Author Interview: Louise Gouge

Louise M. Gouge writes Women’s Historical Fiction and Romance. She has been married to David Gouge for over 40 years. They have four grown children and three grandchildren. Louise attended the University of Central Florida in Orlando, earning a BA in English/Creative Writing, and Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, earning a Master of Liberal Studies degree. Louise’s novel, Ahab’s Bride, was her master’s thesis at Rollins College.

Ahab's Bride, RiverOak Publishing, 2004ACRW Book of the Year - 2nd place winner in Historical Fiction


Hannah Rose, RiverOak Publishing, 2005 ACFW Book of the Year - 2nd place winner in Historical RomanceRoad to Romance Reviewer's Choice Award Romantic Times BOOK club Magazine 4-Star Review.

Son of Perdition, RiverOak Publishing, 2006




Plug time. What book or project is coming out or has come out that you’d like to tell us about?


Son of Perdition, the third book in my Ahab’s Legacy series, will be released in February 2006. This book tells the story of the son of Captain Ahab of Moby Dick fame. How does he escape the legacy of his wicked father? How does he keep from becoming his father, when at every turn of his life he is haunted by Ahab’s specter?

How long had you been writing seriously before you got “the call” that you were going to be published? Tell us how you heard and what went through your head.

I had been writing for seven years when I met an editor at a conference who liked my first novel, a short romance. She bought the book and had plans to buy the sequel (yippee!), but her company went bankrupt (boohoo). Being a Christian of integrity, she took the time and trouble of finding another publisher for me (grateful tears and thank-yous).

What a rollercoaster ride of emotions I went through! But I knew God had a plan. In time, it was that two-book series that gave me the credentials to be considered for my next and much bigger project, my Ahab’s Legacy series.

Do you still experience self-doubts regarding your work?

Let me count the ways. . .LOL. Writers are artists, and artists are known for their emotional ups and downs. This isn’t just a stereotype. I frequently doubt my abilities and whether or not my stories will be accepted by an editor and/or liked by readers. I stand in awe of those who can speak with great confidence about their writing. I just write the best I can, throw it in the water, and pray that it floats.

What’s the best advice you’ve heard on writing/publication?

Write what’s on your heart – the story God has given you. Hone your craft. Go to conferences to learn, learn, learn. Then let Him take charge of what happens next.

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever heard?

Well, I wouldn’t say it’s the worst piece of writing advice, just something I disagree with. It’s my understanding that Donald Maass teaches that we should never say anything bad about the protagonist in the first five pages of our story. But I’m writing about people who need Christ, not perfect people. If my heroine starts off as a rude, selfish individual who doesn’t give a hoot for anyone else, then she needs to have a comeuppance and see that life is not all about her. Most important, she needs to realize her need for Christ. And I want my readers to see that from the very first page of the story.

What’s something you wish you’d known earlier on that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?

I wish I had known that a cancelled contract is not the end of the world and that it never serves a good purpose to alienate anyone in the industry. We are all Christians doing God’s work (hopefully), and if we trust in Him, what other people say or do will not matter in His grand scheme of things.

Do you have a scripture or quote that has been speaking to you lately?

My two life verses serve as a constant reminder that my heavenly Father is in control. Psalm 47:4: He shall choose our inheritance for us; and Philippians 1:6: He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. In this business of writing, it’s so hard to wait for something to happen, but much of it is out of my control. Still, I have my Father’s promise that He will keep working on my behalf. That gives me peace in my spirit and trust in Him for the future.

Is there a particularly difficult set back that you’ve gone through in your writing career you are willing to share?

Yes. Many people know that there was an ABA book entitled Ahab’s Wife that came out in the fall of 1999. I wrote Ahab’s Bride as my master’s thesis in 1998-99, and I knew nothing about this other book until I tried to find an agent. So many publishers in CBA did not want to publish my book because they saw it as competition or an “answer to” the other book.

You can imagine how I felt. God had given me this grand story (nothing at all like the other book) in which I show the folly of one man’s thinking he is as powerful as God. One brave Christian agent (Les Stobbe) and one like-minded acquisitions editor (Jeff Dunn) didn’t worry about the other book at all. Jeff bought the book for RiverOak and the rest is history. But to be perfectly honest, from time to time, I still say, “Lord, are you sure you knew what you were doing back then?” LOL

What are a few of your favorite books? (Not written by you.)

I still love the classics best of all: Jane Eyre, all of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and of course Moby Dick. Of today’s CBA writers, my favorites are DiAnn Mills, Francine Rivers, and Shelley Bates.

What piece of writing have you done that you’re particularly proud of and why?

Not meaning to harp on the same old theme, but I’m very happy with my Ahab series. Herman Melville created an awesome story in Moby Dick, but to my way of thinking he didn’t finish it. Captain Ahab was heroic, but he was not a hero. He complicated everything that had to do with God, and he destroyed his crew and lost his ship, a terrible thing for a sea captain to do, all because of a selfish, maniacal, unreasonable quest for revenge.

When I created the character of Hannah, the young woman in my story who marries Ahab, I tried to match her character to his in inner strength, intellect, and courage, yet bring her to a completely different decision about the nature of God. Ultimately, my three Ahab books attempt to answer these simple questions: Who is God? and What does He expect of us? I hope my readers find the answers within my stories.

Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?

No pet peeve right now, but I’ve had some in the past. I think where I am with the Lord right now has me looking inward more than outward. It always leads back to trusting God with my future.


Can you give us a view into a typical day of your writing life?


I have a “day job” teaching at a local community college two days a week. On writing days, after fixing breakfast and sending my dear hubby off to work, I check e-mail, then start work on my current project, whatever that might be. Once I get into the flow of writing, I hate to stop for anything. So I have a reminder on my computer that goes off twice a day to remind me to spend a few minutes riding my stationary bike. That gets the kinks out both physically and mentally.

If you could choose to have one strength of another writer, what would it be and from whom?

I wish I were better at marketing my books. More and more, this is required of today’s authors. DiAnn Mills is amazing in her marketing skills. She comes up with so many neat ideas, and she’s very generous to share them.

Do you have a dream for the future of your writing, something you would love to accomplish?

I would love to keep writing and being published, but only if my characters and stories convey God’s love and truth to a hurting world.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

With all the stories that keep coming to my mind, I would not be happy if I didn’t write. There’s such a joy that comes from expressing myself in this art form. If my books should never be published again, I still would feel compelled to write.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?


My favorite part of being a writer is coming to a satisfying conclusion to a story and sending if off to my agent, Wendy Lawton, to sell. My least favorite part of being a writer is waiting to hear back about whether or not the book has sold.

Parting words?

Just to say it over again: if you want to write, then study the craft, write what you love, and trust the Lord’s will for you.

How can we say we’re writing for the Lord if we’re fighting Him along the way?

If you really believe in the power and goodness of God, offer your writing as a sacrifice to Him. When you do, He’ll bring everything to pass in a far better way than you can do on your own. BTW, I’m speaking to myself here.