Meet Joel

This is the part where I'm supposed to talk about my past, and all of the things that qualify me to be worthy of attention, but to tell the truth—none of that matters. My life was in shambles and the God of the universe came in and saved me. The only reason I live, write, or do any of the things I do is because Jesus Christ died to set me free of the enemy's reign. My career experience in children's theatre or in film and TV helps with the stories I desire to tell, but the only true inspiration I have is the Holy Spirit, guiding me to love and obey every day—and my beautiful wife Kayla, of course. I desire for God to be known as the fun, creative, and joy-filled Father that He is. I hope to use different forms of storytelling to open the topic of the eternal to those who operate outside the "Bible Bubble", and to urge believers to abide in spirit and truth every day. Whoever you are, I would love to talk to you, so please reach out.

Update - September 2024

In March, I finished the first draft of my YA Fantasy novel, coming in at just over 102k words. After the rigorous process of editing it down and fixing SO MANY typos, I'm now going through the story to create a third, more refined and polished product before proceeding. I have also sent the manuscript to a handful of trusted beta readers for feedback on the writing and story. Since this is my first novel, I want to take the time to do it right, and not put out something that would reflect poorly on the story and message inside.
I’m not sure when this book will be ready for the public, but all of my free mental space has been filled with the obsession to finish this thing. I am also doing research and seeking counsel on the best approach to publishing.
Self-publishing is always an option, like I did with Wild Feelings, but I would like to try my hand at the traditional route this time. I’m also interested in a few illustrations for the book, something I’ll be searching out in the coming weeks. This is going to take work and learning things I have never been exposed to, but isn’t that all of life? A life worth living, at least.
When I feel the book is at its strongest, I will then begin the process of querying agents and publishing companies. I also have other ideas (and a few chapters) brewing for a second novel, but I don’t want to jump the gun too quickly on that. I'm also taking some courses with Author Media to help me grow in the craft and learn as much as I can in the meantime.
Thank you for caring enough to read this update, I will hopefully be back in a few months with good news!
Joel C

Q & A

Q: Where are you from?A: I was born and raised in the woods of North Georgia. Q: When did you start telling stories?A: When I was a toddler, my brothers and I would put on puppet shows for my parents from behind the couch. It has all been downhill from there. Q: What was your inspiration for your picture book, Wild Feelings?A: One Sunday afternoon in the summer of 2022, when I should have been taking a nap, the image of the young girl with the large wild beast came to me, and it matched up perfectly with something I had been personally learning in that time about my emotions. It seemed like a divine moment of clarity, so I jotted down the simple poem that is in the book today. I later remembered an old show called Maggie and the Ferocious Beast, and realized there was probably some deep correlation in my psyche, though it was unintended. Q: What experience do you have telling stories?A: I earned a BFA in Theatre Performance while studying the craft of acting, directing, and playwriting. After a professional stint in the Children's Theatre space, touring with different companies and shows around the country as an actor/director, I went back to school and earned an MFA in Film Production, learning an entirely new medium for stories—movies and screenplays. I then went on to be a film editor in Atlanta, also working with companies like TNT and TBS to master the short form of commercials and TV spots. I worked for a few years at Cartoon Network, and have since then moved to my job at In Touch Ministries, where I get to tell stories for the Kingdom of God. I'm learning yet another medium now, as I venture from scripts to novels and short stories. Though not all of the stories I have worked on have made a positive impact on the world, I can only hope that my future is filled with meaningful, Spirit-led stories that will draw people in closer to the True Storyteller, The Lord of Creation. Q: What is your favorite book? A: That's an impossible question, so I'll give you four (other than The Bible, of course): The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard, Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle, Perelandra by C.S. Lewis, and You Are Special by Max Lucado. Q: What are you reading now?A: A few books at the moment: The Door Within Trilogy by Wayne Thomas Batson (YA Fantasy, I'm reading this one with my wife), Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson (Fantasy, audiobook), and Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell (Writing Craft book). Q: When will your novel come out?A: It won't be for a while, but rest assured knowing I am trying my best to do it justice in the edit and submission process, and I'll be working on other stories along the way—some long, and some short. Sign up for my emails if you want to be notified when there is news about the next book!
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