JDP News

YA Giveaway Hop Winner!

2012-02-01T15:04:00.003-07:00

Congratulations to Katie, winner of the YA Giveaway Hop on JDP NEWS! Katie has won a gently used copy of My Fair Godmother, by Janette Rallison.

Thank you to everyone who entered!

One day left for "Dangerous Favor" giveaway!

2012-01-30T16:15:00.000-07:00

There's one more day to enter for a chance to win a free copy of Dangerous Favor! Click here to find out how.

Cassandra Bowers with Illuminations of the Heart.

Winner: "There Your Heart Will Be Also"

2012-01-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Julie W! Julie has won a PDF copy of There Your Heart Will Be Also, by Felicia Rogers.

Thank you to everyone who read my interview with Felicia and entered her giveaway.

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

2012-01-26T21:00:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the Young Adult Giveaway Hop, sponsored by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Down the Rabbit Hole. Here at JDP NEWS, I'm giving away a copy of the YA romantic comedy, My Fair Godmother, by Janette Rallison. Here's a summary:

Finding your one true love can be a Grimm experience!

After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah’s gum-chewing, cell phone–carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Showing why she’s only Fair—because she’s not a very good fairy student—Chrissy mistakenly sends Savannah back in time to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Finally she sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah’s class, back instead to turn him into her prom-worthy prince. When Savannah returns to the Middle Ages to save Tristan, they must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious and undeniably sexy Black Knight. Laughs abound in this clever fairy tale twist from a master of romantic comedy.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post with your name and email address so I can contact you if you win. Don't forget the "leave your email address" part. That's very important. :-) Deadline is January 31st, midnight PST.

So comment away, then hop along to the next blog below! (After you read the "official rules".)

According to Social Media Explorer, I'm supposed to post the following Official Rules in connection with this giveaway:

OFFICIAL RULES:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
Entrants must be 18 years or older
Giveaway opens January 27, 2012 and runs through January 31, 2012
Entries may be left in a comment or sent via email to jdipastena@yahoo.com
Prize: A gently used print copy of My Fair Godmother, by Janette Rallison, retail value $16.99.
The number or eligible entries received determines the odds of winning
Winners will be selected on February 1. Winners have 48 hours to respond to an email notifying them of their win.
Prizes not claimed within 48 hours will be reawarded
Sponsor name and contact info: Joyce DiPastena, jdipastena@yahoo.com or PO Box 673, Kearny, AZ 85137
Legal venue: Arizona (no, this doesn't mean you have to be from Arizona to enter!)
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW

There. Now hop-hop along to the next giveaway!

"Dangerous Favor" Giveaway: deadline drawing nigh

2012-01-25T21:06:00.000-07:00

There's less than a week left to enter for a chance to win one of three copies of my new medieval romance, Dangerous Favor. All you need to do is send me a picture of yourself with a copy of any of my previously published works. Each photo = 1 entry. Click here for full details.

Brenda Child with Loyalty's Web

Brenda Child dreaming of Illuminations of the Heart

Brenda Child with An Epiphany Gift for Robin (remember, e-versions count as entries too!)

This has got to be a tie for my favorite entry. Brenda with two of my future fans! Don't worry, I won't draw winners according to "favorites"...but still, this one is pretty cool!

Win a copy of "Dangerous Favor" on Goodreads!

2012-01-25T09:00:00.001-07:00

Goodreads Book
Giveaway

Dangerous
Favor

by Joyce DiPastena

Giveaway ends February 25, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Tuesday Teaser

2012-01-24T09:00:00.001-07:00

Tuesday Teaser is a weekly bookish meme (rhymes with “cream"), hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. (I’ve borrowed it from LDS Women’s Book Review.) Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share at least two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

I'm adapting the rules slightly. I'll be quoting some random lines from the last chapter I read before I post a teaser. I'm a slow reader, so you may get multiple teasers per book. Here's my second teaser from My Fair Godmother, by Janette Rallison:

He paused as he glanced at the driver's box. "Is your driver all right? He's acting rather addled."

"Addled" was the word they used for crazy in the Middle Ages. I glanced up at Scuppers. He was biting his shoulder as though he had an itch and hadn't thought to use his hands to scratch it.

