Q&A with August 2016 Authors!!

[Penny]

I loved it. You have to like "taking care of people." It's all about hospitality, and pampering. I changed out decor with each season and holiday, and took part in a Holiday Tour of Homes, did bridal luncheons, entertained people from other countries, did little girls' dress up tea parties with a parade down Main street afterward, did an pre-prom fancy dinner (no place for the kids to go nearby) and used real china (mismatched, often) had waiters, etc. (I tried to do it up big.) and a host of other things. Oh! I'm getting nostalgic. Treat yourself and go and stay at one. You'll be glad you did. Thanks for stopping by, Jennifer.

[June]

Penny, I am excited about another Wolf Creek book. I have loved this series and your characters. Can't wait to read it! What's up next for you?

[Paula-O]

Hello Penny,late to come visit but a hectic day for me,I have read this story, you do an amazing job with the characters. While home this year I got to see "Ole Salem Creek" ,this runs near where our house stood in a rural area.
Do you already have the next book started as you finish the last one? or do you take a break between them ? I know when I am reading and finish one I don't want to start another too soon so I can savor the book I just read a little longer.

[Penny]

June wrote: "Penny, I am excited about another Wolf Creek book. I have loved this series and your characters. Can't wait to read it! What's up next for you?"

Thanks for the kind words, June. I've loved doing them, too. Wolf Creek has become a special place for me. I have a historical mystery series debuting this month. You can see more about it on my website, www.pennyrichardswrites.com I'm considering doing a few historical inspirational type books set in Arkansas during the Civil War. I see them as "bigger," and maybe not as much romance. We'll see. I also have a couple of non-fiction books I'm getting ready to try to place.

[Penny]

Paula-O wrote: "Hello Penny,late to come visit but a hectic day for me,I have read this story, you do an amazing job with the characters. While home this year I got to see "Ole Salem Creek" ,this runs near where o..."

Hi Paula. Like you, I've loved the characters that inhabit my little town. FYI, Banjo was based on a dog I actually owned with the same name. He was a sweet beast that weighed @ 120 lbs. Usually, between books I take a bit of a break, though there have been times in the past that I've had to jump right into another one. I seem to need some "down time" to put something back in the well, so to speak. If I have another book contracted for, I may start researching, but I do need a break of some sort.

[Jennifer]

Thank you Penny for telling about your B&B days! They sounded wonderful !!! Jenny

[Louise]

Hi, ladies. It's Thursday morning here in Florida, so I'm ready to take over for our LIH discussion. A bit of promo to begin: My August 2016 release is A Family for the Rancher, my first book set in Texas. I've been writing westerns set in Colorado, and that series will continue. But my editor wanted me to write this Texas story as part of a continuity with Renee Ryan and Regina Scott, so how could I say no? LOL! Anyway, my hero is Edmund McKay (picture Chris Hemsworth) and my heroine (picture Amy Adams) start off at odds, but they eventually team up. I hope you'll take a look at A Family for the Rancher at https://is.gd/JNvSDO . I'll be giving away a print copy at the end of the week to someone living in the U. S. If I get some techie help, I may be able to give away an e-book to someone living outside of the U. S. Just leave a comment to be entered in our drawing.

[Louise]

Just one more note: next week we're having an old-fashioned beach party, as in the 1890s, so be sure you check in for that.

[Paula-O]

Good morning Louise, I am sure that Edmund is taking his cue from the Bible that says to care for widows and children when he helps his neighbor. fiesty or not when a man pays attention -a woman is smart enough to listen. I come from a large family so noting your title I can see putting these two together would be ideal. did you have to do any research on your characters or area they live in?

[Louise]

Hi, Paula. Yes, I did have to do some research, but because my story was the middle one in a three book continuity, I had two other excellent authors to research with me, Renee Ryan and Regina Scott. You can look for their books in the series at amazon.com. We even designed our town. What fun that was! Also, my heroine raises quarter horses, so my research was done right here at home. My daughter and granddaughter have quarter horses and know everything I needed for my story.

[Louise]

Hi, Keli. Thanks for the intro. Lula May has five children, two of them her late husband's from his first marriage. Calvin is sixteen, Samuel is fourteen, and she loves them as much as she does her own. Jacob is ten, Pauline is eight, and Daniel is six. How did they surprise me? I suppose it was the way they all do their chores, each one having a responsibility to perform so their horse ranch will run smoothly. Pauline is only eight, but she's a little mama to her four brothers. At that age, girls in the Old West had to learn to cook and clean right alongside their mamas. Of course, Lula May's young'uns all have streaks of mischief, especially when it comes to playing matchmaker for their mama and their handsome neighbor, Mr. McKay.

