Phyllis Johnson- Words at Play

inkBLOT review at Books with Bite

2012-01-28T14:56:00.000-08:00

As I started this book I was intrigued with the concept of Inkblot. I always tried to read them and I always see something different than most. Or most of the time I don't see what others see. IDK. I like the way the author entwined the Inkblot with crimes. I took quite a few psychology classes and learned loads about criminals and their characters traits. This book is great in creating high tension and a great mystery to solve.

What I liked most about this book is the great mystery that the reader get to follow along. We have a the main character Ronnie who has dedicated his life in Inkblot. He has a great online survey to find out your personality traits,character, etc. I liked that the main character Ronnie is very mature. Her has been through a lot and knows where he is going. He has very few friends which sets up for him being naive. I liked that as well. The author did a great job in setting the plot up simple and not too confusing for the reader.

The main thing I like is the whole mystery of the murders being committed. As I read the book, I like that Ronnie fell in the rabbit hole. It gave the reader a nice chase in seeing the main character struggle. What I also liked is seeing Ronnie's best friend come to his rescue.

The love interest in this book played out the way I expected it and enjoyed it. I liked seeing Ronnie realize that his true love was right before his eyes. And I'm glad that even with all of this trouble, Ronnie finally made some good choices.

Overall this is a great book with lots of mystery, adventure and a psycho on the loose.

I give it 4 BITES! (a review posted by the reviewer at Books with Bite)

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T11:00:00.000-08:00

2011 has been an exciting year for me! It was fun to be part of the Paul D. Camp Literary Festival again and I had the pleasure of speaking at Virginia Wesleyan College in Professor Bill Ruehlmann's class for the third time. He's such a pleasure to work with and quite an inspiration.

I had some book signings at a craft show and at the Simon Family Center in Virginia Beach. I also sold books at the Olde Towne Art gallery in Olde Towne Portsmouth. It's such a blast to be around such beautiful artwork. It inspired me to start painting again.

Releasing Poetic Dreamer made nearly every poem I've written now published. Guess that means I need to get busy writing new ones. I've re-released Being Frank with Anne and hope to get busy marketing that again. The new book has Anne Frank's picture on the front cover. I love it. Book Graphics did a great job with the design. You can see it on my widget.

A big thrill this year was publishing inkBLOT, a YA suspense novel with Nancy Naigle under the pen name, Johnson Naigle. I got quite a surprise this week when I found a wine bottle with an inkblot label (brand) and a note inside. It mentions knowing about a certain famous online novel titled inkblot and asked if it was the same vintage. Then it said- quite a plot, Happy New Year. There was no signature. I love mysteries and whoever left the bottle left me quite a mystery. That was so cool!

Another publishing effort this year was publishing Hall Pass, a collection of funny high school stories in ebook form. I hope you enjoy that book on your Kindle or Nook.

We're going to have a new addition in our family in April and we're happy about that. It's going to be a girl!

909Reviews.com Gives inkBLOT a 5 Star Rating!

2011-10-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week. I've been taking a painting class and sat tonight working on a painting assignment.I just checked my email and saw that Angel of 909reviews has posted a review on inkBLOT. Go to www.909reviews.blogspot.com to check it out. She gave us a 5 star review! Woo hoo! She's also having a book giveaway on her blog!

Maybe if my painting turns out well enough, I'll photograph it for you to see. MAYBE...

Highlights from the Killer Nashville, Suspense Writers' Conference

2011-09-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

Whether you were a writer or a reader, the Killer Nashville suspense writing conference was the place to be. From forensics experts to advice from debut authors, there was much to be learned and a lot of networking going on. Founded by film producer, Clay Stafford, the event is growing in popularity and attendance.

Arriving at the awesome Hutton Hotel in Nashville, there was a wine tasting and a great way to start networking. inkBLOT co-writer Nancy Naigle and I quickly got to make some new friends and set the tone for the rest of the weekend. Friday was much awaited, as we had in our hands a long schedule of events and classes.

Friday morning, Dr. Bill Bass, forensics pathologist and founder of The Body Farm, gave a far from toxic talk on skulls and bones. At one point, holding a skull laced with a knitting needle, he described the source of bullet holes in the self made skull-kabob. “Was this a homicide or a suicide?” was a question he posed the attendees.

Stretching the mind further was a crime scene and a clue finding contest, explained by Mike Breedlove, from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Crime solvers and sleuths jotted down notes and did their best to solve the crime.

Among the most notable authors present were Don and Renee Bain, collaborators on the Murder She Wrote books. Don later wowed the crowd playing drums with the Killer Nashville Coffin Bangers band on Saturday night. You rock Don!
Marco Conelli was a pleasure to meet and talk beside on the Writing for Young Adults panel. His Matthew Livingston book won the Silver Falchion award. Way to go Marco! I missed his session on being an undercover officer and look forward to hearing the recording.

