About the Author:
Jodi is a YA and NA/Adult author, black belt, and registered nurse. She lives with her husband, three sons and an evolving herd of undisciplined animals in Colorado. She has a well-earned fear of bears, but tolerates the Teddy and Gummy variety. She has been obsessed with books, both reading and writing them, for most of her life and prefers the written word to having actual conversations. The most current projected completion date of her To Be Read book collection is May 17, 2176.
Amazon
Gripping, romantic, and evocative of its time— A Shine that Defies the Dark is a spellbinding story of one woman who will stop at nothing to survive during a tumultuous time in American history. The romance is sizzling and the danger will keep your heart pounding all the way through to the last page. After a six-year exile, Ophelia Breaux and her mother are overjoyed to return to the Louisiana bayou. But it seems the ghosts of the epic feud that drove them away still haunt Plaquemines Parish, and with the Great Depression sweeping the nation, the two soon find they can't make ends meet. Seeing no other option, Ophelia's mother takes the drastic step of sharing her bed with the town judge in exchange for a reduced rent. The judge has had a life-long obsession with Momma, and Ophelia is desperate to end this arrangement and get her away from him. When Remy Granger shows up, Ophelia knows it could mean more trouble—and that's the last thing they need. Handsome and dangerous, he's the first boy she ever kissed, and a member of the most notorious family in southern Louisiana—but he's also got an opportunity for fast money in rumrunning. Ophelia goes all in, and it turns out she may have a knack for the business. But she's going to have to run even faster if she wants to save Momma… dodging the cops, rival gangs, and her traitorous heart at every turn.
Jodi is a YA and NA/Adult author, black belt, and registered nurse. She lives with her husband, three sons and an evolving herd of undisciplined animals in Colorado. She has a well-earned fear of bears, but tolerates the Teddy and Gummy variety. She has been obsessed with books, both reading and writing them, for most of her life and prefers the written word to having actual conversations. The most current projected completion date of her To Be Read book collection is May 17, 2176.
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How I Found My Shine
A common question about any novel is, “Where did the idea come from?” I’ve asked it myself. Did this fully formed plot line emerged miraculously from someone’s imagination (if only it were that easy!).
The truth is novels are the result of several little inspirations. Separately they seem unique and fully formed. But when inspiration strikes, those random ideas come together with unexpected and wondrous results.
The following are the little bits of inspiration that came together as my debut novel, A Shine That Defies the Dark:
- A 2009 trip to the Big Easy. My husband and I took a three-day trip to New Orleans. Despite the humidity (it was late June and the humidity was brutal), I fell in love with the city. I adored everything about the French Quarter: the architecture, streets, vibe, food, everything! Since then I’ve been obsessed with southern Louisiana.
- Preservation Hall. During dinner one night our waitress told us about this little gem of a music venue. The music was fantastic and the location, unlike anything I’d experienced. I bought a CD on my way out the door. That CD became part of my playlist for A Shine That Defies the Dark.
- A random phrase popped into my head one morning and I loved it. I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget it. Periodically I mulled over it, wondering how a character would come to making this declaration: “I didn’t go lookin’ for Remy Granger that night. I was tryin’ to avoid the man in my momma’s bedroom the same as she was tryin’ to ignore the fact that I knew he was in there with her."
- Reality television. I have a reality & documentary tv problem. In 2014-15 I’d been feeding my Louisiana obsession with one reality tv show, while also watching several programs about moonshine and bootlegging. I remember turning to my husband one night and saying, “I’m strangely intrigued by the moonshine business. I think I want to write a book about bootleggers someday.”
- My grandfather & a reality tv personality. One reality show had a man who always reminded me of my grandpa. I don’t know what it was about him, but I imagined—had my grandpa been Cajun—he’d be a lot like this man. When I did start writing the book, my grandfather featured prominently in the development of one character: Vieux Piersall. Some of the mannerisms and facts about Vieux Piersall are true to my grandpa. The manner of speaking though—the voice in my head of Vieux Piersall—that’s completely inspired by the man on tv.
- The decision to participate in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Nothing pressures you to make decisions and turn inspiration into a novel like having to write a novel in 30 days!
For my NaNoWriMo 2015 project, everything came together, and I began a book about bootleggers in southern Louisiana. It was the first year I succeeded at NaNoWriMo.
And that’s how I found my “Shine”.
Make sure to check out her book on Amazon!
AmazonGripping, romantic, and evocative of its time— A Shine that Defies the Dark is a spellbinding story of one woman who will stop at nothing to survive during a tumultuous time in American history. The romance is sizzling and the danger will keep your heart pounding all the way through to the last page. After a six-year exile, Ophelia Breaux and her mother are overjoyed to return to the Louisiana bayou. But it seems the ghosts of the epic feud that drove them away still haunt Plaquemines Parish, and with the Great Depression sweeping the nation, the two soon find they can't make ends meet. Seeing no other option, Ophelia's mother takes the drastic step of sharing her bed with the town judge in exchange for a reduced rent. The judge has had a life-long obsession with Momma, and Ophelia is desperate to end this arrangement and get her away from him. When Remy Granger shows up, Ophelia knows it could mean more trouble—and that's the last thing they need. Handsome and dangerous, he's the first boy she ever kissed, and a member of the most notorious family in southern Louisiana—but he's also got an opportunity for fast money in rumrunning. Ophelia goes all in, and it turns out she may have a knack for the business. But she's going to have to run even faster if she wants to save Momma… dodging the cops, rival gangs, and her traitorous heart at every turn.
Amazon
Cleric’s Cove is home to the most brutal gang of bootleggers in Southern Louisiana, the Moret family. Desperate to find out what happened to her brother Finn, Deirdre Cassidy is determined to use her skills as a healer, as well as her feminine charms, to infiltrate the Moret crime family. Once she’s ensconced in the Moret hideout, she hopes to gather information that will lead her to Finn—or help her destroy the family that caused his disappearance. But the one thing Deirdre never counted on is Mo Moret. The eldest son and head of the Moret gang, Mo is incredibly dangerous, yet magnetic—the attraction between them palpable. Still, Deirdre doesn’t believe he'll ever set aside family loyalty for love. And even if he did, Deirdre has vowed to see the end of the Morets—whatever the cost. The second installment in the popular Rum Runners series by Jodi Gallegos, The Light at Finnigan’s End is a fast-paced romance with elements of historical fiction, set against the gritty backdrop of depression-era southern Louisiana.
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FTC Guidelines: In accordance with FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers, I would like my readers to know that many of the books I review are provided to me for free by the publisher or author of the book in exchange for an honest review. If am compensated for any reviews on this site I will state that post has been sponsored.
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