Jamey Moody joins me to talk about Instead of Happy, her favorite supporting characters, her dream vacation to The Virgin Islands and much more!
For $5.00 a month, listen to your favorite lesfic authors playing Would You Rather. Sign up for the Bonus Content Tier on my Patreon page: Sapphic Book Review is creating Bonus fun with lesfic authors | Patreon
Purchase Jamey's books at her Amazon page: Amazon.com: Jamey Moody: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle
Jamey Moody joins me to talk about Instead of Happy, her favorite supporting characters, her dream vacation to The Virgin Islands and much more!
For $5.00 a month, listen to your favorite lesfic authors playing Would You Rather. Sign up for the Bonus Content Tier on my Patreon page: Sapphic Book Review is creating Bonus fun with lesfic authors | Patreon
Purchase Jamey's books at her Amazon page: Amazon.com: Jamey Moody: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle
Welcome to the sapphic book review Podcast. I'm Laura green. And today my guest writes feel good romances. She's also one of the people who has been the most encouraging to me since I began my blog, and she's become a good friend Jamey moody. Welcome. And thanks for joining me.
Jamey:happy birthday one day early because we're recording this your birthday is tomorrow. All of you dear listeners go by Laura a coffee or join her Patreon because it's your birthday.
Laura:It is my birthday. 50 I don't even like yesterday, I made a fart joke. I don't know how I'm 50. I have to apologize. I have got the sinus infection voice today. So you get the B list Abby Craden voice.
Jamey:Sounds great.
Laura:Thank you. So Jamey, your latest book Instead of Happy was released in March for anyone who hasn't read it yet. Tell them about Jennifer and Courtney,
Jamey:Jennifer and Courtney come from an extended family. And they have never met until Krista who is the star of the show in the Lovers Landing series is Jennifer's second mom, you could call her, and she is Courtney's aunt. And so they meet for a mutual love of Krista and want to protect her when she's going through a particularly bad time. And they're at Lovers Landing and the magic starts and they fall in love. But Jennifer and Courtney story's a little bit different because it is book four in that series, which I never intended to write their story. And I intended to stop at three and I had several readers email me from time to time and say, Hey, when are we gonna get Jennifer and Courtney story? And I'm like, huh, I didn't know there was going to be one. So it just kind of, I just kept kind of thinking about it. And after I wrote my novella last year, I was deciding on what I was going to do next. And I thought, well, maybe I'll give this a shot. And so that's how they came about. Because they actually meet in book two of the series. I try to write each book in a series as a standalone so that you don't have to read all of them to know what's going on. The other characters just kind of make an appearance in them.
Laura:And in this one, they are already together when the book starts.
Jamey:yeah, because they met in that book two. And I thought, You know what, most of the people that read this, are going to to read the other ones. And so they're gonna know that and I refer to how they met later on in the book. But yeah, I just I decided to start it with him together.
Laura:It's book four of the Lovers Landing series, as you said. What's the appeal for you of writing a series?
Jamey:I think, when I wrote my debut novel, and then I thought, What do I want to do next? And I had always wanted to run my own fitness center. And I thought, Man, that would be that would be a great setting for a book. And we'll have three owners and so three love stories. And that's how the Your Way series got started. And so I kind of liked that. And then I wrote a standalone One Little Yes. And then thought, well, what am I going to do next. And I grew up and live in a small town, and we have a lake not too far from here, and I grew up at a place that's very similar to what I described in Lovers Landing. And I thought, well, that'd be a great place to have a setting for a book. And that's kind of how that series started. I wanted to write a celebrity trope. I had never done that. So I thought well, and it just all came together.
Laura:Everybody has to have a celebrity.
Jamey:Well, I decided to try it and I kind of liked it.
Laura:Who are your two of your favorite supporting characters from your books?
Jamey:Supporting characters. Okay, so my debut novel Live This Love takes place in the Virgin Islands. And the setting is at this bar. And one of the owners is Liz and I had probably more comments on her than than the two main characters in the book because she's in her 60s, she's lived life and she's the kind of person that will tell you what you need to hear right then and there when maybe when you don't want to hear it. So I really like her and then in the Lovers Landing series, you gotta love Julia,
Laura:she's my favorite. Yeah, she's in every book, and she's just the person that's always there for you. So she probably one of my faves. Yeah, she'd be my best pal if I were living in this universe.
Jamey:Yeah, mine too.
Laura:You put out books quite often. What are you working on now? And how long does it take you to write one of your books?
