Mini-view with Liz Johnson (A Glitter of Gold)

About the Author

By day Liz Johnson is a marketing manager. She makes time to write late at night—that’s when she thinks best anyway. Liz is the author of more than a dozen novels, a New York Times bestselling novella, and a handful of short stories. She’s a Christy Award finalist and a two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist. She makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona, where she enjoys exploring local music, theater, and doting on her nieces and nephews. She writes stories of true love filled with heart, humor, and happily ever afters.

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The Interview

​1. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
I’ve always been a writer. It has just always been something I do. From my first short story at the age of 7, I’ve been writing stories. But it was my friend Kelly Blewett who convinced me I could be an author. We were co-workers about ten years ago, and one day I told her about this story idea I had. But then I said, “I’ll never finish it.” She said, “Yes, you will.” And so she proceeded to ask me every day if I’d written the night before. I got tired of telling her that I hadn’t, so I set up a calendar and set about writing my book. I finished that book in three months, and it became my first published novel, The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn, in 2009. I was so gratefully for Kelly’s support and help that I featured her puppy Henry in the book, and I’ll be forever grateful for her encouragement.

2. What top 5 books do you currently have on your TBR pile?
I want to read all the books! It’s so hard to narrow it down to only five, but the ones I’m most excited to pick up are:
1)The Story of With by Allen Arnold – A book about learning to create with the Creator
2)Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischoff – Because Joanne.
3)More Than Meets the Eye by Karen Witemeyer – Because I love her books. They’re so fun yet filled with deep truths.
4)Once Upon a Laugh – This might be cheating because there are 8 novellas in this contemporary rom com collection, but with so many great authors like Pepper Basham, Jessica Patch, and Betsy St. Amant, how could I not love it?
5)Matchmaking for Beginners by Maddie Dawson – I’ve heard wonderful things about this general market contemporary romance novel, so I’m so excited to get to dive into it.

3. What inspired the idea for A Sparkle of Silver?
A trip to Hearst Castle with my dad in 2010. It was his idea to tour the grand estate, but when we got there, my writer brain ate it up. It was such a fascinating place, and I immediately dreamed up an idea about a woman who played one of the period actors at a similar house.

4. What did you as an author take away from writing A Sparkle of Silver?
Every book I write is a reminder to myself that God is with me. I’d never get through a whole book without Him lifting me up and carrying me through, and He is so faithful. If I ever doubt, I need only look back at my writing seasons and to see that He is with me.

5. What is your current WIP?  What can you tell us about it?
I just finished writing A Glitter of Gold, book two in the Georgia Coast Romance series. It’ll release sometime next summer—probably August—and involves a shipwreck, a two hundred and fifty year old journal, and a woman who gives pirate tours in Savannah for a living. I adored writing it, especially the journal sections set in 1759, and soon I’ll get to work on the editing phases.