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!
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
If my people, who are called by my name,
will humble themselves and pray and seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven,
and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.
— 2 Chronicles 7:14
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY WEEK, EVERYONE!
I absolutely LOVE our Indepedence Day, but I have to admit that the incivility raging in our country today scares me more than a little, because more and more, it doesn’t reflect the America we all know and love.
Which only serves to remind us that as Christians, we have a responsibility to pray for our country and our leaders for wisdom, grace, direction, and strength. I can think of no better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than stopping for a moment and praying for our country, our president, our Congress, our judicial branch, and all of our people.
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned to you all that I have a bit of a temper to you, and my “hot button” is discourtesy and rudeness — I go crazy whenever I see it. Which doesn’t always bode well for this CDQ during this current climate of incivility. I am ashamed to admit that, yes, I have been known to scream at the TV upon provocation, much to my sweet husband’s angst, but I am working on it. And the Scripture that popped up in my devotional this morning pretty much nailed me to the wall:
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart,
and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.
For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. — Luke 6:45
Oh, sweet mother of mercy, the very last thing I want to have clogging up my heart is the very incivility that I disdain, so I am working really hard to curtail it. I am a HUGE believer in praying for those who persecute you, so that’s already covered in my life because I pray for every single person who trips my ire. Uh … after I spout off, that is, so that has to change too. And it will because as a child of God, I have access to His grace.
America is full of God’s grace, so His people have to be full of His grace, too, with a purity of heart that contains no malice, no anger, no bitterness. So not only am I praying for America this Fourth of July, but for myself and for all of us, that we can bring a smile to God’s face by choosing His way instead of the world’s. And to pray for those who don’t always agree with us as well as those who don’t fully realize just how great this country is and how blessed we are to live here.
So celebrate this important holiday with me by joining in on prayers for God to heal our country — a country that our Pledge of Allegiance so aptly proclaims to be “one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Whether you say a quick prayer on your own, or whether you choose to pray the “Prayer for America” at Crosswalk.com, which also includes “20 Verses of Hope” for our country, don’t let this moment — or this holiday — pass without thanking God for the blessing of our country — the greatest country on earth!
Hugs and Happy 4th of July!
Julie
🇺🇸 4th of July Free Download!
IN HONOR OF INDEPENDENCE DAY … I decided it would be fitting (and fun) to do a freebie on For Love of Liberty, whose them is, ironically, “True liberty is doing the right thing.” So if you haven’t read it yet, now is your chance because the e-book will be available for FREE DOWNLOAD starting tomorrow, 4th of July through Sunday, July 8th. Happy Reading and Happy 4th!
📕 Blog Giveways!
AND … NOW’S YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A FREE E-COPY OF LOVE’S EVERLASTING TOO!
All you have to do is leave a comment on every blog in my blog tour, and you have 8 CHANCES TO WIN! So, here’s the link, and GOOD LUCK!
BLOG TOUR FOR LOVE’S SILVER LINING
📕 Three Books for 99 Cents!
HAPPY SUMMER, EVERYONE … and to prove it, I will be offering my Isle of Hope Beach Bundle Collection for only $ .99, so you will never get a better deal than this for the perfect 5-star beach read! That’s THREE 5-STAR BOOKS FOR ONLY 99 CENTS, so mark your calendars for July 20-31 and HAPPY READING!
📕 Video Interview!
Hey, guys, I did a fun interview with Candy Harris of Literary Candy, so I hope you check it out below!
🎧 Marcy & Patrick on Audio!
OH MY GOODNESS!
I cannot WAIT to hear A Light in the Window on audio! I have to admit, I always have a bit of a problem with the narrators since I have my own ideas of how Marcy and Patrick sound (or Steven or Annie in the audio version of A Love Surrendered), but I have to say that after a few chapters, I am SO into the story!! PLUS it’s a great way to pass the time while driving in a car … OR while cleaning, taking a walk, working in the yard, wherever! 🙂
So … if you are into audio books, I hope you will consider giving A Light in the Window a chance too. I know I am—soon!
A Light in the Window
🗓 And Finally …
Are you ready for Part 2 of my new video series called NOVEL INSPIRATIONS, a series of life lessons I learned the hard way and put into each of my books? I hope so because it should be a lot of fun.
I hope you will join me on Julie’s Facebook Author Page on THURSDAY, JULY 26 for LOTS OF PERSONAL STORIES, INSPIRATION, AND PRIZES. Hope to see you there and don’t forget to …
Mark Your Calendar!
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Thursday, May 24, 2018
“One never knows what one will do
given the weight of circumstances beyond our control,
which is why the grace of God—and His forgiveness—are as vital as air.”
