Yolanda Johnson: Another Literary Wonder! 

At times overwhelming and expensive, yet rewarding, there's something to be said about publishing your own work. Independent publishers (aka self-publishers) are fruitful on the publishing industry's vine. Authors wish to retain control of all aspects of book development, as well as the financial fruits of their labor. A growing leaf on the vine, Yolanda M. Johnson, author, publisher and founder of Literary Wonders! says, "I decided that whether my book sold one copy or two million, I wanted control over my book." 

A busy mother of two teenagers (NeCoiya and Tyre), in 1998, Yolanda put pen to paper and wrote her first manuscript titled, Keeper of My Soul, which birthed five book projects. From this literary birth, My Daughter's Keeper made its debut on December 4, 2004 at the Black Images Book Bazaar in Dallas, Texas. Since the title of her debut was similar to ReShonda Tate Billingsley's and Cydni Rax's novels, she would often times be mistaken for the notable authors.
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Frustrated with rejection, Yolanda decided to become an independent publisher. "I sent two letters to agents. One was rejected and I never received a response from the other. "Yolanda began polishing her skills, trying to learn as much as she could before setting out to publish her work. "I talked to several authors about their experiences, seeking their knowledge, as well being alert to what was happening in the literary arena." 

"You have a say in what you put out," she says of self-publishing.
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Through Literary Wonders!, Yolanda is sponsoring the Literary Wonders!1st Annual Literary Scholarship Essay Contest.
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Yolanda also wears the hat of editor of AMAG Online!, an online newsletter heightening people's awareness of black issues that really matter, as well as to reach a broader audience that the print version currently reaches. 

"Life prepared me for writing. Growing up I invited myself to several pity parties and thought that I was the only one that went through the trials and tribulations that God allowed us to endure or saved us from, only to find out that I wasn't the only one that had gone through what I had went through. But what I did find was that a lot of people, women especially, did not know how to deal with their issues.I made it through, and I feel anytime you make it through, it is a testimony and should be used as light to pull someone else through." 

Yolanda holds down a full-time job, working eight to twelve hour days. When asked where she found the time to write, shes tated, "Though I am tired when I get home, I still work for several hours on my many projects. "She continues, "Most nights I am up until 5 am writing and then I get a couple hours of sleep and return to work at 8 am. Some nights I don't get to sleep. I end up writing all night until it's time to go to work the next day. "In addition, she extends her writing to weekends. 
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Yolanda describes her style of writing as, "a combination of various writing styles that exemplify life.
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Character development is important to Yolanda.
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Yolanda owes her inspiration to write from Maya Angelou, Parry "Ebony Satin" Brown, Sheila M. Goss, Sylvia W. Lett, Vincent Alexandria, Iyanla Vanzant, Eric E. Pete, Terry McMillan, Walter Mosley, John Grisham and TD Jakes. 
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What's the best part of being Yolanda Johnson? "The best thing about being Yolanda is that I have learned how to be and have become a strong, independent, black woman, with the spirit of McFadden and Whitehead "Ain't' No Stoppin' Us Now", or in the words of my buddy Eric Pete, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop, Believe That."
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Yolanda Johnson is well on her to be a Literary Wonders! For more information on Yolanda, visit www.literarywonder.com.