THE CRITTENDEN PRESS
Noted author Shelley Shepard Gray has a Christmas present for fans of her "Secrets of Crittenden County" trilogy with the publication of "Peace: A Crittenden County Christmas Novella."
However, those new to the series might want to read the initial trilogy before reading the holiday novel, as characters and plot lines from those novels are mentioned in "Peace."
"'Peace' definitely goes with the 'Secrets of Crittenden County' trilogy that was published last year," Gray said. "I usually publish a Christmas novella to go with the previous year's series in order to let readers know what happens to some favorite characters."
For "Peace," Gray said there were story lines that many of her readers were anxious to learn more about, including that of Jacob and Deborah Schrock. The main storyline in "Peace" focuses on Chris Ellis and Beth Byler, two secondary characters in "The Search," one of the books from the Crittenden County trilogy. Gray described it as a Christmas romance that was a lot of fun to write.
Gray's books fall in the suspense-romantic genre. She said she first learned about Crittenden County when she was searching for a setting for a series.
"When I Googled 'Kentucky Amish,' a photo of Crittenden County popped up," she said. "I was immediately drawn to the photos, and soon, my husband and I drove five hours to visit. When we visited, it was pouring down rain and the creek was rising. That's when I knew I wanted to write a trilogy that had a good bit of both romance and mystery."
During a book signing last year, Gray hinted about the possibility of publishing a holiday book set in Crittenden County.
"Even though I certainly fictionalized the area, I tried my best to convey the beauty of the area," she said. "I've now been to Marion three times. I think it's beautiful."
Next year will be a busy year for Gray, as she'll have six novels published. They will include the "Return to Sugarcreek" trilogy, which begins with "Hopeful" on Feb. 4, followed by "Thankful" in May and, finally, "Joyful" in August. Next year's Christmas novella is entitled "Snowfall," which will revisit the Keim family and the "Days of Redemption" series.
"I'll also be publishing a historical Amish novella, set at the end of the Civil War," Gray said. "Finally, Zondervan will be publishing 'Secrets of Sloane House,' which is a single-title novel set during the 1893 Chicago World's Fair."
"Peace: A Crittenden County Christmas Novella," released in October, is 256 pages and is available online from most major book sellers.
