Interview with Jana Richards

I’m happy to welcome back author Jana Richards. Today, Jana shares her creative journey and new release, I’ll Be Seeing You.

Here’s Jana!

What was your inspiration for this book?

I’ve been interested in World War Two stories since I was a kid because my father was a WW2 veteran. I loved the research for I’LL BE SEEING YOU. I’ve read a lot about the D-Day invasion because my father was one of the Canadian soldiers who stormed Juno beach on June 6, 1944, but it was so interesting to learn details about life for the soldiers, in the case of my book, American soldiers, in Plymouth, England in the weeks before the invasion.

What is your favorite quote?

One of my favorite quotes comes from Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I believe these are great words to live by for writers. Our job is to make readers feel, whether it’s anger, sadness, or happiness. It’s all about the emotion for readers.

Besides writing and reading, what are some of your hobbies?

For the last few summers, I’ve been volunteering at my city’s zoo. I really enjoy it. You can’t have a bad day at the zoo. Everyone is happy. I enjoy helping to make visitors’ trip to the zoo more enjoyable and I love getting to learn more about the animals, especially the polar bears.

I have to admit I’m a fair-weather volunteer. Even though the zoo is open all winter, I limit my volunteering to spring, summer and fall. It gets mighty cold in winter on the Canadian prairies!

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Hang in there. Keep writing, even when you think every word is crap. The more you write, the better you’ll get. But if you want it to be more than a hobby, only write if you feel an overwhelming desire to do so because this is a tough business.

What are you working on next?

I am excited to launch the next two books in the Twice in a Lifetime series!

Here’s a short blurb for the series:

In the first book of the series, I’LL BE SEEING YOU, Gabriel goes back to World War Two in the 1940s to give veteran Frank a second chance at love. In the second book, NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE, Gabriel and his client Joanna go back to the 1970s. And in the third book, WHEN I WAS YOUR MAN, Gabriel takes his client Sam back ten years from the present day to give him his second chance. If he’s successful all three times, he’ll earn his place in Heaven. Will Gabriel achieve his goal or his Heaven beyond his reach?

At the same time, I’m beginning work on a prequel for this series. I want to tell the story of Thomas, senior angel and Gabriel’s mentor. He’s the one who helps Gabriel travel through time. He knows every detail of Gabriel’s life, but Gabriel, and we readers, know almost nothing about Thomas’ past. He’s such a mysterious character that I feel compelled to figure out his story. Stay tuned!

Blurb

When apprentice angel Gabriel takes Frank back in time for a second chance at love, they both learn lessons about trust.

Apprentice angel Gabriel Daniel’s first assignment in his quest to become a full-fledged angel is to give WW2 veteran, Frank Brennan, a second chance at love. With help from his mentor, senior angel Thomas, Gabriel takes Frank back to 1944 to Plymouth, England. There, Frank made his biggest mistake with love. His first time in 1944, Frank fell in love with Claire Cartwright, but when he found her kissing another man, he ended their relationship, despite Claire’s insistence things weren’t as they appeared. This time around, Gabriel’s task is to convince Frank to trust in Claire’s love and fidelity, despite the evidence against her.

At the same time, Thomas takes Gabriel on a journey through his relationship with Sloane, the love of his mortal life. For the first time, Gabriel sees how his jealousy and distrust tainted their love.

Unless Gabriel persuades Frank to trust Claire, his goal of becoming a citizen of Heaven is doomed, along with his desire to watch over his mother and brother back on Earth. Frank has a complicated history that Gabriel must help him to confront before either of them gets what they need.

Excerpt

The man sat in the chair Gabriel had just vacated. “My name is Thomas, and this place is Heaven.” He pointed to the meadow outside the open door. “More specifically, the castle on the other side of the meadow is Heaven. This is a waiting room.”

Gabriel stared at him. This had to be a joke. Someone was really trying to put one over on him. Must be the guys in the AI department. Who else could pull off something as elaborate as this?

“Okay, where are we really? When is everybody going to pop out of the woodwork and yell ‘Surprise!’?”

Thomas folded his hands in his lap. “We’re in Heaven. Really.”
Impossible. He had to be in a hospital. Panic struck with his next thought. What if he was in a mental institution? Nothing scared him more than going down the same road his mother and brother had travelled.

“You don’t have to worry, Gabriel. You’re not in a hospital and you’re not in a mental institution. Your mental faculties are working fine. Better than fine, now that you’re here.”

Gabriel stepped back. “How did you know my name? How did you know what I was thinking?”

Thomas lifted one shoulder in an elegant shrug. He stood, and feathered wings, blazingly white and large enough for the tips to touch the ceiling, unfurled from his back and spread wide.

“Because I’m an angel. When you become an angel, you’ll be able to read thoughts, too. And much more.”

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Goodreads | BookBub

Author Bio

When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal.

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 and a senior calico cat named Layla. You can reach her through her website at http://www.janarichards.com

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