Welcome to my last rose in the Vintage Rose season – Jana Richards.
Over April and May I’ve covered the spectrum of Vintage Roses, with stories set in the early 1900′s in World War I, and in the 20′s, 30′s, 40′s 50′s and 60′s. Jana, a woman after my own heart, has set her novel Flawless in the dramatic period of World War II.
France, 1942. The world is at war. The Nazis have stolen the infamous blue diamond, Le Coeur Bleu, intending to barter it for weapons that will destroy the Allies. Jewel thief Hunter Smith is given a choice; help the French Resistance steal back the diamond and avenge the death of his best friend, or stay locked up in an English prison. He chooses revenge.
Resistance fighter Madeleine Bertrand’s husband died when he was betrayed by Hunter Smith. How can she now pretend to be married to the arrogant American? How can she betray Jean Philippe’s memory by her passionate response to Hunter’s kisses? Neither is prepared for the maelstrom of attraction that erupts between them. To survive they must uncover the mysteries of the past and conquer the dangers of the present. But first Madeleine must decide if her loyalties lie with her dead husband and the Resistance or with the greatest love of her life.
Excerpt of Flawless:
“I said in the letter that you had not worked as a gardener before, so he is not expecting 
you to know the difference between a delphinium and a dianthus.” Monsieur Gagnon poured milk onto his porridge. “But he is expecting you to work hard. If you don’t, you could be fired, or your cover could be blown.”
“I can manage.”
“The job might require a little more than sticking a shovel in the ground occasionally and spreading a bit of manure,” Madeleine said. The others turned to stare at her.
She immediately regretted her sarcastic remark, regretted throwing his words in his face. She shouldn’t let this man get to her, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. They needed to work together for the sake of the mission. But she hated him. After what he’d done to Jean Philippe…
Hunter’s gaze locked with hers, and the heat of his anger scorched her clear across the room. She refused to back down from the challenge in his stare. She’d be damned if she’d let him intimidate her.
“Madeleine, enough.” Monsieur Gagnon spoke sharply. “Regardless of your feelings, we need him. He is our only hope for getting the diamond out of the hands of the Nazis.”
He was right. If they couldn’t steal Le Coeur Bleu, Jean Philippe would have died for nothing. She couldn’t let that happen.
She inhaled deeply and looked away. “All right. We’ll work together.”
An intriguing excerpt, Jana. Tell us about your research methods.
“Because I feature the French Resistance prominently in my story, I read books about its history. The rest of my research was done online. I looked up facts about the war, the French Resistance, and the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) who dropped spies into occupied France. There were many details to learn; what kind of plane was used to fly spies into France, how do you crack a safe, what makes a diamond really valuable? My research was definitely interesting and varied.”
What influences do you draw on when imagining characters and plots? E.g. childhood memories, daily life, travel, etc.
“All the things you mention can trigger an idea for a character or plot for me. In the case of “Flawless” a fascination with the events of World War Two going back to childhood stirred my interest. My Dad took part in the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. By June 9, 1944 he was captured and spent the rest of the war as a POW. I’ve always wanted to write a story using the war as a backdrop. “Flawless” was my first opportunity but I’m hoping it won’t be my last.”
Jana lives in Western Canada, on the wide prairies. “I currently live in a large city but I grew up on a farm and have spent the majority of my life in small towns and cities.”
“My writing schedule can be erratic at times. I work part-time so my writing flows around my work schedule. Whenever I can I like to take a block of time to simply do nothing but write. I find devoting time like this helps me to really get into a story. If doing this “writing marathon” isn’t possible, the next best thing is to try to work on the story every day, even if it’s just doing research. The main thing is to keep the ideas percolating in my head so that eventually they turn into written words on the page.”
Trust issues, says Jana, feature in many of her stories. “Learning to trust others and to trust yourself. Learning to trust in love. For instance, in “Flawless”, when Madeleine first meets Hunter, she does not trust him. In fact, she believes him guilty of betraying someone she loved. The only thing Hunter trusts are his instincts for survival. They both must learn to trust each other with their lives, and with their love.”
Jana’s current work in progress, Home Fires, is in a similar vein to my newly released Kiwi Kiss. World WarII is a fascinating time period in history, with many interesting social effects from troops serving abroad.
“Home Fires is about a British woman who becomes engaged to a Canadian soldier during World War Two. When she arrives in Canada expecting to marry him, she’s told he’s already married someone else. But when she meets her fiance’s brother, being jilted turns out to be the best thing that’s ever happened to her.
I’ve always wanted to write a story about War Brides. Some 48,000 young British women married or became engaged to Canadian soldiers during World War Two, and made their way to Canada during and after the war. Special ships brought them and their children across the Atlantic, where they docked in Halifax and then travelled across Canada in special war bride trains. I can’t imagine the courage it must have taken to give up family, friends and country to marry, often after very short courtships. Talk about risking everything for love!”
