South Carolina author Louise M. Gouge writes contemporary and historical romance fiction, winning the prestigious IRCA in 2006 and placing as a finalist in 2011, 2015, 2016, and 2017. She was also a finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Awards in 2005, 2007, and 2008, and placed in the Laurel Wreath contest in 2012. Most recently, she was a finalist in the 2023 Selah Awards and is a current finalist for the 2024 Selah Awards. A former college English and humanities professor, Louise is a member of the Christian PEN and has been copyediting for well-known authors for fifteen years. Married for fifty-four happy years to her husband, David, Louise is now widowed and spends her days researching and writing her next novel.
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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…
- ISBN: B0CBVNB6F7
- Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired
Interview with Louise M. Gouge
What made you want to become an author?
I’ve always had an active imagination and often wrote short stories or plays for my school assignments in English, history, and Latin. As an adult, I began writing when my children were growing up and I was facing my empty nest years. In 1984, my husband and a good friend encouraged me to write the story on my mind at the time, and I haven’t stopped writing since then.
What did you learn while writing Safe Haven Ranch?
I learned about child adoption laws in New Mexico on the Internet and a lot about horses from my equestrian granddaughter.
If someone were to look at your Google search history (all for research of course!), what types of things would we find?
My main searches are for various laws for adoption, my characters’ health issues, geographical details, and long past or recent historical events, all things that affect my characters or storyline. When I began writing, I spent a lot of time and many trips to libraries to discover what I can now find in minutes on the Internet.
What do you want readers to take away from Safe Haven Ranch?
Be open to the wonderful things God may want to bring into your life.
If you could have coffee with an author, dead or alive, whose work you admire, who would that be? What would you ask him or her?
I would love to have tea with Charlotte Bronte and ask her about her life and the inspiration for her great novel, Jane Eyre.
What’s your go-to drink while writing?
Iced unsweetened Earl Grey Tea. Not a coffee drinker, which I’ve come to learn is very odd for a writer. LOL!
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Don’t worry. God’s got you.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
Spending time with family; visiting historical sites. I recently moved from Florida to South Carolina, so I expect to visit the many historical sites near my new home.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
Anything by Elizabeth Camden, MaryLu Tyndall, or Debbie Lynne Costello. I haven’t chosen one yet.
What can we look forward to next?
I have just finished final copyedits on the next book in my series, A Faithful Guardian, which is a sequel to Safe Haven Ranch. The new book will be released in January 2025. Very exciting for me!
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Jessica Baker loves sharing her passion for reading with others and connecting readers with authors. In addition to blogging at A Baker’s Perspective, Jessica is a virtual assistant, proofreader, and runs her own business. Though she wishes she had a library like Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Jessica realizes the importance of sharing her books with the world to tell the story, and donates many books to her local library. Jessica Baker lives Central New York with her husband, three cats, and two ducks.
I’ve always had an active imagination and often wrote short stories or plays for my school assignments in English, history, and Latin. As an adult, I began writing when my children were growing up and I was facing my empty nest years. In 1984, my husband and a good friend encouraged me to write the story on my mind at the time, and I haven’t stopped writing since then.
What did you learn while writing Safe Haven Ranch?
I learned about child adoption laws in New Mexico on the Internet and a lot about horses from my equestrian granddaughter.
If someone were to look at your Google search history (all for research of course!), what types of things would we find?
My main searches are for various laws for adoption, my characters’ health issues, geographical details, and long past or recent historical events, all things that affect my characters or storyline. When I began writing, I spent a lot of time and many trips to libraries to discover what I can now find in minutes on the Internet.
What do you want readers to take away from Safe Haven Ranch?
Be open to the wonderful things God may want to bring into your life.
If you could have coffee with an author, dead or alive, whose work you admire, who would that be? What would you ask him or her?
I would love to have tea with Charlotte Bronte and ask her about her life and the inspiration for her great novel, Jane Eyre.
What’s your go-to drink while writing?
Iced unsweetened Earl Grey Tea. Not a coffee drinker, which I’ve come to learn is very odd for a writer. LOL!
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Don’t worry. God’s got you.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
Spending time with family; visiting historical sites. I recently moved from Florida to South Carolina, so I expect to visit the many historical sites near my new home.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
Anything by Elizabeth Camden, MaryLu Tyndall, or Debbie Lynne Costello. I haven’t chosen one yet.
What can we look forward to next?
I have just finished final copyedits on the next book in my series, A Faithful Guardian, which is a sequel to Safe Haven Ranch. The new book will be released in January 2025. Very exciting for me!
_________________________________________________________________________________
Jessica Baker loves sharing her passion for reading with others and connecting readers with authors. In addition to blogging at A Baker’s Perspective, Jessica is a virtual assistant, proofreader, and runs her own business. Though she wishes she had a library like Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Jessica realizes the importance of sharing her books with the world to tell the story, and donates many books to her local library. Jessica Baker lives Central New York with her husband, three cats, and two ducks.
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