Love Inspired Historicals discussion

Hi Ausjenny! If that's true for small towns now, it was probably doubly true in the past when people weren't nearly as mobile as they are today.

No, it's not the mannequin. Nice guess, though!

oh you said whats missing. I haven't read the book yet. (im still asleep! had a really bad night waiting for 8am to ring to see a dr).

Christine, first off congrats on your new release! Can't wait to read it! My question for you is, how long had you been writing before your first book was published?

Hi Katie! That's a tough question to answer since I remember writing when I was in sixth grade. A better answer is that from my first submission and rejection letter until The Call took 15 years. Granted there were some lulls in there. From the moment I got serious, it was almost five years. Perseverance is key.

Christine, shouldn't the model have a head? my guess anyway on your cover question...

Christine wrote: "Hi Britney! Peter had a huge surprise in store for me that ..."

Ooooh, I can't wait to find out Peter's secret! I must hurry and get my hands on this book!!

My guess....Ruth is a dressmaker and the cover shows her measuring a suit coat, rather than a dress.

Good morning, everyone! These have been some fascinating conversations! Christine, now I can't wait to see what Peter's secret is. :)

Today we continue the fun with author Lily George. Lily writes books, mostly about common people facing uncommon challenges to faith and love.



A family in the making

Becoming nursemaid to Paul Holmes's orphaned niece seems like the perfect solution to Becky Siddons's problems. After having her romantic hopes dashed, she's determined to focus solely on her charge and not the little girl's handsome uncle. Until Becky realizes she is losing her heart to a man determined to keep his own under lock and key….

Paul had hoped hiring Becky would allow him to keep a distance from his niece, a reminder of his late sister—and his failings in raising her. Yet he soon finds himself enjoying spending time with outspoken, impulsive Becky and the child. Can he take a chance on this unexpected, joyful new family?

Welcome, Lily! Your cover is beautiful. Where is your story set? I like spirited heroines, and Becky sounds delightful. Are these characters that have shown up in previous books?

Lily is giving away a copy of her book.

Lily, I have really enjoyed your books in the past and really look forward to reading this one. An "outspoken, impulsive" heroin sounds like just the sort of read I'm in the mood for. Who was your favorite character to write in this book?

Paula-O wrote: "Christine, shouldn't the model have a head? my guess anyway on your cover question..."

Nice guess, but no. Dress forms usually don't have heads.

Britney wrote: "My guess....Ruth is a dressmaker and the cover shows her measuring a suit coat, rather than a dress."

Hi Britney! I'm looking for the one thing that is missing from the photograph. You would have had to read the book to know what it is.

Hi Lily ~ What was the idea that sparked off this story? And as we've been discussing names this week, I'll keep with the theme & ask do you have trouble choosing names for your characters?

Good morning Lily, did this young man become a character because of someone you knew with a story like this one or all fiction? I enjoy reading stories when a strong man tries to help a young woman needing help then falls in love when he sees how hard she works and the love she shares....I look forward to reading this one. one reviewer mentioned sisters, do you have books about each sister?

June wrote: "Lily, I have really enjoyed your books in the past and really look forward to reading this one. An "outspoken, impulsive" heroin sounds like just the sort of read I'm in the mood for. Who was your ..."

Thanks, June! I really enjoyed writing Juliet, the orphaned 2 year old niece. I drew on my daughter and one of her friends at 2 years of age to get some inspiration for Juliet's antics.

Wendy wrote: "Hi Lily ~ What was the idea that sparked off this story? And as we've been discussing names this week, I'll keep with the theme & ask do you have trouble choosing names for your characters?"

Hi Wendy,

I had Paul's and Becky's names already set from the previous book in this series. Juliet's name was taken from her mother, Paul's sister Juliana. I thought, given Juliana's character, that she would totally name her daughter after herself. But my editors thought the names sounded too similar and would confuse readers, so I had to put up a little fight to keep Juliet's name.

Paula-O wrote: "Good morning Lily, did this young man become a character because of someone you knew with a story like this one or all fiction? I enjoy reading stories when a strong man tries to help a young woma..."