[Louise]

No trouble at all, Keli. As you noted, I had four children myself, and I kept them busy. And we didn't even have a ranch! One year when I had returned to college, we were in five different schools, and I had only one car to get everyone to their right places. Of course hubby has always been helpful, but he needed his "ride" for work. Wow, it makes me tired just remembering those days. LOL! Anyway, that experience helped me to devise a story for each child, which I greatly enjoyed. And yes, I did put my own children's (and now the grands) into my characters. So much fun!

[Valri]

Louise, I'm excited to read your story! I'm reading Renee's book right now and almost finished! It's a great series!

[Louise]

Hi, Valri. I love Renee's story. Although the three books can stand alone, it was fun to weave each other's characters into our own stories. This was my first continuity, and I loved working with such talented authors.

[Melinda]

Louise,
Did Rancher Edmund McKay surprise you in any way as you created the story? What was your favorite part of working on this continuity series? I am looking forward to reading each story in this continuity. I always enjoy your books Louise.

[Louise]

Thank you so much, Melinda! I have such fun writing them, so it's great to know you enjoy them, too. Edmund did surprise me because of his backstory, but I can't tell you what that is or it will spoil the fun of reading it. Just be assured that a mistreated orphan boy all on his own in life somehow grew up into a fine, upstanding man and successful and generous rancher. I hope readers will see how God can do amazing things for us if we let Him.

[Sherida]

Hello, Louise! Yay for 12 LI books!

Since Colorado is a favorite of mine, I'll check your earlier books, too. Continuities sound intriguing...to write and read. How did the three of you plan your town?

Nice to be able to go to your daughter and granddaughter for horse research. Thanks for chatting with us today!

[Louise]

Great question, Sherida.
We planned our town based on the action that would take place there. My hero and heroine needed to have adjoining properties, and they needed to be at the opposite end of town from Regina's heroine. Renee's also required special placement. We each listed the town businesses our characters would visit. With our editor's help, we drew a map, which was a tremendous help as we wrote. More fun!

[Sherida]

Thanks! Very fun!

[Melinda]

Louise wrote: "Thank you so much, Melinda! I have such fun writing them, so it's great to know you enjoy them, too. Edmund did surprise me because of his backstory, but I can't tell you what that is or it will sp..."

Thanks for answering Louise. I cannot wait to read and find out about Edmund now.

[Britney]

Hi, Louise! What was the most challenging aspect of writing your story as part of a continuity series?

[Louise]

Hi, Britney. I think the hardest part of writing a continuity is communication. All three of us have very busy schedules, so we had to be sure we could stay in touch in a timely way. With such lovely, helpful partners as Renee and Regina, it was fairly easy.

[Britney]

Louise wrote: "Hi, Britney. I think the hardest part of writing a continuity is communication. All three of us have very busy schedules, so we had to be sure we could stay in touch in a timely way. With such love..."

I know they are all wonderful stories! Thank you for visiting with us today, Louise!

[Louise]

I love to visit with all of you. Thank you for supporting Love Inspired Historical authors.

[Melinda]

Do you have a favorite character in this story and if so why did you like the character?

[Melody]

I have been checking every day to see when this was going to start, except of course the last two. So sad I missed some of it. I have enjoyed catching up though!
Keli, glad I keep up with you on Facebook and your blog! :)

[Melody]

Louise,
I love that you used Chris Hemsworth to describe your hero! Mmmm... ;)
That puts a great image in my head! Your book sounds great! :)

[Andrea]

Danica wrote: "Andrea wrote: "This is my first Q&A on Goodreads. I don't know how to direct message anyone. I'm also having some computer issues. I follow Keli on Facebook, and have read a couple of her books. Da..."

Thank you Danica!

[Andrea]

Dorothy wrote: "Welcome, Andrea! This is a wonderful group of very savvy readers who love LIH books. We authors have a great time chatting with them. The gleaning of information is a two-way street. : )"

Thank you, Dorothy! I love LIH books. I can choose one on my kindle and read it in the evening. They usually give me something nice to dream about.

[Louise]

Melody wrote: "Louise,
I love that you used Chris Hemsworth to describe your hero! Mmmm... ;)
That puts a great image in my head! Your book sounds great! :)"

Yes, that handsome Aussie would make a good American cowboy.

[Louise]

Melinda wrote: "Do you have a favorite character in this story and if so why did you like the character?"
Melinda, I always love my characters, but I especially love Lula May because she's had such a hard life, yet maintains such a positive attitude for the sake of her children. She sets a good example for me!

[Louise]

Andrea wrote: "Dorothy wrote: "Welcome, Andrea! This is a wonderful group of very savvy readers who love LIH books. We authors have a great time chatting with them. The gleaning of information is a two-way street..."

Andrea, thanks for being a faithful LIH reader.

[Ausjenny]

Sorry I have missed most of this week. all the books sound good as usual and the covers are great. with computer playing up and other issues the weeks gotten away from me (why I ever upgraded to windows 10 beats me but I cant get rid of it and some of the sites take awhile to load etc).

