Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Julie Lessman Interview

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! 

I am SO excited I can hardly keep my head on straight!! As you know, I'm a HUGE fan of master-writer Julie Lessman and today I am honored to have her join me for an interview about her new and FABULOUS novel DARE TO LOVE AGAIN. (A side note here . . . I've been known to fly through Julie's books in a single day--forgetting everything {and I mean everything} in order to finish the book. This one is now exception! I seriously cannot wait to write my review--I already have a rough draft nailed down and I'm just itching to post it!!)

Below you will find Julie's delightful answers to my questions. Please leave a comment below and make sure you enter Julie's contests, follow her on FB and sign up for her newsletters, etc! She is AMAZING about connecting with her readers, so make sure you let her know how much you love her!

AND . . . da da da da!!! {trumpets} Julie is doing a GIVEAWAY for you delightful women--aren't you lucky?! *teehee* Comment below and on Jan 22 I will be picking one lucky winner who will be the recipient of a Lessman book of their choice!! Spantabulous, right?! Be sure to comment below and leave your email addy!!

IF by some strange twist of fate you are visiting from Mars and this is your first exposure to Julie, then you are in for a REAL treat! *giggle* Seriously though--if you are new to Julie's books, do yourself a favor and start with her first novel A PASSION MOST PURE. I promise you, your life will never be the same. *wink*

Enjoy the interview, ladies!!



1.) Tell us what you have in common with Allison and what is totally different?

LOL … almost nothing except the temper and the drama-queen tendency, although I want to go on record right now that I have never hit my hubby with a stick!  Allison is adventurous—I am not. Allison is brave in a scary part of town—I am not. She was engaged or nearly so three times before she met Nick, while I had trouble finding even one guy to pop the question. Fortunately for me, it was the RIGHT guy!!  As far as other commonalities, Alli is perky and bouncy and a wee bit scatterbrained, and so am I, so check—check—check!

2.) Did you write Nick to be 'like' anyone particular?

Not particularly, but he sort of came out as a grouchy mix of Magnum P.I. and Columbo—a tall, dark Italian police detective who’s as disheveled as Peter Falk’s raincoat and as adorable as a young Tom Selleck’s dimples.

3.) For those who haven't read it, of all your other heroes, who is he most like?

Well, once I started getting to really “know” him—his short fuse, stormy eyes, and no-nonsense manner—I realized he reminds me a lot of one of my favorite heroes I’ve written, Mitch Dennehy from A Passion Redeemed. The difference between the two is Mitch has blond hair and blue eyes, and was a sophisticated bad boy, while Nick has dark hair and gray-green eyes and is leery of women—especially “society dames” like Allison—since he was betrayed by one. But where Charity bats her eyelashes and plots to get Mitch to do things her way, Alli simply whacks Nick with a stick, which he generally breaks in half before he stomps out and slams the door.

4.) Can you give us a hint of your favorite scene in this book?

Mmm … a “hint” implies anything short, and we both know I don’t do “short” well.  So, here’s one of my favorites where Officer Nick Barone has been strong-armed by Alli’s Uncle Logan to teach Alli jiu-jitsu—the new self-defense method popularized by then President Teddy Roosevelt. Keep in mind that Alli has already whacked Detective Barone with a stick two or three times by now in the book, so he’s not real thrilled, but this will give you some idea of the head-butting that goes on when Alli shows up for her first lesson in her bicycle bloomers and straw hat:

