Yearly Archives: 2009

Amish Fiction – Why Is It Booming In The Christian Market?

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Thanks to the authors and readers who commented on this blog post.

The following Christian Fiction Authors commented:
Julie Lessman
Tina Ann Forkner
Robin Bayne
Mary Connealy

The following Christian Authors of Amish Fiction responded:
Janice Thompson
Wanda Brunstetter
Beth Wiseman
Shelley Shepard Gray
Amy Clipston
Cindy Woodsmall
Gayle Roper
Marta Perry
Hillary Lodge

Most of the comments overlapped, so I took the main points and listed them below, giving a general idea about the appeal of Amish fiction in the Christian market. My thoughts and opinions are in brackets.

1. Most of those who commented agreed that people want to escape to a simple, cleaner world, and the Amish life looks appealing. Many long for stronger family values and a stronger relationship with God. We need to find the peace and simplicity that resounded in the lives of our ancestors. Our minds and living spaces are cluttered, and we need relief from our crowded lives; the Amish (novels) provide an escape from our fully-packed lives. [If our modern conveniences are taken away, then we would be forced to focus on our Savior, taking more pleasure in our natural surroundings. The Amish, and their plain, simple habits, almost makes us believe that our lives would be so much easier if we chose to adapt to their style of living.]
[Think of how you look forward to taking a vacation. You anticipate sitting on a tranquil beach, sipping drinks, relaxing, clearing your mind of schedules, work and all kinds of stuff! This sense of tranquility is what many of us MAY believe is the appeal to the Amish. The Amish life offers a permanent vacation from our daily complications. ]

2. The fact that the Amish are separated from us, not using electricity or modern conveniences, makes them fascinating. They are surrounded by mystery. [Why do they choose to live like that? What would it be like if I lived like that? If I were Amish, would my life be more joyful or complete?]
Here are a few facts I discovered about the Amish that lend to their mysterious appeal:
a. The Amish only have an eighth grade education? Gayle Roper mentioned this in her comment on my original post.
b. I perused the two Amish blogs/websites listed in my original post and was very fascinated by this, quoted from the Question and Answer page on the Amish Reader website:
In most communities, teens begin rumspringa, “running around,” at the age of 16. At that time, many of the Ordnung rules are relaxed. The idea is that the kids have a chance to experience the outside world before they commit to the Amish church. Usually around age 18, kids will choose to be baptized into the church.

During rumspringa, Amish teens may purchase cell phones, obtain drivers’ licenses, own cars, and keep generator-operated electronics in their rooms. The boys are more likely to dress English than the girls. They may experiment with cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, and sex. Often, kids will join the church when they decide to marry.

The very conservative Schwartzentruber Amish do not participate in rumspringa at all. However, they do follow the “bundling” tradition during courtship: a boy will visit a girl after the family has gone to sleep, spending the night talking with her in her bed.

c. Once you are baptized into the Amish faith, if you should decide to leave at a later date, you are shunned – [which I would find hard to accept! Can you imagine not being able to speak to family, friends, and loved ones because you decide to leave the Amish sometime after your baptism. That would be a tough pill for me to swallow!]

3. A number of the authors who commented had either friends or acquaintances who were Amish OR they grew up near an Amish community, and were familiar with seeing Amish families and buggies. There are differences between the Amish and other Plain people, and in order to write an accurate story, you need to research thoroughly.

4. Sales from Amish Fiction continue to soar, and the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

5. Some industry professionals are TIRED of the Amish books, but, they still acquire and publish them because AMISH FICTION SELLS!

Well, I think I’ve worn this topic out! My curiosity about the Amish has been relieved for the time being. I enjoyed posting about them, and I will continue to blog about the Amish and other Plain sects in the future. I read the summaries of some of the Amish novels, and saw quite a few that I’d like to feature on this blog. I’ve reviewed a few Amish titles and look forward to reading more.

I’d like to top off this post with one of the comments that I especially enjoyed. Hillary Lodge said:
The Amish, the Amish. For such a small amount of the American population, they take up a lot of Christian Fiction!…These are uncertain times we live in. The economy is bad, the church is wrestling with a lot of tricky issues. The Amish, with their appearance of simplicity, offer a respite from that. In uncertain times, what could be more comforting than a warm Amish kitchen with pie in the oven? (There’s always pie)

I think people turn to Christian fiction in the first place for its safety, especially for their teens. Amish fiction, in one respect, is that much safer. Nothing really, really bad can happen if the girl on the cover is wearing a bonnet.

