An Interview with Amy Clipston

I think one of the best parts about being a reader is getting to meet the amazing people who bring stories to life!  Today I get to sit down and talk with Amy Clipston.

Thank you so much Amy for stopping by today! 

Thank you for having me on your blog!

The pleasure is all mine.  I have a few questions that I'd like to ask you!

1) Where is your favorite place to write?

I love writing in the family room because I’m able to keep up with what everyone in my house is doing and also be comfortable. I have a favorite spot on the sofa, and it’s a bonus if one of the cats will keep me company. If my family is super noisy, I put on ear buds and jam to my favorite music.

2) Who is your favorite writer and why?

That’s a tough question! I read different genres, so that could change at any time. My favorite author when I was a child was S.E. Hinton. I read The Outsiders at least fourteen times, and my copy of the book nearly fell apart. I enjoy romance novels, and a few of my favorite authors are Jill Shalvis, Julie James, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I enjoy young adult books, such as Brigid Kemmerer and Jennifer Armentrout. I often download audio books to my phone and listen to them at work or while I commute.

3) What do you enjoy most about writing and what is most challenging about it?

I’ve always loved to write. I started making up stories in my head when I was in elementary school, and I carried around notebooks that I filled with silly stories. I feel like something is missing if I’m not working on a book. Writing is always challenging because I try to make my current book better than the last. I always strive to take the stories deeper emotionally, and I hope that my writing grows with each book.

4) What inspired you to start writing Amish fiction?

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.

5) What do you hope that readers will take away from your books?

 I always hope my readers find hope and faith in my books. My stories usually are about second chances and renewed faith, and I pray my readers will find that in my novels.

Thank you once again Amy!  I really enjoyed having you today.  Here is a bit more information on Amy Clipston and her website!  If you are interested you can also find her on Facebook.  She's doing a great giveaway now with a chance to win some awesome swag!

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 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 Kauffman Amish Bakery series with Zondervan, which is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. An advocate for organ and blood donation, Amy donated a kidney in 2011 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Through her donation, her husband received a second kidney transplant. Amy and her husband matched another couple and swapped kidneys with them. Amy's memoir, A Gift of Love, will be available in early 2014. She hopes her story inspires others to become organ and blood donors. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, mother, and four spoiled rotten cats. You can find her on the web at www.AmyClipston.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks.