Anne Elisabeth Stengl interview

Anne Elizabeth Stengl

Anne Elisabeth Stengl is the author of Starflower, and the award-winning Tales of Goldstone Wood series. Her first two novels, Heartless and Veiled Rose, have both been honored with Christy Awards. Her fifth novel, Dragonwitch, is due to release summer 2013.

Anne Elisabeth, welcome to Overcoming With God.  We appreciate your willingness to share your testimony of overcoming with our readers. 

Would you tell us about the most difficult thing in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help?

 The first few years after college, I was deeply involved in my local church. As a lonely, single girl living across the country from my family, I threw myself into this church and invested in the people there. Sadly, however, I didn't quite fit, and before long, gossip began to circulate about me. Unfair and untrue gossip. Bitter and hurt, I stayed on at the church for a few more months before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. I was so angry and so lonely, for most of my friends had been at this church, and only a few of them maintained any contact with me after I left. I tended to blame God and was very angry.

And yet, through that difficult time, God was faithful. He opened doors for my writing career, provided me with true friends, and always the love of my supportive family back home. Eventually, He led me down the path to meet my darling husband . . . whom I would never have met if I had remained in that church and life to which I had been clinging. He taught me that my relationship with Him was not about what church I attend. It's a personal relationship, one that can grow and thrive both in loneliness and in community.

Disability friendliness: Do you have any works available on audio?  Do your e-books have audio capability? Do you have any in large print? 

The Tales of Goldstone Wood are not yet in audio format, though my agent is currently looking into that possibility. I can happily say that they are available in Braille editions through Verbatim Braille Transcriptions. 

In this latest work, do you have any topics useful for bibliotherapy, or therapeutic influence through reading about a disorder or situation?

I believe that Starflower would be an excellent book for bibliotherapy. The title heroine of Starflower is a young woman from an oppressive society wherein all women have their powers of speech stripped away. They are, quite literally, mute in a country of chauvinistic dominance. But despite this disability, the women, and my heroine especially, demonstrate great strength and love, developing their own silent language among each other. Starflower herself grows into a strong character able to overcome the most terrifying odds. But her strength comes through the love she learned from her mother, and the guidance she receives from the "God-figure" of my fantasy world. She is not a warrior maiden wielding a sword, but a much stronger heroine, wielding great faith and truth in the midst of oppression and adversity.

I think Starflower's is an excellent story for young women with difficult pasts. I have had a number of dear fans write and thank me for the story, telling me how it blessed and encouraged them in the midst of difficult circumstances. Which is, in turn, a tremendous blessing to me!

Thank you, Anne Elisabeth, for agreeing to answer these questions.  Have a blessed day and keep on writing!!

Thank you! I appreciate you hosting me on Overcoming with God!

Purchase link for Anne's books on Amazon (click here.)

Giveaways: Anne Elisabeth is offering a signed copy of Starflower this week in addition to our giveaway of ANY of her books, choice of format (international winners--ebook format only.) Leave your email address and your comment to enter.