Bearly Gold: A Goldilocks and the Three Bears Reimagining is the second book in my Fairy Tale Fatale series. Booklife by Publishers Weekly voted the novel as an Editor's Pick, noting, "Jones (Forever Yours) delivers a clever and electrifying adventure on an alternate Earth alive with shapeshifters and volatile politics."
Jones masterfully constructs an original world of extraordinary shapeshifters, a militaristic society, a rich political environment, and mission to combat human trafficking. ... Readers will find this a winner.
Have you ever wondered why a seven-year-old Goldilocks would unlawfully enter a stranger's home, eat their food, break their furniture, and then fall asleep in their bed? Well, I did. In Bearly Gold, I sought to answer this question and more about a fairy tale that is often viewed as a children's cautionary tale. In this dystopian fantasy novel, I tackle a topic that is all too real--child trafficking.
As an African American woman, child and human trafficking hit close to home because Black females are disproportionately victims of this crime. According to the January 2022 "Sex Trafficking of Black Women & Girls" factsheet published by the National Black Women's Justice Institute,
40% of sex trafficking victims and survivors are Black women, the highest percentage of any race.
So, while Bearly Gold is a fantasy novel with a mythological shapeshifting heroine, the underlying themes of resilience, family, friendship, and action are very real and relevant.
Thus, I titled one of my chapters: The Fine Art of Finally Giving a Shit.
To learn how to join the fight against child trafficking, visit the U.S. Department of State's "20 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking" webpage.