—Isle of Hope: Unfailing Love
Boy, isn’t that the truth?
That’s a lesson I learned the hard way as a teenager who criticized her older sister for being “wild.” And then a few years later, I turned right around and did a whole lot worse than she did.
It didn’t take too long—the age of 23 when I came to Christ—to figure out that both the grace of God and His forgiveness were crucial to my well-being.
You know, I think I was always meant to be a writer, not only because I love it so much, but because at the ripe, old age of 67, I have TONS of material based on the many mistakes I’ve made over the years, many of which I’ve subjected my characters to in my books.
Which brings me to my latest Facebook Live that I videoed last Friday, where I introduced a new video series I am doing called “Novel Inspirations.” I’m pretty excited about it because I really feel it’s something God wants me to do, so I plan to talk each time about a different spiritual lesson I’ve learned and how I implemented it into a book.
Last week’s “Novel Inspiration” was on the theme from For Love of Liberty, which is “true liberty is doing the right thing.” I start out reading an excerpt from the book that depicts the spiritual lesson, then I end up telling how God taught me the same lesson. I like to think of it as the Julie Lessman School of Hard Knocks, video-style.
So, if you are interested in taking a peek, I’ve included the actual video below. And good news! I haven’t picked a winner yet for the book giveaway, which will be winner’s choice of any of my indie books: either choice of 2 e-books or one paperback, so you still have a chance to enter until Wednesday, May 30th by leaving a comment. Come on by and GOOD LUCK!
📕 Facebook Flash Giveaway!
Oh, you are going to LOVE this giveaway!!
Because I am fortunate enough to be good friends with both Becky Wade and Denise Hunter, I am hosting two Facebook Flash Giveaways where you can win a signed paperback copy of either Becky’s or Denise’s latest release, so mark your calender for the dates below. All you have to do is leave a comment on my Facebook Author Page anytime during the specified day, and you will be in the draw to win! GOOD LUCK!
BECKY WADE FACEBOOK FLASH GIVEAWAY:
WHEN: Thursday, May 24, 2018
WHERE: Julie’s Facebook Author Page
PRIZE: Signed copy of Falling for You
BLURB: Famously beautiful model Willow Bradford is taking a temporary break from her hectic schedule to work as the innkeeper at her family’s small-town bed-and-breakfast. She was enjoying the peace of her hometown, Merryweather, Washington, right up until she came face-to-face with Corbin Stewart, the man she loves to hate. A thoughtful rule-follower by nature, Willow threw caution to the wind four years ago when she entrusted her heart to Corbin–and suffered the consequences when it all fell apart.
Former NFL quarterback Corbin is forceful, charming, and accustomed to getting what he wants . . . except where Willow Bradford is concerned. Unable to forget her, he’s never stopped regretting what happened between them. When their paths unexpectedly cross again, he’s determined to make her give him a second chance.
When a decades-old missing persons case finds Corbin and Willow working together, they’re forced to confront their past and who they’ve become–and whether they can risk falling for one another all over again.
***
DENISE HUNTER’S FACEBOOK FLASH GIVEAWAY:
WHEN: Thursday, May 31, 2018
WHERE: Julie’s Facebook Author Page
PRIZE: Signed copy of Honeysuckle Dreams
BLURB: After Brady Collins’ ex-wife dies, he receives devastating news—his nine-month-old son Sam isn’t his son at all. And Sam’s wealthy maternal grandparents want custody of the child. Brady knows he’s in for the fight of his life. But regardless of what any blood test says, Sam is his son, and Brady will go to any lengths to keep him.
Brady’s attorney tips him off that one major life change would virtually assure him of winning guardianship of baby Sam at the final hearing: an impending marriage. And his friend Hope is willing to step in as the loving and devoted fiance.
Local radio celebrity Hope Daniels has been driven by a solitary goal her entire life, and after a happy accident she’s finally offered her dream job. But if the truth comes out about her arrangement with Brady, she may miss the chance of a lifetime and stand in the way of a dear friend’s dreams.
As Brady and Hope make sacrifices to help each other in their times of need, they risk uncovering a truth neither of them expects to find.
🌤 Love’s Silver Lining Releases!
WHOO-HOO!! Book 1 in my Silver Lining Ranch Series, Love’s Silver Lining, just released last week, so I hope you’ve had a chance to read it.
If you have and liked it, can I ask a favor? Would you consider posting a brief (1- or 2-line) review on Amazon saying that you did? Then please let me know so I can personally thank you, okay?
