Sarah Anne Crouch lives in Arkansas with her husband, three children, and thousands of books. She always wanted to be an author, but spent some time as a teacher, earned a degree in library science, and makes feeble attempts to corral her small children as a stay-at-home mom. Sarah loves reading books, recipes, piano music, and emails from readers.
Visit Sarah Anne Crouch online
A Christmas in Shady Springs
Madeleine Mullins has always pictured a Christmas wedding wrapped in twinkling lights and small-town warmth. But when family disagreements, church politics, and a sudden ice storm turn her plans upside down, she begins to wonder if love alone can hold everything together. A.J. Young wants nothing more than to marry Madeleine, yet balancing tradition, faith, and expectations may cost them the joy of the day they’ve both dreamed of. Set in the heart of Arkansas, A Christmas in Shady Springs is a sweet, heartfelt holiday romance about imperfect plans, enduring faith, and a love strong enough to weather every storm.
- ISBN: B0FSLC7LVP
- Publisher: Scrivenings Press
Interview with Sarah Anne Crouch 2025
Sarah Anne Crouch is a small-town author and stay-at-home mom who writes faith-filled Contemporary Christian Romance books with relatable and endearing characters.
“Growing up in a small Arkansas town and being deeply rooted in my faith give my stories a heartfelt, down-to-earth spin,” Sarah said. “Readers—especially friends from church and my hometown—often tell me they recognize the places, even though I’ve changed the names and details. I think that sense of familiarity helps my stories feel personal and real.”
Crouch chose to write in the Contemporary Christian Romance genre because it’s her favorite to read.
“It’s where my heart feels most at home,” she shared. “I’ll sometimes pick up Historical Romance or Women’s Fiction, but I always bounce back [to Contemporary Christian Romance]. I might dabble a bit with writing outside the genre someday, but I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of modern-day romance stories.”
Relatable Beginnings:
Like many authors, Sarah started writing stories as a young child. However, she struggled to complete any of them.
“Discovering I’m a plotter changed everything!” she explained. “Having a clear outline gives me direction and actually frees me to be more creative in the moment. I love that point in the process when everything clicks and the story seems to write itself. The only thing that rivals that joy is meeting readers who connect with my books.”
Before becoming a dedicated writer and published author, Sarah worked as a teacher and earned a degree in library science. As part of her training, she was required to take several classes in literature. Given that one of the biggest tidbits of advice I’ve heard for aspiring authors is that they should also be big readers, these classes fit right into Sarah’s third career.
“Like all authors, and everyone reading this interview, I love books,” Crouch enthused. “I love talking about them, reading them, and writing them. My very favorite thing is to match a reader up with the perfect book. As an author, I write with that same goal in mind: creating stories that uplift and resonate with readers.”
Reading has definitely impacted Sarah’s writing. She says she first fell in love with reading after experiencing “the spark you feel when a story sweeps you away to another world.”
“It’s what I hope to create for my own readers,” she said. “My two first favorite authors, Madeleine L’Engle and C.S. Lewis, had the ability to wrap theological truths in a compelling story full of wonder that never felt preachy.”
In addition to Madeleine L’Engle and C.S. Lewis, Sarah is always learning from other authors she admires, such as Becky Wade, Nicole Deese, Amanda Dykes, Toni Shiloh, Tamera Alexander, T.I. Lowe, Katherine Reay, and many more.
“Their storytelling inspires me to keep growing as a writer and to craft stories that move hearts the way theirs have moved mine,” she shared.
Sarah had always known teaching was a temporary career and that she’d switch to her second career of being a full-time, stay-at-home mom once she had kids. So, when her daughter was born, she happily made the transition she’d always known she’d make. One thing that stayed the same through the change was her God-given passion and ability to write.
“I began my first novel while I was still working as a teacher,” Sarah explained, “but it wasn’t until I was home with babies that writing became my creative outlet. While my physical energy was being used up on taking care of my family, I had all of this creative energy that I needed to funnel somewhere. Writing gave me the opportunity to do that. In God’s perfect timing, He sent me two other mom friends who write. They’ve been an absolute treasure!”
While being a Writer Mom certainly isn’t easy, Sarah has experienced an abundance of blessings from being a stay-at-home mom and a writer.
