Ann Shorey Ann, describe yourself for our visitors.

I’m a person who has always loved to read, and being able to write books and see them published is a dream come true for me. The Lord waited until just the right time to allow this to happen in my life. My husband and I live in a rural setting in southwestern Oregon, so my days at home are quiet (if you don’t count the dog and cat wandering in and out of my office). Besides reading, I enjoy working in my flower garden during the summer months, although now that I’m under contract I don’t have as much time to dawdle as I used to! I’ve helped at our church as a mentor in the Apples of Gold program for young women, and participated on the Women’s Ministries board as Secretary-Treasurer.

How do you find time to connect with God?

I make time. There’s a special armchair in my office, and that’s where I begin my day—it’s my “prayer chair.” I have a couple of devotional magazines that I read, then turn to Scripture to study the passages for the day. After that, it’s quiet time for prayer and listening. I keep a journal nearby in which to write special insights that come to my mind during these moments.

Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?

This is a hard question, because there are a number of authors whose work I admire. Barbara Kingsolver and Molly Gloss are two of my favorites. I loved Water for Elephants, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, and Three Cups of Tea, to name a few. The “My Bookshelf” page on my website will give many more titles. Among authors in the inspirational market, Bonnie Leon, Cathy Gohlke and Tina Ann Forkner are wonderful writers.

Tell us about your journey to publication.

I started taking classes and writing articles and essays in 1990. In 1998 I completed a narrative family history using collected memoirs dating from the Revolutionary War period to the 1950’s. In my research, I found that all of the memoirs were written by men, and that sparked my curiosity as to what the women’s lives were like. So I started writing historical fiction to answer my own questions. In 2008 my proposed series, At Home in Beldon Grove, was contracted by Baker Publishing Group/Revell.

edgeofnight Tell us about your current book.

The Edge of Light is set in 1838 in what was then frontier Missouri and Illinois. Molly McGarvie’s life is about to change forever. When her beloved Samuel succumbs to cholera, her unscrupulous brother-in-law takes over the family business and leaves Molly to fend for herself. She knows she must head out on her own. It is a dangerous journey, and along the way she must face the loss of another family member. Somehow she must find a way to earn a living, restore her family, and fend off some over-eager suitors.

How did you come up with ideas for this book?

As I mentioned, I wanted to know what women’s lives were like in the 1830’s—how they managed daily tasks that are so simple for us today, and what social barriers stood in the way of their independence. The Edge of Light was inspired by one of my real life great-great aunts. Her husband did die on the Missouri frontier, leaving her with young children and a baby on the way. I don’t know much about her life beyond that, so this story is “what might have been.”

List your three most recent books.

The Edge of Light is Book One in the At Home in Beldon Grove series.

The second book, working title Toward the Sunrise, takes place in 1846 and features Molly McGarvie’s brother, Reverend Matthew Craig and his wife, Ellie.

The third book, tentatively titled To Number the Stars, takes place in 1857, and tells the story of Molly’s eldest daughter, now a grown woman, and her struggles to fulfill her dreams when all options seem to be closed to her.

What’s next for you?

I’m busy writing and polishing the next two novels, and preparing for book talks and signings.

Where can visitors find you online?

www.annshorey.com