Sunday with Ann Gabhart

My friend and bestselling author Ann Gabhart has an interview with me up on her blog today. It's a little different...this is mostly about my volunteering experience with Guide Dogs for the Blind...how I got started in the charity, what it involves. We're giving away a copy of "The Waiting," to someone who leaves a comment, too!

Hope you can pop over and read it! And while you're there...take a look at Ann's amazing books. She's a prolific author who pays terrific attention-to-detail in historical accuracy. Her most recent book, "Angel Sister," should be on your summer read list. 

Hope you're having a restful and relaxing weekend! I'm spending it trying to catch up on everything I'm over due on...graduation gifts for nieces and nephews, looking for that lost Netflix DVD. Stuff like that. Still...so so so nice to have a little leisure time.

Author Spotlight: Tim Sinclair

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 Celeste Butrym is Jessica R. Patch! Please email my assistant Amy with your mailing address. (amy@litfusegroup.com)

This week radio personality and author Tim Sinclair is in the Spotlight! To win a copy of Tim's latest book, Branded, 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 33 years old, have been married for five years, and have two amazing little boys. Jeremiah is almost four, and Elijah is two. I live in Illinois and work full-time as the morning co-host at WBGL radio. I also do a fair amount of freelance voiceover, writing, and production work for other radio stations and businesses.

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

I’m a non-fiction guy, focusing mainly on the intersection of faith and culture. My writing is often an attempt to pull people out of their comfort zone and look at faith through a strictly biblical lens, rather than simply a traditional one. It has been my experience that we tend to get those two confused sometimes.

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

I always thought it would be cool to be published, but I don’t think it was ever a dream of mine. In high school and college I enjoyed writing, but I didn’t discover my passion for it until more recently. I began by starting a blog. Then, I started sharing some of those blogs with my radio listeners. We got a great response, and the rest is history.

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

My story is going to make some people mad, so I apologize in advance. I wrote a blog in November of 2009 that was the foundation for my first book, Branded. I began querying agents in December, signed with Greg Johnson at WordServe Literary in January, and had a contract signed with Kregel Publications in April.

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 find that most of my writing happens when I’m not in front of a computer. My brain tends to pre-write everything – while I’m mowing the lawn, commuting to work, in the shower, etc. Then, I head off to Panera or Starbucks and get it all “on paper.” Some days it takes three hours…some days it takes ten minutes.

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

My wife is my best filter/sounding board. She graciously lets me read new material out loud to her, which I’m sure (at times) is mind-numbing. She’s also very good at calling my bluffs, and isn’t afraid to tell me when I’m forcing something versus letting it flow naturally. I read her three chapters of a book I had been working on once and she said, “That doesn’t sound like you at all.” And she was right.

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

The dream of being an author and the job of being an author are certainly two different things. The dream tells us that authors get handsomely paid to live in the country, wake up late, write for a few hours, and then fish until sundown. The reality, of course, is that being an author is a lot of work…and there is no sure-fire road to success. Early on in the process, it doesn’t pay very well either. I’ve also not been able to do much fishing.

What are your biggest distractions? 

There are good distractions and bad distractions. The good ones are my wife and kids. I can’t write at home when they’re around. It’s too easy to go play with trucks or take a walk or watch Curious George. The bad distractions are Facebook, Angry Birds, and the rest of the internet. Those instant messages are too pressing and those birds are too angry to ignore sometimes.

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

So far, my writing career has been pretty short. However, I cried a little when I read my first endorsement. It was from a highly respected pastor and author who was genuinely moved by my book. My worst moment came just weeks after signing my contract with Kregel. Despite the fact that only a few chapters of the book had even been written (and none of them had been read), an industry blog listed Branded as “the pit” in their “Cherry and the Pit” section. I was a little disheartened by that. And when I say disheartened, I mean crushed…and angry…and bitter.

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

I’m struggling with the idea that, in Christian non-fiction especially, the people who truly need the information in your book likely won’t read it. It’s been difficult to create content that potential readers feel like they need to read, not just what they do need to read. On the flip side, I love communicating ideas and truths in compelling, unique, and convincing ways. We do it on the radio every day, and writing is another extension of that idea for me. Plus, the written word survives much longer than the spoken word – allowing people to digest it, pore over it, and (most importantly) remember it.

