Trusting God's Guidance Through Life's Detours: JoLynne Lyon's Story - Latter-Day Lights

Can God still guide your life when your dreams seem to be on hold?

In this week’s episode of Latter-Day Lights, Scott and Darla sit down with author and Storymakers Winner, JoLynne Lyon, who shares how a lifelong passion for creativity and writing often took a backseat to raising children, building a career, and caring for her aging parents. As she navigated the demands of family life, the loss of a sister, and years of caregiving, JoLynne wrestled with the tension between pursuing personal dreams and showing up for the people who needed her most.

Through it all, she learned to trust that Heavenly Father’s timing was different from her own. JoLynne reflects on the unexpected doors that opened when she chose family over career advancement, the lessons she learned about success beyond money and recognition, and how her dream of becoming a published author ultimately came true in a season she never could have planned. She also shares the story behind her novel, The Madres Deal, and the real-life experiences that inspired its unique premise.

Her story is a heartfelt reminder that God’s plans are often still unfolding, even when our own seem delayed.

*** Please SHARE JoLynne's story and help us spread hope and light to others. ***

To WATCH this episode on YouTube, visit: https://youtu.be/flzGRCZy52w

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To READ JoLynne’s book, “The Madres Deal,” visit: https://a.co/d/0710IFqq

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To READ Scott’s new book “Faith to Stay” for free, visit: https://www.faithtostay.com/

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Transcript

Intro

Scott Brandley 0:00

Hey everyone, I'm Scott Brandley.

Darla Brandley 0:02

And I'm Darla Brandley. Every member of the church has a story to share, one that can instill faith, invite hope, and inspire others.

Scott Brandley 0:10

On today's episode, we're going to hear how a woman who gave up her career and her creative life learned that Heavenly Father still had a plan for her, just on a different schedule than the one she wanted. Welcome to Latter Day Lights.

Welcoming JoLynne Lyon to the show

Scott Brandley 0:42

Welcome, Jolynne.

JoLynne Lyon 0:44

Hi, thank you.

Scott Brandley 0:45

Yeah, we're so glad you're here. Where are you coming from? Where do you live in this part of the world?

JoLynne Lyon 0:52

I live in northern Utah, extreme northern Utah, pretty close to the Idaho border.

Scott Brandley 0:59

Awesome. How long have you lived up there for?

JoLynne Lyon 1:02

More than 30 years. Yeah. Longer than I've lived anywhere else. So we really like it. It's a great. Yeah.

Scott Brandley 1:11

Okay. So uh why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, Jillian?

JoLynne in a nutshell

JoLynne Lyon 1:16

Um, so I am a wife, a mom, a grandmother. Um, and I am also what I call a PR type. I do public relations and marketing. I work up at Utah State University currently. Um, and I'm also recently an author uh under the name JJ Lion. So that's a little bit about what I do. Um, also, we live kind of out in the country, so uh gardening is a huge thing for us, and so is cooking pizza. We have an outdoor pizza oven. So delicious.

Scott Brandley 1:55

Yes, it's really good. Awesome. When your tomatoes get in season, we'll come over and visit.

JoLynne Lyon 2:01

Oh, and that honestly is the best time to do a pizza night because the herbs are on. Yeah, it's it's wonderful. So beautiful.

Scott Brandley 2:10

Sounds amazing. Well, I know that um your book is part of your story, and so we'd love to have you share that with us. So why don't you tell us where

JoLynne on channeling creativity as a young mother

Scott Brandley 2:20

your story begins?

