Colleen Jones, curling superstar, publishes memoir

It took a serious illness to help convince Colleen Jones to write her new autobiography Throwing Rocks at Houses. 

The book, released on Tuesday, follows Jones's journey as a curling superstar, CBC broadcaster and mother of two sons.

Her incredible sporting career includes six Scott Tournament of Hearts wins and two world championships. She is also a long-time CBC broadcaster and has covered sporting events around the world.

Jones decided to write a book about her life after she recovered from bacterial meningitis in 2010.

"Getting through that, or surviving that and realizing that maybe you do have a message to share with other people that you need to live life now, and enjoy life and cherish every moment," Jones says in an interview.

'Totally rewarding'

After recovering, she returned to the curling rink and competed in the 2013 Tournament of Hearts.

"It was a lovely moment for me, because there were times during the whole bacterial meningitis I thought that maybe I would never curl again," she says.

It was during that 2013 competition when Jones was approached by reporter Perry Lefko. He told Jones her story needed to be published. Soon afterwards the two started working together to make that happen.

Jones said it took two years and a lot of work to finally finish the 265-page book.  

"When the book actually arrived at the door in a box it was like finishing a marathon. It felt totally rewarding and satisfying."

After finishing the book, Jones realized that a lot of what she wrote had to do with work-life balance, which wasn't her intention when she started writing.

"I hope people like the book. I hope people get a message out of it. Even if I could have inspired just one person to think that they can do something more than they thought they could do, then it was worth writing it."  

Jones is currently on tour promoting Throwing Rocks at Houses. The hard cover book is published by Penguin Random House and sells for $28.