Interview with Amy R Anguish 2026

When did you feel called to become an author?

I’ve always loved stories. From my earliest memories, I entertained myself by making them up. But when I was in eighth grade, my English teacher was also a published author. Before then, I think I expected authors to be some untouchable, amazing person, and here I had one in my classroom. It made it more real and attainable. I still didn’t really consider it as more than a hobby until after a semester of being an art major, though. Then, I happily put down the charcoal for a laptop and an English major.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I still need to work on details. In my head, when I’m writing, I can picture everything, but somehow it doesn’t always translate completely onto the page. My editor kept asking me if my characters were naked because there weren’t any descriptions of clothes!

What is the toughest part of writing in your genre?

There are so many other great authors who also write in the Contemporary Romance category. It’s hard not to compare myself or remember that many of them are further along in their career. Keeping myself from feeling less than others simply because my writing path looks different than theirs is a huge struggle for me.

If someone were to look at your Google search history (all for research of course!), what types of things would we find?

Right now? I have quite a bit of research on Vitiligo, how to grow out short hairstyles, cute yellow dresses, and rings shaped like a rose. Those are for my novel releasing next year—Beauty School and the Beast. For fun, I’m also researching day trip ideas for my family to do this summer in the Nashville area, gardening tips, new recipes, and cute jeans that will fit this mom bod!

If you could have coffee with an author, dead or alive, whose work you admire, who would that be? What would you ask him or her?

Pepper Basham. Definitely. I’ve met her before for just a few minutes, but I’ve read almost all her books. She’s a must-read for me. I love how she can be real and silly, the banter in her books, as well as her kissing scenes. I’d ask her for any advice she’d give me. And if we can be best friends.

What’s your go-to drink while writing?

On the rare chance I get to write in the mornings, I love black tea with milk and honey. But that doesn’t happen very often due to work schedule and being a mom. Instead, most of my writing happens in the evenings, and I don’t drink much at all after a certain hour for fear I’ll be up all night.

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

It’s okay if life doesn’t happen exactly like you planned it. It’s still full of good and beautiful things.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?

Reading, of course! I also garden, including canning veggies in the summer, do some sewing, and am very involved in the ladies’ and children’s ministries at church.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham, Claire Holloway is Winging It by Angela Ruth Strong, Everything’s Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh, and Without a Clue by Melissa Ferguson. I’ll probably weave in some other genres, too, because I also love historicals. And my book club loves mysteries.

What can we look forward to next?

I’m in a novella collection called Lighting Up Christmas that will release this September. Each story has a couple dealing with Christmas lights and romance. Next March, my third fairy tale retelling will release, Beauty School and the Beast. After that, I’m playing with several ideas ranging from a heroine losing her hearing to a couple who meet because they have seats right next to each other at the local theater.