Jamey:Well, I actually put out a lot last year and it just I don't know, I really how it happened. When I when I write a book. It takes me about two two and a half months to write a book. I try to write every day and it might just be 1000 words a day and and the reason I do that is because it brings me joy. It's like something I like to do every day. I try to exercise. I like to try to do some kind of exercise every day because I love it but but I like to try to write every day because it just brings me joy. So it takes me two, two and a half months to write one. And then it takes probably two weeks with the editor. And then I do another two weeks to try to let my ARC team have it before it releases. So this year, my plan was to release one every quarter. So I released one in March. And I've got one with the editor right now that I've done a preorder on. It's live now the preorder is that will come out the middle of May, I was going to do June, but I decided it should be ready. So I go ahead and do it the middle of my and it's called Who I Believe .so you can look it up on Amazon and preorder it. I was telling Laura earlier this may be the book that ends my career. You always kind of think that when you when you write a book, but it's about a preacher's daughter and how she discovers who she is. And it takes several years for this to happen. It's a second chance romance because she has to go back to her hometown. And it's just a really it's a feel good story that has a peek at religion and what she has to, to come to terms with herself. And it's got a cute little girl and a cute little dogs. So hope the readers will give it a chance. It's a standalone, not a series.
Laura:So I think you're so nervous about it's probably going to be your best book.
Jamey:Oh, that would be awesome. It'll be out May the 18th. And I chose that day because it's my niece's birthday, Most of my release days I try to do they I try to make them significant to me somehow in some way.
Laura:That's good. And I'm sure your niece would appreciate that.
Jamey:Yeah, she will.
Laura:Would you ever consider writing another style of book maybe a mystery, or something different from what you normally write?
Jamey:I am so in the romance lane, but I love historical romances, or maybe the ones where there's a time travel.
Laura:Oh, Time travel.
Jamey:Yeah, I love that kind of stuff, too.
Laura:Like Quantum Leap.
Jamey:Yeah, something like that. Or maybe more one where your souls have been to get it's your soulmate. And you go through generations and eons and years with them. I could see me doing something like that. That would be fun. Like back in the 1500s. We were together doing this and back. You know, I love it
Laura:Yeah, Elle Spencer wrote one like that.
Jamey:Yeah, I love books like that
Laura:What does it cause that is near and dear to your heart?
Jamey:I tell you right now, I live in Texas. And so don't hold that against me.
Laura:My partner, she's from there, too.
Jamey:Yeah, there are some good people here. But um, the trans issues for young people right now are heartbreaking. It just breaks my heart and I support the Human Rights Campaign. I don't know if you've heard of them.It's an equal sign is like their little logo.
Laura:I'm a member as well.
Jamey:Yeah, I've checked on them. And most of your donations to them go to actually fighting causes. So I know they're a good reputable organization. And I just I think the one that bothers me probably most is is how they're doing the legislation so that trans girls can't compete with girls in high school or middle school sports. And that is ridiculous.
Laura:It is. it's heartbreaking. Really.
Jamey:Yeah, the the I don't have the statistics right here. But I mean, it's just, it's just a such small number of girls. And, and I think sports are great. I grew up playing sports and still do and I just, I just think that's terrible.
Laura:I think the level of disregard for feelings. I mean, children are especially vulnerable. And when you make them feel like they they don't matter. Like they shouldn't be able to exist as they are. I
Jamey:t's terrible, I agree.
Laura:And you're putting their lives in jeopardy, because we all know how many trans people commit suicide.
Jamey:Yes. I mean, that's just it's just how hard is it to it, especially when you're young like that to fit in period? It just breaks my heart. So that's a that's a cause that I tried to at least contribute my money to.
Laura:Very good. It's something that I wish we didn't even have to worry about.
Jamey:Yes, exactly.
Laura:When did you discover your love for writing? And what were some of your early stories about?
Jamey:Well, y'all have read all my stories,
Laura:Y'all. You're from Texas.
Jamey:I'm sorry. Y'all is in my books too so.
Laura:it's in my house upstairs every time I turn around.
Jamey:Okay, good. Well, I didn't even think about being a writer until I found the lesfic genre on Amazon. I've read books for years. It's just a love I've had and I always thought that would be the coolest thing in the world to write a book and somebody else read it and like it and it take them away and into another world and give them some enjoyment for a while. I never dreamed that I would be able to do that in this whole world. And so I found that genre and loved these books and just inhaled them. And I thoughtI wonder if I could do this. And I had a little extra time on my hands at work.And I decided to try to write a book. And that's how it all started. And I don't have any earlier stories or anything like that. They I started writing live this love, I set that in the Virgin Islands and went from there, and I haven't looked back.
Laura:Wow. So what did you want to be when you grew up if you didn't want to be a writer?
Jamey:You know that is a great question. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. And I am. I mean, I've just done a little of everything. I've stayed in business all my life. But I mean, that's what I've done. But I don't know, I think I wanted to be a writer when I grew up, because that's what I'm loving doing right now. And I hope to keep doing it.
Laura:You didn't want to be a movie star like I did when I was
Jamey:Oh, were you wanted to be a movie star?
Laura:Oh, yeah, I wanted to be a movie star and I wanted to be a model. The looks and the height didn't work out. And I wanted to be a singer but I can't sing.
Jamey:Oh, well.
Laura:But I feel like I act in some way pretty much all the time. Like if I have to have a serious discussion, especially when the kids were little. And you had to talk about important things. Yeah. And I felt like I put on my like, Let's film an after school special. And let's have this serious conversation. Because my default is let's make jokes and let's make light of everything.
Jamey:I was gonna say is that what you did.
Laura:No, so I put on my scene, and then I performed my duties as a serious mom.
