Loree Lough-author interview & BOOK GIVEAWAY

Loree, thanks for taking the time to visit us today! I appreciate you answering these few questions. It will be fun to get to know you better.
Thanks so much for inviting me, Wanda! It’s truly a pleasure to be here.

Tell us a little about yourself.
Well, I share a humble little house in the Baltimore suburbs with my real-life hero, Larry. We have 7 grandkids and love to whisk them off to our teeny tiny cabin in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania. Once upon a time, I literally sang for my supper, but these days, I pick up the ol’ Yamaha guitar mostly to entertain my grandkids.
I’m 5’1” tall and weigh…
Oh. You mean my WRITING self, don’t you! hehehe.
I’ve been writing since the early 80s, but didn’t get published until 1988, when my first articles appeared in Richmond newspapers. My husband’s job transfer brought us back to Baltimore, where I continued writing for local, regional, and national publications…until a disturbing trend began to erode my enjoyment of the work: Editors, forced by their bosses to change facts to appease advertisers. I figured if I was gonna write fiction, why not take a shot at novels? And the result was Pocketful of Love for Barbour’s Heartsong Presents line, which earned “Best Contemporary” in 1994 when it was released. And the rest, as they say, is history.

How long did you write before you were published?
I wrote half a dozen novels during those early-80s years, and these days, I use them as examples when teaching writing classes or leading workshops: “How NOT to Write a Novel” has become one of my most popular lessons!

Tell us about “Beautiful Bandit" and "Maverick Heart,” the featured books.

Beautiful Bandit:

It’s June, 1888 when Kate Wellington is taken hostage by outlaw Frank Michaels. the sun is high in the Texas sky when he turns her into an unwilling accomplice in a robbery that leaves four men dead in a San Antonio bank.

After escaping, Kate sees her likeness on a wanted poster and realizes she’s wanted by the Texas Rangers and the cold-blooded killer. With nothing but the clothes on her back, she heads southwest on foot, hoping to find safety in Mexico.

One cold dark night, she stumbles hungry and exhausted into the campsite of Josh Neville, on his way home from bank business in San Antonio. His heart goes out to the terrified woman who calls herself Dinah and claims she doesn’t remember how she came by her cuts and bruises. His gut tells him to stay away from the secretive beauty, but his heart compels him to escort her to the border.

Along the trail, he finds himself torn between feelings of fondness and suspicion. When she’s injured during a ferocious storm, he feels duty-bound to bring her to his ranch to recover…and unwittingly lures the outlaw right to his door.

Trust and forgiveness are put to the ultimate test in this wild West adventure that’s rich with Texan vistas, laughter, tears, family loyalty…and danger….

Maverick Heart:

Boston-born nurse LEVEE O’REILLY and her doctor husband are headed to Mexico to open a medical clinic when their stagecoach is attacked. There on a barren stretch of Texas road, the infamous outlaw Frank Michaels kills Liam and leaves Levee for dead. All alone now, she makes her way to Eagle Pass, where she’s forced to trade her nurse’s cap for a teacher’s apron. In no time, she’s so completely devoted to her students that she has no time for romance.

Rancher DANIEL NEVILLE has battled doubts and distrust for most of his life. Wracked with guilt over the death of his twin sister, he believes the scars and limp sustained during a stampede are penance for the sins of his past. Dan dedicates himself to serving his family and working with the horses on the Lazy N. Marriage isn’t even on his to-do list, and he sees no reason to add it.

When a coincidental meeting brings Levee and Dan together, they’re awakened to a long-ignored desire for love and acceptance. Have they actually found it in one another’s arms? And can these two mavericks accept the plans God has for their lives?

Is there any person who has been a strong influence in your writing journey?
Without a doubt, our Lord and Savior! Every day, by the grace of His love, I’m guided in the crafting of stories and characters and situations that will bring His word to those who love Him, those He might want to call home, and those who haven’t discovered the power of His almighty love.

