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!
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
A MID-WEEK JOURNAL JOTS?
Why? Well, because there are just TOO many cool things going on, so I wanted to let you know about them before they’re over and done. Be sure to scroll all the way down for the Cowboy Christmas Homecoming Facebook Party TOMORROW NIGHT, THURSDAY, NOV. 17 for lots of giveaways!
So here we go and have a GREAT week!
Hugs,
Julie
Going on Now!
LOVE EVERLASTING RELEASES IN PAPERBACK!
The paperback version of Love Everlasting is FINALLY here and NOW available for sale, just in time for Christmas, so spread the word! Here are the links, and I’m happy to say it’s $2.00 less than Isle of Hope paperback, so YAY!!
A PASSION MOST PURE e-BOOK ON SALE FOR 79 CENTS OR 99 CENTS THRU NOVEMBER 30!
LOL, I guess it’s pretty unlikely anybody reading this blog today HASN’T read A Passion Most Pure yet, but in case you haven’t, NOW’s your chance because it’s on sale for only 79 cents at CBD and 99 cents at Amazon and B&N at the following links:
CBD (only 79 cents!)
USA TODAY HEA BLOG HOLIDAY TRADITIONS FEATURE WITH YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS!
First, best-selling author Rachel Hauck has a fun post on USA Today‘s Happy Ever After blog, which also features snippets of fun from Debbie Macomber, Katherine Reay, Denise Hunter, Beth Vogt, Becky Wade, and yours truly, so do check it out!
USA TODAY’S HAPPY EVER AFTER BLOG
Then, I hope you check out USA Today’s HEA blog for more favorite traditions from me and the rest of the Gilead authors from Cowboy Christmas Homecoming and Sleigh Bells Ring. Fun stuff, so here’s the link: USA TODAY’S HEA BLOG
FREE DOWNLOAD ON CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL!
I am SO excited because I have the privilege of being a part of of a truly beautiful Christmas devotional on All Mom Does Blog that gives fresh and fervent insight into the Christmas story.
Join authors Mary Connealy, Mesu Andrews, Sandie Bricker, Lenora Worth, Barbara Scott, and yours truly along with a host of others as we explore Christmas through the viewpoints of characters from the Christmas Story as told by Matthew and Luke. I promise you you’ll walk into Christmas with a greater understanding of the importance of this incredible season. Check it out on All Mom Does Blog and be sure to download the free devotional.
NOVEMBER 14-21:
Enter to win more than 55 wonderful fall historical novels by some of your favorite authors including Ruth Logan Herne’s, Mary Connealy’s, and my Cowboy Christmas Homecoming! PLUS … a Kindle Fire! Contest goes from 11/14 to 11/21, so be sure to enter!
55+ HISTORICAL NOVEL GIVEAWAY!
Thurs., Nov. 17:
2-HOUR FACEBOOK PARTY FROM 8:00 – 10:00 PM EST! Cozy up with Mary Connealy, Ruth Logan Herne, and me to celebrate the release of our brand-new Christmas collection, Cowboy Christmas Homecoming with lots of gab, goodies, and giveaways! Christmas, comfort, and cowboys is our theme, so prizes include three paperback copies of Cowboy Christmas Homecoming, Ghiradelli chocolate, a comfy-cozy throw, a gorgeous scarf, and soup, so come on by to toss your cowboy hat in the ring, okay? Here’s the link:
CHRISTMAS COWBOY HOMECOMING FACEBOOK PARTY
Nov. 30 – Dec. 16:
99-CENT SALE ON ISLE OF HOPE E-BOOK!!
To celebrate my interview in Family Fiction magazine in the Christmas issue (which releases November 30 and eeeeek — I’m on the cover!!), I am holding a sale on Isle of Hope at almost 90% off the original price of $7.99, so I hope you take advantage. And I would love it if you would share the sale during Nov. 30-Dec. 16 if you would.
I absolutely LOVE Family Fiction magazine, which is why I am SO blessed and honored to be on the December cover! I subscribed long ago, so I highly encourage you to do the same since it’s FREE SUBSCRIPTION and features some of the top authors in the CBA, including Karen Kingsbury, Francine Rivers, Liz Curtis Higgs, etc. Here’s the link — just click on the subscribe box at the top right of the page:
Friday, December 2:
BLOG INTERVIEW GIVEAWAY:
Mark your calendars for Friday, December 2 to come by and see me at Coffee Cups and Camisoles Blog and win paperback or e-copies of my two Christmas books, Cowboy Christmas Homecoming and A Light in the Window. Here’s the link, so hope to see you there!
Friday, November 11, 2016
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.
— Jeremiah 29:11
Undeniably, there are those indisputable times in life when you know that you know that you know God has intervened.
Like the time I was a teenager walking my girlfriend home at 2:00 AM in the morning. A carload of older boys screeched to a stop when they saw us, and their car doors flew open as three of them gave chase. Sleet slithered my veins while my friend and I bolted behind a house — she tearing off towards her home on the street behind and me circling to get back to mine. Much to my horror, the three boys followed me around the house, and with a frantic scream, I darted to the front door, fear pounding while I bludgeoned the doorbell. Certain I was about to be raped, I never expected the lone, deaf widow who lived there to actually hear my cries or even open the door to a stranger at 2:00 AM. But open it she did, just as the boys reached the steps of her porch. When they saw her standing there, they fled toward their car and squealed away. I wasn’t much on God back then, but trust me, even I knew the Almighty had intevened.
