My husband grew up in a Mennonite church in Pennsylvania, and getting to know my Mennonite relatives gave me a sense of yearning for the simpler life. Then, when one of our Mennonite friends introduced us to an Amish man he worked with, my desire went deeper. When I discovered that my great-great grandparents were part of the Anabaptist faith, I realized why I had such a deep yearning to know the Plain People. It wasn't long after that and we began making friends with many Amish families in several communities across the country. I decided to write Amish novels so that my readers would have a better understanding of the Amish people and their way of life. Richard making balloon animals for children