Freedom Blog Hop - Celebrating Our Freedoms

I'm very pleased to be a part of the Freedom Blog Hop! To all my American friends and readers, Happy Fourth of July. To my fellow Canadians, I hope you had a wonderful Canada Day on July 1.

The theme of this blog hop is "Celebrating our freedom to live, love and read." Here in North America, we take our freedoms for granted. We can travel wherever we want, and live wherever we want. As long as we don't promote hate or trample on the freedoms of others, we have the freedom to say or write whatever we want.

And we can love whomever we love. More and more jurisdictions are legalizing same sex marriage. In too many parts of the world, that freedom does not exist, and gay and lesbian couples are persecuted for simply being in love. But before we get too smug, let’s not forget that same sex relationships are still discriminated against here. And it wasn't that long ago that homosexuality was illegal in North America. That situation only changed when people of courage stood up and said no more. In Canada in the late 1960s, Pierre Trudeau famously said that "there's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation", adding that "what's done in private between adults doesn't concern the Criminal Code".

We're also lucky enough to be able to read whatever we want. I've written a couple of books set during or just after World War Two, and in my research I've read about many atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis. One of these atrocities was the mass burning of books. Most of these books were by Jewish authors, Germans who opposed National Socialism, or non-German writers such as Jack London, Ernest Hemingway and H.G. Wells. It’s estimated that in one night alone, May 10, 1933, as many as 25,000 volumes were burned across Germany, mostly in university towns. By burning books, the Nazis sought to silence any descending voices, and eliminate any thoughts that didn’t conform with their agenda.

Reading, whether it be romantic fiction, philosophy or a favorite newspaper, is a joy as well as a right. So let’s celebrate our freedoms and always be vigilant about protecting them. Remember that “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Enjoy the Freedom Blog Hop!

My prizes today are one copy each of my World War Two novellas FLAWLESS and HOME FIRES. Enter the Rafflecopter contest for your chance to win. Good luck!

France, 1942.  The world is at war. The Nazis have stolen the infamous blue diamond, Le Coeur Bleu, intending to barter it for weapons that will destroy the Allies. Jewel thief Hunter Smith is given a choice; help the French Resistance steal back the diamond and avenge the death of his best friend, or stay locked up in an English prison. He chooses revenge.
Resistance fighter Madeleine Bertrand’s husband died when he was betrayed by Hunter Smith. How can she now pretend to be married to the arrogant American? How can she betray Jean Philippe’s memory by her passionate response to Hunter’s kisses? Neither is prepared for the maelstrom of attraction that erupts between them. To survive they must uncover the mysteries of the past and conquer the dangers of the present. But first Madeleine must decide if her loyalties lie with her dead husband and the Resistance or with the greatest love of her life.

FLAWLESS can be purchased at The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, and at other ebook retailers.

Anne Wakefield travels halfway around the world for love. But when she arrives in Canada from England at the end of World War Two, she discovers the handsome Canadian pilot she’d fallen in love with has married someone else. Heartbroken, she prepares to return to London, though she has nothing left there to return to. Her former fiancé’s mother makes a suggestion: marriage to her other son. 
Badly wounded and scarred during the war, Erik Gustafson thinks he’s a poor substitute for his brother. Although he loves Anne almost from the first time he sees her, he cannot believe she would ever be able to love him as he is – especially as he might be after another operation on his bad leg.  Anne sees the beauty of his heart. The cold prairie winter may test her courage, but can she prove to Erik that her love for him is real?

HOME FIRES can be purchased from The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, and from other ebook retailers.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to continue hopping with other members of the Freedom Blog Hop!

It's Spring! - Sort of ‪#‎MFRWhop‬ Contest & Prize

When I was kid growing up on a farm on the Canadian prairies, I knew it was spring when the crocuses bloomed in the pasture. Sometimes, they were so anxious to bloom that they pushed their way through the snow, somehow managing to survive.

I feel a little like that this spring, so anxious for some warm weather that I'm ready to blast through the snow. It's been a very long, long, long winter and I'm ready for it end.

