Picture a Southern storyteller who turned the vibrant chaos of post-Katrina New Orleans into a magical playground for wizards, pirates, and the undead—meet Suzanne Johnson! A veteran journalist with a knack for spinning tales, Johnson has enchanted readers with her Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series and her award-winning paranormal romances under the pseudonym Susannah Sandlin. Her stories, steeped in Southern charm and supernatural intrigue, make you feel like you’re sipping a cocktail in the French Quarter while magic swirls around you.
The Making of Suzanne Johnson
Born in Winfield, Alabama, Suzanne Johnson grew up with a deep love for the South’s rich storytelling traditions. A graduate of the University of Alabama, she carved out a successful career as a journalist, earning over fifty national awards for her nonfiction work in higher education. After living in New Orleans for fifteen years, she soaked up the city’s unique blend of history, culture, and mystery, which would later become the heartbeat of her fiction. Her shift to writing novels came after years of honing her craft, blending her journalistic precision with a passion for speculative fiction.
Suzanne Johnson’s Unforgettable Stories
Johnson’s Sentinels of New Orleans series, starting with Royal Street (2012), is a love letter to the Crescent City. The series follows Drusilla “DJ” Jaco, a junior wizard sentinel navigating a post-Katrina New Orleans where the barriers between the human world and the paranormal “Beyond” have crumbled. With undead pirates like Jean Lafitte and voodoo-wielding serial killers, the series is a thrilling mix of humor, mystery, and magic. River Road (2012) dives deeper into the bayou, tackling feuding merpeople and poisoned waters, while Pirate’s Alley (2015) ramps up the stakes with supernatural politics.
As Susannah Sandlin, Johnson explores darker, steamier territory. Her Penton Legacy series, a paranormal romance saga about a vampire enclave in Alabama, won multiple awards, including the 2013 Holt Medallion for Absolution. Her Wilds of the Bayou series blends suspense and romance, showcasing her versatility. Johnson’s writing is vivid and immersive, weaving real-world settings with fantastical elements, all while grounding her stories in emotional depth and quirky humor.
Why Suzanne Johnson Matters
Suzanne Johnson’s work stands out for its authentic portrayal of Southern culture and its seamless blend of history and fantasy. By setting her stories in a post-Katrina New Orleans, she captures the city’s resilience and spirit, making it a character in its own right. Her ability to juggle genres—urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and romantic suspense—has earned her a loyal following and critical acclaim, including the 2014 Gayle Wilson Award for Elysian Fields. Johnson’s stories resonate with readers who crave immersive worlds and relatable, flawed heroes.
- Birthplace: Winfield, Alabama
- Key Works: Royal Street, River Road, Penton Legacy series
- Awards: 2014 Gayle Wilson Award, multiple Holt Medallions
Ready to dive into a world where magic meets Mardi Gras? Grab Royal Street and let Suzanne Johnson’s vibrant urban fantasy sweep you away!