Romance author Lenora Worth has written close to 50 books. Her latest is Her Amish Child (Love Inspired), the second book in the Amish Seasons series: Can their temporary arrangement turn into forever love? In this interview, Lenora shares what inspired the story, how this book fits into the larger series, and the best ways for readers to support their favorite authors…
Lenora, please tell us a bit about Her Amish Child. Where did you get the idea for this story?
I got the idea for this story when I was writing the first book in this series (Their Amish Reunion). I knew this would be a series but with different characters in each book. The idea of a widow finding a baby on her doorstep intrigued me so I jotted down notes and came up with a short proposal.
What can you tell us about Amish widow Raesha Bawell? What made you want to build a story around her?
Raesha is a strong character. An Amish woman who lost her husband at a young age, who lives with her aging mother-in-law—also a widow. It’s based somewhat on the Ruth and Naomi story in the Bible. Raesha refuses to leave her mother-in-law. She is also a successful business woman, having taken over the Bawell hatmaking business after their husbands pass away. She was a challenge but I loved her.
Tell us about the Amish Seasons series. How does Her Amish Child fit into the bigger picture?
Amish Seasons started when I seemed to be struggling with strong proposals for my next series of books for Love Inspired. I was walking on the beach with my husband when the first idea popped into my head. It was such a radical departure from what I usually write, I thought I’d get turned down flat. But everyone liked that idea and so it became a multi-book contract.
In each book, the theme of returning home runs deep. For an Amish who has left and returns home, this is a challenge and demands a true devotion to faith and family. When we go back to a place we left, we have to ask for forgiveness and redemption. Those themes resonate in these stories.
So the seasons of life are reflected in each book as well as the season of time—spring and summer, fall and winter. That cycle of the earth returning to its seasons sets the backdrop for my characters returning home to find true happiness and a strong faith.
What are the challenges of writing about the Amish that stays true to their culture and yet also makes for an engaging story?
The challenge is to be authentic, to speak the truth about how the Amish life and the tenets of that life, and for me, since I’d never considered writing an Amish book—to get the details as close to correct as possible but to also show the humanity. Human nature is the same, no matter the upbringing or environment. There is good and bad in all societies. I loved delving into that aspect of these stories.
What are the best ways for readers to support their favorite authors?
The best way a reader can support an author, other than buying a book, of course, is to leave a review if you’ve read the book. Reviews are important in this electronically-driven world. Even a bad review still means the person read the book. Word-of-mouth is always the best advertising and reviews are a perfect example of word-of-mouth. If people are reading and talking about our books, we all win. 🙂
Visit Lenora Worth’s author page:
https://www.familyfiction.com/authors/lenora-worth
Her Amish Child
Amish Seasons #2
Lenora Worth
Love Inspired