Whispering to Horses

An old fence separates a modern community from their Amish neighbors, until a little boy opens the gate and breaks down barriers between them. Main characters, Matt and Eli, find friendship, hope, and a future through a mutual need, which creates an opportunity for them to learn to understand each other. Eli and his little sisters will touch your heart by Whispering to Horses.

My newest book is due to be released on November 2nd.

This short novel is about a man who doesn't like his Amish neighbors, that is, until he actually gets to know them.

Whispering to Horses is available for pre-order on Amazon by clicking the link below.

Amazon Link



Blogger Lue Shetler added this review below:

Being formerly Amish, there are certain things I look for in an Amish novel. In Whispering to Horses, Thomas Nye held my attention and did a wonderful job of bringing out the authenticity of farm life for an Amish family. An interesting and quick read about a young man, Matt, who comes back to his roots in Amish country and learns particular life lessons from a very mature youngster, Eli. The bond they form is heartwarming, sincere, and leaves one hoping these two will remain in each other’s lives for a very long time. There are interesting twists regarding Eli and his mother. I look forward to reading more about Eli’s mother, and how she finds peace and an end to the conflict she wrestles with deep within. Oh, and for you romantic types, there is a touch of romance. (wink, wink)
Lue Shetler, blogger, writer, formerly Amish.  lookinginmyrearviewmirror.com

Amish Book Cover

You shouldn't judge a book by its cover... but, an interesting cover does stir a reader's appetite.

 There are several key ingredients to producing an eye catching cover for an Amish novel.

          First of all, you need a lovely actress and a fantastic photographer. It's helpful if you happen to have one of each as daughters. My oldest of four daughters, Robyn, has a photography business, and my youngest daughter, Natalie, agreed to stand in as my actress.

         It is also a good idea to include a horse or two if possible. That wasn't a problem, my own Percheron Draft horses also make lovely cover models. Karm and Coke were raised on an Amish farm and provided inspiration for the Amish Horses Book Series in the first place.

 When Natalie was a little girl she used to sit in my horse barn and read to me as I groomed horses. She graduated from the University of Iowa as a history major and is now a high school teacher.

Robyn, our photographer daughter, was born with artistic flair. She had already read Catbird Singing before the day of this photo shoot. I believe that knowledge of the story and characters helped her understand what we were looking for.

My daughters both grew up around draft horses and were raised in a community saturated with Amish culture.

Karm and Coke seem to enjoy being the center of attention.

  We discussed a few ideas for our cover photo and let my daughters and horses go to work. All of the ingredients came together in a perfect moment, capturing a scene from Catbird Singing, almost as though the characters had come to life. (horses are some of the main characters in the Amish Horses Series)

There were so many good pictures, but one of them stood out as the most special and it became the cover you see below.

In Catbird Singing, a certain Amish girl talks affectionately to horses and uses that as a way to communicate to main character, Lenny.

Check out my daughter's photography website

Ruby Ellen Photography

Robyn

Did the cover photo stir your appetite to read an Amish novel?

Click on this link to order your own copy: Amish Horses Book Series 

Hay-field Volleyball

        Some people really know how to live and enjoy life's simple pleasures! I drove by an Amish farm the other day and there was a hay-field volleyball game going on. I'm pretty sure it was actually an Amish wedding being held on this farm, which is an all day event. Amish weddings start out early with a full "church-type" service, followed by a meal, continuing in the evening with another meal and a special Singing. Volleyball nets are set up nearby so young people have something fun to do between the wedding and later events.

        Buggy horses are usually tied on a long rope stretched tightly between two tractors. Hundreds of horses and buggies are at an event like this and there needs to be a good parking plan. I took these pictures in the late afternoon, by that time of day many of the older folks have left. Sorry I couldn't give you a better picture of how many buggies would have been there at an earlier time of day.

        I like this photo above. A young man is jumping up to spike the ball and a guy on the other side is prepared to return it, if it doesn't get blocked by those near the net. Volleyball is a very common recreational activity for Amish teens. I had a chance to play volleyball with my Amish friends (when I was a teen.) I found that they were actually pretty good at it, yet kept the game fun for everyone. You have to be smart enough to keep the girls involved, that's an Amish guy's chance to mingle with females.

The white objects behind these horses are plastic-wrapped hay bales.