Workshop panels covered such topics as POV, public speaking, marketing, promo, writing sex scenes (woo hoo) and cozy mysteries. It was hard to choose workshops because there were so many good ones. The How to Plan an Author Event with Media Appeal was informative and fun. Other workshops included creating mood and atmosphere, pitching, writing young adult and info about contracts. I had the pleasure of learning more about making podcasts from the Library Police. The Mood and Atmosphere panel was enlightening and debut author Tracy March and other panelists gave good ideas on making a setting set the tone in a scene. One idea I took away was “The writer writes fifty percent and the reader writes the other fifty percent.”

I attended the panel on how crime literature can be a force for good. After all, justice does prevail, right? And speaking of crime, there was a lot of instruction on how law enforcement handles criminals. Interrogation techniques was one of the areas covered. A “No Body” Cases class showed how much of a challenge it can be when there is a missing person case. These cases can be opened years later when they are considered a cold case. Sgt. Pat Postiglione, Metro Nashville Homicide Detective shed light on this subject.

If you wanted to learn how to promote your book without spending a ton of money, the Publicity and Promotion for Writers with Little or no Budget class was the go to place. According to one of the organizers, Beth Terrell, most authors wanted to be on this panel.

All this learning and networking was coupled with festivity. There was a Mystery Writers of America party as well as a Sisters in Crime party. My favorite gathering was the Saturday night party featuring those Killer Nashville Coffin Bangers and one of the original members of the Grassroots. Awesome! The Electric Slide brought folks to the dance floor and I was soon dancing, along with Clay Stafford, Robert Dugoni and others. What a fun time!

Agent Jeff Kleinman and more panel notables lent their insight on the future of publishing. This was followed by a two hour class on writing, given by Robert Dugoni, one of the most memorable learning sessions of the event. He packed more great instruction on novel writing in those two hours than you can imagine.
This was a fantastic conference and I hope to attend again next year.

inkBLOT is finally here!

2011-07-26T05:02:00.000-07:00

Our co-written suspense novel, inkBLOT is out! Nancy Naigle and I are excited that it's finally here! Written under our pen name, Johnson Naigle, this book is for young adults and anyone who enjoys a good suspense novel. In the book, Ronnie Wright is tired of being looked at as a geek. His virally successful website is making him money but the object of his attention, Chelsea Pressman, is what he really wants. Her interest lies in making a name for herself as a reporter. A series of crimes go down revolving around inkblot images. Who's the culprit? Ronnie or Chelsea? And where does this leave Tiffany, his good friend and co-worker? Read inkBLOT and find out! Join our street team to help give our bookmarks and other fun things. www.inkblotthenovel.com

On Being Inspired

2011-07-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

How many of us have times when we think the Muse has left us? No matter how hard you try, the words just won’t come. Award winning multi-published author, Judi McCoy, author of Hounding the Pavement and other books in her dog walker mystery series advises us to keep trying. “No matter how silly the ideas are, something will lead to a good idea.”
What stimulates the Muse? A good glass of wine? The hammock in the back yard? Judi advises writers to meditate, listen to your favorite music, take a car ride, read a book that is in a genre other than the one you’re writing or record thoughts on a tape recorder. Go into the kitchen and cook something delicious.
The library is a good place to jumpstart the Muse too. And watching a movie will give you a wealth of thoughts as well. Many writers end a chapter at the end of a scene. Judi tells writers that it will make you want to return to the computer if you don’t end the chapter there.
Staying On Track

Along with keeping the Muse at your side, another issue in writing is whether or not you consider yourself an outliner or a “pantser.” Most of us know by now which category we fall under. You either generally outline and write by that, or you start writing and let it take you wherever it will. I confess to usually falling in the latter of the two types.
“If you don’t have some kind of an outline, you can write yourself into a corner,” says Judi. “At that point, some writers are tempted to quit the book they are on and start on another one. Don’t do that. Don’t give up on it. Keep writing. You can fix ‘crap’, but you can’t fix nothing. If you run into a wall and don’t know where to go next, mentally become one of your characters and he or she will tell you what to do next.”

Looking back over the last year...

2011-07-01T06:18:00.000-07:00

Looking Back:
May 2011, Cover story, Tidewater Teacher, Teachers We Love, published Chesapeake, Virginia

May 16, Designed to Flourish magazine organizational meeting, Chesapeake, Virginia www.iflourishonline.com

Cover story- Divine Impressions

April 2011, Release of 4th poetry book, Poetic Dreamer

April 2011, Served on literary panel at 3rd Annual Paul D. Camp Community College’s Literary Festival, Suffolk, Virginia

February 2011, Romance writing talk at Virginia Wesleyan College, Professor Bill Ruehlmann’s class (3rd time doing this) Virginia Beach, Virginia

February 2011, Held Turn Your Journal into a Book Workshop ($25 fee) Chesapeake, Virginia

January 2011, Book signing at Shapin’ Up Conference at Point Harbor Church, Chesapeake, Virginia

