[Lauren’s] fingers tightened on the steering wheel as she descended a steep hill toward a covered bridge. It was over Bliss Creek. Most of the covered bridges in the county were only a single lane, so she must be sure no other vehicle was passing through it. She doubted many plain folks would be out in their gray buggies on such an inclement night, but she couldn’t assume. Not after the bane of her childhood, Adam Hershberger, had lost his parents when a car sped through a covered bridge without checking that no other vehicle was inside it. Adam and Samuel and Joel…and her one-time best friend Naomi Gingerich. She hadn’t thought in years about any of the kids who would have graduated with her from the plain school. Were they still living in Bliss Valley? Regret clamped onto her. Though she didn’t care what had happened to those three cruel boys, she should have made more of an effort to stay in touch with Naomi. The two of them had been inseparable until her parents had jumped the fence into the Englisch world a few months before eighth grade graduation. She shoved the memories aside. Each memory made her…

They reached the bakery booth and Levi paid for two funnel cakes. He quickly maneuvered to the edge of the market, away from the bulk of the crowd. “I’m starving,” he admitted as he handed her a plate. “I am too.” She took a big bite. They had left in such a hurry, they hadn’t thought to eat a quick lunch, and she certainly hadn’t had time to pack one. The flower booth had been so busy that taking a break hadn’t been an option. The sinfully delicious concoction of deep-fried dough and sweet powdered sugar seemed to melt in her mouth. She hummed in delight. “Rachael was right. These are appendlitch.” Levi said nothing for a moment. His eyes seemed to be glued to her mouth. She belatedly realized she must’ve made a spectacle with all that powdered sugar. “I’m a mess, aren’t I?” She quickly swiped at her face. When his lips quirked, she realized she’d used the hand that had been holding the powdery funnel cake. “Here,” Levi said. “Let me help.” He gently brushed one cheek, then the other. He hesitated a moment before saying, “You have some…here.” His finger gently brushed the corner of her…

A white van with the hood up came into view along with a group of Amish women standing beside it. Gabe pulled the horse and wagon to a stop beside them. Which one was going to concentrate her attention on him? He wished Jonah knew the answer. That way he’d know which sister to avoid. His mother’s cousin Waneta came rushing toward him with a cheerful smile. “Gabriel, it’s goot to see you again.” He got down from the wagon, determined not to give any of the women undue encouragement. “Nice to see you, too, Waneta. If your stepdaughters will get in the wagon, I’ll collect your things.” “Our driver, Bessie, will help. Let me introduce you to my family.” “There will be time for that when everyone is settled at the house,” he said and walked to the back of the van where Bessie, a gray-haired Englisch woman, was pull­ing out the luggage. He heard the rumble of a truck ap­proaching and then a horn blaring. He glanced in that direction and saw a woman walking into the roadway. Her gaze was fixed on something in the distance. Didn’t she hear the truck? She looked at the ground. The…

The holiday cheer continues today with Laura V. Hilton and her new novel, THE AMISH CHRISTMAS GIFT! Don’t forget, the Forever Christmas celebration lasts all week–come back for more fun tomorrow.  ** What’s the name of your latest release? THE AMISH CHRISTMAS GIFT came out in October. What do you love about writing holiday/Christmas romance?  Everything!!! Are your hero and heroine full of Christmas cheer or the holidays bring out the worst in them?  A mixture of both. What’s one of your favorite holiday traditions? Spending time with family. Which Christmas movie do you watch on repeat throughout this festive time of year?  Home Alone (I have 5 children…) The best Christmas song is…  Angels We Have Heard on High. Do you prefer to be home for the holidays, or do you like to travel? Home. What can readers expect from you next?  THE AMISH SECRET WISH coming in April. It’s about a scribe for The Budget, who calls herself GHB, writes about community news, and sometimes alludes to her most personal feelings. Hezekiah Esh reads GHB’s articles and as he nurses his own broken heart, he finds himself falling for her. Can he find this mystery writer? THE AMISH…

I write inspirational Amish fiction laced with humor and romance. My newest book, Amish Christmas Miracles, is a collection of 14 Amish Christmas romances by 14 of your favorite Amish romance authors. It’s available for only 99¢ until November 15! To celebrate, I’m giving away three copies of The Amish Christmas Candle to three random commenters below. As you can probably guess, writing Amish romantic fiction requires a lot of research, but you might be surprised at some of the research I’ve done to make my books more authentic. Here are my top five most memorable research adventures. 1. Buying an Amish quilt (or two), an Amish doll, and an Amish-built table. My research trips have taken me to Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana in search of Amish communities. I love Amish-made furniture, quilts, and handicrafts. Probably my favorite purchase is the kitchen table I bought in Indiana. I ordered the table, the Amish built it, and a few weeks later, a driver (ex-Amish) delivered it to my home and put it together. 2. Baking huckleberry pie, asparagus casserole, and yummasetti. Food plays an important role in Amish life and most definitely in my books. In Huckleberry Hill, the first…

