In fourth grade, I was bound and determined to write my first book. I had the idea, had the intent, then would sit outside at recess with my trusty Trapper Keeper and write to my heart's content... or until the bell rang, anyway.
It's been a winding, adventurous road so far. I started my first freelance writing job online when I was 13 years old and enjoyed every minute of it. Sure, I had a few "regular" jobs here and there, but quite frankly, I cannot stand the rat race.
What can I say? I'm a rebel. ;)
Because of this rebellion, my first poetry book was born (collected from 10 years of journal entries) under my own independent publishing company.
Napkin Poetry
Let's flash back to 2005 for just a minute.
In another life (when I was still married to my first husband), I had some insane pregnancy dreams while carrying my second child, another girl. One of these characters from my dreams just wouldn't leave me alone... she kept pulling at the strings of my conscious mind.
My first novella was born.
The Outside Girl: Perception is Reality
(This version is currently out of print and only 1 more copy is available on Amazon.)
Unfortunately, the publisher wasn't the greatest... which was the whole reason why I didn't go back to that particular publisher.
Instead, I started my own company.
Broken Publications
(Don't forget to check out The Apocalypse Project while you're there and submit your scariest and most radical doomsday ideas!)
Once this was somewhat created, I began receiving submissions. I rolled with it, and it has since developed into more and more ideas with more and more ambition and drive behind it. Who knows what will happen? Bring it on!
Freelancing to pay the bills, working as the Associate (and then Managing) Editor for Phati'tude Literary Magazine, and slowly but surely submitting short stories to various publications and queries to agents....
My influences are a lot of people... I like things that are contradictory... beautiful and ugly at the same time, stark reality with a hint of magic. Some of my favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut, Poppy Z. Brite, and Susan Kay. Dean Koontz is in there, too, and so is Anne Lamott, whose work I recently discovered in Creative Writing class in college... I also love Stephen King (of course, who doesn't?) and certain other books for their flavor and magic.
If you've made it this far, feel free to check out my author & blog site:
Jennifer-Crystal Johnson
If you're feeling really adventurous, go ahead and submit to the anthologies that will be published by Broken Publications later this year. The annual anthology can be found here:
Soul Vomit: Beating Domestic Violence
(Yes. Soul Vomit.)
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