Kate Bromley Interview - Ciao For Now

Photo Content from Kate Bromley

Kate Bromley is a writer of romantic comedies and contemporary romance. She lives on the east coast with her husband, sons, and her somewhat excessive collection of romance novels. (It's not hoarding if it's books, right?) She was a preschool teacher for almost seven years and is now focusing full-time on combining her two great passions — writing swoon-worthy love stories and making people laugh.

        

  

When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?
I think I first realized I had a creative dream when I was in college and I was utterly obsessed with romance novels. I had read so many for years and years, and then at one point after I finished reading one, I asked myself, what would I write about if I was a romance author? From then on out, that same question kept coming up after every new book I’d read, so eventually I stopped asking and I started writing.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
My most rewarding experience was/is seeing my books in bookstores. Bookstores have always been my favorite places. I go there in my free time and wander the aisles, when I was younger, I even got a job a bookstore so I could be around books (and make very frequent use of the employee discount), and never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that a book I wrote would someday be on the shelves. Seeing my novels out in the world continues to be totally surreal and endlessly magical.

Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from CIAO FOR NOW”

• “You wouldn’t be intruding,” I tell him eagerly. “If you don’t sit with me, I’ll torture myself about this for at least a year. Maybe two.”
• I almost laugh at myself. Two years? Yeah, right. My over- analyzing ass will be reimagining and reliving this unforgettable horror until the end of time.
• 
  
• There’s his scruff. I won’t deny it—I like the scruff. It’s not that I have a full-fledged beard kink or anything; I’m simply a lady who enjoys many a Viking show.
• 
  
• And granted, I’m not for everyone. No one is universally liked, save for Bob Ross, our eternal lord of the landscapes, but still, I guess I didn’t fully grasp that Matt disliked me to the degree that he obviously does.
• “You’re nervous that this is going to be a big mistake?” He shakes his head, accepting and slow.
• “I’m nervous that this is going to be the opposite of a big mistake.”

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?
My advice would be to truly believe that you can have a life in writing. For so many years, I never thought becoming a writer was a real possibility, so I pushed the idea and my dream to the back burner and never prioritized writing time. But becoming a writer is an attainable goal, and I’m living proof. So, if writing is what someone wants to do, they should absolutely go for it and believe/know that they can do it.

What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted/when you first saw the cover of the finished product?
Honestly, I couldn’t believe it. When my agent called me and told me the news, I was in shock. I was laughing and crying, and still, even after signing a contract and knowing that my debut novel was going forward, in the back of my mind, I kept telling myself that I had to be dreaming and there’s no way this could be real. Thankfully, it was real, and when I first saw the cover of the finished product it was love at first sight.

What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating your characters?
The most surprising thing I learned was just how important it was for me to create comprehensive backstories for each one of my characters. Whenever I start work on a new project now, the first thing I do is write up intense, in-depth character breakdowns for every character, whether they be main or supporting. I’ve found that by knowing my characters inside and out, it’s much easier to make them feel real and three-dimensional, and lots of times, it’s the small details I came up with early on in the process that really helps them to shine on the page.

When an American interning at a fashion house in Rome butts heads with her professor's surly son, sparks fly!

With her thirties rapidly approaching and a mountain of student debt looming over her, Violet Luciano’s dream of finishing design school and working in fashion has cost her everything. So when she lands an internship at an up-and-coming fashion brand in Rome, she brings her A game to Italy. With nothing left to lose, Violet plans to win the competition among the interns for the ultimate prize—a job at a New York label.

But when a coffee run goes wrong and Violet accidentally destroys a stranger’s laptop, all of the apology Americanos in the world won’t help her. Because it turns out that the man from the café is Matteo, her professor’s eternally grumpy son, who thinks she’s a clumsy American…and maybe a stalker. Their animosity (and undeniable chemistry) grows as together they’re forced to face a summer of chic parties, adventures through Rome and sharing a home…with the person they can’t stand the most.

The more time she spends with him, the more distracted she finds herself. With her chance to win the competition slipping out of her grasp, Violet has to decide whether to say ciao to Matteo—or ciao to her dreams.

