Journal Jots – Blog
Welcome to my Journal Jots blog! This is a broad mix of what’s on my mind, allowing me to feel a little bit closer to some of the most important people in my life—YOU! From news on sales, freebies, giveaways, new releases, and excerpts from works in progress … to my thoughts on my walk with God, daily devotionals, or photos of my family, this is where you’ll find the most current glimpse into my books and my life. I invite you to subscribe in the “subscribe” box on the right side of this page to automatically receive an email whenever I post a blog. Till then, God bless and HAPPY READING!
Friday, September 22, 2023
✅ LAST CHANCE: Preorder Sale A Dare and a Prayer, Bk. 3 of Cousins O’Connor Series!
✅ Help Fight Child Trafficking (which is the theme of A Dare and a Prayer)!
✅ $1.99 SALE: A Hope and a Prayer, Bk. 2 of Cousins O’Connor Series and $2.99 SALE on Bk. 1, A Wing and a Prayer!
✅ Mysti’s Book Club for A Hope & a Prayer with PRIZES GALORE!
✅ Blog-Tour Contest with PRIZES GALORE!
✅ Denise Hunter’s NEW RELEASE & GIVEAWAY!
Read the following components from September 8 blog HERE!
✅ WHOO-HOO!! We Have Winners!
Read the following components from July 28 blog HERE!
Excerpt from A Dare and a Prayer
Last Chance: Preorder Sale on Book 3, A Dare & a Prayer!
I am very excited about Henry’s story, A Dare and a Prayer, primarily because it has a child-trafficking theme that is very near and dear to my heart. So much so that partial profits from the sale of A Dare and a Prayer will be donated to Project Eden, a Christian after-care home in the Philippines for girls aged 5-18 who have been rescued out of trafficking, especially cybersex trafficking. Per the Co-House Manager of Project Eden, Mikayla Hagen, “The Philippines is considered the #1 country in the world right now for cybersex trafficking where 54% of all victims being rescued are ages 1 through 12!” Does that shock you as much as it shocks me, I hope?
Child and sex trafficking is a world-wide travesty that must be addressed both in the U.S. and globally, as attested by the incredible movie, The Sound of Freedom. If you have not seen The Sound of Freedom—which is the true story of a U.S. Homeland Security agent who rescued trafficked children—I highly recommend it. It is an absolutely amazing movie that will move you both spiritually and emotionally. And, I’m honored to say, my hero Henry Dennehy also becomes involved in rescuing children, a turn of events that helps my lovable hotshot hero finally transform into a true hero, both in his heart and in his soul.
Pre-Order A Dare and a Prayer e-Book at Discounted Rate HERE!
Pre-Order Paperback Copy of A Dare and a Prayer HERE!
$1.99 e-Sale on Book 2, A Hope & A Prayer!
“INCREDIBLY WONDERFUL, INTENSE, AND HEART-POUNDING BOOK! Julie Lessman is my very favorite writer … Nobody writes better. Nobody … Julie is The Very Best!!!” —Amazon reviewer
“JULIE LESSMAN DOESN’T WRITE COZY CHRISTIAN NOVELS. She writes gritty realistic stories showing struggles and temptations that will resonate with modern audiences. —Christian Bookaholic Blog
“HEARTBROKEN TO BE FINISHED! I devoured this book in pretty much 2 sittings which is saying something with 3 little kids running around.” —Amazon reviewer
“GRIPPING AND EMOTIONAL … another difficult to put down book from Julie Lessman! —CoffeeBreakBooks
BOOK 2, A HOPE AND A PRAYER E-BOOK
https://amzn.to/3AhYXm9
BOOK 2, A HOPE AND A PRAYER PAPERBACK
https://amzn.to/3SC1W0Y
$2.99 e-Sale on Book 1, A Wing & A Prayer!
BOOK 1, A WING AND A PRAYER E-BOOK
https://amzn.to/2RR0Cud
BOOK 1, A WING AND A PRAYER PAPERBACK
Book Club for A Hope and a Prayer
with Prizes Galore!
