At the close of this first month of the new year, here’s a quick update on my current books (and other things)!

What I’m reading …

I read eleven books in January to kick off 2021! Among my (new) favorites: The Anne of Green Gables Devotional by Rachel Dodge, a heartfelt read full of inspiring verses with charming illustrations; Karina Yan Glaser’s The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found, the fourth volume in the Vanderbeekers series and perhaps the most poignant yet; Best Friends by Mary Bard (1950s fun about a French girl moving to the US); Francie on the Run, the second book in Hilda van Stockum’s Bantry Bay trilogy. Rereads included Kate DiCamillo’s 20th-anniversary edition of Because of Winn-Dixie (with slightly altered text), and Jane of Lantern Hill (L.M. Montgomery), which I am having the fun of discussing with friends in a book group right now.

What I’m planning to read …

Some brand-new books just arrived in the mail, and here’s why I can’t wait to read them:

Emily’s Runaway Imagination (1961): I’m working on filling in my Beverly Cleary library, having stuck mainly to the Ramona books and her “First Love” series. I just read Mitch and Amy (1967) and liked it quite a bit, so I’m eager to read this one, a rare historical story from Cleary set in the 1920s.

The Four Graces (1946): A Little Women retelling-of-sorts set in WWII in an English village and written by D.E. Stevenson? What could be better? 🙂

Carney’s House Party (1949): I just bought this lovely two-pack that includes both Carney and Winona, two Deep Valley novels by Maud Hart Lovelace. I just read Winona’s Pony Cart for the first time last year and greatly enjoyed it, and now I’m looking forward to rereading Carney’s House Party.

L.M. Montgomery’s Short Stories, 1907-1908: Montgomery’s short stories often have such wonderful characters and situations that I end up wishing she’d lengthened them into more novels!

Two Little Women (1915): I read the second book in this trilogy in 2009 and the third in 2010, and I have finally bought myself a copy of the first book! Carolyn Wells’ writing is so breezy and fun.

Not pictured but also on my list: Jennifer Dances (1954): A 1910s-era story by Eunice Young Smith about a girl who moves to Chicago to live with aunt and takes up ballet. It sounds so sweet!

What I’m writing …

I am nearly finished with my current middle grade novel – only about 7k left to write – and then I’m going to be focusing on a revision of a middle grade manuscript I wrote for NaNoWriMo in 2018! I am so excited about it, and I’m gathering research materials and searching for inspiration!

What else I’ve been enjoying…

Scrapbooking, looking through old family photos, feeding sugar cubes to sweet ponies, listening to Annette Funicello songs and Strauss’ Annen Polka, doing writing sprints with friends, gathering quotes for an interview piece for Inside Gymnastics, watching Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, and other delightful things. I’ve also been planning this summer’s garden, buying seeds and calculating how many flower beds I’ll need. I am hoping for an early spring so that I can get a head start on my seeds, particularly the Madame Butterfly snapdragons. For the first time, I’ll be planting glorious orange nasturtiums (a flower found in Jane of Lantern Hill, as mentioned above), and I’m crossing my fingers that – unlike last year – my pink poppies will actually come to fruition!

What have you been doing to brighten the long January days? Let me know in the comments! 🙂 

My 2019 Reading Challenge was so much fun. I delved into more of the vintage middle grade books I adore, a few classics, a handful of newly-published novels, and some nonfiction as well! So without further ado, here is a general overview of my 2019 reading year. I’ve organized my favorites into categories, starting off with my Ultimate Favorite Books of 2019. Happy Reading!

My 2019 Reading Challenge

I pledged to read 75 books on Goodreads, and ended up finishing 122! I was planning to read a few longer books this year, such as Pride & Prejudice (which I found time to read) and Wives and Daughters (which I did not – maybe next year)! So that’s why I chose 75 for 2019, but I ended up reading a multitude of shorter stories instead.

My 2020 Reading Challenge

My Goodreads goal for 2020 will be to read 125 books. That will be a bit of a challenge, since I did not reach that number this year! But I think it’ll be fun to shoot a bit higher than before.

This year, I discovered several new authors, found myself enjoying nonfiction more than ever, and reread numerous old favorites that made me happy. Like in 2018, I had a fantastic book year, and I’m totally excited for 2020!

