Janet Sumner Johnson
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Inspiration

26 Days of Facing the Chicken Exit: DAYS 25-26

Jul

31, 2022 |

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Books,Inspiration,Publishing,Uncategorized

Today is the final day of facing down the chicken exit! BRAVER THAN BRAVE comes out tomorrow. I have been waiting for this for so long and I can’ believe it’s almost here!  But in the meantime, I present Days 25-26 of 26 Days of Facing the Chicken Exit! I hope you enjoy!

DAY 25: ??? 

I left today open for all of you to share your own stories of facing down the chicken exit. I hope you’ve been inspired after reading so many great stories. I hope you’ve been thinking about the moments in your life when you’ve faced down your chicken exit . . . whether that means taking the exit, or doing THE THING. I hope you know that there are SO MANY WAYS TO BE BRAVE. You are Brave! And I hope you’ll comment and share your own story. I would truly love to hear!

An open doorway with a rollercoaster in the background. Above the doorway is a yellow sign that reads, "Chicken Exit."

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DAY 26: Back to Wanda

After reading so many stories of facing down the chicken exit, I bet you CAN’T WAIT to hear how Wanda faced hers. Of course I can’t tell you how the book ends! That would violate all of my reading principles. But know that Wanda is BRAVE. In fact, she’s BRAVER THAN BRAVE. If you want to know more, you can buy your own copy or request one at your local library (if they don’t already have it). Thanks so much for coming along this journey of facing down your chicken exit! I hope you have recognized all the ways you are Brave in your own life!
Wanda, a cartoon girl with dark skin and brown hair in a yellow and pink sweater, stands in a real life doorway with a rollercoaster in the background. Above the doorway is a sign that says "Chicken Exit."

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I hope you enjoyed Days 25-26, and I hope you’ve enjoyed the whole series. I really wanted to highlight the idea that being brave looks different for everyone. Sometimes we are Brave by doing THE HARD THING, and sometimes walking away from it takes all the Brave. A huge thank you to everyone who shared their story. That took courage, too! I love you all!

And dearest readers, I would really love to hear your story of facing down your own chicken exit in the comments! 

If you want to learn more about Wanda’s Chicken exit, you can pre-order (or is it plain old order now??!) a copy of BRAVER THAN BRAVE at any of the following links (or wherever books are sold):

 
The King’s English     Bookshop.org         Amazon        Barnes & Noble 

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If you’ve missed the previous Facing Down the Chicken Exit Posts, you can find them here:

DAY 1: The Legend of the Chicken Exit

DAYS 2-4

DAYS 5-7

DAYS 8-10

DAYS 11-14

DAYS 15-17

DAYS 18-20

DAYS 21-24

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26 Days of Facing the Chicken Exit: DAYS 21-24

Jul

29, 2022 |

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Books,Inspiration,Publishing

Today we’re continuing with the countdown to the release of my upcoming picture book, BRAVER THAN BRAVE, illustrated by Eunji Jungand published by Capstone Editions, a Capstone Imprint. I present Days 21-24 of 26 Days of Facing the Chicken Exit!

DAY 21: PB Character, Little One

A monarch caterpillar named Little One from HELLO, LITTLE ONE, exists in a lonely green world. It longs for a friend. One day an orange butterfly lands nearby and makes a connection. Although embarassed, Little One is brave and responds, making a new friend to end its loneliness. 

~by Zeena M. Pliska, art by Fiona Halliday

A cartoon monarch butterfly and caterpillar float before an open door with a real-life roller coaster behind it. Above the door is a yellow sign that says "Chicken Exit."

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DAY 22: Mr. Janet Sumner Johnson 

“I don’t like water sports. I know a lot of people love swimming or boating or whatnot. I don’t really. I think it goes back to almost drowning as a child or something. Now, I have worked on it because others have said I was silly for being afraid of water; but you know except for cruises and calm lake kayaking I still don’t like water or water sports. What inspires me to be braver in many aspects of my life is when I rock climb regularly. I have never been very good at it but I have certainly felt braver in many areas of my life when I struggled against that infuriating over hang or when I actually could complete the climb as planned. It was all about besting myself. Strange rock climbing over water skiing!”
 
