The Treasure Trove...
Author Brittany Johnson

Please welcome fellow author Brittany Johnson who wrote 'Mississippi Blue', a chilling horror tale taking place in the fictional town of Orson, strangely reminiscent of Stephen King's Derry. I had the pleasure of reading it back in January 2022.

Who is your favorite character in 'Mississippi Blue'?

Brittany: Although I have such strong attachments to many of the characters in Mississippi Blue, Seth Barton takes this one for me. The first page of this story began with him in my writing process, and in many ways allowed me to sculpt a theme through his character the more I wrote, and the more I discovered. I have a soft spot for emotionally complicated characters, who, often to cope with deep pain and trauma, hide their feelings in strange, and sometimes horrifying ways. Seth carries a mysticism about him, a painful loneliness, a primal aggression ready to rip out of him at any time—especially when those he cares for are threatened. A character like that will always fascinate me.

Question from a Red Dragon Insider Reader:
How long have you been writing before publishing your first book?

Brittany: About ten years, give or take. My first memory of really writing, of getting that magical feeling of “Oh, now this is what I want to do,” was in Junior High, so I somewhat count that as my start. It really ramped up in High School, though, and allowed me to push myself out of my comfort zone. So much writing at that time was an exploration of myself, a quest to find my voice, and find out what I like to write about. And that exploration continues still every time I pick up the pen.

Tell us about your favorite fantasy or science fiction book.

Brittany: It’s got to be The Lord of the Rings, right? How could it not be? Oh, man, I love that series with all my heart—and the constant yearning I feel to run away and live in The Shire? Too much. I’ve enjoyed Peter Jackson films since I was young, but it wasn’t until the last couple of years that I finally read the books and became a full-on fan, mostly spurred on by playing the MMO game based on the same story. LotR gives me hope and warms my heart even on the cloudiest of days.

Tell us about your next book.

Brittany: My next novel ventures quite a ways from the Mississippi, all the way to the Ozarks of the northwestern regions of Arkansas, (a place I can actually trace my bloodline to), where a young family has to relocate after losing everything. Rick Summers, a once famous True Crime writer, becomes ensnared by his family’s own dark past and the abandoned town where they laid their roots.

About Mississippi Blue

Set in the fictional town of Orson, Mississippi, Mississippi Blue follows the investigation of Mary-Lee Hastings, the six-year-old daughter of upstanding citizen and preacher, Mark Hastings, who disappears without a trace one hot summer night in June, 1969.

Detective DuBois and newly appointed Detective Carolina Waterson answer the call as the town’s secrets start coming out—and decades of fear, hatred, racism, and violence are revealed. All the while, The Thing—an unspeakable beast not of this world—waits and watches.

Enter Seth Barton, a man with a very special ability. An ability that lets him see a different side of Orson, a side he calls The Blue, only reachable by plunging himself into the deep waters of the Mississippi. He finds an unlikely partner in Detective Waterson, and together they race to defeat The Thing and rescue Mary-Lee before the town comes crumbling down around them.

Get Mississippi Blue

About Brittany Johnson

Brittany Johnson has been writing for over ten years. Carrying a deep love for horror and southern gothic, she writes short stories, poetry, and screenplays. Her writing tool of choice? A seventy-year-old typewriter named Roland. Mississippi Blue is her debut novel.

Connect with Brittany Johnson

• Linktree Page
• Instagram Profile
• Twitter Profile
• TikTok Profile

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Keywords:  Authors , Horror , The Treasure Trove