Amy R. Anguish: Romance, a Chapel, Hobbies, a Giveaway & More

I hope you enjoy this interview with Amy Anguish as you learn about her writing and newly released Contemporary Romance, Window of the Heart. For a chance to win a paperback of her book, comment below by August 8! (US winner only)

Welcome, Amy! So glad to have you here. Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

I have been married to my college sweetheart for 19 years. We have two kids we were afraid we’d never get due to infertility issues, but God is bigger. My husband is a high school teacher and I teach preschool two days a week. I also work as a tax specialist part-time. It’s a crazy busy life, but it’s blessed.

Praise the Lord for blessing you with two precious children. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A babysitter. I think I might have actually achieved this if you interpret mom and preschool teacher that way. 😉

Do you have any hobbies? Have you incorporated any of them into your books?

I have too many hobbies. I love to sew and crochet. I also paint some. And I garden during the summer, so we’ve been putting up green beans and tomatoes and okra and cucumbers and squash. Yum. I have had some characters who sew or are crafty. No gardeners yet, though, so I probably need to work on that.

I don’t know how you find the time for so many great hobbies, but they sound fun. How do you balance writing with your other life and family obligations?

Some days are easier than others. Especially with me working three jobs sometimes in addition to my writing. I try to find “less busy” months to do my main writing in, and then I work in editing and marketing around the rest of my life. During an hour in an afternoon, or after kids go to bed at night.

Some days I accomplish more than others, and I am learning that having four books release in one year is too much for this phase of my life, but my family is very forgiving and always get excited when mommy’s new book arrives.

Wow, I can’t imagine accomplishing all you do with such a busy life. Good for you. What genre do you write, and what inspired you to write that particular genre? 

I write Contemporary Christian Romance. I’ve got to admit the genre sort of chose me because that’s all the stories that have popped in my head so far. I did try one time to write a story that was simply “sweet” instead of “Christian,” but I couldn’t do it. My faith is so woven into my life that it comes out as I type. Not a bad problem to have, if you think about it.

No, definitely not a problem for me! Do you have any pets? Do they find their way into any of your stories?

I am a cat person. And I do have cats in a few of my books. Animals give so much extra personality to scenes. In Saving Grace, I had the cat sit on the engagement ring receipt and stare at the guy, as if not believing a word he was ranting about. Can’t you just see a cat doing that?

LOL. I can totally see that. How long, on average, does it take you to write a book?

If I get into a really good “writing mode,” I can knock out a book in less than a month. When I first started writing, I participated in Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month), which has the goal of writing a novel in the month of November. And it got me in the habit.

That’s amazing. What is the setting of your current novel? Is it a real location or fictional? Tell us about it.

The chapel in my novel is based on a real chapel located in Montgomery Bell State Park in TN. The other girls and I writing this series met at a writers’ retreat held there. During a writing exercise, we had to come up with a story based on something in the park, so we chose the chapel. And our series sprang from that original story. The chapel in our stories is different, but it looks a lot like our inspiration.

That’s so cool! What is the premise of Window of the Heart?

The maid-of-honor and best man are trying to fix up the run-down family chapel so his cousin and her best friend can be married there in October. The down-to-earth bridesmaid butts heads with the laid-back, easy-going groomsman, but the more they spend time together, the more they see things from the other’s perspective.

Your story sounds wonderful. What do you enjoy most about being a writer?

Having a reader tell me something from my book that they enjoyed or that moved them. It blows my mind every time. To think an idea that originated in my head could make an impact in someone else’s life … wow. I am humbled and honored.

Absolutely. What’s next from you?

October 17, Mama Dated Santa will release. I am so excited about this story. It’s set in a toy store at Christmastime, so you know it’s going to be lots of fun. 😊

Oh, yes, that sounds like such a fun read! Thanks so much for sharing on my blog. It’s been great getting to know you.

Join the conversation. Are you a Contemporary Romance reader? Does the premise of Amy’s book sound interesting to you? What questions or comments do you have for Amy?

Be sure to comment below by August 8 for a chance to win a paperback of Window of the Heart! (US winner only)

Window of the Heart by Amy R. Anguish

Click the book cover for purchase link

When the door to her heart is closed, maybe he can get in through a window.

Lennox Malone may not believe in love, but she’s determined to do the best job she can as her friend Sara Beth’s maid of honor. Problem is, the man in charge of fixing up the chapel doesn’t match her determination. Fighting against preconceived notions, a past that catches up to her, and an attraction she wants nothing to do with, this wedding is turning into more than she can handle.

Ty Dunne might be laid back and easy-going, but he’s determined to make sure the chapel is ready for his cousin’s wedding. Not only is it his duty as best man, but he wants to preserve the family’s history in the building. If only he could live up to his family’s other expectations—or those of Lennox Malone, the fiery redhead he can’t stop thinking about. Before he can go any further with her, though, he has to convince her that love is real and worth the risk.

Lennox has built her walls high and sturdy, but Ty is determined to find a way in—even if it’s a window. Maybe the history of the chapel itself along with the romance of a wedding will help.

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.

Connect with Amy: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / YouTube

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Check out these interviews with Melanie Snitker, Shannon McNear, and Jennifer Sienes.