Saturday, September 27, 2008

Loyalty's Web Available for Pre-Order



Loyalty’s Web is now available for pre-order on DeseretBook.com. If you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to purchase a copy of the Leatherwood Press version of this “sweet” medieval romance, this is your chance to jump on board! Loyalty’s Web has been re-edited, very slightly rewritten, AND is selling for $2.00 less than the original iUniverse version. You could wait until Loyalty’s Web appears in bookstores, but why when you could have it arrive directly on your doorstep as soon as it becomes available? Christmas is coming up fast, and what better gift for that reader among your family and friends (or yourself, for that matter!) than a nice, cozy historical romance to read while curled up next to a crackling fire?




Loyalty’s Web, by Joyce DiPastena


This book was a 2007 Whitney Award Finalist in the Best Romance/Women's Fiction category.

The year is 1176, and the Earl of Gunthar and his knights have been sent to France by King Henry II of England to enforce a peace treaty. The rakish earl falls in love with Heléne de Laurant, the younger, spirited sister of the beauty he is supposed to wed in an arranged marriage designed to unite the two countries. But when Heléne and her family are accused of plotting against the king, Heléne is torn: should she betray the man who could send her family to the gallows, or should she follow her heart and risk her safety to save him?

REVIEW:

5 stars

Lovely visit to a world of long ago and wonderful story of choices and love.
Cindy, UTAH - September 24, 2008

Joyce DiPastena is a welcome fresh voice in historical romance. Her writing style is a real gift. Her characters come to life. I walked the time period through her detailed descriptions and found it fascinating and so visual. I was captivated by the story and the characters. Thank you Joyce for sharing this wonderfully clean historical romance with the world.

PRE-ORDER LOYALTY'S WEB TODAY!

Friday, September 19, 2008

JDP NEWS Updates

From Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary:

Patience: the capacity, habit, or fact of being patient.”

Patient: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint.”

I am currently undergoing yet another lesson in patience. I returned from my trip to Pennsylvania to learn that, due to printing problems at Leatherwood Press, Loyalty’s Web (which was supposed to be re-published in June, then July, then August), probably will not hit the shelves until October. So I’m taking deep breaths and endeavoring to endure this “trial calmly and without complaint.” My mother would be proud of me! (Assuming I succeed in not breaking down and stamping my foot in frustration.)

Someone who will no longer have to exercise patience, however, is the winner of my website drawing, Debby Creager of Arkansas! Debby has won a signed copy of one of my Medieval Vignettes, “Picking Herbs”. Congratulations, Debby, and thank you to everyone who entered!

BLOG UPDATES:

I recently posted a blog about one of my experiences during my trip to Pennsylvania. It’s a reflection on that state’s founder, William Penn, entitled Why Don’t We Know More About Our Pre-Founding Fathers? I hope you'll check it out.

WEB UPDATES:

And if you’d like to see some photos from my trip to Pennsylvania, I’ve posted a sampling (a mere 57 out of 192) on my website. Click on (what else?) the "My Albums" tab when you get there. Hope you enjoy a vicarious trip through my vacation!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Summer Book Trek Wrap-Up

As a participant in this summer's 2008 Summer Book Trek, I've been asked to post and respond to the following as the book trek draws to a close. Forgive me for not typing in more detail, but I'm on a trip to Philadelphia with my sister, borrowing my sister's work computer to post this, and her keyboard is driving me nuts! More about my trip when I get back to Arizona. In the mean time, on with my Summer Book Trek Wrap-Up!

LDS PUBLISHER: The Summer Book Trek ended on Sunday, August 31st. We have a few days to finish up what we're reading and to post and link our final reviews. This has been fun for me and, I hope, fun for you too. I read several LDS authors during this time, but not the ones on my list. Life works out that way, sometimes.If you've already finished your reading list, you can go ahead and post your wrap-up/summary post. Please consider answering these questions:

JDP ANSWERS IN RED

1. How many fiction books by LDS authors did you read? FIVE--THE ARTHURIAN OMEN BY G.G. VANDAGRIFF; DANTE'S DAUGHTER BY KIMBERLEY HEUSTON; THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE: THE SECOND SUN BY CHRIS STEWART; THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE: FURY AND LIGHT BY CHRIS STEWART; ANGEL FALLING SOFTLY BY EUGENE WOODBURY. I ONLY REVIEWED THE FIRST THREE, THOUGH, AS I HAD TO REVIEW THREE NON-FICTION BOOKS AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO REVIEW THE EXTRA TWO FICTION TITLES, TOO.

2. Did you read more than you would have read if you hadn't participated in this book trek? YES

3. Did the reviews posted by other participants influence which titles you read? How? NOT REALLY.

4. Did the Whitney awards influence which titles you read? How? NO, I JUST PICKED TITLES THAT SOUNDED INTERESTING TO ME, ALL PUBLISHED PRIOR TO 2008 (EXCEPT FOR ONE)

5. Did the many, many virtual blog tours that happened this summer influence which titles you read? How? NO

6. Did you finish all the books you had planned to read? If not, why? YES, PLUS TWO NOT ON MY LIST

7. Did you discover any new authors whom you now love? NOT REALLY, BUT I DID ENJOY READING BOOKS I WOULD NOT ORDINARILY HAVE TRIED

8. Did you nominate any of the books you read for Whitney awards? NO, BECAUSE MOST WERE NOT 2008 BOOKS, AND THE ONE THAT WAS ELIGIBLE I DIDN'T LIKE WELL ENOUGH TO NOMINATE

9. Would you be interested in another LDS themed reading challenge either this winter, or next summer? NEXT SUMMER. I'M READY TO READ SOME NON-LDS FICTION FOR AWHILE NOW.