Jana’s next release (no release date at present) is a contemporary called “The Girl Most Likely”. It’s part of The Wild Rose Press’s Class of ’85 series about a 25th year reunion at the fictional Summerville High School. When the Class of ’85 is called home for the reunion, many old flames will be reignited and many new fires will begin to rage. “The Girl Most Likely” falls into the new fires category. Here’s a blurb:
Cara McLeod, the girl most likely to have the perfect marriage, is now divorced and, in her own words, “fat, frumpy, and over forty.” The thought of facing former classmates—and the ex-husband who dumped her—at her high school reunion terrifies her. Cajoled into attending by her kids and her best friend, Cara enlists help at the gym to lose weight and look great for the reunion. Personal Trainer Finn Cooper is more than willing to help—but does he have to be so to-die-for gorgeous?
Finn thinks Cara is perfect just the way she is. She’s everything he wants in a woman, except for one thing—she can’t get past the fact that he’s eight years younger. To Finn, age and weight are just numbers. But can he convince Cara the numbers she worries about add up to only one thing for him—love?
Here’s a short excerpt:
He chuckled. “Jessica better watch her back. You could give her a run for her money.”
He heard Cara’s throaty laugh, and various parts of his anatomy tingled in response. “Yes, that’s my evil plan. Take over Rochester Noon, then the world.”
“If you set your mind to it, I’m sure you could do it.”
“Thanks Finn.”
“For what?”
“For believing in me.”
“Are you going to be okay now?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Thanks to you.”
He wanted so badly to tell her he loved her, adored her, thought she was the most amazing woman in the world. But fear stopped him. Was she truly over her ex-husband? Why else would losing weight for the reunion be so important to her if not to impress Peter?
“I’ve got to run. Thanks again. I’ll talk to you later at my condo, right?”
“Absolutely. I can hardly wait to hear about your big TV debut. Break a leg. Isn’t that what they say in show biz?”
She laughed. “Yeah, that’s what they say. Bye.”
Finn replaced the receiver and closed his eyes. He hoped everything went well with this interview. Cara deserved to realize how amazing she was.
If she did come to that realization, would there still be room in her life for him?
Where can readers find you and your books?
You can find me and my books at my website at http://www.janarichards.net I hope you’ll stop by!
Thank you so much for being here this week, Jana.
Everyone – please leave a comment or question for Jana, and your name will be in the draw to win Flawless.
Hi Jana – lovely to ‘see’ you again! : ) – and a big wave to you too Cherie!
I had the pleasure of reading Flawless as a preliminary read for TWRP, so its one that has a special place in my heart : ) I adored the characters, clever tight plot and fascinating era. What a fantastic read – I recommend it to everyone!
Hi Jana,
I love world War 2 era stories too. So much happened to so many brave people and they deserve to get recognition. I was one of the earliest Vintage authors, I am proud to say and have 5 Vintage novels published including my WW2 story (The Trouble with Playboys).
Regards
Margaret
Hi Jana -
I’m very glad to see stories set in this time era. I think it’s a fascinating part of history too. Flawless sounds like a great read:)
Wishing you many sales now and in the future.
Hi Jana, so fascinating that you have a WWII set story when I had heard that publishers didn’t want them. Seems yet again TWRP knows what readers want and writers want to write. Can’t wait to read your story. Flawless sounds flawless.
Hi Jana,
Flawless sounds wonderful. Mystery and intrigue in a terrific setting, what’s not to love! I am so looking forward to The Girl Most Likely. We Class of ’85ers have to stick together!
Great post–fabulous excerpts. My TBR list just keeps getting longer. Love the war bride setting. But I’m a sucker for a marriage of convenience, fish out of water, throw ‘em together and see what happens kind of story!
Interesting blogpost. I’m glad TWRP publishes all eras of historicals, especially those set in the first half of the twentieth century. Your books sounds very interesting. Much success to you!
Hi Jana. This sounds like a great story. Some of the best movies are set in WWI/II. I admire anyone who can write about such a difficult time.
Hi Jana,
I love stories set in the first half of the 1900s. It was such a different time and so much technology was developed. WWII seems to be an era forgotten in literature lately. Your book sound fascinating.
Hi to everyone who commented, and thanks so much for the kind words and the well wishes. Thanks so much to Cherie for inviting me. I’m glad that the World War 2 setting resonates with readers, because it’s one that really interests and intrigues me. I’ve got several more ideas for that time period in the works. So many ideas, so little time!
All the best,
Jana
Hi Jana and Cherie,
Great stuff! WW II stuff is VERY interesting. I soooooo agree about too many ideas and not enough time. Best wishes for continued success.
I so admire writers of historical fiction– the research, dialog and painting a picture of the past seems so daunting to me. I can write paranormal because I can make up so much of it in my head (which can be a weird place), but to create around a time period and real events is amazing:)
Thank you for the excerpts!
Hi, Jana!
a woman of many talents, tackling two different genres at the same time. Good luck to you and hopefully, we’ll have a release date soon for The Girl Most Likely.
best,
Kathy Cottrell
Hey Jana, great post and I really liked the excerpts. Flawless sounds intriguing, as does your wip Home Fires. Exciting stuff.
Thank you to all for your comments. Jana will be back this Sunday to choose a winner!
