Perception of the Female Mind

[Jazzie]

Does anyone else find it weird but so awesome that a male author could write a main female character so well? Mr. Jones doesn't make them look weak or love-dovey. He gets them pretty right on.

What's your guys input?

[Arya]

Definitely! To start with I thought he was a girl. (no offense!) Some of my friends did too. It is awesome. I think Christopher Paolini and Sarwat Chadda do a great job with female characters as well.

[Jazzie]

I thought it was a female artist too until I read the little quotes from reviews and when they said "he", I was like O.O Wait! A man wrote this. I'm amazed and glad that Jones can do justice to both genders.

[sweetheartnmia]

I thought he was a girl too and when I found out she was a he lol I was like wow he just has a way with words and the ability to bring you inside the story and to connect with the characters.

[Jazzie]

Mmmhmm, that's right!

[rathina]

oh me to i thought he was a girl because it said frewin jones and i thought frewin was his name so i automatically thought he was a girl! (sorry allan) MAN HES AMAZING!

[allan]

AFJ here - I thought I'd tell you something interesting from when I was at school. I think I was about 13 or 14 at the time. The boys in the class I was in were asked to write short stories in English Language Class. Our normal teacher was off sick, or something, and the head techer took our class. He read our stories and made comments on our writing. Guess what he said about my writing style??? He said I wrote like a girl! (I have absolutely no idea how he came to this conclusion). I thought this was a really funny thing for him to tell me, so I went home and told my parents - and my father went crazy! I guess he didn't want teachers telling me I wrote in a girly way! (I don't even know what that means!!!) I didn't mind at all - I just thought it was funny. Maybe he meant I'm just in touch with my feminine side? Or, more likely, as it was a boy's school - I was the only one in the class who really got into writing stories while the rest of them wanted to be out playing football or whatever.

[Jazzie]

I think what the teacher meant was that you can do deep with emotions and the story in a way a lot of male writers can't. A lot of famous writers are female so I guess a teacher finds it odd that a guy can write just as great. I have never heard my english teachers speak of a male's paper so highly compared to a girl. Its the detail, passion, and effort you put in your writing, Mr. Jones.

But I bet you already know that! XD

[brigitte]

when I first read the series I thought the writer was a female as well. I do not think that you are effeminate but I agree with what Jazzie said that you are lucky that you are able to deal with complex emotions. Your characters are quite deep and complex. They are neither overly girly or butch in any way. When I could not get work in Welfare You cannot blame me for being inspired to join security and then the police. You gave Tania such a wide range of emotions that it was easy for me to relate to her. In the last book tania said I hope I do not have to use this sword on a real person. When I finished my security course and after I realised I could carry a baton and handcuffs I felt exactly the same thing. Also the emotional growth and the emotional conflict she goes through after she fought the grey knights is pretty realistic. All the documentaries I have seen about soldiers have outlined the same type of emotional growth. In the second trilogy when she goes on the quest she becomes mentally exhausted and confused as she must always be on guard. During my security course my teachers warned us about the same thing; to always be aware of our surroundings. Because as Tania realised she went from thinking about herself a whole group of strangers. This process does create a lot of internal conflict. Finally Allen I agree with sweetheartnmia I was instantly drawn into the story and I did end up connecting really deeply with the main character. What started off as a bit of escapism the book did change my life for the better. You are not just a writer but you are a gifted Bard. In pagan England Bards told stories not just to entertain but to teach the people lessons and new ways to solve problems.
So I guess Allen as a practicing pagan I believe you might have been a Bard in a past life in ancient England doing then what you are doing now telling stories to entertain and inspire. Keep up the good work Brigitte.

[Arya]

I agree with Jazzie and Brigitte, you just have a gift with writing. =)

Oh, and that's really interesting, Brigitte! I think being able to teach people in your writing is one of the best skills a writer can achieve. And Mr. Jones is able to do that very well.

[txbluebonnet]

Ditto, Arya. It takes a gifted and talented individual, such as Mr. Jones, to tap into the female psyche and use it as a portal to teach!

[Jazzie]

Yup. That's true!

[rathina]

yup allan is a genuis...... U ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rathinaisthebest]

Totally some of the best writers write girly such as shakespeare(in my opinion,but you're book is a bit based off of a midsummer night's dream). You're like a modern day Shakespeare!. I love how you really get into character!!!

[opal121]

Yeah, I admit that I, too, thought Mr. Jones was a girl.... It wasn't until I had read something where this person referred to him as a he that I became suspicious. Then I found Mr. Jones's website, and all the answers were revealed. It is pretty cool how he can understand how females' minds work. It helps to draw people into the books more.
Also, I thought that he revealed his gorey- action- loving male side in the third and fifth books. Weren't they a bit surprisingly gorey for a fantasy- romance? Not that I minded though.