What is the role and importance of an agent? 

As a new author, I’ve leaned on my agent heavily. From deciding which publishers to pitch to hammering out the contract to helping shape the focus of my future work, I’ve fully put the ball in Greg’s hands. He is an expert at those things. I am not. I have no problem giving him control of that part of my career. I just wish I didn’t have to pay him for it.

What advice would you give to new writers? 

Since I am a new writer myself, I don’t necessarily feel qualified to answer the question. However, I’ll give it a shot anyway. It’s important to spend virtually all of your time creating content rather than trying to get your content recognized. The more time you and I spend working on writing great stuff, the more likely others (agents, publishers, readers, etc.) will eventually recognize that work.

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. 

The church spends $1.5 million dollars for every one new follower of Jesus, while Apple sells 26 iPads every minute. Something is wrong with the way Christians are sharing Jesus, and it’s time to fix it.

What’s on the book horizon for you? 

My agent and I are currently pitching a book about finding focus in life. The working title is Less: Finding Just the Right Amount of Not Enough.

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

Pretty much everything about my books, blogs, speaking, and social networking can be found at http://www.tim-sinclair.com.

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.


Have you ever wondered how to become friends with an Amish person? A few years ago, a non-Amish gentleman named Dan Endy read Amish Peace and sent me an e-mail. He asked me that very question so I gave him some suggestions. Dan ended up meeting a New Order Amish man, Amos Stoltzfus, and the two families have become extremely close. Almost like family! Tune in today and hear about how this friendship began and how it has impacted the two men.

Today they'll be discussing their friendship, finding peace and more. Don't miss it!

Leave a comment on the toginet page for your chance to win an advance copy of Amish Values For Your Family. It will be releasing in mid-July. Winner will be contacted via email next week.

More Pictures from my Pennsylvania Trip

Amish gardens are bigger than our backyards.

A beautiful Amish garden in raised beds.

Tan colored fields are going fallow this spring.

A common sight. Laundry is flapping every day of the week but Sunday.

The plastic bags are meant to scare away the birds from the garden.

Very typical of the kind of handmade signs in front of an Amish farmhouse.

See? Everybody has a garage filled with stuff.

Look at all of those canned goods!

Amish washing machine.

Engine down below.

The school where my friend teaches.

Author Spotlight: Celeste Butrym

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 Jeanette Windle is Karen K.! Please email my assistant Amy with your mailing address. (amy@litfusegroup.com)

This week children's author Celeste Butrym is in the Spotlight! To win a copy of Celeste's latest book, Counting with Ranger, 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 am married and have one daughter 8 years old. I work full time and travel a lot so I squeeze in writing when ever I can. I usually keep a notebook with me, so I can jot down my ideas for later.

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

I like to write for children of all ages. Initially, I thought I would only like to write picture books, but I was bitten by the writing bug and just can't stop itching (I mean writing).

How did you get started writing?

When I was in Elementary and middle school I wrote, and I especially liked to write poems.

Did you have a dream of being a published author?

Oh Yes, it was a huge dream, something I hoped to do. I would read a children's book and say "I could have done that". I had no idea how to go about getting published. When I finally decided I was going to try, I read a lot of books about it. If I saw someone doing a book signing I would buy their book just so I could have a moment to ask a question to two.

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

Counting with Ranger was submitted to a contest (I think Women's Day) several years ago. I felt this little book was great and thought for sure it had a chance to win. It was not accepted and I put it away for another year or so. Thinking "one day I will get this book published". I was just about to self publish when I reconnected with you (Suzanne). We spoke for a few moments about how to get published, which rekindled my desire to try again. You were so kind and encouraging. I followed your advice and sent in my manuscript to Vinspire Publishing right away. I was not going to put this off again. I remember you telling me that it takes a long time to get published but to keep trying. I heard back from Vinspire in less than a month. I will NEVER forget that day.

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well?

I am a night owl and write when the world is sleeping. I also have time to think creatively when I am driving. When I get home from a trip I tell the stories to my daughter, she listens and laughs and gives an opinion. Recently, I started telling her a story, she thought it was a story already published and when I was done she asked when we could go to the bookstore to buy it. I can't wait to finish this one. It is going to be a good.

Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write?

I need quiet to concentrate so I wait until the household is alseep (aside from my trustworthy dog). If I had the time and money I would be in the Sierra's overlooking a beautiful mountian lake. I would write to my hearts content.

How many hours a day do you spend writing? 

 I try to spend a few hours a week writing. I would love to write daily or spend an hour a day writing but I am not able to do that.

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication?

Suzanne, you have been my biggest help. I appreciate you more than words.

Writers’ conferences?

I haven't been to a writer's conference yet but plan to do so in the future.

Your mom as your first draft reader?

My daughter is my first draft reader and listener. I usually tell the story to her, and if she likes it then I know I'm on the right track.

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

The day after I was notified that my submission was accepted I went to the local bookstore. I looked at all of the books and wondered how in the world I could be part of this. I took a big gulp but at the same time I was thrilled. I thought "my book will be here one day". I had no idea how competitive the world of writing would be. It has its own culture and rules. I think it is easy to make a mistake without realizing it. It is important to be professional in every way. I found the internet daunting but realized early on that the internet can also be your friend.

What are your biggest distractions?

My biggest distraction is finding time to do everything. I suppose it is that way for everyone. It can be difficult to juggle family, and work.

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

The biggest moment has been seeing my work published. Holding the book, flipping throught the pages and reading it to children.

I haven't had a "worst moment" yet.

What do you least like about being a writer?

I can't think of a thing I dislike about being a writer but I've just begun.

Most like?

I enjoy the ability to be creative, and I also enjoy sharing my ideas with my daughter. It is truly a bonding experience, one that the two of us will always remember. Working with Vinspire Publishing has been a pleasure.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

I do not have an agent at the moment but will soon be looking for one.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Network, and don't give up. Don't wait for years to get your work out there.

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.

This book is so adorable, just take a look at the illustrations. The author really did own a Search and Rescue Dog named Ranger, who saved many lives. In this book, Ranger's mission is to find ten numbers using his search skills and take them back home safely. The story takes the child on rescues ending up with Ranger saving the day by finding all ten numbers. The book rhymes, which helps children remember the numbers. This is a great "read it to me again" book and a perfect gift for pre school through first grade.

What’s on the book horizon for you?

I'm working on two books for older children.

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

Counting with Ranger is sold through Amazon.com or vinspirepublishing.com. Please also take a moment to check out my website at www.sierrakidswriter.com

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

Thank you Suzanne, I appreciate the invitation.

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: "Who are the Anabaptists?"

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's show is a little different, we'll be discussing a topical issue and having our expert panel weigh in. Today's topic is "Who Are the Anabaptists?", and joining our panel Erik Wesner, Sherry Gore, Ira Wagler, and Mary Ann Kirkby. Not sure of the differences between, Amish, Old Order Amish, Mennonite & Hutterite? Well, tune in and have all your questions answered.

For a chance to win an advanced copy of Amish Values for Your Family - leave a comment {HERE}! One winner will be notified via email next week.

More about our panel:


Erik Wesner: Erik is the author of the popular blog "Amish America." During the interview we chat aboutErik's book, Success Made Simple, and about Amish businesses. Since 2004, he has visited 20 Amish communities in five states, and met roughly 5,000 Amish families in total.

As the 2008 Snowden Fellow at the Young Center at Elizabethtown College, Erik delivered a lecture entitled “Is Success a Four-Letter Word? The Amish Approach to Business Achievement”.

Erik has contributed to Amish-themed articles featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and other print media. He's have also served as a consultant for numerous authors of Amish fiction and non-fiction.

Sherry Gore: Sherry Gore is the author of Taste of Pinecraft….Glimpses of Sarasota Florida’s Amish CultureandKitchens. She's a writer/food reviewer for the Pinecraft Pauper, Florida’s first Amish newspaper, and a scribe for her community for the National Edition of The Budget. She co-hosted the Pinecraft Writer’s Presentation in Florida with Professor Emeritus Richard Stevick, author of Growing up Amish; the Teenage Years.

