“A Different Kind of Fire by Suanne Schafer with the depth of a modernist novel and breadth of a saga, portrays Ruby Schmidt, an artist who doesn’t belong in 19th century but who finds herself in the 20th.”

“Ruby’s struggle to reconcile her passions – for art, for those she loves – made for an enthralling read. I’m already looking forward to Schaefer’s next book, Hunting the Devil, about a biracial American physician who gets caught up in the Rwandan genocide in 1994.”

“An evocative and compelling story of a Texas-bred ranch girl-to-woman straddling the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and her conflicting and sometimes illicit desires for her art, her lovers and the freedoms some women were just beginning to glimpse. Ferberesque in scope, A Different Kind of Fire harbors the twists and turns of a thriller and the braided threads of explosive affairs that cannot possibly coexist. Schafer’s marvelous book exudes undiminished spirit in the face of terrible loss.“

“With rare artistry, Schafer paints a life both creative and cursed in A Different Kind of Fire.“

“Writer Suanne Schafer spins a unique tale of a turn of the 19th century Texas heroine and her way of artistic expression. Her paintings shock her contemporaries and the love she’s drawn to shocks herself. A Different Kind of Fire depicts the journey of a determined woman to meet life on her own terms.“

“I was amazed by Suanne Schafer’s poetic and laconic turns of phrase. She has the gift of being simultaneously ornate and succinct, which is no easy task.”

“Readers can’t help rooting for the fierce and very real Ruby Schmidt as she travels from Texas to art school, falls passionately in love, and finally returns home to the farm, this time as a wife, mother and painter. Schafer has created an unforgettable character who belongs in the grand literary tradition of heroines who survive against all odds.”

“I absolutely LOVED A Different Kind of Fire. Suanne Schafer is a passionate writer with a gift to transport the reader back to the 1800’s. With her book in one hand and my iPad in the other, I learned so much about artists and their work. Ms. Schafer’s words are so visual, I actually watched the story play out with every riveting page I turned. Fantastic character development. There was no stone left unturned. A Different Kind of Fire gets a standing ovation and five stars from me.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“If you love historical novels about women who throw off the shackles of feminine convention, then this book is for you. In spare but sensuous prose reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy and E. Annie Proulx, Schafer brings Ruby Schmidt to life—a woman who doesn’t belong in the late nineteenth century but gradually finds her place in the twentieth. You can’t help but root for Ruby as she grows from Texas farm girl, to a freethinker and lover of men and women in Philadelphia, and finally into a consummate artist. This is a powerful and deeply satisfying read.”

“An exceptional first novel. Schafer has woven a cohesive tale from disparate elements – a stark life in the rugged countryside of 1890s Texas vs the gentility of an arts academy in the East; a traditional marriage and motherhood vs a secret and haunting sexuality. Unequivocally recommended!”