You can purchase Ciao For Now at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you KATE BROMLEY for making this giveaway possible.

1 Winner will receive a Copy of Ciao For Now by Kate Bromley.

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Rey Terciero Interview - Northranger

Photo Content from Rey Terciero

REX OGLE is an award-winning author and the writer of nearly a hundred children’s books, comics, graphic novels, and memoirs—most notably Free Lunch, which won the ALA/YALSA award for Excellence in Non-Fiction.

Born and raised (mostly) in Texas, he moved to New York City after college to intern at Marvel Comics before moving over to DC Comics, Scholastic, and Little Brown Young Readers. As an editor, he championed over a dozen NY Times Bestsellers and worked on (and often wrote) major brands such as X-Men, Justice League, Star Wars, LEGO, Power Rangers, Transformers, Minecraft, Assassin’s Creed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Neil Patrick Harris’s Magic Misfits.

Rex has written under a lot of pen names, including Trey King, Honest Lee, and Rey Terciero (a nickname given by his Abuela, being Español for “third king”, which is apt since Rex is Latin for “king”, and he is the third “Rex” in his family).

Now, Rex lives in Los Angeles where he writes in his spare time—that is, when he’s not outdoors hiking with his dog Toby, playing MarioKart with friends, or reading.

        

  

Greatest thing you learned at school.
I loved art class, but I learned that I was much better at visualizing stuff in my head than executing it on paper or canvas, which just solidified in my head that I should be a writer.

When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?
When I was in first grade, I wrote my first short story, and it filled me with such a sense of awe and completion, that I couldn’t wait to write my next. Growing up I devoured every book I could get my hands on, and of course, I wrote whenever I could. SO it’s always been a dream to become a published author.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
There’s nothing quite like holding a finished book in your hands—especially when you’re the creator behind the words. It’s like holding a newborn baby that you made.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?
Have a thick skin and be prepared for lots of rejection. But don’t take it personally. Getting a book published is equal parts talent, timing, and luck.

What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?
Watching scary movies! After the sun goes down, I love to put on a horror movie—just like my protagonist, Cade.

Why is storytelling so important for all of us?
If you think about it, storytelling goes back to the dawn of mankind. When we were huddled around campfires and there was nothing else to do, our predecessors would tell stories. And of course it become a time-honored tradition that still goes on to this day.

TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT NORTHRANGER

• 1. Northranger is based off of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey—but with a modern day twist.
• 2. This is a story of first love—and it takes place between two teenage boys. It’s definitely the kind of book I wish I’d had growing up.
• 3. I’ve written a few middle grade graphic novels, but this is my first Young Adult graphic novel.
• 4. I can’t draw to save my life…. But since this is a graphic novel, I needed an artist. Luckily, the illustrations by Bre Indigo are amazing!
• 5. Writing about homophobia in Texas is pretty close to my heart, because it happened to me growing up.
• 6. My graphic novel takes place in Texas, and is very much my love letter to the state I grew up in.
• 7. My main hero, Cade, and his romantic interest, Henry, looooooove scary movies—just like me.
• 8. Before I started writing, I had a little ritual of eating a square of chocolate and lighting a candle. LOL.
• 9. After writing, I usually would cozy up to my husband and demand we watch a horror flick on TV.
• 10. When I was writing, I aimed for a story that was equal parts funny, sexy, scary, and triggering. It’s very ambitious, but I’d like to think I nailed it. You tell me!

What is the first job you have had?
I worked at an independent video store in a small Texas. We were trying to compete with Blockbuster, so we had all kinds of extras like snow cones, popcorn service, and warm pretzels. For me, the best perk of the job was taking home all the horror movies I could find. If Cade grew up at the same time as me, he would’ve definitely worked in a video store.

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?
I have so much work to do today!!

What is your most memorable travel experience?
I went to the Bahamas for a friend’s birthday, and it was the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. The sand was so fine and the water so clear and crisp and blue. And of course there was a warm breeze that eased me into sleep when I would nap with the windows open. Truly a paradise.

Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?
Good question! I think I’d go with true love and heart break. After all, I’ve been there before.