November 2010, Chesapeake Romance Writers conference, Chesapeake, Virginia

November 2010, Cozy Corner bookstore, Virginia Beach, book signing and reading

November 1, 2010- guest blog at K. Dawn Byrd’s blog and book giveaway for Hot and Bothered by It

October 2010, Poetry, Prose and Pizza night, Russell Memorial Library, poetry reading

October 2010, 10-10-10 event at Olde Towne Art, Portsmouth, Virginia book signing and reading

September 2010, Books in the Park, reading and book signing (100 author event) Norfolk, Virginia

September 2010, Hampton Roads Writers Conference- reading and book signing Virginia Beach, Virginia

August 18, 2010 radio interview with Dr. Michael Cortson discussing Being Frank with Anne

2011-06-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy month. I spent a weekend on retreat with writer and friend, Nancy Naigle, working on final edits to inkBLOT, our co-written suspense novel. We squeezed in a visit to a new horse farm and a church bake sale. It was a great weekend! Not to mention the bake sale goodies and barbecue we ate there! Yesterday I met with Kelly, the editor of Designed to Flourish magazine. There's always something new to talk about where that's concerned too. I can't wait to see the July/August issue. I'm featuring Gail Fuhrmann and her gift for writing lyrics! See it in July at www.theflourishmagazine.com

K. Dawn Byrd chats about her new book, Mistaken Identity

2011-06-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

Title: Mistaken Identity by K. Dawn Byrd
Today, I’m chatting with the author of Mistaken Identity, a young adult suspense. It’s great to have her with us today. First of all, Dawn, how did this story come to you?
1) Sometimes I get the strangest ideas! I wondered what would happen if a not-as-pretty good Christian girl and her gorgeous non-Christian best friend fell in love with the same guy. Who would get the guy?
Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I had already published several books with Desert Breeze Publishing when they opened a young adult line. I'd been writing romantic suspense and thought it would fun to try my hand at a young adult novel. It was so much fun that I'm signing a contract for a young adult mystery series that will debut in January.
Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) I own two hairless Chinese Crested dogs.
2) I love sour things....pickles, lemons, sour candy.
3) I used to ride a Harley, but gave it up in order to have more time to write. (My husband always wanted to stay out way too long and take the scenic route home. He still has his bike, but I don't miss mine at all.)
What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I'm editing my October release with Desert Breeze. This Time for Keeps is an inspirational romance.
Parting comments?
Thank you for hosting me! For those of you who love Christian fiction, please check my blog for weekly book giveaways. I interview 3-5 authors a week who give away their books. www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com

Where can fans find you on the internet?

Links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geWeGQ6Ueu4
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-178/K-Dawn-Byrd-Mistaken/Detail.bok
www.kdawnbyrd.com
www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com

I'm also on Twitter (kdawnbyrd) and facebook (K Dawn Byrd.) I am the moderator of the Christian Fiction Gathering facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=128209963444) If you join this group, you'll get reminders about the weekly book giveways.

inkBLOT Bookmark Gets First Place at Lori Foster Author Get Together

2011-06-06T16:12:00.000-07:00

Yay! Nancy Naigle and I were excited when our cute bookmarks for inkBLOT (our YA... well, actually crossover suspense novel) got a lot of attention and won first place at the Lori Foster Author Get Together last weekend. Can't wait for inkBLOT to get published now. It's right around the corner. We'll keep you posted.

BEA Excitement and Sweet Tea and Secrets

2011-05-29T12:09:00.000-07:00

My wonderful friend and co-writer, Nancy Naigle, recently went to the BEA Conference in New York where she was treated to a lot of great workshops. She also was at the Book Expo where her new novel, Sweet Tea and Secrets was showcased. Woo hoo, way to go Nancy! I have a new widget posted from Amazon where her book is shown. I love the front cover. Every time I look at it, I want to grab a glass of iced tea! Just finished reading Sweet Tea and Secrets and I totally loved this book! You've got to read it! It's packed with emotion, suspense and all around Southern charm. If you're not from the South, you'll want to be... :.) Lose yourself in the pages of this wonderful page turning tome of love, secrets and treasures.

Being Frank with Anne reviewed on Women of History Site

2011-05-14T20:19:00.000-07:00

http://womenofhistory.blogspot.com/2010/12/being-frank-with-anne.html

The Upcoming Book Signing at Olde Towne Art in Portsmouth

2011-05-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

On Friday, June 3rd at Olde Towne Art gallery in Portsmouth, Virginia, I'll be signing copies of Poetic Dreamer from 5 to 8 p.m.. The cool thing about being at this art gallery is that a number of artists there inspired some of my poems with their artwork. Nothing moves me more artistically than seeing beautiful art and photography. I mention the names of some of the artists there in this new poetry book. Hope you can make it!

