Esherick, Joan 1960-

PERSONAL:

Born July 19, 1960, in PA; daughter of Herman L. (an economist) and Blodwen H. (an office manager) Otto; married Donald G. Esherick (a company director); children: Daniel, Sarah, Jonathan. Education: Indiana University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 2002. Politics: "Mixed." Religion: Christian. Hobbies and other interests: Hiking, birdwatching, fitness exercises, keeping a journal, reading, gardening.

ADDRESSES:

Office—Refuge Ministries, P.O. Box 345, Tylersport, PA 18971. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Lighthouse Network, Doylestown, PA, chief writer; Refuge Ministries, Tylersport, PA, affiliate. Center for Ministry Advancement, project director and editor; professional speaker; also works as contract writer.

MEMBER:

Evangelical Press Association, Authors Guild, Authors League of America, Advanced Writers' and Speakers' Association.

WRITINGS:

Our Mighty Fortress: Finding Refuge in God, Moody Press (Chicago, IL), 2002.

The Big Picture: The Bible's Story in 30 Short Scenes, Center for Ministry Advancement (Souderton, PA), 2003.

Drug Therapy and Mood Disorders, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2003.

Drug Therapy and Sleep Disorders, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2003.

The FDA and Psychiatric Drugs: How a Drug Is Approved, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2004.

The Journey toward Recovery: Youth with Brain Injury, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2004.

Breaking Down Barriers: Youth with Physical Challenges, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2004.

Guaranteed Rights: The Legislation That Protects Youth with Special Needs, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2004.

Balancing Act: A Teen's Guide to Managing Stress, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2005.

Women in the World of Africa, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2005.

Women in the Arab World, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2005.

The Silent Cry: A Teen's Guide to Escaping Self- Injury and Suicide, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2005.

Dying for Acceptance: A Teen's Guide to Drug-and Alcohol-Related Health Issues, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2005.

Clearing the Haze: A Teen's Guide to Smoking-Related Health Issues, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2005.

Dead on Their Feet: Teen Sleep Deprivation and Its Consequences, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2005.

Clothing, Cosmetic, and Self-esteem Tips: Making the Most of the Body You Have, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2005.

Diet and Your Emotions: The Comfort Food Falsehood, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2006.

Criminal Psychology and Personality Profiling, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2006.

Women in Prison, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2007.

Prisoner Rehabilitation: Success Stories and Failures, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2007.

Prozac: North American Culture and the Wonder Drug, Mason Crest Publishers (Philadelphia, PA), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

Joan Esherick told CA: "I started writing by accident. It was never my life's ambition to become a published author. What I hope to achieve through my writing is to help or influence readers in practical, tangible ways that they might become better, healthier, more fulfilled people for having read it. I want my works to make a difference, even if in little, nearly imperceptible ways. When I wrote Our Mighty Fortress: Finding Refuge in God, I hoped to offer readers a tangible means for finding true, lasting refuge in the person and character of god, regardless of their life circumstances. By recounting the lessons we learned while raising a disabled son, I hoped to give people a way to experience rest for their souls.

"When under deadline I research and write continuously—almost nonstop—until the work is complete. When I'm freelancing I spend more time on the creative and pre-writing processes than on actual writing. My advice to aspiring writers: treat your writing professionally; learn the craft; rewrite, rewrite, rewrite; edit, edit, edit; submit, submit, submit; honor deadlines; attend conferences; and hang in there!"

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

School Library Journal, July, 2004, Linda Beck, review of Breaking Down Barriers: Youth with Physical Challenges, p. 120; June, 2005, Wendy Smith-D'Arezzo, review of Balancing Act: A Teen's Guide to Managing Stress, p. 176; September, 2005, Ann W. Moore, review of Women in the Arab World, p. 221.