****This giveaway is over!!! The winner has been announced!!
I’m giving away a copy of An Amish Garden. You must follow the rules to enter – if you don’t follow the rules you won’t be entered in the giveaway!
To enter you must:
1. LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES – The publisher won’t ship internationally!
2. Leave your email address when you comment – I need to be able to contact you if you win.
3. You must read Vannetta Chapman’s interview and comment about something in the interview! I’m doing this to ensure you’ve read the interview.
1. You currently write Amish fiction – have you ever thought of writing non-Amish Christian fiction? I’m willing to write whatever my publisher asks me to write. By that I mean this – I have a story to tell. Maybe it’s about a particular character or a particular situation. Always it is about God’s abundant grace. I can tell that story in any framework (historical, Amish, western, etc). So I’m completely open to writing in any genres, and I definitely read all genres.
2. I notice on the News and Events page of your website that you do book signings at quilt shows. Do you quilt in your spare time? If so, how long have you been doing this? I DO quilt in my spare time, which is hard to find. I love quilting. The more quilt shows I attend, the more I am fascinated by the ability of women (and men) to create beautiful quilts. Also, I’m very excited that I will be attending my first quilt retreat this May.
3. I’ve noticed in a lot of Amish fiction that food is mentioned somewhat often. What are your favorite Amish foods? We’ve visited quite a few Amish communities, and my favorite food is the same in each of them–dessert! I love the pies and cakes. I’ll happily skip meals in order to make room for dessert (which isn’t healthy).
4. You play the keyboard in your church’s praise and worship band. Did you learn to play the keyboard as a child? I started learning the piano at the age of 10. My dad played, and his father played as well. I love playing the piano/keyboard. As my mother reminds me “It’s what you do when you’re stressed or sad or happy.” She’s right! Playing for my church’s praise band is one of the highlights of my week.
5. What advice would you like to give to aspiring authors? To keep writing. I see too many authors who are still editing the first book they wrote many years ago. It’s important to let that one go and move on to the next story. The first book I SOLD was the 9th book I had WRITTEN.
6. Were you in a critique group when you first started writing? Are you in a critique group now? Yes. I was in the Dallas area then and had a wonderful group–the Arlington Writers Group. We represented many different genres. Now that I’m in a small town, I do not have a group. I do have several authors that I try to get together with when possible. And I have 3 pre-readers who have been with me since the beginning. They are wonderful at critiquing.
Thanks so much for being on my blog, Vannetta! Here’s a short description of An Amish Garden:
“Where Healing Blooms” Vannetta Chapman
Emma discovers a run-away teen in her barn, and the bishop asks her to provide a haven for a woman and her two children. Then her mother-in-law reveals a secret about her garden. Will Emma choose loneliness or learn to accept God’s gifts?
“Flowers for Rachael” Kathleen Fuller
Rachael’s garden is beautiful, but she is lonely. Gideon is in love with Rachael, but when Rachael finds her garden in shambles after a crisis, she rejects his help. Will she realize she doesn’t have to do everything on her own?
“Seeds of Love” Tricia Goyer
When a corporation shows interest in buying Sadie’s heirloom seeds, she panics. They are all she has left of her Dat and Mem. Eli believes he can help Sadie, but a misunderstanding leaves her heartbroken. Will she trust him again, and will the seeds of a new relationship take root?
“Rooted in Love” Beth Wiseman
Rosemary is doing her best to run her family’s household. She excels at all her tasks except one: gardening. Saul has been interested in her for years, but Rosemary has turned him down repeatedly. Saul begins helping with her family’s garden, but someone is sabotaging his efforts—and keeping a secret that could change their lives.