Vannetta Chapman is the author of numerous Amish fiction books, including the Pebble Creek Amish series and the Amish Bishop Mystery series. We’re glad to have her here today to talk about her books, autumn, and all things cozy!

* * *

AmishReader: Welcome, Vannetta! Autumn is a wonderful time for reading heartwarming books about Amish towns or diving into cozy mysteries. Your books certainly fit the bill! Before we chat about specific titles, though, we’d love to know… What are some of your favorite things about fall? What sets this season apart for you?

Vannetta: We love to camp and hike, so that would be one of my favorite things about fall. What sets it apart for me, especially since we live in Texas, is the feeling that we’ve made it through another difficult summer.

AmishReader: A Promise for Miriam features an Amish schoolteacher. Describe a day in the classroom that would delight Miriam’s heart…

Vannetta: I love the scene where the children are making Valentine’s Day cards. I remember doing that as a child. It’s such a simple thing to write a note, but it can really lift someone’s mood.

Photo: An Amish schoolroom in Wisconsin

AmishReader: A Home for Lydia features some cabins by a river, which makes for a perfect summer setting, but could also be a great autumn retreat. What kind of research went into the backdrop for this particular book? And what’s been one of your favorite fall outings or vacations?

Vannetta: We visited Wisconsin before I wrote this series, so I was able to see some beautiful countryside—and also a few tumbling-down old structures. It was easy to envision such a place coming to life with care and devotion. One of my favorite fall outings was a Fall Foliage Tour we took in the northeast one year. We traveled through upper state New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. We were able to see a lot of historical places as well as some beautiful parks and farms.

AmishReader: Sounds delightful!

Tourist season in Amish country includes the colorful part of fall, as the main character notes in A Wedding for Julia. Have you been to Amish country in autumn? If so, what was your experience like?

Vannetta: I have been fortunate to visit Amish communities in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Oklahoma, and yes—some of those visits took place in the fall. By definition, most Amish communities are rural places. We found each to be unique and beautiful.

Photo: An Amish farm in the fall in Middlebury, Indiana

AmishReader: Switching gears from Amish romance to Amish suspense… What do you think makes fall the perfect season for reading mysteries?

Vannetta: I read all the time. Some friends were teasing me this weekend because I’m such an avid reader, but it’s not unusual for me to read 2-3 books a week. So you know my answer to your questions is going to be—any time is a good time to read a mystery! If you’re wearing a sweater and savoring a cup of hot coffee or tea, all the better.

AmishReader: Great point!

Tell us a bit about the hero from your Amish Bishop Mysteries series. What would autumn look like in his neck of the woods? How would he enjoy spending a fall evening?

Vannetta: The Amish Bishop series takes place in Monte Vista, Colorado, so the fall would be full of color and also somewhat cold. I think Henry would enjoy spending his evening with his little dog at his feet, a book or Bible in his lap, and a steaming mug of coffee with one of Emma’s homemade treats.

Photo: An Amish farm in Monte Vista, Colorado

AmishReader: Just for fun, since your Amish Bishop Mysteries books have recipes at the end… What’s your favorite thing to bake or cook in the fall?

Vannetta: I’m learning how to make homemade granola bars. I don’t have a recipe, per se, but I’d love to hear what our readers like in their snacks. So far, I have oats, almond butter, honey, cranberries, walnuts, and almonds. What else should I include?

* * *

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.

Visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com.

*The three Amish country photos in this post were provided by Vannetta Chapman.

Purchase the Pebble Creek Amish series

Purchase the Amish Bishop Mysteries series

 

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Authors, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
8 Comments »

Who the Bishop Knows (#AmishBishopMysteries) by Vannetta Chapman releases in a week! Discover more about this exciting Amish mystery series in this interview with the author…

* * *

Q&A with Vannetta Chapman

1. AmishReader: What inspired the setting for the opening chapter of Who the Bishop Knows? Do you enjoy attending rodeos yourself?

Vannetta: We do have a lot of rodeos here in Texas, but actually the setting inspired me to incorporate the rodeo into this plot. Monte Vista is famous for its rodeo, and when I learned that the Amish teens sometimes participate, well…the story sort of wrote itself.

