My New Beginnings series follows the lives of three sisters who lose their parents in a devastating house fire. I have been intrigued by the exodus of Old Order Amish out of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and to a lesser extent, Holmes and Wayne Counties, Ohio. The Amish are searching for lower taxes, fewer tourists, and more plentiful but cheaper farmland. My fictional sisters go in search of love and fresh starts. Although I live within an hour of the largest population of Amish in the country, I learned that a writer should visit the area she plans to write about, especially when it comes to Amish fiction.

For book one, Living in Harmony, which won the Lime Award for Excellence in Amish Fiction for 2012, I traveled to Maine. For book two, Love Comes to Paradise, which won the 2013 Lime Award, I traveled to central Missouri to research the Amish who live in tornado alley and thereby have to deal with some rather erratic weather patterns. For my third and final book in the series, A Little Bit of Charm, I headed south into famous Bluegrass Country…

I studied the Old Order Mennonites of Casey and Barren Counties, Kentucky as research for A Little Bit of Charm. I traipsed up and down back roads looking for horses and buggies and for those who prefer a slower pace of life. I stayed at the home of my best friend in Somerset and took her granddaughters along to keep me company. During Amish interviews, the girls received a priceless education that surpassed anything found in textbooks. And having them along opened plenty of doors and lowered people’s defenses. Who could resist three adorable kids?

My heroine is Rachel King, who has watched both of her older sisters find happiness with husbands who adore them. Rachel yearns for a job and a little romance in her life—not necessarily in that order. Her Old Order Mennonite cousin lives near a Thoroughbred stable in Kentucky, and working around beautiful horses has always been Rachel’s dream. She moves to the quaint town of Charm to make a home with Sarah and her husband, Isaac. When a job at Twelve Elms Stables opens up unexpectedly, it seems as though God has answered Rachel’s heartfelt prayers.

When she meets Jake Brady, one of the owners of Twelve Elms, her life becomes complicated. He’s attractive and charming, and his interest in her is flattering. But he’s also English as well as her boss. And Rachel worries that Jake’s trust in God isn’t central to his life in the way it should be. When Amish men she meets at church and singings start pursuing her, Rachel has important decisions to make. What does a young woman do when her heart puts her faith in jeopardy?

While writing A Little Bit of Charm, I found my characters growing and changing almost of their own accord. And as any hard-working writer will attest, when your characters wish to make your job a tad easier, you go ahead and let them.

Mary Ellis grew up near the Amish and fell in love with them. She has now written ten bestselling novels set in their communities. When not writing, she enjoys gardening, bicycling, and swimming. Before “retiring” to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate. She can be found on the web at www.maryellis.net or on Facebook.

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Mary Ellis by Amber | AmishReader.com
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An Unexpected Match by Gayle Roper (September 2014)

About the Book:

Rachel Beiler loves her job as the teacher in her Amish community. She’s obedient, humble, and compliant and tries to keep the ordnung to the best of her ability. But Rachel has a secret—something that could get her shunned if she’s found out. She loves knowledge and yearns for a college education.

After serving a dozen years in the Army, Rob Lanier has returned from Afghanistan. But now that he’s home again, he’s constantly reminded of his family’s fall from grace. His father—once a highly respected and wealthy community leader—has disgraced the family, and Rob can’t find it in his heart to forgive him.

When Rachel and Rob meet, sparks fly. But when a series of frightening events surrounding Rachel’s brother Johnny brings Rachel’s world crashing down around her, this unlikely match between an Amish teacher and an Englischer ex-soldier seems to be God’s perfect answer.

Purchase the Book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook.com

Favorite Quote:

“What are you writing about for next Friday?” Rachel asked. She felt impatient that she had to wait a whole week for the next class because of Labor Day. “We can brainstorm with you.”

“I don’t know.” He grinned that adorable grin of his. “It’s not Thursday night yet.”

