This week, I’m so please to have Amy Grochowski as my guest on the blog. This is her first appearance, so a warm welcome to you, Amy. Before we dive into the story behind her story, let’s find out a little more about Forever Home.
A Canadian Amish farmer
A Lancaster Amish businesswoman
A Prince Edward Island foster child
Providence brings together a mismatched family, giving all three a second chance for love. Only love may never have had such a tough job.
Lydia Miller is an anomaly among her Amish people-a single woman in her thirties, running her own store, determined to forge a life on her own. But when Joel Yoder comes into town to sell his property, Lydia suddenly finds all of her hopes and dreams crumbling around her and a new opportunity placed in her lap.
Joel has his own problems. Recently jilted by his fiancée, Joel has seen his own dreams of moving to a newly-established Amish community begin to falter. The new community welcomes married couples only. With his dreams quickly slipping from his fingers, Joel suddenly sees the only option he thinks he has—a marriage of convenience for both of them.
As the new couple begins life in a new settlement, they are even more surprised when a foster child in need of a home finds her way to them. Yet what will happen when the English world and the Amish world collide?
Wow, what a unique premise. I love it! What inspired you to write the book?
Research is one of my favorite aspects of writing. In 2016, while preparing for a romance writing contest, I happened across some intriguing news from Canada.
The Amish and Mennonite communities of Canada are predominantly located in Ontario. Some are related to the German Amish and Mennonites of Ohio and Pennsylvania and moved to Canada over the past century. Another larger portion of the Canadian Mennonites trace their heritage back to Russian Mennonite immigrants who fled to Canada for religious freedom in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
In the spring of 2016, some Amish and Mennonite groups began to move to Prince Edward Island. The draw? The island’s lush, fertile and relatively cheap farmland where they could afford to continue their traditional way of life and the provincial government’s welcome embrace of their needs.
When you or I move to another state, there’s some hassle. We brace for a lot of packing and unpacking, the red tape of title transfers, new driver’s or professional licenses, and extra expenses. When the Amish moved to the island, necessary changes were less than typical. Laws were made to accommodate their homeschools and private schools. Businesses erected hitching posts for horses and signs were installed to automobile traffic of their new neighbors sharing the road in slow-moving buggies. Overall, however, the transition was remarkably seamless, as PEI welcomed the Amish to their corner of paradise.
As you can imagine, my writer’s heart was captivated by the news when I read about the first newlywed Amish couple to settle on the island. An image of them riding down an island road in the buggy graced the top of a news article, and my imagination took flight. The Amish were living in the land of Anne of Green Gables. I had to write a story.
But that is only the first story behind the story.
As the story began to take shape, so did my youngest heroine. The romance within the story became dependent on the love of this little girl to survive. And as her character developed, she began to resemble someone especially important to me, my youngest child who has Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Through the pages of Forever Home, I pray I also shed some light the challenges of living with autism. While the book in no way shows the full scope of the neurological diversity of autism spectrum disorder, I believe readers will enjoy following Samy as she grows from childhood into adolescence and adulthood throughout the series. Forever Home is the first of my fictional Amish romances on Prince Edward Island. Many more stories are still to be told, concluding with Samy’s.
Amy’s deep appreciation for the Amish faith and way of life stems from six years of living and working with a Beachy Amish family, as well as her own Anabaptist roots. Her debut novel, Forever Home, was a pre-published winner of Romance Writers of America’s Maggie Award and a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest. She is a member of ACFW and Word Weavers Int’l.
Amy spent her childhood in Melbourne, Australia, where her parents worked as church planters. After returning to the States, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia became home. Her real life romance began on a travel nursing assignment to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she met her husband, David.
After a nursing career of more than twenty years, Amy is now fulfilling her long-awaited dream career as an author of inspirational romance. She is also a full-time homeschool mom for her two boys, one of whom has Autism Spectrum Disorder and lives with her family in the bustling foothills of North Carolina.
Amy is giving away a print copy of Forever Home. Follow the directions below to enter.
Thanks so much for joining us, Amy!
Amy, have you ever visited this Amish community?
So far, I have not been able to do so in person. My three lively Canadian nieces are anxiously waiting for the day when travel will again be possible, so we can go together. I get pretty excited just thinking about it. 😊
What an intriguing sounding book, I also love the cover! Thank you so much for sharing about this book and the author. I enjoyed reading this post and I will be adding this book to my TBR list for sure. Have a Great rest of the week and stay safe. God Bless you.
How many books have you written?
Thank you for your kind comments, Alicia. Forever Home is my debut novel. My second book, The Christmas Visitor, is also set on PEI in the fictional New Hope Amish community. The Christmas novella releases on July 21st. So, the short answer is two with the third soon to be completed for release next year. 😊
Have you ever been to Canada for your research?
Hi Jessica! 😊 I have family in Ontario who have been able to help me make connections to Canadian Mennonites there. I am anxious to be able to go to PEI in person once travel is allowed again.
