A BETTER MAN by KELLY JOHNSON

I wrote about A BETTER MAN by KELLY JOHNSON on my blog before I switched to writersforever.blogspot.com, but that post was erased, so I thought I’d give more people a chance to hear about the book.

KELLY JOHNSON, writer, lawyer and speaker, wanted to direct her five sons, as well as other boys aged 12 through their teens, to worthy role models. She said that currently boys are looking at musicians, actors and other high-profile men 24 years and younger as role models. She believes men have to have life experiences well beyond their twenties before they can be noteworthy examples for young adults.

After doing research and consulting others, she chose 26 men who fit her criteria. A BETTER MAN is a compilation of essays about and interviews with these men. JOHNSON’S “Editor’s Note” after each entry gives some background about the man and explains why she chose him as a role model. The Honorable HARRY L. CARRICO, former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, was the first man to accept JOHNSON'S invitation to be part of the book. She clerked for him after she graduated from law school and writes that he is “the most decent person I’ve ever met.”

JOHNSON’S final list includes men in a wide variety of professions from athletics, the military, politics, the arts and education. Among those featured in the book are former President GEORGE H.W. BUSH, who responded with a letter of his own; former NBA star DOMINIQUE WILKINS; Seattle Seahawks quarterback MATT HASSELBECK; and actor TIM REID. She also wanted to include someone from a faith community, so she asked REV. HECTOR LACHAPELLE, a Catholic priest, for an interview, which he granted.Kelly gets to the heart of the matter in each interview/essay and includes exactly what makes these men remarkable. RISING WRITERS who want to break in by writing essays or by interviewing people can use Kelly's book as a guide. She's a talented and creative writer, who herself can be included in a book on women role models.Information about KELLY JOHNSON and A BETTER MAN, are available at http://www.abettermanbook.com. Let me know what you think about all of this at http://www.jamathews.com.