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Just a heads-up that we'll be starting the June Q&A tomorrow (June 3rd)!

Tomorrow Deborah Hale will be here to chat about The Earl's Honorable Intentions. On Tuesday, we'll welcome back Linda Ford to explain how her hero and heroine manage to reach The Baby Compromise. On Wednesday, Debra Ullrick will introduce us to Harrison Kingsley, The Unintended Groom. On Thursday, it will be Winnie Griggs's turn to present Daisy Johnson, The Bride Next Door. On Friday, we'll wrap things up with some giveaways.

So get your questions ready. See you tomorrow!

Yay! I am excited!

Me too, Melody! This is going to be kind of strange introducing myself and my book, but here goes...

I'm Deborah Hale and my June book for LIH is the third novel/fourth story in my Glass Slipper Brides series, The Earl's Honorable Intentions. The earl in the title is Gavin Romney, a soldier who never expected to inherit his father's title. Hannah Fletcher is the governess to his young son and is supervising the care of his infant twins since the passing of their mother. Gavin and Hannah don't think much of each other at the beginning of the story but when he returns from Waterloo with a wound that could prove fatal, she is determined to keep him alive for the sake of his children.

I made a video about the story that you can see here:

So...any questions? ;)

What are you currently work on for LlH? If you do, are they also set in the Regency period?

I finished this book yesterday & I loved it! - Whoever wins this book will be in for a treat!

I have some questions though!

1. Will Leah & Evangeline get a story too?

2. How much research did you have to do for the Battle of Waterloo? - I loved how that was an essential part of the story.

3. What made you choose the name Gavin for a hero? - it's not often you hear that name set in that time, but it suited him.

Oh, & I seriously loved the cover too. It captured Hannah & Gavin perfectly!

Good job on the video!

Hi Jane and Wendy! Wendy, I'm so glad you enjoyed Gavin and Hannah's story.

To answer your questions - yes, Leah and Evangeline will definitely get their own stories. Leah's story will be coming out in November, titled The Duke's Marriage Mission. At the moment I'm working on Evangeline's story. The hero of it isn't a nobleman but a mill owner and philanthropist based on Robert Owen. Jane, yes, the books are all set in the Regency era.

I did quite a lot of research about Waterloo. Fortunately, I'd done quite a bit already for some past books, so I knew where to look. ;) I have a three book set about the Napoleonic Wars that was very helpful. The harder part was figuring out what happened between the battle and the point when Napoleon was captured. Finding out where he was at any given time and how much the people back in England knew was tricky to find out, but I came across a website that had digitized old newspapers from the UK and I was able to piece it all together by reading them.

Great question about Gavin's name! I can't get into a story until I have the right names for my characters and I had a hard time coming up with one I liked for this book. This was my 30th published story, so I've gone through quite a few hero's names! Finally I went through a baby name book that I'd bought many years ago. It gives the meaning of names, their origin and sometimes quotes that include the name. I made a list of possibilities and Gavin just seemed right for this man of action.

I was delighted with the cover too! The characters looked just the way I pictures them and it had an overall warm glow that I loved. Now I can't wait to see the cover for The Duke's Marriage Mission.

Thanks for the great questions!

I look forward to reading this book and The Duke's Marriage Mission. I also agree, the book cover is quite lovely.

A mill owner hero, sounds interesting as well.

Deb this sounds like a wonderful story and great timing with fathers day for a book with character who has children. twins, he is probably overwhelmed and needs that governess help in many ways. Has she always been part of the family or newly added? I like the cover too.

A mill owner hero, sounds interesting as well.

I'm having fun with him, Jane! i loved the BBC production of Elizabeth Gaskell's "North and South."

Hi Paula! Hannah has been with the family for awhile but Gavin doesn't know her very well because he's been away at war. She thinks he should have quit being a soldier once he had children, but the situation is a little more complicated than that. Gavin has been in the military a long time because he was a second son and didn't expect to inherit his father's title. He has strong feelings about his military duty, which I can respect.

In a way I guess it's appropriate that this book is coming out between Memorial Day and Father's Day, because it's partly about the difficult balance between duty to family and country that those who serve in the armed forces face.

I haven't watched North and South but I loved the book.

