We’re celebrating the release of Sewn with Joy (#PieShopBooks) here at AmishReader.com! This week we’re featuring a series of fun interviews with author Tricia Goyer.

(And don’t miss the awesome giveaway for a chance to win a Whirley-Pop popcorn popper gift set, a $25 Amazon.com gift card, and two copies of Sewn with Joy! To get your name in the drawing, fill out the form HERE or at the end of the post.*)

* * *

 

Interview with Tricia Goyer: Multiple Choice

1. The tastiest topping for popcorn is…

• Butter
• Caramel
• Nothing—it’s good all by itself!
• Something spicy

Tricia explains: I love buttery (and salty) movie house popcorn. It’s really the only time I get it, but then I SPLURGE!

2. The way you’d most like to be involved in a TV show is by…

• Acting
• Directing
• Scriptwriting
• Binge-watching

Tricia explains: I’ve actually worked on a script before and it’s fun! But I’d never want to get in front of the camera!

3. The character from Sewn with Joy who most resembles you is…

• Joy
• Matthew
• Elizabeth
• Alicia

Tricia explains: Alicia is someone who just wants to love and be loved. She’s someone who’s made mistakes and regrets past decisions. Alicia is a lot of who I used to be. When Alicia poured her heart into her journal, those words came from deep in my heart.

4. The way you’d most enjoy reaching out to others is through…

• Hosting a Bible study or book club
• Serving behind-the-scenes at an event
• Encouraging someone in one-on-one conversation
• Creating something that points people to God

Tricia explains: Every week I lead a teen-mom support group. I’m able to gather those young women together and share about God’s goodness. I share simple truths from the Bible, too, and they are amazed. So many of these moms have near heard even the most common Bible stories before, and hearing about God’s grace and love really touches them.

5. The skill you’d most like to hone is…

• Sewing clothing
• Quilting
• Baking
• Woodworking

Tricia explains: I have 11 people to feed every night. I love making dinners, but I think they’d really appreciate it if I baked more!

 

Your turn! Which answers would you pick for this quiz? Let us know in the comments, and join us on Wednesday for Part 2 of the interview!

* * *

Tricia Goyer is a homeschooling mom of ten, grandmother of two, and wife to John. A USA Today bestselling author, Tricia has published over 55 books and is well-known for her Big Sky and Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors Amish series.

Visit her at www.TriciaGoyer.com.

*The giveaway is open to US residents only (due to high shipping costs). The form will close at midnight on October 3, 2016. Good luck!

 

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Looking for a way to celebrate the official arrival of autumn? Give this recipe from Sewn with Joy a try! (Sewn with Joy is the third novel in the Pinecraft Pie Shop series by Tricia Goyer and Sherry Gore. This fiction series includes tasty recipes at the end of some of the chapters!)

We asked our Facebook fans to vote for a sweet recipe they’d like to try from the book:

1. Apple Cream Pie
2. Pumpkin Spice Cake
3. Streusel Coffee Cake

And the winner is…Pumpkin Spice Cake!

You’ll find the recipe below. And if you’re longing to try one of the other recipes (and enjoy an engaging story too!), don’t miss Sewn with Joy!

 

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In this excerpt from Sewn with Joy, the third book in the Pinecraft Pie Shop series by Tricia Goyer and Sherry Gore, Joy Miller is delivering a birthday gift to the bishop’s wife and eagerly awaiting a chance to visit with Matthew Slagel, the bishop’s son (and the man she loves)…

Enjoy the preview!

***

The front door opened, and Matthew walked in. Joy found him stunning despite the fact he was sweaty and sprinkled with sawdust.

“Let me just get out another bowl.” As Jeanette hurried toward the kitchen, she called back to her son. “You better wash up, Matthew, and don’t forget to clean under your nails.”

Joy chuckled at the chiding.

“Ja, Mem.” He offered Joy a humored grin and then watched his mem retreat before hanging his straw hat on the hook by the front door. But instead of hurrying to the bathroom to wash up, he moved closer to Joy. The tenderness and care in his blue eyes caused her to squirm. His hair where his hat brim had been was pressed in a circle. His forehead was moist with perspiration, and even his lashes spiked from moisture.

