About

My greatest joys spring from creation.  It is just the way I'm wired.  Some people are enthusiastic athletes.  Others are imbued with wondrous engineering skills.  I admire those kinds of people--they simply astonish me--but I'm not one of them.

I'm an artist.  As long as I can remember I have been drawn to the arts:  theater, music, painting, photography, and, of course, writing.  But, curiously, that is not how I made my living.  I was a doctor of psychology by trade, probably because I am equally passionate about people. Most of my work was done with organizations, helping managers to be better leaders, better problem solvers, and better communicators.  Then, with my theatrical bent, I took to keynote speaking across the country.  That was fun too, although I can't say that I am a real fan of flying these days.

I've written both fiction and non-fiction.  For six years, I was a columnist for the Tri-City Herald in the Tri-Cities, Washington.  You can read past columns on this blog.  I'm also the author of The Power Within:  The Five Discipline of Personal Effectiveness, which draws on my education and experience in psychology.

My first novel was The Awakening.  That book took a long time to write.  It grew out of my travels in France and Spain.  It's a book that explores what it takes to live a life of integrity and dignity. That may sound serious, but not to worry.  It is wrapped around a lot of mystery and romance.  Readers say they come to truly love the characters.  I certainly loved creating them.

My second novel was Spike, Benny, and Boone. This book is in two parts. In the first part, the story takes place in a dusty town in Southeastern Washington State. We follow the friendship of three twelve-year-old boys as they weave their way through one adventure after the other. In part two, we jump forty-years into the future to see how the boys have become men. A curious set of circumstances--or is it providence--take the lifelong friends to the south of France. The novel is imbued with mystery, romance, and a passionate quest for grace.

Pardon My French is a memoir.  My wife and I have lived in France for about four years. We still return from time to time to embrace old friends.  France can be both enchanting and aggravating.  Pardon My French uncovers both emotions.  There's a good portion of humor in the book, so it is a fun ride.

I tend to enjoy a lot of changes of pace.  Any week you will find me diving into multiple passions.

• Cycling.  I ride my recumbent Velotechnik Scorpion FS26 every other day--summer or winter, it doesn't matter. You can go on a ride with me here.
• Theater.  I write, direct, and edit short screenplays. You can see some of them on youtube.
• My photography has quenched my thirst for creation again and again.  The cover for The Awakening is one of my images.  You can find them on my website at fiphoto.net.
• Community service.  In 2011 I founded two discussion groups--the Reflection Cafe and a men's group imperiously called The Magnificent Seven.  Those two groups help satisfy my need to socialize.  I'm curious about people.  I love growing to understand what makes them unique.  And I enjoy talking about big ideas--the direct opposite of "small talk."

So that's a little bit about me.  Don't be afraid to tell me about yourself.  Unlike many authors, I try to make it easy for people to reach out to me.  So give me a call or drop me a line.  here's how to find me:

Allen Johnson

2618 Quarterhorse Way

Richland, WA  99352

allenjohnsonmail@gmail.com

509-627-3000