BooksChatter: ℚ His Guilt: The Amish of Hart County [2]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Shelley Shepard Gray to talk about His Guilt (4 July 2017, Avon Inspire, 304 pages), an Inspirational Amish Romantic Suspense, book two in The Amish of Hart County series.

"Heart-warming, heart-stopping romantic suspense!"--New York Times Bestselling Author Wendy Corsi Staub

"It is easy to become invested in the characters, as even the secondary characters are well-developed and vital to the storyline... the taut writing creates a perfect blend of mystery and romance."--RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars)

|| Synopsis || Teaser: KCR Preview || The Series || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

A very warm welcome back to Shelley Shepard Gray; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

What was the inspiration for His Guilt?

"For this second book in the Amish of Hart County series, I wanted to explore what it might be like to fall in love with someone who you didn’t completely trust. So, that is the inspiration behind HIS GUILT. My heroine Waneta is attracted to Mark Fisher, but there are a lot of rumors swirling about his past, including the fact that he had once been questioned by the sheriff for the beating of a local woman. As their relationship grows, Waneta must decide whether to follow her heart or what everyone else is telling her to do."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"I can’t say that too much of my personality is reflected in this novel, other than I love to write about characters I would like to know. There were a lot of characters in this novel who I would respect and want to be friends with."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for His Guilt - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"I love the cover for HIS GUILT, too! This one was designed by Diahann Sturge. The folks at my publisher have wanted the covers for this series to look rather stark and suspenseful. I loved how we only see the heroine’s back on this cover."

Why should we read His Guilt and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"The Amish of Hart County series is definitely a little different than most of my past Amish romances and what a lot of other authors in the genre are writing. There will ultimately be six books in the series but each acts as a stand alone novel. As readers continue the series, they’ll be introduced to new characters but be reminded of some of the same stores and scenery."

Can you tell us something quirky about His Guilt, its story and characters?

"One of my favorite characters in the book is Henry Lehmann. He’s the owner of Blooms and Berries Nursery and employs both Waneta and Mark. He’s kind of the reader’s eyes and ears in the novel. He often says what the reader is probably thinking."

Who would you recommend His Guilt to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"This is a contemporary Inspirational romance with a thread of suspense. It’s suitable for anyone."

If you could / wished to turn His Guilt and the The Amish of Hart County series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"Oh, gosh. I never know what to say with questions like this! All I can think of is that I would hope this movie would actually be made in the cave region of Kentucky, because the scenery plays such an important part."

What is your writing process?

"I am a pantser, which means I never go by a firm plot. I get started with a general idea of a plot and a very clear idea about my characters. Then I just kind of let them do what they want. It’s a frustrating experience because I often have to stop and reassess and sometimes even backtrack in order to write a decent book. By the time it’s finished, it all seems to work though. I write 10 pages a day, six days a week for a first draft, then probably rewrite it two more times before I turn it into my editor."

What is in store next?

"Next up in the series is a Christmas novel titled THE GIFT. It comes out in November. It will be followed by HIS RISK in March, 2018 and two more books after that."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"I am definitely a dog person! We currently have a little red dachshund named Sadie who we adopted and a one year old half dachshund-have beagle dog named Eddie. I bought Eddie last year when I was up in Amish country. A farmer’s dog had a stall with seven puppies when I visited! They were very cute. The picture is of Eddie about a year ago, when he was about two months old."

Hello little Eddie! What a gorgeous smile :-) Lots of head scratches and belly rubs to you!
Shelley, thank you for sharing Eddie with us and for once again being with us today :-D