Author to note: Beatriz Williams

I have always loved living in the world of books. I remember every summer making lists of all the books I read, and entering contests at local bookstores to get a prize for reading a certain number of books. Then when I became a nanny, I would encourage the kids to read and enter the same contests themselves (plus then I would get a chance to read myself).

I cherish many of the stories I read and the characters that stuck with me to this day. As a writer, I was inspired by the adventures I embarked on through these authors’ imaginations, and relished in the places I was able to travel to in my mind. I continued to read books for pleasure through college, and have been actively trying to continue now that I’m working and don’t have homework to think about.

Ever since I discovered Beatriz Williams’ book A Hundred Summers, I have been obsessed with her writing style and the stories she binds together so beautifully. Her genre is historical fiction, which is an obvious favorite for me since I love history and escaping backwards in time. In her books she weaves two character’s stories and time periods into one moving piece, with unpredictable twists and endings that always leave me shocked yet satisfied.

I had the great opportunity to meet Beatriz last week on her book tour. I was SO excited to find out that she would be in Saint Paul when she released her tour locations! My sister and I snuck into the back of Subtext Books and listened as she told the historical story that inspired her latest book, and then gave some insight into her process and previous books when she opened up the floor to questions. She was exactly how I imagined, so passionate about the stories she told and honest about life as an author. I left feeling inspired to write, and excited to read her latest novel (I’m saving it for my upcoming cabin week).

Since I’ve told most of my friends about Beatriz and encouraged them to read her books, I thought I would share the order in which it most makes sense to read them. They don’t have to be read in order, but as I realized and as Beatriz shared the other night, there are characters that play minor roles in one book and then star in the next. So, if you’re just starting to explore her work, here is the order I recommend: