Suzanne Woods Fisher's Blog, page 37
June 10, 2016
Help Me Send Barnes & Noble Some Love
“One benefit of Summer was that each day we had more light to read by.” ~Jeannette Walls
I’m sure you’re aware that all bookstores are facing lean times. Barnes & Noble has been good to me, plus to other inspirational writers, and I’d like to show them a little gratitude.
I’m offering two $25 gift certificates to Barnes & Noble… for just a tiny bit of effort on your part.
Barnes & Noble is offering The Quieting for half-price, only $8.56! If you go to a Barnes & Noble, or if you purchase The Quieting from BN.com, send me a pix! (Does not have to be a glam-shot!)
Your name will be tossed in the bonnet for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate!
About This BookThe Stoltzfus family faces serious problems, both in the church and at home. Everyone in the community expects minister David Stoltzfus to fix things–fast. But David doesn’t work fast. He prefers to wait for God to work in individual hearts. However, even he is left wondering if the solution to their most pressing problem might be a Quieting.
When David’s mother arrives, uninvited, more upheaval is in store. She has matchmaking plans for everyone in the family, including David and her eligible granddaughters–and especially for David’s niece Abigail. When Abigail stumbles onto a curious connection during her genealogical research, it could help David solve one problem–but will it create another?
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June 8, 2016
Penn Dutch Proverbs: 11th Commandment
June 6, 2016
Author Spotlight: All Summer Long by Melody Carlson
Congratulations to the winner of last week’s Author Spotlight giveaway of Murder Comes by Mail by A.H. Gabhart, CONNIE WILLIAMSON. Please email info {at} suzannewoodsfisher {dot} com to claim your prize.
Welcome Melody Carlson, author of All Summer Long , to Author Spotlight! Keep reading to find out how you can enter to win a copy.
Introduce us to you as an author: When did you get bit with the writing bug? How would you describe your writing style?
I’ve always loved writing (and story-telling) but it took me awhile to realize that it was something I wanted to do as a career. I guess that’s when the bug bit. That was about twenty-five years ago and I’ve been writing and publishing ever since. My writing style is what I’ve called “by the seat of my pants” ever since I first started to write. I’m a very casual writer without much “professional training.” I consider myself more of a storyteller than an author. I love the adventure of discovering as I write a story—and that I never know exactly where it’s going.
Tell us about your new release:
All Summer Long is a love story set in San Francisco (which also happens to be my hometown). Tia D’Amico takes a chef job on a lovely old yacht that’s being restored by her aunt to perform dinner cruises in the Bay. To Tia’s surprise, an old flame from adolescence is hired to be the captain. Sounds like ‘happily ever after’ except that the captain is about to marry someone else.
How can readers connect with you online?
Anything new for you on the book horizon?
There’s always something new. Right now I’m finishing up the first installment of my WW2 trilogy (also set in San Francisco). I’ll Be Seeing You is about an Irish family on the home-front. It releases later this year. I also started an indie historical series set in 1880s Colorado—the first book is called Delia and the Drifter.
After you started writing seriously, how long was it before you were published?
I had short stories published within the first year of writing. But I was prolific and took marketing seriously. It took a couple of years to get my first book published. But by the time it came out, I’d probably written about six other books.
Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well?
Coffee is a must. But then it’s a matter of just getting myself into my chair and focused. I tend to look for distractions (including office work) before I get hooked into the story. But once I get going it’s not hard to stick with it.
Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?
Right now I have my office in a ‘spare bedroom.’ But my husband is just finishing up a separate writing studio that I plan to occupy soon. It’s in our backyard, next to a pond, with nice views—and I can’t wait to move in!
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 critique group (during the first five years of writing) was by far the most helpful.
Do you prefer reading physical books or e-readers?
I like ‘real’ print books best. But if I’m flying, my e-reader is pretty handy. Unless the battery dies. That’s always a bummer.
Why do you write?
Because I can’t ‘not write.’ I think I’m just wired to use words and tell stories and to stop doing it would probably be my demise. I also write to encourage people to see beyond the surface of things. Books allow us to look deeper at human behavior and give us the opportunity to learn about how grace works.
Books allow us to look deeper at human behavior and learn about how grace works. -Melody Carlson
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Best author moment? Worst author moment?
Best moment is when I get a reader letter (usually from a teen) saying ‘your book changed my life.’ My worst moment was—while doing a book signing—when a bookstore owner raked me over the coals for a teen book that she felt was too ‘explicit.’ Although she had not read the book.
