Anne Shaw Heinrich
Author Interview - Anne Shaw Heinrich
Author of God Bless the Child
It is hard to blame Mary Kline for who she has become. Mary is hungry. She wants food and lots of it, but as she becomes a young woman, she craves something far more delicious—a child of her own.
When Pearl Davis turns up pregnant after some church-basement encounters with the predatory James Pullman, a local pastor’s son, Mary and her parents swoop in, taking in Pearl and her baby, Elizabeth. It’s a disastrous move.
As a teen, Elizabeth rebuffs Mary’s smothering, needy brand of affection and winds up pregnant. Mary insists on an abortion.
Later, as a young mother, Elizabeth, contemplating her complicated past, slips into cycles of depressive episodes that alternate with severe OCD. When her third pregnancy ends in miscarriage, Elizabeth becomes further unhinged. Her ever-patient husband, David, learns about the baby Elizabeth aborted years before, as well as the harrowing nights that she witnessed when left alone as a child with the equally vulnerable Pearl. The revelations also unravel memories for Mary Kline that explain her insatiable appetite and desire to be loved.
By the time Mary and Elizabeth unwind the twisted truths that bind them, they must reckon not only with one another, but also those close to them who find themselves grappling a story of trauma that spans three generations.
For everyone in God Bless The Child, the past cannot be changed, but it can be held where it belongs and replaced with redemption.
Author Interview - Anne Shaw Heinrich
Author I draw inspiration from:
I love Pearl S. Buck, especially The Good Earth. I also love everything written by Anita Shreve.
Author Interview - Anne Shaw Heinrich | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
On a beach (but in the shade) with something delicious to drink.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
I am a serious history nerd and especially love anything about the Tudors. If I could be in an elevator with Anne Boleyn as depicted in Hilary Mantel's Bring Up The Bodies, I'd swoon. I would ask her so many questions about what really happened that she'd probably be pushing the alarm button for someone to come save her from me. I just can't get enough of this time period, and especially anything about this person who lived so long ago.
Author Interview - Anne Shaw Heinrich | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
In high school I had two amazing English teachers who helped me consider for the first time that there were stories waiting for me to be their teller.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Hardback books suggest a commitment that I do find appealing. They are substantial and command that we're careful with them. There's something about that that gives the work they hold a level of respect. Paperbacks feel a little less permanent. Because they can be easily replaced, I think they take a beating they probably don't deserve. I do like it that paperbacks cost less money, which makes them more accessible. Literature should be readily available to anyone who wants to explore and enjoy it. Ebooks, I've just not gotten into. Call me old-school. I like turning pages. As a writer, I spend a lot of time looking at screens, so this is a less appealing option for me. I just got into audiobooks during Covid lockdown, and I love them for a couple of reasons. First, they allow you to enjoy a story, but give the eyes a rest. I also like that I can listen to these while I'm doing other less enjoyable tasks: laundry, cleaning, yardwork. They are a spoonful of sugar that helps the housework medicine go down! I've reached the point that I cannot do chores without being entertained.
The last book I read:
Nora: A Biography of Nora Joyce by Brenda Maddox. I loved it. It's made me interested in diving back into some of James Joyce's works again with a different lens. It's incredible.
Author Interview - Anne Shaw Heinrich | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I wrote the initial draft of my first novel, God Bless the Child, with a sharp pencil and a stack of yellow legal pads. I would do the first round of edits as typed into a form more legible for others to digest. Sometimes, I still do this, but not as often. I do not start with an outline. I start with a character and move through the story that way. It's a little wild, but this process give me the freedom to go down rabbit holes that hard to plan for. I am an avid watcher of people. I love observing how people respond to others, how they hold their bodies, what they carry with them. All of it fascinates me. I'm sure my people-watching habit has influenced my writing. I tend to write in fits and starts, taking advantage of when I have big pockets of time to dive in. When I'm writing, it feels like I'm getting away with something very indulgent and wonderful. I look at screens for my full-time work and creative writing enough that my eyes do feel the strain. Recently, I've started editing with my ears. I use the voice tool in Word, which allows me to hear how the words sound together. I started doing this after I got turned on to audiobooks. It makes you wonder, "How does my story sound?" It's turned out to be a great way to catch errors and bad habits that the eyes miss.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Edna Pontellier, the main character in The Awakening by Kate Chopin, would be a good friend of mine, I'm sure. She's a complex and restless soul who makes choices that are hard to understand, but tantalizing nonetheless. I think we could have some in-depth conversations about being wives and mothers, thinkers, observers of the world.
Author Interview - Anne Shaw Heinrich | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
I would work behind the scenes at a museum or historic place. I want to be able to touch old stuff, especially books and personal items. I want to go into the doors and spaces that are not open to the public.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
I love women's clothing from the 1920s and 1930s. Love!
Place I’d most like to travel:
I love France and England. I really can't get enough of either place. I'm also hankering to get back to Ireland because it's beautiful, and I have Irish ancestors. My Dad always wanted to go there. It makes me think of him.
My signature drink:
Alcoholic drink: gin and tonic with two limes. Non-alcohol: Diet Coke with lots of ice. It is truly nectar of the Gods!
Favorite artist:
I love music by George Winston. It puts me in the mood to write, think and love what I have.
Number one on my bucket list:
I want to take a long road trip with my husband to enjoy the Fall on the East Coast. We'll stop when we feel like it and just soak the freedom and scenery in.
Anything else you'd like to add:
Thank you so much for this opportunity and for all that you do to promote literacy. You're putting goodness into the world!
Find more from the author:
https://www.facebook.com/anne.s.heinrich/
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https://twitter.com/AnneHeinrich5
https://www.instagram.com/anne_shaw_heinrich/
About Anne Shaw Heinrich:
Author Interview - Anne Shaw Heinrich
Since she fell in love with writing in high school, Anne Shaw Heinrich has been a journalist, columnist, blogger and nonprofit communications professional. Her first article appeared in Rockford Magazine in 1987. She’s interviewed and written features on Beverly Sills, Judy Collins, Gene Siskel, and Debbie Reynolds. Anne’s writing has been featured in The New York Times bestseller The Right Words at the Right Time, Volume 2: Your Turn (Atria 2006) and Chicken Soup for the Soul's The Cancer Book: 101 Stories of Courage, Support and Love (2009). Anne's debut novel, God Bless The Child, is the first in a three-book series, The Women of Paradise County, to be published by Speaking Volumes. She and her husband are parents to three adult children. Anne is passionate about her family, mental health advocacy and the power of storytelling.
