A 14 Year Old Girl's Review on Being Frank with Anne, my book based on the diary

For her thirteenth birthday on 12 June 1942, Anne Frank, received a book she had shown her father in a shop window a few days earlier. Although it was an autograph book, bound with red-and-green plaid cloth and with a small lock on the front, Anne decided she would use it as a diary. In "Being Frank with Anne" Phyllis Johnson, brings us new insight on Anne Frank, and her short-lived life.

Taking an entry from Anne Frank's personal diary "Kitty" Johnson, gives us the poetic take on what happened on that day, in Anne Frank's life. Being a fourteen year old girl, myself, I can relate to Anne, and her feelings of being misunderstood, and wanting to achieve the greater things that life has to offer. In this beautifully, written collection of poems, you will feel pain; when Anne feels pain. You will feel longing; when Anne is yearning for something that is not in her reach. And you will feel happiness; in the moments that Anne felt any happiness at all.

Phyllis Johnson gives us this book with over one hundred, heartfelt poems that will touch you deep inside, and leave you with a new understanding and perspective on what emotion was behind that diary entry, so many years ago. This book is a must have for any fan of Anne Frank, Phyllis Johnson, Poetry, or just the love of an all-around great book. You will not be sorry you read this book. You will be grateful to have read a book about something as important and touching, as Anne Frank.

"I finally realized that I must do my schoolwork to keep from being ignorant, to get on in life, to become a journalist, because that's what I want! I know I can write ..., but it remains to be seen whether I really have talent... And if I don't have the talent to write books or newspaper articles, I can always write for myself. But I want to achieve more than that. I can't imagine living like Mother, Mrs. van Daan and all the women who go about their work and are then forgotten. I need to have something besides a husband and children to devote myself to! ... I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I've never met. I want to go on living even after my death! And that's why I'm so grateful to God for having given me this gift, which I can use to develop myself and to express all that's inside me! When I write I can shake off all my cares. My sorrow disappears, my spirits are revived! But, and that's a big question, will I ever be able to write something great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer?" Anne Frank, wrote, on Wednesday, 5 April 1944.

Yes, Anne. You did write something great. And Phyllis Johnson keeps your voice going for many years to come. -Angel Snyder

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=being+frank+with+anne

Poem Posted Today at VoxPoetica.com

VoxPoetica.com is a great website with daily poetry postings. I was delighted to see my poem, Drifting Wood, posted on there today. Recently, the editor also published poetry by my co-writer, Nancy Naigle. Reading poetry by other authors is a great way to feed the Muse. Take time out to read poems on here and be surprised by the wide selection of poets and poetry styles. http://poemblog.voxpoetica.com/

My Spirit and Soul Website

Check out this website:

http//www.myspiritandsoul.com/

Here's a website that showcases musicians, singers and writers. I'm tickled to be included on the site with LeAnn Rimes and Alicia Keys. You can find information about all kinds of music from hip hop to country. Watch the slide show on the left on the home page starting with Kadrae, then Jordin Sparks, then read about some of my writing.

Celebrating with the Huntington Learning Center and the Virginia Martial Arts Center

What a busy weekend. I had the pleasure of attending a ribbon cutting for a Huntington Learning Center yesterday. What excitement! They had a Color Guard from the Churchland High School ROTC, a guest singer for the Star Spangled Banner and Alan P. Krasnoff, city mayor, assist with the ribbon cutting. I had a nice chat with him. What a super guy. He said he has five or six events to attend on any given day. Boy, does he get around.

The next thing on my agenda was a party celebrating a 30th anniversary for the Virginia Martial Arts Center and the 50th birthday party of Shihan Darren Myers. Lots of great food, fun and dancing for everyone. The wise words shared there included the following: Never give up. Seven times down, eight times up. Focus, know your self worth, have respect and responsibility. Develop self-confidence and train your mind, body and spirit.

Young Adult Suspense Novel Underway

INKBLOT:: Consider this scenario. An award winning junior crime writer meets the teen-entrepeneur who owns INKBLOT, a popular quiz website. What transpires is a tangled web of crime and deception. Who's to blame? Chelsea Pressman, the attention hungry reporter or Ronnie Wright, the website owner whose business seems to have links to the victims.Follow the trail of intrigue, romance and suspense and find out who the real culprit is in Inkblot, first in the series of Headline Hunters, written by Johnson Naigle ~ (the collaborative writing of contest winning novelist Nancy Naigle and myself, Phyllis Johnson)

The Latest Happenings

Water, water everywhere, what's a writer to think? Here's what this writer thought. Put keyboard into gear and get busy. I wrote an article (hopefully for Hampton Roads Monthly) about a local impersonator. He rocks. His name is Tim Beasley and you'll be seeing an article about him by me in the near future. I'm also working on a power point presentation for the From Inspiration to Publication Workshop II I plan to do in February with Nathan Richardson at the Russell Memorial Library. Gearing up for the Writer's Seminar tomorrow at Russell Library where Joanna Bourne (best selling historical author) and Laurie Sanders (editor of romance novels) will be giving workshops. Tonight it's dinner with the CRW crowd at Buffet City. Yum! Here's to Nancy Naigle at Crime Bake in Boston! May she have a fantastic conference there as well!

Spoof on the Raven

Once upon a midday dreary
as I laundered weak and weary
in faded housecoat that I as housewife wore
there suddenly came a rapping
'twas certainly a tapping at my utility room door
'twas just the wind and nothing more...

