N.D. Jones interview: “I prefer to view my approach to paranormal fiction as a broadening of the genre.”
“Black love matters, dammit!” The paranormal author talks about the broken love story that inspired her to write her own books.
“What is wonderful about fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal novels is that the unknown, fantastical, and unmanageable can exist alongside the mundane and the familiar. They are a delightful merging of what-ifs and thank-goodness-this-isn’t real-life with the range of nuisance emotions and experiences that comprise the great tapestry of life.”
N.D. Jones is a USA Today bestselling author who writes several paranormal romance and fantasy series. Her books include the paranormal romance Dragon Shifter series, the urban fantasy Feline Nation series, the witch and shapeshifter romance Death and Destiny Trilogy, angel romance Winged Warriors series, and the paranormal romance fantasy Fairy Tale Fatale series.
In our exclusive interview with the author, Jones tells Monster Complex about what makes her paranormal fiction special, shares how she become interested in writing her brand of paranormal stories, and reveals what she looks for in a good paranormal story. Below, find out about her latest book (which reimagines Goldilocks and the Three Bears), and find out her answers to our questions.
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On Earth Pact, no species is as feared as the Impundulu shifters of the United Wake of Benekal. For Fayola, a veteran nearing the end of her compulsory military service, being a soldier had never been more than reluctant duty. As she prepares for her final special operation, her goal remains the same: Complete her mission so she can return home to her father.
Tasked with rescuing a humanitarian doctor from a war zone, but not the orphaned children under her care, Fayola must decide how much she is willing to risk for the future she deserves.
Jwahir, a human in a nation of warring shifters, finds herself holed up in a medical clinic with other orphans, praying for a miracle or a painless death. But when an Impundulu soldier arrives, stoic and determined, but with a reserved tenderness she tries to hide, Jwahir knows she has met her Dela Eden-her savior.
However, people are not always who they seem, and crimes against children are too often ignored. For Jwahir, her true test of bravery begins, not in a medical clinic in a war-ravaged country, but in a bear shifter's cabin home in a peaceful forest.
For Fayola, twenty-five years of retirement planning changes in the blink of an innocent child's golden-brown eyes. But what will she do when her goodwill pact goes horribly wrong?
Content Warnings: on-page sex between consenting adults, on-page/implied child death, implied child sexual assault, talk of/threatening child physical assault, talk of suicide, talk of drug use, talk of sex slaves.
Find Bearly Gold: A Goldilocks and the Three Bears Reimagining on Amazon
About author N.D. Jones
N.D. Jones, Ed.D. is a USA Today bestselling author who wants to see more novels with positive, sexy, and three-dimensional Black/African American characters as soul mates, friends, and lovers. She took on that challenge herself, writing several paranormal romance and fantasy series.
Her books include the paranormal romance Dragon Shifter series (including Stones of Dracontias: The Bloodstone Dragon and Dragon Lore and Love: Isis and Osiris), the urban fantasy Feline Nation series (A Queen’s Pride and Mafdet’s Claws), the witch and shapeshifter romance Death and Destiny Trilogy (Of Fear and Faith, Of Beasts and Bonds, and Of Deception and Divinity), angel romance Winged Warriors series (Fire, Fury, Faith, Heat, Hunt, Hope, and Lies, Lust, Love), and the paranormal romance fantasy Fairy Tale Fatale series (Crimson Hunter: A Little Red Riding Hood Reimagining and Bearly Gold: A Goldilocks and the Three Bears Reimagining).
N.D. is also the founder of Kuumba Publishing, an art, audiobook, eBook, and paperback company that is a forum for creativity, with a special commitment to promoting and encouraging creative works from authors and artists of African descent. Her teen daughter created the image design for Kuumba Publishing, while her son has written a role-playing game using original characters from a new paranormal romance series and her husband manages the company—making Kuumba Publishing a true family affair.
Jones lives in Maryland with her husband and two children.
Interview with N.D. Jones about the challenges for paranormal romances
Q: How do you explain your unique spin on paranormal fiction?
“I would not call my approach to paranormal fiction a unique spin. I create characters from the African diaspora and brown-skin characters from alternate worlds that do not have the same race-based history of the Earth we know. I also integrate African mythologies into my stories, including ancient Egyptian deities like Sekhmet and Osiris and mythological creatures like the adze of Ghana and Togo and the grootslang of Southern Africa.
“For readers who are used to consuming paranormal fiction novels where white or European characters and their culture are the norm, the standard by which other books in the genre are often judged, my focus on African and African American history and culture could be viewed as a ‘unique spin.’ However, I prefer to view my approach to paranormal fiction as a broadening of the genre, with the understanding that there are many ways to add inclusion, just as there is a diversity of readers who enjoy paranormal fiction.”
Q: What inspired you to go in this direction?
“Like most people, seeing characters who look like me in books and on big and small screens is rewarding and affirming. Whether contemporary, historical, or futuristic diverse characters and thoughts should be represented. Not only presented between books’ pages but done so with depth and creativity.
“I want to read about Black characters dismantling an authoritarian government ruled by shapeshifting dragon warlords, falling in love over ideological debates while stuffing their faces with smooth French vanilla ice cream atop warm bean pie, and fighting demons alongside a fallen angel who wants the return of her wings but not as much as she desires freedom of choice. I want all that and much more, so when I did not see such stories with the characters I also wanted to read about, I decided to step into the breach and create the characters and stories I felt were missing.
“I believe a lack of (insert whatever form of diversity you’d like) in paranormal, science fiction, and fantasy novels has inspired many underrepresented groups to become writers. In that vein, I am neither unique nor an anomaly because people want their stories told, their voices heard, their histories recognized, and their culture respected. Books are a powerful tool for achieving all four.”
Q: When and how did you become interested in writing your brand of paranormal stories? (Childhood reading, movies, life experiences, what?)
“The marriage of King T’Challa (Black Panther) to Ororo Munroe (X-Men’s Storm) brought out my love for fantasy and romance. I did not realize how much I wanted something like this until Reginal Hudlin wrote the couple.
“Even now, many years after their divorce and yet another dissolution of their post-marriage romantic relationship, I yearn for what this power couple could be if Marvel committed to exploring the characters’ love story—its ups, downs, and everything in between. Much of what Reginald Hudlin and Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote of T’Challa and Ororo, particularly Coates, who penned them as three-dimensional characters with an awareness of gender, race, class, and ideological differences, have been stripped away by authors who, presumably, were following an editorial mandate to end the relationship of the iconic characters.
“The fangirl in me wants to rail against the injustice of it all, arguing there are too few Black couples in comics, much less top-tier Black couples like Black Panther and Storm. I want to shake my fists, stomp my feet, and yell, “Black love matters, dammit!”
Related link: We talk about Black Panther and Storm here—45 Important Black Comic Book Superheroes
Q: What are your favorite things about the section of the genre you occupy?
“What is wonderful about fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal novels is that the unknown, fantastical, and unmanageable can exist alongside the mundane and the familiar. These genres, at their core, are about the human condition, regardless of whether the ‘human’ is a heartbroken banshee, an identify-conflicted robot, or a gluttonous vampire queen. That is the beauty of these kind of books. They are a delightful merging of what-ifs and thank-goodness-this-isn’t real-life with the range of nuisance emotions and experiences that comprise the great tapestry of life.”
Q: What do YOU look for in a good paranormal story?
“What I look for in a good paranormal story are likable main characters I can root for, a solid, sensical plot that fits the genre and the characters, cool displays of whatever makes the story paranormal, and a romantic subplot. Characters carry the story, including the antagonists, even if the antagonist is not a person, so this is also an important aspect of a good paranormal story.
“I do my best to create novels that include everything I believe makes a paranormal or fantasy story a great read. However, much of this is subjective, as an author might think they have created an intriguing and loveable protagonist, while some readers might disagree. Both can be true, depending on the perspective. My goal is always to write the best book I can craft, being mindful of research, voice, and representation.”
Q: What are the best ways for fans to keep track of what you’re writing (and related author news about you)?
“If readers want the latest news, including new releases and giveaways, they can subscribe to my newsletter here. New subscribers will receive a FREE eBook copy of Of Fear and Faith, the first book in my Death and Destiny paranormal romance trilogy.”
“Readers can also connect with me on…”
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