What I Enjoyed:

• The authentic and thought-provoking struggle Rachel has as she’s torn between two worlds—one she vowed to be a part of with the family she loves, and the other where she feels free to truly be who God made her to be.
• The unusual but charming friendship that forms between Rachel and two of her classmates. Such unique personalities!
• The intriguing secondary characters—everyone from Rachel’s parents and siblings, to her kind neighbor, admirable college professor, and some definitely not-so-admirable enemies that someone makes…
• The suspenseful elements, as built up by a secondary character who gets himself in over his head.
• The quirky animals (horse and dogs) that add another layer of emotion and fun.
• The sweet romance, including a secondary romance that’s also rather unexpected!
• The unique premise of a young Amish widow wanting to attend college, and the great questions and discussions that arise from the twists and turns of her story.

Question for You:

Rachel finds some unexpected blessings in the Englisch world—including new friends and new lessons about faith. What’s one unexpected blessing (big or small) that you’ve experienced recently?

Giveaway!

Leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win a paperback copy of this book!

Fine print: Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only, and participants must be 18 years old or older to enter. A winner will be randomly selected and emailed on Friday, November 21st. This giveaway is in no way sponsored by or affiliated with Facebook, WordPress, or Twitter.

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Gayle Roper by Amber | AmishReader.com
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A Plain Man by Mary Ellis (April 2014)

About the Book:

Bestselling author Mary Ellis offers an engaging new standalone Amish romance about a prodigal seeking to find his way home.

Though Caleb Beachy lived in the Englisch world for some years, he is a Plain man at heart. When he decides to return to the Amish lifestyle, he moves back home and goes to work for his father. Soon these two strong-willed men find themselves at odds. Caleb discovers there’s more to embracing his faith and reconnecting with the community than merely driving a horse and buggy and giving up Levis.

Josie Yoder was just a girl when he left. All grown up now, she gives Caleb hope for the future. She soothes his frayed temper and is determined to remind him that while his faith may have wavered, God never left his side. Caleb is tempted to return Josie’s feelings, but the choices he made while away are a heavy burden on his conscience. Will past mistakes end up destroying their fledgling romance? Or will she be able to break through the wall around his heart?

A Plain Man is more than just a sweet romance centered in Amish beliefs. It’s the ever-fresh story of a wounded heart finding joy, health, and healing in God’s infinite grace.

Purchase the book on Amazon

Question for You: What does home mean to you?

Giveaway!

Leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win a paperback copy of this book!

Fine print: Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only, and participants must be 18 years old or older to enter. A winner will be randomly selected and emailed on Tuesday, October 21st. This giveaway is in no way sponsored by or affiliated with Facebook, WordPress, or Twitter. 

P.S. You can learn more about the setting of the book and watch the trailer in Mary Ellis’s latest post spotlighting Shreve and Fredericksburg, Ohio.

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Mary Ellis by Amber | AmishReader.com
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When readers and tourists alike think of Ohio’s Amish country, they usually think of Sugarcreek, Walnut Creek, and Berlin. But I cherish some of the lesser-known small towns like Shreve and Fredericksburg, the setting for my latest release, A Plain Man. Located in the heart of Wayne County, these two towns are loaded with Amish buggies in a far less “touristy” atmosphere.

Every time I’m in Shreve I dine at Des Dutch Essenhaus, where the food is cooked and served by Mennonite and Amish women, and plenty of Amish-made crafts are for sale in the gift shop. My friends Diane and Rex Dye own the lovely Christian Homestead Bookstore loaded with both fiction and non-fiction, along with a fine assortment of homeschool materials. Be sure to also stop in at the hardware store while in town for a selection of gadgets not found in your local big-box store.

In Fredericksburg you’ll find the end-of-the-line of a wonderful bike trail, converted from an old rail line from Cleveland to Millersburg. I’ve sent many friends down to Hotel Millersburg to spend the night and then ride up to Fredericksburg through the rural countryside. Besides exercising Englischers, you’ll see plenty of Plain folks, both walking and riding the trail for a safe transportation lane. Also in Fredericksburg, look for the tiny, historic jailhouse. Once I found the door unlocked so I moseyed in, sat on the one cot in the one cell, and pretended I’d been arrested for disturbing the peace on a Saturday night. Although the wife of the mayor or sheriff no longer delivers home-cooked meals to the sole inmate, you still can savor a place where time has stood still.