What message do you want to be clear to your readers?
I guess to answer that one, I’d have to repeat a version of the answer to the last question. I see what I do for a living as my missionary work; God knew when He made me that I wouldn’t be of any use to Him in dark jungles or dry deserts, because I’m scared of bugs and snakes and other creepy-crawlies. So He blessed me for a talent to write, and it’s through the words He inspires that I bring His message to His children, old and young, male and female, all across the world.

What are some of your likes and dislikes? Your hobbies, interests? Where do you like to vacation?
I love being around people who can “take it on the chin” even when life throws them mean, hard curve balls. I find that I avoid people who are whiny and weepy in the face of adversity. I like old movies like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Sound of Music (though, surprisingly, I’m not a huge fan of musicals!), and could probably watch Somersby and Shadowlands a hundred times and never tire of the plot or the characters.
For fun, I love to garden (which explains my raggedy fingernails and dry, parched hands). I love to cook and bake, too (which explains my Lifetime Weight Watchers membership). I paint and draw and sketch, and given unlimited time and tools, I could probably devote hours to “art.”
I’m pretty much a homebody (some might say I’m a bit of a hermit). Whether that’s because I traveled so much during the years when I sang for my supper or because I’ve seen a little bit of the world thanks to invites from writers’ groups all over the globe, I can’t say. “Home” is my all-time favorite place, but I do enjoy our time at the cabin, where the mountains always provide a beautiful view and plenty of excitement in the form of black bears, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, and too many other critters to list here!

Tell us a little-known fact about yourself that readers may not know.
I never learned to swim and I’m terrified of water!

How do you spend your writing days? Do you set goals to reach a certain number of words per day? Can you give us a general idea of how long it takes you to write a novel?
I’m up early…5-5:30 a.m. most days. After some TV news and a few mugs of coffee, I tidy the house and get myself presentable, then head down to my basement office, where I spend anywhere from 5-15 hours a day.
My daily word count varies, depending on the complexity of the stories I’m working on. I shoot for 5,000 words a day, and when I reach the goal, I’m always pleased. I don’t beat myself up if I don’t make it, though, because (to paraphrase Scarlet O’Hara), I figure I can worry about that stuff tomorrow.

What are you currently reading?
Too many deadlines right now, so I’ve promised myself that when I meet them all, I’ll reward myself with something from my To Be Read stack…which, if it actually stood in a stack, would probably be as tall as I am!

Do you grow flowers or vegetables? What are your favorite flowers?
My hubby’s in charge of the vegetables, and I take care of the flowers. I’m particularly fond of my roses (I have 12 bushes, different colors and varieties). Strangely, I can’t seem to grow daisies in this yard, which is a shame, because daisies are my favorite!

What are you writing now?
I’m putting the finishing touches on Unbridled Love, #3 in the “Lone Star Legends” series, and just sent An Accidental Family (#3 in the “Accidental Blessings” series) to my Love Inspired editor and the first novel in the “First Responders” series, From Ashes to Honor to the editor at Abingdon. Next up: Love Finds You in Folly Beach, South Carolina and the 2nd and 3rd books in the “First Responders” series.

How can readers find you on the Internet?
Web site: http://www.loreelough.com
Blog: www.theloughdown.blogspot.com
Monthly Column: Christian Fiction Online Magazine
Facebook, Twitter, Shoutlife.

And thanks for spending this time with us, Loree.
No…thank YOU for inviting me! It’s been a genuine pleasure, privilege and honor! May 2011 deliver joys and successes too numerous to count to all of you!
Blessings,
Loree

Loree is giving away two books to two winners.
The first two books in the Lone Star Legends Series.
Here are my reviews of these two wonderful books.

Beautiful Bandit
http://thelifeandtimesofwanda.blogspot.com/2010/09/beautiful-bandit-by-loree-lough-book.html

and Maverick Heart
http://thelifeandtimesofwanda.blogspot.com/2010/12/maverick-heart-by-loree-lough-book-2.html



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Contest is only open in the U.S. and void where prohibited. Chances of winning are based on the number of entries and winner is draw from a non-biased third party- Random.org. ENTRY DEADLINE January31, 2011

These books are given generously by the author Loree Lough.

Thank you Loree Lough!