JoLynne Lyon 2:22

Um actually, I was thinking about this quite a bit. You know, I've always wanted to be creative, you know, it's it's something that's always been a really big part of my life, and I just remember what a struggle it was for me as a young mother. Um, trying to find an outlet for that creativity when you have small children. Um I played piano at the time a lot better than I do now, unfortunately. But um even playing piano was really difficult. You know, I would sit down and I would have help with that. I'd have help typing if I was writing. That was the other thing that I was really big into. And so um it was really kind of a hard and frustrating thing for me as a young mother to figure out what to do with all this creativity. And, you know, I do have to add that I was fortunate enough to be home with my children. And I know that that it wasn't easy then. It's probably harder now, you know, but it was a choice that we made and it's something that we really tried to do. Um, but we weren't very rich for sure. And um anyway, so I just had a lot of creative things kind of bubbling inside, but didn't really know what to do with them or or how to find time for them. And that was kind of difficult. But um I also learned just maybe some new ways to channel it. Like um, I started taking pictures, and this was back in the days when it was, you know, F-stops and uh, you know, a real camera, a real single lens reflex film camera, you know. So I started playing with that a little bit. I I don't want to overplay it. I wasn't great, you know, but it did give me a bit of an outlet, and it was something that I could do with my kids. I could pack them up in the car and we could go um on an outing and and shoot pictures. And of course, I took pictures of them as well. And um, that was something that really added a lot to my life later. Um, although I don't really, I've never really considered myself a photographer. It was something that gave me a good creative outlet and it was fun and kind of, I think, helped tide me over until I was maybe more able to sit down and write. The other thing that I kind of channeled that into was all these home improvements that I'm learning how to do. Um, I learned to do so many things myself, you know. I learned to texture walls, and of course, I'm painting and um refinishing furniture, all of that I think was was really helpful.

Scott Brandley 5:14

Um well, instead of us coming to your house, why don't you come to our house?

JoLynne Lyon 5:19

Oh the other thing that I should, you know, make clear here is I had energy. So true. When you were young, we've kind of sat down and we said, what would it be like if you had time and money and energy, you know, all those all three things at the same time. But yeah, um, but yeah, it was great that I was able to do those things. Um and as time went on, I was also able to write a little bit, and but not as much as I wanted to, you know, I really wanted to devote a lot more time to it. And I remember being frustrated about it and even praying about it, and just getting the feeling that the time will come, you know, the season will come, and that I just remembered my grandmother who had lived until she was nearly 100 years old, and that's a lot of time, you know. That is a lot of time to fill. And I definitely don't want to run out of things to do and still have a lot of life left, you know what I'm saying? So that was one thing that just kind of helped keep me going. And then, you know, the kids started going to school. I had a little more time to write. Um, I also went back to work, and that was a really good experience for me. Um, it was something that helped me gain some more confidence. And I'm really glad that my kids were able to see me put myself out there. You know, I was still in those early years able to come home pretty close to the time that they got home from school. And so we were able to um have that time together. And it was really fun, actually, for all of us to come home at the same time and and talk and share what we did with the day. Uh so I started writing more then, and just for me, and I don't mean to make it sound like it's the same for everybody, but for me, um when I'm writing, I I write fiction, and and so this idea will come, and it just kind of follows me around, you know, everywhere I go, and um doesn't leave me alone until it's written down. And then, you know, there's all the editing and everything that you go through with that. Um, but I I had those ideas coming and they were following me around, and I was writing them down, and it was super fun. Uh I wrote a bunch of short stories and then started working on a novel or two, and

JoLynne wins a grand prize at the Storymakers Conference for her writing

JoLynne Lyon 8:00

things really seemed to be going well. I was seeing more success at work, I was working more hours, the kids were older, so I felt like I could work more hours. And so I don't know if you guys have heard of Storymakers. Have you heard of that? It's a conference for writers. Yeah. Yeah. Um I believe it was 2012, it might have been 2011. Um, I won the grand prize for like the first chapter contest in Story Makers. And uh at the time it just seemed like the first step into this big, exciting writing world, you know, it's just this. Um if you're from Utah and you're a writer, you've probably heard of it. If you're not from Utah, you probably haven't heard of it. But for me, it seemed like this big deal. And um, so I finished up that manuscript and um was just really excited to get going onto

