Joy McCullough studied playwriting at Northwestern University, where she won the Agnes Nixon Playwriting Award for her first play. Her plays have since been developed and produced in Chicago, New York, San Diego, and Seattle.

In Seattle her work has been seen at Macha Theater Works, FringeACT, Washington Ensemble Theatre, Mirror Stage Company, Live Girls, the Mae West Fest, 14/48, and Seattle Dramatists. She has taught playwriting at Seattle’s ACT, in San Diego at La Jolla Playhouse and the Old Globe Theatre, and at Seattle Pacific University. She is also an award-winning and NYT-bestselling author of books for young readers.