About Pamela
An authentic voice, from San Francisco to the world.
Pamela M. Johnson launched her literary career with her debut novel, From a Hard Rock to a Gem: A Memoir of a Lost Soul. As founder of Macavelli Press, she went on to publish the novels I’ll Cry Tomorrow and The Problem Is I Fell In Love, plus the self-publishing guide Can’t Get a Book Deal… Now What?, reaching readers across the country.
When she started out, she turned down a two-book offer from a major New York publisher to keep control of her work. She sold books from the trunk of her car and in neighborhood salons, then built Macavelli Press into a press with national distribution and a home for other Black authors.
After losing 140 pounds, she founded Eat the Weight Off, a wellness community built from her own journey. She also leads The Johnson Agency PR, teaching authors the same strategies that built her career.
Read the full story →The Books
Read the work
Two-time Hue-Man bestselling fiction, practical guides for writers, and new books on the way.
Work With Pamela
The Writer. The Speaker. The Consultant.
The Writer
Mentorship and workshops that take you from first sentence to finished manuscript.
Join a workshop →The Speaker
Talks on writing, publishing, the power of story, resilience and wellness for conferences, churches and book clubs.
See speaking topics →The Consultant
Media relations, stakeholder outreach, litigation PR, crisis management and reputation defense from The Johnson Agency PR. Her PR work has placed clients on Oprah, Good Morning America, The Today Show and CBS Radio.
Visit TheJohnsonAgencyPR.com →What Readers & Critics Say
“I get a lot of authors selling their own books and have to be harsh and turn them away. When I saw Pamela’s book, I said, ‘Wow, this is nice.’ She picked a nice cover and layout design. She did her homework on pricing and marketing. I said, ‘Let’s sell it.’”
Bernard Henderson · Buyer, Alexander Book Co., San Francisco
“Johnson has proved herself to be a prolific writer who is equally adept at the business aspects of publishing.”
San Francisco Chronicle, “Author takes sales into own hands”
“A great teaching tool.”
Norlisha Crawford · English Professor, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, on teaching urban fiction
Upcoming Events & Workshops
Coming soon
New talks, readings and writing workshops are on the way. Join the list below to hear first, or invite Pamela to your event.
Book Pamela for Your EventAlso From Pamela
The Eat the Weight Off family
The Inspired Sentence
A little encouragement, delivered one sentence at a time. Reflection, practical writing prompts and wellness insights from Pamela’s own journey, plus first access to new masterclasses, books and events.