In my story, A Plain Man, Caleb Beachy returns to the quiet serenity of Wayne County to heal his emotional wounds and rebuild his relationship with God. For myself, I reconnect with the slow, the simple, and the straightforward every time I visit Shreve and Fredericksburg, Ohio.

Mary Ellis has written twelve bestselling novels set in the Amish community. Before “retiring” to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate. Living in Harmony, book one of her last series, won the 2012 Lime Award for Excellence in Amish Fiction. Love Comes to Paradise won the 2013 Lime Award. Her current release is A Plain Man. She can be found on the web at
www.maryellis.net or on Facebook.

Photos of Ohio Amish country courtesy of Mary Ellis.

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Authors, Mary Ellis by Amber | AmishReader.com
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Today’s guest is the second author in the “Men of Lancaster County”-series duo, Susan Meissner! We’re chatting about the second book in the series, which just released this August – The Amish Blacksmith. Come take a virtual trip with us to Amish country…

Susan Meissner is a multi-published author, speaker, and writing workshop leader with a background in community journalism. Her novels include The Shape of Mercy, named by Publishers Weekly as one of the 100 Best Novels of 2008 and a Carol Award winner. She is a pastor’s wife and the mother of four young adults. When she’s not writing, Susan writes small group curriculum for her San Diego church. Visit Susan at her website: www.susanmeissner.com, on Twitter at @SusanMeissner, or at www.facebook.com/susan.meissner.

Wonderful to have you here, Susan! To begin, Mindy mentioned in your joint interview on the Harvest House blog in August that her husband came up with the initial plot idea for the first book in this series, The Amish Groom. What inspired the premise for this sequel, The Amish Blacksmith?

Susan: When Mindy and I spent a long weekend in Lancaster County at an Amish farmhouse, I had the opportunity to shadow an Amish blacksmith for a day. He was so very open to my being there and my peppering him with questions hour after hour. I could tell he loved his work, he loved horses, and he and his brother had a heart for troubled horses. The first scene in The Amish Blacksmith nearly played itself out in front of me on that day, although I changed all the little details. When we started plotting this book, we knew we wanted a story that borrowed from the idea that horses must be dealt with gently to deal with traumatic events from the past, just as we must also be.

Given the skills of the hero and heroine in this book, are either you or Mindy horsewomen or horse-lovers to some degree?

Susan: I am actually rather scared of horses, strangely enough! I have only ridden one once – with my best friend at the reins – and it took off on us after being spooked by who knows what. I hung on for dear life, escaped without injury, was sore for a month, and vowed thereafter to appreciate these majestic animals from the vantage point of terra firma. I live where people own horses, and I pass several on my walking route with my dog. I always stop to pat them and tell them how pretty they are. I do love them, but from the perspective of being enthralled by the depth of their emotional make-up. Horses are very sympathetic creatures. Just like us.

What did you most enjoy about the research for this novel? Anything especially interesting or surprising that you discovered?

Susan: I loved the day I spent with Elam Stoltzfus and his brother, Eli, watching them work, learning from them, laughing with them. When I left for a little while to go have lunch I asked when I should return and Elam said ice-cream thirty was a good time to come back. I laughed and asked when that was. He said, “whenever we want it to be.” We had frozen Snickers (and they were delish) at 2:15. I think I had this strange image in my head that Amish people are always serious. Not so. They know how to laugh and have fun and make jokes. And I love that I’ve a new appreciation for making time for simple joys like ice cream.

“Ice-cream thirty” – will have to remember that one! Love your discovery about the Amish.

