Dr. Heather L. Johnson

This week we got the opportunity to reconnect with an author that published her first book with us in October 2019; What They Don't Tell You About Having A Baby.

Now, a year later, Dr. Johnson is back with a second book; What They Don’t Tell You About Menopause.

We had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Johnson and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Tell me about your journey to becoming a writer.

I have spent years teaching patients and mentoring younger doctors as well as speaking to the public about what I have learned about menopause both professionally, through my patients, and, eventually, personally. I’ve kept notes of the “tidbits” which I now refer to as my “Dr. J’s Pearls” hoping to, one day, compile them into a useful and readable format. What was the main inspiration behind this book?

As I reach the end of my career and accept what I have learned and realized how long it took to gain such “knowledge,” I have felt compelled to share this information with my patients, their friends, and families as well as the younger providers I work with so that they don’t have to recreate the wheel. I would love to do what I refer to as Dr. Spock’s “mind meld” from Star Trek (if you are old enough to know what I am talking about) to help patients, family, friends, and colleagues. I have learned so much and have so much to share. What kind of research did you have to do for it?

The amount of reading and research required to keep current in my field and the compilations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists aka ACOG have helped me in this process. What was your writing routine? While this may sound silly, my writing routine was controlled by my “muse.” She visited me when she wished, and I listened to her. I would wake early on my “day off” and start writing as soon as I had my coffee. There were days when 5:00 would arrive and I had not showered, eaten, or even brushed my teeth. When she was done, my muse went away. Whenever she returned, I accepted her presence and wrote. Sounds bizarre? Maybe, but that’s what happened. Describe your book in one sentence. The Title: What They Don’t Tell You About Menopause: A Gynecologist’s Unofficial Guide to Perimenopausal, Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Life. Tell us about the best writing advice you’ve ever received.

Write about what you know and what you feel. Don’t embellish. Say what you want to say and no more or no less. Do you have any upcoming events?

During the pandemic, I am limited to virtual online events such as Facebook Live, Instagram Love and Zoom discussions. Tell us something about you that your fans may not know or something that you want to share.

I had the WORST menopause ever!