Paul D Camp Community College's Third Annual Literary Festival - Big Success

2011-04-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

Besides music and visual stimuli, nothing inspires my Muse like hearing other authors read their work. I was blessed to once again be part of Paul D. Camp Community College's Third Annual Literary Festival. Emceed by poet and orator Nathan Richardson, it was well planned and organized by Professor and Literary Club Sponsor Ronette Jacobs and everyone on the staff of the literary club. Harriette Arrington, Dean of Academic Programs, engaged the children in another room with her storytelling. Paul D. Camp Community College President Paul Conco did some wonderful storytelling.

Author Annette Montgomery shared her book of history on African Americans in Suffolk. Lots of recognizable landmarks in the photos. Reginald Johns, a poet and motivational speaker, wowed the crowd with his words. I bought a hardback book of his, Love is Life's Lesson. It combines art and poetry. Love it!

As always, Nathan Richardson and Synnika Lofton delivered mighty words with just the right touch. I shared poetry from my newest book, Poetic Dreamer. One of the poems I shared is titled, Go Paint Yourself. In this poem, I imagine coming up behind Norman Rockwell as he paints his Triple Self Portrait. In my hand, I hold an ice cream cone as I await his reaction as he paints. My last comment in the poem as though he were speaking himself- "Just call me Norman Rocky Road."

The Artwork of Lowell Boileau and My Poetry in Poetic Dreamer

2011-04-26T21:30:00.000-07:00

I admired the artwork of Lowell Boileau and felt moved to write a poem about his artwork, Riverbend. Here is the resulting poem beside his art. He's a great artist from Michigan. This is the first poem in my new poetry book, Poetic Dreamer. http://bit.ly/i8JtYH See more of his artwork at www.lowellboileau.com www.phyllisjohnson.net

Twelve Year Old Loves Being Frank with Anne

2011-04-26T18:23:00.000-07:00

http://www.beingfrankwithanne.com Today I wanted to share one of the highlights of my day. I got a phone call from someone in Texas. Many times when I see a call coming in when I'm not expecting one from another state, I make the assumption that it's a solicitor. Today however, I answered the phone and to my delight, it was a twelve year old girl from Texas calling me about my book, Being Frank with Anne. A Holocaust Museum had purchased the book and this girl had read it and loved it. In the sixth grade, she had already read, The Diary of a Young Girl, and also enjoyed reading my poetic interpretation of the diary. It was a really gratifying phone call and I asked if she'd told her teacher about my book. She said that she was going to tell her about it soon. Thanks Miss Fisher for making my day!

Poetic Dreamer, my latest book

2011-04-07T16:59:00.000-07:00

Here is the cover for my newest book, Poetic Dreamer. One third was inspired by artwork of my artist friends. The second third was inspired by photography by Richard Bernabe. The last section was fueled by life in general. I've been collecting these poems for years and they are probably more of me than my first three books. Hope you enjoy this book! It can be found at Lulu.com and will soon be posted at Amazon.com

What's Happening

2011-01-18T16:56:00.000-08:00

2011 is starting out to be a really busy year. I have a college talk coming up, a book signing at Point Harbor Community Church on January 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and am taking art and photography classes. Inspiration has come in the form of artwork by friends such as Robbie Younger and Laura Gibbs. I have lots of other artist friends at Olde Towne Art Gallery and teachers who constantly encourage and inspire me. My co-written book, Inkblot, written with award winning writer Nancy Naigle, has been entered in another contest. Wish us luck! The beautiful painted furniture shown here is by artist Robbie Younger, owner of The Painted Garden boutique in Smithfield, VA.

HRW Writer's Conference a Success

2010-10-05T06:18:00.000-07:00

http://http://hamptonroads.com/blogs/phyllis-johnson

The Diary of Anne Frank at the Wells Theatre in Norfolk

2010-09-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

The Virginia Stage Company is putting on a great presentation of The Diary of Anne Frank at the Wells Theatre in Norfolk. Talented actors and actresses put on a great performance and the four story set was skillfully crafted for a realistic reenactment of the Secret Annexe. The play is being directed by Chris Hanna. This is moving and well done. I am honored to be a part of this event with my book signing for my poetic interpretation of the diary, Being Frank with Anne. This play runs through October 10. There is an Anne Frank/Holocaust exhibit in the theatre lobby as well.

My Blog on Being Frank with Anne at Dawn Byrd's Blog

2010-09-20T19:01:00.000-07:00

http://kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com/2010/09/register-to-win-phyllis-johnsons-being.html#comment-form

Summer Happenings

2010-08-04T08:43:00.001-07:00

It's been a whirlwind summer so far. Last night I hosted an open mic night with Hampton Roads Writers at Towne Bank on Mt. Pleasant Rd. We had a nice group considering summer travel and I shared some of my 3 books of poetry as well as enjoyed listening to others read their poems and prose. Zach read a short story and did a stand up comic act. His girlfriend (I don't have the sign up list or I'd mention her name) recited a poem she'd known and done in diction class. She had nice stage presence. Several others shared their prose from their own published books and as always, it was an inspiration to us all. My next adventure is to do a monologue on Saturday night at the Smithfield Little Theatre's annual One Acts Play Festival. This will be a first for me so I'm excited and challenged by it. Currently I'm working on a humorous YA book and a book of monologues for teens. Hope you're having a great summer!

