Joyce DiPastena's Blog, page 43

Sweet Saturday Samples

It's been awhile since I've shared a Sweet Saturday Sample with you. I've been so busy wrestling my new medieval romance into shape for publication that I haven't had time for very much else. But my new book, Dangerous Favor (rated PG), has been officially released and is now available on Amazon, so I am able to share a sample of it with you today!


A little setup: Etienne (my hero) and Mathilde (my heroine) met the previous night in the castle of a young widow who is holding a tournament so that she can choose a new husband. Etienne persuaded Mathilde to give him the white ribbon in her hair to wear as a favor in the tournament, but when her brother finds out, he becomes angry and insists Mathilde get the ribbon back. This scene takes place the next morning on the field of tents where the knights are preparing for the tournament.



Mathilde's violet eyes turned misty again. Etienne imagined shelonged for some man to be thus stricken over her. No doubt it was of Therri shedreamed. What had she called him? The Vision? Etienne's mouth quirked up inrare envy of his friend.
She sighed and forced her gaze—reluctantly, he thought—torefocus on his face.
"Pray, sir, it is most unchivalrous of you to tease me this way.If you are a true knight, you will honor my request and give me back theribbon."
Etienne hesitated. He wanted to wear her favor, but he realizedit was equally important to him that she should think well of him. If hecontinued to refuse her request, she would think him a churlish brute.
Before he could decide how to answer, Hermaline swept throughher half-circle of mounted attendants, apparently tired of waiting for herwould-be champion to return. She bore down upon Etienne and Mathilde withsparkling eyes, her veil fluttering in her hand like a banner of war. If hewere to surrender Mathilde's ribbon, he told himself, then he must at least armhimself with some other shield in its place.
 "If I give it backto you," he said quickly to Mathilde, "what will you give me in exchange?"
 "In exchange?"
 "You agreed lastnight to grant me your favor for the tournament today. If you insist that Ibehave as a 'true knight' and return the ribbon you gave me, then I demand youkeep your word as a 'lady' and grant me some other favor in its stead."
 "But I told youlast night that I have nothing else to give you."
Hermaline was nearly upon them.
 "Then," he murmuredto Mathilde, "I hope you will forgive me, for I am about to behave mostunchivalrously."
Thank you for stopping by! Now click here to read some more Sweet Saturday Samples.

People Reading Joyce's Books: New Winner!

Yesterday, I (or rather, Random.org) drew Joan Sowards' name as one of the winners, but Joan informed me that she is receiving a copy of Dangerous Favor from another source and kindly encouraged me to draw a new winner from my People Reading Joyce's Books photos. I have done so, and the new winner is...






Donna Hatch! 

People Reading Joyce's Books: And the winners are...

Thank you to everyone who sent me a photo for my People Reading Joyce's Books giveaway! Each and everyone of them was absolutely WONDERFUL! But now it's time to draw the three winners. (Drum roll please as I toss the names into the Random.org hat)
And the winners for a copy each of Dangerous Favor are...





Brenda Child!











Joan Sowards!









Alesha Gurney! 




Thank you again to everyone who was brave enough to enter! Just because the contest has ended doesn't mean I wouldn't love to continue to receive photos of my readers with my books. I'll be adding a Readers Gallery to my blog soon. I'd love to see you there!

YA Giveaway Hop Winner!

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!

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"

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

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 NECESSARYEntrants must be 18 years or olderGiveaway opens January 27, 2012 and runs through January 31, 2012Entries may be left in a comment or sent via email to jdipastena@yahoo.comPrize: 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 winningWinners 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 reawardedSponsor name and contact info: Joyce DiPastena, jdipastena@yahoo.com or PO Box 673, Kearny, AZ 85137Legal venue: Arizona (no, this doesn't mean you have to be from Arizona to enter!)VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAWThere. Now hop-hop along to the next giveaway!

"Dangerous Favor" Giveaway: deadline drawing nigh

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!

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Goodreads Book
Giveaway








Dangerous
Favor


by Joyce DiPastena

Giveaway ends February 25, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Tuesday Teaser

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 readOpen to a random pageShare 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.