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    July 09, 2009

    Guest Interview: Julie Lessman, author of A PASSION DENIED

    Julie Lessman lrI'm so happy to welcome one of my very dearest writer friends, Julie Lessman, popular author of Revell's Daughters of Boston series. Today Julie shares some fascinating insight into how she researches her stories and manages the ins and outs of such a complicated family saga.

    Oh, and Julie has graciously offered to give away WINNER'S CHOICE from her Daughters of Boston series to a lucky commenter. To be entered in the drawing, comment with a valid e-mail address before midnight Saturday, July 11. I'll announce the winner on Monday!

    Julie, your attention to historical detail is amazing—enough to place readers firmly in the setting without making us feel like we’re in the middle of a history lesson. How do you go about your research? What are a few of your favorite sources?

    Oh gosh, Myra, me?? Historical detail??? Can’t believe I managed to pull that one over on you and everybody else who’s read my books. The reason I find that so funny is that I DESPISE research and actually wrote an article for Christian Fiction Online Magazine entitled “Confessions of a Historical Author who Hates Research,” where I reveal a lot of my guilty, little “secrets.”

    But honestly, a lot of the historical accuracy found in my books can be credited to my very detailed prayer partner who reads all of my manuscripts. Karen would say, “Uh, Julie, the chocolate chip cookies Mrs. Gerson serves in chapter seven sound good, but this is 1916, and chocolate chips weren’t invented until 1939.” Or, “Julie, the word ‘sync’ in the sentence ‘A twig with a heart-shaped leaf plummeted to the ground, in sync with her mood’ is too modern for 1916.”

    So now I am faithful to my research, doing it mostly as I go along and primarily via the Internet. I have tons of websites that I mark as favorites (all listed in the CFOM article mentioned above), but two of my favorites are http://www.fashion-era.com/index.htm for clothing and hairstyles and The Online Etymology Dictionary at http://www.etymonline.com/. For me, The Online Etymology Dictionary is crucial for ensuring that the words I use are historically accurate for the era. In addition, I keep a “historical facts” file for each book where I cut and paste info to be used later. I also recently had a conversation about research with good friend, Patty Smith Hall, and she highly recommends contacting the Library of Congress for a wealth of information, which I fully intend to do.

    Great suggestions, Julie! So much was happening in the early 20th century, so many changes in fashion, industry, and transportation. What has been your greatest challenge as you develop the O’Connor family saga through the years?

    Uh … funny you should ask … my greatest challenges so far have been none other than historical research! I practically had a breakdown when I realized inaccurate research almost derailed my plot for book 1, A Passion Most Pure, AFTER I had already sold it to Revell. I was horrified to discover a huge and unacceptable mistake that got past me, my critique partners, AND my editor. A huge mistake that, ironically, was caught by my editor’s husband who happened to be—what are the odds?—an Irish historian! He innocently pointed out to his wife that the O’Connors traveling on a ship to Ireland during World War I would not have been feasible as passenger ships at that time were commandeered for war. Not to mention the annoying fact that German U-boat warfare made it too dangerous for ship travel. YIKES!!

    That was the day that I learned just how important research is to a historical romance, and it is a lesson I hope and pray I have learned well. Fortunately for me, after a little sobbing, a lot of praying AND tons more detailed research, I found a perfectly acceptable solution that allowed me to transport the O’Connors from Boston to Dublin during WWI in a totally believable way. Thank you, God!

    Discovering a problem like that would definitely throw me for a loop! I can imagine your relief at finding a believable alternative. While each of your books focuses primarily on the romance between one featured couple, several other family relationships also experience ongoing problems and growth. Do you have a system for keeping track of all the storylines?

    Oh, absolutely, especially given the fact that in the second 3-book series that concludes the saga of the O’Connors, you will be seeing LOTS more of every couple, which I admit, may get a little hairy come book six (Stephen’s story) when I have six sub-stories going on in addition to the main story between the hero and heroine! YIKES … fourteen characters to keep track of! I used to be a seat-of-the-pants writer rather than a plotter, but trust me, I now have an age/birthday/anniversary chart that would boggle the mind. In addition, I have created incredibly detailed synopses to help me keep all the plots straight for every character, WHICH if the “pantser” in me has its way, may or may not end up being the final story. ☺

    I think my mind is already "boggled" just imagining the amount of organization and planning your books demand. Do you have a personal favorite hero or heroine from the series? Whose story has been hardest or easiest to write?

