Joan Curry

Joan Curry was born and partly brought up in Japan, lived in Australia, South Africa, Iran, England and Burma before settling in New Zealand. Her working life has been in the book trade and later the Canterbury WEA, and she was registrar of PEN (NZ Centre) Inc (as it then was) in Wellington in 1975. She wrote book reviews for The Press in Christchurch 1976 - 2013, and features, essays and short stories for a variety of newspapers and magazines, including Takahe.  She taught creative writing at the Canterbury WEA for some years and in 1991 self-published a manual based on the courses. This manual has now been revised and reformatted as an ebook, as has a book of short stories and a short book of essays on the writing life. She has written more than a hundred sets of study notes for the NZ WEA Book Discussion Scheme, and has researched and written her family history, and an autobiography for family interest. She works as a freelance writer and editor, and has been a member of the Canterbury branch committee. Check out her blog (currently inactive but available to view): Words and Pictures at https://joancurry.blogspot.com/ For relaxation, and just for fun, Joan Curry paints, and in 2010 held an exhibition of paintings at the Christchurch Arts Centre.  16,650 earthquakes followed soon afterwards - just saying ...  

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Skills:

Branch:

Canterbury

Location:

Christchurch

Publications:

Writing, a practical guide

A comprehensive how-to guide to writing stories, novels and non-fiction of all kinds. It covers getting started, building confidence, suspense, mystery and romance, family history and autobiography, writer's block, and loads of interesting and productive activities to try. An e-book, available from Amazon and Smashwords. Cover painting: Reflections (detail) by Joan Curry

From Quill to Keyboard

This e-book contains eight essays covering some of the strategies writers use for getting started, how to balance professional and practical concerns, and the value of creative writing courses. They were published as an adjunct to the e-book how-to manual called "Writing, a practical guide". Available from Amazon and Smashwords. Cover painting: Waterfront (detail) by Joan Curry

An Apple for the Teacher

One fable and nine short stories about people who find themselves in situations that nudge them into facing facts, taking risks, taking action or taking umbrage. The settings include beaches, suburbia, small towns, a party, a school, a committee room and a hearth, where wise advice falls on deaf ears - as it usually does. An e-book, available from Amazon and Smashwords. Cover painting: Reeds (detail) by Joan Curry