I write about people, who they are, and their lifestyles ... then I share my observations. I tell it like it is. My style is - in your face reality combined with a unique perspective due to my background. I’m white Jewish and grew up in Washington Heights, Manhattan.

I come from an impoverished and crazy homelife. My teen years were especially difficult. In spite of all these obstacles, I managed to get into Columbia under the Higher Education Opportunity Program, I got my BA there, and afterwards my Masters in Social Work. This solidified my already instinctual propensity to understand what motivated people.

In the early nineties, when I hit the NYC poetry scene, some folk accused me of being post modernist, some thanked me for my heartfelt style, and others mimicked me at open venues. When I applied for the graduate writing program at CCNY, I had to use prose because my poetry was criticized for its lack of form. During my graduate studies, I naturally took the opportunity to study writing poetry in form. And about being post-modernist, I only began to read other post-modernists after I’d been accused of being one. Others just say my prose is on the harder and sharper sides of life.

Writing has always been a profound experience for me. Since childhood, writing has imprinted itself on my soul. My writing ability is a mitzvah. I am the instrument, writing is my love, and the finished products are my offspring.

WHO I AM:

I am a clinical social worker proficient at understanding character. I use these skills when I write about people. I got my 2nd Masters in creative writing from CCNY in 2001.

Joy Leftow focuses a new light on the wacky, humorous and sometimes painful adventure of life in the big apple. When she is not busy doing cat and people rescues, or following up on these labors of love, she works her 9 to 5, cleans house and still finds time to be a wife, mother and friend. With the help of her inner muse, Joy writes and gets her work published.

Joy’s poetry has been published in over 30 anthologies, both online and paper. In the past year, she performed on Rockland internet radio show, “Cool on the Groove” several times, and was a guest on Jazz Poetry Cafe twice. She was interviewed on The TV show, the New Yorkers, and the radio show for teachers and writers; Everything Goes on WNYE- FM at 91.5. Her book from Big Foot Press, A Spot Of Bleach and Other Poems & Prose, is available at Amazon.com. and is available here at authorsden.com Leftow also has a short story, "False Pride", which is published in an anthology called "Lipstick Diaries". It is available in all the stores. You can get the anthology for $10 + $2 shipping from me if you sent me a note at Violetwrites@nyc.rr.com. Be forewarned, there are some pretty raunchy and risque stories included!

MA ART Creative Writing, CCNY 1991
NYS Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW with the R
Columbia University School of Social Work 1985
BA Anthropology, Columbia School of General Studies 1983

SPOT OF BLEACH & OTHER POEMS AND PROSE is being released this coming October and is available at Authorsden, & Amazon and through contacting me. LIPSTICK DIARIES can also be purchased through me as well.

More Insights by Joy
A series of poems devoted to learning about self, making connections based on insight, blaming and absolving ourselves and most importantly, being resilient to enable our moving on.

Joy Leftow's website
website complete with CV's poems and links

My Professional Website
Poems about life in general, but mostly in relation to how we survive, in spite of whatever it is that gets in the way.

Joy's Blog
Check out Rockland World Radio - Cool on the Groove Http://www.rocklandworldradio.com/program/cool/