SUMMER 2011 TREASURE HUNT

Welcome to our 3^rd Annual
“Summer Treasure Hunt: Dig for Clues and Win Contest!” A prize a day for the entire month of June.

SUMMER TREASURE HUNT RULES: 
You can send in one entry for each day’s prize, or only for those
prizes that strike your fancy. 
(1) Go to the website or blog indicated for each day, find the
answer to the question for that day, then email the answer with your name and
AND MAILING ADDRESS to jdipastena@yahoo.com. No mailing list uses. All entries will be deleted at the end of the contest.
(2) Please send a separate entry for each day and type the day you
are entering in the subject line. (Such as: Summer Treasure Hunt, June 1;
Summer Treasure Hunt, etc).
(3) Deadline for each day: Midnight PST
(4) Winner will be announced on the day following the deadline.
*****All winners will be drawn by www.random.org.
Start sending in your entries right now for any day. And check back here each day between June 2^nd – July 1^st to read the names of the winners.  Questions? Please email Joyce DiPastena at jdipastena@yahoo.com.
And now…let the treasure hunt begin!

June 1
SPONSOR: Canda Mortensen
PRIZE: A $25 Amazon gift certificate
QUESTION: What is the title and artist of the Princess song on
Newbie's playlist? (HINT: Scroll to the bottom of the blog and read “Newbie
Teaser”. Match the number of “Princess” with the same number on the Playlist
box (you may have to scroll down the playlist to find this, too). It will give
you the title and artist.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http:candamortensen.blogspot.com
OPEN TO USA ENTRIES
WINNER: Melissa Brockett of Utah 
ANSWER:  "With You," by Chris Brown
 
June 2
SPONSOR: Jennifer Griffith
PRIZE: Delicious Conversation (LDS romance, an adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion,
set in a chocolate shop in Salt Lake City), by Jennifer Griffith
QUESTION: Name at least 5 kinds of candy I ate at the last
writers' conference I attended AND share YOUR favorite candy. (HINT: Read the
April 20, 2011 post. Click on April under the Blog Archive in the right hand
sidebar.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://cottoncandy4thesoul.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Crystal Dotson of West Virginia
ANSWER:  Peanut Brittle, Good 'n Plenty, Hot Tamales, Mr. Goodbar, Hershey's Kisses . . .

June 3
SPONSOR: Peggy Urry
PRIZE: Choice of book: Villette by Charlotte Bronte, romance, paperback;
Airframe by Michael Crichton, thriller, paperback;
The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell, contemporary crime, paperback; or
TheMist of Quarry Harbor by Liz Adair, LDS romantic fiction, paperback; AND choice of Jelly Belly Gel Case for iPhone 3G/3GS or Jelly Belly Strawberry Cheesecake Gel Case for iPod Touch.
QUESTION: What is the name of my Work In Progress (WIP)? (Hint:
It's the title of my March 12, 2011 post. Click on “March” under Blog Archive
in the left hand sidebar.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://peggyurry.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO USA/CANADA ONLY
WINNER:  Judy Cox of Louisiana
ANSWER:  "Bound"

June 4
SPONSOR: Danielle Thorne
PRIZE: Josette (sweet Regency romance, E-book) AND
Southern Girl, Yankee Roots (poetry), both by Danielle Thorne
QUESTION: Danielle supports what wildlife conservancy
organization? (HINT: See right hand column of website)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.daniellethorne.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Rachel Rossan of Connecticut
ANSWER:  The Sea Turtle Conservancy

June 5
SPONSOR: Bonnie Harris
PRIZE: Mary Kay Microdermabrasion Set
QUESTION: What are the names of my two WIPs? (HINT: Scroll to the
bottom of the blog and click on “Work in Progress” under Labels)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http:// www.bonnieharris.blogspot.com
OPEN TO USA/CANADA
WINNER: Taffy Lovell of Utah
ANSWER:  Encoded Secrets and Black Orchids

June 6
SPONSOR: Susan Kaye Quinn
PRIZE: Autographed copy of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit (YA
love story), by Susan Kaye Quinn
QUESTION: How many days do David and Eliza have on the cruise
together, before they’re forced to go their separate ways? (HINT: Click on the
“About Me and My Books” tab and read the blurb for Life, Liberty, and Pursuit)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://ink-spells.blogspot.com
OPEN TO USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: LuAnn Morgan of Washington
ANSWER:  Four

