Jones's published credits include nine romances (Avalon, Heartsong Presents), thirty-three books, both fiction and nonfiction, for children (Barbour Books, Chelsea House, McGraw-Hill, Seedling, Lerner, Scholastic, Wendy Pye, and Lucent Books), and over 600 articles and short stories in magazines.  She's a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, Authors Guild, Missouri Writers Guild (past president), Ozark Writers League (current president) and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She earned an MA in history from the University of Arkansas (long ago) and recently graduated with an MFA from Stonecoast, the low-residency creative writing program at University of Southern Maine.