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The best kind of joy comes from family
Maya N. Johnson

The Story Behind The Author

Meet the author
Maya N. Johnson

I am a young, married stay at home mom of three young children.  I grew up in the city of Memphis, TN where I attended Cordova High School.  Throughout my years in high school, Maya ran track and field and cross country.  After graduating high school, I moved to Knoxville, TN where I obtained an Associate’s Degree in Chemistry from Pellissippi State Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.  

I have experienced depression for most of my life.  I first experienced depression when I was ten years old.  Growing up in a household where we did not regularly mention depression and did not always speak about mental health, I never felt inclined to speak about how I was feeling and what I was thinking.

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I honestly did not know how to communicate and understand those complex thoughts and feelings I was experiencing.  I lost my joy in doing the activities that I loved to do.  I lacked confidence in myself whenever I would try to dig myself out of my depression. On a regular basis, I often felt trapped when trying to get back to my happier self.  It was a very challenging time in my life where I did not trust anyone or feel comfortable around anyone.  Things worsened leading to me contemplating ending my own life.  It took me a decade to finally trust someone with my thoughts and feelings.    

Over the years, I have enjoyed working with children, including working in daycares, being a camp counselor, and being a nanny. I want to be able to reach out to children about mental health and depression in a way that helps them feel comfortable about seeking help when they are not feeling their best.  I hope to encourage all children to feel comfortable about communicating their feelings and thoughts.  Writing and drawing have been two of my passions throughout my life.  I have been drawing for years and have always dreamed of writing and illustrating children’s books.

After I graduated high school, I struggled to gain balance in my life, which in turn gave me a lack of confidence to continue drawing and writing.  It wasn’t until after the birth of my twins that I started to gain back the confidence that I once lost.  My husband and children inspired me to fulfill this longtime dream of becoming an author and illustrator.

"It was time I started to utilize my talents to help young kids especially having my own. I enjoyed the process!"
Author

Writing from inspiration of real experiences and being a mother, Maya writes works that are sure to be welcomed in any loving household.

illustrator

Maya has the ability to draw and has drawn and digitized her entire book!

blogger

Maya is a mom of two kids, she has a lot of tips, tricks and ideas to share that can make your parenting life more fun and easier!

© 2020 Maya N. Johnson. All Rights Reserved. Website Managed By: The A.R.T.S. Initiative, Inc.