June 7:
SPONSOR: Anne Bradshaw
PRIZE: True Miracles with Genealogy: Help from Beyond the Veil (non-fiction), by Anne Bradshaw – 1 print and 1 eBook – Print copy can be autographed. (Yes, there will be TWO
winners drawn for this prize)
QUESTION: Which TV station interviewed Anne?
(HINT: Answer is a short way down the middle column.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://truemiracleswithgenealogy.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES; PLEASE NOTE YOUR PREFERENCE FOR
PRINT OR EBOOK, ALTHOUGH I CAN’T GUARANTEE YOU WILL WIN YOUR PREFERENCE.
WINNER:  Dee Bibb of Mississippi and Cynthia Peck of Arizona
ANSWER:  KCSG

June 8
SPONSOR: Cheri Schmidit
PRIZE: Autographed copy of Fateful (YA paranormal romance), by Cheri Schmidt
QUESTION: Who is the prince of darkness? (HINT: Click on “April”
under Blog Archive in the left hand sidebar and read the April 12, 2011 post)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://cherischmidt.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO USA ONLY
WINNER:  Kristen Tucker of Arizona
ANSWER:  Lucas.

June 9
SPONSOR: Mary Fremont Schoenecker
PRIZE: Moonglade (a sweet cozy mystery, Book Two in the Maine Shore Chronicles series),
by Mary Fremont Schoenecker The prize is an autographed First Edition hard
cover print book.
QUESTION: What special skill does character Tante Margaret use that puts her in danger during Remi's murder investigation? (HINT: Click on the “About Her Books” tab and read the Publisher’s
Weekly Review.
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.maryschoenecker.com
OPEN TO USA/CANADA
WINNER:  Monica Knoll of New York
ANSWER:  Tante Margaret is clairvoyant

June 10
SPONSOR: Shaunna Gonzales
PRIZE: FREE edit and/or critique of first 50 pages
QUESTION: What do his lips taste like? (Hint: click on “Sizzling
Kiss” under Post Subjects in the left hand sidebar)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.shaunnagonzales.blogspot.com
OPEN TO USA/CANADA
WINNER:  Nicole Zoltack of Pennsylvania
ANSWER:  Gingerbread and milk.

June 11

SPONSOR: Donna Hatch
PRIZE: The Stranger She Married (Regency romance), by Donna Hatch
QUESTION: What poses the greatest danger to Alicia’s heart? (HINT:
Scroll down underneath the book cover of The Stranger She Married, and read the paragraph directly below.
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.donnahatch.net/bookshelf.htm
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES FOR E-BOOK VERSION; US/CANADA FOR
PRINT BOOK OR PAPEBACK VERSION
WINNER:  Amy Wheelwright of Washington
ANSWER:  Learning to love the stranger she married.

June 12
SPONSOR: Cindy R. Williams & Planet Play Productions, LLC.
PRIZE: Award winning glossy cover children’s snuggle, giggle picture book,
Chase McKay Didn’t Get Up Today,
signed by the author and the real Chase McKay.
QUESTION: What is the name of the dragon in the upcoming fantasy,
Thundertail’s Tale: The Legend? (HINT: click on the Blog tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.cindyRwilliams.com
OPEN TO USA/CANADA
WINNER:  Andrea Melton of Kentucky
ANSWER:  Sparkin

June 13
SPONSOR: Larry Hammersley
PRIZE: Motorcycle Woman (sweet contemporary romance, E-book), by Larry Hammersley
QUESTION: What kind of motorcycle does Tess, the motorcycle woman,ride?
(HINT: Read blog post “Motorcycle Woman at Red Rose Publishing”, May 5, 2011)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://larryhammersley.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:  Shannon Johnson of Illinois
ANSWER:  Harley Davidson Sportster

June 14
SPONSOR: Cheryl Cory
PRIZE: Autographed copy of Must've Done Something Good
(romantic comedy), by Cheryl Cory
QUESTION: What is Sylvie's all-time favorite movie? (HINT: Click
on the "Info" link in the left-hand column)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.facebook.com/MustveDoneSomethingGood
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:  Tarrah Montgomery of Arizona
ANSWER:  The Sound of Music.

