Gretchen Anthony
Author Interview - Gretchen Anthony
Read Gretchen Anthony’s previous interview with me, here.
Author of The Book Haters' Book Club
All it takes is the right book to turn a Book Hater into a Book Lover…
That was what Elliot—the beloved co-owner of Over the Rainbow Bookshop—believed before his untimely passing. He always had the perfect book suggestion for the self-proclaimed Book Hater. Now his grief-ridden business partner, Irma, has agreed to sell the cozy Over the Rainbow to condo developers. But others won’t give up the bookshop without a fight and, together, an unlikely trio of co-conspirators set out to save the bookshop, even if it takes some snooping, gossip and minor sabotage. Filled with humor, family hijinks and actual reading recommendations, The Book Haters' Book Club is the ideal feel-good read.
Author Interview - Gretchen Anthony
Author I draw inspiration from: Fredrik Backman
Author Interview - Gretchen Anthony | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book: On the screen porch on a breezy afternoon with nothing and nobody waiting for me.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: Stephanie Plum from the Janet Evanovich series. She's a bigger mess than me so I wouldn't feel intimidated, and when it comes to stories to share, she's got plenty. This assumes, of course, that we aren't also in the elevator with the latest someone trying to kill her. Not sure how that woman has made it through twenty-some books alive.
Author Interview - Gretchen Anthony | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: I've always known. But the moment I got serious about publishing was after I was laid off from my last big corporate job. I looked at everything I'd done in my career and realized the only goals I had left were writing related. So, I got busy. And I'm still at it.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: All of the above
The last book I read: Home or Away by Kathleen West
Author Interview - Gretchen Anthony | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer: Pen & Paper for brainstorming and morning journal. Computer for plotting, writing, and editing.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: Idgie Threadgoode from Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. She's funny and she sees through people's BS. Then again, my real best friends are incredibly patient and loyal, so maybe I'd be more likely to befriend Idgie's patient and loyal best friend, Ruth.
Author Interview - Gretchen Anthony | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: I have a new idea every day, especially when the writing gets tough. On those days, I'll do anything to escape the page. I recently found myself wondering if it was too late to go to nursing school. I wonder if being a UPS driver would be good exercise. What does it take to open a candy store?
In reality, I've done a lot of different things. I've taught university courses, been a management consultant, lead corporate communication departments, worked at a marketing agency.
The only job I haven't wanted to quit is my job as Mom. (Mostly because I really enjoy my kids, but also because I can't.)
Favorite decade in fashion history: Late 80s. You can keep your neon and Madonna lace from the first half of the decade, but give me a pair of boyfriend jeans and a concert tee any day!
Place I’d most like to travel: African safari. Someday, someday...
My signature drink: Depending on my mood, either a bourbon Manhattan or a vodka martini, dirty, two olives. In my last novel, The Kids Are Gonna Ask, I wrote about the sour plum Manhattans one of my close friends makes. He cans the sour plums himself and ages the Manhattans in an oak barrel. They are *fantastic* but you can't order them anywhere except Michael's house.
Favorite artist: I believe comedy is an art, which leaves no question about my favorite comedic artist: Catherine O'Hara. She's pure talent. Plus, she's Canadian, and we Minnesotans have a weird synergy with our neighbors to the north. I always said that if they ever made my novel Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners into a movie, I want her to play the over-the-top matriarch, Violet.
Number one on my bucket list: Whenever I meet someone new and they learn I'm a novelist, they ask if I've written anything they would've heard of. Wouldn't it be great to be able to say, "Yes!" But since that's not something I can control, I'll keep creating characters that I love and that hopefully speak to readers in meaningful ways.
Anything else you'd like to add: The best part about writing The Book Haters Book Club was getting to consult with all the real librarians and booksellers who've helped influence both my reading choices and my career. This book wouldn't have happened without their input, nor would I be the writer I am without their influence. They're superheroes to me, and they deserve all the thanks we can shower on them.
Find more from the author:
Insta: @gretchenanthony.writer
Substack newsletter: https://gretchenanthony.substack.com/
Author Bio: GRETCHEN ANTHONY is the award-winning author of The Kids Are Gonna Ask, recipient of the 2021 Alex Award from the American Library Association. Her debut novel, Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners, was a Midwestern Connections Pick and a best books pick by Amazon, BookBub, PopSugar, and the New York Post. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, Medium, and The Write Life, among others. She lives in Minneapolis with her family.
