Jeevani Charika and Rhoda Baxter

This week’s Inheritance Books are from Joyce Lamb, Journalist, Joss Whedon fan (yay!) and novelist. She’s also a super organised lady because she does all that, has a real life and edits the USA Today Happy Ever After Blog.

Hi Joyce, welcome to Inheritance Books. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi! Thanks so much for having me, Rhoda!

I’m the author of eight romantic suspense novels, three of which have been RITA finalists and one that won a Daphne du Maurier award. I also run the Happy Ever After blog devoted to all things romance novels at USATODAY.com. In my spare time, I’m a copy editor in the USA Today Money section, so if anyone needs an explanation about credit-default swaps, I can deliver. : ) Oh, and I’m hopelessly devoted to The Big Bang Theory, Downton Abbey, Vampire Diaries, Nashville and Castle.

I totally approve of your choice of TV series, especially TBBT. Which book did you inherit from the generation above? Why is it special?

The best book I inherited from my dad is called Crusaders, Scoundrels, Journalists: The Newseum’s Most Intriguing Newspeople. My dad was also a journalist, back in the day when newspaper people kept a bottle of whiskey in the bottom drawer of their desk and smoked like a chimney all day long. I inherited my nose for news from him, and in fact worked with him for several years at my hometown newspaper in Rockford, Ill., before I moved to Virginia to work at USA Today. What I love most about this book is that it embodies everything that’s passionate and important about journalism, highlighting the people who put truth before self and are the true watchdogs of our nation. Journalists today are just as passionate about the important role they play in our democracy, but they’re often thwarted by the corporate bottom line. So having this book on my bookshelf helps me to remember never to lose my passion for telling the truth. That passion for the truth is reflected in the books I write, too, as many of my heroes and heroines are journalists.

Which book would you leave for future generations? Why?
The book I would like to leave to future generations is the children’s book that turned me into a fiction writer: Richard Scarry’s Best Storybook Ever. I pored over this book when I was a kid, reading and rereading the stories and studying the illustrations. It’s chock full of classic stories, but it’s also educational. I love this book so much that when I became an adult and realized I’d lost track of it, I bought it again. Not because I had my own kids to share it with, but because it shaped my love of the written word from such an early age. Whenever I see it on my bookshelf, I’m flooded with wonderful memories of my childhood. That’s the best book my parents ever gave me, so I think it’s perfect for generations that follow, especially in this day and age of computers and smartphones. I can’t imagine any child picking up this book and not being inspired to learn and read. As an author, that’s REALLY important to me. : )

I had that book as a child. I’ve bought the Richard Scarry’s Please and Thank you book for my kids. Who better to teach them manners than a worm with one shoe (and a hat). And, of course, there’s Sergeant Murphy and his road rules. Brilliant stuff. 

I’ll leave the last word to Joyce:

My latest release is Flash Heat, a romantic suspense e-book I published myself.

I love hearing from readers. My website is http://joycelamb.blogspot.com. You can also find me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJoyceLamb) and follow me on Twitter (@JoyceLamb).

Thanks for having me, Rhoda! This is a fantastic idea for a blog!

You’re very welcome Joyce. I hope you had fun doing it!

Would you like to share you Inheritance Books? If you do, please email me.