CLAIRE CONSIDERS - Q & A with Pamela Desmond Wright

Claire Hamner Matturro: First off, let me congratulate you on your success with this new series you are writing. You now have five books in the series featuring unabashedly tender, romantic tales of a family near the town of Burr Oak, Texas. The family is Amish and blessed with four daughters. These daughters are running the ranch by themselves after the death of their parents when the series opens, though that “by themselves” will change book by book. By name, the books include the 2021 novel “The Cowboy’s Amish Haven,” which is the first in the series and a Publishers Weekly bestseller. That was followed by “Finding His Amish Home” (2022); “The Amish Bachelor’s Bride” (2023) (also a Publishers Weekly bestseller); “Bonding over the Amish Baby,” (2023) and “Her Surprise Amish Match” (2024). Another novel, “Her Amish Refuge,” is coming in 2025, with yet another one in the early stages of development. All are published by the “Love Inspired” imprint of Harlequin. These books are available as eBooks, trade paperbacks, and in large print paperback editions. All of them exemplify why we love Christian romance stories as they are well written, faith-based, sweet, and clean with a genuine and compelling story—and plenty of tension and suspense.

Wow, that’s a lot of books and a lot of success with them. But let me ask this. You are not Amish, so I am curious as to what led you to write these novels and how you learned so much about the Amish people as these books read very realistically. Certainly, the reviews praise the authenticity of your positive portrayal of the Amish.

Pamela Desmond Wright: Though I used to write paranormal and adult novels, these were not the types of books my Christian family were inclined to read or share with others. After the passing of several close family members, including two older siblings, I decided to focus on more faith-based stories. The world has enough smutty books, and I am no longer a contributor.

My interest in writing about the Amish began as I searched for a genre that aligned with my new direction. Also, the Amish way of life, with its emphasis on community, faith, and simplicity, resonated deeply with me. To ensure my stories are realistic, I've dedicated significant time to research. I've read extensively about Amish culture, traditions, and daily life. I hope my stories are respectful to the Plain way of life.

CHM: In your Amish series, the books are centered around the Schroders, a large family in rural Texas where the nearest town is Burr Oak. Your webpage bio mentions that you grew up in “a small, dusty Texas town” and also that you prefer a “simple” lifestyle. I wonder if that childhood town has influenced your choice of setting in the series? Certainly, your descriptions of the town, the family ranch, and the countryside in the books are just lovely and very vivid. In other words, you excel at world-building and so I wonder if you are to some degree writing what you know with the setting and even the simple lifestyle?

PDW: Absolutely! My childhood greatly influenced the setting of my Amish series. I grew up in and still live in a very rural part of the Texas/ New Mexico border. My grandparents had a small farm, and I was raised around all kinds of livestock, which deeply ingrained in me an appreciation for the countryside.

As I have grown older, I have significantly downscaled my life, choosing to live small and mostly debt-free. This lifestyle resonates with the themes of my Amish books, where the characters often navigate the balance between tradition and modernity.

CHM: It’s not really any secret, I don’t think, to mention that you previously wrote some award-winning fantasy romance novels that had, shall we say, a darker side. These were published under the pseudonym Devyn Quinn in the paranormal and adult romance genres for Kensington, NAL/Penguin and others. While writing these books, you won the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award in 2010. These books—numbering over twenty—are still available today and definitely have an adult romance spin. In contrast, the Amish books are uplifting and very clean with no sex, no violence, and no cursing and yet, still, with tensions, conflicts, and of course, romance. In some ways between the dark fantasies and the ultra-clean, tender Amish stories, you’ve written flip sides of the romance coin, and I just have to ask the obvious: What made you go from writing some darker, more graphic romances to writing the clean, uplifting Amish romances?

PDW: Although I considered concealing my past as a writer of paranormal romance and adult books, I decided that was dishonest. When readers inquire about my "Devyn Quinn" books, I let them know exactly what type of books I used to write. I also explain why I left those genres, which was prompted by the experience of witnessing a family member pass away from cancer. Watching someone leave this world certainly puts your own priorities in place. I felt the need to focus on more uplifting stories. This shift has allowed me to create books that are clean and inspiring, and accessible to all ages.

CHM: For years, I have been referring people to the Writer Beware website, which is designed to help would-be authors and new authors avoid the scams and predatory behaviors of some unethical people in the book world. Even experienced authors refer to it! Not too long ago, I learned that you are the driving force and founder of Writer Beware, first known as “The Write Connection”, which was transferred to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) through (then) vice-president A.C. Crispin to become Writer Beware. This is such a valuable website, which I’ve well used myself, and so on behalf of all of us in the book world, thank you. Might you say a word about how you came to start this site and of its lasting importance?

PDW: This is an easy one! At the beginning of my writing career, I was the victim of many scam agents and publishers. I paid hundreds out in reading and representation fees--as well as allowing a vanity publisher to persuade me that authors had to pay to publish. That experience cost me thousands. Afterward, I was a sad, broke, but smarter writer about predatory agents and vanity presses.

After I wised up, I began to collect my correspondences and publish them on a website called "The Write Connection." Shortly thereafter, the SFWA took notice, and offered a small grant to continue the site. As I was going through a divorce at the time, I didn’t really have the time or funds the project needed to keep it going. (Yes, the scammers knew about the site and were threatening lawsuits right and left…) I decided to transfer my content to the SFWA. At the time, vice-president Ann C. Crispin had access to far more resources than I did – she was also a respected NYT bestselling author with clout (and not an unknown newb like I was). Ann and Victoria Strauss were able to turn “The Write Connection” into “Writer Beware.”

I still have the correspondence between myself and Ann, who has, sadly, passed. I also have letters from Professor Jim Fisher, who chronicled a portion of my experiences in his book, “Ten Percent of Nothing: The Case of the Literary Agency from Hell.”

“Writer Beware” has since become a crucial resource in the book world, helping both new and experienced authors avoid scams and predatory behaviors. Its lasting importance lies in its commitment to protecting writers from the same pitfalls I once fell into. I'm grateful to have played a small role in its genesis.

CHM: Even with the success of your novels, you’ve not quit your day job. Might you tell us a bit about how you find the time to write and hold down a job and tend to all the rescued animals you care for and make homes for? Do you have a set schedule that allows you to write daily or is a kind of catch-as-catch-can schedule?

PDW: Balancing writing and a “real” job requires a dedicated approach. I work part-time as a night auditor for a popular hotel chain, which provides me with the financial stability I need to pay the bills. I set aside three days a week for my writing. This schedule is crucial for making consistent progress on my novels.

In 2020, I retired from ferret rescue after 16 years. Although I no longer run day-to-day operations, I continue to manage an online network that helps rehome ferrets in need. Occasionally, I foster ferrets that are in transit to their new homes. This way, I can still contribute to the cause without the full-time commitment keeping live animals requires.

CHM: And about those rescued animals, how many do you currently have that you are taking care of and tending?

PDW: We have about 12 cats on the property. Some are indoor, some are outdoor, and some come and go as they want to.

CHM: Thank you, Pamela Desmond Wright for taking this time to share your thoughts with Well Read Magazine.

PDW: Thanks for inviting me!