about Joy

Joy Riggs is the author of Crackerjack Bands and Hometown Boosters: The Story of a Minnesota Music Man (Nodin Press 2019), a book of memoir and biography about how music connects people across generations.

Her essays have appeared in numerous publications including Hippocampus Magazine, The Manifest-Station, and the Star Tribune. She lives in Northfield, Minnesota, where she writes about history, travel, and caring for aging parents.

Joy grew up in Alexandria, Minnesota, and graduated from Drake University in Des Moines with a bachelor's degree in news-editorial journalism. She spent several years as a newspaper reporter before becoming a freelance writer and editor.

If you’d like Joy to speak to your organization about her book, about writing, and/or about researching family history, contact her at writerjoyriggs@gmail.com.