Leah Johnson is opening a bookstore for banned books in Indianapolis called Loudmouth Books. She is an author of award-winning books for children and young adults. Her bestselling debut YA novel, "You Should See Me in a Crown," was a Stonewall Honor Book, the inaugural Reese's Book Club YA pick, and named by TIME as one of the 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. In 2022, Johnson was selected for the NBC OUT Pride 30 list, honoring “a new generation of LGBTQ leaders, creators, and newsmakers.” Johnson is a Lambda Literary Emerging Writers fellow whose work has been published or is forthcoming in Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, and Harper's Bazaar, among others. Her debut middle-grade series, "Ellie Engle Saves Herself," was sold in an eleven-house, seven-figure auction to Disney-Hyperion, and is forthcoming in May 2023. Johnson received a seven-figure, two-book deal with author George M. Johnson. The authors will write two romantic comedies centered on Black, queer characters. Their first book is scheduled for release in 2025. While at IU, Johnson was involved with the Indiana Daily Student and WFIU. (May 2023)