Good Morning, Booklovers!
Another wintry day in the Midwest, but we’re all snug before the fireplace.
I have an exciting new addition to my household, and I’d like for you to meet my girl, Pippin, a 5-month-old min pin mix.
Here she is being held by her former foster mom prior to adoption. Have you ever seen such big ears?!
But we’re all gathered here this morning for book talk, so without further delay, let’s welcome this week’s guest author, Jana Richards, bringing us her featured romantic suspense, STRONG ENOUGH.
Nice to have you on the blog, Jana. How do you take your coffee?
Here she is being held by her former foster mom prior to adoption. Have you ever seen such big ears?!
But we’re all gathered here this morning for book talk, so without further delay, let’s welcome this week’s guest author, Jana Richards, bringing us her featured romantic suspense, STRONG ENOUGH.
Nice to have you on the blog, Jana. How do you take your coffee?
JR: I love coffee! I drink mine with a little milk, enough to make it a café au lait color. I managed to wean myself off sugar in my coffee a long time ago, but I can’t drink it without milk. I’d love cream instead, but it’s just too many calories!
Ally: While I fill our mugs, please introduce yourself to readers.
Ally: While I fill our mugs, please introduce yourself to readers.
Bio:
Jana Richards has tried her hand at many writing projects over the years, from magazine articles and short stories to full-length contemporary romance, paranormal suspense and romantic comedy. She loves to create characters with a sense of humor, but also a serious side. She believes there’s nothing more interesting then peeling back the layers of a character to see what makes them tick.
When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).
Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and two senior cats named Layla and Leelou.
Something unique/unusual that isn’t in your regular bio: “We recently adopted our thirteen-year-old cats, Layla and Leelou, when their original owner passed away. They were at risk of being surrendered to the Humane Society, and considering their age, we were afraid no one would adopt them together. Or at all.
When we took them to the vet to get some shots, we discovered that Leelou really, really doesn’t like going to the vet. My sweet, gentle senior citizen turned into a screaming, hissing Tasmanian devil. A tech had to be called in to hold the cat down while the vet tried to examine her. Leelou made some unearthly sounds that I didn’t know she, or any other cat, was capable of. Next time I have to take her to the vet, there’s going to be tranquilizers involved, for both of us!”
Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.janarichards.com
Blog: http://janarichards.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards
Amazon UK Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG
Newsletter Signup: http://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janarichards155
Jana Richards has tried her hand at many writing projects over the years, from magazine articles and short stories to full-length contemporary romance, paranormal suspense and romantic comedy. She loves to create characters with a sense of humor, but also a serious side. She believes there’s nothing more interesting then peeling back the layers of a character to see what makes them tick.
When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).
Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and two senior cats named Layla and Leelou.
Something unique/unusual that isn’t in your regular bio: “We recently adopted our thirteen-year-old cats, Layla and Leelou, when their original owner passed away. They were at risk of being surrendered to the Humane Society, and considering their age, we were afraid no one would adopt them together. Or at all.
When we took them to the vet to get some shots, we discovered that Leelou really, really doesn’t like going to the vet. My sweet, gentle senior citizen turned into a screaming, hissing Tasmanian devil. A tech had to be called in to hold the cat down while the vet tried to examine her. Leelou made some unearthly sounds that I didn’t know she, or any other cat, was capable of. Next time I have to take her to the vet, there’s going to be tranquilizers involved, for both of us!”
Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.janarichards.com
Blog: http://janarichards.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards
Amazon UK Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG
Newsletter Signup: http://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janarichards155
INTERVIEW:
Ally: Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
JR: I’m a hybrid author, which means that I have self-published some books and have traditionally published others. Both methods of publishing have advantages and disadvantages. My plan for the future is to self-publish more books because I like the control I have over cover art, publishing dates and a host of other things. But it also means I’m responsible for everything, which is a daunting prospect!
Ally: Do you use critique groups or beta readers? Do you find them valuable?
JR: Yes, I belong to a small critique group and I find it invaluable. I’ve known most of the people in my small group for a long time and I trust them to be fair, but to tell me the truth. I find that looking at my work through another person’s eyes gives me perspective. My critique partners sometimes make suggestions I never considered. But they often are exactly what the story needs.
Ally: Where do you go to find a new book to read? A friend, google search, browsing a brick-and-
mortar bookstore?
JR: I often read a book based on a friend’s recommendation. Or sometimes a book’s blurb intrigues me, or a review will draw me in. Before the pandemic, browsing a bookstore was one of my favorite things to do. Nowadays, I’m more likely to browse Amazon or Audible for a book to read on my Kindle, or listen to as an audiobook.
Ally: Do you read reviews of your own books? Do you respond to them? Are you affected by
them?
