Joyce Allen

I've been involved with writing and writers for a long time, and I've been addicted to reading ever since I learned how. For quite a few years I've also been teaching writers, through non-credit adult classes in the Duke University continuing studies program, the Duke OLLI program, the ArtsCenter in Carrboro, NC, in various workshops, and through an ongoing workshop class that meets at my home.

My own literary efforts began before I knew how to write them down. My first serious piece of work was composed when I was about three, and throughout my growing up years it was recited by my family to anybody and everybody, way, way too often. It was a poem, with a good regular rhythm, an a-b-c-b rhyme scheme and dramatic impact. It was autobiographical, and it was about poop. And no, I will not post it here.

I have never again written about poop, but I have kept writing. Until recently my publications have been mainstream fiction and nonfiction: novels: Hannah's House and an earlier novel titled Stranger in Our Darkness, in addition to short stories and essays. Lately I've been finding my way into young adult fantasy, and enjoying it thoroughly. I've always liked reading fantasy when it has some substance to it. A good fantasy can carry a surprising amount of truth. (That's truth with a little t; I'll leave the big-T kind to others.) The second book of the Threads trilogy: The Threads of Earth, is scheduled for release in January 2014.