The Joei Carlton story began in Montreal in February 1944. However, Joei Carlton, the Travel Writer, was born in 1992. Her story reminds one that a pearl is born from an injury to an oyster.

Joei’s reason for becoming an author is simple: “I didn’t want to be just a widow!”

Joei’s career, before she became an author, was checkered. Her various jobs included private investigator, a representative for a food services giant, an undercover agent, and the list goes on.

At one time, Joei had a successful wool store in Toronto, where she and her husband Paul Hossack, a high profile investment dealer, made their lives. In the fall of 1989, they decided to live the Canadian dream. In their forties, Joei and Paul said goodbye to their successful careers, sold their house, wound up and “set out to see the world.”

They went to England, bought a small motorhome and travelled across England, Scotland and Wales. Europe soon followed with their adventures taking them to several countries across the continent. 

It was while living “the dream” that “the nightmare” took over. In June 1992, less than three years into their adventure, Paul, who went out jogging while the Hossacks were in Germany, suffered a fatal heart attack. Joei’s dreams were plucked away in a matter of 10 minutes. She had no preparation time to redefine herself.

After coming to terms with her new status, Joei forced herself to continue all the trips she had planned with Paul. “I needed a reason to get out of bed,” she explains simply. Serendipity led to her writing career. An article based on her notes was published as a story in a local newspaper in 1994. Joei began considering writing seriously.

Her first book was Everyone’s Dream, Everyone’s Nightmare. Unfortunately, she could not write the ending, which dealt with Paul’s death. So, she wrote a collection of stories called Restless from the Start. The book was successful and she’s never looked back.

Joei’s transformation from grieving widow to successful published author was painful. Her way with words, and innate sense of humour coupled with attention to detail made her an ideal travel writer, and her spirit of adventure resurfaced. She enjoys photography and complements her stories with great photos.

Joei has to her credit seven published books (one of them is now out of print), four “mini reads,” which are nifty little books dealing essentially with just one trip and two “workbooks,” one on memoir writing and one on travel writing. Her titles reflect the humour in her books, for example, Kiss this Florida I’m out of here, and How I lost 3 pounds in 30 years. She has recently been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul’s “O Canada.”

Not satisfied with being “just an author,” Joei expanded her horizons to speaking entertainingly about her experiences and is much sought out in this field. She also teaches classes on writing.

“As a 67-year-young person, I want to cram more into my life; so I’m combining my two hobbies of photography and bead-making to make bookmarks, which are perfect stocking stuffers,” says Joei.

For B.C. author Joei Carlton, there is no ending. Every ending is a new beginning!

Read more about Joei at www.joeicarlton.com

DECEMBER 2011 SENIOR LIVING MAGAZINE VANCOUVER & LOWER MAINLAND