Today we are interviewing Amy Anguish who’s new book For Better or For Granted releases on 26 March.
Fast Five
Long black or flat white?
Neither. I don’t drink coffee.
Mangoes or kiwifruit?
Kiwi. I love that it tastes like a cross between a strawberry and a banana.
Books or TV?
Books.
Sun or snow?
Sun
Desert or sea?
Sea
Getting to Know Amy R. Anguish
Where are you from?
Smyrna, Tennessee, USA
What’s something interesting or unusual about you that not everyone knows?
I actually have four jobs right now, three fun ones (writing, content editing, and being a preschool teacher two days a week) and one to pay the bills (doing taxes). Surprisingly, I don’t hate any of them, but they all have their moments.
Do you have a pet that keeps you company when you write?
I have an ornery cat named Kit who is mostly grey with some tan and orange spots and golden eyes. Her meow comes out more like a squeak and she loves to snuggle when it’s most inconvenient.
What did you learn while writing your last book that surprised you?
The last book I wrote was a fairy-tale retelling. And I was surprised because I actually enjoyed having a “bad guy” in my book. I’ve not really had that before writing contemporary Christian romance. It was fun to have someone instigating the bad things happening to my character.
What’s your favourite hobby (not including writing or reading)?
Gardening and sewing. I love getting my hands in the dirt. I call it dirt therapy. Between the good clean dirt and the sunshine, my soul always feels better after working in my flower beds or vegetable garden (though my back and legs might disagree).
What types of books do you like reading?
I read fairly widely. I love romance, obviously, but go back and forth between historical and contemporary because I love them both. Regency would probably be my favourite time period, though. I also enjoy fantasy and every now and then a light mystery. And some non-fiction, but only in small doses.
About Your Writing
What’s your favourite part of the writing process?
This is so hard because a lot of the parts are fun—like coming up with new ideas and having them pop in your head until you write them down. But probably the writing itself is my favourite part. Having the words flow out and get those ideas where they won’t keep nagging me inside my brain anymore.
How does your faith impact your writing?
My faith has a huge impact on my writing. I actually tried to write a “Sweet Romance” once, with no big faith message in it. My characters rebelled and included it anyway. My faith is such a part of who I am and how I believe. It refuses to stay inside me, and I believe that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
What’s your biggest writing challenge?
Finding enough time. Between being a mom of two, active in church, working three other jobs, and maybe finding a minute or two with my husband each day, it’s hard to find an hour to write. I have to be proactive about carving out times to do things like that.
How do you choose names for characters in books?
Honestly, sometimes my characters pop into my head and I automatically know their names. Other times, I play with names until it just feels right. I tried naming a character Jack once only to discover his name was Jake after writing him for two chapters. As their personalities come out more in the writing, the names tell me if they’re right or not.
Which book that you’ve written would you like to see made into a movie?
Mama Dated Santa, for sure. It’s a Christmas book set in a toy store. Can’t you just picture it?
About For Better or For Granted
Describe For Better or For Granted in one or two sentences.
Scott and Genevieve Stewart haven’t even made it to five years of marriage, and the threat of divorce hovers over them. Their friends and family help pull them back from the ledge and remind them of their vows, as well as their love for each other.
Who is the target audience for For Better or For Granted? (Define genre, book category eg. Readers who like…)
It is a Contemporary Christian Romance with a married romance trope. It’s for anyone who believes there is romance after marriage, who believes marriage is worth fighting for, and who enjoys a good happily ever after.
What inspired you to write For Better or For Granted?
Honestly, so many people in my life have been touched by divorce, including several I never thought would go down that road. It breaks my heart. I realize sometimes it’s inevitable, but I also know in my heart it’s not what God wanted when He created marriage. I also saw a news article quite a few years back about a couple who were on the brink of divorce and their friends and family wouldn’t let them go down that road. And it made me wonder—how would that look? What would it take for them to help save a marriage?
What did you research before writing For Better or For Granted?
I actually interviewed a few counsellors who specialize in marriage counselling. Picked their brains about what they would say to a couple dealing some of these issues. It helped me created one of the characters in the book who helps my fictional couple.
What would you like readers to takeaway from reading For Better or For Granted?
That even in the darkest and most dreary times of marriage (and there will always be some), it’s still worth fighting for.
How is For Better or For Granted unique and different to other books in the same category?
Because it’s set several years after the marriage has started, it doesn’t have the same “fall in love for the first time,” feeling. That being said, it still has lots of moments to make you go “aww” and get the warm-fuzzies. But it also comes with problems a “normal” romance might not have since these characters have a longer history than some, they’re sharing a house, they’ve built a life together. It adds a bit more conflict at times.
Please tell us about your upcoming book releases.
My next two releases will be novellas—a Christmas one in October (A Match Made at Christmas) and a Valentine’s one next February (Pet’s Amore!). Then, I’m not sure what I’ll have releasing after that, but I’m hoping to get a contract for my Cinderella retelling. 😉
Book Description:
Divorce was never in the plans for Genevieve Stewart. Only four years into marriage, and everything has gone wrong. Why stay where she’s never going to be happy? If only she could find her way back to the way things were before Scott’s job took all his time and energy, leaving nothing for her.
Scott Stewart achieved his goal of becoming a high school principal younger than most in the state. Everything in life seems to be going exactly as planned until Genevieve threatens to leave. Suddenly, his dreams aren’t as clear as they once were. He desperately wants to stay married, but he can’t let down his school, either.
Their friends and family remind them of their lifetime promises and urge them not to give up. But the way back to love isn’t easy when you’ve grown used to taking each other for granted.
Book Sales links:
https://scrivenings.link/forbetterorforgranted
About Amy R Anguish
Amy R Anguish grew up a preacher’s kid, and in spite of having lived in seven different states that are all south of the Mason Dixon line, she is not a football fan. Currently, she resides in Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and son, and usually a bossy cat or two. Amy has an English degree from Freed-Hardeman University that she intends to use to glorify God, and she wants her stories to show that while Christians face real struggles, it can still work out for good.
Author website and social media links:
https://facebook.com/amyanguishauthor
https://twitter.com/amy_r_anguish
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17258354.Amy_R_Anguish
Hi Amy, Welcome to ACW! I’d love to see your book, Mama Dated Santa, made into a movie. There’s that one crazy screen in the toy store involving bikes that would be fabulous to watch on a big screen. Congrats on your new release! For Better or For Granted sounds like a great read. Thanks for visiting with us. 😊
Thanks for dropping by Narelle. You make that scene sound interesting. I need to check out this book.
Narelle, I would love that too! So glad you enjoyed it.