I finished writing Sushi and Suspicions and turned it in! To celebrate, I ate my favorite peach jelly from Minamoto Kichoan ! I was a bit surprised to realize at the end of the book that there wasn’t as much romance as in some of my other books, maybe because there were a lot of characters in this book compared to other romantic suspense novels I’ve written. Sushi and Suspicions will be releasing in June in the multi-author box set Summer Suspicions . Even though it’s a box set, each Christian Romantic Suspense novel in it is a full book, so it’s a great deal! Preorder Summer Suspicions for only 99 cents!
Captain's Log, Stardate 01.31.2008
Today, I’m thrilled to interview historical romance author Julie Lessman talking about her debut novel, A Passion Most Pure.
She's found the love of her life.
Unfortunately, he loves her sister.
As World War I rages across the Atlantic in 1916, a smaller war is brewing in Boston. Faith O'Connor finds herself drawn to an Irish rogue who is anything but right for her.
Collin McGuire is brash, cocky, and from the wrong side of the tracks, not to mention forbidden by her father. And then there's the small matter that he is secretly courting her younger sister.
But when Collin's affections shift, it threatens to tear her proper Boston family apart.
Book 1 of the Daughters of Boston series, A Passion Most Pure will carry your heart from the sophisticated streets of Boston to the green hills of Ireland as men go off to war and women long for their return. Full of passion, romance, rivalry, and betrayal, it will captivate you from the first page.
And now, here’s me and Julie!
What's the one thing you want people to know about A Passion Most Pure?
That true romantic passion—the kind that really satisfies—can only be found when God is part of the equation. I found a really cool quote that some people attribute to Maya Angelou, which I think is the total essence of what A Passion Most Pure is all about: “A woman’s heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.” I absolutely LOVE this quote and hope and pray its message will resonate with every person who picks up my book.
I love that quote! That’s going on my quote page.
What's your favorite scene from the book?
Oh, wow, what a hard question! I mean I have TONS of favorite scenes—favorite romantic scenes that race my pulse, favorite spiritual scenes that make me cry, and favorite family scenes that remind me just how blessed I am to have God in my life. But, I know you don’t have all day (grin), so I will mention my favorite romantic scene (or one of them!).
It would have to be a scene in the kitchen between the heroine, Faith (a woman who is bent on marrying a man who loves God), and the bad-boy hero, Collin (who has a grudge against God). It’s a scene of strong romantic tension where Collin realizes he loves her but can never have her because God stands in the way. He slams a few chairs around and forces her to admit she loves him, which she does, but it doesn’t matter. She will not be unequally yoked, and the piercing knowledge of this crushes him. The scene is a riptide of swelling emotions—from humor and teasing to anger, passion and fear, finally ebbing to quiet acceptance when both realize the love they share can never be.
What book(s) are you reading right now?
Cheryl Wyatt’s A Soldier's Promise, and I’m sad because I am just pages away from the end, and I don’t want say goodbye to these characters! I have this tiny malaise I always encounter whenever I finish a book I really enjoy. You know, the same feeling you get on Sunday nights when you have to work or go to school the next day? Well, Cheryl did such a WONDERFUL job of pulling me in to the lives of Joel and Amber, that I almost feel as if they are family, and I’m going to miss them a lot. Which is probably why I will keep the book on my nightstand for a few days or so after I’m done, just to help with the transition. :) But at least I have Missy Tippens’ new book, Her Unlikely Family (which I’ve heard is wonderful too!), waiting in my book cabinet, so that should help cheer me up.
If you were a dessert, what would you be and why?
Peach cobbler—because although I was a bit of a “tart” before I came to Christ, He’s turned me into a real peach who sometimes is a bit fuzzy and a little too juicy. :)
What's your favorite outfit in your closet and why?
My black silk nightgown—because it means that at long last I can finally snuggle into a warm bed with my hubby while I read Cheryl and Missy’s books—or not! (wink)
You're off the hotseat! Any parting words?