“Take the hat off,” he ordered, refusing to teach jiu-jitsu to anyone wearing ribbons and straw.
“Pardon me?”
He nodded at her head. “The hat—we’re not bicycling through Union Square, Miss McClare, we’re learning self-defense. You need to be unencumbered for freedom of movement.”
She blinked, a long sweep of black lashes fanning her face. “But . . . but . . . I’ll always be wearing a hat, won’t I?” she said in a rational tone. “I mean, if the need for self-defense should arise?” He could almost feel the flutter of lashes. “Shouldn’t I learn the same way?”
His jaw started to grind. “Not in my class, lady. Take it off.”
Her jaw elevated at least an inch. “Not unless you ask nicely.”
He kneaded his temples with his fingers, counting to five slowly before finally peering up. “Take it off, Miss McClare—now.” He forced the next word through clenched teeth. “Please.”
“Certainly,” she said with a bright smile, unpinning the hat from her head. She carefully laid it aside and turned to face him, hands clasped behind her back. “Shall we begin?”
His gaze dropped to her flat leather shoes. “You’ll need to take off your shoes as well.”
She arched a brow.
“Please,” he said sharply.
“Why?”
Lowering his head, he pinched the bridge of his nose, smothering a groan. “Miss McClare,” he said, glancing up through tired eyes, “we both have had a long day, and I have a long night ahead. It would go so much easier for both of us if you would simply defer to me as the teacher in this class just like your students do with you.”
“But even I tell my students why, Mr. Barone,” she said softly.
He drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “All right, Miss McClare, point taken.” He slacked a leg, hands low on his hips. “Whenever I teach a class to the officers within the precinct, I ask them to remove their shoes to avoid wear and tear on the mat, which is very expensive, you see, and socks or stockings help to keep it clean.”
“Well, now, see?” she said sweetly, promptly slipping off her low-heeled shoes, “That makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? Thank you.”
Yeah, perfect sense. He issued a silent groan. Unlike this class.
She carefully tiptoed over and tested a toe on the rubber mat like she was taking a dip in a lake before slowly inching in to stand before him, hands clasped behind once again.
He stared down at her as she peered up, her green eyes calm for the moment. In her stockinged feet, she barely came to his shoulders, and he shook his head, a smile inching up on one side of his mouth. “Blue blazes, woman, you’re a little mite of a thing, you know that?”
She arched a brow, the barest semblance of a smile shadowing her lips. “But big enough to whop you with a stick, Mr. Barone.”
“Don’t remind me,” he said with a short bow at the waist. “I guess I should be grateful you didn’t bring it.”
She returned the bow. “No need, it’s right down the hall.”
“Thanks for the warning.” He took a step back. “First we limber up with warm-up exercises, loosen those muscles, if you will.” He demonstrated with his hands on his hips while he performed several squats. She followed suit nicely while they continued to a count of twenty. Next he ran her through the paces with leg lunges and several sprints around the room.
Ten minutes later she was leaning against the wall with a palm to her chest, huffing and puffing. “I . . . already . . . know . . . how . . . to . . . run, . . . Mr. . . . Barone,” she said in between breaths, a hint of irritation in her voice.
With a jerk of his head, he motioned her back to the mat, grinning when she huffed out a sigh and shuffled over, lips compressed as she stood before him.
Tempering his smile, he folded his arms and gave her a half-lidded gaze. “Basic rules,” he snapped. “No striking, punching, or kicking unless part of the exercise. And no eye gouging, hair pulling, twisting, or grabbing fingers, understood?”
A hint of a smile twitched on her face. “Sure, take away all my fun.”
The corner of his mouth hooked. “And no sticks, though I know that’ll break your heart.”
“You have no idea.”
“Oh, I think I do. Now, since the most likely advance of danger will come from an arm choke from behind, I’ll teach you a series of moves to counter it, all right?”
She nodded, eyes wide as she fiddled with her nails.
“First off, I’ll show you the steps by having you choke me from behind, which,” he said with a teasing jag of his brow, “should thrill you to no end.” He grabbed one of the chairs from a nearby stack and placed it on the mat, then tapped the back of it. “Hop up here.”
Her lips thinned.
“Please,” he said quickly, quite certain she’d have him trained way before he trained her.
Carefully placing her palms on the seat, she positioned a tiny stocking-clad foot on the edge of the chair and made a shaky attempt at rising with dignity, taking so long that Nick blew out a noisy breath and plucked her up by that tiny waist to plop her on top. She spun around and slapped hands to her hips. “I am perfectly capable of scaling a chair, Mr. Barone.”
“I’m well aware, Miss McClare, but if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to finish sometime tonight.” He slowly turned his back on her, never more grateful she didn’t have a stick. Limbs loose at his sides, he butted up to the edge of the chair. “Now choke me from behind with one arm, okay?” His voice veered toward sarcastic. “And try not to enjoy it.”
He waited. Nothing. Nerves twitched everywhere in his body until a light bulb went off in his brain as if Miss McClare were dangling it overhead herself. He huffed out a sigh. “Please.”

5.) What's the message you hope people will take away from DARE TO LOVE AGAIN?

Basically that trust in God is FAR more important in a relationship than trust in the other person. When I pitched the series to my publisher, here’s what I told them about Dare to Love Again, which will give you a little more insight into the message I intended.

1-Line Premise:
A sassy socialite burned by love twice butts heads and hearts with a jaded cop burned by the upper class.

Moral Premise:
Avoiding relationship because of past hurt leads to bitterness and loneliness, but investing in relationship in light of past hurts and God’s help leads to communication and love.

Scripture Theme:
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. —Psalm 33:22

***

Thank you SO much, Amber, for this wonderful opportunity! I LOVE to hear from reader friends, so if they like, they can contact me through my website at http://www.julielessman.com, either by sending an e-mail via my site or by signing up for my newsletter at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/.

Also, I have a cool blog feature on my website called “Journal Jots” at http://www.julielessman.com/journal-jots1/, which is a very laid-back Friday journal to my reader friends that will give your readers an idea as to my relaxed style of writing. Or readers can check out my favorite romantic and spiritual scenes from each of my books on the “Excerpts” tab of my website at http://www.julielessman.com/excerpts/. Finally, I can be found daily at The Seekers blog at http://seekerville.blogspot.com/, a group blog devoted to encouraging and helping aspiring writers on the road to publication.

And finally, just as an FYI for your readers:

CURRENT GIVEAWAYS/SALES/CONTESTS GOING ON RIGHT NOW: For those interested in reading my books, I have a number of fun things going on, so I hope you’ll take advantage of these opportunities:

JAN. 16 IS THE LAST DAY TO ENTER “SPIRIT OF SAN FRANCISCO” GIVEAWAY! In honor of my new release DARE TO LOVE AGAIN, my publisher is giving away a $100 gift card, Ghiradelli Chocolate Tower, Fisherman's Wharf Bread Basket & more ... plus copies of my "Love at Any Cost" and "Dare to Love Again." Here’s the link, so GOOD LUCK!! http://bit.ly/1d5crDt.