⏰ TICK … TICK … TICK … I’m back on MYSTI’S BOOK NOOK Oct. 1-14 to discuss my ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5-star WW2 novel, A Hope and a Prayer, which I put on sale for ONLY $1.99 so more people could afford to read it for the book club.
I’ll be giving away TONS of prizes per the following:
GRAND PRIZE:
—$25 Amazon gift card
—Choice of three of my e-books or one of my signed paperbacks
—A character named after you or a loved one in my next book and a signed paperback copy
—Your choice of one paperback from my list of top-selling CBA authors, including Tamera Alexander, Colleen Coble, Rachel Hauck, Denise Hunter, Robin Lee Hatcher, Nancy Naigle, Cara Putman, Deborah Raney, Katherine Reay, Becky Wade, and Beth Vogt.
7 DAILY POST PRIZES:
—Choice of three of my e-books
—OR choice of one of my signed paperbacks (based on my private stash)
—OR choice of one paperback from a list of the above-mentioned top CBA authors (based on my private stash)
HOW TO ENTER:
1.) Mark your calendars for Oct. 1-14.
2.) Sign up free at Mysti’s Book Nook at link below to be eligible to enter via posting a comment.
3.) Get a head-start on reading A Hope and a Prayer for only $1.99 cents so you can engage in the discussion.
4.) Starting Oct. 1 through 14, head on over to Mysti’s every other day to leave a comment on the post for that date (which automatically enters you for one of 7 daily wins and one grand-prize win), and that’s it! There will be eight winners total, including the grand-prize winner. Hope to see you there!
SIGN UP AT Mysti’s Book Nook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MystisBookNook
BUY AHAAP FOR ONLY $1.99
https://amzn.to/3AhYXm9
A Dare and a Prayer Blog-Tour Contest
with Prizes Galore!
YES, it’s true … you have yet ANOTHER chance to win TONS of prizes such as the following:
GRAND PRIZE:
—$50 Amazon gift card
—Choice of three of my e-books or one of my signed paperbacks
—A character named after you or a loved one in my next book and a signed paperback copy
—Your choice of one paperback from my list of top-selling CBA authors, including Tamera Alexander, Colleen Coble, Rachel Hauck, Denise Hunter, Robin Lee Hatcher, Nancy Naigle, Cara Putman, Deborah Raney, Katherine Reay, Becky Wade, and Beth Vogt.
3 RUNNERS-UP PRIZES:
—Choice of three of my e-books
—OR choice of one of my signed paperbacks (based on my private stash)
—OR choice of one paperback from a list of the above-mentioned top CBA authors (based on my private stash)
HOW TO ENTER:
1.) Mark your calendars for Oct. 1-14.
2.) In order to enter the contest, just leave a comment on one or all of the following blogs. NOTE: At least one comment is required to enter the contest, but you can accrue one additional point for each blog you comment on, increasing your chances for the grand prize).
3.) The contest begins on October 1st, at which time you can enter the contest via the Rafflecopter box at the bottom of this blog.
THE BLOG TOUR:
October 1 — Radiant Light Blog (tease)
October 1 — LiteraryScape Book Club
October 2 — Grace Johnson Spotlight
October 3 — Britt Reads Fiction
October 4 — Where Faith and Books Meet
October 5 — A Baker’s Perspective
October 6 — My Favorite Pastime
October 7 — Reading is My SuperPower
October 8 — Writing Between the Lines
October 9 — Locks, Hooks, and Books
October 10 — Splashes of Joy
October 10 — Saraina Whitney Blog
October 11 — Radiant Light Blog (review)
October 12 — Miss Pippi Reads Blog
October 13 — Christian Bookaholic
October 14 — Grace Johnson Review
October 15 — Scraps of Life Blog
Denise Hunter’s New Release & Giveaway!
Processed with Lensa with Magic Correction
Denise Hunter is not only a good friend, but one of my FAVORITE CBA authors, so I am honored to give a shout-out about her latest release, Wildflower Falls AND participate in a paperback giveaway of this book.