Unfortunately, it's going to be a while until I see any crocuses around here. Here's a couple of shots of my yard as of April 2, 2014:

My back yard. My husband used the snow blower to make a path so he could get to the shed, and so the dog could do her business without drowning!

My front yard, looking across the street toward my neighbor's house. Yes, my garbage cans are out there too. You just can't see them because they're in front of the gigantic snow bank on the street!

So for a while, I'm going to have to dream about flowers, playing golf, walks with my dog, and other good things I like to see and do in the spring.

How about you? Is it spring where where you are? Or are you still waiting like me?

I'm giving away an e-copy of Book 3 of my Left at the Altar series, ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID. To be eligible to win, here's what you have to do:

1. Comment on this blog and tell me something you like about spring, or something you plan to do this spring.

2. Like my Facebook page. Send me an email at jana.richards@hotmail.com with SPRING FEVER in the subject line to let me know.

3. Follow me on Twitter. Again, email me to let me know.

4. Subscribe to my newsletter. I send out a few newsletters a year to let readers know about new releases, contests, and other news.

5. Follow me on Goodreads. Email me at jana.richards@hotmail.com to let me know.

You don't have to do all five things, but the more entries you make, the more chances you have to win. I'll pick one name at random by April 15, 2014. The chances of winning depend on the number of entries. Good luck everyone!

To whet your appetite, here's the blurb and a short snippet from ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID. I hope you enjoy it!

Dani Dipietro has always considered herself an ugly duckling in a family of swans. She's the bridesmaid her friends count on, but never the woman any man wants for his bride. So she plays the funny girl and guards her emotions, and her secrets, closely.

When Zach Morrison was dumped at his wedding, Dani was there to help him through the humiliation. A year later they meet again and once more Zach needs her help. To fend off the unwanted attentions of his former fiancé, he asks Dani to pretend to be his girlfriend. They play their roles a little too well, and make believe turns into reality. But their relationship comes crashing down around them when Zach's trust issues cause him to accuse Dani of cheating. Telling the truth means that Dani will betray a friend, something she will never do. But keeping her secrets means she may be destined to remain a bridesmaid forever.

Here's a ten paragraph peek at ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID:

Wanting nothing more than to comfort, she wrapped her arms around his waist in a hug. He held her tightly, pulling her against him and burying his face in her neck. Dani inhaled the intoxicating scent of spicy aftershave laced with underlying notes of warm, clean male. How could Chantal treat a wonderful man like Zach this way?

She gently pulled away, keeping him at arm's length. "You're going to get past this, Zach."

"It doesn't feel like it right now."

"I know, but someday, when you're old and grey, you'll be sitting on the front porch with your wonderful wife of fifty years, and you'll say 'Thank Heaven Chantal cheated on me or I never would have met you.'"

He made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "Fifty years, eh?"

"Trust me."

Some lucky girl would snap Zach up in a minute, and if she was smart, she'd shower him with the love and consideration he deserved.

Some lucky girl, but not me.

Reluctantly, she took a step back. He squeezed her fingers before letting her go. With her heart pounding in her chest, and regret nipping at her heels, she hurried from the church.

Before she did something stupid, like kiss the jilted groom.


Don't forget to enter my contest! Scroll up to see how. And once you have, I hope you continue hopping your way through the MFRW Spring Fever Blog Hop.Here's the link if you need it: http://is.gd/mfrwave Happy Spring everyone!

Spring Fling Blog Hop - Love is in the Air!

Welcome to the Spring Fling Blog Hop! This hop is offering some fabulous prizes including:

One Kindle Fire--Donated by Blushing Books
One $75 Gift Card to Amazon (or Barnes and Noble)--Donated by Jane Wakely
One $25 Starbucks Gift Card--Donated by Sue Lyndon
One $25 Gift Certificate to Blushing Books--Donated by Patty Devlin
One $25 Gift Card to Loose Id Books--Donated by Cara Bristol

I'm offering an e-copy of my latest release ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID. More on that below.