Her heart hammered. Prickles moved up and down her arms as if she’d just been poked by a thousand tiny needles. “Hot out there?”

“Just a little, but I’ve already forgotten about the misery of it.”

“Really, how?”

He offered a crooked smile and kept his eyes fixed on hers. “Oh, just seeing you makes the whole day better. I’m glad you’re here. You must have been at the shop extra early to see that those curtains got done.”

“I was at the shop before six and…” Should she admit she even skipped breakfast to make sure she got her sewing finished in time to see him? Her stomach offered the smallest growl. “I’m just happy it worked out. It made all the hard work worth it.”

Joy dropped her chin. Matthew tipped it up with one finger and studied her face before a grin turned up the corner of his mouth. “You know how to make a man feel loved, you know that?”

Her lips parted slightly, and then closed again. In the three weeks they’d been spending so much time together, neither had used the word love. Joy had considered it. She’d believed the growing feelings she had for Matthew were love, and hoped he felt the same. But to hear the words…

***

Excerpted from Sewn with Joy by Tricia Goyer & Sherry Gore

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The next installment in The Pinecraft Pie Shop fiction series by Tricia Goyer and Sherry Gore is here! Like the other novels in this series, Sewn with Joy includes some tasty recipes at the end of some of the chapters. We asked our Facebook fans to vote for a recipe they’d like to try from the book:

1. Florida Orange Broccoli Salad
2. Zucchini Casserole
3. Country Brunch for 20

The winner is…Country Brunch for 20!

It’s nice to have a recipe on hand that will feed a lot of people. And the characters in Sewn with Joy certainly have a lot of people to feed when it comes to the television crew that rolls into town! You’ll find the recipe below.

Want to read the story and discover some other fun recipes along the way? Check out Sewn with Joy today!

 

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Vannetta Chapman’s new novel has nothing to do with the Amish…or does it? Today we’re chatting with Vannetta about her latest release, which is the first book in a Christian dystopian series. Read on to learn more and to find out how you can enter for a chance to win a copy of Deep Shadows!

* * *1. AmishReader: Vannetta, you are the author of Amish romance, Amish mysteries, and romantic suspense novels. How do you switch gears when writing different genres? Do you have a particular genre you enjoy writing the most?

Vannetta: I really like writing all of them! I just adore writing stories, and especially hopeful stories…I think we can all use a little of that given the times we live in. I do have different “playlists” in my iTunes account for whichever genre I’m writing. The music for Deep Shadows was quite different from the music for Joshua’s Mission.

2. AmishReader: Deep Shadows, as Christian dystopian fiction, presents a potential (not-too-distant) future world where all modern technology has been wiped out due to a solar flare. While your characters aren’t Amish, what wisdom could they glean from the Amish culture in this situation?

Vannetta: A lot of what I’ve learned from visiting Amish communities helped with my research for Deep Shadows—growing big gardens, using heirloom seeds, helping one another, having a close-knit community, getting by with less, depending on your faith. These are all things that each of us can benefit from, regardless of our circumstances.

3. AmishReader: How does the theme of community, which is often a major part of Amish fiction, play a role in Deep Shadows?

Vannetta: So many readers have written to me saying they’d like to have an Amish pen pal, or they’d like to move to an Amish community. I think a big reason for that is we want that sense of knowing our neighbor, of not being isolated! But of course you don’t have to be Amish to be a good neighbor. In Deep Shadows, Shelby realizes that she has become too isolated and that she won’t make it through the trials ahead without the help of friends and neighbors. As Christians, we’re called to a life of community. Remember Christ told us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” If we practice that, we create important connections with the people around us.

4. AmishReader: What are a few essential tips you’ve learned for surviving in a world without technology?

Vannetta: In Deep Shadows the power grid is down for a very long time. While researching this book, I learned that most of us couldn’t make it more than a few days. Things that would help during even a brief power outage are:

• Know the name and phone number of one or two neighbors.
• Have some peanut butter, crackers, and other basic food stocked in your pantry.
• Be sure you have flashlights with batteries that work.
• Keep your prescriptions filled—don’t wait until you’re down to the last pill.
• Have some emergency cash on hand.
• Don’t let your cars get close to empty. Get in the habit of filling up when you reach a quarter tank.
• Write out a list of Bible verses that you can turn to during hard times.

