So, yes, finally there was too much silence. And at last, she wanted to take that first, stupid step everyone has to trip on after their favorite human has passed on.
The alternative is an even less attractive option, so that’s what Cindy Pavlic Johnson did. One step, and then another, and then she found herself the owner of a town’s general store and saloon. The residents of West Liberty, the oldest settlement in Ohio County and home of one of West Virginia’s universities, now enjoy a Family Dollar, but once there was only the Hilltop Grocery and the Top of the Hill Pub right next door.
As it turned out, though, college noise wasn’t what she wanted to listen to after all. Instead, author “CL Johnson,” her very own nom de plume, wanted to clearly hear the story that’s been bouncing about her brain longer than she can admit. There’s a young woman – the main character, in fact – and the world rests upon her shoulders – go figure, right? – but the novel’s course intrigues, and her trail of crumbs feeds the reader perfectly along a path that never lets go.
“Hiding,” ironically, reveals, and maybe that’s the purpose of the first 18 chapters a trilogy of books planned by “CL” with “Hunting” and “Healing” to follow.
See, it’s hard to tell what’s next knowing the author has been told secrets whispered only to dorm mothers and barkeeps.
For years you have been searching for a new purpose in life. Now that you are an author of a trilogy, have you found it?
I am fortunate. Throughout my life, I have had several very rewarding steps. Honestly, I never dreamed of being an author. I’m not even sure I would call myself that right now. This book just came tumbling out of me. As you know, storytelling is one thing, but writing a book, editing, formatting, Graphic design for the cover, distribution, and marketing is a different animal. I look at this step as a “moment”. It’s very, very exciting, it’s rewarding, and I enjoy it very much. It is certainly inspiring, and I can see me writing for a while.
What fairy tale or childhood cartoon always scared you – and why?
Can’t think of a cartoon that scared me. Definitely anything with snakes. And when I was a child, we only had two TV channels so I don’t have a lot to choose from!
How long has this story been inside your mind?
I have written short stories for a very long time. I enjoy that. So right about the time Covid hit, and I started working at home, I had a lot of alone time, and I spent a lot of that time writing in the evenings. This started out as a short story, and it just kept coming. I knew I wanted to write about West Virginia but I had nothing else to draw from. At first glance, this book does not reflect much of my life at all. But once I started it, it just didn’t leave my thoughts.
What parts of your own life have you interjected into the first novel of your trilogy, “Hiding”?
When people ask about my childhood my best explanation is, I grew up in a very wholesome and loving home. The main character of this book didn’t have any of those blessings. She was on her own her entire life.
So, at first glance, I’m not represented in this book in any way. But when I look a little bit deeper, I can share that I have always lived in West Virginia. I live on top of a Big old hill in a hollow. As a young child, I was generally at home in the country. The main character is a woman my age, so I know how she feels and how she thinks. Well, her life has been much more tragic, but I know what it feels like to lose your parents and the people you love.
What were the best parts about owning and operating the grocery store in West Liberty?
There were many things that were perfectly timed for that endeavor.
After my husband passed at a very young age, I was totally lost. My friends and family were a bit concerned because I just stayed at home. I wasn’t working, I wasn’t going out, and I wasn’t even searching. When the opportunity came to have the store and the pub, I really pushed myself to do it.
You mentioned life’s purpose. Definitely, this helped me find a reason to be happy. The store was in the middle of a college town, and soon I had college students stopping in to share a morning cup of coffee with me. Or I had them stopping by after classes to have dinner. And I was somewhat of a dorm mother at the end of the night, making sure they got home safely.
It was challenging, some days rewarding, some days, frustrating, creative, hilariously funny at times, and very healing.
