Desperately Seeking Frances…Any Frances!


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  • Sadly my name is not Frances either but I do have a friend named Frances and I would love to surprise her with the signed book. She doesn't know of the book yet but I'm sure she'll love it just like I did.

    – J. Toney


  • Hi Jessica,

    I stumbled on your blog by accident, and by the way, we share an agent, Bill Contardi.

    I found this post so interesting, first because the title of your book, The Karma Club, is so interesting! I had never heard of it before and would love to read it and feature it on my blog, with your permission.

    The second reason I was drawn to your post is because of the name Frances. I call myself Bisi these days, but I was christened Frances.

    You see, I'm a native of Ghana, West Africa, from a people who believe in reincarnation etc. When a mother keeps experiencing still births, they believe it's the same child who keeps coming but refuses to stay. Therefore the child is called "Ko san bra", meaning "goes and comes back". Well, I didn't feel I was one. I didn't feel any connection to my sister named Frances who died, so I didn't understand why my father named me Frances.

    Besides, I hated the name.

    First of all, in my little town, no one had heard of a Frances except for when we learned about St. Francis of Assisi at school, a man dubbed 'Brother Francis'. It didn't matter about the difference in the feminine spelling; I endured the name Brother Frances. In Ghana, there's no worse insult than for a girl to be referred to as a male or vice versa.

    Luckily, I discovered Francesca in a story book and began using it. Still I hated it, even after I discovered Frances belonged to someone my father had loved very much in the past. In fact, after college, I dropped Francesca all together though it remained on my official documents like an ugly birth mark.

    But in 1999, Papa died and suddenly, I wanted to cling to everything that was him. When I became a US citizen in 2003, I had the opportunity to change my name, but I couldn't do it. Bisi became my middle name. Although that's what everyone calls me now, Frances remains on my papers. And in my heart.

    So there you have it, a Frances who made her peace with her father and stumbled onto your site. Is it karma? πŸ™‚

    Wishing you much success!
    Bisi/Frances/Francesca πŸ™‚
    http://www.bisiadjapon.wordpress.com


  • Just to point out a thought but someone might lie to get a free signed book. Anyways I hope you find an honest Frances. πŸ™‚


  • Just to clarify, I'm NOT in the contest. Feel free to give the book to someone, and also check with Bill who is currently submitting my memoir πŸ™‚

  • Ernessa from 32 Candles.com


    @Anon I think that if someone wanted Jessica's book so bad that they would lie for it, then they deserve it! Any writer should be thrilled to have fans willing to go to those lengths.


  • Was a winner ever chosen?


  • Hey all! Nope, I didn't choose a winner for this because not one Frances actually posted! Only friends of people named Frances. Sorry! Frances herself must post!

    Still Desperately seeking Frances!


  • Hey!

    I'm Frances, born and bred. My family and some friends affectionately call me Franny. I live in the UK and work in a school library.
    I stumbled upon this site by accident. Karma?

    Frances x

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