Tongue in Cheek Amish Exercise Video

This short clip was created by two sisters, born into an Amish family. Please take it as it is meant to be...light hearted fun.  

Thursday on Amish Wisdom Debut Novelist Ruth Reid

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.

This week on Amish Wisdom we'll be chatting with author debut novelist Ruth Reid. Ruth is a full-time pharmacist who lives in Dade City, Florida with her husband and three children. Her fascination for the Amish began twenty-years ago when she skipped college classes to watch a barn-raising. Today, she’s still captivated by the simple ways of the Amish lifestyle, and in her debut novel, The Promise of an Angel, she writes about what started her curiosity with the Amish—a barn raising. When Ruth is not working, she loves photography.


For more about Ruth, visit her website: www.ruthreid.com

More about The Promise of an Angel: In Mecosta County, Michigan, an angelic visitor's words inspire Judith to a future she never imagined.
After a barn raising accident, Judith Fischer's convinced she's met an angel. However, her attempts to convince others end up frustrating her Old-Order Amish community.

Only Andrew Lapp believes her, but the rest, including Levi Plank, the man's she's waited to marry, demand she forget the nonsense. Meanwhile, her younger sister Martha has taken a fancy to Levi and sees her sister's controversy as a perfect distraction for turning Levi's head.

In a dream, the angel tells Judith she must choose her path. As her faith continues to grow, so do her feelings for Andrew. Will she continue to place her hope in the angel's message, even if it means losing all she knows and loves?

For a chance to win a copy of Ruth's book, leave a comment {HERE} along with your email address and we'll select one winner next week to receive a copy of The Promise of An Angel.

Author Spotlight Round Up!

We've had some great author interviews so far in 2011 - here's a quick recap in case you missed one.

The winner from last week's Author Spotlight with April Gardner is Nutty4Coupons! Please email my assistant Amy with your mailing address. (amy@litfusegroup.com)

April Gardner http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/04/author-spotlight-april-gardner.html

Laura Hilton http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/04/author-spotlight-laura-hilton.html

Mary DeMuth http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/02/author-spotlight-with-mary-demuth.html

P.L Gaus http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/03/author-spotlight-pl-gaus.html

Judy Christie http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/03/author-spotlight-judy-christie.html

Mel Starr http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/03/author-spotlight-mel-starr.html

CJ Darlington http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/03/author-spotlight-cj-darlington.html

Joanna Weaver http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/02/author-spotlight-joanna-weaver.html

Judy Baer http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/02/author-spotlight-judy-baer-and-kindle.html

Marta Perry http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/02/author-spotlight-marta-perry.html

Ann Gahart http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/02/author-spotlight-ann-gabhart.html

Patti Lacy http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/01/author-spotlight-patti-lacy.html

Lynn Dove http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/01/author-spotlight-lynn-dove.html

Cara Putman http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2010/01/author-spotlight-cara-putman.html

Jill Savage http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/01/author-spotlight.html

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Beverly Lewis!

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.

Beverly Lewis' stories have been published in eleven languages worldwide. A keen interest in her mother's Plain heritage has inspired Beverly to write many Amish-related novels, beginning with The Shunning, which has sold more than one million copies and was recently made into an Original Hallmark Channel movie. Beverly lives with her husband, David, in Colorado. Visit her Web site at www.beverlylewis.com for more information.

More about Beverly: Beverly Marie Jones (Lewis) was born in the heart of Amish country—Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At the tender age of nine, she began writing short stories and poetry. Prior to that, she made up lyrics to the "little fingers" piano pieces she learned, at the age of five.

"My mother saved everything I wrote, even the stories I dreamed up during my grade school years," Bev says. One such tale is semi-autobiographical, about a young girl whose parents can no longer afford to give her piano lessons. The manuscript was 77 pages long and titled "She Shall Have Music," penned under the shade of a lone willow tree. "Reading, writing, and playing piano have been top three on my list of favorite things," she says.

Not until her own children were well into middle school did Bev seek to publish her work, first in magazines such as Highlights for Children, Dolphin Log, and Guideposts for Kids. Her first book followed in 1993—Mountain Bikes and Garbanzo Beans—presently retitled Big Bad Beans (book #22 in the popular Cul-de-Sac Kids series of chapter books—see list of Bev's children's books).

