An early pioneer of Amish fiction, Wanda E. Brunstetter recently celebrated an incredible literary accomplishment: She’s now sold more than six million copies of her books.
She’s known for her extensive research to ensure the details are just right and emotionally charged, relatable stories that underscore the beauty of a simpler life.
Wanda’s new title, The Struggle (Barbour Books), gives readers insight into what it’s like when an Amish couple from Lancaster County takes a leap of faith and moves somewhere new.
“I hope my readers will realize that the Amish people face many of the same struggles we ‘Englishers’ do,” Wanda shares. “I also hope they will see the value of good communication in a marriage and the importance of putting our spouse’s needs ahead of our own.”
Wanda’s own love for the Amish started with just that—love. As it turns out, her husband, Richard, grew up in a Mennonite church in Pennsylvania. “It was through one of our Mennonite friends that we got to know an Amish couple in Lancaster County. Since I have Anabaptist relatives in my own heritage, I have always felt drawn to the Plain People,” she says. “I’ve spent many years getting to know the Amish people, and with every book I write, I spend hours getting to know the people of that area and the lay of the land.”
And when she’s not busy writing (she’s got several new books in the works), Wanda, like the Amish, also enjoys life’s simpler pleasures—spending time at the beach, looking for agates, shells and unusual driftwood, gardening, bird-watching and doing anything that involves time spent with family.
“I believe in this sometimes hectic world in which we live, many people are looking for ways to slow down, live their life a little more simply, and get back to their roots,” Wanda says. “Reading an Amish novel can help a person learn to incorporate some of the things the Plain People do into their own busy lives. I’ve had readers tell me that after reading one of my books they decided to grow a garden, hang their clean laundry outside to dry, spend more time with family and friends or give up TV.”
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2012 issue of FamilyFiction digital magazine. Subscribe for free today!