It all started when the onset of the pandemic was devastating the world in 2020. The insensitivity of people about their and others’ safety became a concern for Jordan. He saw people revolting against wearing a simple mask. Some even came up with weird reasons to defy a rule meant to protect the whole human race. Jordan, always known to have very little patience for selfish people, thought of generating awareness about wearing a mask in a light-hearted way—thus the idea behind writing the book Wear the Damn Mask was born.
True to its title, the book encourages people to wear a mask in a fun way. It also makes people aware of the consequences of not wearing a mask, as it can risk the lives of people around them. Wear the Damn Mask features the canine fashion icon Izzy, the Frenchie. Izzy is Jordan’s dog and is already a fashionista for pets on social media, with over a million followers on Instagram and more than 600,000 on TikTok. Her popularity has been featured in renowned publications like Vogue, Vanity Fair, Brides, Paper, Daily Mail, and People Magazine, to name a few.
Wear the Damn Mask is full of photos of Izzy wearing fashionable clothes in exotic locales around the city, all while sporting trendy masks. It tells a picture story of a dog performing her daily tasks while wearing a mask and looking fabulous. It conveys an important and life-saving message in a playful demonstration.
The book has been well-received by readers because of its underlying concept conveyed in a fun way that is not threatening or commanding. It is currently a national best-seller and has also secured the position of number two on the Nielsen BookScan. Published by Gallery Books and Simon & Schuster, the book has earned the author duo of Shane Jordan and Rick Hendrix quite a lot of recognition.
Writing a time-sensitive book in such a short period was difficult for both authors, but they did it to fulfill the need to handle a crisis that was putting human lives at risk. From conceptualization to shooting, everything was challenging. Finding perfect locations for the photoshoot while adhering to social distancing rules was a mammoth task. Keeping the crew safe and ensuring that each photograph was taken while keeping aesthetic factors in mind was not easy either. Despite these difficulties, Jordan had always been optimistic about the concept, which kept him going through all the obstacles.
Going forward, the entertainer-turned-author is planning to pen his next book with Rick Hendrix. Considering his activist side, Jordan’s next release is expected to have another social message conveyed through a different perspective.