Beverly's first venture into adult fiction is the best-selling trilogy, The Heritage of Lancaster County, including The Shunning, a suspenseful saga of Katie Lapp, a young Amish woman drawn to the modern world by secrets from her past. The book is loosely based on the author's maternal grandmother, Ada Ranck Buchwalter, who left her Old Order Mennonite upbringing to marry a Bible College student. One Amish-country newspaper claimed Beverly's work to be "a primer on Lancaster County folklore" and offers "an insider's view of Amish life."

Asked if she is surprised by the popularity of her work, Lewis says, "The sales response for my work is astonishing, but even more heartwarming are thousands of letters a year pouring in from readers." Fans describe how her books have "touched a nerve, creating a curiosity about the Old Ways of the Amish... a yearning for a simpler life and return to traditional values in the mainstream society, where an impersonal, high-tech lifestyle reigns paramount," she explains. Bev still takes time out of her busy schedule to answer her readers' letters.

Booksellers across the country, and around the world, have spread the word of Bev's tender tales of Plain country life. A clerk in a Virginia bookstore wrote, "Beverly's books have a compelling freshness and spark. You just don't run across writing like that every day. I hope she'll keep writing stories about the Plain people for a long, long time."

A member of the National League of American Pen Women, as well as a Distinguished Alumnus of Evangel University, Lewis has written over 80 books for children, youth, and adults, many of them award-winning. She and her husband, David, make their home in Colorado, where they enjoy hiking, biking, and spending time with their family. They are also avid musicians and fiction "book worms."

About The Judgement: (Book 2 in The Rose Trilogy)

Rose Kauffman is engaged to Silas Good, a well-liked Amish fellow, so why does she still pine for Nick Franco, the former foster son of the bishop? Especially now that Nick has left the Amish community under a cloud of suspicion after the death of the bishop's biological son? Will Rose marry Silas, even while struggling with romantic feelings for Nick?

Meanwhile, Rose's older sister, Hen, has returned to live at her parents' farm with her young daughter. Hen and her modern husband, Brandon, are separated by mutual agreement, although he is threatening to sue for custody of their daughter if Hen does not return soon. Will the judge rule in Brandon's favor? Is there any way Hen can reestablish her place among the People without sacrificing her marriage?

For a chance to win a copy of The Judgement, please leave a comment {HERE} with your email address. One winner will be chosen at random next week and notified via emial.

Newsy News!

I have some really exciting news to share!

But, instead of just telling you outright I thought it might be more fun to let you try to guess my BIG EXCITING NEWS! (I know! So so mean!) I'm not even going to give you a hint.

But, I will reward you for your effort!  The first person who guesses correctly will win a $50 gift certificate to CBD.com.

I'll choose 5 runners ups to receive a Suzanne Woods Fisher book of their choice. Let the guessing begin! (Contest ends 5/9).

Just leave a comment here with your best guess and your email address!

Monday's Kick-off

It's been a pretty busy stretch this last week...my college son had foot surgery.   

He's in for a very long recovery--two weeks in a soft cast, four weeks in a hard cast, ten weeks on crutches. And he goes to a small college in the midwest where it snowed this weekend! Imagine trying to navigate around a snowy, crowded college campus on crutches.


But...so far, so good. And crutches and snowstorms make for great final exam study weather! I genuinely appreciate your prayers on my son's behalf. Prayers go up, blessings come down! Lord willin', my son will be back on the basketball court in the fall!

Next thing...I've got another terrific Bill Coleman photo for our weekly caption contest:

What's your best caption?

If you want to chime in on the contest, go to my FB author page and add your best caption! Winner receives a signed book of your choice.

My newsletter is heading out this week--if you're interested in receiving it, just leave your e-mail address in the comment section.

Finally, there's a very exciting guest on Amish Wisdom this week...NY Times bestselling author Beverly Lewis! The gracious host of the Amish fiction sub-genre! She got it started with her Summerhill series for teens, years ago.

Would love to include your thoughts and questions for Beverly--leave a comment and I'll try to work your Q into the interview. Don't forget to tune in on Thursday, 5pm EST on toginet.com!

Beverly Lewis at a book signing for a recent book release.

And of course, we are facing the best day of all this week...Easter morning!

Christ has risen! He has risen indeed!  Amen!