From My Fair Godmother, p 249

If you'd like to share a teaser from a book you're currently reading, I'd love you to do so in the comment section. And you don't even have to share it on a Tuesday! Be sure to include the title, author, and page number in case others would like to check out the book you're reading.

"Dangerous Favor" on Amazon!

2012-01-23T13:06:00.001-07:00

My new sweet medieval romance, Dangerous Favor, is now officially for sale on Amazon!

Here's the official back cover blurb:

Mathilde is in need of a champion!

Her father has been accused of stealing from the king, an allegation that has reduced her family to poverty. She has one chance to find and marry a man who can help her prove her father's innocence. Lord Therri, heir to a rich barony, has the wealth and connections Mathilde needs to delve into the mysteries of her father's past. Furthermore, Therri embodies all her romantic dreams.

Etienne, the younger son of a disgraced family, has neither wealth nor connections, but is smitten with Mathilde at a glance. She finds the knight intriguing, but believes he is only out to seduce her. While she seeks for a way to win Therri's attention, Etienne tricks her into granting him her favor, an embroidered white ribbon, for a tournament, setting in motion a dangerous chain reaction of events. Can Etienne save Mathilde from a nightmare from her past and prove himself the true hero of her dreams?

Here's the link, if you'd like to check it out:

http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Favor-Joyce-DiPastena/dp/159992806X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327347936&sr=8-1

Author Interview & Giveaway with Felicia Rogers

2012-01-23T09:00:00.001-07:00

It’s been awhile since I’ve held an author interview and giveaway, but I have one today with Felicia Rogers, who writes sweet romances. Stay tuned after the interview to learn how you can win a copy of Felicia’s inspirational historical suspense novel, There Your Heart Will Be Also. (E-book, PDF)

JDP: Welcome, Felicia! There Your Heart Will Be Also is set in the 1550s, during the reign of Edward VI, the son of Henry VIII. What did you find most fascinating about this time period?

Felicia: The most fascinating thing about this time period for me was discovering the Wedding Ceremony. While I was researching for my book, it came to my attention that the wedding ceremony we use today originated in the Common Book of Prayer. This book was written by Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and accepted by Edward VI in 1558-1559.

JDP: I’m always interested in how authors research their historical novels. Could you tell us a little about how you researched the historical background for There Your Heart Will Be Also?

Felicia: How I researched information for my novel was by using internet sources such as Wikipedia. I also used Foxes’ Book of Martyrs, and the Bible.

JDP: Can you share with us your top three favorite research books or other resources?

Felicia: Two research books or resources I use on every book I write are the Holy Bible and Wikipedia. I do use other materials depending on what I’m looking for. One book I wrote recently concerned flowers in a different country. I used various websites to answer those questions but I couldn’t point to anyone in particular. Also, two books that I use regularly are Scotland, The story of a Nation by Magnus Magnusson and King and Queens of England and Scotland by Plantagenet Somerset Fry.

JDP: Are there any historical figures from the era of There Your Heart Will Be Also who particularly intrigue you?

Felicia: There is no way I could pick one historical figure from this time in history and say they alone intrigued me. From Henry VIII until the end of Elizabeth I’s reign there is one interesting figure after another. From young Lady Jane Grey taking the throne for right at a week only to be ousted by Mary and eventually beheaded for the attempt, to Mary Queen of Scots who desired the throne at eighteen yet was beheaded before achieving her goal.

The entire monarchy of the time intrigues me.

JDP: What inspired you to write There Your Heart Will Be Also?

Felicia: My inspiration for There Your Heart Will Be Also is hard to pin point. I had just stopped reading a wonderful series of historical romance novels and I emailed my cousin, who is a genius with words, and asked her if she would like to write a novel together. She agreed.

So I sat down and began writing bits and pieces of a story and sent them along to her. Due to a busy schedule she was unable to help with the project and in the end I finished the entire story alone.

The book honestly started out as something vastly different from what is has become. In the beginning, I only wanted to see if I could actually come up with a complete story. Could I get from the beginning to the end and have something that still made sense. But overtime my ideas changed and developed into wanting something more. Something that if put out there I would be proud to say was mine.