The Amish Blacksmith is written from the hero’s point of view. Despite the fact that the majority of people who pick up this book are not likely to be Amish, male, or a blacksmith, how might they still relate to and learn from Jake’s story?

Susan: Just like any novel that isn’t about someone just like you, residing in your hometown and living a life just like yours, this book is about a person who wants something from life and they face a barrier. Every one of us, no matter our gender, occupation, or faith, has dreams and goals for our lives. We all face obstacles. We are all of us on a journey that God is marking out for us but that is sprinkled with ample opportunities to make choices. When we read someone’s fictional story, whether it’s about an Amish blacksmith named Jake or a teenage idealist named Dorothy Gale, or a pre-civil rights lawyer’s daughter named Scout, we look for ways to relate the story. A good story will make that easy. Hopefully, readers won’t have stretch too far to relate to Jake!

What’s one of the things you appreciate most about the Amish lifestyle?

Susan: I am of the opinion that most people who haven’t studied this lifestyle assume the Amish reject modern, technological advances because those advances are worldly, evil, and lead people to become faithless, heartless, and Godless. What I have learned instead and appreciate the most is that the Amish treat anything that threatens community as a bad idea. Phones aren’t frowned on because they are inherently evil. Phones make it easy to distance yourself from your neighbor, as do cars, airplane rides, and for some Amish communities, bicycles. The Amish look at how to effectively love their neighbor with better scrutiny than most of us Englischers. I may not wish to adopt the same stance on these modern conveniences, but I totally get the idea that whatever keeps me from seeing and interacting face to face with my neighbor can also keep me from loving them.

Thank you for taking the time to visit with us, Susan! It was a pleasure having you and Mindy join us this week.

Amish Readers, tell us – are any of you horse-lovers/horsewomen? Do you enjoy reading stories that feature horses?

Photos from Amish country courtesy of Susan Meissner.

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Authors, Susan Meissner by Amber | AmishReader.com
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This week we’re featuring the dynamic duo who authored the “Men of Lancaster County” series! Today’s guest is Mindy Starns Clark, and we’re chatting about the first book in the series, The Amish Groom.  Let’s take a trip to Amish country…

Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of more than 20 books, both fiction and nonfiction (more than 800,000 sold) including coauthoring the Christy Award–winning The Amish Midwife. Mindy and her husband, John, have two adult children and live in Pennsylvania. Visit Mindy at her website: www.mindystarnsclark.com.

Welcome, Mindy—happy to have you here today! You mentioned in your interview on the Harvest House blog in August that your husband came up with the initial plot idea for this story. What was it about the premise that really resonated with you and Susan? Did your husband continue to give input during the writing process?

Mindy: Anyone who watches the book trailer will probably find the idea resonating with them as well. (It’s my favorite book trailer ever!) I was just so drawn to the idea of a man truly torn between two worlds and having to decide in which one he belongs. Our main character, Tyler, is the son of an ex-Amish woman and a military man. When Tyler is six, his mother dies, and his father—who is about to ship off overseas—sends him to live with his mother’s parents, the Amish grandparents he never even met until his mom’s funeral. Just like that, Tyler’s whole world changes. And though the arrangement is supposed to be temporary, it ends up lasting for years. Our story opens as Tyler is in his early 20’s and is at the point where he has to make a decision. Is he Englisch, like the family he was born into, or Amish, like the family that has raised him since the age of six? The question of whether or not to join the church isn’t an uncommon theme in many Amish novels. But this angle of really having one leg in each world brought a whole new dimension to it for me.

As for my husband’s ongoing input, absolutely, I couldn’t do my job without him. He’s so great at plot ideas and story shaping and pacing. I call him the “Story Doctor.” He can fix almost any issue, small or large, just by helping me reason through the problems or questions and offering up solutions. With this series, he’s been especially helpful, because he’s also our designated “male reader,” the one who makes sure our male characters don’t say or do anything that seems unmanly or doesn’t ring true for the male psyche.

Did you draw from any real-life examples for any part of the story?

