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Profile: Dr. Monica Anderson
By Michael Barnes | Tuesday, July 12, 2011, 05:33 PM
Even a seasoned social columnist yawps at the mental picture of Dr. Monica Anderson ’s
schedule.
Dentist by day. Romance novelist by night. And so much more in between, including mother of
two grown sons, motivational speaker, serial volunteer and founder of Austin’s Black
Newcomers Association.
“It is difficult,” says Anderson, who goes by “Dr. Moe” and whose first name is pronounced Mo-
NEE-ka. “I have learned to greatly limit my aspirations and match my ambition to my age and
aches. I’ve learned that I need peace and time and quiet.”
Super-achieving Anderson, 48, wrote lifestyle columns for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and has
published five books, three of them classified as romance novels. After years of private practice

2. in the Arlington area, Anderson now delivers dental healthcare to disadvantaged schoolchildren
through the St. David’s Foundation in Austin.
“Public health fits in with my core passions,” she says.
Born in Houston, Anderson grew up in the Fort Worth area, daughter of a retired principal,
Arcolia Jenkins , and a retired educator and coach, Jimmy Jenkins .
As might be expected in such a household, she proved a diligent student, but also, showing early
pluck, she was voted “Most Witty” by her senior class. She dutifully attended Baylor University,
followed by dental school at the University of Minnesota.
“My best friend and I decided in the 10th grade that we’d be dentists,” she smiles indulgently.
“Well, he decided for us. He’s now a salesman at Neiman Marcus and I’m the dentist. Actually,
we weren’t exposed to many professions on career day and dentistry combined my two great
interests of art and science.”
Marriage — she is divorced — produced two sons Alfred Anderson Jr ., 24, and Adrian
Anderson , 22, who appear on the cover of her romantic suspense novel, “I Stand Accused.”
Her first book, however, explored Black English Venacular phonetics, right before the 1996
uproar in Oakland over adding Ebonics to school curricula.
“Quite frankly I don’t care to talk about Ebonics ever again,” she says. “Leave it to the
professors.”
Six years later came a collection of her family-humor newspaper columns in the tradition of
Erma Bombeck and Bill Cosby . The anthology gathered together reader favorites from 500
columns written over the course of eight years.
Next came fiction. “I had always had it in my mind to write a novel and had been working on
one for 10 years,” she says. “When writing a book, the work is stop and start, stop and start.
People’s eye colors kept changing — and their heights. So I took time off to write, speak and
travel.”
The result was “When a Sistah’s Fed Up.” The protagonist is African American mayor of a
Dallas/Fort Worth suburb. A male assistant has always been in love with her. She’s been a
devoted wife and mother, but discontented with life, she’s torn between values and emotions.
Does it end happily like most romance novels?
“That’s the formula,” she says. “Mine ends realistically. Bittersweet. We don’t always get what
we want, or what we think we want.”

3. “I Stand Accused” jumps back and forth in time, telling of an opthamologist whose father was
murdered in East Texas. Trying to restart a relationship from his youth, the doctor seeks to solve
the mystery of his father’s death.
“Sinphony” is set in Austin, where a third-grade school teacher whose school is underperforming
wants to become vice-principal. She’s a single mom competing with her romantic interest for
that job.
Anderson’s novels, which combine vernacular with standardized diction, have appeared on
several best-seller lists, driven in part by e-book purchases, which make up from 40 to 50 percent
of her sales.
Were dentistry and writing not enough, Anderson, a third generation member of Zeta Phi Beta
sorority, volunteers, socializes or serves in leadership positions for groups such as the National
Council of Negro Women, GivingCity Austin, LifeWorks, Baylor University Alumni
Association, American Dental Association and Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
One of her proudest creations, however, is the Austin’s Black Newcomers Association. When
she moved here three years ago, Anderson spent a lot of time Googling historically black social
groups.

4. “After living here several months and getting settled, I felt very isolated and lonely,” says the
South Austin empty-nester. “I’m a pretty good networker. I can imagine what other newcomers
feel.’”
She thought: What if all the information were found in one place?
“I saw the creation of this organization as a sort of missing link or niche I could fill and help
other new residents quickly learn about African American media, professional associations,
annual events and organizations,” she says.
When she is not touring — or, these days, using Skype — to promote her books, she speaks
publically on the medical benefits of humor, communication skills, start-up businesses,
publishing and self-employment.
During her spare moments, you might find Anderson hang-gliding, jumping off bridges or sky
diving.
“I really indulge both sides of my brain,” she says. “When I play, I play hard. I take calculated
risks. When I’m doing dentistry, because it’s so detailed and analytic, I take it seriously.”
Lately, she’s learned to set aside personal time in a disciplined way.
“If it’s important, I schedule it,” she says. “Everything else is in my smart phone: I should be
too.”
Photo Credit: D. Brown
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By Damita Shanklin
July 20, 2011 3:24 PM | Link to this
As I work to promote positive images in our Austin Black community, reading about Dr. Monica
Anderson and what she is doing in the Austin community is great news!. I've had the opportunity
to listen to Dr. Moe speak about her books as well as how to make others a better writer and both
times she was inspirational.
Another positive aspect that shows Dr. Moe is a go-getter is she started the Austin Newcomer's
Association to ensure that when people move to Austin they will have the resources available to
them, which she had to search for when she arrived to our wonderful city.

5. I hope more positive people will be profiled in the Austin American Statesman that represent our
black community and all the wonderful things we do to help make up this beautiful city we call
Austin.
My hats off to you Dr. Moe!
Damita
By Johnson, M. D.
July 15, 2011 4:12 PM | Link to this
Thank you Austin 360 for more coverage on Austin's very on Dr. Anderson!
I have enjoyed reading Dr mOe's wonderful work about strong, make that "VERY STRONG"
women, who have to survive circumstances regardless of the overwhelming odds. She
exemplifies success and knows how to define it for her fictional family of friends. Her ability to
pull the reader "into the moment" is amazing.
As I travel the world --- I love sharing my time with her characters....what will she think of next?
Keep writing Dr mOe!
MJ
By Monica Anderson
July 13, 2011 2:36 PM | Link to this
Michael, thank you so very much for featuring me and, more importantly, the wonderful
organizations I work with, volunteer with, and support in your popular, well-written column! It
was delightful to finally meet you in person. Here's wishing you continued success and all the
love you can stand. My very best...mOe
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