I write boy-friendly chapter and middle grade books with humor and heart. I’m also a mother of four boys ages seven to sixteen who usually need to be on the opposite side of town at the exact same time. In my free time (hahahahahaha!) I’m a school-based occupational therapist in a large city school district. My life is a messy combobulation (love that word!) of people, places, activities, words, meal prep, soccer practice and piles and piles of laundry. I’m not complaining one bit, but writing is way cheaper than therapy.
I’m represented by Quinlan Lee of Adams Literary and am an original member of the group blog From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade Authors (www.fromthemixedupfiles.com) where we talk about all things middle grade. That is where I spend most of my blogging energy. Follow me on twitter at jojohnson4 for everyday updates on life and such. Whatever that means.
Posted by Portia Pennington on August 26, 2010 at 9:20 am
Dear Joanne,
I came upon your blog from the Mixed Up Files (which is great, by the way!). Really enjoyed your comments about balance (or lack thereof). Mother of five here (three in college, two still at home), no published children’s books to her credit (yet, I hope), and a terrible grasp of time management/ability to be both a writer and a mom. In other words, I still feel the need to strictly compartmentalize the two parts of myself, which basically means I can’t FINISH anything I start to write!
Blah. Enough whining from me. Really just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your blog. Think we would be friends in person (I promise I’m not a crazy stalker).
Take care, and good luck juggling!
Portia