I guess you could say I took a little bit of all my knowledge combined it with what I like in a book and thus my story a born.

JDP: Tell us a little bit about There Your Heart Will Be Also.

Felicia: Only daughter of an English lord, Sarra of Greenbriar, is used to getting her way. So when her father passes and the King begins sending suitors, she feels justified in taking matters into her own hands. Through a series of harmless pranks, Sarra works to keep the potential husbands at bay.

Cedric MacNeil is a Scotsman that has lost it all. Death claimed his parents and jealousy claimed his entitled position as Laird of his clan. Since his mother was a familiar of the English court, he leaves his native land and heads to England to fight on behalf of the English King. Tournaments are won, earning honor and glory for the crown. Cedric’s reward is the opportunity to gain what he wants most in this life, land.

But as he gets to know Sarra, he realizes he might get more than he bargained for.

JDP: Are you working on any new projects?

Felicia: Currently, I’m editing a chick-lit and a contemporary inspirational romance which should be out close to the first of 2012.

JDP: Where can readers obtain copies of your books?

Felicia: Copies of my books can be obtained at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Astraea Press, Bookstrand, and other ebook retailers.

JDP: Thank you for visiting us today, Felicia. It was delightful to get to know a little about you and your book.

More about Felicia! : Felicia Rogers, born and raised in the southern part of the United States, is a Christian wife and mother. She is just your average, ordinary woman, with a side interest-- writing. For eleven years, every waking moment of her life was consumed with changing diapers, wiping noses, and kissing scrapes. But now that her children have grown and she enjoys a modicum of freedom, in addition to taking care of hearth and home, she writes! She enjoys adding a flavor of realism and humor to her all too real romance stories. For what is love without a little laughter! Read more about Felicia and her books at http://feliciarogersauthor.webs.com/

Okay, now for the giveaway! Felicia is giving away 1 PDF copy of There Your Heart Will Be Also. I’ve been alerted to new rules (well, new to me) for conducting such things as giveaways, so all you have to do is leave a comment on this post with your email address so I’ll know how to contact you if you win. Since this is a PDF, the giveaway is open to International entries. The deadline to comment is January 29, midnight PST. I’ll draw and announce a winner on January 30.

OFFICIAL RULES:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

Entrants must be 18 years or older

Giveaway opens January 23, 2012 and runs through January 29, 2012

Entries may be left in a comment or sent via email to jdipastena@yahoo.com

Prize: 1 PDF copy of There Your Heart Will Be Also, by Felicia Rogers, retail value $2.99.

The number or eligible entries received determines the odds of winning

Winners will be selected on January 30. Winners have 48 hours to respond to an email notifying them of their win.

Prizes not claimed within 48 hours will be reawarded

Sponsor name and contact info: Joyce DiPastena, jdipastena@yahoo.com or PO Box 673, Kearny, AZ 85137

Legal venue: Arizona (no, this doesn't mean you have to be from Arizona to enter!)

VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW

Tuesday Teaser

2012-01-17T09:00:00.001-07:00

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share at least two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

I'm adapting the rules slightly. I'll be quoting some random lines from the last chapter I read before I post a teaser. I'm a slow reader, so you may get multiple teasers per book. Here's a teaser from My Fair Godmother, by Janette Rallison:

The part that made my stomach sink--about four feet down the parchment roll, near the end--was a statement that all wishes were considered permanent and binding. That meant I couldn't undo wishes.

From My Fair Godmother, p 108

What Am I Reading Now?

2012-01-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

I've met YA author Janette Rallison at several writing-oriented functions and found her to be amazingly talented, witty, and kind. I've had one of her books, My Fair Godmother, in my TBR pile for quite awhile now. I thought it sounded like a fun book to kick off the new year. Here's the back cover blurb:

Finding your one true love can be a Grimm experience!

"Dangerous Favor": cover unveiled

2012-01-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, here it is! The cover for my new medieval romance, Dangerous Favor.

I love it! What do you think?

