AmishReader.com » An Amish Family Reunion

Single sons of farmers

Mary — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:29:34 +0000

Until I spent time interviewing and studying the lives of farmer, both Amish and English, it hadn’t occurred to me the responsibility of being the only son in the family. Most men who own family businesses hope their sons enjoy the vocation and will one day step into their shoes. But in an agricultural family, the stakes are much higher. Most small farms cannot afford to pay someone to run the operation when Dad wants to retire. If a man has no sons (or sons-in-law or daughters, in the case of Englischers) who wish to farm, he usually must sell the ancestral land. In An Amish Family Reunion I loved exploring this theme with my hero, Eli Riehl. Eli is a natural-born storyteller and wishes to write books for a living—an odd career for someone Plain. But while studying the Amish, I learned they are loyal, trustworthy and honor their duties, no matter what the price to their personal dreams.

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Where Amish women go to give birth

Mary — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:38:13 +0000

Misinformation abounds regarding where Old Order Amish women can give birth. In Holmes and Wayne Counties in Ohio, where most of my stories are set, Amish women decide for themselves where to deliver their babies. Some choose the local hospital and will be attended by physicians and nurses. (Always recommended wherever a difficult delivery is anticipated) Some women choose to have their children at home, attended by an Amish midwife. Many women select one of the modern birthing centers springing up in areas of high Amish population. At these birthing centers, expectant moms are attended by licensed midwives/registered nurses (usually either English or Mennonite) and Amish midwives working together. These are family-friendly establishments in terms of husbands and older children. Women paid a flat fee, usually stay three days, and can opt for the underwater birthing tub. I will post some photos of the Birthing Center near Baltic, Ohio—an impressive, state-of-the-art facility. In An Amish Family Reunion, my fictional mom-to-be, Leah, chooses this center where she can relax and enjoy the best of both worlds.

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When does a daughter become an adult?

Mary — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:55:30 +0000

I love to delve into the many themes that arise from a complex mother/daughter relationship. In An Amish Family Reunion I deal with the evolving power struggle beteen Julia (the mom) and her adult daughter, Emma. We met Emma in Never Far from Home as a rebellious teenager. Now she’s grown up with a happy marriage and two sons. But both her mother and her mother-in-law insist on making choices for her, much to her dismay. I think back to the relationship I had with my own mom. Here I was…married, teaching school, and handling the resposbilities of my first home, yet my mom would still call to ask: did you lock your doors, remember to take your vitamins, set the alarm clock for work?? Much of that is simple protective love, but she also tried hard to talk us out of vacationing abroad (could catch a dreaded disease) buying a house in the country (too far from the nearest hospital) and adopting a dog from the pound (could have fleas). I never became an adult in my mom’s eyes. Readers–drop me a line! Have any of you reached “adult status” with your mothers?

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A Mother’s Love

Mary — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:22:11 +0000

One of the themes I enjoyed delving into was the mother/daughter relationship. What constitutes a mother? In this day and age, we have stretched the definition to include step-mothers, grandmothers serving as parents, foster-moms, adoptive mothers, and any other woman who places her child’s needs above her own. In An Amish Family Reunion we meet Phoebe Miller who has grown to love Hannah after suffering a tragic loss of her birth mother as a young child. Hannah’s love for Phoebe is unconditional, equal in every way to what she feels for her natural-born son. As an adopted daughter, I speak from experience. I couldn’t imagine loving my mother any more than I had. The extent of a mother’s love defies conventional rules, defining who we are and the women we will become.

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Another lovely Romantic Times book review

Mary — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:15:37 +0000

This must be the week for good reviews for Harvest House authors at RT. Here’s what they said about An Amish Family Reunion: “A sweet contemporary romance with amazing characters who are beginning to figure out who they are and what they want out of life. The Amish are interesting to read about, as they live their lives according to the Bible, simpler and free of distractions. The details of Amish living reflect Ellis’ meticulous research.”
4-stars-RT BookReviews. Thanks, Rt, and congratulations, Murray, on the February top pick for The Wings of Morning! Also, fans of Amish fiction, please check out my new website www.maryellis.net It was a labor of love!

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