Rad-Reader: What made you want to tell this story?
Jana: I
wanted to tell an emotional story about overcoming obstacles. In fact, in every
book in the Masonville series, the characters have huge difficulties they must
push past in order to get to their happy endings. I wanted to make the point
that where there’s love, there’s hope.
Rad-Reader: How did you go about creating Blair and
Garrett’s characters?
Jana: I
introduced Garrett in the first book of the Masonville series. He’s a brother
to Lauren, the heroine of CHILD OF MINE. At that point, all I knew about him was
that he was a veteran and that he was struggling to find his place in the world
now that his military career is over. I had to come up with a reason why he was
no longer in the military and why it was such a struggle for him to move on. I
decided that he was injured in a bombing in Afghanistan and lost part of his
leg.
I
wanted Blair’s struggles to be as daunting as Garrett’s, perhaps more so. So, I
gave her selfish parents who were more concerned about appearances than with
the welfare of their children. Then, an experience, in her late teens becomes
the defining event of her life, leaving her unable to overcome guilt and move
on with her life. Blair’s scars run very deep.
Rad-Reader: Do you create a storyboard or timeline or both to
keep track of everything and everyone when writing?
Jana: I
don’t create a storyboard but I’m the queen of spreadsheets! It’s important to
keep track of details when writing one book, but when you’re writing a series
it’s absolutely crucial. I have one spreadsheet to keep track of details in
each of the four planned books in this series. I keep track of the character's names
(it’s very easy to forget a secondary character’s name, at least for me!),
descriptions, and the relationships between characters. I need those details at
my fingertips, so I don’t have to hunt through books and manuscripts looking for it.
I
also, create a timeline for each book. In another spreadsheet, I keep track of
what happens in each chapter and scene. I need to know what day of the week it
is, what time of day the scene takes place, and who's point of view, we’re in. It
helps with the pacing of the book, and also the logic. It can’t say the
characters went to church on Sunday when the previous day was said to be a
Wednesday!
Rad-Reader: Does Garrett have a family?
Jana: Yes.
Unlike Blair, Garrett has loving, concerned parents. After his military career
is over, he comes back to North Dakota to live with them on their farm. He
hates that he’s depending on them, so he’s looking for a farm of his own to
buy, though he has no idea what he’s going to do with it once he purchases it.
Garrett
also has two younger sisters that he’s very close to. As I mentioned, the
youngest, Lauren, is the heroine of CHILD OF MINE. Charlotte will be the
heroine of the fourth book in series.
Rad-Reader: Blair said she thought she knew Garrett. What’s
the connection?
Jana: As kids, Blair and her older brothers Ben and Damon
spent summers with their grandparents on their farm near Masonville. The
Bransons were neighbors of the Saunders, Garrett’s family, and Garrett hung out
with Blair’s brothers during those summer visits. Blair tried to tag along
whenever the boys would let her, but they mostly ignored her. Blair’s first
crush as a young teenager was on Garrett.
Rad-Reader: How did Blair start working for Garrett’s
brother-in-law?
Jana: Blair is a veterinary technician, a sort of nurse
for animals. Garrett’s brother-in-law Cole is a veterinarian and he and
Garrett’s sister Lauren has purchased a partnership in the Masonville
Veterinary Clinic. Blair decided to move to Masonville from Minnesota to look
after her grandfather, but she needed a job. The stars aligned when Cole and
Lauren hired Blair to work at the clinic.
Rad-Reader: Why did Blair want to start over? What
happened?
Jana: Blair
has two rescue horses that she had been boarding at a stable near Rochester,
Minnesota, where she formerly worked and lived. Her love for animals has
grounded her and has made her believe she’s making an important contribution. But
after her grandmother dies, she decides the best place for her, and her horses
are on the farm with her grandfather. Everett’s not in the best of health and
Blair wants to take care of him.
Blair’s
been through a lot in the last ten years and has had to start over a few times.
Moving to Masonville is another step in her healing journey.
