Hi,
My
name is L. B. Joyce. I am the author of the series, Twelve Months, Twelve Love
Stories. So far, there are 6 books in the series with A January to Remember,
the latest published in December of 2019.
I
am a freelance artist by day, with Christmas ornaments my specialty, and a
writer by night. I also participated in quite a few recipe contests over the
years. (a finalist in the Pillsbury Bake-Off 2008, 2010 and 2012, Betty Crocker
and Nestles, to name a few.) I’ve lived in the Northeast suburbs of Cleveland,
Ohio, for my entire life. For the past thirty years or so, I’ve lived in the
city of Chagrin Falls.
One
can’t help but imagine Chagrin Falls as the perfect little town for the set of
a romance movie. For those of you who’ve had the chance to visit, you know what
I’m talking about. For those of you who haven’t, you should make it a point to
stop by and spend a day with us. I know you’d love the small-town atmosphere.
And yes, as indicated in the name, there actually is a falls. As a matter of
fact, there are two – one is natural, the other man made. I’m surprised the
Hallmark channel hasn’t found us yet.
So,
even though the first book of the series (A Million Decembers) was set in
Chicago, this changed when Kevin, the brother of one of the main characters in
that story gets a call to play baseball for Cleveland’s professional baseball
team. From that point on, all the stories have taken place in the Cleveland
area. And this is where I intend to keep them. Since all of the characters have
become so close and their numbers have grown, each with their own distinct and
lovable personalities, I couldn’t possibly shake up their lives and move them
somewhere else. This would be unthinkable.
When
I first started working on A Million Decembers, a process that took me over two
years to finish, I had no intention of turning it into a series. Nope, I was
going to write one book, get it out of my system and leave it at that. But when
the few people I let read my manuscript suggested I keep the story going, I
thought, why not? Believe me, I more than questioned that decision in the very
beginning. What had made me think I’d be able to write twelve books? Was I out
of my mind? But here I am, ready to start on book seven and still going strong.
A
January to Remember is probably my favorite of what I’ve
written
so far. But then I think this about every book when I finish it, something I’m
sure most authors will agree. The process of leaving behind the characters you’ve
nurtured for so long, to jump right in to the next story, can be hard. Really
hard. This is why I love writing a series. The characters never really leave,
popping up, here and there, to help carry on the stories that follow.
Chester,
who makes an appearance in the second book, For the Love of July,
is
the one character who’s been my inspiration in writing this series. He’d
probably
be very pleased to hear this since he really didn’t come across as a
good
guy in the beginning. Since then, he’s made an appearance in almost every new
story, always encouraged by Sophie, the love of his life and the woman he
claims changed his life. If a situation starts
to get out of hand or there’s a problem to be solved, he’s right there to set
things straight. But more importantly, he’s proof that love can conquer all. He
also good at bringing humor into the mix, since most of the time, he just
doesn’t get it. But don’t worry, Sophie is always there to guide him.
Humor
is something I’ve made sure to include in my writing. After all, one can’t be
serious all of the time. Especially when it comes to falling in love. A little
humor can get you through the worst of times. Ask Chester, he’ll agree.
I
love writing in the romance genre because I love the happy ending that is always
a mainstay of each story. I don’t know about you, but when I read a book or
watch a movie, I want the satisfaction of knowing everything turns out well in
the end. And with the huge following the romance genre draws, it appears I’m
not the only one who feels this way. If you stop to think of all the movies
made over the years, you’ll be hard pressed not to find a romance of some kind
worked into the story line. There are also so many sub-genres in the romance category,
enough to fit everyone’s own personal taste. It’s great to have so many
choices.
I
have only been on this journey for the past five years and I’m still happily
writing, possibly now more than before. And, yes, there are times I sit in
front of my computer, my mind having gone completely blank. Or I read over what
I’ve written, wondering why I ever thought I could call myself a writer. But
after taking a short break, maybe a long walk or time spent on my current art
project, I’m ready to jump back in.
So…
to anyone who’s thinking about writing a book, I say go for it. Most of us tend
to spend too much time self-doubting ourselves, getting hung up on too many
little details instead of enjoying what we’ve accomplished.
So,
take that leap like I did. Sit down and start writing. And when you’re not
writing, read everything you can about writing, publishing and marketing.
Connect with other authors and learn from what they have to say. Remember your goal is not to become famous,
only to bring out what you maybe didn’t know you had inside, just waiting to
come out.
One
last thing, whenever I tell someone I’m a writer (as you can probably tell, I’m
still having a hard time referring to myself as an author), the most common
response is they’ve always thought of writing a book, too. If you can relate to
this, then stop thinking.
Just
do it.
Take
care and happy reading,
Linda
A
January to Remember - Twelve Months, Twelve Love Stories - Book 6
Blurb
It’s
been said third time’s a charm and Hannah Michaels was only hours
away
from making this happen. After a misunderstanding, an unexpected departure and
too much time lost before and after, she was more than ready. The first real
date Sean had promised was about to happen.
But
then she did something so incredibly stupid. While out for a run, she stepped
out in front of a speeding motorcycle. Sailing head-first into a parked car,
she was suddenly left with no recollection of the last two years of her life. Unfortunately,
Sean fell into this void.
Even
though Sean Young had been next in line to take over his family’s cattle ranch
in Australia, baseball had always been his first love. His goal to play
professionally was realized when an offer by Cleveland had him leaving the
ranch and his family behind to fulfill this dream.
Never
did he expect to take one look at Hannah and have her steal his heart. Nor,
after returning from an unexpected trip home due to a family emergency, did he
think he’d have to start all over again, proving the love they’d shared before
her memory loss was still the real thing.
Will
this third time become that promised charm? Will Sean’s persistence pay off?
Another
captivating addition to this series, A January to Remember is a love story you
won’t want to end. A true romance at its best.
See
why so many romance novel enthusiasts are hooked on this series and the cast of
characters. True romance at its best, get caught up in their stories. Find out
who will be the next to fall in love.
Buy Links to A January to
Remember:
Link to the series, Twelve Months, Twelve Love Stories -
Author Social Media Links
Website - https://www.lbjoyceauthor.com
Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/L.-B.-Joyce/e/B01N2AFD4L/
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