June 15
SPONSOR: Valerie Ipson
PRIZE: $15 Gift Certificate for Vinyl Lettering  (http://vinylsignsanddesigns.blogspot.com)
QUESTION: What is Valerie's writing goal for 2011? 
(HINT: Look in the right hand sidebar)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http:// valerieipson.blogspot.com
OPEN TO USA
WINNER:  Kristen Tucker of Arizona
ANSWER:  To pitch the book.

June 16

SPONSOR: Joyce DiPastena
PRIZE: Autographed copy of Loyalty’s Web (sweet medieval romance), by Joyce DiPastena
QUESTION: How do people win Joyce’s “Light Bulb Award”?
(HINT: Answer is found in the right hand column of the blog.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://jdp-news.blogspot.com
OPEN TO USA
WINNER:  Susan Arroyo
ANSWER:  Wednesday Romances

June 17
SPONSOR: Danyelle Ferguson
PRIZE: Autograhed copy of (dis)Abilities and the Gospel: How to Bring People with Special Needs Closer to Christ (non-fiction/self-help) by Danyelle Ferguson & Lynn Parsons, M.S.)
non-fiction/self-help, autographed book
QUESTION: What is the name of the non-profit Danyelle co-founded?
(HINT: Check out Danyelle's author bio)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.danyelleferguson.com/
OPEN TO USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Amber Nielson of Vermont
ANSWER:  Friends of GIANT Steps

June 18
SPONSOR: Teresa Thomas Bohannon
PRIZE: A Very Merry Chase (Regency Romance novel),
by Theresa Thomas Bohannon. Winner's Choice: PDF with personalized dedication,
or Ebook format for Kindle or Epub format for Nook.
(HINT: Read “A Very Merry Chase Excerpt” under
“A Very Merry Chase” in the right hand sidebar)
QUESTION: What did Lady Bethany do and why?
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.ladysilk.net
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:  Gayle Humpherys of Texas
ANSWER:  Lady Bethany, shocked absoluetly to the core of her gentle soul, could take no more and swooned dead away . . . because Sabrina slapped the hieghwaymand and cursed.

June 19
SPONSOR: Diane Daniels
PRIZE: Autographed copy of Over The Moon
(YA fantasy romance, print copy), by Diane Daniels
QUESTION: Who is Andrew's evil x-girlfriend, Sonya, named after?
(HINT: Read the May 14, 2011 blog entry)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.overthemoonseries.com/
OPEN TO USA
WINNER:  Megan Swanson of California
ANSWER:  Sonya is named after my wicked orange cat who died last summer.

June 20

SPONSOR: Margaret Larsen Turley
PRIZE: critique for up to 5000 words
QUESTION: Margaret Larsen Turley is administrator for  what  writing group? They hold fund-raising events for Cancer Research.
(HINT: You’ll find the answer in one of her website tabs)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://margaretlarsen.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES/ENGLISH LANGUAGE ONLY
WINNER:  Rachel Rossano of Connecticut
ANSWER:  Writers Unite to Fight Cancer

June 21

SPONSOR: Anna Arnett
PRIZE: Autographed copy of Lolly's Yarn: a memoir (older YA to adult),
by Anna Arnett, with a hand-crocheted bookmark
QUESTION: What was the verdict regarding Anna's radar photo
speeding ticket?
(HINT: Click on the Blogs tab and read “I Fought the Law and Guess Who Won?”
WEBSITE/BLOG: htt:www.annaarnett.com
OPEN TO USA
WINNER:  Debbie Roberts of Pennsylvania
ANSWER:  No defininition of "reasonable and prudent" or "Case dismissed," or "You may go now."

June 22
SPONSOR: Rachel Rager
PRIZE: Wednesday Romances - romance (obviously), ebook, by Rachel Rager.
This is a compaliation of three different love stories --all sweet romances.
A Season for Love, The Tiger Unleashed, and The Feather Kiss.
QUESTION: Every week I have post a new chapter of a book on my
blog. What are these posts called?
(Hint: These posts are featured every Wednesday.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://rachelrager.blogspot.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:  Barbara Hightower of South Carolina
ANSWER:  By helping her solve a particularly knotty problem with her WIP.

