When I posted the review of Anne's book, I'd hoped to follow up with an interview with her. Unfortunately, her computer crashed and she wasn't able to get back to me. She's up and running, so I'd like to do the interview.
1.Why did you set your book after the Battle of Culloden? Did the characters occur to your first or the situation?
I set the book after the Battle of Culloden because that battle changed the Highlands way of life forever. The Highland warrior, the Clan way of life, the families living in the Highlands , the use of the tartan and the bagpipe were all eliminated at that time. Later, some of the traditions were revived, but never did the clans return to live in the Highlands. I usually get the inspiration for my historicals by discovering a momentous event, researching it, and then the characters emerge from the situation.
2. How did you start writing? How long have you been writing?
From the time I began to read, I’ve wanted to write books. In my formative years books were my escape from a stress-filled life. I began to write when my youngest son was in diapers and took an afternoon nap. As a writer, I want to provide new worlds and create new characters for readers to enjoy. I want to touch readers with happiness and hope to deepen their spiritual lives. I delight in giving readers new facts about history they can digest in a painless way. My prayer is that readers will return time and again to my books as one of their favorites.
3. What is the spiritual truth you wanted to share in this book?
The spiritual truth I like to share from Masquerade Marriage rose from the characters as they lived these particular difficult chapters of their lives. Unlike his father and his four older brothers, Brody, my protagonist, survived the battle of Culloden. Losing all the male members of his family dealt a terrific blow to his faith in Christ. Throughout the book he struggles to find God’s will in allowing the tragedy. His faith slowly heals as he sees God’s hand shaping him, and giving him a new life, and adding a love he never expected to experience.
4.Since the blog is Critter Chronicles, tell a story about your pet? Or it could be about an interesting encounter you had with an animal.
I was experiencing a difficult chapter in my life as I wrote Masquerade Marriage. My husband was serving our country as a Special Forces Colonel in Iraq , and I was alone for a year. I did have one loving companion. My Lhasa Apso dog. He is beautiful, and probably the biggest little Lhasa ever. He’s white with a few caramel spots on his back and paws. His name is McKenzie and he was born on Halloween. But he’s no trick or treat dog. He’s purely a treat. He has a beautiful white face with large black eyes. My MIL says his eyes look human. And she’s right. McKenzie sat at my feet during those long, lonely days and nights and took me out for long walks to keep me in physical shape. Since I talked with him so much, he understands a very large vocabulary. He tuned into my moods and cheered me when I needed it. He’s funny and loves to play. He’s very gentle. Once when he caught a baby bunny, he carried it gently in his mouth until I told him to let the bunny go. He put the baby unhurt on the ground and the bunny hopped away. He loves other dogs and never barks, but he does have a stubborn streak. Lhasas are revered in Tibet as lion dogs, and treated as royalty. The only time McKenzie barks is to alert us of visitors. He thinks all visitors come to see him and welcomes them. But he knows the difference between friends and people who threaten. He’s more than a dog to me, he’s my companion.
ANNE GREENE delights in writing historical and suspense novels about wounded heroes and gutsy heroines. She and her hero husband, Army Special Forces Colonel Larry Greene, visited Scotland, resulting in her newest book release, Masquerade Marriage, published by White Rose Publishing. When she’s not deployed with her husband, Anne makes her home in McKinney, Texas. Tim LaHaye led her to the Lord, and Chuck Swindoll is her Pastor. Her highest hope is that her stories transport the reader to an awesome new world and touch hearts to seek a deeper relationship with the Lord Jesus. Anne’s website is AnneGreeneAuthor.com.
