Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Dino Jones of Lando, Alabama

Dino Jones shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Dino, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Have you ever been glad you didn’t act fast?
Currently, I’m writing a sequel to my first novel, ‘Born From A Wish’. I completed the first draft of ‘BFAW’ in late October 2019. It was immediately after that when ideas for a continuation of the story began to form. The initial idea developed quite fast but I wanted to take some time to rest after completing ‘BFAW’ and figure out what I wanted to do with this story publishing wise. I decided upon self-publishing via Amazon in mid-2020. During that time, I decided to pursue another idea that was screaming to be written, which became ‘Some Things Last…’, my second novel. It’s a companion novel to ‘BFAW’.

So, flash forward to the present, and I find myself writing the sequel to ‘Born From A Wish’. I’m glad to have put this project on hold and honed my writing. I feel that if I had begun writing this book in 2020, it would have been a very different story from what it’s going to be. I’ll be putting many aspects of things I’ve experienced throughout these five years that never would have been in the story if I’d written it back then.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I decided to pursue a career as a writer because I wanted to create stories that move people. Whether through laughter or tears, I’ve wanted to create characters and stories that people can connect with. I have wanted to get into writing stories since I was a child. Back then, I had the desire to create my own animated series. These days, I have created my own universe that’s far from what I wanted as a kid.

I released my debut short story anthology, ‘Ghosts of Our Past,’ a year ago now. It contains seven stories of various genres, ranging from romance to horror. Currently, I’m writing the sequel to my debut novel, ‘Born From A Wish’. I’m excited to share it and have many ideas for it. Expect to see that one sometime in the foreseeable future.

In the meantime, I have a radio show I DJ from time to time, which has been quite fun. The name of my station is DINO Radio. I’ve begun uploading past shows to YouTube. For those familiar with my writing, DINO Radio is located in Lando, Alabama, on the scenic shore of Lake Lethe. I discuss locations and characters featured in my stories, which expands the universe a bit.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I suppose one of my earliest memories of feeling powerful, artistically speaking, would be when I was in the 3rd or 4th grade and writing a “pilot” script for a cartoon me and a friend had created. The main characters were Super Bacon and Eggman. The dream was to pitch this idea to something like Oh, Yeah! Cartoons on Nickelodeon at the time, or What A Cartoon! on Cartoon Network. That never happened, but the creation of this script was my earliest piece of writing. Sadly, that script is lost to time, but I do recall most of what I’d written! Completing that idea was certainly a powerful moment for me. I only wish I’d kept at writing more in those years.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Hmm, I’ve had a fair bit of defining wounds. My second novel, ‘Some Things Last…’ was written primarily as a way of facing painful memories of mine and turning them into art. That novel is very personal for me and in some parts painfully personal. Upon its completion, I felt a weight lifted off of me, and I let go of things that had been sitting in my mind for a fair amount of years. Perhaps someone out there can pick up ‘STL’ and learn a thing or two from what occurs within that story.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I admire David Lynch very much for his views on artistic expression and the creation and pursuit of ideas. His views have helped my artistic expression and given me views on art I’d not had before. He is no longer with us, but his teachings and thoughts will always remain, and there is much left for him to share that I’ve not discovered yet.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I’d like to go on living even when I’m gone. Through my writing, my feelings and ideas on life, and my memories will live on within the stories I’ve written. Anyone can pick up my work and experience an aspect of my personality within it. That is the beautiful part of creating art of all kinds. I’d like my writing to help people remember me fondly. Of course, some people aren’t going to remember me fondly, but such is life. Have you truly lived if you haven’t pissed off someone out there?

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Image 1 – “Elly – Albert’s One” – D. Jones
Image 2 – “Vivacia – The Duchess” – D. Jones
Image 3 – “Elise – The Interdemensional 2CV”
Image 4 – “Albert & Elly” – L.A.C.
Image 5 – “Vivacia on the Grandfunk Railroad” – R.B.
Image 6 – BFAW Cover – J. Morris
Image 7 – STL… Cover – Leah Albert
Image 8 – Ghosts of Our Past Cover – Leah Albert

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?

Coffee? Workouts? Hitting the snooze button 14 times? Everyone has their morning ritual and we

Highlighter Series
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?

Our deepest wounds often shape us as much as our greatest joys. The pain we

Highlighter Series
Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?

Culture, economic circumstances, family traditions, local customs and more can often influence us more than