Welcome!

           I have hiked, crawled, flown, traveled by horseback, zodiac, combi and tundra buggy to view and photograph the natural world. I’ve had a bananaquit in my lemonade, slept with a Motmot and been face to face with a polar bear.

“From Schnitzel to Nockerln” is available on Amazon or Barnes and Noble and it may be ordered through your favorite bookstore. It is also available on Kindle. and this website. “Tales from the Town Crier” is only available through this website.

Following the 2021 publication of her adventure memoir, “From Schnitzel to Nockerln,” Joy now regales us with: “Tales From the Town Crier, Writings from the past…”The excerpts from her newspaper column contains stories to which everyone can relate.

This compilation of newspaper columns from the
past is as relevant today as when written decades
ago. Every-day occurrences become the topic of
both humorous and thoughtful commentary.

Based on a little white chipmunk who lived in Joy’s yard, comes a children’s story looking for a publisher.

This book features the story of Whichi, a white chipmunk that lives at the edge of a big forest. While many chipmunks live in the woods, Whichi is different from the others. She enjoys exploring and playing with other woodland creatures, but sometimes wishes she looked like the other chipmunks. With the help of her friends, including a wise old black squirrel, Whichi learns that she is not different, but special.

Amazon reviewers write:

• 5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful read for those who love unusual and exotic travel

  Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2022
  A wonderful adventure following Joy and Al as they travel to some of the most out of the way and interesting places on the planet. Not only to you get to read about the interesting places and animals they see but Joy also provides interesting and historical context to many of the places they visit.
• Entertaining and delightful read.

  Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2022
  Joy captures her love of of life in this work. Take some hot tea and read away.
  -James C.
• Life experiences that span the globe in superior format

  Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2022
  Verified Purchase
  The author Joy Viola, decided to write this book detailing some of their many travel adventures as well as the myriad of activities that filled her husband's and her days when they were not “on the road.”
  
  She came to Boston with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in journalism and political science from the University of Minnesota. Her goal was to become a reporter for The Christian Science Monitor based in Boston.
  
  That summer she took their first of many camping trips out West. And she wrote the first of 46 diaries that she would subsequently write as they traveled to all seven continents during the following fifty years. 1969 is a date mentioned when they continued their pattern of taking camping trips.
  
  Descriptions detailing nature, geographical, historical, and culinary experiences as well as influential work-related experiences of both. She would tell of their experiences by horseback for two days through the woods, streams, snowfields, and up a shale mountainside. In 1971, Alfred and herself weren’t “fancy clientele”, just a couple who enjoyed out-of-the-way adventure. There followed ten days of hikes, rides, bridge games during snowstorms, explorations of wildflower-filled meadows. Birding and identifying species were a favourite experience.
  
  Experiences were clad with knowledge by her chemistry professor husband, his involvement with academia, nature explorations and interest in the tropics of especially what birders would fancy.
  The author's background and training in journalism and political science clearer her path to many academic, literary and socio-political and economy related ventures and events, with or without her husband.
  Scarlett Jensen
  1 February 2022
• heartwarming and inspiring

  Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2022
  Verified Purchase
  From Schnitzel to Nockerln: And Everything That Happened in Between by Joy Winkie Viola is a heart-warming life story of the author and her late husband. I loved how Joy wrote this book. It is extremely fascinating how she views her life, their life as a married couple, bird watchers, and travellers.
  
  It's a very light read in a sense that you would feel like you are not reading but actually listening to your relative or a very friendly neighbour who gives you cookies, telling stories of their fascinating adventures. I would assume she wrote a very detailed journal or has an impeccable memory, because reading this book brings you to the actual scene of her memory. I highly recommend this book and would read it again.
• A great page-turner.

  Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2022
  Verified Purchase
  This memoir took me to a ride of emotions from the very beginning and it’s absolutely a page- turner. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it and I’ve been thinking about it for days.
  Personally, I adore true stories and this one is shocking and mind blowing. The way in which author Joy Viola talks about her husband, the adventures they lived together and the places they traveled, changed my mind and she made me believe in real love. She writes in a very clear and relatable voice that I liked so much.
  It’s a must read for anyone who enjoy a touching real story. I can’t wait for more from this author. Bravo!