There are a few things I need to thank my dad for today:

1. For playing baseball with me in the backyard as a kid.  I have about .0002% athletic talent, and it all came from those times playing baseball.  To this day, the only athletic thing I’m even mildly good at is hitting a baseball.  (Well, I also have a pretty good punching arm from hitting my sister, but I’ll save those thanks for her.)

2. For teaching me a love of nature.  I feel that having a love and respect for animals and nature really developed my sympathetic side.  I notice that people who really care about the world around them are usually the most amazing people, and my dad gave me a good head start in that area.

3. For teaching me a love of all people.  This is one I probably still need to work on, but thanks to my dad I always think twice about why someone acts the way they do instead of just judging them.  He taught me that every person, no matter how bad they might seem, is deserving of love.

4. For his endless smiles, jokes, and entertainment.  This helped me develop from a shy, awkward kid to someone who isn’t afraid to embarrass themselves once in a while and enjoy the silly little things in life.

5. For always being honest with me.  I feel that we are friends as much as father/daughter.  Because I can trust him, and because of the honesty we share with one another, my dad has become a confidante and friend more and more every day.

6. For supporting me, no matter what, even when I mess up.  Although he always has a lecture ready when something goes wrong, he’s also there to help me pick up the pieces and learn from what happens.  He taught me to keep going after my dreams even when they fall apart, and I never could have done that without his support.

7. For just being the most caring, loving, fun, intelligent, and goofy father he could be.  When I was a little girl I thought I should keep it a secret that I knew my dad was the best dad in the world.  I was afraid if I told people how cool he was that they would try to steal him.  Well, my plan worked, because he’s still my dad and I still feel like the luckiest person in the world that he is.

Thanks for everything, Dad, I love you!  Happy Father’s Day!

Julie Lence is clearly an author with dedication to her craft and a real love for Western historical romance novels, which both of hers are.  Luck of the Draw was Julie Lence’s first book with Asylett Press.  Her second book, Lady Luck, will be released soon.  I was privileged to have the chance to interview Julie and learn more about her writing process and where she gets her inspiration.  You can buy Julie’s first book and stay updated about the release of the second by clicking here: Asylett Press

You can also visit her personal website (which has a great Western theme — perfect for her style!): Julie Lence

Read the interview and see her book information by clicking Read More!

CulturePopped: How long have you been writing and what got you started?

Julie Lence: I started writing in the early 90’s. I always liked to write in school, but Judith McNaught’s Double Standards is what really got me going. I thought, if she and others could do it, so could I.  Boy, was I wrong. She made it look easy, but the truth is, writing is hard work. It takes dedication, perseverance and years of practice.

CP: Tell us a bit about the inspiration for Luck of the Draw.

JL: Well, I’ve always loved Western movies and horses. The first two stories I wrote were contemporary and completely worthless. After reading a bunch of western romances, I decided to write one. I knew I wanted a ranch, a barn dance, a brawl and a feisty heroine and temperamental cowboy. Other than that, I had no idea in what order events would occur and how the Hero/Heroin would meet.

CP: Is Western historical the only genre you write, or just your favorite?

JL: Western historical is my favorite and currently what I write. I have written a comtemporaty western but it needs work, so I reserve that one for the future.

CP: Which authors have inspired you?

JL: Judith McNaught, Johanna Lindsey and recently, Linda Lael Miller.

CP: What are the ingredients for a “good” book in your opinion?

JL: Characters you really love and care about, and a plot that keeps you entertained.

CP: Do you have any funny/interesting stories to share about your experiences as a writer?

JL: Funny and interesting–no. I’m really very boring. But going back to the first question, I was pretty conceited to think I could turn out a good story on my first attempt. I knew nothing about the writing and publishing business. Thank goodness for my writing group, PPRW. Through them I learned many, many useful things, including POV. Back then, I had no clue and wanted to write the story my way–another conceited way of thinking.

Luck of the Draw–Out Now from Asylett Press

Royce Weston has little use for the opposite sex,
until Paige Morgan deals him a hand he can’t refuse.

Royce Weston knows firsthand women are exceptional liars, especially the one who cheated him at the poker table and then wormed her way into his family’s good graces by claiming amnesia. Since Paige didn’t heed his advice to leave town, he reasons a bit of “friendly” persuasion is needed to send her packing from Wooded Acres. But when she matches him trick for trick and has his ranch hands jumping to please her, Royce knows he’s met his match. A simpering miss she is not. Sassy and daring; if only she’d give him a reason to trust her.