What were some books you loved in 2019? (Feel free to pass along some recommendations!

I have a surprise for you! The first part of my brand-new novelette, In Search of a Story, is now ready to download! This novelette will be in serial format, so I’m going to send you a couple of chapters every few days. (Part 2 will arrive in your inboxes on December 14!)

I’m beyond excited to share this story with you, as it was such a delightful tale to write. I particularly love writing stories set in England, because so many of my favorite books are by British authors. I hope you enjoy reading it! 🙂

Here’s the plot of the story:

In 1920s England, governess and struggling authoress Myra Capulet attempts to impress the impossible eldest son of her employers – who also happens to be an influential editor.

Hit the button below to subscribe! (If you are already a subscriber to my newsletter, check your inbox—your PDF has arrived!)

Please leave a comment below if you enjoy the story!! 🙂 Happy Reading and Merry Christmas!

It’s been about a month and a half since I last posted here, and the reason is because I have been *very busy* with writing projects! For the past month, I have been deep in the first-draft process of a triple-timeline Christmas novel—it’s to 50K words thus far, so only about 25K to go!

I’m also in the midst of writing a delightful novelette that I’m hoping to release to my email subscribers next month. If you would like to receive this story in the coming weeks, just scroll to the bottom of my home page and punch your email into the subscriber box! 🙂

I recently joined Instagram—you can check out my profile here—and that’s definitely proven to be an enjoyable platform. I love sharing pictures of favorite books and snippets of my writing.

While I’m always sad to see summer and fall—and my flower garden—give way to the winter months, there are upsides: Hallmark movies on the weekends, soft sweaters, and plenty of time to pursue genealogy and (of course!) read delicious books. (See my list at the end of this post!)

Other bookish things I’ve loved over the past month or so…

• Conversations with my writing group and mentors: Since August, I have been enjoying the community of an amazing group of writers, and the two mentors spearheading this group have provided me with consistently thoughtful feedback, guidance, and thoughts on my writing journey.
• The books of Nina Rhoades: I recently discovered the children’s stories of Nina Rhoades, who wrote sweet novels set in New York City around the turn of the century. I’ve read three of her books so far and am currently on the fourth!
• Receiving critiques and exploring the revision process: Lately I have been seeking out critiques for my writing, and I love the process of exploring how I can learn from those comments. It is always a joy to better my craft!
• Reading groups: This autumn, I read Pride & Prejudice with one book group and am currently reading Noel Streatfeild’s Gemma series with another! Both opportunities to read, relish, and reflect with friends have been lovely.

Happy Reading!

Recently Read: Listening Valley by D.E. Stevenson, The Historic Christmas Tree Ship by Rochelle Pennington, The Little Girl Next Door by Nina Rhoades, Mrs. Sharp’s Traditions by Sarah Ban Breathnach

Currently Reading: The Children on the Top Floor by Nina Rhoades, Gemma Alone by Noel Streatfeild, The Journal of Beaver Island History

For the past two weeks, I’ve been deep in the throes of revisions for my novel, and I’m happy to report that I am delighted with the outcome of this draft! In addition to editing, revising, and writing new scenes, I also created a Pinterest board for my book–because what’s more fun than gathering book inspiration? Besides, it was absolutely imperative for additional research. 😉

Another day of edits! (And a handful of lovely books, just for fun!) #amediting It is most delightful to spend more time my characters in this particular story. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/rSLx1xgegp

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) January 29, 2019

Speaking of inspiration, I’ve started working on visualization scrapbooks for my novels. It’s basically the same as Pinterest–collecting images that act as springboards for ideas in your projects. I’ve always loved scrapbooking, and this weekend I created two pages that embody the creative feel of my latest novel:

In case you missed it, here’s a little description of my latest work-in-progress!

Such a fun writing session today; drafting a new novel! This one’s set in Wisconsin in 1920, and of course, I’m drawing inspiration from L.M. Montgomery 😊Currently re-reading LMM’s “Rainbow Valley.” ❤️#workinprogress #middlegrade #amwriting #writingcommunity #MG @LMMontgomeryLS

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) February 10, 2019

In other social media news, a Twitter poll selected the surname of a new character in my third Norvia novel! His name will be Philip Dorne, and I cannot wait to introduce him to you. As a matter of fact, I’m looking forward to introducing him to myself, as I haven’t even written a word of his character yet! 🙂

I’m trying to choose the surname of an upcoming character! (His first name, by the way, is Philip. I have already determined the spelling of his name via a previous poll.) 😉 What should I choose?

