Who’s Got Character with Myra Johnson

by | Nov 12, 2009 | Fiction Book Reviews | 7 comments

With a desire to tell stories like the best Storyteller, Myra Johnson has beeMyra Johnsonn writing for children for years, and now her creativity has expanded to the adult realm with two novels  released in 2009.

Not only is she creating beautifully memorable stories, but with her gifted organizational skills, she offers her helpful charts for aspiring authors. A link to her ‘writer’s helps’ is here: http://www.myrajohnson.com/Myra_Langley_Johnson,_Writer/Writing_Helps.html

To add icing on the cake, Myra is one of fifteen fabulous ladies of Seekerville, an online group of published and aspiring authors, who encourage, educate, and entertain (3 Es) those of us who want to learn the craft of writing…and desperately need those 3 Es 🙂

To find out more about the Seekers, and some other fabulous authors like, Julie Lessman, Mary Connealy, Camy Tang, and Missy Tippens, check out: http://seekerville.blogspot.com

AutumnRains For more about Myra, check out her website at:

www.myrajohnson.com

Now for a little Q & A.

 Who are your favorite characters you’ve ever written?

Healy Ferguson and Valerie Bishop, my hero and heroine from Autumn Rains, will always have a special place in my heart. 

What is the behind-the-scenes story of those characters?

Healy is loosely based on a real-life ex-con who passedoneimperfectchristmas through Houston several years ago on his way to a fresh start. He stowed all his things in a bus station locker (back when bus stations still had lockers) and then lost the combination. Running low on cash, he asked around for where he might find assistance and then either hitchhiked or walked the 25-30 miles to our church where I used to live in northwest Houston. My pastor/brother-in-law and a church council member were still at church after an evening meeting, so they gave him some money and drove him to where he could catch another bus. On the way, they nonchalantly asked what his crime was, and when he said manslaughter, they got a wee bit nervous. But the story had a happy ending, because my brother-in-law later heard from the man with news that he reached his destination, found a job, and began a new life.

As for Valerie, I needed a heroine whose struggle somehow mirrored Healy’s, so I created a situation that would make her a prisoner in her own home. A personal tragedy has resulted in a battle with post-traumatic stress disorder, and her relationship with Healy has the potential either to drive her deeper into her fears or finally bring healing to both of them.

 Thanks for inviting me to participate, Pepper!

 My pleasure, Myra.

To read a whole list of reviews about One Imperfect Christmas, check out this link:

http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=3584

 Character Creation Tip of the Day:

Stranger than Fiction? Actually, sometimes the most inspiring stories and characters come from the most unlikely places – we just have to learn to pay attention. A character on a movie, a picture from a book, a magazine or newspaper article, a family member’s story…

All it takes is a listening ear, an observant eye, and an overzealous imagination, right Myra?

 Tomorrow?

 MaryLu Tyndal brings some swashbuckling action to her post. Which character will slash his way to the top of her list? Stop in and find out.

 

7 Comments

  1. pepperbasham

    Myra,
    I’m so glad to feature your books, especially after reading your answers. What inspiration! AND what a wonderful way to show that God is the god of second chances. I love it.
    Thanks so much.

    Reply
  2. Julie

    Myra!!! I am SOOO excited — I just got Autumn Rains in the mail and I am PUMPED!! I cannot WAIT to read the story that beat me and three other Seekers out of the Golden Heart!! Just from the character description above (and your great characterization in One Imperfect Christmas!), I just KNOW I’m gonna love it.

    And, Pepper, I told you once, but I’ll say it again — your “Who’s Got Character” is a GREAT idea! Congrats on wining the first book in today’s Seeker’s drawing.

    Hugs,
    Julie

    Reply
  3. pepperbasham

    Julie,
    You are awesome. One of my favorite people, btw. And I can’t wait to read Autumn Rain either – it sounds wonderful!

    Thanks for the congrats. I hope to have the book sent to Hannah because she can’t participate since she’s in school 🙂

    Reply
  4. Myra Johnson

    Hi, ladies! Wow, all these sweet words are quickly going to my head! Thanks so much for having me today, Pepper. It was fun telling the “story behind the story” for AUTUMN RAINS. I get many of my story ideas from real life, and it’s always a fascinating journey as I try to turn them into page-turning fiction.

    Oh, and Julie is one of MY favorite people too!

    Reply
  5. pepperbasham

    Myra,
    All we need is for Mary and Ruthy to stop by and we’ll have almost all of my favorite Seekers…minus, what?…11?

    Reply
  6. Ruth Logan Herne

    Oh, man, sorry I couldn’t get by yesterday.

    Now I’m a TOTAL LOSER FRIEND, but I had good intentions when the day started…

    Myra, One Imperfect Christmas is at the top of my ‘time to read Christmas books’ list. I can’t wait! I always read Christmas books once the lights are up and the videos start playing carols and TSO blasts from my boom box.

    Enter: Christmas books. Love ’em.

    And I can’t wait to read Autumn Rains. I love that after all this time you have books coming out back to back.

    How wonderful is that???? YAY!

    Pep, kudos to you for your motherly generous nature to Hannah.

    I’m hugging you from afar.

    You rock.

    Ruthy

    Reply
  7. Myra Johnson

    Hey, Ruthy! It won’t be long until we’re reading YOUR back-to-back-to-back romances!

    Thanks again for having me, Pepper!

    Reply

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