JoLynne’s sister and father’s health declines + future plans fall through

JoLynne Lyon 9:00

this this next chapter. It's what I'd always wanted to do. Uh my parents were serving a mission at the time in Ohio, I think. Iowa, sorry, I get them mixed up. Uh so they were in Iowa, and my sister was she was ill with terminal cancer. So all of these things were going on. I took a new job that was really demanding, um, many more hours than I'd worked before. And I was just sure I was gonna do it all. You know, I had this manuscript that was nearly done. I had a new job, and I just figured, okay, you know, we're gonna make it all fit, it's all gonna work. Um and then my parents had to come home from their mission, and it's because my dad's health was starting to fail, and we didn't know it at the time, but he had Parkinson disease, and so it was starting to affect his mobility and and his overall health. There were some other things that were going along at the same time. Uh, so he came home, and right after that, my sister went into hospice and within days passed away. So we were all there. Um, I have quite a large family. I'm number six out of eight children, and and so we were gathered there in in Laramie, Wyoming. And it it was my first feeling, you know, that things were going to change, and and indeed they were. Um and I remembering that time, I I just remember actually my my husband and I went out to dinner, and there was a band. I I think this was right after we came. No, it was right before my sister passed. Anyway, there was a a live band playing at this restaurant where we went to eat. And so we were dancing, and they they sang the song about um have you ever seen the rain coming down on a sunny day? And that was so exactly how it felt, you know. And um so we had kind of that that rainy time and a sunny day, and uh some other things also didn't quite go as planned. Uh the job was very demanding and very stressful. Uh, if I'm honest with myself, not a great fit for myself and and what I was doing at the time. And but I kept trying to make it work. I stuck with it for three years, um, trying to make it work. And um I did find a publisher for the manuscript, but they went under because um, and they had been around for several years, but it was at the time that everybody was rushing to self-publish. And and I kind of joined that wave too. Um, once my publisher went under, I was like, okay, that's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna be in charge of this thing. And uh was was not a runaway success. You know, I I will be honest, it uh it didn't do nearly as great as I'd hoped, and and I had like contracted out for everything for the marketing and and everything, and I I know now what questions I would ask if that had if that were to happen again, I I would ask a lot more and better questions, but you know, at the time sometimes experience is needed to get there, yeah. Yeah, yeah, definitely. And um, but I was also pretty distracted with the things that were happening at home, and I want to be clear, I was never a full-time caregiver. Um, that was my mom, and I honor her so much for the role that she played. And and also my dad, it was such a huge change for him. He was a very um authoritative person, and all of a sudden he's dealing with this debilitating situation, and uh not only was it affecting his mobility, it was starting to affect his thinking and his memory. And um yeah, just lots of changes going on at the same time. So I am working full time, I'm dealing with medical emergencies, I'm leaving my calling uh to go to the emergency room, or or I'm staying up late. I I learned more about the emergency room after midnight in that time of my life than I ever wanted to know. Um so that was going on, and and uh I I've told this story before,

JoLynne accidentally locks herself out of her car

JoLynne Lyon 14:20

so um apologies if anyone listening has already heard this, but I just remember one morning uh I went to work and unlocked my keys in my car, and I felt so stupid, and and I hadn't even gone into work when I realized that I did that. And at the time, campus police um they had been willing to come and and get people out of their cars or or into their cars, I guess, if they had locked their keys in their car up until that point. But they were publicly saying, we're not gonna do this anymore. You have to call a locksmith. But I called campus police anyway, and they did come and bail me out. And I was just so grateful. A really kind officer came. I don't know his name, I wish I did, that he came and he got me into my car. By the way, I think they might be more open to helping people out with that now, but at the time they were trying to shut it down. And and uh anyway, so he came and he led me into the car, and he said, uh, you've probably got a lot on your mind, huh? And I just didn't, I couldn't even say anything. I could because the night before I'd been in the ER until you know the wee hours of the morning, and uh just so grateful for kind people, you know, and and I really I think we all strive to be like that and we all struggle. Maybe we're not that person all the time, but boy, it's great when you can be that person if somebody's that's having the kind of day that I was having then. Uh