A light-skinned man with gray-blond hair wearing a light blue t-shirt and dark shorts is standing in front of a doorway with a rollercoaster in the background. Above the doorway is a yellow sign that says "Chicken Exit."

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DAY 23: Janet Sumner Johnson (Me!), author of BRAVER THAN BRAVE
 
“One morning, when I was 6, my brothers and their friends built a bike ramp to jump off while waiting for the bus. I was new at riding my bike, and the jump was too big and scary for me. I sadly made my way home while they stayed and jumped. Not long after that, one of my brothers came home with bloody hands and cuts on his face. The ramp had collapsed when he tried to jump it. Suddenly I was glad I’d taken the chicken exit! Sometimes the chicken exit is the best choice, even if you don’t realize it at the time.”
 
A light-skinned, blond girl in a blue dress with white lace, stands in front of a doorway with a rollercoaster in the background. Above the door is a sign that says "Chicken Exit."

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DAY 24: Jessie Oliveros, author of THE REMEMBER BALLOONS 
 
“When I learned how to drive as a teenager, I refused to drive through the heart of the city. I couldn’t handle the lane changes and traffic! So for years I took the “chicken exit” by taking the highways around the city and that worked out great! Then years later I went home to help a family member in the hospital and had to see and hear and do hard things. The first night I left the hospital, I could have gone around the city like usual. But what I had done that day was so hard that suddenly driving through the city didn’t seem so scary anymore. So I did! And I was okay and I’ve done it many times since. Sometimes we can take the chicken exit until we are ready not to!”
 
a light-skinned woman with blond hair in a yellow shirt and blue shorts is standing in front of an open doorway with a rollercoaster in the background. Over the doorway is a yellow sign that says "Chicken Exit."

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I hope you enjoyed Days 21-24! If you want to learn more about Wanda’s Chicken exit, you can pre-order a copy of BRAVER THAN BRAVE at any of the following links (or wherever books are sold):

 
The King’s English     Bookshop.org         Amazon        Barnes & Noble 

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If you’ve missed the previous Facing Down the Chicken Exit Posts, you can find them here:

DAY 1: The Legend of the Chicken Exit

DAYS 2-4

DAYS 5-7

DAYS 8-10

DAYS 11-14

DAYS 15-17

DAYS 18-20

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26 Days of Facing the Chicken Exit: DAYS 15 – 17

Jul

22, 2022 |

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Books,Inspiration,Publishing,Uncategorized

Today, we continue the countdown to the release of my upcoming picture book, BRAVER THAN BRAVE, illustrated by Eunji Jungand published by Capstone Editions, a Capstone Imprint. I present Days 15-17 of 26 Days of Facing the Chicken Exit!


On with the countdown to the release of my upcoming picture book, BRAVER THAN BRAVE, illustrated by Eunji Jungand published by Capstone Editions, a Capstone Imprint. I present Days 15-17 of 26 Days of Facing the Chicken Exit!

DAY 15: Girlie 

“My friends wanted to do a play and I decided to do it with them, but I don’t like being looked at by a lot of people, so more or less stage fright. So my friends hyped me up and I just didn’t look at anyone in the audience, and everything went well.”

A white teenaged girl with blond hair, wearing jeans and a t-shirt stands in a doorway with a rollercoaster in the background. Above the doorway is a sign that says "Chicken Exit."
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DAY 16: My Mom, author of me!
 
“I have a couple of stories about facing a chicken exit. The first was one day when we all went to Lagoon, our local amusement park. I spent the first half going on rides with you (that’s me! Janet Sumner Johnson). Somehow, we ended up in the Colossus line—the ride with 2 upside-down loops—and we happened to be first to enter. I wasn’t excited to sit in the front seat, but you were, so I did it for your sake. I was scared to death, but I felt like it was what I had to do. I made the mistake of closing my eyes in the scariest parts and got the worst case of motion sickness I have ever had. You had to go around with someone else the rest of the day. I wish I had been brave enough to keep my eyes open. But I’m still glad I did it!
 
