Journal Jots – Blog

“Faith is the highest passion in a human being.”

—Soren Kierkegaard

HAPPY FRIDAY!! Well, another week has flown and with it all my time to reallllly focus on a Journal Jot, so today will be a bit of a hodge-podge because I have to leave for a mammogram in exactly 45 minutes!! So I decided today would be a good day to post a blog I wrote on “passion” since I am, after all, Miss “Passion With a Purpose,” as my tagline so boldly points out. But first, a few housekeeping things …

Firstly, today over in Seekerville, we have Cathy Gohlke, two-time Christy award-winner who has just written a breathtakingly beautiful historical fiction novel called Promise Me This, and I “promise you this” —it’s a novel and post you don’t want to miss!! Cathy has penned an incredible post-Titanic love story that will steal your heart. Leave a comment today only, and you might just win this amazing book, which I have deemed as THE BEST book I have ever read in the CBA. Here’s the link—go see Cathy, please!!

http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/2012/02/guest-blogger-cathy-gohlke-road-less.html

Secondly, you only have SIX MORE DAYS to vote in the Family Fiction Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards, so do not miss out on supporting your favorite authors!! And if you DO vote, I am running a newsletter contest where you can win a signed copy of A Love Surrendered PLUS a $25 Amazon.com or CBD.com gift card just for doing so! Simply let me know via e-mail or through my website, and you will be entered in my new contest. PLEASE NOTE: You do NOT have to vote for me to be entered in this contest NOR tell me who you voted for, so take advantage of this opportunity to support your favorite Christian authors across all genres!!!

Here’s the link:

http://www.familyfiction.com/news/vote-in-the-2012-familyfiction-readers-choice-awards/

WINTER NEWSLETTER HAS BEEN SENT!!! If you signed up for my newsletter and have not received it yet, please let me know through my website or through Facebook. You won’t want to miss it because it contains both an excerpt and the cover for A Love Surrendered. And if you don’t get the newsletter and want to, all you have to do is sign up for it at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/, and I will send it to you.

FINALLY … A CHANCE TO READ A “NEW, NEVER-BEFORE-READ EXCERPT from Steven’s story, A Love Surrendered and maybe win a copy of any of my books including A Love Surrendered. It’s happening at a blogaversary celebration of which I am a part TOMORROW, Saturday 25 through March 2, so be sure to drop by to leave a comment. Here’s the link and hope to see you there!!

http://hardcoverfeedback.blogspot.com/2012/02/1st-blogoversary-grand-finale-excerpt.html

COVER FOR A LOVE SURRENDERED!!! Interested in seeing the cover for A Love Surrendered and other new Revell releases?? Well, hop on over to Relz Review for a sneak peek, not just at my new cover, but at covers for upcoming releases by Laura Frantz, Maggie Brendan, Sarah Sundin, Dan Walsh, Lynette Eason, Melody Carson, Serena B. Miller, Steven James and Laurie Alice Eakes. Here’s the link:

http://relzreviewz.blogspot.com/2012/02/coming-in-late-2012-from-revell-books.html

And now, I leave you with my Seeker blog entitled: A Passion for Passion!

Okay, yeah, big surprise—I’m writing about “Passion.” Why, you ask, other than the fact that I’m a hormonal Baby Boomer? Well, because it’s important—in our relationship with God, with our family AND in our writing.

Okay, I’ll admit it—there are times when my passion for my husband may wane a bit. Especially over his inability to sink a dirty T-shirt in the hamper when the man can swoosh a basketball through a hoop with his eyes closed. I mean, come on! What’s that all about?

But there are two areas where I unequivocally do NOT waver in my quest for passion: with God and in my writing. And, quite frankly, as Christian fiction writers, that’s the way it should be. Because nothing is better than the merge of passion for God with passion for our craft. Kind of like hot fudge glazing vanilla-bean ice cream—God’s anointing makes our writing all the sweeter, all the more “moan good.”

Now I wish I could claim the distinction of being the one who first pressed the limits of passion in Christian romance, but that honor belongs to God. Have you ever read “Song of Solomon”? YIKES! Keep a fan handy. That is one passionate account—of God’s love for Israel, His love for the Church, and in its pulse-pounding sensuality, a metaphor of just how crazy He is about each of us. Which got me to thinking. Why is passion so all-fire important to Him?

