Writer Eddie Joyce

My old White Plains HS classmate, Erica Baird, now co-founder of Lustre.is, mentioned her friend Eddie Joyce when I told her of my current writing journey. “The nicest guy!” she said describing him. She soon connected us via email, and I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting him yesterday at Think Coffee in the East Village.

I’d read his moving novel Small Mercies and loved it. Eddie, busy with his new enterprise Books Are Magic in Cobble Hill, asked that we meet late in May which turned out to be yesterday.

We found common ground instantly, and Eddie asked me how he might help. I gave him a thumbnail version of my story, which was recently reinforced by the insightful and inspiring feedback from my developmental editor (for those of you following my saga, I spoke to Cullen on Monday for nearly an hour with exciting and motivating results).

Eddie had some great suggestions and offers for me which I gratefully accepted. We’ll touch base again in a few weeks after he’s done some research on my behalf–agents and publishing websites.

From the start of this memoir experience, going to classes at Gotham, Iowa Writers Festival, San Miguel de Allende and Susan Shapiro, I’ve heard the advice to network with other writers, learn as much as you can about the industry and become a contributor to the writing community. Eddie Joyce helped me immeasurably along the path yesterday. I hope I can help him in some way as well.