Vanessa, it is a pleasure knowing you. Your book has uplifted my spirits, rekindled my hopes, and strengthened my faith. Death is something we can never prepare for. But, your book has given me the courage to accept the lost of my loved ones. Your book has strengthened me in more way than you could ever imagine. I wish you much success.
Kimi

Very inspirational for those facing death in their family. Johnson's words soothe the soul and mind.---Kit Wilson, Author of the newly released poetry book, Destiny Revealed

What do you do when death suddenly takes your mother? How do you cope when thirty three days later death returns to claim your seven and half month old son? These and many other answers can be found within the pages of, When Death Comes A Knockin'. This book takes you on the personal journey of the author and how she faced the loss of her loved ones. When one experiences the loss of a loved one they go through a kaleidoscope of emotions, shock, anger, depression and the list goes on and on. Some may even feel like they can't go on without their loved one. If you or someone you know are going through these feeling then I highly recommend this book to you. This is an inspirational book that guides you through the grief process. The author shares biblical scriptures, personal affirmations and words from her heart as she goes through the grieving process. It is through her faith and the unwavering support of family and friends that she is able to triumph over death. And you too can find peace and healing through this book. After reading, When Death Comes A Knockin' I was able to do accomplish something I had atempted many times over the thirteen years since my father's death. On April 7,2005 the anniversary of his death I visited his grave for the first time. I can truly say I finally have the peace I need to move on. Thank you Mrs.Johnson for having the courage to write this book and for being unselfish enough to share it with the world

RAW Rating: 4.5

Just as one lives, one must also die. However, the impact of that death upon friends and family members can be a very stressful ordeal. It is often emotionally, physically, and mentally damaging to the mind, body, and soul, even crippling one from moving forward with his or her life. Vanessa A. Johnson, a newcomer to the literary scene, shares the story of how she survived and coped with the death of her mother, followed shortly by the death of her infant son.

Written in the form of a self-help book, WHEN DEATH COMES A KNOCKIN' is an informative look inside the grief process that uses Ms. Johnson's experiences to educate, inspire, and encourage those who have gone through or are going through similar periods. In her book, the grief process is broken down into the following steps: Disbelief, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. The steps are pretty much self-explanatory, yet each of them are detailed with examples of things the author went through and how she finally made it to the last stage.

She not only includes resources dealing with death and grieving, but she also shares scriptures that were instrumental in tying together her strong faith and belief in God, and working though the grieving process. Also included are things that helped her the most from family members, her support group, and others. Though as a whole, I really enjoyed this book, my favorite section dealt with how to help someone who is grieving. It is often that those offering condolences are left in a position of not knowing what to say, and this chapter clearly assists both the griever and those around him or her who want to provide comfort.

WHEN DEATH COMES A KNOCKIN' is a story that needs to be told, a lesson that needs to be taught, and an inspiration that needs to be shared with grievers and those around them. No one knows how they will react to the death of a loved one until it actually happens or until a period later when you're finally ready to deal with it. In reading WHEN DEATH COMES A KNOCKIN', I was able to let go of some of my own grief towards the loss of both my parents who died pretty close to each other -- deaths I'm not sure I've totally accepted. I've never been one to deal with death too well, but through reading Ms. Johnson's story, I feel I have the tools necessary to cope with and receive things a bit better and move on to the acceptance stage.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
http://www.rawsistaz.com

The preview is thoughtful and in clear, simple English. There is indeed no easy way to come to terms with death. I wonder what the rest of the book says on the subject. Interesting and profound.