I’ve always had a fascination with WWII, my senior thesis was on the Holocaust and the Nazi’s. Have to say your book really gets my attention and will go on my to read list. Great post – love the history about the war brides!
Hi Jana – what an interesting blog. There are so many stories to tell from the WWII era. Just read Folley Beach which jumps back and forth between 1942 and present day and It was fascinating. Look forward to Vintage Rose – Flawless, and also your upcoming Last Rose of Summer story.
Waves from another LRoS author.
Really enjoyed the excerpts and interview questions! I am fascinated by the scope of stories that emerge from the WWII era. As I have told Jana, I hope to attempt one myself some day.
In the meantime, I am dying to read Flawless, so I hope my comment is in time for the draw!
Great excerpts Jana. As you know, I love your writing. Still can’t wait to read The Girl Most Likely!
The book jacket is really cool and would definitely call me to read this novel. However, I already know the strength of Jana’s work, as well as her versatility. We love hearing her stories as they unfold in our writing group, Lovers’ Knot, in Winnipeg. No doubt Flawless will be every bit as great as her others. Proud of you, Jana!!!
Your book sounds fascinating. My Dad also fought in WWII but he was in the South Pacific and was lucky enough not to have been a POW. I’m looking forward to reading this one.
Hi Christine,
You may also be interested in reading my novel “Kiwi Kiss” as it is set in the South Pacific in World War II. Please go to http://www.thewildrosepress.com or http://www.amazon.com to purchase.
Hi everyone,
It’s great to be back at Cherie’s blog today. And thanks to everyone who came by to comment.
LaVerne Clark really made my day when she commented on my blog about how much she liked “Flawless”. And since she was a preliminary reader, it was a very lucky thing for me that she did like it!
Wow, Margaret, I’m impressed! Five vintage stories? That’s great. Trying to capture history is no easy feat. I agree that there are dozens of stories to come out of World War Two. Another story I’m interested in is with the thousands of men from Commonwealth airforces who trained in Canada during the war. Many fell in love with Canadian girls, then married them and moved to Canada after the war. I’m pretty sure there’s a great story in there somewhere!
Jennifer, thanks for the good wishes. I’m hoping for great sales too! Best of luck with your stories.
Jill and Vonnie, I’m beyond thrilled that TWRP has seen the potential in stories from World War Two. Who says that readers are only interested in historical novels that take place before World War One?
Jannine, so glad to see you here! I’m so looking forward to joining the rest of my Class of ’85 sisters at the reunion! Someday soon!
Amie, I’m so excited about my war bride story. It’s something I’ve wanted to write about for a long time. And talk about a fish out of water! The majority of people in Canada at that time lived in rural areas, especially on the prairies. And that meant no electricity, no running water, no indoor plumbing, no telephones. Many of the war brides came from large, modern cities in Britain. They must have felt like they’d been dropped onto another planet when they arrived!
Calisa, you’re right about the great movies that have come out of WW2. That fact alone makes it difficult to believe that many book publishers haven’t seen the potential in this era, as Linda LaRoque pointed out. Some have, however. One of my favorite authors is Rosamunde Pilcher and she wrote two of my favorites from this era: The Shell Seekers and Coming Home. I cried like a baby reading both of those.
Joya, someday in the near future I hope to be able to spend all my time writing. I’m hoping that means that I can bring more of my story ideas to life.
Brenda, “Flawless” was my first attempt at writing historical fiction and it certainly was a daunting task. A lot of research went into the book. But I found it a very rewarding experience, and now I’m hooked!
Kathy, thank you so much for dropping by and for the kind words. As my editor for “The Girl Most Likely” I appreciated your guidance and suggestions. I can hardly wait for the release day!
To my sisters in the Saskatchewan Romance Writers, Anita, Hazel and Joanne, thanks for dropping by and saying hello. I so appreciate everyone in the group. It’s a great place to receive feedback and encouragement on my work. Love you all!
Patsy, you sound like something of an expert on World War Two. You really should set one of your stories in that era. I’ve got “Aimee’s Locket” loaded on my reader but with trying to finish my current war bride story, I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. I’m really looking forward to it!
Lynne, I looked up “On Folly Beach” by Karen White on Amazon and read a blurb and review. This sounds like my kind of book! Thanks for the recommendation.
Waves from a soon-to-be Last Rose of Summer author!
Ishbel, hugs to you! I’m looking forward to our next meeting and the next installment in your story “Believing”. I hope I didn’t miss too much last month!
Jana
I too, love the book jacket! I can’t wait to read your story. I’m sure it is filled with the satisfying mix of love, passion, tragedy and spirit of adventure.
Hi Jana. You know I love “Flawless” which I’ve already won elsewhere. Yeah, me! So no need to enter me in the draw. It’s interesting to see how the personal lives of writers show up in their stories. Can’t wait to read “Home Fires”!
Jana, I amazed at the varied work that you write from contemporary to historical but always fresh and lively. I can’t wait to hear more about your war bride project. The emotional drama of arriving in a foreign country and to find out you are no longer wanted, is huge and will make a compelling challenge to overcome.
CONGRATULATIONS to Lynne Marshall, the winner of Flawless. Thanks to all participants.