The Amish in their own Words...

From the Sugarcreek Budget...


Zucchini can be quite plentiful growing on the vine, and this seems to have been a good year for that particular squash. A young other from church planted one and was rewarded with plenty of its fruits. Her little boys fell i love with eating them. But too much of a good thing can sometimes result in otherwise. One evening before supper one little boy was fearful yet another zucchini, and he told his mother in no uncertain terms, "I don't want anymore of those bikinis!" I guess he would have had some tough chewing if he ate a bikini.   ~A scribe from Fredonia, Pennsylvania

A lot of people aren't aware that many (most) Amish love birds, and work to attract them to their farms as a natural way to reduce the insect population. Here's an example of a common story...

This is the week that the barn swallows seem to leave us. We had eight nests in our barn and lean-tos. They had them filled more than once. One nest, the parents are still feeding. Maybe these will have to fly south all by themselves.

I saw a pair of Baltimore orioles yesterday and an olive green warbler of some kind came flittering in on the porch, sitting ont he clothes line just long enough for me to see him, and he gave a nice warbler tune and flew away. Was he telling me good-bye on his trip south?  ~A scribe from Smicksburg, Pennsylvania

The Amish...in their own Words

A story from The Budget...

Can you imagine how you'd respond in this situation? Would you be as patient and understanding?

A scribe from Zanesville, Ohio...

"Modern conveniences...they're bound and determined to teach patience to this lady! One day i the recent past, I was in the middle of Jo-Ann Fabrics in the mall, when suddenly the power went off. Very shortly, it was back on again, then off again for a bit. I proceeded to finish my shopping, with frequent pauses to allow the electricity to take another break, which it continued to do repeatedly. I wish I'd have kept track of how long this kept up; I'm guessing an hour, more or less.

The biggest problem with this off and on thing was the fact that each and every time the electricity went off, it took 15 minutes after it came back on again for the computerized registers to reboot; each time the electricity even blinked the 15 minute wait started all over again. So all this time they couldn't check anyone out. One time the 15 minutes were just about up, then it blinked again.! I desperately wished to leave, but I had things in my cart I wanted, and some were items they'd cut for me. and so we waited, and waited, then waited some more. Finally all (clerks included) lined up at the register so as to be ready the second that computer gets its act together. The polite thing to do was to look as if we have all day and then some, and e tried our level best to leave that impression. In due time, we finally hit a long enough time span to get us out of there. If I don't miss my guess, the clerks were as happy to see us leave as we were to do just that!"

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you're enjoying time with loved ones today. I'm hosting a big dinner for my family--18 and counting!

Ever since we lived in Hong Kong, I have not taken Thanksgiving for granted. It's strange to live in another culture and try to manufacture an American holiday. Just doesn't feel quite right!

I like hosting the holiday. Love the smell of a turkey in the oven, a jam-packed fridge, and the doorbell ringing!

Amish Wisdom and Author Spotlight are taking a week off--but they'll be back next week! Awesome guests lined up, too! You won't want to miss them!

In the meantime, relax! Read a good book, play a board game, work on a puzzle, rake some leaves, have a fire in the fireplace. Do something that helps you to slow down and reflect on being grateful.

May God bless you and your family in every way this holiday.

Warmly, Suzanne

Mashed Potato Casserole

This is a recipe that is always a hit at our Thanksgiving table. I like that it can be made the night before!

1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened.
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
2 1/2 to 3 pounds baking potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
paprika
parsley sprigs (optional)
shredded cheddar cheese, fried onions (optional)

In a bowl, stir together cream cheese, garlic salt, pepper, and sour cream until smooth; set aside. Prepare and boil quartered potatoes (cook 20 minutes in one inch of water). Drain. Using an electric mixer or a potato masher, beat hot potatoes until they're in fine lumps. Adds sour cream mixture and continue beating until fluffy and smooth. Spoon potatoes into a well-buttered shallow 2-quart casserole; dot with butter and sprinkle with paprika. If made ahead, cover and refrigerate until next day.

