Friday, September 9, 2011

A Paralegal Christian Romance Writer

Who could resist a story about a gal with an irresitible smile and a yellow rose between her teeth? JoAnn Durgin-author.

I like to say I’ve been around in the nicest sense. Meaning that I’m a native of southern Indiana, but have also lived in Texas, California, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. More specifically, I lived in Big D when J.R. Ewing sat on the wall outside our downtown office building at noon and ate lunch with us lowly working types. I met my husband, Jim, when he was a student at Dallas Theological Seminary, wore a Stetson, answered to J.D. and swaggered – just a little. By the time we married in 1987, it was a case where the girl from Indiana met the guy from Rhode Island in Texas, married in Kentucky, honeymooned in Hawaii and then settled in California.

I started writing full-length fiction and enjoyed being a stay-at-home mother and youth pastor’s wife for six years. Then on to cold but quaint Burlington, Massachusetts, where my husband became a senior pastor of a lovely white church on a hill. I counted it a blessing to drive by Louisa May Alcott’s girlhood home on my way to my part-time legal position in historic, gorgeous Concord.

 In November 2005, we made the move back home to my roots, home in my heart. We call it Kentuckiana where the Ohio River separates Indiana from Louisville, Kentucky. It’s home, and the people are usually friendly and mannerly – except when behind the wheel of a car. I work as a full-time paralegal and part-time at the local arts theater for Broadway productions, the orchestra, opera and ballet. Jim and the children are all thriving here, and still laugh when school is called off for one spotting of a snowflake. But they love it as much as I do. Thank the Lord.

And thank you, JoAnne, boots and all! You can follow her at www.joanndurgin.com


3 comments:

JoAnn Durgin said...

Hi, Rita! Thank you so much for this article! It made me smile. I hope I didn't miss a deadline with you. If so, please forgive me. That photo with the yellow rose was taken to celebrate the publication of the first book in my series, Awakening (with a yellow rose on the cover, of course!). It's loosely-based on the story of meeting and falling in love with my husband. I've been knee-deep in edits and just signed off on the second book in the series, Second Time Around, coming in the next couple of weeks!
Thanks again! Blessings!

Rita Galieh said...

Congrats, JoAnn, it's always exciting to hold your own book in your hands!

Margaret Lepke said...

Yes, JoAnn, congratulations on your writing journey. Had a look at your website as well - lovely theme. All these romances are so interesting, Rita... Thanks!