Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Joseph
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder by a professional in my mid-40s. I genuinely wish I had learned this information during my youth’s prime. Over the years, many of my delays, restarts, and pursuits of distractions (squirrels!) have complicated my journey to where I am now. It took a random typewriter showing up on my family porch in the mid-90s, during my expulsion from college (over my terrible grades), to motivate me to pursue writing seriously. It wasn’t until twenty years later that I published my first novel, and now, ten years later, I released my fourth and most significant project to date.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I felt compelled to share my fantasy world through comic strips with my friends during middle and high school, culminating in a MAD magazine-style humor periodical we called WBIZ, or “the Business.” We included comics, short stories, surveys, puzzles, and games, all printed on copy paper and stapled together to sell at school, offer subscriptions, and display at the local comic book store. We had a fantastic experience together, and after about twenty issues, it naturally disbanded as we grew older, graduated, and moved away.
After my father passed away, my passion for drawing quickly faded. I had always sought his approval since he was the cornerstone of our family. He often scoffed at my artistic efforts, while my mother’s love for art encouraged and supported me throughout my life. During my fifteenth summer, my father finally acknowledged my talent with a casual remark to one of his friends, demonstrating his support. He passed away that winter after Christmas. Ironically, I discovered his secret poetry a decade later, which genuinely inspired my inheritance of my parents’ skills.
With many stories still swirling in my mind, my only outlet during my time away at college was working as a hip-hop DJ. After I failed algebra, the school placed me on academic probation. Upon returning home, a mysterious typewriter appeared on the porch, and I typed my first manuscript, Road Kill. It was filled with grammatical errors from margin to margin, reflecting my struggles in English class. Still, my high school teacher, Mary McDonald, encouraged my work while correcting my many mistakes—challenges I can now attribute to my adult diagnosis. As rough as that first manuscript was, it satisfied my soul, and I continued.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a dedicated, creative, passionate supporter and advocate for the arts! I enjoy a variety of creative pursuits, including painting, music, sculpture, and film. I have been recognized for my novels and drawings since I was young, which includes my experiences as a college and commercial radio hip-hop host and DJ at parties.
As a hip-hop advocate, I served as a street team representative, managed several record stores, wrote music and theater reviews for publications, promoted and managed local artists, sold radio advertising, and championed musical history and knowledge.
I have worked as a gaffer, videographer, sound technician, set designer, writer, director, and location scout in film. I have contributed to several local films, including the recent “Triangle Park” and “Dark City.” At present, I am developing my first personal film, “Love Thy Neighbor,” inspired by events in my hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio. While many outside observers view my work as broad and sporadic, I believe it reflects my passion for the craft. Without dreams, we would have nothing.
What matters most to you?
Making a difference. We have only one life to live, and everyone should work hard to achieve their dreams, no matter what they are and what others say, of course, within reason. I don’t want to regret what I could or should have done since life already offers enough of those regrets. I hope others can learn from my story about the significant hurdles I have battled and continue to fight against. I advocate for the artists I believe in and encourage them to strive for their goals. It’s incredible how many great artists from the past didn’t receive support until after their deaths. In today’s world, we all deserve recognition while we are alive, to be heard and seen. Everyone should find solace in this fantastic and unpredictable world. I want my obituary to reflect something I can take pride in. We all deserve our flowers while we are here!
Pricing:
- Leaping Into the Abyss Paperback $25
- Leaping Into the Abyss Kindle $4.99 Free with Prime.
- Eat@Zeke’s Paperback $15
- Road Kill Pt. II Crossroads $20
- Road Kill Pt. I Pathfinder $15
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.landofunk.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodzoic_prod/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CjX1970
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-joseph-38769b9/
- Twitter: https://x.com/Cjxzoic1970
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thelandoffunk2496
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/christopher-joseph-11
- Other: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard?ref=nav_profile_authordash
