Meet Jeffrey Ford

Jan 15

Jeffrey Roy Ford is a Fantasy Fiction writer and former substitute teacher. He has dedicated his life to creating stories that teach important life lessons. His latest novel, Fairy Rock, immerses readers in a mystical world where magic and reality intertwine through vibrant characters and captivating narratives. Jeffrey’s goal is to inspire and educate, ensuring that each story is a journey of discovery and growth, leaving readers feeling enlightened and informed.

Please share a brief synopsis of Fairy Rock.

In the quaint town of Fairyville, Washington, high in the mountains, lies the legendary Fairy Rock. According to local lore, those brave enough to leap from its heights can enter the mystical realm of The Fairies, where any wish can be granted. Tevin Jenkins, a recent high school graduate, is hopelessly in love with his crush, Serenity Cooper. Desperate to win her heart, Tevin takes the daring leap, hoping to transform into someone Serenity could love.

Unbeknownst to Tevin, his wish sets off a chain of unforeseen and ominous events. As dark forces begin to stir, the story unfolds through the perspectives of multiple characters. Richard Johnson, Tevin's loyal friend, joins the quest to navigate the treacherous fairy realm to find him and uncover the true cost of the wish. Serenity Cooper, caught in the middle, must confront her own feelings and the chaos that ensues. Meanwhile, the evil wizard Gilbert III, awakened by Tevin's actions, seeks to exploit the situation for his nefarious purposes.

Your fast-paced fantasy novel isn’t simply about fairies and magic. You seamlessly blend two very different worlds; the fairy realm and contemporary life on Earth for your main character, Tevin Jenkens. What prompted you to integrate both worlds into your story?

Tevin is an special character. He's very shy, and he has some issues with mental health. I wanted to show the readers his life in the contemporary world of Fairyville and why he would jump off Fairy Rock to seek help from the fairies. I also wanted to compare the contemporary city of Fairyville which is a beautiful city with some corruption to the completely dark World of The Fairies.

One of the underlying themes for Tevin’s character focuses on mental illness. The way you incorporated this into Fairy Rock helps to destigmatize psychological disorders. Was this part of Tevin’s character from the beginning or did the idea develop as the story grew?

Tevin’s mental illness was in there from the beginning. I wanted the reader to see that it's possible to work through mental health issues, overcome the fear of it, and still be able to live a great life.

Tevin Jenkins is a likeable character who struggles with self-confidence issues. I’m sure many young men of that age can relate. Tevin is in love with Serenity Cooper, but his nerves and anxiety get the best of him when he is around her. Why was it important to portray him as a vulnerable person?

Thank you, I feel Tevin is very likeable as well. He is very shy, and he does deal with mental health issues. As I an author I have mental health issues as well. I am Schizophrenic. I wanted to show the readers the difficulties of living with mental issues while trying to live a normal life as a Teenager.

When Tevin jumps off Fairy Rock and lands in the fairy world, he transforms. The emerging alter-ego, Rock, is the antithesis of Tevin. This not only works in the story but also for the character growth of Tevin. Tell us about the process of fleshing out these very different characters. Did you use character sheets, map their traits out in your head, or employ some other method?

Yes, Rock is almost the polar opposite of Tevin, he's very confident and completely believes in himself to the point of arrogance. I dug down deep from my own personal life experiences. I was very shy as kid, and I wished I was more muscular, fearless, and more confident in myself, so I applied that to the character Rock.

You sprinkle African American culture into the story, and it mingles perfectly with the plot and of course with Tevin. Was it important to you as an African American author to include aspects of your culture within your novel?

As an African American, I wanted to show readers African American culture because I see the world through the eyes of an African American man. Religion and art were a very important part of my life.

There are many religious references in Fairy Rock, such as God, quick prayers, and holy water. It’s not overdone and in fact meshes with the plot. Was this backdrop intentional or did it fall into place as you were writing? Were you concerned about its inclusion?

Religion was a very important part of my life. I used it to help me in situations where I was very afraid or worried. So, I wanted to apply it to the characters in my story. Prayer helps them to get out of dangerous situations.

Some of the characters in Fairy Rock use marijuana, which fits in with the narrative and age of the characters. I’m curious about what audience you feel your book is aimed at.

I wanted the readers to feel some realism. Some young adults who party often use Marijuana to help to party with. These habits can become addictive, and I wanted to show the readers how addiction can effect someone's daily life.

Fairy Rock is written in the present tense and contains multiple points of view. Aspiring authors sometimes grapple with tense and point of view when they sit down to write. What thoughts went into your choices?

I find that present tense is easier to write action scenes with, and I also wanted readers to feel like they are in the actual moment like the story is happening right now as we speak. I also wanted to use multiple character's point of view because I wanted the readers to see how some of the other characters were thinking and feeling with the massive chaos that was going on throughout the story.

One aspect of Fairy Rock that I loved was the two climaxes. Just when the reader thinks the story’s conclusion is imminent, they are surprised that a new climax is on the horizon. How did the idea for two climaxes come about?

Thank you, I wanted to make this story have cliffhangers. I wanted the reader to stay interested in the story and want more and more of it.

What do you hope readers will come away with after reading Fairy Rock?

I want the readers to be very entertained, and I also wanted to bring the importance of handling mental health into the spotlight.

Please tell us about your book Teenager Soup.

Teenagers make the best soup! Braxton Brown is a divorced dad with a reputation of being a stoner and a slacker. He picks up his teenagers, Kelly and Winston, for the weekend and wants to prove to them that he can be a good dad. During a pitstop in a rural town in Michigan, his children get abducted by blood-thirsty cannibals. Can Braxton save them before it's too late?

Teenager Soup is a short story about the journey of Braxton Brown learning to grow up and learning to handle his responsibilities as a father. I also wanted the readers to know that anyone can change and become a better person. It's never too late.

What genre does Teenager Soup fall under?

Teenager Soup will fall under Fantasy Fiction. It is a thriller.

What lessons do you hope readers learn after reading Teenager Soup?

I wanted readers to learn that it is never too late to change. It's possible to overcome addiction, and it's never too late to fix your relationship with loved ones.

You are also the author of several children’s books starring Steadman Squirrel as the main character. What inspired you to write children's books?

I wanted to write children's books because I want to teach children important life lessons that I learned. Such as the importance of hygiene, how to overcome fear, teamwork, and why it's important to respect your teachers. I'm hoping they can learn this lesson early so they don't make some of the same mistakes I made.

What motivated you to take the leap from children’s author to fiction novelist?

I enjoy writing children's books. I wanted to challenge myself to write fiction because with writing fiction novels you literally have to describe the world of your characters with words instead if pictures.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

My advice would be to be patient, learn as much as you can, write as much as possible, and to never give up.

Can you share if you have any new projects on the horizon?

I'm currently working on more fantasy fiction stories and children's books for the near future.

To learn more about Jeffrey Ford or to purchase his books, click the links below:

Jeffrey Ford Website

Jeffrey Ford Amazon

Jeffrey Ford Instagram

For more information on some of the topics discussed in this article, click the links below:

Religion in Your Fiction

Spin the Genie's Genre Bottle

The Five Elements of Plot