Love Inspired Historicals discussion

Hey everyone, Q&A week for May starts on Monday and we have a wonderful line-up of books and authors this month!

Monday, May 5th: Rhonda Gibson, His Chosen Bride

Tuesday, May 6th: Lily George, A Rumored Engagement

Wednesday, May 7th: Linda Ford, Falling for the Rancher Father

Thursday, May 8th: Karen Kirst, The Horseman's Frontier Family

I hope you'll drop by next week to meet our authors and hear all about their May books. I'm looking forward to hearing about them and to catching up with all of you!

Thanks Deborah looks like a good line-up, will be good to see everyone again...

Looking forward to it! Looks like some great books to discuss :-)

Welcome, everyone to the start of our May Q&A week! Today's featured author is Rhonda Gibson.

Rhonda's May book, His Chosen Bride, is her fourth LIH novel since she made her debut with the line two years ago this month!

Texan Levi Westland had no intention of becoming a Bridegroom, until he found out he had a year to find a bride—or risk losing the family ranch. Any of the four mail-order brides recently arrived in Granite, Texas, would make a good wife. So why can't Levi Westland stop thinking about the one who refuses to have him? The marriage of convenience Levi offers isn't enough to persuade Millie Hamilton. Truth is, it's no longer enough for Levi, either….

Millie just needed a place to escape to. Now that she's paid Levi back his traveling expenses, she can forge her own way. If he knew the truth about her past, Levi's admiration would vanish. But the only thing harder than risking her heart may be watching Levi marry anyone but her.

Welcome, Rhonda! I love mail-order bride stories and His Chosen Bride sounds like a very compelling one. Is this book connected to any of your previous ones?

Morning everyone! I always enjoy mail-order bride stories so I will have to keep my eye out for this. What are you currently working on Rhonda?

Deborah I won a book in the March giveaways so please don't enter me in this week's drawings.

Rhonda, I really enjoyed it.

My question is will there be stories about the other mail order brides?

Good Morning Everyone!!! I am so happy to be here this morning. I love Mondays :)

Deborah, His Chosen Bride is connected most tightly with Taming The Texas Rancher. It is part two of the story of the Westland men. Their mother set up a competition between the two brothers, the first one to marry and have a child from that marriage will inherit the family ranch. His Chosen Bride is also connected with my first two books, as in you will get to revisit characters from those books.

Thank you, Dawn.

Yes I am working on the other ladies stories now. I can't let them not have their own happily ever after, even if they think they don't need it. LOL

Laura, I just finished another book titled, Pony Express Christmas which will be released later this year so am working on the edits. I'm also working on the three mail order brides books from His Chosen Bride.

I love mail-order bride stories so will probably write many more books about them. I'm fascinated with the idea that these women answered advertisements and found adventure and love. It didn't always turn out as they'd planned but since I like the happily ever after endings, I chose to tell those stories :)

Good morning Ladies, love to read the mail order brides and this is great story of brothers makes it better. Are the guys sort of in competition with each other besides their mothers wish to see them marry and one gets the ranch? I can imagine brothers saying "I am going to be the first just you wait and see" to the other.
thanks for the stories Rhonda

Hi Paula,

The brothers are torn but mother is very insistent. So at first Levi, "messes with" his brother, Daniel but later has to get serious about the whole situation or both brothers will lose the ranch. It was very fun to write.

Congrats on your new release, Rhonda! I love the idea of this type of competition. How do you come up with your story ideas?

I'm on the lookout at my Walmart! Its usually the second week before we see them. Hoping to find His Chosen Bride around Thursday! :)

Thanks Karen! Story ideas come in all forms to me. This one came from me reading an old newspaper article about a rancher who had no sons so when he died his ranch was sold off to his neighbors. My idea came from the question, "what if" he'd had two sons, who would have gotten the ranch? Probably the oldest. But, "what if," he had two sons and a widow who wanted grandchildren but the young men weren't married and had no intentions of getting married any time soon? If I was the widow, I'd start scheming how to get these two boys up and married. So I did that to Levi and Daniel.

Thanks Janet!! I've been watching here too. Any one else on the look out with us?

Rhonda wrote: "Thanks Karen! Story ideas come in all forms to me. This one came from me reading an old newspaper article about a rancher who had no sons so when he died his ranch was sold off to his neighbors. My..."

Very cool :) I like those hero names, too.

I am definitely intrigued by this storyline! Makes me wonder what is in her past that she is so scared of him finding out!

Hi Brittany and thanks. My heroine, Millie was first introduced in Groom by Arrangement :)

Rhonda how cool your way you thought of the rancher who died and the family farm sold got you started to thinking...I like your way of thinking.

Sounds great! I am a fan of happily ever afters too! That's what makes a book worth reading in my opinion! :)

Rhonda wrote: "Thanks Karen! Story ideas come in all forms to me. This one came from me reading an old newspaper article about a rancher who had no sons so when he died his ranch was sold off to his neighbors. My..."

Love how your story idea came about ~ & I too am a fan of happily ever afters...I'm with you Melody, it definitely does make a book worth reading!

I love Christmas stories as well, so I'll be keeping an eye out for Pony Express Christmas later this year. (The way this year seems to be racing by, it'll be Christmas before we know it!)

I agree Wendy! Christmas is getting closer and I'm still trying to enjoy May... LOL

im behind had a busy morning. love mail order brides also. Did you find any interesting tibits in your research?

I feel like Christmas stayed with us for awhile this year.