Mindy: I imagine bits and pieces of every story come from real life in one way or another. But I guess one scene in this book that comes to mind is when Tyler is out in California, staying at his dad’s house, and he accepts an invitation to church from a twenty-something young woman whom he has befriended. It turns out to be a megachurch with a super modern, young-adult-oriented service complete with videos and a Christian rock band and everything. In other words, it is the complete opposite of the very quiet, very somber, very multigenerational types of Amish services that Tyler is used to. It was fun to see such a startling contrast through his eyes and then have him process the whole idea of what worship looks like to different people.

The idea for that scene came from a church we visited in Lancaster County during a research trip for the book. Though our home church falls somewhere right in the middle of the two extremes, we’d been planning to attend a conservative Mennonite church while there, one that had been recommended by friends. We were running late, however, so we ended up having go to a later service at a nondenominational church instead. As it turned out, that place was rockin’, with a full-on multimedia assault. It was great—as I’m sure the Mennonite church would’ve been as well—just extremely different from the worship service we’d been expecting!

Most Amish romance novels are either from the heroine’s point of view, or both hers and the hero’s. Since most readers of this genre are female, what’s the appeal in seeing the story strictly through the hero’s eyes?

Mindy: I think it’s just really important to view “life” through a completely different lens sometimes, so to speak. Avid readers of Amish fiction are a savvy bunch and have acquired all sorts of knowledge about the Amish life through the stories they’ve read. But experiencing these same kinds of elements from a male perspective really does offer a fresh and unique take on the subject. It’s fun and fascinating.

For example, in the early chapters of the book we go to an Amish wedding, which is not an uncommon element of an Amish novel. But rather than seeing it through the eyes of a young woman, perhaps one who is single and hoping to sit with the guy she likes or whatever, we’re seeing it through a man’s eyes, where we learn about the rejection factor and how it feels when a guy asks a girl to join him and she turns him down. Simple touches like that make a really fun difference and offer a whole new take on familiar components.

On a deeper level, telling stories from a male viewpoint allows us to explore more male-oriented issues such as the father-son bond, or the balance between being strong and allowing oneself to experience deep emotions, or the matters to be weighed prior to making a marriage commitment. These are all things that men deal with, yet women are deeply interested in them as well. Hopefully, these stories will offer insights that both men and women find satisfying to read—and that may even be useful in real life!

It’s probably safe to say that most people who pick up this novel would never have to choose between the Amish love-of-their-life and the freedom of the Englisch. How might they still be able to relate to and learn from Tyler’s struggles?

Mindy: I think as we grow, each of us reaches some point where we find ourselves transitioning from that person our families molded us to be and/or expect us to be and the person we really are as independent adults. It’s a rite of passage for everyone, Amish or not, so it’s a common struggle and one that will likely resonate with most people.

What’s one of the things you appreciate most about the Amish lifestyle?

Mindy: The peace and quiet! Amish life is engineered to allow plenty of time for prayer, meditation, reflection, and the like, and though there are certainly the sounds of conversation and daily life and various appliances and machines running from alternative power sources, there’s nothing digital, which makes a tremendous difference in the overall volume level. Imagine how much quieter your world would be without any phones, televisions, computers, iPads, video games, etc. It’s a kind of silence that many of us forget can even exist! Just the difference between a calm, slow buggy ride and a mad dash in the car—radio blaring, GPS directing, phone ringtoning, and more—is like night and day. I doubt I would ever have the strength and discipline to unplug quite so completely, but I do enjoy the quiet tremendously when visiting Amish homes.

They also cook some pretty amazing food too.

Thank you for taking the time to visit with us, Mindy! 

Amish Readers, tell us—what do you appreciate most about the Amish lifestyle? (And don’t forget to stop by on Thursday as we chat with Susan Meissner about Book 2 in the series!)

Photos from Amish country courtesy of Mindy Starns Clark. Top photo is of Mindy and her husband when they were conducting research on an Amish farm.

