Julie Coulter Bellon's Blog, page 24

Freebie Friday for YA Romantic Fantasy Fans!

Calling all YA Romantic Fantasy fans---I've been hearing a lot about the Fate of Eyrinthia series, lately, and the first book, Royal Decoy is free today! If you're looking for a book to read this weekend and love YA fantasy, you need to pick this one up!
Get your free copy HERE 
Here's the back copy:
Clare made a mistake when she saved the princess’s life . . .

In one horrible night, Clare is forced to give up her life as a kitchen maid to become the princess’s decoy. Thrust into a dangerous new world of royals and deadly politics, she must learn how to be the princess’s perfect double to ensure her betrothal to an enemy prince. Desperate to survive, Clare throws herself into self-defense training, taught by her distractingly attractive bodyguard, Bennick. The spark between them is undeniable, though a relationship is forbidden. When a ruthless assassin begins stalking her, it becomes frighteningly clear that some will stop at nothing to end the tenuous peace—and Clare’s life.

Across the northern mountains, Prince Grayson is his father’s ultimate weapon. His name inspires fear in all who hear it, but no one knows his heavily guarded secret. He carries out every brutal order only because his father holds power over the one person he cares about. Grayson’s silent obedience is tested, however, when his father reveals plans to exploit the marriage alliance between two of their greatest enemies. If Grayson submits, the blood of thousands will spill. If he resists, the girl who means everything to him will die.

The fate of Eyrinthia hangs in the balance. Some want peace. Some want war. All will be thrown into chaos.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I hope you are wearing green today and don't get pinched! The leprechaun was too sneaky at our house, so we didn't catch him, but he did leave behind some chocolate gold coins. Such a nice leprechaun!

May you have all the luck of the Irish today!

They're Finally Here!

My author copies of A Métis Christmas: Thelma's Gift are finally here! I got one hardcover and one softcover and they are SO beautiful! 
I've been thinking and dreaming about this book for so long, it's surreal to finally hold it in my hand. The entire project was such a labor of love. I sent the illustrator pictures of family members that he could use for inspiration and I see them in the book. I hear my grandma's voice whenever I read "my girl." I smell the bannock and hear the fiddle music when I look at the pictures. I love that I can not only share a beautiful culture with the world, but also my family and part of my heart.
Here's the back copy:
Thelma, a young Metis girl, can hardly wait for Christmas, and it is the night before the big day. Her family is celebrating with lots of food, including Thelma’s favorite jam with bannock, and her father will dress in his traditional clothing to tell them the ancestor stories---but all Thelma wants to do is her best, most fancy, jigging dance. Stopping for a moment so her grandmother can read the story of the Christ child’s birth, Thelma wonders what she could have given the baby had she been there that special night---and then her heart tells her what gift she can give right now!
You can get your copy here

Book Chat Book Club is TONIGHT!

It's so exciting to be doing a book club again. I have really missed being able to talk books with people! 
Our online book club meeting with Tiffany Odekirk is TONIGHT at 7:00 p.m.! I'm so excited to chat with her about her new historical romance, Summerhaven. I really loved that book. There were so many layers and a totally swoony romance. Have you read it yet?
I'd love to have you join us tonight. If you'd like to be part of the book club, you can join HERE

Book Review With Lauren: Even the Dog Knows

     Even The Dog Knows by Jason Wright is an incredibly breathtaking read that brings you on a journey of a family that is finding their way back together. From the very first chapter, you are invested in the lives of the characters and they truly come to life on every page. 
    The story begins with the introduction of a couple, Meg and Gary, and how they originally met. Cute, right? The next chapter fast forwards several years to Meg leaving and telling Gary that their love is no more. Meg moves several states away, but her new adventure isn’t everything she hopes it would be, and she wants to see the family dog one more time. The chapters rotate point of view but all weave together in a beautiful way to create a story about discovering and re-discovering love. 
    I could not put it down! It also made me want to get a dog and take a road trip. I usually don’t read fiction for the blog, but I am so glad I picked this one up. I think I have found my new favorite author, I can’t wait to read more from him!
Get your copy here
Here's the back copy:
A family's old, beloved dog takes a final road trip to help his people find forgiveness and healing.

Meg Gorton finds herself alone and lonely in Florida. Three years earlier, she packed what she could fit into her sister's car, told her husband, Gary, where he could find her, and asked him to take care of Moses, their beloved black Labrador. For years, she'd tried to talk Gary into moving away from their home in Woodstock, Virginia. They both needed a fresh start after a painful loss and when their grandson Troy graduates from high school, Meg knows it's time. But Meg also knows that if she wants a new beginning, she'll have to do it alone. Now, with some looming health issues, Meg has a plan to finally bring Gary to Gulf Breeze.