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) February 5, 2019

I also recently enjoyed the opportunity to interview Grace and Anna Glenn, twin sisters at UCLA who I first interviewed in 2014! In this new series of “fun fact” Q&As I’m conducting for Inside Gymnastics, I’m asking NCAA gymnasts all about their favorite colors, foods, movies, books, etc… It’s a fantastic way to get to know more about the athletes and their likes and interests outside the gym!

UCLA juniors @GraceGraceglenn & @Annag2016 tell us fun facts about themselves, what they love about competing for @uclagymnastics, and their favorite advice from @OfficialMissVal! by @GymnasticsRosie: https://t.co/bzTNu31zQh

— Inside Gymnastics (@InsideGym) February 8, 2019

And of course, I’ve been reading some marvelous books lately!

Seven-Day Magic
I finished the final story in Edward Eager’s hilarious series from the 1950s and it didn’t disappoint. These books are packed with witty lines, amusing subplots, and sweet characters.

Emily of New Moon
This one is a reread, and it was just as enjoyable as the first time I read it. Perhaps more so in the Emily series than in any other books, L.M. Montgomery excelled in bringing her environment vividly to life.

Bel Lamington
My sister recently read this D.E. Stevenson novel and suggested (well, insisted) that I read it as well! 🙂 It’s a lovely story about a shy young woman struggling to find her place in the world. Stevenson’s characters are so warm and realistic!

Patty Fairfield series
More rereads! The Patty books are some of my go-to comfort reads, about stylish New York debutantes in the 1900-1920 era and all their dances, beaux, and “adventures.”

Next up on my reading list? I’m re-reading Betsy’s Wedding by Maud Hart Lovelace, Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery, and I’m reading Eleanor Estes’ adorable Pinky Pye for the first time. All three are immensely enjoyable!

I found such joy in my 2018 Reading Challenge and my ongoing quest to find wondrous new books to inspire my writing. Throughout the year, I delved back into some of my favorite stories and rediscovered them with fresh eyes. I also made it a goal to read at least one book by a new author each month, and I ended up reading the works of twenty new authors! So with a mix of old and new, a bit of genre variety, a sprinkling of nonfiction, a blend of the humorous and thought-provoking, here is a general overview of my 2018 reading year. I’ve organized my favorites into fun categories, most of which are in no particular order. Happy Reading!

Praise for my Favorite Novels of 2018

It was such a joy to discover brilliant new novels this year that I excitedly added to my collection of favorite reads. Little Women tops my list first and foremost (as evidenced by my LW retelling novelette). I read this one in February when looking for a good classic to brighten up the dreary winter days—and it didn’t disappoint! I started reading LW at age ten but couldn’t get into the story, and indefinitely set it aside, but this time I loved the heartwarming, inspiring tale of four unforgettable sisters. (I also wanted to read the original LW to hunt for possible clues to the outcome of the Penderwicks series, which I’ll discuss later.) I quickly read Little Men and Jo’s Boys as well, which were entertaining but not nearly as good as their predecessor. If you haven’t read this one yet, don’t delay as long as I did!

A close second is Anne’s House of Dreams, which is simply stunning. Montgomery’s vivid descriptions and multifaceted characters are breathtaking. I read it during a very rainy week in June that was couldn’t have been better suited to the moodiness and melody of this mysterious story set by the sea. I’m sad that I have read every Anne book now, but they are quite re-readable, and I’m already looking forward to returning to this one soon.

It seems to be a year for finishing series, because I also read the third (and for me, last) book in Elizabeth Enright’s Melendy Quartet from the 1940s. You can read my quick recap of this enchanting story here. In addition to reading the first book in the lovely All-of-a-Kind Family series, I was also delighted to discover Karina Yan Glaser’s Vanderbeekers books, which feature a family enjoying plenty of fun adventures. You can read my interview with the author here. (Fortunately, book three comes out in 2019, so this series certainly isn’t over!)

