Thursday, June 30, 2022

The Power of Fifteen Minutes!


I got to teach at a Leadership Summit yesterday about the power of fifteen minutes. It mainly focused on my marketing plan and how authors can use just fifteen minutes a day to build their author business, but really it could apply to anything in life.

When I was a young mother, I was really overwhelmed trying to take care of everything I had on my plate. When I became an author, I was asked to do book signings and marketing and I had a hard time finding balance. When I realized that I could tell myself to just do one thing for fifteen minutes and make progress on it, my life really changed. I applied that to my marketing and writing and it really helped me not be so paralyzed and overwhelmed. It might not seem like much, but every drop in the bucket adds up!

It was really fun to be with those women yesterday and I hope something I said inspired them!

Have you used the power of fifteen minutes in your life?

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Freebie for Romantic Suspense Fans!


If you love romantic suspense and need a new book to read, Dani Pettrey's, The Killing Tide is free today! I haven't read this one yet, but it looks good!

Get your free copy HERE 

Here's the back copy:

When one Coast Guard officer is found dead and another goes missing, Coast Guard Investigative Service special agent Finn Walker faces his most dangerous crime yet. His only clues are what little evidence remains aboard the dead officer's boat, and the direction the clues point to will test Finn and the Guard to their limits.

When investigative reporter--and Finn's boss's sister--Gabby Rowley arrives, her unrelenting questions complicate an already volatile situation. Now that she's back, the tug on Finn's heart is strong, but with the risks she's taking for her next big story, he fears she might not live through it.

Thrown together by the heinous crime, Finn and Gabby can't ignore the sparks or judgments flying between them. But will they be able to see past their preconceptions long enough to track down an elusive killer, or will they become his next mark?

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Podcast Prep


 We're getting ready to do our podcast tomorrow, so we're talking to each other about questions we can ask and experiences we've had with different aspects of our lives that we're planning on sharing. I admit, I love that part. Becky and Jennifer are so witty and fun, I love talking to them. And they always have stuff going on in their lives! I truly wish you all could be there for one of these sessions, or for about half an hour before the podcast starts when we're just chatting. It would be so fun! Maybe we should record that someday.

Did you know you can listen to the podcasts on Youtube now? You can even subscribe to the channel so you'll be notified when a new episode is up. You can check that out HERE

And definitely be on the lookout for the new episode in the next couple of days. You won't want to miss it!

Monday, June 27, 2022

June is Crazy Busy

June has been so crazy busy for our family! We've had dance camps and scout camps and family vacations and birthdays. It feels like I've been running around for days.

But as I do all this running around, there are the priceless moments in between that make all the stress worth it. I love laughing with my grandbabies at the beach or listening to them tell me knock-knock jokes that are so silly they're funny. Or sitting with my oldest daughter by a pool and just talking. Or staying up late with all my kids and playing a game together. Or just turning the music up loud and having an impromptu dance party together. Those memories are ones we'll have forever and I'm so grateful for that!

How's your summer been so far?

Monday, June 13, 2022

Book Review: The Valet's Secret


The Valet's Secret, a second chance romance for two people who have loved and lost, was so heartfelt and tender. The author was adept at weaving together the threads of hope into even the most difficult circumstances.

Rebecca Parker had a happy marriage, but is now widowed and her only child is grown and moved a short distance away. Rebecca helps her ill-tempered father with his art, and her life is very predictable and quite lonely—until she’s nearly run down on the road by a man riding on a spirited horse. When he comes to her aid there is a feeling and connection between them that she’d never thought to have again. They give in to a forbidden kiss, and it’s as if Rebecca has come alive again. This chance encounter gives her hope that perhaps she truly can have love in her life once more.