Well, first I want to thank you, Camy, for allowing me this time to connect with your readers. This was a fun interview for me to do, as I hope it will be for you and them. Then I want to thank all of the people who have read A Passion Most Pure and ESPECIALLY those who have taken the time to send me amazing notes and e-mails. I can’t tell you how much that blesses me! And for those who haven’t read it yet but love passionate romance heavily laced with passion for God—I hope it blesses you as much as writing it has blessed me.
Hugs,
Julie
Camy here: Thanks for being here, Julie!
Today, I’m thrilled to interview historical romance author Julie Lessman talking about her debut novel, A Passion Most Pure.She's found the love of her life.
Unfortunately, he loves her sister.
As World War I rages across the Atlantic in 1916, a smaller war is brewing in Boston. Faith O'Connor finds herself drawn to an Irish rogue who is anything but right for her.
Collin McGuire is brash, cocky, and from the wrong side of the tracks, not to mention forbidden by her father. And then there's the small matter that he is secretly courting her younger sister.
But when Collin's affections shift, it threatens to tear her proper Boston family apart.
Book 1 of the Daughters of Boston series, A Passion Most Pure will carry your heart from the sophisticated streets of Boston to the green hills of Ireland as men go off to war and women long for their return. Full of passion, romance, rivalry, and betrayal, it will captivate you from the first page.
And now, here’s me and Julie!What's the one thing you want people to know about A Passion Most Pure?
That true romantic passion—the kind that really satisfies—can only be found when God is part of the equation. I found a really cool quote that some people attribute to Maya Angelou, which I think is the total essence of what A Passion Most Pure is all about: “A woman’s heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.” I absolutely LOVE this quote and hope and pray its message will resonate with every person who picks up my book.
I love that quote! That’s going on my quote page.
What's your favorite scene from the book?
Oh, wow, what a hard question! I mean I have TONS of favorite scenes—favorite romantic scenes that race my pulse, favorite spiritual scenes that make me cry, and favorite family scenes that remind me just how blessed I am to have God in my life. But, I know you don’t have all day (grin), so I will mention my favorite romantic scene (or one of them!).
It would have to be a scene in the kitchen between the heroine, Faith (a woman who is bent on marrying a man who loves God), and the bad-boy hero, Collin (who has a grudge against God). It’s a scene of strong romantic tension where Collin realizes he loves her but can never have her because God stands in the way. He slams a few chairs around and forces her to admit she loves him, which she does, but it doesn’t matter. She will not be unequally yoked, and the piercing knowledge of this crushes him. The scene is a riptide of swelling emotions—from humor and teasing to anger, passion and fear, finally ebbing to quiet acceptance when both realize the love they share can never be.
What book(s) are you reading right now?
Cheryl Wyatt’s A Soldier's Promise, and I’m sad because I am just pages away from the end, and I don’t want say goodbye to these characters! I have this tiny malaise I always encounter whenever I finish a book I really enjoy. You know, the same feeling you get on Sunday nights when you have to work or go to school the next day? Well, Cheryl did such a WONDERFUL job of pulling me in to the lives of Joel and Amber, that I almost feel as if they are family, and I’m going to miss them a lot. Which is probably why I will keep the book on my nightstand for a few days or so after I’m done, just to help with the transition. :) But at least I have Missy Tippens’ new book, Her Unlikely Family (which I’ve heard is wonderful too!), waiting in my book cabinet, so that should help cheer me up.
If you were a dessert, what would you be and why?
Peach cobbler—because although I was a bit of a “tart” before I came to Christ, He’s turned me into a real peach who sometimes is a bit fuzzy and a little too juicy. :)
What's your favorite outfit in your closet and why?
My black silk nightgown—because it means that at long last I can finally snuggle into a warm bed with my hubby while I read Cheryl and Missy’s books—or not! (wink)
You're off the hotseat! Any parting words?
Well, first I want to thank you, Camy, for allowing me this time to connect with your readers. This was a fun interview for me to do, as I hope it will be for you and them. Then I want to thank all of the people who have read A Passion Most Pure and ESPECIALLY those who have taken the time to send me amazing notes and e-mails. I can’t tell you how much that blesses me! And for those who haven’t read it yet but love passionate romance heavily laced with passion for God—I hope it blesses you as much as writing it has blessed me.
Hugs,
Julie
Camy here: Thanks for being here, Julie!