In this excerpt from Anna’s Healing, the first book in Vannetta Chapman’s Plain & Simple Miracles series, Anna ponders the hired hand who has joined them for the harvest. What’s Jacob Graber’s story?

Enjoy the preview!

***

Leaving her room, Anna walked down the hall hoping she wasn’t late for breakfast, but she needn’t have worried. She stumbled to a stop as she peeked into the kitchen. Mammi tottered in from the back porch. Already sitting at the table was her onkel, her aenti, and the man they had hired to help with the harvest.

Jacob had shown up at the farm two days before with Bishop Levi. He was polite enough but terribly quiet. Though they had been working in the same field the day before, they hadn’t exchanged more than a dozen words.

Taking her place at the table, Anna nodded to Jacob, said good morning to her aenti and onkel, grinned at Mammi, and bowed her head for prayer. When she finished and reached for the large pot of oatmeal, she noticed Jacob studying her. She smiled at him, but he quickly ducked his head.

Polite and quiet and shy.

“You did well with the horses yesterday, Anna.” Her onkel reached for his coffee cup. “If you like, Jacob can take the team today.”

“Nein. I enjoy driving Snickers and Doodle. They are gut horses.”

Jacob again glanced up from his breakfast, but he didn’t say anything.

How did he arrive so early? Did he walk? Or did someone drive him? She’d heard through her aenti that he was staying with the bishop. It wasn’t a far piece, but he would have had to rise at least an hour early in order to dress and walk to her onkel   ’s farm for breakfast. No wonder he ate as if he hadn’t seen a full plate in years, though he certainly didn’t look as if he were starving.

Anna snuck glances as she ate her breakfast.

Jacob was tall—nearly six feet if she were to guess.

He obviously wasn’t married. His face was clean shaven.

But he was older, probably older than she was. So why wasn’t he married?

Anna shook her head. She hated it when people asked her that question, and here she was wondering the same thing about him.

His blond hair needed a cut, and his blue eyes had such a calm, serious look that she wondered what he had seen in his traveling. The only thing she knew for certain about him was that his parents lived in New York and he didn’t have any family in the area. So why was he here? Simply for the work? But they would be done by the end of the day. As far as Anna knew, Cody’s Creek wasn’t on the way to anywhere. How had he picked their little community?

***

Excerpted from Anna’s Healing by Vannetta Chapman

Ready to read more? Purchase a copy of the book through AmazonSmile to support both Vannetta and Project Linus, a nonprofit organization featured in the story! See the button below for the three easy steps you’ll need to take.

(Project Linus organizes the donations of handmade blankets and afghans to children in hospitals and other areas where they’re in need of some comfort and warmth. You can learn more and find ways to support the group at ProjectLinus.org.)

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Brian’s Choice is a story about mistakes we make, our attempt to make amends, and how God may lead us on a path vastly different than we imagined—all in our quest to find forgiveness.

My husband and I visited Cody’s Creek, Oklahoma in June of 2014. Actually, if you look at a map of Oklahoma, there is no such place. But if you happen to be in Tulsa and drive east on Highway 412 for about 40 miles, you’ll come to Chouteau. The name for this small town of 2,000 was originally Cody’s Creek—named after a creek that flows north of town. It’s a small place, and you won’t find any touristy things to do.

But you will find a few places that sell plain, simple food. Amish girls often work behind the counter. And if you drive through the surrounding countryside you’ll see Amish farms, though here that farm will most often include a tractor of some sort. Amish have lived in this area for over 100 years, and it was in 1937 that the community began to allow the use of tractors due to the harshness of the Oklahoma soil.

But my story, or rather Brian’s story, begins in California along Highway 101. The tragedy that ensues causes Brian Walker to question many things—his purpose in life, how he can possibly atone for his sins, and whether or not God even has a plan for him. Those are issues I think many of us can relate to. I know that I have messed up before. I’ve felt unredeemable. And I’ve experienced the miracle of God’s grace and forgiveness.

When Brian lands in Cody’s Creek he is captivated by the simple life and the plain people. Here he finds a peace and sense of community that he has never experienced. His decision to “become Amish” isn’t made lightly. After counseling with the local bishop, and much prayer and soul-searching, Brian decides to commit to the simple life and to dedicate his life to Christ.