Rhonda, Have you found any real corespondents between a mail-order bride and her possible husband?

I always find fun tidbits when doing research, Ausjenny :) With this book, I discovered there were a lot of women artist during the 1700-1800s. And that some only went by their last names to hide the fact that they were women... cool huh?

Hi Jennifer,

There is a wonderful book called, Hearts West and it has 12 stories about real mail-order brides. I'm always on the look out for true mail-order bride stories, from the 1800's. So if anyone hears of one, shoot me an email :)

I'll definitely look into that book! Thanks Rhonda

You're welcome, Jennifer :)

Our featured author for Tuesday is Lily George.

Lily's May book is A Rumored Engagement, is her fourth inspirational Regency for LIH in the past two years.

It was a bold plan—become engaged to one man to avoid marrying another. Three years ago, Susannah Siddons had little choice. But with no communication since, she considers her alliance with Daniel Hale entirely ended—and her heart well and truly bruised. Until new gossip jeopardizes the Siddons sisters' millinery shop, and Daniel proposes once more.
To court one's own fiancée…how does a man even begin? Daniel owes it to Susannah—and to the shambles he has made of his responsibilities so far—to start again. In truth, marrying Susannah would be far more than just a duty; it's his dearest wish. If he can only persuade her to say "yes" a second time.

Welcome, Lily! A Rumored Engagement sounds like a wonderful story about a second chance at love. How many sisters does Susannah have and are there plans for them to get their own stories?

Great cover and book title!

How many books are in the series? What are you currently working on?

Sounds interesting, congrats on your latest release.

Deborah wrote: "How many sisters does Susannah have and are there plans for them to get their own stories?"

Hi Deborah, thank you so much for hosting me today! I have my coffee now and I am ready. ;)

Susannah has two younger sisters, Becky and Nan. Becky's story, The Nanny Arrangement will be released in October 2014. Nan's story is still a work in progress and will be released in 2015.

Jane wrote: "How many books are in the series? What are you currently working on?

Sounds interesting, congrats on your latest release."

Hi Jane, thanks so much for stopping by this morning. There are three books in the Home to Tansley series, and I have three other books set in Tansley village, but they involve a different family. I am currently wrapping up a cozy mystery for Guideposts, and then I will tackle Nan's story, which is the third book for Home to Tansley.

Second chance love stories are one of my favorite premises because there are bruised feelings and broken hearts to get past! Sounds good.

Brittany wrote: "Second chance love stories are one of my favorite premises because there are bruised feelings and broken hearts to get past! Sounds good."

Hi Brittany, thanks for stopping by! Yes, both Daniel and Susannah have to move through those past hurts in order to realize that they were truly meant for each other. Those were tough scenes to write, but I think those difficult scenes really deepened the love they have for one another. (Funny, authors always talk about their characters like they're real people. LOL!)

I love second chance stories too, Brittany ~ definitely my favourite premise, seeing the themes of redemption & grace come alive.

Lily, this story sounds great ~ what gave you the idea for this story?

I have to add, that along with loving the second chance theme, I love the title! It has a very intriguing ring to it.

Hi Wendy, thank you for stopping by! Have you ever read A Tangled Web by L.M. Montgomery? It's one of my favorites. The sub-story involving Joscelyn and Hugh Dark was my inspiration for Daniel and Susannah's story. Originally I planned for Susannah and Daniel already be married when the story opened, but over edits it was changed to just an engagement. I made Susannah's hair auburn in tribute to Joscelyn Dark. :)

You mean they're not real people Lily? Why didn't anyone ever tell me that before??? ;)

Melody wrote: "You mean they're not real people Lily? Why didn't anyone ever tell me that before??? ;)"

LOL, Melody! Mine are certainly real to me. I'll see a particular antique in an antique store and immediately it brings one of my people to mind. :)

Melody wrote: "You mean they're not real people Lily? Why didn't anyone ever tell me that before??? ;)"

LOL!

You have a lovely cover, Lily! I'll be looking for your book on the shelves. Great-sounding story. :)

Regency is my favorite time period so I will have to get this book. I am so glad that LIH has started to publish more regency.

Karen wrote: "You have a lovely cover, Lily! I'll be looking for your book on the shelves. Great-sounding story. :)"

Thanks, Karen! I was really happy with the cover. Love Inspired does such beautiful covers.

Laura AKA Loves 2 Read Romance wrote: "Regency is my favorite time period so I will have to get this book. I am so glad that LIH has started to publish more regency."

Hi Laura! Regency was always my favorite time period to read, so when I began writing I set my stories in that era naturally.

I read many types of books and Regency is one. I like the Royals and their ways of doing things. this sounds like a wonderful story. How did you ever think of making her be engaged so another man would leave her alone? and does this deter the gentleman? thanks for sharing with us today.

Paula-O wrote: "I read many types of books and Regency is one. I like the Royals and their ways of doing things. this sounds like a wonderful story. How did you ever think of making her be engaged so another ma..."
Hi Paula, thanks for stopping by! Daniel and Susannah have a lot of history to get past before they can find their happily ever after, so writing their story was definitely challenging. However, it felt really good when I finally let them be happy. LOL!

I've yet to read this one, but I have it! I loved your brides of Waterloo series and couldn't wait to get my hands on your next book :) I actually kept the books about the Hadley sisters because I just love rereading them. I'll be reading your book next!

Hi Janis! Thank you so much for your kind words. I hope you enjoy the Home to Tansley series too! :)