FREE DOWNLOAD of my debut novel A Passion Most Pure! American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Book of the Year, A Passion Most Pure has 328 five-star reviews on Amazon and some of readers have actually read it more than 20 times! Here are the links for your free download!  AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, CHRISTIANBOOKSTORE.COM

Newsletter Contest!! Want to have a character named after you in my next book, a signed copy of that book, and a $50 gift card? Well, here’s your chance with a newsletter contest I have going on now through 3/31/14 where posting even one short review for any of my books will enter you to win a character named after you in my next book, a signed copy, and if you are the top poster, a $50 gift card. So if you're interested, just sign up for my newsletter (I send out two a year) at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/, and I will send you the info, okay?

SALE TO END SOON ON 99-CENT A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW! I hope you’ll check out
my video for my Irish love story, A Light in the Window, which stars my daughter and has won three awards and garnered 121 five-star reviews. It’s still only 99 CENTS, but only for a little while longer, so check out the video here: http://bit.ly/1kkzvlC.

109 comments:

  1. I would love to win a copy of Dare to Love Again! I've read and enjoyed each of Julie's books...

    pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Hey, Patty, thanks for coming by, and I would LOVE to send you a signed copy of Dare to Love Again, so GOOD LUCK!!

      I have to admit, although it's the least passionate of all my books, it's very fun and sweet, so I hope you like it too. :)

      Hugs,
      Julie

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    2. Patty! Aren't Julie's books amazing?! So glad you stopped by, thank you!!

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  2. Would love to win one of Julie's books, if it is open to Canadians. My email address is saritawhite at gmail dot com

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    1. Yes, Sara, I refuse to leave my good Canadian (and Aussie and New Zealander) reader friends out of the mix, so you're in darlin', and GOOD LUCK!!

      HUGS,
      Julie

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    2. Hey Sara!!! So glad to see you here and to meet another mega-fan of Julie's! ;)

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  3. I loved reading Julie's scripture theme! It would be interesting to go back and find the Scripture themes for all of her books! I've enjoyed all of her books that I've read so far and would love to read one of her more recent releases!

    kosterbind at gmail dot com

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    1. Hey, Kelly, what a fun idea!! Did you know that the original titles for ALL three of the DOB series were from the Scriptures at the beginning of the books? Scriptures are HUGE to me as themes (as was the word "wind" since I loved Gone With the Wind and wanted that word in my titles), so APMP was originally "A Chasing After the Wind" since it fit both Faith (chasing after the Holy Spirit) and Collin (chasing after meaningless things like the Scripture from Ecclesiastes states). Book 2, APR, was "Chaff Before the Wind, and book 3, APD, was "On the Wings of the Wind."

      Since Revell didn't let me keep my Scripture titles -- not in the 2nd series either -- I just stopped using them, but tried to match the themes with Scriptures nonetheless. :)

      Hugs and GOOD LUCK!!

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    2. Kelly! Yes, I agree Julie's scripture themes are great and I always feel very uplifted when I read her books!! Thanks for visiting my blog and good luck in the contest!

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  4. I love Julie's books and this is the only one I don't have. So I would love it. It sounds so good! Great interview. My email is nancycooks4u (at) gmail (dot) com

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    1. YAY, NANCE, soooo appreciate you reading/owning all my books, my friend, and would LOVE to get this one in your hands too, so here's to a win!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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  5. I would love to win a copy of Dare to Love Again! Burned by love ? Ah...

    janka(dot)halcinova at gmail(dot)com

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    1. JANKA!!! Hey, girl, SO good to see you here!! And, YES ... there are LOTS of sparks in this baby that turn up the heat between these two hot-tempered characters, not to mention flying sticks, so I hope I get to send you one, my friend!

      Hugs and good luck!!
      Julie

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    2. Thank you for being so nice to your readers, dear Julie. Pure pleasure to interact with you :)

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    1. Hey Pamela! So glad you stopped by. :) Be sure you add your email so if you DO win we can let you know! ;) Hugs!

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    2. PAMELA DOVE ... do I have good news for you, darlin'!! Right now my first book, A Passion Most Pure, is available for FREE DOWNLOAD, so I hope you consider doing that. If you do not have an ereader, are you aware you can download a FREE Kindle app to read free books on your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad or Droid? Let me know if you want to do that, and I'll send you the link, okay? Either way, I DO hope you download APMP because it won American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Book of the Year and has 340 five-star reviews on Amazon. Here's the link in case you want to cut and paste to download: http://amzn.to/1bmfkcv

      Hugs and GOOD LUCK!!
      Julie

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  7. I would be so excited to win any of your books. I am reading you for the first time in A Light in the Window. I am loving it and I am so excited to read all of the rest!
    Judy Cooper bjcoopers5@gmail.com

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    1. Judy!! Oh, A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW is a delightful book and a great one to start with!!!! You will love all her books. :) Thanks for stopping by!!

