Ellie Gustafson writes pretty good books these days. Been at it long enough to learn a few things. It all started in 1978 with my first published article, “I Saw a Thing Today,” about a couple of weasels I met on a stone wall in Vermont. Short stories and other articles followed, and then came Appalachian Spring. BIG learning curve. The editor slashed characters, whole chapters, and made a lot of red marks everywhere. Had to rewrite the entire book—on a brand-new Apple IIe computer I had no idea how to operate. The novel was well received, however, which led to more novels and more painful learning experiences.

A common book theme is the cosmic struggle between good and evil in light of God's overarching work of redemption. Having graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois—where I met my husband while teaching horsemanship (funny story there)—I have since been actively involved in church life as a minister's wife, teacher, musician, writer, and encourager. A host of other experiences, from mouse wars to house building, help bring color and humor to my fiction. I do like to laugh a lot.

My husband and I live in Massachusetts, where he recently retired from teaching online college courses in philosophy. We travel a fair amount, spend time with three children and eight grandchildren, and enjoy camping at the family forest in Chester, Vermont.

I've had two professionals in the publishing field tell me that An Unpresentable Glory is one of the best novels they've read. High praise, indeed! Please give me your honest assessment.