Deadline for "Dangerous Favor" giveaway extended

2012-01-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

It's going to be a couple more weeks before I have any physical copies of my new medieval romance, Dangerous Favor, to give away, so I decided to extend the deadline for my giveaway till the end of the month. The new deadline will be January 31, midnight PST. I'll announce the three winners on February 1st. Which means you have a little over two more weeks to send me photos of yourself with copies of my first two books, Loyalty's Web and Illuminations of the Heart. I know some of you are shy, but I also know that all of you are beautiful. So start snapping away. :-)

For complete details on how to enter, please click here.

Loyalty's Web Book Trailer

2012-01-09T16:46:00.001-07:00

The lovely and talented Rachel Rossano has made me a book trailer for Loyalty's Web. Learn more about Rachel and her books on her website, The World of Rachel Rossano, and blog, Rachel Rossano's Words.

More contest pics!

2012-01-08T22:53:00.000-07:00

There's one more week to enter for a chance at one of 3 copies of my soon-to-be-released medieval romance, Dangerous Favor. All you have to do is send me a picture of you with one of my books (print or e-book, personal or borrowed) by January 15th.

Each of these people have entered. I hope you'll join them soon!

Click here for full details on how to enter.

Gayle Humpherys with Loyalty's Web

Gayle Humpherys with Illuminations of the Heart

I can't lie. This has got to be one of my favorites: Gayle Humpherys with future readers of my books. :-)

Here's Jeannette J with a copy of Illuminations of the Heart

Jeannette J with Loyalty's Web

And here's Jeannette J with my short e-story, An Epiphany Gift for Robin. (See how easy it is to send me a picture of you and any of my ebooks?)

Cindy Wiser with Loyalty's Web

Cindy Wiser with Illuminations of the Heart

Thank you for sharing your pictures, ladies!

Books I Read in 2011

2012-01-04T17:29:00.000-07:00

Here are the books I read in 2011. I know many of you read twice or triple (or even quadruple!) as many, but as I said, I'm a slow reader. The important thing isn't how many books you read, though, it's that you read at all and found a few new and old gems through the year!

Books marked with a ** in blue signifies that it was a rereading of an old favorite. My favorite "new" book of the year is marked with 3 ***'s in red.

Hand of Fate, by Lis Wiehl with April Henry (fiction)

Knight's Fee, by Rosemary Sutcliff (fiction)

The Eagle of the Ninth, by Rosemary Sutcliff (fiction)***

Dearly Departed, by Tristi Pinkston (fiction)

The Chariot of Israel, by James S. Sangster (fiction)**

The Silver Branch, by Rosemary Sutcliff (fiction)

Wrong Number, by Rachelle J. Christensen (fiction)

Mark of Royalty, by Jennifer K. Clark and Stephonie K. Williams (fiction)

Abinadi, by H.B. Moore (fiction)

Constant Hearts, by Donna Hatch (fiction)

Loving Lydia, by Amy de Trempe (fiction)

Counting the Cost, by Liz Adair (fiction)

King John, by W.L. Warren (non-fiction)

Lydia, by Wanda Luce (fiction)

The Lantern Bearers, by Rosemary Sutcliff (fiction)

The Amber Treasure, by Richard Denning (fiction)

The Reluctant Widow, by Georgette Heyer (fiction)**

Free Men and Dreamers, Volume 1: Dark Sky at Dawn, by LC Lewis (fiction)

Here Lies Arthur, by Philip Reeve (fiction)

Crown of Anavrea, by Rachel Rossano (fiction)

A Very Merry Chase, by Teresa Thomas Bohannon (fiction)

Goal for 2012: Read at least 2 non-fiction books and four old favorites. (Hmm, maybe I'd better write that down somewhere so I'll remember!)

Tuesday Teaser

2011-12-27T09:00:00.001-07:00

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share at least two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

I'm adapting the rules slightly. I'll be quoting some random lines from the last chapter I read before I post a teaser. I'm a slow reader, so you may get multiple teasers per book. Here's a teaser from Powder and Patch, by Georgette Heyer:

"Henri, it is iniquitous! It is not a public exhibition that I engage in! One would say we were gladiators."

"Reste tranquille," grinned De Vangrisse. "We are all backing you, mon petite."

"I trust you'll not forget to inform His Majesty of the rendezvous," said Philip, resorting to biting sarcasm. "And have you engaged a fiddler to enliven the meeting?"

From Powder and Patch, p 89

What Am I Reading Now?

2011-12-26T23:32:00.000-07:00

Something about this time of year always makes me long for the warm and familiar. This includes my choice of reading material. Usually instead of starting a new book in December, I prefer to snuggle down with a well-loved favorite read from the past. This year my choice alighted on Powder and Patch, by Georgette Heyer. Here's the back cover blurb:

TO WIN HER HAND, HE MUST BECOME WHAT HE DESPISES...

Cleone Charteris's exquisite charms have made her the belle of the English countryside. But Cleone yearns for a husband who is refined, aristocratic and who is as skilled with his wit as he is with his dueling pistols.... Everything Philip Jettan is not. As much as she is attracted to the handsome squire, Cleone finds herself dismissing Philip and his rough mannerisms.

With his father's encouragement, Philip departs for the courts of Paris, determined to acquire the social graces and the airs of the genteel -- and convince Cleone that he is the man most suited for her hand. But his transformation may cost him everything, including Cleone....

Stop by on Tuesday and I'll share a Tuesday Teaser with you!

A Light Unto All: A Christmas Gift

2011-12-25T09:00:00.001-07:00

What Christmas is really all about.

Let us remember Him!

Winner: "Legends of Camelot" 2012 wall calendar

2011-12-24T12:02:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Nichole Giles! Nichole has won Mathilde's giveaway for a Legends of Camelot 2012 wall calendar.

Thank you to everyone who entered, and Merry Christmas to you all!

Click here to watch a beautiful Christmas video.

Wise Men Still Seek Him

2011-12-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas!

Mathilde is holding ANOTHER a giveaway!

2011-12-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

I've just finished the final edits on the first half of my new medieval romance, Dangerous Favor, and Mathilde is so excited at her story's progression that she wants to give something more away. To humor her (okay, so I'm a little excited too, I admit it), I've found a beautiful 2012 wall calendar called The Legend of Camelot. Mathilde, as you'll learn, is a huge fan of the Arthurian legends. She would have absolutely adored this calendar, had this artwork only been available in her lifetime. Alas, she had to rely instead on her own highly active imagination, but that's okay. She's still quite happy to share the calendar with one of you.

Calendar description: "The sumptuous, elegant, romantic paintings of the Pre-Raphaelite artists illuminate the pages of this 2012 calendar, which evokes the court and castles of Camelot, a time--however fleeting and mythical--when innocence and purity, honor and valor mattered above all."

All you have to do for a chance to win this calendar is to leave a comment on this blog with your email address. Don't forget your email address so I can contact you if you win! We'll make the deadline December 23, midnight PST. I'll draw the winner on December 24 (yes, Christmas Eve). Then, depending on how fast the winner sends me her mailing address, I might be able to pop her prize in the mail in time for her to hang this beautiful calendar on her wall in January! (USA entries only, please.)

People reading Joyce's books

2011-12-13T09:00:00.002-07:00

Here are some lovely ladies who are reading my books.

(Valerie Steimle to the left with a rare first edition of Loyalty's Web)

They've all been entered to win a copy of my next medieval romance, Dangerous Favor, when it comes out in January 2012.

(Connie Hall with Illuminations of the Heart)

(Nichole Giles to the right with Loyalty's Web.)

Send me a picture of you with each of my books and I'll enter you twice. (Nichole Giles to the left with Illuminations of the Heart)

And hey, if you send me three pictures like this, I'll enter you three times! (Nichole Giles holding both Loyalty's Web and Illuminations of the Heart)

I'll be giving away THREE copies of Dangerous Favor in January.

Don't have a print copy? Send me a photo of you and your Kindle, iPad, or any other e-reading device with any of my book covers on the screen. Or borrow a copy from the library or a friend and snap a shot.

Click here for complete details on how to enter.

Deadline is January 15, 2012.

Win a free copy of “Dangerous Favor”!

2011-12-07T15:43:00.003-07:00

My third sweet medieval romance, Dangerous Favor, is being published in January 2012. That’s coming up fast! Needless to say, you can color me excited. J

Would you like to win a free copy? How would three of you like to win copies?

