What does author Hope Dougherty read when she’s not writing? She was kind enough to stop by and let us peek at her TBR pile (and her already-read pile).

Welcome! Thanks for being here. Let’s start with the early years. What was the first chapter book you read?

I’m not sure exactly which chapter book I read first, but it could have been The Boxcar Children. I loved the entire series. I loved how the four siblings stuck together and took care of each other. I especially loved the first one that described setting up the boxcar to live in. I’ve always loved mysteries, too.

What was the last book you read that you couldn’t put down?

This answer will probably make me sound like a great, big nerd, but I loved Susan Orlean’s The Library Book. It’s nonfiction, which is not normally my go-to, plus the cover is orange, probably my least favorite color, but Susan Orlean is a fantastic writer. I loved how she combined the history of libraries with the mystery of who started the San Francisco fire of 1986.

I read Educated by Tara Westover pretty quickly also. I was fascinated that this woman grew up the way she did, and she’s only a few years older than my oldest daughter. The family’s experiences made me think it was set in a different time.

Where’s the most unusual place you’ve read a book?

I read part of The Boys in the Boat in Aman, Jordan while we visited our son who was studying for his Arabic degree.

Oh my—I really want to ask how someone decides to get a degree in Arabic (and why), but I’ll stay on topic. If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be?

If I could cheat and have dinner with a group instead of one character, I’d choose the book club in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It’s one of my favorite books. The food might not be that great, but the people are fascinating and smart and funny.

I’ve heard a lot about that book. I’m going to have to add it to m TBR pile. But back to the interview: if you could turn any of your books into a movie, which would you pick? Who would you cast as the main characters?

I would turn Irish Encounter into a movie because it’s partially set in Galway, Ireland, one of my favorite cities. Maybe I’d get to return to that beautiful country and visit the set. I’d have Jim Caviezel play Payne Anderson, and Sandra Bullock (with shoulder length auburn hair) would play Ellen Shepherd.

What book are you most looking forward to reading next?

The Giver of Stars by Jo Jo Moyes. I’ve never read anything by her, but this one is based on the true story of women who delivered books in Eleanor Roosevelt’s traveling library program. It sounds wonderful!

Who’s your favorite author?

Choosing a favorite author is like choosing a favorite eye, but I’ll try! I love Anne Tyler because she takes the everyday mundane things and shines them up into something special. She also weaves music into all of her novels. Because I can’t help myself, here are a few more of my favorites: Kaye Gibbons, Liane Moriarty, Pat Conroy, Rick Bragg, Becky Wade, and Karen Witemeyer. Contact me, readers, if you want a full list!

A college professor is good at nurturing. An attorney is good at keeping secrets. When their lives intersect, sparks fly, changing hearts and lives forever.

Hope holds a Master’s degree and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her novels include Irish Encounter, Mars…With Venus Rising, Rescued Hearts, and Forever Music. She’s a member of ACFW and RWA. Residing in North Carolina, she and her husband enjoy visits with their daughters and twin sons.

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