The Amish Widower was my 21st or 22nd novel, and my 4th Amish book with Harvest House Publishers. The first three were a humorous romantic series, co-authored with Lori Copeland, about Amish in the Old West, which was different from the typical bonnet fiction that had become so popular. Even though my brother-in-law was raised Amish, I’d always told my Harvest House editor that I would never write a serious Amish novel. Leave that to those who love to write and read bonnet fiction.  

My editor called me one day and said the editorial team at Harvest House had directed her to ask me if I would write a book they had already entitled The Amish Widower. This book was the 4th in the Men of Lancaster County series, the first three being written by two of my friends, Susan Meissner and Mindy Starns Clark. My editor said, “I told them you wouldn’t do it, but they insisted that I contact you.” I thanked her, and told her she was right, that I wasn’t interested. We hung up. Not fifteen minutes later my agent called and said, “Did you really just turn down a book contract with Harvest House?” After a lengthy conversation about many things (how a midlist author like me does not turn down an invitation from a publisher, and about my reasons for being hesitant), I called my editor back and said, “Okay. I’d like to do it. But I don’t want to write a smarmy romance novel about a guy who lost his wife and is looking for a mother for his kids. I want to write a real book, one that deals with real issues. If that’s okay with you, then I look forward to writing it.” She gave me permission to write a story I could fall in love with. And that’s what I did.

One of the best reviews I’ve ever received was by an Amazon reviewer who said, “This story had a depth, unlike other Amish stories I have read.” YES! That’s what I was aiming for. The Amish Widower is a story of forgiveness in all its gut-wrenching forms. Of forgiving those who have devastated your life, and of being forgiven when you can’t forgive yourself. It’s one of the books I’m most proud of.

The eBook version of The Amish Widower is on sale during the month of may, marked down from $7.99 to $1.99. I hope you’ll give it a try, and let me know what you think. Purchase from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble or anywhere you read eBooks.