Mary Ellis grew up close to an Amish settlement where she loved their peaceful agrarian lifestyle and strong sense of Christian community. She and her husband now live by the largest population of Amish in the country where they take weekend trips to research her books. Mary enjoys reading, traveling, gardening, bicycling and swimming. Before “retiring” to write full-time, Mary taught Middle School and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate—a job with amazingly sweet fringe benefits. All three in her Miller Family series made the Christian bestseller lists. A Widow’s Hope was a finalist in the 2010 ACFW Carol Awards and Award of Merit for the Holt Medallion. Her current release is An Amish Family Reunion. Visit Mary's website at www.maryellis.net. Connect with her on her blog, Mary Ellis's Home Thoughts.
Mary's books - including her newest release from Harvest House, An Amish Family Reunion, can be purchased from most Grand Rapids area bookstores, including Family Christian Stores, and Kregel Parable, and Baker Books
Below, Mary shares 10 fun and totally random facts about herself.
The last movie you watched: I saw "The Help." What a masterpiece! my goodness, I wish I'd written that book. Great performances from all characters.
Least favorite subject in school: Math, and wouldn't you know it, when I was hired as a middle school teacher, they asked me to teach 6th & 7th grade math.
Your greatest fear: Heights. I can't even watch commercials or TV shows involving rock/mountain climbing or rapelling. My trip to the Grand Canyon was a rude awakening. I could barely get out of the car to take photos.
Morning person or night owl? Morning person, definitely! I can barely keep my eyes open past 10:00 pm. Boring, that would be me.
What inspires you? Sunshine. I live in a cloudy/overcast part of the country. It's amazing how much more productive I am (not too mention happier) when the sun shines.
Pool or beach? Beach, because even if it's too cold to swim you can still wander along the edge with the sand pipers and gulls. I love to walk so far in one direction, I'm practically on my hands & knees trying to get back.
Worst injury you've ever had: bad car accident when I was 28, missed a year from work and had to have a lot of facial surgery. (Head went through windshield, rest of body did not, I had to be cut from vehicle with torch...)
Favorite candy bar: the original Hershey (plain) Chocolate bar. (I'm a proud retiree from Hershey Chocolate Company)
The best vacation you've ever taken: My husband and I took a Windjammer (sailboat) cruise when we were in our twenties. Swimming, snorkeling, beach volleyball on a different tiny island each day, meeting local residents, only 100 people aboard ship, no casino or movie theatre or showroom. just the moon and stars and the lap of waves against the side of the boat. Ahhhh, youth.
Cause you're passionate about: Saving the endangered species. Every time I see the polor bears with cubs on shrinking icebergs it breaks my heart. I don't feel God wishes us to be the only lifeform on earth.
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