I
don’t want to give too much away about Blair’s past, other than to say she’s
experienced a lot of pain and loss.
Rad-Reader: Where are the rest of her family?
Jana: Blair’s
family is scattered. Her parents live in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her oldest
brother Ben lives in Chicago with his two stepdaughters. Damon is in
California. Blair would love if her brothers lived closer to her, but she’s
relieved that her parents live in another state and she rarely has to see them.
Rad-Reader: Did Garrett Get any therapy after his
accident?
Jana: Yes,
Garrett received physical and psychological care after he lost part of his leg.
He participated in counseling, said all the right things about accepting his
injury, but deep down he knows he’s not telling the truth. He hasn’t accepted
the fact that he can’t do some of the things he used to do. He’s angry that he
can no longer have the career he wants. Most of all, he can’t accept he’s not
the man he used to be, the man women wanted to be with. He’s not whole
anymore.
Rad-Reader: Now his drinking is out of control. What now?
Jana: Now
he has to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. He has to find a purpose
or wind up at the bottom of a bottle.
Rad-Reader: What made Everett warn Garrett about hurting
Blair? A look?
Jana: Perhaps.
I think Everett recognizes that Garrett is interested in Blair, even if Garrett
doesn’t realize it himself at first. Everett is protective of his granddaughter
and even though he’s known Garrett all his life and knows he’s an honorable man,
he wants him to be careful with her. He knows Blair can be easily hurt.
Rad-Reader: Why hasn’t Blair heard from her brothers?
Jana: Her
brothers have problems of their own. Ben’s wife was killed in a car accident a
few months ago, leaving him to raise his two stepdaughters alone. Damon’s
emotional scars are a result of being sexually abused as a child. He’s dealt
with most of his issues over the years and has worked hard to carve out a life
for himself in the military and later as a counselor. But he’s restless,
moving from one part of the country to the other every couple of years. And the
deep anger he feels for his parents, particularly his mother, for letting his
abuse happen, may never go away.
Rad-Reader: Garrett’s family seems to love Blair. Do they know her history?
Jana: They
only knew her from childhood until she was about sixteen. So, they know nothing
about what happened to her after that. But even if they knew her whole history,
it wouldn’t stop them from loving Blair.
Rad-Reader: Both their parents sound like winners. How
often were the kids with their grandparents?
Jana: Blair’s
parents are never going to win any awards as parents of the year! Her father is
an alcoholic who has tried, and failed, to live up to his family’s expectations
for him. Her mother is a social climber, concerned only with money, status, and
power. She married into a politically prominent Minnesota family and fully
expected her husband to rise to power on the national scene. Appearances are
more important to Victoria than her children.
Blair
and her brothers spent every summer with their grandparents from the time she
was six years old until she was sixteen.
Rad-Reader: Did the parents both come from Masonville,
North Dakota?
Jana: No,
only Victoria grew up in Masonville, the only child of Everett and Anna
Branson. However, she couldn’t be more different from her parents. They were
simple, honest, kind people while she is a ruthless user. Blair often wonders
how people like her grandparents could have given birth to someone like her
mother who is so utterly different from them.
Rad-Reader: How did things go at the parole hearing for
her brother?
Jana: I
don’t go into it in this story, but I can tell you that Damon and the other
victims helped to keep their abusers in jail.
Rad-Reader: Why did Blair say she wants to make love to
Garrett but it’s a one and done thing?
Jana: Because
she’s afraid to let herself feel too much for him. Coming from a family where
she was never told she was loved; she doesn’t know what to do with those
feelings. She doesn’t feel she deserves to be loved.
Rad-Reader: What was Garrett most afraid of when Blair
saw his stump?
Jana: That
she would be repulsed. That she would think it was ugly, and that he was ugly.
That she would reject him and think him less a man. But nothing could be
further from the truth!
Rad-Reader: I loved it when she was so totally surprised that he even had part of his leg missing.
Rad-Reader: Blair not only wants to blame
herself for someone’s death. She wants to blame Garrett too. Why?
