Today we’d like to introduce you to Joy Brannan.
Hi Joy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am from Jacksonville, FL and been a resident of Atlanta, GA for 17 years. I worked in collections for the first five years in Atlanta and then I changed fields all together. I started working in the behavioral and medical health field for the next eight years. I became bored with corporate companies and decided to go back to school and study early childhood education. I graduated from University of Phoenix with a BA in Early Childhood education becoming an elementary school teacher. I’ve been teaching second grade going on five years now. Like always, I wanted to do more and when the pandemic hit our country, I thought about how much I love writing stories and poetry. Due to the pandemic, we were all stuck in the house and I had nothing but time on my hands, so I started to ask myself what would I write about? Being an elementary school teacher, it wasn’t hard for me to come up with some great ideas. I decided to write two children books. My first book is titled Sunshine which is about a little black girl who is bullied about her complexion. She’s new in town and of course a new student in her school. She talks about her new beginnings, her experience with bullying and how she overcomes bullying.
My second book is called Different. This book is about a little boy with a medical condition that prevents him from being able to write with his hands or verbally talk. He doesn’t let his disabilities get him down and he shares why and what talent he has despite his disability. Each book has a poem at the end that relates to the story. My books are inspirational books for children and families that warms the hearts of many.
I’ve had the opportunity to read my books at my school in Dunwoody, GA and I was invited to read at an elementary school in FL. Both experiences were great. I hope to do many readings and book signings in the near future. As of now, I am working on my third book. I hope my children books will continue to reach the homes and schools of many and inspire every child that reads or hears my stories.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was actually a smooth road getting my book written and published. Some minor challenges were finding the right illustrator at a reasonable price. I want to become a known name as an author, so my bigger challenges is getting my name out there and marketing.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a second grade elementary school teacher. I teach all subjects and I’m known for being well organized and very dependable.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
If you are someone who is trying to be an author, never stop writing. It’s not as hard as you think to publish your book and don’t doubt your writing skills. I have had some teachers ask me what was the process and was it expensive? They too want to write books or have written a book but put it off. Do your homework if you want to self-publish or find a publisher to publish for you.
Contact Info:
- Email: joy.carmella@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mella_fl_81/?hl=en
