Spotlight on 'What's the Story, Morning Glory?' by Julie Lessman

Happy Friday Bookworms!

I first want to send out all the thoughts, prayers, and well wishes to everyone who has been affected by Hurricane Helene.  My mother and stepfather, as well as several other family friends live on the west coast and in northern Florida and did not evacuate. Yesterday was terrifying for me as I watched the hurricane approach and was getting updates from my parents as well as the news.  Water rising, clouds swirling, tide quickly rising, and waters rushing toward their home.  I know this is just the beginning as the damage is assessed and so many further inland are now dealing with Helene's wrath and my prayers are with you all.

Today I am casting the spotlight on another devotional that has a unique twist that I think you will enjoy so enjoy the excerpt below and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours!

Welcome to the Blog Tour for What's the Story, Morning Glory? by Julie Lessman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: What's the Story, Morning Glory?
Author: Julie Lessman
Publisher: Julie Lessman LLC
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Genre: Memoir Devotional (half fiction/half nonfiction)

“DEAR LORD, JULIE ... OUR WHOLE LIFE IS IN THIS BOOK!" 

My heart went out to my sweet husband as he walked into our kitchen one day with a noticeable gulp, ashen-faced after reading my latest novel.“Yes, I know, babe,” I said with a repentant smile and a conciliatory hug, “but nobody really knows that.” 
Ahem. Until now ... 

Trust me, "What’s the Story, Morning Glory? A Memoir Devotional with a 'Novel' Approach to Practical Christianity" is not a book I wanted to write. As a novelist, I have never been partial to nonfiction, either reading it or writing it, but I had little choice when God convinced me otherwise through a number of point-blank arm-twistings I couldn’t deny and not-so-gentle proddings from family and friends. 

Despite all the encouragement, I wasn’t really sure where to begin. “It will be fiction and nonfiction combined,” the Holy Spirit whispered within, and just like that, the idea for this book took flight. First, I would tell my “real” and very personal story behind the life-lesson stories in my novels, then I would follow it up with the excerpt from my books where I teach that same life lesson to my characters, finally culminating in corresponding Scriptures, a bulleted “Takeaway” list, and a related prayer. 

Thus, What’s the Story, Morning Glory: A Memoir Devotional with a “Novel” Approach to Practical Christianity was born. A memoir devotional that when combined with scenes from my novels, becomes a “novotional” where I relate the life lessons God personally taught me through His Word. I am simply a child of God who applied these lessons and Biblical precepts to every situation in my life and consequently, saw nonstop answers to prayer and blessings galore. It is my profound hope and prayer that through my own very simple and personal stories and examples, I can do the same for others. Therefore, the format for each chapter of this book will be as

1. The Real Story (How I learned and applied the spiritual lesson in my own life)
2. The Novel Story (The scene where I teach the spiritual lesson to my characters)
3. The Scripture Story (Scriptures applicable to the spiritual lesson)
4. The Takeaway Story (Bulletized points for spiritual lesson in easy-to-read/apply format)
5. The Prayer Story (Specific prayer related to the spiritual lesson)

I pray this bottom-line, albeit somewhat quirky, 1-2-3 devotional blesses you as much as God's spiritual life lessons have blessed me! 

Hugs,
Julie Lessman  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

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Except from What's the Story, Morning Glory

“Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, 

but who can stand before jealousy?”

Proverbs 27:4 NIV

Chapter Fourteen

My Career: Slaying the Dragons of Rejection, 

Bitterness, Jealousy, and Idol Worship in Our Dreams and Desires

1.) The Real Story:

“Come in and make yourself comfortable.”

I blinked. Comfortable? With sweat on my palms and an eye twitching to the beat of my pulse?? Dear God, why had I switched deodorants???

She closed the door with an ominous click and extended her hand. “I’m Zsa Zsa Gabor (name changed to protect the innocent), Acquisitions Editor for Steeple Mountain. And you are …”

A basket case … on her first conference pitch ever. I swallowed hard. “Lessman, Julie Lessman.

She nodded and settled in on a worn paisley couch with all the grace and dignity of a queen on her throne. “Tell me about your manuscript,” she said.

I sucked in a deep breath, genuflected in my mind, and let it fly … “Well, you see, it’s a story about an Irish-Catholic family in pre-World War I—” 

She extended her hand in the air, palm facing me, and for a moment I thought she was going to do the princess wave. The air fused in my throat when I realized she was halting my spiel. “I’m sorry, but we can’t have stories with specified denominations …”

And there you have it. My maiden pitch to an editor … a glorious seven seconds long! I went back to my hotel room and did what I’d been doing all conference long—cried my heart out and wanted to quit. God help me, the room maid had to think I was pilfering Kleenex!

Nobody ever told me what a bumpy ride it would be on the road to publication. No one ever mentioned that it’s truly an exercise in humility and perseverance that few have the stomach for. That it takes a unique individual to even try. 

All you know at the time is that you have this story burning a hole in your heart and you want to get it out. You want to pour your passion—for God and for writing—onto paper and … well, yeah, get paid for it.

So you buckle up and grit your teeth, and keep your eyes riveted to the road as you embark on a journey that has more pit stops (as in “in the pits”) than the Indy 500. And, regrettably, the bumpy ride doesn’t end when you are finally published, at least not for me. 

But with God’s voice on my GPS (“Turn right at the next 1-star review and pray till you get to Forgiveness Lane …”), you plot out a route for publication that hopefully won’t have you driving in circles.

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Also Available

     

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About the Author

Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of “Passion With a Purpose” underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. A lover of all things Irish, she enjoys writing close-knit Irish family sagas that evolve into 3-D love stories: the hero, the heroine, and the God that brings them together.

Author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, Heart of San Francisco, Isle of Hope, Silver Lining Ranch, and The Cousins O’Connor series, Julie was American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered over 21 Romance Writers of America and other awards. Voted #1 Romance Author in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie’s novels also made Family Fiction magazine’s Best of 2014, Best of 2015, and “Essential Christian Romance Authors” 2017-20, as well as Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction. Her independent novel A Light in the Window was an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Readers' Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner. 

Julie has also written a self-help workbook for writers entitled Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets.

Connect with Julie by visiting julielessman.com to follow her on social media, read both romantic and spiritual excerpts from her books, or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card, a character named after you in Julie's next book & a signed paperback copy of that book, plus a signed paperback copy of What's the Story, Morning Glory!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 24, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 1, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only for print copies. Gift card open to all locales. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!