2. AmishReader: Which of the three mysteries in this series was the most difficult to write? Which one was the easiest?

Vannetta: All three books have felt like seeing a string on a sweater and pulling on it…watching it unravel. Once I had my main character…once I “knew” Henry, the stories flowed quite naturally.

3. AmishReader: Which character in the series has become most dear to you? Which one do you think most resembles you?

Vannetta: Well, I would say that Henry is the most dear—he reminds me of every grandfatherly figure in my life—including my own grandfather. Henry has his problems and shortcomings like any other person, but his endearing quality is how much he cares for the people under his care. I suppose I’m most like Emma, though I see reflections of myself in Katie Ann as well.

4. AmishReader: What do you find most challenging about writing Amish mysteries?

Vannetta: I think there is an important line between respecting their culture and imagining what that life must be like. As Englischers, we can’t really know…we haven’t lived it, but visiting and speaking with the Amish certainly helps. What Amish readers have told me they enjoy about my stories (even my mysteries), is that I don’t put them on a pedestal.

5. AmishReader: What is one of your favorite scenes in Who the Bishop Knows?

Vannetta: I absolutely loved writing the end, when Henry and Emma are preparing to confront the killer. Without giving anything away, I had my Bible open to 1 Samuel 17:38-40 as I wrote the scene, and it was a delight to incorporate that age-old passage into Henry’s story.

6. AmishReader: What can readers take away from Bishop Henry Lapp’s story regarding their own God-given gifts?

Vannetta: I think we can learn not to be ashamed of the gifts that God has given us and to trust that He has made us the way we are for a purpose, that always His plan for us is a good plan and that His love for us knows no bounds.

AmishReader: Thank you so much for sharing with us, Vannetta!

* * *

About Who the Bishop Knows…

What You Don’t See Might Hurt You

Every year, residents of the small Amish community in Monte Vista, Colorado, look forward to the Ski Hi Stampede, the state’s oldest professional rodeo. The rodeo is always good, clean entertainment for the hardworking farmers of the San Luis Valley. But this year, the Stampede turns deadly for one Amish man. Did rodeo fans see an unfortunate accident? Or something more sinister?

Amish bishop Henry Lapp is known far and wide for his uncanny ability to draw and remember the smallest details of anything he’s seen, skills that have served him well in past investigations. He was at the rodeo that day. The problem? He didn’t see Jeremiah Schwartz’s death.

With a murderer on the loose and members of his community being threatened, Henry must act fast. But can he solve a crime he didn’t see? This time around, Henry will have to rely on his keen sense of human character and observation, skills he’s honed in his role as bishop, if he hopes to crack the case.

Who the Bishop Knows is a story of accepting our talents, putting one another first, and trusting that God will care for His children.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook

* * *

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.

Visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com.

 

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
No Comments »

In this excerpt from What the Bishop Saw by Vannetta Chapman, Bishop Henry Lapp struggles with the thought that he must use his special gift to provide a clue to the mystery hanging over his community. Enjoy the preview!

***

Henry went to his rocker and picked up the family Bible. It had belonged to his father, and his father’s father. The text was in German, which was as familiar and natural to him as any Englisch text. He thumbed through the worn pages, stopping now and then to read a passage that caught his eye.

He found the verses on talents and gifts Emma had referred to.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given… Servants of Christ… entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.

They were verses he’d read and shared with others, many times, but they did nothing to ease the trouble in his heart. There was something else he needed to read, something an unconscious part of his mind, or his soul, was yearning for. He found it in the first chapter of Philippians, verse six:

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Did he believe it? Was this promise meant even for him, at the ripe old age of sixty-four?

It had all begun so long ago, when he was a young lad of twelve. Staring out the window at the light fading across the valley, Henry could still hear the crack of the bat. He’d never actually felt the impact as the ball slammed into his head, but he had heard the gasp from those watching the game. They’d known before he did. In fact, it was weeks later, when he finally woke up in an Englisch hospital, that his parents told him about the blow to his head and what doctors were calling a traumatic brain injury.

Henry read the passage again. The words weren’t a suggestion, but rather a commandment. A description of a fact. Being confident of this. There was no room for doubt or questioning. And who gave such confidence? Who gave all things? Their heavenly Father.

