Author Archives: Joan Stradling, Author

About Joan Stradling, Author

Joan Stradling is a middle grade and YA author of stories with magical elements. She loves painting, baking, crafting, pet wrangling, and anything else she can fit into her schedule. A passionate believer in the power of books, she still hopes to one day ride a dragon, meet a Hobbit, or discover new worlds by walking through a wardrobe. In the meantime, she imagines and writes about her own incredible worlds and characters–and continues to live vicariously through the adventures in other’s books. You can find her on Instagram (@JoanStradlingAuthor) or Twitter (@justJoanS) or FB (Joan Stradling aka Joan Stewart) Join me on Patreon: Patreon.com/joanstradling

Try It Tuesday

Posted on May 3, 2022 by Joan Stradling, Author

I attempted a watercolor of the Aurora Borealis. Mistakes were made, but that’s how things go. There are things I’d do differently, but it’s still a pretty painting. I learned from it, and can hopefully do better next time. The … Continue reading →

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Crossing the Bridge

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Joan Stradling, Author

Life can be messy. So can creating (maybe someday I’ll share a pic of my palette post painting). Both can also be scary. We get used to our lives and routines or our way of creating. Deviating from our norm … Continue reading →

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It’s Okay to Relax

Posted on April 15, 2022 by Joan Stradling, Author

With all the chaos and busyness going on around us, we often forget that we need to take time for ourselves. It’s not selfish to take “me” time. It’s rejuvenating for your soul/spirit/inner light/whatever-you-call-it. We weren’t meant to spend all … Continue reading →

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The Art of Emotion

Posted on April 7, 2022 by Joan Stradling, Author

A dear friend sent me some photos she took while vacationing in Galveston to use as painting inspiration. Yesterday, I used one for this watercolor. It’s not an exact replica of the photo, and it isn’t meant to be. As … Continue reading →

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Where Have You Been?

Posted on April 6, 2022 by Joan Stradling, Author

Almost two years since my last post. I’m the worst. Okay, maybe not THE worst, but I’m terrible at updating. Health issues have been interfering with my writing life. About a year ago, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Medication … Continue reading →

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Writing—Cinnamon Rolls version

Posted on September 1, 2020 by Joan Stradling, Author

Writing is like making cinnamon rolls. To make the dough, you need the right ingredients—characters, wants, needs, plots. You mix these all together and knead into a structured pile of dough—your first draft. Now you wait for it to rise. … Continue reading →

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Goals and such

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Joan Stradling, Author

Sometimes you can’t reach a goal you worked toward. That’s okay. It happens to all of us. You have to rethink your strategy, evaluate the goal, and decide how to move forward. That might mean letting go of the goal. … Continue reading →

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Wednesday Writing Wisdom

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Joan Stradling, Author

Punctuation and spelling are important. We are human and prone to make mistakes. Is it fun when our mistakes are out there for everyone to see? Nope. Is it the end of the world? Nope. But it can sometimes send … Continue reading →

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Find your joy

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Joan Stradling, Author

Ah, what a year it’s been so far. The chaos and the crazy and the frustration have been most prominent, but there’s more to life than this. There is joy. It might be hard to see, but it’s there. Like … Continue reading →

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Kindness

Posted on November 17, 2019 by Joan Stradling, Author

Be kind. To everyone. All the time. Even if they’re a pest. We need more kindness in this world.

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