Jana: It’s
easy for Blair to accept blame. Her mother was always very good at deflecting
blame from herself onto Blair and she grew up believing she deserved it.
Whenever something goes wrong in her life, she takes it to heart.
This
time when someone close to her dies, she blames herself because she wasn’t
close by to help. And she blames Garrett because she was with him. Even though
a part of her realizes there was nothing she could have done to change things,
she still blames herself.
Rad-Reader: Where does all this blame and guilt come from, her parents?
Jana: It
comes from the way Blair and her brothers were brought up. Nothing was ever
their mother’s fault. They were taught that whenever something went wrong, it
was on them. If they stepped out of line, they suffered the consequences. If
not for the two months of the year that they spent with their grandparents in
Masonville, they wouldn’t have known what real love was. And they probably
wouldn’t have had any kind of relationship with each other either.
Blair
also experienced a traumatic event in her late teens that continues to be a
source of guilt for her. It has defined her life and she lives within its narrow
confines. I won’t go into it here, but I can tell you that until she forgives
herself, she won’t be able to accept Garrett’s love. She won’t believe she
deserves it.
Rad-Reader: Does Garrett decide to become a counselor?
Jana: Garrett
realizes that he doesn’t have the years of training and experience in
counseling that his friend Hank, or Blair’s brother Damon has. But he has the real-life experience and an understanding of what injured veterans go through.
Garrett will have an important role in Blair and Damon’s retreat for veterans.
Rad-Reader: Do all dogs know when someone is in pain or
just some?
Jana: I’m
not a dog expert so I can’t be sure, but my experience with my dog Lou, who
passed away last January, was that she could sense my moods. She was happy when
I was happy, and when I needed a friend, she snuggled close.
From
my research I discovered that one of the reasons equine therapy seems to work
is because horses are able to mirror a person’s emotions. Their empathy is
helpful to troubled people.
Rad-Reader: If your book were made into a movie who would
you want to play…
Blair: Shenae Grimes
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/181058847490708427/
Garrett: Gonzalo Garcia Vivanco
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/159807486762625358/
Damon: Chuck Wick
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/159807486766248449/
Ben: Nick Bateman
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/533184043388768759/
Jana: You’ve
got some great suggestions! Once in a while, I’ll have a real person in mind
while I’m writing a character, but most of the time my characters are total
figments of my imagination. But I’ll give it a shot!
Blair: I
actually like your suggestion of Shenae Grimes. She embodies a lot of the physical characteristics
that I see in Blair.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/558798266244720267/
Garrett: I
see Nick Bateman more as Garrett than the person you suggested. Dark hair, dark eyes, and
an amazing six-pack. What’s not to like?
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/820992207062333049/
I’ve
also toyed with the idea of Henry Cavill, especially in pictures where he has longer,
curlier hair that’s a little on the shaggy side. The only difference is that
Henry has blue eyes rather than brown. That cleft in his chin really gets me!
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/286963807484141814/
Damon: I
do like your suggestion of Chuck Wicks. He is very handsome.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/386746686723037766/
I’ve
also had in mind a Canadian actor named Peter Mooney (I’m also Canadian). I’m going to have to think
about which one I like better, but really, I can’t go wrong with either one
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/108649409733367366/
Ben: I
had Justin Hartley in mind as the inspiration for Ben’s character from
the beginning. Like I said, it’s not often that happens for me, but somehow, he
seemed perfect. I needed someone ridiculously good-looking and Justin fit the
bill.
Rad-Reader: What song or songs best describes your couple
or couple at times during the story or the book as a whole?
