Joseph W. Smith is a teacher, speaker, film critic, journalist, and author living in Northcentral Pennsylvania, with his wife.

Let’s Talk Books with Robin Van Auken – Joseph W. Smith III

The son of a professional journalist, Joe wrote his first book when he was 12, “… an ambitious and profusely illustrated sci-fi opus called Project Jupiter.” He jokes it, “… took me another 37 years to hit publishing pay-dirt with my study of Hitchcock, The Psycho File.”​

His first published book, The Psycho File, is a comprehensive guide to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 horror film, “Psycho,” starring  Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh.

His second book explores topics many Christians avoiding talking about: Sex and Violence in the Bible. Joe champions a frank and forthright approach in the book.

His new book, Transparency: A Cure for Hypocrisy in the Modern Church, is self-published.

We talk about the changes in the publishing industry, and how difficult it is to place books with publishers today. We also discuss living in a small town, and the importance of the hometown newspaper, and its role in nurturing writers. We even chat about the writing legacy, passed down from father to son, and how his own son has inherited the “writing gene.”

You can learn more about Joe’s Books on Amazon:

The Psycho File: A Comprehensive Guide to Hitchcock’s Classic Shocker

An examination of the groundbreaking 1960 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, including the story’s origins in real-life graverobber Ed Gein. The book presents material from the script and how it was adapted from Robert Bloch’s novel; details of the film’s production, particularly the shower scene and other technical difficulties; actors and the challenges of their roles; extended literary analysis of the film covering such devices as irony, symbol, theme, motif and foil; and the film’s effect on audiences. Features 16 photographs, notes, a bibliography, and an index.

Sex and Violence in the Bible: A Survey of Explicit Content in the Holy Book

Christians needn’t be any more squeamish than the Bible itself is—and it contains many things that most Christians shy away from! In this carefully organized catalog of sexual, violent, and other blunt biblical passages, Joseph Smith develops a “Christian aesthetic” to help us process our culture’s daily deluge of such material.

Ready for a Challenge?

Have even more fun when you accept the 21-Day Writing Sprint Challenge. This process is one I use every semester with my college students, so I know it can kickstart your creativity and introduce structure to your writing schedule. When you join my Circle of Writers & Authors, you’ll receive FREE writing resources, and you’ll sign up for my newsletter. I will not sell your information, or spam you. I will send you updates about new articles and podcasts I’ve created, and projects I’m working on. You can unsubscribe at anytime. Read my Privacy Policy here.

• Starting out as a writer and could use some guidance
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• Hoping to turn your writing into a full-time, awesome career
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Add WEST WIND to your library!

If you love a good mystery, a romantic whodunit that will surprise you, then WEST WIND is a great addition to your ebook library.

West Wind is my third novel as an author of Contemporary Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, and Romance.  It’s FREE too, when you join my exclusive Readers Group. Join today and download your free book, and as a special thank you, you’ll receive a SECOND FREE BOOK tomorrow! The giving goes on and on when you become my fan.

When you join my Readers Group, you’ll receive updates about new projects I’m working on. You can unsubscribe at anytime. Read my Privacy Policy here.