Everything should be perfect from there. Right? Only it’s not. As Christians, we still face trials, and Brian will face his share of those. In the end, the choice Brian has to make is whether he can accept the forgiveness of others, God’s forgiveness, and whether he can learn to truly forgive himself.

I love the town of Cody’s Creek. It reminds me of the small Texas town I live in and many similar towns I’ve visited as I’ve traveled across our country—all filled with good honest people who are willing to extend the hand of friendship. I hope you enjoy this novella, and I’m looking forward to sharing Anna’s Healing with you, the first full novel in this Plain and Simple Miracles collection.

* * *

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania. Her novel Falling to Pieces was a 2012 ACFW Carol Award finalist. A Promise for Miriam earned a spot on the June 2012 Christian Retailing Top Ten Fiction list. Chapman was a teacher for 15 years and currently writes full time. She lives in the Texas hill country with her husband. For more information, visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com.

*Amish country photos courtesy of Vannetta Chapman

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I’m wondering how many of you have been blessed with a godly woman in your life? Maybe it’s your mother or grandmother; maybe it’s an aunt or a cousin or a friend. It could be someone you’ve known your entire life or someone you met recently. Regardless of who or how long, these relationships nurture us. These are people we can trust, who will listen to our hurts and celebrate with your joys.

I like to write about these types of relationships. I realize we don’t all have a perfect mother or a best-friend sister, but I think most people have at least one maternal figure in their life that they are grateful for.

In the story A Promise for Miriam, we see this relationship between Miriam and her mom (even though her mother makes some terrible herbal tea for Miriam to drink when she’s sick). And we see how Miriam passes on the same love and kindness to the new little girl in her school—Grace.

I try to emphasize that it’s not about being perfect, since none of us can be that. Rather it’s about not judging one another, offering a calm and peaceful presence, committing to praying for one another, and encouraging one another.

I’m not sure there is any stronger bond than that between a mother and her child (except maybe a father and his child). It’s something that truly lasts a lifetime. As a mom, I understand that I would do absolutely anything for my children—including my stepchildren. They are more than an extension of ourselves. They’re also a blessing and an important part of the future. They are, essentially, more valuable than our own life. That’s just what being a mom means. That you put the child first.

Proverbs 31 describes a woman of “noble character.” Deuteronomy and Exodus and Ephesians remind us to honor our mothers. Proverbs 6:20 tells us to “not forsake your mother’s teaching.” We are reminded of Sarah’s love for Isaac, Elizabeth’s love for John, and Mary’s love for Jesus. Scripture is resplendent with stories of mothers and children and the sacred bond that exists between us.

Often in my stories, I depict mothers and grandmothers who are old, somewhat feeble, but giants in the faith. They consider Scripture to be their lifeline, and they share those precious verses when my heroine is in trouble.

In A Wedding for Julia, Ada is the cause of Julia’s distress and yet she is also the reminder of her salvation. Ada consistently and patiently reminds Julia of the faithfulness of God and the truth of His word.

I’ve been blessed with many nurturing women in my life—my mother, my sister, my mother-in-law, very close friends. These ladies provide a stability to my life that helps me to handle the very bad days. I can count on each of these women, and they’ve inspired me to be that same type of person to others. I want to be the one who listens, who doesn’t judge, who guides with God’s word and His love and His mercy.

I understand that our mothers aren’t perfect, and everyone doesn’t have a mother that they can look up to. For some of us, our mothers have passed or perhaps they haven’t been the godly example that we would have wished for. But I like to think that God had a plan when he placed us in the arms of the woman who bore us. Whether we understand that plan or not, we can honor it. And though I’m not a perfect mom (just ask my children), I can vow to make my children a priority, to lead them with a kind and gentle hand, and to remind them of the truth of God’s love.

I’m praying that this Mother’s Day will be extra special and remind you of your Father’s abiding love.

Blessings!

***

Vannetta Chapman has published more than 100 articles in Christian family magazines. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. Vannetta is 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. Her first two inspirational novels—A Simple Amish Christmas and Falling to Pieces—were Christian Book Distributors bestsellers.

Photo of Vannetta and friends courtesy of the author.

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Sometimes it’s difficult to show others how much we care. Our children are so busy. Our family is sometimes spread out across the country. And our friends are often trying to go a dozen directions at once. What’s a person to do?