It's been a very long, cold winter and I can't wait for spring! When the snow finally melts, I'm looking forward to seeing some spring flowers.

It'll be so good to be able to get out into yard and plant some flowers. These Gerbera daisies grew in my garden a couple of summers ago.

My husband and I (especially my husband) like to golf. As soon as the weather warms up, we'll be out on the course.

Here's how you can win an ecopy of ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID:

1. Comment below and answer one or both of these questions: What are your favorite things to do in the spring? What are you looking forward to most this spring? If you are unable to comment here, you can send your answer to me at jana.richards@hotmail.com with SPRING FLING in the subject line.

2. Follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_ Let me know you've done so by emailing  jana.richards@hotmail.com with SPRING FLING in the subject line.

3. Like my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor Send me an email to jana.richards@hotmail.com to let me know. Don't forget to put SPRING FLING in the subject line.

4. Sign up for my newsletter. I send out info on contests and new releases a few times a year. Sign up at http://www.eepurl.com/m3UnT Let me know you've done so by emailing jana.richards@hotmail.com with SPRING FLING in the subject line.

5. Follow me on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards And once again, please let me know at jana.richards@hotmail.com with SPRING FLING in the subject line.

You can enter at all five of these spots for five chances to win. The more ways you enter, the more chances you have to win. I'll pick one entrant at random using Random.org and award them an ecopy of ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID, book three of my Left at the Altar series. Entries close at midnight March 23, 2014 Central Standard Time, and I'll pick the winner on March 24. I will announce the winner on this blog. Chances of winning depend on the number of entrants received.

Here's a blurb:

Dani Dipietro has always considered herself an ugly duckling in a family of swans. She's always the bridesmaid her friends count on, but never the woman any man wants for his bride. So she plays the funny girl and guards her emotions, and her secrets, closely.

When Zach Morrison was dumped at his wedding, Dani was there to help him through the humiliation. A year later they meet again and once more Zach needs her help. To fend off the unwanted attentions of his former fiancé, he asks Dani to pretend to be his girlfriend. They both play their roles a little too well, and make-believe turns into reality. Their invented relationship comes crashing down when Zach's trust issues cause him to accuse Dani of cheating. Telling the truth means that Dani will betray a friend, something she will never do. But keeping her secrets means she may be destined to remain a bridesmaid forever.

And an excerpt:

A knock sounded at her door, so soft her banging almost drowned it out. She jumped to her feet, listening.

"Dani, are you awake?"

It was Zach. She tamped down the sudden elation at hearing him at her door. He likely just wanted to talk about Chantal, or worse, check to see if she was all right.

She closed her eyes. She couldn't bear his pity.

But she couldn't make herself pretend to be asleep and leave him out in the hallway either. She wiped tears from her face with the back of her hand and opened the door a crack. He smiled, and  her foolish heart fluttered.

Stupid heart.

She did her best to steel herself against him. "It's late Zach. What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you," he whispered, glancing toward Jonathan's door. "I can't do it here. Can I come inside?"

"It's late, Zach," she repeated." I'm tired. Can't we do this in the morning?"

"This can't wait till morning. Please Dani."

She hesitated. She was telling the truth. She was tired. Tired of fending off Chantal's barbs, tired of pretending they didn't hurt. And she was tired of pretending she wasn't in love with Zach.

I'm in love with him. The thought filled her with elation and trepidation at the same time. How could she feel so much for him after such a short time? How did she avoid getting her heart broken?

Part of her wanted to tell him to go away and leave her alone, but she found she simply couldn't turn him away any more than she could leave his knock go unanswered. She opened the door and stepped aside, wordlessly closing it behind him when he entered. She turned to look at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Here comes the pity. She made herself smile. "Of course. It takes more than a dose of Chantal to get me down."

"That's good. I'm glad." He paced to the window before standing in front of her once more, his gaze intense. "Chantal told me she loves me and wants me back."

