REcap of Joynd Together Young Authors Conference 2023

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The Joynd Together Young Authors Conference was an exciting day of creativity and inspiration! This in-person event was held at Sioux Center High School in Sioux Center, IA. Aspiring young authors in grades 3-12, educators, and community members met and learned from Mr. Daniel Nayeri, an award-winning author. Community members were invited to hear the opening session at 9am as Mr. Nayeri shared his compelling story of faith. This was followed by breakfast book signing, and writing workshop with Mr. Nayeri for all student participants. Participants  also had an opportunity to collaborate with one another about their writing.  

Daniel Nayeri was born in Iran and spent a couple of years as a refugee before immigrating to Oklahoma at age eight with his family. His autobiographical novel, Everything Sad is Untrue (a true story) was the winner of the Michael L. Printz Award, the Christopher Medal, and the Middle Eastern Book Award. He is a former publisher, editor, and pastry chef. When he is not traveling in an Airstream in one of America's great National Parks, he lives with his family near Charlotte, NC.

His groundbreaking book, EVERYTHING SAD IS UNTRUE (a true story) is a sprawling, evocative, and groundbreaking autobiographical novel told in the unforgettable and hilarious voice of a young Iranian refugee. It is a powerfully layered novel that poses the questions: Who owns the truth? Who speaks it? Who believes it?

“A patchwork story is the shame of the refugee,” Nayeri writes early in the novel. In an Oklahoman middle school, Khosrou (whom everyone calls Daniel) stands in front of a skeptical audience of classmates, telling the tales of his family’s history, stretching back years, decades, and centuries. At the core is Daniel’s story of how they became refugees—starting with his mother’s vocal embrace of Christianity in a country that made such a thing a capital offense, and continuing through their midnight flight from the secret police, bribing their way onto a plane-to-anywhere. Anywhere becomes the sad, cement refugee camps of Italy, and then finally asylum in the U.S. Implementing a distinct literary style and challenging western narrative structures, Nayeri deftly weaves through stories of the long and beautiful history of his family in Iran, adding a richness of ancient tales and Persian folklore.

Mr. Nayeri will lead our group in improv writing activities and share about memoir writing and his compelling story of faith. We are privileged to host a speaker and writer of his caliber and are eager to welcome young writers and educators from all over Northwest Iowa to this exciting event. 

Participants in grades 3-12 were encouraged to submit a piece of writing for submission to our writing challenge. The writing piece  incorporated the theme "Everything Sad Is Untrue." At Joynd Together, we believe we were created by a God who is rescuing, redeeming, and restoring all of creation. Christianity offers a contentment and joy not based on changing circumstances. As believers we know our bad things will turn out for good (Rom 8:28) our good things can't be taken from us (Eph 1:3) and the best things are yet to come (1 Jn 3:1-3). Students created a piece of writing (poem or short story) that reflected this theme.