What kind of research or background do you bring to your Amish novels? How do you write about the Amish in a way that’s fair to their way of life?
I have an Amish friend in Middlefield that helped me with my research and read my earlier books to make sure they’re as accurate as possible, within the realm of fiction, of course. I always keep my respect for them at the forefront of my mind when I write and try to be as authentic as possible to what I know about them. My books focus on the similarities between Amish and non-Amish (which there are many) so that helps, too.
How does your faith impact how you approach writing your fiction?
This will sound strange, but I believe my writing impacts my faith. I learn so much from exploring different themes and topics, and it keeps me closer to the Lord.
What do you consider the best ways for readers to support their favorite authors?
This probably won’t surprise anyone, but besides reading our books and recommending them to others, writing reviews helps immensely. Reviews help increase exposure, which helps increase sales, which enables us to write more books. I always love hearing from readers, too, whether it’s through email or social media.
Visit Kathleen Fuller’s author page:
The Teacher’s Bride
Amish Brides of Birch Creek #1
Kathleen Fuller
Zondervan
Sometimes opposites really do attract.
If there is one thing Christian Ropp will not allow in his classroom—or his life—it is chaos. So why is he drawn to Ruby Glick, a woman who seems to bring mayhem wherever she goes?
Christian Ropp moves to Birch Creek to accept a teaching position in the rapidly growing Amish community. He’s determined to put the rambunctious school in order as well as check another task off his list: finding a wife. Of course, that would be much easier if women were like textbooks, straightforward and logical.
When an accident puts Christian out of commission, a new community member named Ruby Glick takes over his classroom. But Ruby’s exuberant teaching style clashes with Christian’s careful methods and he worries his students will never be the same.
With a track record of catastrophe, Ruby always feels too clumsy, too distracted, too … much. Desperate for a chance to prove that she can do more than make mistakes in her life, she throws herself into her new teaching position. But when Christian can’t seem to stay out of her way, she finds herself slipping into old, chaotic tendencies.
What she doesn’t anticipate is that Christian’s heart is slowly catching up with his mind—and she, too, must decide whether to follow logic or love.