Johnson, R.M. 1968- (Rodney Marcus Johnson)

PERSONAL:

Born April 1, 1968. Education: Attended Columbia College; Howard University, radiation therapist certification, 1994; Northeast Louisiana University, B.S., 1995.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Chicago, IL. Agent—Warren Frazier, John Hawkins & Associates, 71 West 23rd St., Ste. 1600, New York, NY 10010.

CAREER:

Writer. Has worked as a radiation therapist, Little Company of Mary Hospital, Evergreen Park, IL. Military service: U.S. Army, 1986-91.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Black Board bestseller list citation, 1999, for The Harris Men.

WRITINGS:

The Harris Men, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Father Found, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2000.

The Harris Family, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2001.

Love Frustration, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2002.

Dating Games: A Novel, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2003.

The Million Dollar Divorce: A Novel, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.

Do You Take This Woman? A Novel, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2006.

Work represented in anthologies, including short story "Slipping and Falling," in Brown Sugar, edited by Carol Taylor, Plume, 2001, and the essay "Fear of a Blue Uniform," in Not Guilty: Twelve Black Men on Life, Law, and Justice, Amistad/HarperCollins.

SIDELIGHTS:

Although his goal was to be a writer, R.M. Johnson first earned his certification in radiation therapy to make sure that he could support himself in that effort. As it turned out, he worked as a therapist only briefly before heading to his mother's basement to write full time, and he has been writing ever since. Johnson's first novel, The Harris Men, made the Black Board Bestseller list in both hard cover and paperback. The men in question are brothers Austin, Marcus, and Caleb Harris who were abandoned by their father twenty years earlier and still carry the psychological scars. Their father, Julius, who has prostate cancer and only a short time to live, regrets leaving his sons and longs for reconciliation before he dies. He travels to Chicago in the hope of reuniting with his family. Library Journal contributor Shirley Gibson Coleman, who found Johnson's writing "clear and straightforward," noted his "subtle messages" and deemed him "an author to watch." "Bittersweet and gently didactic," was the assessment of a Publishers Weekly contributor, while School Library Journal's Carol DeAngelo called the novel "a compelling look at the ramifications to a family bound by the dynamics of abandonment."

Johnson's next novel, Father Found, is named for the organization established by protagonist Zale Rowen to locate fathers and reunite them with the children they abandoned. Zale becomes obsessed with the organization's goal and does not realize that his investigator is beating up fathers to get them to agree to see their children, or that his business partner is leading the company towards bankruptcy. In his obsession with his work, Zale becomes estranged from his own wife and child. Although Library Journal's Shirley Gibson Coleman thought "such a serious plot could have used a little comic relief," Booklist's Lillian Lewis found it "a compelling second novel from Johnson." A contributor to Ebony declared that the book "resounds with pain and passion."

The Harris Family, Johnson's third book, is a sequel to The Harris Men. In this novel, Julius is still fighting prostate cancer and trying to reunite with his sons and form a family. The sons have problems of their own. Austin's ex-wife is making it difficult for him to see his sons. Marcus cannot deal with a committed relationship. Caleb has just been released from prison and is trying to reclaim his wife and son, who live with a drug dealer. A Washington Post contributor wrote: "Johnson juggles his multiple plot lines deftly, and his lean, no-frills style keeps the action moving." Reviewing the book for Black Issues Book Review, Ahmad Wright noted that "The Harris Family is real life with a touch of magic."

Johnson leaves the Harris family behind for his next novel, Love Frustration. The story revolves around various young Chicago professionals who are looking for the perfect mates and experimenting with their sexuality. For example, Asha, a massage therapist, discovers that she may be a lesbian just as her boyfriend proposes marriage to her. In another plot line, Faith is caught by her future husband, Jayson, in a tryst with her married lover. A Publishers Weekly contributor called Love Frustration a "randy sexual soap opera." Glen Townes, writing in Black Issues Book Review, commented that "Love Frustration is a dynamic book and showcases Johnson's exceptional growth and talent as a fiction writer."

