I asked my readers to play 20 questions with me. They delivered — and then I added a few of my own, because apparently I have a lot to say. Twenty-two questions later, here we are. Grab a coffee.
ABOUT ME
Who are you, really?
Joynell Schultz. I go by Joy when I’m not filling out legal documents. Former pharmacist, retired at 39, currently living in Wisconsin half-time and traveling the other half — which sounds very cool until you’re trying to find Wi-Fi in the middle of nowhere at 4 AM because a plot problem woke you up. I’m a quirky introvert who overthinks everything, talks too slowly in real life, and communicates approximately 300% better in writing. Oh, and I was raised at a zoo. Yes, an actual zoo. No, I’m not going to explain that in one sentence.
You were a pharmacist? How did you end up writing novels?
I’ve been writing since kindergarten. Every school assignment turned into something else — my history report became a time-travel adventure, my espionage research paper turned into the next James Bond movie. My teachers were not amused. I picked pharmacy because it was reliable and paid the bills (my heart said journalism; my bank account said pharmacy). I wrote on the side for years, and once self-publishing became a real thing, I dove in. Then I retired early and the RV happened. The travel happened. The rest is ongoing chaos.
You’ve lived in an RV full-time for two years? What was that like?
Equal parts freedom and mild chaos. Some days I’m writing in the middle of nowhere with a perfect view and zero distractions. Other days I’m hunting for Wi-Fi like it’s a survival skill while park maintenance mows grass at 7 AM.
The biggest surprise? We hit the road hoping to find the “perfect” place to settle down. After RVing from Prince Edward Island down to Cabo San Lucas in one year, we realized the “perfect” place is wherever your heart is. That brought us back to Wisconsin half-time — despite the weather.
Favorite places: anywhere peaceful and slightly isolated. Towns with personality. Worst places: hot and humid, or cold and damp.
Wait — you were actually raised at a zoo?
Yes. A real, actual zoo. It was less “running through fields with lions” and more “normal childhood, but with a lot of animals involved and some very strange dinner table conversations.” Sometimes an animal being rehabbed would escape and crawl into bed with me in the middle of the night — Pirate the raccoon, I’m looking at you.
It probably explains why animals show up in my books so often, and why I’m not easily surprised by chaos. When you grow up around both animals and people in unpredictable situations, you learn pretty quickly that behavior gets weird under pressure. Which, coincidentally, is also how I write my characters.
Were you always this creative growing up?
Very much yes — and it got me into trouble. In high school, I turned a history report into a full spy thriller. It started with: “Imagine this. You’re stalking through the streets of Moscow…” I thought it was brilliant. My teacher thought I plagiarized it because it was “too good.” I did not win that argument.
Looking back, that was probably the earliest sign I was going to end up writing fiction whether it was practical or not. I just took a very long, very responsible detour through pharmacy first.
ABOUT MY BOOKS
What do you write?
Romantic speculative fiction — which is a fancy way of saying I write stories that are a little fantastical, always have a love story running through them, and never end badly. Genres I play in: romantic sci-fi, paranormal romance, cozy paranormal mystery, urban fantasy, and superhero romance. The one constant: somebody falls in love, somebody has a complicated past, and everyone gets a happy ending. That last part is non-negotiable. I promise you that before you read a single page.
Which of your books should I start with?
It depends what kind of escape you’re in the mood for:
If you love quirky characters, cozy vibes, and a little mystery: → Paranormal Bed & Breakfast Mysteries (Witch. Magical inn. Murder. Also she cannot cook, which is a problem.)
If you want higher stakes, bigger twists, and a “the world might actually end” kind of story: → Earth’s Only Hope (Aliens, survival, secrets, and a romance that shows up at the worst possible time.)
Either way — expect chaos and a guaranteed happy ending.
Do all your books have something in common?
Yes — and I didn’t notice it until recently. I write the same basic story over and over, just in completely different worlds. Whether it’s a witch at a magical inn, a woman escaping a dying Earth, or accidental supervillains with questionable plans — there’s always someone who wasn’t looking for love… and finds it anyway. Usually at the worst possible time.
And there’s always that moment where someone is fully seen — the messy parts, the complicated parts — and chosen anyway. That’s the story I keep coming back to. The one I’ll never stop writing.
Have you ever had a real-life romance moment that felt like a story?
Oh yes. Early 2000s online dating — before smartphones, before easy photos. The guy I’d been emailing suggested meeting at a restaurant he picked… except it was completely shut down. Like grass-growing-through-the-parking-lot shut down.
But then, there he was, leaning against his truck like he stepped out of a magazine. My first thought: “Oh. He looks… normal.” So I got into his vehicle. Because apparently that felt like a reasonable decision at the time.
His truck broke down. We had to hike to find a phone since neither of us had cells. His dad ended up picking us up.
Twenty-plus years later, we’re still married. So yes, I believe messy, imperfect beginnings can turn into something worth writing about.
Do any of your real pets show up in your books?
Shamelessly, yes. If there’s a dog in one of my stories, assume it’s a Great Dane or a Golden Retriever — both inspired by actual dogs I’ve loved. (Photo proof below. Ignore the messy house.) I’ve also smuggled in a hedgehog and plenty of cats. Real life sneaks in constantly. My mother-in-law reads everything I write and laughs out loud when she spots something familiar.
Has a real person’s story ever inspired one of your books?
In a few different ways. When I wrote Blood & Holy Water, I was deep in my Sookie Stackhouse obsession, and I’m sure Charlaine Harris’s voice seeped into my writing style and tone. That’s more about being influenced by an author than borrowing a story — but it counts.
