Muni Long (left) and her mother Sheila Smith. PHOTOS BY JOSHUA KODIS

How many mothers can say they have a double Grammy-award winning daughter and are also the author of a new, captivating romance-mystery novel? For Gifford resident Sheila Joyce Smith, the writer of “Private Talk” and mother of critically acclaimed singer and songwriter Muni Long, the excitement are moments made for her.

“Private Talk,” available Thursday on Amazon, is a fictional novel interwoven with romance, redemption and suspense. The story follows protagonist Misha Aprahamian-Paul, an accomplished psychiatrist with her own practice in Arizona. Misha crosses paths with a mysterious man who, years before, rescued her from an unspeakable act at a party when they both were teens in San Diego. Twenty-plus years after that night, the two are brought back together not by coincidence, but by fate.

Long said her mother had never published a book before. The release of “Private Talk” is Smith’s way of reinventing herself, Long said.

“(My mother) has never done something like this. She’s done a lot of things. She was a real estate agent. She was a singer herself when she was younger. She’s a mother and a wife,” Long, 36, told VeroNews.

“But to become an author, especially later in life, I’m sure she’s had to overcome a lot of mental blocks. I can relate because I’ve had to do that several times as well to transform into the person I want to be. I’m very proud of her for that,” the genre-crossing R&B artist said.

Left to right: Muni Long, Sheila Smith and Brian Johnson take questions during a panel session and book release event Saturday, May 31, 2025, at the Gifford Youth Achievement Center. PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL

Smith, a retired human resources expert for the U.S. Navy, spoke about the 500-plus page novel during a panel discussion and book release event Saturday at the Gifford Youth Achievement Center. Long, known for hit songs such as “Hrs and Hrs,” “Made for Me” and “Superpowers” and popularizing the phrase ‘twin,’ moderated the discussion, glancing admirably at her mother as she answered questions from the audience.

“I was so overwhelmed with the number of books being sold every day. I had people buying books in Hawaii, San Francisco, San Diego, Texas, North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina and all over Florida,” said Smith, her voice filled with passion. “People were reading…they were telling me about the characters. They told me how much they liked the book.”

Publishing the book was a vision turned into reality, made possible through publisher Brian Johnson, an Emmy-award winning TV producer and Amazon best-selling author.

Long, who was raised on her grandparent’s farm in the citrus grove-heavy town of Wabasso and lived in Gifford, beamed with pride as she watched her mother talk about her new novel.

“We’re so proud of her,” Long said. “It’s a huge accomplishment. I’m super excited for her.”

Readers ‘transport’ into Indian River County

Lost in time…and history…readers get pulled into coastal Indian River County with a population of 172,000 residents.

Though “Private Talk” is fiction, Smith wrote about real towns in the county, including Gifford, Wabasso and Winter Beach, along with schools such as Vero Beach High School, Sebastian River High and Douglas Elementary that shuttered its doors in 1969. The novel briefly describes true events of how the town limits of Gifford and Wabasso have receded overtime with encroaching development.

Copies of “Private Talk.” PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

Readers are also taken on a joy ride along U.S. 1, County Road 510, Interstate 95 and other major roadways throughout rural Indian River County. Longtime Gifford residents might recognize names – bracketed by palms and brush – of once familiar businesses, including the Greenleaf Bar located along 38th Avenue, when they read the novel. The old bar, which saw top artists of its day come to the predominantly Black community, now sits abandoned.

“Ninety-five percent of (the book) is imagination and fictitious. The other five percent are the places I have been. Those were the real places. If you lived in Wabasso or Gifford, you can’t go anywhere and not talk about the places where we came from,” said Smith, who grew up in Wabasso and lives in Gifford.

“When I started writing about the main character (Misha) going back home to visit her fictitious grandparents, I really used my parents’ names for that. I talked about the places that we’ve lived all our lives and enjoy. I added them to this book so that (local) readers can have the familiarity of ‘this is home.’”

Mother, daughter bond

For Long, traveling to Gifford to celebrate not only her mother’s book release, but also her 65th birthday, was an utmost priority.

“We’re very family oriented. We’re always grilling out every Sunday, steaks on the grill, hanging out in the backyard, fish fries…,” Long said. “My mom mentioned several times that she wanted me to be here for her birthday. I found out she was doing this event for her book release, and I had to come support.”

Long, a 2006 Vero Beach High School graduate, said she often visits Gifford – the small, tight-knit town that she calls home. Long, who as a young girl participated in several plays at Riverside Children’s Theatre, said she feels very comfortable in the city and that most people, who still gladly stop to chat between hugs, are her family.

“I’m at home,” Long said.

Muni Long (right) leads her mother Sheila Smith into the book release and birthday celebration held Saturday, May 31, 2025, at the Gifford Youth Achievement Center. PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL

Long said simple hobbies she participates in with her mother, including planting in the garden, cooking, taking off their shoes and walking in the grass are ways they grow their bond together. The hobbies open an opportunity for Smith and Long, seen holding hands and hugging throughout the night’s event, to talk about life.

“We used to argue a lot like any normal family. Now at my older age I realize she really does know a lot,” said Long, who has traveled the world with her music and gained lifetime experiences while working in the industry. “Then I stopped being such a brat. We have a great relationship now.”