Author Spotlight: April Gardner

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 Laura Hilton is Marie Ann! Please email my assistant Amy with your mailing address. (amy@litfusegroup.com)

This week April Gardner is in the Spotlight! To win a copy of April's latest book, Wounded Spirits, 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 so pleased to be featured on your Author Spotlight!

Here’s a snap-shot of my life—I’ve been married 13 years to the USAF’s smartest computer geek. And the hottest. Grin. We have two amazing, elementary-age kids. One boy. One girl. We are America’s perfect family…at least until we take a road trip and inevitably end up trying to strangle each other.

I have the great blessing of being able to devote myself full-time to writing. Somehow, I still struggle finding time to actually write. It boggles my mind how other writers who work even part-time jobs manage to ever finish a book. I greatly admire them.

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

My absolute, all-time favorite genre is historical fiction. If it has romance added in, all the better. I’m a sucker for a unique setting or time period.

My current writing is set in the early 1800’s in Creek Country, the area of Alabama and Georgia that the Creek Indians inhabited before it became part of the United States.

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

I started writing because there was a historical account that just had to be put into novel form. I figured I may as well be the one to do it. That was 11 years ago. Today, the story can be found in the form of my debut novel, Wounded Spirits.

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

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 plot my novels by summarizing scenes. Since I have a set number of scenes to write, I try to tackle X-number of scenes per week, versus words per day. It’s a different system than most, but it works 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?

Critique partners! Without a doubt, my crit-partners have been the absolute best thing for my writing. I don’t have to stress so much over that first draft. If I write flat characters or if my setting isn’t clear enough, my critters will find it. Having them relieves so much pressure! And, of course, they help make my writing shine.

What are your biggest distractions?

My biggest distraction to writing is my own fear of failure. When I say “failure” I mean it on many levels—from the crux of the plot down to the next line in the paragraph. That being said, encouragement is my main motivator. An author can never receive enough encouragement from her readers. Note to readers--If you loved a book, let the author know! She’ll thank you for it.

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

So far, the best moment in my career has been making #1 best-seller status on Amazon. It was completely unexpected, but one of those moments I’ll always cherish.

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

Right now, I’m not enjoying my first deadline. It’s pushing my writing skills to a whole new level. Forced growth is good, but it’s not always comfortable. What I enjoy the most is meeting so many wonderful cyber-friends.


What is the role and importance of an agent?

My publishing house doesn’t require an agent, so I don’t have one yet, but I would love to!

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.

Hey, check out this awesome book! It’s about a Creek warrior who’s fighting to get the white settlers off Creek land. In the middle of battle, he agrees to protect his brother’s white friends. Life gets complicated when the enemy he’s supposed to hate becomes a beautiful woman with a quiet strength he can’t resist. I’ve heard Wounded Spirits is one of the best new stories out there, and I love Suzanne Fisher’s novels. That just goes to show I have great taste in fiction, so you can trust me. :-D

Did I convince you?

What’s on the book horizon for you?

Warring Spirits, the sequel to Wounded! It’s tentatively scheduled to release this fall.

Tagline: Three cultures, one battle. A thousand Warring Spirits


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

I love to hear from my readers! You can find me at these locations:

www.aprilgardner.com
www.aprilwgardner.blogspot.com
www.clashofthetitles.com

Wounded Spirits is available on Amazon.

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

I’ve loved visiting with you today!! Thanks for having me.

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Tricia Goyer and her Amish friends!

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 have author Tricia Goyer back on the show this week. And she's bringing friends with her - the Eash's from the West Kootenai Montana Amish community. Tricia's new book, Beside Still Waters, the first book in her new Amish series, is loosely based on events in the Eash's lives. I'm looking forward to hearing their story; past and present.

We'll be talking about the book and Tricia will be giving away a few copies, so be sure to leave a comment {HERE}for a chance to win one. (Don't forget your email address!) During the last segment of today's show, we'll also be talking about Tricia's new non-fiction book (May 2011), Praying for Your Future Husband.

And be sure to catch Tricia's show, Living Inspired (she's on right before Amish Wisdom) for a more indepth interview with the Eash's.


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.

Meet the Eash's:

THEN:

NOW:

Favorite Things

Since Oprah is no longer doing her Favorite Things show...I thought it might be fun to pick up the torch and carry the tradition!

These currently top my list...