Have you read either of my previous medieval romances, Loyalty's Web or Illuminations of the Heart? If so, send me a picture of you holding either one of these titles. It can be a picture of you and the hard cover version or a picture of you holding an e-reading device with the cover art on the screen. You don't have to actually own a copy of the book, either. If you borrowed it from the library, you can take a picture of you and the library copy. If you borrowed it from a friend, borrow it back just long enough to get a snapshot of you and the book.

If you've read both books and send me a copy of you holding each book (separately), you can be entered twice. Send me a photo of you holding each book plus a photo holding both books at once and heck, I'll enter you three times. (Oh, and old "self-published" versions of Loyalty's Web are welcome, too.)

I'll be giving away three copies of Dangerous Favor, winner’s choice of print or Kindle version.

You can email the picture to me at jdipastena@yahoo.com. If you’d prefer to snail mail it, send it to:

Joyce DiPastena

PO Box 673

Kearny, AZ 85137

Be sure to include your full name and email address with your entry, so I can contact you if you win! (Or your full name and mailing address if you mail me the photo.)

Deadline has been changed to the following: January 31, midnight PST time. Open to US entries only. (Click here to read "Who can enter my giveaway?" to see why I am obligated to restrict international, especially Canadian, entries. :-( )

The winners will be chosen by Random.org on February 1, 2012.

Entering constitutes permission to use the photos on any of my social media sites. If you'd prefer me not to use your full name with the photo, please indicate that with your entry and only first names and an initial will be used. PHOTOS WILL NOT BE RETURNED, SO PLEASE DON'T SEND ME YOUR ORIGINALS. (Unless you don't want it back.)

Looking forward to "seeing you" soon!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

According to Social Media Explorer, I'm supposed to post the following Official Rules in connection with this giveaway:

OFFICIAL RULES:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
Entrants must be 18 years or older
Giveaway opens December 7, 2011 and runs through January 15, 2012
Entries may be sent via email to jdipastena@yahoo.com or mailed to Joyce DiPastena, PO Box 673, Kearny, AZ 85137
Prize: Winner's choice of Dangerous Favor, a medieval romance by Joyce DiPastena, print or Kindle version
The number or eligible entries received determines the odds of winning
Winners will be selected on January 16, unless the deadline is extended. Winners have 48 hours to respond to an email notifying them of their win.
Entering constitutes permission to use the photos on any of my social media sites. If you'd prefer me not to use your full name with the photo, please indicate that with your entry and only first names and an initial will be used.
Prizes not claimed within 48 hours will be reawarded
Sponsor name and contact info: Joyce DiPastena, jdipastena@yahoo.com or PO Box 673, Kearny, AZ 85137
Legal venue: Arizona (no, this doesn't mean you have to be from Arizona to enter!)
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW

(Whew! Hope I got that right!)

Tuesday Teaser

2011-12-05T23:05:00.000-07:00

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share at least two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

I'm adapting the rules slightly. I'll be quoting some random lines from the last chapter I read before I post a teaser. I'm a slow reader, so you may get multiple teasers per book. Here's a teaser from A Very Merry Chase, by Teresa Thomas Bohannon:

"Mind. Of course not. I am delighted to have you. We'll spend the day indulging ourselves with chocolate and biscuits and nursery games by the fireside."

From A Very Merry Chase, 55% done (e-book)

What Am I Reading Now?

2011-12-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

And the answer to that question is, A Very Merry Chase, a Regency romance by Teresa Thomas Bohannon. Here's the back cover blurb. (Well, this is an e-book, so it has no back cover, but here's the blurb from Goodreads):

Set in early 19th century Regency England, and harking back in style to the heyday of Georgette Heyer and Barbara Cartland, A Very Merry Chase is a comedy of manners and errors that boasts empire fashions, dashing characters, verbal sparring matches and witty repartee mingled with just a hint of mystery, danger and intrigue.

I won this book in a giveaway some time ago and have been looking forward to reading it. Stop by on Tuesday and I'll share a Tuesday Teaser with you!

