Author Interview - Louise M. Gouge (Book Giveaway!)

I would like to welcome Author Louise M. Gouge to my blog. She has graciously provided us with an interview and we'll be talking about her latest novel, The Captain's Lady. Louise has written and published nine books since 1994. We are in a couple of writing groups and historical email writing loops together.

Louise will be giving away one copy of The Captain's Lady to one blessed winner. Please leave a comment with an email where I may reach you on this blog (not Facebook or Twitter), in case you are the winner. I will conduct a random drawing. Winners will be announced on Thursday morning when I post the next Lighthouse Trivia question.

1.      What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I love to visit museums and historical sites for research, and I’m always looking for ideas for new stories. Fun and work go hand in hand for me.

2.      What advice or tips do you have for writers who are just getting started?

Sit down and write the story of your heart. Pour yourself into it. Make it the best that you can. Then attend writers’ conferences and take beginning classes and apply the lessons you’ve learned to your story. Find a critique group with members who know what they’re doing. Let them tear your story apart and help you put it back together again. Be humble about your work. It may be inspired by the Lord, but it’s not the Word of God (that’s already been written). Enter contests in which judges give helpful suggestions. Attend more conferences and submit your work to agents and editors. Pray for God’s blessing as you seek to serve Him with your writing, then wait for His timing to bring in the fruit of your labors.

3.      Of all the characters you’ve created, which is your favorite and why?

This is like asking me which of my four children is my favorite! I love all of them, but my favorite is the one I’m with at the moment.

·         What are you currently writing? I’m writing the third book in my Revolutionary War series for Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historicals. The working title is St. Augustine Bride, but I expect that to change. My editor has an instinct for great titles, so I’ll leave the decision up to her. The first book in the series is Love Thine Enemy, and it was released in July 2009.

4.      Tell us about your latest book. I think the best way is to give you the back cover copy for The Captain’s Lady: Torn between love and duty, American Patriot James Templeton must deny his heart to help win his country's freedom. Captain Templeton's orders from General Washington are clear. His target: Lord Bennington, a member of George III's Privy Council. The assignment: find Bennington's war plans. The risks: the future of the East Florida Colony, Jamie's life...and his heart. In spite of the dangers of their hopeless situation, he's fallen in love with Lady Marianne Moberly, Lord Bennington's daughter. Desperate to protect his country, Jamie carries out his orders with a heavy heart. But Marianne's persistence is a challenge he never expected. With love and faith, they must navigate troubled waters to win their future together.

5.      What are you currently reading? I just finished M. L. Tyndall’s The Raven Saint, one of her awesome pirate stories. I’m just now digging into Linore Rose Burkard’s The Country House Courtship. By the end of page 1, I was hooked. Just wish I had more time to read it!

6.      Favorite scripture and/or quote: My life verse is Psalm 47:4: He shall choose our inheritance for us. To me, this means that God has chosen a path for every one of His children. To seek that path and follow it is to find the greatest happiness in life.

7.      What kind of planning do you do before writing a novel? After basic research, I write a rough synopsis with planned conflicts and turning points to avoid a sagging middle. But I like to follow my instincts for the details.

8.      Do you edit as you go or wait until completing the first draft? How many drafts? Oh, I’m a bit picky about editing as I go. This makes me a little slower at completing a book, but usually when I finish, I’m pretty much finished. Of course I go back and make sure the story doesn’t have any gaps and that it flows smoothly. But I’d say I write one draft, smooth it out, then leave it up to my editor point out my blind spots.

Thank you, Louise, for being with us today!

If you would like to learn more about Author Louise M. Gouge, please visit her website at www.louisemgouge.com. Don't forget to leave a comment with your email address if you would like to be entered into the drawing for The Captain's Lady.