Grace Grows

Grace Grows

A wonderfully upbeat and quirky romance in which a young textbook editor in New York, who takes herself a little too seriously, falls for a singer-songwriter who appears to take nothing at all seriously…

Like many young women, Grace Barnum's life is precariously balanced on sensible choices and uncomfortable compromise. She dutifully edits textbooks that she fears may be more harmful than helpful to kids. She is engaged to a patent attorney with whom she has a reliable relationship. She has a cautious relationship with her fascinating father, a renowned New York painter, and she prefers her mother slightly drunk as she's easier to handle that way.

Always organised, always a planner, Grace carries her life around in a handbag - that is, until the responsibility-challenged Tyler Wilkie shows up. Tyler of the warm eyes and a smile that makes Grace drop things. Worst of all, he writes tender, loving, devastating songs - about her. Tyler reaches something in Grace, something she needs, but can't admit to. Something she wants, but won't succumb to. Falling in love with him would ruin everything. And yet…

An enchanting story about learning to love and learning to let go.

Shelle Sumners has worked as a waitress, actress, copy editor, bookseller, and wedding chapel receptionist. Sometimes she only pretended to do these things while furtively scribbling notes for screenplays and novels. Sumners lives with her husband, Lee, and their daughter in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

Grace Grows
Allen and Unwin Australia
Author: Shelle Sumners
ISBN: 9781743313923
Price: $29.99

Interview with Shelle Sumners

Question: What inspired the story of Grace Grows?

Shelle Sumners: I had a dream, about a man and woman at a waterfall. They were in love, but couldn't be together. I woke up determined to figure things out for these people, who turned out to be Tyler Wilkie, a singer-songwriter from the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, and Grace Barnum, a textbook editor in New York City.


Question: What was the best thing about creating the character of Grace?

Shelle Sumners: I love Grace because she's deeply imperfect, but, as she says at one point in the story, "sincerely trying." She really does mean well, no matter how ill-conceived some of her decisions are. It was fun to bring Ty--this lovely, force-of-nature man--into her rigidly-ordered existence and watch her try to maintain control of herself and her life.

It was also fun to make Grace kind of a word-nerd; I was able to do this easily because, although I myself am extremely cool, I know a lot of words.


Question: How much of your inspiration comes from real life and real people?

Shelle Sumners: Fifty percent of my inspiration comes from observing life and real people, and the other fifty percent comes from a mysterious, invisible dimension of the Universe that likes to zap me with sudden, compelling story ideas.


Question: Do you believe opposites attract?

Shelle Sumners: Sure, why not? Just be ready to compromise, Opposites, if you want to make it work.


Question: Are you currently working on another book?

Shelle Sumners: I am working on two other books; one is a family drama set in South Louisiana, in a big old house, with ghosts and mystical happenings. The other is a spin-off of Grace Grows, about Tyler Wilkie's gorgeous, wild twin sister, Beck.