Publications
David Joy began his publishing history in the winter of 2008, with a nonfiction short that appeared in Bird Watcher's Digest. Since then David has consistently published essays in journals and magazines including Smoky Mountain Living, Wilderness House Literary Review, and Legacy. His publications have appeared alongside established writers such as Lee Smith and Sharyn McCrumb. Click a magazine cover or story title to view a PDF of the actual story in the magazine. His first memoir, Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman's Journey was released by Bright Mountain Books in September 2011. Check back often for publishing updates.
Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman's Journey
Published in September 2011 by Bright Mountain Books, Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman's Journey delves into David Joy's obsession with fish. With a closer connection to fish than to humans, the author works to reveal why he is inherently defined by the piscine world. Topics range from environmentalism to family, Rousseau's "noble savage" to the ones that got away, places that remain wild to the worn cork of rods, the beauty of native trout to the art of fly tying. Ultimately, by revealing the reasons for his obsession, David is able to understand the man he has become.
Ron Rash, author of the 2009 PEN/Faulkner finalist Serena, had this to say about the memoir: "If any human could grow gills, it would be David Joy. His life-long connection to fish is vividly realized in this book, in large part because of his poetic language and sensibility. Growing Gills is a book anyone interested in our connection to the natural world will relish...[To read more on Growing Gills click here]
Creatures of Fire
David's most recent publication appeared in the Summer 2010 issue of Smoky Mountain Living. "Creatures of Fire" focuses on the abundance and the environmental significane of salamanders in Southern Appalachia. Blending scene and research, the essay combines three encounters with various Appalachian salamander species (dusky salamanders, hellbenders, and spotted salamanders) with etymological and biological research. [Smoky Mountain Living 10.3 (Summer 2010): 44-47.]
Sounds of Silence
David's most recent publication appeared in the Winter 2010 issue of Smoky Mountain Living. "Sounds of Silence" details an excursion into a Jackson County snowstorm where David attempts to find sanctuary from the chaotic world of civilization. [Smoky Mountain Living 10.1 (Winter 2010): 42-45.]
Marvelous Mayhem
"Marvelous Mayhem:
Spawning Trout Offer Golden Opportunity in Fall" is an instructional essay focused on catching spawning trout in Jackson County during the fall. The essay was published in the Leaf Season edition of Legacy magazine in the fall of 2009. [Legacy (Fall 2009): 50-52.]
Native
"Native" appeared in the summer 2009 issue of Smoky Mountain Living. The essay follows a journey with author Ron Rash, as David takes Ron and his son, James, into the heart of Jackson County in search of native brook trout. The piece is highlighted by an intimate connection between father and son, as Ron shares his passion for "specks" and a piece of Appalachia with James. [Smoky Mountain Living 9.4 (Summer 2009): 54-56.]
Breaking in the Cork
"Breaking in the Cork" appeared in the 2009 spring issue of Wilderness House Literary Review. The essay examines David's fascination with the cork handles of fishing rods. Stemming from a deep admiration for the handle of a rod his grandmother gave him, David's obsession for the cork handles of rods is deeply attached to what he considers to be mastery of an art form. For fisherman, the wear of a rod's handle defines time spent in search of fish. [Wilderness House Literary Review 4.1 (Spring 2009): 1-9.]
Tired and Feathered
The publication of "Tired and Feathered" in the winter 2008 issue of Bird Watcher's Digest marked the start of David's publishing career. The nonfiction short focuses on a brief encounter with a murmuration of starlings that move through a winter yard. Relying on poetic descriptions combined with scientific research, the piece illuminates the beauty and environmental significance of starlings on a North Carolina landscape. [Bird Watcher's Digest 31.2 (Nov./Dec. 2008): 80-82.]