I suppose we could shrug our shoulders and say “It’s too hard.” Or we could do what Paul admonished us to do: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

In my story, A Wedding for Julia, my main character finds herself in despair after the death of her father. Not only are she and her mother alone now, but it seems that the dreams she has held so close will never come true. How can they? But what is impossible with man is possible with God, and soon Julia finds her life radically changing as she marries, then opens her new restaurant, and eventually faces one of the worst natural disasters in Wisconsin history. How does she find her way through? How does she help those she has grown to love so dearly?

She prays. Oh, I don’t mean she stops cooking or cleaning or gardening. No, she continues doing all of the things that she’s always done, but she does it with an attitude of prayer. She prays for her husband, her mother, and her community. She prays for strangers who are caught in the storm’s path. She prays for herself, that she might have the strength and wisdom needed.

When my family has problems, my first instinct is to fix them! I want to come up with solutions, lay out a battle plan, and turn things around. But is that the best course? Or should I pause and pray? While I write and clean and attend to my daily chores, should I petition God? When someone near me is hurting, can I trust them to God’s care?

We know what the Bible says to do, and maybe with time—and practice—we can learn to do that very thing. We can begin to “pray without ceasing.” And together, we can invite our heavenly Father into our midst, where He can direct our paths.

Blessings!

***

Vannetta Chapman has published more than 100 articles in Christian family magazines. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. Vannetta is 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. Her first two inspirational novels—A Simple Amish Christmas and Falling to Pieces—were Christian Book Distributors bestsellers.

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Devotions, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
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I love all the talk about New Year’s resolutions. So often, we address this subject like a visit to the dentist (no offense to you dentists out there). But what if we had a different attitude? What if we looked at the new year—and resolutions—as a chance to start on a clean slate?

In my story, A Promise for Miriam, Gabe would understand new beginnings and resolutions very well. Following the death of his wife, he buys land in Wisconsin—hoping for a new beginning and a more peaceful life. When he arrives, he finds the farm he bought is dilapidated, the fields unkempt, and the community too friendly. It’s NOT the new start he had envisioned.

That’s happened to me before on resolutions. Often when I write something down in my journal, it makes perfect sense. But then when I attempt to follow through, things don’t work out like I had planned at all. Over the years, I’ve learned that instead of trashing my resolution, sometimes I need to adjust it a bit. After all, a resolution is an intention. It’s something that we’re dedicating ourselves to doing. Changing the plan doesn’t mean we’ve failed—it means we’ve understood what we need to do to succeed.

Gabe does succeed in his new community, but first God has to grow him spiritually and emotionally. Gabe is forced to become an active part of the community that he would rather have remained anonymous in. Through the troubles that come, he finds himself in relationships that he would have avoided. And as he faces his darkest hour, he finds himself crying out to God for mercy and grace.

Most of us can understand those things. Life is hard sometimes. It can be heartbreaking. And during my darkest hour, I’ve found myself crying out to God for mercy and grace.

What will this year contain? I can’t possibly know. God knows. He’s all-knowing, and there isn’t a thing that is going to happen in 2015 that will surprise Him. I can rest easy in that knowledge. And I can go through the days of January and beyond boldly, because I am certain, without a doubt, that I will be cloaked in His mercy and grace.

Remember that is true for you, as well.

Happy New Year!

Vannetta Chapman has published more than 100 articles in Christian family magazines. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. Vannetta is 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. Her first two inspirational novels—A Simple Amish Christmas and Falling to Pieces—were Christian Book Distributors bestsellers.

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We’re celebrating a sweet and simple Christmas here at AmishReader.com with a series of fun author interviews! Join some of your favorite Amish authors as they share happy reminiscences of Christmases past, interesting information on the Amish approach to the holiday, and fascinating lists of Christmas/book favorites. Find a cozy place by the fire or looking out on the wintry weather, prepare a mug of hot chocolate, and enjoy Part 3 of this special 3-part interview…

Featured Books:

• Christmas at Pebble Creek by Vannetta Chapman (FREE short story ebook)
• Sarah’s Christmas Miracle by Mary Ellis ($3.99 in ebook format through 1/6/2015)
• An Amish Family Christmas by Murray Pura ($3.99 in ebook format through 1/6/2015)

Welcome back, Vannetta, Mary, and Murray! Today, we’d like to know which one you’d choose out of two Christmas-themed options…

1. White Christmas or a sunny holiday?

• Vannetta: Well, I live in Texas so I usually have SUNNY, but I wouldn’t mind WHITE.

