Recently in Amish Category

Today is a big day! The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis is now available at LifeWay Christian Stores! If you pre-bought it at one of our stores, come on in and see us to pick it up. If you pre-bought it through our internet store then it will be out in the mail to you ASAP. You didn’t pre-buy it? No worries! We have it on sale for $11.99!

 Come home to Hickory Hollow, Pennsylvania – the beloved setting where Beverly Lewis’s celebrated Amish novels began – with new characters and new stories of drama, romance, and the ties that draw people together.

A wrong turn in a rainstorm leads Englisher Amelia Devries to Michael Hostetler – and the young Amishman’s charming Old Order community of Hickory Hollow. Despite their very different backgrounds, Amelia and Michael both feel hemmed in by the expectations of others and struggle with how to find room for their own hopes. And what first seems to be a chance encounter might just change their lives forever.

I’m excited to introduce you to Kate Lloyd, the author of Leaving Lancaster which is now available at LifeWay Christians Stores. Let’s get to know Kate and how she started writing novels.

 Welcome, Kate!

The Author Who Didn’t Like to Read

In high school and college, I wasn’t a reader. I’d scan required literature because the minuscule print strained my eyes. Later, as a parent, I became the family storyteller, songwriter, and poet, and I read big-print books to my sons at bedtime. Not until around age thirty, when properly diagnosed with a visual impairment, did I savor A Tale of Two Cities, Pride and Prejudice, and other classics, then moved on to contemporary fiction!

I started journaling, a habit I recommend to all. One morning the plot for A Portrait of Marguerite, my first novel, practically wrote itself. After A Portrait of Marguerite was published, I continued to write, but none of the manuscripts were snapped up by publishers. Still, I persevered and was encouraged by several to write an Amish novel.  

The title, Leaving Lancaster, its plot, and characters materialized in my mind as if clouds parting to reveal the sun. I resolved to make it my best work: a compelling storyline, multi-faceted characters tackling real-life obstacles, and a satisfying conclusion.

Then a whirlwind of anxiety billowed through my chest as I realized how little I knew about the Amish. Uncertainties inundated my mind. What if I portrayed them incorrectly? Could I illustrate them realistically and remain true to my Christian beliefs? I’d read Amish fiction often, but in my head my professorial-father’s stern words warned me to check and double-check my facts.

I Googled the Amish and found little my father would have accepted as reliable beyond a shadow of a doubt. What became clear was the Amish are private and prefer to live in proximity to us Englishers (anyone not Amish) but not engage in our hectic, electric world. They tolerate us, but our modern conveniences and styles are seen as bad influences to their tight family units. Old Order Amish follow the teachings of the Bible vigorously, and also an unwritten set of rules called the Ortnung that varies from church district to district.

While writing my manuscript, delving into my characters’ struggles as their Amish and English worlds collided, I purchased non-fiction books and found I’d stumbled upon the world’s authority on the Lancaster County Amish, Donald Kraybill. I gathered my courage and contacted him and his research assistant, who became a mentor and friend. (link to my article on Steve Scott at http://www.katelloyd.net/reflections6.html). Both men generously helped me, and I continue to study their books.

Yet I couldn’t truly understand the Amish and their fascinating culture without spending time with them. I’d have to explore Lancaster County in person. My husband was eager to escort me. We toured the country roads, using diligent care to stay clear of the horse and buggies. Breathing in the fragrance of harvested corn, I was dazzled with the glorious countryside and expansive farms.

One goal was to meet individuals willing to examine my manuscript for accuracy, and to verify I’d captured the ambience of the county. Through God’s guidance and my persistence, I met people, now considered friends: a lovely Mennonite woman, and an Amish gentleman and his wife.

As I wrote and rewrote—my characters wrestling with deceit and resentment, and contemplating potential love-interests—I continued to research every aspect of the Amish, including their unique language and farming methods. I doubt my interest in them will ever end. My life is forever changed by the examples I’ve witnessed of their compassion, forgiveness, and humility. Not to mention their scrumptious desserts!

Leaving Lancaster released March 1, 2012! I’m grateful for the many favorable reviews!

PS: I love hearing from readers via at www.facebook.com/katelloydbooks or my Website www.katelloyd.net.

Best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall has just released a new book, The Scent of Cherry Blossoms. Her ability to authentically portray her characters comes from her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families. 

If you’ve read enough Amish novels, you can kind of tell which authors have a better grasp of the Amish community than others. I admit… I don’t read many books in the Amish genre but Cindy is an author that I have enjoyed in the past because of her realistic depictions of Amish life.