JoLynne walks away from her career + becomes a caregiver for her parents

JoLynne Lyon 16:05

anyway, as I kept going forward, I just realized this is not working, you know, this this career thing and writing thing and helping mom and dad out. Oh, and by the way, I still have kids at home. You know, I am very much a mother. And uh my daughter was uh by then my oldest daughter had gotten married, and my son was on a mission, but I did still have one daughter at home, and I just kind of felt like she was getting the worst of everything, you know. She she wasn't getting her mom's attention as much as I wanted to give it to her. And so husband and I talked about it, and and we did the math, you know, we kind of sat down and said, okay, well, here's what it's gonna cost to just live our lives every month, and this is what we're taking in. And and um, so here's my plug for keeping your debt level down, your debt load down, because we decided I could do it, I could just walk away. So I did. And uh before I walked away, I did kind of look for some part-time work, and I just couldn't make it work for um, I don't know if it was pride or or if it was just me being practical, but some of these part-time gigs, I I knew I could um do a good job with them, but they used a small part of my skill set. They were more intended for someone that was just early in their career, and they didn't pay anything. You know, there was one of them that I was like, Are you kidding? I have paid students more than that. You know, and I just at the end of that interview, I felt so bad. You know, I I think it was just a poor communication that we got that far into it before I realized what they were paying. But then I I called my husband and I said, I am so sorry. They told me what they would pay, and I just couldn't do it. And he said, that was a slap, and I don't think you should. And so I I was really lucky, you know, that I that's another plug that I would just put in, you know, the good relationships that you have in your life. They just they mean a lot all the time, but especially in a time like that, it was so good to have that kind of support. And anyway, so I quit. But on my last day, I had three offers of people saying, Can you do some work for me, even though you're quitting at your job? And two of those three offers turned into a real gig, and it just kind of started a new thing for me. I I was only a solo operator for three years, but it gave me some wonderful flexibility. It really it replaced a lot of our the income that we lost, not all of it, but a lot of it. And it gave me this wonderful flexibility that now I was able to, for example, my daughter was just super into debate. I was able to travel with her um and be a judge at all of these different debate meets. And it it was just so cool that I was able to do that and also be home and see my parents. Um, I think everybody that has been involved in caregiving, you know, whether you're the 100% full-time caregiver or the respite care for a parent or or whatever it is, you know that there are good days and bad days, right? Um there are really hard days, but also there are good ones, you know, and I was able to be there for those. And there's just only so many years that you can do that, only so much time that you have for that. Uh I remember my parents did live in a retirement community, so they had meal support, and they had people that would help them with cleaning and stuff. So they had that kind of support, and that was wonderful. Um, they also had bands come in and play, and they had bingo night, and I went to bingo, and you know, I I had so much fun. I I wasn't sure that I could ever really communicate it to other people that weren't in that world, but I was just so glad that I could be there and enjoy that time with my parents. So uh, so that was my my single operator, solo operator days.

Scott Brandley 20:58

And uh that's

When one door closes, another door opens

Scott Brandley 21:00

amazing how one door opens and another, yeah, one door closes and another door opens, right?

JoLynne Lyon 21:05

I mean, yes, yes, and thank you for bringing that up because I really feel like uh we were doing a lot of praying at the time and a lot of thought and meditation and you know, just trying to find the right solutions. And I really feel like the timing was uh that Heavenly Father helped with that, you know. Yeah. Um because quitting a job cold turkey, that that was a bit of a leap. I I mean we were sure that we could do it, right? We we had run those numbers and we were sure we could do it, but uh I I did not expect things to turn out as well as they did. Um and I'll never say a bad thing about that period in my life that we were able to have that kind of flexibility. Um and then shortly.

JoLynne’s father passes away + JoLynne gets an idea for a fictional book

JoLynne Lyon 22:00

Shortly after I guess it wasn't that shortly. It was a couple years. My dad passed away, and that that was hard, you know. Um we we grieve everyone, I think, in in different ways. And and as I came out of that grieving, this idea just started following me around and wouldn't leave me alone. And again, I don't know how the creativity thing works for other people. Um for me, it's very much it's not just about time, you know. And I have heard writers talk about this, and I respect them so much that they can just go and sit down and write, even if they don't have the muse whispering in their ear, you know, they can still still sit down and write. And um it's not that I stopped writing through that time, but the create those creative voices, you know, uh that creative juice just didn't seem to flow when I was worried about other things. It it just took too much mental space. Uh, definitely I would write about what I was experiencing and how I felt. And um super therapeutic, I I totally recommend it, but nothing that I would want to show anybody. And so it was really kind of fun to have another fiction idea come along. And and this one was a middle grade, which I have never done before, and it's hard, by the way. But I I started working on it, it was really fun, and um even started sending it out like to agents and stuff, and then I was praying and kind of got the feeling that maybe my attention would need to go somewhere else for a little while, and that didn't stop me. I I kept submitting and and editing, and so anyone that's done this knows what I'm talking about, probably. It's just this endless cycle. By the way, when you when you submit stuff, like you send it to an agent or uh an editor, whatever, um, you're really lucky if you get even one reason why they didn't accept it, you know. It it's um it's a real exercise in believing in yourself and figuring things out on your own. And uh anyway, so I was in the middle of that, and then my mom got really sick, and uh