He bowed his head and prayed that his heart would reflect a confidence in the provision and purpose of Christ. He petitioned God to use what had begun so long ago, to use this gift, for His glory. He pleaded with God to complete the good work He had begun. He allowed the Holy Spirit to minister to his heart and his mind and his soul.

Opening his eyes, Henry was surprised to see that the sun had fled and darkness had settled across the land. He stood and turned on the lantern in the sitting room as well as the one in the kitchen. Walking to his desk, he pulled out two pencils and several sheets of the oversized paper he used when he plotted out his large garden.

It might be that he’d need a few attempts to get it right.

***

Excerpted from What the Bishop Saw by Vannetta Chapman

Discover the bishop’s gift and solve the mystery in What the Bishop Saw…

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
No Comments »

In addition to a solved mystery, the end of What the Bishop Saw includes a handful of tasty recipes! Earlier this week we asked our Facebook fans to vote for a recipe from the book they’d like to try:

1. Apple Cinnamon French Toast
2. Green Bean Casserole
3. Carrot Cake

And the winner is…Carrot Cake!

You’ll find the carrot cake recipe below. And if you’d like to try more recipes…and indulge in a cozy mystery…be sure to check out What the Bishop Saw!

* * *

Vannetta Chapman is the author of several novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series and Anna’s Healing. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. Vannetta is a Carol Award winner and a multi-award-winning member of Romance Writers of America. She was a teacher for 15 years and currently resides in the Texas Hill Country.

Visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com.

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Desserts, Recipes, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
No Comments »

This week, in celebration of the release of Sarah’s Orphans, we’re talking about the heart of the story and the blessing of caring for orphans. Today’s post by Vannetta Chapman offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the book…

(P.S. Don’t miss the giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 5 copies of Sarah’s Orphans! To get your name in the drawing, fill out the form HERE or at the end of the post.*)

Read Part II of this series (by author Tricia Goyer) HERE!

* * *

Sarah’s Orphans is the third book in my Plain & Simple miracles series. Anna’s Healing deals with the miracle of healing. Joshua’s Mission is a story about how as a community we help one another during tragic circumstances. And Sarah’s Orphans centers on reaching out to the children in our communities.

I had read a few news articles about Amish adopting outside of their faith and that intrigued me because we tend to think of them as NOT being involved with the larger community. The opposite is so often true. When there’s a need—whether it be a natural disaster, people suffering from personal crisis, or orphans—the Amish are often the first to respond. I wanted to tell that story and show a different side of the Plain people.

My main character, Sarah Yoder, has a turbulent home life. Her father has died recently. Her mother is struggling mightily with depression and eventually leaves the family. It falls on Sarah to care for her brothers, and then she stumbles across two homeless children. Sarah already has her hands full, which I think many of us can relate to. Most of us have plenty to deal with—emotionally, financially, even physically. Yet Sarah sees these children in need and she understands what it feels like to be abandoned, what it feels like to be motherless. Her heart leads her into the journey that is Sarah’s Orphans.

Part of the reason I wrote this story is to show there are children in need all around us. Not everyone can adopt a child, but we can all offer a kind word, or a ride to church, or financial help for school supplies or summer camp. As a group of believers, we can do a lot to alleviate the suffering in our communities. Mateo and Mia bring joy into Sarah’s household. They are the reason that Sarah opens her heart to love and to a joyful future.

This book was inspired by the words found in James: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (1:27 ɴɪᴠ). The result is, I hope, inspiring fiction based on real life events. May you be blessed and more aware of the orphans around you.

* * *

About Sarah’s Orphans…

Orphaned…But Never Abandoned by God

Sarah Yoder belongs to a Plain community in Oklahoma, but her days are far from simple. Life suddenly gets complicated when a series of tragic events unfold, leaving her in charge of the household.

Alone with her younger siblings, Sarah is exhausted but finally at peace. Then she nearly runs over a small Hispanic boy with her buggy…and somehow finds herself sheltering two more orphans.

