of societal and political change. It’s a good story and one that I carried with me and began “writing in my head” for decades before I decided to actually write the book. In my talks with prospective authors, I find that most have stories in their heads, and just haven’t yet committed to the discipline necessary to write the darned thing.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new clients for Alchemy Media Publishing is undoubtedly client referrals and speaking to groups about the power and importance of storytelling. On one occasion, I had the opportunity to speak at the student body chapel service at a large and prestigious private academy. Afterwards, there was a fireside author chat with a group of graduating seniors and their faculty advisors. Well, so many of the advisors had their own “stories in their heads” we had to have two separate sessions: one for the students and a second session for potential Alchemy clients among the faculty. It was really kind of funny…but quite rewarding.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

I’ve known my business partner and co-founder, Philip Mallory Jones, all my life…literally. Aside from being my brother, he is an award-winning and internationally recognized media artist. Philip has held several faculty positions including that of artist-in-residence at Arizona State University, Ohio University and an endowed chair at Colgate University. His work has been supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Public Broadcasting and more (philipmalloryjones.com). The ease of working with Philip comes largely from the fact that we view art and the world through much the same lens. Thanks to our parents and their love of the arts and storytelling, we’re able to carry on the artistic traditions that we learned from them, even though we didn’t even know we were learning those lessons at the time.

Contact Info:

• Website: alchemymediapublishing.com