TO ENTER DENISE’S GIVEAWAY:
One of the options in the Rafflecopter Box below (contest begins Oct. 1) is to copy and paste a promo blurb you’ll be given in the option, then simply post it on your FB page. Not only will you be entered in the separate contest for Denise’s book, but all points accrued through this option will count toward the grand prize as well. PLUS, you can do this option every day and accrue a ton more points.
Escape to the Blue Ridge Mountains in this wholesome,
heartwarming tale featuring love, family, and community!
When horse rancher Charlotte Honeycutt discovered her deceased mother’s safety deposit box, she was not expecting life-changing news inside. But after all her mother’s years of silence on the matter, she has posthumously identified Charlotte’s biological father.
Charlotte longs to know her father and half-siblings, Avery, Cooper, and Gavin Robinson, who grew up as she did in Riverbend Gap. However, the Robinsons are a tight clan, and Charlotte is unsure how the revelation of a daughter and new sister might be received. A little subterfuge might be just the thing. Or it just might end up causing even more problems!Mountains in this wholesome, heartwarming tale featuring love, family, and community!
https://www.denisehunterbooks.com/book-wildflower-falls.html
1.) Promote Denise’s book on FB via the copy listed in the Rafflecopter Box and you will automatically be entered in that drawing.
September 8, 2023
WHOO-HOO!! We Have Winners!
Read the following components from August 7 blog HERE!
CONTEST: Win Character Named for You in A Dare and a Prayer, Signed Paperback Copy, & $25 Amazon Gift Card!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR AUG. 12-20 … to Sign Up For Your FREE TICKET to The Writing Romance Mastery Summit Aug. 21-25!
Read the following components from July 28 blog HERE!
What I’ve Been Up To …
Inspirational Moments From My Novels!
The FREE Writing Romance Mastery Summit is Coming Aug. 21-25!
Coming this August … The Romance Writer’s Super Stack w/ 3-Chapter Edit
Excerpt from A Dare and a Prayer
WHOO-HOO!! We Have Winners!
A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to enter my LiteraryScape Book Club Contest — I wish all of you could win the grand prize of a Character Named for You in A Dare and a Prayer, a Signed Paperback Copy, and a $25 Amazon Gift Card! But, unfortunately only one person can win, and that person is …
TRACI KRISTINE GEMELKE
So, SUPER CONGRATS to Traci — I will be in touch with you soon!
However, so many of you were faithful to enter, that I decided to name a character after the next runner-up along with an e-book copy! And that runner-up winner is …
REAGHAN SCOTT
So, SUPER CONGRATS to Reaghan as well — I will be contacting you soon.
And finally, because I SO appreciate all of your support, I decided that what the heck — why not give the next four runners-up a free e-copy of their choice of any of my indie books (except for Henry’s story, A Dare and a Prayer) as an extra thank you to my readers, and those winners are …
CATHERINE WALKER
EVA
KSENIA ANTONOFF
CARRIE HACHADURIAN
So, SUPER CONGRATS to all of the above — I will be in touch with each of you, and again, I wish everyone could have won!
Hugs and Happy Weekend!
Julie
Monday, August 7, 2023
WHOO-HOO!! Cover Reveal for A Dare & a Prayer!
CONTEST: Win Character Named for You in A Dare and a Prayer, Signed Paperback Copy, & $25 Amazon Gift Card!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR AUG. 12-20 … to Sign Up For Your FREE TICKET to The Writing Romance Mastery Summit Aug. 21-25!
Read the following components from prior blog HERE!
What I’ve Been Up To …
Inspirational Moments From My Novels!
The FREE Writing Romance Mastery Summit is Coming Aug. 21-25!
Coming this August … The Romance Writer’s Super Stack w/ 3-Chapter Edit
Excerpt from A Dare and a Prayer
Cover Reveal for A Dare & A Prayer!
Let me just start off by saying—this is one of my favorite books I have ever written!
Sweet mother of Job, I haven’t had this much fun writing a novel since I wrote A Passion Redeemed, Charity and Mitch’s story, which is pretty telling since Henry is their son.
Why?
