Jo Beverley

I have so many special memories of Jo Beverley going back decades to before I sold my first book. Her bright laugh, her smile, her wit and warmth, but also her deadpan British humor and endless generosity. Jo had a big heart and was a true mentor to other writers. For a while back in the '90s, she, Rosalyn Rutledge Alsobrook and I were in a critique group together on GEnie. I definitely received more than I gave in that group! Jo treated me like a peer, though she was a goddess and I a neophyte whose first book was still wet behind the title page.

One of my fondest memories of Jo is from one of our early RomEx parties (Romance Writers tend to party at writers' conferences--what can I say?), when she and I went on a quest for a corkscrew. There didn't seem to be such a beast in this particular hotel. I don't recall where we were, but it wasn't the sort of place where we could call the hotel kitchen and ask for one. smile emoticon We eventually tracked one down and to this day, that corkscrew still resides in my travel makeup bag, so it's always available. Afterward, at conferences, Debster--Jo gave me that name, BTW--could always be depended on to have a mending kit and a corkscrew.

And her books... What to say? We will have them forever--her incredible characters (Rothgar!), compelling plots and prose. It saddens me to know there will be no more from her gifted mind, but we have at least 40 to cherish forever.

May your journey be paved with dreams come true, sprinkled with fairy dust, and give you the time writers always crave to read all the books we never have time to.

RIP, dear friend.

Love, Debster

http://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2016/05/in-memoriam-jo-beverley.html

Jo Beverley wearing her famous "I Don't Remember Your Name Either"