Good question. And one He makes no bones about in His Word. You see, I have this weird habit of writing favorite Scriptures (or ones that apply to current problems of mine) on index cards and carrying them around or tucking them as bookmarks into my Bible. And you know what I realized just the other day? Most of my index cards talk about passion and fervor for God! Check it out:

They sought God EAGERLY, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side. 2 Chronicles 15:15

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those who EARNESTLY seek him. Hebrews ll:6

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are FULLY COMMITTED to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

The effectual FERVENT prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

Eagerly. Earnestly. Fully committed. Fervent. Passion in all its glory. And it’s important to God, so it should be important to us. With Him … and with our writing.

So what does that mean? Well, for me, it means that before my fingers even shadow the keyboard, they need to shadow the pages of my Bible. And before one single, solitary e-mail is answered, I need to answer my God when He asks “Do you love me? Will you spend time with me?” And it means that before I lose myself in writing a love scene that will make me swoon, I need to first swoon over the Love of my life. Because without “passion” for Him, my passion is flat. So I pray—DAILY—for passion and fervor for God.

I truly believe that then—and only then—will my passion flow … for contests … and revisions … and that proposal I need to get in the mail. Because true passion in writing for Him comes, first and foremost, from passion FOR Him.

Hugs,

Julie

“Life is tough enough

 without having someone kick you from the inside.”

 —Rita Rudner

Ah, pregnancy—that wonderful time of life when your memory goes and your nausea stays. When you need a crane in the morning to get up and catheter at night to actually sleep. And, of course, that wonderfully cumbersome time you have no earthly idea what your feet look like anymore.

Let’s face it, giving birth is no picnic. And, yes, it’s true—once that baby slides down the old canal, you actually do forget all about the stretch marks and the foggy mind and the midnight raids of the refrigerator for pickles and peanut butter. Because the truth is it’s ALL worth it, even the forty pounds you were sure you would drop along with the baby.

Yeah, right. Maybe not that. When I had my first child, I remember being ticked that they didn’t have full-length mirrors in the hospital room because come on—after nine months carrying an exercise ball under my shirt, I wanted to see how svelte I looked in my brand-new pink wrap-around robe I bought for the hospital. I actually had the nerve to whisper to my husband after we passed another new mother in the hall days after I gave birth, saying,“Hey, Babe, would you believe she had her baby a few days ago and she still looks pregnant??” Wow … talk about ignorance being bliss! After I got home, I saw pictures friends took of me at the hospital with this great, big grin on my face because I felt so thin and cute. Only, it wasn’t me in the picture, but some thick-armed, thick-waisted suma wrestler who looked like a stuffed sausage with pink casing. I cried for days over that, let me tell you, but let’s just blame that on post partum, shall we?

Now, here I am some thirty years later with my babies all grown up, but I am still going through pregnancy and labor most of the time. Giving birth to a new series, a new diet, a new exercise program that stretches my patience like my babies once stretched my skin. My youngest baby, Amy, is now 24 and pushing me to do yoga with her, so we’re talking MAJOR stretching going on here—not only with my body, but with our relationship as we evolve from mother and daughter to mother and friend. It is a time of stretching that is painful at times, but OH, so rewarding! Especially when you realize the type of woman your baby has become. That tearful moment when you finally see how God has not only shaped and molded her in your womb, but shaped and molded her as a woman of God.

Last week that baby of mine wrote something on Facebook that really touched me, and I asked her if I could reprint it here. Not only because I am SO very proud of her, but because it deals with the subject of giving birth—not to our babies, but to our dreams and the future that God has for each of us. I hope it will bless you as much as it blessed me. Without further ado, my daughter Amy Lessman:

Lately, due to the fact that I’ll soon be graduating, taking the bar, moving out, and (hopefully) getting a job, I’ve been feeling like my life is ANALOGOUS to the process of pregnancy: 

I came to the realization that I’m expecting, and God is planning to birth change in my life in the coming months…

But then right after the excitement of this realization, the morning sickness hit. And for the last three months, I’ve felt a whole lot of “morning sickness.”

Now, I finally feel like I’ve made it past the “first trimester,” and I’m able to see some of these changes begin to manifest without feeling so nauseous. 