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    2. Oh, JUDY, YAY!!! ALITW is the perfect place to start with my books, and after you are finished, you will be primed and pumped to head into the 6-book series about Marcy's VERY passionate family. Just FYI, book 1 in that family saga, A Passion Most Pure, is now available for FREE DOWNLOAD, so take advantage, okay? Here's the link: http://amzn.to/1bmfkcv

      ALSO ... if you like ALITW and post a review on Amazon, let me know & I will enter you in my contest to have a character named after you in my next book and a signed copy, okay?

      Hugs and HAPPY READING!!
      Julie

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  8. I love Julie's books and would love to win one.

    wwchildren at gmail dot com

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    1. Wilani! So glad you entered, thank you! I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya. ;)

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    2. LANI!!! How the heck are you doing, my friend?? And, YES, I would "love" to send you one, so here's hoping you pull out a win, okay?

      GOOD LUCK AND HUGS!!
      Julie

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  9. I just found Julie's book (thanks to a freebie on Kindle) and WOW - definitely one of my new favorite authors! Can't wait to read more! deuteronomy657 at gmail dot com

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    1. Hey!! I'm thrilled that you've discovered Julie. Her books are fabulous!!! And I'm glad you entered--good luck to you!!!

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    2. THE BROWN FAMILY ... WHOO-HOO!!! SO glad we found each other, my friend!! And after APMP, I hope you continue on with book 2, A Passion Redeemed, which is my fave of all the books in the Daughters of Boston series. I know, I know, you hate Charity ... well, move over, darlin' because EVERYBODY hates Charity in book 1 (even Charity!), but by book 2, you will understand and start to like her and by book 3 and especially book 5, you will LOVE her because she is SUCH a hoot and makes me laugh all the time. So give her a shot, okay? Besides ... you DO have Mitch in that book, right?? So what's not to love??

      Hugs and WELCOME to the O'Connor family, girl!!
      Julie

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  10. I LOVE Julie's books! I've read all of them, and can't wait to get my hands on a copy of DTLA... the excerpt left me wanting more! ;)

    lubell1106(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Elyssa! I agree, any excerpt from Julie's books will always make you want to read more!!! ;) You will love DTLA!!! Thanks for entering!

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    2. ELYSSA!!! One of my faves, you sweet thing, along with Em!! And I am SO excited to hear what you think of DTLA, so do let me know. I haven't heard if Em has read it yet or not, I don't think, but I have so much on my mind ... and not a real mind to boot ... that I may have forgotten. :|

      Hugs and GOOD LUCK!!
      Julie

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    3. Julie, you're too sweet! I promise that I'll let you know when I read DTLA, and I'll be sure to post a review. =) And you're right- Em hasn't read it yet, but I can guarantee that she'll let you know when she reads it too. We're both very excited!

      Hugs!!!

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  11. Julie! Seriously, it really is such an honor to have you! I know how in-demand you are, and for you to take the time to come onto my humble little blog and comment--it really makes me feel special! But then again, that's one of the fabulous things about you--you make everyone feel special, thank you for that!! God bless you, Julie!!!!

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    1. Oh, honey ... for you??? ANYTHING ... you know that!! :) Sooo fun to be here on one of my tip-top favorite blogs, my friend, so thank YOU for having me!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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  12. LOVE LOVE LOVE Julie's books! I've been known to read through one in less than 24 hrs too! I love how personable she is too! Can't wait to read the new book!!!!

    cavinessemail@gmail.com
    cavinessemail[at]gmail[dot]com

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    1. LOL, CANDY ... show a little enthusiasm, will ya?? ;) WOW ... in 24 hours??? That's pretty impressive, my friend. I will say that the record that I've heard of is a little 16-year-old gal who came to one of my booksignings, bought a book and went home to read it. She emailed me a little over THREE HOURS (or maybe four) LATER to say she absolutely loved it and she even had a 30-minute drive one way!!

      Now, sorry ... that's a little too fast to suit me since it takes me about nine months to write the sucker. It's kinda like taking all day to fix a special meal for someone and them bolting it in five minutes!! Yeah, they liked it ... but did they even taste it??? But don't worry -- 24 hours is certainly a respectable amount of time, and I SO appreciate your support!!

      Gotta feeling you are going to really like Nick and Alli's story, so DO let me know if you do and ESPECIALLY if you post a review so I can enter you in my contest to have a character named after you in my next book and a signed copy, okay? The contest runs through 3/31/14.

      Hugs and GOOD LUCK!!
      Julie

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  13. I've read... *pause to calculate* eight of Julie's books, but I don't own them all yet - and obviously, I still have a few I need to read! Wait. One I haven't read yet, I think - the third in the Winds of Change series. Otherwise, I believe I'm caught up. ANYWAY. Love the books and would love to get a signed one! :)

    charityu.austenite[at]gmail[dot]com
    http://austenitis.blogspot.com/

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    1. LOL, CHARITY ... sooo glad the O'Connors finally got a hold on you, my friend -- I LOVE your reviews!! And, oh girl, you REALLLLY need to read Steven's story, book 3, A Love Surrendered because not only does it wrap the O'Connor saga up with a tearful epilogue, but I swear I went through 30 Kleenex when I proofed the galleys, and I normally only go through about 12. :) So it's a tear-jerker, but probably because it's the last one. :| Uh ... at least for a little while. :)

      GOOD LUCK, and HUGS!!
      Julie

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  14. Great post, Ladies! Can you believe I have yet to read any of Julie's novels! I hear that is unheard of! Shame on me! :)
    I know I need to change that really soon.
    Thank you!
    Campbellamyd at gmail dot com

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    1. Oh, AMY ... SAY IT AIN'T SO!!! Come on, girl, how can you say that when there is a FREE DOWNLOAD going on RIGHT NOW for book 1 in my first family saga, A PASSION MOST PURE???!! If you need a little arm-twisting, my friend, then how about the fact that APMP won American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Book of the Year and currently has 340 Five-star reviews on Amazon and some of my reader friends (more than one!!) have read it over 20 times???

