Amish Author's Christmas

By Ashley Emma

What will happen when an undercover author stays in an Amish home to do research for her next novel—but doesn't tell her new Amish friends she's writing about them?

On the outside, Ivy Everwood seems to have it all—money, fame, and a seemingly successful author career. Truthfully, she's alone and unhappy, and her career is actually about to fall apart. What Ivy needs is inspiration and a new perspective.
After seeing a brochure for Isaiah's Amish Buggy Rides in Unity, Maine, Ivy knows instantly that's where she wants to set her next romance novel. Ivy calls to inquire about staying with an Amish family, and she's stunned when Isaiah Miller invites her to stay with his family.

The Millers have no idea Ivy's agent wants her to write a novel about them. When Ivy shows up at Isaiah's house, she doesn't expect his parents and sisters to welcome her, treat her like family, and ask her to spend Christmas with them since she has no family of her own. As she grows closer to the family--especially Isaiah--guilt eats at her.

She doesn't expect to feel at home for the first time in her life…or to fall in love.

Will Ivy have the courage to reveal the truth before it gets out on its own?

The Amish Author's Christmas is a new standalone novella with its own happily ever after.
***
Also by Ashley Emma:
The Covert Police Detectives Unit Series (Amish romantic suspense)
The Amish Fairytale Series
The Amish Bible Story Series
coming soon: The Amish Classics Series

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ashley Emma
• Release date: Sep 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215620885

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www.AshleyEmmaAuthor.com

Other books by Ashley Emma

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The characters and events in this book are the creation of the author, and any resemblance to actual persons or events are purely coincidental.

The Amish Author’s Christmas

Copyright © 2021 by Ashley Emma

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be copied, shared, or used without the author’s permission.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner, except for brief quotations in critical articles or reviews, without permission.

The Amish Author’s Christmas

Ashley Emma

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Epilogue Six months later

About the Author

Sample of Amish Beauty and the Beast Chapter One

Chapter One

Ivy Everwood walked briskly down the chaotic sidewalk of New York City, avoiding eye contact with every person who passed her. She pulled her cashmere scarf tighter around her to ward off the biting cold wind, ignoring the bright, twinkling Christmas decorations in every store window.

Christmas was definitely not her favorite time of the year. It wasn’t any fun when you had no one to share it with.

Ivy opened the coffee shop door and stepped inside, shutting out the flurrying snowflakes. She deeply breathed in the familiar scents of coffee beans, caramel lattes, and pastries. This was one of her favorite places in the city, and only the locals knew about it, which made it a private, low-key place for her to meet with her literary agent.

Ivy, dear. How is my favorite author? Meg Rudolf, Ivy’s literary agent, rose from her seat to give Ivy a hug. Her long, gray hair was pulled up into an elegant French twist, and she wore one of her iconic gaudy, patterned blouses and cat-eye glasses.

I’m fine, Ivy said unconvincingly, unbuttoning her jacket. What could she say? She lived alone, worked all the time, and had no family or true friends. Yes, she’d had friends in the past, but no one that she’d kept in touch with long term. She’d always been a private person.

But this was the life she wanted. This was the life she’d chosen.

Meg cocked an eyebrow at her, but said nothing, gesturing toward the other chair at the table. They both sat down.

Well, we can skip the small talk. I know you like to get down to business, Meg said, and Ivy nodded approvingly. Meg knew Ivy well.

So, what did you think? Ivy leaned forward in anticipation, wondering what Meg would say about the chapters she’d sent to her. Sure, it wasn’t her most stellar work, but she knew she could improve it, and Ivy wasn’t afraid of constructive criticism.

Okay, so her inspiration tank had been running on empty lately. She could admit that. But as a writer, she couldn’t just sit around and wait for inspiration to strike. She’d written the best chapters she could, and with a few rounds of editing, it would be a masterpiece.

Eventually.

Ivy was sure of it.

