Rita H. Joyce was born in Seattle, Washington, graduating from Franklin High School. She attended some classes at the University of Washington, but her college career was curtailed when a home emergency forced her to go to work to help support her family. She has a birth daughter, an adopted daughter, five stepchildren, and is twice widowed. Following her dreams led her and her second husband to move to Florida in 2000, where she has lived ever since. Joyce is the author of three self-published books - Her first (Gozzy Goose's Christmas Gift) (e-book only) was chosen in 2002 for the Under Nine Literacy Promotion at Universal Cineplex, City Walk, Universal Studios and promoted as one of the Stories From the Silver Screen! A limited revised edition was also self published in 2015 but is out of print. Two sequels were written but not published. There was also a Read-Along CD with an original song that is being considered for release as a DVD. A third edition of Joyce's "Johnny Peppertoes" includes her newly formed company "Rita's Publishing". Originally self published, it was used for three years in the fourth grade curriculum at a school in her hometown of Kissimmee, Florida. The Principal of the school acknowledged after the third year that "Peppertoes" was responsible for the highest scores ever in their reading classes. A lesson plan is available if desired. A movie is in the initial stages of development. A short video clip is an on-line presence, especially through Amazon.Joyce's third self-published book is "Wandawillie," presently available on Amazon. It was inspired by a newspaper article about a visiting kangaroo. As is Gozzy Goose, Wandawillie is a rhyming story.Rita's current project is producing a Memoir, an unusual story of much of her early life, including thirteen years on the backstretch of a thoroughbred racetrack. Her inspiration for this book included knowing the name of the racehorse, its stable name, and other events before they ever happened. Another book in progress features the paintings of her late friend Delores Korenko. It is about a snoopy fawn.Joyce's talents include song writing. Her repertory of music includes rap, soft rock, country, and sacred music. Her present endeavor is completing a two-year soft rock song that relays an experience she, her husband and two children had one night as they watched a full moon. A music video will follow. A rap song about to be released by Corey Eugene Mathis addresses the effects of alcohol abuse. Two of her songs feature the work of an orchestral maestro from South America, though not yet available to the public. She has also written a song for Johnny Peppertoes. Joyce is expectant of one of her literary works being made into a TV series.