1. Bumble & Bumble Hair Products. (Now, girls, this is the way to manage roots!)

2. Zappos.com  Shoes, shoes, shoes! Delivered to your door within a day or two, and free return postage.

3. Top 100 Free Kindle Ebooks. (Hint: check back weekly because they are always changing.)

4. K-Love radio. SO good. I listen to it while I write.

5. You Tube clips that are hilarious! You've probably seen this...it's been going around for a couple of weeks...but it never gets old.


6. Springtime. Anywhere, anybody's backyard, anytime of the day. Isn't spring amazing? And to think that as good as it gets, it is only a hint of Heaven!

 
This year, I am particularly loving my pink tulips from Filoli (a house on the National Historic Register. You might know it as the house "Dynasty" was filmed in, decades ago!). These pink tulips are given to me by my friend Nyna each Christmas and bloom right about now. Ah, spring!

  

7. My little 7 month old grandson, Blake. Life just doesn't get better than hearing a little baby's squeal echo through the house! (And trust me, Blake is a squealer! Happy, happy squeals.)

Baby Blake, before the bath.

Baby Blake, after the bath.

What's on your list? I'd like to know your new favorite things!

On another note..."Cindy's Book Reviews" is offering a giveaway of four Amish fiction authors: Dale Cramer, Mary Ellis, Tricia Goyer, and Jerry Eicher. Pop over and check it out! 

Lend Me Your Brains

Continuing to shift the photo caption contest I've been running on Facebook earlier in the week, where there's a little more breathing space. My plan is to run the photo on Monday and pick a winner by Wednesday. I don't want to leave my faithful blog readers out in the cold! You're welcome to leave a comment here or (better still!) on my FB author page to chime in with your witty captions and see what others have come up with. There are some clever people out there. Winner will receive a signed copy of his/her choice of my books.

So here's this week's photo from the amazing Amish photographer, Bill Coleman:

What's your best caption for this earnest little guy?

Source: Bill Coleman, Amishphoto.com

Author Spotlight: Laura Hilton

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 Mary DeMuth is Jeane T! Please email my assistant Amy with your mailing address. (amy@litfusegroup.com)

This week Laura Hilton is in the Spotlight! To win a copy of Laura's latest book, Patchwork Dreams, leave a comment on this post! And if you missed last week's Amish Wisdom interview with Laura, you can listen here or on iTunes as a free download, here.

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 for almost twenty-five years to Steve. We have five kids, ranging in age from 20 down to 5. I homeschool, and I write in the living room with my family around me. I had to learn to focus!

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

I write contemporary romance and contemporary Amish romance.

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

Oh, I always wrote. I think I was born knowing how to read and write and lived in anxious anticipation in kindergarten of moving past the baby books and being allowed to read the big kid books in the school library. My teachers were big on insisting on reading on your grade level (sigh) so I suffered through the Jane and Dick and Spot books until I was finally allowed to move on. I dreamed of being published forever. But didn’t know how to go about it back then.

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

Oh, forever. I started getting notice from publishers for my contemporary romances about the time contemporary went out and historical became hot. I wasn’t sure I had what it took to write historical, so I learned how to edit my own work and took suggestions from editors at publishing houses to heart. If they take the time to write a five page letter about what is wrong with the book that means you are doing something right! So, I studied and learned. And then my agent suggested I try Amish fiction. I thought about that for a long while. I like to read Amish fiction. My maternal grandparents had left the Amish way back before my parents were born – but write it? And then I discovered that an Amish community was less than two hours away. So, I researched, and tried it, and my agent was right. I could write it. It sold right away, based on a simple proposal, a synopsis and three chapters.

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 don’t spend enough time writing. Like I said, I write with the family surrounding me, interrupting constantly for help with algebraic equations, reading a college research paper, teaching the multiplication table…one never knows! Some days I go without writing at all. When I do write, I want to get at least 1,000 words or I’m not happy. It helps me to use the bribery method – like that chocolate bar that I really want…I can’t have it unless I reach my word count for the day.

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

 Well, I joined ACFW back in the beginning, and when they started critique groups I was one of the first to sign up. That group has long since disintegrated, but everyone who was in that first group is now published. I stayed in critique groups and took the writing courses on ACFW when they started offering them, and then I think those years when I worked on editing my own stuff really taught me a lot. Especially when chick lit became popular and I learned how to write deep point of view. Oh, and I should say being a book reviewer helped. Because I don’t understand a lot of the writer jargon and watching movies bore me, and a lot of writing instructors use movies to illustrate! Doesn’t help when you didn’t watch the movie. But I can study a really good book and discover what the author did to get it that way. I learned a lot from that. I’m still learning from that.

