Close your mouth, Devin Caldwell, you’ll swallow a fly.

—Megan McClare from Surprised by Love

HAPPY FRIDAY!!! And it is, too, at least for me, and all for FIVE wonderful reasons! Ready?

 

Reason #1: 

Did you catch the title name in our quote today? Yep, I finally have an official title for book 3 in the Heart of San Francisco series, which was formerly titled, Dare to Hope. Ta-da! Book 3 is now officially, Surprised by Love, and that quote above is the very first line of the book. Hopefully it’s piqued your interest! And just for fun, here’s a sneak peek at the plot, moral premise, Scripture theme and the celebrity pix that match my vision of the characters.

Surprised By Love

From Ugly Duckling to Swimming with the Swans …

but is she over her head when it comes to love?

As a shy and pudgy child, Megan McClare has always been ridiculed by her classmates, but when she returns from her senior year in Paris, the wallflower has suddenly blossomed into a beauty. Hopeful of becoming a lawyer or doctor to help the disadvantaged women of the Barbary Coast, Megan accepts an internship at the District Attorney’s office.

Much to her angst, Meg soon discovers she’ll be working with the boy who mocked her in school and on whom she had a crush. She turns to her best friend Bram for support and advice, and Bram—fighting an unwelcome attraction to a friend he’s always perceived as a little sister—encourages Meg to forgive Devin and pursue a friendship. The friendship with Devin evolves into a serious romance, but when a sailboat accident tosses Bram and Meg into the seas of attraction, both her heart and her emotions capsize, threatening to change the course of love … 

Moral Premise: Rejection, insecurity and guilt can skew our choices, resulting in misery and lack of peace, but acceptance, confidence and faith in God can shape our choices, resulting in contentment and peace. 

Scripture Theme:  The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. —Psalms 138:8


Reason #2: 

WHOO-HOO … my writer’s workbook entitled ROMANCE-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Inspirational and Sweet Markets is “hot” off the presses and ready to purchase in paperback!! The ebook is coming soon, so I hope all you writers out there will consider picking up a copy or giving one for Christmas. Here’s the AMAZON link with ALL the info, so please check it out!!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER!!


Reason #3: 

Look out, people, a blue moon is rising because A PASSION MOST PURE—book 1 in the Daughters of Boston series and American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Book of the Year—is available for FREE DOWNLOAD for a limited time, so I have a HUGE favor to ask each of you. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE ask your friends, your family, your dentist, your dog—whoever—to download it whether they plan to read it or not because every download helps to push it to the top of the free lists where it gets noticed and downloaded by others. Even if you have it in paperback, PLEASE download the ebook as well because it will definitely help.

Click below for free ecopy:

AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, CHRISTIANBOOKSTORE.COM, iBOOKSTORE

 

Reason #4: 

You asked for it, guys—or at least some of you did! It is with GREAT excitement that I announce that A Light in the Window will be available in paperback for Christmas!!! Yep, Marcy and Patrick’s story will see the light of day (and pulp!), and the timing is perfect.

You see, A Light in the Window has won two contests—2013 International Digital Awards and 2013 Readers’ Crown Award—and finaled in a third—the 2013 Book Buyers Best, winner yet to be announced. And I’m sorry, but I gotta believe that the judges’ decisions have a LOT to do with Patrick O’Connor! I mean, come on—look at the montage my good friend, Salyna, put together—talk about HUBBA, HUBBA!! But then we all knew that the O’Connor patriarch had glimmers of the rascal and rogue in him, so NOW those of you without ereaders get to see how Marcy tames him! 😉

I hope you will consider either purchasing A Light in the Window for yourself or as a gift for Christmas and if you do, I will be happy to send you a signed bookplate for it or any of the O’Connor books you own or purchase.

 

Reason #5: 

HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY, SEEKERVILLE!! As many of you know, I am a member of a 13-author blog called Seekerville, which teaches, encourages and inspires those on the road to publication and beyond.

Well, we are celebrating our sixth birthday in a BIG WAY, with daily and weekly prizes and a grand prize of an iPad Mini! All you need to do is leave a comment, and for every day that you do leave a comment through October, you rack up another entry in the contest. The odds are realllllly good for a win because we have TONS of free books we’re giving away PLUS wonderful prizes such as a $100 gift card for housecleaning or whatever you want, tons of Amazon gift cards in denominations of $10 on up, chocolate, vials of silver (you gotta read the post to know what I mean), writer’s critiques or phone chats, and the list goes on and on!! So we hope to see you there—here’s the link:

TAKE ME TO THE SEEKERVILLE BIRTHDAY PARTY!!

Okay, guys, that’s more good news than I can handle, NOT TO MENTION that I FINALLY got my iPhone, iPad Mini and Mac all in sync (and, no, I didn’t do it myself—what are you thinking???). Now I can take advantage of all the 21st-century technologies from calendars being in sync, FaceTime, emails from my iPhone and iTunes!!! I am in HOG HEAVEN (especially since I just got back from vacation and put on extra lbs.!!), so I will spare you my adrenaline high and simply bid you a wonderful weekend!

Go forth and bless someone!!

Hugs,

Julie