"Rodgers' strength is a knack for realistic characters and a womanly wise laugh-through-tears appreciation of life."
~ Publishers Weekly
Joni Rodgers is a critically acclaimed novelist and New York Times bestselling memoir guru who applies the fine art of fiction to the creation of well-crafted memoirs.
Born into a family of gospel/bluegrass musicians, Joni grew up on stage, opening for huge-haired country music legends of the 60s and 70s. She continued performing until 1994, when she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She used the chemo downtime to complete her first two novels, then wrote a memoir about her cancer experience. Bald in the Land of Big Hair (Harper Collins 2001) garnered glowing reviews around the world, was excerpted in Good Housekeeping, condensed by Reader’s Digest, and is now in its severalth printing. It also launched Joni's public speaking career and brought her to the attention of celebrities and others who began asking her to help them tell their stories.
Between novels and ghostwriting projects, Joni volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and does peer counseling with other cancer survivors. She also mentors young writers through her blog, "Boxing the Octopus". Married to jet plane mechanic/wine maker Gary Rodgers since 1983, Joni is the proud mother of two fine young adults. The Rodgers family lives in Houston, Texas.
“Rodgers lives, loves, and writes without a safety net...A mix of Molly Ivins’ blowsy wit and Anna Quindlen’s suburban logic, she manages the rare literary feat of being funny and painful in one urgent breath.” ~ Entertainment Weekly
“Candid and amusing.” ~ People
“Gutsy and impressive...” ~ New York Times
“Every character resonates with life. This talented author knows how to bring pen-and-ink people to flesh and blood fulfillment.” ~ Southern Living
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