Interview with Bob Johnston

Published 2017-08-01.
What's the story behind your latest book?
This book - along with 'Heart of War' were written for two reasons. I was told that, writing about the experiences of those three years, would probably ease the ongoing trauma of PTSD I was and had been experiencing. The other reason was/is that the US Navy didn't keep any records of what happened on the 'smaller' boats. Unless someone was wounded or killed there was no record of where we were and, what our lives were like from day to day.

It was - hopefully - preserving those first three years of our boat groups history for future generations.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
It's hard to be recognized [as a first time author] by a publisher of any size. After being lied to and screwed by my original publisher, this seemed like a good option; if the book was to remain in print.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
Time and sales will tell.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Being accepted as a decent author, which encouraged me to continue.
What do your fans mean to you?
They mean everything...especially on the books that are fiction.
What are you working on next?
'House of the Sixth Happiness' is complete and with my editor now; it should be ready in another few weeks. This is the sequel to 'Old Fool's Gold'. I'm in the process of finishing 'The Bamboo Bar - Tales From the Corner Table'. This is a small novel of humorous stories from the Vietnam War as well as some funny/strange ones from my time living here now.
Who are your favorite authors?
The same as everyone else. I still do a lot of reading which helps writing in many ways.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
Life in Vietnam, you never know what's going to be thrown at you.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Spending time with friends here, staying in contact with friends in the states and traveling here.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Browsing the sites of the sellers.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I wrote 'The Littlest Airplane' as an assignment, in my junior high English Lit class.
Smashwords Interviews are created by the profiled author or publisher.

Books by This Author

Old Fool's Gold
Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 90,070. Language: English. Published: July 28, 2017 . Categories: Fiction » Thriller & suspense » Action & suspense
Two old river boat sailors, two old CIA Spooks, a lost daughter, corrupt cops, and a villain from the past, bent on total revenge. Add an old orphanage full of mixed-race abandoned children, a half-ton of twice-stolen gold from the American War in Vietnam, shake well over red hot rice and serve in present day Vietnam; with a garnish of cross-border mayhem as it spills into Laos and back.