“My kids are a great source of material for my newsletters,” she said. “I’ll never beat the open/response rate for the email about the time my toddler took his pants off during worship service! Motherhood has been a spiritually refining journey. I like to think that the grounded humility I’ve gained bleeds over into my writing.”
It’s always a challenge to manage multiple roles in life. Sarah said that balancing her writing time with being a mother is “a work in progress.”
“I do my best to prioritize time with family and write when they’re at school or asleep. I’ve discovered I can write at soccer practice, in the school pickup line, all kinds of places!”
In addition to writing and taking care of her family, Sarah and her husband are actively involved with the local college community.
“We live close to the college my husband and I attended and have a really tight-knight community,” Crouch said. “We love cheering on the football team, attending concerts, and going to campus lectures. That college-town setting definitely finds its way into my books, especially A Homecoming in Shady Springs. I like to think being around students keeps me young at heart and helps me write more authentic younger characters.”
With all these influences finding their way into her stories, the biggest influence in Sarah’s life is her Christian faith.
“My faith is at the heart of every story I write,” she said. “Each book weaves together both a spiritual journey and a romantic one—for two main characters—so there are always multiple threads of growth and grace coming together. Though I was raised Christian, I’ve faced my own struggles and walked closely with loved ones who wrestle with faith. Those real-life experiences help me write stories that are honest about doubt yet full of hope.”
All About A Christmas in Shady Springs:
A Christmas in Shady Springs: When everything that can go wrong with Madeleine’s Christmas wedding does, she and A.J. must discover that love—and a little faith—can weather any storm. In the small town of Shady Springs, the best gifts come wrapped in grace.
Inspiration Behind the Book: Sarah loves wedding stories because they’re “just so fun and relatable.” She has always enjoyed movies like Father of the Bride, “you can’t beat Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Diane Keaton,” and it was those kinds of stories and movies that inspired her to write A Christmas in Shady Springs.
“Everyone has been to or been a part of a wedding,” she added, “and no wedding is without its hilarious mishaps. This book just happens to combine all of the mishaps into one story.”
In additional to the fictional wedding stories, Sarah also pulled from real-life incidences as she developed and wrote this book.
“With permission, I borrowed several stories from family and friends,” Crouch shared. “The flu, the ice storm, the fire, and the mixed-up Bible verses are all from real weddings. From my own experience, I remember how easy it was to idealize the perfect wedding day. Years later, after more than fifteen years of marriage, I can see how little the details matter compared to the relationship itself. The narrative is grounded in that perspective.”
Key Theme: “The heart of the story is simple: God’s plans are better than our own. This book is a reminder to let go of perfection and trust that God can turn our messes into something beautiful.”
Personal Impact: Writing A Christmas in Shady Springs deepened Sarah’s prayer life in ways she didn’t expect. “I’ve seen firsthand how God can sustain me through a tight deadline and the Holy Spirit can pour a story out of me when I feel empty.”
Sarah hopes that after reading her book, people “walk away with a little more grace for themselves. Watching Madeleine’s wedding unravel reminds us that life rarely goes according to plan. We all struggle. No wedding—or person—is perfect. Thank the Lord He has ample grace for us all!”
Author Life:
Most Significant Person in Publication Journey: “God put my dear friend Amy Anguish in my path. She lit the spark that ignited my dream of publishing. Before her encouragement, I never would have believed it was possible.”
Greatest Moment of Writing/Publishing Career (so far): “Nothing beats holding that first book in your hands! It’s the physical manifestation of years of hard work and someone actually recognizing its significance. But getting my first review from someone I’ve never met came pretty close.”
Funniest Incident as an Author: “A woman once read my book after a friend recommended it. She knew from my writing, I must be a kindred spirit. After asking around about me, she found out we went to church together the whole time!”
Most Challenging Aspect of being a Published Author: “Being an author wasn’t quite what I expected. I didn’t realize how much time I’d spend on marketing, website design, and all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into reaching readers. The learning curve has been steep, but God keeps stretching and equipping me for each new challenge!”
Advice/Encouragement for Other Writer Moms: “Give yourself grace and take your time. When I was first starting out, I was in such a rush to write and publish my first book that I couldn’t see past that first milestone. But writing is a lifelong journey, and every small step matters. Even a few minutes a day during nap times adds up. God can do a lot with our little offerings of time and faithfulness.”