“The second story I thought about was when, as a youth leader, I took a large group to a waterslide park. You should know that I hate waterslides. I don’t really like slides of any kind. Everyone there encouraged me to go down the dark slide. I still remember that you all had a great laugh at the look on my face when I came out! There again, it was what I thought I had to do, BUT I’m really glad I did it. So I think that bravery is doing what you have to do even if you don’t really want to and it scares you.face when I came out. It was what I thought I had to do. So I think that bravery is doing what you have to do even if you don’t really want to and it scares you.”
 
Janet, a light-skinned woman with light brown hair in a red shirt stands in a doorway with a rollercoaster in the background. Above the door-frame is a yellow sign that reads "Chicken Exit."


DAY 17: A.L. Sonnichsen, Author of RED BUTTERFLY
 
“My husband had to get a cyst removed from his earlobe. I said I wanted to be in the room with him when the procedure happened, but I got so woozy watching the doctor dig into his flesh that I took my chicken exit and hightailed out of there, just in time before I passed out. I sat on the floor in the hallway with my head between my knees deep breathing. No more surgery observations for me!”
 
A white woman with dark hair in a blue patterened dress stands in a doorway with a rollercoaster in the background. Above the doorway is a sign that says "Chicken Exit."
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Hope you enjoyed DAYS 15-17! In celebration of the upcoming release of BRAVER THAN BRAVE, I’ve got two giveaways going on right now. One on Twitter, which you can enter HERE. And one on Instagram, which you can enter HERE. They both open through July 23rd, and they are both open to wherever Book Depository delivers. Good luck!

Check out other days of Facing the Chicken Exit:

DAY 1: The Legend of the Chicken Exit

DAYS 2-4

DAYS 5-7

DAYS 8-10

DAYS 11-14

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Inspiring Women

Mar

09, 2020 |

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Inspiration

Happy International Women’s Day! I wanted to mention three inspiring women who have influenced me over the years. Today I’m focusing on public historical figures, because otherwise I would just post pictures of my mom, grandmother, sisters, aunts, well . . . you get the idea. So here we go!

#1: Marie Curie

Image result for images marie curie

The first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person ever to win a second Nobel Prize, and the ONLY person to have won two Nobel Prizes in two different sciences (Linus Pauling won one for Chemistry and one for Peace). She is one of the very few women I remember learning about in school. She knew what she loved, and she worked tirelessly to make the world a better place through her work. I could go on for quite a while about her accomplishments, because they are many, but you can read more about here HERE. Marie Curie told me that a woman could do anything they put their mind to.

#2: Mother Teresa

Image result for mother teresa

Her life was so filled with love for others, that you can’t help but be inspired to work harder to be a little better. If you look up quotes by Mother Teresa, you will find a plethora of inspiring words. Here is just one that I love: “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” The reminder that if we all did the little that we were able to do, the world would be a better place.

 #3: Harriet Tubman

Image result for Harriet Tubman Images

Harriet Tubman is one of the other few women I remember learning about in grade school. What impresses me most about Harriet Tubman is that she didn’t hesitate to brave danger after danger–knowing what it could mean for herself if she were caught–to help other slaves experience the freedom that she had gotten. If only we were all so fearless, and so concerned about others.

So many inspiring women have helped change this world for the better, and it was tough to only highlight three. I think of Pocahontas, Amelia Earhart, Clara Barton, Florence Nightengale, Anne Frank, Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth, Jane Austen, Ada Lovelace, and that is just to name a very few (and not even considering those who are still alive!). I thank them all for standing strong in their beliefs. For working hard in the face of doubt. For changing the world for the better.

Which women are you honoring today?

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My First Podcast

Apr

10, 2017 |

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Books,Inspiration,Interview,Podcast

Hi all! I haven’t been around much with all the fun stuff I’ve been doing lately (conference presentations, school visits, family fun, etc.), but in all of that, I had a chance to visit with Mindy McGinnis for her podcast series, Writer Writer Pants on Fire. It is out today!

