Why Writing Fiction on the Beach?
Non Fiction is learning through information,
Fiction is learning through imagination
—Jennifer Powell (@ace_Librarian) —
Here is my writing recipe:
Take one flawed character.
Add a “what if” question.
Mix, stir, and shake, and turn their world upside down.
Pour and watch them rise.
Add a splash of romance and love as the cherry on top.
What’s in it for you?
You will be entertained.
I use creative storytelling and relatable characters so you can yell, “Woohoo!” when they get what they want and cringe as you say, “Don’t do it!” at their bad decisions.
Subtack allows me to have a closer relationship with my readers. You!
I write about characters who triumph over their trauma.
If I can inspire one person to talk about their trauma, I will consider my writing a success.
Big T or little t —we all have trauma. Talking about it is the first step on the road to healing.
I’m an advocate for supporting athletes of all levels and their mental health. I suffered from many mental health issues during my competitive days, which I discussed with The USA Today in this article.
Free subscribers have access to:
Free 1st seven chapters to the first book in my Headcase Series: Shock & Denial.
Some of my short stories.
A sneak peek at the 2nd book in the Headcase Series: The Inevitable.
A sneak peek at some of my other works.
My thoughts on the mental health of athletes and how we can support removing the stigma on talking about mental health.
Paid subscribers receive all free content plus:
Full ebook of Shock & Denial (Book 1).
Full serialized episodes of The Inevitable (Book 2)- coming Summer 2024!
Sneak peeks at new drafts and book projects, including video/audio notes.
“Ask Me Anything” Q&As, community conversations, and occasional interviews with other creative people I admire
My gratitude. Because being a paid subscriber means you’re directly supporting me and my work.
Either way, welcome, and thank you! I’m so happy you are here!
Thank you,
Chris K. Jones
@CKJ_headcase
About Me
I’m an artist stuck in the mind of an accountant. Sometimes they fight, actually they fight all the time. But thanks to you, the artist is finally winning!
Although most people would be happy being a successful entrepreneur, my dream was always to be a writer. I started writing as a boy to deal with all the vivid images and stories my imagination created. But since I couldn’t draw, I wrote. But I also had a practical and logical side to me, so when, at 19, my Creative Writing Professor tried to convince me to change majors from accounting to writing, this was our conversation:
“Chris, you’re very talented. You should switch from Accounting and pursue your writing.”
I replied, “I grew up poor and I don’t want to be a poor starving artist. First, I’ll make some money, and then I’ll write.”
I was never going to fit in Corporate America, so I started my first company at 23. I worked hard, putting my creative ambitions on the back burner, and all was going well until the unfortunate events of 9/11. I lost everything in the aftermath. Submerged in depression and debt, I climbed out of my deep, dark hole and built another company in 2009, which I sold in 2019 to pursue my writer's dreams. My last day as the CFO of the company I cofounded was 1/31/2020.
Forty-five days later, when the pandemic hit, I threw myself into the solace of an empty house in Tarrytown, NY, with nowhere to go and wrote, and wrote, and wrote.
In September 2020, with no end of the pandemic in sight, and me going stir crazy, I set off from NY to Barbados to live and write my first novel Headcase: Shock & Denial on the beach. My writer’s dream came true. The book was researched, written, and edited during my time in Barbados. I found Barbados to be an inspiring place to write and be creative. And who doesn’t want to write on a beach?
I spent two years in Barbados, and now I go back and forth between New York City and Barbados. Both fill me with inspiration, energy, and creativity.
Moving from forecasts and projections to storylines and character arcs was hard. I learned a lot about myself in those two years, and writing Shock & Denial was the best form of therapy I ever had.
Never give up your dreams, no matter how long they take! If I can do it, so can you!!
I love living in Manhattan. After returning from two years in Barbados, I left the sleepy suburb of Tarrytown for the incessant buzz of New York City.
I spend winters in Barbados because I can no longer handle the cold, and I find it inspiring to write there.
I am a Judoka (someone who practices Judo). I love competing. I’m hoping my body, which at this point is held together with spit and tape, will grant me one last tournament!
I do not have children or animals, but I love being an Uncle to both.
Book Awards:
Readers Favorite
American Writers Award
Literary Titan
Hollywood Book Festival
What People are saying about Headcase: Shock & Denial
“Jones is wonderfully adept at fleshing out and making real the challenges and struggles of professional athletics… (he) paints a startling and believable picture of a part of pro sports that most fans neither see nor even imagine. Jones is a strong and clear writer with a fluid style.”
— Kirkus Reviews —
“Jones has erected the perfect platform to truly understand the deep psychological elements and the impact of childhood, trauma, societal pressure, career, and expectations in the world of the elite athlete.”
— Literary Titan —
“This action-packed novel challenges the stigma of seeking help for mental health. Dr. Beck is like the James Bond of psychology. He makes seeking help feel edgy and sexy. The action and suspense are nonstop; the pages turn themselves. My heart lived in my throat for so long that it considered setting up a timeshare. As this is a series, this book is not the end of the story. I sincerely hope Christopher Jones is a fast writer!"
— Reedsy Discovery —
“Is Headcase a realistic portrait of the side of athletes that we don’t get to see? I’m not an expert, but I am willing to bet that there’s a troubled athlete out there that can well illustrate what Jones has written about, and that’s your answer. With its solid characters, plotting, and dialogue, Headcase: Shock & Denial is a dramatic suspense novel that you wouldn’t want to miss reading.”
— Vincent D. - Readers’ Favorite —
“This was definitely a page-turner for me; hard to believe it’s Jones’ debut novel. His characters are nuanced and convincing, and the twists and turns of the plot are a wild, enjoyable ride. I found myself getting absorbed into the Headcase “world” that Jones created and the end of the book is quite the surprise. It seems this is book #1 of a series and I’m eagerly awaiting Jones’ follow up. How many times I tried to put the book down but had to read just one more chapter.”
— Marketing Pro - Amazon Review —
“It’s a wonderful look into the male psyche.”
— Jeri S. —
“I didn’t think it was going to be this good.”
— Chris’ Mom —