I'm the other way around, Jane. I haven't read the book, but I must because I'll probably get so much more out of the story. There are some things that are hard to put up on the screen. The music for the television production is wonderful!

sounds interesting. I like the naval type books. always loved Hornblower. The battle of Waterloo would be interesting to study too.
I dont know as much about English history.

Funny you mention North and South as I got the dvd in america only it was the American Civil war. I haven't seen the english one at all.

Deborah, your video was great, and your book sounds very interesting. Since it is the third book in the series, were any of the three easier or more difficult to write than the others?

Hi Ausjenny! It's funny about the American and UK North and Souths. I saw the American one years ago and really enjoyed it too.

Oh good question Barb! I am interested in that answer!

Oh, that IS a great question, Barbara!

The first three were all pretty easy for some reason. In the case of The Captain's Christmas Family and The Baron's Governess Bride, it was because they'd been on the back burner of my mind for quite awhile.

The Earl's Honorable Intentions was harder. I'm not sure I had the story as well-developed in the beginning as I should have. I am lucky to have such a wonderful editor in Tina James. She was able to give me some great feedback that shaped the story in ways I was very happy with. I really loved writing about the infant twins, Alice and Arthur!

Our featured author for today, is LIH favorite and fellow Canadian, Linda Ford! Her readers must be thrilled that Linda has had so many books out recently. This month, she has a book in the multi-author Orphan Train series.

Compromises will definitely be in order when a New York socialite and a big gruff cowboy bond over an abandoned baby he finds. Linda, your hero and heroine definitely come from different worlds. Can you tell us a bit about Rebecca and Colton and the unexpected connection between them?

This sounds interesting. How was it writing in a multi author series. how are the books linked?

Ausjenny, The Orphan Train series is 3 books long and each book is written by a different author which, as you can imagine, presents certain challenges as we try and keep track of details in each other's stories. It is also good in that it challenges me to see stories from other's point of view.

In this series, the stories are all linked by the orphans. Rebecca ends up in charge of placing them when the man in charge is killed in a botched train robbery. In her story, she aims to see all the children placed and an orphanage built to provide a home for other children rescued from a corrupt man. There is a thread of mystery woven throughtout the story.

Deb,
Thanks for hosting these monthly Q&As.

I think what I liked about working with Rebecca and Colton was how they brought to the relationship something that was missing in the other person's life. Yet they are totally unsuited. Colton is a man with responsibilities of his own in the way of ill and crippled parents. Believe me, it took some thinking to figure out how to deal with that problem. But most of all Colton is a simple cowboy who lives on a ranch in a plain, small house and Rebecca comes from money and position and has lived in a 30 room mansion all her life.

Linda, I just finished The Cowboy's Unexpected Family last night and am only a few pages into The Cowboy's Convenient Proposal... (I'm catching up with my LIS historical reading.) Loved the series so far! I'm in awe... I'm so impressed at how many books you've put out lately. I've read the first two in the Orphan Train series and can't wait to see what happens to Rebecca. Can you tell us if she found a place to stay once all the children were placed or did she end up heading back east?

I have this series on my Kindle wish list - I'm a Nursery Nurse & I love my job working with children, & so consequently stories with them in are a good hook for me!

How many orphans are there altogether?

Did you all work out how many there would be, names for them & character traits, or was it already decided for you when you were asked to write the series?

Wendy,
You sent me scrambling back to my notes about the orphan train series. There were 9 orphans involved in the placement where the train robbery takes place. Plus there are a dozen more who are rescued from a man who was selling them into slave labor.

The main character orphans were named by the editors of this series but the authors had to come up with names and story for the others. Each of the authors had a hand in doing that.

BTW, I find names characters very difficult. (It took me 9 months to come up with names for own babies). Not only do I have to name the hero and heroine in a story, I have to name their family members, members of the community and church, etc. And try not to repeat the names I've used in previous stories. It can be a challenge.

Thanks for sharing with us Deborah & Linda! I ordered both your books a while back and the shipment should be arriving any day now. It wasn't in today's mail :(

Deborah I have loved all the books in the Glass Slipper Brides series and am exicited to hear that we have two more after The Earl's Honorable Intentions I love the cover by the way!! The video was also great.

Linda I have the other two Orphan Train books and once I get yours in the mail I will begin reading them. First I have to finish the K-9 Continuity that LIS put out this year.

