Kenneth Johnson’s Epic Adventure in Romantic Verse – The Rose and the Silver Bell

Kenneth Johnson, a professional athlete and accomplished writer, has written a true masterpiece with his new book, “The Rose and the Silver Bell.” Written in verse, this is longest known rhymed and metered poem written in the English language. The Rose and the Silver Bell is an epic adventure that transcends time and brings you into the mind of the true romantic.

Twenty-three years in the making, The Rose and the Silver Bell is destined to be a scholastic masterpiece similar to Ambrose Bierce’s, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” or “The Most Dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell. Kenneth Johnson was able to write seventy-eight pages of the most beautiful, free flowing, poetry in modern literature. This book is so thought profound, you will not only experience a time travel story of love, but will realize its author, Kenneth Johnson, has lived before and draws from a power only few can understand. LAsThePlace.com caught up with Kenneth Johnson to get an inside look into his enchanting story and to see how Elizabeth and Ran, the two main characters of the book, seek to understand themselves and their destiny.

LATP:  How did you start writing this book at such an early age and did the story line evolve naturally?

Kenneth Johnson:  Poetry has always captivated me and I have always wanted to write as far back as I can remember.

The story emerged from a dream I had about finding love and happiness. I woke to find I was actually dreaming (the dream felt so real) and tried so hard to get back to where I left and I couldn’t. I tried night after night to think about everything I could remember about the dream, the place I was etc… I repeated it over and over hoping to transport myself there when I fell asleep. It never happened and I realized I was going to have to create, with ink and pen the world and the life that I experienced in my mind. It started as an idea for a short poem but very rapidly turned into the epic poem that exists now. It took almost a decade to build the world I experienced from one night’s sleep. While writing the poem I happened to run across the topic of past life regression and the concept that life may exist simultaneously on multiple planes: the past, present and future. Had it really been a dream or was I recreating my past? The idea was so compelling I couldn’t stop thinking about it and a twenty-five year love affair and “The Rose and the Silver Bell” was born.

LATP:  Did you ever consider changing the structure from ‘verse’ to an actual novel?

KJ:  Many people have asked the same question and my answer is no I personally would not change it from its current form. I have thought about it as a traditional novel but “The Rose and the Silver Bell” is already an epic, book length poem. I feel that taking away the rhymed and metered structure would strip away the magic that was created when I wrote it and would contain the universe that is created when it is read.

LATP:  Since it is in limited production, what marketing steps have you taken to bring it to every book store in the country?

KJ:  Getting your book into bookstores takes luck and connections. First you need an agent. An agent is necessary to pitch it to a publisher as publishers (mostly) do not accept unsolicited materials. What is funny about that is agents (mostly) do not take unsolicited materials either? I see poetry being published…I just need to get it in the hands of the right person.

I am hoping that opportunity will meet the many years of preparation and “The Rose and the Silver Bell” will be available in bookstores throughout the world and used in literary courses at all academic levels…dream big right!

LATP:  What influence did you draw from to write ‘The Rose and the Silver Bell’?

KJ:  When I started writing the story I drew from what I knew and found out that came to an end rather quickly…I was twelve what did I know? As the years progressed the story and the characters developed out of my own experiences, the experiences of others and the dreams of an everlasting love that is all and conquers all. Everybody has dreams and everybody wants to see them come true. If you have drawn one breath in this life it has, at some point, been filled with hopes, fears and dreams of loving and being loved. True love exists…what lengths will you go to find it, to cultivate it and protect it?

LATP:  Could you imagine this story in a short or standard length film?

KJ:  I have been thinking about it as a feature length film everyday for years. To see “The Rose and the Silver Bell” translated in grand fashion from the pages to the silver screen would be another dream come true.

LATP:  How do you see Elizabeth and Ran as individuals and are they both really seeking the same thing?

KJ:  I see Elizabeth as a strong independent woman and Ran as a sensitive warrior. Each of them capable of taking on life alone but they are truly missing what each other has to offer the other. They complement each other’s weaknesses and feed each other’s strengths. They both were looking for true love and found it…it transcended time and reason and they were able to prove love can endure and love can be everlasting.

LATP:  Which time frame in the book was easier to write and what history lesson should your readers take with them?

KJ:  I found both time periods had challenges but were equally fun to create.  Writing in the historical time frame was a matter of accurate research, and weaving Ran into that fabric which was really fun because I am a huge history buff. Writing in the now period was challenging for a whole different reason. I had to research the most complex thing in existence…a woman. It took years to develop Elizabeth and I was so nervous to finally say the book was complete. I wanted to portray Elizabeth as a woman and her feelings as accurately as possible but I didn’t exactly have a manual that gave me the information I needed to know. It was imperative that Elizabeth was real or the story falls apart.

LATP:  How have your readers reacted to the story and what was their reaction to such a beautiful story line embedded in a poem?

KJ:  I have had men and women between the ages of 12 and 92 from all different backgrounds read “The Rose and the Silver Bell” and I have had only extremely positive reactions to the story. I feel very fortunate to be able to connect with people on such a personal level.

LATP:  What will be your next literary project and will Diablo ride again?

KJ:  I have been working on a project for the past 7 years. It is a love story set in World War II with the backdrop of the Holocaust. The project is complete in my mind and I am in the midst of getting it all on paper. A few more years and I should have it complete. I spent 3 years researching before I wrote a single word.

And yes, Diablo will ride again. Maybe not in the Highlands of Scotland but he will ride again!