Bake, covered, in a 400 degree oven for 23 minutes (50 minutes, if refrigerated); uncover and bake for 10 more minutes or until top is golden brown. Sprinkle with cheese, fried onions, for an extra five minutes of baking. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

The Amish...in their own Words

I read this in The Budget yesterday and laughed out loud. I had a great aunt who used to leave her dentures lying around. Used to mortify me to have to make her bed up when she visited us...often I'd pull back the sheets and there would be her forgotten choppers, sneering up at me!

A scribe from Chaouteau, Oklahoma...

"There was this woman that went to church and forgot to put her teeth in her mouth. She didn't think she needed them, but her girls said yes you do. Then she happened to think she couldn't eat pickles if she didn't have them. At least they went after them. Better be careful as it could happen to me sometime."

Do you have any relatives like this woman, or like my great aunt? Do tell!

God of Wonders, Third Day

My friend Katrina and I want this song played at our funerals! We love it--can't listen to it without it filling our hearts with wonder and awe at our great God! Enjoy...

Author Spotlight: Erik Wesner

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We'll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week's Author Spotlight with Patricia Mauro is Suess! Please send my assistant Amy (amy@litfusegroup.com) your mailing address.

This week's Spotlight Author is Erik Wesner. Leave a comment here to win a copy of Erik's book, Success Made Simple. 

Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in?

I am age 32 and unmarried, which I guess is not too common when 90% of my high school/college buds are hitched.  Don’t know if that is a good thing or not, but I’ve always believed that until you find the right one, it’s best to wait. 

I split time between Amish communities, my hometown of Raleigh, NC, and Poland.  Poland because that’s where my family originally comes from, I still do have family there, and fell in love with the place when I visited grandparents as a young kid. 

I primarily write—my blog/website, and books—but also do some teaching while I’m in Krakow, which peels me away from the computer and plays a role in keeping me sane.  Even if it means having to go out in sub-zero Polish winter weather.   

And share something about your writing. What’s your genre(s), your areas of interest…

I write on the Amish.  I’m strictly the non-fiction side.  My first published book, out earlier this year (March 2010), was Success Made Simple: An Inside Look at Why Amish Businesses Thrive.  I have a couple more in the works. 

My blog/website, Amish America, is another outlet.  In addition to being a general resource on the Amish, I try to explore those areas of Amish life that may not be as well known.  Topics lately have included the Amish and Halloween, Amish wedding pens, and Amish communities in odd places like Tennessee and Colorado. 

Amish America started out as a standard blog, but I have consciously been transforming it into more of a permanent resource on the Amish.  Two recent additions, the Amish Online Encyclopedia and Amish State Guide, are a big part of that.   

How did you get started writing? Did you have a dream of being a published author? 

I originally met the Amish while doing what most people would consider an archaic trade—selling Bible-oriented books door-to-door.  I happened upon Amish in central Illinois (the Arthur community) and found that my books were a hit with them.  Additionally, I was intrigued by Amish life, as most people are when they first spend time interacting with Amish people.  Over the next few years I visited thousands of Amish homes across the country while selling books. 

The job gave me a look into Amish society, and I consider it to be one of the top 2 or 3 experiences of my life.  Additionally, I had a chance to observe a large number of Amish businesses—the small furniture shops or mom-and-pop stores Amish operate.  I was intrigued by their seeming prosperity.  Some of these places were busy.

The idea for the business book hit me while I was out for a routine jog in the fall of 2006, having just finished selling books in Amish communities across northern Indiana.  I had read Donald Kraybill and Steven Nolt’s Amish Enterprise, which I much admired.  The thought that there really ought to be a book outlining Amish business principles, geared towards a popular audience, grabbed ahold of my leg.  Despite that I managed to finish my run and knew I had to do it. 

After you started writing seriously--how long was it before you were published?

Since I had a passion to do this book, at times I felt it was almost out of my hands, and that it was almost driving itself as I undertook numerous research trips and landed interviews with various Amish businesspeople, from the “big kahunas” to the modest one-person shops. 

I took the approach that I was going to do the research and write the book and have faith that it would come out somehow.  Eventually, and thanks to writing the blog, I made connections that led to getting an agent and a nice deal with Jossey-Bass, a subsidiary of John Wiley and Sons. From conception through research and writing to publication was about a 3 ½-year period. 

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well? Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?

First of all—for me it’s an AM thing.  Notwithstanding the occasional evening flurry of production, after about 1-2pm, I tend to get diminishing returns from the hours I put into writing.  So up and at ‘em. 

