From her positive daily affirmations on social media to penning over 42 book titles to date, it’s no question that Staten Island’s Jahquel Jacobs is a woman who is about her business! She gets the job done whether its writing another book of her own, publishing talented authors through her company Urban Chapters Publications, or simply being a mom and mentor! I got a chance to catch up and interview Jahquel as we took a jab into writing challenges and perks, the key to being successful through hard work, and the heat we can expect from her in 2019.

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“Once I dropped my first book, I told myself I would never slow up and would always continue to push the pen while opening the doors for other things I want to do.“

Jahquel Jacobs

 

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What challenges do you face when you start writing a new book?

JJ: “Sticking to my original storyline. I never used to outline, but with over 50 books, a publishing company and everything else, my mind isn’t good like it used to be lol. Another thing would be trying to deliver something different to the industry.”

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Iron sharpens iron! You’re definitely a woman of many words and also a true motivator! What steps do you take to stay on top of your game?

JJ : “Awe, thank you. Growing up, I came from humble beginnings. I was born and raised in the hood, so there weren’t many female entrepreneurs around for me to idolize. When I did see a woman, whether it’s a salon owner or a woman that owned a restaurant, I always wondered how they got their start, what steps did they have to take? I told myself once I got recognized for something, I was always going to apply pressure and never slow up. Once I dropped my first book, I told myself I would never slow up and would always continue to push the pen while opening the doors for other things I want to do. Plus, I have a ten year old that looks up to me, even when I don’t think she’s watching, so everything I do is for her.”

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As a business owner, what tips do you have for people just starting out?

JJ : “I have three; don’t give up, don’t compare your story to someone else’s and stop wanting someone else’s success. I often see people say they want to have a year like Cardi B… why? You didn’t have to walk her steps to get to where she did. It’s easy to idolize the success, but what about the work it took to get there. People are in love with the success story, but not the work it took to get the success. At one point, I wasn’t making any profit from my company. By the time I paid people, vendors, I literally had $50. I say all this to say that the storm may seem hard, but grab your umbrella and keep on walking in your journey.”

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What is the one book you’ve written so far that changed your life drastically and why?

JJ : “Homies, Lovers and Friends definitely. I put so much of myself into that book and didn’t expect it to blow up so big. Don’t get me wrong, I had readers before, but that book brought me a whole new range of readers. If I have to be honest, the royalty checks for that series changed my life too.”

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As well as your career, you also hold the platform for many talented authors! How do you balance everything between publishing your work and also publishing others?

JJ : “Man! It’s soooo hard. I’ve pushed so many book releases back to focus on them. When becoming a publisher you need to be selfless. You can’t focus on the monetary gain, but you’re also holding these author’s career in your hand. Especially with new authors, you can either make or break their career. I see so many publishers doing it for the wrong reasons and they’re authors suffer because of it.

I juggle it by pushing my stuff to the back burner and focusing on their work. When they’re handled, they know when I got ghost that I’m in the lab going hard to finish my novel next. It’s a team effort at Urban Chapters Publications.”

Jahquel Jacobs, Author and Founder of Urban Chapters Publications

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 Name three things you are passionate about…

My family

My publishing company

My literary career

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 What can we expect from you in 2019?

JJ : “Whew, I have so much coming from me in 2019. Me and my husband are working on a business together, I’m working on launching my nonprofit foundation, YAS GURL Foundation, and releasing some more standalone novels. I’m in the process of launching a YouTube channel with my husband. My team at Urban Chapters Publications has so much heat coming in the New Year that I’m excited just thinking about it.”

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How do you like to spend your free time?

JJ : “I love spending time with my family. I work so much that they often get neglected, so spending time with them is my number one. When I get to watch TV, I’m hooked in “90 day fiancée” and I love reading my author’s manuscripts before they’re released.” (lol)

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Networking and connecting with like minded people is important in this industry. Do you consider yourself an introvert or extrovert when it comes to business and/or collaborating with others? 

JJ : “When I came into this industry, I was so much of an introvert. By nature I’m so shy. The tail end of 2017 is when I opened my shell and started to become more talkative because ‘closed mouths don’t get fed. I’m still shy and I like to keep to myself, but I would say I’m a mixture of both… more introvert tho (lol). My next book is called Emotionless and it releases 12/8 and it’s a standalone. It’s actually my first contemporary novel, so I’m super excited about it!” *

Emotionless by Jahquel J.

12/8

 

 

Bio:

Staten Island’s very own, Jahquel Jacobs, has taken the literary world by storm. Since her induction in 2014 she has penned 42 titles to-date, with Royalty Publishing House. Her catalog includes but is not limited to the best-selling B.A.E series, Crack Money Cocaine Dreams, Homies, Lovers And Friends, and many more.

In 2015,  Jahquel J. started her own company, As if penning books wasn’t enough. Jahquel, has went on to explore the world of publishing and launched  Urban Chapters Publications LLC, where she have published and led numerous authors to the best sellers list as well.

Even with 50 titles penned, Jahquel has no plans on stopping. Writing has been a passion of hers and she plans to keep doing what she loves.
To inspire and mentor, Jahquel has started the YAS Gurl Organization. At the center of YAS Gurl is an author boot camp where Jahquel provides the necessary tools for aspiring, and even current authors to succeed and grow.

 

*To stay abreast all things Jahquel and Urban Chapters Publications, please text  UCP to 22828.

Contact info:

JahquelJ@yahoo.com

www.Jahquelj.com

www.urbanchapterspublications.com

Ig: _Jahquel

Twitter: Author_Jahquel

Facebook: Jahquel Jacobs