What’s Next in Terms of Writing: “I’m currently working on the fourth (and final!) book in my Shady Springs series, New Beginnings in Shady Springs, set to release in July 2026. I’m excited to end the series with two of my favorite characters and give readers another hope-filled story in my favorite fictional town.”
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jenny Fulton is a wife, mother, author, blogger, and freelance writer. An enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, she grew up hearing stories from my dad about the supernatural workings on the Navajo Reservation. As a child, she collected angels and loved anything related to fairy tales. Her days are now mostly spent raising my three young daughters and writing as much as time and opportunity allows. Follow her at her blog, Heart Soul Mind.
“Growing up in a small Arkansas town and being deeply rooted in my faith give my stories a heartfelt, down-to-earth spin,” Sarah said. “Readers—especially friends from church and my hometown—often tell me they recognize the places, even though I’ve changed the names and details. I think that sense of familiarity helps my stories feel personal and real.”
Crouch chose to write in the Contemporary Christian Romance genre because it’s her favorite to read.
“It’s where my heart feels most at home,” she shared. “I’ll sometimes pick up Historical Romance or Women’s Fiction, but I always bounce back [to Contemporary Christian Romance]. I might dabble a bit with writing outside the genre someday, but I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of modern-day romance stories.”
Relatable Beginnings:
Like many authors, Sarah started writing stories as a young child. However, she struggled to complete any of them.
“Discovering I’m a plotter changed everything!” she explained. “Having a clear outline gives me direction and actually frees me to be more creative in the moment. I love that point in the process when everything clicks and the story seems to write itself. The only thing that rivals that joy is meeting readers who connect with my books.”
Before becoming a dedicated writer and published author, Sarah worked as a teacher and earned a degree in library science. As part of her training, she was required to take several classes in literature. Given that one of the biggest tidbits of advice I’ve heard for aspiring authors is that they should also be big readers, these classes fit right into Sarah’s third career.
“Like all authors, and everyone reading this interview, I love books,” Crouch enthused. “I love talking about them, reading them, and writing them. My very favorite thing is to match a reader up with the perfect book. As an author, I write with that same goal in mind: creating stories that uplift and resonate with readers.”
Reading has definitely impacted Sarah’s writing. She says she first fell in love with reading after experiencing “the spark you feel when a story sweeps you away to another world.”
“It’s what I hope to create for my own readers,” she said. “My two first favorite authors, Madeleine L’Engle and C.S. Lewis, had the ability to wrap theological truths in a compelling story full of wonder that never felt preachy.”
In addition to Madeleine L’Engle and C.S. Lewis, Sarah is always learning from other authors she admires, such as Becky Wade, Nicole Deese, Amanda Dykes, Toni Shiloh, Tamera Alexander, T.I. Lowe, Katherine Reay, and many more.
“Their storytelling inspires me to keep growing as a writer and to craft stories that move hearts the way theirs have moved mine,” she shared.
Sarah had always known teaching was a temporary career and that she’d switch to her second career of being a full-time, stay-at-home mom once she had kids. So, when her daughter was born, she happily made the transition she’d always known she’d make. One thing that stayed the same through the change was her God-given passion and ability to write.
“I began my first novel while I was still working as a teacher,” Sarah explained, “but it wasn’t until I was home with babies that writing became my creative outlet. While my physical energy was being used up on taking care of my family, I had all of this creative energy that I needed to funnel somewhere. Writing gave me the opportunity to do that. In God’s perfect timing, He sent me two other mom friends who write. They’ve been an absolute treasure!”
While being a Writer Mom certainly isn’t easy, Sarah has experienced an abundance of blessings from being a stay-at-home mom and a writer.
“My kids are a great source of material for my newsletters,” she said. “I’ll never beat the open/response rate for the email about the time my toddler took his pants off during worship service! Motherhood has been a spiritually refining journey. I like to think that the grounded humility I’ve gained bleeds over into my writing.”
It’s always a challenge to manage multiple roles in life. Sarah said that balancing her writing time with being a mother is “a work in progress.”
“I do my best to prioritize time with family and write when they’re at school or asleep. I’ve discovered I can write at soccer practice, in the school pickup line, all kinds of places!”
In addition to writing and taking care of her family, Sarah and her husband are actively involved with the local college community.
