Shelley Shepard Gray

 

I’m excited to welcome my friend  and fellow author Shelley Shepard Gray to Amish Living.  Shelley is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.  She is also a fantastic person!  Beautiful on the inside as well as the outside.  I hope you enjoy getting to know her better.  

 

 

How did you get your start writing Amish fiction?

I wrote my first Amish novel, HIDDEN, based on an Amish community near my house. For years, my critique partners and I would have writing retreats in a bed and breakfast in Amish country. I based the bed and breakfast on the B&B where we stayed, though the B&B where I’ve stayed at isn’t actually Amish owned.

What is it that appeals to you most about this type of story?

Something that has always appealed to me about the Amish is their deep faith. Whenever I visit my Amish friends, I’m reminded about how their faith influences everything in their lives. When I write my Amish novels, I find that my faith grows along with the characters in the books. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to write Amish fiction.

Where did you get your inspiration for your upcoming novel, Ray of Light?

My Amish friends go to Siesta Key and Pinecraft, the Amish snowbird communities in Florida every spring. The stories they’ve shared with me about their vacations have made me want to write a novel set in Florida. I got my opportunity when Roman Keim, Ray of Light’s hero, needed a little break from his family! I loved writing about the beach and the sun…especially since I wrote much of the novel last winter!

What do you hope that readers will take away from the story?

Well, the central theme in the novel is how each of us can be another person’s “ray of light.” I hope readers might take a moment to reflect who has made an impact on their lives—and maybe even take a moment to let that special person know.

Which one of your characters do you relate to most?

In a lot of ways, I found myself relating to Viola Keim. Viola visits her fiancée in Belize, where he is serving as a missionary. She doesn’t make a very good first impression! When she finally believes in herself and in her worth, she realizes that she, too, can make a difference in other peoples’ lives. I’ve never been a missionary, but I’ve certainly had my fair share of “stumbles” and uncertainties. Those moments haven’t been the easiest for me, but they’ve certainly made me stronger. They’ve also reminded me that sometimes it’s good to be able to laugh at myself!

What’s coming up in your writing schedule that you are excited about?

I’m currently working on three very different projects. The biggest is my series for 2014. The series is called Return to Sugarcreek, and begins with the novel Hopeful. I’m really enjoying going back to one of my favorite settings and revisiting old characters.

I’m also working on two historical novels. One is Amish-themed, and takes place right after the Civil War. The other is tentatively titled Worthington House, and it’s a historical romance set in Chicago during the World Fair in 1893. Worthington House has a lot of suspense—my heroine is a maid searching for her missing sister. Everyone in the house is a suspect! So far, it’s been a lot of fun to write.

Thank you, Shelley!  And welcome to Amish Living!  🙂

Beth Wiseman