Phillip L. JOHNSON

Phillip L. Johnson was always a bookworm. A military brat, he did most of his growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, attending Columbia High School and graduating from The University of South Carolina School of Business. He enjoys the outdoors and wildlife. He hits the gym regularly, and relaxes with a good book, film noir, good music of any genre, good food, good drink, and the company of family and friends.

After a not entirely misspent youth, he settled into a career, married, raised a family, and eventually retired from the world of nine-to-five. Now, along with his other interests, he has the time to indulge in what he considers the most extended fun he’s ever had: writing stories of excitement and adventure.

Uncaged welcomes Phillip L. Johnson

Welcome to Uncaged! You will release Stronghold, Book Two in the Maiyochi Chronicles series in March. Can you tell readers more about this series?

Thanks for having me! The Maiyochi Chronicles is a six-book series I’ve carried in my head for a while. It revolves around Raymond A. Covington, a twenty-six-year-old middle class African-American, not quite your ‘everyman’, who has settled into the American dream scenario of “get an education, get a job, find a girl, build job into career, get married, etc.” As the story begins, he is at the beginnings of the

“build job into career” phase.

When a group of childhood friends encourage him to join them on a canoe trip down a local river, he welcomes the chance for a new experience and a little adventure in an otherwise mundane life. Tragedy changes everything, and now Raymond finds himself in a world completely foreign to him. He only recognizes nature, nothing manmade registers, and he has no idea where he could be. Of course, he wants nothing more than to get back to his world, his city, and his nondescript life.

In comes the Maiyochi, a young warrior named Hanshee, of Clan Dula. He has earned his legendary title by enduring/surviving The Testing, a series of challenges given by the Elders of The People of the Earth - the name by which his people refer to themselves. The Testing is done only in times of great peril, to determine the absolute best among them. Hanshee is a naturally gifted warrior who has honed his abilities through focus and dedication. His skill is now such that he might possibly be the preeminent warrior of his day. He will need every bit of his considerable teaching, training, and abilities, to complete his task: find that which will aid his people in an impending time of great need, the particulars of which are unknown even to the wisdom of the Elders who chose him.

While on his quest, Hanshee discovers an injured Raymond, rescues him, and nurses him back to health. Only when Raymond has recovered is it revealed that he is no longer in the world with which he is familiar, but a different world…an ancient world. A world of kingdoms, city-states, and the occasional settlement, with vast tracts of wilderness separating them. A world where edged weaponry is the highest form of military technology. A world where life is the cheapest of commodities and the order of EVERY day is survival.

Together the two of them attempt to navigate this brutal world. Hanshee is on a quest to save his people from undefined future peril. Raymond is trying to maintain his sanity and his life by gaining some understanding of that which defies understanding: where he is, how he arrived, and how he can possibly get back to the world he has always known. Their adventures together make up the series of books I have titled “The Maiyochi Chronicles”, Book II of which will drop in March.

I could go into much more detail but, if the reader is like me, he/she doesn’t want too much info up front, preferring instead the process of discovery when immersing themselves in a good story. (this paragraph can be deleted)

What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?

When I started Book One of the series, “Awakening”, I was having the most difficult time writing what I considered realistic dialogue. I believed this was because the characters were new and not fully formed. In a real sense, I was getting to know them as I wrote. Several times I would erase whole pages of dialogue, even whole chapters, before I found something I could at least live with. As the story progressed, I grew more and more comfortable with dialogue, and sometimes found myself struggling with the passages that set the table for the dialog and action.

Presently, I find I have the most difficulty with descriptions of combat. My preference is for precise, descriptive combat; something I can easily visualize. It’s not enough that a character triumphs and another is defeated. I want to know how they fought… all the strikes, blocks, parries and counters…all the actions that, taken together, describe the skill, precision, and viciousness of combat. This sometimes leads me to questioning whether I have included too much description, if the sequences make sense, or if the reader can actually visualize the combat as I intended. One of the first questions I ask of someone who is reading my books is “how did the combat sequences come across?” adventure, sometimes in settings that they invented from whole cloth. I loved the exotic adventure and the world-building aspect of their work. It is something I hoped to emulate, without magic, monsters and the supernatural.

Where do you get your ideas for new plots and characters?

