Samantha Rose Johnson was born in the mind of the author a little over six years ago. She was created by the union of the author’s twenty years of experience as a licensed private detective and a lifetime of knowing people from a diverse set of racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, too many of whom had been abused, assaulted, marginalized, neglected, or forgotten. While three women of color in particular - one whom the author worked with, one whom the author worked for, and one who was a friend - contributed to Sam’s development, Sam is her own (fictional) person. She was not developed with intent by the author, but organically occurred through a process most writers avoid trying to explain (because, yes, it is quite impossible to explain). Sam would be the first one to tell you quite simply and directly, (even if she is capable of extravagant, polysyllabic rhetoric) she doesn’t represent any group or groups; she is her own person with her own story.

Sam’s development might seem to involve only an author. However, most writers (well, the honest ones anyway) will tell you important people contribute before, during, and after the character and story step out into the world. I have been blessed to have some of the best support not just in taking Sam from living in my head to living on paper, but also in presenting her to the world with eloquence, flash, and pop that I would not be capable of on my own. Hopefully, this page will help to highlight the real heroes involved in bringing Sam to life in style. I would be remiss if I didn’t give credit (though she would not want any attention given to her) to the mother of my young boys, who is one of my best friends and made allowances for scheduling changes, long hours, and the real-world, day-to-day necessities of making this happen. And, though she is not asking for a separate space here, my editor Niki deserves a substantial amount of credit. Of Niki, I can most often be heard saying with a wink and a smile, “She was (almost) always right.”

Sam as You See Her

The Illustrator - Wintercoco is the name used by the exceptionally talented artist who created a Sam that we could all see. She was born in Latvia and fondly remembers being compelled to draw at an early age, using the wallpaper in her family’s home as her first canvas. She was quickly introduced to paper, pencil, and markers and continued drawing as she entered school. There she discovered watercolors, and her journey as an artist began in earnest. With an affinity for drawing people, she began to study human anatomy. She spent her free time in the park, drawing passersby. At 13, she created her own account on DeviantArt, made friends around the world using the platform, and received her first commission and first paid assignment. Bored with the static nature of portraits, she began to develop her own style with inspiration from anime cartoons like Spiderman and X-men and movies from Disney and Dreamworks. She entered and won several contests and felt she was closing in on her style. She considered art academy, but knew she wanted more freedom to develop her style. As she began to sell her art through friends and Facebook, she realized that digital art was taking over, and with the help of family and friends, she learned these new methods. She moved to Russia, bought a Wacom tablet, and discovered Fiverr, which is now her main source of income and gives her the opportunity to do what she has always wanted to do with her art - make people happy.

The Voice of Sam

The Voice-Over Artist - Dominique Garcia first began singing, like many voice artists, in her church and went on to develop her skills through training with different voice coaches. She made her debut in acting and voice-over acting, primarily being engaged to assist with a variety of work-related projects. She has appeared in and provided voice work for a few local public marketing videos for Gail Borden Public Library, as well as playing the role of Shaniqua Johnson for a student project, a role originally played by seasoned actress Loretta Divine from the film Crash. Dominique has contributed to the performance art theater Stageworks. She also studied voice acting under Chicago’s veteran broadcast personality Danny Farrell. Dominique provides the voice for Sam in both the audio snippets found on the website and in the audiobook.

Contact: dominigarcia@gmail.com

The Voice of Diana MartineZ

Isabel Lopez brings the voice of Diana Martinez to life in both the audio clips on the website and in the audiobook. Isabel grew up in New York and her career has included work in education, public service and healthcare. Her interest in voiceover work developed as a hobby and, for now at least, she is just having fun bringing Diana Martinez to life.

Giving Sam a Medium

The Producer - Andre Dyson has worked at Gail Borden Public Library since 2012. He is now the Digital Media Lab Supervisor in Studio 270, the library teen center. He has also worked as a freelance audio engineer and producer for over 10 years. Andre has worked with teens as a Golden Apple Scholar Student Teacher in 2005-2006 during his undergraduate time at Eastern Illinois University. He later transferred to Kishwaukee College and received his Associates in Arts (A.A.) degree. He studied Audio Production at the Illinois Institute of Art in Schaumburg. His passion for music has brought about lasting relationships, memorable experiences, and many life lessons. He currently lives in Illinois with his two brilliant daughters Gianna and Rebecca, and his wonderful wife Nicole.

Contact Info:
Andre Dyson

Gail Borden Public Library
Studio 270
Media Lab Supervisor
adyson@gailborden.info
847.695.7577

Giving Sam a Rhythm

The Music-Maker - Pianist and Arranger Jalen Little, better known by his stage name Obs3rve, is an African-American music producer, composer, songwriter, motivational speaker, artist manager, and jazz drummer. Multicultural, eclectic, and diverse, his musical influences and his 10+ years of producing span the world, ranging from Hip-Hop, Dance, House, R&B, Pop, Jazz, and Latin, all contributing to creating his unique blend of signature sounds.

Contact Info:

Obs3rveverything@gmail.com

630.999.7403
Twitter: @observe_music

And, for Same Old Blues, Char was joined by Daniel Washinton, aka Melo Tripp (with a brief baritone injection by the author).

“Melo Tripp is a Hip-Hop artist from Elgin, IL. For those of you who may have some preconceived notions as to what the name means, here's a quick break down. "Melo" is short for melodic. I am heavy into melodies, and harmonies. That can be heard throughout my music. "Melo" also refers to my introverted nature. "Tripp" is just a shortened version of journey. "Tripp" also refers to my wild nature (at times). I am a collection of paradoxes, taking you on a melodic journey through my music. Melo Tripp is the balance of peace (Melo) and Madness (Tripp), Harmonies (Melodic), and rapping (Tripp). Please join me on this journey.”

That Strange Dude…

Edward J. Herdrich is an Honorably Discharged member of the United States Army Military Police Corps, served on various teams including Drug Suppression, AWOL Apprehension, and Special Reactions. With a double major in Criminal Justice and English from the University of Illinois at Chicago, he spent over 20 years as a Licensed Private Detective, specializing in Criminal Defense Investigations, Fraud, and Locate Investigations. An experienced instructor for over a decade, he's published non-fiction works and a mystery/thriller novel. A father of six, he sees parallels between writing and investigating, emphasizing the importance of observation and curiosity for truth. His character Samantha Rose Johnson draws from his detective experiences, melded with his respect for others' stories.

Read more about the author's fascinating journey into writing and investigation.