• Mary: Since I’ve lived in northern Ohio my whole life, I would pick a sunny holiday. I believe I’ve only had one once or twice!!

• Murray: White Christmas with tall evergreens and mountains.

Mary Ellis preparing for a draft-horse-drawn sleigh ride in Ohio’s Amish country

2. Riding in a horse-drawn sleigh or sledding downhill?

• Vannetta: Sleigh. Definitely sleigh.

• Mary: Definitely a horse-drawn sleigh. I’ve only done this once, but I loved it! I get too cold and wet while sledding.

• Murray: A sleigh ride is Christmas magic.

3. Lots of presents or one meaningful gift?

• Vannetta: One gift.

• Mary: Lots of small, inexpensive, practical gifts like socks, tablets, pens, or candy. I love opening presents.

• Murray: Too many gifts spoil the event. So a sock and one meaningful gift.

4. Big family dinner or a nice restaurant?

• Vannetta: Big family dinner – that way the dog is allowed to come.

• Mary: If we can get away, then a big dinner with out-of-town family in Kentucky or Texas.

• Murray: Family dinner for sure. There’s nothing like relaxing at home instead of not-really-relaxing at a restaurant.

Mary Ellis’s barn in the winter

5. Home for Christmas or traveling elsewhere?

• Vannetta: Home. I like to be snuggled on the couch with a fire blazing, my dog lying next to me, and holding a good book with everyone around me doing the same.

• Mary: Usually we travel for both Easter and Thanksgiving, so we’re home just the two of us for Christmas.

• Murray: Home is where the people are so if it means travel, fine, so long as road conditions or sky conditions permit, and the trip itself can be a happy part of the celebration, not a huge stress.

Thank you Vannetta, Mary, and Murray for joining us this week and helping us to celebrate Christmas here on AmishReader.com!

Giveaway!

Amish readers, share your choices for all 5 of the either/or scenarios (listed above) in the comments section to enter to win a paperback copy of An Amish Family Christmas by Murray Pura!

Fine print: Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only, and participants must be 18 years old or older to enter. A winner will be randomly selected and emailed on Friday, December 26th. This giveaway is in no way sponsored by or affiliated with Facebook, WordPress, or Twitter.

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Authors, Mary Ellis, Murray Pura, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
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We’re celebrating a sweet and simple Christmas here at AmishReader.com with a series of fun author interviews! Join some of your favorite Amish authors as they share happy reminiscences of Christmases past, interesting information on the Amish approach to the holiday, and fascinating lists of Christmas/book favorites. Find a cozy place by the fire or looking out on the wintry weather, prepare a mug of hot chocolate, and enjoy Part 2 of this special 3-part interview…

(Mary Ellis is pictured left)

Featured Books:

• Christmas at Pebble Creek by Vannetta Chapman (FREE short story ebook)
• Sarah’s Christmas Miracle by Mary Ellis ($3.99 in ebook format through 1/6/2015)
• An Amish Family Christmas by Murray Pura ($3.99 in ebook format through 1/6/2015)

Welcome back, Vannetta, Mary, and Murray! Today, we’re talking favorites.

Please name your favorite…

Amish Christmas recipe

• Vannetta: A yellow cake with homemade chocolate icing.

• Mary: My favorite Amish recipe is the Christmas cake recipe in the back of Sarah’s Christmas Miracle. It contains a pound of butter, a cup of yellow raisins, and 3 cups of chopped pecans. What’s not to like?

• Murray: Oh, I have one that can turn Christmas upside down it’s so good: a 30-day Amish Friendship Cake that includes pecans, walnuts, coconut, peaches, pineapple, cherries, raisins, vanilla, and brandy. Once the 30 days of preparation are completed, and the cake is finally baked to a golden brown, any Amish within a hundred miles will be knocking at your door and asking for a slice, bitte. The recipe is too long to include here, but if you write me via Harvest House I can provide it. Mind you, it will have to be for a late-January cake at this point, but that’s all right; it will help you beat the post-Christmas blues and the long winter doldrums.