During the “bookout” event, Long presented a birthday cake to her mother and led the crowd to sing a special Happy Birthday song – the Stevie Wonder version. Smith’s husband, retired Indian River County sheriff’s Lt. Leroy Smith, and more relatives were also there, singing and smiling through the night.

Smith said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for her debut published fiction novel and the birthday celebration. The festivity was catered by Toys Tasty Treats and My Grandmother’s Keeper Catering, LLC.

“I’m so excited and happily blessed. It’s unreal,” Smith said. “Just to have everybody show up like they did for me. It’s like you’re floating. It’s like a blur. Is this really happening?”

Creating Private Talk

A complex web of relationships through trauma, betrayal, friendship and healing binds together the characters in “Private Talk.” Though Misha never saw the face of the mystery man who rescued her the night of near tragedy during the teen party in San Diego, she can’t stop thinking about his voice.

Will the universe spark true love after Misha and the mystery man bump into each other more than two decades later? It’s a question that will have readers on the edge of their seats as they comb through the pages.

Smith, who first began writing the book in 2013, said she got the urge to write the novel after watching reality television and being bored with the lack of imagination she found in some of the scripts.

“I felt like I could do better than that,” said Smith, who uses the pen name S. Joyce Smith.

Sheila Smith hugs one of her longtime friends during the “Private Talk” book release and birthday celebration held Saturday, May 31, 2025 at the Gifford Youth Achievement Center. PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

As a natural storyteller, Smith said she would tell tales to friends by observing her surroundings and using her creative imagination to paint scenarios, characters and dialogue. It’s a skill Smith does with ease.

“That’s how I create,” Smith said. “It just comes.”

Smith said Long helped design the front and back covers of “Private Talk.” The back cover shows a photo of Smith’s friends, couple Richard Baptiste and Robin Dapp, looking off into the sunset while the front shows an image of Smith’s nephew, Navy Special Forces Diver Corbin Stinson, at the beach.

Smith said the covers fit the Arizona story setting perfectly.

Johnson, owner of Live Your Dreams Out Loud Publishing, helped Smith develop the characters for the novel. Smith said Johnson was the best publisher anyone could have.

“The way he spoke to me gave me the inner voice to do what his company says…Live Your Dreams Out Loud,” Smith said.

Life’s dark chapters

Smith spoke about her view of motherhood, how women go through different seasons in life and how she incorporated those elements into the makeup of Misha, who has a young son.

Long, sitting next to Smith, asked her mother a question about the challenge of writing about a sexual assault, one of the elements that the book explores. Smith said the bottom line is the most beautiful girls are often the ones that are punished for their beauty.

Sheila Smith signs copies of “Private Talk” during a book release and birthday celebration held Saturday, May 31, 2025, at the Gifford Youth Achievement Center. PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL

“It’s almost like a flower. When most people see flowers, they want to have the prettiest one. But the idea of breaking it off and putting it in a vase does not fit putting it back on the bush…you can’t. To the person that’s breaking it, it’s all about them,” Smith said. “With life and daughters, I was overly protective because my daughter is everything to me. Guys play games and sometimes they are the most horrible games that we as females have to live through. That’s why I put it in there. There isn’t anything in the book that somebody has not done…or worse.”

Long, whose albums “Public Displays of Affection” and “Revenge” have left a mark on the music industry, also asked Smith what message she wants young women to take away from reading “Private Talk.” Smith said she wants young women to determine if they want to be chosen and to not let somebody “pick them.”

“Think for yourself. Ask questions. If it’s something they’re looking for, you need to examine that,” Smith said. “Don’t be left there saying ‘I thought he liked me.’ You should’ve liked you first.”

Another message Smith wants readers to grab hold off is that nothing needs to happen right now. Everything happens when it’s supposed to happen and there’s a lesson in it even if it’s a tragedy, Smith said.

“Do not wallow in sorrow and sadness. Figure out what the lesson was, educate yourself and hit the next gear,” Smith said. “Keep it moving. Nothing about my yesterday determines what I’m going to do today, and it damn sure won’t have anything to do with my tomorrow.”

‘Your life is a book’

Publishing a book might seem scary…but you must take the leap of faith, Smith said. A final message Smith wants readers to get from the novel is to trust your imagination.

Live Your Dreams Out Loud Publishing took on the book project in May 2024. Johnson said “Private Talk” is one of the most electrifying books he has ever published.

Family, friends and supporters take pictures with Sheila Smith and their copies of “Private Talk” during a book release and birthday celebration held Saturday, May 31, 2025, at the Gifford Youth Achievement Center. PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

“This is a behemoth of a book. Taking this book on…I knew it was going to be a challenge. The writing was insane. Editing this book was the hardest thing because we wanted to stay native and not bend away too much from (Smith’s) traditional vernacular,” Johnson said. “I’m glad we got it done.”

Johnson said that everyone has a book in them.

“Your life is a book. Everyday there’s a different page,” Johnson said. “You have 365 pages in your book… every month represents a chapter. We all have a story. Everybody can tell their story or their experience. You don’t have to be too young or too old. We all have a book in us.”

Smith said she is working on “Private Talk 2,” the sequel to “Private Talk.” Readers can order “Private Talk” through the book’s website, Smith’s email sjoycesmithprivatetalk@gmail.com or Amazon.com.