June 23

SPONSOR: C. Michelle Jefferies
PRIZE: 52 page hand-sewn weekly planner, with ribbon bookmark.
QUESTION: What rank is Michelle in martial arts? (HINT: Look in
right hand sidebar under “MY TANG SOO DO PROGRESS”)
WEBSITE/BLOG: HTTP://cmichellejefferies.blogspot.com
OPEN TO USA/CANADA
WINNER:  Jennifer Hernandez of North Carolina
ANSWER:  Red belt

June 24
SPONSOR: Valerie J. Steimle
PRIZE: Choice of two books:  Home Is Where The Learning Is
(homeschool how-to book, non-fiction; autographed print copy) OR
Dogs, Blogs and Hobbits: Writings from a Widows Perspective ---(non-fiction
articles about everything from being single and single moms to inspirational
stories; autographed print copy), both by Valerie J. Steimle
QUESTION: How many children does Valerie have? (HINT: Look in the
right hand column in "About Me")
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://valeriesteimle.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO USA/CANADA
WINNER:  Amy Lopez of Arizona
ANSWER:  Nine

June 25
SPONSOR: Karen Adair
PRIZE: Crocheted Book Tote with matching cell phone case.
QUESTION: What commenter recently called me (Karen) "The
Queen of Sugar Land?" (HINT: Select “January 2011” under Archives and read
the COMMENTS on Karen’s January 6, 2011 post on “The 20 Minute Sprint”)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.kbadair.com
OPEN TO USA
WINNER:  Sheil Heather Marinez of California
ANSWER:  Shannon Hale

June 26
SPONSOR: Jaimey Grant (www.jaimeygrant.com)
and/or TreasureLine Books & Publishing (www.treasurelinebooks.com)
PRIZE: Winner's choice of 1 of 5 Regency romance eBooks by Jaimey
Grant (Honor, Betrayal, Deception, Spellbound, or Redemption. Please note: Honor
contains some marital "heat".)
QUESTION: Which of Jaimey's previously self-published titles has
recently been picked up by a publisher?
(HINT: Click the "Purchasing Options" tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http:// www.jaimeygrant.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:  Dara Roberts of Pennsylvania
ANSWER:  Heartless

June 27

SPONSOR: Heidi Murphy
PRIZE: Autographed copy of Small Deceptions
(sweet Regency/Georgian romance), by H. Linn Murphy
QUESTION: In what country is the bridge found over which 'we' were
fighting? (HINT: Find “Blog Archive” in the right hand sidebar, click on April
and read the post titled: “The Far Bridge”)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.murph4slaw.blogspot.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:  Brenda Child of Utah
ANSWER:  France

June 28

SPONSOR: Kenneth Rosenberg
PRIZE: One e-book copy of my new romantic comedy,
Sweet Ophelia and the Tinseltown Blues, any format
QUESTION: What instrument does the character Warren August play?
(HINT: Click on the cover image for Sweet Ophelia and the Tinseltown Blues.
Read the first few paragraphs ofthe excerpt.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http:// www.kennethrosenberg.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:  Susan G. Haws of Arizona
ANSWER:  Saxophone

June 29
SPONSOR: Michael Young
PRIZE: Autographed copy of The Last Archangel
(YA Urban Fantasy, print copy - Release date July 14th)
QUESTION: What is the name of the fallen angel who is the main
character in "The Last Archangel"? (HINT: Click on the Reviews tab.
Frank Cole thinks this character “rocks!”
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://thelastarchangel.weebly.com
OPEN TO USA/CANADA
WINNER:  Marie Kacerosky of Florida
ANSWER:  XandirJune 30
SPONSOR: Joan Sowards
PRIZE: The Star Prophecy: a Book of Mormon Adventure (LDS novel), by Joan Sowards
QUESTION: Why do Enoch and his friends sail to Jerusalem? (HINT:
Read the blurb under The Star Prophecybook cover in the right hand column of the blog)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://joansowards.blogspot.com

OPEN TO USA

WINNER:  Jessica Tidd of California
ANSWER:  To find the Christ child

Wednesday Writer ~ Joyce DiPastena

Writers Mirror interviewed Joyce DiPastena

Writer of mystery, adventure and

 "sweet" romance in the Middle Ages

(CRW is Cindy R. Williams)

CRW:  Thanks Joyce for being with us here on Writers Mirror.
How many books have you written?

