Bob Johnston Books
Welcome to the home of author Bob Johnston and his books.
About Me
Author
My first picturebook for children ‘Our Big Day’, illustrated by the brilliant Michael Emberley, was published in Aprill 2022 by The O’Brien Press and I hope to publish more books in the future. The third draft of my first adult LGBTQ+ novel, set in London and Dublin in 2000, is out on submission to agents. There’s also another picturebook text completed, plus a ‘middle-grade’ novel for ages 8-11 being revised in its second draft.
Indie Bookshop Owner
In 2009 I opened ‘The Gutter Bookshop’ in Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland. In 2013 we opened a second bookshop in Dalkey, South Dublin. In 2016 I was awarded ‘Irish Bookseller of the Year’ at the BA Ireland Conference and in 2017 we were awarded ‘Independent Bookshop of the Year UK & Ireland’ at the British Book Awards. I sold the business in 2023 to concentrate on my writing.
Husband & Pet Butler
I met my husband, the artist Leon McAleenan, in 2001 and after the historic Irish Marriage Equality Referendum in 2015 we were finally able to get married in August 2016 on our 15 Year Anniversary. The inspiration for ‘Bear’ in my book was our beloved German Shepherd Dog – Sasha (pictured above) who sadly died in April 2021, but we continue to work as pet butlers to Jessie, a 2 year-old GSD/Lurcher X & our new recruit Obie, a black GSD who we adopted in March 2023 and believe to be approximately 2 years old as well.
‘Our Big Day’ by Bob Johnston & Michael Emberley
‘Uncle David and Simon are going to get married! There’s lots to do, from making the invitations to arranging the decorations, but when the wedding rings go missing just before the ceremony, Bear the dog has to use all of his special skills to help save the day!’
This fun and engaging picture book is a celebration of love, family and weddings and is a heart-warming introduction for children to the idea of same-sex partnerships and marriage equality.
Our Big Day by Bob Johnston & Michael Emberley / 9781788493147 / 18th April 2022 / Published by The O’Brien Press
About Bob
Bob Johnston was previously the owner of The Gutter Bookshop in Dublin, Ireland. He lives in a small cottage by the sea with his husband Leon and their dogs Jessie and Obie.
Contact
Bob Johnston
bob@bobjohnstonbooks.com
BobJohnstonBooks 