    Well, I’ll answer the second question first, if you don’t mind. Without question, book 2, A Passion Redeemed, was the easiest book to write—I actually wrote it (almost 500 pages) in two months, and that was working part-time at my day job! It just seemed to flow from me, I guess because Charity is so much like I used to be before Christ that it felt natural to be writing her story. I had to laugh at my husband while he was reading Redeemed because he couldn’t stand Charity. Poor guy, I didn’t have the heart to tell him he’s been married to her (without the incredible physical beauty) for over 30 years! ☺

    As far as a personal-favorite character? Well, this may shock you and your readers, but Charity O’Connor is right up there as a favorite. Don’t get me wrong, I love Faith O’Connor, the heroine from book 1, A Passion Most Pure, but in all honesty, she is more like the woman I am today—heavily dependent on God, emotionally involved with Him and a person who prays at the drop of a hat, so I almost feel one with her. But Charity—goodness, my heart goes out to her and the woman I used to be—selfish, manipulative, lost. I think that’s why she fascinates me so much, because I look at her (and women like her) in the same way I suspect God looked at me back then—with eyes full of love and hope that we all can become new creatures in Christ Jesus. And quite frankly, I think she is just downright funny and quirky and such a hoot that she makes me laugh.

    The hardest book to write? That would be the third book in the series, A Passion Denied, primarily because at the time I was reading a book by an author that I absolutely LOVE and felt so inadequate next to her. I would sit at my keyboard and want to puke on what I’d written—it was that bad. So I literally “fasted” that author for six months and prayed my heart out for God to help me write the book He wanted me to write. And He did! I’m happy to say that most of my family and friends who have read A Passion Denied like it best of all three books in the series, so that is HUGE relief!

    Julie, I assure you, you have no reason to be intimidated by any other author out there! The success of your books speaks for itself. Can you share any details about your next series?

    Grin, yes … and oh my, you wouldn’t believe the trouble brewing in O’Connorland! There are six O’Connor children in all, four daughters and two sons, and each one will have their own story. As a matter of fact, I JUST finished Book 1 of the next series on St. Pat’s Day—pretty timely, eh, for a series about an Irish family? It is Katie's story, the fourth daughter, which was fun because she is a pistol who comes of age in the Roaring Twenties, right before The Great Depression.

    Books 2 and 3 will be about the O’Connor brothers, Sean and then Steven, all during the exciting era of speakeasies, dance marathons, gangsters, G-men and era criminals like Bonnie & Clyde and John Dillenger. Sean’s love interest will be ... guess who? Emma—Charity’s scarred friend from Dublin! And Steven will be a tall, brooding G-man-type modeled after real-life Elliot Ness. Some of your readers are probably too young to remember this, but I am modeling him after Robert Stack from The Untouchables, who played Eliot Ness in the TV show years ago. I am very excited because all three plots are very involved, include detailed sub-stories for ALL the character couples (can you say “complicated”???) and each plot has surprises that I hope and pray will blow readers away!

    Thank you SO much, Myra, for allowing me this time to connect with you and your readers. Anyone who would like to contact me can do so through my website at www.julielessman.com, either by sending an e-mail via my site or by signing up for my newsletter, in which I feature book giveaways. And, of course, your readers will enjoy visiting both of us at The Seekers, our group blog that talks about “The road to publication. Writing, contests, publication and everything in between.”

    ABOUT JULIE LESSMAN: Julie Lessman is a new author who has garnered much writing acclaim, including ten Romance Writers of America awards. She resides in Missouri with her husband and their golden retriever, and has two grown children and a Lessman_DENIEDdaughter-in-law. She is the author of The Daughters of Boston series, which includes A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied. You can contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com.