Joyce:  Well, I've written 5 and am working on a 6th, but only two of my books are published so far.

CRW: I just happen to have cover pictures of those two published books.

CRW:  What inspires you to write?

Joyce:  Reading, both fiction or medieval history books, will often get me in the mood to write.

CRW:  What gets in your way of writing?

Joyce:  Time restraints, but I think mostly my own insecurities and self-doubts. It's so much easier to do ANYTHING else than sit down at the computer and confront the little voice in my head that says, "You, a writer? I dare you to think of something to write today!" And the fear that it's right...I won't be able to think of something, which in my head translates into "failure!"

CRW: How do you get past it?

Joyce:  The only way to get past it is to sit down and write anyway. Even if I only type out a handful of words and I hate every one of them. I just have to keep telling myself while I'm fighting through a tough writing session today, "Tomorrow will be better", and usually (not always, but usually), tomorrow is.

CRW:  Do you try to write daily, and if so, do you set a goal of a certain number of words?

Joyce:  No, I don't use word goals, I use time goals to keep me on track instead. I set a timer for, let's say, an hour and tell myself I can't do anything else but sit at the computer and work on my writing until the timer goes off. I can't play any computer games, I can't play on the internet (I bought a laptop that's not connected to the internet so I can do this in a completely different room of the house where email and the internet can't tempt me), I can't go get a snack, I basically can't even get out of my chair until the timer goes off. My only two choices are to stare at the computer screen for an hour or write something on my novel. Actually, that kind of takes the pressure off me a little. If I'm really struggling to write, I can tell myself, "You don't have to write, you just have to sit here in front of your computer for an hour. If you don't want to write you don't have to, but you do have to sit here and stare at this screen until the timer goes off." Usually, simple boredom will eventually drive me to write SOMETHING. It's very, very rare that I don't end up typing at least a handful of words, which is always better than no words at all!

CRW:  What makes you CRAZY about writing?

Joyce:  Do you mean what drives me CRAZY or what makes me CRAZY to write! I just picked up a plaque at Target yesterday (which won't be yesterday by the time you post this, but you get the point) that says: "I live in my own little world, but it's OK. They know me here." I guess that kind of sums up how I feel about my writing. When my writing is really going well, it's like losing myself inside a world where I'm spending time with friends. And what can be a better feeling than spending time with friends?

CRW:  How long does it take you to complete a book?

Joyce:  Oh, don't ask me that! My first two (non-published) books took me 6 years each...and that was just for the rough draft! Loyalty's Web took me maybe three, and Illuminations of the Heart might have taken me two, but again, that was for a first draft. Because it took me so long to find a publisher for Loyalty's Web and Illuminations, both of the books ultimately went through many, many revisions and polishings before Leatherwood/Walnut Springs Press finally picked them up. So judging from my past track record, how long it'll take me to write my next book is anyone's guess!

CRW:  Where do you get your ideas for your books?

Joyce:  My first book (the one I wrote way back in college) kind of came in reaction to some romances I had been reading back then. It seemed like I'd read several romances where the hero appeared to be of a lower social class than the heroine, but in the end, he turned out to be a prince or a duke or something. I thought to myself, "So what would happen if the hero turned out to be exactly what he appeared to be all through the book? Someone of a lower social strata than the heroine? How would they resolve that without resorting to 'I'm really a prince in disguise'?" Also, I'd read several romances where the hero just infuriated me. He would be totally cold and abusive (verbally, not physically) to the heroine all through the book, until the last few pages when he finally almost literally fell down at her feet in worship without any serious groundwork for the change that I could see. That hero-type made me so mad, I took him and turned him into the villain for my first book. And I made the hero a medieval minstrel, because at that age, I couldn't think of anything that could be more romantic than a medieval minstrel. :-) So I guess you could say that many of my original ideas came from trying to turn current romance themes on their heads at the time. After that, it became like Marsha described in your interview with her. I ended up creating a sort of medieval universe of characters in that first book that I've basically been playing off of ever since.

CRW:  Where do you get your characters names?

