Happy Birthday to Us

by

OI usually write the blog posts on Wednesdays in order for them to be published on Fridays, so this is being written on Wednesday, October 26. It is also the last day I’ll be seventy-one. Tomorrow the age page turns over to 72 not only for me, but also for your friend and mine, J.P. Beaumont.

As an author, it’s my job to remember not only the details of my living/breathing relatives and friends, I have to do the same thing for all kinds of imaginary folks. With more than fifty books under my belt, that turns into a lot of remembering. For characters, I need to keep ages, car details, and weaponry all straight. Let’s say I’m SUPPOSED to keep those straight. For those of you who have sent me e-mails about Joanna Brady’s height varying from five-foot-one to five-four depending on the various book in question, you know I’m not one hundred percent infallible. (Bill said I should tell people that she was very young when I started writing about her and that she went through a late ‘growth-spurt. The truth, plain and simple, is that I screwed up.)

There was the mysterious case of Joanna Brady’s dog, Tigger, who walked off stage in one book and failed to reappear in the next until fans wrote to ask me why he was AWOL.

And then there was the one off-hand remark in Beaumont #9, Payment in Kind, where he says something to the effect of his not having served in Vietnam which turns out to be dead wrong, given the story that plays out Second Watch.

So there you have it. When I’m wrong, I’m wrong, no two ways about it! And for the guy who recently wrote to point out that what I called “altitude” in Downfall should really have been referred to as “elevation?” Well, you’ve got me there, too.

As for the really annoying thing about those pesky mistakes? They are all still around, right there in black and white, where people can see them and let me know, even years later, where I’ve missed the mark.

Many books ago, as a device to help me remember J.P. Beaumont’s evolving character, I decided—on a whim—to set his fictional birthdate on my real birthdate—October 27, 1944. I don’t recall exactly which book where that occurred. I believe it may have been in Minor in Possession when Ralph Ames took him for a birthday dinner at Vincent’s on Camelback where Beau indulged in the duck tamales. (They are delicious, by the way!)

I have no doubt that a whole bunch of you have just stopped reading the blog, gone straight to your bookshelves, and grabbed a copy of MIP so you could check that detail out for yourselves. I could probably do my own fact check from here, but let’s be fair. Comments and e-mails telling me that I’m wrong again will be proof positive that people are actually READING these pieces and PAYING ATTENTION! As one of our current crop of political candidates likes to say, “fact check away” to your heart’s content!

Beau and I have been together as author and character since 1982. I’m not altogether sure what he’s been up to in the last year or so because I’ve been busy paying attention to the doings of Ali Reynolds and Joanna Brady. While I’ve spent the last year and a half losing seventy-plus pounds and walking four to five miles a day, I’m not so sure about Beau. I know he has a pair of new knees, and I suspect that his knee-replacement experience is every bit as successful as my husband’s was and is, but J.P. has never been a physical fitness buff. I could be wrong about this, but I believe at one point he told someone that his favorite form of exercise was jumping to conclusions.

I know that just prior to his cameo appearance in Dance of the Bones his job came to an abrupt end with the shuttering of the Special Homicide Investigation Team. (S.H.I.T.) I also know that he and Mel were in the process of remodeling a house in the Bellingham area where she is the newly appointed chief of police, but as far as how my retired homicide cop has been adjusting to his enforced retirement? I have no idea.

The good news is–I’m about to find out. Once I send this blog to my IT Gal, I will be calling up a new folder on my computer and starting a new book—Beaumont # 22. Surprisingly enough, the book already has a name—Proof of Life. Judging by the title, it must have something to do with a kidnapping, but I have no idea who the victim is or the bad guy, either, for that matter. However, for those of you who have been waiting for a new Beau book? Here it comes.

Happy Birthday, J.P.

It’s time for both of us to go to work.

41 thoughts on “Happy Birthday to Us”

  1. Happy Birthday to you both! And so glad to hear I’m not the only one that slips up with her character’s details. It is laughable at times, and striving for perfection can be maddening. Your observations however, provide a little much-needed perspective. Looking forward to your new book, as always. To a wonderful new year to you.

  3. The new book would not have to be a kidnapping. Proof of Life could just refer to Beau being involved with something new after retirement. A new adventure to prove he is still alive and kicking in retirement.

  4. Happy birthday to you & a present for us! That works! =) Looking forward to the new JP book for sure. Have a lovely day. ??