     ABOUT A PASSION DENIED: Book 3,  A Passion Denied, is the story of Faith and Charity’s little sister, Lizzie, a shy bookworm who dreams of a fairy-tale romance. It unfolds a man’s dark past and a young girl’s shattered dreams … and the God who redeems it all.
        Elizabeth O’Connor is the little sister John always longed for. With a fire for God in his belly, he has been her spiritual mentor since she was thirteen, sharing her love of literature and her thirst for God.  But when his gangly protégé blossoms into a beautiful young woman bent on loving him, he refuses to act on the attraction he feels. His past won’t let him go there. Unfortunately, “Lizzie” won’t let him go anywhere else … until his dark and shocking secrets push her away.


    July 03, 2009

    Mango Berry Much!

    When hot weather hits, my favorite lunch is a protein-rich fruit smoothie. I’ve been playing with my recipe lately, and here’s a favorite I just tried yesterday and christened “Mango Berry Much!”Blender

    For 2 servings, in a blender combine:

    1 cup milk
    1/2 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt
    1 scoop whey protein powder
    1/4 cup orange juice
    1 teaspoon natural peanut butter
    2 teaspoons flaxseed
    dash of cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon honey
    1 banana
    1 or 2 handfuls of frozen mango chunks
    1 or 2 handfuls of frozen mixed berries
    Top off to blender fill mark with cold water and crushed ice and blend until smooth.

    Actually, I don’t measure nearly this accurately. I’m more of a “guess & toss” kind of cook.

    Enjoy!

    July 01, 2009

    A very busy June!

    Between summer vacation travel and diving headfirst into editorial revisions on my next Heartsong IMG_1389 Presents novel, I’ve been limiting my Internet time lately.

    Earlier this month, we enjoyed a glorious week with our #2 daughter and fam at a rented beach house on  Edisto Island, SC. It was fun watching the grandkids play in the surf. Well, one of them, anyway. The first day there, our little 4-year-old granddaughter was so overwhelmed by the whole thing that she wouldn’t go near the water. We coaxed her a little closer every day, but she didn’t actually start having fun until the very last day.

    At the end of that week, I was supposed to fly up to Pennsylvania for the first annual Abingdon Authors Retreat at a wonderful cabin in the woods. Then a storm system shut down the Chicago airport (where I was supposed to change planes). When it was obvious I’d miss connections and probably end up stuck in Chicago overnight once I did get that far, I gave up, changed my flights, and came straight home. I still had to stay in a Savannah, GA, Comfort Suites overnight.

    IMG_1478 Once I got home, I knew I had a lengthy content edit waiting for me, so I’ve been slaving away on that for the past several days. At last I can see it coming together, though, and I’m learning to appreciate my content editor’s eye for the tiniest little details that can make or break a story’s realism.

    Well, it’s the start of a new month today, and I can’t believe how fast the summer has gone already! When I was a kid, I lived for the long, lazy days of summer. Now it seems they’re gone in the blink of an eye.

    What’s keeping you busy this summer? Is it as relaxing as you planned? Or crazier than ever?

    June 26, 2009

    Michael Jackson

    Even though I wouldn't call myself a fan of Michael Jackson, I was still stunned when I turned on the TV this morning and heard he had died. So much craziness in his life clouding an amazing talent. It's a sad, sad shame.

    My friend Mary Connealy wrote a moving blog post about Michael. Read it here. She beautifully sums up everything I've been thinking and feeling after hearing the news.

    June 23, 2009

    Book Review: THE SHAPE OF MERCY, by Susan Meissner

    The Shape of Mercy: A Novel The Shape of Mercy: A Novel by Susan Meissner

    My review

    rating: 5 of 5 stars

    An intriguing blend of past with present that kept me turning the pages! The story contrasts the privileged life of a wealthy California college student with the struggles and fears of a young woman caught up in the insanity of the Salem witch trials. Through the interactions of the characters, Meissner explores our all-too-human tendency to judge others, especially before we really know anything about them. A moving story that compels readers to look deeper into our own faulty attitudes.

    View all my Goodreads reviews.