Joyce:  I started compiling a list of medieval names way back in college, jotting them down from medieval novels I was reading or medieval history books I was reading for my history degree in college. Then I found this WONDERFUL book called The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, by E.G. Withycombe. It's out of print now, so I was very lucky to pick up a copy when I did. This book traces the historical evolution of "English Christian names", and when each name came into usage in England, and where the names came from, such as France or Germany. From the information in this book, I was able to gather names that were "pre-Norman Conquest", "came over to England with the Norman Conquest", were listed in various medieval records that gave me actual dates for how early certain names were being used, etc. I typed up a list of Medieval Male and Medieval Female names from this book (and the names I'd collected previously) and this is the list I still use today for selecting names for my characters. If you're writing historical fiction and want to be sure you're using authentic names for your time period, THIS IS A FANTASTIC BOOK TO HAVE IN YOUR RESEARCH COLLECTION!!!

CRW:  Maybe it is available on line.
CRW:  What is your favorite writing food?

Joyce:  I don't usually eat while I'm writing. It's one of those "you can't leave this computer until the timer goes off, even to get a snack" rules of mine. But if I'm finding myself excessively low on energy or unbearably sleepy, I'll sometimes grab a handful of Hershey Kisses to suck on. (I never chew my chocolate, so I can make them last quite awhile. ;-) )

CRW:  What is your viewpoint of self publishing verses being published by a publishing house?

Joyce:  Self-publishing gives you the greatest degree of control over your book, but I'll be honest, I know I've sold more books by having a publisher who got my titles into a brick and mortar bookstore than I ever would through purely online selling methods. Or at least, I've sold more, faster this way. Maybe over the long run, sales might have balanced out, I can't really say. For that reason, and because I've been blessed to have an editor who is truly enthused about my books and hence is able to give a big boost to my confidence when it's sagging, finding a traditional publisher has truly been a blessing for me. But I wouldn't rule out self-publishing again, if that were the only way to publish "the story I wanted to tell".

CRW: What is the topic of your next book that has you excited?

Joyce: I'm hoping to explore the world of the medieval troubadour a bit. But as usual, I have to admit that it's the characters in a new book that excite me more than a particular topic.

CRW:  Please tell us about your next book.

Joyce:  It doesn't have a title yet, because I'm terrible at coming up with titles. (Except for Illuminations of the Heart. That one just kind of came to me in a flash.) Right now, I'm just calling it "my troubadour book". It's still in the very early stages, and since I don't outline, it's hard to tell you where it's going to end up right now. But it's set a year after Illuminations of the Heart, and while Illuminations and Loyalty's Web both "played" a little with the historical character of Duke Richard of Aquitaine, the second son of Henry II, I'm hoping to use this book to "play" with the character of Duke Richard's brother, Henry the Younger, Henry II's eldest son and heir to the throne. Gunthar and Hel鮥 from Loyalty's Web have already made appearances and will have important parts to play in my new book (though the book isn't "about them" directly). My hero is a character from Illuminations of the Heart, and the heroine has ties to Loyalty's Web, although she wasn't actually in that book, but I'm not giving away how she's linked to it. ;-) Somebody has a grudge and is using a secret talent of my heroine's to achieve some vengeance. My heroine isn't completely ignorant of this and actually has some sympathy for her manipulator's cause. But when the "act of vengeance" comes, everything goes horribly wrong. (After all, what kind of story would it be if everything didn't go horribly wrong?) Can my hero sort everything out in time to save my heroine from herself? Or that's kind of the hazy plot I have in my head just now. There's no telling, though, how the story will actually play out in the end. You know, just recently I came across my original "outline" for Illuminations of the Heart. It's the only book I ever tried to outline before I wrote it. It bears absolutely no resemblance to the way Illuminations actually turned out. Someday I'm going to post that outline on my blog, just to give everyone who's read Illuminations of the Heart a really good laugh!

CRW:  Thanks, Joyce, for sharing this information about yourself and your writing. I have read both of your published books and highly recommend them. I look forward to your next book.
To read more about Joyce, here is her contact information. 
http://www.joyce-dipastena.com/
http://jdp-news.blogspot.com/
http://medievalresearch.blogspot.com/
http://medievalvignettes.blogspot.com/
http://anwafounder.blogspot.com/