Her heart plummeted. She could barely make herself breathe. Squeezing her eyes shut, she steeled herself for what came next. He'd tell her thanks for her help, but they didn't need to pretend anymore because he was in love with Chantal and wanted to be with her. She just hoped she didn't break down and cry in front of him.

He put his finger under her chin, forcing her to look into his face. "I told her she and I were through. This time I didn't go running back to her when she called. And I have you to thank."

"Me?" She squeaked out the word. Her mind raced as fast as her heart. What did this mean?

"Even though the arrangement between us was just an act, you've shown me what a good relationship should look like. I don't want to go back to a one-sided relationship again, where I do all the giving and Chantal does all the taking. Thank you for helping me realize that."

"You're welcome." She turned away. His gratitude was almost as hard to bear as his pity.

"Dani? Are you okay?"

"Yes, of course. I really wish you'd stop asking me that." She couldn't face him. If he looked into her eyes he'd see the truth. She was so not okay. "You deserve someone who wants to make you happy, someone who loves you through everything."

"So do you." He gently took her by the shoulders and made her turn around. "I'm sorry about the stupid remark Chantal made at dinner tonight. It was uncalled for. I know she hurt you."

She tried to laugh it off. "Maybe I should thank her for reminding me how fat I was so I don't overeat."

"Was that why you wouldn't eat tonight?"

"I can always stand to lose a few pounds."

"Why? You're perfect the way you are."

She snorted. "Please, don't patronize me. I know what I look like."

He cupped her cheek, his eyes searching hers. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Make a joke or accuse me of being patronizing when I try to compliment you?"

Because I can't believe you mean it. "I know I'm not perfect, not in looks, not like Chantal. Far from it."

"Maybe I don't want perfect." His thumb traced lazy circles over the delicate skin under her eye. "Maybe I want sweet and kind and funny. Maybe I want someone who makes me laugh, and makes me believe happiness is possible."

She stared at him, his gaze rendering her immobile. She wanted to tell him not to say things like that to her, not unless he was very, very sure he meant them. Because if he didn't really mean it, she might not survive.

But her heart lodged in her throat, making speech impossible. All she could do was pray that when he left her, her heart would still be in one piece.

Zach lowered his mouth to hers. His lips touched hers, softly, sweetly. She wanted more, so much more. She stepped closer to him, stretching on tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck and press herself against him. His kiss changed in a heartbeat, consuming her, devouring her in a vortex of sensation and need. Nothing mattered except this moment with Zach in her arms.

I hope you enjoyed my excerpt! Don't forget to comment (or Like, Follow or Join) for a chance to win an ecopy of ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID. (By the way, book one in the series is HER BEST MAN, and book two is THERE GOES THE GROOM). And don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter contest for your chance to win the Grand Prizes. Good luck!  

To keep hopping please click here: www.hopswithheart.blogspot.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Naughty and Nice Blog Hop!

Welcome to my blog! Thanks for stopping by and participating in the Naughty and Nice Blog Hop! The Grand Prize Is A Kindle Fire HDX 7” plus books to go on the winner's new Kindle! In addition, there will be prizes of ebooks at various participating blogs. Winners of items that need to be shipped (such as the Kindle) must reside in the US or Canada to be eligible, but anyone anywhere can win an ebook. Check it out here:
http://safariheatbooktoursandauthorservices.blogspot.com

There are four ways to enter the grand prize giveaway: Leaving a comment on this post, following my blog, liking me on Facebook, or following on Twitter. You don't have to do all four, but they increase your chances of winning. Once you have followed or liked, let us know in the comment box below so you are eligible to win!
Here's an example:
Name: Carey Abbott
Email: careydoucet@yahoo.com
Comment: Great Post
Twitter: Followed
FaceBook: Followed
Blog: Followed
Country You Live In: United States

I'm in the nice category with a trio of spicy novels about getting left at the altar, living through the humiliation and learning to trust in love again. I want to tell you about my three heroines from this series and their feelings about the holiday season.

