An Interview with Kelly Goshorn
Please tell us a little about yourself.
I live in northwestern Virginia in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains not far from the Maryland and West Virginia borders. I’ve been writing historical romance for about 8 years and so far, my stories are all set right here in Loudoun County, Virginia, where I live with my husband Mike. Mike and I have three grown children. I work two part-time jobs and when I’m not working or writing, I enjoy playing Euro-style board games, watching BBC period dramas, and spoiling my Welsh corgi, Levi.
Please share 5 fun facts about you.
- I usually write early in the morning in my PJs and slippers.
- I can’t carry a tune with a handle on it (but I still sing anyway).
- According to my family, I make a pretty mean lasagna.
- I love just about any type of black tea but abhor coffee.
- I have a sweet tooth the size of Mt. Everest.
Fans of romance novels enjoy a cute meet between the hero & the heroine. How did you and your husband, Mike, meet?
Mike and I met on my 23rd birthday in August 1988. He crashed my birthday party to flirt with my friend who was hosting the get together. He brought chips and dip along. When he offered me some I jokingly responded, “chips and dip, my kind of man.” He said he thought he’d find out if that were true and showed up at my apartment a few days later with Chinese food. The rest is history.
Tell us about your new release. (From the back cover)
With pert opinions and a less-than-perfect figure, Ruth Ann Sutton doesn’t measure up to society’s vision of a perfect lady. When she accepts a position teaching in a Freedman’s School, it threatens the only marriage offer Ruth Ann is likely to receive. She’s forced to choose between life as a lonely spinster or reinventing herself to secure a respectable proposal.
Determined to rise above his meager beginnings, Benjamin Coulter’s reputation as a fast learner and hard worker earn him the opportunity to apprentice with a surveyor for the railroad—a position that will garner the respect of other men. After a chance encounter with Ruth Ann Sutton, Benjamin is smitten with her pretty face, quick wit, and feisty personality.
When others ridicule his choice, will Benjamin listen to his heart or put ambition first?
What inspired you to write A Love Restored?
A Love Restored is based on my real-life love story with my husband, Mike—all of our ups and downs, including our emotionally devastating break up. When I first began writing, I tinkered with a story about Irish mail-order brides (the whole mail order bride thing just fascinates me). Hubby read it, told me it “wasn’t bad,” then suggested I write our story. Skeptical, I questioned him. “Are you sure. I mean you don’t look so good in that story for a long time.” He grinned and responded, “Yeah, but I think it turned out all right.” I’d have to agree. We celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary in mid-June.
You mentioned above that A Love Restored is based on your own life. In what ways are you similar to your heroine, Ruth Ann Sutton?
Like my full-figured heroine, Ruth Ann, I’ve struggled with weight issues my entire life. I’ve had cruel things said about my appearance. Oftentimes by people who were supposed to love me. But their insensitive words failed in comparison to the ugly way I spoke to myself. I’d become so defined by the negative comments and opinions of those surrounding me, I no longer saw anything to esteem. I’d allowed my self-worth to be determined by a yardstick that measured my value according to the size of my waist or the flatness of my stomach, always coming up short. My own journey to self-acceptance, as well as what a loving God will do to grab a stubborn woman’s attention, are pivotal to the story line.
In what ways in your hero, Benjamin Coulter, similar to your husband, Mike?
Like my husband, Benjamin makes Ruth Ann laugh, holds her accountable to herself and is very generous with his time and talents. He is extremely intelligent, and like Benjamin, my husband wooed me with his guitar and teases me about my not-so-stellar singing voice. Like Benjamin, my husband struggled with his pride and let vows, words he’d spoken over himself, dictate his choices. Benjamin’s journey is about finding the courage to challenge society’s idea of what success looks like and trusting God’s plan for his life.
What was the most challenging aspect of writing this story?
I found it challenging to write our characters, Ruth Ann and Benjamin, who both struggle to come to terms with Ruth Ann’s fuller-figure, without making her look weak and pathetic nor him look shallow. I hope readers find them to be strong, good-hearted characters struggling with very human flaws who look to God and scripture for guidance and healing.
What do you hope readers take away from reading A Love Restored?
A Love Restored is not only a story of love, romance, heartache and restoration, but also a story about the power of words over our lives. It is a story about the struggle each of us faces to take our thoughts captive to the truth of Scripture so we may experience the fullness of God’s unequivocal love for us. As my husband and I discovered, it is only then that we are truly able to give and receive love, unconditionally.
My prayer for you and your lovely readers is that you will not allow the enemy to steal the joy that is rightfully yours as a child of God. Speak the truth of the gospel over yourself every day and ask God to give you His eyes to see yourself as He does.
“For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7b
What are you working on now?
I’m very excited about the series I’m working on now, Surrendered Hearts. Set in Civil War Virginia, the series examines what happens when God calls us to surrender those things we hold most dear. Characters are called to sacrifice their dreams and ambitions, their pride, and ultimately their hearts as God recklessly pursues each of them. Hearts and wills are challenged, and lives transformed as characters experience restoration with one another and with God. If readers are interested in learning more, the can visit the Surrendered Hearts page on my website.
Where can readers purchase A Love Restored?
A Love Restored is actually on sale right now for .99 cents on Kindle. You can also find the print copy on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
How can readers keep in touch with you?
The best way to stay current with my writing projects is to sign up for my newsletter at http://kellygoshorn.com/my-writing/newsletter. When readers signup, they’ll receive a copy of my husband’s sugar cookie recipe that inspired the baking scene in A Love Restored. This recipe was handed down from his great-grandmother Dorwaldt and these cookies are melt-in-your mouth delicious! Hubby keeps a copy of the recipe in our lockbox with all the important papers like our marriage license and the kids’ birth certificates. True story!
Readers can also connect with me on
My Website http://kellygoshorn.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kelly.j.goshorn/
Twitter https://twitter.com/KellyGoshorn
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/KellyGoshorn/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18023325.Kelly_J_Goshorn
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/search/authors?search=Kelly%20Goshorn
Purchase on Amazon US, Amazon UK and Barnes & Noble
Kelly Goshorn weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into uplifting stories of love, faith and family set in nineteenth century America. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Kelly has been enjoying her own happily-ever-after with her husband and best friend, Mike, for 28 years. Together they have raised three children, four cats, two dogs, a turtle, a guinea pig, a gecko, and countless hamsters. Thankfully, not all at the same time. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys spending time with her young adult children, scrapbooking with friends, board gaming with her husband, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi.
