In Which a Librarian asks a Talented Author a Small Number of Questions:
I like to keep on hand Shelley Shepard Gray's novels often for when I want a well written, feel good read about people with problems I can relate to. I love reading about the Amish for their culture is just different than mine but we all go through the same ups and downs throughout life. Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She's published over a hundred novels and has over a million books in print. She started writing about the Amish because their way of life appealed to her. She wanted to write stories about regular. likeable people in extraordinary situations-and who just happened to be Amish--her books are a perfect fit for me! I bet they are for you as well.
If you were a dewey number which one would you be and why?
This question is so fun! I feel I should say that I'm 808.4~which I think is all things writing, but in a lot of ways I'm more a 641.5~regional cooking~like one of those cookbooks who offers personal stories flavored with family recipes.
What drew you to the Amish lifestyle? The core values? Plain living?
From the very first, it was the sense of peace that flows through everything in the Amish community. I'm drawn to it when I write, and I am inspired by it whenever I visit a community. Even though a lot of my Amish characters don't necessarily live 'peaceful' lives, there's a sense of contentment and faith in them that I find irresistible.
How do you begin your research for your books that include Amish? Just through typical research or have you ever immersed yourself (as a guest) in their world?
I strive to write books about characters involved in situations that could happen to anybody~ my characters just happen to be Amish. So, I usually write the book then work on any Amish research. I'm fortunate to have Amish friends and live just an hour away from Holmes County. So, if I need to figure out something, I usually just head down to Berlin or Sugarcreek and start asking questions!
I love reading your books, they are nice, sweet, feel good reads. I really like the few that are a bit more edgy full of mystery and suspense such as the Cold Case novels and Rumors in Ross County series. Do you find writing suspenseful stories easier or harder than inspirational novels?
My favorite books are usually ones that are a little more edgy or have a touch of suspense. I find them challenging to write because I never think they're good enough, but I think that challenge keeps my writing fresh. I've found that I write best when I go back and forth between two genres or two types of series. I always write more than one book at a time, which makes my writing days very enjoyable.
I always have one of your books sitting on my "to be read" pile, knowing it will be a good, sweet read. What types of books are on your "to be read" pile and/or who are your favorite authors/books?
Thank you for the sweet compliment! That means a lot. I usually have a couple of books in my current TBR pile. I have everything from popular romances on my Kindle to my latest Book of the Month Club purchase, to Anne Perry's latest mystery, to my current favorite genre~books set during the Great War or World War II. I have books all over the house and would usually rather be reading than watching TV. I read a lot!
Thank you so much, Shelley for answering our probing questions! If you would like to know more about Shelley and her writing and what the Amish have taught her, she will be with us via Zoom on April 20, 2023 at 6:30pm. Register for the ZOOM event at tadl.org/shepardgray--hope to see you there!