Adventures in Smedia – by BJ Frazier

Hey folks,
This week I’m proud to present another guest blog! This one is from BJ Frazier who is a writer I met on Twitter and has been a wonderful source of fun and friendship. We’ve been conversing for a while now, and I decided to ask her if she’d like to contribute to my little corner of the web…and she said YES!
I’ll say no more about her here, and let her blog post act as an introduction.
Over to you BJ! 🙂

Hello, Jon Ford followers!!

In this strange time of lockdown and chaos, worry and heartache, the internet is our extended family–the kind you *want* to celebrate holidays with! I’m grateful for meeting so many cool, intelligent, fun-loving, and humorous people within the #WritingCommunity in Twitland.

I first ventured into *smedia* (my unaffectionate term for “social media”) in order to promote my books. I didn’t have any expectations. So, it was a pleasant surprise to find such a supportive environment.

There are follow trains, late night parties, silly quizzes, fun facts, and more, which are designed to promote numbers and get to know other authors. I even received help launching my website from some special Twitsters!

While I get overwhelmed by my inability to keep up with notifications, I enjoy participating and adding to all the trains (that I’m able to catch). The witty and intelligent banter that gets whipped from one’s keyboard to different countries in a matter of seconds is pretty awesome… not to mention chuckle-worthy.

And did I mention eloquent writers?? Of course the banter is going to be rich and descriptive when you put a group of writers together! *grin*

With all of the great connections, one-liners and gifs, the foundation is the books. I have just started to read some of my friends’ books.

There’s no better way to “finish” a great read than being able to discuss it with the author. I love to DM the author with questions or comments. I’ve even received insights as to how the book was written, behind-the-scenes funnies and, most importantly, how the story affected the author’s life.

I feel like I’m part of a full-circle book club…and there are so many amazing tales in which to get immersed.

One such author I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know recently is Jon Ford. I first became a fan of Jon’s writing when I read his blog post about querying. Any author about to begin that process, for either a publisher or literary agent, should read it. Not only is it well-written, but it contains some sage advice.

For seasoned authors, it’s worth a read to walk down memory lane (*shudder*).

At the heart of it, though, is the knowledge and comfort that you’re not alone. You’re not the first writer to hock his wares, and you won’t be the last.

Jon’s writing is gut-wrenchingly honest, alive and vulnerable. I simply had to respond to it. I’m glad I did, because Jon and I have become friends and have shared anecdotes and professional tips.

I’m proud to call Jon a friend, and I’m honored that he asked me to chat with you…about anything. I choose to talk about his masterpiece, “Songbird”. There are three chapters on this blog. If you haven’t read them yet, you should!

Even though it’s not in final form, the chapters are compelling. From the first few paragraphs, the reader finds himself in the middle of a chase, breathes with the character and sees everything she sees…because of Jon’s writing.

I’m not a fan of the fantasy genre, but I am a fan of this work. Even in the brief set-up for each character, I find myself wanting to know more about them…and I care about them. To create a strong connection between reader and character sometimes takes an entire book. It speaks volumes about Jon’s writing to have accomplished the feat within a mere three chapters!

I know Jon’s pored over his edits but, from what little I’ve read, the foundation is solid. Regardless of it needing some TLC, the story and dialogue are rich.

He created entire worlds, and the story spans several novels. I had casually mentioned to him while chatting that it would be difficult to keep things straight.

*poof* with the magic of the internet, Jon shared with me his outlines <–a term I use loosely. They’re more like college textbooks diagramming each character, world, time frame…*and* they’re color-coordinated!

This level of connection isn’t possible in a “tweet”. Nor is it possible with travel [and now COVID-19] impediments. But it is possible in cyberspace. It helps to know that somewhere, someone is thinking about you.

During this crazy time, I hope you’ve been able to connect with people, too. When you can’t leave the house, it’s even more important to have those warm fuzzies that come from friends all over the world. Due to the economic uncertainty facing so many of us, I’ve decided to give back to my friends and readers. For the first time ever, my “Perchance to Dream”, nine-book series is being offered in three box sets at a savings: Three stories for the price of two!

I’m an erotica author, so you shouldn’t read the series in public…unless that’s your kink. *grin*

I invite you to take a look at the books here…

There’s an age gate to enter but the website itself is safe for work. However, there are outside links which could take you to NSFW pages. You’ll even find links to other authors’ sites… Like Jon’s!

If you’re new to smedia and are feeling overwhelmed, follow a few threads, get to know some authors. Then reach out to one or two. I have confidence that you will be welcomed with open arms, because the #WritingCommunity is a fabulous place connect!

I love making new friends but I haven’t figured out how to master Twitland’s notifications, so try a DM.

Or post a comment here.

I’m sure Jon will pass it along to me if I don’t catch it. Thanks for spending time with me.

Happy reading,

BJ