JoLynne’s mother gets sick + JoLynne gets published with Cedar Fort

JoLynne Lyon 24:45

so we spent we spent probably several months to a year um working through some of those health issues, and you know, I won't go into a lot of detail. It it was a recurring thing, you know. We we thought we had it fixed and it wasn't fixed, and you know, a lot of going in and out of the hospital. I am just once again so glad I was there and that I had the flexibility to help with that. Um I had really wanted for my mom after my dad passed away. I she was the most amazing woman and and the most giving woman. And I thought, wow, you know, if I could give her another five years where she could just do what she wanted, you know, that that would just be the best thing. And and so I really wanted those five years for her. I wasn't sure we were gonna get them though. It it was really a difficult thing. And um I I remember once I was taking her, I thought, to I think a chiropractor appointment or something. Anyway, I came and picked her up and I could tell immediately that something serious was wrong. And I said, Well, I think we better go to the emergency room instead, and we did, and she didn't remember any of that later. She she barely even remembered me picking her up, but um, she was she had an infection going on that was really serious, and uh we were able to get her to the hospital, and I I guess to make a long story short, we were able to get that problem under control. It it took a year, but we were able to do it. Um it it cropped up again once or twice, but but it was controllable. And um, so I I'm trying to think how many years did she have? She had more than five years after my dad passed. And again, what a gift. You know, it was such a great thing. Um, I was in her apartment talking to her and saying this is after COVID. So, so all of this happened before COVID, and then COVID happened and and um couldn't really make a lot of changes, you know, when that was going on. So after COVID, I went in and talked to her and I said, Do you want a different living arrangement? Do you do you want to move in with one of us, you know, one of your kids, or do you want to do anything different? And she said, I want to get married. Totally. I I mean, this was so out of the blue. I had no idea that you know, COVID, a lot of things happened, you know. And she did. She got married, and um wow, and that relationship gave her a lot of joy. Um, it was only for a year and a half before she passed, but I'm really glad, you know, they they found each other, and I think they they lifted each other, and he has passed away since as well, since then. But yeah, that was just another great thing that that happened. Um, and eventually I went back to work. I'm I'm doing more career lady stuff now, you know. Um, I shouldn't say back to work, I was working before, but uh the the organization, three of my biggest contracts were with that organization, and they wanted me to have a login so that I could start doing more involved things, and and so I came back and worked for them and and they're wonderful. I I can't say a bad thing about it. But uh anyway, I just kind of had those those three years and and another idea started following me around about covet time. And and um yeah, now it's now it's out in the world. It's published with Cedar Forge. So so anyway, I

JoLynne on currently living the dream

JoLynne Lyon 29:15

and I guess that's that's the thing that I've just wanted to tell everybody is uh for one thing, so success. Like I I can't say that I'm this runaway success, right? You know, I've I've done the things that I wanted to do though, and I am living the dream because I am I've always wanted to write, I've always wanted to be published. Um, those dreams did come true for me. And um I just wish that in our society we could talk more about the value of things that are not money, you know, time, sanity, family, those last precious years with parents or or with a child before she graduates, you know, all of those things are just so important. And I just feel so so blessed, you know. And and I I was hesitating before I said that word because I feel like blessed can be such a cliche, but it really is, it really has been my experience, and I'm so grateful for that. So yeah, that's my story.

Scott Brandley 30:28

I love that.

Darla Brandley 30:29

That

Balancing creativity with family

Darla Brandley 30:30

was wonderful. I loved that it's to each in its season, right? And to like, you know, when you're young and having little kids, sometimes that creative thing is it's just not happening at that moment, and it's okay because you're doing something good too, but you still have it. That's not the the only part of your life, right? Like then they grow up and they do their own things, and then you have this whole section that's filled with the things that you know make you happy.

JoLynne Lyon 30:59

And but I am glad that you brought that up because I I don't want to leave anyone with the impression that those those years with my young children was were drudgery. Oh no, of course not. I feel the same way. Oh, oh yeah, I think I think anybody that's been through it totally gets it, right? You know, we've all it's hard. Yeah, it's it's not easy, it's hard, but it is absolutely 100% worth it, and it's not always acknowledged, you know, um, or appreciated, um, except for Mother's Day, maybe, but you know, um having said that, I feel like those years that I spent with my kids were that's money in the bank, you know, uh except that nobody can take it away, you know, it's there. And and it's the experience that we had. And um I I'm just so glad that we were able to do it. And and again, this was my experience. I don't want to say that it's the only way that you can have an experience, or you know, Heavenly Father blesses us all in so many different ways, and we're all in so many different circumstances, and you know, gosh, I I never want to say, oh, I'm special, I I'm lucky. And I I think Heavenly Father will help everyone that that comes to him and says, What's the best time for this, you know, or or

Scott on the power of gratitude

JoLynne Lyon 32:35

yeah.

