Suzanne Woods Fisher's Blog, page 150

This Week on Amish Wisdom: The host becomes the guest!

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.

I'm truly looking forward to this week's show. The tables will be turned on me and I'll become the guest of my own show! Fun. Don't miss Thursday's show when the fabulous Sherry Gore (more about Sherry below), author of the scrumptious cookbook, Taste of Pinecraft, turns the spotlight on me and my latest release The Waiting !

Oh and don't forget - just a few hours after the interview on Thursday, I'll be hosting The Lancaster Secrets Book Club Party on Facebook. I'll be announcing the winner of The Waiting KINDLE Giveaway (have you entered yet?) and giving away lots of signed books and other fun prizes! Be sure to join me at 5:00 PM PST (6:00 MST, 7:00 CST & 8 EST) on my Facebook Author Page for all the fun!

About today's host: Sherry Gore is the author of Taste of Pinecraft….Glimpses of Sarasota Florida's Amish [image error]Culture and Kitchens. She's a writer/food reviewer for the Pinecraft Pauper, Florida's first Amish newspaper, and a scribe for her community for the National Edition of The Budget. She co-hosted the Pinecraft Writer's Presentation in Florida with Professor Emeritus Richard Stevick, author of Growing up Amish; the Teenage Years.

Sherry was featured in the 2010 spring edition AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT section of New York times best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall's newsletter, Plain News.

She is a year-round resident in Sarasota, Florida, the vacation paradise of the Plain People, and is a member of a Beachy Amish Mennonite Church. She is currently chronicling the adventures of everyday life of the Plain people in Pinecraft for the second edition of Taste of Pinecraft, due to be released 2012.

This mother of three, and full-time caregiver of her twenty-year-old daughter, loves to swim in the Gulf of Mexico, as she attempts to combat her pathological fear of sharks. It is her life-long dream to ride in the Oscar Mayer Wiener Mobile.

She is the non-resistant owner of a double barrel shotgun with an affinity for pie. Her current WIP includes an Amish Mennonite cookbook devoted entirely to that affinity. She learned the hard way one spring day not to wear Chap-stick while driving an open buggy behind a shedding horse. Find out more about Sherry at her website: http://www.sherrygorebooks.com/

About Taste of Pinecraft:
Unbeknownst to many folks outside the Amish and Mennonite population in America, there's a village tucked away in the heart of Sarasota: Pinecraft, Florida, the vacation paradise of the Plain People.

Not your typical cookbook: Taste of Pinecraft is comprised of nearly seven hundred various recipes including traditional dishes like Sweet Potato Sweet Mash, Pan-fried Chicken, and Mrs. Byler's Glazed Donuts, from Amish and Mennonite women across the country. It's also chock full of new, refreshing recipes, such as Sunshine Baked Eggs and Strawberry Mango Smoothies. You'll also find Florida favorites, including Fried Alligator Nuggets and Grilled Lime Fish Fillets.

Follow along and experience everyday life in Pinecraft through stories and tidbits about births, engagements, weddings, deaths, funerals, birthday celebrations, ordinations, anniversaries, wildlife encounters, and accidents told through several years of "Letters from home" taken from The Budget, commonly known as the Amish newspaper.

With more than two thousand year-round residents, and over three thousand Amish snowbirds flocking south every winter to Sarasota, discover why Pinecraft is known as the most unique Amish/Mennonite community in the world.

Tomorrow is the last day to enter The Waiting KINDLE Giveaway!

Don't miss out on your chance to win a KINDLE - click the links below to enter the contest TODAY! Then join me Thursday evening at The Lancaster Secrets Book Club Party on Facebook - I'll be announcing the winner and giving away signed copies of The Waiting and The Choice, as well as other fun stuff. See below for more info.




One Grand Prize winner will receive a Kindle preloaded with Suzanne Woods Fisher titles and a Amazon.com gift certificate! The Prize Pack (valued at over $185.00) includes:
* A brand new KINDLE, Free 3G, 6", Latest Generation

* The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher

* The Waiting by Suzanne Woods Fisher

* A $15 dollar Amazon.com Gift Certificate

To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest. Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on October 28th at Suzanne's Lancaster Secrets Book Club Party .
Join me for the Lancaster Secrets Book Club Party on October 28th! I'll be announcing the winner of the The Waiting KINDLE Giveaway, hosting a book club discussion of The Waiting and The Choice, and giving away copies of both books and HEAPs of readerly prizes! Be sure to join us on Thursday, October 28th at 5:00 PM PST (6:00 MST, 7:00 CST & 8 EST) at Suzanne's Author Page . 
Visit the blog tour and find out what the reviewers are saying!

