Meet Susan Joyce

We recently connected with Susan Joyce and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Susan, thank you so much for making time for us today. Let’s jump right into a question so many in our community are looking for answers to – how to overcome creativity blocks, writer’s block, etc. We’d love to hear your thoughts or any advice you might have.

Creativity evolves from inspiration. As a novelist, when I need inspiration I go back to the basics—plot, character development, setting, pace, point of view, etc. But it is more often that my characters inspire me most. I find myself asking what and who shaped these characters? I ask questions of them, such as: what would embarrass this character the most, and why? What is this character’s deepest darkest secret that they will go to their deathbed before they reveal? What have they denied themselves, and why? What do they do when no one is watching? What do they do when everyone is watching? What is their secret talent, hobby, activity? I continue to probe my characters until something inspires me. This helps me better understand my character which makes it easier for me to write their reactions to the plot elements I have in place.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Being of the generation when women had no rights, I was rudely awakened to those injustices and inequalities when I was in my mid-twenties. I was the mother of three children, had no formal education, and suddenly divorced. It was a time when women couldn’t obtain a car loan, a mortgage, or even open a credit card, and were paid fifty-cents on the dollar to a man’s wage. Bound and determined to thrive and not just survive, I thrust myself into a man’s world and eventually became an award-winning Wall Street financial adviser. As a financial adviser I noticed women, as a whole, did not interact with financial professionals adequately, and I am talking educated and highly successful women who achieved success in other areas of their lives—doctors, lawyers, professors. So, I founded the Women’s Financial Focus Groups of Minnesota to find out why. After years of research, gender studies, pouring over neurological studies, and conducting focus groups we discovered a simple truth. Men and women are different. Duh. The entire financial industry (banking, insurance, investments, taxes, and law) were created by men for men. Women feel like they just walked into the men’s room by mistake when they have to deal with money. All the right stuff is there for them to do their business, but it just doesn’t feel right. Since the world of finance isn’t going to change, women need to approach it from a different perspective—a woman’s perspective, My non-fiction books show women how to manage wealth like a woman—NOT like a man. The funny thing is, my editor was a male who tried hard to get me to change the title so it wouldn’t exclude men because he found the information so helpful. I’ve also noticed at in-person events that as many men buy my books as women. My two books: Real Women Manage Wealth, and the Personal Finance NOTEBOOK, the step-by-step guide, are the only two books anyone needs to achieve financial security in all situations and circumstance throughout life.

Then there is my novel, Rooked, Wall Street Never Saw It Coming, As a financial adviser who witnessed the days leading up to and the aftermath of the greatest global financial collapse in the history of mankind—the 2008 Crash, I was inspired to reveal the truth through fiction. I created characters of different asset classes to illustrate how that one event could benefit some while it devastated others while basing it all on actual events. Through a fictional, but typical, Midwest family the story ties Main Street with Wall Street and reveals how everyone alive on planet earth at the time contributed one way or another to its cause. Some have told me it is very revealing while also heartwarming. I am currently working on two sequels that illustrate Wall Street’s continued impact on Main Street.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Faith in God, forgiveness, and the ability to find humor. When times became scariest, I prayed for the Lord to take things off my plate, but was answered with the reminder of when Jesus commanded Peter to walk on water Matthew 14:22-23. I felt I was being asked to walk on water and begged to get back in the boat. That’s when I realized the boat wasn’t as certain as following Jesus. So, I chose to walk on water, figuratively speaking, of course. Each day before leaving the house I would pray: Lord fill me with the Holy Spirt, that it lead my thoughts, words, and deeds. Then, went out the door believing I was filled and would be guided, Again, my faith teaches forgiveness. While it has been easy for me to forgive somethings and I carry no burden from those offenses, I find myself having to re-forgive the more difficult things over and over. So, I am not sure if I have fully achieved such. Forgiveness doesn’t deny the crime. It only frees us from its bondage. It’s a work in progress, but I’ve experienced enough relief to want to keep trying to forgive all transgressions. What is life without humor? Being able to laugh at myself is the easiest way to correct myself. Sharing laughter with others is medicinal. Life isn’t near as serious as most of us try to make it out to be. If something doesn’t go right, there is always tomorrow. It is enough to just breathe, to just be. Life is enough no matter what situation you are in. My advice to everyone is simple: make your bed. It is the one constant you can control. If you make your bed each day, you are likely to incorporate other disciplines that matter more. It is one thing you can do right each day. Own it!

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

Because I am an author promoting my books, I will change this questions to ask who my ideal reader would be, and what sort of characteristisc would make them an ideal reader.

My ideal reader is a person who seeks insights into real life and isn’t afraid to find it. They would not be the highly-opinionated types who form quick assertions without checking sources. They would be open to learning something about themselves and open to such. They would be formidable thinkers, critical thinkers, and analyticals. I am probably describing myself, to some degree, but I think most authors write to people like themselves, so perhaps I am not off base. Too many people want simple answers and quick solutions, but life isn’t simple and the best solutions aren’t quick. So, while my stories aren’t answers to life’s great mysteries, they are written to provide insight into some of the attitudes we see expressed today and hopefully provide food for thought.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.BooksBySusanJoyce.com
• Facebook: Susan Joyce