Most people don’t realize how critical good reviews are to authors, especially on indie books like Love’s Silver Lining that don’t have a big publisher promoting them. But the truth is that so many potential readers base their book-buying decisions on the number of good reviews posted, that that’s the best way to bless an author you like. Here’s the blurb:
He tampers with her heart.
Love tampers with them both.
Desperate to escape an arranged marriage to a womanizer, twenty-two-year-old Maggie Mullaney flees New York for Virginia City, Nevada with her Aunt Liberty, two spunky suffragists intent on bettering the lives of women. Fresh out of nursing school, Maggie hopes to devote herself to serving others rather than just one man, a goal quickly affirmed when she encounters Blaze Donovan, a womanizing cowboy who both riles and rouses her pulse. But when Aunt Liberty’s parents’ house burns down, she and Maggie are coerced into staying at the ranch of Liberty’s ex-husband, Finn McShane, who just happens to be the uncle of the cocky cowboy Maggie had hoped to avoid.
If there’s one thing twenty-nine-year-old Blaze Donovan can’t abide, it’s respectable women who spout piety and prayer, so when he butts heads with perky Maggie Mullaney at St. Mary Louise Hospital, he wants to stay as far away as possible. Unfortunately, she now lives in the bedroom next to his in his uncle’s ranch house, a revolting development that sends Blaze to The Ponderosa Saloon more than usual. But when Maggie interferes in Blaze’s life by converting his favorite “disrespectable” girl, Blaze is determined to make her pay. Only problem is—the price HE has to pay may be a little too steep for his heart.
🇺🇸 50% Sale on Liberty!
“JULIE LESSMAN + WESTERN ROMANCE = GOLD RUSH! You heard it here, folks. I think Julie Lessman was created to write westerns.” — Reading is my SuperPower Blog
Okay, people, if you haven’t had the chance to read my 5-star prequel novel, For Love of Liberty yet, NOW is your chance!
In honor of the release of Love’s Silver Lining, I am cutting Liberty’s price in half because you really should read Liberty’s story before you forge into Love’s Silver Lining.
Why? Well, you know how I like all my novels in a series to connect, and it’s no different with the Silver Lining Ranch Series, so I hope you will take advantage of this sale to start at the very beginning!
A VERY good place to start! 😍
A Match Made in Heaven?
Or Someplace a Whole Lot Warmer?
She’s stubborn, educated, and looking
to give women the vote.
He’s bullheaded, successful, and looking
to give her a piece of his mind.
But when things heat up, they just may give each other
a piece of their hearts.
🏖 5-Star Beach Bundle Available for Pre-Order!
WHOO-HOO … SUMMER IS COMING!! I don’t know about you, but this has been one cold spring, and I am sooooo ready for summer! Not only for the warmer weather, but because I am putting out my very first bundle of books, and where better to start than my favorite indie series, Isle of Hope?
Why is IOH my favorite indie series? Well, true, it’s my only full-fledged indie series so far, but also, it’s one of the most personal and spiritual series of all I have written. Within each book—especially Book 1, Isle of Hope: Unfailing Love—you will find personal spiritual lessons I learned the hard way (as do my characters), so I promise it’s not only 5-star fiction, it’s 5-star spiritual lessons as well. Here’s what one reviewer said:
“If you haven’t read
Julie Lessman, you don’t know
what you are missing. This is the best series
I have ever read. And that’s saying a lot because
I read 200-300 books a year!
This is book One!”
— Joy Chattin Hannabass, Splashes of Joy Blog
All three novels in the Isle of Hope Series have 5-star ratings on Amazon, and the prequel novella has a 4.6 rating which, when you average it out, is a LOT of 5-star reading, my friends!
So … if you haven’t started this series yet, now you can do it all at once at a greatly reduced price, WHICH will not last forever, so take advantage!
The bundle releases on June 15 for only $3.99, which is a savings of $5.00 off the series price, so I hope you take advantage if you haven’t read the series yet.
AND … if you want to be notified as to when this bundle or any future books release—just click on the BOOKBUB link to “follow” me on BookBub, okay? You will then be notified via email whenever I have a pre-order or a book release.
CLICK HERE
🎧 A Light in the Window in Audio!
OH MY GOODNESS! I cannot WAIT to hear Marcy, Patrick, and Sam’s story ON AUDIO!! I’m saving it for a trip where I have to drive to St. Louis soon, so I’m SO excited! And I hope you are too!
I have to admit, I always have a bit of a problem with the narrators since I have my own ideas of how Marcy and Patrick sound (or Steven or Annie in the audio version of A Love Surrendered), but I have to say that after a few chapters, I am SO into the story!! PLUS it’s a great way to pass the time while driving in a car … OR while cleaning, taking a walk, working in the yard, wherever! 🙂
So … if you are into audio books, I hope you will consider giving A Light in the Window a chance too. I know I am—soon!
