Joan is the co-publisher of a small press publishing company, BooksbyJoan (www.booksbyjoan.com; booksbyjoan@comcast.), which is an imprint of Fireside Publications. A former literary agent, she is also a writer, having written and published articles and books (An Agent Speaks: A Primer for Unpublished Writers and Call of the Loon (a novel for women) and edited several books for authors around the country,one book (CATS: A Book of Short Stories about Cats), three nonfiction books and four novels all by other authors and all on the above web site).
A former college professor, Joan also teaches a course on how to become published for her local Lifetime Learning College and writes a weekly newspaper column.
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Influences/Inspirations:
The members of my writing group, The Villages Creative Writing Group, my students, and my husband, Glen, who is the group moderator and my writing hero, Ernest Hemingway.
Favorite Writers and Artists:
Ernest Hemingway is my writing hero. I'm not all that fond of the genre in which he wrote, but his style is an inspiration. His paucity of words and giving meaning to every mark on the page has helped me in those times when I have realized that it is absolutely necessary to cut, cut the "precious pearls" I've typed that are totally unnecessary to the story.
I also love the cadre of women writers of "cozies." I devour them like candy, but haven't yet had the nerve to try try my hand at the genre
Current Projects:
I've just finished editing Soul Dance for Linda L. Masek. Linda had a book published by Avalon in the late 1900's and has just completed this new Romantic Suspense story. I just put it on Kindle and it's already begun to sell. The print copy will be ready for purchase in late Sept 2011. Way to go, Linda!
And, I've also just published an adventure by the late Diana Newhall writing as E. Forrester Newhall. Black Horse, Black Rider is the last book in her Henri Bolkonsky trilogy.
Interests:
My interests are, obvious, reading, writing and publishing! I also enjoy traveling, especially cruising. My favorite city in the world is Paris, specifically, the Left Bank. I've been privileged to be able to spend a month or more there in two summers...on a budget! I don't think I'd care for the winter climate, but I'd love to be able to spend all summer, every summer there.
Family:
I'm married to Glen, who hails from D.C., having retired from the Washington Post. Glen has yet to write a novel, but his short stories have been published in several anthologies.
My lovely daughter, Barbara, her son, Andy and his family of wife, two sons and a daughter,complete my immediate family. But, not to be forgotten are my sister, Kay and her family, my two cousins Wayne and Jean and my aunt Dever, cousin Joanne and her extended family. Plus, assorted nieces and nephews.
University Affiliations:
I earned my B.A. and M.A. at Rowen University in N.J. and my Ph.D. at the University of Delaware.
Contact Information:
I can be reached at: booksbyjoan@comcast.net and please take a look at my website: www.booksbyjoan,com.
Charities/Causes:
I like Heifer, International and The Marine Mammal Center in California. I also support The Humane Society and Wildlife...I think it's Wildlife International...and my local shelters...the one for abused women, as well as those for animals. And we have a worthwhile group locally which takes on the needs of individual family at the holidays.