So since Deborah answered what she is currently working on, Linda could you let us know what you are currently working on?

Hi Laura,

I am currently working on a series of books featuring 3 girls--Sage, Crocus and Rose. As young children, they were found abandoned on the prairie. I hope the books will be released late next year.

I just finished book 6 (plus a novella) in the Cowboys of Eden Valley series and am brainstorming another 6 books in the series.

Laura AKA Loves 2 Read Romance wrote: "Thanks for sharing with us Deborah & Linda! I ordered both your books a while back and the shipment should be arriving any day now. It wasn't in today's mail :(

Deborah I have loved all the books..."

Laura, you're like me, wait until you have the whole series of a continuity before reading! Looking forward to receiving Lenora's book this week to complete the collection - although I did notice they are doing a Christmas 2-in-1 K9 stories so think I may have to order that too!

Hi Linda, Have not read this series yet but looking forward to it...this baby compromise sounds great and I can see where this woman would learn to care for a cowboy that has soft heart for baby.
Being the pampered woman that she is -does she have any idea how to care for a baby? or will they learn together?
I like the sound too of your new book with the three girls, how will I ever catch up with reading...

Paula,
Rebecca is a fish-out-of-water but she learns quickly by watching. And she never makes the same mistake twice. But needless to say, she wonders if she can ever fit into this community and especially on a ranch.

I am with you Paula, I love reading the Q and A's every month, and I wonder how I will ever read all the books I want to! Such amazing stories and talents we have to look to in any LI line! I am in awe each and every month with the new stories and the things I learn about what went into them!

what are the other 2 books in the series.

the Orphan Train series:
April: Family Lessons by Allie Pleiter
May:The Marriage Barter by Christine Johnson

Oh i have Mays book but not Aprils as yet.

Linda, I LOVE Orphan Train stories - it is a situation that lends itself to so many story possibilities, so may 'what ifs'. All three of these books are on my TBR pile - I was waiting until the last one came out so I could read them all back-to-back.

I am always fascinated by individual author's research process. What kind of research did you do for this one and did you learn anything that surprised you.


And deborah, since I missed your discussion yesterday, if it's not too late, could you answer the same thing?

Hi, Linda. I read Family Lessons, loved it, and already have The Marriage Barter and The Baby Compromise on my shelf and can't wait to read them. I would imagine it is fun working with other authors on a continuity series. The idea of the orphan trains has always fascinated me.

Barbara, It is fun working with other authors. I always learn something but how they approach their writing. I love orphan train stories too. I have a friend whose grandmother was placed during the war.

Hi Winnie! Looking forward to hearing about The Bride Next Door tomorrow!

>>What kind of research did you do for this one and did you learn anything that surprised you.

What surprised me was realizing how long it took for Napoleon to be captured after Waterloo and what a tense time that was for people. Once I figured out his movements, I had to find out what the average person in England actually knew. I put some quotes from the actual newspapers in the story because Gavin was trying to follow the situation.

Our featured author for today is Debra Ullrick! Her June book, The Unintended Groom is her fifth Love Inspired Historical - have I got that right, Debra?

This is a story about a relationship that was intended to be strictly business becoming something more. For those of you who like reading about twins, you'll be happy this month -- both Debra and I have twins in our books!

Debra can you introduce us to Harrison (and Abby) and tell us why they don't want their business arrangement complicated by romantic feelings? I'd love to hear more about the boys, too, since I have twin sons. How old are they and what are their names?

Thanks for spending today with us! I'm looking forward to learning more about The Unintended Groom and the special people in his life!

Good morning Deborah, I enjoy reading about twins and multiples in a family, this one sounds like a male without mama for those twins might just make this young woman think twice about "Just" a partnership in business with him. Why did she have to have a male partner for the business?

Oh, another book feauturing children! How lovely! I love how children bring adults together!

Is this story linked with your previous books? Or is it a one-off? Or a start of a series?

It's always fun when children bring the Hero & Heroine together. What are you currently working on Debra?

Deborah wrote: "

Our featured author for today is Debra Ullrick! Her June book, The Unintended Groom is her fifth Love Inspired Historical - ha..."

