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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

Brandon Johnson is steadily adding to his list of self-published titles on Amazon and Kindle.

Johnson, who lives in Tuscaloosa but his wife has extended family in Chilton County, said he was inspired to begin writing after watching an interview with an author who said that everyone has a story but many never write it down.

His first book, “How the Johnson Boys Were Raised: in Cottondale, Alabama Before & After the Wreck,” is an autobiography telling his story of surviving a car crash and overcoming a traumatic brain injury at the age of 7. Doctors initially thought he would not make it, but after treatment at a hospital in Atlanta, he was “back to being me.”

As a result of the accident, Johnson still walks with a cane and sometimes uses a wheelchair.

“I am trying to touch other people with disabilities with what I have overcome,” Johnson said. “If I can overcome it, they can, too.”

He is also working on plans to turn the book into a movie.

Johnson said when he was sending his book to the self-publishing company, his 3-year-old daughter, Piper, “looked up at me and said ‘daddy, I want to write a book like you.’” This led to Johnson writing a series of children’s books, including some that would appeal to girls and some that would appeal to boys.

His most recent book is “Johnny’s Life: How He Made It.” Johnson is also in the process of releasing several other books.

“I am working on my 13th book,” he said.

Johnson said he has had a good response so far.

“I’m slowly getting out there,” Johnson said.

Johnson and his wife Katherine attended high school together, but later reconnected through social media. Their daughter, Piper, is now 7 years old.