Searching for Air: Frederick author publishes book inspired by great-grandmother

Apr. 21—Jeanne Johnson never met her great-grandmother, Mabel.

Growing up, Johnson heard stories of her great-grandmother and described Mabel as a "rebellious girl," someone who made strong-willed decisions and stood up against those in power. Johnson researched her great-grandmother's life for years to come and felt a strong connection with her, a phenomenon Johnson could not explain herself. When she learned Mabel had died in 1911 and was buried within Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh in an unmarked grave, she bought a gravestone for her.

Over a decade ago, Johnson visited the Allegheny Cemetery gravesite. It was a simple stone at first glance but one that held great meaning. It stood inscribed with Mabel's name, dates of her birth and death, and read "Never Forgotten."

In March, Johnson released her debut novel, "My Search for Air," published through the self-publishing company BookBaby. She was inspired by her great-grandmother's life story and dedicated the book to her.

The book follows 13-year-old Lilith Brown, a vibrant and bold soul, growing up in southwestern Pennsylvania in the late 19th and 20th century. The character, based on Mabel, fights for her place in society but continues to be held back by those in power. She later makes decisions that alter the course of her life as a result of this societal restraint.

"She was always searching for air, searching for something that she could say to people without having to be afraid of her place in society," said Johnson, who lives in Monrovia.

However, standing up against those in power was not an easy task. Prior to writing her novel, Johnson conducted research on the fight for women's rights in this time period. She found that a divide between a man and a woman's social status existed in that era, one that Johnson believes still exists today.

"Are we in the past? Are we in the future?" asked Johnson. "There was a definite divide between men and women there. There is still somewhat of a divide — not to that extent, but there's still a divide."

Johnson inserted references to this societal divide throughout her novel. For instance, Lilith consistently is brought against an "evil man." This "evil" character serves as a representation of those in society who hold great power that ultimately goes unchecked.

As Johnson continued to research the societal barriers for women of this era, she started to focus her attention on another group experiencing harsh realities of the time: coal miners.

For two years, Johnson researched the coal mining industry in Pennsylvania. She accessed historical mining reports, which gave her insight to the grim truths of those working in the industry.

According to Johnson, young boys worked for hours in the mines. Those workers, known as "breaker boys," sat in soot while looking for impurities in the coal. Many of the miners lost limbs or even died in this line of work. The owners of these mines utilized their power to great lengths, with these children at the whims of their control.

As Johnson started writing about these power dynamics, she began to explore the concept of judgment. She noticed characters in the novel, such as Lilith, were judged for their decisions by members of society. This led Johnson to explore the way humans judge one another for their actions. She applied this introspective concept to different parts of the novel, allowing readers to ponder this aspect themselves.

"The main thing I want people to take away from the book is how we judge others," said Johnson, "and how do we decide what we can forgive and not forgive?"

Johnson earned a master's degree from Hood College for thanatology, the study of death. The program explores a variety of points on the subject, including the sociological aspects of death. Johnson utilized her knowledge of thanatology to help illustrate how the characters dealt with multiple deaths throughout the novel.

Though serious topics are included in the book, Johnson balanced these darker themes with humor. She has already received feedback from readers who have noticed the ways she delicately balances the two in her writing. As she put it, "I took the darkness of Stephen King and put it together with Fannie Flagg's humor."

As part of her creative process, Johnson writes for several hours a day. However, she found many of her ideas would come to her in the middle of the night. Johnson kept a notepad by her bed and would later let her "writing flow" the next day.

The novel was released on March 8, International Women's Day. With a variety of characters in the novel resembling powerful women in her life, the choice to publish the book on this date was intentional.

The book is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. An audiobook is in the works and will be released as soon as this month.

Although the novel includes a variety of themes, Johnson's inspiration to write the book ultimately came from her great-grandmother's life. A story both "interesting and sad" drew Johnson in and provided her with another way to remember her grandmother.

"I hope she's up there somewhere saying, 'Thanks for telling my story,'" Johnson said.