Joe goes from graduate to published writer

An idea for a novel that came to Teesside University graduate Joe J Walker while completing his degree has resulted in his first book reaching a best-selling list.

Joe, 24, started work on his book The Chains of Daisy while completing his BA (Hons) Film and Television. After initially developing the idea into a screenplay, Joe changed its format into a novel.

“It’s a love story based in New York which centres on lucid dreams,” said Joe, who is originally from Middlesbrough and now based in York.

“The Chains of Daisy was originally a screenplay, which I started writing in 2019 in the second year of my degree. I knew while writing, that the budget for the film would be far bigger than I could get funding for. So, I decided to continue writing the screenplay alongside the novelisation.

“That way I could still get my story out there, all while knowing that if people enjoyed it enough, there’s always a possibility that it could be adapted to a feature film one day.”

Joe added: “I’ve wanted to be a filmmaker since I was around six years old. I can vividly remember accidentally stumbling upon a behind the scenes special of the film E.T. Before that, I was unaware of the process of filmmaking, so naturally watching Spielberg direct made me fall in love with cinema even more than I already had.

“I’ve always had an affinity for romance, whether it’s in films, books or even in my life. Naturally, I felt drawn to that kind of story. The main character Alden is very similar to me and a lot of the events throughout the novel are variations of things that have happened in my life but with a fictional twist.”

Joe published his book through Amazon, securing a place among the platform’s best performing e-books and has also been accepted for expanded distribution to several High Street bookstores.

He said: “When the book was published, I assumed I’d get a few sales, mainly through friends and family. I could never have imagined it would do this well. I’m beyond grateful for how many people have ordered copies. Considering it’s my first book the reviews have been wonderful so far and I am still in a state of disbelief most of the time when people tell me what they enjoyed about the book.”

Although he’s had early success as a novelist, Joe says his passion remains in filmmaking, adding: “I don’t plan on writing another book. I consider myself a filmmaker and will continue to do everything I can to make my directing dream become a reality.”

Joe was among graduates who returned to Teesside University this month to celebrate academic achievement in our ceremonies held to mark the success of students who were due to graduate in 2020 and 2021 but were unable to due to the restrictions of the pandemic.

He said: “Teesside University definitely had a huge hand in shaping me into who I am today. Before my studies, I was a very shy, vulnerable and introverted person who didn’t have many friends. I was afraid of stepping out my comfort zone, I’ll be forever grateful for the friendships I made during my studies. They provided the opportunity for me to come out of my shell and really push myself to become not only a better filmmaker, but a better person.

“The social aspect of the film and television degree was definitely something I’m grateful for. I was able to meet like-minded individuals who helped to bring me out of my comfort zone, which is something I’ll never take for granted.”

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