In Dating Games: A Novel, Johnson features Livvy and her twins Hennessey and Alize, whom Livvy gave birth to when she was still a teenager. Determined to provide the girls with a better live than she has had, Livvy continues to struggle while her daughters grow up. Hennessey ends up in medical school on scholarship and dating an ex-con, while Alize sets out to seduce men and then steal from them. "Thick with comings and goings, the books reads at a good pace and delves into some interesting social issues," wrote Judi Clark on the Mostly Fiction Web site. Other reviewers also had high praise for the novel. Lillian Lewis, writing in Booklist, called Dating Games, "dramatic and suspenseful." A Publishers Weekly contributor commented that "this is a solid drama."

The Million Dollar Divorce: A Novel tells the story of Nate Kenny and his wife, Monica. A successful entrepreneur, Nate discovers that his wife is unable to bear children. As a result, Kenny plots to divorce Monica without leaving her a penny of his fortune. Glen Townes, writing in Black Issues Book Review, referred to The Million Dollar Divorce as an "entertaining story." Jana Perskie, writing on the Mostly Fiction Web site, noted that the author "manages to juggle various subplots without distracting from the primary story."

A love triangle is at the center of Do You Take This Woman? Pete was essentially abandoned by his mother when he was ten and is raised by the parents of his good friend, Wayne. They end up sharing a medical practice together and vow never to let a woman ruin their friendship. It is a vow they keep until Carla comes into the picture. Carla marries Pete after he informs her of an affair Wayne had shortly before she and Wayne were to be married. After their marriage, Carla catches Pete cheating and tells him that she is also going to have an affair. However, Pete makes the unusual proposal that he should choose who will be Carla's lover. His choice is Wayne, who is engaged to another woman. An Ebony contributor wrote that the author explores "questions of loyalty and devotion."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Black Issues Book Review, November-December, 2001, Ahmad Wright, review of The Harris Family, p. 61; November-December, 2002, Glenn Townes, review of Love Frustration, p. 27; November-December, 2003, review of Dating Games, p. 52; September-October, 2004, Glenn Townes, review of The Million Dollar Divorce, p. 51.

Booklist, February 15, 2000, Lillian Lewis, review of Father Found, p. 1080; September 15, 2002, Lillian Lewis, review of Love Frustration, p. 208; August 1, 2003, Lillian Lewis, review of Dating Games, p. 1954.

Book World, September 19, 2004, review of The Million Dollar Divorce, p. 11.

Ebony, June, 2000, "Bookshelf," p. 20; November 1, 2006, review of Do You Take This Woman?, p. 42.

Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 1999, review of The Harris Men, p. 168; October 1, 2001, review of The Harris Family, p. 1384; August 15, 2002, review of Love Frustration, p. 1164; June 15, 2006, review of Do You Take This Woman?, p. 593.

Library Journal, April 15, 1999, Shirley Gibson Coleman, review of The Harris Men, p. 144; April 1, 2000, Shirley Gibson Coleman, review of Father Found, p. 130; August 15, 2002, review of Love Frustration, p. 1164; November 1, 2002, Ann Burns, review of Love Frustration, p. 111.

Publishers Weekly, March 8, 1999, review of The Harris Men, p. 49; September 9, 2002, review of Love Frustration, p. 42; September 8, 2003, review of Dating Games, p. 57; June 26, 2006, review of Do You Take This Woman?, p. 31.

School Library Journal, September, 1999, Carol DeAngelo, review of The Harris Men, p. 242.

Washington Post, January 13, 2002, review of The Harris Family.

ONLINE

Black Butterfly Press,http://www.maxinethompson.com/ (January 13, 2002), Maxine E. Thompson, "Interview with R.M. Johnson."

Mostly Fiction,http://www.mostlyfiction.com/ (December 19, 2004), Jana L. Perskie, review of The Million Dollar Divorce; Judi Clark, review of Dating Games; (June 29, 2007), brief profile of author.

R.M. Johnson Web site,http://www.rmnovels.com/ (June 29, 2007).