COFFEE BREAK: Meet Loree Lough

I first "met" Loree online about a hundred years ago. We got to know one another in chat rooms, in IMs, and later on the phone. We started out as two writers exchanging information and cooking up fresh inspiration; but before long, we were close personal friends. It's unimaginable to me that she and I -- the woman who talked me through transitioning from the general market to inspirational ... who supported me through stage three ovarian cancer, the loss of my best friend, then the death of my mom ... who has laughed with me, cried with me, strategized, dreamed and prayed with me -- never laid eyes on one another until a couple of years ago at a writers' conference! We'd just completed the first of the Summerside devotionals together (Be Still...and Let Your Nail Polish Dry) and had a decade of friendship under our belts already. We sailed into that first in-person meeting as if we were already in mid-conversation.

So meet this amazing woman; a person I'm proud to call my friend. Meet Loree Lough.

Once upon a time, best-seller Loree Lough (literally) sang for her supper, performing before packed audiences throughout the Midwest. Now, with more than THREE MILLION copies of her books in circulation, Loree has 80+ books (fiction and non-fiction for kids and adults; two novels optioned for film/TV production; more books slated for release between now and 2013), 68 short stories, and over 2,500 articles in print. In addition, her stories have earned hundreds of industry and "Readers' Choice" awards and 4- and 5-star reviews.

Loree splits her time between a tiny home in the Baltimore suburbs and an even tinier cabin in the Allegheny Mountains; she shares both with her real-life hero Larry.

About His Grace is Sufficient...Decaf is Not, in Loree's own words ...


What do you hope readers will take away from the new devotional?

There are dozens of devotionals in the book. We, the authors, live in different parts of the country. We're different ages. We come from different backgrounds, went to different schools, worship in different churches. What we have in common is a love of Jesus Christ. I believe that readers will feel that common bond, and that as they read the devotionals, certain passages will touch them in a very personal way. And when that happens, they will know that the Father wants to wrap His arms around them, wherever they came from, whomever they've become, and touch them in exactly the way they need to be touched, right when they need it most.

Tell our readers about each of the other three authors?

Well, you and I go way back, as you said. And because we've shared personal triumphs and tragedies, career ups and downs, family traumas, the death of loved ones (and beloved pets!), illnesses, job losses, car troubles, we're more than peers in this wild and wacky industry; more than fellow believers ... we're sisters in Christ…and sisters of the heart.

From the moment I met Trish Perry (years ago at a Virginia Romance Writers' workshop), it was clear we had much in common. In the years since, we've shared a few secrets, shared the joy of getting something (besides dizzy!) on this crazy writing merry-go-round, and shared the pride of seeing a good friend turn her writing dreams into realities.

And Cynthia; although I've only known Cynthia Ruchti for a short while, I'm proud to have co-authored this devotional with her. Cyn has touched my heart with her generous spirit and genuine love for the Father, and she's reached my soul with the beauty of her written words.

Is there anything else you'd like to tell our readers?

During the planning phases of Be Still ... and Let Your Nail Polish Dry, we decided to dedicate a portion of our proceeds to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Ovarian cancer is a copycat disease; it mimics a wide variety of physical maladies, and, because the symptoms are vague and rarely accompanied by pain, women don't know to tell their doctors to test for it. And since the test isn't a routine part of gynecological visits, it can go undetected ... until it's too late for surgery or treatments to be effective. We really do hope you'll help us support research and awareness efforts of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund by giving copies of this devotional to every woman you know!

Loree's Web site