In the next 6 months, I anticipate a lot more change in my life. And, I know that much like the pregnant woman who gets to the point where she’s just ready for the child to be out of her body—I too will get to the point of impatience where I’m just ready to be done with school, licensed as an attorney, living on my own, and working as a lawyer. 

And in those moments, I will do my best to remember that just like pregnancy is a preparation period for parents, this figurative “pregnancy period” for me is also preparation for the future that God has for me. 

And I need to allow God the ability to prepare me for the major life changes that will, before I know it, be staring me straight in the eyes, expecting me to know how to respond.

Until then, I’m going to do my best to enjoy this process… even with all its cravings, aches, and pains. 

I’m not normally one to write deep, introspective, Facebook posts, but I needed to get this off my chest, and honestly, I’m just hoping that it might inspire some of you as you are in your own processes where you feel like God is preparing you for major change as well.

WINTER NEWSLETTER HAS BEEN SENT!!!

If you signed up for my newsletter and have not received it yet, please let me know through my website or through Facebook. You won’t want to miss it because it contains both an excerpt and the cover for A Love Surrendered. And if you don’t get the newsletter and want to, all you have to do is sign up for it at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/, and I will send it to you.

NEW NEWSLETTER CONTEST … VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS!

Don’t forget to VOTE for your favorite authors across all genres to be entered in my new newsletter contest to win a signed copy of A Love Surrendered PLUS a $25 Amazon.com or CBD.com gift card. All you have to do is sign up for my newsletter at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/, then take the time to VOTE for your favorite authors in Family Fiction Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards and let me know via e-mail or through my website, and you will be entered in my new contest. PLEASE NOTE: You do NOT have to vote for me to be entered in this contest NOR tell me who you voted for, so take advantage of this opportunity to support your favorite Christian authors across all genres!!!

Here’s the link:

http://www.familyfiction.com/news/vote-in-the-2012-familyfiction-readers-choice-awards/

GIVEAWAYS!!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2012:

Join me at Overcoming Through Time for a “bibliotherapy analysis” of A Heart Revealed and win a signed copy of one of my books at: 

http://cfpagels.blogspot.com/

FEBRUARY 21 – MARCH 3, 2012:

READ A “NEW” EXCERPT from A Love Surrendered and win your choice of any of my books including A Love Surrendered on my special guest day of SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25^TH PLUS giveaways ALL WEEK LONG by other authors for a blogaversary celebration from FEBRUARY 21-25!!! Check it out here at Hardcover Feedback blog at:

 http://hardcoverfeedback.blogspot.com/search/label/1st%20Blogoversary

***SUPER GIVEAWAY!! Super popular Christian thriller author Creston Mapes’ new thriller NOBODY is FREE at Amazon Friday, Feb. 17 to Sunday, Feb. 19 at midnight (PST), so TAKE ADVANTAGE!! I DID! 🙂  Here’s the link:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006BG4QAC/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=wwwcrestonmap-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B006BG4QAC&adid=0R9S2VFK4R5VZDGMV3D7

That’s it for this week—go and give birth to your dreams!! But rememeber—they won’t happen overnight, your self-image will be stretched considerably and you will definitely experience nausea. But don’t worry—it’s all worth it in the end! Have a GREAT weekend!!

Hugs, Julie

Sweet thunderation!

Where’s a cattle prod when you need one?

—The Cousins McClare: Book 1, Dare to Dream

By Julie Lessman

Well, it almost always happens, you know. What, you ask? A publisher changing your original title. My agent told me it happens most of the time, and I think she threw a percentage range at me of 85 to 95 percent. About killed me on the “Daughters of Boston” Series because all of my titles were Scriptures hand-picked to reflect a theme I sowed throughout the entire book. PLUS each title (including the series title) had the word “wind” in it because of my love for Gone With the Wind and the idea of wind symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Great reasons, all.

But not marketable, apparently, according to my publisher. In hindsight, I now realize that my publisher knows A LOT more about book sales than I do, and now I quietly (?) defer to them in almost every case. And, in hindsight, I think their chosen titles (which I actually submitted to them in a document of approximately 130+ titles because yes, I really am that anal!!) are PERFECT!!