I’m sorry, Ivy. Meg pulled a stack of pages from her bag and plopped them down on the table with a deafening thud that seemed to echo throughout the coffee shop. But I can’t work with this.

Ivy leaned back, almost tipping her chair backward. She quickly regained composure. What? Meg always loved her work. Why?

It’s stale. Overdone. You keep using the same formulaic plotlines and scenarios in your stories over and over, and people will notice, if they haven’t already. But this is just uninspired. I know you can do better than this.

Ivy wrung her hands in her lap where Meg couldn’t see them. Okay... So, I just rewrite the entire outline? Start over?

Yes. What you need is a new perspective. Meg swirled a spoon in her coffee. When is the last time you took a vacation? Tried new things? You need to take some time off, get a change of scenery, then you’ll get inspired. Trust me. Works every time. You work harder than anyone I know, Ivy.

I didn’t become your youngest author by chance, Ivy muttered. Or the publisher’s youngest author. Of course, I work hard.

And that’s admirable, Meg said. But you’ve burned out. You need time off to think this story over. You need a new setting, new characters, and a new storyline. So yes, you need to start over and write a romance with a new perspective, a new angle. Can you do that?

Ivy sighed.

She needed coffee.

You’re right, Meg Ivy rubbed her temples, trying not to think about the cluster headache forming. I do need to get away.

Good. Please do that. Look, the publisher is asking if you’re out of ideas. They won’t publish this or anything like it. I know you have plenty more great novels in you. You just need a new perspective. I’m happy to give you a few more days to come up with an outline and some sample pages for me to show the publisher. With that, Meg stood up. I’ve got to run.

I’ll be in touch soon. Thanks. Ivy watched her agent walk away, then she slumped in her chair, the sinking feeling in her stomach only growing.

It’s okay; it’s just writer’s block, Ivy thought to herself. This happened to authors all the time, didn’t it?

She’d been through much worse in her life. She’d get through this.

After ordering a coffee, she waited by the pickup counter, and a rack of travel brochures caught her eye. Paris, Mexico, Hawaii, Aruba... Where should she go? She thumbed through the brochures, but they all looked the same.

Isaiah’s Amish Buggy Rides in Unity, Maine, one brochure said, and she picked it up. Escape Your Chaotic Life with Peaceful Buggy Rides Through a Picturesque Amish Village.

Hmm, she muttered to herself. This sounds like exactly what I need.

She flipped through the brochure, seeing the Unity Community Store also advertised.

I wonder if one of the families would let me stay with them, Ivy wondered, the wheels in her head already chugging at full-speed. And if I can stay with a family and get to know the people, then maybe I could write my novel about them. An Amish romance. I bet Meg and the publisher would love that.

Ivy grabbed her coffee from the counter, stuffed the brochure in her pocket, and walked out the door with a smile on her face.

Finally, she had an idea worth writing about. She could feel it.

***

Isaiah Miller vigorously swept the floor of his family’s barn, then wiped down the benches where customers sat while waiting for buggy rides.

Isaiah’s Amish Buggy Rides was a fairly new business in Unity, Maine, but it was already flourishing. Not everyone in the church had approved of the new attraction at first, but it brought tourists to the other local Amish businesses as well, including his mother’s bakery and the Unity Community Store down the lane.

Isaiah’s family had converted part of the barn into a waiting room and reception area, and because it was a business now, there was a phone at the desk. As if on cue, the phone rang, and Isaiah jumped to answer it.

Isaiah’s Amish Buggy Rides. How may I help you?

Hi, a tentative female voice said. I have kind of a weird question. I’d like to come by and stay in town for a while and try out the Amish lifestyle. And also take some buggy rides, of course.

Really? Isaiah dropped his broom and leaned against the desk. Why do you want to try out the Amish lifestyle? This ought to be good. Just another tourist wanting to escape their life for a while, no doubt.

I... Uh... the