The Amish..in their own Words

In their own words…

An optimist sees the glass as half full—a pessimist sees it as half empty—a realist sees it as one more thing to wash. Scribe from Worthington, Indiana

In their own words…

It seems like a farmer's life can be filled with so much danger, but to me it gives the opportunity to do extra praying for my crew each and every morning as they go about their many varied duties. God delights in sending His protecting angels for His committed followers. Scribe from Mt. Hope, Ohio

In their own words…

The hotter the sun shines, the colder the ice cream is. That's what Walter M. would be able to say. He has two solar panels mounted on the roof of his mountain home and Tim has it wired into an inverter and a battery bank. So now Walter has electric to run power tools, lights, and even a refrigerator with freezer. He doesn't even need to run his generator, it's all powered by the sun. Walter and Betty don't need to plant flowers either, they have hillsides of wildflowers growing around them. And, of course, when the flowers pass their season, they still have the majestic tree-covered mountains to look at. Scribe from Fairfield, Montana

Author Spotlight: Cheryl Wyatt

[image error] Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We'll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week's Author Spotlight with Vannetta Chapman is Some Lucky Dog! My assistant Amy will be in touch for your mailing address.

This week we welcome Cheryl Wyatt. To win a copy of the Cheryl's Steadfast Soldier, leave a comment on this post!

Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in?

I am married to the world's most cute and crazy rocker dude who is phenomenally funny. We have three girls who are going to take the music industry by storm as their "playroom" is a fully equipped A/V recording studio with every instrument known to man. LOL! Thankfully for me, it's totally soundproof.

And share something about your writing. What's your genre(s), your areas of interest…

I LOVE to read and write action romance. If it has hearts and high adrenaline, I'm on it!

How did you get started writing? Did you have a dream of being a published author?

I dreamed of it since I was a little girl and started scribbling books by Crayon before I was five. I received my first rejection from Highlights Magazine in third grade. LOL!

After you started writing seriously--how long was it before you were published?

Seven years. I'd written about twenty novels by then but my seventh book sold. I've since sold seven to Steeple Hill Love Inspired. I'm starting to see a pattern here. LOL! Seven of my unpublished manuscripts finaled or placed in a dozen different RWA contests as well as ACFW's Genesis and previous Noble Theme. I've also placed in FHL's contest. I haven't submitted any of those stories yet.

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your "brain cylinders" firing so you can write well? Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?

I LOVE to have a jug of room temp water at my side, a 32 ounce cup of McDonald's Sweet tea for drinks. For snacks I love to have a baggie of baby carrots or celery with peanut butter slathered on it. I always have some sort of seeds (pumpkin, sunflower) or nuts. Almonds are my favorite. I spend an average of 7 hours through the day writing but try not to write on weekends unless I have a scary deadline stalking me. I really try to write when my children are in school and my hubby is at work.

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication? Writers' conferences? Writing groups? Your mom as your first draft reader?

My mom is my biggest cheerleader. She always told me I could do it, but she's not my first reader. LOL! Also part of my support system are my sister Lisa, my sister-in-law Tammy and my grandmothers Nellie and Veda.

My first reader is The Shredder...two of my best writing buddies collectively called that because they mince no words when critting my stuff. If my heroine is acting stupid, they will not hesitate to let me know. lol! They are also my biggest encouragers too though. They are Danica Favorite McDonald and Camy Tang. Other encouragers/caboose-kickers are Robin Miller w/a Robin Caroll, Pammer James, Cynthia Hawkins, Kristi Alexander, Marcie Sheumaker, Michelle Patula, Viv Gato, Bonnie Henry, New Cambrian Writers Group, FHL, and mentors like Margaret Daley. SO many people have encouraged me. The list could go on for days! LOL.

The biggest help was ddefinitely joining American Christian Fiction Writers www.acfw.com.

Also I'm part of a WONDERFUL group blog called The Seekers who are a tremendous support system. www.seekerville.blogspot.com. I also really learned and grew a lot from the eharlequin community and especially the Steeple Hill forums there: www.steeplehill.com

[image error] What are your biggest distractions?

Three yippee dogs who have cyber rivalry and who like to throw their bodes across my keyboard (photo attached) when they think I should be their chew toy rather than a typist. LOL!

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?

I love everything except writing the synopsis. LOL! I'm determined to learn to love it though! LOL.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Write as worship.

What's on the book horizon for you?

I'm excited to be working on a new military-medical romance miniseries right now. Can't say too much about it yet, but I'm already in love with the characters and the setting. Now, if I can just get the plots to obey...LOL!

