Joy Norstrom Author

Character reveal number 3: Lila! Please meet Lila. I only wish I could sit down and enjoy a tea with her in real life. I’m not alone. Our main character, Chad, has quite the crush on this single parent / college student / Eldernest Housekeeper and Cafeteria Assistant and readers will see him spending quite a bit of time trying to cross paths with her in #FlyingtheNest. When I wrote Flying the Nest, I had no idea what people in Lila’s position would be dealing with amidst the ...Coronavirus pandemic of 2020. Their work was not easy before the pandemic; it’s even more difficult and dangerous now. . . . . Here is a sneak peak, to a more innocent time. I hope you enjoy Lila as much as I do! You don’t blink a lot, said Lila. Er, I’d never been told that before and my mind scrambled for an answer. I do that. You know. Forget to blink. When I hear something interesting. Creepy. I was officially shit at small talk. I nodded, making sure to blink. Right. Nice to meet you. I had at least tried talking to her. I reached into my pocket and pulled my own phone out. Now seemed a great time to check my emails. My Facebook. My non-existent follower list on Twitter. The body’s like that, she continued. Works in very creepy, random ways. Was that a lifeline? I was not about to turn down dumb luck. Totally. My voice rose as though I were asking a question rather than making a statement. That’s what I love about embalming. I put my phone back in my pocket. Pardon? Embalming. It’s fascinating. Lila leaned in. I’m studying for my license. Well, my Funeral Director license too; it’s kind of a two-part deal these days. My eyelids didn’t want to, but I forced them to blink. Twice. And you work in a senior’s lodge. Are these two interestsrelated? Maybe she served people coffee one week and was preparing their cold, dead bodies the next? Heck, no. The ‘Nest is a paycheck. The other’s a passion. Do your eyes get dry a lot?

Character reveal number 2: Chad! Yes, it's true. The main character in Flying the Nest is a MAN. You might not think that’s a big deal, however it created a bit... of angst in getting this book about #relationships and #connections onto shelves as stories like this are most often classified as #womensfiction. As one agent told me: "this would sell much better if you changed the main character into a woman." But honestly, as a reader I'm tired of reading about insecure women, and confidence is a big part of what my main character struggles with. And so I give you Chad, a slightly insecure, slightly unlucky member of the male species who has truckloads of potential. I'm super fond of Chad and his emotional journey in Flying the Nest, and I hope you will enjoy him too. . . . . Here is a sneak peak, a little look-see into who Chad is at the beginning of Flying the Nest. I tried not to stare, tried not to commit the dreaded male gaze by keeping my head tilted toward the window across from me. It was a battle keeping my eyes from wandering back to her. I’d watched from afar for weeks yet had barely been able to maintain eye contact when she filled my coffee cup. And now here I was. Sitting nearly beside her on the number six bus. A strange warmth filled me. Optimism? Hope? Who the hell knew, but what was certain: I was not about to waste this opportunity. Should I suggest going for a drink? As I tried to work up the courage, Lila reached over to the chrome rail and pushed the button to indicate she wanted to get off at the next stop. It was nice to meet you, Chuck. ErChad. Oh right. Chad. See ya’ around. I barely got out a goodbye before Lila ambled up to the front and got off. The bus pulled away and she didn’t look back. Not once. I know because I watched as she turned and walked down Seventeenth Avenue, the bus rumbling away. #bookstagram #characterreveal #reading #bookquotes #booklover #dixibooks See more

Spooky! It’s a Halloween book sale. . My first book, Out of Play, is on sale this weekend for .99 on Amazon. Might I also recommend Under Your Skin by the fabulous Rose McClelland for a truly spooky read?

Character reveal number 1: Rosie! For those who have read my first novel, Out of Play, you’ll be familiar with the little old lady who was part #larper, part co...stume shop clerk. Rosie was such a fun character to write, I brought her back in Flying the Nest. You’ll have the chance to learn more about this fun woman, find out where she lives and what keeps her up at night. . . . . Here’s a quick little cameo for you to enjoy while waiting for the November 28th release of #FlyingTheNest: "What we need is something warm and affectionate for residents to hold. Something that wouldn’t leave a person feeling so damn alone. Fish could not help with that. They swam about in their cold water, cold blood flowing through their cold veins. Rosie couldn’t name a less emotive animal. It’s touch everyone at the Eldernest is starving for. You can’t pet a fish. We’ve got the psychologist on Tuesdays if people are feeling lonely, Mrs. Dylan. I highly encourage anyone feeling lonely, he paused and raised his eyebrows suggestively at Rosie, to make an appointment with the psychologist. Rosie’s cheeks flamed. She picked up her PET-ition and rolled it into a tight bat. She imagined whacking Director Knightly about the ears with it. Or, better yet, she could get one of those sledgehammers from her nephew’s costume shop and smack it down on Knightly’s lollipop head. #OutofPlay #joynorstrom #DixiBooks #bookstagram #booklover #bookquotes #reading #bookworm #characterreveal

#40days to go! If JC could make it in the desert that long, surely I can get this book launched, right? I’ve been busy. Flying around behind the scenes, like an... author on a deadline. Final edits. Organizing launches (virtual, alas!) and perhaps a holiday craft fair or two. Over the next 40 days I’ll be introducing you to #maincharacters, sharing some #storyinspiration and generally reminding everyone that #bookbabynumber2 is almost here. For those of you who have kindly asked, a preorder link (free shipping worldwide!) is now in my Instagram bio. There will also be plenty of local opportunities to pick’er up in #yyc. See more