Life & Work with MD Jean-Pierre

Today we’d like to introduce you to MD Jean-Pierre.  

Hi MD, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. My family and I migrated to the United States when I was four years old for a better opportunity in life. My father, Frederic Jean-Pierre, was a brilliant man who helped so many of his family and friends with their paperwork, so they would have the same opportunity. My mother, Lamercie Jean-Pierre, took care of the home front and the children. She made sure that we got our education. Our job was to learn English and come back home to teach them. They pushed us hard to make something of ourselves.

Making something of ourselves was not easy. Especially going to school in Brooklyn, NY, and you were Haitian. You got picked on and the environment was laborious. I didn’t let it discourage me because my parents fought too hard for us to have a better life. Even though I was shy and didn’t like talking much, I focused on getting my education. When I started high school, my love for romance started. I began reading Harlequin romance and Jackie Collins books. It fed my brain with the many possibilities of love. After reading a book, I often thought about how I could make it better if I wrote it. I guess that was my creative imagination at work. Anyway, the closest I came to being an author back then was after I graduated Baruch College with a degree in Human Resource Management. I struggled to find a job, so I began writing some love stories in my free time. Which I had a lot of. I never got past chapter one because I believed that I lacked experience in love to write a good love story.

I got discouraged and put all my attention into finding a job. I finally got employed, and writing became an afterthought. A few years later, I met my ex, who lived in Montreal, Canada. We started our family in an untraditional way. I had three boys in Brooklyn and moved to Montreal where our family continued to grow. Twelve years later, we had seven children. Trust me when I tell you that writing was not on my to-do list. I spent twenty-one years being an at-home mom, one of the greatest blessings of my life but the most demanding. You never have any time for yourself, so forget about your passion in life. I buried that passion in my heart hoping to one day have the opportunity to achieve it. That day came at the weirdest time when my marriage was failing. To top that off, I got Shingles a month after my fifty-first birthday. You can’t begin to imagine the pain that I was in. I had to distract my mind from thinking about the pain and the thought of different love stories soothed my pain away. Six weeks later, I started handwriting my first novel. Two months later, I finished writing my first book, and every two months after that, I completed another book. I ended up writing five books in less than nine months. I was so proud of myself. Most of all, the support I got from my children and family was priceless.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was challenging because juggling taking care of seven children, my house, and myself was beyond difficult. Thank goodness I mastered the art of managing my time. I always made time for my writing daily. In reference to whether it has been easy or smooth, I guess it is safe to say that nothing in my life has ever been smooth for me. More like, bumping roads. The struggles and tribulations made me the strong woman I am today. I didn’t let anything get in my way of making my dream come true. Not even my unhealthy marriage that I had put years of devotion and hard work into. Instead of being depressed about a chapter I had to put an end to, writing became my therapy, and then it became my source of peace. After writing five books in nine months, I came up with the perfect name for my company, MD Creations. Marie Dalhia didn’t have that romantic ring to it, so MD became my author’s name. Being a romance author is not an easy task. There are a lot of romance authors who have written beautiful love stories before me. The difference in my stories, you could picture yourself in them. I always say, ‘If you can’t capture your readers’ attention in the first two chapters, then don’t bother being a writer.’ Readers want to read something fresh and spicy that will mesmerize them. That’s what I do at MD Creations. I am hoping to one day help others who are interested in writing. Like they say, ‘Everyone has a story to tell.’

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a self-publishing romance author. I write intriguing stories you have never read. Stories that come from my wild imagination. Currently, I have three published books, The Arrangement, Guardian of My Heart, and A Favor to My Heart. I remember a few years ago having to make time to read a good romance book. It often frustrated me that it was a struggle to read a book because of the complexity. That’s why I make my books simple and smooth reading for eighteen and older. For example, my eighty-four years old aunt has read my book with no problems. Most of all, the storyline kept us talking for hours. I give my readers a book they can enjoy during their leisure time without complications. Anyone could write a good novel, but the difficult part is getting recognition. Hopefully, this article will reach the readers I haven’t been able to reach yet.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
First of all, my family deserves the utmost credit. Their love and support kept me going. They believed in me before I did. When I first told my mother that I had started writing romance novels, she was happy for me. She told me to go for it. Now, I am the first author in my family. What an accomplishment! Next, I would like to thank my sisters, Yona, Manno, and Joanne, who have helped me promote my books in New York City, Connecticut, and Georgia. My brother, Fred, takes the time to talk about my storylines. My sister-in-law, Cecelia, sent me money to get me started with my copyright and book cover costs. My kids blew up their social media to help me and I couldn’t have published my books without my daughter, Sariah, who helped me upload them. My fourteen years old daughter, Natalia, has designed three of my book covers. My nephews, Rodney, Jordan, and Jamar, and nieces, Darlene and Shryia, bought my books and spread the word about my books. My cousin, Lynn, and Myriam are my beta-readers. My aunts and cousins also showed me support by buying my books. Friends and people I knew for years bought my books and gave me positive feedback. It’s a family affair. I also want to thank all the readers who have become my supportive fans. I enjoyed getting their feedback and made some new friends along the way. Third, I want to thank McNally, Storytellers Bookstore, and Unbeweaveable Hair Salon for selling my books. Without the love and support from all these people, I don’t know if anyone would have ever read an MD Jean-Pierre romance novel.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Md29Creations
• Facebook: MD Jean-Pierre and MD Creations

Image Credits
MD Jean-Pierre