Hi, Shelley! Welcome back to Destination Amish. Tell readers all about your new book, HIS GUILT.
Thank you so much! I’m delighted to visit with y’all and chat about HIS GUILT! Basically, HIS GUILT is the story of Mark Fisher, who returns to Horse Cave, KY two years after being unjustly accused of attacking a local woman. Mark gets a job at Blooms and Berries. He’s working for Mr. Lehmann, the one man who always believed in him. There’s another employee at Blooms and Berries though, and that is Waneta Cain. After they get off to a rocky start, she begins to wonder if some of the rumors she heard about him might be true after all.
The Amish of Hart County series has been described as a thrilling and heart-pounding mystery. What made you decide to dip your toes into suspense and keep readers on the edge of their buggy seats?
About five years ago I wrote a trilogy called The Secrets of Crittenden County. It was set in southern Kentucky and featured a long-running mystery. I enjoyed writing the series so much that when my editor and I decided to set this next series in Kentucky, I decided to give suspense a try. The first book in the series, HER SECRET is my thirty-fourth Amish romance! It’s been fun to try something new.
Who is your favorite character in HIS GUILT and why?
I have to admit to loving the heroine, Waneta Cain. She was far stronger than anyone thought she was, and she was such a good person. She stood up for what she believed in. I would definitely want to be her friend.
These next questions are for fun! ?
Favorite Amish community to visit?
My favorite Amish community is still Sugarcreek. I’ve set seven novels there and in many ways it feels the most familiar to me. I love pretty much everything about it, and would want to live there if my husband didn’t have to get on a plane every week.
Fry Pie or Whoopie Pie?
Whoopie Pie, though I must admit that neither are my favorites! I love coconut, butterscotch, and peanut butter pies.
Favorite Amish-style restaurant?
I like Mary Yoders in Middlefield and Der Dutchman in Walnut Creek. Oh! And Yoders down in Pinecraft. Obviously I have eaten a lot of broasted chicken and pie!
Buggy or scooter?
Buggy, though now I want to get on a scooter. I really loved writing about all those pretty bicycles down in Pinecraft also.
Kindle or paperback?
Kindle. I must confess to loving my Kindle. I love getting a book in ten seconds, and carrying all my books around with me. I love to reread favorite novels.
Thanks so much for visiting us! How can readers connect with you?
Lots of ways! I’m on Facebook a lot, on Twitter (@ShelleySGray), on Pinterest, and I have a website, www.shelleyshepardgray.com. Also… (and I’m so excited about this!) I’ll be hosting a girlfriend getaway in June, 2018 in Sugarcreek! Lots of other Amish authors are going to be joining me there. I’ll be sharing information about this very soon!
Thank you so much for stopping by, Shelley! HarperCollins Publishers is giving TWO lucky readers a chance to win a copy of HER SECRET (Book One) and a copy of HIS GUILT. How great is that? To enter, leave a comment below. Two winners will be selected at random and announced on Tuesday, July 18th.
*Giveaway starts today, Monday, July 10th and ends Monday, July 17th and is only open to US residents*