I also write and think best on an empty stomach or a strictly liquid diet, at least for the first few hours of the day.  My formula requires 3 glasses—coffee with milk, OJ on the rocks, and carbonated (or as my friend who dislikes it calls it, “gas-powered”) water. 

I actually did a lot of the writing of Success Made Simple in cafes around Krakow.  Odd that a book on the Amish was largely penned in Poland, but that’s how it went.  I would do research trips twice a year, spending a few months in the states at a time, and then take all the goodies I’d gathered back to Poland to digest.  I found it to be a good way, at least for me. 

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication? Writers’ conferences? Writing groups? Your mom as your first draft reader?

Simply the drive that took hold once the idea for this book struck.  I’m motivated by goals, and if they are fairly large and seemingly out of reach—though with the glimmer of how one might get there—I can get into them.  This is what pushed me to run my first marathon a few years ago, which at the time seemed an inconceivable distance.  It motivated me when I worked in sales, and is also motivating me with a couple of other goals right now.  People tend to get excited and act on big goals—more so than for small ones.  Though breaking things down into manageable chunks is key as well.   

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?

Here’s what surprised me most—the actual impact of media exposure.  My book Success Made Simple has gotten pretty remarkable media coverage for a first book, including TIME magazine, Entrepreneur magazine, an article and video on CNNMoney, interviews on national TV and radio networks, and a host of newspapers across the country. 

Despite the great coverage, you are not guaranteed sales—these things will spike sales, and help your reputation and may even be picked up and “go viral”, as in the case of one of the above, but to sustain interest you have to work at it.  Or at least I have.  And I’ve done that through radio, speaking, online interviews and reviews, and through my own site. 

What are your biggest distractions?

What?  Hang on…just going to close this window here…okay…Now what was that again?  Distractions?  Well, news websites…the guy with the drill upstairs…growling stomach…back in a sec…

What was one of the best moments in your career and what was one of the worst?

One of the best moments, or at least one of the most fun, was being on Irish National Radio this past summer.  Was it a particularly remarkable interview? No, not really.  But for some reason I was tickled that there was interest in what I had done in a fairly far-off, at least Amish-wise, corner of the world.  For that matter the fact that the book has gotten international interest-in places like Italy, Poland, and Australia—that has been cool in the same vein. 

Another was giving a talk to a room full of nearly 100 Amish businesspeople.  Had I flubbed it that one had potential to be one of the worst moments!  But thankfully, it went well, and got a positive response.  In one case a group of 8 brothers and sisters all lined up to buy a copy afterwards.

Worst-hmm.  Perhaps this is testament to my highly-honed ability to bury humiliating and painful experiences, but I’m having trouble coming up with an answer. 

I can tell you what was almost the worst.  I was on a call-in radio program, 2 really nice fellows in the Midwest.  One made a comment like “I’ve read your book, but xxx (co-host) hasn’t because he’s blind”, which I thought was a joke, so I searched for a funny response.  But couldn’t think of anything and it was on to something else. 

And good I couldn’t, as his co-host, unbeknownst to me, in fact lacked the ability to see.  I can imagine how compassionate I would have sounded ripping on a blind man with what I thought to be a clever comeback.  So that wasn’t the worst moment, but a near-miss worst moment, I guess.

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?

Least would be going over edits for the umpteenth time.  Most would be doing something that you love.  And of course, reader feedback!

What is the role and importance of an agent?

I would say it depends.  In my case an agent was crucial for getting the book looked at at a major publishing house.  Some may have other “ins” but I am of the mind that if you want to reach a major house, through an agent is the best and most direct way to go.  Of course that means you first have to find an agent that likes your idea and appreciates your potential.

On the other hand, I am going to be testing my hand at releasing a book on my own, and am looking forward to the challenge.  A lot of authors have succeeded in more or less completely running their own ship, and that idea appeals to me. 

What advice would you give to new writers?

Find an idea that gets ahold of your leg and won’t let go.  Having a passion for what you are writing about and want to accomplish is crucial for those times when it seems like you’re stuck at buggy pace. 

Pretend I’m a customer at a bookstore looking for a good book. Give me a one or two sentence promo to convince me to buy your book.

