Painted Turtle Press is the imprint that Joanne uses for self-publishing. Big Blue Sky Haiku and Reflections is her most recent publication and the first one published by Painted Turtle Press. All five poetry collections are available from Joanne. Contact her at morcomj@telus.net for ordering information.

Joanne chose the name Painted Turtle for several reasons. The turtle symbolizes creativity, endurance, luck, persistence, protection, and longevity in many cultures. In Japan, the turtle is magic and unites heaven and earth, with its shell representing heaven and its square underside representing earth. Also, turtle symbolism relays the message that slow and steady wins the race. Never give up!

Turtles live on every continent except Antarctica. In Alberta, the Western Painted Turtle is the only native representative of the pond turtle family. These little turtles make the most of Alberta’s lovely summers, and take cover during the winter months, just like their human counterparts! Furthermore, despite their small size painted turtles are an important part of the local ecosystem. And haiku poems, despite their small size, are an important part of the literary landscape.