Meet Leslie Noyes

We were lucky to catch up with Leslie Noyes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Leslie, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

When I was very young, I wanted desperately to be an astronaut. My folks were fans of campy space science fiction movies watched from the comfort of our family sedan at drive-in movies, so my idea of what an astronaut was might have been a bit skewed. Nevertheless, anytime I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, that was my answer.

But I was a girl. Born in the fifties. As I matured, I realized that opportunities for female astronauts weren’t exactly plentiful, so I decided to become a writer. I had an aptitude for writing. All my teachers said so, and I did love to spin a good tale. Wouldn’t it have been lovely if I’d started working toward that goal right then and there?

Instead, I married my high school sweetheart, something I’ll never regret, by the way. We’ve been married for forty-eight years. But we were young. There were bills to pay and children to raise, so I put that writing idea on the back burner where it stayed for more than forty years. Oh, I’d write for my own enjoyment. I often penned stories with my grandchildren as the main characters. But nothing I considered publishing.

Then one evening I was sitting on my front porch indulging in a glass of wine, and a full-blown title popped into my head: Mayhem at the Happy Valley Motor Inn and Resort. It intrigued me even though I had no idea what it meant or what might come next. I’d had titles come to me before, but nothing I took the time to write down and mull over. A few days later, the main character’s name appeared in a similar manner and I sat down to figure out what Paula Jean Purdy Arnett needed from me.

I managed about 20,000 words before hitting a dead end. My characters were stuck in a dinner party setting, and I couldn’t get them to shut up. Like me, they’re overly talkative. So I put the manuscript aside only taking it up again after taking a creative writing course. The course was cut short due to the COVID pandemic, but the instructor encouraged me to keep going, and I did. In December of 2020, I published Mayhem thinking it would be my one and only novel. But readers liked it. They began asking what might happen next in Paula’s story. And the only way to figure that out was for me to keep writing.

Since publishing that first book, I’ve added five sequels to the cozy women’s action and adventure Happy Valley series, and one stand alone romance. It might’ve taken me a while to find my purpose, but once I did, I’ve never wavered.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

When I entered the world of Indie authors, I had no idea what that encompassed. Writing was fun, sometimes arduous, but fun. And I wrote that first novel without any thought of earning money from the venture. I just wanted to see my name on the cover of a book. As an avid reader of everything from science fiction and horror to cozy mystery and romance, my heroes have always been authors.

Self-publishing a book, though, comes with a price tag. I wanted a quality product, so I hired an editor and a cover designer. My tech skills are practically nil, so I also hired a formatter. Fortunately, I found all three in one person. Rachel Carrera is without a doubt one of the biggest reasons for any success I’ve had as an author. She’s worth every penny. But it helps if the books sell and that takes some marketing savvy.

When I realized I’d be writing sequels, I embarked on learning how to use social media to promote my books. I still have so much to learn, but I enjoy the process. Interacting with readers and potential readers is one of my favorite parts of publishing. Facebook/Meta is the platform with which I’m most comfortable, but I’m slowly learning the ropes of TikTok.

As I near the publication date of book seven in the Happy Valley series, “Collision at the Happy Valley Motor Inn and Resort,” I’m focused on making my website the best it can be and writing a monthly newsletter that keeps my readers excited about the futures of their favorite characters.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think about this a lot, because there were a good many times when I wondered if I had what it takes to be an author.

A good writer needs, first, to be an avid reader. To understand sentence structure and pacing, dialogue and transitions. Perhaps some of that is intuitive, but most is learned. So, if you want to be a writer, first be a reader.

One also has to be persistent. There are days when the words aren’t flowing. Write anyway. A blank page can’t be edited.

Finally, be open to new adventures and curious about everything. “What if” is my favorite writing tool. What if a chasm suddenly opened up in my backyard? What if I was finally invited to join the space program at the age of 68?

For years, I’d tell people I wanted to write a book someday. And now, when I mention to someone that I’m an author their response is often that they’ve always wanted to write a book. I say to them what I wish others had said to me–Then write. Right now is the best time to get started.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

I suffer from a bit of anxiety, and when it threatens to overtake me, I go for a walk or open a good book to take my mind off whatever it is that’s stressing me out. I’m fortunate to live in Florida at the moment, and if I’m really stressed, I’ll head to the beach. But regardless of where we’ve lived, I’ve always found a way to get out and enjoy nature. It’s the best way to put things in perspective.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://leslienoyesbooks.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566109446203&mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Other: TikTok:
  @leslienoyesauthor

Image Credits

Leslie Noyes