Just like me, my characters from my Left at the Altar series love Christmas. Sarah Stevens, from HER BEST MAN, decorates her tree by December 1 every year. Every year she visits craft fairs to buy unique, handcrafted ornaments and decorations. Each ornament on her tree means something to her. There’s the little lady dressed in a ball gown made with pink and white beads that reminds her how much she loved to dance as a child, how much she still loves to dance. She loves the Christmas ornaments made from egg cartons, pipe cleaners and glitter that her grandmother made when she lived in the nursing home. They may be tacky but she'll never throw them out. Then there there’s shepherd she made in a long ago ceramics class that makes her smile every Christmas when she unwraps it. Luckily for her, she meets someone who understands how important traditions are to her. 

  

Olivia Taylor from THERE GOES THE GROOM was an only child and her parents’ marriage was strained. So Christmas at her house was often a quiet, tense day when she was a little girl. When she met Tony at the age of eighteen, everything in her life changed, including the way she felt about the holidays. She was introduced to his large, boisterous, loving family, and Christmas became a time of family and food and fun. She loved it. She loved shopping for gifts, baking Christmas cookies, and going to Christmas mass with Tony’s parents, brothers and his sister Dani. But when Tony left Olivia at the altar, she not only lost the love of her life, she lost a loving family, and a beautiful Christmas celebration. She became determined to create her own happy Christmases, even if Tony was no longer in her life. During the eight years she was separated from him, she made new traditions for herself, like volunteering at a soup kitchen and delivering Christmas hampers to needy families. The memory of those wonderful Christmases with the Dipietros inspired her to be a better person.

Dani Dipietro from ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID was raised in a large Italian family with six older brothers. Christmas was a big deal in her family. When she was a child, her mother baked and cooked for weeks before Christmas for the endless stream of guests – extended family, friends and neighbors – who visited over the holidays. Dani loved it. She loved getting together with family, and being with friends. Christmas was perfect, except for one thing – the eating. Dani loved to eat as much as she loved Christmas. By the time she was eighteen, she was fifty pounds overweight. The only boys she seemed to attract were ones who wanted to take advantage of her in some way. She was afraid she’d never find the kind of loving relationship her parents had. Fast forward ten years. Tired of the way she looks, she decides some drastic action is in order. And when she least expects it,

love walks into her life.

Before you go on your merry way to the next blog, I hope you'll take time to enter my contest. For your chance to win an e-copy of the second book in the series, THERE GOES THE GROOM, answer at least one of the questions here, based on the blurbs and excerpts on my website - just click the title to go there. You'll get one entry for each answer. Email your answers to me at jana.richards@hotmail.com  BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS! I'll choose one winner at random on December 17. Here are the questions:

1. In the excerpt from ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID, what does Zach do when Dani arrives at the house?

2. In HER BEST MAN, where does Sarah go after she gets dumped at the altar?

3. What is Olivia's fiance's name in THERE GOES THE GROOM?

You can also enter my contest by leaving a comment and telling me your favorite thing to do over the holidays. Email me with your answer at jana.richards@hotmail.com  but be sure to leave an email address! Happy Holidays!

To continue hopping, go back to the Blog Hop List. 

Do you believe in ghosts?

My post goes live today at 11 am at the LASR blog! In keeping with the Halloween theme, I'm blogging about the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The century old hotel has long been reputed to be haunted - especially room 202 - and has made believers of even the most skeptical.  I will award one random commenter on my post an e-copy of my latest novella, "Home Fires". I'd love to hear if you believe in ghosts, so comment - if you dare!

Long & Short Reviews Halloween Blogfest!

The Long & Short Reviews Halloween Blogfest - October 29 to November 2, 2012. Win prizes at the blogfest by commenting on one of the many blogs posted between October 29 and November 2, 2012 on the LASR Blog. All the blogs have a Halloween theme. I'm blogging about a century old hotel in my city reported to be haunted. To win my prize, an e-copy of my novella "Home Fires", all you have to do is comment on my post, which will go live at 11 am on November 1.