My new friend Clara
by Shelley Shepard Gray

HIDDEN, the first of my SISTERS OF THE HEART novels for Avon Inspire, is now in bookstores. Talk about exciting! Though I've been published in other genres, HIDDEN is my first foray into inspirational romance. It was also the first time I've ever written a novel with Amish characters.

We're fortunate to live fairly close to an Amish community. I've visited there often and know several people who have Amish friends. So, I was able to do a lot of research that way. But a few months ago, I was able to accompany a few ladies from my church to Holmes County, which is four hours north. Holmes County, and the town of Berlin, just happens to have the largest Amish population in the United States.

Oh, the town of Berlin is so charming! There are wonderful places to eat there and lots of fun crafts to buy. But my favorite part of the day was meeting Clara. She and I ended up sharing the back seat of a Toyota Corolla on our way to the quilt show. When Clara sat next to me, I tell you, I had to work to keep my mouth shut. Inside, every bit of me was so excited. Here was A REAL AMISH LADY!

It was all I could do not to open a notebook and start jotting notes about her clothes. But, as we began to talk quilts and the weather, I realized that we had a lot of things in common. She's a grandmother and also works at a hotel, cleaning rooms. She juggles responsibilities and chores. She just doesn't happen to use electricity and can speak Pennsylvania Dutch.

A few hours later, when we were waiting for a few members of the group to purchase quilting supplies, I gathered my courage and asked if I could ask her a few questions about being Amish. She looked at me strangely, then nodded. After I got out my little list, though, I made her laugh. I asked her about engagements and courting. Weddings and refrigerators.

She actually chuckled when I asked her about alarm clocks. As in...did she have one? Sure she did! Then she wanted to know how I thought she and her husband got up at four in the morning. I told her I hadn't thought that far. A rooster? Maybe the Amish just naturally got up in the morning without a problem?

Obviously, I still had a lot to learn.

Over lunch, we talked some more. Then, when she very kindly gave me a tour of her home, I noticed her bookshelf. It turned out that she loves to read as much as I do! She was a Karen Kingsbury fan! Excitedly, we started talking favorite books and promised to recommend other books to each other soon.

Then the tables were turned.

It turned out she was just as interested in my way of life as I was hers. I happened to be the first romance writer she'd ever met. She wanted to know about characters and plotting. About how the publishing business worked. This time, it was me answering questions thoughtfully.

By the end of our visit, Clara and I both knew we'd become friends. We'd bonded over books and a love of reading...which, I can now safely say, transcends all kinds of cultural boundaries.

Just last week, I sent a copy of HIDDEN to my new friend Clara, who just happens to be Amish. She sounded interested about the idea of an English girl hiding out in an Amish bed and breakfast. And because of her, my heroine in HIDDEN's sequel has a nifty alarm clock at her bedside. I have a feeling Clara will smile about that.