Joseph Patrick Anthony

I was raised in Denver, Colorado, the tenth of eleven children. (Thanks to Mom & Dad for not stopping at number nine.) My family spent a great deal of time in the mountains, where exploring with my brothers and sisters (John, Tom, Peter, Martin, Paul, Philip, Vicky, Jim, Becky & Ceci, plus a dog or two and usually a foreign student) nurtured an innate love for adventure and an appreciation for the natural world (and gave the folks a little PEACE AND QUIET).

I also loved music, and before graduating from high school I found myself exploring the states as a trumpet player in a swing band (the Verne Byers' 'Glen Miller Revival'). Soon after, I hitch-hiked to the vast frontier of Alaska (memoir material).

After attending St. John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Annapolis, Maryland (REAL books), I traveled to Finland to work on a farm and hitch-hike through Scandanavia (I LOVE Finland! My second family is Finnish.). I continued to travel - through over 30 countries in the western hemisphere - as a musician in the U.S. Navy (more for the memoir.)

I have since worked in a natural food store, as a Corrections Officer, a massage therapist and a construction supervisor, experiences which have all served to deepen my self-understanding and perspective on the human condition (a journey without end).

The synthesis of my experiences came after marrying artist/producer Cris Arbo, when I took up writing. Our first collaboration (not counting kids) was 'The Dandelion Seed' in 1997; two years later 'In A Nutshell' was published. Cris' artwork blends fantasy and realism with intense detail, a combination that works perfectly with my simple but not simplistic text. She also does an amazing, inspiring school presentation thanks to her strong theatrical background.

My young adult novel, 'Innerworld' (Bonneville Books, 2002), is about a girl whose desire to change the world sends her on an earth-shattering journey within. (way cool)

That's it, you made it to the end. Thanks for reading!

For a tiny bit more biographical information, Cris and I can be found in the library reference source, 'Something About The Author' vol.103, published by The Gale Research Group.

Enough about the past.

What the future holds:
A kids book about the life cycle of a breath.

A cartoon-style series for all ages about what it means to be human, starring any number of anthropomorphous objects.

A screenplay about establishing peace in the collective human mind (not exactly Hollywood's favorite subject, but it's loaded with conflict).

A screenplay about a man and a woman who become stranded on an exotic planet. In order to return home they must overcome the ultimate enemy: themselves.