Woodbury author Ann Schreiber signs one of her books at a recent appearance. Her first novel, "Emily's Next Chapter," is being released this week. Photo: Contributed.
WOODBURY, MN (WNN) – Woodbury author Ann Schreiber’s novel, “Emily’s Next Chapter,” releases tomorrow, and it’s a new chapter for her as well. It’s her first novel.
“I’ve been writing short stories and novella-length stories since I was a kid,” Schreiber said. “So, it seemed only natural to take my desire for storytelling to turn it into a loving story that others could enjoy.”
Schreiber’s been prolific recently. Her first non-fiction book – “Perseverance. Reinvention.,” a memoir, was published last year and her second, “The Top 10 Mistakes I Made My First Year as a Copywriter” came out earlier this year.
Fox Pointe Publishing of Colorado is releasing “Emily’s Last Chapter.” Fox Pointe isn’t a vanity press and says it rejects more manuscripts than it accepts.
Kiersten Hall with Fox Pointe praised Schreiber’s work. “Ann has a unique talent for writing both thorough, informative nonfiction that empowers the reader—think Tony Robbins—and heartfelt, entertaining stories with the charm of a Hallmark movie,” Hall said. “She’s an exceptional writer, and her work is always a joy to read.”
We reached out to Schreiber and she answered several questions we posed via email.
Your book, “Emily’s Next Chapter,” is described as a later-in-life romance about second chances, family, and finding love again after loss. What inspired you to write this book?
Originally, my plan had been to write a fiction story about the relationship between a stepmother and her stepdaughter. As the female protagonist is actually a writer, I wanted a story that served as a love letter from stepmom to stepchild. My goal was to show that these relationships can be beautiful when both individuals go into the relationship with open hearts and minds.
There can be such a negative stigma about stepparenting, and I want to show that that’s not always the case. I believe that those challenging relationships are actually not the norm. Ultimately, we all just want to be loved. And these beautiful relationships are not just possible, but full of benefits of their own.
That said, as I started writing the book, I realized that there was the opportunity to talk about how different it can be falling in love later in life than you do when you are young. Falling in love in your 40s, 50s, or later, means bringing a deep history with you. You’re more set in your ways. You’re likely to be financially independent. And you may even bring some health concerns. But none of those things need to stop a relationship from growing, and from two open-hearted individuals to find a love that will last them the rest of their lifetime.
Could you say your second book, “Perseverance. Reinvention.,” a memoir about divorce and resilience, is something of the nonfiction version of “Emily’s Next Chapter?”
That’s a great question, and the answer is no. “Perseverance. Reinvention.” truly is my memoir about my experience with family trauma. I had been married for 23 years only to have everything fall apart, putting me in the situation of starting over. I don’t want to give away everything I discuss in the book, but I do talk about divorce, miscarriage, facing a suddenly critically-ill child, and most importantly, how to persevere through those challenges and reinvent yourself. In my case, it was a devastating loss in my life. But, I learned that starting over was possible. I want my memoir to help others going through their own tough times.
“Emily’s Next Chapter,” however, could be something for readers of “Perseverance. Reinvention.” to read next. While it is a fiction story, it is based on some reality. They say that writers pull from their own experiences and things they see going on around them. And “Emily’s Next Chapter” is definitely that. There are a few parallels to things in my new life but I also pulled in experiences that I know my friends have faced, things I have seen in the news, etc. I wanted to share a fiction story about reality.
What surprised you about writing fiction instead of nonfiction? Was it harder? Easier?
Writing “Perseverance. Reinvention.” was definitely one of the hardest things I have ever done. Though it turned out to be a healing process, putting those words of hurt and failure onto a page was extremely difficult. I cried. I had days when I didn’t want to go outside or associate with others. But over time, it truly did help me. It gave me the chance to document my experience and then set it aside to help me move on.
What books have you read recently? Who are your favorite authors?
I am an avid reader. I’ve actually read over 50 books already this year. So, when I’m not writing, you can often find me curled up on the living room couch with a book. Most recently, I have enjoyed “The Maid” series by Nita Prose, “Scythe & Sparrow” by Brynne Weaver (this is the third book in her trilogy), and “I Need You To Read This” by Jessa Maxwell.
I love a good cozy mystery or thriller, but I’ll read just about anything. Some of my favorite authors include Kristin Hannah, Jodi Picoult, and Nita Prose. And I love anything by Freida McFadden.
Are you writing another book and, if so, what’s it about?
I’m actually working on the sequel to “Emily’s Next Chapter.” This book explores Jessica, who happens to be the male protagonist’s ex-wife from the first book. Similar to my approach in “Emily’s Next Chapter,” I wanted the opportunity to tell the story of another character who found it possible to move forward after her past and find love again. This book brings several new challenges that can be prevalent as we move forward in life. But I won’t tell you about them just yet. You’ll have to read the book when it comes out, hopefully sometime in early 2026.
Appearances
Schreiber encourages readers to follow her on Instagram or YouTube. She has a long list of book signings planned, including at Niche Books in Lakeville on May 29 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Story Line Books at Union Depot in St. Paul on May 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Book Fair for Grown-Ups at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on July 12.