Hello! I am very excited to have author Amy Cliptson join me today for a question and answer session. Amy’s newest book is Naomi’s Gift and is a must read. Welcome, Amy!
Amy Clipston
Amy Clipston is the author of the bestselling Kauffman Amish Bakery novels. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan College and currently works for the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. Amy lives with her husband, two sons, and four spoiled-rotten cats. Visit her on the web at www.amyclipston.com and www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks.
Why did you choose to write about the Amish?
I was always fascinated with the Amish when I was a child. I remember visiting Lancaster County, and my father, who was a German immigrant, told me that the Amish speak the same dialect of German as my relatives. I was drawn to their simplicity and faith. Due to my German heritage, I feel a loose connection to the Amish and their culture.
The Amish genre seems to be very popular nowadays, why do you think readers have taken to these types of books?
Our modern world is full of distractions. Each day our time is ruled by cellular phones and email messages. Most of us rush off to work in the morning and find ourselves trapped in our cars while sitting in traffic. When we get home from work at night, we again hurry through the motions of the daily routine before we have to go to bed. Many of us are not able to spend much time with our families due to the demands of our careers.
I believe that most of us secretly crave the romanticized view we have of the Amish life since their lives are focused on their families and faith. They chose to live simply and without the conveniences that have taken over our modern lives. The Amish have more time to spend with their families, and their lives revolve around their children, not stressful jobs. The Amish novels are an escape from our crazy lives, and the stories transport us to a simpler way of life. By reading about the Amish, we feel a closer connection to God and we refocus our lives toward what really matters.
What is the inspiration behind your newest novel?
Naomi’s Gift re-introduces twenty-four-year-old Naomi King, who has been burned twice by love and has all but given up on marriage and children. As Christmas approaches-a time of family, faith, and hope for many others-Naomi is more certain than ever her life will be spent as an old maid, helping with the family’s quilting business and taking care of her eight siblings. Then she meets Caleb, a young widower with a 7-year-old daughter, and her world is once again turned upside-down.
My dear friend Lauran deserves the credit for this book. Lauran loved the character of Naomi King in A Promise of Hope and A Place of Peace. When I began brainstorming a concept for the book, Lauran insisted more than once that Naomi needed her own story so that she could find her true love. I’m so thankful for Lauran’s input that I dedicated the book to her.
I hope this story gives readers a sense of hope. Even though sometimes it seems like life isn’t going the way we want it to, God has a plan for each of us.
Which character can you identify the most with?
I identify most with Naomi since she’s had her heart broken more than once and has nearly given up on love. I remember being young and eager to find my true love. I clearly recall the emotional pain of having my heart broken in college. However, when the time was right, I met my forever love, my husband, Joe.
How do you do your research for your books? Do you have Amish friends?
As with all of my Amish books, I double-check my Amish details by referring to books and also talking to my Amish friends and other contacts in Lancaster County. My closest Amish friend lives on a dairy farm with her husband and seven children. She and I keep in touch through letters and on the phone. If I leave a message on her voicemail, she’ll call me back from her phone shanty. She reads the drafts of my novels and answers all of my questions.
While writing about the Amish have you learned anything about their customs that has surprised you?
I love the traditions that the Amish keep for Christmas. They only decorate with a poinsettia and a little greenery, and gifts are small tokens of love. You won’t find a tree, twinkling lights, or Santa Claus in an Amish home. My Amish friend told me that they set a Christmas table with place settings with little toys for their children. And they always share the Christmas story from the book of Luke. It’s a much simpler way to celebrate our savior’s birth.
What inspired you to become an author?
As a child and young adult, I wrote for fun. I remember penning my first story in elementary school. Writing was something I did as a way to cope with stress and also escape to my own little world. However, I didn’t consider becoming an author or pursuing a writing career until I accidentally found Chesapeake Romance Writers, a Romance Writers of America chapter, in 2001. After going to a meeting, I realized that writing was a passion I wanted to pursue as a possible career. Thanks to my friends at CRW, I learned how to polish my work and find an agent.
What is your favorite thing about being an author?
I feel so honored and blessed that readers choose my books. The best part of being an author is meeting readers at book signings and corresponding with readers through snail mail, email and Facebook. I’m always honored when a reader takes the time to contact me.
Do you have anything that you would like to share?
Some readers may not know that I’m passionate about organ donation because my husband recently underwent a second kidney transplant. On June 14, 2011, I donated a kidney to a stranger and, in exchange, my recipient’s husband gave a kidney to my husband. This program is called paired kidney donation. Everyone involved in the transplant is doing really well. I’m thankful my husband has a new life without dialysis and that I was able to help another family through the program.
What’s next for you?
I’m excited to announce that I have four books coming out next year. A Life of Joy, which is book 4 in the Kauffman Amish Bakery series, will be available in February 2012. In May, a Kauffman Amish Bakery young adult spinoff called A Reckless Heart will debut. A Season of Love, which is the last book in the Kauffman Amish Bakery series will be available in June.
And in November, An Amish Kitchen, which is an Amish anthology, will be out with Thomas Nelson Publishers. I’m contributing to An Amish Kitchen along with authors Beth Wiseman and Kelly Long.
Naomi’s Gift by Amy Clipston
Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you’ll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County. As each woman’s story unfolds, you will share in her heartaches, trials, joys, dreams and secrets. You’ll discover how the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle can clash with the “English” way of life-and the decisions and consequences that follow. Most importantly, you will be encouraged by the hope and faith of these women, and the importance they place on their families.
Naomi’s Gift re-introduces twenty-four-year-old Naomi King, who has been burned twice by love and has all but given up on marriage and children. As Christmas approaches-a time of family, faith, and hope for many others-Naomi is more certain than ever her life will be spent as an old maid, helping with the family’s quilting business and taking care of her eight siblings. Then she meets Caleb, a young widower with a 7-year-old daughter, and her world is once again turned upside-down.