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Interview and Giveaway with Leslie Gould

Posted Michelle Dawn

I am so happy to have Leslie Gould as a guest today! Leslie’s new book is Courting Cate and I absolutely loved it. Would you like the chance to win a copy? If so, leave a comment for Leslie at the end of the interview to be entered! Good Luck and Happy Reading………

 

Why don’t we start by you telling us a little about yourself?

I’ve been married 29 years, have four children (ages 15 to 25), and live in Portland, Oregon. I’ve held a variety of jobs—museum curator, Port of Portland community relations specialist, bridal magazine editor, and adjunct fiction writing professor, to name a few. I’ve been writing novels fulltime for the last three years, although my first one was published in 2003. I can’t fathom going back to a “real” job after spending so much time in my head. 🙂

Can you tell us about your new book Courting Cate?

The novel is an Amish retelling of “The Taming of the Shrew.” Several years ago I went back to school for a Masters of Fine Arts in creative writing and took a Shakespeare class where one of the assignments was retelling plays as short stories. I loved those assignments! Fast-forward a couple of years when I began co-authoring Amish fiction with Mindy Starns Clark. Right away I thought retelling Shakespeare stories in Amish settings was a great idea, but I wasn’t so sure a publisher would agree. Thankfully that wasn’t the case! Courting Cate is my first in the Courtships of Lancaster County series, all inspired by Shakespeare’s plays.

I must say that I loved Cate! She is such a great character. Do you have a favorite character from any of your books?

I’m so glad you like Cate—so do I! She is definitely one of my all-time favorite characters out of my 15 novels, definitely in the top three (I can’t choose beyond that! Lan in Beyond the Blue and Lexie in The Amish Midwife are the other two on the list—today. Tomorrow it might be entirely different). I wrote Courting Cate while my husband was commanding a field hospital in Afghanistan. I poured my love for him into the novel. In many ways, Cate’s story kept me company through those many long months when he was gone.

How do you do your research for your books? Do you have Amish friends?

I’ve spent time with several different Amish families, and I have quite a few Mennonite contacts. I also read about Plain communities, as much as I possibly can, and I subscribe to The Budget, a Plain newspaper, and to The Connection, a Plain Magazine. I have an Amish friend that I write letters to, asking all sorts of follow-up questions. I’ve learned so much! It’s really been an adventure!

If you could not be a writer, what would your ideal career be?

That’s such a hard question! I love editing fiction and teaching fiction writing, but I also love the idea of being a midwife or working in an orphanage in a third-world country or coordinating relief work. The nice thing about being a writer is that you can “live” so many different careers through writing about them.

What do you do when you are not writing?

My youngest is still in high school and playing soccer, both varsity and then club the rest of the year, so I still spend a lot of time driving and watching a lot of games, which I love. My husband and I serve on the planning committee of Young Life in Portland and are big supporters of the ministry, so that takes some time. We also belong to a couples’ fellowship group and an awesome book group that’s been meeting for over 20 years. Life is good.

Do you read Amish fiction? What books are you reading now?

I’m reading Life with Lily right now by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher. It’s amazing! I love everything of Suzanne’s that I’ve read. I also really enjoy Beverly Lewis’s books, Mindy Starns Clark’s work (including the ones we haven’t co-authored :), plus Kathryn Cushman, Olivia Newport, Kelly Long, Beth Wiseman, and so many more.
What is your favorite thing about being an author? As far as the actual writing, I especially enjoy developing characters. They start out fairly one-dimensional, like paper dolls, and throughout the process turn into totally believable people, like an imaginary friend. 🙂

Do you have anything else that you would like to share?

Beyond the writing, I really value the relationships I develop with readers, and I especially treasure hearing their stories. That’s the double blessing in all of this—getting to know real people whom I’ve touched, who then bless me in return. God teaches me so much through my writing, in so many different ways.

What’s next for you?

I just finished the rewrites for Adoring Addie, the second book in The Courtships of Lancaster County series. It releases next May and was inspired by “Romeo and Juliet,” although my version is a little different than the traditional story.  I’m currently writing the third book in the series.
Thank you so much for interviewing me!

 

 

 

Simply leave a comment on this post below to be entered.

Contest starts today November 5th and ends on November 9th. Winner will be announced on Saturday the 10th. 

Don’t Forget To: Share on Facebook or Tweet on Twitter, and leave another comment if you did. That’s another chance to win! The sharing buttons are below:)

 

 

 

Leslie Gould is the award-winning author of fifteen novels, including the #1 bestseller and Christy Award winner The Amish Midwife, co-written with Mindy Starns Clark. Leslie’s novel Beyond the Blue was the winner of the Romantic Times Book Club Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Inspirational Novel in 2006. Her latest release is Courting Cate, a retelling of the “Taming of the Shrew.” Leslie and her husband, Peter, and their four children live in Portland, Oregon. Visit her at www.lesliegould.com.

