Sunday, August 30, 2015

Sweet Mountain Rancher by Loree Lough @PrismBookTours

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

We're launching the Book Tour for
Sweet Mountain Rancher
By Loree Lough

Come along on Loree's tour to find out a little bit more about her, writing, plus some fabulous reviews!

Tour Schedule
9/6 - Grand Finale

Interview with Author Loree Lough

What can you tell about yourself, Loree?

Well, I’m married to my real life hero and the proud mother of two beautiful and wonderful grown daughters who have blessed me with 7 amazing and sweet grandorables. I live in Maryland and spend about 1/3 of my days in our humble little cabin in the Allegheny Mountains (where I spend about 1/3 of my time honing my “Identify the Critter Tracks” skills).

Did you always have dreams of becoming an author? If so, how did you become a novelist?

As a kid, my first dream was of becoming a ballerina, but when every dance instructor said “Sorry, you’re too short,”, I focused on a future as a flight attendant. “Sorry, you wear glasses” sent me on a potential career in law enforcement, where I was told “Sorry, you’re too short and you wear glasses.” I loved to read, and dreamed away my share of hours, lost in the pages of books…but never saw myself writing one of those stories until our family was transferred from Baltimore, Maryland to Richmond, Virginia, where I accepted a job as a freelance neighborhood correspondent for the local paper. Soon, other papers were making assignments. Yet another job transfer brought us back to Baltimore, where I showed my clip book to editors, and began taking assignments from the print media here. Years passed, and I’d accumulated about 2,500 articles as a ‘stringer’ and/or ‘beat reporter.’ Working on that last hundred or so, I began to notice a disturbing trend: Editors, changing salient facts to appease advertisers (or, in some cases, politicians). I figured if I was gonna write fiction, I might as well try my hand at a novel. The result? Pocketful of Love, released by Barbour Publishing in 1994.

What’s your ‘take’ on Christian fiction?

Though it’s called a lot of things—Christian, inspirational, faith-based—this area of the fiction market stands apart from others because in each story, scripture plays a key role. Plotlines shore up the faith of characters that start out on shaky ground, or turn doubters into believers…and in many cases, the stories do the same thing for readers! (I’ll bet there are 40,000 letters in my files, written by people who tell me how closely they identified with a character, situation, or both.

Do you start out hoping your readers will take something special with them after reading one of your books?

I’ve long believed that God guides the careers of authors who write faith-based fiction, and that He does it to reach people who might otherwise be unreachable…or to lead someone who’s searching to an answer or solution to a problem in their lives. Another important our of authors is to deliver entertaining stories that transport our readers to new and different places, far from the pressures and stresses of the real world.

Do any of those letters you’ve received affect you, long-term?

My favorite story comes from the letter written by a 13 year old girl in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Amy lived in a house with an assortment of cousins, her grandmother, mother, and two aunts—all divorced—who didn’t believe in God or the possibility of a normal, healthy love relationship. The girl wrote to say that while spending the night at a friend’s house, she picked up a novel “because it had a pretty blond on the cover.” She stayed up all night, and by morning, had finished reading it. The plan had been to return home before her friend’s family went to church. Instead, she accepted their invitation to services “because I wanted to see if real ‘church people’ were as friendly in church as they were in that book.” Amy said her life changed that day, because she realized that “having God in your life is better than not having Him in it.” Week after week, she told me, she attended services with the family…and attended on her own when vacations or illnesses kept her friend’s family away. She fell in love with a young man, there among the congregation. Today, many years later, they’re married with four rosy-cheeked children, who attend services at that same church. “All because of one line in your book,” she said: “’God knows who is best for you, and if you let Him, He will make sure you meet him.’” The book? Priscilla Hires a Husband.

Has being a novelist impacted your relationship with Christ?

Oh yes, in many ways! Researching scripture that I’ll include in the story always adds a layer of comprehension to my former understanding of the verses.

Other than writing great novels, do you have other goals for your life?

To make gnocchi that’s as good as my Italian grandmother’s was!

What do you do in your spare time?

Few things soothe my soul more than spending time with my grandorables. They’re all growing up so fast that I grab every moment with them that I can! I love to garden, sketch and paint, make things from wood. In short: If it gets me sweaty and dirty and breaks my fingernails, I’m sure to enjoy it!