She is a year-round resident in Sarasota, Florida, the vacation

 paradise of the Plain People, and is a member of a Beachy Amish Mennonite Church. She is currently chronicling the adventures of everyday life of the Plain people in Pinecraft for the second edition of Taste of Pinecraft, due to be released 2012.

This mother of three, and full-time caregiver of her twenty-year-old daughter, loves to swim in the Gulf of Mexico, as she attempts to combat her pathological fear of sharks. It is her life-long dream to ride in the Oscar Mayer Wiener Mobile.

She is the non-resistant owner of a double barrel shotgun with an affinity for pie. She learned the hard way one spring day not to wear Chap-stick while driving an open buggy behind a shedding horse. Find out more about Sherry at her website: http://www.sherrygorebooks.com/.

Ira Wagler: Ira Wagler was born and raised in an Old Order Amish community surrounded by family, farms, horses and open spaces. Ira writes about his family and experiences with honesty, respect and compassion. His decision to leave was, as is the case with others, a moment of great anxiety and freedom. Words, books and knowledge were a part of the Wagler household – Ira simply wanted more. He entered college as a non-traditional student and there discovered literature and writing. He was deeply affected by Thomas Wolf’s “You Can’t Go Home Again.” Though his career has taken him in other directions, including management and law, he never lost his passion for narrative and writing. After some personal hardships, Ira decided to seek solace where he had found freedom in the past, in words. Three years ago, he started a blog. Initially posting weekly, he began to give words to the largely oral stories and traditions of his childhood with the intention of weaving them into a book. Visit his blog here: http://www.irawagler.com.

Mary Ann Kirkby: Mary-Ann Kirkby was born on a Canadian Hutterite colony near Portage la Prairie,Manitoba. One of nine children, Kirkby was raised in the Hutterite tradition, similar in some respects, to that of the Amish or Mennonites. At age10 her life was turned upside down when her parents abruptly left behind the comfort and security of the colony and relocated their family to a lonely farm house in the “English” world. The transition to a startling fast-paced society was overwhelming for a young Mary-Ann as she clashed head on with popular culture.
Growing up in the isolated self-sustaining Hutterite community of Fairholme Colony, Kirkby had little contact with the outside world.

 A primarily agricultural community dominated by male leadership, Kirkby’s childhood dreams included a happy marriage with healthy children, good food, strong friendships and a deep devotion to her unique way of life. Those dreams where shattered when her parents packed up their large family and moved to a new world, full of unknowns. 

Thrust into a foreign universe that she didn’t understand, Kirkby worked hard to adapt to a new way of life and a new identity by abandoning the culture that had defined her. She struggled to reinvent herself by denying her Hutterite heritage in an attempt to avoid the stigma and cruelty associated with being different.
A graduate of the National Broadcasting Institute Kirkby made her way into the world of journalism as a news anchor and reporter. She was the senior reporter responsible for aboriginal issues at CTV in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and worked in Ottawa for several years as a freelance journalist and as Media Relations Consultant for the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. The recipient of two Can-Pro Awards, Kirkby has made a career of telling other people’s stories. She is gifted singer, a sought after speaker and member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers.

Finally embracing her role as a daughter of two cultures Kirkby has used her talents to chronicle her own life story. Her first book, “I Am Hutterite,” was published in Canada in 2007 and will be released in the U.S. by Thomas Nelson Publishing in May 2010. The book has garnered rave reviews as readers react to the Kirkby’s honest and compelling story told in her charming style. “I Am Hutterite” won the Saskatchewan Book Award for Best Non-Fiction in 2007.

Exciting News and winners announced!

Remember the contest from my April newsletter? The one where I said I had some REALLY exciting news to share...and then I asked you to guess what the big news was?(Did you really think I was pregnant with TRIPLETS! Really?!)

Well...Since no one guessed it exactly, I chose the first person to guess "new series" as the grand prize winner and five runners ups were chosen at random to receive a SWF book of their choice.


$50 CBD Winner: Wendy (Wsmarple)


Book Winners:

Arlene

Mona G.