What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?
I try to relax into the mattress, under the sheets, and focus on my breathing.

What was your favorite subject when you were in school?
It was a tie between English and art.

Most horrifying dream you have ever had?
Zombie dreams! I hate zombies!

At a movie theater which arm rest is yours?
If I can, I take over both. That way I have room to jump during scary movies. LOL.

First Love?
I was very much in love with my best friend in junior high and high school. We’d known each other since 4th grade, and there were times when we’d make out and stuff. But ultimately, I knew he was straight. So after high school, he chose to disconnect from me. It was definitely hard not to have him in my life any more, but unfortunately that was the choice he made.

Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today?
My sister died when I was seven and it very much affected me in so many ways. But the most important was that I decided to live for the both of us, and I’ve always tried to experience as much as I could.

In this swoony and spooky teen summer romance graphic novel set on a Texas ranch, sixteen-year-old Cade Muñoz finds himself falling for the ranch owner's mysterious and handsome son, only to discover that he may be harboring a dangerous secret.

Cade has always loved to escape into the world of a good horror movie. After all, horror movies are scary--but to Cade, a closeted queer Latino teen growing up in rural Texas--real life can be way scarier.

When Cade is sent to spend the summer working as a ranch hand to help earn extra money for his family, he is horrified. Cade hates everything about the ranch, from the early mornings to the mountains of horse poop he has to clean up. The only silver lining is the company of the two teens who live there--in particular, the ruggedly handsome and enigmatic Henry.

But as unexpected sparks begin to fly between Cade and Henry, things get... complicated. Henry is reluctant to share the details of his mother's death, and Cade begins to wonder what else he might be hiding. Inspired by the gothic romance of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey and perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom comes a modern love story so romantic it's scary.

You can purchase Northranger at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you REY TERCIERO for making this giveaway possible.

1 Winner will receive a Copy of Northranger by Rey Terciero.

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Jackary Salem Interview - Where the Lightning Goes

Photo Content from Jackary Salem 

Jackary Salem is a fantasy author from Kingsport, Tennessee. She majored in neuroscience at Berea College with equal emphasis in biology and psychology. Her passions are writing, editing, and her cat, Chihiro. She’s currently working as a full-time author and developmental editor, preparing to release her debut novel Where the Lightning Goes.

        

  

When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?
I’ve always loved writing, but my mom made it very clear that authors make no money, and if I were to be an author, I would starve to death. She suggested I be a doctor instead. As someone who both wanted to please their parents and did not want to starve to death, I reasoned that I could be a doctor and write on the side. I went to college and got a degree in neuroscience with full intentions of going to med school for pediatric oncology. I took a gap year on my advisor’s recommendation to volunteer (i.e., pad my resume) and study. I was three books into my MCAT prep before I realized I was bored. It hit me, then, that I wasn’t just committing to another four year program or a six year residency. I was lining up the rest of my life. I was making a career out of something I found boring. I talked to my boyfriend that night, and with his affirmation that neither of us really cared about money, I switched tracks to pursue creative writing instead. I’ve never looked back.

Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre?
My all-time favorite book is actually seven books: The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. I love the premise, the pacing, and the reveals. I also wish he’d never written it so that I could go in and write that premise myself. It’s glorious.

Outside my genre, my favorite book is probably The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King. The entire book is about a single girl who gets lost in the woods, trying to survive with no knowledge, no supplies, and no help. I have no idea how he managed to make that premise interesting the entire way through, and I’ll forever give King props for it.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
My most rewarding experience post-publishing was the moment a stranger asked me what I’d written, and I had an actual physical product to point them towards. I’ve always worried about my ability to sell myself, as any time someone asked me what I’d written pre-publishing, my answer was something along the lines of, “Oh, nothing yet,” followed by awkward silence. Now that I know I have a product I can be confident in, I have no problems talking myself up.

Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?
Poison by Chris Wooding changed my life. It was the first book to make me admire an author and my first time thinking, “I want to write a story like that.”