5. AmishReader: What are some features of Deep Shadows that fans of your Amish fiction would appreciate?

Vannetta: I’ve received such wonderful feedback regarding Deep Shadows, much of it from my Amish fiction fans. They especially enjoy the sense of community, the way my characters’ faith grows during tough times, how the story is realistic and yet hopeful. God’s grace is a theme that I try to carry through each of my books, and I felt like it was a very important part of Deep Shadows.

AmishReader: Thank you so much for joining us today, Vannetta!

* * *Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace, including romantic suspense and Amish romance novels. Chapman was a teacher for 15 years and currently writes full-time. She lives in the Texas Hill Country with her husband, pets, and a herd of deer. www.VannettaChapman.com

About Deep Shadows:

Life in Abney, Texas is predictable and safe—until the night a massive solar flare wipes out all modern technology. As the brilliant northern lights give way to deep shadows, single mom Shelby Sparks, her former sweetheart, and their entire small-town community must find a way to survive.

Purchase a copy:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Harvest House Publishers
Enter the drawing for a chance to win a paperback copy of Deep Shadows using the form below!

*The giveaway is open to US residents only (due to shipping costs). The form will close at midnight on August 2, 2016. Good luck!

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In this excerpt from A Heart Once Broken, the first book in a brand-new series by Jerry Eicher, Rosemary Beiler gets her chance to serve at a wedding alongside the handsome Amish man she admires: Ezra Wagler.

Enjoy the preview!

***

Rosemary’s mind drifted to the future. What would it be like to have a conversation with Ezra right after saying the wedding vows with him? The thought left her dizzy, and Rosemary tried to focus on the faces around her. Lydia and her cousin Enos had the table at the other end of the barn. Lydia noticed Rosemary’s glance and waved. Rosemary waved back.

“You’re doing very well today,” Ezra said when they paused to catch their breath.

“You’re just saying so,” Rosemary said.

“You’ve said that twice now,” he scolded. “I mean what I say.”

“Thanks.” Rosemary tried to smile. “I’m trying, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with you.” There, she had said the words.

Ezra appeared pleased, but no doubt he was used to such compliments. Didn’t both of the Troyer cousins shower him with attention?

“You undersell yourself,” Ezra said, as if he read Rosemary’s thoughts. “You shouldn’t, you know.”

“Stop saying such things,” Rosemary responded, her gaze on the floor. “You’re embarrassing me.”

Ezra chuckled. “Get used to it. You’re old enough to hear such true things about yourself.”

Rosemary gave him a quick glance. “I’ll try.” Now she had turned bright red again.

Ezra’s chuckle grew deeper. “And you have plenty of spunk.”

“Do you like spunk?” Rosemary asked without thinking. “I’m sorry, Ezra. I had no right to ask such a bold question.”

Ezra laughed. “There’s nothing to be sorry for. I love the way you are. You have nerve, for one thing. You’ll go places. As they say, the early bird gets the worm.”

“So now I’m a bird?” Rosemary pretended to frown.

“A pretty bird.” Ezra’s eyes twinkled.

“Ezra, don’t,” Rosemary said, wishing he’d say it again.

Ezra smiled and whispered, “Come, Rosemary, it’s time to serve dessert.”

He said her name with such tenderness that Rosemary had to look away.

***

Excerpted from A Heart Once Broken by Jerry Eicher

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In this excerpt from Planted with Hope, the second book in the Pinecraft Pie Shop series by Tricia Goyer and Sherry Gore, widower Jonas Sutter and his young daughter, Emma, join Hope Miller for a gospel sing…

Enjoy the preview!

***

They listened to the music for nearly an hour. Jonas hadn’t seen Emma so peaceful for quite some time. When the music finished they decided to walk down to Pinecraft Park. They talked about winters in Kentucky and Ohio as they walked. They talked about what their homes were like. Hope talked about her garden.

“Emma, when I was your age I used to pick a tin pail full of cherry tomatoes, washing them off under the cool water from the spring pump and then sitting under the tall maple tree and eating them all. I kept the heirloom seeds from those tomatoes. They were as old as the tree itself. Maybe older.”

