Some books begin with a spark of imagination. Others begin with a grandfather’s confession. Ann Marie Stewart’s historical novel The Remnants falls into the second group. In this Book Bites interview, she shares how a third-grade memory grew into a book more than 40 years in the making.
What Is The Remnants About?
The Remnants follows a pastor and farmer in 1929 Crimea. He sees danger coming and plans to get his wife and two sons out of the country. Escape carries a terrible price, though. He must leave his three-year-old son behind.
A Historical Novel More Than 40 Years in the Making
Technically, this is the first one Ann Marie Stewart ever wrote. Along the way, she finished and published other projects. Still, this story never let go. She first heard pieces of this story as a child. Around age nineteen, her dad urged her to research it. He wanted the family’s history preserved for relatives and for anyone curious. Today, audiences at her speaking events always ask the same question. Do they get the little boy back?
Why 1929 Russia Matters in Historical Fiction
Most of the novel unfolds in 1929, with flashbacks to childhood. The story closes in 1931. Few years in Russia were as tense as 1929. Stalin was pushing hard against religious believers. He also targeted anyone labeled a kulak, even people of very modest means. Collectivization was the goal: one huge farm with everyone working on it. Meanwhile, the religious freedoms Catherine the Great once granted were disappearing. Teaching shifted from German to Russian. Bibles were off limits, so congregations met in granaries. Eventually, roughly 17,000 Germans crowded into small communities near Moscow with no way out. Then October brought the stock market crash, and other countries showed little interest in taking refugees.
A Writer’s Take: Every Book Is a Question
Ann Marie believes every book is a question waiting for an answer. Good writing, however, makes the journey worth savoring. She wants prose that invites slow, word-by-word reading. Her favorite part to write was the author’s note and afterword, since she could process so much personally. As for her favorite scene, she points to the opening of the 1928 section. A grandfather pulls a wagon carrying his own father’s body.
Where to Find Ann Marie Stewart
Find Ann Marie on her website, AnnMarieStewart.com. You’ll see a book trailer built from family photos. Her monthly newsletter delivers recipes, an upbeat story, a book review, and launch updates. Finally, reviews help authors a great deal, so leave one if the story moves you.
Tune in to our full interview with Ann Marie by clicking the links below or going wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
