Shannon here: Louise M. Gouge shares exciting news about her Contemporary Romance, Safe Haven Ranch. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing for winner’s choice from her books in this series, U. S. resident only (sorry!) The choices are Yuletide Reunion; Finding Her Frontier Family; Finding Her Frontier Home; or Safe Haven Ranch. Deadline: May 4th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Louise:
Hi, Shannon. Thanks for inviting me back to Inkslinger Blog. It’s been a year since you hosted me so I could tell you about my Love Inspired Historicals, Finding Her Frontier Family (2022) and Finding Her Frontier Home (2023). Both of these books are Selah Award finalists! How exciting is that?
Now I have more exciting news to announce. I am now writing contemporary novels for Love Inspired! And my first release is Safe Haven Ranch, which is a sequel to the aforementioned stories about the Mattson family of New Mexico ranchers. Don’t you just love legacy stories? I sure do. We get to find out more about our hero’s or heroine’s extended families and all the adventures they get up to.
In Safe Haven Ranch, we have moved forward over a hundred years from Finding Her Frontier Home to today’s world that my historical characters never would have imagined. I mean, pickup trucks and backhoes to do the heavy-lifting jobs my earlier ranchers would have loved to have while they were breaking their backs to build their ranching dynasty. Electricity and plumbing that make our lives so much easier. Computers and cell phones.
So many changes. Add to those that New Mexico Territory became a state in 1912, and the United States had expanded from sea to shining sea, plus Alaska and Hawaii. A whole new world! One thing that never changes for cattle ranchers is horses, and you’ll see plenty of horses in Safe Haven Ranch.
Let me take a minute to everyone what I shared last year: My name is Louise M. Gouge, and I’m the author of thirty Christian romance novels. My most recent release, Safe Haven Ranch, released April 23rd.
So, who are Olivia and Will? Olivia is a widow whose policeman husband was gunned down by juvenile criminals, so she wants nothing to do with troubled youth of any kind. Will is a family law lawyer who wants to move into the small ranch next door with his little posse of boys from broken homes. What could possible go wrong? This being a romance novel, you can be sure there are many ups and downs on the way to my characters’ HEA, happily-ever-after.
People often ask me what inspires my stories. Well, each one has its own inspiration. For Safe Haven
Sue Ellen’s actual ranch house used for setting inspiration
Ranch, it was the previous books in the series, but also my beloved late sister, Sue-Ellen, who owned and lived on a little ranch beside the Rio Grande. When visiting my sister, I fell in love with her beautiful home and surrounding area.
As in the story, a fifteen foot manmade berm (or levee) stands between her property and the river to protect her land from flooding. Numerous other elements from my book are taken directly from experiences Sue-Ellen had there, including wanting to rent to carefully chosen artists the studio apartment attached to her house and finding two little puppies in a cardboard box someone had dumped by the river. And that’s all I can say about that or I’ll be giving away too much of the story.
Question for Readers: What question would you like to ask me about Safe Haven Ranch?
About Louise: Award-winning South Carolina author Louise M. Gouge writes historical and contemporary romance fiction. Married to David Gouge for 54 years, she is now widowed. She is the mother of four amazing adult children and grandmother of nine absolutely perfect grandchildren. With a BA in Creative Writing and a master’s degree in liberal studies, Louise taught composition and humanities at Valencia College in Kissimmee, Florida. Now happily retired from teaching, she writes full time. Learn more & connect:
Louise’s Website Louise’s Facebook Louise’s Bookbub
About the book – Safe Haven Ranch:
Can two little children help turn a feud into a family?
It should be easy for widow Olivia Ortiz to despise Will Mattson, the man keeping her from buying the ranchland she needs for herself and her daughter, Emily. But when Emily becomes instant friends with Will’s nephew, Jemmy, Olivia and Will find themselves growing closer as well. And as Olivia’s feelings for the handsome cowboy shift, competing for the property could be the start of something more…
Read about the giveaway choices:
Yuletide Reunion Finding Her Frontier Family
Finding Her Frontier Home Safe Haven Ranch
Can’t wait for the drawing? Worried you won’t win? Interested in Louise’s other titles?
Get your copy/copies now!
Safe Haven Ranch Louise’s Books
Come back April 30th for Allison Wells!
Thanks again for hosting me, Shannon. I look forward to chatting here with your readers.
Any other animals there?
Thank you for asking. Yes, there are horses and dogs in the story. Can’t have cowboys without horses, can we? LOL!
How many little boys are in Will’s posse?
Thanks for your question, Roxanne. There are five little boys under the age of nine in Will’s posse.
It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for stopping by, Diana.
Which character did you enjoy writing the most?
Thanks for your question, Cherie. I loved all my characters in Safe Haven Ranch, but I think my favorites are Emily and Jemmy, the two little children who play unwitting matchmakers for Olivia and Will.
Hey Louise,
I’m wondering about your transition from Historical to Contemporary. What challenges have you faced? Is the research easier for Contemporary?
Hi, Shannon. So far, my research has been pretty much the same as far as effort is concerned. I still have to check to be sure I’m getting details right. But much of my first two contemporary novels comes from my own life or the lives of relatives, so it just flowed out onto the page. I guess the main thing is the way people talk. In historical, language is more formal in many cases. For contemporary, I had to check with my daughter and grandkids to be sure my younger characters used the right words and terms. It was fun!
I have a winner! Sonja won the drawing. I appreciate Louise for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.
Congratulation, Sonja, be sure to put your snail mail address here in the comments so I can send a copy of Safe Haven Ranch to you!