If you weren’t able to write, what would you do?
I would have to do something creative. But it’s hard to imagine life without writing.
Right this moment, what does your office look like?
It looks partly like a warehouse because I’ve piled stuff in it that is going into my new writing studio (which will be twice as big). I’ll have to post some photos on my website of my new writing space. It’s going to be nice.
What’s one thing you learned about the publishing industry in last five years? Last year? Last six months?
I actually learned this long ago, but it’s still just as true. The industry is constantly changing and just when you think you have it figured out, it will change again. To succeed in this industry, it helps to be resilient and fluent . . . and patient.
Can a person make a living as a writer?
I think there are two ways to make a living as a writer. 1) Write a NYT bestseller . . . and then another one every few years. Or 2) Be very prolific—which means you write a lot of books and keep them coming, then market them as best you can. Hopefully between royalties and new advances you will be self supportive (that’s what I do).
Are you an introvert? Extrovert? In-between?
I’m an introvert by choice and by nature, but I can force myself to be an extrovert when I have to, although I will be exhausted afterward.
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June 3, 2016
Amish Wisdom Recap: A Simple Vow, Amish Leadership, Forgiveness, & Banana Bread
Here is a recap of what went on this week Amish Wisdom:
On Monday’s Book Nook, Charlotte Hubbard shared an excerpt from her new release, A Simple Vow.
Who is considered the “leader” of the Amish community? Find out from our Amish Scribe on Ask the Amish.
Suzanne Woods Fisher shared a lesson on forgiveness from the Amish on Beyond the Bonnets.
You’ll never have to try another banana bread recipe again! Get Tricia Goyer’s favorite Banana Sour Cream Bread on Cook’s Corner.
Amazon | B&N | CBD.com
Make sure to stop by Amish Wisdom today and answer the trivia question for the chance to win a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.
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June 1, 2016
Penn Dutch Proverbs: Frogs & Poison
Proverb: Gleene Grodde hen aa Gift.
Translation: Little toads have poison too.
What it really means: No viper so little but hath its venom.
Can you decipher this penn dutch proverb? “Little toads have poison too.”
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May 30, 2016
Happy Memorial Day!
May 27, 2016
Amish Wisdom Recap: A Daughter’s Dream, Amish Snacks, & Montana Amish
Here is a recap of what went on this week Amish Wisdom:
On Monday’s Book Nook, Shelley Shepard Gray shared an excerpt from her new release, A Daughter’s Dream.
What do the Amish eat for snacks? Find out from our Amish Scribe on Ask the Amish.
Learn about the Amish in Rexford, Montana with Murray Pura on on Travel Tips.
A fellow reader wants to know, does anyone have a recipe for Cherry Bread? Stop by Reader Bag if you have a recipe to share!
Make sure to stop by Amish Wisdom today and answer the trivia question for the chance to win a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.
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May 25, 2016
Penn Dutch Proverbs: Birthday
Proverb: Graad wie der Herr sie zu der Dier nausgelosst hot.
Translation: Just as the Lord let them out the doors.
What it really means: Naked.
Can you decipher this penn dutch proverb? “Just as the Lord let them out the doors.”
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May 23, 2016
Author Spotlight: Murder Comes by Mail by A.H. Gabhart
Congratulations to the winner of last week’s Author Spotlight giveaway of Anchor in the Storm by Sarah Sundin, CHARLETTE BOND. Please email info {at} suzannewoodsfisher {dot} com to claim your prize.
Welcome A.H. Gabhart, author of Murder Comes by Mail , to Author Spotlight! Keep reading to find out how you can enter to win a copy.
Introduce us to you as an author: When did you get bit with the writing bug?
I was bitten by the writing bug so long ago that I think that bug might have been there with me in my cradle. But I was ten when I grabbed a pen and a wire bound notebook and started my first novel, a Hardy Boys mystery clone starring a farm girl amateur sleuth–me. While that long ago mystery is still stuck up on a shelf, unfinished, I never again put down my writing pen. Actually, not long after that I broke my piggybank and bought a used portable typewriter from one of my sister’s friends. She was a little surprised to get part of the twenty-five dollar price in nickels, dimes and pennies. But I was a happy girl since I just knew you had to have a typewriter to be a real writer. I was on my way!
How would you describe your writing style?
