Monday, June 21, 2010

Interview with Christian Romance Author Lori Copeland


Lori is a “best-selling” Christian author. She lives in the beautiful Ozarks with her husband Lance. They are quite involved in their church and support mission work in Mali, West Africa. Lori has three children, several grandchildren, a great grandchild, and over 95 books published. Whew! Those are quite the accomplishments. My personal favorites are: “Men of the Saddle” and “Brides of the West.”

Walker's Wedding: Jilted by his fiancée, Walker McKay is determined to never let a woman near his heart again, but he needs an heir. Courting someone new is out of the question, so he’ll have to find a wife another way. Wealthy heiress Sara Livingston wants to marry, but her suitors are deemed unsuitable by her unreasonable father. So she answers an ad for a mail-order bride and grabs onto it with both hands. Will Sara’s deception about her background and Walker’s wounded heart keep them from finding what they are looking for? Or are they truly meant for one another? 

Hello Lori. I’m so excited to have this opportunity to interview you. I have read several of your books and have enjoyed them immensely. I absolutely loved the “Men of the Saddle” series. Tell us about your new book, Walker’s Wedding. 

Walker's Wedding is the third book in my Western Sky Harvest series, and I have to say it's my favorite--of course all my books are like my babies. Actually, that isn't true; often a book will not turn out the way I envisioned and that always makes me sad. But there's the rare occasion that a book comes together exactly as I've planned and I rejoice. Walker's Wedding is one of those titles. This book was previously written for the ABA market and Harvest allowed me to refresh it the way I'd always envisioned the story. Without giving away the plot I'll just say that it's a book with strong emotions, a few laughs and always the message that through God all things are possible. 

I love your books because your characters are so well developed. Where do you get your ideas? Do you get some from real life experiences or your imagination?

Oh my---that's hard to say. I think every author draws on life experiences, though I have never experienced anything like what Sara Livingston does in this story! I usually mull the hero and heroine around in my mind for a while before I come up with the setting and situation. One of the fun parts of writing is that you never know where the story is going to lead. I am an author that has no problem veering from my original thoughts if I feel that the characters are suddenly taking the lead in the story. 

Lori began her writing career in 1982. "In 1995, after many years of writing, Lori sensed that God was calling her to use her gift of writing to honor Him." Lori, tell us about your journey from secular writing to writing Christian Novels.

I began my career in the ABA market. I wrote the short romances for Dell, Random House, Harlequin--just about every line going at that time. My heart was never in the secular romance. I was a Christian, but I wasn't serving God with my talent. I had prayed for fifteen years for Him to open a door to the Christian market, and He finally did. I began with Tyndale House with my Brides of the West series. Since then I've worked with Harlequin Steeple Hill, Zondervan and Harvest House. Please visit me at my web site: www.loricopeland.com and catch up with all my latest titles. I have so many older titles that I hope to refresh someday--great stories that I would love to tell with a Christian voice. 

What does your family think about your writing?

LOL. You have to understand that I come from a family comprised mostly of men. My husband is an only child; I have three sons, they have four boys among them and one girl. Yay Audrey! And we were blessed with a darling great-granddaughter Anabelle, 17 months ago. And now Mya is on the way! We're gaining on 'em, ladies. I am certain that my family is very proud of my success, but around home I'm just mom, grandma and taxi service, and that's the best occupation a woman can have. 

So true! Being a mom is a full time job. By the way, we're complete opposites 'cause I have all daughters and no sons. (Six daughters in all.) Okay, tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

The real Lori Copeland is a very lonely author. I sometimes feel that I sit in a small office and write to air. Writing is a solitary job--and it is a job. A writer gives up much of what other people take for granted. We give up close friends--because friendships take time. We give up small pleasures like days off--because a writer is never far away for his work. We give up our innocence because everything we write about is suspect; friends think we're writing about them, enemies are certain you've stolen their material. Writing is both a curse and blessing---never forget that when you read a book. 

Lori, always remember that you have many readers to whom you bring great joy, including myself. You don't know how many hearts you've touched. If you really think about it, you don’t write to air, but to an audience that loves Christian Romance. It’s difficult to find a beautifully written romance that is clean for all ages. You entertain, bring joy to your readers, and make us laugh. I love the humor you put in your books. I often wonder if making a person laugh is the best job of all. That’s why you’re an author. We need this kind of entertainment. Thank you for a fun interview.

Book Review for Walker's Wedding:

Walker’s Wedding is a refreshing and adorable romance with plenty of humor. The story begins with Sarah who, at the age of 25, is considered an old maid. Every man that comes courting… her wealthy father doesn’t approve of or they are fortune hunters. At this rate she’ll never find a husband. Sarah wants to marry and have children. She is also desperate to get away from her controlling father and have a life of her own. She wants to love and be loved and would do anything… even be a mail-order bride. Without her father’s knowledge, she heads for Wyoming on the train to meet her husband-to-be.

