Welcome!

My name is Barbra Jones, and I’ve been a freelance writer for ten years, but my love of writing began long before that.

When I was six years old, my dad started working nights for a while. During the week, I never saw him. He was asleep when I got up for school and at work when I got home. By the time he returned, I was already in bed.

I missed him, so I wrote him a story about a puppy, complete with pictures, and left it on the fridge for him to find when he came home.

The next morning, there was a note waiting for me:

“I loved your story. You did such a great job! Love, Daddy”

Motivated by his encouragement, I wrote another story that night. The next morning, there was another note. That little exchange sparked something in me. Long after he stopped working nights, I kept writing, and I never stopped.

I know I wasn’t a great writer at age six. He loved my stories because I was his child, not because I was some pint-sized Jane Austen. But that’s where my love of writing first began.

Fast forward thirty years. Like many things in life, my freelance writing journey started out of necessity. I was a stay-at-home mother of two young children, looking for ways to help support our family while still being home with them. Since writing had always come naturally, it felt like the right thing to do.

I joined a few online platforms, took on my first projects, and soon found myself with steady work and loyal clients. Over the past decade, I’ve done everything from ghostwriting and editing to memoir collaboration, podcast show notes, and website content.

Each project teaches me something new, but the ones that touch me most deeply are the memoirs. Helping people tell their life stories has been an incredible honor. I’ve always known that writing is my calling, and I’m grateful to use it to help others.

Our Family

I live in Central Texas with my husband of almost twenty-two years, Anthony, and our family. He works full-time as a CDL truck driver during the week and is home in the evenings and on weekends. We have a son in college, a daughter finishing high school, a happy little dog, and a cat who thinks we’re all working for him.

Family is at the heart of everything we do. My parents live next door, and my sister and brother-in-law just up the road. We have family all over the country. McGinty Brookins isn’t just a business but a reflection of who we are.

The Name

When I decided to move beyond freelance platforms and work independently, I wanted a name for my new business. I’ve always loved naming things. One night, I sat up in bed with a notebook, jotting down ideas while Anthony slept beside me.

I went through a long list of possibilities, but nothing clicked. I tried combining our names, but it wasn’t going to be called Barthony or Anbra. Our last name with my maiden name didn’t sound right either. Then I thought about honoring our mothers, but those names didn’t have the right flow.

Finally, I tried combining our grandmother’s maiden names. That was it. It clicked.

“Anthony, I’ve got it! McGinty Brookins! Our grandma’s maiden names! It sounds like a law firm, but I don’t care. It’s perfect!”

“Uh-huh,” he said, half asleep.

The next morning, when he was fully awake, he agreed.

Our Grandmothers, Our Inspiration

Rita Rose McGinty (my grandma)

Mary Magnolia Brookins (Anthony’s grandma)

Since they both had flower middle names, the logo includes a single magnolia and a single rose side by side. They were both loving and gracious women who shaped our families in ways that still ripple through generations. They were women of integrity, kindness, and strength, and those same qualities continue to shine through their families and guide the way we run this business. They never knew each other, and both passed away before we were married, but we feel blessed to be able to honor them both this way.

The Vision

At McGinty Brookins, our vision is simple:
To help people share their stories, creatively and professionally.

Whether you’re a first-time author, work in the ministry, or just want to preserve a piece of family history, we treat every project with care and respect.

This is not a big company. It’s a family-run business based out of our home office and built on trust, integrity, and genuine passion for the written word.

Our work is guided by three values:

• Excellence. Every story deserves to be told beautifully.
• Authenticity. Your voice matters. We never write over it; we write with it.
• Connection. Stories bring people together. That belief is at the center of everything we do.

From one storyteller to another, welcome to McGinty Brookins.