JR: I do read reviews of my own books. For the most part, my reviews have been positive. I rarely respond to them, however. But every once in a while, a review isn’t as glowing as I’d hoped for. My books are like my children, so if a reader doesn’t “get” it, or calls one of my children ugly, I can’t help but be affected by it. But usually, when I step back and think about it, the reviewer has a point. I try to keep the reviewer’s point in mind when I write the next book.
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
JR: My next writing project is a Christmas story. It’s book four in my self-published series, Love at Solace Lake. I loved a couple of the characters in the series so much that I wanted to give them their own book, and what better time to do it than at Christmas. CHRISTMAS AT SOLACE LAKE will be released in time for Christmas 2023. It was supposed have been ready for Christmas this year, but life intervened and I decided to give myself some grace and shoot for next year.
Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you choose?
JR:
Ally: Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
JR: I’m a hybrid author, which means that I have self-published some books and have traditionally published others. Both methods of publishing have advantages and disadvantages. My plan for the future is to self-publish more books because I like the control I have over cover art, publishing dates and a host of other things. But it also means I’m responsible for everything, which is a daunting prospect!
Ally: Do you use critique groups or beta readers? Do you find them valuable?
JR: Yes, I belong to a small critique group and I find it invaluable. I’ve known most of the people in my small group for a long time and I trust them to be fair, but to tell me the truth. I find that looking at my work through another person’s eyes gives me perspective. My critique partners sometimes make suggestions I never considered. But they often are exactly what the story needs.
Ally: Where do you go to find a new book to read? A friend, google search, browsing a brick-and-
mortar bookstore?
JR: I often read a book based on a friend’s recommendation. Or sometimes a book’s blurb intrigues me, or a review will draw me in. Before the pandemic, browsing a bookstore was one of my favorite things to do. Nowadays, I’m more likely to browse Amazon or Audible for a book to read on my Kindle, or listen to as an audiobook.
Ally: Do you read reviews of your own books? Do you respond to them? Are you affected by
them?
JR: I do read reviews of my own books. For the most part, my reviews have been positive. I rarely respond to them, however. But every once in a while, a review isn’t as glowing as I’d hoped for. My books are like my children, so if a reader doesn’t “get” it, or calls one of my children ugly, I can’t help but be affected by it. But usually, when I step back and think about it, the reviewer has a point. I try to keep the reviewer’s point in mind when I write the next book.
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
JR: My next writing project is a Christmas story. It’s book four in my self-published series, Love at Solace Lake. I loved a couple of the characters in the series so much that I wanted to give them their own book, and what better time to do it than at Christmas. CHRISTMAS AT SOLACE LAKE will be released in time for Christmas 2023. It was supposed have been ready for Christmas this year, but life intervened and I decided to give myself some grace and shoot for next year.
Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you choose?
JR:
- Ebook or print? I honestly love both. I can also include audiobooks as a favorite. The experience is different with each one, but they all have their places, depending on what you’re doing and where you are.
- Last time you rode a train (not subway): In 2014 we were in the south of France on a river cruise. We took the train from Lyon to Paris at the end of our trip.
- Pie or cake? Hard choice, but if you’re making me pick one, I’d say lemon meringue pie.
- Your pets: Two thirteen-year-old calico cats, Layla and Leelou
- Best place you’ve ever visited: Maui, Hawaii! I’d go back in a heartbeat.
STRONG ENOUGH
Genre: contemporary small-town romance, romantic suspense
Heat level of excerpt – 3.5 out of 5
Charlotte Saunders has a full life—a rewarding career as a nurse, meaningful volunteer work at a dog shelter, and family, friends and pets she adores. But no matter how hard she tries, she can’t forget the horrible event that’s haunted her for ten years.
A survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Damon Greyson now helps others who have suffered trauma. His experience and intuition alert him to trouble in Charlotte’s past, and he wants to help her, if only she’d let him.
Excerpt:
He slowly lowered his head, his breath mingling with hers. But he held back, as if waiting for her permission.
Charlotte’s lips were mere inches from his. Her senses filled with him, with his scent, with the look in his eyes, and the sound of his ragged breathing. She trembled, but she wasn’t sure if it was with excitement or fear. Perhaps it was both.
All she knew was right now she wanted to kiss Damon Greyson more than she’d wanted her next breath. She stretched up on her tiptoes and touched her lips to his.
Damon’s arms came around her and crushed her against his broad chest. Somehow her arms wound themselves around his neck and hung on tight. Every part of his body seemed to fit perfectly with hers, as if they were puzzle pieces made only for each other.
And his mouth. Oh, his clever, wonderful mouth. His kiss was demanding, and yet so utterly tender it made her want to weep. It had been a long time since she’d been kissed like this.
No, she corrected. I’ve never been kissed like this.
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