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.

Awww! Thanks BJ. For those unfamiliar with that blog post, here’s a linky… ‘Querying…Ugh!
JF

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!

Quick interrupt… The three chapters BJ is referencing were a special Christmas treat. I’ve since taken them down from the menus. However, the page still remains…and here’s a link! ‘Songbird Xmas Chapters

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…

Click on the book to take you to BJ’s book releases…
Click on the box to go to BJ’s general website!

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

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8 Comments

  1. Evie

    I enjoy the fantasy genre and I love that Jon creates female characters that are powerful and clever. It makes me interested in learning more about them and their world. It’s remarkable that the writing community is so supportive and empowering on Twitter. What a great asset to have in your back pocket!

    • Jon Ford

      I’ve always loved Sci Fi and Fantasy, so it just became natural that I’d gravitate towards that.

      The female character thing was a quirk of history. LOL
      If you read my intro to the COH story, you’ll get more of that. But essentially I used to play City of Heroes as both gendered characters. But Gale, in the game, was in a Supergroup (kind of like a clan) with a load of other female superheroes. That’s when I started writing fan fiction about them. So the fan fic was predominantly female characters. That’s carried over into Songbird! 🙂

  2. Ally

    First off I want to say I envy you! I would love to read a book and then have a conversation with the actual author! Pick their brain, see if I “got what they were selling”. That is incredibly cool and for that I envy you.

    Jon – Thanks for posting the link to the three chapters. I’ll give them a read later this week.

    • Jon Ford

      I hope you like them. I really should post up the more edited versions when I have a free minute or ten.

      And I’m always available for chat! 😀

      • Ally

        I have to admit that I have not always been a fan of fantasy but these were great. I was interested and want to read more. So I hope you get a free minute or ten!

    • KarieS

      I agree with you! How cool it is to be able to read a book and then chat with the author. I’ve always wanted to do this. It’s almost like being their peer group.

    • Evie

      I read your blog post about it actually. I love hearing how the characters came to be! I think it adds another layer to their personalities.

      • Jon Ford

        I love creating characters, and I have a broad spectrum of them in the book (and more on the way!).
        While I planned the Songbird saga waaaaaay in advance, the characters actually reshaped the flow of the book considerably. When you start to learn how your characters feel and react to situations, it forces you to rethink certain scenes of stories. The book suddenly becomes a little more organic.
        That’s why I love writing. It’s the adventure that it takes you on AS you’re writing it. 🙂

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