#IABBAddict Interview with Author C.M. Johnson

Title: Tales of the Fifth Guardian Book One: The Beginning
Author: C.M. Johnson
Published: Jan. 10, 2012
Pages: 218
Genre: Fantasy/ Sci-fi
Buy Links: Amazon. Amazon.uk

The series is recommended for readers 18+ due to mature sexual situations, violence, and dark/trigger scenes.

In Tales of the Fifth Guardian; Book One: The Beginning we meet the main character, Kerrisha Drew-Otlander and learn about some of her past. We are also introduced to the male main character, Kerreth and watch as Kerrisha shares the history of their people from him. Secrets are discovered and some are answered in Book One but nothing is as it seems and even the secrets have secrets. What if you were the one your people had been waiting for but no one believed you?

(Kerrisha to the Otland Tower Council of Elders):

“Now, you ask who I am; I have told you I am the fifth Knowledge Guardian of the People of Otland Island. It is my duty and my destiny to reunite the People and safeguard the humans. What am I? I am something that has never been seen before; I am the culmination of centuries. I am the last pureblood of my line. I am someone, I am something that will live for centuries and die a little every day. I will watch my children die, I will watch my grandchildren die, and still I will live on with my Blood-bonded mate, my perfect match. We will live together, work together, and fight together to fulfill our destinies every day. I am the last hope for this planet, for this world; if I fail in my destiny, if I fail to safeguard the humans, then the world will be ruled by the Lost Clans. It will not be ruled by those of us who believe in benevolence; it will be ruled by the Thorans, the Tinotchans, and the Devons. It will become a world of war, hunger, and deprivation. If I fail then we will all lose because I am the last hope.”

Do you have to have matching colored socks?

If I wear socks, yes they have to match. In fact, I often dress in just one or two colors and all layers will match.

What house of the magical world of Harry Potter would you be a part of? Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw.
Ravenclaw

Have you ever had a nightmare and were able to remember it?

I nearly always remember my nightmares at least for a short while and I dream in full color (a fun little added bit of realism for the nightmares).

Do you like chocolate?

Yes! The darker the better - including 99% cacao

How old were you when you first started writing?

I've always written and had poems published in a collection of student writings in elementary school and kept journals of my poetry since. I also entered pieces from my writing classes in contests at my teachers' suggestion in high school and was asked to help other students in class with their prompt writings the first time I was in college in 1988-89. I've tried a number of times to commit Tales of the Fifth Guardian to paper, even longhand, but it took until 2009 for everything to finally click before that it was just in my mind.

Where do your ideas come from in your stories?

Tales of the FIfth Guardian evolved out of the superhero games I used to play on the playground. I always loved science and was intrigued by the idea of Powers and Abilities so, I tried to figure out how they would occur in our world. When I discovered the studies and stories of psychic abilities and the legends of Atlantis the connection was made in my mind. Further study into mankind through the centuries led to the development of the more adult situations in the story, including the darker scenes of violence.

Coffee or tea?

Iced for both. Coffee to start the day and at home but I'll usually order iced tea when I'm out because it's easier unless I'm near a coffee shop.

My husband and I moved back to Florida in 1995 when he was medically retired from the U.S. Navy. I returned to school in 2003 and completed my Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education in 2007. I began writing Tales of the Fifth Guardian in 2009 and self-pulishing in 2012. I found the Indie community on Facebook about a year later. I left education in the fall of 2013 to pursue my Master's in Accounting while devoting more time to writing. There are currently eight full length books (averaging 140,000+ words) and one short story (approx. 43,000 words). There are 12 full length books planned with another 2-3 short stories. I've also developed a language for the series and have created a dictionary.



Links:

My Amazon page is: www.amazon.com/author/cmjohnson

Smashwords page: www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CassandraJ

My FB page is: www.facebook.com/5thguardian

Twitter handle: @5thguardian

Goodreads is: https://www.goodreads.com/CMJGuardian

I have a website with my buy links and a form (on the contact page) to order/request swag or signed paperbacks:http://cmjguardian.wix.com/5thguardian

I'm also on B&N