Paul Byler moved to Cody’s Creek to help his brother in a time of need. But now that Joseph has recovered from his heart attack, Paul’s ready for a quiet place of his own. The only problem? His new property lands him next door to the orphaned Yoder family—and a calling from God he can’t seem to ignore.

A story of extraordinary grace and love in the face of desperate need, Sarah’s Orphans is the third standalone novel in the Plain and Simple Miracles collection by Vannetta Chapman.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook

* * *

Vannetta Chapman is the author of several novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series and Anna’s Healing. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. Vannetta is a Carol Award winner and a multi-award-winning member of Romance Writers of America. She was a teacher for 15 years and currently resides in the Texas Hill Country.

Visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com.

*The giveaway is open to US residents only. The form will close at midnight PT on November 22, 2016. Good luck!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed under: Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
19 Comments »

The holidays are the perfect time of year for trying out a new dessert recipe! This one comes from Sarah’s Orphans by Vannetta Chapman (the book includes a selection of recipes at the end!).

Earlier this week we asked our Facebook fans to vote for a recipe they’d like to try from the book:

1. Maple Cream Pie
2. Amish Oatmeal Cookies
3. Twelve-Egg Pound Cake

And the winner is…Amish Oatmeal Cookies!

You’ll find the recipe below. And if you’re longing to try one of the other recipes (and enjoy a moving story), don’t miss Sarah’s Orphans!

 

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Desserts, Recipes, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
No Comments »

In this excerpt from Sarah’s Orphans (the third book in the Plain & Simple Miracles collection by Vannetta Chapman), Sarah Yoder and her neighbor, Paul Byler, enjoy a sweet and simple moment in the barn with a little girl Sarah is caring for…

Enjoy the preview!

***

They had reached the back wall, and Paul stopped in front of the last stall. Inside was one of Joshua’s buggy mares, and across from them was the other. The mare nudged Paul’s hand, looking for a treat, and he produced a cube of sugar.

“Do you always carry sweets in your pockets?” Sarah asked.

“Comes in handy more often than you’d think.”

He handed another cube to Mia, and they walked to the other mare so she could feed it to the horse. Mia started to put it into her mouth.

“No, honey. Give it to the horse.”

“Why?” Mia puckered her lips and tried to feed the sugar cube to Paul.

In spite of herself, Sarah burst out laughing. It was such a funny sight—the small Hispanic girl, large Amish man, and a horse poking her head in the middle of the two. Eventually, Mia relented and fed the mare. Then she insisted on being let down and made a game of running from one side of the aisle to the other, touching the wall each time and saying “horse” when she did.

Paul spied a wooden crate and turned it over so Sarah could sit on it.

“Take a load off. You barely sat at all this morning. You ate in record time, and then you popped up to help with the dishes.”

Had Paul Byler been watching her? The thought embarrassed Sarah, so she changed the subject, but she did sit on the crate. Her feet were actually tired from the long morning of church and serving.

“All right, but we need to keep an eye on little Mia. She’s turned disappearing into an art form.”

Paul sat beside her on the ground. “Still hiding?”

“Every chance she gets.”

Paul started laughing. Mia turned to look at him, and the smile that spread across her face once again melted Sarah’s heart.

“You’re beautiful, you know.” Paul’s voice had turned husky. “When you smile like that, when you stop worrying about things…you’re beautiful inside and out, Sarah Yoder.”

She didn’t know what to say. She stammered, she blushed, and she forced herself to look away from Paul’s warm brown eyes and playful smile.

***

Excerpted from Sarah’s Orphans by Vannetta Chapman

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
No Comments »

We’re celebrating the release of Sarah’s Orphans (#PlainMiracles) here at AmishReader.com this month! Today, enjoy a deeper look at the story in this interview with Vannetta Chapman.

(And don’t miss the giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 5 copies of Sarah’s Orphans! To get your name in the drawing, fill out the form HERE or at the end of the post.*)

* * *

Q&A with Vannetta Chapman

AmishReader: Tell us about the message of Sarah’s Orphans and how it ties in with the theme of the Plain & Simple Miracles series as a whole.