Character in your story

• Vannetta: Grace.

• Mary: My heroine, Sarah, is my favorite. She’s complex and confused, as we all are at times, but she’s kind and has a heart for Jesus.

• Murray: Micah, the young man who is estranged from the Amish community after returning from a tour of duty as a medic in Afghanistan. He keeps his cool, fosters love, submits to the shunning, and is ready to help and bless the community despite the harshness of his situation.

Christmas tradition

• Vannetta: Opening one gift with our children on Christmas Eve.

• Mary: Traveling to downtown Cleveland to see the lights and attend services at the Old Stone Church on Public Square. I go with my husband now that my mom is gone.

• Murray: The Christmas Eve Box. Into it goes a selection of gifts that may be opened Christmas Eve. There are beverages to drink and the glasses to drink from; things to eat like specialty cheese and crackers and cold cuts, as well as a cutting board to prepare food on; a Bible and a book to read out loud. Everything you want to eat or drink or do on Christmas Eve is sealed in a beautiful box – either a decorated cardboard one or, in our case, an attractive chest handmade from knotty pine.

Element of your cover

• Vannetta: I love the green bow on the cover! The book looks like it’s been gift-wrapped!

• Mary: I love the model selected to be my Sarah. She’s so sweet and earnest looking.

• Murray: I love the use of burgundy and black on the cover; it’s a very pleasant color mix, in particular the young woman’s black cape contrasting with her maroon or burgundy dress.

Line from your story

• Vannetta: “Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if we’d all ridden together, if the buggy I was in had turned left instead of right. But as mamm says, it’s best not to wonder over what-if’s. We did turn right as the sun was slipping toward the horizon, and my life was never the same.”

• Mary: “Sometimes a person didn’t appreciate the goodness the Lord has bestowed until it was almost gone.”

• Murray: “My Lord, so much has changed for the better, and yet for the great change to come so much had to be lost—our pride, our hardness of heart, our tradition, our unwillingness to bend, our reluctance to think something we did not understand could be from you. It has not been easy. It has not been without pain. But neither has it been without its own special glory. And it has been your doing.”

Join us tomorrow (December 18th) for Part 3 of this interview with Vannetta, Mary, and Murray, as we talk about some either/or scenarios!

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Authors, Mary Ellis, Murray Pura, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
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We’re celebrating a sweet and simple Christmas here at AmishReader.com with a series of fun author interviews! Join some of your favorite Amish authors as they share happy reminiscences of Christmases past, interesting thoughts on the Amish approach to the holiday, and fascinating lists of Christmas/book favorites. Find a cozy place by the fire or looking out on the wintry weather, prepare a mug of hot chocolate, and enjoy Part 1 of this special 3-part interview…

Featured Books:

• Christmas at Pebble Creek by Vannetta Chapman (FREE short story ebook)
• Sarah’s Christmas Miracle by Mary Ellis ($3.99 in ebook format through 1/6/2015)
• An Amish Family Christmas by Murray Pura ($3.99 in ebook format through 1/6/2015)

AmishReader: Welcome, Vannetta, Mary, and Murray! Wonderful to have you here with us this week before Christmas. Tell us, what did you find most challenging about writing a story set during the Christmas season? Most fun?

• Vannetta: I live in Texas – so sometimes it’s hard to remember exactly what all of that snow and cold weather feels like. Christmas at Pebble Creek is set in Wisconsin, and they certainly have their share of winter weather. I did spend three years as a child living in Connecticut, so it was fun to pull out those pictures, look at the snow and mittens and sleds, and remember.

• Mary: The Old Order Amish celebrate the holiday differently than us, and not all districts celebrate the same way. I had the responsibility to “get it right,” at least for my specific community. The essence of the holiday season makes it fun, no matter what your denomination.

• Murray: You have to write the story well before Christmas occurs, so getting in a “Christmas mood,” and writing in that mood for several weeks and months, isn’t always easy. On the other hand, the process fixes your mind on a time of year that is normally quite pleasant, so it becomes a series of “feel good” writing sessions for the most part.

Amish schoolroom in Wisconsin (Courtesy of Vannetta Chapman)

 AmishReader: Please share one of your favorite Christmas memories. Did it have any bearing on your story?

