The other day, my husband, the talented pianist, was practicing a song from La La Land, “The Fools Who Dream.” I identify with that song. I am still, even at my age, one of those people who sees hope that all my dreams will come true.
There was a time in my life when I stopped dreaming. I became bitter and too self involved. Somehow, I crawled out of that hole and realized that life was all about living, not about looking backwards or having regrets. Now, I live in the moment but I never stop dreaming.
I once dreamt of writing books. I’ve written two complete novels. Now I dream that someday at least one of my manuscripts will be published, and I look forward to the next book I will write.
Let me introduce you to someone who is fulfilling her dreams, my friend, Amazon Best Selling author and four-time RONE Award Finalist, Linda Joyce. Linda writes women’s fiction and romance with 10 books to her name since 2013. She’s published through The Wild Rose Press and Word Works Press. Also, you’ll find her poetry and short memoirs within the pages of a several anthologies.
Linda believes in service and volunteering. She received the Service Award from the Heartland Romance Authors and was the newsletter editor for the Missouri Writers Guild. She served as Vice President of Whispering Prairie Press and the Creative Director of Kansas City Voices literary and art magazine. In Georgia, Linda served on the board of Southeastern Writers Association. Currently, she is the Hospitality Chairperson for Georgia Romance Writers.
A big fan of jazz and blues, Linda attributes her love of those musical genres to her southern roots, which run deep in Louisiana. She’s lived coast to coast courtesy of her father’s Air Force career. She wrote her first manuscript when she was twelve while living in Japan. In addition to being a book addict, Linda’s a foodie, an RVer, loves to kayak, and loves movies. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and General Beauregard, their four-legged boy, who believes Linda is his pet.
The “Yes” Disease and How It Shows Up in Bayou Brides by Linda Joyce
“She has the ‘Yes’ disease.”
That’s how my husband describes me. I say “Yes” to many things.
I learned the root cause of this affliction when I studied astrology, wanting to understand this constant driving force within me. There’s a lot of fire energy in my chart. It manifests as my burning (fire) need to be working on multiple projects, often at the same time. I get an idea, and I want to run with it—ASAP.
However, after losing my mom and two of my fur babies in 2016, I made a conscious decision to slow things down in 2017. I only scheduled three events—in March, June, and September. I didn’t make the event in March, Booking in Biloxi, because I fell on my tailbone trying to do too many things at once and couldn’t sit in the car to make the trip.
The Heart of Dixie Reader’s Luncheon took me to Huntsville, Alabama, and I was thrilled to meet new readers, and also the Keynote Speaker, Brenda Novak.
I planned for Penned Con the end of September. It’s an event in St. Louis with a thousand readers. I planned for a book release of a secret project I’ve been working on for Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, which will publish on November 1st with 100% of the proceeds to go to the charity. That book is Love Around the Table. I planned for my website redesign to launch in early September, but that hasn’t happened yet—maybe in October?
What I didn’t plan for was my publisher releasing Bayou Brides on October 4th.
It’s a good problem to have. But a challenge nonetheless. Making sure all my spinning plates in the air keep spinning from the last week of September through the first weekend in December will take a bit of work.
And as I move from one task to another to keep all these plates spinning, my husband shakes his head. Sadly, there isn’t a pill for the “Yes” disease.
It seems parts of me show up in my characters. In Bayou Brides, Nola Dutrey has a bit of a “Yes” disease. She works three jobs and facilitates a community band supported by charitable donations. She’s got a lot of spinning, and when she meets Rex Arceneau, he puts a whole new spin on life. And like me, she didn’t see it coming!
Bayou Brides’ tagline is Music is the heartbeat of love. The paragraph below is from the Amazon blurb.
Nola Dutrey is as dedicated to her jazz singing career as she is to her kids’ community band in New Orleans. When she meets her best friend’s brother, her heart beats with a newfound passion. But falling in love with someone whose life is in New York has no future. Restaurateur and music enthusiast Rex Arceneau is in town to settle his father’s estate. He must get the financials into the black before handing over the family restaurant to his sister. To reduce expenses—the weekend singer must go. However, he meets Nola, and their connection sizzles. When he hears her sing, he’s hooked. Nola’s torn between powerful attraction and life in New Orleans. Rex is determined to use music as a secret weapon to entice Nola north. Will she ever be a bride at Fleur de Lis or will life’s dissonant notes ruin their harmony and once-in-a-lifetime love?
And you can get your copy at:
Amazon: http://a.co/bXjWlNy Print Book: http://amzn.to/2y3jjzi
eBook: http://amzn.to/2glOL3P
Places to connect with Linda:
Website: http://www.linda-joyce.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaJoyceAuthor
Twitter: @LJWriter https://twitter.com/LJWriter
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Linda-Joyce/e/B00BODDROS/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/LindaJoyceWorld/boards/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrjZh-TMFbeN1k7BlWAAxeA
Newsletter: http://www.linda-joyce.com/newsletter/
Thank you so much, Linda.
See you at the end of the month,
Jody
Jody Herpin 