We were lucky to catch up with R Jay Berry recently and have shared our conversation below.

R Jay, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

When I think about legacy, I think about something lasting or being remembered for certain actions. So, I hope my legacy would be a person who wasn’t afraid to tell a story and elicit the message attached. Since everyone has a story to tell, I believe my legacy is to tell that story while making people see themselves in that story and making sure they see the true meaning of the story. I believe the Lord gave me the ability to see through a person’s pain but how that pain could benefit others.

R Jay, 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?

After thirty years as an educator in charge of departments that provided curriculum for the Dallas Independent School District, I had no plans to do anything but rest and regain my thoughts outside of curriculum. Writing was not on my to do list after retirement. But my life changed drastically after I decided to pen my grandmother’s story because when she relayed her precious memories to me, I heard her message; children listen to your parents. After the first three books were published and I saw the reviews, I knew I had to write stories that had similar messages that could help someone. In addition to the message in the first three books, other messages are, when the Lord gives you a blessing except it and lasting friendships bring you joy and unconditional family members. Additionally, no matter what you experience in your life, you can overcome it and you will be stronger. Whatever bad experiences you went through does not have to define the rest of your life.
My next book. Help Chronicles, was delayed because of the pandemic but will be finished and published soon.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most important aspect of being an author is the people I meet at various venues and their willingness to hear about my writing journey. Telling my clients how I select the stories I write is an inspiration for me. The questions they ask me let’s me know that they’re thinking about their stories and how the trials and tribulations they have gone through could be a blessing to others. So many people have asked me to write their stories after reading my books and I feel truly blessed that they trust me to present their stories to the world.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

When I first began my writing journey, I had to find the right publishing company for me. That meant they had to be Christian-based and showed compassion for their writers during each stage. Since this was my first book, I was naive to believe that even though the words after their name said Christian-based, that was not the case. I learned the hard way to do my due diligence and ask the Lord to guide my steps and lead me to like-minded Christian individuals who could help my career. Six books later, I am more knowledgeable about the publishing process and feel more confident with the people I have met along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: Amazon.com/author/rjayberry
• Facebook: R Jay Berry Books or R Jay Berry Author
• Other: info@rjayberry.com