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Authors, Mindy Starns Clark by Amber | AmishReader.com
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If you’ve been a part of our Amish Reader community for a while, then you’re bound to be familiar with the name of Vannetta Chapman. She’s written quite a few articles for this blog, sharing about Amish fiction and her book research. Today, Vannetta is here to talk with us about her unique take on Amish fiction, what she especially loves about Amish culture, and more! So pull up a chair, grab some fresh peach muffins, and get to know Vannetta:

Vannetta Chapman holds a BA and MA degree in English and has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving over two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. She published a novel with Abingdon Press called A Simple Amish Christmas in October of 2010. Her first Quilt Shop Murder Mystery, Falling to Pieces (Zondervan) was released in September of 2011 and received the 2012 Carol Award for best mystery. She currently lives in the Texas hill country. Visit Vannetta online at www.vannettachapman.com.

We’re glad to have you as our guest today, Vannetta! Tell us, what got you started writing Amish fiction?

Vannetta: My agent asked me to write an Amish book. At first I told her “no,” because we have only one very small Amish community in Texas. But she convinced me that it was something I could research, learn about, and visit the communities. I sure am glad that I followed her advice!

With so many Amish-themed books out there, how do you keep your stories fresh and unique?

Vannetta: I don’t think of my stories as Amish books. I think of them as books of hope that focus on God’s grace and are placed in an Amish setting. The Amish culture helps us to look at a topic without many of the usual distractions. So for instance, my upcoming release is about miracles. Do we believe in them? Do they still happen? Why do they happen some times but not other times? By looking at this topic in an Amish setting, we’re able to peel away a lot of the things that cloud the issue and take a good look at the Scripture and our faith.

Can you share one surprising thing you’ve learned while researching the Amish culture?

Vannetta: That they’re actually very friendly to “outsiders.” I didn’t expect that at all. I’ve had so many Amish folk invite us in for a cup of coffee—their hospitality is very genuine. That was very different from what I had read in the literature.

What’s one of the things you appreciate most about the Amish lifestyle?

Vannetta: I appreciate the way they educate their children. As a 15-year teacher myself, I’m amazed that they are able to continue with a one room schoolhouse teaching-model, and that it works very well for them. I believe there is a lot our current educational system could learn from studying these basic ideas which were once prevalent in mainstream society.

How do Amish fiction and mystery genres work together?

Vannetta: I think adding the mystery genre to an Amish story helps to emphasize that the Amish have problems like everyone else. It’s how we respond to those problems—as individuals and as a group of Christians—that speaks to our faith and our witness. Plus mysteries are fun! They keep the reader guessing and add a bit of tension to the storyline.

What’s the latest in your publishing news? Any upcoming releases our Amish Readers should add to their TBR piles?

Vannetta: My second mystery in the Amish Village Mysteries will release in December, Murder Tightly Knit. This is a fun story in that it looks at the similarities and differences between Amish and survivalists. My upcoming romance is Anna’s Healing, which I spoke about earlier. It will release a year from now, and begins my Plain & Simple Miracles series. These stories are set in Oklahoma. I had a wonderful time researching this community, and I think that readers will enjoy this very different storyline.

When you’re not busy writing, which types of books do you most enjoy reading?

Vannetta: I read everything—if someone recommends it, I’ll usually give it a try. So my TBR pile contains everything from Christian fiction, to mainstream suspense, to YA books. There’s even a biography or two thrown in there. I am an avid reader and always have one close by in case I have a few free moments.

 

Thank you for taking the time to visit with us, Vannetta! 

Amish Readers, which of Vannetta’s books have you read, or which ones are you most excited to read? You can view her full book list HERE.

Photos from Amish country courtesy of Vannetta Chapman.