Unbeknownst to her, she has not kissed a valet, a man of her station, but Kenneth Winterton, the heir to an earldom. Kenneth feels the same connection to Rebecca, but now caught in his web of lies, he doesn’t see a way to tell her of his deception without hurting her. When she is hired to help serve at a dinner party given by a baroness, she is stunned to see the “valet” she kissed sitting at the table. Realizing he is not who he said he was, she is broken-hearted and rebuffs his apologies, but can’t deny there is something between them—a connection that seems to get stronger whenever they are together. But he’s the heir to an earldom and she’s an artist’s daughter. There doesn’t seem to be any common ground for them to base a romance on. True love comes at a price, but are they willing to pay it?

I loved this gentle romance and how our hero and heroine found a piece of their heart that they thought was gone forever. It is somewhat unusual to find historical romances that feature people later in life, but I found it refreshing. Their insecurities about what others would think of them, including their grown children, and whether their differences were too great to possibly make a life together, is still relatable today. There were little shades of a Cinderella story with evil relatives, a beautiful gown and slippers that somehow don’t stay on their owner, but there are some unexpected twists as well that kept me turning pages. The Valet’s Secret is a slow-build romance that’s perfect for a lazy summer afternoon of reading.

Get your copy HERE

Here's the back copy:

As a once happily married woman, Rebecca Parker had a good life, but now widowed, working for a living, and her only child grown, she feels invisible, tired, and lonely. That is until the day a valet speeding by on a horse nearly runs her off the road. Mr. Malcolm Henry is apologetic, gentle, and handsome. She’s instantly drawn to him, which is why, rather than stopping him from kissing her, she kisses him back, reigniting a nearly forgotten passion. But love at first sight only happens in fairy tales—never to an ordinary woman like her.

She sees Mr. Henry again and feels the possibilities growing until, while working in the kitchens during a dinner party, she sees the valet she kissed sitting at the right hand of the baroness. Mr. Henry is not the earl’s valet; he is the heir to the earldom—-Kenneth Winterton.

Heartbroken, angry, and betrayed, Rebecca does not trust Lord Winterton and refuses to accept his apology. But when Lord Winterton proves he is as kind and gentle as “Mr. Henry” was, she finds herself willing to give him a second chance. But will he take a chance on her? He needs a wife to help him in his place in society, and nothing about Rebecca’s life does that ...except how he feels when she is with him.

Trust, love, loneliness, and passion collide in this story about a man who will risk it all to fight for the woman he loves and a woman who does not believe in fairy tales—until she finds herself living in one.

Friday, June 10, 2022

Calling All Romance Fans!



Calling all romance fans! If you love Jennifer Peel books, she is having a massive .99 cent ebook sale today through June 17th! A perfect way to spend a summer afternoon. The first Jennifer Peel book I ever read was my Not So Wicked Stepbrother and I think it's still my favorite. Have you read her books? Which one is your favorite?

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Join Me on Instagram Live Tomorrow!


I will be going live on InstaLive at (author.rebeccalange) tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. MT with fellow authors Laura Beers and Rebecca Lange to talk about all things regency! You should definitely join us!

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Have You Done This?

 

This meme made me laugh so hard today! Have you ever had a friend tell you something they wanted to do and you knew it wouldn't end well, but sort of wanted to see what would happen? Tell me about i!

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

In the Non-Fiction Corner with Lauren (and a Giveaway!)


Ganel-Lyn Condie does it again with her new book “The Stewardship Principle.” We have all been taught that everything is a gift from God, but what does it really mean to be a steward? Condie takes a deep dive into the idea that everything is for our good and helps us become like our Heavenly Parents. From our money to our time to our experiences, we should use our gifts to help others in any way we can. Condie promises that this principle will reframe your entire life if you can put it in to practice. While I didn’t find this book completely life-altering, I did enjoy learning about ways I can help those around me and become more like my Heavenly Father through life’s up and downs. 

One thing that I really enjoy about Condie’s writing is that she uses so many examples and stories, anyone can find something they relate to! Whether from her own life, the life of her friends, or the scriptures, the author does not stay away from the hard stuff. I love that she is so open and willing to share, and help others because of the hard things she has experienced in her life. I highly recommend picking up this book!

Don't forget to scroll all the way down and enter the giveaway!