Or like just this morning when my daughter was on a plane ready for takeoff to go visit a friend. Imagine her shock when the last person to board the plane was my daughter-in-law from Spokane with her brand-new miracle of a baby, Genevieve! My daughter had recently bemoaned the fact that she could not see little Evie in person, something she desperately wanted to do.
It was Amy’s birthday this week, so I prayed that God would show her His love in some special way. Trust me when I say tears flowed as Amy held little Evie most of the way while she and my daughter-in-law chatted at the back of the plane. Now I ask you — what are the odds that my daughter from Birmingham would be on the same plane as my daughter-in-law from Spokane? Go on — tell me that’s not a God thing!
The truth is when God’s people pray, He intervenes! Just like I believe He did this week with our elections. Whether they turned out the way we wanted or not, God is still on the throne, and more than ever, it’s imperative that we pray. Pray for wisdom, direction, and especially protection for President Elect Trump and his family. And for our country — that God will heal the wounds inflicted by so much division and unite us as we were meant to be — one nation under God. So will you join me in this effort to pray for our country, our leaders, and our people? Because we desperately need it now, more than ever.
Hugs and Prayers,
Julie
Facebook Party!!
THURS., NOV. 17, 8:00-10:00 PM EST: Join me, Mary Connealy, Ruth Logan Herne, and Anna Schmidt for a “cool” Facebook party for Cowboy Christmas Homecoming with lots of gab, goodies, and giveaways, so mark your calendars and come on by! Here’s the link: CCH FB PTY. Hope to see you there!
Historical Romance Giveaway!
NOVEMBER 14-21: Hop over HERE beginning Monday and join in on this wonderful fall Inspirational Historical Romance contest featuring more than 55 of your favorite authors
(including Ruthy Logan Herne, Mary Connealy, Myra Johnson, Pam Hillman, and moi with chances to win a book from each… and a Kindle Fire!
Good luck!
Friday, November 3, 2016
“What you do
matters far less to God
than how you do it.”
— Anonymous
I am a Christian author. That’s what I do. But you know what? I’ve discovered that although this is a ministry given to me by God, that’s not the most important thing to Him. Nope. What’s important to Him is how I do that ministry. Am I going to rely on my own efforts and talent? Or am I going to rely on Him?
I decided I want to rely on Him, so as most of you know who read this blog, I am stepping back from most promotion to focus on writing for a season. But … it seems the moment I did that, promotion opportunities fell from the sky to literally drop in my lap. First one of my favorite Christian magazines asked me to be on the cover of their December issue with an interview inside, then one of my favorite bloggers asked me to be a part of her 10-year blogaversary, and finally one of my favorite authors asked me to do a Flash Christmas giveaway with her on Facebook today. So, since giveaways are involved in two of these ventures, I thought I better tell you about them to win some free books!
Today Only! (Friday, Nov. 4)
Head on over to my Facebook page today to enter the dual giveaway of two signed Christmas books for two winners! All you have to do is leave a comment on my FB page and then click on the link there to my good buddy Denise Hunter’s Facebook page, too, and you’ll have TWO chances to win TWO signed Christmas books, both Denise’s wonderful novel, Falling Like Snowflakes, and my Irish Christmas love story, A Light in the Window. And if you already have A Light in the Window, then I’ll give you your choice of another of my books, okay? Here’s the link to my FB page (where you’ll also find Denise’s FB page link), so hope to see you there!
Click Here for Julie Lessman’s FB Page
And … I invite anybody who’d like to see the cool video my artist hubby did for A Light in the Window using my daughter as the model to do so HERE.
Fri.& Sat., Nov. 4-5:
This Weekend, November 4-6: Come by to say hi and help celebrate Andi Newberry Tubb’s ten-year blogaversary with me. I’m giving away three signed copies of my paperback books — A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Light in the Window. Here’s the link — hope to see you there! NOTE: You have to enter by clicking on the “A Rafflecopter Giveaway” link at the end of the post.
The Paperback for Love Everlasting is Coming …
And JUST in time for Christmas! It will be up this week on Amazon, so do keep checking HERE.
Those of you who have won signed copies will be receiving them soon, so happy reading!
Sale!!
If you haven’t had the chance yet to read the award-winning, 5-star book 1, Isle of Hope, your timing is good because it is now on sale for 50% off at the lowest price yet of $3.99, so you can check it and all the reviews HERE.
Free Download!!
Finally, if you haven’t downloaded the prequel novella to Isle of Hope, A Glimmer of Hope, what are you waiting for? It’s FREE and available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo, so I hope you take advantage.
Thanks for coming by, and I’ll leave you with a couple of fun pictures from our visit to see our brand-new granddaughter EVIE (whom you prayed for!!) and the other two cuties.
Hugs and have a WONDERFUL weekend!
Julie
Sweet little Genevieve (Evie) at one month.
LOVE these two! Check out the gleam of trouble in those eyes! 😉
Meet Julie