Emma wrinkled her nose and skipped ahead. “Yuck, who wants to eat old tomatoes?”

Jonas chuckled and shook his head, but he didn’t explain. They seemed so content walking along like that.

“My grandfather once told me that our garden had been tended in the same plot since before the Civil War.” Hope sighed as her arms swung at her sides. “I felt part of something there—part of history, part of the heritage. And I sensed I was meant to tend that garden.”

Hope went on to share about her dat’s illness and their move.

“And here?” Jonas dared to ask. “You don’t feel the same about gardening?”

At the word gardening Emma reached up and took his hand, squeezing it. She glanced up at him and winked. Jonas smiled back, knowing their secret was safe.

Hope lifted her hands in the air in defeat. “Here, for so long, I felt like an imposter. The soil is an enemy. The sun a weapon.”

“Those are strong words.”

Hope cocked an eyebrow. “Have you tried to plant anything here?”

“No.” Jonas shrugged. “But I have a feeling, Hope, that under the right conditions you’d be able to get a garden to grow… no, make that flourish.”

She tilted her head and looked at him. She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again. Had she been about to tell him about the garden behind Me, Myself, and Pie? And if so, what stopped her from saying anything?

Give it time. Give her time. The words blew into Jonas’s mind like a soft ocean breeze. Time? He didn’t have much of it. As soon as the school year was finished in Pinecraft he’d be heading home.

The music played, and Emma started clapping along, but Jonas’s mind wandered. Would there be enough time to see if anything special was growing between them?

***

Excerpted from Planted with Hope by Tricia Goyer & Sherry Gore

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By Vannetta Chapman

My latest release, Joshua’s Mission, is about a hurricane that hits Port Aransas, Texas. It’s the story of people volunteering to help those in need.

Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) has been doing that across the U.S. for many years. Amish, Mennonite, and people from other Christian faiths participate. They go to a place of need, set up a headquarters, and stay until the work is finished. This might be six months or five years.

The pictures I’ve included were taken in Bastrop, Texas, where my husband is working this week. You can read more about the Bastrop project HERE.

Don’t we all love to read about people helping other people in the name of Christ? It’s an awesome thing. But today I wanted to talk about what you and I can do to help with these mission efforts.

1) If you can go, then go! It’s okay if you don’t have experience, or if you only have a day or two to work. They can use you! And don’t worry about your inexperience. My husband had never hung drywall before yesterday. It’s amazing what we can learn to do. You can learn more about volunteering with MDS HERE.

2) If you can’t go, you can contribute! It seems like people are always asking for donations, and it’s hard to know what charities are legitimate. I can assure you that any funds you send to MDS will be used to rebuild homes. You can find more details HERE.

3) If you can’t contribute, pray! The most powerful thing we can do for someone else is to pray for them. Pray for safety, for wisdom, for resources, and for success. Pray for the people who are working and the people who are in need of a home. Pray for the towns that have been ravaged by hurricanes and tornadoes and fires and floods. Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ.

4) Share! So many people I’ve talked to have never heard of MDS. In fact, I had never heard of MDS a few years ago. So share the good news. Share a Facebook post or this blog post or the MDS page. If you’re having coffee with someone, tell them about this amazing organization. SHARE the good news, because maybe someone else would like to help.

I enjoyed exploring Port Aransas, learning about MDS, and sharing with my readers another story of the Plain and Simple life led by the Amish. Thank you for being faithful readers!

* * *

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania. Vannetta was a teacher for 15 years and currently writes full time where she lives in the Texas hill country with her husband.

Visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com.

 

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In this excerpt from Joshua’s Mission, the second book in Vannetta Chapman’s Plain & Simple Miracles series, Becca Troyer learns about the Mennonite Disaster Service and contemplates going on a mission trip to Texas…

Enjoy the preview!

***

“Daddi talked to me about going on a mission trip with the Mennonite Disaster Service group.”

Her parents exchanged a knowing look, but neither spoke.

“I don’t even understand the MDS program. And why are you two smiling at each other like that?”

“Your mother and I met on a mission trip.”

“I never knew that.”

Her mom shrugged and sipped her milk.