My Blog Posted at JWorld Cafe

2010-03-01T20:14:00.000-08:00

My Amazing Journey as a Writer

I think receiving a toy typewriter as a child and reading Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl may have had a lot to do with my becoming a writer. Like millions of others, Anne’s diary left a real mark on my life. For Anne, writing was a way to reach beyond the secret walls that enclosed her. Wise beyond her years, she left behind a legacy of hope and encouragement in the face of danger.
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Upon reading her book, I tried to emulate her positive attitude and have only come to realize in recent days that she may have had more of an impact on me that I had acknowledged. As a young girl, what had me enthused was the fact that my middle name was Ann and I attended Holland Elementary school. Here was an Anne in another Holland. Visions of windmills, wooden shoes and tulips came to mind. Then, the visions of the atrocities and injustice rang loud. It haunted me and made me realize that I wanted her determination, compassion and courage.
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Like Anne, I had the same love of words and rhythm, something that developed when my dad read to me and my siblings every night, often from a poetry book. I still have the Child Craft book he read from.
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Anne loved celebrities, cutting and gluing their pictures to a wall. I came to appreciate acting and became an actress for the Discovery Channel, getting parts in FBI Files, New Detectives, Diagnosis Unknown and Psychic Investigator. It was another way I found myself in kinship with Anne’s mindset.
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When various forms of injustice bother me, I often think about Anne and her desire for world peace and equality. During the year of my book’s release, I contacted the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. I wanted my book to be posted at the Anne Frank Center in New York. I came in contact with Buddy Elias, Anne’s first cousin, who told me to send it to the Anne Frank Fonds in Switzerland. (Of which he is a CEO). After having it approved at both locations, I sent it to the center in New York where it is posted at the website bookstore. It is also archived at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. When I was in contact with Buddy, I had no idea he was Anne’s first cousin. He told me that Anne would have loved the book.
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Six months ago, I emailed Miep Gies and to my surprise, she emailed back. She requested copies of the book and CD, Being Frank with Anne. I excitedly sent them and heard from her. She expressed her gratitude for my having written the book. I was humbled beyond words. Now, at her recent passing, I am in awe of the fact that I had contact with a woman who risked her life to try and preserve the lives of others. That was truly admirable. God works in mysterious ways, somehow connecting me to Anne Frank, and allowing me to help continue her legacy.
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Hampton Roads Writers - A Great Group for Writers!

2010-02-14T18:14:00.000-08:00

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1286135827547

If you're a writer, you may want to join Hampton Roads Writers. This amazing group of talented writers gets together monthly to share and listen to each other's poetry and prose. I've been fortunate enough to attend some of the events and even host one of their open mic events. The networking is wonderful and I've met some great people there. They meet at the Myra Oberndorf Library in Virginia Beach.

Blogging at Romancing the Blog with Nancy O'Berry http://obe-romancingtheblog.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-01-18T10%3A41%3A00-08%3A00&max-resu

2010-02-13T21:29:00.000-08:00

http://obe-romancingtheblog.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-01-18T10%3A41%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=7

Nancy O'Berry is great at writing historical fiction. Here's my blog at her blog site. Also about Another Place and Time- (pen name Cara Preston)

Lisa Lipkind Liebow's Blog- Another Place and Time Promo- "Pace Yourself"

2010-02-13T21:20:00.000-08:00

http://llleibow.com/blog/2010/01/19/pace-yourself-2/#respond

I've had the pleasure of being a guest blogger on Lisa Lipkind Liebow's blog site. It's a great way to get to know other authors as well. Have a great Valentine's Day!

Today's Blog at Poetica Magazine - J World Cafe

2010-02-08T04:19:00.000-08:00

http://www.poeticamagazine.com/apps/blog/

Check out my blog at Poetica magazine today! Also see the talents of writers and artists from all over the world!

Have a great day!

Laugh Your Shorts Off anthology of humor

2010-02-04T20:33:00.000-08:00

Like to laugh? You'll enjoy Laugh Your Shorts Off, an anthology of humor written by 70 humor writers from across the country. Edited by Margie Culbertson, this book contains a host of humor stories that Margie originally gathered when she ran humor writing contests on her website. I'm happy to be part of this collection with my short story, Bathroom Battalion. You can order this book through Amazon.com Enjoy reading it!

Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Laugh-your-Shorts-Off-award-winning/dp/1449901174#noop

Spa Party

2010-01-25T04:08:00.000-08:00

http://www.fotohighway.com/assets_d/15517/download_media/summer08_106.pdf

I wanted to share a piece I wrote a while back on a spa party I attended. Fotohighway's newsletter, OnE Magazine has a wealth of fashion and makeup ideas. Leah Marshall is a great photographer who came from New York. She is affiliated with Ann Leister and the SPLASH modeling group. Leah does awesome work. Scroll down to page five to see my article.
Have a great day!!