So while I collect myself and work on getting a better post written, you can enjoy listening to a conversation between Mindy McGinnis and I on querying, agents, books, writing middle grade, and humor HERE.

Writer Writer Pants on Fire Podcast

Have a fabulous day, and I hope you enjoy it!

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Pineapple Watching and Standing Alone

Feb

16, 2017 |

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Inspiration

Pineapple watchingThe other day I cut some pineapple while Girlie watched with her binoculars. After a few minutes she put her binoculars down.

“You know, it’s actually kindof boring to watch pineapple. . . . But somebody’s gotta do it.”

And with a big sigh that carried the weight of the world, she put those puppy’s back up and dutifully watched the pineapple.

Outwardly I simply thanked her for being so dutiful in her job. Inside I was laughing hysterically, and the first thing I did was snap this picture so I could post about it on Facebook. (Oh yeah, I’m totally that mom). And lots of people smiled at the picture, and laughed at her totally made up job.

But here is the thing. It wasn’t long after this that she looked away for a second. And guess what happened??! Big Brother sneaked in AND STOLE SOME PINEAPPLE!! Turns out that Pineapple Watching really WAS important! And nobody knew it but Girlie.

So of course I’m going to turn this into an analogy, because analogies make me happy. Ready? Here we go:

Sometimes, when we do things that aren’t the norm, people are quick to laugh. And to be honest, that doesn’t feel very good. Actually, it feels downright crappy. And sometimes, we let other people’s laughter or criticism decide what we will or won’t do.  It can be hard to stand alone and follow our convictions . . . whether it is about watching pineapple or sticking up for a friend (or a not-yet friend). But you know what? Life is better when you stay true to you.

You watch that pineapple! You wear those socks! You try out for the juggling team if that’s what you love! You be you. And just remember that when others laugh, it’s only because they don’t understand.

But you do.

And that’s all that matters.

 

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Fairness and Elephant Poop

Feb

01, 2016 |

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Inspiration

Sometimes, life just isn’t fair.

My kids tell me this all the time, and I’m pretty sure as a kid I reported this fact to my parents at least weekly.

 

TriathlonCrop

The list goes on and on and on. From stupid things that don’t really matter, to big things that make us want to curl up in bed with a tub of cookie dough and watch nonstop episodes of [insert favorite show here].

Life isn’t fair. It isn’t. And though I wish otherwise, it probably never will be.

Which is precisely why we can’t let that bother us. We can’t let the mundane unfairness of life control us.

This past month, my family and I have been going through an unfairness. A life situation that is crazy! Unexpected. Silly. And utterly, completely unfair. And it’s not been a little thing. It will uproot our lives, and make things much more complicated in the months to come (lest you all worry overmuch, it’s about a failed house purchase for a reason that even the lender admitted to never having seen before).

There are all kinds of ways to react to this unfairness. Anger that it is happening to us. Stress and anxiety for all the changes to come and the added unexpected workload, not to mention expense. Sorrow for losing what could have been. Bitterness at the unfairness of it all!

Or.

Or, or, or, we can chose to be ducks. Face it head on, then let it flow off our backs like water. Trust me, I know that is easier to write than it is to live. I KNOW. But the situation is happening. It will happen no matter how we react. And though we can’t control the situation, we can control how we react.

And we can choose to be happy. We can choose to move past the unfairness, and focus on the good things that still fill our lives. Because there are good things. Lots of them. Sometimes it’s hard to notice those small happinesses when a big elephant of frustration is filling our vision. But a change of perspective, a shift of stance, and there they are. All those good things just waiting to be noticed.

Yes, it will take work. Yes, it will be hard. I know we’ll have moments where we stumble, or slip in the elephant’s poop (gross!). But I hope they will just be moments.

Here’s to moving on. Here’s to focusing on the sunny side of life and finding joy despite it all!

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