HUGS AND HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!
Julie
Thursday, May 10, 2018
“Human beings see insurmountable problems,
but God sees golden opportunities to bless us, grow us,
and most importantly, set us free …
to be the people He created us to be.”
—Love’s Silver Lining
Boy, isn’t that the truth?
I have been crazy busy this last month, trying to get Love’s Silver Lining out to you before summer, and I will admit that at times, that has caused what appeared to be “insurmountable problems.”
Suddenly I had too much to do, which is, in fact, the reason you haven’t heard from me via Journal Jots in a while. I apologize, of course, but one thing I’m not sorry for is the “golden opportunity” to lean on God, to trust Him rather than my fears.
I always have to laugh how God likes to pinpoint one truth in each of my books to remind me that He is my All-in-All. Not my career, not my dreams, not even my family. Only Him. And the quote above from Love’s Silver Lining above is a prime example.
You see, I told Keith that today I needed to get up bright and early—well, “early,” anyway—because I have a ton to do before Love’s Silver Lining releases next week on May 19th.
It seemed that as soon as the calendar page flipped from April 30th to May 1st, I suddenly felt like I was sprinting to get things done. Not only did I have to meet a May 15 deadline to write several chapters in a writer’s book I’m part of, but I also had to write a Seeker blog, a newsletter, a Journal Jot blog, get all my free download and sales (see below in this blog) set up on Amazon, and then finish editing Love’s Silver Lining in time to get it formatted and uploaded by Amazon’s deadline of May 15. On top of that, we have out-of-town company coming bright and early tomorrow, so I won’t be able to get a ton done over the weekend.
So, if you know anything about me at all—and you do if you’ve read my books—I am a highly wired individual who has to have all her ducks in a row. Problem is, my ducks were scattered all over the place, along with my peace of mind. And that’s where those “golden opportunities” lie.
Because I then turn to one of my favorite Scriptures on peace—Philippians 4-9:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Oh, AMEN AND AMEN!! Because when I am overwhelmed, be it by stress from a job or just stress in life, I immediately take God’s “steps” to transform those “insurmountable problems” into “golden opportunities” to be the person God created me to be:
Free.
Mature.
Blessed.
How? By simply following God’s Philippians 4 “step-by-step instructions”:
1. Rejoice that I do not carry my problems alone, but God is with me.
2. Refuse to be anxious, choosing to trust Him instead.
3. Present my problems to Him in prayer and petition.
4. Thank Him for all He has done for me and all He has given.
5. Fix my thoughts (and praise) on Him rather than my problem.
6. Put this into practice over and over.
And you know what? Suddenly, it’s not my power that’s getting everything done, it’s His. His power. His wisdom. His calm.
And his peace.
Jesus has never let me down before when I have asked Him to help me get things done, but instead, as Hebrews 4:16 so beautifully states, I have found “grace to help me in my time of need,” knowing full well “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” per Philippians 4:13. Which means I am dead sure that my deadlines will be met because “my God will meet all my needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19.
So today, I will be working on my final formatting edits so I can get Love’s Silver Lining to YOU by next week, and totally at peace, I might add. Which, if you think about it, is the true “silver lining” for each of us who are called children of God. And not just “children,” but “coworkers in God’s service,” according to 1 Corinthians 3:9.
Because we belong to him, people, this AMAZING God Who turns problems into blessings as easily as water into wine.
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
—Isaiah 43:1
So … let’s each of us go today … and be wonderfully, amazingly, and gloriously HIS!
Hugs and Happy Weekend!
Julie
🌤 Pre-Order Sale Ends May 19!
Eeeeeeeek!!!! I can hardly believe that book 1 in my Silver Lining Ranch Series, Love’s Silver Lining, releases next week!! So … if you haven’t pre-ordered it yet, you might want to “pull the trigger” before May 19th when the price goes up. Here’s the blurb:
He tampers with her heart.
Love tampers with them both.
Desperate to escape an arranged marriage to a womanizer, twenty-two-year-old Maggie Mullaney flees New York for Virginia City, Nevada with her Aunt Liberty, two spunky suffragists intent on bettering the lives of women. Fresh out of nursing school, Maggie hopes to devote herself to serving others rather than just one man, a goal quickly affirmed when she encounters Blaze Donovan, a womanizing cowboy who both riles and rouses her pulse. But when Aunt Liberty’s parents’ house burns down, she and Maggie are coerced into staying at the ranch of Liberty’s ex-husband, Finn McShane, who just happens to be the uncle of the cocky cowboy Maggie had hoped to avoid.
