CelebrateLit Blog Tour of “Ruth’s Ginger Snap Surprise” Continues with a review by Gina Holder of StoriesbyGina
Today’s blog is actually an interview with me! I’m author Anne Blackburne, and this is my very first book, an Amish romance with a very Happy Ever After ending. Be sure to click through to Gina’s blog post, below, for a chance to win a print edition of my book, and a $25 Amazon e-gift card.
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger
INTERVIEW WITH ANNE
Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.
I’m a big nerd. I love hunting for beach glass, or interesting rocks and fossils. I’ve played Pokemon Go since it came out in 2016, even though my kids quit years ago. I write an original Sherlock Holmes mystery play every other year, and direct it as a tourism weekend in my home town. I’ve had both hips replaced; I’m bionic!
If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Tenacious. Persistent. Stubborn.
What book is currently on your bedside table?
I have a number of books waiting on my Kindle. Right now I’m reading Amanda Flower’s Amish mystery, “Matchmaking can be Murder”, which is really fun. I recently finished Jennifer Beckstrand’s “Home on Huckleberry Hill”, which I loved! Next, I’m going to read Patricia John’s “A Boy’s Amish Christmas”, which is part of her Butternut Squash B&B Series. I love Kelly Miller’s stories, based on the books by Jane Austen. They’re wonderful! And I love Jane Austen; I always have one of her books on standby.
What has been your favorite part of the publishing journey?
Oh, my goodness, this is all so new and exciting! Each new thing that happens is a thrill. They offered me representation – a thrill! I signed my first contract – a thrill! They sold the large print rights – a thrill! I got a really good review from Publishers Weekly – a thrill! And the people I’ve met are all wonderful. Yes, I think the people I’m meeting on this journey are my favorite part. I’m a people person, and I love meeting the other authors, the readers, the folks at book stores, and libraries, and my agent, and all the amazing people at Barbour Publishing. You can’t exist in a vacuum!
Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb?
My protagonist, Ruth, nearly dies in a blizzard! She is saved by a rope tied to her house, leading to the barn, the chicken coop and back to the house by Jonas. But she loses hold on the rope, and only by the grace of God does she find her way back.
Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
I think Lydia Coblentz may be my favorite character. I’ve always enjoyed spending time with elderly people, especially women. My own parents and grandparents are gone, so I tend to “adopt” elderly women into my life. I plan for Lydia to appear in all my Willow Creek books, and she has exciting things ahead of her! She is the one who gives Ruth, and a number of other young Amish women, a kitten from her cat Hepzibah’s last litter. She is something of a surrogate grandmother to all of my characters. I think you’ll love her.
What were the highlight or key challenges you faced when writing this book?
Remember those three words I used to describe myself? Well, my writing journey spans nearly 30 years! I’ve written a number of books, and this is the first I sold. It’s such fun writing a book; I laugh and cry, by turns. And if I hadn’t refused to take no for an answer, I wouldn’t be here answering these questions today.
What is the key theme and/or message in the book?
Don’t give up on your dreams. Anything can happen if you let it!
Where can readers find out more about you and your books?
I have a Facebook page, Anne Blackburne, and a website, AnneBlackburne.com. I’m just learning how to manage these things, and I try to post regularly. Please be patient!
Any current or upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?
Now that you ask . . . lol. Yes! My second book in The Heart of the Amish series will release in June. It’s about Mary Yoder (whom you’ll meet in Ruth’s Ginger Snap Surprise!). Mary is 29 years old, and was seriously injured in an accident as a child. She doesn’t let that stop her, though! She does feel that she probably won’t marry, and has made peace with that. Enter Dr. Reuben King, a Mennonite physician, and all that changes. They fall for each other; but how can they have a life, unless she gives up her community, or he gives up his career? You’ll have to wait and see!
I’m also working on a “Lucy’s Christmas Sunbeam”, a novella set in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, about a young woman raising her little sister, who was born on Christmas day. This comes out at Christmas, 2024.
Thanks, Gina!
Be sure to come back tomorrow for more reviews from bloggers. The Celebrate Lit Virtual Tour of Ruth’s Ginger Snap Surprise ends in a couple days. But you’ve still got time to enter to win a book and e-gift card!