primarily written by Evangelicals for Evangelicals set in and around Amish communities with Amish and English (aka non-Amish) characters “clean” content no overt sexuality, obscenities, or violence features “strong family values” (Mort, 2002, p. 281) aka traditional gender roles
One young woman (Sarah, Katie, or Rebecca). One young man (Jacob, Daniel, Samuel). Add one, or more, problems: Someone is 21 and unmarried. Someone has a family secret. Someone is tempted by life outside the Amish community. Someone's heart has been broken. Mix together with one Daed, one Mamm, assorted siblings. (Optional: add grossdawdi and/or grossmammi). Bake together for 352 pages till resolved. Garnish with Pennsylvania Dutch glossary or recipes or quilt pattern. (Nelson, 2001) But it’s important to remember: Not all Amish Fiction is created equal – novels can vary greatly when it comes to religious and cultural accuracy. Books also exist on a spectrum when it comes to both “clean” and “steam.”
Cover! “If you put a head covering on the woman on the front, you’re going to sell a lot more copies. It’s that simple.” - Steve Oates, VP of Marketing, Bethany House (Kennedy, 2012) Thee, I Love by Annette Blair published in 1999 by Kensington Books Repackaged as Jacob’s Return reissued in 2011 by Sinful Moments Press
nonexistent. Colloquially known as “bonnet rippers.” Romance Love stories with LGBTQ characters. Unlikely to be printed by Christian publishers. LGBTQ Romance Topics include dystopian futures, angels, and vampires. Sci-Fi / Fantasy Crimes range from murder to disappearance to buggy accidents, but all typically happen “off screen.” Mystery / Thriller Often takes place in the early 1900s. May overlap with the romance subgenre. Historical Fiction Featuring teen characters for teen readers. Young Adult
of the genre thanks to her novel The Shunning (The Heritage of Lancaster County #1) in 2007. Has published 30+ additional works of Amish Fiction since that time. Writes both series and standalone novels, primarily in the romance subgenre. Cindy Woodsmall Broke into the genre with When The Heart Cries (Sisters of the Quilt #1) in 2006. Her romance books often have seasonal themes and she has published five separate Christmas novellas. Wanda Brunstetter Her Amish series novels take place in varied locales (including Hawaii!) and reach across subgenres, including romance, mystery, historical, and even children’s books. The Heavy Hitters Other Authors of Note Kim Vogel Sawyer Writes YA Amish fiction in addition to historical and contemporary Amish romances. Linda Byler The only Amish author writing Amish fiction. Her Lizzie Searches for Love series is based on a fictionalized account of her own life. Mindy Starns Clark Known for her Amish mysteries and romances. Writes non-Amish, Christian mysteries as well. P.L. Gaus One of the few men writing Amish Fiction, he specializes in mysteries and thrillers. Suzanne Woods Fisher Author of both fiction and non-fiction about the Amish as well as non-Amish inspirational fiction.
top author’s extensive list of other authors Amish Fiction Authors blog posts about Amish books and culture from a collective of Amish Fiction authors Christianbook find over 2,000 Amish Fiction print books, ebooks, & audiobooks on this retail site FamilyFiction articles, author Q&As, and lists of new releases Fans of Amish Fiction (Goodreads) User-generated booklists, group reads, & discussion boards About the Amish Amish Studies from the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College Who is Amish? one of several companion articles to the PBS documentary The Amish The books of Donald B. Kraybill considered the foremost living expert on Old Order Amish
library patrons to work on crafts and discuss Amish Fiction. * The library can provide craft supplies or encourage users to bring their works in progress from home. * Partner with a local organization such as the Textile Center to teach an Amish quilt pattern. * Serve birch beer (non-alcoholic) to embody the “happy hour” theme. Whenever possible, libraries should partner with a local Amish history or heritage center to ensure the accuracy of events and avoid co-optation and appropriation. Amish Potluck * Patrons recreate a dish from a recent read then bring it to the library to share. * Display Amish Cookbooks alongside Amish Fiction during the event Beyond Bonnets: Understanding the Amish * Pair Amish Memoirs with Amish Fiction in a book club format and compare their depictions. * Host a talk and Q&A with a scholar on Amish life or a representative from a local Amish community. * Screen the PBS film The Amish followed by a group discussion.
Ellis’s New Beginnings series. After suddenly losing her parents, Amy moves with her sister Nora and fiancé Thomas to heal and make a fresh start in Harmony, Maine. The local bishop refuses to marry Amy and Thomas until they have adjusted to their new lives. Is their love strong enough to survive the change and allow them to live happily ever after in Harmony?
Mennonite community. When the pilot, Moses, regains consciousness, they realize the power outage that destroyed his instruments extends far beyond his plane. With the only self-sustaining food source in the region, the Mennonites and the Englischers must protect themselves by forming an alliance. Dystopian meets Amish Fiction.
it’s time for him to officially join the church and find a wife, but he longs for something different. He begins apprenticing for David the carpenter and they find their forbidden attraction growing. Can they reconcile their desires with their faith? Note: Unlike the majority of Amish Fiction, this romance contains explicit sexual situations and graphic language.
and her seven-year-old granddaughter abducted, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder’s investigation leads her to an isolated Old Order Amish community. With time to find the girl quickly running out, it seems the community is keeping secrets. Can Kate figure out what they’re hiding and why in time to save the girl?
of Historical Fiction set in the 1950s. Delilah, an African-American preacher’s wife, moves from Alabama to Sinking Creek, Pennsylvania after the death of her son. There, she and her daughter Sparrow form an unlikely friendship with their reclusive Amish neighbor, Emma. Burdened by their own secrets as well as the social issues of the era, will the women be able to heal and face the future together?
Plain/Amish/Mennonite Fiction (Episode 303) [Audio podcast episode]. In Reading with libraries. Central Minnesota Libraries Exchange. https://cmle.org/cmle-created- resources/reading-with-libraries/episode-303-plain-amish-and-mennonite-fiction/ Kennedy, D. (2012, September 2). Amish fiction: Put a bonnet on it. Salon. https://www.salon.com/test2/2012/09/01/ amish_fiction_put_a_bonnet_on_it/ Mort, J. (2002). Christian fiction: A guide to the genre. Libraries Unlimited. Nelson, M. Z. (2011, February 28). Fiction publishers from A to Z: Strategies, opportunities, successes. Publishers Weekly. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/religion/article/46294-fiction-publishers-from-a-to-z-strategies- opportunities-successes.html Reffner, J. (2017, November 16). A delicate balance: Christian fiction genre spotlight. Library Journal. https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=a-delicate-balance-christian-fiction-genre-spotlight Riess, J. (2015, May 15). Beyond bonnet rippers: Eight industry veterans discuss what’s hot and what’s not in Christian fiction. Publishers Weekly. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/religion/article/66656-religion- update-2015-beyond-bonnet-rippers.html Weaver-Zercher, V. (2012). Tracing the backstory of Amish romance novels. Mennonite Quarterly Review, 86(4), 409-435. https://pearl.stkate.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lsdar&AN=ATLA0001921 888&site=ehost-live Weaver-Zercher, V. (2013). Thrill of the chaste: The allure of Amish romance novels. Johns Hopkins University Press.
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