I’m asked this question about writing style all the time, and I never know how to answer it. I like to think of myself as a storyteller and so whatever style the story needs, that’s the style I hope I have. I do like to believe my stories are easy to read with characters who spring to life and talk on the pages. But maybe you need to ask my readers to find out if that’s true.
Tell us about your new release:
Murder Comes by Mail is my second Hidden Springs mystery. It’s classified as a cozy. That has to be true since a cat is on the cover, right? But this story is a bit more suspenseful than my first Hidden Springs mystery, Murder at the Courthouse. Readers will still be cheering on the same small town characters. Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane keeps doing his best to make sure all the people in his small town are safe, but the challenge gets ratcheted up when grim pictures of murder victims start showing up in the mail. With the killer one step ahead, things in Hidden Springs begin to unravel and Michael must race to protect the people he loves because the killer may be targeting one of them next.
How can readers connect with you online?
My website, annhgabhart.com, is a great place to find out more about my books and about me. While you’re there, check out my blog, One Writer’s Journal. I post a couple of times a week and have frequent giveaway games I try to make fun for readers. You can also see the Heart of Hollyhill blog where my young character, Jocie, does occasional reports about what’s going on in Hollyhill.
I enjoy “talking” with all of you on my Facebook page, where you can see regular features such as “Shaker Wednesday,” “Friday smiles” and the simple, but popular “Sunday morning coming down.” I also post random photos of things I spot on my walks out here on the farm. My dog, Oscar, has a way of sneaking into some of the posts too. You can also connect with me on Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.
Anything new for you on the book horizon?
I just finished the first round of edits on Hidden Springs mystery 3, Murder is No Accident, scheduled for release in 2017. Michael Keane will be returning to solve yet another case and to see if romance is in the air for him.
If you weren’t able to write, what would you do?
If I wasn’t a writer, I would probably be retired and enjoying the good life playing with my grandkids and reading in the sun. At least that’s how I imagine retirement, but I’m not quite ready to store away my keyboard yet. I want to write one more story and after that, another one. I don’t think writers ever retire. They just ride off into the sunset. Or maybe that’s only if they write Westerns. But I do still squeeze in some of those good times with the grandkids. It’s more of a struggle to find as much time as I’d like to read. I’m guessing that’s something that has many of you saying “Me too.” So many great books out there to read. So little time.
What book have you reread the most?
Other than the Bible, I have to confess that I haven’t reread any books. I do sometimes reread bits of history books when I’m researching to help me get a better insight on the events of the era. Sometimes I reread a devotional that touches my heart. But there are so many books I want to read that I pick up something new when I have time to read. However, I am always encouraged in my writing journey when one of my readers tells me she has reread one of my books. I think, wow, that’s really neat. Then I hunt up something new to read myself. LOL. Well, I do suppose I have reread all of my books many times in the editing process, but those rereads don’t count for this question.
Right this moment, what does your office look like?
I am so glad you asked! After I finished my recent novel and sent it off to my editor, I made myself finally keep that promise to clean my office before I started a new story. That was not a fun week since I had put off cleaning out and sorting through for way too long. I carried out sacks of papers for the recycler. I found plenty of dust and even located a lost phone under some shelves. I won’t claim to have sorted through everything. I still have some overstuffed bookshelves that need work, but my desk is dusted and shiny. I’m hoping that my neater writing place will last a while as I pull up some new characters for the next book.
When my website was redesigned last year, the designer sent me a questionnaire to figure out what style might best represent me. He pulled this line out of one of my answers. My favorite room is one full of windows. I am blessed to have an office with windows where I can see the birds at my birdfeeder, the deer in the hayfield, the cows drifting by below the fence and the grass getting too tall. But sometimes I don’t notice what’s outside my windows here but see through windows into my imaginary worlds as I write.
What book is on the top of your TBR pile?
I used to only read one book at a time, but lately I have several books going. One on my iPad. That’s a research book right now, but I have several waiting for me there. Another book handy in another place. I have two of those books right now, The Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz and Reckless by Tom Clavin. And in my stuffed bookshelves, the book that’s drawing my eye is Love’s Fortune by Laura Frantz. I read the other two in that series and I’m anxious to find out what’s next with her fictional family.
How do you solve a grammar dilemma?
Sometimes I try to look up whatever is puzzling me, but most of the time, I simply listen to my writer’s ear to judge what sounds right. Then, if an editor down the line tells me my ear was off writing pitch, I try to learn from the mistake and fix it.
What’s your favorite writing snack?
