Joy Michelle Austin

Joy Michelle Austin is an award-winning Korean American novelist writing contemporary fiction about survival, rebuilding, and hope after hard seasons of life.

Her debut novel, Half Agony, Half Hope, introduced readers to emotionally rich stories of resilience and quiet restoration, launching the Half Agony, Half Hope series. She is also the author of The Seaside Sleuths, a middle-grade cozy mystery series that extends her redemptive storytelling across generations.

Her life has been shaped by long seasons of singleness, disability, and survival, experiences that inform her honest yet compassionate portrayal of characters reclaiming their strength. Through her fiction, she creates space for readers to feel deeply understood — and reminded they are not alone.

She is the recipient of the West Coast Christian Writers Encourager Award and the Walt Disney Legacy Award, an honor given to fewer than 1% of Cast Members worldwide for embodying Disney’s “Dream, Create, Inspire” legacy.

Through her blog, The Joyous Living, she connects with thousands of readers who share her love of culture, storytelling, and meaningful living. She lives in Southern California with her dog, Captain Hastings.