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

Being published is busier than I thought. I didn’t know about pod casts or radio interviews. Or speaking engagements or interviews… I did know about book signings, but I figured that was just an occasional thing. Wow. There is a lot to marketing.

What are your biggest distractions?

Seriously? The kids. And housework. Other books. And IM with real adults on the other end…

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

Oh, the worst was the day that my agent forwarded me the five page rejection letter outlining what was wrong with one of my books. I cried. I deep cleaned the pantry and the cupboards (my coping with rejection method). Then I sat down and studied it… And my best? Oh, the day the phone rang when I was half asleep…with my agent on the other end and told me that two houses were definitely interested but one offered a contract on the spot and the other asked for the whole…

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

I love being about to let the characters inside my head live. I like the thrill of discovery as the story progresses. And when it all comes together. Least liked? Rejection… I know, it’s not personal, it’s business.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

Oh, everything! My agent is my biggest cheerleader, she encouraged me not to give up and to keep learning, she marketed my books, getting them into houses that I couldn’t – especially since I can’t go to conferences with small children (not to mention it isn’t in my budget) and well, once that contract came, she went over it piece by piece with me and negotiated with the publisher.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Join a critique group. Or two. Develop a thick skin. Find an agent. Read other books, especially those in the genre you most are interested in. And write your passion.

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. 

Becky Troyer has committed the ultimate sin, and finds herself on the edge of her Amish community. Jacob Miller believes he was sent to the Old Order Community in Missouri to help out a distant cousin. Instead, he discovers he was part of an arranged swap--sending men from his Pennsylvania district to the Missouri district to bring new blood into the Amish community. Becky dreams of marriage, but doesn't dare hope that anyone would choose her--not with her history. Can God use the lies that have affected Becky and Jacob to bring them together? Or will Jacob rebel and head home to his first love?

What’s on the book horizon for you? 

 The second book in the series, A Harvest of Hearts, is scheduled for release in September of this year, and I’m currently writing the third book in the series (yet untitled) which will release in April of 2012. I also have ideas for another three books simmering in the background.

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

Patchwork Dreams is available at CBD.com, Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and other online booksellers and it should be available in your favorite bookstore. You can find me online at http://lauravhilton.blogspot.com and I’m also on facebook.

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

Thank you for having me!

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Kim Vogel Sawyer

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.

On Thursday's show we'll be chatting with author Kim Vogel Sawyer about her two latest releases, Katy's Homecoming (a YA novel about a girl in an Old Order Mennonite sect) and Courting Miss. Amsel, a CBD.com top 20 book.

More about Kim: Kim is the author of fifteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and six grandchildren.

She invites you to visit her Web site at www.kimvogelsawyer.com for more information.

More about Katy's Homecoming: (Book Three of the Katy Lambright Series) --  Katy’s life outside her Old Order Mennonite sect becomes more complicated when she is elected to the sophomore homecoming court as a joke. When she discovers Bryce, her crush, could be her chaperone on the court, Katy has a big decision to make: follow her heart and attend the dance, or follow her faith and the beliefs of her sect.

For a chance to win a copy of Kim's books, leave a comment {HERE} with which book you'd like to receive (don't forget your email address!) and 2 people will be chosen at random to receive a copy! Winners will be notified via email next week.

More about Courting Miss Amsel: Miss Edythe Amsel arrives in the tiny farming community of Walnut Hill, Nebraska, with one goal in mind: ascertaining every child in her school room learns to read and write. But Edythe's unusual teaching methods--as well as her odd ideas about women's rights--ruffle the feathers of nearly everyone in town. Only Joel Townsend, whose innovative farming methods have set him apart from his neighbors, speaks in support of the teacher who's won the affections of his nephews, Johnny and Robert. But when Miss Amsel reveals her deepest beliefs--beliefs outside of the ones Joel holds dearer than any others--he can no longer speak in her defense...not even if she's stolen his heart.

Tuesday's Brain Teaser

The photo caption contest I've been running on Facebook has been so wildly successful that I am shifting it earlier in the week, where there's a little more breathing space. And I don't want to leave my faithful blog readers out in the cold! You're welcome to leave a comment here or on my FB author page and chime in with your brilliant captions! Winner will receive a signed copy of his/her choice of my books. 

