Nancy Schumacher is always in search of a happy ending. Turns out, that’s exactly what appeals to the White Bear Lake romance novelist most about her genre. “I have difficulty reading books that don’t have them,” she says. “Reality is full of trials, and reading romance takes me away to a happy place.”
It’s been that way since Schumacher’s mother introduced her to romance novels in the 1970s. She’s since written four romance novels of her own, as well as 30 stories for anthologies and ebooks, winning two awards from the Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition for her work. Each of these accomplishments has been achieved under the pseudonym Nancy Pirri. “It’s in honor of my mother, who started me on the road to loving romance novels,” Schumacher says. “I chose her maiden name.”
Her love of books is so great that in 2010 Schumacher started Melange Books, a small multi-genre publishing house. Running the business, she says, is a dream come true, despite her hectic schedule. “Being able to do what you love in life—to fulfill your passion for something—makes the lack of sleep worthwhile.”
Schumacher’s latest venture is “Night Magic,” a story set in Depression-era Minnesota, featuring a love affair between a lumberjack and a resort owner. It is one chapter of Romance and Mystery Under the Northern Lights, a nine-story anthology by seven Minnesota romance authors available on amazon.com.
