About J. Carol Johnson:
I am generally a quiet and private person and don't like having others pry into my personal life. However, there are several aspects that I can share. I've lived alone for many years and if I get lonely, I simply sit down to the keyboard and find an understanding friend– preferably tall, handsome and muscular. Although I have always loved to write, there are other hobbies that can fill my time. I'm a former hairdresser and makeup artist, so I show my gal-pals some how-to's. For many years, I was a professional dressmaker and designer, tailor, furrier, and leather master. For my 'round the house care, I'm a qualified carpenter, plumber and household electrician. My father was a handyman who could do everything and began teaching me as a youngster; I was his helper. Furthermore, I also design and make fine jewelry. Yes, I do wear many hats (which I also make and sell). I love working with my hands, creating things and putting them to good use. My family and friends call me "Handy Granny". I enjoy teaching others, so they can help themselves. I was blessed with a great sense of humor and love to make others laugh, even if it's only on the page of a book.
What inspires you to write?
I believe that my writing, and prolific imagination, is a God-given gift. I've loved to write since I was a youngster. And I've lived such a diverse and unusual life, that I can draw upon my own experiences, along with those of others, to make them into stories unlike the numerous on today's market. Furthermore, I've also been blessed with a striking sense of humor that I add to my writing because I love to make people laugh, and laughter heals a weary soul.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Poe, Dickens, Lady Jane Davis, Twain and occasionally, Jackie Collins.
Tell us about your writing process.
I always have a mental outline and perhaps up to hundreds of notes that I've gathered along the way. My books are ideas that I have to think about over long periods of time. Thoughts, words, ideas will come to me while doing other things, such as writing. I jot them down and enter them into that book's file. However, I oftentimes find the story writing itself. It takes off in a separate direction, and then suddenly I'm a pantser. Interestingly enough, the story often turns out better than planned. That is, until I have to figure out how to "kill off" a character and get back to the original story. But that's what makes writing fun for me.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Oh, yeah! That's what makes them come alive. My computer screen is like a big silver movie screen. I see them move about, their facial expressions, body language, and I hear their words. Sometimes I have to wash their mouth out with soap and start over, but we're still friends. And they seem to make me be a better person as well.
What advice would you give other writers?
Write, read, and keep on writing. You'll make mistakes, so learn how to correct them. Make a thesaurus you best pal–and use it. Read writing advice columns, and use a tool like Grammarly to point out mistakes and correct them. Most of all, write daily, even if it's just answering surveys like this one.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
After all the process writing a cover letter, proper synopsis, et cetera, I got tired of getting rejection notes. I was encouraged through my writing groups to go E-Book, and that proved to be easier and faster. (Now, if I can just learn how to market my books.) If you really think your book will cut it, go for the "Big Five", otherwise, submit it along with the hundreds of thousand other E-Books.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Self-pub certainly gave trads a run for the money, and seemingly won. However, I feel that traditional companies are becoming less constrictive and are coming around to where the money now is– with their tails still tucked. I can see them opening up to be more receptive, especially, the unknowns.
What genres do you write?: Women's fiction, drama, love and romance, heartaches, and humor.
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