Sometimes I mix dried cranberries, nuts, and some crunchy cereal. Other times I crunch on mini-shredded wheat. I tell myself carrots and celery crunch too, but somehow they don’t crunch the right way. Of course, potato chips crunch the best!
What are your biggest distractions?
I started to say grandkids, but they’re not a distraction. They are each and every one a blessing I simply make time for. I suppose the ding on my phone that lets me know I’ve got a new message can be distracting. Facebook can be distracting simply because it’s easier to scroll around there than to dig a story out of my head. My husband, who is retired, popping in to ask something is distracting. Oscar, my dog, pushing his nose up under my arm to let me know it’s time to take a walk can be distracting. But in spite of all that, I still sometimes get some writing done.
What do you like best about country living?
The scenery. The green fields and cows on the hillsides. Snow in the winter. Flaming trees in the fall. The wildflowers and creeks. The birds. The spring peepers. The bullfrog down at the pond. A hawk soaring overhead. I like having a place to take my daily walk where I don’t have to worry about traffic. I like the way growing up on a farm taught me how to work and where food comes from. I like living on a farm now because I’m country through and through.
Who’s your favorite character you’ve written so far? Explain:
I think that’s a difficult question to answer. It’s sort of like answering which is your favorite child or grandchild. You can have different favorites on different days with those grandkids. That’s sometimes the one you’re with at that moment. The same is true with characters. The favorite one needs to be the one you’re writing about right now. However, there are characters and there are characters. Some crawl up in your heart and stay. That is Kate and Lorena in the Rosey Corner books. Or Jocie and Wes in the Hollyhill books. Other characters are just so unique and fun to get in their skin even if they aren’t major characters. Hannah, the little sister with the wild white curly hair in my book, The Believer, is one of those. Also, Fern in the Rosey Corner books was a reclusive character who grew on me throughout those three stories and ended up having a bigger part than I had imagined at the beginning. So, no, I don’t have a favorite. I have lots of favorites.
What was the first piece of writing for which you were paid?
I didn’t exactly get paid, but I did win something. In the sixth grade, I was a member of the 4-H Club where you signed up for projects such as cooking, sewing, electricity, all sorts of things. They even had a project for raising chickens and since I was a farm girl and since my mother got those baby chicks in a box with holes all around it every year anyway and I liked feeding those little cheepers, I signed up for the chicken project. It might have had a fancier name, but if so, I don’t remember what it was. Our 4-H agent then encouraged me to enter this essay contest about why I wanted one hundred baby chicks. And I won! You can guess the prize. Right. One hundred baby chicks! That first reward for my written words long ago proved hey, this writing might amount to something. But I have to confess, I’m glad I don’t get paid in chickens for my writing these days.
My great adventure has been…
I’ve never done anything amazing. I haven’t come up with any inventions that took the world by storm. Not even the hula hoop. But I used to be pretty good at keeping that hula hoop invention whirling. I’ve not been president of anything since 4-H Club in the eighth grade. I’ve not won any trophies or ribbons in the sports world. I haven’t had to use a machete to trek through the jungle or sailed across the ocean by myself. But I’ve still had some adventures just in living. I’ve borne three children, been blessed with nine grandchildren, stayed married to the same man for an amazing number of years. I’ve hiked miles up mountains and down cliffs and on beaches where the waves lapped my feet. I’ve chased cows and been bruised by a few out here on the farm. I’ve had a long procession of dog buddies. I’ve taught Sunday school and Bible School at a little country church. I’ve written thirty books to share with readers. Yes indeed, life is a great adventure.
Describe yourself in one word:
Blessed.
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A. H. Gabhart is Ann H. Gabhart, bestselling author of many novels, including Angel Sister, Small Town Girl, and Love Comes Home, several popular Shaker novels such as The Outsider, The Believer, and The Innocent, and The Heart of Hollyhill series. Ann grew up in a small rural town in Kentucky much like Hidden Springs, but Ann is happy to report nobody was ever murdered on her hometown’s courthouse steps. Ann and her husband still live on a farm near that same little town in Kentucky. Learn more at www.annhgabhart.com.
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May 20, 2016
Winners Announced from ‘The Quieting’ Giveaway!
Thank you for celebrating the release of The Quieting with me! And congratulations to all the winners:
Grand Prize:
Barbara Hamby
Runner-up Prize:
Mary Barrientez
Marilyn Brown
Diane Wallace
Casey Oestmann
Stephanie Halcomb
Be on the lookout for an email with further information about your prize.
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