JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Gerald R. Johnson, author of Tainted: the Book of Revelations
(Vantage Point Publishing)
Courtney is happy to be back in Tampa, especially after her little stint in hell. Nothing could have prepared her for what her old flame had put her through. Now everything is back on track and, in her eyes, perfect. Her past is now behind her, and she married the perfect man. He is handsome, sexy and successful. What more could a woman ask for? Everything is excellent until she finds out that her husband has been poisoned…
With her world turned upside down, she must now learn the truth about her husband’s success. She must learn his business inside and out. She must learn who her enemies are and who she can trust. All in all, she must lose her innocence as she plunges into a world of murder, deceit, lost loyalties and betrayal.
NSFW: Viewer Discretion is Advised
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write Tainted: the Book of Revelations?
Gerald R. Johnson: The inspiration for Tainted: the Book of Revelations came to me thanks to my publisher Dawn Rivers of Vantage Point Publishing while I was in the hospital dealing with leukemia. I’d been reading a lot of the same kinds of books, and I was looking for something different in the Urban Lit genre.
Her words to me were, “Gerald, if you’re not reading something that you’re looking for then you need to write it.”
Those words, and the fact that The Godfather was playing on the television, provoked my main three characters to emerge from the shadows. I spent the next few hours cranking out the first eight chapters – almost none stop.
JP: What sets Tainted: the Book of Revelations apart from other books in the same genre?
GRJ: Tainted isn’t street, but it’s truly Urban. I wanted all of the drama without the dope dealers and common street hustlers. I wanted to take my stories into an entirely different realms. Thus, the Men of the 9 and IXion Industries came into existence.
This story presents gangsters in a more corporate setting. I added the twist of the main character starting off as timid and innocent young woman thrown into a world that she knew absolutely nothing about. I wanted to push the Urban Lit envelop in a different direction, and I feel that it worked out excellently.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to Tainted: the Book of Revelations getting out to the public?
GRJ: Now here’s where things get serious. When I initially dropped Tainted, I was all over the internet attempting to push my books. I have come to realize that marketing for an author is not an easy job. For me, writing comes naturally, but I am full fledge student in the world of marketing and promotion. I have had a little help from some family and some friends, but it is exceedingly obvious that I need to expand my circle.
This is why I have reached out to a man I know knows his business, Mr. Joey Pinkney. I greatly respect this man as a friend and colleague in this writing world, and I want to take this moment to thank him for this opportunity.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish Tainted: the Book of Revelations?
GRJ: My writing process is a bit different than most writers and authors that I’ve talked to. I don’t use an outline. Recently, I’ve begun to build story bibles to help me keep key elements on track.
I write from the images that I constantly see in my head. It doesn’t matter which story that I’m working on, I can always visualize how I want that first draft written. Once the first draft is written, then the really real writing begins as I go through the process of editing and rewrites – over and over and over again.
Tainted took a total of six months from start to finish.
JP: What’s next for Gerald R. Johnson?
GRJ: I currently have about ten completed manuscripts on my laptop right now. My next release is going to be my very first psychological thriller. I’m looking forward to diving into the editing and rewrites on that because I plan to do a series of standalone books with the main character.
I am also taking courses at Full Sail University to learn screenwriting. The plan is to write them on both ends of the spectrum. I am looking forward to mastering this form of writing to build my catalog of written works.
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“As authors, we must remember that we are writers. Therefore, we should write, write and write some more. Our characters can only come to life when we lay pen to pad and write. One last thing, please remember that your first draft is not your best draft. Let it sit and marinate a moment. Then go into with a fresh, clear mind and make it the best work that you can truly produce.”
~ Gerald R. Johnson