Hi Paula,

Paul's character came about because I needed to create a man who was both responsible and completely irresponsible depending on the situation. I'm pretty handy at writing men's characters who are jokers or irresponsible, so I needed to add another dimension to his character, to keep my men from all sounding alike.

Susannah's story came out earlier this year. It's called A Rumored Engagement. Nan's story is still in the proposal stage.

Hi Keli! Juliet's character was based partially on my own daughter, so the fun part was reliving some of those moments that--though frustrating for me as a mom at the time--are so funny now that I look back on them. Juliet throwing wet sand, for example, was based on something my daughter loved to do when we would go to the beach in North Carolina.

The difficulty was keeping Juliet's speech simple enough to be believable as a child speaking, without sounding cliched or silly. She needed to communicate but on her level. That was a challenge, indeed!

Got here late this morning!

Christine's contest has me intrigue however I haven't read the book so I really have no clue what is missing. But I will take a total guess in the dark and say the heroine is suppose to have a locket/necklace that she always wears.

Lily sounds like another great book. How many more are you planing for this series?

I can't wait to read it, Lily!

After you write Nan's story, are you going to continue with this family, or do you plan on moving on to something else?

Hi Emily and Laura, thanks for stopping by!

I think the series may wrap up with Nan's story, although there's always the possibility of making it a multi-generational story. I could write about Juliet once she grows up. That could be fun, actually!

Hi Lily! Sounds like a great read. I am enjoying this discussion.

Laura AKA Loves 2 Read Romance wrote: "Got here late this morning!

Christine's contest has me intrigue however I haven't read the book so I really have no clue what is missing. But I will take a total guess in the dark and say the her..."

Sorry Laura, but you are pinpointing the right part of the cover. It is something to do with the heroine, Ruth.

Hi Lily,
I am getting in a little later than I planned. I think your latest book sounds very intriguing. Is it hard to come up with a character flaw, or stumbling block to a character, while still keeping them likeable as a person (one that the reader will feel for)? I hope that question made sense!

Hi Brittany! Yes, I think this is something I struggle with. I'm OK with readers not liking my hero or heroine from the beginning as long as the character grows on them after a while. :)

Hi Lily! The Nanny Arrangement sounds like a wonderful story! What is your favorite part of the writing process? Least favorite?

Ruth's glasses are missing!!

Good morning, everyone. Karen Kirst here. It feels a bit strange introducing myself, but here goes...

I divide my time between being a wife, homeschooling mom, and romance writer. My husband and I, along with our three sons, recently said goodbye to military life and are thrilled to be back home in Tennessee. Married By Christmas is the 6th book in my Smoky Mountain Matches series.




An inconvenient wedding

Wherever Caleb O'Malley goes, trouble follows, and trouble is the last thing Rebecca Thurston needs. But when Caleb appears—gravely wounded—at Rebecca's Smoky Mountain cabin, she can't turn him away. His life depends on her kindness, but she never anticipated it would lead to an unwanted proposal.

Caleb never forgave himself for the accident that ended Rebecca's engagement and destroyed her life. He doesn't want to hurt her again. But after a week recuperating at her cabin, there is only one way for Caleb to protect both their reputations from scandal. Neither of them wants to tie the knot, but as Rebecca and Caleb spend time together, will they find there's more to their marriage than convenience?

Smoky Mountain Matches: Dreams of home and family come true in the Smoky Mountains

I'll be giving away a copy of this book.

I've gotten a lot of reader emails asking about Caleb, so it was fun (and a little intimidating) to tackle his story.

Hi Karen. I finally made it here! The story sounds like a good one! How did you get away with having your hero and heroine alone in a cabin for a week?

All the books this week have sounded great!

What are you currently working on Karen? How many more books are planned for the Smoky Mountain Matches?

Hi Karen!

I'm sure you did a great job on Caleb, since you haven't disappointed us yet! It will be great to read this book because yes, we have been waiting for Caleb and Rebecca's story for a while.

You mentioned just recently saying goodbye to military life. What was your favorite part of military life, and what are you enjoying most now that you are back in Tennessee?

Dorothy wrote: "Hi Karen. I finally made it here! The story sounds like a good one! How did you get away with having your hero and heroine alone in a cabin for a week?"

