WATSONVILLE—During a recent cleaning of her house, Aromas author and artist Joyce Oroz discovered a set of acrylic paintings tucked away in a corner of her attic.
She had painted the pieces about 20 years prior and almost forgotten about them.
“I knew I couldn’t just throw them away,” Oroz said. “I just had to do something with them.”
Oroz decided to use the paintings as inspiration for one of her newest children’s books, “Grady Ghost Has a Secret.” She formed the story, which follows the adventures of four siblings living on the edge of a redwood forest in California, around the series.
Oroz admitted it wasn’t her usual writing method.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever done that,” Oroz said. “Usually I come up with the story first and the illustrations follow.”
Oroz also recently released “Annie Gets a Brother,” the follow-up to “Annie Gets Her Bounce.” Both stories follow the life of a young dog.
“I enjoy writing for kids,” Oroz said. “I especially love to illustrate—to bring a story to life.”
But children’s books are only one facet of Oroz’s career. She has been hard at work on her Josephine Stuart Mystery series since 2010.
The novels follow Josephine, a fifty-year-old widow who is a muralist—sent to different locations to work. Josephine’s curiosity and sense of right and wrong has her becoming involved in mysteries wherever she goes.
The 11th installment, “Death on a Rifle” has just been released. It takes place in Aptos.
“With these books, I try to come up with an unusual crime—a strange murder,” Oroz said. “The man in this story drowns in one foot of water, atop his own rifle. I want readers to immediately have questions.”
Oroz has loved writing from an early age, creating poems and often writing twice as many words for school essays than her peers. But it wasn’t until after retiring from mural work that she took it further. Observing her husband Arthur Oroz write his historical novel “Okinawa Moon” was a major inspiration.
“I was enamored by the process,” she said.
Oroz said she is grateful to editor Tomi Edmiston, who edited and compiled all her books, as well as Cozy Cat Press, which published most Josephine Stuart Mysteries.
On Dec. 7 from 1-3 p.m. Oroz will be at Kelly’s Books, 1838 Main St., Watsonville for a special signing event. She will be on hand to answer questions, sign copies of her books and chat with readers.
For information visit authorjoyceoroz.blogspot.com.
