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 sold more than a million books. 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 Amish Heirloom series, Kauffman Amish Bakery series, and Hearts
of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series with HarperCollins Christian Publishing.
Amy works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC, and lives in North Carolina
with her husband, two sons, mother, and three spoiled rotten cats.
The Beloved Hope Chest: Mattie Fisher’s three
daughters know that she’s been keeping a secret from them. With each item
pulled from the beloved family hope chest, they’ve discovered a new clue about
their mother’s past.
But there’s a reason Mattie has been keeping her
history hidden, and she’s not sure she’s ready to reopen old wounds. Will
dredging up the past change the way her children view her? Or her marriage to
their father? And can she handle the pain of revisiting the memories that
preceded the last few happy decades?
Mattie’s story is one of grief and learning to love
again. But like the best things preserved in a hope chest, it's a story of love
and redemption born out of heartache—and it's past time to share it.
Heidi here. Thank you for stopping by to
visit with us today, Amy, and congratulations on your newest novel, The BelovedHope Chest. I read it a few weeks ago (reviewed it here yesterday) and am always so interested in Amish
novels. They take place in current day, but the Amish live such a different
life than the normal American. What prompted you to begin writing novels in the
Amish settings? And as you are not Amish, how can you be assured you are
accurate in your descriptions?
I was always fascinated with the Amish
when I was a child. I remember visiting Lancaster County when I was younger,
and my father, who was a German immigrant, told me the Amish speak the same
dialect of German as my relatives. I was drawn to their simplicity and faith.
Due to my German heritage, I feel a loose connection to the culture. I was
inspired by other Amish authors to try to write my own Amish stories.
I
have a very dear Amish friend who answers all of my questions. She lives in
Gordonville, PA, and I visit her at least once a year. I also speak to
her on the phone frequently. I leave her a message on her voice mail, and she
calls me back, normally within twenty-four hours, depending upon how busy she
is. I try to keep my books as accurate to the culture as possible, but I
sometimes take a little fictional license for the sake of the story.
What was your inspiration behind
writing the characters of The Beloved Hope Chest?
This book is very close to my heart since it is the last in
my Amish Heirloom series. I’ve grown to love the Fisher family, and writing
Mattie and Leroy’s story was bittersweet.
The series was inspired while I sat with my publishing team
in a conference room in Nashville, Tenn., at HarperCollins Christian
Publishing’s headquarters. My publisher shared the idea of writing a series
about a family with three daughters, in which I would tell the daughters’
stories in the first three books and then go back in time to share the parents’
story in the last book. Before I started writing the first book, The Forgotten Recipe, I plotted out the
entire series and chose each mystery item that I would reveal in each book.
Therefore, I knew what Mattie and Leroy’s story would be before I even wrote
book one.
I hope readers enjoy The
Beloved Hope Chest since it reveals all of the mysteries that have been
placed throughout the series.
That is so neat that you have an Amish friend you speak with regularly and visit yearly, that must be why your novels come alive when I read them! Besides
writing novels, you work full-time. Given those responsibilities, what’s your
biggest challenge in balancing writing time with all your other
responsibilities?
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 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 when I’m crashing on a
deadline. I couldn’t balance working full-time and writing five books per year
without my supportive family!
Five books year, I had no idea, wow! What
advice can you give to aspiring novelists to produce a sound novel that’ll
sell?
People
often ask me what the secret is to getting published. I don’t believe there is
a secret to getting published, but I do have a list of things that will help
writers on their journey to publication.
1. Join a Writers’ Group
I accidentally found the website for a
local writers’ group while in search for a professional group to join as part
of my day job as a technical writer. When I attended one of the monthly
meetings, I met writers in all stages of their careers. It was then that I
realized I wanted to become a published author. Through this group, I learned
how to plot and polish my novels, how to find a literary agent, and how to
write a query letter that would pique an agent’s interest.
I strongly suggest you find a group
near you and socialize with other writers. You’ll have a great time and also
learn a lot. If you’re not interested in attending local meetings, you always
have the option of joining a virtual group. Join the group that best fits your
interest and needs and get connected.
2. Attend a Conference
If you have the money and the time,
attend a writers’ conference, where you can network and attend instructional
sessions that cover many aspects of writing and the publishing business.
Conferences are fun and informative.
3. Find a Critique Partner
During my journey to publication, I’ve
made some wonderful friends, a few of whom have become my most trusted critique
partners. Don’t write in a vacuum; share your books with trusted friends. Your
buddies will not only find your typos, but they may give you story ideas you
hadn’t considered that might make your plot even better.
4. Find Time to Read
I know what it means to be busy since I
balance a day job, two active sons, and constant writing deadlines. I enjoy
listening to audio books in my car during my commute to and from work. While
reading is enjoyable, it’s also a way to improve your skills by seeing what
techniques work (and sometimes don’t work) for other authors.
5. Keep Writing
It may sound silly, but writers need to
write! Finish your novel and polish it as best you can before submitting it to
an agent or editor. Your book represents your best work. Show a potential agent
or editor that you’re a professional and also eager to write for them.
6. Don’t Give Up
No matter what, believe in yourself and
believe in your dream of holding your book in your hand! If you’ve been
rejected by an agent or editor, don’t let that rejection get you down! I
received plenty of rejection letters and I wanted to give up many times. I’m
thankful for my family and my friends who told me to stop whining and keep
writing!
Awesome advice, thank you. How
do your faith and spiritual life play into the picture and affect your
storytelling?
Writing is a spiritual journey
for me. I pray often when I’m writing and I ask God for both inspiration and for
the words to reflect his glory. I add myself to the prayer list at church when
I’m on deadline and that always helps me find the words to finish the book. I
search for special scripture verses that speak to me when I’m writing and if
they touch my heart then I know that they belong in the book.
Amy, I love plotting and am always
looking for tips. How do you plot a novel? How close to the final version does
the first draft read?
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.
Each
book goes through two rounds of edits before the book is in its final version,
and the story usually resembles the outline. Sometimes the story grows or
scenes are added at my editor’s request, but the book is normally close to the
original outline.
Another author recently said about the same thing, so awesome advice! For
fun, if you could take a plane to ONE place, where would you go? If you could
bring one person with you, who would it be? And if you could eat only one kind
of food during your trip, what would that be?
My dream trip is to go to Hawaii!
Since my husband was born there when he his father was stationed there with the
Navy. I’d love to take my husband with me and see where he was born and also
enjoy the gorgeous beaches. I’d look forward to eating delicious seafood.
Hawaii, sounds beautiful and learning the history behind where your husband was born sounds sweet. Finally,
Amy, please tell us about future books planned.
I’m
excited to announce I’m working on a new series called the Amish Homestead
series. The first book, A Place at Our Table, will debut in November. My new series will center around the Riehl family
who live on a dairy farm in Bird-in-Hand, PA. I’m super excited to share more
about my new series closer to the release date!
Readers, let's keep the conversation rolling. Does anyone
have a question for Amy? By the way, she is giving away a signed copy
of The Beloved Hope Chest to one of you
(US only) ~ so comment away and don't forget to leave your email address too.
Connecting with readers on chats and
meeting them at my speaker’s events for Women’s Christian Connection, talks
about the Amish and their traditions and lifestyle, or about writing tips. I’ve
also “met” women who I consider friends on social media who inspire and
encourage me to keep writing. They have touched my life in a special way, and I’m
thankful for each one.
