Meet Author
B. J. Vanderhoof

How It Started

Although only recently could I truly call myself a writer, I have always been a storyteller. My storytelling started in grade school. My friend Josh Vick (follow his instagram) and I told the stories of "00" BJ (take off of 007) and Vick Tracy (take off of Dick Tracy). Of course with their combined knowledge and skill, they always solved the case.

Author & Publisher

From Dream to Page

So, when did the writing begin? To that I credit The Lord of the Rings and J.R.R Tolkien, my favorite books of all time. The world that Tolkien created immediately hooked me into fantasy fiction and after reading those epic works of fiction, finally my storytelling began to take place in the form of putting pen to paper. Wanting to create a world all my own and tell a story that gives joy to others led me to write and eventually publish my first novel, The Prophecy of the Gate.

Publishing Journey

With my second book, The Keepers of the Key, I delved into the world of self-publishing. Along with the process of self-publishing becomes the need for an imprint. Hence the birth of Secord Books. The name Secord Books comes right out of the Gate of Fire Series. But, the credit for the naming of Secord Books goes to my wife. As I was trying to come up with the name for the imprint, she smartly pointed out that there was a library in the Gate of Fire Series. That library is in the city of Secord. Secord Books seemed to be a fitting name for the imprint as I began my self-publishing journey.

Star Wars Infusion

Star Wars took over. First in the form of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game from West End Games. My brothers, my cousin, and I had a blast telling stories in the Star Wars universe. Every chance we got we would throw ourselves back into our created characters and send them off on their next adventure.

It was a Star Wars book called Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn that got me excited to read. One of those books that you can't put down. Star Wars has played a significant role in my life. It has in the same ways that I am sure it has for a lot of people. It is fun, it is entertainment, its an adventure in space filled with cool weapons, characters, the works. But, for me it has been a lot more then that. It has been about enjoying all of that with those around me; friends, family, and now my children. I, not once, but twice, have rented out a theater for a private viewing of a Star Wars movie with my friends and family. But ultimately what Star Wars has been for me is the ultimate amazing feeling that is created inside you from someone's ability (in this case George Lucas) to tell a story. Could I have that ability?