SALT LAKE CITY, UT November 18, 2017
Fate has played a large role in Deanna Johnson’s life; from the raising of her children, to finding her dream job, to connecting with a man from her past who became the love of her life. Even Johnson’s passion for mystery began with a chance Christmas gift.
“My father gave me Nancy Drew’s The Secret of the Old Clock and I was hooked,” Johnson said. “I read by flashlight under the blanket after I was supposed to be in bed.”
As she got older, her tastes matured to Agatha Christie, John Grisham, David Baldacci, and her all-time favorite, Michael Connelly, as his Harry Bosch novels are based in the San Fernando Valley (Johnson’s home). As a young girl growing up in San Fernando Valley, Johnson’s father would gather her and her siblings as he told stories of mystery and intrigue, always ending on a cliffhanger to keep them in suspense.
Johnson grew up and raised a family of her own. “My family is my most beloved accomplishment. I am the mother of three amazing children. Two creative, beautiful, intelligent headstrong daughters (both mothers themselves, which of course makes me the proud Nana) and a fun-loving, quick-witted son.“
When her children grew up and left home, Johnson’s love for reading became a passion for writing. “I had a flood of mysteries and intrigue floating in my head. I would come home from work every day and just write. Being new at fiction writing I did a lot of market research. I visited writer’s websites and took online classes. I re-read my favorite novels with a different eye, as a writer not a reader, paying attention to content, language and how plots unfolded.”
Fate struck again when Johnson came across WiDo Publishing. She submitted the synopsis and sample chapters and submissions editor Joseph Jones requested a copy of her full manuscript.
“The main storyline is what caught my attention, making me wonder what will happen to the characters,” said Karen Gowen, Managing Editor of the WiDo Family of publishers.
After waiting ten arduous days for a response, Johnson was elated to hear that E.L. Marker would love to help her bring this story to the world.
“This is a dream come true,” Johnson said. “My father, who is eighty-nine and in failing health, will be ecstatic when I give him the news.” She already has plans for a sequel and a prequel to this manuscript, expounding on many of the characters she’s created.
Deanna Johnson was born and raised in Northridge, California, in the San Fernando Valley. She inherited her love for reading novels from her father and could never get enough to read. Family vacations took her camping up and down the California coast and ingrained in her a love for beaches, National Parks and mysterious magical places.
While raising three children, Deanna worked a civil service job with the US Air Force, travelled extensively and completed an online Master’s degree with American Graduate University.
Now, she and the love of her life enjoy the outdoors, traveling to see new sites and going fishing every chance they get. Visit Deanna Johnson at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009877009324
[mailmunch-form id=”573972″]