Angie Ochoa

Lanore Lewis

Kristie Donelson

Please e-mail Amy@litfusegroup.com with your book selection and mailing address by May 21st.
If you missed receiving my newsletter last week, here's the big news that I've had to keep under the hat for the last few months...(drumroll please!)...


Mary Ann Kinsinger and I have been contracted by Revell to write a four book children's chapter series that will be loosely based on Mary Ann's Amish childhood.  If you don't know Mary Ann's work, oh...you're missing out! She writes a wonderful blog called A Joyful Chaos that is wildly popular! So popular that the New York Times mentioned it in a column. And well-deserved, too. Mary Ann has a very special way of creating word stories.

I spent a day last week with Mary Ann at her home in western Pennsylvania. It was wonderful to meet this very special woman and her family face-to-face, see the area she grew up in, and talk shop. Our first book is due September 1st...will be released September 2012.


If you want to get updates about this project and other goings-on, please contact me through my website and add your name to the mailing list. We're offering some fabulisimo contests and giveaways, courtesy of Revell Books. I'm going to have two back-to-back releases this summer...so we're gearing up!

Fun stuff going on! Don't miss out!

Somerset County, Pennsylvania

These are a few photos from my recent trip to Amish country in western Pennsylvania. Enjoy!

This is a waterfall across the street from Mary Ann's house, my co-author and friend.

The Amish in Somerset County are more isolated than in Lancaster. Smaller districts, more spread out. I didn't even see very many buggies on the road.

An open buggy.

It's more wooded and hilly in Somerset County. Cows are pastured in the woods, with wire fencing to keep them in.

Another Amish home. It grows like a family grows.

Author Spotlight: Jeanette Windle

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 Lori Nader Gray is The_Gunters! Please email my assistant Amy with your mailing address. (amy@litfusegroup.com)

This week Jeanette Windle is in the Spotlight! To win a copy of Jeanette's The DMZ, 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 grew up the daughter of American missionaries in rural areas of Colombia that are now guerrilla hot spots. I graduated in 1981 from Prairie Bible College in Three Hills, Alberta. In 1985, my husband Marty, also an MK (missionary kid) and I moved to Bolivia to work with Gospel Missionary Union (now AVANT), an interdenominational Christian mission organization. While my husband served as field director, I worked with women and children at risk. I also began my journalism and fiction-writing career there, watching firsthand the political and drug-trafficking shenanigans of one of the world’s top-five most corrupt nations.

My husband and I moved to Miami in June, 2000, when Marty assumed the position of Vice-President with Latin America Mission, a nondenominational mission organization working throughout Latin America. In January, 2006, we moved again to Lancaster, PA, when Marty accepted the position of President of BCM International, formerly the Bible Club Movement, another nondenominational mission organization.

I head up BCM's communications department and continue to write as well as teaching writers conferences and mentoring Christian writers in a number of countries around the world. To date, I have lived in six countries and traveled in more than thirty. I have four children: three grown sons and a teenage daughter just out of high school.

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

I have fifteen fiction titles in print beyond countless non-fiction articles and documentaries, mostly missions related. We are told as authors to 'write what we know', and my books definitely reflect the world I know, a world outside of safe American borders. My first children's books are a mystery series, each set in a different country and culture from the Inca treasures of the Andes highlands to the jungles of Colombia, a Navajo Indian reservation, the Middle East, etc.

My first adult political-suspense novel CrossFire is set in the counter-narcotics war in Bolivia for which I had a front-row seat. Then The DMZ, set in the Colombian guerrilla zones where I grew up, FireStorm--a sequel to CrossFire, Betrayed, set in Guatemala. My most recent release, Veiled Freedom, a 2010 Christian Book Award and Christy Award finalist, is set in current day Afghanistan. Its sequel, Freedom's Stand, hits bookstores June, 2011. You get the general pattern!

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

I don't recall ever really wanting to be a writer as a child, mainly because I was too busy reading--and writing. Our MK school put great emphasis on proper composition, and we spent too much time writing (we were doing term papers with footnotes in junior high) to daydream about it. My personal dreams as a child were to become, alternatively, a concert pianist (at least a possibility as I was studying the instrument hard) or a world-famous ice-skater (more difficult as we had never seen ice in our tropical environment).    

I can honestly say I wrote my first book literally out of boredom.  My husband and I were the only Americans at the time  in the southern Bolivia city where we were living, working with a Christian ministry organization. While my husband was on traveling through the Andes mountain for two weeks at a time. I was stuck at home with three preschoolers, no car, TV, radio. Once my preschoolers were in bed, I had  only the handful of English-language books I’d read dozens of times. I finally decided if I had nothing to read, I’d write a book instead.  That became Kathy and the Redhead, a children’s novel based on my growing-up years at an American missionary kid boarding school in the Andes mountains of Venezuela.  Writing it rekindled my love of creative writing, and I've never really stopped since.

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

After Kathy and the Redhead (which was not sold, but published by a missions organization, TEAM), I actually wrote as a missions journalist for close to a decade before landing a contract for my children's international mystery series, The Parker Twins Adventures. By then I'd written and rewritten several times the first three books of the series. After six of that series and a teen novel, Jana's Journal, I jumped to the adult political/suspense novels [see above].

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 basically write my current fiction manuscript from 7 AM (when my remaining teenager is out the door) to about 2 PM any day I am not traveling in ministry. By then my creative side of the brain is no longer at its best, and I do smaller projects and editing the rest of the day. Though once a book is birthed, I will be doing the rewrites a solid twelve hours a day until it is finished. I am blessed to have a home office, but love my Notebook which allows me to work as time permits on the road as well.

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

Hah!! I recommend all of the above. But I wrote my first books in the isolation of a remote third-world country missions station before we ever had internet, email or even phone, my only advice the copy of Sally Stuart's Christian Writers Market Guide I'd purchased while home on furlough. My first draft readers were the CBA editors out of that same Guide who kindly took time to write back good advice along with polite rejections and mail them all the way to Bolivia. That I did get published--a miracle that is a whole story in itself--simply goes to show that for all the guidelines and hoops I myself now teach others, there is always the God factor. If His plans for you are to be a writer, you will be--just what that means can be very different from what we expect.

What are your biggest distractions? 

Finding time to write that next book while serving in full-time ministry as a missionary, missions journalist, editor, speaker, and other ministry responsibilities. I often wish I could just hole up for a few months and write. But the very ministry opportunities around the world that cut into my writing also give me the material and inspiration for my next book. So it comes back to the challenge of finding balance and discipline to keep on writing no matter what is swirling around my daily life.

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

The worst was the closing down of the children’s department at my first publisher, effectively stranding my first juvenile mystery/suspense fiction series as well as those of a number of other authors. But that frustration ended up giving me the time gap and encouragement to write my first adult novel, CrossFire, set in the counter-narcotics war in Bolivia where I was then living. I might still be churning out only children’s series were it not for that life interruption. And that series did end up coming out with Kregel Publications as The Parker Twins Series.

Other than the thrill of holding my first book, the best was undoubtedly having my last novel Veiled Freedom nominated for the 2010 Christian Book Award and 2010 Christy Award.

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

My favorite part of being a writer is holding a finished book in my hand. My least favorite is writing--nor am I alone in that as a writer! Getting the story down on paper (or computer screen) is a hair-tearing, heart-yanking, exhausting outpouring of spiritual, emotional, and creative energy. It is eminently worthwhile, but the hardest work I will ever do.

 I do enjoy rewrites once the story is birthed, going back and working through each scene, polishing it up, cutting, adding, tweaking until I am sure every sentence says exactly what I want to convey, is both enjoyable and eminently satisfying. And, of course, the very best aspect of being a writer as opposed to actually writing is receiving that positive feedback from readers who are loving the story and characters you've spent so many countless hours creating. Even more so, who've been touched spiritually by the message of the book.

What advice would you give to new writers? 

Read, read, read and write, write, write. It is the saturation of mind and heart with good literature and prose that creates good writers as well as the practice of the craft. Any would-be writer who cannot tell me what they are currently reading or say they don’t care for reading but just want to write are immediately crossed off my list as serious potential writers.

