Amish Witness Protection Continuity

By Debby Giusti

Love Inspired Suspense is starting 2019 with a bang…and an exciting new continuity that’s sure to please. The three stories feature heroes and heroines in the Witness Security Program who are placed in various Amish communities to keep them off the grid and away from the vile villains who have them in their cross hairs!

When my amazing editor, Emily Rodmell, asked if I wanted to take part in the Amish Witness Protection Continuity, I couldn’t say “YES!” fast enough. Plus, the opportunity meant working with talented authors Maggie K. Black and Dana R. Lynn. Both gals write fast-paced suspense that keeps me on the edge of my seat so I knew this continuity would be a hit with readers.  Maggie’s story, Amish Hideout is a January release. My story, Amish Safe House, follows in February, and Dana’s book, Amish Haven, completes the series in March.

Being part of a continuity comes with its own challenges so I thought you might enjoy learning a bit about the process and how it works.

Emily created the continuity “bible,” as it’s called, which provides a basic outline for each story and information about anything that must be revealed as the series progresses. U.S. Marshal Jonathan Mast is the hero in book one who comes up with the initial idea of hiding the heroes and heroines in various Amish communities. Jonathan also plays a role in the other stories, along with two additional U.S. Marshals, all of whom work together to create new identities for the WITSEC characters.

Here’s what Maggie K. Black said:

Writing Amish Hideout was a challenge because I’d never written an Amish book before. But my heroine, Celeste, had never visited an Amish community before—so it was something she and I had in common! 

Celeste is a computer programmer who risked everything to singlehandedly take down a criminal hacker who has been eluding the F.B.I. When he uses the power of the internet to send killers after her, the hero Jonathan will take her to the one place he knows technology can’t be used to hunt her down or hurt her—the Amish family he left behind when he became a cop.

In writing this book, I relied a lot on the wisdom and kindness of fellow authors. I listened to lectures on how to write about the Amish and also fired off questions to other writers when I was stuck or there was something I didn’t know. I also benefited from my excellent editor.

For me, Amish Hideout is a book about family, forgiveness and feeling lost. Jonathan has to reconcile with his family, overcome the damage his leaving did, and also figure out how to reconcile his faith and Amish roots with his calling to be a cop. Celeste too has to figure out where she belongs and what her future holds. It was deeply inspired by a family who came alongside me while I was going through a rough time and showed me acceptance, love and mercy.   

Debby here:

In Amish Safe House, a down-on-her-luck single-mom tries to hold her family together, but after her teenage son witnesses a gang shooting, Julia Bradford and her two children are forced into Witness Protection in hopes of eluding the street thugs who have them in their cross hairs. Three years earlier, Abraham King left law enforcement after his wife and daughter were killed and returned to his Amish roots. When his old friend, Jonathan Mast, asks Abraham to provide safe refuge for a family in danger, the reclusive former cop turned Amish farmer agrees, never suspecting that Julia and her children will upset not only his peaceful way of life but also the wall he’s built around his heart.

I had fun writing the two children into the story and fell in love with them almost immediately. Keeping the children safe while evil loomed upped the stakes and challenged me to find creative ways to outsmart the bad guys. The Amish lifestyle with its lack of electricity, cell phones, automobiles and weapons provided additional demands not found in most contemporary suspense novels.

Abraham and Julia come from opposite worlds and seem an unlikely match. Both carry guilt for mistakes they each made in the past that must be brought to light. Old wounds need to be healed with the salve of forgiveness and their faith in God reaffirmed before they can find their happily ever after.

Dana shared the following:

I am so happy to be on Seekerville again. I’m especially tickled to be here with Debby Giusti and Maggie K. Black, both of whom are authors I admire so much. This whole process was one more dream realized for me.

I have wanted to be part of a continuity ever since I started to read Love Inspired Suspense years ago. As a reader, I would wait for the next book in each series every month with anticipation. When my editor emailed me and asked me if I wanted to participate in a mini-series with Debby and Maggie, I was overjoyed. And a bit nervous. Writing a story which shares elements from other books that I didn’t write was a challenge.

It was also tremendous fun. I loved talking with the other authors as we brainstormed and tried to line up our stories. Connecting with friends on such a unique project was entertaining and also educational as we researched together.

I loved that while all our stories contained some similar characters, they were all very different stories. Mine is a reunion romance, which is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I love the themes of forgiveness and second chances. I had such a blast with this project and would do it again in a heartbeat!

We hope you like the series and would love to hear your thoughts on continuities. Do you enjoy the connected stories? What about Amish reads? When you see a bonnet or buggy on the cover do you add the book to your shopping cart or search for another selection? If you read Amish stories, what draws you to the genre? Have you written an Amish story or is that something you might try in the future? We’d love to answer any questions you have about writing continuities and/or writing Amish suspense.

Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for the entire Amish Witness Protection series. The winner will receive all three books: Amish Hideout, Amish Safe House and Amish Haven!

Happy reading! Happy writing!

Wishing you abundant blessings!

Debby Giusti

www.DebbyGiusti.com

 AMISH HIDEOUT

By Maggie K. Black

She must survive to testify…
The first exciting Amish Witness Protection thriller!

With a price on his witness’s head, US Marshal Jonathan Mast can think of only one place to hide Celeste Alexander—in the Amish community he left behind. As a computer expert, leading a life off the grid isn’t easy for Celeste. But will staying in Jonathan’s childhood home save her…and convince them a future together is worth fighting for?

Order HERE!

AMISH SAFE HOUSE

By Debby Giusti

Hiding in Plain Sight

The second thrilling Amish Witness Protection novel

After Julia Bradford’s son witnesses a gang shooting, hiding in witness protection on Abraham King’s Amish farm is the only hope the Englischer and her children have. Even as danger closes in, Julia is drawn to the community’s peaceful ways—and the ex-cop turned Amish protector. But when their location is discovered, can Abraham protect her family…and possibly have a future by her side?

Pre-order HERE!

AMISH HAVEN

By Dana R. Lynn

A Refuge for His Family
An Amish Witness Protection story

When criminal lawyer Tyler Everson witnesses his boss’s murder, he becomes the killer’s next target—along with his estranged wife, Annabelle, and their daughter. Now they must enter witness protection in Amish country. But reuniting with his family isn’t easy when Annabelle doesn’t trust him. Will going into hiding keep them safe…and bring the family back together for good?

Pre-order HERE!