        Under the Heavens and Catbird Singing both have volleyball games described within their pages. If you really want to know what it is like to spend time on an Amish farm, you need to read these books. I took my own experiences and made every effort to share the details that make you feel like you are right there. I like to tell people, "I made the story much more interesting than my own life, or nobody would want to read it." LOL  However, most of the stories are from my own experiences, or those my friends have shared with me. Book III is on the way, but I haven't released the title yet. Check out my Amazon, Thomas Nye author page.

Plowing with Horses

        Farming with horses is aesthetically pleasing as well as environmentally friendly. Gas fumes released from this six-horse engine pass almost unnoticed and have no ill effects on actual air quality. This young man is driving six Belgian horses in two rows of three, a very common hitch method for Amish farmers.
        Below, you will see six horses hitched abreast. (the sixth horse didn't make it into the picture) This is the hitch method I describe in the Amish Horses Book Series. When I write about farming with horses, in my novels, I use my own experiences. I've been blessed with opportunities to plow and disc with a six-horse hitch on an Amish friend's farm. My own horses were part of that six-abreast Percheron team. Unfortunately, I didn't feel free to take pictures.

        You will notice in the "six-abreast photo" that Belgians, Percherons, and buggy horses are working together to get a job done.

        Notice in this hitch formation, two horses have to walk in the plow furrow, the other four horses walk on sod. In the six abreast style, one walks in the furrow, two on sod, and the other two on plowed ground. All of this becomes important in the story-lines of my novels, Under the Heavens and Catbird Singing. I try to keep these blog posts short and to the point. If you want to read a whole book filled with horse-drawn adventures on an Amish farm, you'll have to check out the Amish Horses Book Series.

        A friend of mine (Laurie) took these photos on her neighbor's Amish farm in Wisconsin. She told me that all six of these Belgians are mares. Another wonderful thing about farming with horses: Not only can these six horses help raise their own fuel, they can reproduce and raise their own replacements. They also produce organic fertilizer in large quantities. We have not yet come up with a tractor that can do that.

Fathers Day Gift

 Most of us dads would be happy with a crayon-colored homemade card, and a big hug on Father's day. We wont be upset if you buy us another tie, or more socks. However, if you really want to get dad something unique, here's an idea. Send him on a trip to an Amish farm through the pages of a novel.

       If your Dad or Grandpa grew up on a farm, or visited relative's farms and wished he lived there, then he will enjoy reading these books.

       "Under the Heavens" is about a 16 year old city-boy who spends a summer on his Amish grandpa's farm. Main character, Lenny, is so scared of Grandpa's huge horses his pants are quivering. Wise old Grandpa knows just how to build up his grandson's courage and instill self-confidence. This is a story of restored relationships between a man, his son, and grandson.

       Lenny also meets an adorable Amish neighbor-girl and sparks are flying... but that won't bother your dad or grandpa, us old guys like a little romance. Lenny previously spent most of his young life watching TV, until he ends up out "Under the Heavens" plowing with horses, making hay, and experiencing a number of adventures on the farm. He discovers that actually living-his-life instead of watching movies, is more rewarding. Send your dad or grandpa back in time with Lenny for a summer on an Amish Farm.

Click on the words below to order in time for Father's Day.

Under the Heavens

Or, if you prefer to order through Amazon... click on the book title in orange:
 Under the Heavens

If he really likes Under the Heavens, you are all set for the next few years. You can get him Book II, Catbird Singing, and Book III is on the way!

A Real Amish Paradise

 Shipshewanna, Indiana may be a tourist trap in some people's minds, but to me, an Amish fiction writer, it is Paradise! 

 There are so many beautiful views everywhere you drive! I took the small paved road between Shipshewanna and Middlebury to place copies of my novels in local hardware stores, and I was stunned by the vistas that surrounded me. If you decide to take a trip to the area, stop in and pick up a copy of "Under the Heavens" at Varns & Hoover Hardware in Middlebury, or  Town & Country Hardware in Shipshewanna, right along the main road near the Blue Gate Restaurant. If you can't get enough of the Amish countryside ,take home the experience through the pages of my novels.

 If you want to see the quiet beauty of God's creation go to the rocky mountains, an ocean shore, or just head down a side road in the Amish community of Shipshewanna. (I don't work for the local chamber of commerce either. LOL)

 These are only a few of the many photos I took while visiting the area last week, keep checking my blog for more! I put up a new post about once a week.