Thoughts on Miep Gies- the Woman Who Hid the Frank Family

2010-01-13T17:48:00.000-08:00

When I read about Miep Gies passing away at age 100, I thought about how she’d seen so much take place in her life. I thought about how she’d helped hide the Frank family during the Holocaust and how she’d helped preserve Anne’s diary by giving it to Anne’s dad, Pim. A short bio on Miep’s life said how she hadn’t read the diary before she gave it to him. It went on to say that if she had, she would have had to burn it for fear of incriminating herself. When I was young, the Diary of a Young Girl made a major impact on my life. Wat resonated was the importance of justice, equality and finding the silver lining in spite of bad circumstances. Anne represented the kind of courageous and optimistic person I wanted to be. I was never able to shake the enormity of her book and as an adult, I wrote a book of poetry based on her diary titled Being Frank with Anne. The journey of this book has proven interesting. Anne’s first cousin, Buddy Elias read and reviewed it. He is now CEO of the Anne Frank Fonds in Switzerland. He suggested that I send it to the foundation there and from there it went to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, where it was archived. The Anne Frank Center website bookstore also displays it. While all of that was exciting, I also thought about how Erin Gruell, (Freedom Writers) had flown Miep to California to meet her students. Then I thought, wouldn’t it be great to have contact with Miep? About that time, there was an article in the newspaper about her turning 100 years of age. One of my daughters found online her email address. I contacted Miep by email. You can imagine my surprise when I received an email from her. She was requesting copies of my book and the CD of the abridged version. After sending her copies, I heard from her in the Netherlands. Excitedly I tore into the envelope postmarked that country. She expressed gratitude for my having penned the book. I felt very humbled by her expression. To think that she had risked her life trying to preserve the lives of others is something truly to admire and remember. Today’s blog is in memory of Miep Gies. \

A 14 Year Old Girl's Review on Being Frank with Anne, my book based on the diary

2009-12-12T05:51:00.000-08:00

For her thirteenth birthday on 12 June 1942, Anne Frank, received a book she had shown her father in a shop window a few days earlier. Although it was an autograph book, bound with red-and-green plaid cloth and with a small lock on the front, Anne decided she would use it as a diary. In "Being Frank with Anne" Phyllis Johnson, brings us new insight on Anne Frank, and her short-lived life.

Taking an entry from Anne Frank's personal diary "Kitty" Johnson, gives us the poetic take on what happened on that day, in Anne Frank's life. Being a fourteen year old girl, myself, I can relate to Anne, and her feelings of being misunderstood, and wanting to achieve the greater things that life has to offer. In this beautifully, written collection of poems, you will feel pain; when Anne feels pain. You will feel longing; when Anne is yearning for something that is not in her reach. And you will feel happiness; in the moments that Anne felt any happiness at all.

Phyllis Johnson gives us this book with over one hundred, heartfelt poems that will touch you deep inside, and leave you with a new understanding and perspective on what emotion was behind that diary entry, so many years ago. This book is a must have for any fan of Anne Frank, Phyllis Johnson, Poetry, or just the love of an all-around great book. You will not be sorry you read this book. You will be grateful to have read a book about something as important and touching, as Anne Frank.

"I finally realized that I must do my schoolwork to keep from being ignorant, to get on in life, to become a journalist, because that's what I want! I know I can write ..., but it remains to be seen whether I really have talent... And if I don't have the talent to write books or newspaper articles, I can always write for myself. But I want to achieve more than that. I can't imagine living like Mother, Mrs. van Daan and all the women who go about their work and are then forgotten. I need to have something besides a husband and children to devote myself to! ... I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I've never met. I want to go on living even after my death! And that's why I'm so grateful to God for having given me this gift, which I can use to develop myself and to express all that's inside me! When I write I can shake off all my cares. My sorrow disappears, my spirits are revived! But, and that's a big question, will I ever be able to write something great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer?" Anne Frank, wrote, on Wednesday, 5 April 1944.

Yes, Anne. You did write something great. And Phyllis Johnson keeps your voice going for many years to come. -Angel Snyder

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=being+frank+with+anne

Poem Posted Today at VoxPoetica.com

2009-12-09T16:27:00.000-08:00

VoxPoetica.com is a great website with daily poetry postings. I was delighted to see my poem, Drifting Wood, posted on there today. Recently, the editor also published poetry by my co-writer, Nancy Naigle. Reading poetry by other authors is a great way to feed the Muse. Take time out to read poems on here and be surprised by the wide selection of poets and poetry styles. http://poemblog.voxpoetica.com/

My Spirit and Soul Website

2009-12-05T19:58:00.000-08:00

Check out this website:

http//www.myspiritandsoul.com/

Here's a website that showcases musicians, singers and writers. I'm tickled to be included on the site with LeAnn Rimes and Alicia Keys. You can find information about all kinds of music from hip hop to country. Watch the slide show on the left on the home page starting with Kadrae, then Jordin Sparks, then read about some of my writing.

