Wanda E. Brunstetter is a novelist in the Amish romance genre, with more than 10 million books sold.[1] Her books have been on the New York Times Best Seller list.[2][3][4] Brunstetter is based in Washington.[5]
Brunstetter grew up in Tacoma, Washington.[6] Her parents disapproved of her wish to be an author when she grew up; her father called her "a dreamer." She was 60 years of age when her first book was published in 1997,[6] and she would have to wait another three years before her second book was accepted by a publishing house.[7]
Brunstetter worked as a typist for the government and met her husband through work while he was stationed at Fort Lewis.[6] Brunstetter's husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, was the catalyst for her interest in the Amish. Brunstetter has always tried to portray the Amish culture accurately and uses her personal connection to the Mennonite community for research for her books.[8] She and her husband have two children.[6]
In 1980, her mother asked her to take a correspondence course on writing and afterwards, Brunstetter began to sell work to children's magazines and religious publications.[6]
Library Journal writes that Brunstetter has a "trademark gift of storytelling."[9] Her dialogue includes phrases from the Dietsch language.[10]
In addition to her adult Amish fiction, she also writes for middle-grade readers.[11] She has published cook-books about Amish cooking which include facts about the Amish.[12]