Here’s what her new book is about… (and doesn’t it have a lovely cover?)

Annie Martin is a young Old Order Mennonite woman who has moved in with her grandfather after a disagreement with her mother. She helps out at Zook’s Diner, a place he co-owns with the Zooks, an Old Order Amish family. Annie grows to care for the widowed Ellen Zook and her adult sons. Roman is outgoing, well liked, and wheelchair bound, and Aden is gentle, considerate, and quiet, but when he does speak, he stutters. Each man fills the physical gap missing in the other one’s life – until Annie steals one’s heart.

Ellen, the young men’s mother, feels powerless as romance takes root. Marriage between a Mennonite and an Amish is forbidden, and one son is willing to lie to end the romance. Packing even more heartache for Ellen is watching the bond between her twin sons be torn apart. What will happen to the Zook family if this romance continues? Can love find a way?

I confess… I had plans to do a giveaway today. Cindy sent us a fun item to give away but I forgot to get her new book to go with it! So… The books are on their way and hopefully we’ll do the giveaway next week. 

Read something good this weekend!

LifeWay Christian Stores is currently pre-selling The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis. The book will be available on April 10. If you pre-buy before April 9, you’ll get it at just $10 plus receive one free copy of Beverly’s book Amish Prayers (while supplies last).

We’re fortunate to have Beth Wiseman as a guest blogger today. She, along with Kathleen Fuller and Kelly Long, just released An Amish Wedding, that is now available at LifeWay Christian Stores. Beth is here to share a little bit about their new novella along with some interesting facts on the wedding customs of the Amish. 

Welcome, Beth!

What a wonderful time Kathleen Fuller, Kelly Long, and I had writing our stories for An Amish Wedding, our latest novella collection set to release in December. 

As we’ve done with past collections, we created three individual tales that tell one larger story. This collaboration was a bit trickier than the novellas we’ve done in the past because the stories don’t just overlap, the timeframe also flows simultaneously. I’m sure this was an editor’s nightmare, but we feel that the extra efforts put forth by authors and editors were worth it and that this is our best collection to date.   Whether or not the reader prefers three short tales to read at his/her leisure or enjoys a complete novel, this book works well either way.

In this collection, Priscilla King has dreamed of marrying Chester Lapp since she was sixteen years old, and once he proposes on her nineteenth birthday, Priscilla puts her wedding plans into action. Some people might not realize that an Amish girl’s wedding is just as important as anyone else’s, right down to the tiniest of details. Priscilla wants her wedding to be perfect.

In the first story—A Perfect Secret by Kelly Long—we meet Priscilla’s best friend, Rose, whose own fiancé is hiding something from her, something she’ll do anything to uncover.

Kathleen Fuller’s contribution—A Perfect Match—focuses on Priscilla’s sister Naomi, who spends her life playing matchmaker for everyone, but she’s never found her own true love. But when Chester’s cousin Zeke show up for the wedding, Naomi finds her own life getting complicated.

In my story—A Perfect Plan—preparations are underway for the big wedding, but everything is going wrong. Priscilla’s young sister accidentally cuts up her wedding dress to use as doll clothes, there are problems with the house that Chester is building for his new bride, and Priscilla seems to have an incurable case of the hiccups. Priscilla and Chester begin to wonder if God is sending them a message to call off the wedding.

While there are some similarities between Amish weddings and other religions, there are some distinct differences. There isn’t a long, flowing white gown for the bride, but instead a specially made new dress that isn’t much different than the traditional clothes an Amish girl normally wears. Flowers aren’t a part of the ceremony, nor is a wedding cake. But I do think that what they do in lieu of a wedding cake is pretty neat. The bride and groom are presented with various desserts from their friends and family, often with a personal message inscribed on the baked item (which is sometimes an inside joke between the giver and the bride and groom). Another example of a wedding gift would be a container of M&Ms because the bride happens to love M&Ms, or maybe a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies because they are the groom’s favorite. So the bride and groom have lots of desserts as opposed to our traditional bride and groom’s cakes.

Amish weddings last three hours, and it’s an all day affair with members of the community showing up at 4 a.m. to help ready the home of the bride for the wedding. There are two meals during the day, and things don’t usually wrap up until around 9 p.m. You can expect to see anywhere between 200 and 400 guests in attendance. A prerequisite for marriage is that both the bride and groom must have already been baptized into the faith. 