Can you tell us when you started WHERE THE LIGHTNING GOES, how that came about?
I wrote Where the Lightning Goes because I wanted to see if it was possible to write a story with such a large reveal and so many clues hanging out in the open that it would be a completely different read the second time through. I also wanted to play with a cast of unreliable narrators, where multiple truths are presented, and it’s up to the reader to decide who, if anyone, is correct.

What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating your characters?
The most surprising thing for me was probably how easily they formed (or didn’t form) relationships with one another. I’d had the thought in my head that the cast would all basically like and dislike each other equally, but they connected in unexpected ways and ended up creating their own little clique, hierarchical set-up and all.

TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT WHERE THE LIGHTNING GOES

• 1) Elle is asexual, panromantic.
• 2) If Elle (the protagonist) hadn’t gone after Perun (the antagonist), he would have left her alone. She was the instigator.
• 3) Cypress was the very first demon in existence.
• 4) The earth in Where the Lightning Goes only has one continent. The rest of the world is water.
• 5) Magic is not genetic, but there’s a widespread belief that people with powerful magic are more likely to have children with powerful magic. Thus, arranged marriages are common in magical societies.
• 6) Magical artifacts can level the playing field against magicians. Some of the most feared bounty hunters in history were magicless.
• 7) There is no single ruling government for the continent at large. Most settlements are either monarchies or dictatorships, though democracies do exist. All Impossible Markets are anarchic.
• 8) The demon realm is an entirely separate dimension from Earth, with its own magic and its own set of rules.
• 9) Leslie’s favorite food is plain German-style cheesecake. There are no sentimental memories attached to it, and he’s not a huge fan of sweets. He just really likes the taste.
• 10) There is no major religion in Where the Lightning Goes. Religions (and lack thereof) often differ by settlement and culture. Elle believes there is a higher power out there, but she neither knows nor cares what it is.

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?
“Can I go back to sleep?”

What is your most memorable travel experience?
I had an eighteen hour layover in Detroit and ended up at the bar beneath my hotel. I chatted with an eighty-five-year-old man who was in town for his son’s robotics tournament for around an hour. Right after an in-depth discussion about both our happy marriages, he invited me up to his room. I declined. He invited again. I declined again. He left. Ten minutes later, he calls me (I’d given him my business card), and invites me up again. I once again declined, and the man next to me (a pilot) asked if that was the old man I’d been talking to. I said yes, then asked him to be my cover if the old man came back down. We chatted and watched a hockey game until around one AM, at which point the old man re-emerged. Both the pilot and the bartender very politely asked him to leave, and we all finished the hockey game in peace.

Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew?
Yes. I was in high school gym, where everyone had to walk ten laps at the beginning of class. Four football players were circling (yes, literally circling) a single girl as she walked, teasing her about who-knew-what. I slowed down and entered the circle. I don’t remember exactly what I said, but I know they scattered. I walked with her the rest of the semester.

Now, for me, it was more being irritated with bullies than defending the defenseless, and I probably would have never thought about it again if not for her mom. You see, my dad did taxes for her parents, and our dads unilaterally decided we should have a sleepover. During that sleepover, while she was listening to her dad’s garage band practice, her mom pulled me aside. I’ll never forget how her mom cried as she stated, over and over again, how thankful she was to know someone was sticking up for her daughter. And I honestly think that was the first time it hit me that words matter. That a single act, decided in a single moment, can have a monumental impact.

What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?
Stories, mostly. Sometimes they’re random. Sometimes they’re a part of a story I’m writing or a book I’ve already finished. I play it out in my head like watching a movie, then I’m out.

Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?
I would choose not to have loved, hands down. Loving is wonderful and fantastic, but rumination is real. That kind of pain doesn’t go away, and there’s no guarantee I’ll ever find love again after that first true love ends. (It’s important to note that I’m imagining a traumatic, deathly end, as if we just broke up, the love wasn’t “true.”) I’m going to disagree with Shakespeare here. Better never to have loved at all.