“Never
Have I Ever – Danielle Bradbery”
As much as Blair would love to fall into her daydreaming and
hope they could come true. She knows with her secrets she’s not good for him.
https://youtu.be/4lB16y1qXyM
“Be
Patient With May Love – Lady Antebellum”
After being injured while serving in the military and having to come
home to his childhood home to the same bedroom, he was losing hope. Meeting Blair as a woman
has given him hope. Again, and especially her not cutting him no slack.
https://youtu.be/W0tGxozPIDg
“All
of It – Cole Swindell”
No matter how much Garrett tried to deny his attraction Blair
was slowly becoming his one. When he does, the first night in the gardening shed is
the beginning of his full life.
https://youtu.be/Loi7j0voXiM
“Make
You Feel My Love – Lindsey Ell”
Blair could not cut herself any slack from her past
mistakes. But never ever hearing those three
little words before, ever, she can’t dream of ever telling Garrett. She feels it so, she tries
to show him in every way.
https://youtu.be/elgwQVodcek
Jana: I
think these songs really help portray the emotions of TO HEAL A HEART. You’ve
done a great job choosing!
Rad-Reader: What is your favorite music style?
Jana: I
listen to country and pop, and even occasionally a little jazz. But I’m one of
those writers who needs absolute quiet when I’m working. I know some writers
thrive on creating playlists for each book they write in order to infuse their
writing with the emotions of the music, but if I listen to music, I just get
distracted!
Rad-Reader: What is your favorite type of movie?
Jana: I
love romantic comedies and mysteries mostly, though I enjoy an adventure movie
once in a while. I can’t do horror, though. One of my favorite recent movies is
“Knives Out”. I guess I have a lot of overlap between what I like to write and
what I like to watch.
Rad-Reader: What is your favorite type of food and
dessert?
Jana: There’s
not many foods and desserts I don’t like. My waistline can vouch for that! But
if I had to choose, I’d say one of my favorites is pizza. And my
sister-in-law’s cabbage rolls. Or just about anything my sister-in-law makes.
She’s a fantastic cook! As for dessert, my mother left me a recipe for rhubarb
pie that I love. The chunks of rhubarb are suspended in a kind of a custard
that is just delicious. I’ve converted a few people who thought they didn’t
like rhubarb into believers!
Rad-Reader: Are you the only writer in your family? If so, who else and have they given you good tips?
Jana: I
am definitely the only fiction writer in my family. My oldest daughter is a
journalist; she produces the evening news on one of our local TV stations, so
she does a lot of writing and editing. But it’s a different kind of writing. You
don’t want to take too much creative license with the news!
Rad-Reader: How have you been spending your time during
the pandemic to keep busy?
Jana: I
did a lot of writing! I finished writing book three in the Masonville series,
which is Ben’s story, Blair’s oldest brother. The book is currently with my
beta readers.
I
also took a course in creating Amazon ads. Promoting our work is something
writers need to do to get our books in front of readers.
I
also did a lot of yoga. My yoga studio was closed of course, but my instructor
went online and offered classes over Zoom. It’s been fantastic! I’ve discovered
I love taking classes in the privacy of my home. The studio is continuing to
offer classes online over the summer and into the fall. I’ll be here in my
office, following along!
Rad-Reader: What is your next project and when is it
coming out?
Jana: Like
I said, Ben’s story is completed and with my beta-readers at the moment.
There’s likely going to be some edits and reworking before I can send it to my
editor at The Wild Rose Press. My hope is that it will be released in 2021.
I’m
currently taking the summer off writing because I need a break from writing.
But when I get back at it in September, I’ll be working on the fourth, and
last, book in the Masonville series. It’s going to be Damon’s story and I’m
excited to get started on it!
Rad-Reader: Where can our readers buy your books? Links
Jana: Readers
can find links to all my books on my website books page: https://www.janarichards.com/books.html
Rad-Reader: Where can our readers find you on the Web?
Links
Jana:
Website:
http://www.janarichards.com
Blog:
http://janarichards.blogspot.com
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor
Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_
Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards
Amazon UK Author Page:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG
Newsletter Signup:
https://www.janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards
BookBub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards
Thanks
for having me on your blog, Char!
Jana,
Thanks so much for being with us. Your book is a good example of how we just need to step out of our own way and allow the fear to get out of our way. Thereby allow the good things to come to us. Both Blair and Garrett thought they were lost causes only to find out together they were a force to be reconded with. Love.
Thanks again,
Char