You are a new author to me! Your book sounds great! My daughter works with a couple children with Autism at the preschool she works at.
Hi Beverly! We are so thankful to so many wonderful people who worked with our son in his early childhood years. Bless your daughter as she has the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young children. ♥️♥️
This sounds like a fun read!!!! Looking forward to starting this series! Thanx for the giveaway!
Hi Jennifer! I hope you enjoy each page with Lydia and Joel as this fictional Amish community on PEI gets started. It will be fun to have you along for the journey. I’d love to hear your thoughts after you read Forever Home. 😊♥️📚
What attracted you to the type of stories you write?
Hi Nancy,
That’s a great question, something I often wonder about other authors too.
For six years, I worked for a Beachy Amish family and lived in a small but tight-nit Mennonite/Amish community. I never considered actually writing an Amish story during that time. All these years later—with a great deal more life experience under my wings—I appreciate their faith even more. While I do not agree with them on many things, I believe God preserves their faith as a light this world so desperately needs. I pray my stories help shine some of that light and sprinkle a seasoning of their salt in hearts in need of hope.
Thank you for writing about a different Amish community. I did not know that there was one on {Prince Edward Island. How do you find out about the AMish community?
I just happened to type the words Canadian Amish into a Google search at the right time on the right day for an article about their new settlement to top the list of results. Then, my research continued from that lead. Of course, I don’t believe anything is happenstance with God. 😊♥️
Thank you for shating with us a new author. And what an amazing story this sounds like. Enjoy reading Amish stories and this will be added to my list. Thank you.
Hi Keren! Thank you for giving a new author and a new book a place on your reading list!! 😊 I’d love to hear your thoughts as a fan of Amish fiction after you read Forever Home. 🥰
Thank you for the chance to win a copy of your book!
Hi Linda, I hope you will enjoy reading Lydia and Joel’s story. 😊 Best wishes in the giveaway! 📚♥️
I really enjoy reading Amish books. I would like to start reading your book.
Thank you, Carole. best wishes in the giveaway. 🙂
Hi Amy,
What a fascinating article about the background behind this book!! I fell in love with Amish inspirational romance about a year ago – I truly feel it is my “soul-mate literary genre!” I’m very interested in learning more about the history and and culture, and specifically what differentiates the particular groups (Old Order vs. Anabaptist vs. Mennonite, etc.). Are there any resources you would recommend? Thank you, also, for the opportunity to win a copy of this novel – I would love the chance to read it!! Gratefully – Anne
Hello Anne!
So nice to meet you here. I love your enthusiasm to learn more about the Amish and Mennonite culture and faith. One of my favorite resources, also a great place to begin, is The Amish Way: Patient Faith in a Perilous World by Kraybill, Nolt and Weaver-Zercher. I believe it is available in many public libraries and also available through most booksellers. Another source for a less scholarly and more day-to-day insight into the people are their own publications such as The Budget, a widely read newspaper, or Family Life Magazine from Pathway Publishers. You can find more info on how to subscribe to those publications online.
I hope this is helpful to you. 🙂 And I would love to hear your thoughts on Forever Home if you read it!!
I read a lot of Amish books but have never heard if this author. I would love to win a copy.
Are you new to Amish writing? I have never read your books. I am adding to my list to look for
Hi Janet and Catina!
Forever Home is my debut novel. I’m so happy to be getting to know so many new-to-me readers of Amish fiction and am thrilled to have met you here on Liz’s blog. You can find out more about me through my Facebook page where I interact regularly with reader friends. I do hope to see you there to get to know you more! 🙂
Best wishes in the giveaway!
https://www.facebook.com/amygrochowski
Your book sounds wonderful. My 4 year old grandson is autistic. He started preschool this year but of course the year was interrupted. He is currently doing summer school on zoom but he has difficulty staying focused. You certainly sound busy writing and homeschooling 2 boys. How old is your son with Autism Spectrum Disorder and how long have you been homeschooling. Is that son older or younger than your other son?
Hi Carol,
My youngest son who has ASD is now 12 years old aNd has been homeschooled since grade 2 because of his need for focused one-on-one instruction. Zoom would be a very difficult option for him, even more so when he was younger. Those were trying years. In my heart I can feel the struggle your grandson is facing. I will be praying for him, as well as for you and his parents, as you all navigate through this time. May the Lord go before him to prepare a victorious path for his success. ♥️🙏🏻♥️
I remember watching Ann of Green Gables on PBS years ago and the beautiful scenes filmed on Prince Edward Island. Would enjoy reading this book.
Hi Amy, thanks for sharing and for the chance to win your book! How many books are you planning to write within this PEI Amish community?
Hi Amy, thanks for sharing and for the chance to win your book! How many books are you planning to write within this PEI Amish community? I’ve always wanted to visit PEI, I bet you had fun placing a story there.