Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My earliest memories involve telling made-up stories to an audience of stuffed animals. After my brother was born, I had a new captive audience. My family encouraged me to begin writing these bedtime stories down, and the writing bug bit.
Growing up in a military family (dad was in the Army), I had the opportunity to travel to many different states and even several European countries. Austria, Poland, France, and Italy were all places I visited while living in Germany, and by the time I was 14, I’d lived in 4 different US states as well. I’ll always be a Texas girl at heart, though.
I live in Warrenton, GA, with my family, a spoiled rotten cocker spaniel (Hershey Kisses), and a squeaky toy obsessed Yorkie (Buttons). My hobbies include cooking, sewing, paper crafting, various other crafting styles, reading, writing, and raising puppies alongside my family. To say I’m a ‘dog-lover would be putting it mildly. Growing up, dogs have always been a special part of my family, and I love to see the joy our puppies bring into the lives of their new families as well.
I enjoy writing for children. Through my stories, I desire to point kids to Christ and teach them essential values to help them as they grow. I attend Grace Baptist Church and am a born-again Christian (saved on March 11, 2015).
My new book of “Wait for the Turtle” is my first book to be released. It’s been a dream come true, and I am excited to see what the rest of this journey will lead.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My current book is called “Wait for the Turtle.” It is the story of young Princess Charity who is waiting for ‘Prince Charming to come along. While she waits, she finds herself in many humorous adventures and learns valuable lessons in character-building. As different princes arrive at the palace, she soon discovers that true beauty lies on the inside.
One of my favorite things about the book is real dogs inspired all the canine characters. have been a special part of my family over the years. Their pictures are even included at the back of the book.
The idea to start writing for children came one day at our local bookstore. As an avid book-reader, I often find myself gravitating to the children’s book section. It was then while browsing through the assortment of books available, I noticed there weren’t many with clear, character-building lessons behind them.
The question came to mind.” “What would I want my children to read one da”?”
That’s when I decided I wanted my writing to not only be fun and enjoyable for children but also teach important life lessons and character qualities. The discussion questions included at the end of each chapter help enforce these lessons as well as provide an opportunity for parents to further expound upon them.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
First, I need a tranquil space to write, well, quiet except for the extra loud snoring of my cocker spaniel across the room.
My favorite place to write is my comfy glider chair with my IPad, a cup of peppermint hot chocolate, and a fluffy blanket.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My King James Bible is the Book that has had the most influence on my life. No other book is comparable to it.
As far as fiction books go, I read almost non-stop as a child. Rarely was there a time I didn’t have a book in my hands, either a new or an old well-loved favorite.
Thus my list of favorites is pretty long. The Little House books introduced me to the joy of reading, so they’ll always be one of my top favorites. Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, The Boxcar Children series, Sugar Creek Gang, The 1,000 Mile Journey by Ed Dunlop, and anything else from The Sword of the Lord publishers is a few more of my favorites.
As a teenager/young adult, I was given a set of The Orphan Train Trilogy series by Al and Joanna Lacy, and I fell in love with historical fiction/Christian fiction. Their Frontier Doctor Trilogy, Battles of Destiny series, Hannah of Fort Bridger series, Shadow of Liberty series, and The Kane Legacy series are also great reads. A few other favorites of mine are Private Captain by Marty Crisp and The Orphan Train Adventures by Joan Lowery Nixon…I can’t count how many times I’ve read these.
What are you working on now?
At the moment, I’m working on the next book featuring ‘Princess Charity and her adventures’ in Paw Print Paradise. I’m excited about the book idea and can’t wait to share it with everyone. It’s in the early stages, though, so I’m still trying to get all the poly holes worked out. Maybe it’ll be ready for release by sometime next year.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I was excited to be referred to Ms. Cat Lyon of ‘Lyon Literary Services’ to help me market my first book. She came highly recommended. I had no clue or even didn’t know where to start sharing my book. She custom-built my marketing plan and put it in action. But she also is teaching me how at the same time. I live way out in the country, so our phone and internet can be a problem with having no service or a good connection.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t try to write the next bestseller. If you have a story to tell, just write it.
It won’t be perfect. You will probably want to throw your first draft in the trash and just forget the whole idea, but please don’t do that.
Every great book was once a rough draft. Only through careful editing did it become significant. Find a good writing group to belong to and are willing to offer helpful feedback, support, and encouragement along this journey.
Remember, you can do it! If I can write a book, then anyone can!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
One of the most important writing advice I’ve learned is to write your entire piece before going back to start the editing/rewriting process. I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my writing.
When I write a terrible, choppy sentence, I’m tempted to go back, edit, and rewrite immediately. However, when I allow myself to do that, I rarely get much writing done. A rough draft is supposed to be rough, hence the name.
Resist the temptation and just let your creative juices flow. Worry about improving it later.
What are you reading now?
My Bible is currently the only book I’m reading at the moment. Life is a bit busy, so my “to-be-read” stack has started piling up.
Right now, this stack consists primarily of various children’s chapter books. Hopefully, I’ll be able to start reading these soon.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve got several ideas for future books for my “Princess Charity and the Paw Print Paradise Adventures.” The last book was a stand-alone story, although I am considering starting a series with the next. We’ll see what happens.
One day, I would also like to write for older children/young adults as well. My idea for these books is based on the bedtime stories I used to tell my brother. It has evolved and grown over the years, with the outline for the first in the series finally complete. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll get around to transforming it into an actual book.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
My King James Bible, of course. It’s the only book I need.
However, if I had to pick three other books as well, I’m not sure which ones they’d be. There are so many favorites it’s hard just to pick a few.
It would probably depend on what I was in the mood for at the time. I might pick a few from my ‘to-be-read pile.’ Perhaps then I’d have a chance to read them finally.
Author Websites and Profiles
Briana Johnson Website
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