Interview with Becky Johnson, author of the Charlotte Marshall Mysteries



Books are Becky Johnson’s passion and always have been. She used to get in trouble in school for reading during class!
Becky has Master’s degrees in social work and history, and for her day job she is a social worker. In her writing she tries to answer a question that is important to both social work and history:  Why? She always wants to know why people do the things they do or feel the way they feel.
When not reading or writing she enjoys yoga, cooking, and makes a pretty mean chili!
Her latest books of the Charlotte Marshall Mysteries series are Run and Stand.
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About the Books:

A decades old mystery and a deadly game of cat and mouse will change Charlotte Marshall forever.

Charlotte has a good life: friends, family, a successful career. Her perfect life is destroyed when research for a book and a connection from her past plunges her into the middle of her worst nightmare.

On the run, with no one to trust, Charlotte begins to unravel the work of a sadistic murderer. Afraid and alone, she will learn the meaning of trust and just when to run.

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Nine months ago Charlotte Marshall survived a nightmare when she was hunted by a sadistic killer. Now routine, ritual, and a vigorous self-defense schedule barely keep the fear at bay.

Desperate to move on
Charlotte finds hope in volunteering with FindMe, an organization dedicated to finding missing people and helping their families. Her first case ends up being more than she bargained for, and she soon learns that a little hope can be a dangerous thing.

While
Charlotte unravels a mystery, an old enemy circles waiting for just the right moment to strike. Charlotte will have to choose to stand and fight, or to give in to the fear that waits for her.

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  • Stand is available at Amazon.
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life!  Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process.  Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning?  Where did you come up with the idea to write your book?

I had this scene in my head, a picture and sentence. It was driving me crazy! I kept thinking about it. I would picture it at night when I went to bed. I kept asking myself ‘what if?’ or ‘what next?’ eventually I had to write the story. That scene ended up being the opening sentence of Run.

Q: How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?

Once I started writing the story took over. I had one rule for myself. I had to write at least 500 words a day. Some of those 500 words ended up being completely edited out, but as long as I kept up the momentum the story never let me down.

Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?

I decided to self-publish. I did a lot of research on publishing – both traditional and self-publishing. After listening to the experiences of other authors, I decided that self-publishing best fit my goals as a writer.

Q: Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?

The work isn’t done after publishing! I learned a lot about marketing and the publishing industry in the six months since I first published. I am still learning!

Q: What other books (if any) are you working on and when will they be published?

I am currently working on the conclusion to Run and Stand, Redemption. I am hoping for a mid-2015 release. After that I have a thriller titled They, and a non-fiction book Lessons from the Battlefield – both are slated for a late 2015 release.

Q: What’s your favorite place to hang out online?

I spend way too much time on Goodreads. In addition to writing I am an avid reader so I love finding new things to read!

Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your book?

I wouldn’t say I was trying to get across a message; but every book has a message, and every books’ message is a little different. The great thing about being a writer is that it is a way to express your thoughts and feelings through the actions of your characters. For me, Run is about trust, particularly learning to trust yourself, and Stand is about the choices we make in difficult situations. When I was writing I was able to explore those feelings and ideas. The relationship between a writer and book, or a reader and a book, is fluid. We each bring different things into it and get different things out of it.

Q: Thank you again for this interview!  Do you have any final words?

I am so grateful for everything I have experienced on my journey so far, and I look forward to learning and growing as an author and person. Thanks for your time and enjoy reading!

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