Hi Dorothy! I had to laugh at your question. The heroine lives with her thirteen-year-old sister. Their parents are dead, so she takes care of her. I was told not to mention that Rebecca was caring for his personal needs, since that pushes the boundary for what is acceptable for LIH. So I glossed over certain things. :)

Laura AKA Loves 2 Read Romance wrote: "All the books this week have sounded great!

What are you currently working on Karen? How many more books are planned for the Smoky Mountain Matches?"

Hi Laura! Nicole O'Malley's story, From Boss to Bridegroom, releases next April. I'm currently working on Jane's book. She's one of the twins. The other twin will feature in the final book. Originally, I'd planned on focusing on just the O'Malley cousins. I'm now toying with the idea of doing a few extra books featuring some of the townsfolk. Sheriff Shane Timmons is cute and single, and he's mentioned in almost every book. So it would be a shame not to give him a shot at true love. ;)

Karen wrote: "Dorothy wrote: "Hi Karen. I finally made it here! The story sounds like a good one! How did you get away with having your hero and heroine alone in a cabin for a week?"

Hi Dorothy! I had to laugh ..."

Ah...a teenage sister. That explains it. LOL I've used more gloss in similar situations in my books than lip gloss in these cold NY winters.

I went back and read over all the discussion thus far. I'm enjoying the opinions about character names. Speak up on the subject, ladies, I'm taking notes. :)

Britney wrote: "Ruth's glasses are missing!!"

Yay Britney!!! You got it right. Ruth has difficulty seeing without her glasses. I would dearly love to see a heroine with glasses on the cover of a romance, but apparently the time isn't yet right. I will message you through Goodreads, so I can send you a copy of Suitor by Design. Congratulations!

Hello Ladies, It sounds like Rebecca has many accidents in her life...what made you choose this as way for these two to have a past as well as a future together? I like the story and know thrown together they are bound to have a happy ending.
thanks for sharing today Karen.

Hi Karen! I remembered! :)
Caleb's book sounds wonderful! I love your books and marriage of convenience stories, so I'm sure it's great!
Where did you get the idea for this series? Which book has been the most difficult for you to write? Why?
And one random question: if you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you like to go?
Thanks for the opportunity to win your book!

Christine wrote: "Yay Britney!!! You got it right. Ruth has difficulty seeing without her glasses. I would dearly love to see a heroine with glasses on the cover of a r..."

Hi Christine! I read Groom by Design yesterday and adored the story! I certainly wish Ruth's glasses had been included on the cover. I can't wait to read Minnie's story! Thank you so much!!

Hi Karen! You did a great job introducing yourself! :) What are some of the challenges of writing a multi-book series? Also, how long have you been homeschooling? This is our first year to homeschool, so we are just getting started.

June wrote: "Hi Karen!

I'm sure you did a great job on Caleb, since you haven't disappointed us yet! It will be great to read this book because yes, we have been waiting for Caleb and Rebecca's story for a wh..."

Thanks, June! What kind words. These are great questions. I liked living on a military base because of the sense of community. And I felt safe since there were armed Marines at the gate. :) And the fact that we were all experiencing similar things (deployments, etc) made the difficult aspects easier to bear. I also liked that we lived on the coast. My favorite things about being back in TN? The mountains, for one. We're near the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, so we're fortunate to see them on a daily basis and visit whenever we want. I'm thankful to be around family and old friends again, too.

Keli wrote: "Congratulations on your latest release, Karen! I love marriage of convenience stories. They come right after mail-order brides stories on my list of favorites. This story sounds wonderful. Can't wa..."

Thanks, Keli! This was my first marriage of convenience story, and it wasn't easy by any means!

Paula-O wrote: "Hello Ladies, It sounds like Rebecca has many accidents in her life...what made you choose this as way for these two to have a past as well as a future together? I like the story and know thrown t..."

Hey Paula! In the book prior to this one, The Husband Hunt, Caleb bumps into Rebecca in town and there's instant animosity on her part. I wanted there to be a big reason for her to be against marrying him. The fact that they used to be friends made it more painful for her.

Sarah wrote: "Hi Karen! I remembered! :)
Caleb's book sounds wonderful! I love your books and marriage of convenience stories, so I'm sure it's great!
Where did you get the idea for this series? Which book has ..."

