Joyful Noises LLC

01/01/2026

Copyediting and marketing The War of Leadership (by JJasonHicks with illustrations by Victor Juhasz) has truly been a joy. This is SUCH an important book, and I am so excited for it to be out in the world - global release at the Tucson Festival of Books!

Join us in the arena: https://j-jason-hicks.kit.com/acccb03ceb

“Politics (Business) has no relation to morals.”
Niccolo Machiavelli

I’m not sure anyone knows what to expect when they enter the work world. I’m not sure anyone knows what to expect on their first day at a new job. To some degree, we are all a bit naïve when we enter those new arenas. There is so much to learn, and so much that is untaught.

For me, there was a progression moving from being utterly alone to being a part of a family. How about for you?

What did you expect in your first job? What was the reality?

Learning how to survive in the leadership ranks is a challenging process, and it IS possible. You are not alone.

Join Leadership Lessons Learned (also accessible via the Linktree in my bio): https://j-jason-hicks.kit.com/acccb03ceb

Illustration by Victor Juhasz

01/01/2026

As we begin this new year, I invite you to pause...and ground yourself in whatever ways are meaningful for you. And, if community is helpful for you in doing this, I encourage you to join us for our Grounded Gathering.

We will meet synchronously on Zoom on Wednesday, January 14th, 6:00 - 9:00 pm CST to reflect on, envision, and plan for the new year ahead.

This Grounded Gathering is open to ALL. You don’t need to be a music therapy student or professional. You are welcome to bring a friend, partner, or spouse, and you may join us for part or for all of the time. You may keep your video on or off, and you are welcome to use the reflection documents I will provide - or plan, create a vision board or artwork, play music, or do whatever else would be most grounding for YOU for the year ahead.

This gathering is free and will not be recorded. You will receive the Zoom link after registering. If you have any other questions, please comment or message me.

Register to join us using the link in this post or the Linktree in my bio so that we can continue to fill our cups and share our wisdom together:
https://forms.gle/By9J31u4HDAenUYd8

#2026

12/30/2025

It is truly a joy to have gotten to copyedit JJasonHicks's first non-fiction book, The War of Leadership! It is such an incredibly powerful book, and I can't wait for YOU to have the chance to read it, too! Global release is at the 2026 Tucson Festival of Books!

Sign up for Leadership Lessons Learned to find out more:
https://j-jason-hicks.kit.com/acccb03ceb

TITLE REVEAL!

Over the past few weeks, I've shared some of the things that keep us from our creative work and how to battle through them. I've intimated a bit about my own challenges and also about the books on the other side, including not only my epic high fantasy series The Annals of the Last Emissary but also my first nonfiction leadership book. Introducing:

The WAR of Leadership: Hard Lessons and Practical Truths for Surviving In and Beyond Leadership

When you sign up for Leadership Lessons Learned​, my new weekly email series that will begin in 2026, you will immediately receive my list of 13 Actual Traits of Most Leaders. You will also be the first to see the cover for The WAR of Leadership on January 1st! In addition, you will witness this book come to life and gain insights into the "shadow career" world I worked in while avoiding writing my books.

Sign up today via the Linktree in my bio or directly at https://j-jason-hicks.kit.com/acccb03ceb

The venture continues...

12/24/2025

It is truly a joy to serve as the Communications Coordinator for this incredible coalition of creative arts therapies associations!

What is NCCATA?

The National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations, Inc. (NCCATA), founded in 1979, is an alliance of membership associations dedicated to the advancement of the creative arts therapies professions. ​

​The Coalition includes the American Art Therapy Association (), the American Dance Therapy Association (), the American Music Therapy Association, Inc. (), the North American Drama Therapy Association (.dramatherapy), and the National Association for Poetry Therapy ().

Curious to learn more? Check out https://www.nccata.org/ (link also in bio).

12/23/2025

Here is your II for December! Please register to join us so that we can continue to fill our cups and share our wisdom together:
https://forms.gle/By9J31u4HDAenUYd8

12/18/2025

This month, we’ve been focusing on some of the complex considerations around choosing and building our core values as we move into the new year. At the request of some of the folks I supervise, I would like to offer an intentional, grounded space to do just that - or to do whatever would be most helpful for YOU as we begin 2026.