I’ve always been an enormous fan of the Pollyanna books by Eleanor H. Porter, so I was *glad* (🙂) to discover that the author had also written another wonderful book. Just David is a sweet, uplifting story about an unusual boy who changes the lives of every person he meets.

Two others I loved this year include Beany Malone and The Baker’s Daughter, both of which featured determined heroines struggling to navigate the challenges of life, love, and family—but aside from that, the stories couldn’t have been more different. Beany Malone centers on a chaotic but cozy family in post-WWII Denver, while The Baker’s Daughter features a solitary girl who falls in love with an artist in a picturesque Scottish village in the 1930s.

I’ll admit, The Penderwicks At Last could have been better. I would have loved to see more of the original cast of characters (perhaps an explanation for why Skye has altered so drastically), and fewer new characters with somewhat irrelevant storylines, but the overall ending–and the adorable epilogue—more than made up for the novel’s shortcomings. Batty and Jeffrey were the highlight of the story—especially their matching cell phone ring tones. (Beethoven, naturally!) So this one was incredibly fun, and well worth the three-year wait.

My 2018 Reading Challenge

I pledged to read 100 books on Goodreads, and ended up finishing 115, which made me very happy. I found some wonderful new stories to read this year, and I found myself enjoying old favorites more than ever.

My 2019 Reading Challenge

My Goodreads goal for 2019 will be to read 75 books. I want to read some longer classics this year that might cancel out a larger volume of books. I have an ongoing list of books I’d love to read, and Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell heads the list. (One of my sisters has been endeavoring to convince me to read Pride and Prejudice, so we’ll see if I can squeeze it into my reading schedule.)

I’d also love to peruse some poetry and read even more books by my favorite authors—and hopefully discover some new ones to love. And of course, I will mainly be reading the vintage children’s books that give me so much inspiration for my own middle grade novels.

I’d love to read more books by Jean Little, Gene Stratton Porter, Jane Austen, E. Nesbit, Janet Lambert, and Hilda van Stockum in 2019, and also give Mary Norton, Grace Livingston Hill, Jacqueline Kelly, and Catherine Woolley a try. I might even attempt a Charles Dickens book….well, we’ll see. 😉

All in all, it was a fabulous book year and I can’t wait to read more! What were some books you loved in 2018? (Feel free to pass along some recommendations to me—I’m always on the lookout for new reads!)

I’m 4,000 words into my latest work-in-progress, a novella set in 1911 England. (A bit of trivia: my first historical story, written at age seven, was actually set in 1911 England. But there, the similarities of the two tales end.) 🙂

My last novel, entitled A Heart’s Memory, was set in a small English village on the cusp of World War II. I finished writing the first draft about a month ago, but I discovered that I wasn’t quite ready to leave England behind yet! So I chose this awe-inspiring nation as the setting for the novella I’m currently writing, which is called The Mistress of Half Moon Hall.

I polled my followers on Twitter to name the title of my novella, but it ended up tied between Half Moon Hall and Melody Hall. I ended up choosing the former:

Which estate name do you all like best? 🙂 The title of my new book will be “The Mistress of ______.” #amwriting #workinprogress

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) August 9, 2018

Writing this story – which is currently feeling like a mash-up of Jane of Lantern Hill, Celia’s House, and Caldicott Place – is shaping up to be a perfect excuse to read through my old British issues of Victoria. This luscious, old-fashioned magazine has given me so many ideas for novels over the years, and the combination of sparkling photography and remarkable writing makes each issue very re-readable.

I’m so excited to continue working on this story, which will hopefully be available as an ebook this fall! (Or should I say ‘autumn’? After all, that sounds more British.) 🙂

CURRENTLY READING: A Tangled Web by L.M. Montgomery (This has made me laugh out loud more than once already!)

JUST FINISHED READING: Magic Elizabeth by Norma Kassirer (A middle grade novel from the 1960s featuring a lonely girl, time travel, and a mysterious old house. The story is a bit slow, but the writing is rich and beautiful.)

PLANNING TO READ NEXT: The House on the Cliff by D.E. Stevenson, Mine for Keeps by Jean Little, and Beany Malone by Lenora Mattingly Weber