*Warning: This book has many extreme triggers including but not limited to, sexual assault, child abuse, violence, and various types of trauma.

Why She Lied

Publication Date: March 3rd, 2019

Genre: True Crime/ Memoir

BOOK BLURB

Will she have to lose her child to save her child?The day she tells her boyfriend she’s pregnant, is the same day he tells her he’s been accused of molestation. His trial is set to begin the following day.

She needs answers…

To get them, she tricks her boyfriend into signing a release form, giving her full access to all of his legal documents. She uncovers the truth, he’s guilty.

To save her unborn child from this monster, she gets an abortion.

FIVE YEARS LATER and still rebuilding her life, Julie finds out her ex-boyfriend has just become the most wanted man in America, involved in human trafficking. When detectives ask for her help locating him, she gets drawn into a baffling mystery. What began as a seemingly simple search soon turns into a much darker reality.

Someone from her past is watching…

Bit by bit, the tapestry of her own secret childhood begins to unravel. What she learns about her past will haunt her forever: family isn’t always what it seems.

Can she help bring this predator to justice, or will she die trying?

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Kim’s Review 5 Stars, For The Unexpected

Thank you to R and R Book Reviews for sending me a review copy, and for piquing my interest. You know, I never read all the blurb before I signed up, the alert popped up on my phone while I had one eye on the dinner cooking, and the other on my son in the garden.  I read half, looked at the genre and said ‘yes ma’am  I’ll read that!’ to the book review company. When I opened the book I expected this to be a true crime written in a different way, the author has written this more like a memoir and an account of what happened.  I even thought maybe she’d use the true aspects and spin a fictional kinda thriller. Yes, I was surprised and also really pulled in when I realised ‘this s*it’s REAL and it’s exactly what happened!”

My five stars for this author’s work in not based on the usual ‘character development, craft in writing or even her skill as a writer or storytelling ‘  My five stars is based on the bravery of the author for putting her story out there, and of course in a well written way and a very real way, nothing is sugar coated and it’s very graphic. I really enjoyed reading it I read it quickly. This is one woman’s story, who was targeted, got caught up with a man who was very dangerous and she survived it with unexpected intuition and a great sense of bravery. I would say, if this author wrote a fictional piece of work in this genre I love to read and write myself, I would for sure spend money to read it.

I have interviewed so many writers and enjoyed every single one, I really enjoy being on the other side, but this interview I was so excited when she agreed to give her time up to answer some questions on her work.

Let’s get to know her….

Hello nice to meet you! Tell us a bit about you where are you from and other than writing what else do you enjoy?

I was born and raised in a small town in Oregon. I’m the fourth generation to live here.  I enjoy knitting, crocheting, and spoiling my granddaughter, Eva.

Please let readers know a bit more about James’ personality, in your book he came across as mainly just a ‘charmer’, there must have been more to him?

Unfortunately, he had a dark side. He could get extremely angry and he especially didn’t like being told no.  Especially the night I got pregnant, unfortunately.  In the end I was terrified of him.  I didn’t want to admit it, but I was being abused by him.  Even though we’d only dated a short time, he was sneaky and stealthy in his attempt to control me.  It was an experience I hope to never have again.  He hid it well and I know my intuition was desperately trying to save me.  Always listen to your intuition.  I call it my “gut.”  It’s saved me more times than I can remember.

Kim>  When I read the part about the night he would not take no for an answer is when I actually welled up a bit with tears. I was so angry.As  I read your work I really bonded with it, especially when you were talking about the intuition part. Me too, I am very much like this and have learned the value of it.

Did you purposely not disclose the exact years of events for confidentiality to yourself and others? The only hints we have are that mobile phones were not invented. Also, if you feel comfortable please confirm the years the story spans over.