Walker McKay isn’t sure what to expect when he meets the beautiful red headed Sarah Livingston. He had been abandoned at the altar once before and was humiliated. Not wanting to be jilted a second time and disgraced, Walker McKay plans a barbeque, just in case his new fiancée might skip out. This way, if she doesn’t show up, then no one knows he’s been jilted again. Sarah is surprised when she walks down the steps in her wedding gown and finds the room full of guests having a barbeque. When she turns to Walker with a puzzled look, he just smiles. He did not forget to invite the preacher who doesn’t even know he is about to perform a wedding. “Got your bible with you?” Walker asks the preacher. Who ever heard of a Barbeque Wedding?

Most romances are about a couple who meets, he courts her, and they fall in love… but this story takes a different direction all together. It’s about a couple who marries, he courts her, and then they fall in love. The humor is delightful throughout the book, with one twist after another. When Walker finds out that she isn’t who she says she is, he flies off the handle and isn’t sure what to do. Author Lori Copeland has written an adorable novel about romance after the wedding. I highly recommend this book. It’s fun!

Review written by Linda Weaver Clarke, author of Melinda and the Wild West, a Semi-finalist for the “Reviewers Choice Award.”

30 comments:

Unknown said...

I'd love to win this book!! Sounds great!!

Thanks for the contest! chirth7@yahoo.com

Cheryl said...

Excellent interview. This books sounds amazing and so up my alley. Thanks for the chance to win.

Cheryl

cg20pm00(at)gmail(dot)com

brendajean said...

I really enjoyed this interview. I love Lori's books and would love to win this one!
bchild5@aol.com

rubynreba said...

This sounds like a wonderful book. Thanks!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Unknown said...

Ooh - this sounds like a really great book! Thanks!!! QueenOfTheClan@gmail.com

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

I just love the storyline in this book and I would love to win and read.
I really like Christian fiction, these are
the best books of all.

cenya2 at hotmail dot com

Judylynn said...

I'd love to win this book!

seizethebookblog(at)gmail(dot)com

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

No need to enter me, Linda. I'm dropping in to say hi and thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book for you.

karenk said...

would love to read about walker's wedding...thanks for the chance :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Reading said...

I never thought about writing as being a curse and a blessing. But I guess friends would think you are writing about them. I would love to win. Thanks for the giveaway.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

holdenj said...

What a wonderful interview. Thanks so much for the chance to win.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Lori said, "I am certain that my family is very proud of my success, but around home I'm just mom, grandma and taxi service, and that's the best occupation a woman can have."

I can certainly relate to this; as, I imagine, can most moms.

djd1795(at)yahoo(dot)com

RaNae said...

My elderly mom loves Christian romance. If it's good, she'll listen to the book more than once. Sounds like I need to look for Lori Copeland books.

Aik said...

I'd love to read this book! Thanks!

aikychien at yahoo dot com

apple blossom said...

I have read some of Lori's books. I'd love to be included in this giveaway. Thanks
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

Tamsyn said...

I really enjoyed the interview. Thanks, and please enter me for the contest.
tamsyn5@yahoo.com

vvb32 reads said...

Nice interview and inspiration. I'd love the opportunity to read Walker's Wedding.
vvb32 at yahoo.com

Laura at Library of Clean Reads said...

Lori's last words of her interview really touched me. It's true that writing is a lonely career, but how comforting when the words we write touch lives in places we least expect it.
Would love a chance to win her book.
laura at laurafabiani dot com

baileythebookworm said...

I love the acknowledgment of how lonely writing can be as a profession. No matter how many stories and characters we have to work on, the truth is, writers are still only one person. It can be hard to work alone.

baileythebookworm[at]gmail[dot]com

Darlyn said...

I love the storyline of the book and please sign me in too.

darlyn225 at gmail dot com

Rees Family said...

Love the sound of this book. Please enter me in this drawing. :)

Anonymous said...

I like to read Christian books. Thanks for the interview.

Please enter my name in your drawing.

Helen Kiker
hdkiker@comcast.net

msdarcy said...

I love a good Christian Romance :) I enjoy Lori's books and would love to be entered to win.

msdarcy22@aol.com

Heather P said...

This book is definitely on my list to read when I finally have time :) I'm always looking for a clean read and excited to read this one

Elizabeth Morgan said...

It think that the book sounds awesome. Lori Sounds like such an awesome author.

Cassandra said...

I love Romances. It sounds like an amazing book. Your review makes the book sound real funny.

princesslife101@gmail.com

Cass said...

Wonderful interview! This book sounds really great. I've never read a Christian novel before, unless you count the bible (which I tried to read all the way through a few years ago in one sitting, which did not bode well). I would love to read this book! :)

Cassandra
cc932005[at]hotmail[dot]com

Tarmy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tarmy said...

I thought the comment about writing being a sacrifice was very interesting. It will change how I think about what I read and the people behind the stories.
I'd love a chance to read one of her books!
Thanks!
Tarmy (dot) lunt (@) gmail (dot) com

Linda Weaver Clarke said...

Congratulations, Marjorie and Cass. We have two winners for this contest. This was a fun book for me to read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.