John Bernard Jones

is a jack-of-all-trades hailing from Huttig, Arkansas. Born in 1965, he has been a child preacher (briefly); radio dj and radio station programmer; sometime actor; writer and novelist; web designer and video editor; club promoter and several various and sundry pursuits after many years as an HR specialist in the hotel and retail industry. Jones was the original television and movie critic for AOL/NetNoir. He also wrote soap opera criticism for Daytime Confidential, and is currently a recurring guest on Geek Confidential and TV Rewind podcasts.

Jones has written several meditations on race and sexuality, including being published in the anthology "The Gay Rights Movement (American Social Movements)." He was also publisher of JFY Magazine. Having lived all over the country, Jones is currently the author of the upcoming series THE WILLIAM PRESCOTT MYSTERIES, starting with "When Divas Get Ready."

THE SHORT LONG HISTORY OF "WHEN DIVAS GET READY"

WHEN DIVAS GET READY was first written in 1994 & completed in 1995. As is common for first manuscripts for first time authors, it was rejected many times before one publisher, Noble Press of Chicago, picked it and its sequel (yes, there is a sequel!) for a 1996 debut. Unfortunately, Noble Press folded before the novels made it to market and the rights reverted back to the author. Soon after, the original manuscripts were thought lost until they were redicsovered by the author. After revisiting the story and its myriad characters, J. Bernard went to work on making minor revisions and updates to bring the mystery up to speed for audeiences who have had two decades to be exposed to ever more complex tmysteries, twists and sophsisticated astroyrtelling on the page and television. Just past the 20th anniversary of what would have been their debut, J. Bernard Jones made the decision to bring When Divas Get Ready to market.

THE 1994 Video

All clips used in the 1994 video belong to their respective owners. Their use is to provide a snapshot into the year 1994, and provide context for the story. No endoresment by any of the entities featured is implied nor to be inferred.

BOOK COVER  PHOTO

Genial23, Queens, New York | used with public permission in exchange for credit

Video Clips

in order of appearance

Vogue Supremacy / Ballroom Style

The Arsenio Hall Show / Tupac Shakur

Soul Train / MC Lyte

Forrest Gump

In Living Color / Men on Film

Guiding Light

Chicago Bulls vs, NY Knicks 1994 Playoffs / Scottie Pippen

Babylon 5

Cabrini Green

Pulp Fiction

The Ricki Lake Show

Martin

World's Largest Stepper's Contest

Lawrence Taylor Retirement Ceremony

Natural Born Killers

World's Biggest Steppers Contest

Buju Banton

The Shawshank Redemption

Serial Mom

Hard Copy / Jeffery Dahmer

Tongues Untied / Essex Hemphill

CNN / OJ Simpson Bronco Chase

Whitney Houston/Australia

1994 Gay Games New York

The Rolonda Watts Show

In the Life / E. Lynn Harris

Jeffrey

The Mask

Black Is Black Ain't / Marlon Riggs

Eyewitness News / Oprah Winfrey Interview

New York Undercover

Another World

SportsChannel / Michael Jordan

The Crow: Reborn

Soul Train / R. Kelly

Due South

100% Pure Love / Crystal Waters

B96-FM / Chicago

Miss Gay Tri-State Continental 1994

Pumps & a Bump / MC Hammer

CBS This Morning / Harry Smith & Paula Zahn

Stargate

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

Christopher Scarver / Jeffery Dahmer's Killer

In Living Single

Batman: The Animated Series/Heart of Ice

Sugar Hill

Soul Train

Crooklyn

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

General Hospital

Low Down Dirty Shame

The Ricki Lake Show

On Our Own

Regulate / Warren G

One of Us

The Lion King

At Your Best / Aaliyah

Hoop Dreams

MUSIC

The Leftovers (HBO) — Season 1 Premiere End Credits; Max Richter