Oh wow, good question.  I’d have to say no, I didn’t disclose the exact years of events for any reason other than I just didn’t think about it.  I thought it was a cool hint to include that mobile phones weren’t invented yet.  I can’t imagine life without my cell phone.  Anyway, I always remember dates based on the age of my daughter at the time.  She was four when I met him, so it was in 1990.  My daughter was born in 1986.  Our relationship only lasted about three months.  Then, five years later in 1995 is when he became a top ten most wanted fugitive.  I was watching television one night when the alert came across the TV.  I can’t even explain what that felt like.  His real name isn’t James by the way.  I changed his name.  It’s hard to imagine how such a short courtship managed to put me through so much.

Kim> Bingo! You know I did my maths and I guessed it was around the early 90’s or so just by that one hint of the mobile phones, but I was reading closely…I only asked so that it is clear for anyone who goes on to read  your work. It’s no biggie that the exact years are not there, if a reader is really into what you have to say, trust me they’ll work it out just like I did, or try to at least. I even tried to work out your age from the event that happened in 1975, yeah, I’m nosy like that.

Your mother really interested me as I read, why do you feel she wanted to be seen as ‘high society’ all the time, what fuelled this? 

This is an excellent question, and one I could write a book about. Just joking, I did write a book about her. It was my first book and I named it, “This Does Not Leave This House.”  The title is a quote from my father.  We heard it often, my brother and myself.  Mom was mentally ill, but I didn’t know until I was much older.  As a child she used to dress in the finest designer clothing, wore expensive jewellery from the most expensive jewellery store in town, even the car she drove had to be luxury.  She loved to throw fancy parties to impress the upper crest of our town.  My father worked very hard as a manager of a men’s clothing store to provide for all her desires.  I don’t know how he did it, but I suspect he had some connections with the mafia.  He used to go on a lot of buying trips for the store and he usually came back with a terrifying story about what happens when you cross the mafia.  All that mattered to my mother was how people saw her and how her children looked and behaved in public.  However, behind closed doors it was a very different story.  She used to tell me she wished I’d died at birth and that my father never wanted me.  If we weren’t constantly telling her how much we loved her and lavishing her with gifts, she would threaten to kill herself.  Often, before I left for school that day, she would pull me aside and whisper in my ear how I was going to find her dead when I returned home.  I used to beg her not to leave me, but when I was a teen, sometimes I just gave up.  Then I started thinking maybe I should kill myself to show her someone had the guts to do it.  It’s twisted thinking I know, but it was my normal.

Kim> Yep, I recall reading that about her and her threats as well. In all honesty, as I read and noticed her love for ‘fine things’ and ‘extravagance’ I wondered if she was Bipolar? I gravitated to this as myself I am finishing off a  thriller ( current one),  with a very seriously mentally ill lady and had to research different mental illnesses, this characteristic of ‘up and down’ and extravagance from what I understand is a Bipolar trait. I would be very interested in seeing the story you wrote about your Mum, as I read it felt like there was so much more to her…then there was! I won’t spoil it for the readers who wish to read your work.

What made you feel James was dead?

Easy, I have certain abilities you might say, and I could just feel he wasn’t on this earth anymore.

Kim> Say no more, I know exactly what you are referring to. Thanks for confirming what I was thinking!

Your relationship with religion and spirituality these days, has it changed, or do you still maintain Catholic views?

Today, I refer to myself as a “recovering Catholic.”  I have a strong faith in God, but I was abused in Catholic school for six years.  No love lost there, and I hated what they did to me, but I’m still very spiritual.

Kim> Good to hear you’ve not lost faith, in whatever form God resonates to you.

In 1975 aged 15 you had a very clear out of body experience, and then you encountered the red -haired nurse, who we know dd not work at the hospital. I found this so touching, would you mind telling us about any other out of body or even spiritual experiences you’ve had?