Feel free to comment or ask more Amish questions. Also, visit these websites:
Amish Reader
Amish Hearts
to find out more about the Amish!


~Cecelia Dowdy~

What To Do After The Novel Is Completed

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Shelton wrote to ask me the following question:
Hi! I have a completed novel at this point.I have sent out some query letters to literary agents but is there another way or something else that I can do?

Hi, Shelton.
Thanks for writing! Congratulations on finishing your novel! That’s a major accomplishment!

Yes, there are a few things you can do. Number one, you might want to attend a writers’ conference. I’m not sure what genre/type of fiction you write, but you should do a Google search and see what kinds of conferences are available for people writing in your genre. If you can’t find a local conference, you might need to attend one that’s outside of your immediate area. Airfare would increase the cost, but you might find the conference beneficial in helping you meet your publishing goal.

Also, are you a member of a professional writers’ organization? Again, it’s hard for me to advise which organization you should join since I have no idea about the kind of fiction that you write. If you join a writers’ organization, they’ll usually have an e-mail loop where the members can exchange information, helping one another out with their publishing goals. If you do join a professional writers’ organization, you may want to consider joining a critique group. Having others to read your work may help you to improve the quality of your writing.

Also, continue writing! If novels are your passion, then, by all means, START ANOTHER NOVEL! Yes, you can continue to try and get an agent to represent you, or get an editor to purchase your recently-completed work, but you should still start the next project! This will help you get into the routine of continuously writing after a book is finished. Once you’re contracted, most publishers want to see another novel, or novel idea, sometime after they’ve contracted your book.

Hope my advice helps. Anybody can chime in with commments and advice of their own!

I’ll be posting my summary of the reasons why Amish fiction sells so well within the Christian market soon!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Amish

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Thank you so much for all of your wonderful comments! Feel free to continue to comment about the Amish. Tomorrow, or shortly after that, I want to do another blog entry about the Amish, summarizing what everybody had to say.
The popularity of Amish novels has always intrigued me, causing my curiosity to pique! The responses from Amish book authors and readers, has helped me to gain some useful insight!


~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Amish

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When I reviewed the novel, Out Of The Blue by Janice Thompson, Wendy left the following comment:

Why is it that so many Christian titles these days center around the Amish? I have nothing against them, but, it’s like they feel that it’s “wrong” to use electricity and modern gadgets? Wouldn’t most people, both Christians and non-Christians, relate to “regular” people that resemble those they see everyday in public and in their work places?

My response? Well, I’m not sure. I don’t really know a lot about the Amish, but I do know this: When you place the Amish on the cover of a Christian novel, it seems to sell. Why? I don’t know. I know I’ve seen agents blog about Amish books selling well, and take a look at the following link of the top twenty best-selling novels via christianbooks.com. I counted five titles out of the twenty that have the Amish on the cover! That’s 25% of the titles!

If I had to speculate about this a bit, I’d say that people may find the simple life of the Amish to be appealing. Also, the Amish depict a clean, chaste, and faith-filled life that some people may crave? It would be interesting to see if any Amish authors out there can comment on this post and give some of their insight as to why the Amish books sell so well.

Also, there are a few websites/blogs that focus on Amish fiction. I just heard about these within the last week or so. They are:
Amish Reader
Amish Hearts

If you have specific questions about the Amish or Amish fiction, you might want to visit these sites and maybe ask the list owners some questions? Just a suggestion!

So, authors and blog readers, why do you think the Amish books sell so well within the Christian market?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Love Finds You In Last Chance California

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Here’s the review I promised a few weeks ago for Love Finds You In Last Chance, California by Miralee Ferrell.

Alexia Travers has had her share of hard knocks. Her father has died unexpectedly, and an older distant relative/neighbor wants to marry her, which would put an end to her problems, however, she has no feelings for her admirer. Her ranch is heavily in debt, and she has no idea why her father has left her in this predicament. She’s shunned by most of the women in town since she dons men’s trousers and runs her ranch by herself. Some of Alex’s ranch workers won’t take a female boss seriously, so some of them quit, leaving Alex in a bind. When somebody mysteriously steals Alex’s horses, she wonders what will become of her ranch. Will she be able to run her business alone?

When handsome Justin Philips arrives with his young son to work on her ranch, Alex finds herself smitten with her new employee. Justin harbors secrets, and is dealing with problems of his own. His wife recently passed and he’s struggling to care for his three-year-old son. However, when Christy, a saloon girl, visits the ranch, making unusual demands that could change Justin’s life forever, Justin feels his faith is weakened and he wonders why God has forsaken him.

