Annie Rains Interview - The Good Luck Café ~ JeanBookNerd

Photo Content from Annie Rains

USA Today bestselling author Annie Rains lives in a small, coastal North Carolina town, full of lovable folks, scenic downtown areas, and breathtaking nature—similar to the towns she writes about in her books. Annie’s love of reading and writing grabbed hold of her at a young age and never let go. Her first book was published in 2015, and she’s been writing heartfelt, page-turning stories ever since. When Annie isn’t writing, she’s reading from her never-ending TBR stack on her bedside table, taking long walks while plotting her characters’ happy endings, and living out her own happily ever after with her husband, three children, feisty rescue cat, and mischievous dog.

When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?
I was six when I decided I wanted to be an author. There was something so magical about creating stories of my own. I fell in love with the process and I never stopped dreaming of writing my own book. In school, I got a lot of positive feedback from my teachers for my writing, which was great for me because otherwise, as the shy girl in the back of the class, my teachers didn’t seem to know I existed. Writing was a way for me to express myself and stretch beyond my comfort zone.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
The most rewarding thing to me is taking my kids to the bookstores and finding my book on the shelves. It’s wonderful to see something that I’ve worked so hard on being showcased, of course, but even more rewarding to show my children that they can achieve whatever they dream. Being an author has been my lifelong aspiration, and if I can make it happen, so can they.

What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?
TikTok! Whenever my mind needs a break, I find myself scrolling TikTok and losing productivity. I have a love-hate relationship with this app because I learn so much while scrolling and I gather inspiration while doing so, but it’s definitely a time sucker for me.

Why is storytelling so important for all of us?
I think we all have a story inside of us that we want to tell. Telling stories helps us connect with others and also helps to make sense of our lives. Stories can make the most senseless things make sense. As an author, I also love telling stories because in some way, I get to live through my characters and experience new and exciting things. I can even create the perfect town from my mind, which I did with my Sweetwater Springs series. Then I can visit whenever I pull my laptop to my thighs.

What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating your characters?
Moira and Gil’s characters were created in the first book of the Somerset Lake series, THE SUMMER COTTAGE, so they were in the secondary character zone for the first 3 books before I really sat down with them to figure out what their stories were. I knew that Moira and Gil had attraction for one another and a past that created tension between them, but I didn’t know what that past was. So, I think it was fun and interesting to sit with these characters and discover what their stories were. It surprised me that there was some misunderstanding and awkwardness stemming from something that had happened between Moira and Gil more than a decade ago that they had never discussed.

TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT THE GOOD LUCK CAFE

1. Because Moira, the main character, is a 911 operator, I spent a lot of time listening to real life 911 calls, mostly on TikTok and YouTube.
2. From the very first book in my Somerset Lake series, I knew that Moira and Gil would be a couple. I knew they had a rocky past, but I had no idea what that past was until I sat down to write book 4.
3. Moira is a hard name for me to say. I butcher it half the time that I say it because of the “R” sound.
4. Gil is one of my favorite names because of Gilbert in Anne of Green Gables. I loved Gilbert’s character when I was growing up and I instantly romanticize the name in my mind.
5. Gil’s brother Doug was inspired by several of my former students who have Down Syndrome.
6. Darla, Moria’s mom, was inspired by a woman that my uncle once dated and loved. Unfortunately, she passed away from cancer before they could get married. In my story, Moira’s mother, Darla, has the same long, wavy red hair that my uncle’s girlfriend had, and the same huge heart.
7. The scene where Moira crawled through the doggie door to help Doug…Yeah, I’ve done that before when I’ve locked myself out of my own house J
8. There was a debate about whether to put a trigger warning in the front of my book because of what happened in Moira’s past. Ultimately, my publisher and I decided not to because Moira was not actually assaulted and there wasn’t much time in the book spent on the events leading up to what happened to her.
9. The Good Luck Café was named because we (the publishing team) knew the book would be releasing around St. Patrick’s Day.
10. The café in the story is not actually named The Good Luck Café, but it is located on Good Luck Avenue.

What is the first job you have had?

I was a hostess at a seafood restaurant.

Best date you've ever had?

My first date with my husband. It was magical.

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?

Coffee!

What is your most memorable travel experience?

My husband and I eloped to San Francisco! It was my first time on an airplane.

Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?

True love with a guarantee of heart break!

When you looked in the mirror first thing this morning, what was the first thing you thought?

Oh, that hair! Someone get me a brush! LOL.

What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?

I’m always praying as I fall asleep. I rarely finish a prayer because I drift off.

What was your favorite subject when you were in school?

English Language Arts!

First Love?

My first love was a brutal heartbreak as most are. Love isn’t for the weak of heart.

Most horrifying dream you have ever had?

Too terrifying to speak of—seriously. It took me years not to wake up without jumping out of bed to turn on the lights.

What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a kid?

The 80s—exactly when I was a kid. I think the 80s were amazing for so many reasons. I’m glad I was an 80s kid.

What is your greatest adventure?

My greatest adventure has been the one I started on the day I eloped to San Francisco with my husband. Three children later, the adventure is still going!

What's your most missed memory?

Every memory of my children when they were babies. I was so tired as a new mother during those years that I feel like I was sleepwalking to a small extent. I want those years back so I can fully appreciate every moment. That’s life though, right? People often fail to enjoy the moment and only appreciate it when the moment is no longer within reach.

Moira Green is perfectly content with her life. She has a rewarding career and plenty of wonderful friends, including the members of her weekly book club. Then everything in her life goes topsy-turvy when the town council plans to demolish the site of her mother’s beloved café to make room for much-needed parking. Moira is determined to save her mother’s business, so she swallows her pride and asks Gil Ryan for help.

Moira and Somerset Lake’s mayor were good friends once, the kind who could laugh at everything and nothing at all. Until one night changed everything between them. And now, with Gil supporting the council’s plans, Moira is forced to find another way to save Sweetie’s—and it involves campaigning against Gil. Going head-to-head in a battle of wills reveals more than either of them are ready for, and as the election heats up, so does their attraction. But without a compromise in sight, can these two be headed for anything but disaster?

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