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Authors, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
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A Wedding for Julia by Vannetta Chapman (July 2013)

Book 3 in “The Pebble Creek Amish” Series

(Book 1: A Promise for Miriam; Book 2: A Home for Lydia)

About the Book:

A Wedding for Julia, the third book in a romantic series from popular author Vannetta Chapman, takes a last look at the Amish community of Pebble Creek and the kind, caring people there. As they face challenges from the English world, they come together to reach out to their non-Amish neighbors while still preserving their cherished Plain ways.

Julia Beechy is so stunned, she can hardly breathe. Her mother’s announcement that she must either marry or move from the family home upon her mother’s imminent death catches Julia by surprise. How can she leave the only home she has ever known? What about her dream of opening her own Plain café?

When Caleb Zook offers support, comfort, and a solution, Julia is afraid to accept it. Can she marry someone she barely knows? Is it the right thing to do? Is this God’s plan for her future?

Caleb thought his time for marrying was long past, but he feels a stirring in his heart he cannot shake for this beautiful, forlorn woman. Amid the circumstances of this life-altering decision, the people of Pebble Creek weather the worst storm to hit Wisconsin in the last hundred years. Where will Julia and Caleb be on the other side of it?

Purchase the book on Amazon

Favorite Quotes:

His mamm used to say that prayer eased the heart by lifting burdens up and into their proper place. He wasn’t one for fancy praying, but maybe that didn’t matter so much. Maybe it was the asking that counted. p. 18

When Ada quoted from the Bible, it was as if she were sprinkling salt on a meal. She was seasoning the day. p. 22

What I Enjoyed:

• The tender marriage-of-convenience romance.
• The gentle hero and heroine, with their quieter personalities and their hardworking, kindhearted ways.
• The wonderfully authentic secondary characters—from Julia’s mother, to friends from previous books in the series, to Caleb’s cousin Sharon.
• The portrayal of the Englisch: both the kind neighbors and the customers at the café and cabins.
• The suspenseful elements lightly sprinkled in the earlier parts of the story, then coming on strong at the end.
• The profound and comforting inclusion of the Psalms throughout the book.
• The deep sense of community, love, and contentment permeating the pages.

Note: Please note that some of these “Featured Fiction” posts will include giveaways, and others will not. Giveaways will be clearly labeled and promoted as such. I hope you enjoy discussing and/or catching a glimpse of some great Amish fiction!

P.S. Be sure to visit again tomorrow for a fun and enlightening interview with the author of A Wedding for Julia, Vannetta Chapman!

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
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Amish & Musical Instruments
By Kelly Irvin

Writing A Plain Love Song caused me to pause and think perhaps more than any of the previous Amish romances I’ve written when it comes to trying to understand the Amish culture and faith. That’s because I love music. I’ve always wanted to play musical instruments, but alas, I have not a smidgen of talent. As I began to think about writing this story of a young Amish woman who loves music and desperately wants to write songs, play the guitar, and sing, I realized I needed to do some research to understand the objections the Amish have to such an aspiration. My go-to books for answering my questions on topics such as this are The Amish by Donald B. Kraybill and Amish Society by John A. Hostetler.

To understand why the Amish eschew musical instruments, you really have to understand the underpinnings of their approach to faith. They reject pride and try to practice humility at all times. The underlying attitude is of submission to God’s will. In our world of The Voice and American Idol, performers are celebrities who are feted, well-paid, and much loved by their fans. We’re told to compete, strut our stuff on the stage, and seek fame and fortune. Not so, with the Amish.

Donald Kraybill says the Amish church discourages musical instruments because they’re afraid their use will lead to performances that show off individual talents. Worship includes singing, but without instruments, and in a very slow a capella style. Playing a musical instrument is seen as a means of self-expression that results in feelings of pride and superiority. It calls attention to the individual and is a distraction to true worship. The Amish love music and often sing at home while working. The young folks go to singings on Sunday evenings, but in most cases, no instruments are used.

So my story is a what-if story. What if a young Amish woman dreams of performing as a country music singer? What if she meets a young Englisch man who falls in love with her, teaches her to play the guitar, and encourages her to reach for her dream?

