74 Comments
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Elizabeth Dorton's avatar

I think ‘stealing from yourself’ is a sign that these ideas are a part of you, and that they want to get out and onto paper 💛

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

I absolutely LOVE the way you put this. I really believe it too!

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steffanie's avatar

i love that you find little bits of old characters in the new ones you create. it’s like they were all leading you to the right people to write and give the world.

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

exactly, it feels very fate-like!

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Katie of Beach Reads & Bubbly's avatar

Fascinating read! A Risk Worth Taking was the best way to end my year, I adored it! Anxiously awaiting your next book! xx

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

yay, thank you so much!!

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Meghan Moniri's avatar

Thanks for bringing “A Risk Worth Taking” to my attention as the best way to end the year!!

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molly magee's avatar

I love how the little bits here & there are surfacing!! 😊

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

it's so fun to connect the dots in retrospect! like wow, my brain is really braining, even when I don't realize it.

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Amanda's avatar

Jess!! I miss you 🥹 I’ll read anything you write but please revisit a cinnamon roll who fucks if it happens to fit into any of your future ideas 🤣

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

I miss you too!! And yeah, I feel like Cary will need some sort of renaissance because he'd be SO fun to write.

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julia's avatar

this is such an interesting exploration of your universe!! i love the jjcu (jessica joyce cinematic universe) 🫶🏻 i read you between the lines after seeing your goodreads review and it was so good that i had to put my kindle down and take a lap around the house at times !!! sending lots of love from new england x

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

no literally i also had to take some breaks when i was reading it because i could. not. take it. Will is the ultimate book boyfriend, i love him SO much, and Leigh is my soulmate!!

also the jjcu is so cute 🥹

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maddie | thenmaddieread's avatar

just really want to congratulate you on not returning to spaces that don’t fully serve you. I bet it was scary to leave platforms that feel So Important To Books, but the *most* important place for books is your brain and your energy and there is at least one internet stranger out there who is very proud of you.

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

thank you so much 🥹 it was scary at first, but yeah, i kind of felt like i was going to disappear creatively if i didn't leave and that was MUCH scarier. it's been SO wonderful, but i miss the community and all of you. i'm happy we can gather here every once in a while!

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Lynn's avatar

I was one of your Dec. 30th A Risk Worth Taking purchases and I LOVED it! The recommendation came from Beach Reads & Bubbly on Instagram (that's where I learned about it) :)

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Kelsey's avatar

Ditto!!! I loved it. 🫶🏻 And bought because of BR&B’s rec

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

thank you so much!!

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

ahh thank you so much!!

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Reading in Brussels's avatar

Nothing to say except that I loved reading this post of yours (I read the excerpts with only one eye open bc my soul screams MORE! MORE!), and that I miss you! (I feel weird saying it, but I do).

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

i miss you too!!

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Maggie North's avatar

What I would give to get into the Jessica Joyce MS trunk 😅

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

it’s a very desolate place honestly! 😂

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Sydney's avatar

Obsessed with this entire post. I’m in the middle of my MFA and was just thinking about all my old manuscripts like 10 minutes ago, so this timing is weird AF and also kinda perfect. Can’t wait to see what other pieces of your brain make it out into the world. 🫶🏼

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

our minds are connected! 🥹

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Jenny's avatar

I love these glimpses into your thoughts and writing. Your writing is so evocative and I always appreciate your humor and wit. I’m glad you are making choices in your best interest and aren’t returning to spaces that no longer serve you. I’m happy/excited to read anything you give us, literally anywhere lol.

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

“evocative” is one of my favorite words ever, so this is like, a hall of fame compliment 💖 thank you so much!!

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Yasmine's avatar

Thank you, mama 💘 love hearing from you! *warm hug extended* keep stealing from yourself!!

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

you know I will!! miss you xoxo

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Gina Banks's avatar

Loved this (and you)!

And Theo’s thighs are such lore of course they showed up in multiple books

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

honestly, I think their lore preceded my existence at this point!!

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Kelly C Loves...'s avatar

As always, your musings are eerily in line with where I'm at. (I recently revisited a half-baked romantasy plot and realised I had plundered it for all the best parts of the friends lovers storyline, down to the most specific details you could imagine)

My favourite thing about artists releasing previously unreleased work is seeing what parts (consciously or not) were salvaged and reshaped into other work (see: me combing through Taylor's vault tracks for nuggets of melody or word combinations that seem eerily familiar from the first lesson).

I think it's such a beautiful thing that we have so many worlds living within us, so much so that the things/ characters that make it to the top and out into the world feel destined to do so. Your work certainly does.

"In every universe, it's Jessica Joyce characters for me" - Wyn Connor, probably

(Ps I miss you every time I see a chain/thigh meme🫶🏻 might just start collecting them and sending you a monthly roundup lol)

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

omg please do the monthly roundup thing, that would make my entire life. Also the Wyn quoooote please.

and yeah, I love our robust inner worlds!! even if it doesn't all make it in front of other people's eyes, wow it's kind of beautiful that sometimes we get to just tell ourselves a story.

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kimberly's avatar

girl i love your mind, am i going a little feral over the manuscripts that never happened? yes, but my god the connections! your newsletter made my day, love and miss you 🫶🏼

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Jessica Joyce's avatar

love and miss YOU. you know i am a ponderer by nature, so this was so fun to dig into!

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