What inspired the setting for you latest series?
The setting for my Amish Heirloom Series came out of a meeting I attended at my publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, in Nashville. I sat with the team members and brainstormed ideas for the series. It was so fun to discuss ideas with all of the folks who make my books a reality!
Who was the hardest character for you to write and relate to in The Courtship Basket?
I’ve had my heart broken and have been cheated on by a boyfriend, so I could easily relate to Rachel and her trust issues. I’ve been a caregiver for a dialysis patient and also had to be the breadwinner at the same time, so I could easily understand Mike. I’ve lived with someone who was on dialysis, so I could relate to Raymond’s point of view as well.
I haven’t, however, been a child who lost a parent and had a chronically ill parent, so John was the most difficult character for me to write. I tried to put myself in his shoes and imagine all of his confusing and conflicting emotions. I hope that John’s issues come across well in the book.
How many non-Amish books have you written, please include the names of them (I will link them on my blog)
I have written a three-book contemporary young adult series:
Roadside Assistance
Destination Unknown
Miles from Nowhere
I have also written a non-fiction book detailing my husband’s journey with kidney disease, and my journey as a kidney donor.
The Gift of Love
Share a bit about how you write, since you work a full time job, besides your writing career.
I’m very organized. I start out with a synopsis, and after my editor approves it, I write a very detailed outline, going chapter by chapter, scene by scene. I use this as my roadmap when I’m writing. The story grows and changes, but I know where I’m headed. This helps prevent the dreaded writer’s block.
I write for deadlines, meaning I take breaks and enjoy time with family when my books are done. I’ll write late into the night and all weekend long when I’m finishing up a book. My family is very patient and understanding when I’m on deadline. I’m grateful that my mother lives with my family, and she keeps the household running. My husband is also very supportive, and he takes the boys to youth group and their music lessons during the week. I couldn’t balance working full-time and writing five books per year without my supportive family!
Share a fun memory/experience from your teenage years that will show a side of you, the fans and readers will be surprised to hear about.
When I was in high school I was crazy about 1960’s music! I loved the Monkees and the Beatles the best. I saw the Monkees in concert several times, and I met Davy Jones twice. I used to make tie-dyed shirts and beaded necklaces. I was a modern-day flower child. It’s funny to think back on that now.
About the Author
Amy Clipston has been writing for as long as she can remember. Her fiction writing "career" began in elementary school when she and a close friend wrote and shared silly stories. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan College and is a member of the Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Romance Writers of America. She is the author of the bestselling Kauffman Amish Bakery series with Zondervan, which is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. An advocate for organ and blood donation, Amy donated a kidney in 2011 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Through her donation, her husband received a second kidney transplant. Amy and her husband matched another couple and swapped kidneys with them. Amy's memoir, A Gift of Love, will be available in early 2014. She hopes her story inspires others to become organ and blood donors. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, mother, and four spoiled rotten cats. You can find her on the web at www.AmyClipston.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks.
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