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

Anywhere books or sold or on my Web site www.cherylwyatt.com.  I hang out a lot on www.seekerville.blogspot.com too. I'm also on Facebook.

Thank you for sharing your writing life with my bleaders! (blog readers = bleaders)

The pleasure is mine! Thank you so much for the opportunity. I look forward to getting to know your bleaders. LOL!

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Mary-Ann Kirkby

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.

I'm so excited to have author Mary-Ann Kirkby back on the show this Thursday. We'll be hearing more about her fascinating book, I Am Hutterite and talk a bit more about what inspired her to write it.

About Mary-Ann: Mary-Ann Kirkby was born on a Canadian Hutterite colony near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. One of nine children, Kirkby was raised in the Hutterite tradition, similar in some respects, to that of the Amish or Mennonites. At age10 her life was turned upside down when her parents abruptly left behind the comfort and security of the colony and relocated their family to a lonely farm house in the "English" world. The transition to a startling fast-paced society was overwhelming for a young Mary-Ann as she clashed head on with popular culture.

Growing up in the isolated self-sustaining Hutterite community of Fairholme Colony, Kirkby had little contact with the outside world. A primarily agricultural community dominated by male leadership, Kirkby's childhood dreams included a happy marriage with healthy children, good food, strong friendships and a deep devotion to her unique way of life. Those dreams where shattered when her parents packed up their large family and moved to a new world, full of unknowns.

Thrust into a foreign universe that she didn't understand, Kirkby worked hard to adapt to a new way of life and a new identity by abandoning the culture that had defined her. She struggled to reinvent herself by denying her Hutterite heritage in an attempt to avoid the stigma and cruelty associated with being different.

A graduate of the National Broadcasting Institute Kirkby made her way into the world of journalism as a news anchor and reporter. She was the senior reporter responsible for aboriginal issues at CTV in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and worked in Ottawa for several years as a freelance journalist and as Media Relations Consultant for the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. The recipient of two Can-Pro Awards, Kirkby has made a career of telling other people's stories. She is gifted singer, a sought after speaker and member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers.

Finally embracing her role as a daughter of two cultures Kirkby has used her talents to chronicle her own life story. Her first book, "I Am Hutterite," was published in Canada in 2007 and will be released in the U.S. by Thomas Nelson Publishing in May 2010. The book has garnered rave reviews as readers react to the Kirkby's honest and compelling story told in her charming style. "I Am Hutterite" won the Saskatchewan Book Award for Best Non-Fiction in 2007.

About her fascinating book: Mary-Ann Kirkby revisits a hidden past and weaves it into her ground-breaking memoir "I Am Hutterite: The Fascinating True Story of a Young Woman's Journey to Reclaim Her Heritage." This compelling story will keep you glued to every page vicariously reliving the memories of Kirkby as a young child, now a storyteller in her own right as an award-winning author and news reporter. She was awarded the Saskatchewan Book Award for Best Non-Fiction and received notable acclaim in the first edition of "I Am Hutterite," published for the Canadian audience in 2007. With outstanding reviews and affection from readers who were awed by her courageous story, she has partnered with Thomas Nelson Publishers to bring her book to the United States. Releasing in the U.S. in May 2010, Kirkby's memoir will resonate with anyone who has ever experienced a desire to fit in. But perhaps those who will enjoy this book best are those eager to peel away their own defenses and embrace the simple truth that beneath every human exterior beats a heart longing for understanding and acceptance. For more information, please visit: http://www.polkadotpress.ca/

Don't forget to leave a comment {HERE} for your chance to win a copy of Mary-Ann's book! (Don't forget to leave your email address!)

The Amish..in their own Words

In their own words…

Dad is in the process of building the Dawdi Haus. It is far from ready to live in yet, but it served well as a hunting cabin on the last day of deer season when Dad decided to sit in there to watch for deer. Sure enough, here come five deer! The third shot he hit sported a 30 foot beam! Yes, he shot one of his new porch posts! So, folks, you are welcome to come for the day and help complete this new hunting cabin, then you can admire his "trophy" on the front porch. Scribe from Meyersdale, Pennsylvania

In their own words…

Recently a young family came home one cold evening with the horse and buggy. Dad forgot how cold it actually was until he popped the flashlight in his mouth so he could see to unhitch and put the horse away. Yes, it immediately stuck to his lips and tongue! He got it removed but not without some pain an a little bit of skin came along. Scribe from Glenmont, Ohio.

Post a review and enter to win an AMISH GIFT BASKET!!!

Hi friends!

Want to win an AMAZING basket filled with all things Amish? Just post a review about The Waiting  on  Amazon   or  CBD  and you'll be entered for a chance to win an Amish doll, the audio version of The Choice, an Amish cookbook - Country Lane Quilts and Family Cooking: Lancaster County Amish Recipes, and an Auntie Anne's Pretzel Kit.