Also, writing is hard work, not just inspiration. It is, in fact, a mind-numbing, hair-pulling, excruciating process of creation to which the birthing of one's own children pales. I always tell want-to-be writers, if you can keep from writing, do! It’s a hard, unforgiving field. If you have to write, whether it’s published or not, then you’re a writer, and like a musician or artist, you can’t be anything but. And it does feel wonderful after all the work of birthing the world and characters and message of a new book to hold it in your hands and see the finished product.

What’s on the book horizon for you? 

I am currently writing what will be my next political/suspense novel set in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo, tentatively titled Congo Dawn. Expect to see it in bookstores sometime next year.

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

In Christian bookstores, Barnes & Noble and other chains, Christianbooks.com, Amazon, and virtually any on-line book catalog. If your local bookstore isn't carrying them, they can be ordered in (a good way to get them on those shelves!). Likewise the local library. www.jeanettewindle.com

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

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Cheryl Harner

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.

During Amish Wisdom this week I'll be in Pennsylvannia. While I'm gone please enjoy this wonderful interview with Cheryl Harner! (An encore presentation of Cheryl's 2010 visit to Amish Wisdom.) She has lived among the Amish for many years. She has observed their way of life and will have much insight to share about living a simple life, birding and gardening.

About Cheryl:
Cheryl Harner - Cheryl is interested in all forms of flora and fauna and fascinated by the connections between botany and wildlife. She is an avid gardener and life-long wildflower and butterfly enthusiast. President of Greater Mohican Audubon Society and Richland Co. Master Gardeners, Cheryl also volunteers at Kingwood Center and Gorman Nature Center. A great supporter of conservation,  Cheryl promotes environmental education and the use of native plants in the home landscape. For more about Cheryl and her work please visit her blog: Weed Picker's Journal!

Exciting News!

If you missed receiving my newsletter yesterday, here's the big news that I've had to keep under the hat for the last few months...(drumroll please!)...

Mary Ann Kinsinger and I have been contracted by Revell to write a four book children's chapter series that will be loosely based on Mary Ann's Amish childhood.  If you don't know Mary Ann's work, oh...you're missing out! She writes a wonderful blog called A Joyful Chaos that is wildly popular! So popular that the New York Times mentioned it in a column. And well-deserved, too. Mary Ann has a very special way of creating word stories. And, she's a very lovely, special person.  

Tomorrow, I am going to be spending the day at Mary Ann's home in Pennsylvania. Can't wait to meet this very special woman and her family face-to-face, see the area she grew up in, and talk shop. Our first book is due September 1st...will be released September 2012.

If you want to get updates about this project and other goings-on, please contact me through my website and add your name to the mailing list. Fun stuff going on!

Big Week Coming!

So, aside from Monday's usual fun of "Dancing with the Star's" (I keep rooting for Kirstie to hang in there! What do you think? Is it getting too challenging for a 60 year old to keep up?), this is a rather unusual start to the week. I'm heading to Pennsylvania!

Two book signings this week:

On Thursday, May 12th, I'll be at Servant's Heart Gifts & Books in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. 

3825 Hartzdale Dr.
Camp Hill, PA 17011
(717) 737-6944

On Saturday, May 14th, I'll be at LifeWay's spankin' new store in Harrisburg from 11 AM-1 PM.

LifeWay
5096A Jonestown Road. 
Harrisburg, PA
(The new store is located in the Colonial Commons Shopping Center between Marshalls and Office Max.)

Come if you can! I would love to meet you, face-to-face.

I'm going to be able to spend some time with wonderful friends, too. One friend is a woman I met while we lived in Hong Kong! I haven't seen Dorie in almost eleven years. Planning to connect with a few author friends, and I'll spend time with some of my Amish friends, too! I have to get to an Amish store and pick up spices--best kept secret, ever. I promise to take lots of pix, too.

Speaking of pix...time for the weekly Bill Coleman photo caption contest! Leave a comment with your best line for this photo. Winner receives a signed book of your choice. And fyi...I have permission from Bill Coleman to do this contest. If you haven't seen his beautiful photography, check out his website. Here's this week's pix!

Leave a comment with your best caption for this photo!

Hope your week is off to a great start!

Ode to Moms

This post was borrowed from my author friend's newsletter, Ann Gabhart, writer of bestselling books about the Shakers. Wishing you a happy Mother's Day today! 