1—What’s the name of your latest release?  Softly Blows the Bugle is the third book in my Amish of Weaver’s Creek series. 2–What is it about? When Elizabeth Kaufman received the news of her husband’s death at the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863, she felt only relief. She determined that she would never be at the mercy of any man again, even if it meant she would never have a family of her own. Then Aaron Zook comes home with her brother when the war ends two years later. Despite the severity of his injuries, Aaron resolves to move West and leave the pain of the past behind him. He never imagined that the Amish way of life his grandfather had rejected long ago would be so enticing. That, and a certain widow he can’t get out of his mind. Yet, even in a simple community, life has a way of getting complicated. Aaron soon finds that while he may have left the battlefield behind, there is another fight he must win–the one for the heart of the woman he loves.  3–What word best describes your main character(s)?  Elizabeth is determined, but fragile. Aaron is steadfast. 4–What makes your story…

It’s the final day of our Fall Recipe Potluck–we hope you have enjoyed it as much as we have, and you’ve learned about some great new books and collected all of these delicious recipes. Don’t forget! You can check back on the week’s posts for chances to win books by these awesome authors. Thanks for joining our potluck! We’ll be back with another recipe round-up soon. . . Day 1: SECOND CHANCE ON CYPRESS LAND by Reese Ryan Day 2: THE SECRET FRENCH RECIPES OF SOPHIE VALROUX by Samantha Verant Day 3: SIMMER DOWN by Sarah Smith Day 4: THE SECRET INGREDIENT by K.D. Fisher Day 5: AN AMISH COOKIE CLUB COURTSHIP by Sarah Price — The Sentimental Nostalgia of Amish Sweets! For most of us, September marks the end of summer. In general, life slows down from the chaotic schedule of shuffling children to camp, arranging family vacations, and coordinating neighborhood barbeques. Community pools close, local schools reopen (typically…although COVID has thrown us all for a loop), and the warm days give way to cooler nights. For the Amish, however, September brings a different change and faster pace of life into their daily routine. The advent of autumn brings…

Hello, Fresh Fiction! It’s been so long since I’ve been here. And I cannot tell you how great it feels to be back! Some of you may know me as the author of several sweet rom-coms, all contemporary settings. So then, how in the world did I end up writing an Amish romance novel? Did I go all “inspie” on my readers? (Which wouldn’t be a bad thing, of course!) Nope. The real story behind why I chose this path isn’t what most people expect. . . It all goes back to my sister. She moved from Tennessee to Hershey, PA about ten years ago. I was dying to go there, of course, because that is where all the chocolate lives! I mean, talk about my mecca. 😉 The first time I went out there for a visit, we did the whole Hershey thing–which was dang awesome. (PS: I have a whole series that takes place in and around Hershey, called “Sugar City.”) Anyway…what I didn’t realize then, was Hershey practically butts up to Lancaster County, one of the largest Amish settlements in the country. My sister had only been out there once, so we searched the internet and made…

1–What’s the name of your latest release? The Amish Teacher’s Secret 2–What is it about? It’s the story of Amish spinster Eva Coblentz and her decision to leave her extended family back in the Midwest and take a job as an Amish schoolteacher in northern Maine. Her family doesn’t approve, but Eva is determined to work. Willis Gingrich is the local blacksmith coping with the arrival of his three orphaned half-siblings. He’s delighted school is about to start so the new teacher can look after the mischievous kids during the day while he can concentrate on his work. 3–What word best describes your heroine? Bookworm. Eva loves to read and has a large collection of books that she can’t wait to share with her new students. 4–What makes your hero irresistible? His inability to cope with his instant family, especially seven-year-old Maddie and her imaginary friend Bubble and his closely guarded secret. Willis can’t read. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help? Because they are both new to the community, Willis and Eva turned to each other for support. She sees how he is struggling with the children and offers to watch them during…

Jimmy led Prince back into his stall for supper and smiled when he saw Joey slip into the barn to follow along as he did the evening chores. It was becoming a habit, this shadowing by the boy, and Jimmy loved it. They had a little game they played together. Jimmy called it “Did you know?” Joey always started it off. “Did you know horse’s teeth never stop growing?” “Like a beaver?” “Yup. Did you know that horses have the biggest eyes of any animal?” “Hmm,” Jimmy said. “They do seem bigger than a whale’s eyes, I’ll grant you that.” When Joey had run out of the day’s newest horse facts, it was Jimmy’s turn. “Did you know that a horse’s whiskers are sensitive?” Joey peered at him. “Are yours?” Jimmy rubbed his chin, feeling the roughness of a five o’clock shadow. “Nope. But for a horse, those whiskers detect what eyes can’t see.” Joey rubbed his chin too. “Here’s another one for you. Did you know that a horse’s lips are loaded with nerve endings?” The boy wiggled his lips, pondering that fact. “Last one for the day. Did you know that a horse’s hooves are shock absorbers?” Joey…