If you asked author Josephine DeFalco, why she chose words as her tools, she would tell you, "Words fascinate me. As the language of the heart, they evoke powerful emotions. The natural world and my interest in history inspire my writing. I am drawn to profound and obscure events unrecognized for their influence on humanity and the evolution of future generations."
Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Jo identifies her parents as her greatest influencers, although she admits this wasn't evident. Only in gaining her own wisdom with age can she look back on her childhood and appreciate its impact on her life today. Her mother was the dreamer, the ideas gal, and her father, the doer, moved those dreams into reality. Their roles were not just about building homes, but about instilling a strong work ethic and a sense of responsibility in Jo. Until she was twenty-five, Jo admitted to not knowing what a mortgage was. Her parents designed and built their homes, paying paycheck by paycheck until the dream became a reality. She says, "You don't sit on your thumbs; you create. Relaxation simply wasn't in the mix. Your pride and recognition came from your accomplishment, bringing your vision into reality.
Jo became the first on her mother's side of the family to graduate from college with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Missouri, Columbia. When she was forty-four, Jolee graduated with her second Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Arizona State University, Tempe. However, she didn't stop there. At fifty, she completed her Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification with Glendale Community College. She reflects, "By this time, I was over-educated for the fieldwork, so I volunteered with the Medical Rescue Posse for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department.
The common thread that wove through all these life experiences was writing. Jo states, "I started writing in second grade and won an award for a poem about two Bassett hounds. Later, I used my school year experiences for a series of short stories. As a writer and nutritionist, I helped write a historical cookbook and a breastfeeding manual." Continuing this path with three children in tow, Jo moved into more flexible hours as a freelance health editor for Arizona Women, a local magazine.
Today, Jo continues to harvest all aspects of her life by focusing themes on healthy living, safety, and self-sufficiency in her life and writing. Her nonfiction books teach beginners to grow and preserve food, avoiding the use of herbicides and insecticides. She taught herself and others to can, dry, and preserve foods, placing the responsibility in their hands to care for themselves, their families, and their communities. As a medical provider, Jo has worked in public health for most of her career as a clinical dietitian for the Maricopa County Health Department, specializing in maternal and child nutrition and with the State Health Department assessing long-term care facilities and quality of care, as well as a stretch as a hospice nurse between the two.
Jo is a member of the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers, the Phoenix Writers’ Network and the Arizona Authors Association. Finally, Jo states, “I sold my first novel with my pen name Josephine DeFalco, and I retired early to focus on my writing full-time; I love empowering families to take a change of their health and well-being with sharing information and in my writing, I can improve the quality of so many lives."
Email: josephinedefalco@gmail.com
Website: www.josdphinedefalco.com