 Shipshewanna may be just a quiet county community, but for you and me, Paradise!

Local Newspaper Article

The Wellman Advance ran this article on the front page, February 19, 2015. I really thought that Bill Gatchel did an exceptional job writing, and I wanted to share it with all of you. (I asked for permission to photograph the article and post it online.) Yes, I know that I didn't take perfectly straight pics... but I think that adds to the effect that you are reading out of a newspaper from a rocking chair. You also may notice that the words get larger with each section. The article was done right, it's my photography that is lacking. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

I would like to explain a little more about the local farmers "non-comment." The Kalona / Wellman community is a very close-knit group with a large Mennonite and Amish population. They all know me and I knew that I would have to face them if they didn't like my book. Almost everyone here grew up on a farm or spent time on grandpa and grandma's farm. I was nervous about what the local's would think of my farming story, because they know the facts. Scores of local farmers have read Under the Heavens and their response has been, "When does the next book come out?" With big smiles on their faces.  I did have one older farmer catch a mistake about what I called a two-bottom plow. I called it a sulky-plow and it should be a gang-plow. A one-bottom plow, with a seat, is a sulky plow.  I fixed that issue in Book II, Catbird Singing.  

Here is a link for the article: Wellman Advance

Amish Cart

 I purchased this old two-wheeled cart at an Amish farm auction. It was old when I bought it in 1992 and that was over twenty years ago now. Believe it or not, it went for $10. I had to take it to another Amishman to have a new tongue put on, which cost me another $15. I have used this little two-wheeled "hitch cart" hundreds, if not thousands of times and it is as good as the day I bought it. (never had a flat tire yet!)

This steel-wheeled cart made it onto the cover of my 1st book, Under the Heavens. I like how simple and authentic it is. It's too bad I don't know how old it really is. It's fun to imagine all the many adventures my cart had on the Amish farm it came from. More than likely, it pulled many a loaded hay-wagon, and barge-box full of grain. It is also quite possible it pulled out numerous vehicles stuck in mud or snow. Carts like this one have been used to pull a dead sow or cow out of the lot, not to mention logs and shrubs.

The wheels make an squeaking sound as they turn, but Karma and Coke don't seem to notice.

Karma spent the first 7 years of her life on an Amish farm and Coke was 4 when I bought her. I know they had a lot of adventures before they came to live with me.

I like to tease them about how easy they have it on my place. I do a lot of the same types of work on my acreage but only a fraction of what work is being done on an Amish farm.

Of course, they had about six other big horses helping when they were on the Amish farm.

Karma is Coke's aunt. Coke's mom was a full sister to Karm. That may be why they work so well together, and look so much alike.

Book Store

If you're ever in Iowa City, look for Prairie Lights book store, you will not be disappointed. Iowa City is home to the University of Iowa's Writer's Workshop the first creative writing degree program in the United States. Authors come from all over the world to "hone in" their writing skills. Many have left their mark, and their book, here at Prairie Lights.

Knowing that, you will understand my excitement when Prairie Lights placed my novel on their shelf. Now, Under the Heavens and Catbird Singing are both available at this wonderful book store.

Check out this dog under the table.

If you do stop by, tell them Thomas Nye (the local mailman who did not go to the Writer's Workshop) sent you. By the way, they also have an amazing in-house coffee shop, tempting you to buy a good book and start reading right there!

Working with horses on an Amish farm

Under the Heavens, is all about that!

This was one of our cover options for Under the Heavens 

Have you ever looked through the pages of a Draft Horse Journal? If not, you are really missing something wonderful. The Draft Horse Journal is a beautiful magazine that is published quarterly. It is full of well written stories, articles and best of all pictures! Yes, even the advertisements are full color pictures of the most amazing draft horses you've ever seen.

Here are the links to their Facebook page and main website
DHJ Facebook page                    Draft Horse Journal

They also review books!

I took a snapshot out of my copy of The Draft Horse Journal so you could read this review. (with permission from the nice folks at The Draft Horse Journal)

Amazon Link for Under the Heavens

If you are interested in reading about life on an Amish farm, or working with draft horses... this book was written just for you!

Catbird Singing

Catbird Singing

Book II of the Amish Horses Series

Here is a peek into Catbird Singing, coming soon...