      Come on, girlfriend, throw me a bone and DOWNLOAD the sucker already, okay? PLUS ... if you like it and post a review, I can enter you in my contest to have a character named after you in my next book, a signed copy and maybe a $50 gift card, so that should be some motivation, right??

      I don't twist many arms, Ame (that's what I call my daughter, also an Amy -- they're stubborn, little cusses, apparently!!), but something tells me YOU need to read this book. Unless, of course, you're not into heavy-duty romance, which my books are. They are very passionate, both romantically and spiritually, so if you are more of an Amish or prairie romance reader, you might want to take a pass, okay? OR you could try my two less passionate books, A Light in the Window (only 99 cents in ebook right now and soon will go up in price!!) or my latest, Dare to Love Again, which has almost no kisses in it, but LOTS of romantic tension. :)

      Okay, rant over.

      Hugs,
      Julie

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  15. I would love to win Dare To Love Again. csaunderson123@gmail.com

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    1. Hey, MISS C ... and trust me, I would "LOVE" to send you a copy, so GOOD LUCK in this contest!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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  16. I loved that scene from Dare to Love Again--I can't wait to read the new book (and the giveaway might expedite that!). Thanks for the interview. danandlyndaedwards(at)msn(dot)com.

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    1. Thanks, LYNDA ... yep, PLENTY of sparring in this book, guaranteed, a la the old movies like McClintock where John Wayne butt heads and hearts with Maureen O'Hara! SOOO fun to write, and I hope, READ as well!! :)

      GOOD LUCK & HUGS!
      Julie

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  17. Great interview!! Love the teaser scene. "Please." LOL So cute.

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    1. LOL, thanks NATALIE ... you ain't seen nothing yet, I promise! Like I told Lynda above, there is PLENTY of sparring in this book, guaranteed, a la the old movies like McClintock where John Wayne butt heads and hearts with Maureen O'Hara! SOOO fun to write, and I hope, READ as well!! :)

      GOOD LUCK, my friend, & HUGS!
      Julie

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  18. What a great scene! Can't wait to read this book! candicervaldez at gmail dot com.

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    1. Hey, CANDACE, thank you and trust me, girl, I can't wait for you to read this book either, so here's to a win!! :)

      Hugs,
      Julie

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  19. Would love to win one of Julie's books; I always find them so intricate that I just can't put them down!
    ~Micaela:)

    bookworm9404(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. LOL, MICAELA ... "intricate" is a nice way to put it, my friend, thank you!! But I think "a roller-coaster Christian soap opera" might be more apt, one that is so complicated at times that even I get lost ... :|

      I'm glad you like them, though, and I promise that Dare to Love Again is a wee bit easier on the nerves and the eyes, so hopefully not as "intricate" this time, just a little lighter and funnier. :)

      Hugs and GOOD LUCK!!
      Julie

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  20. Okay, the heroine whacking the hero with a stick...more than once!...that cracks me up enough that I have to read this book. Thanks for the giveaway, the excerpt was hilarious!
    garfsgirl [at] hotmail [dot] com

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    1. LOL, LIS K ... yes, I'm a CDQ (caffeinated drama queen) who absolutely LOVES the old head-butting movies like McClintock, where John Wayne goes toe-to-toe with Maureen O'Hara, so this was really fun to write. :) Kinda reminds me of book 2 of my Daughters of Boston series, A Passion Redeemed, where the hero carries the heroine onto a cruise ship and tosses her on a cabin bed, letting her bounce. Soooo fun!!

      Hey, Lis, if you liked this excerpt, I encourage you to read more on the EXCERPTS tab of my website, where I have listed my favorite romantic and spiritual scene from each of my books. That will give you a fair indication of my "Passion with a Purpose" style of writing. Here's the link, just FYI:
      http://www.julielessman.com/excerpts/

      Hugs and GOOD LUCK!!
      Julie

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  21. It sounds positively thrilling! I must confess that I have not read any of your books, Julie, but I have been wanting to for some time now..Thank you for sharing with us!! The excerpt had me grinning..:D ~ Juli

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    1. Oh, JULIANNA, nooooooo!!!

      Well, I'll forgive you, but I won't forgive you if you don't take advantage of the current FREE DOWNLOAD going on RIGHT NOW for book 1 in my first family saga, A PASSION MOST PURE!! If you need a little arm-twisting, my friend, then how about the fact that APMP won American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Book of the Year and currently has 340 Five-star reviews on Amazon and some of my reader friends (more than one!!) have read it over 20 times???