"Erec and Enide": Winner!

2011-12-03T12:53:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Jennifer Mathis, who won the copy of my new heroine Mathilde's personal favorite romance, Erec and Enide, by the medieval French poet, Chrétien de Troyes.

Mathilde will be holding another giveaway soon, so if you didn't win this time, be sure to keep checking back here on JDP NEWS!

From the good advice files

2011-12-02T15:45:00.000-07:00

Found this quote today and loved it so much,

I just wanted to share it!

"Be yourself: everyone else is already taken."

~~ Oscar Wilde ~~

Mathilde's Giveaway: Extended

2011-11-28T11:59:00.001-07:00

The deadline for entering Mathilde's giveaway (a copy of Erec and Enide, by Chrétien de Troyes) has been extended to December 2, midnight PST. If you'd like to enter, please click here to find out how!

Gratitude Giveaway Winner!

2011-11-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Chrissy Peebles, winner of the Gratitude Giveaways Hop on JDP NEWS! Chrissy has won a copy of Loving Lydia, by Amy de Trempe, and a holiday gift package from Designs by Lisa Messegee.

Thank you to everyone who entered! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. :-)

Christmas is (almost) here again!

2011-11-27T09:00:00.001-07:00

Which means it's almost time to begin our annual scripture reading tradition. You remember it from last year, don't you? Beginning on December 1st, we read one chapter a day from the book of Luke, finishing the entire book on Christmas Eve. (24 chapters/24 days) And don't forget that part of our tradition is to buy one of those inexpensive advent calendars with a chocolate for each day from December 1-24. One chapter, one piece of chocolate while you read it, per day. What could be a more fun way to get in the Spirit of Christmas than that?

I have my chocolate advent calendar all ready to go. If you don't have yours, you have a few more days to track one down. (I got mine at Cost Plus World Market this year, but I've also seen them on Amazon.) Or, of course, you could simply come up with your own little scripture reading treat if you prefer.

If you'd like to read my post introducing this tradition last year, you can click here.

Feel free to leave a comment if you'd like to share your participation in this tradition this year. If you'd like to leave a thought, reflection or question about your reading at any time during the month of December, we can turn this post into a little discussion group, as well. I'll get an alert if you leave a comment, and promise I'll answer if you want to check back. :-)

Mathilde is holding a giveaway!

2011-11-19T09:00:00.002-07:00

Just because Mathilde was born long before America was discovered and Thanksgiving became a holiday, doesn't mean that she doesn't have much to be thankful for, too, at this season of the year. She is thankful and excited that she will soon be sharing her romance with Etienne with you. (Dangerous Favor is scheduled for release in January 2012.)

Mathilde has a favorite romance story of her own. It's called Erec and Enide, and was written by the medieval poet, Chrétien de Troyes. Etienne asks her to share the tale with him in Dangerous Favor:

“Prince Erec,” Etienne said when she paused. “Tell me the story of Prince Erec.”

She searched his gaze, fearful of finding laughter there, mocking, however gently, her attachment to the beloved tale. But no teasing light gleamed. Only that simmering desire mingled with a kind of hollow sadness.

“Erec was the son and heir of the king of Estre-Gales and a knight of King Arthur’s court,” she began. “No man was more handsome and valiant than he, nor more accomplished in deeds of chivalry. With his prowess and courage he won the hand of Enide, a lady renowned as greatly for her generosity and wisdom as for her beauty. Erec loved Enide with such an all-consuming passion that after their marriage he spent every moment, waking and sleeping, at her side. He completely forsook his former pursuits and cared no more for arms or tourneyings.”

“His bride was fortunate,” Etienne murmured, “to marry a man of such wealth that he could abandon practicality to follow the dictates of his heart.”

“Nay,” Mathilde said, “his bride soon became most miserable because the other knights mocked Erec and called him a recreant knight. She blamed herself for ruining his honor and reputation. One day Erec overheard her lamenting. He agreed that the rebukes laid against him were just. So he commanded Enide to don her most beautiful gown and immediately they set off to restore honor to his name by fresh deeds of chivalry.”

Mathilde is eager to share the rest of the story with you by giving away a copy of Erec and Enide to one lucky reader of this blog post.

