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.
Rhoda Baxter 
I love Richard Scarry! I still have the beat-up – that is, much-loved copies that I read to my kids: Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever and Richard Scarry’s Best Nursery Rhymes ever. Good choice!
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I’m so glad I discovered this blog!! This is a fabulous idea, Rhoda, so glad you interviewed Joyce Lamb, she’s a fabulous novelist and journalist.
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Hi Joyce!
(I tried posting this before but it didn’t take – hope I don’t double post you!). Anyway, great post and so cool to find out your journalism legacy – did not know that!
Also, I see our TV paths have crossed again: We MUST talk Deacon!
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Hi, Leslie!!
Oh, I love love LOVE Deacon. He needs his own show. : ) I shoulda mentioned The Good Wife, too — that show is a writer’s dream. If I could leave TV shows as inheritance, I’d leave Buffy and The Good Wife. : )
Thanks for saying hi, Leslie!
Joyce
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I’ve not seen The Good Wife. (scurries off to check Wikipedia)
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Great post, Joyce, and I agree, journalists should always strive for getting at the truth (preferably through legal means 🙂 ). I loved the Richard Scarry books too, but never had them as a child because my parents didn’t think animals in clothes could be educational! Instead I read them voraciously at the local library, or friends’ houses.
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“my parents didn’t think animals in clothes would be educational” Lol! They sound like very sensible people.
I wasn’t allowed teen romance novels because they weren’t sensible books. So I started writing my own. (they were terrible).
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Animals in clothes — so no Winnie the Pooh, either? I mean, he didn’t wear pants, so maybe that helped? : ) I’m glad to hear you were resourceful by reading Richard Scarry wherever you could. You rebel you!
Thanks for saying hi!
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Hi Joyce! How are you? I see our TV interests have crossed paths again with Nashville. We MUST talk Deacon soon!
Seriously, I didn’t know that journalism runs in your family – that’s really cool. 🙂
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Nice post Joyce! I love how a memory can bring you back in time.
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Hi, Mary! Yep, these are good memories, too. I have these books sitting on my shelves, yet I hadn’t looked at them in so long. Should peruse my bookshelves more often!
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Thanks so much for letting me share these important books with your readers, Rhoda! Thinking about your questions really brought up some great memories for me — LOVE this idea! (And, oh my gosh, I CANNOT get enough of TBBT!)
Joyce
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I really like your choices. I love it when people remind me of my own childhood favourites!
Regarding TBBT – I have to be content with the reruns until they bring the series back to Channel 4. It’s driving me insane not being able to watch it. What if Sheldon and Amy kiss and I’ve missed it. Gah.
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What if Sheldon cops a feel and you miss it? That would be even more earth shattering!
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Oh my! That would just blow my mind. (I’m not sure my Sheldon and Amy obsession is entirely healthy, but I try not to worry about it).
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LOL! Yep, I spend way more time thinking about Sheldon/Amy, Castle/Beckett, Elena/Damon than my own relationships. Not sure if that’s unhealthy or just weird. : )
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