The Thomas Nelson Fiction team recently invited our authors to interview any other Thomas Nelson Fiction author in an unplugged Q&A session. They could ask any questions about any topic they wanted to know more about. What we love most about these conversations is that they reveal just as much about the ones asking the questions as they do the authors who are responding. So sit back and enjoy the discussion. Perhaps you’ll even be intrigued enough to pick up one of their novels and discover a new favorite writer in the process.
Golden Keyes Parsons
Beth Wiseman
Golden Keyes Parsons: I know this is a question you are asked over and over, but I think our readers will be interested to know how you got started writing Amish fiction.
Beth Wiseman: I have a deep affection for the Amish and their simpler way of life, so when my agent asked me if I would like to try Amish fiction, the decision was easy.
GKP: It’s my opinion that the simpler way of life is a major part of the appeal of the Amish fiction genre. I believe there is something within all of us that yearns for that simplicity. Tell us how you go about researching your books.
BW: I have connections in Lancaster County, so I have lots of help as I go along, and I have an ex-Amish friend who reads the books prior to publication to verify authenticity. I also read a lot of books about the Amish (both fiction and nonfiction), scan newspaper articles relevant to Lancaster County, continue to educate myself about their ways, and visit my Amish friends in that beautiful part of the country as often as I can.
GKP: It is indeed a beautiful part of the country with the picturesque farms, colorful flowers, and rolling hills. This is the area where my French Huguenot ancestors settled. Do you foresee writing in a different arena eventually?
BW: The popularity of the subgenre suggests that I will be writing Amish fiction for a long time. I’m currently contracted through 2013, and those in the publishing industry believe this “trend” is establishing itself as a stand-alone genre.
GKP: Your books were bestsellers right off the bat. For an unknown author, that’s quite a feat. To what do you attribute that fact?
BW: I think I was in the right spiritual place at the right time and able to hear God calling me to write stories that glorify him.
GKP: What is your favorite part about being an author? Your least favorite part?
BW: My favorite part is when the story writes itself and I can feel God spreading his word through me—that is an amazing feeling. Honestly, I don’t have a least favorite part. The entire process is exciting for me, and I feel incredibly blessed.
GKP: I feel the same way, Beth. I even like the rewrites and edits. What is the faith message you hope your readers will come away with?
BW: That a one-on-one relationship with God is the only way to true peace and happiness. And it doesn’t matter if you live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, among the Amish, or across the continent.
GKP: That’s my prayer as well. I also hope that readers will catch a glimpse of the faithfulness of God, even in the difficult places in the lives of believers. What one thing would you like to incorporate in your own life that you have learned from the Amish lifestyle?
BW: To shed fear and worry. Sometimes it consumes me, and I’d like to be more like the Amish in that respect— to trust that all things are God’s will, even when we can’t possibly understand his plan for us.
GKP: You have mentioned to me how much you have enjoyed my series on the French Huguenots. Do you see any similarities between our two series?
BW: Yes, I’ve enjoyed reading the series. I think we both write strong protagonists who are also somewhat vulnerable at times, which gives the reader a three-dimensional look at our characters.
GKP: Yes, I love strong female protagonists. And I love the challenge of giving her a believable flaw or weakness, then following that thread to show how God is faithful and makes a way for her in spite of her faltering. What’s next for you in your writing?
BW: Amish, Amish, Amish. And I have no complaints. I love writing about these wonderful people and plan to do so for as long as I can.
Thanks, Beth, for your time and your comments.
If you’ve not read Beth’s books, do yourself a favor and pick one up soon. You will find yourself immersed in the story of a simpler life with plenty of plot tension that keeps the pages turning.