We welcome author Carrie Anne Noble, here with us today to answer a few questions in celebration of the release of her new book The Gingerbread Queen!

Welcome! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what got you into writing?

Hello! I’ve been making up stories for as long as I can remember. One of my grandmothers was an elementary school teacher and the other was an avid reader, so reading was a highly valued activity in my young life. Writing seemed to come as a natural side effect of all that reading combined with my wild imagination.

What inspired you to write fantasy?

When I was very young, my mom would read to me at bedtime from a book of classic fairy tales and another book of traditional Mother Goose poems. Those two beautifully illustrated books definitely planted some of the seeds that sprouted into my love of fantasy. Also, I vividly remember reading A Wrinkle in Time in my fifth grade Language Arts class and loving it. My first attempt at a novel happened shortly thereafter (a portal fantasy featuring nitrogen-breathing aliens). It seems like fantasy and I were a fated match from the beginning.

What do you enjoy most about writing fantasy books, and what do you enjoy the least?

I love putting magic and folkloric creatures into real, historical settings to create worlds of wonder and whimsy. What I least enjoy is untangling problems I cause myself sometimes by being a “discovery writer” and not planning out everything in detail before starting a story. I’m not so good at puzzles, but I am stubborn enough to persevere and work things out eventually.

What is it about fairy tales that you love so much?

I love the cadence of the old stories, and how, from the first line, you’re taken somewhere familiar yet full of surprises. There are kings and maidens, tailors and housewives—people we recognize—but also raven brothers, talking wolves, and angry fairies. The blending of reality and imagination captivates me.

Do you have a favorite fairy tale? If so, which one and why?

It’s so hard to choose! One of them is definitely Goldilocks and the Three Bears, which helped inspire my book Gretchen and the Bear. I’ve always loved the sweet little baby bear, and then that moment of terror when Goldilocks wakes up to find the three bears staring at her. If it had been a Grimm Brothers’ tale, no doubt the bears would have gobbled her up before she had a chance to escape out the window.

Can you tell us a little about how the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel inspired The Gingerbread Queen?

I wondered what kind of grown-ups Hansel and Gretel would have become after their experience with the witch of the gingerbread cottage. Would Gretel end up afraid of cake and candy? Would adult Hansel be obsessed with staying wealthy enough to avoid hunger at all costs? Then, when I studied the original Grimm Brothers’ tale, I noticed the magical white duck that helped the children after they escaped the witch, and I thought his story needed to be told as well. The duck became the perfect villain for my book.

How did writing The Gingerbread Queen differ from writing your previous books?

I’d never written anything set in Germany before. Although I have visited Germany, I had to research the flora and fauna of German forests so I could write about my enchanted forest. I also researched German place names, given names, how baking was done in the early 1800’s, and German fairy folklore. I feel like every book I write gives me an education!

Which character was your favorite to write in The Gingerbread Queen?

Ansgar was the most fun to write. He’s arrogant and pompous man who’s stuck in duck form and wants nothing more than to return to being human. He also has a tragic love story. I’ve never enjoyed writing an antagonist as much as I enjoyed writing Ansgar.

What are some books you are enjoying reading right now? Do you have any recommendations?

I’ve been reading a delightful series by Quenby Olson about a middle-aged English spinster who inherits a dragon egg. It’s got a fun Jane Austen vibe, much wit, and a slow burn romance with the village vicar. The first book is called Miss Percy’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons. Book three is coming out soon. I can’t wait!

What can readers look forward to with the next entry in this duology?

There will be a thrilling journey to France, an unlikely romance, and definitely a happily-ever-after!

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.

Favorite authors: Mervyn Peake, Neil Gaiman, Catherine Cookson, Maggie Stiefvater, Jane Austen, Christina Rossetti, and J.R.R. Tolkien
Favorite things: Star Wars, hedgehogs, fairy tales, naps, and cheese.