November and December are the most popular months for weddings, following the fall harvest, and most ceremonies take place on a Tuesday or Thursday. The Amish folks wouldn’t have a wedding on Saturday because that would put clean-up day on Sunday, and they don’t do any kind of work on a Sunday. The bride and groom spend their first night as a married couple at the bride’s house, and they are expected to help with cleanup the next day. An Amish friend told me that the new husband helps with the laundry—cleaning the linens, etc.—and that it’s the only time you’ll ever see an Amish man doing this chore.

There are lots of other Amish traditions, wedding and otherwise, included in the novellas. Kathleen, Kelly, and I all have Amish friends and contacts. Kelly is even fortunate enough to live in an area of Pennsylvania where she runs into Amish folks daily. Between the three of us, we’ve done extensive research about the Plain People, and together we’ve published over two dozen books about this endearing group of people. However, it’s important to mention what an Amish friend once told me. She said, “You can never get your books perfect because you don’t live among us on a day-to-day basis, but we all appreciate the way you do your very best to portray us in an accurate manner.” So, with God’s help and guidance, along with our Amish friends…that’s what we’ve tried to do in this novella collection—give the reader an inside look at Amish life in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania through the eyes of three different authors.

I believe that this anthology will lend a since of familiarity for the reader that bypasses our other collections. We’ve taken three women, all possible brides, and thrown as many things as we could at them. In the end, the characters—and readers—come to realize that no amount of plotting or planning will make a difference when God is in charge. Things happen on His timeframe.

This is a great book for the holidays, but can certainly be enjoyed all year long. And, as we’ve done with prior collections, there are Amish recipes and reading group guides for each story. We can’t wait to see what readers think about An Amish Wedding!

Thanks!

Beth

www.bethwiseman.com

Today we have Suzanne Woods Fisher stopping by. I love the great reminders she gives us to slow down and enjoy the Christmas season. 

Welcome, Suzanne!

A Christmas of Kindness

 “You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.” Amish proverb

I do it every year.

I plan for a simpler, less stressful Christmas season and, every year, by Christmas Eve…I’m exhausted! After our delicious and very-time-consuming-to-make traditional Swedish meal to honor my husband’s relatives (think: Vikings), it’s time to head to church. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but the last few Christmas Eve’s, I have sent my husband and kids head off without me. The pull to spend an hour of quiet in the house feels as strong as a magnet.

It’s odd. My children are young adults now. Wouldn’t you think that Christmas would be simpler? Instead, it’s just the opposite. Jugging schedules to share the grandbaby with the in-laws, trying to include our elderly parents at the best time of day for them, dancing carefully around recently divorced family members whose children are impacted by the shards of broken relationships.

The thing is: you can simplify your to-do list, but you can’t really simplify people. We are just a complicated bunch.

Here’s where I borrow a lesson about simplicity from the Amish. It’s easy to get distracted with the buggies and the bonnets and the beards, but there’s so much more to learn from these gentle people if you’re willing to look a little deeper.

Yes, they live with less “stuff” and that does make for a simpler, less cluttered life. But it’s the reason behind it that is so compelling to me: they seek to create margin in their life. Not just empty space—but space that is available to nourish family, community, and faith. Their Christmas is far less elaborate than yours or mine, but what they do fill it with is…oh so right.

Christmas comes quietly on an Amish farmhouse. There is no outward sign of the holiday as we know it: no bright decorations, no big tree in the living room corner. A few modest gifts are waiting for children at their breakfast place settings, covered by a dishtowel. Waiting first for Dad to read the story of Christ’s birth from the book of Luke. Waiting until after a special breakfast has been enjoyed. Waiting until Mom and Dad give the signal that the time has come for gifts. 

Later, if Christmas doesn’t fall on a Sunday, extended family and friends will gather for another big meal. If time and weather permits, the late afternoon will be filled with ice skating or sledding. And more food! Always, always an abundance of good food. Faith, family, and community. That is the focus of an Amish Christmas.

And it’s also how the story begins for A Lancaster County Christmas, as a young family prepares for Christmas.    

You might remember Mattie Zook and Solomon Riehl from The Choice. We meet up again with these two characters (now married) on Christmas weekend in Stoney Ridge.  A winter storm blows a non-Amish couple, Jaime and C.J. Fitzpatrick, off-course and into the Riehl farmhouse. An unlikely and tentative friendship develops, until the one thing Mattie and Sol hold most dear disappears and then…. Ah, but you’ll just have to read the story to find out what happens next.

Without giving anything away, I will say that I want to create a Mattie-inspired margin this Christmas season. Mattie knew inconveniences and interruptions that come in the form of people (big ones and little ones!) are ordained by God. And blessed by God.

