Interview with Ebenezer's Locker author Anne Johnson! *New Release*

[Jan Fischer Wade]

Today I welcome Anne Johnson, author of Ebenezer's Locker that was just released June 1! Tell us a bit about your book!

 

Synopsis of Ebenezer's Locker:

A hundred years ago, Corbin Elementary School's building housed Dr. Ebenezer Corbin's School for Psychical Research. It seems that a couple of old spirits are still wandering the halls. It's up to Rhonda Zymler to find out what they want.

Ebenezer's Lockerfollows the adventures of Rhonda, a sassy sixth-grader who's having trouble finding her place and identity. Getting to know these spirits becomes Rhonda's quest. The more she digs, the more perilous her task becomes, and to complete it she must take two trips back in time. This story blends the realities of an economically-challenged modern American town with supernatural elements. What Rhonda finds not only gives her life a sense of purpose, but changes the fortunes of her entire town.  

 

You can buy Ebenezer's Locker HERE or on Amazon too!

 

Learn more about Anne E. Johnson on her website:  http://anneejohnson.com/ 

Get updates on her work by liking her Facebook Author page:  https://www.facebook.com/anne.e.johnson.9 

Purchase Ebenezer's Locker as an e-book in any format from  http://museituppublishing.com/ 

 

Thanks Anne! Now, I have some questions for you!

As a teen, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I thought I would be a professional singer. I sang mostly Irish and Scottish folk music, and played a lot of gigs in my teens. When our high school guidance counselor had us take a computer survey to determine which careers we might be suited to, the only one the computer came up with for me was "writer." The fact is, I've been writing all my life. And I've written and published many different types of things. But it's only recently that I've started looking at it as my full-time career.


What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I try to keep to a fairly standard business day, approximately 8:00am to 6:00pm. Normally I spend the morning hours on any promotional or editorial work that needs to be done. After lunch I draft new work. This changes, however, if I have a new novel finished and need to spend the whole day editing.


What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I write in little spurts. I've learned over the years that I'm rarely capable of losing myself in any one thing for hours. I can work very hard all day, but I need a smorgasbord of tasks. That might mean writing several different things at once, spending a bit of time on each one each day. Or it might mean working on a single thing in half-hour chunks, with breaks in between for household chores or (if I'm being very responsible) exercise.


What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

I am endlessly surprised by how my characters behave and what they say. I honestly don't know where it comes from. Nor do I understand the creation of plots, although I do it every day. I can't explain how I know what should happen next, and especially how I manage to tie together the pieces of a mystery, as in Ebenezer's Locker. But I'm very glad to have this skill!


What do you think makes a good story?

A good story needs complete characters, some of whom should have at least some likable elements. Even "bad" characters should have motivation for their badness, and maybe a twinkling of sympathy. A good story takes you to new places. It doesn't go where you expect it to, yet it goes someplace that makes perfect sense once you think about it. There should be a range of emotions and sense experiences, as there are in life. And almost every story can be helped by a touch of humor.

 

Thanks so much Anne!! Best of luck to you!

 

Learn more about Anne E. Johnson on her website:  http://anneejohnson.com/ 

Get updates on her work by liking her Facebook Author page:  https://www.facebook.com/anne.e.johnson.9 

Purchase Ebenezer's Locker as an e-book in any format from  http://museituppublishing.com/

[Jan Fischer Wade]

Thanks for stopping by and commenting Claudine!!!

[Gueh Yanting, Claudine]

I've read Anne's stories previously. She is a wonderful writer, and I envy her use of humour in her stories (I can't seem to write this well...). All the best with Ebenezer's Locker!