• Vannetta: The story opens with Grace (the little girl from A Promise for Miriam) grown and now teaching school—they’ve just had the Christmas program and are about to have a short Christmas break. I have many good memories of Christmas from my childhood, but this story brought back memories from my teaching days. I loved teaching, and I especially liked the anticipation and fun during the days preceding Christmas break. I would read stories to my high school students—maybe O. Henry’s Gift of the Magi or Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Most students have seen cartoon renditions of these classics, but when they read the original story they understand why they became a classic. Some of my favorite Christmas memories are of sitting in a classroom, with 30 students around me, hanging on to every word I read and not wanting to leave when the bell rang. We had a lot of fun with snacks and decorations too! I try to put this love for teaching and reading into my stories.

• Mary: One of my favorite memories is riding the bus with my mom downtown to see the beautiful lights and displays on Cleveland’s Public Square. We couldn’t afford to shop in the fancy department stores, but we would ride the escalator to see the decorations on every floor. My Amish character, Sarah, takes a trip to Cleveland from Winesburg and experiences what I did as a child.

• Murray: I used to love to sit in the dark and look at the tree when it was all lit up. We had random blinking lights on the tree as well and, as a boy, I never got tired of watching them. However an Amish Christmas celebration is a different affair in many respects so my fondness for gazing at the tree in the dark never made it into my story.

Vannetta, Shelley, and Amy in Shipshewana

AmishReader: Have you ever visited Amish country during the holidays? What do you especially love about how the Amish celebrate Christmas?

• Vannetta: I have! I had the pleasure of being asked to lead the Christmas parade in Shipshewana, Indiana with Shelley Shephard Gray and Amy Clipston. That was a very special experience. We were put in a sleigh with beautiful horses, a lighted harness, and a warm blanket across our laps. It felt like we were in a fairy tale!

• Mary: I have visited Holmes and Wayne Counties in Ohio, several times during the holidays. I love how they concentrate on friends, family, and most of all, the Lord during this holy season. Englischers put too much importance on the commercial aspect of the season.

• Murray: I have not been in Amish country during the holidays – though Amish country has greatly expanded over the last decade and now there are five locations in nearby Montana – but I have read quite a bit about it. I would have to say I most admire the simplicity of their celebration and the absence of mass commercialization. Their Christmas is very worship-centered and family-centered.

Join us tomorrow (December 17th) for Part 2 of this interview with Vannetta, Mary, and Murray, as we talk about more Christmas favorites!

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If you’ve been a part of our Amish Reader community for a while, then you’re bound to be familiar with the name of Vannetta Chapman. She’s written quite a few articles for this blog, sharing about Amish fiction and her book research. Today, Vannetta is here to talk with us about her unique take on Amish fiction, what she especially loves about Amish culture, and more! So pull up a chair, grab some fresh peach muffins, and get to know Vannetta:

Vannetta Chapman holds a BA and MA degree in English and has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving over two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. She published a novel with Abingdon Press called A Simple Amish Christmas in October of 2010. Her first Quilt Shop Murder Mystery, Falling to Pieces (Zondervan) was released in September of 2011 and received the 2012 Carol Award for best mystery. She currently lives in the Texas hill country. Visit Vannetta online at www.vannettachapman.com.

We’re glad to have you as our guest today, Vannetta! Tell us, what got you started writing Amish fiction?

Vannetta: My agent asked me to write an Amish book. At first I told her “no,” because we have only one very small Amish community in Texas. But she convinced me that it was something I could research, learn about, and visit the communities. I sure am glad that I followed her advice!

With so many Amish-themed books out there, how do you keep your stories fresh and unique?

Vannetta: I don’t think of my stories as Amish books. I think of them as books of hope that focus on God’s grace and are placed in an Amish setting. The Amish culture helps us to look at a topic without many of the usual distractions. So for instance, my upcoming release is about miracles. Do we believe in them? Do they still happen? Why do they happen some times but not other times? By looking at this topic in an Amish setting, we’re able to peel away a lot of the things that cloud the issue and take a good look at the Scripture and our faith.

Can you share one surprising thing you’ve learned while researching the Amish culture?

Vannetta: That they’re actually very friendly to “outsiders.” I didn’t expect that at all. I’ve had so many Amish folk invite us in for a cup of coffee—their hospitality is very genuine. That was very different from what I had read in the literature.

What’s one of the things you appreciate most about the Amish lifestyle?