Gary wasn't able to move on the same way Meg did. Haunted by the family's tragedy, and painfully aware of his guilt because he feels so responsible, he's stuck with nothing but a gig as owner and driver of the bus for his local minor league baseball team. And, of course, he still thinks about the day his wife drove away. At least he still has Moses, who is always willing to listen when Gary talks about his regrets and all the things he should have done differently.

Everything changes when Meg writes Gary a letter with a surprise request. She wants him to bring Moses to Florida so she can see Moses one last time. Gary is reluctant to go, but Troy loves the idea and suggests they could even travel together on Gary's bus. Along the way, Gary takes a detour to visit Troy's ex-girlfriend, Grace—the one who got away. Gary might not know how to fix things with his wife, but he knows he doesn't want Troy to make the same mistakes he did.

Although Moses is just a dog, he's very observant. He knows things—like that Gary hasn't been the same since Meg left, Troy is hiding something, and Grace's fingers smell like bacon. It doesn't take long for Moses to learn they are going on a road trip to see Meg. He misses her and senses Gary's loneliness. He also knows he's an old dog and that his time is near, but there are still important things only he can do.

Even the Dog Knows is a novel that will take readers on a thousand-mile journey to meet strangers and find forgiveness, understanding, healing, and the meaning of true and lasting love.

About the Author


Jason Wright is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author, creator, and speaker. His work has appeared in more than a hundred newspapers, magazines, and websites across the United States, including the Washington Times, the Chicago Tribune, Forbes, CNN.com, and FoxNews.com. Jason and his wife, Kodi, live in Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley.

My Big Announcement!

I have a big announcement and I am so excited to share it with you!

I love talking about books that I'm reading and being able to recommend books that I've enjoyed. It's one of my very favorite things! I can seriously chat about books with nearly anyone. 
Today I can tell you that I am a new columnist for Meridian Magazine and my first Book Chat with Julie is live! Yay! You can read my first column HERE and I hope you'll leave a comment!

AND . . .
I also have a new podcast, Book Chat with Julie, and you can hear it HERE: 

AND
You can join my Book Chat Book Club here where we talk about books, get book deals, and have authors as special guests. You can join HERE  
I love today and all the new things coming my way. Woohoo! I hope you'll come join me for a cozy book chat!

It's Christmas in March! My children's book about a youn...

It's Christmas in March! My children's book about a young Métis girl named Thelma, is finally out! Woohoo! I'm so proud of A Métis Christmas: Thelma's Gift. My illustrator, Mikey Brooks, did a fantastic job capturing the Métis spirit and I love that we can have a part in helping people learn a little bit about Métis culture. I can't wait for you all to read it! 
Here's the back copy:
Thelma, a young Metis girl, can hardly wait for Christmas, and it is the night before the big day. Her family is celebrating with lots of food, including Thelma's favorite jam with bannock, and her father will dress in his traditional clothing to tell them the ancestor stories---but all Thelma wants to do is her best, most fancy, jigging dance. Stopping for a moment so her grandmother can read the story of the Christ child's birth, Thelma wonders what she could have given the baby had she been there that special night---and then her heart tells her what gift she can give right now!
You can get your copy HERE 

In the Non-Fiction Corner: The Scrumptious Cookbook

In the Non-Fiction Corner with Lauren


Scrumptious by Christy Denney is the perfect cookbook! When I first started looking through it, there were so many recipes that looked incredible and I had a hard time picking just one. I am just a beginning chef, but I felt like there were many recipes that were manageable for someone like me. Many of them looked fast and easy, which is exactly what I look for in a recipe. I love that the cookbook is also pleasing to the eye, with a large enough font and pictures in color.

The recipe I made this week was a Sheet Pan Steak and Parmesan Potatoes. The recipe was super easy to follow and I was excited to try it! At first I was skeptical because the steak, potatoes, and asparagus were all covered in garlic and parmesan, but they all tasted great. For me, the cook time and prep time were a bit off (the steak and potatoes needed MUCH longer than the recommended 6 minutes to cook) but I was happy with the result and would make it again. It made plenty of food so it’s good for a family of 4 or for leftovers! I have a list of other recipes from this book to try and I can’t wait!
  



