Polylyric Posts is honored to be affiliated with the Rave Reviews Book Club (#RRBC), a rich community of talented independent authors and publishers. The Rave Reviews Book Club regularly sponsors blog tours featuring member authors, and this month, Polylyric Posts is delighted to present RRBC Author Joyce Shaughnessy!
About the Author
Joyce Shaughnessy has published five books in the last seventeen years. The first three, A Healing Place, Blessed Are the Merciful, and The Unsurrendered, are romantic historical fiction based upon the Dust Bowl in the Great Depression and WWII in the Pacific. They reflect her love of history and historical fiction. She is also a certified editor, and has edited four anthologies and several novels. She loves editing almost as much as writing.
Joyce reports that she has two finished manuscripts on her desk. She hasn’t found the proper home for them yet, but hopes to soon. She has lived with her husband in Midland, Texas for the last twenty-six years. They share a love of reading and own a very large collection gathered over the years.
Joyce’s Writing Process
I am an early bird. I wake almost every morning by 5:30 and after a quick breakfast and a scan of the newspaper, I sit in front of my computer and either write new material or revise and edit previous versions. I never write from an outline, but I do organize my work into chapters with brief summaries. If I am writing historical fiction, I have already organized my research before I begin. With all of this in front of me, I begin my manuscript. I can’t count the number of revisions. I love to work this way. Every morning is exciting. I admire those authors who work from outlines. It just isn’t something I can do.
Her Current Book
A Healing Place is based on the Thirties and Forties and emphasizes the power of love, sacrifice, courage and prayer. The Millers move to Texas from Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression. Their son-in-law, Jed, is sent to the Philippines during WWII where he walks the Death March. Learn more and pick up a copy a print or eBook copy here: A Healing Place.
Connect with Joyce Online!
Twitter: @AuthorJoyceS
Facebook: @joyceshaughnessy1
Website: joyceshaughnessy.blogspot.com
Please pick up a copy of Joyce’s book and send her some cheers in the comments section below. Thank you Joyce for sharing your story and work with Polylyric Posts!
Thank you Joyce! Drafting an essay about the Dust Bowl drought when I was young is what showed me I loved writing. And, of course, the Grapes of Wrath was an enormously influential novel set during that excruciating time. I am excited to read your portrayal of such epochal eras as the Dust Bowl and World War II. Please keep writing!
Eric, you are so kind. I love writing and editing. It gives me a chance to read the works of others. The dust bowl was especially interesting to me because I have lived in West Texas for most of my life. Texon, the camp I described in the book which was the Miller’s healing place, was my home until I was nine. My parents own the grocery store there. The facts about the camp were all true. It was a wonderful place for a child to live. West Texans are generally wonderful, down-to-earth people. I have the great pleasure of belonging to a group of writers in Midland. Thank you for your words!
Thanks so much for sharing your process, Joyce. I’m intrigued by the approaches writers and other artists use to create day after day. Good luck to you!
Being born and raised in Oklahoma and proud to call myself an “Okie”, I’m very intrigued to read The Millers and look forward to picking up a copy of The Healing Place!
We just moved back to CA after living in TX for a year. Loved the people in Texas. Faith and prayer is a huge part of my life, so your book sounds very compelling.
Congratulations on your month in the spotlight, Joyce! Thank you for sharing your writing process. I like to have most of my research wrapped up before I write, too.
An interesting stop on your Tour, Joyce. I too do the bulk of my research before beginning a new novel, yet still find the need to check those smaller details almost daily as my characters take control. Enjoy your Tour!
Congratulations Joyce – enjoy your month as RRBC’s Spotlight Author. I find the research part of writing fascinating.
Congratulations, Joyce. I look forward to each stop along your wonderful tour. Enjoy the Spotlight! 🙂
Congrats, Joyce. I am a huge fan of historical fiction and I also happen to be especially interested in both the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression as watershed events, so it almost goes without saying that I can’t wait to read your book. Best wishes on the tour and beyond!
Congratulations, Joyce and thanks to Polylyric Posts for hosting Joyce’s first blog stop.
Congratulations! I am also a fan of historical fiction. I just bought your book and can’t wait to sit down a read it. Thanks Polylyric for hosting Joyce!
Congratulations Joyce! How exciting for you. My ties to Oklahoma is through my mother. She was born in Depew and her family migrated from Tennessee to East Texas, OK, California. I don’t write with outlines either.
I’m glad to get to know you better. Good luck.
Illuminating interview! Thank you.
Thanks, Joyce for stopping by Polylyric on your tour, and thank you everyone for visiting and sending words of encouragement to Joyce! I wish you much success, Joyce.
Congratulations, Joyce! Enjoy your time in the spotlight!
Although I’ve never attempted a novel, I appreciate the chance to learn vicariously about the writing process. Joyce I look forward to reading A Healing Place; it sounds wonderful!
Enjoy your tour, Joyce! Eric, thanks for hosting on your lovely site!
It’s my pleasure and honor. Thanks for the kind words and for supporting Joyce and the indie publishing movement!
Eric, thanks so much for hosting Joyce on your awesome site!! Congrats again, Joyce!!
Ms. Shaughnessy, I was impressed with the interview and wish you well with your career.
Congratulations, Joyce. Enjoy your time in the Spotlight!
Great show of support, Eric. Thanks for hosting.
Every stop on your tour has been informative and engaging, Joyce! Thanks for including Polylyric. Thank you, Sarah, Toni, Lianne, Laura, Suzanne, Wendy, Gwen, Edward, Maretha, Pauline, Shirley, Michael, Jan, Nikki, Mar, Beem, and Michelle, for kindly visiting this post, encouraging Joyce, and supporting the indie publishing movement and the RRBC community of authors.
A pleasure, Joyce. Thank you for making this one of your stops, and thanks to everyone who visited and cheered you on!
Eric,
Your blog has been an inspiration! Thank you for so much that you did. All of the RRBC community has been wonderful! Thanks again!
The book’s lovely cover and great title make me want to read it. Good luck on your tour.
Thank you for stopping by, Micki!
Thank you congratulation