We will meet synchronously on Zoom on Wednesday, January 14th, 6:00 - 9:00 pm CST to reflect on, envision, and plan for the new year ahead.

This “Grounded Gathering” is open to ALL. You don’t need to be a music therapy student or professional. You are welcome to bring a friend, partner, spouse, etc., and you may join us for part or for all of the time. The space will be yours to use in whatever ways would be most meaningful for YOU.

Our tentative schedule is:
6:00 - 6:15 pm CST - Meditative Listening Experience
6:15 - 6:30 pm CST - Check-In on Goals
6:30 - 7:30 pm CST - Coworking Time - I will provide links to a variety of reflection documents, AND you are welcome to use this time in whatever ways would be helpful and meaningful for you - planning, creating a vision board or art, playing music, dreaming, etc. You are welcome to stay on Zoom with us or come and go as you choose. You may have your video on or off. This is YOUR time.
7:30 pm CST - Stretch & Self-Care Break
7:30 - 8:30 pm CST - Coworking Time
8:30 - 9:00 pm CST - Check-In on Reflections, Accomplishments, and Goals

This gathering is free and will not be recorded. You will receive the Zoom link after registering. If you have any other questions, please comment or message me.

Please register to join us so that we can continue to fill our cups and share our wisdom together:
https://forms.gle/By9J31u4HDAenUYd8

12/16/2025

One of the exciting connections we made at Reader Nation this year was with Donovan Scherer of Studio Moonfall. We are very excited that they are carrying signed copies of Ruinwaster's Bane for any Wisconsin fantasy fans - while supplies last! You can also support them by purchasing a copy through Bookshop using the link in the post below. This is a perfect read for anyone wanting to escape into a brilliantly created fantasy world with characters you won't want to leave during your winter break!

Shop Local, Read Indie at Studio Moonfall!

Here’s Ruinwaster's Bane by JJasonHicks

With the very course of creation hanging in the balance, Aenguz Sidor, a wounded Akkeidii Warrior, holds the key to saving the people of Earth-if he can deliver the message in time. An unthinkable message from Lord Morgrom the Divider. A message he cannot share, and that no one may believe.

Following the unexpected death of his father, Aenguz is faced with a challenge to the death for the right to rule. Burdened with the message, he must decide what his legacy will be among his people. Will he die and be a savior or live and be a pariah?

His sudden capture leaves him lost far from home in the harrowing Lands of the Earth. He must find a way to deliver the message in time through old battle lines to the only people with the power to help save the Earth and shed the stigma of being the Last Emissary.

Pick up your copy at https://bookshop.org/a/9574/9781960481078

Stop by Studio Moonfall, 5031 7th Avenue in Kenosha, for more books by local authors and my friends from the indie publishing world!

12/11/2025

Here is your for December! Please comment below or message me if you would like a copy of my core values reflection prompts so we can continue to fill our cups and share our wisdom together!

12/04/2025

Last month, I shared that we are going to explore some of the complex considerations around choosing and building our core values as we move into the new year. As I was contemplating this topic, a colleague I greatly admire brought the question on the first slide to our peer supervision group:

If someone’s belief is in conflict with my identity, why do they think it is my identity that needs to change?

I would invite you to reflect on that question as I did. And then I would invite you to reflect on the questions on the second slide:

What are your values?
Your beliefs?
Your identities?
Which of these can you change?

Please comment below with any insights from your reflections so that we can continue to fill our cups and share our wisdom together.

12/03/2025

I know that my definition of music therapy continues to evolve as I have the honor of grounding and sharing the brave spaces we create in and out of the music together. How would YOU define music therapy?

What is Music Therapy?

The American Music Therapy Association, Inc. () defines music therapy as "the clinical & evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program."

If you are a Board-Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC), how do you answer this question? What is music therapy to YOU?

And, if you are not a credentialed music therapist and are curious to learn more, check out https://www.musictherapy.org/ (link also in bio).