60 Amish give you an inside peek into their work lives, and how an occupation fits in with all the important things—faith, passion, family, home.  Packed with authentic Amish voices—from Ephraim and Martha Lapp, PA “koo juice” producers and parents of 8, to wisecracking Amish minister and wood-man Alvin Hershberger. 

What’s on the book horizon for you?

Next month, my second book, Kim Są Amisze? (Who are the Amish?), will be published as the first book on the Amish in the Polish language. 

Another one that I’m excited about, and tentatively slated for release in early-mid 2011, is an all-purpose guide to the Amish that will cover some new ground and topics little or not seen before.  I think readers are going to enjoy it.

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

Come visit me at amishamerica.com.  We’ve got a great bunch of readers and the pack just seems to be growing all the time.  And I love getting comments and always do my best to respond.  It’s a lot of fun.

More on my Amish business book Success Made Simple can be had at amishbusinessbook.com. 

And for Facebook-inclined folks, I’m on FB a lot too, so come say hi and be friendly!

Thank you for sharing your writing life with my bleaders! (blog + readers = bleaders)

This Week on Amish Wisdom: Dale Cramer

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.

I'm thrilled to have an author on the show I've long admired, Dale Cramer. Be sure to tune in Thursday at 4:00 PM Central as we chat about Dale's latest book, Paradise Valley, and find out more about the man behind the pen.

Win a copy of by leaving a comment {HERE}. Don't forget your mailing address - the winner will be announced next week.

 

About Dale: Dale Cramer, bestselling author of the critically acclaimed novel Levi’s Will, was the second of four children born to a runaway Amishman and a sharecropper’s daughter. True to his Amish ancestry, he skipped college and became an electrician, yet the thought was never far from his mind that someday he would like to write. Dale lives in McDonough, Georgia, with his family.

About Paradise Valley: An Amish settlement in Ohio has run afoul of a law requiring their children to attend public school. Caleb Bender and his neighbors are arrested for neglect, with the state ordering the children be placed in an institution. Among them are Caleb's teenage daughter, Rachel, and the boy she has her eye on, Jake Weaver. Romance blooms between the two when Rachel helps Jake escape the children's home.

Searching for a place to relocate his family where no such laws apply, Caleb learns there's inexpensive land for sale in Mexico, a place called Paradise Valley. Despite rumors of instability in the wake of the Mexican revolution, the Amish community decides this is their answer. And since it was Caleb's idea, he and his family will be the pioneers. They will send for the others once he's established a foothold and assessed the situation.

And the winner is ...

Thanks to all of you who entered my Amish Basket Contest by leaving a review of The Waiting at Amazon or CBD.

The winner has been selected and it is ... Colleen from NY!

Congrats Colleen, my assistant Amy will be in touch for your mailing address.

I'll be announcing a new contest here soon - stay tuned.

Author Spotlight:: Patricia Miller Mauro

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We'll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week's Author Spotlight with Dale Cramer is Kristie D! My assistant Amy will be in touch for your mailing address.

This week we welcome author Patricia Mauro. To win a copy of Patricia's book, Safe from the Past, leave a comment on this post. 

Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in?

I’m married with two young children. I left my full time job and ended up working more hours publishing my first book.

And share something about your writing. What’s your genre(s), your areas of interest…

My first book is an inspirational memoir. I love books that explore people’s lives and experiences. I think my favorite genre is autobiographies.

How did you get started writing? Did you have a dream of being a published author? 

I knew I wanted to write this book since I was in my early twenties. But over the next few decades, career and family were my first priority. During this time, however, I managed to get in contact with someone who helped me get my ideas into something tangible. We met during a five year span where he would read my work, edit it and teach me about writing along the way. Sometimes we would meet in a little café in Greenwich Village. Other times it would be in his cramped upstairs studio.

After you started writing seriously--how long was it before you were published?

I would say my book was a work in progress for approximately fifteen years but it really took off just this past year.

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well? Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?

What got me into the mindset I needed to be for this book was a good dose of Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Liszt played as a series of piano solos on the movie soundtrack “Shine”. Those dark and beautiful songs were the only thing that would transport me into my past where I could relive what happened and write it as if it was happening again for the first time.