I am a reader, from a family of readers. In my youth, I was constantly reading whatever was available in the house; short stories, comic books, histories, biographies, World Book Encyclopedia, even a few classics. But fiction is where I spent most of my energy. Whatever label you want to put on them: historical fiction, science fiction, detective fiction, military/ techno fiction, political fiction, urban fiction, sword and sorcery, adventure fantasy. I kept my head in a book, sometimes to the detriment of my responsibilities (ahem…schoolwork). I read so much, there were times when I would find a new book and settle down to read it, only to get into it and realize I had already read it years ago!

I count among my favorite authors Robert Ludlum, Rudyard Kipling, James Clavell, Alex Haley, Tom Clancy, Robert B. Parker, and my current favorite, Walter Mosely.

So, the answer to your question is, because I have read as much as I have, and have a vivid and active imagination, my head is always filled with ideas, dialogue, plots and characters. Acting on them is the hard part.

I was also motivated by the issues I had with some of their work, but that is a subject for another time.

What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

The Maiyochi Chronicles is my first published work. Book II, ‘Stronghold’, is scheduled for release on March 16th of this year, with Book III, tentatively titled ‘The Road to Cantor’, coming out in the fall. After I finish the books V & VI of this series, I have an idea for an urban crime story that I’ve felt pulling at me for a while now. Also, before I published Awakening, I was excited about a sci-fi tale that I had begun. As things now stand, that book will have to wait its turn.

Do you base any of your characters on reallife people?

All that being said, I was inspired to write this series because of the stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs, J. R. Tolkien, Robert B. Howard, and Robert Jordan. They wrote stories of the purest

Definitely. Not famous people, but people I have known or have come across in everyday life. I’ve had the privilege of meeting and working with some real characters, people who have stories, or aspects of their lives, that should be told; if not in a biography, then in the context of a character in the pages of a book. I have not leaned too heavily in that direction in this current series, but look forward to incorporating some of them in my future writing.

What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?

This is a difficult question to answer. Don’t get me wrong, I feel my life has been pretty interesting, but nothing stands out to the degree that it would generate surprise. The one thing I can share, that some might find unusual to writers, is that I can’t spell worth a damn. Thank God for modern technology! Spellcheck is a trusted friend.

Which comes first, the plot or the characters in the planning stages?

The plot definitely comes first. The plot is the frame of the story; the skeleton of the living thing the writer strives to create. I couldn’t see beginning a story without an idea of where it’s going and how it would end. That’s not to say that I have the entire story in my head before I sit down to write. Far from it. I have found that the story reveals itself in the writing.

It’s the same with the characters. I said earlier that dialogue became easier as I wrote the story, i.e., as I became more familiar with the characters. This is true. A character has never sprung into my head fully formed. I have found that I fleshed them out considerably in the writing.

A man starts on a journey at sea. I know how his story will end before I sit down to write. In writing the story, I explore who that man is, how he came to be at sea, why he makes the choices he makes in the different situations he finds himself, how he adjusts to the outcomes of his decisions, and the different characters he comes into contact with due to all of the variables above. In this way I both flesh out the man, and meet/ create new characters I may have had no idea were going to be in the story.

In fleshing out both the man and any new characters, I open the door for more of the details of the story to reveal themselves. In this way I’m adding walls, rooms, windows, and doors to the frame, if we’re sticking to a house metaphor. Or putting meat on the bones of the overarching plot, working my way toward creation of a complete story.

So, to answer your question, the over-arching plot precedes the characters. There are a great many characters in The Maiyochi Chronicles that I had no idea would be there when I began the series. And that’s just part of what makes writing so much fun.

What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

I believe in living a well-rounded life. This means, apart from my love of a good book, I have stuck my toes in the water of many rivers and lakes, literally and figuratively.

For a guy raised in the city, I really enjoy wildlife and the outdoors. I’ve done my share of camping, fishing, and hunting. More than that, I love the whole vibe of a forest and the wildlife that inhabits it. If I couldn’t experience the outdoors, to include just sitting on my deck and looking out over the adjacent woods, I don’t know what I would do with myself.

I don’t party like I used to… but I still party. I love music. In my time I’ve played a little horn, and spent some time with a microphone in my hand. I will always love good music of almost any genre. I love to dance to a good beat. I take in a live show whenever the opportunity presents itself. For live music, I prefer jazz in an intimate venue, where you feel like you could reach out and tap the artist on the shoulder.

