'A worthwhile and meaningful endeavor'

 

“To share our stories is not only a worthwhile endeavor for the storyteller, but for those who hear our stories and feel less alone because of it.” – Joyce Maynard

Born on Nov. 5, 1952 Joyce Maynard is known for her works of fiction, her hundreds of essays and newspaper columns, often about parenting and family.

 

She has distinguished herself for a number of critically acclaimed books in several different genres ranging from Young Adult, to Crime, General Fiction and Memoir. And she has had considerable success as a screenwriter.   Her newest book is The Bird Hotel, and in 2024 she’s set to release How The Light Gets In, a sequel to her international award-winning book Count The Ways.

 

Her memoir At Home In The World about her years living with reclusive author J.D. Salinger drew both praise and scorn from the literary world.  “I wonder what it is that the people who criticize me for telling this story truly object to: Is it that I have dared to tell the story? Or that the story turns out NOT to be the one they wanted to hear?”

 

As for her works on parenting, she said raising three kids influenced those writings and helped the writing become stronger. “It's not only children who grow. Parents do too,” she said.  “As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it myself.”