Dr. Anne B Jones - Author

  When the Gainesville Branch of the Hall County Library presents thriller writer Anne B. Jones and 1960 NASCAR Champion Rex White, for their March 24^th program, be prepared for the unexpected. The two authors are featured at 6:00 p.m. in a joint question and answer discussion related to NASCAR and writing, along with Atlanta Motor Speedway Chaplain Rev. William (Bill) Brannon.

   White and Jones collaborated on White’s autobiography, Gold Thunder, (an inspirational story of his life set against the development of NASCAR) and All Around the Track (an unusual presentation of interviews giving insight into the chills and thrills of racing and its past). Known for his consistency and ability to handle the curves, White has been named one of NASCAR's Greatest Drivers and will be inducted into Talledega's International Motorsports Hall of Fame in April.

   While White gives television interviews and makes numerous NASCAR-related appearances, Jones devotes her time to writing. Her thriller, Tides of Fear is to be released by early April. Set on St. Simons Island, the purely fictional book draws from years of insights gained from her doctoral research into violence and studies with numerous police departments and criminal justice agencies. Tides of Fear, set on the shark-infested Georgia Coast, includes the hunt for a serial murderer, with water as the crime scene. The book includes a gripping plot, well- developed characters and insights into profiling and other forensic subjects.

   Other books by Jones include Brave at Heart (the story of photographer Walter Victor set against the history of the Atlanta Braves); A Light on Peachtree (the history of the Atlanta Woman’s Club) and Tools for Successful Writing (tips on entering the publishing world).

     Rev. William (Bill) Brannon has been involved in motorsports for years. As Atlanta Motor Speedway Chaplain, he has come to know drivers and their families as he has witnessed first-hand the changes in this exciting billion-dollar sport. Rev. Brannon is also pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church in Riverdale, Georgia.

Although her favorite genre is thriller, Jones’ writing began while she was teaching in a school with inner city characteristics. Many of the students had serious problems due to experience with physical and verbal abuse and violence. Upset by what she found, she wanted answers. She wanted to be able to help them, but education books were not enough.

      “To learn more, I entered the doctoral program at Georgia State University and began research on the causes and prevention of violence for my PhD dissertation. As a part of my work, I wrote STOP, one of the first violence prevention curriculums for secondary schools. The Atlanta Council on Battered Women became interested and decided to publish it. The field testing I did with my students resulted in our high school Sociology classes being on an Atlanta TV station documentary. In order to educate myself firsthand, I also worked with the Grady Rape Crisis Center, the Gwinnett County Victim Witness Program, the Gwinnett County Domestic Violence Task Force, and as a mediator.”

     She also served as a volunteer probation officer and participated in a metro area police academy. Her doctoral committee included professors in Psychology, Criminal Justice, Education and Statistics. The dissertation ended up being three hundred pages. “That thesis weighs a ton. It’s so long, even I am unlikely to read it!”

   “During the time Jones was working on her research, Thomas Harris’ Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs were published. Jones found the books fascinating because they explored the relationship of childhood experiences to potential violence, “Realizing no one would enjoy reading my boring and statistical dissertation, I hit upon the idea of putting what I’d learned in a mass-market book and making it a form of reading entertainment. Since I’m not into gore or slice and dice, my serial killer drowns his victims.”

A Light on Peachtree: The History of the Atlanta Woman’s Club

Dr. Jones was approached by former Atlanta Woman’s Club President Karen Thomson to write a book about the history of the club. As a member of the club’s parent organization, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, Jones couldn’t resist. “The GFWC is one of the largest volunteer organizations in the world and the accomplishments of the Atlanta Woman’s Club are mind-boggling. The research was almost overwhelming, but I’m proud of our finished product.” A Light on Peachtree: The History of the Atlanta Woman’s Club is scheduled to be released in 2012.

http://www.atlwc.org/

Aryc Mosher,Photographer