Giveaway: Temptation and Interview with Karen Ann Hopkins

Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Your heart misleads you. That's what my friends and family say. But I love Noah. And he loves me. We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms. It should be ROSE & NOAH forever, easy. But it won't be. Because he's Amish. And I'm not.

Check out my review here



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--The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.

In the young adult novel, TEMPTATION, sixteen year old Rose Cameron finds herself relocating from the suburbs of Cincinnati into the center of an Amish community after her mother dies of cancer. It doesn’t take long for Rose to fall for her handsome Amish neighbor, Noah.

At first, Noah battles his feelings for the English girl. But eventually, realizing he can’t ignore his attraction to her, he goes against his family and the church to secretly court her. The story is propelled forward by the young lovers’ struggle to be together. At the heart of it all is whether Rose will choose her personal liberty and the life she’s always know or the young man she’s falling in love with. Her decision ignites a series of events with life shattering consequences.

The novel is the first in a seductive three book series that will follow the journey of Rose and Noah. Whether the couple will ultimately live in the Amish community or the outside world, and if either of them is willing to make the extreme sacrifice of leaving their own culture in the name of love makes TEMPTATION an addictive, page turner.

--How did you get the idea for the story?

I was inspired to write TEMPTATION from observing the interactions between the Amish         and non-Amish teens at my farm in northern Kentucky.  Although, Rose and Noah’s story is fictional, I’ve witnessed several Amish youth leave their community to be with outsiders.  In all cases, they were shunned by their families.

--Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with?

I’ve had dinner with my Amish neighbors on many occasions and it’s always enlightening, so I know that I’d enjoy dining with the Miller family.  Sam might be one of my favorite characters in TEMPTATION, but I’m sure he’d be as annoying to me as he is to his sister, Rose, if we sat down together for a meal.

--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?

BELONGING, the sequel to TEMPTATION, will be on the shelves in May, 2013.  I’m also working on a young adult fantasy set in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and an adult Amish mystery.

--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?

A few of my favorite books are: George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, and Maia by Richard Adams.

--If a fairy godmother told you could be put into the world of your favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?

It would definitely be Tolkien’s Middle Earth.  The man brilliantly created a fantasy realm with such depth that it seems as real as the world we live in.  I’d love to ride a horse over the plains of Rohan.

--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on your playlist- songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote?

I get the most accomplished when I’m sitting in my car while my kids do soccer or other activities.  Music fills every aspect of my life, except when I’m writing.  I prefer quiet with just the background drone of daily living. 

Whenever I hear the song, Second Chance by Shinedown, I think of the Amish youth.  It’s a song that one Amish boy in particular would say the lyrics to over and over when he visited my boys.  The song had meaning to him in his own life.

--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

Definitely flying!

--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?

I ride horses almost every day.  I usually ride with the kids or my boyfriend, but I also enjoy a peaceful trail alone. 

--What is one thing you would tell your 15 year old self?

Learn to speak Spanish and play the piano!

*I hope TEMPTATION opens up the intriguing and secretive world of the Amish to young adults everywhere.  The story is sure to ruffle some feathers, because of the culture’s anti-feminist ways and primitive lifestyle, but there’s no denying that their numbers are growing and spreading throughout the United States.  Encounters with Amish people will become more common in the future and even now, forbidden romance, like Rose and Noah’s, is causing turmoil in many people’s lives.    

The Amish world has a fantasy feel that is similar to many of the paranormal books on the market now, but it’s real, and possibly right up the road from you.


Pictures from Karen's Amish neighborhood

My question to you, my lovely readers:

Have you ever been in a "forbidden" romance?

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