Oh wow, lots and lots.  I had a dream about my grandma after I was raped in college.  I was a mess and feeling a bit suicidal myself.  I was in a very bad state of mind.  I had just told my parents about the rape. With encouragement from my brother we went together to tell our parents.  All mom said was, you’re lying, that never happened.”  I was going through so much when one night my grandma appeared in my dream.  I know it was a visit because of how my father reacted when I told him about my dream.  When I shared my dream with my father, he turned a bit white when I described what she was wearing.  She was buried in the blue suit she wore when she married her second husband.  I had just described it perfectly down to the cameo brooch and black patent leather shoes.  Another time, I had a dream about my father-in-law running through a field of flower blooms that were bigger than his head, some were even taller than he was.  In my dream I was looking down at him watching him frolic happily through the meadow.  I’ve never seen him this giddy before.  He was even giggling.  After a while I said, “Joe, what are you doing down there.”  He replied, “isn’t this the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen?”  What really amazed me were the colours.  The flowers were incredibly colourful and the hill he was running toward was the greenest green I’d ever seen.  It was beautiful and the colours were incredibly vivid.  In the middle of my dream my husband woke me to say he’d just gotten a call to let us know his father had passed away.  I had the near-death out-of-body experience at the age of 15 from a kidney infection.  I floated up to the corner of the room and hovered there.  I felt like I was sitting on a cloud bouncing up and down.  It was awesome, I didn’t want to leave, and I certainly didn’t want to go back inside my body.  I was completely out of pain and I felt a serenity like I’d never experienced before.  I felt someone put two rather large hands on my back and push me back into my body.  It felt like I was hitting a brick wall at around 100 mph. It was excruciatingly painful as well.  What’s remarkable is the fact that when I left my body, so did my illness.  I was facing needing a kidney transplant someday and my kidneys were completely healed.  A year later, exactly to the day, I saw my first spirit.  He was a civil war soldier standing in my living room looking straight into my eyes.  He was very handsome, and I could see he was very proud to be a soldier.  I was frozen in place, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, yet I knew it was a spirit.  Life has never been the same since.

Kim>Wow, this stuff fascinates me I’m serious. A few years ago I read a book called ‘ The Other Side’ about people who experienced exchanges with the spirit world, and out of body experiences. I deeply believe in all of this and that we do have such things as Spirit Guides, I could talk about it forever! Thanks for sharing.

Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre? If you could what genre would you like to dabble in?

I’m going to write a sequel to Why She Lied.  This one is going to be about religious reform schools, and it will tell more about Detective Joe and myself working in Washington, D.C.  I’m going to write a series in this genre.  My favourite genre is paranormal and I’m writing in this genre now.

Kim> Noooo! Really I would really love to read them when they are released. Detective Joe seems like a cool guy too. I also enjoy paranormal, but I guess that is no surprise either based on the above.

What has been your most proud moment as an author?

Just this last Sunday I received a message.  It was from Readers’ Favourite International Book Awards contest.  I was informed that I won the bronze medal in the psychological thriller category for my book.  I’m still on cloud nine and very much in shock.  It blew me away and I couldn’t be prouder.

Kim> Whoop whoop! Go you, I don’t know about you when it comes to awards but just the nomination messes me up with excitement I’m happy to just be thought of, let alone win it. Good for you, this is a clear sign to keep writing in this genre. Well done. Hey… you better add ‘award winning author’ to your bio now… hurry up, have you done it? Good.

Every writer has a word(s) that they always slip up on when they write, then slap their forehead when they notice their typo. For me it’s further and farther exit or exists-  but hey I’m over it now.  Do you have a word (s) that make you go blah! Go away not another damn typo.

I love your personality!  I would have to say my biggest word I struggle with is the word “than” or is it, “then?”  Forget it, I’m finding another word.  I love to turn to google, it helps me a lot.

Kim> Haha, yeah! ‘Than and then’. I can see why you’d pick this word. Oh wait here’s another one peak, piqued, or peek. I realised my errors of use with these words a couple years back, it was a pain in my ass! But now, after searching through 90,000 words to find my typos I will never miss use this word…or allow anyone else to!

What three tips would you give any aspiring writer?

1. Write for yourself, by that I mean write what you enjoy reading.    Hire a professional book cover artist and a good editor.  3.  Don’t sweat the reviews as much as I do.  I swear I’ve considered re-writing my books over bad reviews more times than (there’s that word again) I would admit.  Reviews are subjective and not everyone is going to love your book just like not everyone is going to like you.  Take the constructive criticism to make yourself a better writer and move on.

