Q&A with Annie Rains

 

 

 

Annie Rains is the author of the new novel Through the Snow Globe. Her other novels include The Good Luck Cafe. She lives in North Carolina.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Through the Snow Globe, and how did you create your character Diana?

 

A: I think the story started with the question, “What if my main character received a Christmas gift that allowed her to have one more day with someone that they’ve loved and lost.” From there, I developed the backstory of who my character loved and what happened to take him away from her.

 

I have always been intrigued by snow globes so when the idea of using a snow globe as a vessel for a tiny bit of magic occurred to me, I was instantly inspired and the story fell into place from there.

 

Q: You’ve described the novel as Groundhog Day meets It's A Wonderful Life--could you say more about that comparison?

 

A: Yes! I described it as Groundhog Day because my character is caught in a time loop where she is repeating the same day over again. I also describe it as It’s A Wonderful Life because of the journey my main character Diana goes on.

 

Through the process of repeating the same day, she really comes to appreciate all the people in her life and the circumstances that she’s in. She gains a new appreciation and she learns to open herself up to deeper relationships with her family and friends.

 

Q: How would you describe the relationship between Diana and Linus?

 

A: In the beginning of the book, I would describe their relationship as complicated to say the least. Linus is so in love with Diana. Diana loves him as well, but her experience with love thus far in life has caused her to be more guarded. There are walls that need to come down in order for their relationship to go to the next level.

That’s where the time loop comes in. Diana really slows down and explores new ways to navigate different situations. Their relationship is changed from the beginning to the end of the story due to the character growth that occurs for Diana during the time loop.

 

Q: This is your first women’s fiction novel--was your writing process any different this time around?

 

A: This was my first women’s fiction novel AND my first attempt at writing a time loop story—so the whole writing process felt completely new. As a work of women’s fiction, the book solely focused on Diana’s journey instead of also exploring Linus’s POV and journey.

 

Another difference is that, when writing romance, the romance is crucial and necessary to the protagonist’s arc. That’s not necessarily the case for women’s fiction. The romance is there, but Diana’s growth comes from her own actions and decisions. She owns the outcome of the story and her romantic partner is along for the ride.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: Right now, I just finished up my next full-length contemporary romance novel, The Finders Keepers Library. It’ll be out in the spring of 2024. Now I’m plotting a follow-up book for that series and hopefully starting to write it soon!

 

Q: Anything else we should know? 

 

A: Yes! I can be found on social media and on my website. My Facebook and Instagram are @annierainsbooks and my TikTok handle is @annierainsbooks. My website is www.annierains.com. I also have a monthly newsletter that you can join through my website.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Annie Rains.