Scott Brandley 32:36

Well, the thing I like about your story is you, you know, like sometimes we forget to be grateful for our even the hard times in our life, right? The the struggles, um, when we think things are hard, when we have to make a sacrifice and we don't know how it's gonna happen, and then somehow it works out, right? I think gratitude is one of those things that I mean it can heal a lot of of wounds, it can help us to really appreciate what we have, even when things are hard. Yeah, and you know, I think you you are a great example of of showing gratitude and just being grateful for for where you and honestly.

JoLynne Lyon 33:28

Like I'm I'm like, oh, I'm an example, I'm not sure. You know, I'm really not, but but um, you know, if other people hear this, if somebody's in one of those moments, I I hope they know that Heavenly Father is there for them too.

Scott Brandley 33:46

Yeah, and you can be grateful for that, right? You can be grateful to know that Heavenly Father is there when things are hard, but also when things are good, yeah. And um, I think that's great. One of the things that I'm struggling with that you kind of talked

Time has a price

Scott Brandley 34:00

about is time. Um, I work a lot, and uh I've realized that that has a price, and I'm I'm trying to change my life so that I can be more present in the moment and not continually like thinking like if I do more now, it'll be worth it later. That's and that's something that I'm personally struggling with with that. I know from your story that you've struggled with too.

JoLynne Lyon 34:30

Oh yeah, yeah. Um good luck. You know, I could predict ever. My my best um advice is just you know pray for the right timing and for the right answers, and yeah, and be brave, you know. That's the other thing. I I don't think of myself as a naturally brave person. So uh, you know, part of it is getting the answer, part of it is having the courage to act on it, and that's that's big.

Scott Brandley 35:06

So that is true.

Why did JoLynne start writing fiction?

Scott Brandley 35:10

Wow. Well, this has been super fun. Tell us about so you you mentioned that you like to write fiction and that you've written some books, and then you just published a fiction book. So I'd love to know why fiction, first of all, and then tell us tell us about your new book.

JoLynne Lyon 35:28

Okay, so why fiction? Um, in the early days of my career, you know, like the time in the trenches, right after I graduated from from college, I was a small town reporter. So I was writing and it was really dry. Well, well, no, I I tried not to make it dry. I really did. Yeah. And um moved into features, which I really did enjoy. But um through that, I kind of discovered how fun it was when you didn't have to make a story fit the facts. Like what really happened? That's terrible, isn't it? Like, but I really did, you know, as a reporter, I really did. I I quoted people accurately. I I worked really hard to try to get the story right. And, you know, that's a whole other topic. I mean, we could talk for a long time about the difference between truth and perception and all of that. But, you know, I I really did strive for all of that, and it it was hard. And but fiction was so fun, it was just really a fun thing, and so I really had that desire to write fiction, uh, you know, even back then. And uh, so the the idea that kind of gripped me, and and I've actually written two characters now, but it does go back to my fiction days or my reporting days. Uh, when you interview people, you may know this. Uh some interviewers, like hard news investigative reporters, will have this demeanor that is intimidating, and you know, they they get people to tell them the truth because they they're not compromising. And they I would, I was a features reporter, and I would just go in and people would start talking and they would tell me everything. Oh my gosh, a lot of times I didn't even have to ask, you know, you know, kind of like what we just did here. And and uh then sometimes more than once, I would have someone call me the next day and say, uh, I need to talk to you about what I told you about yesterday. And um I need you not to print it. And I'm like, what part? And I I am not kidding. One of them said, none of it. You can't print any of it, you know, which, you know, again, that's a whole other side conversation, you know, all the ethics of um when people understand that they're being interviewed, how much slack do you cut them? I I'm not gonna get into any of that. Um, I I cut people probably a lot of slack because I was a feature writer. I wasn't, you know, brilling the mayor on how he was spending taxpayer money. So uh anyway, it it started then, and at one point after this was well after I was a reporter, but I met someone on a bus that again told me everything. Oh my gosh, just just so much. And I don't mean to be disrespectful to any of these stories, by the way. They're I really appreciate the trust that people give you when when they put their life out there for you. I I don't mean to be disrespectful at all, but after that, uh, that man told me so much about what happened to him on the bus, I thought, is it me? You know, is this something about me that people tell me these things? And and um by the way, I I knew that it wasn't really that special of a gift because I knew I'd been lied to as a reporter more than once, you know, back when I was doing hard news, I I found out later a few times that people hadn't been honest with me. But I started creating a character that people would confess to spontaneously, and she couldn't turn it off. It it just um it just followed her everywhere. And uh started asking myself, well, how would that affect your life? How would it affect your career if you decided, for example, to be a private investigator? Okay, so you've got this wonderful ability, but then what happens when you go home and you can't turn it off? Anyway, anyway,