Here's how the giveaway works: For those who have read The Waiting , write a short customer review (hopefully, a positive one!) on either Amazon or on CBD.  (Be sure not to include any spoilers in your review.) Then just come back here and leave a comment on this post (including your email address) and let me know where you posted your review. That's it! Contest ends November 14th. We'll announce the winner on the 15th.

And thank you! 

Dog not included. Sorry! 

Author Spotlight: Vannetta Chapman

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We'll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week's Author Spotlight with Sibella Giorello is Mike Duran! My assistant Amy will be in touch for your mailing address.

This week we welcome Vannetta Chapman. To win a copy of the Vanetta's A Simple Amish Christmas, leave a comment on this post!
If you missed Vannetta's interview on Amish Wisdom - listen here.


Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in?

Bob and I share 4 children together, and yes they are all grown. I recently was held back from DANCING across the collegiate stage as our last graduated, ending 14 years of college tuition. You can see why I would want to dance. I'm always happy to answer questions about family though, because family is integral to everything we do, right Suzanne? Our oldest daughter, Jordyn is a pharmacist. Next is Yale who is a veterinarian. His twin sister Kylie is a special needs girl - we're so proud of her. She recently moved into a new group home, which was a big step for the entire family. Then our youngest is Cody, and he recently graduated with a BS in Business and is on the job hunt. (Contact me if you know of an open position anywhere in the continental US).

And share something about your writing. What's your genre(s), your areas of interest…           

All four of my contracted books are Amish, and I have adored researching and writing about this special group in our society. I write Amish romance for Abingdon Press and Amish cozies for Zondervan. However, I've also written Christian romantic suspense and even Christian historicals which we're still shopping around!

After you started writing seriously--how long was it before you were published?

I started writing for publication after receiving my MA in English. At that time I was a single mom in my 30s teaching full time, and I didn't see a lot in Christian magazines that spoke to what single moms were going through. I had a wise professor who said if you wanted to be published, listen to the "conversation," listen for what isn't being said, and then jump in - so that's what I tried to do. I ended up publishing over 100 articles for magazines such as Homeschool Today, Christian Family Life, Single Parent Family, Evangel, etc. Some of those can still be found on my website at http://www.vannettachapman.com/Articl.... After 5 years of writing articles though, the novel bug hit. That was six years ago, and A Simple Amish Christian is my first inspirational book.

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your "brain cylinders" firing so you can write well? Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?

I'm a big fan of Margie Lawson and have taken many of her courses. She started me in the habit of writing a gratitude journal first thing each morning. It's very short-just 5 things I'm grateful for, then my goals for the morning. So my routine is up at 5 a.m., start the coffee (brew it strong), do a little yoga to work the kinks out, then write in my journal. By 5:20 I'm at the keyboard,and I write until 7:00 when I head for the shower. I can be ready for work in 25 minutes. So I manage almost 2 hours in the morning, and then I try for another 2-3 in the evenings.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

It would be hard for me to describe how much of a help and a supporter my agent has been. She's a wonderful Christian woman, so I trust her advice on many levels. She also represents many of the most successful writers in Christian fiction, which helps me to know that she's been down this road with others. I think an agent is first and foremost your advocate. I might go 6 or 8 weeks without talking to mine, but then we might correspond 3 or 4 times in one day if necessary. At contract time she thinks to negotiate things that it would never occur to me to ask for - like extra author copies or a change in what exclusivity a publisher has. I really cannot say enough how much my agent has helped me. I will say that during our first two years together she didn't make any money at all from our association, but she kept me as a client nonetheless.

What advice would you give to new writers? [image error]

To do those periodic gut checks at the first of every month. Take your journal, go to a quiet place, and reflect. Assess what you've done and what you need to do. Have you made the progress you wanted to make? Do you feel like you're moving in the direction God would have you go? Writing success occurs in incremental steps, but six months can slip away before we're aware of it. Also, I think it's important to let a manuscript go at some point and move on to the next idea. A Simple Amish Christmas was my 9th completed manuscript.

Pretend I'm a customer at a bookstore looking for a good book. Give me a one or two sentence promo to convince me to buy your book.

It's Christmas, and Annie Weaver misses her family after leaving her Amish community to work at a distant hospital. But when she hears that her father has been gravely injured in a buggy accident, she rushes home to care for him. Her passion for healing catches widower Samuel Yoder's attention. Will she also capture his heart?

What's on the book horizon for you?

A 3 book Amish mystery series set in Shipshewana, Indiana.

