Meet Zen J. Jackson | Professional Storyteller, Plant-based Chef, & Creative Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zen J. Jackson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zen J., what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The thought process behind starting my own self-publishing & creative coaching business began when I discovered my calling in the modern-day world. Full novel and chapter book ideas started pouring into my thoughts and demanded to be transferred on paper. After narrating a plot to my wife, (an avid reader whose father owned his own bookstore that went out of business, leaving her in her attic reading constantly with any title at her disposal as a little girl) she was brought to tears and dedicated her support in my becoming an author.

Furthering our research, we realized that once upon a time, writers could easily submit manuscripts for publications, and receive rejection after rejection until their big break. Well, times have changed. In today’s world, a writer can only attract agents and publishers through networking, chance, or a large social media following. Unless you know someone, self-publishing and self-discipline became the fastest route to guaranteed success as an author. I gathered my credentials by acquiring a BA in Creative Writing and a minor in Graphic Design in order to write, print, and publish my own stories to vend at art festivals and independent books stores. Thus, my own business has begun.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My creativity is my therapeutic expression and coping mechanism for past childhood trauma and present-day meditation tactics. My stories are reflections of my fantasy worlds and invitations for those who love to journey through the unknown via characters, magic, and profound plots. My designs and drawings are a subconscious flow, which is a fancy way of saying doodles. What sets me apart is my original and authentic self. I got to where I am today by connecting and empathizing with every living thing I come across. It was not easy, but I overcame challenges and obstacles through my practiced faith and ever-expanding heart. I’ve learned that one can only control and do so much for themselves before the power of prayer and letting go can guide the rest of the journey. I’d love the world to know that my path was paved before me long before I took my first steps, and seeing life through is the greatest adventure we can all participate in, despite any challenge. We must always overcome to grow into the shining light we are destined to be.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If any loved one were to step foot into my world, I’d share with them a dip in the Chattahoochee River. I’d teach them breath control in order to withstand its cold temperatures on a hot, Georgian summer day. We’d grab a coffee at Blue Cafe in Duluth, where they serve cold-brewed and slow-poured fresh roasted beans from my homeland of Jamaica. We’d eat lunch at Christy’s Kitchen by a waterfall in Roswell, or I’d prepare my favorite plant-based soup as a plant-based chef in my sister’s kitchen at Loving Hut. Finally, we’d stroll through downtown Lawrenceville to visit Liberty Books or Boulder Creek Coffee, and maybe catch a show at the Aurora Theater.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I must acknowledge first and foremost the Higher Power. Some call it God, others call it Love. The magic that we are all born within our spirit that guides us in this adventure called life is responsible for blessing me with the gift of story.

My wife and children support me every day, allowing us to experience lows and financial loss along the path of self-employment in order to gain The Dream. My father deserves the praise for providing me with every tool to achieve strength and passion, as he too followed and continues to follow his dreams. His wife gave me inspiration, an English teacher who read to me by bedside every dark and lonely night, giving me the imagination possible to invent my own worlds and characters. My investor and editor, Karen Peters, is a lifelong friend and retired English Professor. Finally, some of my favorite storytellers. Neil Gaiman, Guillermo Del Toro, Tim Burton, and Jordan Peele deserve my applause and my thanks for introducing me to fantasy, mystery, thrillers, romance, and horror for all ages.

Website: zenjjackson.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenjjackson/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZenJJackson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zenjjackson

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTHTKGkWpR19LU0Nn3SRt8g

Image Credits
Denise Clarke