Bea Jones
First-time author. Baltimore native. 71 years old and armed with a story to tell.
Why I Wrote This
The Story Behind the Series
I was 71 years old when I decided to write my first book. Not because I'd always dreamed of being an author — but because something happened that I couldn't stop thinking about, and writing was the only way I knew how to process it.
I'd been watching the news reports for months. Seniors being targeted. CCTV footage of gangs and lone attackers preying on older people in broad daylight. Then came the story that broke me: an 82-year-old man, killed in the street trying to protect his wife. The attackers were never caught. I sat with that for a long time.
I made a decision. I was going to arm myself. Not out of fear — out of refusal. Refusal to be a victim. Refusal to be helpless. And as I went through that process — the research, the range visits, the paperwork, the conversations with other women my age who felt the same way — I realized this was a story that needed to be told.
Baltimore Get Armed is fiction, but it is drawn directly from my own experiences. The fear is real. The determination is real. The women in these pages are composites of women I know — seniors who decided, quietly and without fanfare, that they were done being easy targets. I wrote this series for them. And for anyone else who's ever felt like the world stopped looking out for them.
The Series
Baltimore Get Armed
A semi-biographical fiction series following older Baltimore women as they navigate the decision to arm themselves — from first steps at the range to CCW permits, from shotguns to non-lethal options. Raw, honest, and deeply personal.
First Steps
One woman, 71 years old, walks into a gun range for the first time. She doesn't know what she's doing — but she knows exactly why she's there. The journey from fear to quiet confidence begins here.
Armed & Ready
The CCW process is harder than she expected. So is trusting herself. A story about earning the right to carry — and what that responsibility really means for a woman who never thought she'd need to.
Non-Lethal
Not every woman wants a firearm. This installment explores the full spectrum of personal protection — pepper spray, tasers, situational awareness — and the women who choose their own path on their own terms.
Get in Touch
Contact Bea
Bea welcomes messages from readers. Email is the best way to reach her.
Send an Emailnursezoey@aol.com