Faith peeked up
at her husband as she removed
the giant red bow, her face flushed with pleasure.
“Goodness, Collin, the necklace was more than enough.”
    

The grin on his face faded to soft as he squatted to caress
her jaw with a tender hand, his sober gaze suddenly as intense as the man
she was privileged to love. “No it’s not, Faith, not near enough.”
    

She peered up through a sheen of moisture, deciding right then and there
that she absolutely adored Collin McGuire and had from the very start. Giggling, she
tore into the paper wrapping with gusto while everyone cheered her on.
Until her fingers froze on the box, heart thudding so, she could barely breathe.
No! It couldn’t be. Could it?

–A Gift Like No Other, By Julie Lessman

 

Yes, my dear friends, it most certainly could!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas  

 

Or, at least feels like it! Last week I was sitting outside in 80-degree weather and today? Brrrr … a chilly 32, which, YES I will reluctantly admit, has chased me inside. Not an easy thing for a gal who bundles up to write outside in 47-degree weather!

Hard to believe summer is gone and Christmas is less than two months away, but I will admit that I am ready to skate into the holidays! Of course, it always nice to write an O’Connor Christmas novella each September, which helps get me in the mood because I LOVE revisiting the O’Connors. And it was especially fun to revist Faith & Collin in this year’s “O’Connor Christmas” installment — A Gift Like No Other.

If you haven’t read it yet, I encourage you to do so because it’s based on two of the most important spiritual lessons I’ve ever learned in 41 years of marriage, so do check it out. UNLESS, of course, you don’t like heart palpitations or heavy sighs because I guarantee there’s plenty of both packed inside this hot, little package.

For those who haven’t gotten your hands on a copy of AGLNO yet, you will have a chance to not only  win Faith and Collin’s new novella, but my special Christmas Stocking Bundle e-anthology as well, which includes my Christmas novel, A Light in the Window, plus three of my Christmas novellas, so read on in this blog to find out how.

Each year when I write an O’Connor Christmas novella, I always have readers ask if it will be in paperback. Unfortunately, I only publish my novels in paperback, not my novellas, so I apologize to those of you who like the feel of a book in your hands. But …

I promise you that will change in the future when I release my O’Connor Christmas Anthology in 2-3 years. You see, my plan is to write an O’Connor Christmas novella for each O’Connor and when I’ve finished with all seven siblings, I will publish all of them in a paperback compilation entitled An O’Connor Christmas Anthology along with a new Christmas story for Marcy & Patrick. Not sure what I’m going to do after I finish that because I will miss visiting the O’Connors for Christmas. But maybe I’ll move onto Christmas with the McClares or the Carmichaels/O’Bryens, who knows? 😍

 

🎁 Blog Tour & Giveaway!

Beginning November 3-9, you will have one of MANY chances to not only win an e-copy of A Gift Like No Other, but an e-copy of my Christmas Stocking Bundle, which includes my Christmas novel, A Light in the Window, as well as three other Christmas novellas. All you have to do is enter the Rafflecopter contest on any or all of my blog-tour stops, and you will be entered!

4.1.1

But, WAIT! If you leave a comment on any or all of the blog tours, stating you are a Journal Jot reader, you will automatically be entered in my own private Journal Jot contest that not only includes the prize above, but a $25 Amazon gift certificate as well!

BUT WAIT!! Not only will you receive both of the prizes above ($25 gift card and most of my Christmas e-books), but you will ALSO have a character named after you or a loved one in my next book!

So, that’s a combination of THREE PRIZES that only Journal Jot readers have the chance to win. Just leave one comment on each of the blogs below on or after the dates listed, stating you are a Journal Jot reader, and you’re in the draw, so GOOD LUCK!

Blog Tour Schedule

(Enter Rafflecopter where available

and/or just leave a comment on the blog.)

My Favorite Pastime Day 2 AND Kelsey Gietl (for Kelsey’s blog, send ME your comment)
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November 7: Pause for Tales AND The Green Mockingbird

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November 8: The Artist Librarian AND Christian Bookaholic

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November 9: Radiant Light

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November 10: Wendi Kitsteiner bloghttps://flakymn.blogspot.com/2019/11/my-blog-has-had-no-shortage-of-love-for.html

 

 

🎁 Did You Pre-Order A Gift Like No Other?

Because if you did, I wanted to let you know that I made some final changes to the book that Amazon would not allow me to make on the pre-order. A few of my early readers were a little mad at Collin regarding his response to Lila and the advice that Patrick gave him after the incident. Consequently–because I greatly admire and respect both readers who gave me their honest opinions, I softened both situations in the final revised copy.

So, if you would like to see the update, you can do so by turning on “automatic book updates” on your “Content & Device” page at Amazon. Once you do, Amazon will send you an automatic update on A Gift Like No Other and all future e-books you buy IF 1.) your device is connected to wireless internet (Wi-Fi), and 2.) you turn on automatic book updates. Here’s how to turn on automatic book updates:

1. Go to Manage Your Content and Devices.
2. Click the Preferences tab.
3. Scroll to Automatic Book Update.
4. Choose On.

If your book doesn’t update automatically, contact Amazon. They will push the updated version of your eBook to your Manage Your Content and Devices page, where you can download it. You won’t need to buy the book again, but you might lose notes or highlights.

 

🥰 I Would LOVE to Meet You!

WHOO-HOO — I AM SOOOO EXCITED!! If you are planning on attending the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in St. Louis in Sept. 2020, I would LOVE to meet you! And guess what? ACFW has taken over administration of the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat the day prior, which has now been renamed STORYFEST.

Imagine — you and 50 of your favorite authors worshipping together, praying together, laughing and dining together in a small and intimate setting! Swag, gifts, free books, author panels, and a book signing, PLUS the amazing Liz Curtis Higgs as the keynote speaker!

I am thrilled and honored to say that I will be one of 50 Christian authors who will be part of this WONDERFUL retreat opportunity, so watch for more details SOON!

 

🙏 Prayers Appreciated Please!

I  am still waiting to hear back from a publisher on the possibility of a contract on Gabe’s story, A Wing & A Prayer, so please say a prayer for God’s direction for that book. As mentioned in a prior Journal Jots, if I do not get a contract, I will publish Gabe’s story myself in the spring of next year.

I also need prayers for anointing and productivity on book 2 of The Silver Lining Ranch Series, Love’s Silver Bullet, so thank you for that as well. My hope is to publish that in the spring, but I will keep you posted through Journal Jots.

And that’s it for now, my friends, so I wish you a great weekend!

Hugs and more hugs,

Julie