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 (You can read my raving review here!) and A Rumored Fortune, which I am reading right now. IT'S AMAZING!

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, what is you go-to yummy drink when you sit down to read and/or write?

Ok, this is weird - grapefruit juice! I mostly drink water, but a real good and sweet pink grapefruit juice is my absolute favorite treat. I don't often do tea/coffee, but this tall glass of sugary goodness is my weakness.

I honestly did not expect that! Mind blown! Hahaha! What is your favorite snack when you sit down to read or write with your imaginary peeps?

Actually cereal is my go-to! It's a real easy snack to sit next to me and not drip on the couch. Cinnamon cereal of any kind is my fav. :-)

Cereal is a pretty common snack in my house, too! And I love all things cinnamon, much to my husband's dismay. Haha! Confession Time: do any of your characters have any of your own "odd" habits? Safe space. ;-)

Oh, definitely! My first heroine, Aurelie Harcourt in Lady Jayne Disappears, wrote the people around her into stories and while everyone recognized themselves in the stories, no one knew who was writing about them. I did the same thing in gradeschool when I was intensely bothered by certain kids being overlooked (they became superheroes in my little stories) and bullies never seeing justice (they saw payback in my stories too). I wrote them for myself, but somehow a few ended up circulating around the classroom and I was surprised at the impact it had on a few kids. So that was cool, and I was excited to play that out in a novel.

This is one of the coolest author-to-character quirks I've ever heard of! What inspired you to write your latest release, A Rumored Fortune?

Two real-life stories, actually. The mystery came from a family friend whose grandfather didn't trust the (highly corrupt) Italian banks...or his family, apparently. He hid his sizeable fortune and promised to tell them where it was before he died - but passed away quite young of a heart attack. In real life, the money was never found. I won't tell you if it plays out that way in the book! The romance was also inspired heavily by my own love story, from the time I first met my husband (and couldn't stand him) to the time I nearly speed-walked down the aisle toward the man of my dreams. I combined the two because the family friend in the mystery story is the one who convinced me to give my very Italian man a second look.

I love, love, love this! #allthehearts Such a cool look at the story behind the story! What is your favorite thing about writing in this genre?

To be honest, I'm not even sure what genre I write! I've seen it pop up in half a dozen different ones, and I'm fine with that. I just sat down to write for fun one day, and I let it flow into the type of story I wanted to read, complete with a little mystery, a little romance, and an atmospheric English country house. The mystery angle keeps me asking, "What's going on? What in the world??" and keeps me pressing forward to find out. The romance portions just delight my little heart.

Hahaha! Your stories do reach into a lot of genres, but that just makes them even more amazing! What is the hardest thing about writing in your super-genre (rabbit trail, but this should be a thing, yes?)?

It can be really hard to connect all the intricate pieces to make a full picture and have all the pieces work together. Although that's also the most fun part, because it's such a thrill to watch all the elements God's given me fit together to create a larger story than I'd imagined.

YESSS!!! It is awesome to see how God works the story! What message do you hope to convey to your readers with A Rumored Fortune?

I'd really love for people who are dry, or living in survival mode to find the difference between a full life and actually being full of life. It took me the length of this book project to reach a place where I was living well, and not being driven by daily tasks, attending to needs, and stomping out the flames of my to-do list. There's so much that God intends to communicate to us through vineyards, and I hope that people understand those Scripture passages - and what God says about how they receive life and grow fruit - so they know how to live more richly. It was such a needed "message," if I can call it that, for my young-mama heart while I faced a little burnout and exhaustion. Trying to keep up with life can be draining, and most of us KNOW there has to be something more out there.

 

Those are powerful truths that I know I need to be reminded about! <3 Can you tell us a little about your next project?

Of course! This is one I'm super excited about. The heroine is a rag vendor who switches places with her lookalike, who is a lady, and ends up in a very bookish romance. That's all I can say right now, but I think it may be my favorite - and most suspenseful - story yet.

I can't wait for this story!!! *squeals* What is your (current) favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level?

My guiding life verse is Matthew 6:33, about seeking God's kingdom first and letting everything else fall into place. Isaiah is my favorite book because it most clearly shows the duality of God's nature - the holy righteous judge and the protective, gracious father. Proverbs is currently slapping me upside the head and making me examine my speech and the heart from which it comes!

Oh, man! I have gotten many spiritual slaps from Proverbs! LOL! What are you currently reading? Inquiring minds - mine - want to know! :-)

I'm reading an older novel called Edenbrooke and LOVING it. My last great read, however, was Kristy Cambron's The Lost Castle book, which is probably one of my favorites of all time.

LOVED The Lost Castle, and I'll have to check out Edenbrooke! *adds eight hundred and thirteenth book to Amazon cart*

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 A Rumored Fortune.

 

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.

Rules, Info, and Such ~

The author is giving away one copy of A Rumored Fortune!

This giveaway is open internationally. If an international winner is drawn, they will receive an ebook. If a US winner is chosen, they will receive a print copy.

This giveaway will close on August 22nd, 2018, at 12:00 A.M. for all the night owls.

A winner will be drawn within four days of close of giveaway. If the winner does not respond to our e-mails within one week of notification, 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 

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

 

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
 

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