Hotter than a Sunday barn raising

I made a troubling discovery last night at Sam's Club. Apparently one of their better selling items is a whole series of novels written around Amish characters. The plot synopsis of the one I picked up had something to do with plain people in love and dark family secrets...or something. Who would buy these? Certainly not actual Amish. The books were nesteled in with the spiritually uplifting editions, such as a book by Sylvia Browne (the famous fake psychic whose other talents apparently include telling you how to live a better life), The Secret (what a crock of crap), Chicken Soup for the Blogger's Soul (okay -- I made that one up), so I can only imagine the moral lessons imparted on the pages of these books. Of course, then I made the mistake of running an Amazon search and discovered that there is actually a market for these. And that there is a market for Amish romance novels?! Check out the cover of "Thee I Love, An Amish Historical". Has the artist never actually been to Amish country? I never saw a Stoltzfus that looked like that guy. And I'm assuming that the woman is not supposed to be Amish. Honestly, I'm really not sure what to think of her dress. The reader comments are just...bizarre. Five stars all around? Are you serious?

But I did just find out that a new JRR Tolkien book will be released April 17th. How is this happening and I didn't know about it until now? I've really got to get out from under my rock a little more often...