 

84 thoughts on “Interview and Giveaway with Leslie Gould”

  10. Enjoyed reading the interview with Leslie. Can’t wait to win and read the book, even though I have never read anything by her before. Love getting to know new (to me) authors. I will share this on Facebook and leave a comment there. Thanks and God bless.

    Reply

  11. Enjoyed reading the interview, this sounds like a great series! Would love to win a copy of Courting Cate!

    Reply

  12. I really enjoyed the interview…..and I would be thrilled to win a paperback copy of the book..’Courting Cafe’ by writer Leslie Gould

    Reply

  22. What a unique idea to retell the Shakespeare stories in a different setting! I can’t wait to try this book 🙂

    Reply

  23. Nice interview and giveaway. Just have to say this because we just picked up some more cheese from an Amish group near here. Some of the best cheese around. A group of men in our area has started helping the habitat for humanity by sometimes doing the framework in the beginning, usually within a day.It makes a big difference what these homes do in peoples lives.

    Reply

  26. What a wonderful idea for a plot! I would imagine(not having read the book yet) that this has the best of both worlds; the strong willed, feisty female character as in the Shrew, but softened at the right time & in the right way by Faith! Can’t wait!

    Reply

  35. I would love to win Courting Cate. This book sounds like a great one to read. Thanks for the opportunity to win.

    Reply

  37. I would love to read your book . I have not read your BOOKS really sounds good. I now have another AUTHOR to read love to read the AMISH books. Thank you
    Penny

    Reply

  41. Wow what an awesome interview. I really enjoyed reading the interview. I have read a lot of books from the author that was mentioned in this interview. My favorite has been Beverly Lewis. But I am now at the point where I love to read all of the books I can get my hands on that have anything to do with the Amish.
    I would love to win this book, and would very much enjoy reading and reviewing it. Thank you so much for the contest and your awesome books. This one sounds very intriguing.

    Reply

  43. Thats an awesome review…I enjoyed reading it..:-)
    I’ll be sharing this on facebook too!
    I would love to be entered in this comtest to win the book!
    Thank You

    Reply

  44. I haven’t read anything from Leslie Gould yet, but I can’t wait to read her book. I loved her interview. Her review was awesome.
    I would love to be entered into in this contest to read win this book.
    Thank you!
    Andrea Woodard
    [email protected]

    Reply

  46. wow! you are one busy lady I also have some amish and mennonite friends matter of fact i know two of the lady’s from the connection magazine in Indiana I was there visiting them, it is a wonderful magazine. your book sounds great would love to win it. and thasnk you very much.

    Reply

  51. Being a museum curator sounds interesting. What type of museum was it, and where, if you don’t mind saying? I would love to win Courting Cate. Is it part of the story you wrote in class when you were taking the course? Thanks for a fun interview! Kathleen

    Reply

  54. Loved the interview. I also love Beverly Lewis and have all of her books (except the picture books and I might get those for my daughter too. =)) I’m always open to get to know new authors so would love to win this book. If I do like Leslie Gould I’ll probably end up buying all her books too eventually, so you never know.

    Reply

  60. Great idea for a book series. I can’t wait to get my hands on it. I’ve read a couple of your books that I borrowed from my Aunt Randi. I’m pretty sure you know her! 🙂
    Blessings to you on your new series!
    Lori

    Reply

  61. I never thought of what an author would read , but i like the same authors as you and have stories in my head to tell. Would love to win and read your book.
    Linda

    Reply

  62. I enjoyed reading this interview. You mentioned Beverly Lewis, I met her when she was in Millersburg Ohio and I also met Wanda Brunstetter in Canton Ohio. I moved to Texas 2 yrs ago from near Holmes County Ohio and needless to say I miss interacting with the Amish. I just finished reading Amish Midwife. Love it. I would love to read Courting Cate. Amish fiction is my favorite, please don’t ask me to name a favorite author though, the stories draw me right into them. Thank you for the opportunity to have a chance to win Courting Cate.

    Reply

  68. Good interview. I have not read any books by this author but do plan to as I have heard good responses about it. Out of town on iPad so can’t share, will when I get home later in week

    Cathy Weber
    [email protected]

    Reply

  72. I enjoyed reading the interview with Leslie Gould and would love to win the book. Thanks for entering me in the contest.

    Reply

  73. I love reading Amish fiction because to me it is so relaxing. I would love to win a copy of “Courting Cate”. Blessings

    Reply

  75. I find it very fascinating how your book is a take
    on The Taming of the Shrew…Very clever and sounds
    like a fabulous book to read!
    Many thanks, Cindi

    Reply

  77. I would love to win a copy of Lelie’s book, Courting Cate!!! It is such a blessing to have take the time out to share a little bit about herself with us!!! Thank you!!!
    Blessings,
    Kristin J (keithkrisjager(at)aol(dot)com)

    Reply

  83. Would love to win this book. Sounds like it would be an awesome one to read. Thanks for this offer. By the way, excellent interview.

    Reply

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