Waving hello to Sarah! Glad you made it. Since I live near the Smokies and have spent a lot of time in Cades Cove, setting the series here made sense. There are cabins, churches and other historical structures close by that I get to tour for research. Lots of written resources, as well. Honestly, this book was the hardest. It was heavy emotionally. And I wanted to do Caleb justice since he's a character that folks were really interested in. I was expecting Nicole's book to be the most difficult, but it was actually a lot of fun. It comes out next spring.
Where would I go? I can't choose between England, France and Italy. My in-laws are Czech, so we've traveled to Czech Republic several times. I'm hoping next time we go, I'll get a chance to visit those other countries. I love tea rooms and Regency, so England definitely has appeal. But the idea of Paris is also tempting. What about you?

Christine wrote: "Britney wrote: "Ruth's glasses are missing!!"

Yay Britney!!! You got it right. Ruth has difficulty seeing without her glasses. I would dearly love to see a heroine with glasses on the cover of a r..."

Congrats to Britney!

Britney wrote: "Hi Karen! You did a great job introducing yourself! :) What are some of the challenges of writing a multi-book series? Also, how long have you been homeschooling? This is our first year to hom..."

Challenges of multi-book series... For me, keeping the story dates and ages of the characters straight presents a challenge. When I started the first book, I didn't know for sure it would get published. I didn't put that much thought into names or ages. So now that I'm doing the twins' stories, I had to have a few years pass so they'd be old enough. Another challenge is you sometimes have limited choices as to plots when you're dealing with characters that have shown up in previous books.
Welcome to homeschooling! I have homeschooled since the beginning, so my boys haven't been to public school. This is our 9th year, believe it or not. And our first participating in a once weekly co-op. Like anything, there are advantages and disadvantages. But the lifestyle works for us.

Dorothy wrote: "Karen wrote: "Dorothy wrote: "Hi Karen. I finally made it here! The story sounds like a good one! How did you get away with having your hero and heroine alone in a cabin for a week?"

Hi Dorothy! I..."

LOL Yeah, we get a lot of experience in that, don't we?

I love these ideas of forced marriages to save someone's reputation :-) Watching the way they interact is always a great set up for tension and some great romantic attraction.

We are a homeschooling family, too. Our oldest is 14 yrs and we've also been homeschooling since the beginning. It's been a good fit for us, too.

My question is: Do you have other books planned for this series, or will you be starting a new series instead?

Hi Karen ~ so pleased Caleb's getting his story! And I love Christmas stories. It somehow seems fitting that he should get his story during the Christmas season...a season of miracles.

Did you already know what had happened to Caleb back in the beginning of the series, or did you pretty much work out his back story for this book?

Christine wrote: "Britney wrote: "Ruth's glasses are missing!!"

Yay Britney!!! You got it right. Ruth has difficulty seeing without her glasses. I would dearly love to see a heroine with glasses on the cover of a r..."

Congratulations, Britney!

(And Christine, I'm with you ~ looking forward to seeing a heroine wearing glasses too.
I remember 6 years ago, my cousin's daughter had to start wearing glasses. She was about 8 and commented to her grandma "I'll never be a princess now!". A few months later my sister got married. As the bride came down the aisle my aunt (her grandma) nudged her & said "Look, the bride is wearing glasses, & she's in a princess dress!". It restored that little girl's hope that happily ever after could happen for her too!)

Wendy wrote: "Christine wrote: "Britney wrote: "Ruth's glasses are missing!!"

Yay Britney!!! You got it right. Ruth has difficulty seeing without her glasses. I would dearly love to see a heroine with glasses o..."

What a wonderful story, Wendy. It makes me want to jump up and shout "Yes"!

Brittany wrote: "I love these ideas of forced marriages to save someone's reputation :-) Watching the way they interact is always a great set up for tension and some great romantic attraction.

We are a homeschooli..."

Hi Brittany, I run into a lot of homeschoolers these days. It's nice to share tips/struggles with each other. As for your question, I'm not sure yet. Once the O'Malley cousins are done, I may do books about some of the townspeople. I do have another series in mind. It would be shorter, though, maybe 3 or 4 books, and set in the West. I'll be pitching it to my editor next spring, Lord willing.