We chat with author Aimie K. Runyan about her latest novel A Bakery in Paris, which is a captivating historical novel set in nineteenth-century and post-World War II Paris and follows two fierce women of the same family, generations apart, who find that their futures lie in the four walls of a simple bakery in a tiny corner of Montmartre.
Hi, Aimie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! In addition to being an author of historical (and soon contemporary!) women’s fiction, I am a wife, mother of two, and devoted staff to two cats and a dragon. I live in Estes Park, Colorado, which is pretty dang amazing, and therefore spend a lot of time hiking. And even before A Bakery in Paris, I was a keen amateur baker with some mean cheesecake skills.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
If I had to pin it dowm, it would be third grade. We had the chance to write stories in our own blank books and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Mine was leopard print…so, extra cool. I was also cast as Scribbler Mouse in the school play and discovered one of my all-time favorite Middle Grade reads that year: A Royal Pain by Ellen Conford. So basically 1987 was a banner year.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
See above, A Royal Pain for the first time I ever felt really really immersed in a book. First book I remember reading was probably the great classic The Monster at the End of This Book, which I contend is a treasure of American Literature. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett made me fall in love with Historical Fiction, and changed the focus of my reading and my writing.
Your latest novel, A Bakery in Paris, is out August 1st! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Les Misérables meets Chocolat. Do I get a bonus point for doing it in four?
What can readers expect?
Love stories, heartache, redemption, rebuilding, class struggles, hope, and great food.
Where did the inspiration for A Bakery in Paris come from?
In 2020, I was hunting for an idea and my then-boyfriend, a historian, said I should consider the Paris Commune as a setting for a book. I refreshed my memory on the period and knew he was right. Reader? I married him.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I love both Micheline and Lisette. I loved exploring Micheline’s struggle to gain some agency in a terrible situation, and I loved Lisette making some tough sacrifices for her beliefs. Many of the cooking scenes were pure bliss and I have an incredible soft spot for Sébas and Laurent.
What do you love most about writing historical fiction?
The excuse to get lost in the 900 section of the library for hours on end and to get paid for it? I mean, that’s pretty darn cool. I love crafting characters and making worlds come to life for readers, I can think of little that could make me happier.
What’s next for you?
On Febraury 13, 2024, I have my first contemporary The Memory of Lavender and Sage coming out, which is super exciting. If A Bakery in Paris is my love letter to Paris, Lavender and Sage is my love letter to Provence. Also in 2024, my next historical Mademoiselle Eiffel is slated to come out. It’s the story of Claire Eiffel, the daughter of the famous architect Gustave Eiffel, who was basically his assistant and right hand woman from the time she was fourteen until he died. Such a fascinating life she had!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
OH MY GOSH, that question is so mean. I am loving Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller and Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey. Next up on my TBR is The Secret Life of Flora Lee by Patti Callahan Henry and To Free the Stars by J’nell Ciesielski.