During my busiest writing times, I could write what I thought was an hour when it actually had been all morning. I would lose all track of time, as if stepping back into my past caused present time to fly by even faster.

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication? Writers’ conferences? Writing groups? Your mom as your first draft reader?

The biggest influence to me was Denver Butson, a published contemporary poet. He was the one who had met with me during those five years in an effort to get my book into shape. My friends became such huge supporters too. After only reading the first two chapters, many insisted I publish this book. They gave me the courage to put these words out there for others to read.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be? 

No. I thought a writer wrote and that was it. But I soon found out that there are times where marketing your book takes almost as much or more of your time. I would love to get back to writing because I just enjoy it so much. It affords a certain innate freedom to create something.

What are your biggest distractions?

Biggest distractions are household chores where I say to myself, “I will do all these dishes and my treat will be that I get to work on my book”. Working at night is harder because other things must be tended to first like cooking, homework and hugs.

What was one of the best moments in your career and what was one of the worst?

The best moment I had was at a recent author event. It was an author lecture and book signing at the public library in my hometown. So many people came out to support me that they ran out of chairs! The best part of all was at the end when we had my dad pick a winner for a free book. He came up to the front of the room to the sound of rounding applause. We looked at each other and realized, in an instant, just how special that moment was.

The worst moment was when I realized that my sister was having a hard time reliving what was written in this book, after it had been published. She was a big part of this survival story we endured. For years, I had talked to her about writing a book but it wasn’t until after the publication of it when I learned how deep those scars ran for her. I never knew that.

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?

I least liked chasing after endorsements. It involved reaching out to people that didn’t even know me and asking them to devote their precious time to reading my book and providing their feedback. But I knew that all I had to do was to get them to read just the first chapter. Then they were hooked!

I most like being able to spread the book’s message to others. So many times, after a lecture, I’ve had people come up to me and tell me how they can relate to my story. I feel I’m helping others in a way and it’s a wonderful feeling.

What advice would you give to new writers?

The same type of advice I offer in my book which is to never give up, even if you feel like you just can’t go on. Sometimes my mind gravitates toward the negative and I find myself telling me I can’t do it, but most times I end up proving that inner voice wrong.

Pretend I’m a customer at a bookstore looking for a good book. Give me a one or two sentence promo to convince me to buy your book.

“A kidnapping, divorce, the loss of her Amish family and father, abandonment, and extreme poverty are just some of the issues the author dealt with as a young child. Her mother finally tells her she must go to college so she can break out of this cycle of  hopelessness. But how can she when she has no money and absolutely no confidence or self esteem?

Read this true story to discover what hope, faith and determination can do to change a life.”

What’s on the book horizon for you?

I’ve always wanted to write a children’s book. I have given every stuffed animal my children own a unique voice and personality. I would love to express that in some colorful way in a book! I would also like to illustrate it since I love to draw.

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

“Safe From The Past: A Story of Hope Faith and Determination” can be found on my website at: www.PatriciaMauroBooks.com. It will also be available on Amazon’s Kindle by year end.

My Facebook fan page can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Safe-From-The-Past/122396711108245?ref=ts

Thank you for sharing your writing life with my bleaders! (blog + readers = bleaders)

Thank you Suzanne for allowing me to share my story with you and your readers!!

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Tricia Goyer

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.

I'm so excited to chat with author and fellow Toginet host, Tricia Goyer. Tricia is a prolific author (with over 24 books published, and three more on the way) and the host of Living Inspired (her show is on right before mine!). I had the privilege of being a guest on Living Inspired earlier this year - that interview is here. Tricia, a historical and contemporary fiction author and family life expert, has just began writing Amish fiction. Her new Amish series with B&H Publishers has an unique twist, it is set in Montana. Yep - there is a healthy Amish community in Montana. We'll hear from her on what it's been like to research for these books right in her own back yard. Join me on Thursday at 4:00 PM Central.

About Tricia: Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-four books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. For more information please visit Tricia website at www.triciagoyer.com

About Beside Still Waters: Marianna Sommer believes she knows where her life is headed. Nineteen years old and Amish, her plan is to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and live in the only community she's ever known.

When Marianna's family moves from Indiana to Montana she discovers life and faith will never be the same. As she builds an easy friendship with local guy, Ben Stone, Ben not only draws her heart, he also gets her thinking about what loving God and living in community is all about.

