FAOM: Diving in to More About A.M. Johnson... aka THE INTERVIEW

You know that feeling you get sometimes when as the more you learn about a person the more you like them? That’s the feeling I got over and over as I went through this interview with Amanda, known generally in the book world as A.M. Johnson. As you know, I hadn’t read any of Johnson’s work prior to the beginning of this month. She, and her work, were a completely unknown entity to me. Now, we’re mid-way through the month and as I read, or chat with her, or see her posts on Facebook or other social media, I keep finding myself wondering “How did I not know this marvellous lady and writer sooner???”

I’m sure you’re saying to your screen – “you love books and writing and people who write LD, of course you like her!” but I promise, it’s not just that. As I’ve gotten to know her bit by bit these past few weeks, I’ve been happily impressed and surprised by all the facets that I’ve discovered. We are, all of us, ever evolving individuals and I’d like to think that the person – writer, reader, proud mom, etc – that I’ve been finding Amanda to be, is someone that I want to keep within my circle of peers as we go forward.

So now, without waxing on (any more) and boring you to tears, allow me to share the this and that facts about the Ups, Downs, Ins & Outs’ December FAOM: Amanda, A.M. Johnson.

Consumption - Be Consumed Today

So I took a wee break yesterday to decompress and relax after a weekend of insanity and chaos as we prepped (Saturday) and then celebrated Christmas with Heli Dad’s family on Sunday. I really needed a day to simply do nothing. I feel much better for it but my unexpected day off threw off my plans for the week so I’ve had to tweak my schedule for everything a bit. But it still works so here we go…

Today I’ve got release news for something a bit different than what I normally feature here on the blog. It’s not romance but then I do occasionally read other stuff too. LOL. And considering it’s December it doesn’t really fit in with what you’d expect to see flashed about either – aka Christmas/Holiday stories.

It’s Horror.

The scare you sleepless, kind of horror. A collection of short stories designed to frighten and keep you jumping at shadows, and all the odd noises that sound in the dark. It’s just a little book and doesn’t take long to read at all, but it’s dark and it gets the heart pumping with fear.

After all, life isn’t all happy ever afters.

FAOM: Learning More About the Avenues Ink Series

Earlier this week I told you guys my guilty secret about this month's FAOM A.M. Johnson's work - that I haven't read any of her work yet - and I asked for advice about which of her books to read first: Sacred Hart, a stand alone novel, or Possession, the first in the Avenues Ink series. Well your suggestions and votes poured in through social media and the results were about even. In the end I took the suggestion made by several Instagram peeps who told me that both books were simply amazing so I should read Sacred Hart first and then Posession... because when I finished Possession I would definitely want to keep going and pour through the other books in the Avenues Ink series. 

So that's the route I'm taking. I started reading Wednesday night and I have to say, so far so good. I've already cried once (in public LOL) which I'm told is just the beginning, and I'm already in love. 

But the love, because there was a lot of love coming in for Possession got me thinking and wondering more about the rest of the Avenues Ink series. About the books, about the men and women featured in them, and about the stories that comprise the series which resulted in the fan following and devotion I discovered when I asked for reading suggestions. So, Avenues Ink.