Joseph Ball is a working-class voice author, a full-time retail manager, and a lifelong book lover who dreams of opening his own bookstore. He lives in the Dorset countryside with his wife, children, and two cats, where most days begin early, end late, and are built around family life.

Joseph grew up in Essex in the late 80s and 90s, and it is those formative years that inspired his debut novel Growing Pains. Drawing from lived experiences, Joseph has created a world that honours the people who helped him through, while shedding light on the silence that surrounds emotional abuse.

Growing Pains was written to show that not all wounds are visible, and not all children who suffer are noticed. It is a story for those who smile to keep the peace, whilst their trauma goes unseen.

Joseph hopes that this story might reach someone who needs to know they’re not alone, and that their voice and their stories matter too. A portion of profits from the book will be donated to child protection charities.