      Come on, girl, DO IT because then if you like it and post a review, I can enter you in my contest to have a character named after you in my next book, a signed copy and maybe a $50 gift card, so that should be some motivation, right??

      Here's the link: http://amzn.to/1bmfkcv

      Hugs,
      Julie

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  22. I love the excerpt you included Miss Julie! Now I just wish I had the book so I could find out what happens next. I'm very intrigued to know the story behind the stick. :)
    I've loved all of your books, that I've read. I'm not sure I have a favorite . . . perhaps A Hope Undaunted - I loved Katie Rose and really enjoyed seeing her grow up and get her "act together," as it were.
    Your books have really inspired me to seek God and focus more on Him. Thank you so much for that.
    Blessings,
    Sarah

    bookluver1492[at]gmail[dot]com

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    1. Oh, SARAH, AHU is my VERY favorite book of all I've written, so I agree with you -- I loved growing Katie Rose up and, of course, DEARLY loved watching her butt heads with Cluny McGee! ;)

      Thank you SO much for telling me that my books have inspired you to seek God more because THAT is the highest compliment you can give me!!

      Oh, girl, you are going to LOVE DTLA, I promise! Alli uses the stick so much, that I wanted my publisher to put a teacher's stick in her hand, behind her back, but they didn't go for it. :(

      Anyway, here's hoping you win a copy here, so GOOD LUCK!!

      HUGS,
      Julie

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  23. I have yet to read one of her books (guess I'm from Mars...lol) but I have three on my tablet (A Light In The Window, Love At Any Cost and A Passion Most Pure) and I am looking forward to reading them. Would love to get the second one in the either of the series. Thanks for the giveaway! :) smileytwin10@gmail.com

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    1. HOLY COW, SMILEYTWIN ... you have all of those books of mine and you still haven't cracked the email covers??? Mmmm ... well, let's see if I can motivate you, okay?

      First of all, I would advise reading ALITW first because it's won three awards and has a SOLID five-star rating on Amazon with 122 five-star reviews and it's the prequel to the Daughters of Boston series, of which book 1 is A Passion Most Pure. Now ... if you will read ALITW RIGHT AWAY and you like it and post a review, I will not just give you the normal one point in my review contest (where you can win having a character named after you in my next book, a signed copy, and a $50 gift card (for highest poster)), but I will give you 6 points for the first review you post, okay? Now, really -- what other book on your Kindle is offering you that??? And YOU are the only who is getting that deal, my friend. Everybody else has to post six reviews to get those six points!! :)

      Deal? And if you DON'T like ALITW ... well, then ... never mind.

      Hugs,
      Julie

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    2. Ok, so I read ALITW and loved it! :) I've posted my review on Amazon (Rachel - rssmiles) and on Goodreads.

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  24. I have read a couple of Julie's books and loved them. I have a couple of more in my TBR stack. I would love to read her new one.
    susanmsj at msn dot com

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    1. Thanks, SUSAN, for reading some of my books, and I don't know if you post reviews or not, but if you do, I wanted to let you know about a newsletter contest I have going on now through 3/31/14 where posting even one short review for any of my books will enter you to win a character named after you in my next book, a signed copy, and if you are the top poster, a $50 gift card. So if you're interested, just sign up for my newsletter (I send out two a year) at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/, and I will send you the info, okay?

      The good news is if you haven't posted a review on any of my books in one of my review contests before, YOU have a distinct advantage in that you may post a review for all ten books as many places as you can — Amazon, B&N, CBD, Goodreads, Shelfari, on your blog, etc. — upping your chances. And you can even post the same 2- or 3-line generic review for each of the books, which makes it easy-peasy! Publisher's Weekly cited that good reviews are crucial to an author, so I encourage them whenever I can for those who are prone to doing so anyway. BUT ... if you are not comfortable posting reviews, NO WORRIES!! I am just SO grateful that you read my books in the first place, okay?

      Hugs!!
      Julie

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  25. Amber...thanks for sharing Julie w/ us :)

    Julie...can't wait to read you latest masterpiece!

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

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    1. Hey, KAREN ... good to see you, my friend!! Can't wait to see what you think of DTLA, so here's to a win!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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  26. I have read all of Julie's books so am looking forward to reading Dare to Love Again. It would be fantastic to win a copy here. Thanks for the snippet of the book to whet our appetite for it and for the book giveaway.

    pmk56[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

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    1. PAMMY!!! Always good to see you, my friend, and here's hoping I get to send you a signed book!

      GOOD LUCK, and you're gonna LOVE DTLA, I think! I hope you get to read and review it before my review contest ends on 3/31!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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  27. Ha! Hits the hero with a stick! ... Can't wait to read it! :) I would love to win a copy... tamara_wilkins@ymail.com

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    1. Ahhhh, TAMARA ... a girl after my own heart!! Are you one of those readers who likes a hero and heroine to butt heads?? You know, like in those wonderful old movies like McClintock where John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara go round and round?? Well, if so, you are going to LOVE this book, so GOOD LUCK in the contest!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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  28. Wow, Julie, another amazing heroine and hero! Thanks so much for the little peek.
    worthy2bpraised at gmail dot com

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    1. Hey, MERRY, good to see you here, my friend, and I sure hope it's an "amazing heroine and hero" ... only time will tell ... AND reviews!! ;)

      Good luck in the contest, Merry!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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  29. I've read all of Julie's books and can't wait for this one!! I've heard great things about it-super excited!! :)

    marissamehresman(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. MARISSA!! Hey, girl ... one of the best things about a new book release is that I get to see all my favorite reader friends again!! I hope you like Nick and Alli's story -- it is a fun one for sure, although NOT as passionate as my others, but LOTS of romantic tension. Can't wait to hear what you think!!

