Joe Palmer by Dickie Anderson

BY DICKIE ANDERSON PHOTO BY STEVE LEIMBERG, UNSEENIMAGES.COM

Joe Palmer, an Amelia Island author, has had an amazing life, and he uses his experiences and his love for his island home in his writing. His first book, A Mariner’s Tale, has won the praise of best-selling authors Cassandra King Conroy, wife of the late Pat Conroy, and Steve Berry, former chairperson of the Amelia Island Book Festival.

Originally from Waycross, Georgia, Palmer has been a newspaper reporter and the author of a folksy newspaper column, A Cup of Joe, that ran in the News-Leader for many years. Th e Bradenton Herald, Macon Telegraph and News, and Florida Times-Union have published his investigative pieces. One notable series focused on the large-scale killing of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins on the East Coast in 1987.

His Navy career as a medical corpsman brought him to Jacksonville in the early 1970s, where he ended up working as a surgeon’s assistant at a major medical center and meeting his wife, Pam. But his first love and passion has always been writing. He earned a B.A. with an emphasis on literature. While his writing has taken many forms, including investigative reporting, columnist, and novelist, his investigative skills led him to work for the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Tampa, Atlanta, Orlando, and Jacksonville before he retired in 2012.

His debut novel, A Mariner’s Tale, has lots of Palmer in it. A sailor always, he and his wife lovingly restored a 28-foot antique sailboat. They have spent many happy hours on the water enjoying the results of their hard work. The experience was incorporated into the storyline of his book. Many elements of the book’s setting are reminiscent of Amelia Island, including the occurrence of a hurricane.

He credits his love of writing to his high school English and creative writing teacher, who recognized his talent and encouraged him. Currently a professor at South Georgia State College, she has invited him to be a guest lecturer. He has also been invited by the English Department at the University of North Florida to be a guest lecturer for a postgraduate creative writing class.

A huge influence in his writing development has been his ongoing relationship with the Pat Conroy Literary Center and the annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival. A great fan of Pat Conroy’s writing, he has gotten to know Conroy’s wife, Cassandra King, and many of the people involved in the Literary Center. Contacts he met through the Literary Center were instrumental in the successful launch of his book, A Mariner’s Tale.

To say he has enjoyed retirement is an understatement. When not writing, Palmer might be found performing on the Amelia Musical Playhouse stage in shows such as Gypsy, Fiddler On the Roof, The Laugh-In Review, That 70s Thing, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Scrooge. His island days are filled with sailing, time on the beach, time with his sons and grandchildren, and lots and lots of writing. His enthusiasm for writing is evident at his book signings and when he gives presentations. He is well into his second book.

Palmer lives in Fernandina Beach with his wife, Pam, and their dog, Harley, which he lovingly describes as a “room-sized Great Dane.” What’s next for Joe Palmer? With a twinkle in his eye, he replies, “Stay tuned!”