Kim> Don’t and I mean DON’T REWRITE, for what, for who? Don’t do it for them not people who want to leave reviews that are not that positive. Lady… you’re an award winner for the same thing they read! There are people who do like what you wrote,  I did too and your award shows it and that you must keep writing as you have been.

What are you working on now? What will you release next?

My next book is called Haunted.  It’s a long way from being finished but I try to work on it every day.  It’s about my abilities and what it’s like to live in a haunted house and is filled with my own personal experiences with the spirit world.

So… where can we get your books?

My books are exclusively sold on Amazon in the United States.

Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

I read every single review.  I don’t cry anymore over the bad ones but I’m sure I still get sad when someone doesn’t like my book.  I had a bad review for my first book which was about my abusive childhood and it was titled, “poor you.”  I thought that was a bit much!  I think we live in a time where people can say the cruellest things behind the anonymity of the internet.  It’s hard to take some of the bad reviews but I try to find something positive in all of them.  If someone writes a comment that can help me improve then I appreciate them for it, even if it was negative.  I’ve received some of the best reviews as well.  I’ve had people say it’s the best book they’ve ever read and just rave about how brave I was to write it.  Want to hear a little secret?  It was never my idea to write a book.  I went to see a medium because I needed help with my abilities.  She is the one who told me I needed to write.  She told me I had some incredible stories to share and when she told me I could really help others, that’s when I decided to seriously think about writing.  I found out by accident I love to write.  I still get terrified to read a new review, but I won’t let it stop me.  I will just try to improve with each and every book.

Kim> *pulls Julie in close* I’ll say it again, you’re an award winner. Save the tears

Awww girl, forget them reviews okay! Be positive keep going.

What was your hardest scene to write?

Hands down, the part about my abortion.

How long on average does it take you to write a book? My first book took me two years, my second took a little over a year.

I think my third won’t even take a year.  I think I’m getting faster with each book.

Kim> You should participate in NANWMO ( National Novel Writing Month) Google it, starts November the next one.

What would you like readers to know?

I genuinely care. I write my books to lead a movement toward positive change.  I sincerely want to help others end the cycle of abuse in their own families.  I want to shine a light on human trafficking and put an end to it once and for all.  I hope I gave it a big enough voice so it can finally come to an end.  This is so disturbing, and most people are shocked when they learn how close it really is to home.  My son-in-law works in law enforcement and he deals with this every single day.  People don’t realize what an epidemic it truly is.

What’s your favourite movie?

Pretty Woman

What’s your favourite book and why?

That’s a tough one. I used to read a lot as a child because it helped me to escape my life.  Then I grew up, stopped reading and recently started up again.  I don’t really have a favourite book.  I love everything paranormal, so I read a lot of Stephen King.  I loved Nancy Drew when I was a child.

What music do you like?

Rock and Roll

Kim> aww there’s a surprise.

Where would you like to travel to and why?

England of course!  I’ve never been out of the US.

Kim> Haha! Okay, to my ‘Home Town’.

If you could do it all again would you change anything?

My first thought was yes, I’d give myself a loving mother. However, without her I wouldn’t have written a book or had the ability to share my story and possibly help others.  I believe if what I went through could help another person with a similar circumstance, it makes all the hell I went through worth it.

Pick one a one time “Bestselling author” or an author with longevity what would you rather?

Longevity.

Kim>Amen to that.

Thank you, Kim for allowing me the chance to fill out this very thought- provoking interview.  The questions were wonderful, and I could tell you really spent a lot of time applying them toward my book.  For that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I sincerely appreciate you!  Your friend from across the pond,

Julie

 Kim<You’re welcome Julie…

Connect with Julie here

JULIE COONS lives in a small town in Oregon. THIS DOES NOT LEAVE THIS HOUSE was her debut memoir. Amy’s bookshelf reviews awarded it the #1 position for top 10 books of 2018. Her second book WHY SHE LIED is based on a true story. Her books are written to lead a movement toward positive change. She tells the stories of her life with honesty and strength.

Julie Coons: https://juliecoons.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliecoonsauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JulieCoons1