It’s hard to be in a bad moody while reading one of Jamey Moody’s books. They are always filled with a lot of heart and laughter. Jamey is one of the nicest writers in the lesfic community and was kind enough to chat with me!

Jamey, you released your first book just a few years ago. What was the catalyst for the career change?

How I wish it was my career! At this point it’s what I do for fun. You know that question you’re asked from time to time, “If you weren’t doing your current job, what would you want to do?” For me, I thought it would be incredible to give people as much joy as I got from reading. I couldn’t imagine actually writing a book and then I found lesfic. It changed my life! I couldn’t get enough reading all these beautiful romances along with lesbian fiction. I noticed that there weren’t very many of these books with main characters over 40, unless it was an age gap. So, I decided to give it a try. To my surprise, people read my book! I get so much enjoyment writing about women and finding their forever.

Which book of yours is your favorite and which character is closest to your heart?

I don’t really have a favorite. Each book is special to me in one way or another. The Your Way Series came about because I always wanted to have my own fitness studio. The Lovers Landing Series takes place at a lake resort similar to one that I grew up near and still go to. I had a kidney removed three years ago and that’s where One Little Yes came from. So, you can see they all are a part of me in some way. There is something from me in every one of my characters, but Riley James is a favorite. She was the first character I wrote. Her name comes from family names, and I wish I was brave like she is. I mean, she goes on vacation, has a one-night stand that turns into forever. I love her! Oh and she was fifty when all this happened. You can read her romance in Live This Love, my debut novel.

What are you working on right now and can you give us a preview?

I’m working on the fourth book in the Lovers Landing Series. There were only supposed to be three books, but when Julia and Heidi’s daughter, Courtney, met Melanie’s daughter, Jennifer, in No More Secrets there was a spark. I had several readers ask me what happened with Courtney and Jennifer. I wrote And The Truth Is.. and thought about them while writing it. Then I wrote my Christmas mystery and they were still in the back of my mind. I was writing a short story for an anthology that Lily Seabrooke is putting together (I’m so excited about this!) and Courtney and Jennifer wouldn’t go away. The book is called Instead of Happy. It doesn’t take place at Lovers Landing like the others, but they do visit. There is a twelve-year age gap and Jennifer has two boys that are 9 and 11. The book begins with Courtney moving to Houston to be with Jennifer and the boys. There’s nothing like a little U-Hauling stereotype. Everything is happy until Courtney starts her new teaching job. There is an evil teacher that runs the school and just happens to hate gay people. This is a problem the entire family must navigate and of course the Lovers Landing sapphic squad lend a hand. Oh, did I mention the boy’s dad decided he wants custody? Yeah, that might come up. But never fear, love wins, right? And it is a Jamey Moody novel after all. But just how do they get to happily-ever-after? That’s the good part!

Your Lover’s Landing series is set at a lesbian resort in Texas. If you were starting a resort, which lesfic writers would you recruit to help you?

Interesting…several authors come to mind immediately as entertainment directors. Lily Seabrooke and Erica Lee are fun people so can you imagine the things they’d plan? KC Luck is so organized and could run the entire operation along with Ruby Scott. TB Markinson loves to hike so she could be our outdoor leader. I’d want Bryce Oakley and Jourdyn Kelly around just because they are resourceful. Oh, and you know there’d be some kind of drama, so we’d need Kat Jackson’s counseling skills. I feel like we could use Miranda MacLeod and Nancy Ann Healy for comic relief. Besides, all of these wonderful people are all my friends and I know they’d make sure everyone had a nice time at Lovers Landing. You can be our first guest, Laura!

You were born and raised in Texas and are still there.  What do you love about the state?

That is a tricky question. What I love about Texas right now is that most of my family lives here. I don’t love the politics and how the state is run. There are, however, many good people that live here and a diverse landscape from mountains, to the plains, to the piney woods, to the coast.

Describe your perfect day?

This question was a little tough only because so many different things could happen to make a perfect day. Hanging out at the lake is always fun, but so is lazing on the couch and watching a series. I’d wake up without an alarm. One of my favorite things about Saturdays is not having to get up and be anywhere. My day would include some kind of exercise. Maybe a bike ride or paddle boarding or just a walk. A visit with friends I don’t get to see often always makes a day special. I write nearly every day and I get such joy from it that it would have to be part of the perfect day. I am single, but if you add in a significant other then just being together would make that perfect. I am such a romantic!

What are a few of your favorite lesfic books?

A Little Bit of Spice by Georgia Beers was one of the first lesfic books I read and I still love it.

All That Matters by Susan X Meagher

I Will Meet You There by SM Harding

As Long As Love Lasts by Jea Hawkins

Heist by MJ Duncan

In the Direction of the Sun by Lucy J Madison

I’m invested in several series The Woman Lost Series by TB Markinson, The By Design Series by JA Armstrong, The Darkness Series by KC Luck, French Kissing by Harper Bliss.

You have a positive outlook, which is reflected in your books. But, there have to be things that annoy you. A few of mine are people who visit and leave my toilet lid up, not using turn signals and when someone blows their nose and doesn’t wash their hands. What are a few of your pet peeves?

Driving below the speed limit and not letting others pass on the highway.

Being late (a few minutes I understand, but fifteen or more is a bit much).

I’m with you, not using turn signals!

Always complaining

What do you hope people feel after reading one of your books?

Happiness. I want them to escape! I want people to be able to get away from whatever is bothering them. I don’t write to the typical romance formula. My characters navigate problems together, they rarely break up. I tried to write that way, but just couldn’t do it. There isn’t much angst in my books because don’t we have enough of that in our everyday lives? My characters are everyday people trying to get through life together. There’s a lot of love, some sex and a peek into forever.

Jamey, thanks for taking the time to chat with me!  I really appreciate it and hope we can do it again sometime!

This was fun! I appreciate all you do by reviewing and interviewing authors and getting our books in front of readers. Thank you, Laura! I appreciate you!