Interview - Kimberley A. Johnson

About Kimberley A. Johnson:


Kimberley A. Johnson was born in Baltimore Maryland and raised in Southern California.  During the 1980-81 school year, she lived with her father, a network news cameraman which provided the opportunity to attend the Anglo American School in Moscow Russia.  She portrayed a police officer on the popular daytime drama Days Of Our Lives for over seven years. The make-up crew referred to her as "Diva Cop."  Currently, Kimberley is a regular guest on The Jorge Rodriguez Show on Sofloradio.com. She also has a background in sales, including fine bone china, perfume, industrial chemicals and energy and is now pursuing her dream of conquering the world. She resides in Northern California.

Interview:

In Between Writing And Reading what do you like to do?

Kimberley A,. Johnson: I spend time with my friends. I love it most with a cozy group. I also love spending time with my kitties and watching a good movie! And FOOD!!! I LOVE food!!

Convince me to buy your Book Twitter Style. 140 characters or less, GO!

K.A.J.: Find out what it feels like emotionally as well as physically to have sex for the first time. Seventy-two men & women unlock the mystery.

What made you decide to write a book for virgins?

K.A.J.: The idea came to me in a conversation with my mother. I thought it would be an interesting read. I also wished I would have had a source to turn to when I was younger. Nobody tells you what it's really like. Parents often don't feel comfortable discussing sex with their children and friends can sometimes mislead you. We didn't want to tell anyone how to think or feel. We wanted them to get a better understanding from a completely objective standpoint so they could make a more informed decision when they felt the time was right. We watch so much reality television, We wanted to make a reality book. We have been happily surprised that people of all ages and backgrounds enjoy reading it as well. We do all love to be a fly on the wall...

How was the process of getting the book done and how long did it took you?

K.A.J.: I started collecting stories from women only in 2004. I then opened it up to men and gay individuals to provide a broader range. The last story I got was in 2009. I utilized my friends but I mainly found anonymous people via the Internet. My mother, Ann Werner joined me in the collection and the editing in 2005. We pitched it to agents but never found anyone interested (a common lament with indie authors) so we decided that we would publish it ourselves and we did in 2010. In late 2009 I reconnected with a friend and artist, Ralph Faust from high school and he enthusiastically offered to design the format. He created the cover and our Ark Stories logo. He was instrumental in the entire design process. Both my mother and I loved his ideas and were thrilled with the final product. We are working with him now on our second title due out later this month.

When you started getting the stories, where you shocked by the responses that you got?

K.A.J.: Yes! Many of the stories shocked us. It was very interesting, though not all that surprising that the males enjoyed their first time so much more than the females. We were also very surprised that the oldest virgin was a thirty-two year old male and the youngest was a twelve year old female. We found it intriguing that there was more guilt associated with the younger generation. One of the women who provided her story was seventy-seven and she lost her virginity when she was fifteen. She said that she liked it and wanted more. Can you imagine your grandmother saying that to you?

Side Note [Jude]: I personally thought that that story was one of the pretty ones and romantic ones. It has now become the creepy one...

Tell us something at random :P

K.A.J.: For seven years I played a Police Officer on the daytime drama Days Of Our Lives. The make-up crew referred to me as "Diva Cop."

And now, Between You and Me, what are your plans for the future? The Virgin Diaries 2.0 ^^?

K.A.J.: My mother and I are just about to release our second title; Ain't No Sunshine - Men Reveal The Pain Of Heartbreak. We interviewed thirty-eight men on how they deal with lost love. Ann is also a fiction writer, so as soon as Ain't No Sunshine is out, we will start getting ready to release her novel Dreams And Nightmares.

Thank You So Much for the opportunity of reviewing your book and for the Interview! :D

Thank you for the positive review and the opportunity to share some of how it all came to be. I would like to add that our books are Print On Demand & Kindle on Amazon and other online booksellers. We are not in bookstores. If anyone is interested in purchasing a copy but doesn't have a credit card, you can order one at an independent bookstore. They will order it for you and you can pick it up at the store. A bigger chain will do the same but they will ship it to your home. All of this information can be found on our site arkstories.com. Thank you again Jude. It has been my pleasure!