Face to Face with author Kelly Goshorn!

Today is very special for me as I get to introduce you all to an amazing lady and author who I have the privilege of calling "friend". Here is a little about Kelly!

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.

Welcome! We're so glad you could visit us today. 

Hi Angela. Thank you for hosting me on the Stitches Through Time blog. Angela and I have been friends and writing buddies for many years. There are few people whose opinion I trust as much as hers. I’m looking forward to visiting with you and your readers today.

What made you decide to become a writer?

God. Now that may be a strange answer, but writing was never in my wildest dreams or ambitions. In 2008, after seventeen years of in-home childcare, my husband and I began praying for God to give me a new passion—a new direction. While waiting for His answer, I began tinkering with storytelling. I’d always enjoyed writing research papers for my history classes but never, ever considered writing fiction. It didn’t take long for my secret hobby to become a God-given passion. Seeing A Love Restored in print is the answer to many, many prayers that all began with an earnest desire to seek God’s will and direction for my life.

What is your favorite thing about being an author?

You mean besides wearing comfy clothes and having an excuse for talking to imaginary characters all day? Hmmm, I’d have to say all the research I get to do for writing historical romance. It’s justifiable web surfing! LOL! I’ve always been a bit of a history geek and I love finding little tidbits to include in my stories from turns of phrases to authentic recipes or period fashions.

Where did the inspiration for A Love Restored come from? 

A Love Restored is based on the true-life romance between my husband and myself with all its ups and downs, including our tumultuous break up. Like my full-figured heroine, Ruth Ann, I’ve struggled with weight issues my entire life. That struggle plays an important part in our story. 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.

I think that honestly, that comes out in your story, is what I love most of this story. 

What do you want readers to come away with after 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 is one of your favorite scenes in A Love Restored?

My hero, Benjamin Coulter, learned to make pies and cookies from his grandmother, just like my husband, Mike. When Ruth Ann serves the apple pie Benjamin made, she took care to steal the point from both their pieces, surprising Ben. Before leaving for the evening, Benjamin sneaks into the kitchen and cuts a hole in the center of the other pie—making certain no slices will have a point! I enjoy the playfulness of the scene and the fact that it mimics our own tradition of stealing the point from someone else’s pie.

When you are stressed, maybe a deadline’s approaching too fast, what is your favorite snack food? Or do you have another way to cope? 

For most of my life, chocolate, specifically Brach’s Chocolate-Covered Bridge Mix, has been a go-to treat for curing stress, celebrating life’s milestones, or satisfying my sweet tooth. For the last two years I’ve been concentrating on eating healthier and moving more. Now when I’m stressed, I grab the leash and head out for a walk with my faithful sidekick, Levi.

Smart! I need to learn that kind of willpower. ;)

What are you working on next?

My current series, also set in Virginia, follows the Ashby family as they struggle to survive as the nation and their family are torn apart by America’s Civil War. Surrendered Hearts 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.

Looking forward to that! 

Twenty-year old Ruth Ann Sutton doesn’t measure up to society’s vision of a perfect lady. She would rather read Jules Verne or teach Negro children to read and write than join the Women’s Benevolent Aid Society or practice her voice lessons. Her pert opinions and less than perfect figure keep many suitors away. When Ruth Ann accepts a position teaching at the new Freedman’s School, it threatens the only marriage offer she is likely to receive. Should she risk life as a lonely spinster or reinvent herself to accept a proposal from a man she does not love?

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. All he needs now is a woman to share his promising future. When Benjamin has a chance encounter with Ruth Ann Sutton, he is smitten with her pretty face, quick wit, and feisty personality. When others ridicule his choice, Benjamin must decide whether he will listen to his heart or put ambition first.

Purchase on Amazon https://amzn.to/2J2wBAz

You can connect with Kelly on:

Her 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/kellyjgoshorn/