(and so begins my spoof on The Raven... and no, I am not a housewife nor do I wear housecoats)

Workshop a Success Last Night

Nathan Richardson and I had the pleasure last night of leading the Spiritual Writing Workshop, from Inspiration to Publication, at Russell Memorial Library. At least 22 writers turned out to hear the ins and outs of publishing and share their own experiences. All ages were represented, even some teens who are working on their own novels. I always get excited when I see young people who are actively honing their craft. There were a lot of great writers and friends in the crowd and I would have loved for all of them to have read some of their works but there wasn't enough time for that. Bill Blake won the door prize basket of three books, candy and cookies. We've been asked to do another presentation like this in the future and I'm looking forward to it. We havn't set a date for the workshop yet but it's in the works.

SPIRITUAL WRITING WORKSHOP- Oct. 19

From Inspiration to Publication
A Spiritual Writing Workshop


WHEN: Monday, October 19, 2009 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
WHERE: Russell Memorial Library
2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, VA 23321
Join Nathan Richardson and Phyllis Johnson for a free evening of information and knowledge sharing at the Russell Memorial Library in Chesapeake to discuss their journeys From Inspiration to Publication.

Door prize basket to be given away

For more information contact Ms. Tunkie Stone 757.410.7020


Nathan Richardson www.scpublishing.com/about-us/nathan-richardson
Phyllis Johnson www.PhyllisJohnson.net
Amazon.com. Phyllis Johnson’s latest release.
Twelve Is for More Than Doughnuts.
ISBN: 978-0557090211

With Mark Victor Hansen at Books in the Park

The Books in the Park event at Town Point Park in Norfolk was a super event.

There were over 100 authors in attendance signing their books. A poetry reading was awesome and I got my chance at the microphone too. A highlight was meeting Mark Victor Hansen and his co-writer Robert Allen, authors of Cash in a Flash. Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield were co-creators of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. I also met Crystal Dwyer, author of Pure Thoughts for Pure Results- How Messy Thinking Can Make or Break Your Life. I bought a book from Joe Tennis, The Marble and Other Ghost Tales. Barnes and Noble is to be commended for putting on a wonderful venue for local authors. (photo of Mark Victor Hansen and myself)

From Inspiration to Publication- My Workshop with Nathan Richardson

Spiritual Concepts Publishing - A Suffolk, Virginia Based Publishing Company
Check out Nathan's website and see info about the Christian writing workshop I'm doing with him on October 19 at 7 p.m. at Russell Memorial Library.

2nd Annual Books in the Park

If you love reading, you can't miss the Second Annual Books in the Park event at Town Point Park in Norfolk on Sunday, September 27 in conjunction with the Sunrise to Sunset Acoustic Music Festival from noon to 6 p.m. Food and drinks will be available for purchase and you can bring lawn chairs for the event. Last year it was great and I have a wonderful time meeting other authors. Of course my pile of books I've purchased has grown to the point that I need another lifetime to read them all! Two of the featured authors are Mark Victor Hansen, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books and Robert G. Allen, author of some New York Times best selling finance books. Together they have written a book, Cash in a Flash that is sure to sell well. Go to festevents.org to see who all the authors are. There are nearly 100 in total. Here is the link to the featured poets and other authors. http://festevents.org/mini-site/books-in-the-park/authors-of-poetry-and-music-and-religion-and-inspirational-and-romance See the website for other listed authors. Come on out and join us!

Contest for Twelve is for More Than Doughnuts

Everybody likes something free. The first person who orders my book, Twelve is for More Than Doughnuts from www.lulu.com and can fill in the blank about the premonition I had and shared at the end of my book will win a prize. I had a premonition about A ______ Lady and then met her. If you can correctly fill in the blank and give me your contact info, I will send you another one of these books for gift giving or you can request a copy of Hot and Bothered By It or Being Frank with Anne.

People Love Reading About Food

When I'm not writing books, I write a weekly newspaper column for The Virginian-Pilot and also do restaurant reviews. I have proof now that folks love food as much as I do. There is a blog that I post on that has community news as well as the restaurant pieces. They track the visits and the 3,000 and more hits received for the food article reinforce the fact that we all love to eat. Here's the link to the piece that got a lot of attention. I reviewed Clayton's Restaurant in Portsmouth, Virginia. Even if you don't live in this area, you'll probably salivate enough to want to find a similar place near you and order some great food. http://hamptonroads.com/2009/08/expect-great-seafood-steak-cozy-hidden-treasure

TWELVE IS FOR MORE THAN DOUGHNUTS

Picture this. You've been given a choice for breakfast between oatmeal and a doughnut. Which are you going to pick? Well, there's something special about a nice doughnut. In fact, I love them so much, they're in the title of my latest book, Twelve is for More Than Doughnuts at Lulu.com Based on poetry and essays from the Bible, it's a nice read when you're sitting down in the morning with a cup of coffee and a doughnut (or a hot bowl of oatmeal...) A friend referred to my book a bite sized chunks of spiritual nourishment... kind of like munchkins....yeah...

Women Who Wine

There is an upcoming event celebrating midlife and my book, Hot and Bothered By It. I will be signing copies of this book at a wine tasting in a nearby town. Women Who Wine is the event for those who are close by. Contact me if you are in my area and I'll tell you the location of this event.