Author: Ann H. Gabhart
Submitted: August 13, 2009
Tell us a little about yourself. I started on my writing journey when I was ten years old and started scribbling my first story in a notebook. I've been writing ever since. Along the way I married, had three kids and helped out on the farm. Kids are all grown now and have blessed my husband and me with nine grandbabies.
What was your motivation behind this project? The Outsider, my first Shaker book, was well received by readers, so at the urging of my publisher, I went back to Harmony Hill to tell a new story. I like my characters, Elizabeth and Ethan, and think their story shows the Shaker life even better than my first Shaker book.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? I hope people will gain some perspective into how the Shakers lived and what they believed. But mostly I hope readers will enjoy sharing the lives of my characters.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? Anytime I take my characters back into some historical time, I gain a new understanding of the challenges facing the people in the past.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? My mom is a great source of inspiration. She has always faced life with courage and joy. That's what I want to do too.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: I appreciate each of you who reads or listens to my stories. A book is not complete without a reader to bring the writer's words to life in his or her imagination. I enjoy getting to know my readers so come on over to my website and visit.
