Lyn Cote has had over thirty-five novels published. In 2006 Lyn’s book, Chloe, was a finalist for the RITA, and her book Her Patchword Family was a finalist for the Carol Award, two of the highest awards in romance. (Her Healing Ways is also a Carol finalist this year.) Lyn also features stories of strong women both from real life and true to life fiction on her blog http://BooksbyLynCote.com Writing books at her lake cottage in northern Wisconsin, Lyn hopes her books show the power of divine and human love.

Please tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into writing.

I started writing as a child, continued to learn more through high school and college, then began teaching and being a mom–both creative pursuits. Finally a story came to me that wouldn’t let me NOT write it down. 🙂

2. Tell us about Her Abundant Joy.

Tagline: Can a beautiful young widow find peace in the arms of a Texas Ranger?

In 1846, young widow Mariel Wolfe survived the grueling voyage from Germany to start a new life in the “promised” land of Texas. Forced by circumstances to become a servant, Mariel is now determined to quit a harsh master. But how can a single woman face the frontier on her own? Texas Ranger Carson Quinn is responsible for leading her party of German immigrants safely through dangerous Comanche-held territory. As he watches Mariel hold her head high in spite of everything, he will stop at nothing to protect her.

But war is brewing: Mexico will not accept the U.S. annexation of the young Texas Republic without a fight. Honor bound to fight for Texas, Carson’s deepest longing is to lay down his rifle. As Mariel and Carson fall deeply in love, could her painful past or this new war destroy all their hopes?  Will the tide of history sweep them far from peace, far from a life together?

“Her Abundant Joy is a wonderfully satisfying finale to Lyn Cote’s fascinating saga of Texas history. Riveting, engaging, unpredictable, it brings to the forefront a frightened and vulnerable German immigrant and a Texas Ranger whose family survived the turbulent years by grace and grit, faith and fortune. Not to be missed!” – KATHY HERMAN, author Sophie Trace Trilogy.

3.         Did you have any experiences that prompted your love of historical fiction?

My mother always took us to any little or big museum we came across. I’ve always loved history. Supposedly through my mother’s family, I’m related to Sir Walter Scott, the author of the first historical novels. I don’t know if that all family story is true, but it makes sense. If not by blood, by affinity.

4. How much time does it take to research your stories – what balance would you say there is between research and actual writing?

I love to do historical research so much that I have to limit myself to a few weeks at the start. I just get the major facts in place and start writing. As I write, I keep a list of questions to look up after the manuscript is finished. If I go back to research in the midst, I might not go back to story-telling. Getting lost in the stacks of a large library is close to heaven for me.

Kara, thanks for having me as your guest! I hope your readers will stop by and sample La Belle Christiane on my site.

On my homepage, I’ve posted my first never published manuscript, La Belle Christiane,. And I’ve archived the chapters on my site and will keep them there till the book is released in September. Its tagline is: Can the beautiful daughter of a French courtesan find a love that will last a lifetime?

Other places to find Lyn:

http://www.CraftieLadiesofRomance.blogspot.com

http://www.LoveInspiredAuthors.com

To purchase books, drop by http://booksbylyncote.com/SWBS/books/historicals