As for people I actually know: I once modeled a husband-and-wife relationship dynamic after a real couple I thought was sweet and comical. My beta reader pointed out it was a textbook narcissist-and-enabler dynamic. I made changes. I absolutely did not tell the couple. The angel in Blood & Holy Water was modeled a little after my daughter, which she finds either sweet or mortifying depending on the day. And if I ever did need to confess to someone that I’d written their life, I’d probably send an awkward email. I hate phone calls.
How much of your own life ends up in your fiction?
More than people realize. Family relationships — especially parent-child and sibling bonds — are in everything I write. The travel shows up in settings. My science background sneaks in (pharmacology, cloning ethics, medicine). My pets appear under thin disguises. And the themes I keep returning to — loyalty, found family, doing the right thing when it costs you — those are just things I think about a lot. My mother-in-law has made a sport of finding the Easter eggs.
What kind of reader will love your books?
If you like stories where the world is a little strange, the characters are a little messy, and the romance shows up at the absolute worst possible time… you’ll feel right at home. My books are for readers who want to escape for a few hours, laugh a little, feel something real, and still walk away with a happy ending.
Also — if you enjoy “this is a terrible idea but I’m doing it anyway” energy… we’re going to get along just fine.
HOW I WRITE
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Both — which I know sounds like a cop-out. I start with a rough outline: hook, backstory, trigger, crisis, struggle, epiphany, plan, climax, ending. The skeleton exists. But then I start writing, and my characters develop opinions about where the story should go, and they are very persuasive. By the time I’m done, the story has usually surprised me in at least two or three places and definitely ignored the original outline. I plan so I have something to deviate from.
How do you deal with writer’s block?
Brainstorming on paper — and I mean actual paper, not a screen. I write down every possible thing that could happen next, no matter how absurd. By the end I either have something useful or I’ve written myself into a corner I can laugh at. If that fails, I step away entirely — walk, do dishes, read a book. Sometimes I bounce ideas off my family. My husband isn’t a reader but is surprisingly good at problem-solving. My oldest is ridiculously logical with a hobby that involves documentaries and psychology. My youngest, the artistic one, has multiple published stories of her own. Our household conversations get weird. Not zoo-weird, but a different kind of weird.
What does your writing routine look like?
I’ve always been most creative in the middle of the night — but not how you’d expect. I don’t stay up late. I get up early.
When I was writing Love, Lies & Clones, I set my alarm for 3:30 AM every day to get an hour or two in before work. The house was silent; I could think. Now, ten years later, I wake up naturally around three and have eight hours of writing done by eleven. I need complete silence — no music, no background noise, nothing. Don’t ask me about my writing playlist or our RV driving playlist. Surprise — there are none.
The routine shifts when we’re traveling. I usually put the computer away by eight so we can actually do things. And sometimes I’m too exhausted to write at all, like during five weeks in Asia or a month in Europe with rented camper vans. Too much fun. Too exhausting. But those experiences make me a better writer.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It varies. I typically work on multiple books at once — when I get stuck on one, I switch to another and come back fresh. I love writing the first half. I hate writing the second. Midpoints and endings sometimes get tabled for a while. Editing gets pushed off too.
Early on, I’d write one or two books a year. I’ve been publishing for over ten years and have 30+ books out, so the process has gotten faster — but I still don’t rush the first draft. It needs time to be terrible before it can get better. If I dedicated all my time to a single book, I could write one a month, start to finish. But I’ve tested that. It burns me out on the characters and the world.
What’s the hardest part of writing for you?
Action scenes — and I know that’s embarrassing for someone who writes sci-fi romantic suspense and supernatural adventures. My first drafts literally contain placeholders like “INSERT CAR CHASE HERE.” I’ve watched an uncomfortable number of YouTube videos about bulletproof vests and how to escape zip ties. Torture scenes, weirdly, I’m fine at. My healthcare background probably helps with that. (That was a joke. Thought I’d say it clearly.)
What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
Develop thick skin — and keep writing no matter what feedback you get. I’m genuinely sensitive about my writing. One lukewarm review and I still want to throw the whole thing away. I’ve temporarily quit more than once because of criticism, which I wish I didn’t let bother me.
What I keep telling myself: every writer gets criticized. Every single one. A lot of that feedback is just the reader’s own emotional baggage shaping their opinions. I try to take what’s useful, trust my own instincts, and come out stronger.
The advice: You’re not going to write a story everyone loves. Write the story your readers love and let the rest go.
THE FUN STUFF
What’s your favorite color?
Blue. I’m very passionate about this. Look at most my book covers, my website, my logo. (See image above.) Blue is objectively correct and I will not be taking questions.
What’s something readers would be surprised to learn about you?
I’m a retired scientist. An actual pharmacist with a white coat and everything. I left at 39 to travel the world while I was young enough to enjoy it — which sounds more spontaneous than it was. There was a lot of anxious overthinking involved.
Also, I was raised at a zoo, which explains both my love of animals in books and my inability to be surprised by weird behavior. Humans and animals are not that different when you’ve seen both up close.
How can I stay connected and find out about new releases?
The best way is my newsletter — that’s where the free stories live.
I also hang out on Facebook and Instagram, and you can follow me on Amazon for release alerts.
Fair warning: if you skip the newsletter, you will miss free stories, bonus epilogues, and behind-the-scenes chaos. Just saying.
Thanks for asking — all of it. This was more fun than I expected, and I never say that about anything that isn’t fiction.
Now it’s your turn — drop a question in the comments I didn’t answer, or overshare about yourself. Fair’s fair.
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