If there’s one thing twenty-nine-year-old Blaze Donovan can’t abide, it’s respectable women who spout piety and prayer, so when he butts heads with perky Maggie Mullaney at St. Mary Louise Hospital, he wants to stay as far away as possible. Unfortunately, she now lives in the bedroom next to his in his uncle’s ranch house, a revolting development that sends Blaze to The Ponderosa Saloon more than usual. But when Maggie interferes in Blaze’s life by converting his favorite “disrespectable” girl, Blaze is determined to make her pay. Only problem is—the price HE has to pay may be a little too steep for his heart.
Before Release Date of May 19th!
🇺🇸 50% Sale on Liberty!
“JULIE LESSMAN + WESTERN ROMANCE = GOLD RUSH! You heard it here, folks. I think Julie Lessman was created to write westerns.” — Reading is my SuperPower Blog
Okay, people, if you haven’t had the chance to read my 5-star prequel novel, For Love of Liberty yet, NOW is your chance!
In honor of the release of Love’s Silver Lining, I am cutting Liberty’s price in half because you really should read Liberty’s story before you forge into Love’s Silver Lining.
Why? Well, you know how I like all my novels in a series to connect, and it’s no different with the Silver Lining Ranch Series, so I hope you will take advantage of this sale to start at the very beginning!
A VERY good place to start! 😍
A Match Made in Heaven?
Or Someplace a Whole Lot Warmer?
She’s stubborn, educated, and looking
to give women the vote.
He’s bullheaded, successful, and looking
to give her a piece of his mind.
But when things heat up, they just may give each other
a piece of their hearts.
📕 Free Download May 10-14 Only!
to His Prayers …
Pastor Cole McCabe isn’t sure he’ll survive the holidays with his new housekeeper and nanny. She’s caught fire to the kitchen, dyed his long johns pink, and scorched nearly everything she cooks. But he’s desperate, and she’s as destitute as they come.
Even though she’s no good with her hands, Grace sure has a way with her heart. She’s brought a warmth into Cole’s home, added color to his daughters’ lives, and broken down the wall he’s built up since his beloved wife died.
WHOO-HOO … SUMMER IS COMING!! I don’t know about you, but this has been one cold spring, and I am sooooo ready for summer! Not only for the warmer weather, but because I am putting out my very first bundle of books, and where better to start than my favorite indie series, Isle of Hope?
Why is IOH my favorite indie series? Well, true, it’s my only full-fledged indie series so far, but also, it’s one of the most personal and spiritual series of all I have written. Within each book—especially Book 1, Isle of Hope: Unfailing Love—you will find personal spiritual lessons I learned the hard way (as do my characters), so I promise it’s not only 5-star fiction, it’s 5-star spiritual lessons as well. Here’s what one reviewer said:
“If you haven’t read
Julie Lessman, you don’t know
what you are missing. This is the best series
I have ever read. And that’s saying a lot because
I read 200-300 books a year!
This is book One!”
— Joy Chattin Hannabass, Splashes of Joy Blog
All three novels in the Isle of Hope Series have 5-star ratings on Amazon, and the prequel novella has a 4.6 rating which, when you average it out, is a LOT of 5-star reading, my friends!
So … if you haven’t started this series yet, now you can do it all at once at a greatly reduced price, WHICH will not last forever, so take advantage!
I don’t have a pre-order date for you yet, but I will soon, so if you want to be notified as to when this bundle releases—or when I release ANY new book—just click on the link below to “follow” me on BookBub, okay? You will then be notified via email whenever I have a pre-order or a book release.
CLICK HERE
🗓 Blog Giveaway!
You don’t want to miss my TUESDAY, MAY 15TH Seekerville Blog because the subject is: Anatomy of a Kiss! Plus, not only will I be giving away a paperback copy of Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Inspirational and Sweet Markets, but also your choice of any of my indie e-books.
BUT … for Journal Jot readers ONLY, if you mention your read my Journal Jots blog in your comment on my Seekerville blog, I’ll throw your name in the hat for a signed paperback copy of ANY one of my indie books. So do come on by SEEKERVILLE to say “hey” on Tuesday, 5/15, and you may just win a book! Hope to see you there!
🗓 And Finally …
I am SOOOO excited about my next Facebook Live because I am starting a brand-new video series called NOVEL INSPIRATIONS, which will be a series of life lessons I learned the hard way and put into each of my books.
It should be a lot of fun, so I hope you will join me on Julie’s Facebook Author Page on May 18th for LOTS OF PERSONAL STORIES, INSPIRATION, AND PRIZES. Hope to see you there and don’t forget to …
Mark Your Calendar!
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Meet Julie
