Interview with Joyce McCullough

Today’s Brave Blog post is an Interview with children’s book author, Joyce McCullough.

D. T.: Hey Joyce, great to have you with us on the Brave Authors Blog. Let’s jump right in.

In what ways do you think you’re brave as an author?

Joyce: I think embarking on this writing journey as an “older” adult is a brave thing to do. I taught high school English for over thirty years, but I always had an inkling to write and didn’t feel I had the time to pursue it until I was no longer teaching. Since I started submitting my work in 2019, I’ve had a rollercoaster experience with rejections and delays and lots of highs and lows. I’ve certainly had to muster some courage to stay in the game.

D. T.: Rejections can be tough. But I’m glad you haven’t let them stop you.

What would you consider to be a “brave” topic in fiction?

Joyce: Look for the Pink Ribbons, my first children’s book, deals with the subject of death. When I first proposed this story to my publisher, I did not want my main character to die because I felt the subject was inappropriate for a children’s book. However, Dr. Samuel Lowry, the president and CEO of Ambassador International, wisely insisted that the death of a loved one was an important topic for a children’s book.

D. T.: I agree completely. Children’s books can handle a lot of difficult topics in age-appropriate ways.

So, what is a topic you feel is underrepresented in Christian Fiction?

Joyce: Because my book quickly became a top new release and because I have been overwhelmed with positive responses about this book, I believe death and grief may have been underrepresented in children’s fiction. Perhaps this underrepresentation was because publishers felt as I did that children were too young to read about a sad topic. Even though my book deals with grief, it also encourages children to look toward the hope of eternal life.

D. T.: And there is no better Hope than that.

Who is an author who has inspired you? If you could ask this person one question, what would it be?

Joyce: Amy Parker has written more than eighty books for children, teens, and adults. When I met her about ten years ago, I was working with Middle Tennessee Educational Talent Search to help students prepare for college. Amy’s book, The Plans I Have for You, became the theme for my program. Over the years Amy has encouraged me, supported my writing, introduced me to some wonderful people in the publishing world, and inspired me to never give up. If I could ask Amy a question, it would be, “When can we get together for lunch again?”

D. T.: True friends and mentors in the writing community are priceless.

Which book of yours is your favorite?

Joyce: That’s a tough question. While I have completed seven children’s books, only two have been published—so far. Technically, one of my unpublished books is my favorite because it’s a rhyming board book, and God gave me the words almost faster than I could write them down. However, since Look for the Pink Ribbons gave me the opportunity to tell my mother’s story, I will claim it as my favorite.

D. T.: Well, that leads into the next question. Which of your characters is your favorite?

Joyce: I love the main character in my book Max and Her Stacks! Max is a young girl who loves to read. Her story is largely based on my niece’s experiences with books, but I’ve included some references to my own reading life as well. I hope Max will also become a favorite character for my readers.

D. T.: I love it when authors write about readers. Max sounds like a lovely character.

Speaking of your writing, do you have a main Scripture for your work?

Joyce: After meeting Amy Parker, Jeremiah 29:11 became my go-to verse. I continue to reflect upon it—especially when I have doubts about my writing. I often include Hebrews 11:1 when I autograph my Pink Ribbons book.

D. T.: When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Joyce: I never dreamed I would become an English teacher or a writer. I did write my first children’s book when I was in fifth grade, I kept a journal and dabbled in poetry as a teen, and I became copy editor of my high school yearbook. When I started college, I changed my major three times before finally settling on an English degree. I know God already had His plans made for me.

D. T.: What subject are you most passionate about? When did that passion start? How has it grown or changed?

Joyce: As an English teacher I always wanted my students to experience the same love for literature that I had. I remember a student once told me I loved Shakespeare too much. I laughed and actually took that as a complement. By the way, Tennyson is my favorite author, not Shakespeare. At any rate, I believe we should be passionate about whatever we are involved in. That’s why I wanted the main character of my latest book to be passionate about books. She echoes my own love of reading and shares that passion with others.

D. T.: What is the best feedback you’ve received from a reader?

Joyce: After writing Look for the Pink Ribbons, I saw an Amazon review from a former student. At the time she had been in my class, I did not know this student had lost her own mother to cancer. This young woman, now in her thirties, told me I was continuing to teach her important life lessons through a children’s book. Oh, the plans He has for us! Another review came from a woman who had lost her three-year-old daughter. She said, “As a grieving mama trying to also help her children navigate deep sorrow, I am always so thankful for those who are willing to contribute meaningful children’s grief literature.”

D. T.: Fiction is such a powerful thing, and God uses it in unbelievable ways sometimes. It’s so wonderful to hear how God used your book to help others.

Thank you for being with us today, Joyce.