Sports, especially combat sports, have been a lifelong interest and I’m an avid follower of boxing, though I can appreciate MMA. I’ve studied Tae Kwon do, Kenpo Kung Fu, and Shuri Ryu Karate. Practitioners will spot its influence in my fight scenes. With team sports I prefer college to professional and the teams I follow, college and pro, I follow for life. I live in SEC country so I am surrounded by the best sports in the nation.

I’m in the gym four or five days a week and the benefits, both physically and psychologically, have enriched my life for a good many years. God willing, I will be an avid fitness enthusiast for the rest of my life.

Traveling and exploration are becoming big in my life. It’s something I plan on doing even more of in ‘23.

And, of course, I always enjoy having family and friends over for a sip or two, smoking or grilling meat, engaging in healthy debate (about damn-near anything), and a good game of spades. All of the above is usually happening at the same time! Bid Whist will do, if no spades players are around.

Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

I enjoy a real book, with pages and a spine. I like the way they feel in my hands. I like the art of the covers. I like the fact that you can mark in them to emphasize something that stood out to you. I like the act of searching through a bookstore for the latest contribution of my favorite author, and sometimes finding something else that I never expected. I like that you can put books on a book shelf and look at them every now and then with a sense of satisfaction.

I’ve got nothing against ebooks and audiobooks. I’ve just never seen a reason to try them when I can still lay hands on an actual book.

At the moment I’m not reading anything. I try to avoid reading in the same genre as I’m writing for fear that something I read might bleed into my story. Pretty soon I plan to get ‘Blood Grove’ and ‘Trouble Is What I Do’, two of the latest books by Walter Mosley.

What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

What I would like to say to fans is that I appreciate each and every one of you! Knowing someone has read and enjoyed my stories is, to me, probably the greatest joy associated with writing, right up there with the writing itself!

I’m not very good with social media but I’m attempting to put a Maiyochi Chronicles Facebook page together. In the meantime, I have a website, www.phillipljohnson.com, where I will be posting an index so that anyone who is interested can better understand the characters, the cultures, the places, the histories, along with random interesting tidbits, of the world of the Maiyochi. For writing or business inquires, I can be reached at my email address of Phillip@ phillipljohnson.com.

Enjoy an excerpt from Stronghold Stronghold

Phillip L. Johnson Fantasy

Now under the protection of Council Priest Jusaan, Raymond and Hanshee are spirited to the center of the Kingdom of Pith: Stronghold. Behind nearly impenetrable walls of natural rock lies the beating heart of royal power and religious authority: the Citadel. As honored guest of the Temple of the One Spirit and the Royal House, the duo is introduced to a life of pampered luxury in stark contrast to their previous existence in the wilds east of the Ursal Mountains.

But their new life of comfort does not come without a price.

From the lowliest servants to the highborn whose hands rest upon the levers of Pithian power, a new cast of characters come into play. With new acquaintances come new alliances, new intrigues, new questions and new perils as Raymond and Hanshee plumb the depths of the “schemes within schemes” that have provided them a plush respite while increasing their peril in ways they can’t fully understand.

The history and secrets of an ancient people merge with the mysteries of Raymond’s current plight, resulting in revelations poised to draw all involved ever deeper into the turbulent world of the Maiyochi.

Excerpt

When Jusaan finally reached his chambers, a messenger from the Royal House awaited him. He had expected this. With the dust of the road still upon him, he pushed away thoughts of a hot bath and a change of garments and allowed the servant to escort him to the first of the many trials along the path which he had chosen this night.

From the door of his quarters overlooking the great sanctuary, they turned left and proceeded down a long hall. Reaching its end, they turned right, moved past the servants’ hall, and proceeded down the wide staircase to the eighth level. This entire level was devoted to the quarters of the lord high priest, with a few apartments for his personal servants. The only other feature was a foyer leading to a covered archway. It was the only known passage by which the Temple and the Royal House were connected.

The royal messenger led Jusaan across the archway, which formed a bridge one hundred feet above the cobblestones of an alley between the two buildings. At its other end was an identical foyer in the Royal House, adorned with couches, chairs, tables, sculptures and tapestries. Upon an oversized highbacked chair sat Lord Cecil, chief advisor to the King and arguably the second-most powerful personage in the kingdom. Any argument would center on whether he was the most powerful.

Cecil did not stand when Jusaan arrived. He would not have stood for the lord high priest himself, except where protocol demanded. He made a point of eyeing the council member as he was led before him by the royal messenger.

Coming to a halt, the messenger bowed deeply before addressing the chief advisor.

