Joyce DiPastena's Blog, page 71

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...

My Poem

In the July 2010 Of Good Report newsletter (the monthly newsletter of the American Night Writers Association), Patti Hulet issued us all a writing challenge. She challenged us to write a POEM! Now, I'm about as far away from a poet as any writer can possibly get, but for some reason, I decided to sit down today and fiddle with her suggestion.

Patti challenged us to use or adapt the following form to create a poem:

A_____________            My poem.
When ____________ you'll find ___________   &nbsp...

Book Review of "Chocolate Roses", by Joan Sowards

When Walnut Springs Press offered me a copy of Chocolate Roses to review for Joan Sowards' book blog tour, I jumped at the chance. After all, it had the word "chocolate" in the title!



Back cover blurb:
Janie Rose Whitaker's world revolved around her chocolate shop until Roger Wentworth and his young daughter moved into the apartment across from Janie's. Anyone would think Roger fit the mold of the "perfect" guy, but soon Janie discovers secrets that could keep them apart forever. Though she...

Book Blog Tour for "Chocolate Roses", by Joan Sowards

Janie Rose Whitaker's world revolved around her chocolate shop until Roger Wentworth and his young daughter moved into the apartment across from Janie's. Anyone would think Roger fit the mold of the "perfect" guy, but soon Janie discovers secrets that could keep them apart forever. Though she resists getting involved in Roger's complicated life, they are drawn further into a bittersweet relationship.

You will laugh, cry, and crave chocolate as you read this LDS parody of the classic...

Winners of my Miss Mae Interview Giveaway Contest!

The winners of our Miss Mae Interview Giveaway are:

Rhonda McDonnell of Arizona, who has won a 50% off coupon for an e-book copy of Miss Mae's Victorian suspense novel, See No Evil, My Pretty Lady .
Yadira Alonzo of Washington (state), who has won a 50% off Amazon gift certificate towards a print copy of the same title.
Congratulations, Rhonda and Yadira!
Thanks to all who read the interview and entered our giveaway!

What Am I Reading for My 2010 New/Old Reading Challenge?

I promised to read two "old reads" back to back to make up for the two back to back "new reads" I read in June. Henry Plantagenet , by Richard Barber, was the first of these "old reads", which I finished earlier this week. My second "old read" for my reading challenge is Friday's Child , by Georgette Heyer.

First, the poem, so you will understand why Ms. Heyer chose this title:
Monday's child is fair in face,Tuesday's child is full of grace,Wednesday's child is full of woe,Thursday's child has...

My Ancestry?

I'm not sure where this came from...I found it in a pile of my mother's things. I think Vera Price is some relative of my mother's (aunt? great aunt? cousin? I've got to research that!...or ask my aunt ;-) ), and I don't know how the vast majority of this could be proved. Except for #48 Charles Robert Clarkson, Jr m Ethel Breeden...they were my grandparents and I found a family pedigree chart for Charles Robert Clarkson, Jr. that traced his ancestors back through #31 John ap Adams. I found th...

I Write Like...

I write like
Stephen KingI Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!


Or so I'm told by "I Write Like..." Okay, I may be a little skeptical. I don't think Stephen King's books and mine could be father apart! Still, if you're a writer, blogger, reviewer, whatever, check the link out. It's fun!

Introducing "Quill to Quill"

Hi All! I've begun a new blog, called "Quill to Quill". Here is the blog description:

Quill to Quill  is a place where the women of my medieval novels reach out to one another in written correspondence. Some of these women are related by blood, others drawn together through ties to men they both love. Ultimately, all are bound to one another by a deep and abiding friendship.

This blog will be most meaningful to those who have read my novels. SPOILERS ABOUND for those who have not. But for those...

Interview and Giveaway with Mystery Author, Miss Mae (See? She's so mysterious we don't even know her real name!)

Now that our Summer Treasure Hunt Contest is over, it's time to get back to business. Which in this case means another giveaway! But this one comes with an author interview first.

I am delighted today to introduce you to a fellow author from my Sweetest Romance Authors group. Her pen name is Miss Mae, and she has written a wonderful little Victorian mystery that I'm excited to share with you. (She writes contemporary mysteries, too, but being me, I chose her historical title as my first Miss M...