Joanna Ruth Meyer writes stories about fierce teens finding their place in the world, fighting to change their fate, save the ones they love, or carve out a path to redemption. Her books have received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus, BookPage, and BookList.
She lives with her dear husband and son, two stripey cats, and one enormous grand piano in Mesa, Arizona. As often as she can, she escapes the desert heat and heads north to the mountains, where the woods are always waiting.
Joanna wrote her very first story at the age of seven—it was about four female “mystery solvers” and a villain in a gorilla suit, and remains unfinished to this day. At thirteen, she was published in Stone Soup, a magazine by and for kids, and the following year won fourth place in the National Written and Illustrated By… competition. She kept writing all the while she was (reluctantly) growing up, and the discovery of National Novel Writing Month in 2005 compelled her to actually finish a novel. Beneath the Haunting Sea and Echo North both began life as NaNo novels.
In her books, Joanna loves creating worlds and mythologies, and exploring stories that move her, that capture deep truths, that make readers feel things. Her biggest writing-related fear is running out of ideas, but every time she thinks that’s about to happen, she pulls out a notebook and somehow jots down three or four new ones, so she’s probably safe for awhile yet. One day, Joanna aspires to own a rambling Victorian house, with creaky wood floors and a tower for writing in, and a forest beckoning just outside the window.
Joanna is represented by Sarah Gerton of New Leaf Literary