My husband and I flew to Missouri, rented a car, and drove from Jamesport to Branson, taking the same road Adah would’ve taken on her trip. I imagined what it would be like for her to leave her family and the only home she’d ever known, perhaps forever. I tried to see the billboards for the Branson shows through her eyes. I tried to imagine how she would feel when she saw the sparkling rhinestone-studded dresses, the exaggerated makeup, and the dangling earrings worn by the female performers. Did she nearly jump out of her seat when a confetti cannon exploded during a show? I did, so I suspect she would too.

Another thing I learned while writing A Plain Love Song is that I will probably never play a musical instrument. I bought an inexpensive guitar with a DVD, thinking I’d teach myself to play. Uh-huh. I couldn’t get my fingers to reach the right strings, and they hurt! A tone deaf person has trouble tuning an instrument. Never fear, it was great research. I had better luck (in my humble opinion) in writing Adah’s songs. I love writing poetry and bought a couple of books on writing song lyrics to help shape my words. This stretched me as a writer.

I’m not convinced that God doesn’t take great joy in my church’s musical worship, drinking in the beautiful notes of piano, guitar, and drums, as the faith band leads us in singing his praises. Nevertheless, I have tremendous respect for the humble, obedient, and genuine faith of the Amish. Their desire to never be distracted from their express purpose of worshiping God is to be admired.

Kelly Irvin is a Kansas native and has been writing professionally for 30 years. She and her husband, Tim, make their home in Texas. They have two children, three cats, and a tankful of fish. A public relations professional, Kelly is also the author of two romantic suspense novels and writes short stories in her spare time. To learn more about her work, visit www.kellyirvin.com.

Pictures from Amish country taken by Tim Irvin.

Filed under: Amish Facts, Kelly Irvin by Amber | AmishReader.com
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 A Plain Love Song by Kelly Irvin (July 2014)

Book 3 in the “New Hope Amish” series

(Book 1: Love Still Stands; Book 2: Love Redeemed)

About the Book:

Kelly Irvin, author of the Bliss Creek Amish series, brings the story of the New Hope Amish to a dramatic conclusion in A Plain Love Song.

Adah Knepp wants nothing more than to make music. It’s all she’s ever desired—to sing and play the guitar and write her own songs. That’s a dream that will never come true in the confines of her strict Amish community. But then she meets Jackson Hart, and all of a sudden she finds the chance for a different kind of life. A real stage, a real guitar, and a real opportunity to sing her songs to a real audience!

But pursuing her dreams means turning her back on her family and community—and saying goodbye to Matthew, the gentle Amish farmer she can’t get out of her mind. Is it worth giving up the only home she’s ever known to pursue her dreams?

Purchase the book on Amazon

Favorite Quote:

He leaned back and tugged a pick from his jeans pocket, then picked up the guitar and began to pluck one note at a time, slowly and carefully. Each note sounded hopeful. Hopeful that another might follow.

What I Enjoyed:

• The inclusion of original song lyrics.
• The authenticity of the characters’ struggles and emotions.
• The characters’ real flaws. (Neither “hero” is perfect, which makes the love triangle that much more intriguing! In fact, after you’ve read the book, you might be interested in taking a peek at the alternate ending Kelly wrote for the story.)
• The references to country music. (It’s fun to come across names you recognize!)
• The romantic tension. (See point #3.)
• The wisdom from secondary characters. (I’m fond of Matthew’s groossdaadi and Jackson’s aunt Charlene.)

Question for You:

How important is music in your life? Would you have a hard time giving up instruments and iPods?

Giveaway!

Leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win a paperback copy of this book!

Fine print: Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only, and participants must be 18 years old or older to enter. A winner will be randomly selected and emailed on Tuesday, August 19th. This giveaway is in no way sponsored by or affiliated with Facebook, WordPress, or Twitter. 

P.S. Be sure to mark your calendars for next Thursday (August 21), because Kelly Irvin is going to be our guest here on the blog!

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Kelly Irvin by Amber | AmishReader.com
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