Julie B. Cosgrove

Today, I am pleased to welcome Christian fiction author Julie B. Cosgrove. Check out two of her awesome novels below and then find out all about Julie in our chat that follows.

Jen, a young widow floundering in the storm of mourning, whose only lifeline is her humdrum job, is tossed into a maze of deceit and intrigue by a coworker named Tom… at the request of her late husband, or so Tom says. He kidnaps her and fakes her death to keep her safe from the cartel who he thinks caused her husband’s “accident.” Together, they are thrust into a tempest of danger and deceit where no one is whom they claim to be. The list of people Jen can believe in keeps diminishing. Who can she trust while dodging the Feds, human traffickers and the press who’ve discovered she’s alive? How will Jen rescue the two held-captive girls she befriends without drowning them, Tom, and herself in the waves of betrayal, especially when she’s begun to suspect her husband may not be as dead as everyone thinks…

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Jen assumes she can escape her past after she testifies against Robert, her human trafficking mogul husband, and enters into witness protection under a new identity. That is until a baby shows up on the stoop of the library where she works, and another man from her past, Tom, appears in her living room. Now she must relocate again under yet another name and memorize a new set of legitimate lies to explain who she is.

When Robert discovers her latest identity, he has other plans for her, such as enslaving her in a Tudor manor in Southern England. The scandalous family secrets she discovers may hold the key to her and the daughter of the manor’s freedom. But first she must tunnel through a myriad of lies, including the dark sin which has held her own heart captive. If the truth is revealed, will it hinder her one chance for happiness?

FIND IT NOW ON AMAZON

Hello Julie and welcome to my blog!

Hi Fros; thank you for the invitation.

What has inspired you to write Legitimate Lies?

Legitimate Lies is a continuation of Hush in the Storm. After my editor in chief read Hush in the Storm, she encouraged me to continue the story.

What was the first thing you ever wrote and how old were you then?

It was a poem to a deer when I was about six.

What other writing have you done? Anything else published?

I have nine books published. Three novels: beside Hush in the Storm and Legitimate Lies, there is Focused, about an empty nest couple finding meaning in their lives and marriage again, I have three Bible studies. PRAYING:Bringing Power and Purpose to Your Prayers, What Can She Tell Us? about the unnamed women in the New Testament, and Between the Window and the Door about embracing the in-between times. I have a devotional entitled Song Notes based on verses in the Book of Psalms and an inspirational called Squeeze More God-time Into Your Day.

If you could have one superpower what would it be?

Several of us at the same publishing house have a T-shirt that reads: I write fiction, what is your super power?

A great superpower, indeed! Do you see yourself in any of your characters, or do any of them have traits you wish you had?

I think most authors put a little of themselves in their characters. I want my female characters to be strong in character as they maneuver through trials, yet also soft and pliable in Spirit. That is my personal goal as well.

What are you working on at the moment? Tell us a little about your current project(s).

I am doing first edits on a third novel, Freed to Forgive, which takes one of the minor characters in Hush in the Storm and relates her story over a ten year period. My editor suggested I write that. It launches October 23, 2015. I have also written two romance novellas, to be compiled with about ten other authors’ works, based on 1 Corinthians 13 “Love is”. They are in various stages of editing at this point. Last, I am querying publishers about a cozy mysteries trilogy I am beginning to write.

What genres do you read mostly, and what are you reading now?

I love faith-based cozy mysteries and suspense romance. Actually, I have several in queue in my ereader (don’t we all?) but I also read and review other author’s novels prior to their launching and I help promote them. I am also reading The Cost of Discipleship by Bonhoeffer at the suggestion of my minister.

Tell us about your website/blog. What will readers find there?

My website is a hodgepodge of my writings. I want readers to try before they buy. It also lists my most popular speaking topics and where I have spoken recently.

My blog is entitled Where Did You Find God Today. I encourage people to seek His signs and wonders each day. He is constantly seeking us, and we should seek Him.

Describe your workstation. Are there any favorite objects you have there for inspiration?

I live in a one bedroom apartment and there is a niche in the living room by the fireplace on one side, so that is where my l-shaped desk sits. It is the first time I don’t have it in my bedroom, and I am loving it. I am a cave dweller by nature and all of those miniscule electronic lights disturbed my sleep. I have a laminated picture of Jane Austen’s tiny, oval writing desk by me for inspiration and my favorite Bible passages taped to my two monitors. My great aunt’s seascape hangs above the desk. I love it’s soft, muted colors and my memories of her.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in life the hard way?

To let go and let God. Sounds trite, but it is not very easy. I have always been a control freak.

Thank you for being here with us today, Julie.

Thanks Fros, it’s been a pleasure.

Julie B. Cosgrove is a Christian freelance writer, multi-published author and professional speaker. She writes regularly for several devotional websites and publications as well as having published three Bible studies, a devotional, an inspirational self-help book and three novels. She is currently contracted for another novel and two novellas through Prism Book Group. Julie is a native Texan, widowed young, and servant to two cats.