Creating margin probably means that I won’t get Christmas cards out until the end of January, and my house won’t be uber-decorated. After all, something has to give. But it will mean I make time for a leisurely visit with my dad at his Alzheimer’s facility. And time to volunteer in the church nursery for a holiday-crowded event. And time to invite a new neighbor over for coffee. Hopefully, it will mean that my energy won’t get diverted by a frantic, self-imposed agenda. Only by God’s agenda—the essence of true simplicity.

And that includes taking time to worship Christ’s coming at the Christmas Eve service. You can hold me accountable! This year, I will be there.

You can find Suzanne on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com. She loves to hear from readers! And she hopes you will have a very blessed Christmas this year.

Check out the first chapter to A Lancaster Country Christmas.

Mattie Riehl was hoping to give her husband, Sol, the Christmas gift they have both longed for – news that a baby was on the way. But as usual, she is disappointed. The holidays bring an acute awareness to Mattie that her dream of a big Amish family isn’t likely to become a reality. Will those empty chairs at the table ever be filled?

Then a winter storm raging outside blows an impatient young woman and her husband into the Riehl home on Christmas Eve – and into a much slower pace of life.

Both couples are about to find out if they can weather the storm – and if miracles still happen at Christmastime.

If you are a fan of Amish fiction then you must be loving this week! Not only did Beverly Lewis’ new title, The Mercy, release this week but Wanda Brunstetter has a new one out as well. The Healing is the second book in Wanda’s Kentucky Brothers Series. The first book, The Journey, landed on the New York Times Bestseller List. Go Wanda!

Samuel Fisher of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, now a single father of four, is in a state of shock following his wife’s untimely death. When his brother, Titus, talks him into moving to Kentucky, hoping a fresh start will help heal Samuel’s grief, Samuel packs up the kids and heads to bluegrass country.

Esther Beiler helps watch Samuel’s children while he works with English contractor Allen Walters on a bed-and-breakfast owned by Englisher Bonnie Taylor. Soon Esther develops a crush on Samuel and a true affection for his children, but is there room in Samuel’s heart for Esther? Or has the pretty innkeeper already taken residence there?

When misconceptions take the forefront, jealousies arise. Will peace-loving Samuel and Esther bow to the apparent competition or fight for their newfound love? How will God manage to untangle these star-crossed lovers before any damage is done?

 

 

It’s a big day in fiction world! Beverly Lewis’ new book, The Mercy, releases today! This is the final book in The Rose Trilogy Series.

Rose Kauffman pines for prodigal Nick Franco, the Bishop’s foster son who left the Amish under a cloud of suspicion after his foster brother’s death. His rebellion led to the “silencing” of their beloved Bishop. But is Nick really the rebel he appears to be? Rose’s lingering feelings for her wayward friend refuse to fade, but she is frustrated that Nick won’t return and make things right with the People. Nick avowed his love for Rose – but will he ever be willing to sacrifice modern life for her?

Meanwhile, Rose’s older sister, Hen, is living in her parents’ Dawdi Haus. Her estranged “English” husband, injured and helpless after a car accident, has reluctantly come to live with her and their young daughter during his recovery. Can their marriage recover, as well? Is there any possible middle ground between a woman reclaiming her old-fashioned Amish lifestyle and a thoroughly modern man?

LifeWay Christian Stores currently has the entire series on sale for just $10 … including the brand new novel! This is a great time to complete your series or to get started by picking up The Thorn and The Judgment as well.

Did you read yesterday’s blog post from Cindy Woodsmall? If you didn’t… do so now! It’s a lovely glimpse into a cool experience Cindy had while visiting an Amish community.

Cindy has sent us an AMAZING item to do a giveaway with today! Straight from Amish country is this beautiful, hand-sewn wall-hanging.  Everyone together now... "ohhh....ahhhh...."

I’ve been tempted to keep it but my guilty conscience just wouldn’t let me.  We actually have a handful of things to giveaway today:

One Grand Prize Winner will receive the quilted wall hanging plus a copy of Cindy’s new book The Harvest of Grace.

Two other winners will receive a copy of The Harvest of Grace.

For your chance to win, simply answer the following question:

The Amish live very simple lives, forgoing many of the luxuries that we have in our everyday lives such as cars, cell phones, televisions, computers, and even sometimes electricity. 

If you were to spend one month living among an Amish family, what is one thing you would have a difficult time giving up?

Leave your answer in the comments section of this post by 6:00 p.m. central time today. We’ll randomly choose one grand prize winner and two other winners.

Good luck!