      Hugs and GOOD LUCK!!
      Julie

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  30. Love this interview and I would love a copy of Dare to Love Again. I love Julie's books there AWESOME!

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    1. Sorry forgot to put my email address but here it is
      happygurl1807(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    2. Kayla! I agree, Julie's books ARE awesome!! :) Thanks for commenting and so glad to meet you! ;) LOL

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    3. LOL, KAYLA ... every single time I see your addy with "Julie Lessman Fan!", I get a HUGE grin on my face, girl -- you are SOOO cute!!

      And like I told Marissa above you, it's SO fun to see my fave reader friends again AND I'm excited to hear what you think of DTLA, so be sure to let me know after you read it, okay? And remember ... it only takes one review to enter you in my contest ... ;)

      Hugs and GOOD LUCK!!
      Julie

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  31. Can't wait to read this book. Hope to win.

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    1. Hey, VIRGINIA ... I hope you win too, my friend, but if you don't win here, be sure to check my website calendar because I have a ton of giveaways going on and when they're over, they're over because I am backing away from promo for a while then to focus on writing.

      So, here's to a win!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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    2. Virginia! Julie is right, there are lots of great giveaways going on--but I will for sure keep my fingers crossed for ya. :) Also, if you follow me on FB you'll get lots of updates on giveaways from various authors, etc. So if you are looking for more opportunities for contests, etc, that's a good option. :) Good luck!

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  32. Julie is my favorite, absolutely. I tell everyone. Well everyone who engages me in a conversation about my voracious reading habit. :)

    Cannot wait to read this book!

    Kathy
    kauppatgridcomdotnet

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    1. KATH!! Gosh, it's sooooo fun to see my faves pop up, so how have you been, you sweet thing?? LOL ... thanks for the word of mouth, my friend -- it is absolutely crucial to an author's career, so you probably help keep me writing books with all your word of mouth!! :)

      Be sure to let me know what you think of DTLA when you read it AND to enter my contest with a review, okay?

      Hugs and GOOD LUCK!!
      Julie

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    2. Kathy!! Hello! I'm glad you stopped by, thank you! I know, isn't Julie the greatest??!! I too tell everyone to read her stuff as well. Her books are a perfect blend of everything!! Good luck in the giveaway!!

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  33. Hi, Julie, and Amber!

    Just when I think I know just about everything about Julie - she drops some funny little tidbit in a review! Love reading her reviews, and comments - she always spreads joy around, and you were SO right, Amber, when you said she treats EVERYONE special! That, truly, is one of her most wonderful traits!

    Right, also, when you, jokingly, said that one's life will never be the same after reading A Passion Most Pure. God - working through Julie's books, definitely, has changed MANY people! I consider myself a mature Christian, but after reading each of her books, I ALWAYS re-evaluate my life as to whether I am doing everything I should, in order to be the person God would have me to be!!

    To all of you ladies that haven't read any of Julie's books - you have no idea what you have been missing (neither did I, before reading the first one)!! A word to the wise: purchase ALL of her books, from the start, so that you can read them back-to-back!! Trust me, you'll be glad you did!!!

    bonnieroof60(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. LOL, BONNIE ... you're in good company, my friend! Every single time Keith and I go out with friends, he learns something new about me, which kind of scares him!! But it's SO fun to watch his jaw drop when I "drop" something from my past that he knew nothing about. You just figure after 37 years, you should know everything about someone, but I like to defy the odds!! ;)

      I have to say, Bonnie -- both publicly and privately -- you are SUCH a blessing in my life, my friend, and I thank God that He allowed our paths to cross!! :)

      Hugs and more hugs,
      Julie

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    2. Bonnie!! So glad to see you here! :) Thank you for commenting. I could not agree more--Julie's books are SO uplifting and really make me want to improve myself as a follower of Christ. God bless you, Bonnie!!

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  34. You know, it's a wee bit frustrating when you find a good author that everyone else knows about too! I've entered so many contests to win Julie Lessman's books and haven't won - at least not yet! I'm gonna keep trying as long as I don't have a job and have plenty of time on my hands. Thankfully, in the meantime, the library keeps getting her books so I do get to read them! :-)

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    1. J:-) ... LOL ... trust me, girl, the odds are STILL good in these blog giveaways. Would you believe I have six reader friends, each of whom have won at least three of my books and several up to five or six of my books? They are like pit bulls with a bone, refusing to give up and hitting every giveaway I do. Of course, I used to do about 30-40 blog interview giveaways every time I released a new book, but now I'm down to about ten or so, so the odds are lower, but still good, so DON'T GIVE UP!!

