Category Archives: Shelley Shepard Gray

Whole Lotta Gruntin’ Goin’ On!

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Shelley Shepard Gray saw them first! She said, “Look at the piglets!” So I looked and I saw this gigantic sow waddling along this fence line. “Uh, Shelley, that’s one big–” And then I saw the two little piglets tumbling over each other and racing through the grass. But along with the two piglets were some mighty big pigs. And they were gruntin’ and squealin’ at each other. When we approached the fence, they really wanted to rub up against us but thankfully the fence prevented that. But aren’t they cute? They sure had some long eyelashes!

Amish Country in Ohio

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I was in the southern part of Ohio, right on the edge of the Appalachians. Gorgeous country with rolling hills and ravines and creeks and all sorts of interesting topography, which in a way could be pretty creepy in a Sleepy Hollow kind of way. It really got my writer brain in high gear!

Before I went, I knew we were staying at Murphin Ridge Inn, so I looked it up and these trees and chairs were on the website and I knew I had to sit in those chairs. So I did. This is my fabulous hostess and friend, Shelley Shepard Gray, who is a New York Times best selling author of Amish fiction. We tried to find the pumpkin cannon, because I soooo wanted to try it, but alas I think they only had it on the weekends. Think I could do that in my backyard?

Ohio Amish Country

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This week, I flew to Ohio and visited with my friend, Shelley Shepard Gray, who writes Amish fiction. We celebrated her recent books and her new title: New York Times best selling author! Isn’t that awesome? Anyway, she drove us to Murphin Ridge Inn where we stayed in a luxurious cabin (really roughing it!) and then showed me around the edge of Appalachia where some Amish live and where I’m setting part of my next Plain Fear novel: Forbidden.

It rained the first day but that didn’t stop us from sampling yummy fresh soft pretzels or just pressed apple cider. Yum!

Since Autumn is my favorite season, I soaked in the colors of fall that surrounded us in these rolling hills and towering trees. What a great time we had!

Here are a few pictures of our trip: the cabin where we stayed (nestled in the trees), a covered bridge we traversed (built in the 1850s), a horse and buggy, and beautiful fall colors at Murphin Ridge Inn.