Love Finds You In Last Chance, California by Miralee Ferrell

Summary: It's 1877 and Alexia Travers is alone in the world. Her father has died unexpectedly, leaving her burdened with a heavily mortgaged horse ranch. Marrying one of the town's all-too-willing bachelors would offer an easy solution, but Alex has no interest in marriage. Instead, she dons men's trousers and rides the range, determined to make the ranch a success on her own.

But despite Alex's best efforts, everything seems to go wrong: ranch hands quit, horses are stolen, and her father's gold goes missing. Alex is at her wit's end when wrangler Justin Phillips arrives in Last Chance with his young son, looking for a job. But there seems to be more to Justin's story than he's willing to share. Will Alex ever be able to trust him? More importantly, will the independent woman finally learn to depend on God?
Hey, not only is this a great book but you have the opportunity to check out the product from a new publishing line from Summerside Press. I've had the chance to chat with the head honcho from Summerside and am enthusiastic about seeing the upcoming work from that publisher. There is a whole line of books by different authors in the Last Chance series. Nice people with a desire to touch lives. I like them!

For your chance to win this book, please leave me a comment after you read the interview with Miralee :-) Don't forget to visit over at the Faith Girls blog, www.writingbyfaith.blogspot.com for the other part of today's interview!

Let's have fun getting to know Miralee with an interview:




Angie: Your publisher is running a series of Last Chance books, aren't they? How do you figure out which characters to use?

Miralee: Some of the authors already had a story line in mind prior to being contracted, and others chose their story lines based on the town they chose. In my case, I had a story line already built, and was able to easily adapt it to the historical town of Last Chance. Of course, my characters had to fit my time period and flow with my story line. In an Old West historical you 'must' have some rougher characters, horses, maybe a little gun-play, a sheriff, pastor and cowboys, LOL!

Angie: So I heard you actually took a trip to the ghost town of Last Chance. What was your favorite part?

Miralee: The entire trip was enlightening and enjoyable, both from a personal and a research aspect. My husband and I loved exploring the area where Last Chance once existed, as well as getting to travel the two hours to the site. It was amazing to consider what the pioneers and miners must have experienced as they traversed the incredibly steep canyon country on the way. And seeing the large meadow behind the town with the spring and small pond, as well as finding remnants of old bottles, cans, one-hundred-fifty year old cedar fence posts, and the cemetery head stones was a thrill.

Angie:Did any of your characters come out of real life people that once lived in Last Chance?

Miralee: Only the reference to Allen Grosch, the miner who got lost in the snowstorm and died in Last Chance, on his way to San Francisco to raise money to fund his new silver claim.

Angie: If you could help a young woman setting out on a goal, what are a few things you would mentor her to do in order to achieve her goals?

Miralee: First and foremost, prayer is the most important. Make sure you're in the center of God's will with the goals you're pursuing, so you don't waste your time or your life striving do to something God hasn't fitted you for. If after praying you know it's the direction you're to seek, then do so with all of your heart. Continue to bathe the project in prayer and ask the Lord for His wisdom and guidance, and above all, never lose site of the goal, and never give up.

Angie: You are a horse fancier, aren't you? Tell us about your horse.

Miralee: Yes, I've owned horses for 35 yrs. now. I've owned Arabian horses almost exclusively and at one time, owned a stallion and 6 mares and did a bit of breeding and showing. At this time I own one older Arab mare and use her for trail riding. We live 9 miles from town and have wonderful wooded trails starting right at the end of our driveway. My daughter and I ride together a couple of times a week when the weather is good. It's relaxing to get away from the computer and hit the trails on my horse!

Angie: Do you see yourself strictly as an author, or do you envision your career broadening in any way beyond writing?

Miralee: It’s funny…when I started this journey a little over 3 yrs ago, I envisioned myself as heading more toward speaking than writing. Now, I’m writing nearly full time and haven’t seen as much happening in the speaking arena. I’m hoping to turn that around and even it out this coming year, as I approach historical societies, schools and women’s groups and offer to speak.

Love Finds You In Last Chance, CA. by Miralee Ferrell
Summerside Press
4 1/2 Stars with Romantic Times Magazine
The Other Daughter--Kregel Publishing

Web Site www.miraleeferrell.com
Blog: www.miraleesdesk.blogspot.com

Thank you so much for visiting with Miralee and me today! Remember to leave your comment for your chance to win a copy of Miralee's new book.
Angie