Deborah, thank you so much for this opportunity to share our June Love Inspired stories with our readers and each other. Yes, Deborah, you have that right. The Unintended Groom, is my fifth Love Inspired historical novel. And sadly the last of the Bowen family.
I immediately fell in love with my hero Harrison Kingsley. Don't tell my husband, he doesn't know. ~wink wink~ *smiling* Harrison's love for his young twin sons compels him to do something daring, like answer a "business partner wanted" advertisement. When he meets the bubbly, outgoing Abby Bowen he can't help but like her, but love and romance are not in his plans because the love of his life died, and the pain of loss is just too much for him to even think of enduring again. As for Abby, well, romance is something she fantasizes about but will never act on, especially since her ex-fiancé dumped her when she discovered she could never have children. That ornery ole stinker, her ex, told her that no man would ever want her because of that. So she is determined to never marry and instead will bury herself in the second of her line of dreams--opening a dinner theatre. Good luck with that Abby and Harrison. Are those two in for a ginormous surprise.
As for the twins, well, Parker and Graham are your typical four-year old rambunctious boys. Those two have chased away more nannies with their dead fish, bugs, and snakes antics.

My two youngest daughters are identical girl twins so I always love reading about twins. It's fascinating to observe the special bond they have. And I'll ask you the same question I asked Linda and Deborah: What kind of research did you have to do for this book and did any of the things you learned surprise you?

Paula-O wrote: "Good morning Deborah, I enjoy reading about twins and multiples in a family, this one sounds like a male without mama for those twins might just make this young woman think twice about "Just" a par..."

Hi Paula. The reason Abby has to have a MALE business partner is because the mayor of Hot Mineral Springs, Colorado and his cronies will not give her a permit to open her establishment without one. You'll have to read the story to find out just why. *smiling*

Wendy, I, too, love books with children. They have such a way of making things interesting. And trust me, Parker and Graham make things quite interesting for Harrison and Abby.
Abby's story is the last one in the Bowen family series. The first is, The Unexpected Bride, 2nd, The Unlikely Wife, 3rd Groom Wanted, and 4th, The Unintended Groom. I'm sure going to miss the Bowens and that adorable little pig.

Laura, I have several other mail-order type bride stories in the works. I can't help myself, I'm a sucker for marriage of convenience stories. *g*

What kind of stories do you all like to read? And what type do you feel have been overdone?

Winnie wrote: "My two youngest daughters are identical girl twins so I always love reading about twins. It's fascinating to observe the special bond they have. And I'll ask you the same question I asked Linda a..."

Winnie, since I only had one child -- a girl who is now almost 35 -- I had to ask a lot of questions from young mothers who had twin boys. I was surprised at how much trouble and what they could dream up at such a young age.
I always do a lot of research with each book, as I want to have things as accurate as I possibly can. Knowing nothing about opening a dinner theatre, I was amazed at how much stuff went on behind the scenes and how much work was really involved. Sometimes, I admit, I get overwhelmed with research, and other times I am blown away by what I learn. Makes me wish I'd of spent more time paying attention in history. hehe

Glad you like the mail-order bride stories because lot of here do too...
I married into family that has twins sons not identical ,but we have not been around them much since they live in another state. I think it would have been fun to see the interaction in them as little boys...

Paula-O wrote: "Glad you like the mail-order bride stories because lot of here do too...
I married into family that has twins sons not identical ,but we have not been around them much since they live in another st..."

Twins have always fascinated me. I think it would be fun to interview several of them. Identical, to see if they've ever switched places and the results of doing that, and paternal if they are tune with each like we see and hear about so much.

Debra wrote: "...Twins have always fascinated me. I think it would be fun to interview several of them. Identical, to see if they've ever switched places and the results of doing that, and paternal if they are tune with each like we see and hear about so much."

Not only do I have a set of identical twin daughters, but I have a set of fraternal twin nephews so it has been interesting watching them grow up.

When my daughters were in elementary school the school officials were careful to put them in separate classes, both for the sake of their individual development and for the sanity of their teachers . But when they were in third grade, their homeroom teachers decided to do a little experiment by swapping the girls to see who would and wouldn't notice. The girls thought it was great fun and went along with it gleefully. At the end of the day a few of their closest friends had caught on, but not many others, including non-homeroom teachers who had them during the day.