It is 1990 and Stanton, Indiana is a typical town with church youth groups, a bustling diner, a summer Wood Carving Festival, and a busy mayor who also runs the mortuary. But, this is not to be confused with a Norman Rockwell setting. The Gulf War is breaking out, Ryan White's family lives nearby, and AIDS is sweeping the nation. Despite all that, Stanton does not appear to have any gay or lesbian people, or so it seems to Victor Beck, who worries about himself because he is attracted to boys. He distracts himself with his photography and tries to push aside his mother's interest in his social life. As high school life unfolds, Victor gets acquainted with a new girl in town and begins to wonder if he has it wrong. Could he like Bridget in "that way"? For her part, Bridget is learning her way around Stanton, having just moved from Chicago with her mom and sister. She is mourning her father who died of cancer and has strong ideas about loyalty and compassion for friends, which are soon to be tested. Meanwhile, a second and earlier story unfolds of a Korean War soldier, Vaughn Evanston, who died the day he returned home to Stanton. His grieving parents learn that he had a gay lover and their decisions about how to respond to that knowledge fuel the cycles of secrecy, love, grief, and memories that propel the story forward. The stories of Victor and Vaughn become entwined and the good people of Stanton have to wrestle with their history, their prejudices, and their commitment to the health and welfare of their children. In Our Midst is general interest fiction that exposes the raw vein of homophobia in our society. The book involves an ensemble cast of sympathetic characters who are recognizable to all of us. The nuanced writing, the staccato events, and the multi-layer plot keep the reader fending off interruptions and turning the pages. The LGBT community, the faith community, parents, mentors, teachers, and teens will find In Our Midst of particular value but it is the general public that will find satisfaction in a good yarn that suddenly means so much more.
About the Author: Martha Johnson is an executive with more than 30 years of service in public and private organizations. She has served in both the Clinton and Obama Administrations, culminating in tenure as the Administrator of the General Services Administration, a position for which she was confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate. Johnson has also served on two British Government commissions addressing government procurement and small/medium enterprise development. Her professional career began at Cummins Engine Company where she was part of the team that led a Total Quality/Just-In-Time Manufacturing overhaul. Subsequently she has enjoyed positions in information technology (IT), architecture, strategic consulting, and executive search enterprises. Johnson has been a speaker at various colleges and universities and has delivered over 50 public speeches on topics including sustainability, leadership, and government effectiveness. She has been featured repeatedly in the press and has testified before the US Congress. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Johnson grew up in California and North Dakota and attended Northfield School for Girls in Massachusetts. She was graduated from Oberlin College with a BA in economics and history and an honors thesis, Calvin's Eucharistic Doctrine. She was awarded a Shansi Memorial Association Fellowship and under those auspices taught for two years at Tunghai University in Taichung, Taiwan. She earned her MBA from the Yale University School of Organization and Management. Johnson is an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis, MD where she sings, works on refurbishing their historic campus, and has been the Clerk of Session. She is an Honorary Life Member of Presbyterian Women and has published a book on youth worship, Awesome Youth Sundays. She is married, has two adult children, and lives in Annapolis, Maryland. In Our Midst is her first novel.