As Marianna struggles to find "home", she also encounters God in intimate ways. Watch the trailer here.

Win the Tricia Goyer book of your choice by leaving a comment {HERE} (along with your email address) and we'll notify you next week if you won!

The Amish..in their own Words

In their own words…

A woman was brave enough to try to protect her family from a yearling bear that walked up onto their patio and pressed its nose against the wind and looked into the dining room. Before that, one of the children had come running into the house, all excited, and said that there’s a bear in the yard. This mother got the shotgun and some light shells and went outside as the children in the house cheered her on. The bear ran up a tree and sat there looking at her. She waited until it finally came down and then peppered it in the rear, but it just climbed up another tree. Finally it came down and lumbered off into the woods. Later mamma bear came along, examined the slop pile, then continued sniffing the scent of her cub, and eventually disappeared into the woods behind their house. This morning a middle-sized bear feasted on the ripe peaches in the yard. All this makes it a little scary for the children to play in the yard! Scribe from Free Union, Virginia

Author Spotlight: Dale Cramer

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We'll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

This week we welcome Dale Cramer. To win a copy of the Dale's latest book, Paradise Valley, leave a comment on this post! And mark your calendars. Dale will be on Amish Wisdom on November 18th!

Welcome Dale, share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in?

Married for 35 years, so far.  It took us a long time to have kids, so we ended up with small kids in the house when we were forty.  Two sons, a couple years apart, and the youngest just graduated high school.

And share something about your writing. What’s your genre(s), your areas of interest…

As much as it sounds like a cop-out, I'm not sure what my genre is, and my areas of interest are absolutely everything.  I've written about Amish people, soldiers, farmers, sailplane pilots, real estate developers, miners, housewives, bandits, young, old, men, women, in every time period from 1920 to the present.  What's important to me is that I (the characters, the story) have something to say, a new way of looking at things.  There's nothing I like better than when somebody reads one of my books and writes to me saying, "You know, I never thought about it like that."

How did you get started writing? Did you have a dream of being a published author?

It was always in the back of my head, growing up, but I guess I didn't take it seriously.  Always, when I'd read a book— and I read a lot of books— I'd see something clumsy and think, "I could do that better."  But I didn't actually try to do it.  It was on my bucket list, but I figured everybody wanted to write a book someday.  Just because I wanted to write a book didn't mean I was a writer.

After you started writing seriously--how long was it before you were published?

About two weeks.  Seriously.  I was building an office for a friend (I've been in construction all my life) and we got in an argument one night over labor/management stuff.  He said I should write an article about my views, so I did.  He showed me how to edit myself, and it was like the light came on.  Suddenly it all made sense.  When I finished the third or fourth draft of that piece he sent it to a major magazine and about two weeks later they called and said they were buying it.  It was literally the first thing I had written since high school, about twenty-five years.

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well? Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?

I think what helps me more than anything is consistently working.  I mean, if I work on a story every day I pretty much know what needs to be done tomorrow.  Little plot problems seem to solve themselves as long as I keep moving.  It's when I start trying to think too far ahead and map out the whole story that I get bogged down.  It seems strange, but the biggest boost to the brain cylinders seems to be momentum itself.

As for places, I do most of my writing at my desk, on my computer, although I have written chapters by hand in all sorts of bizarre places, including the back seat of the car while my wife was driving.  I prefer working in the morning, but there again I don't always get things the way I want them.  A writer has to be ready to write whenever.

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication? Writers’ conferences? Writing groups? Your mom as your first draft reader?

Really the only group thing I ever participated in was an online writers' forum that started out at Compuserve.  Section Six of the Compuserve Writers Forum was the Exercise Section, and it seemed like a safe place so I decided to give it a try.  I posted a few short pieces for critique, and people liked them.  The folks at Section Six were the best— supportive, knowledgeable, and a lot of fun.  If they had a fault it was that they were too kind, but that's what made it possible for a rank beginner to stick his neck out.  After a while they started telling me I should try to publish my short fiction in literary magazines, and then they taught me how to go about it.  That's where I got my start.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?

