We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Manda Jones. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Manda below.

Manda , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

In 2018 I lived through a harrowing experience with the mental healthcare system in Colorado. Until that point I was published only as a magazine columnist, but this tale of suffering and perseverance needed told. I wrote the book Defeating My Demons, My Mental Breakdown, through Darkness to the Light from that journey. Officially published in 2020, it took a years to get the story to the masses.

Manda , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My publishing career was born from necessity. I needed to find a way to get my story of my mental health struggle available to others navigating the same system, also to inspire others to write their journeys to gather a record, that can help with the major changes needed to insure our mental health facilities are not counterproductive.

After publishing my first book I began publishing others.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Writing a book is a vulnerable experience and because I have done it, I see it through the authors eyes. Nothing has been more nerve wracking than what others will think of your story. You have to get out of your feeling, drop that ego, and claim brave in the face of that fear.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal is to not only tell my story, but the stories of others. I am currently working to find those most affected by the political landscape, the poor and forgotten, to tell their stories. If we just knew each other through a different lenses I believe that empathy could break through and in turn, meaningful change.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Jonesbookstore.com
• Other: TikTok @jonespublishing

Image Credits

Images owned by Manda Jones