What can you tell us about your latest novel?

Sweet Mountain Rancher,  #2 in Harlequin Heartwarming’s “Those Marshall Boys” series is set on a sprawling ranch just outside Denver. Former major league pitcher Nate Marshall is seriously injured in the fiery crash that killed his fiancé. Though his body is mostly healed, his heart has a long way to go when he returns to the family ranch. Enter Eden Quinn, administrator of Latimer House, home to a dozen wayward boys. When she brings the troubled teens to the Double M for some fresh air and real-life experiences, everyone faces new challenges that have the power to destroy…of improve their lives.

What’s next for you?

Every time I give a speech, teach a workshop, or lead a seminar, someone asks “Will you ever retire, Loree?” The answer is always, word for word, the same (and a couple of years ago, I the words printed on a t-shirt): “I’ll retire when they pry the keyboard from my cold, dead hands.” So I guess readers can expect more of the same!

Any parting words?

I hope everyone has enjoyed the summer, and that they’ll have a happy, healthy year-end as well. If you’re so inclined, I’d love for you to connect with on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram! 

Sweet Mountain Rancher (Those Marshall Boys, #2)Sweet Mountain Rancher
(Those Marshal Boys, #2)
by Loree Lough
Adult Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 385 pages (large print)
September 1st 2015 by Harlequin Heartwarming

HE CAN SAY NO TO EVERYONE BUT HER...

Nate Marshall used to be a yes-man... until being so agreeable cost him dearly. But Eden Quinn has a way of getting him to reconsider his "just say no" policy. Which is how a bunch of troubled teens end up at his ranch for the weekend. Nate can't help but be attracted to the woman who keeps them in line.

This cowboy knows Eden's no damsel in distress, yet hers isn't a one-woman job. If she must do everything on her own, how can he help her... let alone get her to fall for him?

The First Book in the Series

Once a MarineOnce a Marine
(Those Marshal Boys, #1)
by Loree Lough
Adult Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 377 pages (large print)
February 1st 2015 by Harlequin Heartwarming

DOES SHE EVEN NEED A HERO?

Summer Lane is no damsel in distress. For the past two years, she's been battling her way back from her worst nightmare, all by herself. So she doesn't need the fabulous former Marine Zach Marshall swooping in to save her.

But she needn't worry. Zach has hung up his shining armor. His instinct to rescue has only brought him heartache, and he's not about to risk it all again--even though everything about Summer makes him yearn to help.

Will she accept his challenge to step up and conquer her fears on her own--even her deepest fears, like trust...and love?


Yes, it's true: Once upon a time, best-selling author Loree Lough (literally) sang for her supper, performing before packed audiences throughout the U.S. Now and then, she blows the dust from her 6-string to croon a tune or two for the "grandorables," but mostly, she just writes. (And writes.) Over the years, her stories have earned nearly 100 industry and "Readers' Choice" awards, 7 movie options, and over 80 4- and 5-star reviews.

There are more than 5,000,000 (yes, that's FIVE MILLION) copies of Loree's books in circulation, and in September of 2015, she'll have 108 books (fiction and non-fiction for kids and adults) 72 short stories, 2,500+ articles in print. To date, she has received 50,000+ letters from fans (a carton of books goes to Meredith P. in Joliet, IL -- which she has elected to donate to her local library --for writing the 50,000th letter)!

Loree loves sharing learned-the-hard-way lessons about the craft and the industry, and her comedic approach makes her a favorite (and frequent) guest of writers' organizations, book clubs, private and government institutions, college and high school writing programs both here and abroad.

A writer who believes in "giving back," Loree dedicates a portion of her income to Soldiers' Angels, Special Operations Warrior Foundation, and other worthwhile organizations.

She splits her time between her home in the Baltimore suburbs and a cabin in the Allegheny Mountains, and shares both with her real-life hero Larry, who rarely complains, even when she adds yet another item to her vast collection of lighthouses, wind chimes, and "wolf stuff."


Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card
Print copy of Sweet Mountain Rancher
Kindle copy of Sweet Mountain Rancher (to be gifted through Amazon)
Open internationally
Ends September 12th
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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