Mostly I'd say yes, it's what I expected.  I was, and still am, surprised at how much time and energy is devoted to non-writing activity.  These days, with so many titles out there, the competition is stiff, and with the advent of social networks like Facebook and Twitter the bulk of the responsibility for promotion seems to have shifted to the author.

What are your biggest distractions?

My kids.  When they were little I wrote in fifteen minute bursts between emergencies and during naps.  Now that they're out of high school I don't change nearly as many diapers, but there's still constant traffic in and out of this place, doors slamming, TV blaring.  The next biggest distraction would be all the things you can do on a computer other than writing— you know, surfing, gaming, emailing, browsing, shopping.  The computer has advantages and disadvantages for those of us with ADD.

What was one of the best moments in your career and what was one of the worst?

I have to say right up front I can't think of a worst moment, unless it was the time I forgot about a live radio interview and missed it.  Best?  I've won two Christy Awards, a really unexpected honor, and I was listed among the Best of the Year in Publishers Weekly.  The list was in alphabetical order, so I ended up right between Michael Connelly and Michael Crichton.  I thought that was cool. 

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?

I like getting paid for doing something I love.  I like the commute (get dressed, walk to the kitchen, make coffee, sit down at the desk and go to work).  I like those rare moments when I look back over something I've written and see that it's better than anything I thought could come out of me.  I like hanging out with writers.  There are lots of things to like; I can't imagine why I'd want to dwell on what I don't like.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

I just got back from a client retreat hosted by my agent (Janet Kobobel Grant), so I have all these fresh images of my agent with her flock, and it has become clear to me that, most of all, an agent is a cat herder.  Janet is the level head, the voice of experience, the Objective One, the all seeing eye, and it's her job to manage the careers of a large group of individuals who, almost by definition, each lives in his own fantasy land.  Writers, on the whole, are myopic visionaries, fiercely independent children, starry-eyed pessimists, and extremely intelligent idiots (and I'm not, by any stretch, excluding myself from this description).  They are without a doubt the most interesting group of people I've ever had the privilege to be around, but I can't imagine trying to corral them, let alone manage their careers.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Work on craft.  You can write an average book and join the millions of people waving average manuscripts in the air hoping to get noticed, or you can write a great book and rise above the throng.  Publishers are looking for great books.

Pretend I’m a customer at a bookstore looking for a good book. Give me a one or two sentence promo to convince me to buy your book.

Oh, I can never do it in one or two sentences.  I'd have to drag you into a conversation about writing and family history and philosophy and religion.  In ten or fifteen minutes you'll buy my book just to get away from me.  Works every time.

What’s on the book horizon for you?

Right now I'm entirely focused on the trilogy— The Daughters of Caleb Bender.  The first book, Paradise Valley, comes out at the end of November.  The second one is written and in the editing pipeline, and I'm working on the third one.  After that, I'm really not sure what I'll do.

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?
They can find me at dalecramer.com or my blog site, dalecramerblog.com.  I'm also on Facebook.  My books:  Levi's Will is still available at most stores, although some places may have to order it for you.  When Paradise Valley comes out next month it'll be available at all the Christian stores as well as the major outlets— Amazon, CBD, B&N, Booksamillion, Walmart, Sam's, even Kroger.  It's also going to be available through Crossings Book Club.

Thank you for sharing your writing life with my bleaders! (blog + readers = bleaders)

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Melanie Dobson and Musician Will Stoltz

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.

Don't miss author Melanie Dobson  and musician Will Stotlz on this week's show. Melanie will be talking about her new book, The Silent Order, during the first half hour. Then we'll hear from Will Stoltz, who went from Amish Country to Country Radio. We'll be playing some of Will's music during the show. Be sure to tune in Thursday at 4:00 PM Central.

Win a copy of Melanie's book by leaving a comment {HERE}! (Dont' forget your email address!)

More about Melanie: Melanie Beroth Dobson is the author of the inspirational novels Together for Good (2006), Going for Broke (2007), The Black Cloister (2008), Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana (2009), Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa (2010), Refuge on Crescent Hill (2010), and The Silent Order (2010) as well as the co-author of Latte for One and Loving It! A Single Woman's Guide to Living Life to Its Fullest (2000).

Prior to launching Dobson Media Group in 1999, Melanie was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family where she was responsible for the publicity of events, products, films, and TV specials. Melanie received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Liberty University and her master's degree in communication from Regent University. She has worked in the fields of publicity and journalism for fifteen years including two years as a publicist for The Family Channel.