    June 12, 2009

    Book Review: THE CALL OF ZULINA, by Kay Marshall Strom

    The Call of Zulina (Grace in Africa Series, #1) The Call of Zulina (Grace in Africa Series, #1) by Kay Marshall Strom

    My Goodreads review

    rating: 5 of 5 stars

    What happens when the mixed-race daughter of a slave-trading English sea captain and a power-wielding African princess is caught up in a battle for freedom? Kay Marshall Strom has written a riveting story about life in West Africa in the late-1700s. Readers can't help but be swept away as Grace Winslow, the heroine, learns the truth about her family's unsavory business dealings. When even her own flesh and blood turns against her, she must draw on her faith and her newfound friends as she stands against the evils of her time. Also the author of Once Blind: The Life of John Newton, Strom is well qualified to write this story of courage in the face of injustice.

    View all my Goodreads reviews.

    June 10, 2009

    Book Review: GONE TO GREEN, by Judy Christie

    Gone to Green Gone to Green by Judy Christie

    My Goodreads review

    rating: 5 of 5 stars

    Gone to Green is a charming story about a big-city newspaper woman who inherits a small-town paper. Lois Barker has no choice but to slow down her fast-paced life as she reorients herself to life in rural Louisiana. Along the way she meets some quirky characters and a few not-so-nice ones, too. This is an easy and enjoyable read about a woman on a journey of both physical and spiritual dimensions. Author Judy Christie had beautifully captured the atmosphere and setting. Her characters will creep into your heart and stay awhile.

    View all my Goodread reviews.

    June 09, 2009

    Book Review: SURRENDER THE WIND, by Rita Gerlach

    Surrender the Wind Surrender the Wind by Rita Gerlach

    My review on Goodreads:

    rating: 5 of 5 stars


    Normally my reading preferences lean toward contemporary, but I was excited to read fellow Abingdon Press author Rita Gerlach's historical romance Surrender the Wind. Rita does an excellent job of bringing the post-Revolutionary War era to life. Her characterizations are engaging, and the story is a true page-turner. The book tells of the romance between patriot Seth Braxton and the beautiful Juleah, daughter of an English gentleman. The back-cover copy asks the question, "Will Seth and Juleah's love and faith survive a sinister plot of murder, abduction, and betrayal?" Of course we all know the answer is yes (it is a romance, after all), but the fun is seeing how Rita Gerlach brings it all about. Well done, Rita!

    View all my Goodreads reviews.

    June 03, 2009

    Book Review: A PASSION DENIED, by Julie Lessman

    Be sure to check back on Monday, June 29, when Julie Lessman will be my guest here, and you could have a chance to win a copy of her new release!

    Click on the link below the book cover to read my review posted at Goodreads.

    A Passion Denied

    A Passion Denied (Daughters of Boston, Book 3)

    June 02, 2009

    Gettin' Fit!

    I am sadly out of shape. So what else is new? My biggest problem is that I just despise working up a sweat. Huffing, puffing--oh, please! But at my annual checkup last month my doc asked about my exercise habits, and I could tell from his accusing stare that my answer didn’t thrill him.

    And here I am married to a guy who used to get up at 5 a.m. every morning to head to the health club before work. (He still works out several times a week--just doesn’t get up quite so early anymore.)

    See, if I’m going to get exercise, it has to be fun. Not too hot, not too cold, not the least bit boring. I’d heard a lot of good things about Wii Fit, so that’s what my husband and I decided to buy each other for our 37th anniversary last month.

    Wow! Talk about motivation! My “trainer” praises and encourages me throughout each routine. I get to zap a cute little stamp onto the calendar every day that I check in. The program keeps track of my weight goal, BMI, and “Wii Fit age” (which as of today is 39!!!!--gee, I got married when I was 2!). I get to do hula hoops, step aerobics, jogging, yoga, slalom, ski jumps, tightrope walking, feeding a penguin . . . the fun just never ends!

    IMG_0052 Then the other day my friend Tina told me about the treadmill laptop desk her husband built for her. I’ve seen those on TV and always thought it would be cool to walk slowly while Web surfing, doing e-mail, writing, or whatever. So last weekend I talked my husband into making a simple one for me. Walking at around 1.5 mph I can easily log three-quarters of a mile while checking my morning e-mail and favorite blogs. That’s over 100 calories burned (according to my treadmill gauge).

    So I’m tricking myself into getting into shape. If it works, it’ll be worth it!


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