Jamey:Yeah. And then walked out of the room
Laura:And and went, Oh, my gosh, that was difficult. And especially when we have parent teacher conferences, you have to send those little desk and you can't make jokes. You got to be serious,
Jamey:Right because the teacher is.
Laura:You get that you don't want the teacher to go, Oh, my God was that? She thinks, Ellen.
Jamey:No wonder this kids the way he is.
Laura:Yhey're good. Most of the time it was good. I mean, a few times, their kids they have behavioral issues occasionally. And their boys, so yeah. But needless to say, I didn't become any of those things.
Jamey:Well, I think what you're doing is awesome.
Laura:Thank you. Yeah, my biggest fan.
Jamey:You don't know what you're doing for the writing community or me as an author. I just appreciate it because you help us find more readers for our books. And that's I mean, that's awesome. I can't thank you enough.
Laura:Thanks, Jamie. You're the best.
Jamey:Well, I mean, it.
Laura:Okay, let's get back to it. Stop praising. It makes me uncomfortable.
Jamey:Okay.
Laura:You can do more of it later. What are a few of the places you would love to travel to?
Jamey:Well, you know, when you gave me that question, I could probably go to any beach and be happy. But let's go to the Virgin Islands since I've never been there. And I set that first book there. And it's made me kind of want to go there ever since. Go to St. Thomas of St. John
Laura:We went to St. Croix
Jamey:Oh, did you? See, same area.
Laura:Before Covid, of course. And yeah, it was amazing. We had this beach house overlooking Buck Island. Andyou just stepped out and had the double doors and there was a pool. It was gorgeous. I would move there in a second. Except grocery stores weren't great.
Jamey:But you could get around that couldn't you?
Laura:Yeah, I could totally get it. I don't really eat that much anyway, maybe grow my own stuff.
Jamey:There you go.
Laura:It was the best vacation. We went to one of those bio bays.So cool. You take your little paddle and you swish it through the water and it's just all these little micro organisms. It's blue. It's just the coolest thing
Jamey:Oh, cool.
Laura:Yeah, go book a flight.
Jamey:Okay. I would also go back to I've been to Key West, I would go back there in a heartbeat.
Laura:Yeah, that's a fun place.
Jamey:I like it so much. I'm doing an anthology that Lily Seabrook has put together and it's vacation love is what a kind of the theme is. It's called Love On Location. And I wrote a short story, and I set it in Key West because I would love to go back.
Laura:Very nice. I see Leo back there behind you.
Jamey:Yes, big boy. He's been good right now.
Laura:Okay, what are a few of the lesfic books that you were looking forward to this year?
Jamey:Well, I am I'm kind of invested in several series. KC Luck is coming out with a novella, I think this month that has to do with her darkness series. You read any of those?
Laura:I have not, but they're on my list. It's a very long
Jamey:So I'm looking forward to that. Rachel Lacey, who is also list. going to be in this anthology with Lily. She's got a new book coming out. No Rings.
Laura:I know. I've read it.
Jamey:I know you have.
Laura:It's so good.
Jamey:I'm looking forward to that. So those are the ones that I can think of right offhand.
Laura:There's a lot coming out this year. Um, we're going to be very busy.
Jamey:Yeah, you are.
Laura:Jamey thanks so much for joining me. It's been a pleasure talking to you finally in person.
Jamey:I know. I'm just so glad to see you too.
Laura:I look forward to all the books you've got coming out this year.
Jamey:Thank you. I appreciate it.
Laura:Thanks for listening and thanks again to Jamey for joining me today. To purchase Jamey's books you can visit her Amazon page. You can also follow her on Twitter @jameymoodyauth1. You can support this podcast by this visiting buymeacoffee.com/sapphiclaura or by visiting my patreon page at patreon.com/sapphicbookreviewpod. For only $5 a month you can listen to all of my author Would You Rather games. They are a lot of fun and let you learn more about your favorite authors. Here's a sample of would you rather with Jamey Moody. thanks so much. And until next time, happy reading. Would you rather date Tara Holloway from the Lovers Landing series or Stella Morris from The Your Way series?
Jamey:Oh man that's a good one.
Laura:Thank you I made it up.
Jamey:I think Stella is more my speed so because well they would both be out of my league but Stella would be more my speed, so I would go Stella.
Laura:Why is she more your speed?
Jamey:She's more laid back Tara is big and bold. I don't know Tara would just swallow me whole probably.
Laura:Would You Rather be the opposite gender for one day or be an animal for one day?
Jamey:Hmm you know both of those would be interesting. I can be Leo for one day my dog Yeah. And I would haven't made because he does but you know it might be interesting to be an opposite gender and just see because yeah, I think I would want to do that just to see what it would be like to be a man I guess.
Laura:Yeah, I don't want that dangling participle anywhere.
Jamey:I don't have to have that. Do I have to have that.
Laura:I mean, if you're a man you're gonna have all the parts. Yeah, I don't want that thing anywhere near me. Not that good.
Jamey:Yeah, I think I'd rather be Leo then. I'd rather be a dog.