So here's this week's photo from the amazing Amish photographer, Bill Coleman:

What do you think these pigs would say, if pigs could talk?

This Is The Stuff that Drives Me Crazy

Happy Monday!!

Most people hate Mondays but I love, love, love them. The week lies ahead, filled with possibilities. Like, of a to-do list actually getting finished. For one brief day, I sense the luxury of time. (It's  complete self-delusion. By Wednesday, I start panicking. Still, a girl can dream.)


I'm working hard this week on book 2 in a new series--tentatively called "The Haven." I just finished final proofs for Amish Values for Your Family and have a tiny breather before I receive galleys for A Lancaster County Christmas.

And baby Blake is still our long-term house guest. He has just started sitting up by himself! 

I always start the week with another hope...that this Thursday, from 2-3 California time, my family and friends will NOT call or text me. I have yet to have a single week of hosting my radio show without one of my kids calling, texting, e-mailing. My own husband scheduled a tree cutting from 2-3 on Thursday. And my friend Kim has a knack of calling during that time, even if she's on vacation. They're not trying to be clueless...they truly forget that I am trying to conduct a radio show! It's like that one hour, once a week, acts as a magnet.

Surely, surely...this week will be IT!

Sigh. A girl can hope.

By the way, prolific author Kim Vogel Sawyer will be my guest on Amish Wisdom. Kim's mother-in-law just passed away, so she is squeezing me in on a jam-packed, emotionally laden week.


 Hope you have a great start to the week. Just in case you hate Mondays, this new song by Francesca Battastelli will turn it around for you!

Author Spotlight with Mary DeMuth

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 Paul Gaus is KIM F.! Please email my assistant Amy with your mailing address. (amy@litfusegroup.com)

This week Mary DeMuth is in the Spotlight! To win a copy of Mary's latest book, You Can Raise Courageous and Confident Kids, 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 a full time writer (and I’m now a corporation!). I’ve got three kids, still at home and one husband (thankfully). We live in Texas. I love to cook, draw, create, garden, and decorate. Currently I’m planting my garden. I visit it every day hoping for new sprouts. Lettuce is poking its head up now.

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

I write parenting books, southern literary suspense (fiction), and memoir, though I hope to venture into more Christian living titles next.

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

Yes, I had a dream. I was an English major in college, taught English two years, then started having cute children and stayed home with them. I spent the decade of the nineties writing miles and miles of unpublished words in a 10,000 hour self imposed apprenticeship. I met my agent in 2003, sold my first book in 2004, and have had 11 titles released.

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

Ten 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 spend 8-10 hours writing, marketing, blogging, preparing to speak, article writing, etc. I do my best work if I’ve had a run in the morning, and my brain works best in the earlier hours of the day.

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

Self imposed pretend deadlines, a terrific critique group, and definitely conferences.

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

Yes and no. Yes in that I get to constantly be creative and do what I dearly love and feel passionate about. I know I’m called to write. No in that I didn’t realize how hard it would be to market my books or try to gauge or depend on a fickle publishing environment.

What are your biggest distractions?

Twitter, probably, but I incorporate it into my tribal marketing strategy.

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

Best: reading the Publisher’s Weekly review of my first novel, Watching the Tree Limbs. (Scroll down to read). I lived in France at the time. I felt like I was finally an author once someone from PW praised my book.

Worst: This last year has been incredibly discouraging.

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

Least: My sore back and neck.
Most: The sheer joy of creating tied with getting feedback from readers that my words have changed lives.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

Absolutely essential. Mine is worth her weight in dark chocolate.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Study, work, make deadlines, write miles and miles of words in obscurity, get edited, be teachable.

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.


Well, you’d have to be a parent, probably. I’d say: If you’re worried about the culture your kids will face after graduation and you sincerely want to prepare them to thrive in a crazy world, You Can Raise Courageous and Confident Kids will be an essential guide to help you navigate your children’s lives and hearts.

What’s on the book horizon for you?

A novel releasing in July entitled The Muir House.

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

http://www.marydemuth.com
http://www.twitter.com/marydemuth
http://www.facbook.com/authormarydemuth (Come see my new facebook landing page! It’s cool!)

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