Celebrating with the Huntington Learning Center and the Virginia Martial Arts Center

2009-11-22T16:55:00.001-08:00

What a busy weekend. I had the pleasure of attending a ribbon cutting for a Huntington Learning Center yesterday. What excitement! They had a Color Guard from the Churchland High School ROTC, a guest singer for the Star Spangled Banner and Alan P. Krasnoff, city mayor, assist with the ribbon cutting. I had a nice chat with him. What a super guy. He said he has five or six events to attend on any given day. Boy, does he get around.

The next thing on my agenda was a party celebrating a 30th anniversary for the Virginia Martial Arts Center and the 50th birthday party of Shihan Darren Myers. Lots of great food, fun and dancing for everyone. The wise words shared there included the following: Never give up. Seven times down, eight times up. Focus, know your self worth, have respect and responsibility. Develop self-confidence and train your mind, body and spirit.

Young Adult Suspense Novel Underway

2009-11-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

INKBLOT:: Consider this scenario. An award winning junior crime writer meets the teen-entrepeneur who owns INKBLOT, a popular quiz website. What transpires is a tangled web of crime and deception. Who's to blame? Chelsea Pressman, the attention hungry reporter or Ronnie Wright, the website owner whose business seems to have links to the victims.Follow the trail of intrigue, romance and suspense and find out who the real culprit is in Inkblot, first in the series of Headline Hunters, written by Johnson Naigle ~ (the collaborative writing of contest winning novelist Nancy Naigle and myself, Phyllis Johnson)

The Latest Happenings

2009-11-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

Water, water everywhere, what's a writer to think? Here's what this writer thought. Put keyboard into gear and get busy. I wrote an article (hopefully for Hampton Roads Monthly) about a local impersonator. He rocks. His name is Tim Beasley and you'll be seeing an article about him by me in the near future. I'm also working on a power point presentation for the From Inspiration to Publication Workshop II I plan to do in February with Nathan Richardson at the Russell Memorial Library. Gearing up for the Writer's Seminar tomorrow at Russell Library where Joanna Bourne (best selling historical author) and Laurie Sanders (editor of romance novels) will be giving workshops. Tonight it's dinner with the CRW crowd at Buffet City. Yum! Here's to Nancy Naigle at Crime Bake in Boston! May she have a fantastic conference there as well!

Spoof on the Raven

2009-10-31T08:49:00.000-07:00

Once upon a midday dreary
as I laundered weak and weary
in faded housecoat that I as housewife wore
there suddenly came a rapping
'twas certainly a tapping at my utility room door
'twas just the wind and nothing more...

(and so begins my spoof on The Raven... and no, I am not a housewife nor do I wear housecoats)

Workshop a Success Last Night

2009-10-20T04:03:00.001-07:00

Nathan Richardson and I had the pleasure last night of leading the Spiritual Writing Workshop, from Inspiration to Publication, at Russell Memorial Library. At least 22 writers turned out to hear the ins and outs of publishing and share their own experiences. All ages were represented, even some teens who are working on their own novels. I always get excited when I see young people who are actively honing their craft. There were a lot of great writers and friends in the crowd and I would have loved for all of them to have read some of their works but there wasn't enough time for that. Bill Blake won the door prize basket of three books, candy and cookies. We've been asked to do another presentation like this in the future and I'm looking forward to it. We havn't set a date for the workshop yet but it's in the works.

SPIRITUAL WRITING WORKSHOP- Oct. 19

2009-10-02T04:09:00.000-07:00

From Inspiration to Publication
A Spiritual Writing Workshop

WHEN: Monday, October 19, 2009 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
WHERE: Russell Memorial Library
2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, VA 23321
Join Nathan Richardson and Phyllis Johnson for a free evening of information and knowledge sharing at the Russell Memorial Library in Chesapeake to discuss their journeys From Inspiration to Publication.

Door prize basket to be given away

For more information contact Ms. Tunkie Stone 757.410.7020

Nathan Richardson www.scpublishing.com/about-us/nathan-richardson
Phyllis Johnson www.PhyllisJohnson.net
Amazon.com. Phyllis Johnson’s latest release.
Twelve Is for More Than Doughnuts.
ISBN: 978-0557090211

With Mark Victor Hansen at Books in the Park

2009-09-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

The Books in the Park event at Town Point Park in Norfolk was a super event.

There were over 100 authors in attendance signing their books. A poetry reading was awesome and I got my chance at the microphone too. A highlight was meeting Mark Victor Hansen and his co-writer Robert Allen, authors of Cash in a Flash. Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield were co-creators of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. I also met Crystal Dwyer, author of Pure Thoughts for Pure Results- How Messy Thinking Can Make or Break Your Life. I bought a book from Joe Tennis, The Marble and Other Ghost Tales. Barnes and Noble is to be commended for putting on a wonderful venue for local authors. (photo of Mark Victor Hansen and myself)

From Inspiration to Publication- My Workshop with Nathan Richardson

2009-09-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

Spiritual Concepts Publishing - A Suffolk, Virginia Based Publishing Company
Check out Nathan's website and see info about the Christian writing workshop I'm doing with him on October 19 at 7 p.m. at Russell Memorial Library.