  6. Happy birthday. As to those people finding errors? Honestly, they need more to do! I can’t wait for the next Beaumont book. He is how I became one of your fans.

    • I agree with you, Kathy. People who look thru a book to find errors and then contact the author need to find a new hobby. Beau is my favorite, too, and I’m happy he will soon be having another adventure. I hope he had a happy birthday, too.

  7. I like Rita’s idea.
    Since I’ve been retired my working friends and family pose the question:
    So…what DO you do all day?
    As if to imply if I’m not rolling bandages for the Red Cross all day, my life is without merit!!

    • I really love it when I read a library book with corrections carefully noted on the book page. I can not imagine that the librarian appreciates such efforts!

  10. Happy, happy birthday, J.A. and J.P.! I’m still an as-yet-unpublished novelist, and I already know what a challenge it is to keep track of continuity. Did she already tell him A? Has he found the B? How many days ago did X happen? I think I’m spending as much time on my outline/time line as I am on the actual manuscript.
    I hope you’re celebrating in grand style, and I look forward to J.P.’s next adventure. When I’m caught in a whirlwind of competing projects/appointments and my attention is scattered like ping-pong balls dumped into a large room, one of your stories is what I crave to cut through the noise. I’m reading them totally out of order–just finished Tombstone Courage. Marvelous!

  11. Hey, they’re novels folks. Each one can stand alone. If Joanna Brady is 6′ tall in her next appearance, it’s fine with me.

  12. Yah, more Beau! I am astounded by the minutiae some readers remember. I must concentrate on the story more or maybe simply no more room in my brain for tiny details. Anyway, I’m looking forward to whatever character you choose to write about. I looked at my favorite author list the other day and was shocked to see the ages ranged from 55 to much older. I need to get serious about finding younger writers that I can enjoy for the rest of my old age.

  13. I have read the Ali and Joanne series and loved them. I am now starting JP series. Thank you for all my reading enjoyment. Good luck on the new book and HAPPY BIRTHDAY????

    • Oh Lucky you. You get to start an adventure you’ll never forget… one of the best things about starting the Beau series is you fall in love with him… I love everything JA Jance writes but Beau was my first and you never forget your first… lol …. Jan

  14. Happy Birthday to both of you. I hope you find he is in the same good shape you are.

    As for looking for errors, nonsense. Reading along, enjoying the actions and conversations, a gender mix up pops out. Or in some cases, names of people involved are not erat they should be. Makes me wonder about search and relace when a character’s name is changed. Or all those editors, proofreaders! This old brain rereads to make sure I am not slipping.

    Looking forward to a PNW setting.

  15. Happy Birthday! October birthday rock! Some of the best people on the planet were born in October (me too). Wishing you another fun and fruitful year filled with many blessings! Glad to hear Beau is gonna be back with another adventure I’ve missed him.

  16. Happy Birthday a day late hope you had a great one mine was Oct.22 I can’t wait for the new book love them all…

  17. Wishing both of you a wonderful birthday (a day late)…and many more years to come. You and J.P. have brought me many wonderful hours of reading.
    Hope your day was everything you hoped for,
    CJ Vermote

  18. Thankyou Ms. Jance for announcing the new book! More importantly, happy birthday to you! Hope you have a fantastic day.

  19. Happy Birthday!! I’m 72 and it’s all good. I’m so excited about a new Beaumont book. As soon as I finish one book….be it Beaumont, Ali, or Joanna….I find myself hoping I’ll still be around for the next one. I hope your special day is over the moon and that the coming year will bring good health, lots of fun and love, and good writing.

  21. Sounds like some people read books looking for mistakes. I hope you had a special, happy birthday yesterday. I have moved to an assistted living place in Bothell. They do the cooking and cleaning. Loving it! My house sold without having to be listed

  22. I have missed JP so much! Glad to know you will be writing a new one. Happy Birthday from yet another October baby!

  23. Sweet Happy Birthday wishes to you and Beau! You just gave me the best belated birthday gift (10/25) with your announcement of Proof of Life! I have been going through withdrawals waiting to see if there would ever be more of my most favorite character. Thank you. :-))

  25. Beau and you are trying to catch up to me but still lagging a year and a half behind (me, 4/10/43). Hope you had a fun day celebrating another year around the sun (70 lbs less ?).
    Waiting for Proof of Life.
    From Seattleland (81 degrees on the deck at Lake Meridian in sunny Kent – Who’d a thunk it?)

