Welcome to Monday Writers at the Window, the new and occasional feature. My first guest is Jana Richards, a long-time writer friend and one of the Word Wranglers. Please make her welcome.
Thank you for hosting me and letting me tell you about my Masonville series. STRONG ENOUGH, the fourth and final book in the series will release on June 22, 2022, so I’m taking this opportunity to talk about the other books in the series as well. From the beginning, I knew I wanted to write about overcoming problems and deep traumas, and I wanted to show how love might help heal those wounds—love from a romantic partner, of course, but also love from community, family, friends and even pets. And especially learning to love yourself. The characters in this series often come from a place of deep shame, and part of their healing is coming to believe that they are good, decent people who are worth loving.
In CHILD OF MINE, book one of the Masonville series, Lauren’s shame is that she becomes pregnant on the day of her husband Billy’s funeral when she sleeps with Billy’s older brother, Cole. Cole’s been her friend since they were teenagers, and they connected because of shared anguish and anger. But now that she’s pregnant, everyone in her small town assumes the baby is Billy’s. How can Lauren overcome her shame and tell the truth?
Lauren didn't intend to sleep with her brother-in-law Cole on the day of her husband's funeral. But now that she is pregnant, she's not sorry. Cole's given her a baby, a long-wished-for miracle. He's been her friend forever, though she never told him or anyone else how unhappy her marriage to his cheating brother was. And she's afraid to tell the small town that considered her husband a hero that the baby isn't his.
Cole's been in love with Lauren since he was sixteen. It kills him that everyone believes the baby is his dead brother's. All he wants is to claim the baby, and Lauren, as his own. Though she marries him, will Lauren's heart ever be his?
Lauren must tell the truth or risk losing Cole. Is her newly-discovered love for him greater than her fear of scandal in her hometown?
Here are Five Things You Need to Know About CHILD OF MINE:
1. Cole and Lauren have known each other since they were teenagers when Cole tutored Lauren in chemistry. They stayed friends through the years, even after Lauren married Cole’s younger brother, Billy. And even though Cole has been in love with her all these years.
2. Billy dies in a car accident, and Lauren comes back home to North Dakota to bury him. She’s angry and grief-stricken and filled with guilt. She had a terrible fight with her cheating husband before he died. Did their fight cause him to lose his concentration on that Georgia Interstate?
3. Cole’s a veterinarian and Lauren is a bookkeeper. Cole helps Lauren get a job at his clinic as the receptionist/bookkeeper.
4. Mia, a former girlfriend/mistress of Billy’s, also works at the veterinary clinic and she’s determined to cause trouble for Lauren.
5. CHILD OF MINE is set in North Dakota. Though I live directly north of North Dakota on the other side of the 49th parallel, both areas are part of the Great Plains of North America. I’m a true lover of the prairie landscape. To me, the endless skies and vast vistas are awe inspiring. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s boring!
Excerpt:
Cole wrapped her in his arms. He held her securely, whispering reassurances. “It’s all right, Lauren. Don’t cry. It’s going to be okay, sweetheart.”
She clung to him, her face buried against his neck. How wonderful to be held, to be touched. It had been so long—
What was she doing? This was Cole, her friend. She pulled away from him. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have anything to apologize for.”
She turned away and tried to wipe the tears from her face. After she got her tears under control, she made herself smile at him. “Do you remember the homecoming dance? The time I tripped in my new high heels and sprained my ankle?”
“Of course I do. You couldn’t walk, so I carried you from the school gym to Billy’s car, and he drove you home. I remember you were a lot heavier than you looked.”
She swatted his shoulder, hiccupping laughter mixing with her tears. “Very funny. I was trying to make a point.”
He wiped the tears from her cheek with the pad of his thumb, his dark eyes full of tenderness. “So what was your point?”
“You’re a good friend. You’ve always been there every time I’ve needed you, and here you are again. Thank you.”
He stared into her eyes, but said nothing. She couldn’t look away. He continued to stroke her cheek with his thumb, the tiny caress acting like a balm to her battered heart. She placed her hand on his cheek.
“Cole.”
They reached for each other in mutual need. He pulled her against his chest, his mouth descending on hers in a hungry, urgent kiss. She sighed against his mouth, and he brought her closer. He wants me. It had been so long since someone had wanted her. Only her.
Buy Links:
CHILD OF MINE is on sale for .99 cents at Amazon from May 6-20, 2022. Download your copy today!
The Wild Rose Press ~ Amazon.com ~ Amazon.ca ~ Amazon.UK ~ Amazon.au ~ Amazon.de ~ BN
iBooks ~ Kobo (US) ~ Kobo (CA) ~ Google Play ~ Walmart ~ BookBub ~ Goodreads
STRONG ENOUGH is currently available for preorder. Have it automatically delivered to your ereader on June 22, 2022!
Charlotte Saunders has a full life—a rewarding career as a nurse, meaningful volunteer work at a dog shelter, and family, friends and pets she adores. But no matter how hard she tries, she can’t forget the horrible event that’s haunted her for ten years.
A survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Damon Greyson now helps others who have suffered trauma. His experience and intuition alert him to trouble in Charlotte’s past, and he wants to help her, if only she’d let him.
As they work together to help veterans suffering from PTSD and neglected dogs needing loving homes, their feelings for each other deepen. But when the trauma from Charlotte’s past roars back to life, both are forced to confront their painful histories—or die trying.
Buy Links:
Amazon~ Amazon CA ~ Amazon UK~ iBooks~ BookBub~ Goodreads
Author Bio: Jana Richards has tried her hand at many writing projects over the years, from magazine articles and short stories to full-length contemporary romance, paranormal suspense and romantic comedy. She loves to create characters with a sense of humor, but also a serious side. She believes there’s nothing more interesting then peeling back the layers of a character to see what makes them tick.
When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).
Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren. You can reach her through her website at http://www.janarichards.com
Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.janarichards.com
Blog: http://janarichards.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor
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Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards
Amazon UK Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG
Newsletter Signup: http://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards
Darlene resides on the Atlantic Coast of Canada where the summers are too short and the winters are too long. An avid reader since childhood, Darlene loved to develop the many stories coming to life in her head. She writes contemporary romances with a focus on plot-driven page-turners. When not working on her next book, she can be found with her husband, her daughter, and her yellow Labrador. Darlene’s favourite pastime is taking summer day-trips to the Valley to soak in the small-town feel. 
