Woman Steps In Poetry and Prose is a poetic ode to feminism. Starting from October 19th - November 16th, author and poet, CJ Johnson, will be sharing a behind the book series. It will include her insight on select poems and short stories found in the book as well as her indie author successes with the book to inspire others to move forward with their journey as an author.

1. Written By
CJ Johnson
Author | Poet | Screenwriter | Producer
© CJ Johnson October 2013

2. Woman Steps In Poetry and Prose:
Behind The Book Blog Series
Why I published a book of poetry with no monsters
I am a monsters kind of girl. I thrive on writing stories
and poems that land readers right on the pulse of
thumping heart-beats and curiosity.
However, when I decided to publish my first book of
poetry, it had no monsters.
There's nothing macabre or ghoulish about it.
But the thing is, I needed to have it that way.
Poetry was my first written love. Falling in love with
who I am as a woman has been my second love and
area of exploration as a writer.
I began writing poems about womanhood and
honoring the feminist mystique a few years back. The
impetus to start writing such was also in relation to
the trials and tribulations that I had been
experiencing as a woman that was consistently
questioning her self-worth, intelligence, abilities,
capabilities, and professional direction.

3. I was FLAT BROKE when I started writing the poems
that are in Woman Steps: Poetry and Prose. Truth be
told, I still am for the most part, but back in 2009-ish
I was really on the throes of situational poverty.
I had no car and needed to take public transit
everywhere in Dallas, Texas (and even though I love
my native city dearly, it does not have a world-class
public transit system, its design is too limiting) so I
was really home bound a great deal. And when I was
on the train I used that time to put on the hat and
gloves of a sociologist (a field that has always
fascinated me) and I honed in on women.
Where were they going?
I'd notice the ones that
were under-paid 55 year-old nursing assistants,
Teen Mothers on-the-go
impatient college students.
What was behind closed doors?
late notices, BILLS.
sexual harassment, BITCH PLEASE'S.
self-sacrifice, BLOODY REALITIES.
loneliness, BESET.
What were their dreams?
-2 Bedroom Apartments
-Fathers for Everyone
-BA's, MFA's, JD's...
-GodGivenRespectDelivered

4. So therefore, I took those stories and my own to create
my first book. I had to get this poetic ode to feminism
out of my system first before I could ever move on to
writing about imagined monsters...
I had to get real, talk about the real, write the real, and
live with the real.
The humor in all of this however, is that as much as I
wanted to share this journey while writing it and even
while on the brink of publishing it, right after pressing
"publish" I grew really self-conscious. I began to feel a
little uncomfortable with letting such laundry dry out
on a clothesline. After all, I did include a mini poem
titled "Mean Girl Names" in the book, talk about pimp
rape, and call Evelyn Lozada from VH1 Basketball
Wives a lunatic in so many words.
Was this damaging to women I thought to myself.
Answering that was tough because my intentions with
the book was to celebrate womanhood as a state of
mind for women to embrace, not to tear down.
After about six months though, (I published the book
4/17/2013) I've realized that I am not to be ashamed.
That my words on women pushing through in life can
be read widely. I am honored now, feel ceaseless joy,
and am full of even more wonder regarding the
curious nature of feminism.

5. So while my first book had no monsters, it has
presented an opportunity for me to deal with my own.
I will definitely be writing more books on self-care
and womanhood while publishing stories that let
those monsters that lurk in your closet be my outlet
for creative imagination.
Need a quick poetic fix?
Check out Woman Steps In Poetry and Prose on
Amazon and thumb through a few pages...
If you do, if you could be so kind to leave a review,
that would knock my socks off :)

6. So while my first book had no monsters, it has
presented an opportunity for me to deal with my own.
I will definitely be writing more books on self-care
and womanhood while publishing stories that let
those monsters that lurk in your closet be my outlet
for creative imagination.
Need a quick poetic fix?
Check out Woman Steps In Poetry and Prose on
Amazon and thumb through a few pages...
If you do, if you could be so kind to leave a review,
that would knock my socks off :)