My guest today is Author Louise M Gouge who is offering a giveaway of her latest novella, one of two in The Wedding Season.

I appreciate this opportunity to share about my writing and the strong, brave women in my family. Last month I wrote about my widowed daughter, who is rearing her two children in a godly home despite facing all the difficulties of being single mother. But she is not the first woman in my family who has faced this challenge. Five generations prior, her great-great-grandmother, Mary Johnson, raised three children in a much more challenging time, the late 1800s. Mary was expecting her third child when her husband died. We don’t have details of his death, but my grandmother told me enough about her mother to inspire my admiration and a desire to follow her example.

Fortunately for Mary, her husband left her the family home, and she supported her family by keeping boarders. Although that was an accepted practice in those days, she could have taken a different path. She could have put her three small children in an orphanage, also an accepted practice in those days, and could have gone off on her own with no responsibilities. But Mary stood strong, despite the difficulties. Like Ruth in the Scriptures, she did what she had to do to keep her family together. And for me, the proof that her endeavors were successful is that her three children grew up to be godly people of character. And they passed along their strong faith and moral principles to their children and grandchildren.

While my newly-released book is not about a widowed mother, it does share a common theme with my family. In times of weakness and loss, my characters rely on God. Just as my daughter, my great-grandmother, and Ruth in the Bible chose not to live selfish, self-centered lives or to give in to bitterness or despair, my character Elizabeth must make a choice between pursuing her own way and obeying God’s principles. In the midst of a light and entertaining read, you will find a deep spiritual lesson that we should all put in to practice. In a day when everyone is urged to “do your own thing, baby,” I believe it’s important to stress – in real life and in fiction – that the only true happiness and peace come from trusting God and following His path for our lives.

Novella blurb:
“The Gentleman Takes a Bride” by Louise M. Gouge
Surely Elizabeth Moberly was born to be a nobleman’s bride. She can’t possibly be attracted to the untitled stranger who interrupts her cousin’s wedding. Yet Elizabeth finds herself drawn to Philip Lindsey’s tender heart and strong faith. And if Philip has his way, he’ll convince Elizabeth the only title she needs is Mrs. Lindsey, beloved wife.

This novella is in the June 2011 Love Inspired Historical anthology The Wedding Season, which also includes a delightful story by Deborah Hale. The book is on sale now in Walmart, amazon.com, and cbd.com.

Bio:
Award-winning Florida author Louise M. Gouge writes historical fiction, calling her stories “threads of grace woven through time.” In addition to numerous other awards, Louise is the recipient of the prestigious Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award. Married to David Gouge for forty-six years, Louise is a mother of four and grandmother of six children. In addition to writing, she teaches English and humanities at Valencia College in Kissimmee, Florida. To learn more about Louise, visit her website at http://blog.Louisemgouge.com

Louise, I had a great grandmother who ran a boardinghouse too. She was widowed with nine daughters to raise. The elders at a local church came and asked her if she could run a boardinghouse if they bought and furnished one for her. Now that’s true religion as James says: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction…” If you want to qualify for the drawing to win a copy of Louise’s book, leave a comment. (But only if you live in the US or Canada.)–Lyn

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