Get your copy HERE

Here is the back copy:

Mortality provides a complex collection of opportunities. We face challenges to both love and learn. And amid struggle and strife, we can choose to live life with greater joy and spirit. But how do we do this? The answer lies in reframing how we see our experiences. Beloved author and speaker Ganel-Lyn Condie introduces a key principle that can guide us through both the miraculous and the messy moments of life: stewardship.

With her token wit and candor, Ganel-Lyn helps readers learn to navigate through a reframing of life’s experiences, shifting them from issues of ownership to assignments of stewardship. Featuring a wealth of scriptural insights, real-life accounts, and practical advice, this insightful volume examines stewardship versus ownership in all aspects of life, from the ebb and flow of relationships to the devastation of loss to the frustration of trying—and failing. Learn to consecrate your efforts to God and discover how this fundamental shift in perspective will make all the difference in the sense of peace and hope that can be yours.

Monday, June 6, 2022

June Book Chat--Will You Be There?


I loved Kaylee Baldwin's new romantic comedy, A Summer Mismatch, and I'm thrilled to welcome her as my guest for book club this month. We'll be meeting on Thursday, June 16th at 7:00 p.m. over at the Book Chat Book Club. Are you a member yet? I'd love to see you there! You can join the Facebook group HERE

You can hear more of my thoughts on the Book Chat with Julie podcast HERE

(If you'd like a sneak peek of my review of A Summer Mismatch, you can read it on Meridian Magazine HERE

Friday, June 3, 2022

Nearly Freebie Friday for Romance Fans!


Becky Monson's romance, The Accidental Text, is only .99 cents, but I think the sale ends TODAY. This book was a Whitney finalist and one of my favorite books of hers. You won't want to miss this one! 

Get your sale copy HERE

Here's the back copy:

Wrong number. Right guy?

Once upon a time, Maggie Cooper lived for adventure. Jumping out of planes was child’s play. Now she can’t even work up the nerve to ask out her coworker. For a bit of self-therapy, she begins to text her recently deceased mother’s phone—the only problem is that the number has been reassigned and for weeks she’s been unknowingly texting a stranger her deepest thoughts and feelings. There have also been some not-so-deep texts, like the ones about her appreciation for her coworker’s butt.

When Chase Beckett, the unsuspecting stranger who has more in common with Maggie than he’d like to admit, texts back, Maggie is beyond mortified. But message after message and night after night, Maggie realizes that Chase’s wit, charm, and advice are exactly what the doctor ordered. Is it enough, though, to get her back up in the sky? And what about her heart? Can she risk taking a leap of faith for the man on the other end of her accidental texts?

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee




I've been watching some of Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee celebrations. My grandpa had this souvenir box from her coronation in 1953 and I think it's amazing she's been on the throne for seventy years! (And I really love how detailed the souvenir box is!) 

Do you keep souvenirs? Do you have one that you love?

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

There is Always Hope


My daughter and I attended an event where we got to listen to two men who had just returned from helping Ukrainian refugees in Poland and southern Ukraine. It was so eye-opening. The men said they had expected the people to be sad, the outlook dreary, but most people were holding on to hope and finding the good. They told about a Polish aid worker who was always happy, always helping as she sorted out how best to help those coming across the border. One thing she did was that she would give a little clap, smile as big as she could, and say, "God is good. All the time." And she truly believed it. It was her way to lift, to remind, and to give a little bit of hope. You could see that in her face. It touched them and it touched me.

Most of the refugees the men saw and helped were women with children and the elderly. They talked about how so many churches are banding together to help and just how inspiring it was to see all the hands reaching out to offer comfort and necessities. They shared some experiences they had as they delivered desperately needed supplies to an orphanage in southern Ukraine that made my heart race as they were close to danger. It was definitely a riveting presentation. I've been thinking about the things they shared ever since, and how our outlook and our words can offer hope to someone else. "God is good. All the time." I'm grateful we got to give back in a small way that evening and I don't think I'll forget the things that were shared. Our world needs more hope, more light, and more people willing to stand up, even in dark circumstances.