Author Interview and GIVEAWAY with Joanna Davidson Politano!

Hi guys! V. Joy Palmer here! Since we are all friends here, you guys can call me Joy. ; ) And since we are all friends, one of my favorite things to do is talk with my friends, family, the teens I mentor, and everyone else at coffee shops/bookstores. Books and yummy drinks are the perfect combination, after all. So, consider this our virtual coffee shop. I’ll wait a second for you to get your warm drink and a fuzzy blanket before we chat with today’s guest. ;-)

We are prying into the private life chatting with THE Joanna Davidson Politano, author of the amazing Lady Jayne Disappears! And before we go any further, I must insist that you read her book posthaste! You can read my raving review here!

Joanna Davidson Politano spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her debut novel, Lady Jayne Disappears, released October 3 from Revell and A Rumored Fortune releases in July 2018. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods and shares stories that move her at www.jpdstories.com.

 

Connect with Joanna on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, too!

Interview ~

First things first, would you order coffee, tea, or hot chocolate in our virtual coffee shop? Something else altogether? This is possibly the most important question... No pressure or anything. ;-)

Always hot chocolate <3

Love me some hot chocolate! <3 On to our second most important question: if you could order anything in the world to eat, what would it be?

Probably cheesecake!

This is why I like you! <3 #cheesecakebuddies Where is your favorite place to write? And why is that your favorite place?

I usually sit in my rocking chair in the living room, because it's the perfect spot. Sunshine pours in through the deck doors, I can hear my kids if they wake up from a nap, and it's a space that's quiet, yet full of sweet reminders (little shoes and toys) of the best parts of my life.

All the hearts! Sounds like the perfect space! Confession Time: do you have an odd habit that is only explained by your bookish, writerly tendencies? Safe space. ;-)

I love, love, love hearing peoples' stories! Tell me about your kids and your everyday life, your heartbreaks and your small victories. I love getting a little glimpse into people - even strangers.

That's so fun! <3 What inspired you to write Lady Jayne Disappears?

Well, it was a combination of a few things. When I was kid, I wrote anonymous stories about my classmates and watched these little pieces cause ripples when they leaked out into the class by accident. It was surprisingly impactful. Then as an adult I read about the Bronte sisters writing under male pen names and was fascinated with the story of them approaching their publisher with their true identity. I combined both of those concepts, plus a taste of Dickens and other serial novelists, into a project that was meant to be just for fun!

Wow! I can really see those threads throughout Lady Jayne Disappears! Guys, you seriously need to read this book! *deadpan stare* 'Tis amazing! So Joanna, what led you to write in this genre?

You know, I didn't really set out to write in a particular genre. I simply wrote stores that untangled questions I had about life and God, about myself, and included all my favorite book elements (history, mystery, a little romance, big old houses, etc.). Those elements have made it a cross between historical, romance, and mystery, and I'm good with that genre combination! My goal in choosing genres is just to enjoy whatever I'm writing at the time.

Wise advice for any writer! (I don't know if you intended that to be advice, but I'm going to call it advice. LOL!) What message do you hope to convey to your readers?

It is my desire to give readers a more eternal perspective on themselves, so that the opinion of people will not matter as much as what's at stake on a larger scale. I also want to inspire readers to passionate pursuit of their life and work, without being weighed down by impressing people.

That message is so clear in Lady Jayne Disappears! Love! <3 <3 <3 Can you tell us a little about your upcoming release?

Of course! I'm excited to share a Victorian story that takes a deeper look at vineyards and the spiritual implications of them. There's a little bit of a treasure hunt, a mystery, and a love story based loosely on my own. The story centers around a lonely heiress who is suddenly left bankrupt in her mansion when her father dies without telling his family where he hid his money. This story releases from Revell in July of 2018.

 

Tressa Harlowe's father did not trust banks, but neither did he trust his greedy extended family. He kept his vast fortune hidden somewhere on his estate in the south of England and died suddenly, without telling anyone where he had concealed it. Tressa and her ailing mother are left with a mansion and an immense vineyard and no money to run it. It doesn't take long for a bevy of opportunists to flock to the estate under the guise of offering condolences. Tressa knows what they're really up to. She'll have to work with the rough and rusticated vineyard manager to keep the laborers content without pay and discover the key to finding her father's fortune--before someone else finds it first.

Award-winning author Joanna Davidson Politano welcomes readers to Trevelyan Castle, home of the poorest heiress in Victorian England, for a treasure hunt they'll not soon forget.

I am so ridiculously excited for this book!!! *deletes twenty-one exclamation points* What is your favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level?

Oh my, how much time do you have? My favorite BOOK of the Bible is Isaiah, because it shows the incredible duality of our God - extremely holy and unable to be in the presence of sin, yet an ocean of mercy and love. We get to see both aspects of his nature in full force through this book, and there are so many beautiful sections in this book.

If I had to pick one CHAPTER of the Bible, I would say Romans 8 or James 1, because both offer such an eternal perspective on our whole life.

My favorite VERSE would be Matthew 6:33, which has become the guiding principal of my entire life, every decision, every mundane task - seek the kingdom of God first and above everything else, and then God will give you everything you need. Such power and direction in a single verse.

Those are some amazing and powerful sections of the Bible! What are you currently reading? Inquiring minds - mine - want to know. :-)

Hahaha, again how much time do you have? At the moment I have Brentwood's Ward (Michelle Griep) and the arc for A Reckoning at Gossamer Pond (Jamie Jo Wright) on my Kindle, and on my nightstand are The Lost Castle (Kristy Cambron) and my first ever Georgette Hayer novel.

Loved The Lost Castle, and I'm looking forward to reading A Reckoning at Gossamer Pond!

Thank you for answering all my prying questions, Joanna! Such a blast talking with you! <3

Giveaway ~

Joanna has generously offered to giveaway one (1) copy of Lady Jayne Disappears.

 

When Aurelie Harcourt's father dies in a debtor's prison, he leaves her just two things: his wealthy family, whom she has never met, and his famous pen name, Nathaniel Droll. Her new family greets her with apathy and even resentment. Only the quiet houseguest, Silas Rotherham, welcomes her company.

 

When Aurelie decides to complete her father's unfinished serial novel, writing the family into the story as unflattering characters, she must keep her identity as Nathaniel Droll hidden while searching for the truth about her mother's disappearance - and perhaps even her father's death.

 

Author Joanna Davidson Politano's stunning debut set in Victorian England will delight readers with its highly original plot, lush setting, vibrant characters, and reluctant romance.

Rules, Info, and Such ~

The author is giving away one copy of Lady Jayne Disappears.

This giveaway is open internationally, but if an international winner is drawn, they will receive an ebook. If a US winner is drawn, they will have the option of a print copy or an ebook.

This giveaway will close on March 7th, 2018, at 12:00 A.M. for all the night owls.

If the winner does not respond to our e-mails within one week, then a new winner will be drawn in their place.

May the odds be ever in your favor. ;-)

Enter using the handy Rafflecopter here ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by, my writerly, bookish friends! <3 See you next time!

Hugs,

V. Joy Palmer