Two women, a quilt, and a dead body. Will Shipshewana ever be the same?

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

http://www.vannettachapman.com/

http://vannettachapman.wordpress.com/

Facebook and myspace

Thank you for sharing your writing life with my bleaders! (blog + readers = bleaders)

Thank you, Suzanne! By the way, your book The Waiting arrived yesterday from the little UPS man, and I can't wait to read it!


Yes! Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed A Simple Amish Christmas, Vanetta!


Listen to Vanetta's October 7th interview on "Amish Wisdom!" She's as warm and funny in person as she is on the written page! 

Like memory books, movies & Starbucks?

Then be sure to enter the AMAZING Sarah Sundin's Movies & Memories Giveaway! If you missed Sarah's great interview from a few months ago, you can read it here !



Sarah Sundin presents The Movies and Memories Giveaway in honor of book 2 in the Wings of Glory series. A Memory Between Us is available for purchase wherever fine books are sold. From the English countryside to the perilous skies over France, A Memory Between Us takes you on a journey through love, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

The book is receiving GREAT reviews. See for yourself here.





To celebrate Sarah is giving one lucky winner A Movie and Memory Prize Package! One grand prize winner will receive:

* Make-your-own-photo book from Mypublisher.com (Capture your own Memories)

* Netflix Subscription (New or Nostalgic Movies delivered right to your house)

* Starbucks gift card (To keep your engine revvin')

*Gourmet chocolate (A favorite in the 1940's and now)

* British specialty teas in carved wooden box (Timeless tradition)

* Miniature model of a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber & C-47 cargo plane (Everyone needs a few toy planes)

*Big Band music CD (Break out your dancing shoes)

* WWII authentic poster playing cards (Cards – a perfect game for two)

* Keep Calm and Carry On (Uplifting sayings WWII, a boost for troubled times)

To enter simple click on the icons below (Contest ends 10/17!)

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Mindy Starns Clark

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.

This Thursday's interview is with prolific author Mindy Starns Clark.I've heard great things about Mindy's writing, like this from Crosswalk.com, "Author Mindy Starns Clark masterfully weaves the threads of mystery and suspense...giving readers a burning desire to keep reading to discover what will happen next." Looking forward to getting to know Mindy and learn more about her books. (I'm expecting that she'll be funny - she used to be a stand-up comedian!)

Also, if you'd like a chance to win Mindy's latest release, Secrets of Harmony Grove, be sure to leave a comment {HERE}. We'll select one commentor at random as the winner. (Don't forget your email address!)
About Mindy: Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of the inspirational Million Dollar Mysteries, the Smart Chick Mysteries, and three standalone mysteries, as well as the nonfiction books The House That Cleans Itself and A Pocket Guide to Amish Life. Her novels include A Penny for Your Thoughts, Don't Take Any Wooden Nickels , A Dime a Dozen, A Quarter for a Kiss, The Buck Stops Here, The Trouble with Tulip, Blind Dates Can Be Murder, Elementary, My Dear Watkins, Whispers of the Bayou, Shadows of Lancaster County, and Under the Cajun Moon. Her next mystery, Secrets of Harmony Grove, will be released in October 2010.

Mindy is also the author of numerous plays and musicals which have been performed all over the United States. She has written textbooks, articles, short stories, and more than 75 computer software manuals. Other writings appear in the anthologies What the Wind Picked Up (Inspirational Fiction), Death Knell V (Mystery Fiction), Divine Secrets of the Yahweh Sisterhood (Inspirational Anthology), and A Novel Idea (Inspirational Nonfiction).

A former singer and stand-up comedian, Mindy lives with her husband and two teenage daughters near Valley Forge, PA. She enjoys speaking to churches, civic groups, and libraries across the country. Her unique blend of humor and insight make her an audience favorite.Learn more about Mindy by visiting her website at www.mindystarnsclark.com .

About Secrets of Harmony Grove: From the bestselling author of Shadows of Lancaster County comes an exciting new romantic mystery set in Amish country.

Sienna Collins, owner of the Harmony Grove Bed & Breakfast in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, learns that she is under investigation by the federal government for crimes she knows nothing about. A few hours later she finds her ex-boyfriend, Troy, dead, and her life and livelihood begin to spin wildly out of control. She begins to doubt everyone around her, even the handsome detective assigned to the case.

As Sienna tries to clear her name, she is forced to depend on her faith, the wisdom of the Amish, and the insight of the man she has recently begun dating. She'll need all the help she can get, because the secrets she uncovers in Harmony Grove end up threatening not just her bed-and-breakfast, but also her credibility, her beliefs, and ultimately her life.