Healing Through Words: Trauma, War, and Storytelling with Matthew James Jones

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone sits down with Matthew James Jones—a Canadian writer, veteran, and educator living in France—to talk about his decision to leave a secure military career to become a writer. They discuss how his military experiences shaped his creative journey, the challenges of transitioning careers, and the personal cost of confronting trauma through storytelling. The conversation is candid, insightful, and sprinkled with humor about life, art, and the adventure of adulting imperfectly.About the Guest:Born in Canada, Matthew James Jones  joined the military at 19 years old and learned to drive ships, eventually deploying to Afghanistan. With 13 years of military experience, including deployment in Afghanistan and work on drone warfare doctrine, Matthew now focuses on writing, teaching, and running a fitness group (the “log gym”) for veterans.Main Topics Covered:Matthew’s journey from Canadian military officer to published novelist.The decision to leave the security of the military and pursue writing.How trauma and life experience inform creative work.The reality of becoming and being an author, including the ups and downs of publishing.Living and teaching in France; building a life abroad.The importance of healing, leadership, and redefining masculinity.Fun, personal stories—from log gyms to emotional support cats, and his affection for Paris.Quote from the Episode:"It's impossible for me to regret the path that I've taken because it's how I got here. And it is a big step to become an artist and to say, 'Oh, yeah, that's what I do now.'" — Matthew James JonesTimestamps:[00:00:32] Matthew’s background: from Canada to Paris, hobbies, and log gym[00:02:15] Deciding to join (and leave) the military[00:07:34] Always wanting to be a writer—early ambitions and military writing[00:11:23] Making the leap: From military to writing, teaching, and global living[00:16:42] The personal cost of war, trauma, and the need to heal[00:20:10] Leaving Canada, starting over in France[00:23:11] The long road to publishing: 'Predators, Reapers, and Deadlier Creatures'[00:25:22] Book excerpt readings: blending reality, trauma, and magical realism[00:35:13] Next creative chapters: healing, leadership, and beyond[00:39:34] Reflections on regret, creativity, and living authentically[00:40:36] Rapid-fire questions: childhood foods, cat games, and learning FrenchWhere to Find the Book:Predators, Reapers, and Deadlier Creatures by Matthew James Jones available from Double Dagger Books https://www.matthewjamesjones.com/ At the time of the publication of this episode, the book is available on Amazon. If you have any trouble finding the book please reach out directly to the guest. Never Miss a Moment of Imperfect AdultingWe invite you to join our email community and let us bring the podcast directly to you! As a subscriber, you'll receive notifications about new episodes, exclusive offers from our amazing guests, and easier access to any of the important links mentioned on the show—no more scrambling to write down websites or remember special codes.Why subscribe?Stay up-to-date without checking your podcast appGet guest offers delivered straight to your inboxAccess all important links in one convenient placeCatch the highlights even when you don't have time to listenAre you ready? Join us at https://www.imperfectadulting.com Here are a few resources that Amy uses to make all this great content. These are affiliate links :-)For livestreaming and recording ECamm https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?fp_ref=amy69Podcast hosting and distribution: Captivate FM https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=ntczmwi Website hosting with Siteground https://www.siteground.com/?referrer_id=9115590Ai Transcription Tool: Castmagic https://get.castmagic.io/ugrmjjrt8ofjFor Email I recently switched to Beehiiv https://www.beehiiv.com?via=Amy-Stonebefore that I used Kit. Books I like and books written by show guests on Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/lists/podcast-guest-authors