              "Should I help someone else get together with the girl that I love, for Uncle Noey and Aunt Ruth's sake?"

       Lenny is faced with a dilemma of epic proportions, when he learns about his cousin's affection for Leah. At first, the answer seems simple, Lenny only plans to be around his Amish family for a few weeks. Bishop Mose gave clear instructions for the "English" boy to stay away from Amish girls, but try as he might that is difficult. Lenny and his new buddy, a dog named Russell, have a knack for getting themselves into trouble. A series of adventures and a love triangle turn into a tangled mess that isn't easily ironed out.

       Catbirds have two modes, singing in the spring, and meowing like cats in the summer. These opposite sounds have a deep affect on Lenny while visiting an Amish farm. Familiar characters from Under the Heavens and some new friends join Lenny on his second journey into the world of the Amish. Horse drawn vehicles take Lenny back in time, visiting youth gatherings and working in fields, all within earshot of a Catbird Singing.

This picture was taken during the cover photo shoot.

Catbird Singing is due to be released early in January.

 "Like" Amish Horses Facebook page, or check in with amishhorses.blogspot.com for updates. Click on the blue "Join this site" button on the right hand column for automatic updates!

We will post the cover for Catbird Singing as soon as it's complete. 

click on the link below

Amish Horses Book I "Under the Heavens"

Gift Idea

 Are you looking for a gift for Grandpa or Grandma?  Here's an idea!
Anyone who is interested in the Amish will enjoy this visit to an Amish farm.

This book is 6"x 9"

A book is the perfect gift, because a person can never own too many of them.

Under the Heavens is a story of city boy visiting his Amish relatives on the farm.

Grandpa and Grandma will enjoy a trip down memory lane, and others will enjoy visiting an old-fashioned farm for the first time.

Perfect for horse lovers.

Under the Heavens is about twice the size of old paperbacks and all double-spaced.


Click on the words below to read reviews of Under the Heavens.

Amazon Link and reviews




Or, send a $20 check or money order to:
Amish Horses
P.O. Box 495
Kalona, Iowa 52247   (This offer only valid within the U.S.A)

If you live outside the U.S.A. and want a copy; or for any other questions.
 Email:  amishhorses@outlook.com

We will send you an autographed copy.  In fact, the author Thomas Nye would be happy to personalize your gift.  Just include a the name of your loved one, and something about them and/or what you would like the message to say. Thomas Nye will hand write a personal note on the title page!
Be sure to also include a clearly marked name and address of where the book should be sent, if other than the person to receive the gift.

From Timbuktu to Kalamazoo

A few weeks ago I went from Timbuktu (or should I say, Kalona, Iowa) to Kalamazoo!

That is a saying, right?  Well, my sister lives near Kalamazoo, Michigan and runs a beautiful antique shop named Shiloh Farm. Her store was the first stop on an western Michigan "Arts and Eats" tour.  She asked me to come over and do a book signing that weekend, which I was more than happy to do.

I love to visit my sister anyway, not to mention, staying in her beautiful home and hanging out in her awesome shop.  When I woke up on Sunday morning and looked out the window this what I saw.

She had to unlock her alarm system for me, so I could run out and take more pictures while the sun was just breaking through golden leaves.

If you are ever in the Kalamazoo area, you really should stop by Shiloh Farm ARTiques.   Her store is a mini-museum and she always has copies of my books for sale too!

I just couldn't resist sharing all of these sights with you.  All of these pics were taken on Shiloh Farm.

I realize that she is not Amish, and she doesn't own horses... but I love her anyway.

What a place!

This is a fireplace in my sisters home, she built it herself. Incredible huh? 

I had fun with her grandchildren, seriously... they started it! They were throwing leaves on me, so, turnabout is fair play, right?

Yes, I'm that balding guy, and my sister is standing next to me in a picture below.  We both read dozens of books about Native Americans, without knowing the other was doing the same thing.  Now we pass books back and forth.  It so happens that she was one of the first to read my novel, Under the Heavens, and the first to read book II of the Amish Horses Series, that will be coming out soon.  Watch for the title, Catbird Singing.  She looks for errors and things that may be confusing in my books, her only problem is that she's a little too nice!

My sis, Twila, waves good-bye as I head off from Kalamazoo toward home.