Laurel Anne Hill on Writing and Researching "The Engine Woman’s Light"

The Engine Woman’s Light took Laurel Anne Hill, award-winning author and former underground storage tank operator, 20 years to write. There are two reasons it took so long, Hill explains. First of all, she had no experience writing novels. She was unsure of how to plan a plot, choose a point of view, or artfully add in details. Second, because the book revolved around steam locomotives and railroads, Hill had to learn all about these topics in order to make the story believable. Hill did enough in-depth research and detailed writing that one reviewer regarded the book as a go-to resource for running a steam locomotive.