Here's the back copy:
If you can’t be left alone with warm cinnamon rolls or a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies, or if you enjoy creating photos of your culinary creations almost as much as eating them, Christy Denney, the blogger known as “The Girl Who Ate Everything”, has the perfect cookbook for you.

Scrumptious from the Girl Who Ate Everything combines Christy’s expert professional experience as a recipe writer for both Betty Crocker and General Mills with her life experience as a mother of five and one of ten siblings. Christy knows food often is the centerpiece of family life and can be a major undertaking, requiring creativity, planning, practice, and purpose.

Christy showcases 101 of her favorite recipes, each beautifully photographed using natural light from a window in her home, and includes detailed instructions for prep time along with helpful tips.

From unforgettable Sunday brunches with Banana Muffins, to easy weeknight one-pan dinners like One-Pan Chicken Enchilada Skillet, to low-carb meals like Egg Roll in a Bowl, to rolling out the works for a game-day crowd, including her NFL-husband’s favorites like Jalapeno Popper Bread and Garlic Parmesan Wings, this is the family-friendly cookbook for anyone looking to plan quick-and-easy meals and wants a way to bring people together, feasting on food which can only be described as scrumptious.

A New Authors Off the Page is Live!

You are definitely not going to want to miss the new episode of Authors Off the Page! 
We are starting off our third season with a bang--both Becky and Jennifer give sneak peeks into their soon-to-be-released books and they are SO good! Listen wherever you get your podcasts!
Or you can listen right here!

Freebie Friday for Romance Fans!

Need another romance collection to get you through the weekend? The Love Letter Collection is free today!
Get your free copy here
Here's the back copy:
MAGGIE'S SONG by Karey WhiteMaggie Jensen is part of a trio of best friends with Lucas and Dan. Together, they own and run Wild Country Hiking Tours. When Lucas returns to the company after getting his college degree, Maggie realizes that the crush she had on him as a teenager has now blossomed into so much more. But Lucas still treats her as one of the guys, and Maggie worries that if she tells him her real feelings, their relationship will be damaged forever.

JUST FLY by Krista Lynne Jensen
When Wren is faced with the devastating news of her grandfather's death, her mom finds a mysterious letter from a woman named Dot in Seattle. Wren visits the woman herself to deliver the news in person. Wren learns of the bucket list Dot and Gramps had put together with the help of Dot's grandson, Seth. Dot challenges Wren to take her grandfather's place in completing the list. Before the week of adventure is over, Seth has impressed Wren in more ways than one. But is that enough to overcome Wren's fear of losing those she loves?

HOW TO REWRITE A LOVE LETTER by Diane Darcy
High school teacher Julie Ashburn believes she’ll never live the “event” down in which she wrote her true feelings in a love letter to Principal Dane Parker, and he laughed out loud, mocking her. Now that her honors English students want to write love letters for the school fundraiser, Dane turns down the idea flat. Julie tries to convince him that it was her students’ idea and not any sort of payback. But when a student writes a fake love letter from the principal to Julie, everything gets even more mixed up, and both Julie and Dane are caught up in a series of misunderstandings that might be impossible to sort out.

A THOUSAND WORDS by Sarah M. Eden
Shannon Ryan has been waiting half a year to be reunited with her fiance, Patrick, with only the letters between them keeping their relationship alive. He finally sends for her after securing a good job with the Sidney newspaper, and she can’t wait to be reunited with him, swept up in his arms and thoroughly kissed. And of course, married as soon as possible. But when she arrives at the train station, there is no Patrick waiting for her. Shannon must discover if the man she loves still has feelings for her.

BETWEEN THE LINES by Annette Lyon
Jane Martin is intelligent but extremely shy, especially around men. When the Aid and Cultural Society proposes a letter-writing program, Jane signs up, hoping she can find true friendship. The program doesn’t run as smoothly as expected, and unknown to Jane, one of the men in her city becomes her writing friend. Thomas Allred has always known Jane, but reading her letters written to his secret persona, opens his eyes to what an amazing woman she is. The only trouble is, Jane doesn’t know that the man who she is falling in love with through letters is also Thomas, the man who is falling in love with her in person.

BLACKBERRY HOLLOW by Heather B. Moore
Lucy Quinn travels to England to inspect her inherited estate before she puts it on the market. She spends time learning about her ancestors. What she doesn’t expect is Calvin Bevans, the man living next door. The two families have been divided by a misunderstanding decades old, and when Lucy discovers a set of love letters, she learns the truth. As Calvin helps her unravel the hidden secrets between the two families, Lucy finds that she has more reasons to stay in England than to return to New York.