About JoLynne’s book, “The Madres Deal”

JoLynne Lyon 40:05

that's that's the premise. So it's called the Madras deal, and it is uh it's called that because it is about uh real estate development in the Sierra Madres Mountains, Madre, sorry, Sierra Madre Mountains, um in southern Wyoming, and that's where I'm from originally. So yeah, that's a little bit about the book, maybe a bit longer than you wanted. Sorry.

Scott Brandley 40:33

No, that's cool to know the backstory.

JoLynne Lyon 40:35

That was awesome, yeah.

Scott Brandley 40:39

So very cool. And that's kind of cool that's that it comes from some of your past, right? And yeah, that's it's always interesting to hear how how people get ideas for books and for stories.

JoLynne Lyon 40:56

Yeah, and it it truly is fun for me to play with reality, um, to set things in today's world, but you know, maybe maybe adjust one thing that's not quite

JoLynne’s future plans

JoLynne Lyon 41:10

real.

Scott Brandley 41:13

So now that you've this book is public, right? Recently published, right? We'll we'll include we'll include the link to the book for anyone that wants to go check it out. Um what are your what's yeah, what are your uh future plans? Do you see yourself continuing to write or just waiting to get another idea following you around?

JoLynne Lyon 41:36

I I've got one following me around. So yeah, I'm working on that one. And so there may be a see sequel to this one and also that middle grade that I that one is several years old now, but it's it's still not quite leaving me alone. I've realized that I need to learn a lot more about writing middle grade because it's uh it's tricky. Yeah, I I won't get into all of it here, but you have to make parents happy, grandparents, the the children reading it, teachers, librarians, you know, it it's really a a lot. But I'll I'll work on that now. Awesome.

Scott Brandley 42:19

Well, this has been uh a treat. Thanks for so much for coming and sharing some of your stories and and thoughts with us. Would what would you like

Final thoughts

Scott Brandley 42:30

to share as a final thought before we wrap things up?

JoLynne Lyon 42:35

Oh just don't don't give up, you know. If you're in I I think people my age and younger, a lot of them really are facing a lot, you know, between parents and children and and careers, all of it. It's a lot. And I I remember how rough I was on myself when I was experiencing it and just thinking, oh, I'm not dealing with this very well, you know. Um kind of wish that I'd taken a step back once in a while and said, Oh, actually, this is a lot, you know, it's it's okay because because objectively I am dealing with a lot of things, and so you know, maybe the lawn doesn't get mowed as often as I'd like, or you know, there are other things that maybe won't happen, but it's okay. We're taking care of the important things.

Scott Brandley 43:34

So well, and heavenly father has a plan.

JoLynne Lyon 43:41

Yeah, definitely.

Scott Brandley 43:45

Sometimes we just gotta roll with roll with life knowing that Heavenly Father is there watching

Outro

Scott Brandley 43:50

over us.

JoLynne Lyon 43:51

Yes, yep, yeah, for sure.

Scott Brandley 43:55

Well, awesome. Well, thanks, Julian, for coming on and hanging out with us again. And thanks everyone for tuning in to hear Jolyn's story. And let's go support her. Um, hit that share button, do your five-second missionary work. Let's share her light and her story out there for those that need to hear it. And go check out her book. The Madre Madresteel. Madresteel.

JoLynne Lyon 44:21

The Madras Steel. Yep.

Scott Brandley 44:23

Yeah, and we'll include that in the in the footnotes for you guys so you can go check that out. And if anyone um has a story that they like to share, um, go to latterdaylights.com and let us know, and we can have you on the show as well. And uh, once again, chill in. Thanks for coming on, hanging out, and thanks everyone for tuning in. We'll talk to you next week with another episode of Latterday Lights. Till then.

JoLynne Lyon 44:47

Thank you so much.