What event in your life would make a good movie?
The story of how my husband and I got together. We went to the same college, same year. He liked me from the very beginning, and he offered to tutor me in math as a way to get closer to me. I, in turn, avoided him for the next three years (i.e., until I had no more math classes) because I thought he would make me do my homework early. We finally started talking the summer before senior year, at which point he jumped off a cliff, hit the rocks instead of the water, and ended spending the rest of the summer recovering. I’d just assumed he’d ghosted me and moved on. We reconnected halfway through the next semester at one of his soccer games.

After a powerful wizard tears Elle’s soul apart and steals her memories, she’s locked in a house to rot. Her only remaining memory is of falling from the sky, though even that raises more questions than it answers. Upon her escape, she falls into a world that’s equal parts vicious and beautiful. Magic is everywhere, everyone is out for themselves, and every truth is accompanied by a lie. Her lack of memories grows maddening and painful. She’s positive that the key to recovering her memories is in the sky-castle from her dreams, but getting there will require magic she doesn’t have. Traversing an enchanted painting, stealing a sword from a dragon’s den, and outwitting a demon are only the beginning. And this time, she’s got more than freedom and memories on the line.

Without magic, there is no survival.

You can purchase Where the Lightning Goes at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you JACKARY SALEM for making this giveaway possible.

1 Winner will receive a Copy of Where the Lightning Goes by Jackary Salem.

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Logan Steiner Interview - After Anne

Photo Content from Logan Steiner

Logan Steiner is a lawyer by day and a writer by baby bedtime. Her writing explores motherhood and the creative life. Logan’s debut novel AFTER ANNE was released on May 30, 2023 by HarperCollins. For fans of Anne of Green Gables and fans of complex, creative women, the novel tells the life story of the author Lucy Maud Montgomery. Logan also writes a Substack newsletter called The Creative Sort, which explores the internal sort we go through when deciding whether and what to create—from becoming a parent, to writing a book, to taking on a big work project. After graduating from Pomona College and Harvard Law School, Logan clerked for three federal judges, spent six years in Big Law, and served for three years as an Assistant United States Attorney. She now specializes in brief writing at a boutique law firm. Logan lives in Denver with her husband, daughter, and the cranky old man of the house, a Russian Blue cat named Taggart.

        

  

Greatest thing you learned at school.
From favorite English teachers at Palmer High School and English and religious studies professors at Pomona College, I learned how to organize my thoughts, write, and edit—on repeat.

When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?
I’ve wanted to be a writer since I first read books that made me feel more at home in my own deeply-feeling skin, including the Anne series.

Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre?
Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead. Robinson’s language is pure poetry, and her words bring me comfort on my hardest days—my most important criteria for a favorite book. Gilead reassures me that grace and meaning are here in everyday moments if I take the time to slow down and look.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?
I strongly believe in Liz Gilbert’s advice in Big Magic to keep a day job. My artist mom taught me never to put pressure on creative work to pay the bills. And I am not someone for whom creative work has ever come quickly. My law career has not only been rewarding in its own right, but the stable foundation from which I’ve been able to pursue my creative path in my own time and at my own pace.

Can you tell us when you started AFTER ANNE, how that came about?
For a number of years, my law career took my full attention. The deep pain of losing my brother Ben unexpectedly to a brain aneurysm in 2014 motivated me to stop putting my creative dreams on hold. In the fall of 2015, I began the research for After Anne.

What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted?
I learned that After Anne had been accepted by Tessa Woodward at HarperCollins—a fellow Anne aficionado and my dream editor—in September 2021, a few weeks after having my daughter. I pulled out my phone after waking to newborn cries at 5 am and was greeted by a text from my agent Abby Saul, asking me to call her. At that point, I had all but given up on believing the book would find its publishing home. It’s hard to put words to the joy and raw bleary-eyed energy I felt looking into the eyes of my newborn daughter while hearing the words I had always dreamed of hearing from Abby, an amazing human and this book’s champion through years of ups and downs. I had her repeat the news twice because I couldn’t believe it.

Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from AFTER ANNE
QUOTES FROM MAUD'S BOOKS THAT APPEAR IN AFTER ANNE

• 1) “Dear old world,” she murmured, “you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you." —Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
• 2) “Oh,” she thought, “how horrible it is that people have to grow up—and marry—and CHANGE!” —Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of the Island
• 3) Those who can soar to the highest heights can also plunge to the deepest depths, and . . . the natures which enjoy most keenly are those which also suffer most sharply. —Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of the Island
• 4) If I really wanted to pray I’ll tell you what I’d do. I’d go out into a great big field all alone or in the deep, deep woods and I'd look up into the sky—up—up—up—into that lovely blue sky that looks as if there was no end to its blueness. And then I'd just feel a prayer. ― Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

QUOTES FROM AFTER ANNEW

• 1) How long ago were these particles part of the sandstone? Years? Minutes? We all wear away, she thought. Particles separating and dispersing and consolidating, if they ever do again, into something else entirely. The incredible part is what holds any of us together in the meantime.
• 2) All I can really control is me and what I choose to look at. I learned this, once, but not fully enough. Sometimes another way of being in this world seems out there just beyond the tips of my fingers.
• 3) Anne would never spend her energy on morbid thoughts of what might come after. For Anne, a single day—a single hour—could hold as much grandeur and fascination as a lifetime. It was simply a matter of the dose of attention devoted. Maud turned her attention to the hours just lived.
• 4) To be alive in an interesting world, and to tell about it. That was something.

What is the first job you have had?
Lifeguard at a local pool.

What’s your most missed memory?
Visiting my grandparents in the thousand-person town of Moville, Iowa for spring break and summer holidays. Life felt slowed-down and sacred during those visits.

Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today?
Losing my younger brother Ben unexpectedly in 2014.

Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?
True love with a guarantee of heart break.

When you looked in the mirror first thing this morning, what was the first thing you thought?
Those undereye wrinkles again.

What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?
I often read The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo before falling asleep, which always brings a dose of needed perspective. When I take the time to do this, I usually settle into bed feeling grateful for my husband, daughter, parents, and the other people who matter most to me.

Then I tell my husband to stop working and come to bed.

What was your favorite subject when you were in school?
English and math.

When was the last time you told someone you loved them?
My daughter, an hour ago.

What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a kid?
1980s, pre-internet.

What event in your life would make a good movie?
The highs and lows of my early relationship with my husband, falling in love while studying abroad in Oxford and staying up all night talking about life, the universe, and all manner of things, while creating countless inside jokes with a close group of lifelong friends. Many of those nights remind me of the movie Before Sunrise.

What is one unique thing are you afraid of?
Not finding the right words to say what I mean or feel.

What is your most memorable travel experience?
My husband’s and my move to Denver in December 2018 after more than nine years in Chicago—made by way of a wedding in Key Largo, Florida, followed by a week with friends in Morocco that included visits to walled cities and desert camel rides—landing us in Denver on Christmas Eve.

A stunning and unexpected portrait of Lucy Maud Montgomery, creator of one of literature’s most prized heroines, whose personal demons were at odds with her most enduring legacy—the irrepressible Anne of Green Gables.

“Dear old world,” she murmured, “you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.” —L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, 1908

As a young woman, Maud had dreams bigger than the whole of Prince Edward Island. Her exuberant spirit had always drawn frowns from her grandmother and their neighbors, but she knew she was meant to create, to capture and share the way she saw the world. And the young girl in Maud’s mind became more and more persistent: Here is my story, she said. Here is how my name should be spelled—Anne with an “e.”

But the day Maud writes the first lines of Anne of Green Gables, she gets a visit from the handsome new minister in town, and soon faces a decision: forge her own path as a spinster authoress, or live as a rural minister’s wife, an existence she once likened to “a respectable form of slavery.” The choice she makes alters the course of her life.

With a husband whose religious mania threatens their health and happiness at every turn, the secret darkness that Maud herself holds inside threatens to break through the persona she shows to the world, driving an ever-widening wedge between her public face and private self, and putting her on a path towards a heartbreaking end.

Beautiful and moving, After Anne reveals Maud’s hidden personal challenges while celebrating what was timeless about her life and art—the importance of tenacity and the peaceful refuge found in imagination.

You can purchase After Anne at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you LOGAN STEINER for making this giveaway possible.

1 Winner will receive a Copy of After Anne by Logan Steiner

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