This is not an inspirational Amish romance, Amazon!

It seems that if you write a romance featuring Amish characters, it is automatically classified as "sweet" (i.e. no sex) and "inspirational" (i.e. Christian). During the pre-order period on Amazon, A Forbidden Rumspringa has simultaneously ranked on these bestseller lists:

Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Erotica
Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Amish
Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Romance >Inspirational > Amish

Er, that's quite a combination, Amazon! For the record, A Forbidden Rumsprina is not sweet or inspirational. There is explicit sex, and while religion plays a major role in Isaac and David's lives, this isn't a Christian romance. I suppose I might be reaching a whole new audience thanks to Amazon's algorithms, but I hope it won't end in backlash from unsuspecting readers.

I did add a note in the blurb that there's copious butt fucking and no authorial bible thumping (I might not have used those exact words), so we shall see. I've been fiddling with the keywords as well, but it seems no amount of "manlove" and "gay romance" overrides the use of the word "Amish," even if it's in the context of "gay Amish romance"!

Can two gay Amish men find happiness together? Find out September 3!

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When two young Amish men find love, will they risk losing everything?
In a world where every detail of life—down to the width of a hat brim—is dictated by God and the all-powerful rules of the community, two men dare to imagine a different way. At 18, Isaac Byler knows little outside the strict Amish settlement of Zebulon, Minnesota, where there is no rumspringa for exploration beyond the boundaries of their insular world. Isaac knows he’ll have to officially join the church and find a wife before too long, but he yearns for something else—something he can’t name.

Dark tragedy has left carpenter David Lantz alone to support his mother and sisters, and he can’t put off joining the church any longer. But when he takes on Isaac as an apprentice, their attraction grows amid the sweat and sawdust. David shares his sinful secrets, and he and Isaac struggle to reconcile their shocking desires with their commitment to faith, family and community.

Now that they’ve found each other, are they willing to lose it all?