Stephanie McRae
Stephanie McRae is a descendant of American patriots, including one soldier who died at Valley Forge. She is also the wife of a US Navy veteran. While their family of seven was stationed in Virginia, they took many opportunities to visit Colonial Williamsburg. It was during one of these trips that the idea for her first historical novel was born.
Author Interview
What book introduced you to historical fiction?
The Christmas that I was seven, I received Meet Kirsten, a chapter book about an immigrant pioneer girl. The story and illustrations opened my eyes to another time and place. It helped build my love of history.
I was still young when Felicity Merriman was released. To celebrate, AG hosted a giveaway of her entire collection. I didn’t win, but I did get to read her stories. Those stories became more valuable than any toy I could have had.
How “steamy” is the romance you write?
I love the intimate emotional details of a romance but I keep my stories slow burn. Kissing is the steamiest thing I write and I make my characters work for their kissing scenes.
The connection between my characters is something I take quite seriously. By the end of the story, the characters need to show that they have what it takes to grow and maintain their relationship through the trials life will continue to throw at them.
Tell me about your hobbies.
I love to bake. Every Friday we have homemade pizza. I make the crust from scratch. When we lived in Virginia, the neighborhood kids knew me as the mom who made pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
That isn’t my only hobby. In college, I spent a year majoring in fashion design (which involved a lot of sewing classes) and another year as an illustration major. I still enjoy sewing and sketching, as well as reading and history.
You have how many kids?!
Five: four boys and one girl. I grew up with five brothers (no sisters) and was surprised to be blessed with a similar dynamic in the next generation.
Having spent so much of my life around boys and so little around girls, I sometimes find it easier to write my male characters than my females.
While I admire the authors who are also young mothers, I would have been miserable pursuing my career during those exhausting early years. I’m glad I waited. For myself and my family, it was the better choice.
How old are you?
What an impertinent question!
I’ve been “on the wrong side of five-and-thirty” for several years. As my oldest children have begun their young adult lives, I feel more in common with Mrs. Bennet or Mrs. March than with their daughters.
I’m very much enjoying this season of my life. I don’t have to prove myself the way I did when I was a young adult. I have more free time to explore hobbies and learn new things. I have more experience to draw from when I sit down to write. I’d be happy to stay this age forever.
How much faith is in your books?
Readers have strong opinions on how much religion they want to see in a novel. Some want an undercurrent of Christian values with no talk of faith. Some want full sermons in each chapter.
I include what feels natural to me for my characters and their story. This often includes moments of prayer, church attendance, and scriptures, since these are important parts of my life.
When possible, I like to tie their faith journey into their character arc. There’s beauty and emotional authenticity when they are paired together.
Visiting Colonial Williamsburg – A McRae Family Scrapbook