2nd Annual Books in the Park

2009-09-05T17:01:00.000-07:00

If you love reading, you can't miss the Second Annual Books in the Park event at Town Point Park in Norfolk on Sunday, September 27 in conjunction with the Sunrise to Sunset Acoustic Music Festival from noon to 6 p.m. Food and drinks will be available for purchase and you can bring lawn chairs for the event. Last year it was great and I have a wonderful time meeting other authors. Of course my pile of books I've purchased has grown to the point that I need another lifetime to read them all! Two of the featured authors are Mark Victor Hansen, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books and Robert G. Allen, author of some New York Times best selling finance books. Together they have written a book, Cash in a Flash that is sure to sell well. Go to festevents.org to see who all the authors are. There are nearly 100 in total. Here is the link to the featured poets and other authors. http://festevents.org/mini-site/books-in-the-park/authors-of-poetry-and-music-and-religion-and-inspirational-and-romance See the website for other listed authors. Come on out and join us!

Contest for Twelve is for More Than Doughnuts

2009-08-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

Everybody likes something free. The first person who orders my book, Twelve is for More Than Doughnuts from www.lulu.com and can fill in the blank about the premonition I had and shared at the end of my book will win a prize. I had a premonition about A ______ Lady and then met her. If you can correctly fill in the blank and give me your contact info, I will send you another one of these books for gift giving or you can request a copy of Hot and Bothered By It or Being Frank with Anne.

People Love Reading About Food

2009-08-20T13:51:00.001-07:00

When I'm not writing books, I write a weekly newspaper column for The Virginian-Pilot and also do restaurant reviews. I have proof now that folks love food as much as I do. There is a blog that I post on that has community news as well as the restaurant pieces. They track the visits and the 3,000 and more hits received for the food article reinforce the fact that we all love to eat. Here's the link to the piece that got a lot of attention. I reviewed Clayton's Restaurant in Portsmouth, Virginia. Even if you don't live in this area, you'll probably salivate enough to want to find a similar place near you and order some great food. http://hamptonroads.com/2009/08/expect-great-seafood-steak-cozy-hidden-treasure

TWELVE IS FOR MORE THAN DOUGHNUTS

2009-08-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

Picture this. You've been given a choice for breakfast between oatmeal and a doughnut. Which are you going to pick? Well, there's something special about a nice doughnut. In fact, I love them so much, they're in the title of my latest book, Twelve is for More Than Doughnuts at Lulu.com Based on poetry and essays from the Bible, it's a nice read when you're sitting down in the morning with a cup of coffee and a doughnut (or a hot bowl of oatmeal...) A friend referred to my book a bite sized chunks of spiritual nourishment... kind of like munchkins....yeah...

Women Who Wine

2009-03-29T17:59:00.001-07:00

There is an upcoming event celebrating midlife and my book, Hot and Bothered By It. I will be signing copies of this book at a wine tasting in a nearby town. Women Who Wine is the event for those who are close by. Contact me if you are in my area and I'll tell you the location of this event.

re: Writer's Block

2007-08-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

In response to David L's post at Printnpost.com writer's block are very real indeed. As a creative person, for me it is easier to write and then market the work than to be given an assignment and a deadline with a word count before the first word is written. The worst writer's block I've ever had came when I was given a contract for a mermaid story. To that point, I'd always written the work and then tried to sell it. This was in reverse and had me sweating. I am happy to say that the story got written and is now published in a book, thank goodness.

Author of Hot and Bothered By It- Phyllis Johnson

2007-07-01T18:41:00.000-07:00

Incidentally, Hot and Bothered By It is written by my alter ego, Phyllis Johnson!

HOT and Bothered By It is catching on

2007-07-01T18:39:00.000-07:00

Hi all, I took my book on my cruise to Bermua and there is a shop owner at the Tobacco Bay Concessions who wants to order my books to sell at her two shops. Yay! Women were passing it around on the beach and reading it! It was awesome!

I have another book signing coming up at the Barnes and Noble in Newport News on July 28 from 1-3 pm.

HOT AND BOTHERED BY IT - 50 Poems for the Midlife Chrysalis

2007-01-07T11:05:00.000-08:00

Do you suffer from Oreoporosis? Is there Instant Mess-age at your house whenever your away message goes up? Is a period for you now just something found at the end of sentences in the romance novels you read as you fan yourself? If the answer to these questions is yes, then this poetry book, HOT AND BOTHERED BY IT is for you. Published by Community Press at
www.communitypresshome.com this book celebrates the midlife chrysalis for women.
Great for taking in your purse while you're out on the town with your women friends...

Phyllis Johnson- author/poet