Paige knows Royce wants her gone, but she’s convinced he knows something about her past. Until he tells her, she isn’t going anywhere. Matching wits with him isn’t all that hard, especially when she discovers there’s more to him than bark and brawn. If she tames this rough and tough cowboy, she’ll enjoy a reward better than any poker ante. And any girl will tell you, it’s not how she play the cards, it’s the Luck of the Draw that counts.

Lady Luck–Coming Soon from Asylett Press

Handsome, rugged cowboy Lucas Weston is living proof of the damage a woman can cause. Determined to keep another miss from running stampede over his heart, Lucas has garnered the reputation of a man who favors flirting and wild times between the sheets. When he’s roped into taking to the trail to escort Missy Morgan back to her home in San Francisco, Lucas isn’t too pleased until he discovers she uses her poker-playing, whiskey-swilling ways to hide her own fears. What those fears might be, he doesn’t know. But he’s going to find out. Drawn to her from the start, Missy represents the opportunity for the life fate cheated him seven years ago.

Missy Morgan has lived by a rigid set of rules for so long she knows no other way. Life hasn’t always been kind. Fate has dealt her more losing hands than she cares to remember. But she has Lady Luck and her family. For them she’ll remain strong, until a handsome cowboy enters her life and challenges the way she lives. Against her will, she’s drawn to Lucas’ blue eyes and honesty. Would it be so terrible if she put her trust in him? The odds say yes, but something else says no. And what about that horrible night? It’s hung over her head for so long only a fool would gamble on Lucas’ goodness. And she’s not a fool. Or is she?

How does Valentine’s Day make you feel?  Do you love it?  Hate it?  Well here are some songs to fit your Valentine mood, no matter what it may be.  Click on your mood below to listen to the perfect Valentine’s song for you.  If you can’t find your mood, let me know and I’ll find a song for you!

Click Read More for the songs…

Are you…

Missing Someone

Mad At Your Boyfriend

Love Your Girlfriend/Wife

Stalking Someone

Completely In Love

Just Got Dumped

In A Long Distance Relationship

“Friend With Benefits”

Have Multiple Girlfriends

Feel Hopeless About Love

Hate Your Ex

Love Someone Who Is With Someone Else

Love At First Sight

Trying To Work Through A Hard Time In A Relationship

Single Girl Loving It

Extremely Obsessed With Someone

Don’t Want To Break Up

Finally Getting Over An Ex

Spending The Day In Bed Together

Trying To Be Okay With Whatever Happens

Who Cares?  You Just Want To Go Out And Have Fun!

Almost everyone I know is in a relationship.  Married, serious relationship, or at least casually dating someone.  I’m used to being glaringly single among the majority of people I interact with, especially on holidays or at events.  Valentine’s Day is obviously one of those days where I have to hunt down all the single people I know and band together for the night.  Usually I hate this because the night consists of all said single people whining about: “Why am I still alone?”  “Can you believe she has a boyfriend yet I’m still single?!”  “I’m going to be alone forever, I just know it!”  “I hate Valentine’s Day!”  So basically, instead of enjoying the fact that they have great friends who are hanging out with them and having a good time, they want to complain and feel sad and lonely.  This never makes sense to me.

I see Valentine’s Day as a time to appreciate everyone in your life who you love.  Tell your parents how much you love them, call your best friend and say thanks for all the reasons you’re best friends, call your sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, family friends – whoever – but just make it about appreciating the important people you’re surrounded with.  We are not alone, even if we’re single.  There are always people who are there to remind us that we have love in our lives.  Just because it’s not romantic love doesn’t make it less valid.  And those relationships might even last longer than Random Boyfriend/Girlfriend anyway.

Remember in grade school when you got cards for the whole class?  It didn’t matter if you had a relationship then, but you still celebrated it.  I loved picking out the Valentines I would give out each year.  Disney Princesses and Barbie were a recurring theme.  No little kid says they hate Valentine’s Day, because they don’t have all this added stress of finding someone to celebrate it with.

So I will probably spend the day like any other Saturday.  I will write, read a book, maybe watch a movie or talk to a few friends on the phone.  And I’ll be alone – no date, no boyfriend – and that’s fine with me.  Because I will be thinking about all the people who matter in my life, and how happy I am that they are out there.  And if I call you to tell you how much I love you, I haven’t lost my mind, I’m just celebrating Valentine’s Day in my own way!

And, someday, if I’m ever in a relationship on Valentine’s Day, I will enjoy that too (probably even more so if we’re being honest here).  I think it’s great that couples get to enjoy it so much; I just hope that other people can enjoy it too.  It really is a great thing to celebrate – having love in our lives, having a chance to tell people that.  Some people say that you should celebrate love every day, so Valentine’s Day shouldn’t have to exist.  But I see it more of a reminder, because people forget to do that every day.  Sometimes we need an excuse to let our emotions out, and this gives us just that.