Her father sat forward, arms crossed on the table, and smiled at her. He had always seemed like a pillar of strength to Becca. More than anything, she appreciated the way he always spoke to her honestly—as an adult, not as a child. She liked that she could trust him to be truthful even when it hurt her feelings or she didn’t agree.

“I know that part of what we contribute in our tithe offering funds MDS,” Becca said. “I suppose I’ve known that for years. Is it only Amish who volunteer?”

“Nein. Mennonites participate as well.” Her father helped himself to another piece of bread.

Her mom ran the tip of her finger around the rim of her glass. “Brethren in Christ too, even some Christian groups who are not associated directly with our Anabaptist tradition.”

That sounded like a lot of people to Becca.

“Who coordinates it all?”

“Each site has a crew manager,” her father explained. “That person may vary from week to week or may stay through the entire length of the project. While there, they oversee volunteers as well as construction materials and the like.”

“So it’s not a lot of youngies running around on their own.”

“It isn’t. MDS does serious work, Becca. We assist people who don’t have the means to recover from various disasters.”

She thought about that a moment, while her finger traced the bread crumbs on her plate. “Like what kind of disasters?”

“Floods, hurricanes, fires. Pretty much any type of disaster where we can provide relief.”

“I don’t remember you two participating. Did you only go that once? The time you met?”

“We went on three different trips,” her mother said.

“Three?”

“Two before we were married and one after.”

“And then?”

“Then you came along, and we both felt we needed to stay home.”

What did that mean? Would they resume going on mission trips once she had married or moved away? She’d never thought about her parents’ life after she moved on—if she moved on. This conversation was opening up an entire new bundle of questions she wasn’t sure she wanted to address.

“Would you like to go on a mission trip?” her dat asked.

“I don’t know. It sounded like something fun to do. Well, maybe not fun exactly, but you know… different.”

“Except… ” Her mother studied her as she waited for Becca to finish her thought.

“Except I’m not sure I want to be responsible for someone else’s recovery. I don’t know anything about that.”

Her father smiled and slapped the kitchen table. “We will pray on this. All of us. You will know, Becca. If Gotte wants you to serve somewhere, you will know it is the right thing to do. Gotte will provide for you and equip you.”

Her father tromped back outside to finish his afternoon work.

Her mother continued adding final touches to the postcards.

And Becca crocheted. As she did so, her father’s words continued to ring through her heart. “Gotte will provide for you and equip you.” She’d never thought of herself that way before—as a tool in the hand of God, something He could use to help others. The idea was rather exciting and frightening at the same time.

***

Excerpted from Joshua’s Mission by Vannetta Chapman

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The celebration of Joshua’s Mission continues! First off, don’t forget that there’s a sweet giveaway going on, with a chance to win two copies of the book and all the supplies you’d need for a lovely afternoon with a friend (mugs, coffee, tea, and chocolate). To get your name in the drawing, fill out the form HERE (or at the end of the post).*

Second, this week we’re sharing a series of fun little interviews with the author, Vannetta Chapman. Today’s interview will reveal some of Vannetta’s favorite things pertaining to her new novel…

Vannetta’s Favorites

• Character in Joshua’s Mission: My heart is with Charlie. I love all the characters in the book, but Charlie is the one who THINKS his life is over, only to find that God isn’t finished with him yet.

• Line in the story: “The world doesn’t stand still, Charlie. And you wouldn’t want it to.”

• Experience serving on an emergency response team: We were working on a house that had been flooded in Wimberley, Texas. The water had reached the roofline. Minutes after we showed up to work, the family that owned the house arrived, along with six children. Oh my. My first reaction was that they were going to be in the way! But those children worked so hard, and they were so respectful, that it ended up being a wonderful experience.

• Part about living in Texas: The people. Texans are such down-to-earth, God-fearing, hard-working, good people, and I adore them.

• Bible verse on serving others: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

Your turn! Do you have some favorites from the list that you would like to share? Let us know in the comments, and remember to enter the giveaway!

* * *

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania. Vannetta was a teacher for 15 years and currently writes full time where she lives in the Texas hill country with her husband.

Visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com.

*The giveaway is open to US residents only (due to shipping costs). The form will close at midnight on March 1, 2016. Good luck!

 

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