Joel Chanaca

Four-Time Global Book Awards–Winning Author | Veteran Game Warden | Field Operations Leader | Creator of the Frogman Puck Universe

Joel P. Chanaca is a four-time Global Book Awards–winning author and veteran game warden with more than 26 years of public service in Horry County, South Carolina. Throughout his career with natural resources, Joel has led complex field operations, coordinated multi-agency projects, and managed large-scale environmental initiatives, including abandoned-vessel recovery efforts that required collaboration among federal, state, and local partners.

Joel specializes in bringing structure to complex projects and helping diverse groups move from concept to completion together.

These same principles shape his writing.

Joel is the creator of the Frogman Puck Illustrated Novel Universe, a cinematic action-adventure series that blends immersive prose with gallery-quality artwork. His award-winning title, Frogman Puck: Origins – The Rising Tides, earned the Global Book Awards Gold Medal in Teen and Young Adult Action and Adventure for originality, craftsmanship, and impact.

His books occupy a unique space between traditional novels and graphic storytelling, engaging well-read adventure fans while also reaching visual learners and hesitant readers who benefit from momentum and immersive imagery. The format makes complex themes accessible without sacrificing depth.

At the center of both his professional life and his fiction is TIDES: teamwork, integrity, dedication, excellence, and service. Whether coordinating environmental recovery projects, mentoring young officers, building curriculum in a martial arts academy, or crafting a high-stakes story, Joel focuses on clear communication, shared responsibility, and finishing strong as a unified team.

A former School Resource Officer and founder of a Law Enforcement Explorer program, Joel has extensive experience speaking to students, mentoring young leaders, and presenting structured concepts in practical ways. He regularly communicates across agencies, contractors, educators, and community leaders, translating technical processes into actionable steps others can follow.

Through MJ Chanaca Publishing, he manages projects from concept to final production, overseeing writing, design, distribution, and multimedia marketing. His entrepreneurial work reflects the same discipline he teaches: begin with vision, execute with precision, and complete the mission with excellence.

Rooted in faith, stewardship, and intelligent design, Joel writes stories where courage is chosen, responsibility matters, and light confronts darkness. His work speaks to readers seeking purpose-driven adventure while modeling the power of coordinated effort and principled leadership.

Whether in the field, on stage, in the classroom, or on the page, Joel Chanaca builds systems, develops people, and tells stories that remind us great missions are never accomplished alone.