Press Release & Media Kit

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SF Bay Area Author Making Her Mark in a Growing Genre

A killer raised by Satan, a mother reaching for God - Not your typical Christian fiction

HAYWARD, CA – Local author and San Mateo County Deputy Probation Officer, Nancy LaRonda Johnson, is making her mark in the Christian speculative fiction genre with her debut novel, Anticipation of the Penitent. Not your typical Christian fiction, it is a novel about a serial killer and his mother, and was a front-runner in the Indie Publishing Contest sponsored by the San Francisco Writers Conference 2012.

Reviewers on Amazon have said:

“If there was 'ever' a first chapter of any book that was going to hook you in- it would be this! Well written with a superb plot. Disturbing, sad, dark and at times-just plain creepy, but always a great read.” - Review by Little Red

“…strong Biblical principals without distracting from the plot…. a very strong command of visual imagery. Once I started reading this book there was no way that I was going to do anything short of finish it!” – Review by Audrey Semprun

With elements of horror, Anticipation of the Penitent is written in beautifully crafted prose that draws you into the characters’ lives and spiritual struggles. When Alezea is trapped by the Devil, she bears him a son and knows her life will never be her own. She is the mother of Thomas, a man reared by Satan to be a killer of life’s most innocent – little girls. When Alezea finds a way out, she will risk her very soul to free Thomas from his father. The fight to save her son will either redeem Alezea or destroy her forever. Rachel knows Thomas’ history, yet she believes her presence can transform him. Her belief in Thomas might send her further into the Devil’s realm or provide an opening for God’s miracles in both of their lives.

Nancy LaRonda Johnson is a passionate writer of Christian and other fiction and poetry. She earned a BA in sociology from UC Santa Cruz and a JD from the University of San Francisco, School of Law. While raising a niece and nephew as a single woman for ten years, she began working as a deputy probation officer in San Mateo County. She currently lives in Hayward. You may contact her at nlarondajohnson-author@yahoo.com for more information, book signings or speaking engagements, and feel welcome to join her blog “Writer’s Mark” at www.nancylarondajohnson.blogspot.com.

Anticipation of the Penitent

A killer raised by Satan, a mother reaching for God.

A battle of souls begins.

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Media Kit

Synopsis

When Alezea is trapped by the Devil, she bears him a son and knows her life will never be her own. She is the mother of Thomas, a man reared by Satan to be a killer of life’s most innocent – little girls. Alezea lives detached from the horrors committed by her son and from her domination by the entity who uses her as he pleases. Until she meets Martha who shows her a way out. Now Alezea will risk her very soul to free Thomas from his father. The fight to save her son will either redeem Alezea or destroy her forever.

Rachel knows Thomas’ history, yet she believes her presence can transform him. Her belief in Thomas might send her fully into the Devil’s realm or provide an opening for God’s miracles in both of their lives. In a scheme to continue his father’s line, Thomas may ruin his alliance with Rachel or rend himself from the dominion he was born to hold. The impulse to contrive his future takes Thomas to new heights in his lifework as a killer, pushes him toward maturity, and forces him to encounter the astonishing truth of his heritage.

Anticipation of the Penitent depicts the battle between good and evil in one family until it is rendered to its destined completion. Only then will it be known whether Alezea succeeds in her struggle for a life free from Satan’s control.

AUTHOR BIO

Nancy LaRonda Johnson is a passionate writer of Christian and other fiction and poetry, was raised in Berkeley and currently resides in Hayward. Anticipation of the Penitent is her debut novel in the growing Christian speculative genre. She has written short stories, poetry and personal journals most of her life, and won her first award for a short story in a sixth grade summer program.

Nancy attained a BA in Sociology from UC Santa Cruz and a JD from the University of San Francisco, School of Law. She raised a niece and nephew as a single parent for ten years, during which she began working as a deputy probation officer for San Mateo County, where she has been employed for nearly twelve years.

She is working on several projects, including a sequel to Anticipation of the Penitent, a book of short stories and poetry, a science fiction novella and another Christian speculative novel about the Witch of Endor. She has a love of stories that are character driven and have surprising twists.

Anticipation of the Penitent was a front-runner in the Indie Publishing Contest sponsored by the San Francisco Writers Conference 2012.

AUTHOR Q&A

Where did the idea come from for the book?

My initial questions when writing Anticipation of the Penitent were, why is there evil in the world, and can a sociopath be saved? There is no end to the evilness people allow themselves to inflict on someone else. Luckily, all the answers I needed to explain this behavior are in the Bible. I no longer had to research evil behaviors, of which I have great examples through my job trainings and my job in general.

Is your book self-published or traditionally published through an agency?

It's self-published through CreateSpace. I spent about 6 months sending out query letters to no avail. I later realized from a comment by someone on Authonomy.com that my pitch was not very interesting. I believe I've got a better one now, but I was already in the midst of self-publishing.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

About 6 years, more or less. It started as a flash fiction piece, but the character stayed with me for a long time. Then I got custody of my niece and nephew while working full-time, so it took a while. The last year and a half I wrote the full second part of the book.

What other books or authors would you compare this story to within your genre?

I'd say The Priest's Graveyard by Ted Dekker. They are both dark, Christian and speak about people in unacceptably ugly situations. I believe mine is more inspirational in its entirety.

Anticipation of the Penitent

A killer raised by Satan, a mother reaching for God.

The battle of souls begins.

Amazon ISBN# 9781479258550:

http://www.amazon.com/Anticipation-of-the-Penitent-ebook/dp/B009ZQCEEA

CreateSpace ISBN# 9781479258550:

https ://www.createspace.com/3985176

Smashwords ISBN# 971301701735:

https ://www.smashwords.com/books/view/251556

Pages: 304

Price: $15.95 for print; $4.99 eBook

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