A Glitter of Gold – Author Interview

 

Interview with Liz Johnson

 

Why did you choose to write a series in this setting?

I fell in love with the Georgia coast upon my first visit to St. Simons Island several years ago. I was visiting my aunt and uncle, and my aunt suggested a day trip to Savannah, where I heard the wildest stories about Savannah’s infamous underground tunnels and sailors shanghaied into service. But it wasn’t until my mom and I spent almost a week exploring Savannah that I discovered the quirks and peculiarities of Savannah that made writing this story so much fun.

Where did your love of writing and reading come from?

My love of writing came from a love of reading. And my mom started it all. When I was young, she would read to my brother and sister and me every night before bed. From The Secret Garden to The Chronicles of Narnia, we explored magical worlds, and I fell in love with the power of words to transport and transform. I wrote my first short story at the age of seven and haven’t stopped since.

What did you enjoy most about writing A Glitter of Gold?

I had an idea for this story, but it just wasn’t coming together in my mind. I bounced ideas around for weeks, but the pieces just weren’t fitting into place. Then I went on a road trip with my sister, brother-in-law, and old niece. We drove to L.A. to see the musical Hamilton, and we amused ourselves on the five-hour car ride with fitting the pieces of my story together and fleshing out the characters. It’s some of the most fun I’ve ever had in the writing process, and I certainly owe them a great deal of credit for the ideas of Anne’s character and backstory.

What was the hardest part of writing A Glitter of Gold? 

Strangely enough the hardest part of writing this book was also tied to Anne’s character and backstory. When I realized that Anne had spent time in prison, I had to find a way to make her sympathetic and relatable while owning the mistakes that landed her behind bars. It wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped it would be, and I really wrestled with her character. My editor was so helpful, and I’m very pleased with where she landed.

Are you a full-time or part-time writer?  How does that affect your writing?

I’m a part-time writer in that I have a full-time day job. But I can easily put in 40 hours a week or more into my writing—especially when deadlines loom. But I like interacting with the world beyond my home. New people and funny situations inspire my novels, and I’m grateful for them. Having only an income from writing puts a lot of stress on writers, and I’m grateful for a day-job that pays the bills and a side hustle that’s my creative outlet.

What projects are you working on at the present?

Right now I’m working on the follow up to A Glitter of Gold called A Dazzle of Diamonds, which will release in August 2020. It’s another treasure hunt set in Savannah as two best friends search for a lost Civil War treasure and find that they may already have something infinitely more valuable.

What is something you want to accomplish before you die?

I have a number of things on my bucket list, and they’re almost all related to travel. I want to see Ireland and Scotland. I want to go back to Prince Edward Island. I want to take my sister to Guernsey. And I really, really want to see the Northern Lights—maybe from Sweden, where my ancestors lived and some of the Johnsons still have a farm.