It’s not often you get an update on what a particular character’s been up to four years after the fact.
But author Amy Clipston was so intrigued by the journey of Lindsay Bedford that she wanted to revisit the character again in A Life of Joy (Zondervan), the newest installment in the Kauffman Amish Bakery series.
“Now, Lindsay is 18 and has reached a crossroads,” Amy says. “She struggles with staying in the small Amish community she’s known and loved for four years or returning to the English life in her hometown in Virginia, near the college her older sister attends. An extended visit to Virginia tips the scales as Lindsay reconnects with friends, joins a new church, works on her GED, and is pressured by her sister to stay and ‘make something of herself.’”
For as long as she can remember, Amy has been fascinated by the Amish and how they live. Drawn to their simplicity and faith, she also feels a loose connection to their culture because they speak the same German dialect as Clipston’s own relatives.
It’s because of her high regard for the culture that she makes sure every detail in her novels is consistent and correct. “As with all of my Amish books, I double-check my details by referring to books and also talking to my Amish friends and other contacts in Lancaster County,” Amy shares. “One Amish friend lives on a dairy farm with her husband and seven children. She and I keep in touch through letters and on the phone. If I leave a message on her voicemail, she’ll call me back from her phone shanty. She reads the drafts of my novels and answers all of my questions.”
And coming up this summer, readers can visit the Kauffman Amish Bakery again in the fifth volume, A Season of Love (Zondervan).