Christy doesn’t feel worthy of God’s love because of her background. Alex ministers to Christy, both physically and spiritually, helping Christy to understand that we’re all sinners in this world and we need to accept God’s grace. This novel mixes love, suspense as well as a large dose of inspiration. The book is well-written and you’ll enjoy these wonderful characters! Miralee’s characters are VERY realistic! It especially angered me when the church members were so judgmental towards both Christy and Alex. You find people like this in churches all the time! It’s awful. When we find ourselves judging others for certain lifestyles and choices, we need to remember that Jesus ministered to prostitutes and sinners.

Have any of you ever dealt with judgmental people in your church? If so, how do you deal with it? Have you ever changed churches because of the attitudes of certain members?

One of my blog readers, Kandy Kane, said that the cover of this book reminded her of Little House On The Prairie. As Miralee said, if you like historical novels, then you should read this one! It’s a suspenseful, heartwarming story that teaches us a lesson about God’s love!

Oh, I wanted to point out that, although I enjoyed Miralee’s novel, The Other Daughter, I liked this one more. I felt it was written better than the contemporary book…but, that’s just my opinion!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Tired

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I was going to continue looking for the scripture I blogged about yesterday, but, I’m too tired. I was also going to post a review for Love Finds You In Last Chance California, but again, too tired! The one-hour time change is affecting me! I’m off to bed!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Bible And The Weather

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Do you remember, less than one week ago, I blogged about a snow storm in my area, and they closed my job on Monday, March 2, 2009 because of the snow accumulation?

Six days later it’s warm and sunny, around seventy-five degrees, and I’m sitting out on the deck with my family grilling hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken!

My question is, isn’t there a scripture referencing a sign about the end-times where the weather is mixed up and that you can’t tell the seasons apart anymore? I was glancing through my Bible, looking for this scripture, but came up empty, yet, I thought I’d read it at some point! I searched the internet and found the same question posted on this website. But, according to this site, I don’t know what I’m talking about!

So, blog readers, am I confusing said scripture with something else? Does this scripture exist? The first person to give me the scripture I’m looking for will get a free book(s). Or, if you think I’m confused, just let me know! I’ll continue searching for the scripture myself. I want to say I read it in either Revelations or somewhere in the Gospels? Also, I’m not sure if it’s a full verse, or just a few lines of one verse?

If you like religious, wholesome fiction, then read Loving Luke – only 99 cents! 

~Cecelia Dowdy~

March Book Giveaway

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Before I announce my March Book Giveaway, I wanted to let blog readers know about a promotion that Harlequin is doing to celebrate their 60th birthday! Happy Birthday, Harlequin! To celebrate, they’re offering a few of their books as free downloads. There are three inspirational titles being offered for free. Go to the Harlequin Celebrates website to access these three free inspirational Love Inspired titles (there are some secular Harlequin titles available, too):

Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart
A Very Special Delivery by Linda Goodnight Hide In Plain Sight by Marta Perry
So, download those titles and enjoy!
===

For March, I’m giving away the following books! All of these novels will be given to ONE WINNER! If interested, leave a comment WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, so that I’ll have a way to contact you if you win!

1. John’s Quest by Cecelia DowdyIt’s amazing how quickly life can change. Overnight, Monica Crawford finds her neatly organized world turned upside down. Her sister abandons her blind son, Scotty, leaving him on Monica’s doorstep. Caring for a handicapped child brings unexpected conflict-but unexpected joy as well. When John French volunteers to tutor Scotty, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to Monica. But John and Monica are very different. She is a strong believer, determined to live her life for Christ. John is an agnostic who wants nothing to do with God.Will John see the light? Will Monica realize that sometimes letting go of a dream is the way to achieve it? Only in full surrender will either of them be happy- whether they end up together or alone.

2.
Milk Money by Cecelia Dowdy
Emily can’t keep running her dairy farm all alone. When her dad dies, Emily Cooper must work hard to save the family farm. She manages – until the day a CPA pulls in her drive and announces he’s there to do an audit. Franklin Reese is appalled at the lack of interest the Cooper women have in the financial end of their livlihood, but he dives in, determined to help them learn. The further he looks into Mr. Cooper’s dealings, however, the more uncomfortable he becomes. Can he uncover the truth of the situation and still earn the love of the amazing Emily Cooper? Or will issues in Franklin’s own life keep them apart, even after the farm is taken care of?

