About romance writer
What you might want to know about Joan
How many books have you written?
I have written forty-five books over a span of thirty years. They include regency romances, historical novels, historical romances and historical mysteries, and they all feature lots of horses. My publishers were NAL, Dutton, Warner, HarperCollins and Mira.
Have you ever worked at anything besides writing?
I was a high school English teacher for nine years before I retired to raise my family.
What started you writing?
Boredom. I wrote my first book (in longhand at the kitchen table) while my first child was napping, sold it, and carried on from there.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
For many years, while the kids were in school, I would flee to the barn to ride my horse. I can’t ride any more, alas, (bad back), so
I compensate by taking long walks with my dog. My husband and I also run our church’s food pantry, which is very rewarding. I am a fanatic fan of Yankee baseball (I grew up in the Bronx), UConn basketball, and, of course, I read.
What is your favorite book?
This is such a hard question to answer. I don’t have one favorite, I have a lot of favorites. The first non picture book I ever read all by myself was Black Beauty, and I spent most of my childhood reading horse and baseball stories. As a teenager I loved romantic suspense: Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, etc. As a young woman I was a huge fan of Georgette Heyer and of Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond series. I must have re-read those books a hundred times. Now that I’m older, I find myself turning more and more to books of a spiritual nature. Gary Wills’ book What Jesus Meant has had a profound effect upon my life.
Are you a dog person or a cat person?
I’m both. I’ve had dogs and cats ever since I moved out of New York City to Connecticut when I got married, and they both have their special joys. And their idiosyncrasies as well. Dogs may throw up on your rug, but at least they don’t rip up your furniture!
