1--What is the title of your latest release?
CHRISTMAS IN BLUE DOG VALLEY
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
If you like small towns, very bad sheepdogs, and displaced city gals, then this is the book for you.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I wanted to pick a place that is colder than Missouri, where I live, but I also wanted to pick a place I knew a bit about. Wisconsin it was!
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Absolutely. Goldie is smart, hilarious, and an absolute mess.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Well, I kind of did that in the above question. Whoops!
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I used to think that my characters needed to have a “dark past” in order to be interesting, but I learned that isn’t necessarily true, and it’s important that the main character is someone that people can relate to and root for.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I used to wait until I was completely done, but I realized while writing this book that I don’t have to do that. I can go in and make changes to parts that are bothering me or that I know need work. It really helps me write!
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I’m not sure if I have one. But my favorite snack is binge cherries and Nutella.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
I live in a 1500-square foot 1950s bungalow with my husband, son, Pug, 4 cats, and an axolotl named Cosmo. I don’t have any real “space.” Technically, I have an office in our spare bedroom, but most of the time, I write wherever and whenever I can.
10--Who is an author you admire?
Jenny Colgan. I LOVE her books.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner. I read it when I was 20 years old, and it exploded my world.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I was in my office at work, grading finals. My agent called me, which was unusual, because she usually tells me before she calls. When I answered, she was so excited, and of course, when I heard the news, I was so excited. I screamed so loud that two of my colleagues came in to make sure I was okay!
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
I love chick lit and historical fiction. Recently, I’ve gotten into a little bit of fantasy, which is a totally new genre for me.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
Pretty in Pink all day long.
15--What is your favorite season?
Fall…again, all day long!
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I usually go out to dinner with my family. I turned 40 last year, and my family took me out to a “fancy” Italian restaurant a couple of hours away, and it was so much fun.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
My favorite podcast is the Red Handed Podcast, which is true crime. I love it. I also just finished the Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas. I devoured them. I know I’m a little late to the game on these books, but as I said in a previous question, fantasy isn’t my typical genre. A friend recommended them to me when I was in a reading rut, and I’m so glad she did!
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I love Thai food. I live in a really rural area, so the nearest Thai restaurant is an hour from where I live, but I go every chance I get.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
I play video games, watch tv, and take naps. I LOVE to take naps with my Pug, Kirby.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
I’m currently working on another Christmas book called CHRISTMAS IN CORGI COVE. So…expect corgis!
A Novel
When Goldie McKenzie, DVM, vet to the L.A. pet stars, arrives from Los Angeles to Blue Dog Valley she realizes three things.
- Never agree to upend your life when you’re hungover
- Pot-belly pigs are not true farm animals
- She’s going to need a warmer coat
At first Goldie is nothing more than a fish out of water, with few clients and few friends. But after a less than pleasant encounter with a man whose dog is suffering from a possibly fatal case of bloat, she’s finally earning the trust and goodwill from her fellow Blue Dog Valley citizens. Her clientele grows to include the many farm animals in the town, including a horse named Large Marge, a cape-wearing therapy alpaca, and a yardful of sweater-wearing goats. Add in Kevin, the “worst sheepdog in Blue Dog Valley,” and a Sphinx cat named Airport, and Goldie is having the best time a vet can have. . . aside from the annoying attractive town grump, Cohen, who seems intent on making sure she always feels like an outsider.
With her newfound goodwill, Goldie comes up with an idea to reinvigorate the once flourishing Blue Dog Valley: a Christmas carnival. A petting zoo, pictures with Santa, a baking contest, what more could they want? After only some brief resistance from Cohen and his father, they begin the great plan to reinvigorate Blue Dog Valley.
Will Christmas be enough to salvage this dying town—and be enough to bring Goldie closer to a certain grumpy man?
Mystery Pet Lovers [Avon, On Sale: September 20, 2022, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780063040199 / eISBN: 9780063040205]
Annie England Noblin lives with her son, husband, and three dogs in the Missouri Ozarks. She graduated with an M.A. in creative writing from Missouri State University and currently teaches English and communications for Arkansas State University in Mountain Home, Arkansas. She spends her free time playing make-believe, feeding stray cats, and working with animal shelters across the country to save homeless dogs.
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