3. Lost In Las Vegas by Melody Carlson

4. Treasure At Blue Heron Lake – A Mainely Murder Mystery by Susan Page Davis and Megan Elaine Davis
This is a Heartsong Presents Cozy Mystery
Jeff Lewis’s hunting lodge is plagued by an intruder who thumps around in the night. Emily Gray and Nate Holman try to help their friend discover who is invading the resort. Things turn more sinister when one of Jeff’s employees is murdered, with Jeff as a suspect. Is the legend of an old lumber baron’s lost treasure behind the crimes? In the midst of the turmoil, Nate proposes to Emily. Their life together begins with unmasking the murderer at Lakeview Lodge.

4. Everybody Called Her A Saint by Cecil Murphey – A Heartsong Presents Cozy Mystery
Who would want to kill the sainted Twila Belk? Especially since she had footed the bill for an Antartica cruise with 48 of her “closest friends”.

But when a search team discovers the body of the murdered benefactress on Brown Bluff Island, an unlikely duo joins forces to solve the heinous crime.

Though once engaged, Reverend James Burton and Psychologists Julie West are no longer even on speaking terms. Can their mutual love and admiration for a dear, departed friend allow them to set aside their animosities long enough to bring Twila’s killer to justice?

5. Kitty Litter Killer by Candice Speare – A Heartsong Presents Cozy Mystery
Trish Cunningham is Pussyfooting with a Murderer. Amateur sleuth Trish has retired from her short-lived foray into crime solving. No more walking deliberately into danger. Her short-term goal is to see her best friend Abbie marry fiancé Eric Scott in three weeks.

But the brutal murder of Abbie’s ex-husband could ruin the nuptials, especially since Abbie was the last one seen with him—when they had a hostile argument at a local convenience store.

With evidence pointing at Abbie and the possibility of jail instead of a walk down the aisle, Trish comes out of self-imposed sleuth retirement. And as the clock ticks down to the wedding date, Trish once again puts herself in reach of the claws of a murderer—this time to protect her best friend.

6.
Valiant Bride by Jane Peart
When Noramary’s cousin, Winnie, surprises her family by secretly eloping during the night, Noramary is asked to step into Winnie’s place as the bride of Duncan Montrose. Valiant Bride is a historical romance that brings to life a young woman’s choice between duty and love.

7.
Buffalo Gal by Mary Connealy – A Heartsong Presents Romance Will Buffy and Wyatt ever see eye-to-eye? Buffy Lange has spent her life learning about and caring for buffalo. She’s landed the job of her dreams, managing a huge buffalo ranch in South Dakota. With stars in her eyes, she imagines all of the Midwest given over to free-ranging buffalo. To her, buffalo embody beauty, majesty, and strength.To Wyatt Shaw, however, the buffalo are a constant threat- wild, untamable, and dangerous. Wyatt’s ranch adjoins the Buffalo Commons and he watches in trepidation as its owner expands and rides roughshod over the local ranchers. When disaster strikes, Wyatt’s worst fears are realized and Buffy can do nothing but clean up the mess. With one determined to rid the area of buffalo and the other determined to see them flourish, the dust seldom settles around these two. Will they ever be able to find a common ground?

8. Of Mice And Murder – A Heartsong Presents Cozy Mystery by Mary Connealy

Being named in Great-grandma’s will was like hitting bankrupt on Wheel of Fortune. The whole family held their breath while the wheel ticked around and around, or rather while the lawyer opened the envelope. Then they all heaved a sigh of relief when the wheel stopped on Carrie’s name. Carrie the heiress. Great. Clean up the house. Clean up the yard. Clean up Great-grandma’s rap sheet.

Carrie hates mice and loves the big city. So why is she living in a huge mouse infested house in her dinky hometown? The dead guy in her pantry closet is the most interesting thing that’s happened since she came home. Of course the carpenter who’s helping her trap her mice and solve the crime is pretty interesting, too.

9.
Petticoat Ranch by Mary Connealy
Sophie Edwards’ life is one long struggle for survival, and, more importantly, the survival of her four daughters. She wants to avenge her husband’s murder, but she has no idea how to do it. And as if she hasn’t got enough to do, now a wounded man is disrupting her family’s lonely life.

Clay McClellen left an idyllic, all-male world in the mountains. But, after plunging headfirst over a cliff, Clay finds himself at the mercy of a widow and her four girls.

A suspenseful romantic comedy about a mountain man trapped in a pretty, sweet smelling, confusing all-girl world.

~Cecelia Dowdy~