Author Spotlight
David Joy
At Porchlight, we’re thrilled to shine our porch light on David Joy, a masterful voice in contemporary Southern and Appalachian fiction whose work grips the heart and doesn’t let go.
Roots in the Mountain South
A 12th-generation North Carolinian, Joy grew up along the Catawba River before settling in the western mountains—Jackson County—at eighteen. Deeply influenced by the landscape, he weaves place and character seamlessly, crafting stories pulled from the very soil of Appalachia.
Major Works & Accolades
Novels:
- Where All Light Tends to Go (2015) — a dark, debut Edgar-nominated tale of legacy and violence.
- The Weight of This World (2017) — hailed by The New York Times as “bleakly beautiful”; showcased in Garden & Gun.
- The Line That Held Us (2018) — Southern Book Prize winner, later honored with France’s Prix Saint‑Maur award.
- When These Mountains Burn (2020) — intersecting wildfires, addiction, and Appalachian identity; winner of the Dashiell Hammett Award.
- Those We Thought We Knew (2023) — awarded the Willie Morris and Thomas Wolfe prizes; it probes race, memory, and community in rural NC.
Nonfiction & Anthologies:
- Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman’s Journey — a memoir of nature and self-discovery.
- Co-edited Gather at the River, a fishing anthology benefiting CAST For Kids.
Beyond the Page
Joy’s debut novel was adapted into a feature film starring Billy Bob Thornton and Robin Wright, bringing Appalachian noir to the screen. His voice essays appear in The New York Times Magazine, Garden & Gun, TIME, and The Bitter Southerner.
Why We’re Drawn In
He writes characters you feel you know—bent by hardship, anchored by place. In his latest, Those We Thought We Knew, a confrontation with racism in the rural South is “bracingly honest,” demanding readers face uncomfortable truths. Joy doesn’t shy away—he invites us in.
Quick Q&A Snapshot
What inspires him?
- A deep bond to Appalachia's land and people.
His craft?
- He builds characters so vividly he jests: “I know how they’d order their hash browns at Waffle House."
Advice to writers
- “Read. Read broadly. And when you're out of books, buy more.”
In Closing
David Joy is a beacon for Southern literary fiction—honest, intimate, and unafraid. His stories linger long after the last page, illuminating the mountain soil from which they’ve grown.
If you haven’t yet, grab any of his books—you’ll see why Porchlight is honored to celebrate his work.