About the Author

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Written by: KJ’s mom

 

KJ Johnson first came up with the idea for Olivion while he was in the third grade. His language arts teacher gave him writing assignments where he could write anything that he wanted. Months of school writing practice slowly turned into a story.

 

Later, KJ heard that Granny had written books and sold them. Tired of hearing his mom and dad say, “Do you have money?” whenever he saw something that he wanted, he decided to write and sell a book. He gathered all of his journal assignments and started turning them into Olivion. He gave me the assignment of editing and typing everything while he continued to write and illustrate his story. We then used our home printer to print out copies of his “book” so that he could sell them to family members. At that point, KJ was happy. Even though his father and I took some of his earnings for his savings account, he still had money to buy toys. He happily told us that he had his own money when we asked if he had any.

 

Two years later, he looked at his old “book” and asked if he could make it into a real book like the ones from the library. More mature and with much stronger writing skills, he set to work. His grandparents were so excited that they enlisted the skills of a professional illustrator. Once again, KJ enlisted me as his typist and editor.

 

You’re about to read the final product of my eleven-year-old son. It’s a work that has spanned years of growth, excitement, and frustration. While I overruled him when it came to grammatical mistakes, KJ happily overruled me when it came down to what was written and how the story should progress. He accepted some of my suggestions but was quick to tell me that it was HIS story. He was “the boss.”

 

Olivion is work that he hopes big kids will enjoy, since it was written by a big kid for big kids.

 

I know, I know.  That was the same thing written inside of the book, right?  Up above, you have the “official” version.  Down below is the “unofficial” version.  You want more details about who KJ is today?  Keep on reading!

• He loves playing Roblox, Minecraft, Super Mario Bros. games, and Sonic the Hedgehog video games.  Video games + Talking with friends that are playing = Loud craziness.

• Basketball, swimming, fighting with light sabers, wrestling with Dad and Paw-Paw, and any version of tag known on the playground?  He's totally ready to get physical!  He's quick to lift weights and do push-ups before showing his muscles.  Burpees and wall-sits are on his personal banned list, though.  

• He also loves building with his LEGOS and MagnaTiles.  Since he’s a fan of different mythologies and action, it’s not uncommon for him to build an action set or labyrinth.  His LEGOS and other creations are then used to create different characters and pitfalls.    

• What does almost every adult want to know about in a kid’s life?  School.  If you were to ask him, he would say that his favorite subjects are lunch and gym.  Don’t let him fool you, though.  This kid loves any subject that can bring the drama.  History that goes into the drama of that time period?  Yup!  Language Arts?  Unless it’s strictly grammar, yup!  Whether it’s reading, acting, or creating his own masterpiece, he loves the art of drama.  (Whispering – Did you know that science can have a lot of drama, too?  Look at the chaos of natural disasters and the wildness of the animal kingdom. Even topics like rainforest preservation, electricity, and chemistry can be dramatic.)

• Like I just said, he loves drama.  Books and podcasts are two of his favorite sources.  Add in a lot of action, adventure, mystery, and humor, and real-life snacks, and you’ve got a happy kid.

 

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That’s it, folks!  That's my not-so-little-person in a nutshell.  There’s a lot more that I could add, but I surprisingly got KJ-approval for this.  There goes my latest chance to say that it’s MY work, not his.  Ha! 

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Thanks are due to lots to folks for their time and support.  In alphabetical order, we have Aunt Minnie, Dad, Granny, Jael, Jireh Publishers, and Paw-Paw.  Is that all?  No.   Soooo many people have influenced us and supported us, but I'm pretty sure that y'all are ready to move on.  Take care!