Behind the Scenes
Jon in his favorite writing chair, typing out an early draft for Please Return to the Lands of Luxury.
Jon’s writing magnetic board where he organizes each book in order to take a step back and see the big picture.
A close-up of Jon’s magnetic board. Using mini Post-it notes, he often marks the 17-steps of the Hero’s Journey at their corresponding points in the story.
Jon's Creative Journey
1993
Early Creativity
Jon's interest in telling stories began when he was just four years old.
In his backyard, he'd imagine his own stories, sometimes in collaboration with his friends.
At this time Jon was also fascinated by Writer Rabbit, a computer game that allowed players to create a simple narrative by selecting prompts.
1995
A Small Business Author
Jon's love for telling stories continued over his early years. But he also developed an enjoyment of making and selling his work as a product.
After writing down his latest tale on a stack of paper, he'd staple them together then sell them to his first customers–his grandparents.
1996
School Projects
Every year, Jon's elementary school had a book-making unit where students would write and illustrate their own stories.
This is the book from second grade where the assignment was to create a new book that fit in with Lindsay Barrett George's "Who's Been Here?" series.
2000
A World of Imagination
Jon's creativity wasn't limited to writing. He enjoyed anything creative, from piano-playing to participating in the latest school play.
He even borrowed his dad's video camera to make his very own Star Wars movie, complete with action figures on strings and copious amounts of ketchup for the action sequences.
1999
Pokémon Fan Fiction
Even as he dabbled in making home videos, Jon continued to find creative expression in writing.
The hobby often crossed over with his favorite media franchises, including a episodic journal about Pokémon.
2002
Superlander Comics
In middle school, Jon enjoyed drawing comics on the back of his tests.
These stories were based on his teacher Mr. Lander. The series was known as "Superlander" and became a big hit among his friends.
2005
Superlander Animated Movies
Jon's work with Superlander expanded when his uncle gifted him an animated software called Carrara 3D Basics.
He created three animated movies with a total runtime of over thirty minutes. While the program had its constraints, Jon always found a way past the limitations to tell the story.
2023
Publishing Books
Between 2017 and 2022 Jon drafted several novels, but one stood out among the rest. After throwing away a childhood toy (read the full backstory here), he developed a story about a girl on an island of trash.
Jon published his debut novel, Please Return to the Lands of Luxury, on March 21, 2023.