If you could ask a USA Today best-selling author any question, what would it be? I know what I’d ask, and today best-selling author Shaen Layle is kind enough to answer them. Thank you!

What was your favorite picture book as a child? What did you love about it?

I adored The Velveteen Rabbit when I was a child. I still have my original copy of the book–tattered cover and all–and enjoy reading it now to my two boys. I think it was the first book that moved me emotionally, though at the time, I didn’t realize why. Now, with more years under my belt and a writer’s perspective, I understand that it was all about how the characters conveyed the desire we all have for unconditional love. It’s a strong theme and one of the reasons I think that book has resonated with so many generations of readers.

What was the first adult novel that you read? Did you like it?

I think the first adult novel that I read was Jane Eyre. It’s a book that I’ve returned to several times in my adulthood, and like many complex, classic works, I always take away something new from it. When I was a young teen, though, the thing that most impacted me was the atmosphere of the book. It made all sorts of amazing word pictures in my mind: the haunting red-room at Gateshead where Jane’s Uncle Reed died, her meeting with dark-haired, brooding Rochester on the way to mail a letter, Bertha Mason ripping Jane’s wedding veil in two. It’s one of those books that remains in your mind long after you finish reading it.

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

The last book I read that I couldn’t put down was Nicole Deese’s Before I Called You Mine. The story put such a sweet, clever spin on the expected “contemporary romance” idea by exploring the many forms love can take. Sure, the main character, Lauren, comes to care deeply for her co-worker, Joshua, but does she love him more than the child she’s trying to adopt through international channels? It’s a compelling premise that makes Lauren lean into her faith in God’s ability to work all things together for good for those who love and follow Him.

If you could be part of any fictional family, which would you pick?

Oh, I’d have to say the March family from Little Women. Even when they were miles apart, the solid sense of loyalty and support they lent each other was so evident. That’s how a family should be! Also, I’m an only child, so the thought of having a gaggle of sisters seems amazingly fun. I’d love to learn housekeeping with Meg (kitchen disasters aside!), play piano with sweet Beth, write with Jo, and paint with Amy. That said, I am thankful to have an amazing, creative family of my own, who I wouldn’t trade even for the Marches 😊

If you could turn any of your books into a movie, which would you pick? Who would cast as the main characters?

Wow, what a dream that would be! I’d have to pick my next cozy mystery in the pipeline, To Heal a Heart. It releases in February and features an adoption/redemption theme that I am extremely proud of. My main historical character would have to be played by someone versatile, as the story spans decades of the character’s life, from the time she’s a teen giving birth to an out-of-wedlock child to an empty nester grieving the loss of her spouse. I’m thinking that Claire Foy, with her experience in playing Queen Elizabeth in The Crown, would be a great choice.

What book are you most looking forward to reading next?

Even though it’s been out for a while now, I can’t wait to read Rachel Hauck’s The Fifth Avenue Story Society. It has everything I love in a book: a bevy of deep, multi-faceted characters, a compelling plot that brings them all together, and a library (cue happy sigh). I’m looking forward to digging into this one and seeing how all the different stories intersect.

Share five books from your TBR (to be read) pile.

Ooh, I have a lot more than five in my TBR pile, but these are the five closest to the front of the queue (other than The Fifth Avenue Story Society):

All That Really Matters by Nicole Deese
Conscious Decisions by Beth Adams
Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell (okay, this one is a re-read!)
The Art of Friendship by Kim Wier
Talking with Your Kids about Jesus by Natasha Crain

Thank you for having me on the blog! I really appreciate the opportunity and hope to stay in touch!

Honeybees & Legacies, book 17 in the Savannah Secrets series by Guideposts.

Nikki Williams is a talented local artist with a thriving honey business who is as sweet as the wares she sells. So why would someone vandalize the apiaries she keeps in her backyard? Could it be a rival honey stand at the market looking to get rid of competition? Or perhaps it’s an unhappy neighbor whose son is allergic to bee stings? As Meredith and Julia investigate, they soon realize that this might be more than just a random buzzkill, and that the real mystery may have decades-old roots that began in World War II.

Meanwhile, Meredith tries to support her grandson, Kaden, as he struggles with his transition to middle school. His trouble navigating socially leads him to become a target for a school bully. Can Meredith help Kaden, or will her interference just make things worse?

Honeybees & Legacies is currently available for purchase, in print or e-book form, on the Guideposts website at https://www.shopguideposts.org/fiction-books/mystery-fiction/savannah-secrets/savannah-secrets-honeybees-and-legacies-book-17.html

Shaen Layle is a USA Today bestselling author who writes inspirational fiction from her home in the Midwest, where she lives with her artist husband and two rambunctious but adorable little boys. Trained as a literary novelist and with a decade of librarianship under her belt, she loves discussing all things bookish with her readers on social media and on her website at shaenlayle.com. You can sign up for her newsletter to receive exclusive content and sneak peeks of future books at shaenlayle.com/newsletter.

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