Marta Perry's Blog, page 18

Horses, Real and Imagined

ANNA'S RETURN, the third book in the Pleasant Valley series, will be out in less than a month. I just love the cover--I think it's the best yet. The figure in the background is Samuel, Anna's hero. In addition to working in the machine shop owned by Anna's brother, Samuel is known far and wide for his talent with horses. Like the character in THE HORSE WHISPERER, Samuel even seems to know what the creatures are thinking.

We had horses for a number of years while our kids were growing up, and w...

AMISH MIDWIVES

The novel I am finishing now, SARAH'S GIFT, is about an Amish midwife, so I've been deep into research on that topic. Fortunately I have a friend who is a midwife, and through her I've been able to meet others, so it's been a fascinating trip.

In contrast to much of mainstream America, a high percentage of Amish women prefer to have their babies at home, and cite a variety of reasons for doing so. For one thing, having a baby at home can be much less expensive! But more importantly, most Amish...

SNICKERDOODLES

I've received several requests recently for the Snickerdoodle cookie recipe, maybe because the Amish women in my books LEAH'S CHOICE and RACHEL'S GARDEN always seem to be baking them. One person who wrote asked if there really were such cookies, or was that a made-up thing!

Yes, indeed, Snickerdoodles really do exist, and the recipe is a favorite one among Pennsylvania Dutch cooks. And the sweet sugar cookies with their cinnamon topping are definitely a favorite among children. My grandkids lo...

SPRING CLEANING

What is it about the first warm days and the appearance of daffodils in the yard that makes my mind turn to housecleaning, of all things?! A young man's fancy may turn to love at this time of year, but for me, it's the urge to have my house clean, inside and out. It must be something in the Pennsylvania Dutch genes--that's all I can think. When I was a child, my mother treated spring cleaning as seriously as a spiritual ritual. Everyone had to help, and everyone got to share in the satisfacti...

SUCCESS MADE SIMPLE

It's a delight to introduce an excellent book by someone who has been such a help to me in my Amish fiction. Erik Wesner, the go-to guy for all things Amish and author of the popular AmishAmerica blog, has a book out now--SUCCESS MADE SIMPLE: AN INSIDE LOOK AT WHY AMISH BUSINESSES THRIVE. Whether you are interested in Amish culture or in entrepreneurship, you'll find this book simply fascinating. With his easy, engaging style and wealth of knowledge about all things Amish, Erik has created a ...

Spring and Dandelion Greens

Spring is finally here in Pennsylvania--lots of mud, crocuses blooming, daffodils up, and a faint green haze on the willow trees. In RACHEL'S GARDEN, Rachel sees spring as a time of renewal, taking comfort in the signs of new life all around her as she recovers from her long winter of grief.

One of the favorite dishes of spring here in the country will be ready before long--Dandelion Salad! Dandelions may be something to dread in suburban lawns, but not here in the country. When the first tend...

RACHEL'S GARDEN releases!

I'm so happy to announce that RACHEL'S GARDEN, the second book in the Pleasant Valley Amish series from Berkley Books, will be in stores on March 3. This second book in the series takes place about a year after the events of LEAH'S CHOICE, and if you read that one, you'll have a chance to re-visit the people and places of that story. However, RACHEL'S GARDEN does stand alone as a story.

Here's a bit about the new book:

It has been almost a year since the Amish community of Pleasant Valley lost ...

Following A Dream

People are always asking small children, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" How did you answer that question? Usually I said I wanted to be a mommy or a nurse or a teacher. But what I really wanted to be was a writer.


It all started when I was eight. My mother took me to the library, and I picked out a new book, The Secret of the Old Clock. The adventures of Nancy Drew captivated me. Most little girls, when they reach the end of the book, want to be Nancy Drew. Not me. I wanted to be t...

Amish Schools

Leah Beiler, in my November book, LEAH'S CHOICE, was an Amish schoolteacher. Despite the fact that I was already familiar with Amish schools, I found myself doing a great deal more research in order to make the scenes set in the actual schoolroom as realistic as possible.


Most people are aware that Amish children only attend formal school until they complete the eighth grade. The Amish feel that by that time, their children will have gained enough formal education for the lives they are...

LEAH'S CHOICE in stores now!

I'm delighted to say that LEAH'S CHOICE is in stores now. It's been an exciting week, as I've done several booksignings and an author talk. But I never get over the thrill of seeing a new book of mine on the shelves at the bookstore. Here's a bit about LEAH'S CHOICE: All of Pleasant Valley seems to think the newcomer from Lancaster County would make a perfect husband for teacher Leah. After all, so few new families come to their separate Amish community, and fewer still unmarried men. Daniel ...