Writing is my Nature

Joey Goebel is a punk rock musician turned published novelist, born and raised in Henderson.  His band, the Mullets, entertained the tri-state for five years in the late 90’s/early 2000’s.  In 2002, Joey signed his first book contract with a major independent publisher in California. Since then, he has written four novels which have been published in 16 languages and are especially popular in the German domain.  Goebel calls his books “literary comedies. Dark comedies with a little bit of satire. My books will make you laugh, but they’re not what you’d call happy reads.”

“Being a writer is just a natural fit for me.  I’ve always loved entertaining people, making them laugh—that’s what my music was all about.  But I’m also very introverted.  So I discovered that getting novels published is a way to entertain people without actually having to leave the house.

I graduated Brescia University in 2002, where I took creative writing four times. It was in one of those creative writing classes that I wrote a screenplay called The Anomalies.  After I couldn’t sell the screenplay, I adapted it into a novel, so that’s how all this got started for me.  I learned so much about writing and literature from my teachers at Brescia, but I already had a solid foundation since I was blessed with so many talented, compassionate teachers at Holy Name and County High.

Henderson has always nurtured my creativity.  The longer I stick around, the more genuinely good people I find here. The people here never scoffed at me for wanting to be a writer.  I’ve had nothing but encouragement.  And I’ll apply that to my parenting.  Whatever my little Joe wants to be, I’ll believe in him.  Not sure I’m eager to see him become a novelist, though.  It’s a lot of time to spend in your own head.”