about me

Joan C. Benson is a free-lance writer published in multiple magazines including LifeWay’s “ParentLife,” Regent University’s “The Christian Leader,” Royal Rangers “High Adventure,” Focus on the Family online, and others. Some of her devotionals are published on CBN.com. Benson also has many years of experience writing children’s ministry publications for LifeWay Publishing. She maintains an ongoing blog, which can be found on the website. Her first historical fiction novel, His Gift was published through Elk Lake Publishing, Inc., in 2020.

Benson has co-authored a series of four children’s picture books which are under contract. Another current project is a contemporary fiction novel, expected to be finished in 2023-2024.

Fiction Author Applying Biblical Principles

Combining her passion for people and her faith in God, she has a desire to write stories for young adults and adults alike. While teaching young adult fiction in the schools, she saw a dearth of literature containing Scriptural truths. She desires to create stories that are not only interesting and entertaining, but which contain Biblical principles lacking in today’s culture. Joan instills the hope of Christ for the suffering, the disappointed, and the hopeless. She points those who have had their dreams dashed to the One who offers wisdom beyond the world’s.

Debut Historical Fiction

Watch for Joan’s novel called His Gift, a historical story based on her mother’s life growing up at the onset of The Great Depression. The story’s setting is in a sweet little suburb of a then-thriving motor-city, Detroit, Michigan. The main character, Molly, is a gifted musician who worked hard to perfect her skill, and ultimately wins a student audition to perform with the Detroit Symphony. The timing is October, 1929, before the stock market crash. What will happen to Molly’s dreams as the world scrambles and turns upside down before her eyes. Where is God in her story? You will enjoy seeing how Molly navigates through very unsettling times and how even through doubts and fears, she finds victory.

Educator

Joan lives in Chesapeake, VA, with her husband and their two Bichon Frisé dogs. She is the mother of four married adult children, and a very proud grandmother of eight amazing grandchildren. Joan is a former Christian and public school educator, having taught grades from primary through middle school. She served as a reading specialist, teacher trainer, and has been writing for educational publishing companies for over twenty-five years.

Speaker

Joan is a part of a small group of women from Chesapeake, VA, called “Women Victorious—Ordinary Women, Extraordinary God.” The women formed the group to encourage, empower, and inspire women to find victory and hope through Jesus Christ during trials. They pray to help women through their testimonies and worship experiences while addressing relevant issues facing today’s women from a biblical perspective. Joan also speaks independently, and has spoken at women’s ministry events, retreats, and youth groups.