Melanie and her husband, Jon, met in Colorado Springs in 1997 at Vanguard Church. Jon works in the field of computer animation. Since they've been married, the Dobsons have relocated numerous times including stints in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Colorado, Berlin, and Southern California. These days they are enjoying their new home in the Pacific Northwest.

Jon and Melanie have adopted their two daughters —Karly (6) and Kinzel (5). When Melanie isn't writing or entertaining their girls, she enjoys exploring ghost towns and dusty back roads, traveling, hiking, line dancing, and reading inspirational fiction.


About The Silent Order: Rural America - 1928. After the murder of his partner, Detective Rollin Wells hides away in an Amish home near Sugarcreek, Ohio, to find out who in the police force is collaborating with Cleveland’s notorious mob.

While Rollin searches for answers to his partner’s death, he befriends an elusive young Amish woman named Katie and her young son. As Rollin learns about Katie’s past, he’s shocked at the secret Katie is hiding - a secret that has haunted Rollin for eight years.

More about Will: One of the beauties of country music is that it reminds many listeners of a simpler, more innocent time, and it’s hard to imagine a place more reminiscent of early America than the Amish country where the 23-year-old singer and songwriter Will Stoltz grew up.

It’s known as Pennsylvania Dutch or Amish country, an area where the horse and buggy is still a common mode of transportation, many of the homes and farms have no electricity, the ladies and girls wear long dresses and the men and boys sport straw hats and suspenders.

“We lived in an old stone house, built in 1820. It didn’t have electricity, and we didn’t have a car to get around,” Stoltz says in a May conversation at the Music Row office of his manager, JB Bonelli.

He’s one of nine children in a family that now does use electricity and cars, and last year Stoltz’s four years of commuting to Nashville to write and record songs paid off when he was named one of country music’s Top 10 Unsigned Artists by Nashville Music Guide.

Will also recently appeared and caused a great deal of excitement on Billy Block’s radio and TV shows at 12th&Porter. Bonelli accurately describes Stoltz as having “Amish Roots and a Nashville Sound,” and Will stands a great chance of being country’s first-ever Amish star.

“As kids, you always try to take things as far as you can. We didn’t have cars, so we’d make Go-Karts,” he says with a smile. “Growing up like that, you really don’t think about what it would be like outside of that life. You’re just so used to what you’re doin’, you don’t think about the disadvantages. It’s an awesome lifestyle.”

Like many country stars, Stoltz grew up on a farm, so getting up in the wee hours of the morning as today’s artists often do on radio tours is nothing new to him.

Will first came to Nashville to study voice. That was when he and Bonelli first met and began working together. Soon both men learned that Will had a huge talent and charisma as a new traditionalist country singer, along the lines of his heroes Josh Turner and Randy Travis.

And while he grew up in an environment full of old-fashioned values, Will’s music is completely up to date. With his movie-star looks and songs often penned with or by Music Row’s top tunesmiths, Stoltz is an ideal fit for today’s country radio. For more information about Will and his music, visit http://www.willstoltz.com.

The Amish..in their own Words

In their own words…

Talking about older folks, it was kind of interesting the other day at school. The kids were discussing how old Kathy is. They had all different ages and they finally narrowed it down to 43 years old, which was correct. One of older girls remarked, “How can you still run like you do?” She said it’s hard to believe that being that old she could still run that fast. It’s always interesting to hear the remarks from these young kids. Scribe from Applecreek, Ohio

In their own words…

Back in the 1940s at the old brick public school then on this site is where I got my limited education, on two occasions aided by the teacher’s use of what was then known and feared as ‘the strap.’ Some 24 years before that, at the same location, my left-handed father was taught to write with his right hand. This was very successfully taught with the teacher’s ever present heavy wooden ruler rapped across his knuckles when he was caught with a pencil in his left hand. In everything except writing he was left handed all his life. And so the strap and the ruler and a piece of chalk thrown with deadly aim from the teacher’s desk were for many years ‘special education tools.’ They did leave a lifelong impression on we ‘old timers,’ hopefully to our betterment, sometimes perhaps not so. Scribe from Ontario, Canada.