Vannetta: Sarah’s Orphans is the story of a young Amish woman who finds herself raising her younger brothers when she literally stumbles across two orphans. Though she is struggling with her own family, Sarah opens up her heart and her home to Mateo and Mia. That sort of compassion and kindness is a miracle and one of the foundations of our faith. James wrote that “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (1:27). I loved the idea of ending this series with such a powerful call to ministering to those around us.

AmishReader: Sarah Yoder was first introduced to us in Joshua’s Mission. What made you decide to feature her as the main character of Sarah’s Orphans?

Vannetta: When we meet Sarah in Joshua’s Mission she is a young woman with problems that have at times overwhelmed her—she suffers from an eating disorder, her family life is less than ideal, and she’s questioning her place in their community. Working on the mission project in Texas clarifies many things in Sarah’s mind, and it ultimately gives her the confidence and compassion that allows her to care for others. I grew to really love this character and enjoyed continuing her story.

AmishReader: What about the hero of Sarah’s Orphans, Paul Byler? What was your inspiration for his character, and what makes him so relatable?

Vannetta: Paul is that guy we all know who seems perfectly happy being a bachelor. He likes that his life is uncomplicated. He was never that comfortable around women, and now that he’s thirty years old, women seem to kind of look through him. Which is fine. It saves him the embarrassment of not knowing what to say. But then he moves to Oklahoma to help his brother, and he buys a farm, which just happens to be next door to Sarah Yoder. The course of his life changes in that moment, because God had a plan all along for Paul and it included Sarah. I think this character is relatable because he’s a “good guy” but he is clueless as far as women are concerned.

AmishReader: Who is your favorite character in this book—and what’s your favorite line from the story?

Vannetta: I love the children, ALL of the children, and I also adore Sarah’s grandmother who comes to live with them and help with the children. She offers far more than help with dishes and laundry. She offers a lifetime of experience, Godly wisdom, and a true love for the family. Mammi tells Paul, “We all need something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for.” I think that’s a good word that we all could stand to hear. We need each other in our lives. God designed us to be in community with one another.

AmishReader: Since Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away, could you share something that made you extra thankful while working on this book?

Vannetta: Writing this story made me very thankful for the upbringing I had, for two parents who worked hard and were able to show how much they cared for us. They weren’t perfect parents, but they were very good parents. I realize more and more that not all children have that. And it helps me to understand that I need to be that for our own children and also for children that I come across in our community. We can all offer a kind word, thumbs up, pat on the back, and prayer can make a big difference in a child’s life.

AmishReader: Just for Fun: What’s one of your favorite Thanksgiving memories?

Vannetta: The way my dad carved the turkey! You would think he’d been trained by a master chef in the one precise way to carve a turkey. Every year he would insist I watch and “help him,” which basically consisted of scooping up what he’d carved and placing it on a plate. He also had a special way with mashed potatoes. I’m telling you, it was a work of art. Those are special memories, and I’m grateful to have had that time with him.

AmishReader: Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Vannetta!

* * *

About Sarah’s Orphans…

Orphaned…But Never Abandoned by God

Sarah Yoder belongs to a Plain community in Oklahoma, but her days are far from simple. Life suddenly gets complicated when a series of tragic events unfold, leaving her in charge of the household.

Alone with her younger siblings, Sarah is exhausted but finally at peace. Then she nearly runs over a small Hispanic boy with her buggy…and somehow finds herself sheltering two more orphans.

Paul Byler moved to Cody’s Creek to help his brother in a time of need. But now that Joseph has recovered from his heart attack, Paul’s ready for a quiet place of his own. The only problem? His new property lands him next door to the orphaned Yoder family—and a calling from God he can’t seem to ignore.

A story of extraordinary grace and love in the face of desperate need, Sarah’s Orphans is the third standalone novel in the Plain and Simple Miracles collection by Vannetta Chapman.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook

* * *

Vannetta Chapman is the author of several novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series and Anna’s Healing. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. Vannetta is a Carol Award winner and a multi-award-winning member of Romance Writers of America. She was a teacher for 15 years and currently resides in the Texas Hill Country.

Visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com.

*The giveaway is open to US residents only. The form will close at midnight PT on November 22, 2016. Good luck!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
3 Comments »

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!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
25 Comments »

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.

 

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
2 Comments »