[Jessica]

Good morning everyone!!! I think I'm on for today's Q&A! I'm heading to work but I'll be checking in throughout the day and can hopefully respond via my phone. Otherwise, tonight I'll be joining everyone. :-)

[Janis Kay]

Penny wrote: "Dorothy wrote: "Hi Penny! I'm wondering where Wolf Creek is located? And what year does your story take place? Obviously, the cover does not depict Will's cabin. Is it Blythe's home?"

I guess it w..."

Hi Penny! I'm sorry I didn't visit yesterday. I loved reading your book and am dying to see what comes next! I was really curious about the cover so I'm glad Dorothy asked:)

[Paula-O]

Good morning Jessica, which book are we perusing? is it a Hasty Betrothal? I am anxious to read this one.

[Janis Kay]

Louise wrote: "No trouble at all, Keli. As you noted, I had four children myself, and I kept them busy. And we didn't even have a ranch! One year when I had returned to college, we were in five different schools,..."

That's amazing! I can only hope I can do similar with my future kids. That won't be for a while though lol. I was waiting for all three books to come so I could just binge them, so I'll start soon! :)

[Louise]

Janis Kay wrote: "Louise wrote: "No trouble at all, Keli. As you noted, I had four children myself, and I kept them busy. And we didn't even have a ranch! One year when I had returned to college, we were in five dif..."

Thanks, Janice Kay. I know you'll enjoy tracking the various characters through the three books.

[Janet]

Louise, your story sounds wonderful. I love spunky heroines! Fun to see how you, Renee and Regina managed the details of writing a continuity. I'm even more impressed that you wrote a story with five children! I suspect your own large family helped you to get it right.

Janet

[Janis Kay]

Hello ladies, I'm sad I missed so much of this chat, but I really enjoyed catching up and hope to read these books soon! Keli, I've never heard of a draftsman/woman, so I'll be passing extra attention to this book ;)

Jessica, hello! I'm so happy to see a regency story amidst the westerns :) I really enjoyed your last book The Matchmaker's Match and am eager to devour this one! What can you tell us about your characters?

[Melinda]

Jessica,
A heroine that I can understand. Lady Elizabeth Wayland prefers books like me. How did you come up with the story line?

[Dorothy]

Hi Jessica. I like the cover of A Hasty Betrothal. Does it reflect your heroine's personality? She looks flirty and fun.

[Sherida]

What a stunning library on the cover of your book, Jessica! How much input did you have for the cover design? Lady Elizabeth's eyes do sparkle...hinting at her personality?

[Jessica]

Good morning, Paula. :-) Yes, A Hasty Betrothal releases this month.

[Jessica]

Hi Janis...what would you like to know? ;-) One thing I enjoy is giving my characters strong passions for different things.

[Paula-O]

Thanks Jessica, I like reading about marriages that began in unusual ways...Did you have some research to do with these characters? They both will be fun to get to know...

[Jessica]

Dorothy...Lady Elizabeth is not by nature flirty, but she does decide to try out a bit of flirtation on the unsuspecting Mr. Hawthorne. ;-)

[Danica]

Good morning everyone! I see today's author has already stopped by and you've given Jessica Nelson a warm welcome! I forgot she's on the east coast, and I'm on mountain time, so I didn't get up soon enough to sneak in before here. :)

Here's a little about her book, A Hasty Betrothal
A Practical Proposal

Though Lady Elizabeth Wayland would rather spend her days with her beloved books than an uncaring spouse, scandal forces her to find a match posthaste. To escape the scoundrel who almost ruined her, Elizabeth accepts an unconventional proposal from a childhood friend. But when she finds herself falling for her husband-to-be, will she be able to convince him to return her love?

Widowed cotton mill owner Miles Hawthorne vowed to never marry again—until Elizabeth's reputation is on the line. Their betrothal begins as a simple favor. As he spends more time with his fiancée, though, Miles finds that there's more to her than he ever saw before. And Elizabeth just might be the only woman who can slip into his heart.

About Jessica:
Jessica Nelson believes romance happens every day, and thinks the greatest, most intense romance comes from a God who woos people to himself with passionate tenderness. When Jessica is not chasing her three beautiful, wild little boys around the living room, she can be found staring into space as she plots her next story. Or she might be daydreaming about a raspberry mocha from Starbucks. Or thinking about what kind of chocolate she should have for dinner that night. She could be thinking of any number of things, really. One thing is for certain—she is blessed with a wonderful family and a lovely life.

[Danica]

Sherida, I wouldn't mind the library on Jessica's book cover either! It's so cool!!

[Danica]

Ausjenny wrote: "Sorry I have missed most of this week. all the books sound good as usual and the covers are great. with computer playing up and other issues the weeks gotten away from me (why I ever upgraded to wi..."

Jenny, a lot of the computer issues I've had are a result of the Windows 10 upgrade. :( Can't figure out why Outlook is misbehaving, but I found out yesterday that if you disable Cortana, you'll get some of your speed back. :)