Vannetta: I appreciate the way they educate their children. As a 15-year teacher myself, I’m amazed that they are able to continue with a one room schoolhouse teaching-model, and that it works very well for them. I believe there is a lot our current educational system could learn from studying these basic ideas which were once prevalent in mainstream society.

How do Amish fiction and mystery genres work together?

Vannetta: I think adding the mystery genre to an Amish story helps to emphasize that the Amish have problems like everyone else. It’s how we respond to those problems—as individuals and as a group of Christians—that speaks to our faith and our witness. Plus mysteries are fun! They keep the reader guessing and add a bit of tension to the storyline.

What’s the latest in your publishing news? Any upcoming releases our Amish Readers should add to their TBR piles?

Vannetta: My second mystery in the Amish Village Mysteries will release in December, Murder Tightly Knit. This is a fun story in that it looks at the similarities and differences between Amish and survivalists. My upcoming romance is Anna’s Healing, which I spoke about earlier. It will release a year from now, and begins my Plain & Simple Miracles series. These stories are set in Oklahoma. I had a wonderful time researching this community, and I think that readers will enjoy this very different storyline.

When you’re not busy writing, which types of books do you most enjoy reading?

Vannetta: I read everything—if someone recommends it, I’ll usually give it a try. So my TBR pile contains everything from Christian fiction, to mainstream suspense, to YA books. There’s even a biography or two thrown in there. I am an avid reader and always have one close by in case I have a few free moments.

 

Thank you for taking the time to visit with us, Vannetta! 

Amish Readers, which of Vannetta’s books have you read, or which ones are you most excited to read? You can view her full book list HERE.

Photos from Amish country courtesy of Vannetta Chapman.

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Authors, Vannetta Chapman by Amber | AmishReader.com
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A Wedding for Julia by Vannetta Chapman (July 2013)

Book 3 in “The Pebble Creek Amish” Series

(Book 1: A Promise for Miriam; Book 2: A Home for Lydia)

About the Book:

A Wedding for Julia, the third book in a romantic series from popular author Vannetta Chapman, takes a last look at the Amish community of Pebble Creek and the kind, caring people there. As they face challenges from the English world, they come together to reach out to their non-Amish neighbors while still preserving their cherished Plain ways.

Julia Beechy is so stunned, she can hardly breathe. Her mother’s announcement that she must either marry or move from the family home upon her mother’s imminent death catches Julia by surprise. How can she leave the only home she has ever known? What about her dream of opening her own Plain café?

When Caleb Zook offers support, comfort, and a solution, Julia is afraid to accept it. Can she marry someone she barely knows? Is it the right thing to do? Is this God’s plan for her future?

Caleb thought his time for marrying was long past, but he feels a stirring in his heart he cannot shake for this beautiful, forlorn woman. Amid the circumstances of this life-altering decision, the people of Pebble Creek weather the worst storm to hit Wisconsin in the last hundred years. Where will Julia and Caleb be on the other side of it?

Purchase the book on Amazon

Favorite Quotes:

His mamm used to say that prayer eased the heart by lifting burdens up and into their proper place. He wasn’t one for fancy praying, but maybe that didn’t matter so much. Maybe it was the asking that counted. p. 18

When Ada quoted from the Bible, it was as if she were sprinkling salt on a meal. She was seasoning the day. p. 22

What I Enjoyed:

• The tender marriage-of-convenience romance.
• The gentle hero and heroine, with their quieter personalities and their hardworking, kindhearted ways.
• The wonderfully authentic secondary characters—from Julia’s mother, to friends from previous books in the series, to Caleb’s cousin Sharon.
• The portrayal of the Englisch: both the kind neighbors and the customers at the café and cabins.
• The suspenseful elements lightly sprinkled in the earlier parts of the story, then coming on strong at the end.
• The profound and comforting inclusion of the Psalms throughout the book.
• The deep sense of community, love, and contentment permeating the pages.

Note: Please note that some of these “Featured Fiction” posts will include giveaways, and others will not. Giveaways will be clearly labeled and promoted as such. I hope you enjoy discussing and/or catching a glimpse of some great Amish fiction!

P.S. Be sure to visit again tomorrow for a fun and enlightening interview with the author of A Wedding for Julia, Vannetta Chapman!

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