Sunday, February 28, 2016

Book Tour Launch for Courting Cassandry

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Book Tour Launch for
Courting Cassandry
By Joyce DiPastena

Come along with us as we go back to Medieval times and find tokens of courtship from Gerolt to Cassandry as he wishes for a rare second chance at love...

Tour Schedule
March 6th: Grand Finale

Q&A with the Author


What is your motivation behind Courting Cassandry? Why did you want to write it?

Courting Cassandry is the second book in my Hearts in Autumn Romance series. The couples in this series are older than couples in most romances, in their 40s and 50s. Now that I’m, oh, somewhere around those ages myself, I thought it would be interesting to explore how romances might develop between more mature couples, all based on the premise: “You’re never too old to fall in love!” Because really, don’t we all want to be loved regardless of our age?

My first book in the series, Loving Lucianna, was about two people in their “autumn years” who had never been married before. (Please keep in mind when I type “autumn years” that age expectancy was much shorter in the Middle Ages than it is today.) For Courting Cassandry, I wanted to explore what a relationship might be like between a widow and a widower framed by the medieval expectations of those times, and just for fun, I threw in a teenaged child for each of them. The dynamics between not only the hero and heroine, but between the parents and their children, proved tremendously fun to write.

What do you hope readers take with them after they’ve read it?

That sometimes second chances come around again. And that most people have more than one side to them, even the so-called “villains” of the story. The latter wasn’t my goal when I wrote the story, it’s just something that emerged from the characters and surprised me a bit when it did. But I felt they taught me something that I wasn’t actively looking for. Maybe they will do the same for some of my readers.

Do you have a favorite scene?

Well, I can’t give too much away because I don’t want share any spoilers. But there are two chapters involving the teenaged children that always make me grin when I reread them. I hope others who read the book will enjoy the scenes these young people appear in, too.

Share something about you that is unique.

Something unique about me? Hmm. I named my cats for two of the great loves in my life. Clio for the Greek Muse of History, although she’s more interested in sleeping most of the time than inspiring me. And Glinka Rismky-Korsakov for a Russian composer, because I love classical music. Sometimes he even sits on the piano bench with me when I play the piano. J

— Joyce

Courting Cassandry
(Hearts in Autumn #2)
by Joyce DiPastena
Adult Historical Romance
ebook, 348 pages
February 17th 2016

Is it too late for second chances when the girl you loved in your youth comes back into your life?

Gerolt de Warenne became guardian to a child-heiress named Cassandry when he was only nineteen-years old. As he watched her grow into a lovely young woman, he found himself falling in love with her, but Cassandry viewed him as an older brother. So, burying his feelings, he gave permission for her to marry another.

Twenty-four years later Gerolt and Cassandry meet again. With the loss of their respective spouses, Gerolt hopes to finally court Cassandry, but she desires to remain a widow. Instead, they agree to a betrothal of their children.

Matters become complicated as their friendship begins to evolve into the romance Gerolt has always wanted. But by the law of the medieval Church, Cassandry and Gerolt can’t marry if their children do. Can they find a way to be together? Or must they sacrifice their future for the love of their children?

"Courting Cassandry" is a “Hearts in Autumn” romance, medieval romances revolving around heroes and heroines “in the autumn of their years.” Because love isn’t only for the young!


The First Book in the Series


Loving Lucianna (A Hearts in Autumn Romance, #1)Loving Lucianna
(Hearts in Autumn #1)
by Joyce DiPastena
Adult Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 220 pages
October 11th 2014

Sir Balduin de Soler gave up long ago on love. He never had the means to support a wife until an unexpected advancement in his fifties allows him to reassess his future just as the lovely Lucianna enters his life. 

Lucianna Fabio harbors a secret, painful memory from her past that has kept her unwed, as well. Now in her forties, she thought herself too old to marry until she meets Sir Balduin. Now suddenly their lonely autumn lives feel very much like spring again . . . until Lucianna’s brother appears without warning and threatens to revive the secret that will destroy Lucianna’s second chance at love. 

"Loving Lucianna" is the first in Joyce DiPastena’s new "Hearts in Autumn" romance series, medieval romances revolving around heroes and heroines “in the autumn of their years.” Because you’re never too old to fall in love!


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Joyce DiPastena dreamed of green medieval forests while growing up in the dusty copper mining town of Kearny, Arizona. She filled her medieval hunger by reading the books of Thomas B. Costain (where she fell in love with King Henry II of England), and later by attending the University of Arizona where she graduated with a degree in history, specializing in the Middle Ages. The university was also where she completed her first full-length novel…set, of course, in medieval England. Later, her fascination with Henry II led her to expand her research horizons to the far reaches of his “Angevin Empire” in France, which became the setting of her first published novel, Loyalty’s Web (a 2007 Whitney Award Finalist).

When she’s not writing, Joyce loves to read, play the piano, and spend time with her sister and friends. A highlight of her year is attending the annual Arizona Renaissance Festival .

Joyce is a multi-published, multi-award winning author who specializes in sweet medieval romances heavily spiced with mystery and adventure. She lives with her two cats, Clio and Glinka Rimsky-Korsokov, in Mesa, Arizona.



Tour Giveaway



$20 See's Candies Gift Certificate (if US) or $20 PayPal Cash (if international)
Copies of Loving Lucianna and Courting Cassandry (signed print if US, ebook if international)
Ends March 12th



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