In anticipation of the upcoming release of Annie's Stories we will feature a different post each day from
June 29 - July 1st with all things related to the book, you never know what neat things we will dig up to share with you.
June 29 - July 1st with all things related to the book, you never know what neat things we will dig up to share with you.
TODAY IS RELEASE DAY!
 Paperback: 416 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (July 1, 2014) ISBN-10: 1414368453 ISBN-13: 978-1414368450 | Annie's Stories |
Interview with Cindy Thomson about her upcoming release
Annie's Stories
#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
I have always been inspired by my love of genealogy research. It's estimated that 40% of Americans today have at least one ancestor who came through Ellis Island. Thousands arrived every day during the period my novels are set. So many displaced people came with the hope of a better future. When I realized L. Frank Baum's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published during that time, and was an immediate success, I imagined Dorothy's quest for home and the friends she finds along the way was a story some of these people related to.
I have always been inspired by my love of genealogy research. It's estimated that 40% of Americans today have at least one ancestor who came through Ellis Island. Thousands arrived every day during the period my novels are set. So many displaced people came with the hope of a better future. When I realized L. Frank Baum's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published during that time, and was an immediate success, I imagined Dorothy's quest for home and the friends she finds along the way was a story some of these people related to.
#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
That is not as simple a question as it seems! I wrote the book long before it was contracted. Then later I had to rewrite, and rewrite it again. The rewriting took the better part of a year.
That is not as simple a question as it seems! I wrote the book long before it was contracted. Then later I had to rewrite, and rewrite it again. The rewriting took the better part of a year.
#3. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
Since the story is told by Annie and Stephen, of course they are favorites. I do love Mrs. Hawkins, the owner of Hawkins House, though. She a lovable, kind heart, but wise too, wiser than her tenants seem to realize.
Since the story is told by Annie and Stephen, of course they are favorites. I do love Mrs. Hawkins, the owner of Hawkins House, though. She a lovable, kind heart, but wise too, wiser than her tenants seem to realize.
#4. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
That even when God seems to have abandoned us, He never does. That if we only pay attention, we will see the work of his hand everywhere. And that we are truly only at home in the hearts of who love us, and no one loves us more than God.
That even when God seems to have abandoned us, He never does. That if we only pay attention, we will see the work of his hand everywhere. And that we are truly only at home in the hearts of who love us, and no one loves us more than God.
#5. What made you choose some of the specific locations for this book?
Well, certainly Ellis Island and Manhattan was where my immigrants had to be. The countryside where Annie comes from in Ireland was in my heart because I have traveled there. I was there, in fact, as I was completing the final draft of the novel. I have a friend who lives in County Mayo, a fellow novelist who writes wonderful immigrant novels, Kate Kerrigan. I even attended her book launch party there. Just driving through the countryside in that part of Ireland was enough to bring Annie's early life alive for me, especially her wonderful memories of her father.
Well, certainly Ellis Island and Manhattan was where my immigrants had to be. The countryside where Annie comes from in Ireland was in my heart because I have traveled there. I was there, in fact, as I was completing the final draft of the novel. I have a friend who lives in County Mayo, a fellow novelist who writes wonderful immigrant novels, Kate Kerrigan. I even attended her book launch party there. Just driving through the countryside in that part of Ireland was enough to bring Annie's early life alive for me, especially her wonderful memories of her father.
#6. How did you name your characters?
Annie Moore was the first immigrant to come through Ellis Island. She was a young Irish girl. So I decided to use the name Annie and have her immigrate from Queenstown like Annie Moore. Gallagher is an Irish surname with a bit of history to it (I know, they all have history) which you can read about in the final chapters of the novel. For Stephen I was looking for a very American sounding name. I chose one of the presidents for his last name, and Stephen is pretty common.
Annie Moore was the first immigrant to come through Ellis Island. She was a young Irish girl. So I decided to use the name Annie and have her immigrate from Queenstown like Annie Moore. Gallagher is an Irish surname with a bit of history to it (I know, they all have history) which you can read about in the final chapters of the novel. For Stephen I was looking for a very American sounding name. I chose one of the presidents for his last name, and Stephen is pretty common.
#7. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
I wrote this story originally before my father passed away. It's the first story in the series I wrote, even though it was not the first to be published. Editing it after my father passed away gave me a greater connection to Annie. We always miss our loved ones when they go to heaven; that never completely goes away. The scene where Mrs. Hawkins takes Annie to the cemetery where her husband and his family are buried, however, I added more recently. I hope it resonates with readers because I think it's a lesson I'm continually learning: I'm at home only when I remember that God is always with me.
I wrote this story originally before my father passed away. It's the first story in the series I wrote, even though it was not the first to be published. Editing it after my father passed away gave me a greater connection to Annie. We always miss our loved ones when they go to heaven; that never completely goes away. The scene where Mrs. Hawkins takes Annie to the cemetery where her husband and his family are buried, however, I added more recently. I hope it resonates with readers because I think it's a lesson I'm continually learning: I'm at home only when I remember that God is always with me.
Bonus. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home.~L. Frank Baum, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ
No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home.~L. Frank Baum, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ
| PRINT | KINDLE | PRINT |
.
Notice: I have an affiliate with Amazon and DeeperShopping so if you
purchase a book through the links provided I will receive a small kickback.
purchase a book through the links provided I will receive a small kickback.
 Cindy Thomson | Bio Cindy Thomson is a writer and an avid genealogy enthusiast. Her love of history and her Scots-Irish heritage have inspired much of her writing, including her new Ellis Island series. Cindy is also the author of Brigid of Ireland and Celtic Wisdom: Treasures from Ireland. She combined her love of history and baseball to co-author the biography Three Finger: The Mordecai Brown Story, which was a finalist for the Society for American Baseball Research's Larry Ritter Book Award. In addition to books, Cindy has written on a regular basis for numerous online and print publications and is a mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. She is also a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the Historical Novel Society. Cindy and her husband have three grown sons and live in central Ohio. |
Connect With Cindy Online:
It's Time For A Giveaway!
To enter the giveaway please use the Rafflecopter below.
Before entering please click the Terms and Conditions button at the
bottom of the Rafflecopter and read them.
Before entering please click the Terms and Conditions button at the
bottom of the Rafflecopter and read them.
PLEASE sign up to receive our emails OR follow us on our Facebook fan page, buttons are on the right.
I'd like to remind everyone entering the giveaway that
Due to the instability of emails I do NOT email winners.
I WILL announce the winner on this blog and on the Winner's Page.
If you are signed up to receive our posts through Feedburner you
will receive all winner announcements directly in your email inbox.
If you win please send your mailing address/email address to me at telltalebookreviews(at)gmail(dot)com, just replace the (at) with an @ and the (dot) with a . and I will get the info to the correct person.
I'd like to remind everyone entering the giveaway that
Due to the instability of emails I do NOT email winners.
I WILL announce the winner on this blog and on the Winner's Page.
If you are signed up to receive our posts through Feedburner you
will receive all winner announcements directly in your email inbox.
If you win please send your mailing address/email address to me at telltalebookreviews(at)gmail(dot)com, just replace the (at) with an @ and the (dot) with a . and I will get the info to the correct person.
RSS Feed
