Category Archives: Amish And Plain

Promise To Cherish

Leave a reply

18144004

Promise To Cherish

Have you, or anybody you know,  ever worked in a mental hospital?

Christine works as a nurse in a mental hospital during World War II. She meets Eli, an Amish conscientious objector. Initially, there’s animosity between them since Christine has lost her brothers in the war, yet, Eli does not have to fight because it goes against his faith. This story takes a traumatic turn when Christine dates Jack, a handsome man who was a friend of one of her deceased brothers.

I enjoyed this novel because it’s not your typical Amish book. Since the story takes place in the thirties, and deals with war, it gives the book a different flavor than most Amish stories. It also shows how Christine deals with pain and grief. Reading about a mental hospital in the 1930’s also gave this novel a unique feel. A mental hospital was a terrible place to be, and we see how Christine and Eli deal with the patients. You see the horrific conditions to which the patients are subjected. It’s a really good, realistic read.

Have you, or anybody you know,  ever worked in a mental hospital? If so what was it like? Were you close to any of your patients?

 

 

 

An Amish Garden

Leave a reply

18104070

An Amish Garden by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Tricia Goyer, and Vannetta Chapman

Do you garden? If so, what do you plant in your garden?

This is a nice, heartwarming novella collection. Each story is centered around an Amish garden.

In Beth Wiseman’s Rooted For Love, Rosemary has been in love with Saul for a long time. They dated as teens and she abruptly ended their relationship, not giving Saul a reason for her actions. In spite of the breakup, her feelings for Saul have continued to grow over the years. An accident brings Saul back into her life, and he’s now helping her to care for her neglected garden. Can the truth be uncovered so that Saul and Rosemary can find their way back to one another?

In Seeds Of Love, Sadie takes special care of her mother’s heirloom tomatoes, planting all of the seeds. Her mother is dead, and these seeds are precious, her tomatoes have to sprout so that she’ll have more seeds to plant next year. But, trouble stirs with her plants and she doesn’t know if her love interest, Eli, can help her.

In Flowers For Rachael, Rachael takes special care of her garden while caring for her sick grandfather. She spends too much time alone, and her grandfather wants her to socialize with other young people. Gideon loves Rachael, and when pretty flowers start popping up in her yard, from a secret admirer, Rachael wonders if Gideon is the culprit. Does he have feelings for her after all?

In Where Healing Blooms, Emma discovers a runaway teen in her barn. What is she going to do? A widow, she’s caring for her mother-in-law while resisting her attraction to Ben, who’s recently returned and lives next door. Ben is her old beau, but, he had to leave the Amish country to travel and write articles about his adventures. Now he’s ready to return to Amish country and settle down. He’s got his eye on Emma as a mate, but, doesn’t know if she shares his feelings. Emma is busy, helping those in need while tending to her beloved garden. Does she really want Ben around?

I really enjoyed each of these stories. I especially liked the idea of centering each novella around a garden.

Do you garden? If so, what do you plant in your garden?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

 

 

 

 

A Miracle Of Hope – Book Giveaway!

17 Replies

18126903

***This giveaway is over! Winner was announced here.

I’m giving away a copy of A Miracle Of Hope but, to enter, you must do two things:

1. You must answer the following question: Have you ever raised a step-child, or, have you ever been a part of a blended family?

2. You must leave your email address so that I can contact you if you win!

***Open to continental U.S. residents only!

 

Alone, pregnant, and practically shunned from her community, Lindie Wyse must make a fresh start in a new Amish community. Her brother, Eli, has arranged for his widowed friend, Josiah Plank, to marry Lindie. Josiah promises to care for Lindie and her unborn child, however, he says that he can never love Lindie as he loved his deceased wife.

Lindie has trouble settling into Josiah’s home. His deceased wife, Caroline,’s, presence still hovers in the air. Caroline’s belongings and her way of running the household still take precedence over Lindie’s wishes. Lindie also has trouble bonding with Simon, Josiah’s father-in-law (Caroline’s father).

Josiah has an eight-year-old deaf daughter, Hannah, who is deaf. She has little supervision and is still grieving over the death of her mother and her grandmother. Lindie has trouble bonding with Hannah since she does not know sign language and Hannah does not easily bond with strangers.

This book was a nice, sweet, well-written read. I could also imagine this being a good holiday book since part of the story takes place during the Christmas season. I felt that the struggle between Lindie and Hannah was very realistic.

So, have you ever raised a step-child, or, have you ever been a part of a blended family? Feel free to tell me about it. Leave a comment with the answer, and your email address, to enter the drawing!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

My romance collection is on sale for 99 cents each.

http://ceceliadowdy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/johns-quest.jpg26525EBBittersweet Memories

– See more at: http://ceceliadowdy.com/blog/#sthash.fJ3JvNsH.dpuf

An Amish Miracle

Leave a reply

17628636

An Amish Miracle by Beth Wiseman, Ruth Reid, and Mary Ellis

Have you ever dealt with weight or body-image issues? Were you ever teased because of your weight?

In Always Beautiful, Becky Byler has always been fat, and she painfully recalls being teased by her peers. She stands in front of a rushing river, ready to dive in to take her own life, when, she suddenly prays to God for a miracle – she wants to be thin and beautiful. Her wish is granted, but, Becky’s life changes. Matt, a good-looking, well-liked young man in her community asks her out! Becky has admired Matt from afar, but, in the past, she’s kept to herself because she doesn’t want to face ridicule about her weight.

However, Becky’s best friend, Elam, is stunned about how much she’s changed. Why is she seeing Matt – after all Becky and Elam have always been best friends, and their friendship could easily turn into something more.

Out of the three stories in this collection, I enjoyed this one the most. I think it’s because it dealt with an overweight main character – I seldom see this in Christian fiction.

The second novella, Always His Providence, is about Rosa – a barren Amish widow woman. She’s desperately trying to make more money to pay the back taxes on her land – her deceased husband did not keep up with the tax payments and now Rosa could lose her farm. Adam, her next door neighbor and her husband’s best friend, vowed that he’d take care of Rosa after her husband died. Rosa’s husband, Uriah, saved Adam’s life and Adam feels indebted to Uriah’s widow, Rosa.

I enjoyed this story because I loved reading about the attraction between Adam and Rosa. Adam is scarred by the fire that took Uriah’s life. I also loved reading about Rosa’s chickens! Rosa sells eggs and the chickens’ egg-laying habits provide a unique twist to the story.

The first story, Always in My Heart, is about Hope. She’s blessed with several daughters, however, she wonders if her traumatic past is causing her to be son-less. Hope and her husband are almost desperate to have a male offspring, but, Hope keeps giving birth to girls. She thinks about that dark, traumatic night, and the decision she was forced to make afterwards. She’s never shared her experience with her husband, and she struggles, wondering what her husband would say if he knew. She also wonders if there’s anything she can do to ensure she has a male child in the future.

This story takes on an interesting twist as Hope receives a totally unexpected answer to her prayer. I liked this story, for the most part. Hope and her husband receive a totally unexpected interesting visitor which provides the story with a unique and interesting twist.

So, have you ever dealt with weight or body-image issues? Were you ever teased because of your weight? What did you do about it?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

My romance collection is on sale for 99 cents each.

http://ceceliadowdy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/johns-quest.jpg26525EBBittersweet Memories

– See more at: http://ceceliadowdy.com/blog/#sthash.JLq1PsLy.dpuf

 

 

An Amish Miracle Book Giveaway!

21 Replies

17628636

***This giveaway is over!! Winner was announced on An Amish Miracle blog post!

I’m giving away a copy of An Amish Miracle (I’ll be reviewing this book within the next few days). You must follow the rules to enter!!

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 Ruth Reid’s interview and comment about something in the interview! I’m doing this to ensure you’ve read the interview.

Interview with Ruth Reid – Author of the novella Always His Providence in An Amish Miracle story collection:

1.        You found your agent through Writers’ Digest magazine, and after you signed with her, you received a contract for your novel. Did you have any writer friends or were you a member of any writers’ organizations that helped you with your publication journey?

I connected with writing friends after I joined the American Christian Fiction Writers on the advice of my agent. I’m so thankful she told me about the group. ACFW is a great on-line community where you can get advice from seasoned authors as well as join critique groups and work chapter by chapter with fellow writers. Now, I not only have wonderful writing friends who share the love of storytelling, I have prayer partners, who have prayed me through some tough times.

2.        Do you have any advice to share with writers who wish to become published?

I’ll pass along my agent’s advice: Join a writing community either locally or on-line and get into a critique group. I would also add, write every day. In order to stay close to your characters, you need to spend time with them every day.

3.        Tell me about your typical writing day.

My writing day isn’t typical at all. I work the night shift seven days on, then have seven days off. My writing time might be during the day or in the middle of the night when my family is sleeping. A few things I do are set a word count goal and not stop writing unless I know where to start the following day. By knowing where to begin, I don’t spend much time staring at a blank screen, and by the time I have to figure out the next scene, I’m already warmed up.

4.        Your interest in the Amish grew from living near them in a Michigan community. Have you ever visited any other Amish communities?

I’ve had the opportunity to visit Lancaster County in PA and Holmes County in OH. One of my favorite memories from those visits was when I stayed in a garage apartment of an ex-Amish turned Mennonite family’s home.

5.        Do you think you might publish a non-Amish novel someday?

I’m willing to write whatever God lays on my heart. He blessed me by opening the door to write Amish, and I am so grateful!

6.        I noticed you purchased a dog after you graduated from pharmacy school. Do you currently have a pet?

We have two dogs. Zyvox is a lazy Weimaraner, and Lady Bird is a spastic Jack Russell.

Thanks much to Ruth Reid for letting me interview her on my blog!

====

An Amish Miracle:

Always Beautiful by Beth Wiseman

Becky Byler is eighteen and overweight. She is overwhelmed by the embarrassment she feels when comparing herself to other girls her age. Having lost all hope, she considers taking her own life. As she stands before rushing water, unable to swim, Becky begs God for a miracle. In just several months, Becky sees her prayers answered as food and temptation lose their hold over her. She s finally pleased with how she looks, but does she like the person she has become? And has the man she has dreamed of been right beside her all along, loving her exactly as she is?

Always His Providence by Ruth Reid

Widow Rosa Hostetler has one month to pay her delinquent taxes before the county auctions her farm. She s prepared to sell whatever is necessary to pay the lien, but she isn t willing to request money from the community s widow fund. She s embarrassed and refuses to admit she needs help. Rosa depends on income from selling eggs, but when that income is threatened, only a miracle can help Rosa accept the kindness of a neighbor.

Always in My Heart by Mary Ellis

Hope Bowman believes God is punishing her for giving up her firstborn son when she was a teenager. She s hidden this secret from her husband, who is thankful for their daughters but longs for a son. Hope prays desperately, but the son God sends her isn t a new baby but the fifteen-year-old boy she gave up years ago.

====

 

Christmas At Harmony Hill

2 Replies

17384587

Christmas At Harmony Hill by Ann H. Gabhart

Have you ever gone through a pregnancy alone, without your spouse?

Heather is a washer woman for the Union. She took this job so that she could remain with her husband, Gideon, during the war. Heather is pregnant, and as she advances in her pregnancy, Gideon feels it’s no longer safe for her to remain with the troops. So he sends her father’s house – when she arrives, all sorts of calamaties await her arrival. As a result, she finds herself at the Shaker Village. Heather’s Aunt Sophronia is a Shaker, and she hopes the Shaker people will provide shelter for her while she awaits the birth of her baby.

Sophronia struggles with the feelings she has toward her niece. Shakers are not to have special feelings for worldly family. The Shakers are all brothers and sisters – living together – sadly trying to create heaven on earth as they shun marriage, pregnancy, sex, attraction – these things are sinful, and they can’t allow such worldly ways in their village. However, 50-year old Sophronia has romantic feelings toward the Shaker doctor. What can she do about her budding feelings toward the doctor, and the familial affection she has for her niece, such feelings are worldly and wrong.

This book was a good little Christmas story that shows you how life was for the Shakers. Like I’ve mentioned in other blog posts, the Shakers leave me feeling a bit unsettled, but overall, the story was enjoyable. Gives a great message about forgiveness.

So, have you ever gone through a pregnancy alone, without your spouse? Have you had to birth your child without your husband because he was away in the military? Tell me about it – leave a comment.

Book Giveaway And Interview With Beth Wiseman – Plain Peace

31 Replies

***This contest is closed!! Winner was announced here.

1401685943 WisemanBeth

***This contest is closed!! Winner was announced here.

***U.S. Residents only, please! To enter the giveaway, you MUST READ Beth’s interview. Refer to something specific in the interview when you leave your comment! YOU MUST leave your EMAIL address in the comment, too! I need your email address to contact you if you win! If you don’t follow the rules, you won’t be entered to win!!

I’m hosting Beth Wiseman on my blog today! I’m giving away a copy of her novel, Plain Peace! Beth has kindly answered these questions:

1.      What influenced you to write Amish fiction? For example, were you raised near an Amish community, or, do you have Amish friends? 

 When I started on this journey, I didn’t know much about being Amish.  But God didn’t just open a window, He flung open large doors…and in I went.  I think that when you are on the right path, things happen effortlessly, and that’s the way it was when I began learning about the Plain People.  I made friends easily, was invited into their homes, and six years later, I’m blessed to have some of the Amish folks on my team, helping me keep the books authentic. 

 

 2.      How long were you seeking publication before you landed your first book contract?

 I know that’s an easy question, but I have a complicated answer.  I thought myself to be a pretty good storyteller twenty years ago.  In between running a household, holding a full-time job, and raising children, I would jump on the “I want to be published” bandwagon and write.  But, I kept making the same mistake.  I wasn’t studying the craft of writing.  Just like a piano player must practice and learn, so must a writer.  I thought good stories would carry me on to publication.  In 2006, I started to really get serious about publication and began to study the craft.  Eventually, I snagged an agent.  My big break came when Thomas Nelson bought a three-book series from this unpublished author.  And I’ve been happily writing for Thomas Nelson (now under the umbrella of HarperCollins Christian Fiction) ever since.  I’m starting my twentieth book.

 3.      Do you have any advice for other writers who would like to get their novels published? 

 It’s so incredibly cliché, but never give up.  Those who stick it out and really learn the craft will get published.  I really believe that.   

 4.      Do you use critique partner(s)? If so, how long have you had the same critique partner(s)? 

I have never had a critique partner.  I tend to bounce ideas and brainstorm with a couple of non-writer friends, and that seems to work for me.  I’m a seat of the pants writer.  I don’t outline or even like to talk too much about my plots with anyone—until I get hung up on something.  Then I have those ‘go to’ people whom I trust.     

5.      I notice your last two releases, plus your current project, are set in small Texas towns. Why did you decide to set your most recent works in Texas?

I live in a small town in Texas, and it’s quiet and peaceful—most of the time, lol.  I have a sign in my kitchen that reads In a small town, there ain’t much to see, but what you hear sure makes up for it.  Everyone knows everyone in a small town.  And that often makes for a fun story. 

6.      What’s a typical writing day like for you? 

I know most authors would say that there is not a ‘typical’ day in this business.  But I’m structured enough that I like to think I have a typical day lined out, at least some of the time.  I like to get out of bed around 6:30.  Then I have to take care of all my animals.  I have a diabetic cat who needs an insulin shot, a dog with Lupus and she needs a pill, another dog with arthritis and he needs two pills.  Then there are the four goats and two pot-bellied pigs that have to be fed.  I am terrified of birds, so the feeding of the roosters falls on Hubby’s list.  I am keeping my son’s Boxer while he works in Singapore for a year, and Harley does not get along with my other dogs, so I have to move everyone around for her to go outside and potty.  Eventually, I get around to coffee.  Always two cups. 

 I have a lovely office that is my special space, and I usually check emails and try to take care of any administrative stuff before I dive into writing.  I write until about 11 a.m., then tend to break for an early lunch.  In the afternoons, I write from about 1 to 5 p.m.  Then I start dinner.  I try really hard not to work in the evenings but it happens.

 

And EVERYTHING I’ve mentioned above is subject to change because of a deadline, editor request, the publicist needs something, Agent calls, and so on…  But most days are great days no matter how they are laid out.  I’m super blessed.  

 

Thanks so much for being on my blog, Beth!

Please leave a comment for the giveaway – and remember the rules – refer to something specific in the interview so that I’ll know you’ve read it!

 

 

 

Do The Amish Live In Portugal?

9 Replies

 DO THE AMISH LIVE IN PORTUGAL PODCAST

This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing. See the link at the beginning and at the end of this blog post! Tell your friends by sharing this post on social media!

I received the following question recently from a blog reader:

Hello, my name is Sandra, and I live in Lisbon, Portugal.

I am trying to write a book. I have this idea where I would like to include an Amish community, but I have been looking for the possibility of an Amish Community living in Portugal, but I can´t find any. Is there a possibility of an Amish community living in Portugal?

Thank you for your time.

Best regards

Sandra

Hi, Sandra.

Occasionally, I get questions from blog readers about the Amish because of this series of Amish blog posts that I wrote a few years ago. People mistakenly consider me an “expert” on the subject, but I only have surface knowledge about the Amish. I can tell you what I know based upon my limited knowledge. You might want to email some Amish authors to get a more in-depth answer.

Hold on, do you like Christian fiction? Give my Amazon bestselling books a try! My books will make you laugh, cry, and praise the Lord! Now, back to discussing the Amish!

The Amish immigrated here from Switzerland, I believe? And, right now, they mostly live in the United States and Canada? I’d thought that since they immigrated from a European country, that there would still be some Amish groups in Europe? However, I didn’t see anything about this mentioned when I was doing my research a few years ago.

I did find that there are Mennonites in Lisbon, Portugal. It’s possible that you could focus on that group instead of the Amish? I’m unclear if this Mennonite group is “Old-Order”? Since Amish and Mennonites used to be one group, and since the Mennonites are split from the Amish, the beliefs of both groups overlap. Since you live in that area, you might want to research this. Here’s the link about Mennonites in Portugal.

Are you sure you want to limit your setting to Portugal? According to this short article about the Amish living in Europe, there are Beachy Amish in the Ukraine, Ireland, and Belgium. The difference between Beachy Amish and Old Order Amish is that the Beachy Amish are more liberal.

I hope that helps, Sandra!

If you like religious, wholesome fiction, then download Southern Comfort today! Tell all of your friends about this amazing story! 

~Sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing~