SEELIE KAY: Postcards from The Ledge: This week in The Loft: Author Jana Richards!

Joining me today in The Loft is romance author Jana Richards. She writes contemporary and paranormal romance, romantic comedy, and romantic suspense. Jana believes there’s nothing more interesting then peeling back the layers of a character to see what makes them tick. When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf or reading. Jana writes full-time from her home in Western Canada, where she resides with her husband.

Author Jana Richards

S: Welcome, Jana! Thanks for joining me today.

You've been writing romance for a while now. Some people claim true romance is dead--the wooing, courtship, passion, seduction, the little gestures of affection, etc. Do you agree?

J: I hope it’s not dead! Without the courtship, the gestures of affection and the eventual seduction, life doesn’t have the same meaning. In the end, romance, eventually leading to love and family and commitment, is everything to us as humans. It’s what makes life worthwhile.

S: If you were suddenly transported back to Victorian England as a member of the aristocracy, would you thrilled or appalled? Would you be willing to stay there permanently?

J: I think I’d be thrilled—for a day or two. I’d be thrilled at being able to get a firsthand look at how Victorian society functioned rather than only reading about it in books. And if I were a member of the aristocracy—I’m not gonna lie—for a short while, it would be awesome to have someone look after my every need, and to be able to buy whatever I wanted. But after a few days, I’m sure I’d become appalled by the restrictive, sheltered, misogynistic life that Victorian women were subjected to. Being told I couldn’t do something because I was a woman wouldn’t sit well with me, and neither would being told that because I was a woman, I was stupid. Top that off with a lack of modern conveniences, like toilets and showers and smart phones, and I’d be ready to return to my own time.

S: I like to think if I was stuck in those times, I would still be writing hot romances--just under a male pen name!

What do you appreciate more--Brains or brawn/beauty?

J: I enjoy a handsome face as much as the next girl, but what really gets me is brains. Whether it’s in real life or in a novel, a person who has brains and wit and resourcefulness is always more interesting than good looks. And more attractive.

S: Amen. There may come a time when interesting conversation is all that's left!

What do people get wrong about publishing a book?

J: I think they believe that writing the book is the hard part. Don’t get me wrong, it is hard to write a book, but it’s only the beginning. After writing and publishing a book, you’ve got to think about marketing and selling. Selling a book takes creativity, perseverance, and a lot of hard work, maybe even more than the writing itself.

S: What do you consider your greatest achievement?

J: I share my greatest achievement with my husband. Hands down, our greatest achievement is that we raised two wonderful daughters. They are both smart, capable, compassionate women, and I couldn’t be prouder of them

S: What do you want inscribed on your tombstone? How do you want to be remembered?

J: “She was a good friend, mother, wife, and sister." And oh, yes, "She was a damn fine writer.”

S: What inspired your featured book, "Strong Enough?"

J: "Strong Enough" is book four in my Masonville small town romance series. In each of the books, my characters must overcome hardships and traumas in order to move forward and find love. I was inspired to write "Strong Enough" and the other books in The Masonville Series by my love of small towns and their sense of community. I was also inspired by brave people who have come forward in the last few years to tell of sexual abuse they suffered, sometimes years in the past. In "Strong Enough," Charlotte keeps silent for 10 years about being raped in college because she believes she was to blame. I believe that when survivors are allowed to speak of their abuse, it helps to lessen its power over them.

S: Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Strong Enough?"

J: The main characters in "Strong Enough" have the biggest hurdles of any of the characters in The Masonville Series to overcome. Damon was a victim of childhood sexual abuse, and Charlotte was raped in college. I know sexual abuse is a difficult topic to read about, but I like to think that "Strong Enough" is a celebration of love over trauma. It’s that message of hope I want to give to readers.

Here's the blurb:

Charlotte Saunders has a full life—a rewarding career as a nurse, meaningful volunteer work at a dog shelter, and family, friends and pets she adores. But no matter how hard she tries, she can’t forget the horrible event that’s haunted her for ten years.

A survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Damon Greyson now helps others who have suffered trauma. His experience and intuition alert him to trouble in Charlotte’s past, and he wants to help her, if only she’d let him.

As they work together to help veterans suffering from PTSD and neglected dogs needing loving homes, their feelings for each other deepen. But when the trauma from Charlotte’s past roars back to life, both are forced to confront their painful histories—or die trying.