      Here's to a win, you sweet thing!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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    2. Hey!!! I am glad you will keep trying!!! Like Julie said, don't give up!!!! Good luck!!

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  35. There is NOT a book of Julie's that I have not loved! Looking forward to Dare to Love, fingers crossed!

    missionwife AT hotmail DOT com

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    1. Aw, MEL ... BLESS YOU, you sweet thing, you!! And I would LOVE to send you a signed copy of DTLA, so GOOD LUCK, my friend!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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    2. Melody! I couldn't agree more--I love all her books as well, and could read them over and over. :) And yes, fingers crossed!

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  36. Julie,
    You write such fun books. I always enjoy reading the next one. Looking forward to this one very much. I love the way you are extremely responsive to your readers. Thanks much.
    Mary

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    1. Gosh, MARY, thanks SO much, my friend -- MUCH appreciated, both your sweet comment AND the fact that you read my books!!

      Here's hoping you pull out a win and GOOD LUCK!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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    2. Mary! I agree, Julie's books are so fun and SHE is fun! LOL And I too always get excited when she's got another book coming out. This one is fabulous, you will love it! Fingers crossed for you. :)

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  37. Great authors write great books! Thank you for what you do.

    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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    1. Thanks, Mel, and fingers crossed for a win!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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    2. So true, Melanie--and Julie is one of the greatest in my opinion!! :) Good luck!

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  38. I would be a happy to win a copy of Dare to Love again :-)
    *Waving to dear Julie*
    Thank you,
    Ganise
    g.gclermont@gmail.com

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    1. Hey, GANISE, soooo good to see you here, girl!! And I'm glad you plan to give DTLA a try ... I think you'll like it, and if you don't believe me, check out Jacinta's comment below!!! :)

      GOOD LUCK, my friend!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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    2. Ganise! I'm so glad you entered!! Isn't Julie the greatest?! :)
      Good luck to you!
      Amber

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  39. Hey everyone!!!!!!!
    Dare to Love Again is an AWESOME book!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE Alli and Nick Barone, long e, They're conversations are so funny!!!!! One of my favorite lines is when she's apologizing for calling him names and she lists EVERY SINGLE ONE!!! I just about died laughing.
    Oh, and even though it was less passionate the passion was still VERY strong in the missed kisses. :)

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    1. JACINTA -- I LOVE YOU, GIRLFRIEND!!! Thank you SO much for coming by to leave that incredibly sweet comment!! When I wrote that jiu-jitsu scene, I thought it was funny, but one never knows, you know? So I'm glad it made you laugh. :)

      And, YEAH ... soooo glad the romantic tension was still there even though most of the kisses were not. I do have a confession to make, though. In the scene where Nick almost kisses Alli in her classroom when she falls off the chair ... I actually had a "caveman kiss" there originally where he grabs her and kisses her to shut her up, but my hubby said something to the effect of, "Julie ... why do you always have to have push-to-wall or caveman kisses everywhere??? Can't you just show romantic tension without them???" So I did, and now I'm glad I did.

      BUT ... next book? I get MY way with lots of kisses ... ;)

      Hugs,
      Julie

      P.S. I don't know if you post reviews or not, Jacinta, but if you do, I wanted to let you know about a newsletter contest I have going on now through 3/31/14 where posting even one short review for any of my books will enter you to win a character named after you in my next book, a signed copy, and if you are the top poster, a $50 gift card. So if you're interested, just sign up for my newsletter (I send out two a year) at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/, and I will send you the info, okay?

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    2. Jacinta! (What a lovely name!) I know, aren't the exchanges between Allison and Nick just fabulous!? I'm so glad you enjoyed it--I did too! Thank you for coming by!!!! :) Hope to see you again!! :)

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    3. Thanks Amber!!! I like your name too!!!
      I heard about the contest and I'm TOTALLY doing it this year!! I tried before but I didn't get very far....

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  40. Hello Amber and Julie. Well, I'm never giving up either but sure not winning. Most of them others can qualify for many more entries than me. But Julie is such a great person and such fun I would love to win more of her books. Maybe this time. Thanks! MAXIE mac262(at)me(dot)com

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    1. MAXIE!!! Good girl, my friend -- never say die!! Just remember -- faith is the evidence of things not seen, so let's see if your faith can produce a win in one of my giveaways this month, okay? I have lots of them going on, so be sure to check my website calendar. :)

      AND HERE'S TO A WIN!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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  41. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  42. I love Julie's books!!! Shelia Hall sheliarha64@yahoo.com

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    1. LOL, SHELIA, and I LOVE you, girl -- thanks for coming by and GOOD LUCK in the contest!!

      Hugs,
      Julie

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  43. Getting in just in time! Haha, I thought in entered here already. :). I loved the excerpt! I didn't realize jiu-jitsu was around in the US in the early 20th century (but I don't know a whole lot about martial arts anyway). Can't wait to read Dare to Love Again!

    Jafuchi7(at)hawaii(dot)edu

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    1. Hey, LDK ... YES, I was shocked too, but it was sure fun to write, I can tell you that, and I'm grateful to Teddy Roosevelt for introducing it to the U.S. in early 1900s!! :)

      Hugs!
      Julie

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