Joel Brigham writes Sci-Fi fairy tales and YA contemporary fiction, all of which are meant to be uplifting, hopeful, and fun. He has written five novels, two of which are currently on submission, and he is represented by Tina P. Schwartz of The Purcell Agency.

He also now serves as an intern at The Purcell Agency, where he does development edits for existing clients and helps writers find the heart and vision in their stories. Since 2019, he also has served as a member of the Penguin Random House High School Advisory Board.

Joel has been a high school English teacher in Central Illinois for 18 years, teaching Creative Writing, American Literature, Speech, and Yearbook. He has his master’s degree in Teaching & Learning from Illinois State University, and while that may not be as cool as having a master’s degree in like 13th Century British Folklore, he’s still proud to have it.

He writes freelance SEO blogs for small businesses and was a senior writer for HOOPSWORLD and Basketball Insiders for 12 years, covering events ranging from the NBA Finals to NBA All-Star Weekend. Having grown up an hour south of Chicago in the 1990s, he remains an avid Bulls fan (against his better judgment).