Thanks for stopping by! I’m Joy Givens, an educating, caffeinating writer of stories and the lucky mother of four young superheroes. By day, I coordinate an after-school mentoring and enrichment program for resettled refugee youth in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. By night, I write fiction for children and young adults. By morning, I’m usually quite tired but excited to do it all again.

My debut picture book, The Unstoppable Jamie, illustrated by Courtney Dawson, will be published by Two Lions later in 2023! The Unstoppable Jamie, inspired by my son Joshua, is the story of a boy with Down syndrome who relies on his cape, his family, and ultimately himself during a superhero’s journey into the heart of New York City.

I’m proud to be professionally represented by Danielle Chiotti of Upstart Crow Literary. My previously published works include the novel Ugly Stick, the short story collection April’s Roots, the nonfiction guide The New SAT Handbook (co-authored with Andrew Cole), and several pieces of award-winning short fiction, most recently published in WOW! Women on Writing, the anthologies Beach Life and Beach Fun (Cat & Mouse Press, 2017; 2018), the anthology Five Minutes at Hotel Stormcove (Atthis Arts, 2019), the anthology Community of Magic Pens (Atthis Arts, 2020), and the anthology City in a Wild Garden (The Nature of Cities, 2021).