“Lord Priest Jusaan of the Council of the Nine,” he said, gesturing toward the priest who had come to a halt beside him.

He then turned to Jusaan and with a sweeping gesture toward the older man said, “Lord Cecil, Chief Adviser to the Marble Throne of Pith.” Having completed the introductions his duty required, he again bowed low before disappearing into the Royal House. The pair remained silent as the advisor continued to eye the priest. When satisfied his stare had achieved the desired result, Cecil spoke.

“How much have I wagered in indulgence of your foolishness, Jusaan?”

“Should you not offer me a seat before we discuss important matters?” the priest asked,

attempting to put the advisor on his heels.

“Sit or stand, priest,” Cecil said. “Your posture changes your situation not in the least!”

Recognizing these words for their true meaning, Jusaan chose a seat close to Cecil and slowly, carefully sat down. Taking time to gather his thoughts, Jusaan lifted his eyes to meet the adviser’s stare before speaking.

“You require an explanation.”

It was a statement, not a question.

“Indeed,” shot back the older man. “I require a very good explanation, considering your request.”

Reaching into the folds of his robe, Cecil produced the small wooden tube made from young bamboo, further hollowed to reduce its weight. Jusaan recognized it as the tube in which he had placed his message to the Royal House while he was encamped with Galin and his forces in the Ursal Mountains.

Jusaan watched as Cecil’s thick fingers removed a wooden plug, the original having been of wax, and shook loose the roll of thin paper concealed inside. Carefully unfurling it to its full length, Cecil let his eyes scan the miniature document before once again raising them to Jusaan.

“Of highest importance to the Royal House. Prophesy! Send transport for two,” Cecil recited, his eyes boring into Jusaan’s.

“One of your station would be a fool to send such a message directly to the Royal House,” Cecil stated flatly.

“A fool?” Jusaan questioned. “In what way?” Cecil’s stare turned cold. Brandishing the message before him, he asked, “You would secretly approach the Throne on a matter of prophesy? You would circumvent the council and assume for yourself the mantle of lord high priest?”

Leaning into the priest’s face he continued, “You would demand expulsion from the Temple? You would invite execution? You think yourself not a fool? You think this wisdom? Think again.”

Having driven home the consequences of his actions, Cecil was surprised to see no fear in Jusaan’s eyes. Slowly he leaned back in his chair, intensely curious as to what secret knowledge lay at the foundation of such audacity. Having calmly withstood the chief advisor’s admonitions, Jusaan gazed beyond him as if in deep thought. Presently he spoke, weighing every word.

“Whether I be wise or foolish has yet to be judged,” he began, “but judged I most assuredly will be. Yet only in the context of loyalty and self-sacrifice can my actions be truly judged, so let me not be judged by those for whom self-preservation comes before duty, and let me not be judged by those who see their own aggrandizement in the downfall of their fellows.” tion, privilege and ego. One whose wisdom has been long established, and whose devotion to Pith is unquestioned.”

There were insults and compliments aplenty in this statement. Cecil knew that answering to them would be likened to self-incrimination. No fool himself, he saw the path the priest had chosen, and understood what he was requesting. He knew that such a path was a plea for the headman’s axe, unless the unknown information being bartered here was of such value as to bring instant validity, instant relevance, and therefore instant authority to he who had discovered it. Jusaan was intelligent and ambitious. Cecil found it difficult to believe he was also suicidal. Cecil carefully rolled the message back up and, placing it again inside the small bamboo tube, tucked it into an inner pocket of his robe. Only then did he respond to the council member.

“I brought you here in order to hear an explanation, and as yet you offer none. Instead, you cast aspersions on those of your caste and, laying the foundation of your own destruction, request a judgment by the King. Am I not correct?” Not waiting for a response, Cecil continued. “But I grant you this; by your boldness and audacity you have made your point and, should your explanation impress, you will have your royal audience. However, it is only through me that this audience is possible.”

“What I am poised to bring forward,” Jusaan continued, “can only be judged by one who dwells above the petty entanglements of sta-

The chief advisor’s eyes bore into the priests. “You now have my pledge,” he said. “Impress me.”

******************** Cecil was impressed.

So much so that he granted the additional requests Jusaan had made. It was now his place to arrange the audience, prepare His Majesty, and let the King’s judgment decide the future of the empire.

A smile came unbidden to his lips. The next few days could be both momentous and entertaining!

Don’t miss the first title in the series: