Author: Rodney O'Neil Jones
Alternate names: Rodney O. Jones / Rodney Jones / RJ
Born: May 4, 1972
Bio: Rodney O'Neil Jones, poet/writer, spoken word artist, producer and publisher born in Richmond, VA and hails from the Southeastern region of Virginia (Waverly, VA). Within the years, Jones has crafted his love of music and writing into various creative ventures to include music production as he has produced a number of aspiring artists and has written several songs. He lists a wide range of influences in the fields of music as well as literature. "The desire to establish my own publishing company has been a lifelong dream", Jones admits. "There is a great liberation in putting yourself out there ", he declares. " If I fail or if I succeed, I've taken the necessary steps to begin. The first step to success is to begin. You have got to start  somewhere ".  Start he has with thought provoking poetry. Simply as he puts it  "Life Lines".

Jones has been writing poetry since the tender age of 14 and credits a number of writers as an influence. In reflection, he recalls the teacher that showed him that dramatic element to poetry which from that day forth he would become interested in this particular creative art form. " It was in the ninth grade that I had an English teacher by the name of Mr. Winston Jones who would caused me to appreciate the expressive means of poetry.  He shared the poem Annabelle Lee by Edgar Allan Poe with our class. The significance about that moment was how he shared the work with us. He dramatized the poem and at that point I hadn't experienced poetry in that light. It changed my life. " Afterwards Jones would go on to write poetry as a hobby until he joined the US Navy and was stationed on board the USS Bowen (FF- 1079) in Norfolk, VA back in 1991, where he was encouraged by an officer (who had found a lost notebook of his) to consider the idea of pursuing writing. After his first stint in the Navy, he went on to attend Virgina State University in Petersburg, VA where he would major in English and minored in Mass Communication.

During the time he was there, he had his first poem printed in the Statesmen (the University's school newspaper) entitled "Black Man's Biography 1994" . Afterwards he went on to have a few more pieces featured in the newspaper and had two poems to appear in Virginia State University's literary magazine " Tapestry ". Jones briefly served as a writing correspondent for the local newspaper in his area, the Sussex Surry Dispatch. He would later re-enter the US Navy where he continued to write and coordinate (or co-coordinate) programs in observance of Black History Month as well as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.

Within the years, he has written and acted in plays, hosted functions, had poems featured on websites, and delivered spoken word poetry at a number of events.  J.L.R. Media & Publishing marks Jones' latest creative endeavor serving as poet / writer and independent publisher. What's next? He adds, "the vision is endless, through the grace of God much more is to come." (taken from the author's official website: www.rodneyspoetry.com)