  26. Love these blogs, and hope your birthday was great. My firstborn was born on 10/25/58; I lost her 9 years ago. Just hired a lovely middle-aged lady who was born just 2 days after Beth was, and found she was grieving the loss of her mother (a petite brunette like me) who’d been born a year and 9 days before I was, with many other similarities. Fascinating coincidence, and kind of comforting to us both. So glad we’ll soon see more Beau; he’ll always be my favorite, and you know why!(weak smile) We’d have never met if it hadn’t been for Beau! P.S. Prescott just hired a female Top Cop, by the way!

  27. Happy birthday! Hope it was awesome! Please keep Joanna and all the Arizona based books coming. Your my favorite writer, Tony Hillerman was my other favorite. My late father also loved your books.

    Blessings to you!

    Toni Molano

  28. I am really looking forward to a new Beau book. Don’t kidnap anyone we love. Like wife , kids,Grandkids of Beau. I cannot tell you how upset At the Deaths of Joanna’s mom and Stepdad. In fact I would not read it for months..
    HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY , I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY.
    About fact checking your oops as I grow older I a lucky to remember my last meal. I usually reread my new books about a week after I get them… I remember a plot then spend days finding it again so I can reread it. AGAIN HAVE A GREAT BIRTHDAY ….JAN

  29. October 28 is my birthday. 1938 was the beginning for me. I’ve missed Beau and I’m happy to hear he’s returning, the last Joanna was sad because of the family deaths, but a great read! Who would have guessed a DEPUTY !!
    Thanks for continuing to produce great stories.
    Lynn

  30. Happy birthday to you and Beau. I can not wait for his new book, really miss him. I love his sense of humor and how sensitive he can be. Will you ever be in the Chicago area?

  31. Happy birthday!!!
    Our household joins you.
    I turned 69’and my husband 76 recently/where have the years gone?
    Thank you For the joy you have given your readers-for the hours you have toiled and sacrificed from other things you might have been doing-although I suspect you love every minute writing about your “friends”. God gave your readers a special gift on your birthday and you have lived your “dash” in a fantastic way! Thank you!!!

  32. Happy Birthday to both of you! I’m 75 almost 76, so we both have a lot to be thankful for! I’m hoping you write Many more books & I’m around to read them!! Beau & Joanna are my favorites Ali good but not Great…. Looking forward to #22, Thanks for many hours of enjoyable reading! God Bless!

  33. Happy birthday. Age is just a number: I thought I was 72 when I read your blog this morning and saw your birthday. Then I started figuring and realized that since you were born in ’44 and my birthday is in ’45, I must only be 71! I’m a real person and I can’t even keep track of “facts” like my age. But then again, why should our brains be mired in facts when they should be “out there” marveling in creative imagination.” One of these days I’m going to have to follow your example and reflect my “life-lessons” into characters and stories that others can enjoy– or not. Following another of your examples, I’ve already “trimmed up” and lost 23 pounds. I don’t know how you find the time to walk those 10,000 steps, but now I’m vigilant about what I eat and walk an occasional 5,000 and a regular 3-4,000 steps. Thanks for being my inspiration. I can’t wait for Proof of Life! As long as the birthdays keep coming, why should we ever stop to count count? Just keep on keepin’ on.

  34. I feel. Beatles song comng on! and will paraphrase it. (You supply the tune, as you sing pretty fair.) “Yes, we still read you, yes, we still need you — and Beau, and Ali, and Joanna, and Brandon, et al — now you’re 72!
    Happy Belated Birthday, Judy, I turn your magic number on Sunday. It was Election Day, 1944, with another hotly contested duo batting it out, when I arrived bawling and backward, into the world. Been doing it that ay ever since!
    P.S. I tipped my cowgirl hat to you in my own website blog of Oct. 30!

  35. Happy Birthday to both of you. And thank you to you for writing great books that have kept my husband and me entertained for years. We started with JP in the mid-80s when we lived in Idaho and we were thrilled to know his haunts in Seattle and Western Washington. While we missed him when you first started to venture to Arizona with Johanna Brady and crew, we are now wrapped up in all of their lives and adventures. Perhaps most fun is that your latest JP novellas find JP and Mel just down the hill from us on Bayside here in Bellingham refinishing a house just as we did here on Clark! Best wishes and looking forward to Proof of Life!

  36. Happy belated Birthday to you. Hope it was a great day. Now you are same age as me. I was 71 in January. Love reading your blogs.

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