What a pleasure to have Minnie Geneanne Smith with us on Novel PASTimes today. We’re excited to get to know you and find out all about you and your book, The Blacksmith’s Daughter.

Novel PASTimes: Can you tell us about your friends?

Minnie: While I lived in Portland, my poppa was my best friend. I’m afraid at that time there were girls who would have been my friend, but until I moved to Gunther City, I couldn’t get past hurtful things some of the girls did to me in school, and I’m afraid I judged them all unfairly. The train ride to Oklahoma taught me that to have friends required I be a friend. Now, I can happily say my dear friends are Dixie, Lou Lou, Martha Grace, Jane Anne, and even Helen. Widow Drummond and I are still good friends and sweet Wilma Gunther.

Novel PASTimes: Do you have any enemies?

Minnie: Oh. Jet Butterfield and his horrible men: Hayden Gray and Alford Graves. But they all got their due diligence. Jet’s in prison and well, I can’t tell you what happened to the men, it would spoil the story before you read it.

Novel PASTimes: Are you involved with anyone?

 Minnie: I found my happily ever after in Gunther City, but it wasn’t an easy journey. I can’t say any more without spoiling the surprise.

Novel PASTimes: What person do you most admire?

Minnie: Gosh. Right off the top of my head, I’d say my poppa. He built a successful blacksmithing business, raised me by hisself after Momma died, and wasn’t afraid of anything or anybody. He made me who I am today.

Second, I’d say Dixie Levine. She grew up an orphan and grew to be a lovely person. She’s sweet, loving, loyal, and a dear friend. We are a different as a stick and a tree, she’s five foot nothing, and I’m, well, I’m six feet tall in my bare feet. But I love her like a little sister.”

Novel PASTimes: Overall outlook on life

Minnie: *Sighs* When I lived in Portland, I was happy living with my poppa and learning his blacksmith trade. Life has a way of filling in your in-completes, even when you don’t realize you needed anything added. While I miss my Poppa and Momma like you can’t believe, I have such a rich life in Gunther City.

Novel PASTimes: Do you like yourself?

Minnie: *Pauses* I grew up thinking I was a freak, because I’m the spitting image of my poppa, who was a really big man.” *giggle* But when I moved to Gunther City . . .

Novel PASTimes: What, if anything, would you like to change about your life?

Minnie: Hmm. There was a day when I could have given you a laundry list of things, but now. . . I can’t think of a thing.

Novel PASTimes: How are you viewed by others?

Minnie: *shakes head slowly* I’d have to let others answer that question. I know that I take after my poppa and I’m a really tall woman, which surprises people when they first meet me. I’d like to think, once people get past my size, they think I’m a good person. I’m good at working iron and I’d like to think, because I’m a woman, I can make simple iron work into a prettier thing, which other women like to have. For example. I can take an iron rod, and with just the right manipulation, I can peal it like a banana, so to speak, and make a rose. I then attach those roses to fences and lamp posts. The women love that accessory in the design of a simple thing like a gate.

Novel PASTimes: How much self-control do you have?

Minnie: *hangs head* I’ve been know to lose my temper. But, most of the time, because of my size, I can just stand tall and put my hands on my hips, and people will back down.

Novel PASTimes: Fears?

Minnie: Oh gosh. Being alone. Again, I grew up being called horrible things for my height and girth, I guess my biggest fear is being completely different and not having a place where I fit in.

Novel PASTimes: What is your favorite food and drink?

Minnie: My momma made such a delicious, melt-in-your mouth dumpling. When you add them to a meat stew…Oh my, it’s absolutely my favorite. Mrs. Forrest makes an amazing lemonade that I find I crave.

Novel PASTimes: What is your favorite book?

Minnie: Oh listen, I’ll read anything, but I especially enjoy Dixie’s books that she brought from Maine. They are adventurous, and romantic, and fun to read.

Novel PASTimes: What would a great gift for you be?

Minnie: Hmm. . . I appreciate anything someone wants to take the time to make for me.

Novel PASTimes: When are you happy?

Minnie: *Smiles* It wouldn’t be ladylike to tell you that.

Novel PASTimes: What makes you angry?

Minnie: injustice

Novel PASTimes: What makes you laugh?

Minnie: Dixie’s dachshund, Mr. Darcy. There’s nothing he can’t manage to get into.

Novel PASTimes: What’s the worst thing you have ever done to someone and why?

Minnie: Hmm. Once I told Helen Baird my momma made a better tasting bread than her momma. It was the truth, but I said it to hurt Helen cause she’d told me I should be in the circus. It wasn’t kind of me to say it.” *hangs head* “But she deserved it and it was the truth.”

Novel PASTimes: Biggest trauma

Minnie: My momma died when I was ten years old. It was the most. . . I just can’t talk about it.

Novel PASTimes: Do you have a secret?

Minnie: In my story I have a secret.” *looks at author and nods* “I snuck down to the blacksmith’s shop at night and completed the jobs that Samuel was so far behind on, because he had been badly injured and couldn’t get out of bed for many weeks. People don’t think a woman can do such strenuous work, and so I had to do it in secret. I didn’t expect Samuel to accept me doing such a thing. I was terrified how he’d react, but I couldn’t stand to see all that work piling up.

Novel PASTimes: What do you like best about the other main characters in your book?

Minnie: I told you Dixie is my favorite person. She’s just such a hoot. Her and that dog, Mr. Darcy! *laughs* They get into more trouble.

Novel PASTimes: What do you like least about the other main characters in your book?

Minnie: Well, I don’t like to speak bad about people, but Helen Baird. . . well, she’s go a long way to go to become a kinder person. That’s all I can say.

Novel PASTimes: Most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you

Minnie: Because of my big feet, I have to order men’s boots. My seamstress had to order extra yardage. But the most embarrassing thing is when I walk up or, especially, down stairs I have to turn sideways. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve lost my footing and either fell down the stairs on my back side, or knocked my self silly, hitting my head on the header above the staircase.”

Quick facts:

Physical appearance:

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Mousy brown

Voice: I have a deep voice for a woman, I suppose it’s because I’m big like my poppa.

Right- or left-handed? right-handed

Parents: Eugene and Annie Smith

Siblings: none

Places lived: Portland, Maine

Jobs: Blacksmith’s apprentice

Thanks for sharing with us today, Minnie. If you would like to find out all about Minnie’s journey, get her story on Amazon.

Lynn Donovan spends her days chasing after her muses, trying to get them to settle down and behave long enough to write down their words and actions. The results are numerous novels, anthologies, and short stories.

Lynn enjoys reading and writing all kinds of fiction, paranormal, speculative, contemporary romance, and time travel. You never know what her muses will come up with for a story, so you could see a novel under any given genre. All that can be said is keep your eyes open, because these muses are not sitting still for long!

You can check out Lynn’s Blog or visit her on her Facebook or Amazon pages to find out what she is working on currently.