So … here we go again! My publisher has changed the series and book titles for The Cousins McClare and guess what? They are spot on and I couldn’t LOVE a book title more. So instead of Book 1 of The Cousins McClare series being called Dare to Dream, it will now be called:

Love at Any Cost

Book 1 of “The Heart of San Francisco” Series

Release Date: April 1, 2013

And here’s a glimpse at a jacket blurb I wrote to give you an idea of what’s in store:

Fooled by a pretty boy once, shame on him.

Fooled by a pretty boy twice, shame on me.

Jilted by a fortune hunter, cowgirl Cassidy McClare is a spunky Texas oil heiress without a fortune who just as soon hogtie a man as look at him … until Jamie MacKenna, a handsome pauper looking to marry well lassoes her heart. But when Jamie discovers the woman he loves is poorer than him, Cassie finds herself bucked by love a second time, sending her back to Texas to lick her wounds and heal her heart. In her absence, Jamie discovers money can’t buy love … but love built on faith can set a heart free, a truth he discovers a little too late … or is it?

I am VERY excited because I have some fun cover ideas since these books will be just a hair lighter than my previous books and definitely more linear and not as complicated. Because Cassie is a Texas ranch girl with an attachment to her lasso and a pool and poker shark to boot, I’d love to see her in a side angle wearing a secret smile and a gorgeous Gibson-Girl off-the-shoulder dress that flows to her feet while holding a lasso, a pool cue or a hand of cards behind her back. I have a meeting of the minds with my publisher this week to discuss covers, so say one for me, okay?

WINTER NEWSLETTER COMING OUT NEXT WEEK!!!

Yes, it’s true … FINALLY I will be sending out my LONG overdue newsletter, so if you aren’t signed up for it, you’ll want to do so right now at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/ because not only does it contain an excerpt from A Love Surrendered, but also announces the winners from my contest and a few other things you won’t want to miss. It will mail on Tuesday of next week, so if you do not receive it by week’s end, PLEASE let me know, okay?

NEW NEWSLETTER CONTEST … VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS!

If you are signed up for my newsletter, here’s a chance to vote for your favorite authors AND win a signed copy of A Love Surrendered PLUS a $25 Amazon.com or CBD.com gift card. All you have to do is take the time to VOTE for your favorite authors in Family Fiction Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards, then let me know via e-mail or through my website, and you will be entered in my new contest. PLEASE NOTE: You do NOT have to vote for me to be entered in this contest, so take advantage of this opportunity to support your favorite Christian authors across all genres!!! DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 29TH, AND I WILL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER IN THE FRIDAY, MARCH 2ND JOURNAL JOT.

Here’s the link:

http://www.familyfiction.com/news/vote-in-the-2012-familyfiction-readers-choice-awards/

LAST-MINUTE BLOG GIVEAWAYS!!

FEBRUARY 13-18 — GIVEAWAYS ALL WEEK LONG!!

THREE CHANCES TO WIN ONE OF MY BOOKS … FEBRUARY 13, 15 & 18  … PLUS CHANCES TO WIN BOOKS BY JULIE KLASSEN, LAURA FRANTZ, KELLY LONG AND SUSAN CRAFT ALL WEEK LONG at the Overcoming Through Time Valentine’s Week Celebration at:

http://cfpagels.blogspot.com/

FEBRUARY 13-19, 2012

FICTION ADDICTION FIX MEGA VALENTINE WEEK GIVEAWAY!!! You won’t want to miss this massive giveaway of a huge bag of goodies and bundles of books!!! Check it out here at Fiction Addiction Fix, the #1 BEST BLOG to keep apprised of all the fabulous Christian fiction giveaways going on that day. Here’s the link — make it a “favorite”!!

http://fictionaddictionfix.blogspot.com/

FEBRUARY 21 – MARCH 3, 2012:

READ A “NEW” EXCERPT from A Love Surrendered (and a different one from the excerpt in my newsletter) and win your choice of any of my books including A Love Surrendered on my special guest day of SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25^TH  PLUS giveaways ALL WEEK LONG by other authors for a blogaversary celebration from FEBRUARY 21-25!!! Check it out here during those dates at Hardcover Feedback blog at:

http://hardcoverfeedback.blogspot.com/

And that’s it for this week—have a GREAT weekend!!

Hugs,

Julie