“We live close to the college my husband and I attended and have a really tight-knight community,” Crouch said. “We love cheering on the football team, attending concerts, and going to campus lectures. That college-town setting definitely finds its way into my books, especially A Homecoming in Shady Springs. I like to think being around students keeps me young at heart and helps me write more authentic younger characters.”
With all these influences finding their way into her stories, the biggest influence in Sarah’s life is her Christian faith.
“My faith is at the heart of every story I write,” she said. “Each book weaves together both a spiritual journey and a romantic one—for two main characters—so there are always multiple threads of growth and grace coming together. Though I was raised Christian, I’ve faced my own struggles and walked closely with loved ones who wrestle with faith. Those real-life experiences help me write stories that are honest about doubt yet full of hope.”
All About A Christmas in Shady Springs:
A Christmas in Shady Springs: When everything that can go wrong with Madeleine’s Christmas wedding does, she and A.J. must discover that love—and a little faith—can weather any storm. In the small town of Shady Springs, the best gifts come wrapped in grace.
Inspiration Behind the Book: Sarah loves wedding stories because they’re “just so fun and relatable.” She has always enjoyed movies like Father of the Bride, “you can’t beat Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Diane Keaton,” and it was those kinds of stories and movies that inspired her to write A Christmas in Shady Springs.
“Everyone has been to or been a part of a wedding,” she added, “and no wedding is without its hilarious mishaps. This book just happens to combine all of the mishaps into one story.”
In additional to the fictional wedding stories, Sarah also pulled from real-life incidences as she developed and wrote this book.
“With permission, I borrowed several stories from family and friends,” Crouch shared. “The flu, the ice storm, the fire, and the mixed-up Bible verses are all from real weddings. From my own experience, I remember how easy it was to idealize the perfect wedding day. Years later, after more than fifteen years of marriage, I can see how little the details matter compared to the relationship itself. The narrative is grounded in that perspective.”
Key Theme: “The heart of the story is simple: God’s plans are better than our own. This book is a reminder to let go of perfection and trust that God can turn our messes into something beautiful.”
Personal Impact: Writing A Christmas in Shady Springs deepened Sarah’s prayer life in ways she didn’t expect. “I’ve seen firsthand how God can sustain me through a tight deadline and the Holy Spirit can pour a story out of me when I feel empty.”
Sarah hopes that after reading her book, people “walk away with a little more grace for themselves. Watching Madeleine’s wedding unravel reminds us that life rarely goes according to plan. We all struggle. No wedding—or person—is perfect. Thank the Lord He has ample grace for us all!”
Author Life:
Most Significant Person in Publication Journey: “God put my dear friend Amy Anguish in my path. She lit the spark that ignited my dream of publishing. Before her encouragement, I never would have believed it was possible.”
Greatest Moment of Writing/Publishing Career (so far): “Nothing beats holding that first book in your hands! It’s the physical manifestation of years of hard work and someone actually recognizing its significance. But getting my first review from someone I’ve never met came pretty close.”
Funniest Incident as an Author: “A woman once read my book after a friend recommended it. She knew from my writing, I must be a kindred spirit. After asking around about me, she found out we went to church together the whole time!”
Most Challenging Aspect of being a Published Author: “Being an author wasn’t quite what I expected. I didn’t realize how much time I’d spend on marketing, website design, and all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into reaching readers. The learning curve has been steep, but God keeps stretching and equipping me for each new challenge!”
Advice/Encouragement for Other Writer Moms: “Give yourself grace and take your time. When I was first starting out, I was in such a rush to write and publish my first book that I couldn’t see past that first milestone. But writing is a lifelong journey, and every small step matters. Even a few minutes a day during nap times adds up. God can do a lot with our little offerings of time and faithfulness.”
What’s Next in Terms of Writing: “I’m currently working on the fourth (and final!) book in my Shady Springs series, New Beginnings in Shady Springs, set to release in July 2026. I’m excited to end the series with two of my favorite characters and give readers another hope-filled story in my favorite fictional town.”
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jenny Fulton is a wife, mother, author, blogger, and freelance writer. An enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, she grew up hearing stories from my dad about the supernatural workings on the Navajo Reservation. As a child, she collected angels and loved anything related to fairy tales. Her days are now mostly spent raising my three young daughters and writing as much as time and opportunity allows. Follow her at her blog, Heart Soul Mind.
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