Family, Faith and Giving it All Up for Love
by Keira Andrews
One of the most surprising things I learned while researching my book A Forbidden Rumspringa was how many different sects there are within the Amish faith, and how different one group can be from another. For example, the Beachy Amish-Mennonites drive cars and use electricity. On the other end of the spectrum are the Swartzentruber Amish, who don’t have indoor plumbing. Just as all Italians aren’t alike, neither are the Amish.
I set my story in a fictional town in northern Minnesota called Zebulon. My characters are Swartzentruber Amish, and as such live very restrictive lives. One Swartzentruber tenet that I think symbolizes how they are different from other Amish is their refusal to use orange reflective triangles on their buggies. In Kentucky, some Swartzentruber men went to jail rather than compromise their belief that God will protect them on the road, and that shiny orange is just too vain.
Now imagine living in that kind of strict community and being dangerously different. For my two young Amish men, Isaac and David, the knowledge that they’re gay is something they struggle greatly to accept. They know that being openly gay and living a plain, Amish life is impossible, but they’re inexorably drawn to each other nonetheless.
Still, the decision to leave your family and community for the freedom of a different life isn’t an easy one. I’m not religious, but I know it would be very hard to disappoint my parents. For Isaac and David, they have to decide if being together is worth the potential heartache. Here’s more about their story and the tough choices they face…
About A Forbidden Rumspringa
When two young Amish men find love, will they risk losing everything?
In a world where every detail of life—down to the width of a hat brim—is dictated by God and the all-powerful rules of the community, two men dare to imagine a different way. At 18, Isaac Byler knows little outside the strict Amish settlement of Zebulon, Minnesota, where there is no rumspringa for exploration beyond the boundaries of their insular world. Isaac knows he’ll have to officially join the church and find a wife before too long, but he yearns for something else—something he can’t name.
Dark tragedy has left carpenter David Lantz alone to support his mother and sisters, and he can’t put off joining the church any longer. But when he takes on Isaac as an apprentice, their attraction grows amid the sweat and sawdust. David shares his sinful secrets, and he and Isaac struggle to reconcile their shocking desires with their commitment to faith, family and community.
Now that they’ve found each other, are they willing to lose it all?
Note: Contains explicit sexual situations and graphic language. This is not an inspirational/Christian romance.
Available at: Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Kobo, iTunes, Smashwords and Barnes & Noble
About Keira Andrews
After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes contemporary, historical, paranormal and fantasy fiction, and—although she loves delicious angst along the way—Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said, “The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.” You can find out more about Keira and her books at her website, and on Facebook and Twitter.
Keira has graciously offered up winner’s choice from her backlist to one lucky winner!! The giveaway starts now and ends November 4, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. To enter, just click the link below!
Rafflecopter Giveaway
Please be aware that the only way to enter the giveaway is to click the Rafflecopter link above. Any comments on this post will not count towards entering the giveaway, except to verify your Rafflecopter entry.
Don’t forget to check out Morgan’s review of A Forbidden Rumspringa to see what she thought of it!
Good luck!
The Blogger Girls 
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
My pleasure, Michelle! 🙂
I loved A Forbidden Rumspringa! The elegant writing, the descriptions, the slow blossoming love of Isaac and David and how they dealt with everything made it even better for me. 🙂
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback!
thanks for the give away opportunity
My pleasure!
I am so glad you found yourself with this genre.
Aww, thank you, Debby. Me too. 🙂
I loved A Forbidden Rumspringa. Greatly looking forward to the sequel. Also loved the upcoming Semper Fi.
Thanks for the post and contest!
Semper Fi was AMAZING!!
😀
Thank you so much for the support, Jen!
I loved this book!
Thank you!
I’ve heard such great things about this book. I’m looking forward to reading it!
Thanks, Antonia!
Thanks for the great post. I have heard so many great reviews about this book. Thanks for the great giveaway chance too!
My pleasure, Jen! Thank you.
Loved reading about your research and the differences between the different Amish. Thanks
Thank you so much!
I absolutely loved A Forbidden Rumspringa! I can’t wait to getting a hold of the next in the series. I’m especially looking forward to seeing how they cope in the English world. Thanks for a chance in the giveaway.
That’s so great to hear! Thank you. A Clean Break is coming in early Feb, and I should have the release date soon. 🙂
I really liked it and I’m looking forward to seeing the next installment when it gets published.
Thank you so much, H.B.!
Loved this book! Can’t wait for the next one.
Thank you, Debra! 🙂
I would love to be able to get a backlist book. I’m on a very tight book budget right now.
Good luck in the contest, Alishea!
Interesting post about differences in the Amish communities. Thanks for your giveaway!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks. 🙂
Thanks for the chance.
My pleasure!
Hi Keira, I loved A Forbidden Rumspringa! I am waiting to get to Semper Fi, its slowly making its way up my TBR list. And I would love an opportunity to add your other back-list books to my kindle. Thanks for the giveaway.
Thanks so much, H! Good luck. 🙂
I can only imagine the hardships homosexuals go through living a life as constricted as they have. Not only would they feel they wouldn’t want to disappoint their parents but their community as well. I wonder, do the Swartzentruber also believe in Rumspringa like other sects? I’m so glad I wasn’t born into that sort of life.
Much success with your book, Keira!
taina1959@yahoo.com
No, the Swartzentrubers generally don’t have rumspringa. It’s a word that some Swartzentruber youth who left home had never heard of. And yeah, I can’t imagine it either. I think there are some great things about being Amish, but it’s not the life for me! Thanks so much for commenting. 🙂
I am so glad there is going to be a second book, as I loved the first one. Thank you for a chance to win one of Keira’s books 🙂
Thanks so much! 🙂