‘The Amish Ballerina’ Author Q&A with Richelle Brunstetter

Richelle Brunstetter lives in the Pacific Northwest and developed a desire to write when she took creative writing in high school. After enrolling in college classes, her overall experience enticed her to become a writer, and she wants to implement what she’s learned into her stories. Just starting her writing career, her first published story appears in The Beloved Christmas Quilt beside her grandmother, Wanda E. Brunstetter, and her mother, Jean. Richelle enjoys traveling to different places, her favorite being Kauai, Hawaii.

FF: What was the inspiration for The Amish Ballerina?

What served as inspiration for this story was when my mother and I were brainstorming novel ideas. I considered what it might be like for a young Amish woman to become interested in the performing arts, so after discussing the idea with my grandmother and working together with her to submit a proposal for the story, The Amish Ballerina was born.

FF: What can you tell us about your main characters?

Arie Kauffman, the story’s heroine, has been hiding her love of dancing from her parents, who disapproved of her desire to take ballet lessons when she was younger. Arie has spent the majority of her life helping her parents and taking care of her siblings, and ballet is the one activity that has helped her get through difficult times and provided an escape from her obligations.

The love interest in the novel is Edwin Chupp, Arie’s boyfriend, who’s in the dark about her love for ballet. He belongs to a group where he and several other Amish young people ride horses in drill team style. Edwin tries to persuade Arie to join the team, since she is an experienced horseback rider, but she turns him down since the routines can pose some dangers.

FF: Which character surprised you the most?

Although I wouldn’t say that any of the characters truly caught me off guard, there were a few instances where character interactions didn’t go as planned. There is a significant event in this novel that I didn’t expect to incorporate in the manuscript, so I do hope that readers will be taken by surprise when it happens.

FF: Why do you think storytelling is such a powerful way to share truth?

We may turn to reading as a form of escapism. Although some could see that as a detachment from reality, it’s actually a means of outreach. It raises awareness of important topics and gives them legitimacy, which makes stories compelling and deeply resonates with readers. It’s important to incorporate our own personal experiences so then the storyline’s overall message is believable in terms of a character’s values and growth.

FF: What can you tell us about your next book?

We haven’t planned another book for this story specifically, but if enough readers request it, there could be a potential sequel for The Amish Ballerina. I do have intentions of publishing another standalone novel and another collection of short stories that we hope to announce in the near future.

FF: What kind of research did you do for this book?

Part of the research stemmed from when I began taking dance lessons at the age of seven and continued to do so after school until I was eighteen. The artistic ability and commitment of the other students had impressed me, and even though I wasn’t meant to be a professional dancer, my firsthand experience with ballet helped with writing this story.

In the book, we also covered the fun that some of the young adult Amish have participating in a drill team, where they ride horses and perform various routines at charity events and local functions. We got a lot of insight from a young Amish woman, who my grandmother knows, who was part of the Royal Spirits Drill Team.

FF: What do you want readers to take away after reading your book?

Because Arie lacks confidence and depends entirely on how others see her, she becomes enmeshed in trying to win over the people in her life throughout the course of the story. Outward adjustments based on the expectations of those around you will not be beneficial in the long term. Genuine growth necessitates honesty and integrity from within, as well as having faith in overcoming the insecurities we have.

FF: What are the biggest challenges in writing Amish fiction?

My biggest challenge is that my familiarity with the Amish way of life is not as expansive as my grandmother’s. Considering she has Amish friends from different communities throughout the United States, I can say for certain that my grandmother is better versed in their customs than most. I have no trouble writing about the struggles faced by members of Amish communities because their circumstances are very similar to our own.

FF: What authors or books have inspired you as an author?

I’ve definitely gotten inspired by my own grandmother’s way of storytelling, and she’s taught me most of what I know. Her dedication to writing stories for her readers is admirable. She has guided me throughout my writing journey, and no one has had a greater influence on my decision to write novels than her. Letters of Wisdom was my recent favorite book to read from her, and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird remains my all-time favorite.

FF: How has your faith or world view impacted the way you tell stories?

Navigating the world may prove complicated due to its diverse points of view, which can at times become overwhelming and confusing. It fills me with worry whenever I wonder what my purpose is, but I remind myself that it’ll all fall into place, and I’ve come to find out that trusting in God has provided assurance with figuring out what’s intended for my life.