Today on the blog, we have an author who is skilled at all things cozy fantasy and fairy tale. Carrie Anne Noble is here to answer a few questions in celebration of the release of her newest novel, The Gingerbread Thief!

What inspired you to write The Gingerbread Thief, the sequel to The Gingerbread Queen?

When I wrote The Gingerbread Queen, I was surprised to discover that the antagonist, Ansgar, was my favorite character to write. He spent most of the book as an evil duck, working with all his shriveled little heart to attain his wicked goals. I felt like he almost learned his lesson by the end of the book—but not quite. I wanted to give him a chance at redemption, this time as a grumpy human wizard. In The Gingerbread Thief, he undertakes an unusual pilgrimage to attempt to win a wish. Along the way, his character is thoroughly tested by his traveling companions: a chatty widow, Josephine, and her allergy-provoking cat. You’ll have to read the story to find out if he manages to change his villainous ways.

Josephine, who is the sunshine to Ansgar’s dark cloud, was inspired by my fascination with all things French, and also by a number of delightful, recently published fantasy books that feature middle-aged heroines. Newly widowed, she’s led a sheltered, male-controlled life in 1800’s France. She doesn’t know much about the world beyond her small town—until she’s handed a mysterious letter and sets out on the same magical journey as Ansgar. Josephine shows us that it’s never too late to have an adventure or to become a better version of yourself.

A magical baking contest is featured in The Gingerbread Thief. What kind of treats would go best with this story?

I’d recommend a nice cup of tea and a plate of gingerbread cookie bars with spiced cream cheese frosting, because the story is sweet (but not overly sweet), and although there’s banter and adventure, the experience is a cozy one. Here’s a wonderful recipe to try: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/gingerbread-cookie-bars/

On the other hand, I would not recommend eating the mushroom soup Ansgar and Josephine cook on their journey, because it’s far from a treat. They enjoyed the flavor, but not the surprising side effects!

Do you ever base characters on people in your life?

I don’t often base characters on real people, but Thierry, the cat in The Gingerbread Thief, was absolutely based on Tod, my youngest son’s cat. Tod is big, orange, mouthy, and an excellent lap warmer. In the last couple years, he’s followed me around the house and kept me company so much that I started calling him “my cat-husband” as a joke. Of course he ended up as the model for Josephine’s feline companion, and even appears on the book cover.

When writing, what is your favorite part or scene to create?

The more books I write, the more I enjoy creating an ending. There’s something quite satisfying about giving characters the happily-ever-after (or happy-for-now) they’ve been seeking throughout the pages. When I read the last couple chapters of a book, whether I wrote it or someone else did, I love to be smiling and crying simultaneously. I want to be happy for the characters but sad to leave their world. I hope my novels have that effect on readers, or that they’re at least sighing with contentment when they reach “the end.”

Do you have any more books coming soon?

I do! My next novel is a return to the young adult fantasy genre. Trowbridge and Fye releases in May 2026. It’s set in 1987, and the main female character is fifteen-year-old Frances, a high school student who relies on fairy tales to help her cope with grief and loneliness. But then the new boy at school eerily resembles her favorite fabled hero, and she unwittingly befriends a wrong number telephone caller who’s secretly an exiled bridge troll. She plunges into a real-life tale of peril and adventure unlike anything she’s ever read. With her middle-aged English teacher and the school misfit at her side, Fran must fight to escape the plot of a cruel faerie princess—or lose her freedom forever. It’s a fun but heartfelt coming-of-age story that I think readers of all ages will enjoy.

Want to know more about The Gingerbread Thief?

Journey afar to a secret baking contest—and win the wish of your heart.

Armed with a stolen gingerbread recipe, ornery wizard (and former duck) Ansgar sets out to compete in a contest unlike any other. The prize? A single wish. Three years after fleeing the witch’s forest, his strength and magic are vanishing—and he’s counting on the enchanted recipe that once beguiled Hansel and Gretel to fend off his death.

Meanwhile, newly widowed Josephine receives an invitation to the same contest . With a cat—who she believes is her bespelled late husband—in tow, she embarks on a journey to save herself from destitution and, perhaps, her husband from feline form. If she fails, at least she’ll have one grand adventure to remember.

When fate throws the unlikely pair together, Ansgar’s plans crumble faster than a stale biscuit. He’s allergic to cats, exasperated by Josephine’s chatter—and utterly undone by her kindness. Together, they’ll face fiery trials, raging rivers, dubious soup, and the greatest challenge of all: the bake-off for the wish that could change everything.

Meet Carrie Anne Noble:

In the wake of her thrilling past as a theater student, restaurant hostess, nurse aide, and newspaper writer, Carrie Anne Noble now crafts enchanting fiction for teens and adults. Her debut novel The Mermaid’s Sister won the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award for Young Adult Fiction and the 2016 Realm Award for Book of the Year. Her other books include YA fantasies entitled The Gold-Son and Gretchen and the Bear. Carrie lives in the Pennsylvania mountains, where she enjoys taking walks, frolicking with her half-Corgi, and hosting the occasional mad tea party.

You can find her website, Instagram, Facebook, X, and Bookbub