Well, there are a number of reasons, but the biggest one is that it is soooo much fun taking a bad-boy womanizer with many vices to a noble and faithful man who loves only one woman and one God. And trust me—with Henry, it’s no easy feat!
Here’s the jacket blurb:
He’s a hotshot who takes up a dare.
She’s an aspiring missionary who wants to beware.
But will love become a gamble
with a dare and a prayer?
Lieutenant Henry Dennehy is a cocky and carefree fighter pilot in the Pacific Theatre of WW2, known for scoring big, both in the sky and on land. But when his buddies offer a bet he can’t refuse to turn the head of the “untouchable” nurse at 369th Station Hospital—a woman who’s shot down more flyboys than the enemy—he’s bound and determined to win. Problem is, if he wins the dare, will he lose at love?
Lieutenant Amy Leigh MacArthur was on her way to the mission field when she detoured to fight for her country instead, an Army nurse whose interest lies only in healing the wounded and teaching orphans to read. Certainly not in men, and definitely not in Henry Dennehy, the boy who ridiculed her years ago as a shy and homely teen. But when Henry pursues her and won’t take no for an answer, Amy finds a way that gives him no choice. Until, that is, love does the same for them both.
Release date is Oct. 1st,
and a pre-order discount is available NOW!
⬇️
And DRUM ROLL, PLEASE …
Here’s my new cover—hope you like it as much as I do!
CONTEST!
Win Character Named for You in A Dare and a Prayer, Signed Paperback Copy, & $25 Amazon Gift Card!
Wanna win?
Well, right now you can! The LiteraryScape Book Club recently discussed THE DAUGHTERS OF BOSTON SERIES with a brief podcast on each book per the schedule indicated below, so whether you have read the books or not, you can still win!
How?
CONTEST DIRECTIONS:
1.) Listen to each of the five podcasts per the schedule listed below on or after the given date (you have till contest-end date of Sept. 7th by 11:59 PM).
2.) Answer the question asked for each, then send your answer to me via my website at the CONTACT JULIE tab by SEPTEMBER 7th by 11:59 PM. Winners will be announced in my September 8th Journal Jot. NOTE: Answers can be found in first half of the podcast.
3.) Additional points can be accrued for three runners-up for their choice of a free e-copy of Book 1 in The Cousin O’Connor’s series, Gabe’s story, A Wing and a Prayer, Book 2, Hope’s story, A Hope and a Prayer, or Book 3, Henry’s story, A Dare and a Prayer by simply leaving a comment on each post.
PODCAST/VIDEO DATES:
July 28th – A Light in the Window (Video Title: A Rogue and an Angel)
QUESTION: What scene was one of the moderator’s favorites that she identified with personally?
August 4th – A Passion Most Pure (Video Title: 2 Sisters, 2 Men)
QUESTION: What aspect of the book did the moderators agree on that came off as something they did not like?)
QUESTION: Who was a “voice of reason” according to the moderators?
QUESTION: How many sisters did one of the moderators mention that she had?
QUESTION: In the interview, who did I feel like when I married my husband?
Good luck in the contest!
Signup Dates for Your FREE TICKET to The Writing Romance
Mastery Summit
Aug. 21-25!
CALLING ALL ASPIRING AUTHORS! The Writing Romance Mastery Summit will take place from August 21 through 25, 2023, and I can promise it’ll be a top-notch event. The Writing Romance Mastery Summit is bringing together the biggest names and most knowledgeable experts to share their best secrets. And the best part?
IT’S ABSOLUTELY FREE!
YES, you heard me right — I have a free ticket waiting for you to attend (you’ll learn more about this in my next Journal Jot), and here’s just a small sample of what you’ll learn during the summit sessions August 21-25:
- Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets
- Structuring Your Scenes with a Dominant Emotion
- 7 Elements of Scene & Sequel
- How to Write to Market
- Query Letters
- How to Pitch Your Book to Agents
- How to Train the Amazon Dragon
- Plus, much, much more!
If you’re serious about writing, publishing, and marketing, then here’s the link for your free ticket:
Talk to you soon!
Hugs!
Julie
Meet Julie