All you have to do is leave a comment WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS to be entered for a chance to win. (If I don't have your email address, I can't contact you if you win.) The deadline for entering is Monday, November 28, midnight PST. The winner will be drawn by Random.org on Tuesday, November 29.

Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop

2011-11-16T23:59:00.006-07:00

Welcome to the 2011 Gratitude Giveaway Hop, sponsored by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and All-Consuming Books. Here's what you can win here on JDP NEWS:

A gently used copy of the inspirational Regency romance, Loving Lydia, by Amy De Trempe:

Loving Lydia revolves around the lives of Lady Lydia Demains, a morally upright and tenderly naive young woman, and Lord Alexander Wake, an immoral rake, for lack of a better description. Or is he really? Enjoy the rich romance of an innocent young woman caught up into the world of a gentleman who lost his ability to trust and made enemies along the way. A world of obstacles and danger. However, Lord Alex isn't the only one who makes an enemy amongst the ton.

A Christmas card sampler by Designs by Lisa Messegee

And a Designs by Lisa Messegee book bag and mug

(By the way, in case you think that Lisa Messegge is an alias of mine, it's not. She's just an extremely talented friend who offered to make a donation for this giveaway! :-) )

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment telling me one thing you're thankful for, and INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS so I can contact you if you win.

That's it! Now hop along to the next stop on the list below for another awesome Gratitude Giveaway!

JDP News

YA Giveaway Hop Winner!

One day left for "Dangerous Favor" giveaway!

Winner: "There Your Heart Will Be Also"

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

"Dangerous Favor" Giveaway: deadline drawing nigh

Win a copy of "Dangerous Favor" on Goodreads!

Goodreads Book
Giveaway

Dangerous
Favor

by Joyce DiPastena

Tuesday Teaser

"Dangerous Favor" on Amazon!

Author Interview & Giveaway with Felicia Rogers

More reader pics!

Tuesday Teaser

What Am I Reading Now?

"Dangerous Favor": cover unveiled

Deadline for "Dangerous Favor" giveaway extended

Loyalty's Web Book Trailer

More contest pics!

Books I Read in 2011

Tuesday Teaser

What Am I Reading Now?

A Light Unto All: A Christmas Gift

Winner: "Legends of Camelot" 2012 wall calendar

Wise Men Still Seek Him

More people reading Joyce's books

Mathilde is holding ANOTHER a giveaway!

People reading Joyce's books

Win a free copy of “Dangerous Favor”!

Tuesday Teaser

What Am I Reading Now?

"Erec and Enide": Winner!

From the good advice files

Mathilde's Giveaway: Extended

Gratitude Giveaway Winner!

Christmas is (almost) here again!

Mathilde is holding a giveaway!

Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop

JDP News

YA Giveaway Hop Winner!

One day left for "Dangerous Favor" giveaway!

Winner: "There Your Heart Will Be Also"

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

"Dangerous Favor" Giveaway: deadline drawing nigh

Win a copy of "Dangerous Favor" on Goodreads!

Goodreads BookGiveaway

DangerousFavor

by Joyce DiPastena

Tuesday Teaser

"Dangerous Favor" on Amazon!

Author Interview & Giveaway with Felicia Rogers

More reader pics!

Tuesday Teaser

What Am I Reading Now?

"Dangerous Favor": cover unveiled

Deadline for "Dangerous Favor" giveaway extended

Loyalty's Web Book Trailer

More contest pics!

Books I Read in 2011

Tuesday Teaser

What Am I Reading Now?

A Light Unto All: A Christmas Gift

Winner: "Legends of Camelot" 2012 wall calendar

Wise Men Still Seek Him

More people reading Joyce's books

Mathilde is holding ANOTHER a giveaway!

People reading Joyce's books

Win a free copy of “Dangerous Favor”!

Tuesday Teaser

What Am I Reading Now?

"Erec and Enide": Winner!

From the good advice files

Mathilde's Giveaway: Extended

Gratitude Giveaway Winner!

Christmas is (almost) here again!

Mathilde is holding a giveaway!

Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop

Goodreads Book
Giveaway

Dangerous
Favor