Kids Answer Questions about Mom

How did God make Moms?

He used dirt just like for the rest of us.

Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.

What ingredients did God use to make Moms?

God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.

What kind of little girl was your mom?

I don't know because I wasn't there, but I'd guess pretty bossy.

What did Mom need to know about Dad before she married him?

His last name.

Does he make at least $800 a year?

What does your Mom do in her spare time?

Moms don't do spare time.

Pearl Girls...day eight

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

Each Life is Unique by Lucinda Secrest McDowell

“God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. II Peter 1.3 (NIV)

Moms, God wants you to know that He has given you everything you need for life --- your unique life. He does not plan to give you what you might need to live the life of your best friend, or your neighbor, or even your favorite mother-model. No, God has called you to the life that He planned. I suspect that for most of us, it didn’t turn out to be the life we thought it might be… so long ago when we were young and dreaming of ‘growing up.’

On Mother’s Day I often recall my own dreams to one day be a mother. I grew up playing with dolls and looking to my own Mama as a model for that particular role in life. However, by the time I reached my thirties I was still not a mother! God did, however, have a plan. It just wasn’t what I imagined.

My own unique life would find me becoming a mother through the adoption of my first three children who were ages 9, 7 and 4; and then much later giving birth to our fourth child. Of course I was shocked when God revealed this to me, but I was ecstatic as well. It’s as though I could hear Him saying, “Well, you’re not getting any younger so I’m just going to just give you a jump start with three at one time!”

A huge blessing! A huge adjustment! A joy and a struggle. Change is often like that, isn’t it? We finally get what we want then we have to deal with it. May I just offer a bit of advice if you just got a great answer to prayer, but perhaps not in the way or form you imagined? Just receive it. Embrace it. And be willing to move forward into a new paradigm for your life. So what if you’re not like all the other mothers you know? So what if you’re not like your own mother? So what if your family unit is different? I guarantee God has a plan.

Not only did he want me to embrace my own story, but He called me as a mother to do perhaps one of the most important tasks of all --- to nurture my children to live their own unique lives. Not for me to try and squeeze them into what I hoped and dreamed they would be. Not for me to try and live my life through them. But to recognize how God made them, gifted them, and called them to their own special place.

All of my 4 kids are different from one another. Let’s take sports, for instance: I have one child who wins gold medals in international tennis competition, one who is a born equestrian, another who competes nationally in obstacle course shooting matches, and yet another who manages to dance onstage in 3 inch heels, do cartwheels and splits while singing at the same time. Now, honestly, I do none of these things. And yet they do.

I don’t remember placing my order with God for these things.  But I do remember when that tennis player turned 9 years old and I enrolled him in Special Olympics for the first time and how it changed his life… and ours. I remember getting a counselor job at an exclusive summer camp so that my daughter could take English riding classes. I remember being a Cub Scout leader (even though I knew nothing about boys) so that son could one day become an Eagle scout and pursue his love of the great outdoors. And yes, I remember enrolling my preschooler in dance lessons. Later when all the little girls were scared to go on stage for the recital, she exclaimed that she had endured a whole year of lessons just so she could go on stage.

Don’t compare yourself to someone else. And don’t live vicariously through your favorite reality show star. Live your own story. And Moms, raise your kids to embrace the unique life God has for them.
Remember, He has given us everything we need for life!

Lucinda Secrest McDowell, a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Seminary, is the author of 10 books including “Role of a Lifetime,” “Amazed by Grace,” “Spa for the Soul” and the new Bible Study “Fit and Healthy Summer.” She is an international conference speaker and enjoys being a Pearl Girl from “Sunnyside” – her home in a New England village. Visit Cindy at www.EncouragingWords.net

Pearl Girls...day seven

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

What is a Grandmother? by Suzanne Woods Fisher

“A grandmother is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend.”
 Amish proverb

I arrived late in the night in Rhode Island, anxious to meet my two-day-old grandson, Blake, after a full day of flying. My daughter and son-in-law had just returned home from the hospital and felt like they had been in a train wreck. There was stuff everywhere.  Already, the needs of this little eight-pound bundle of joy were enormous: an all-terrain stroller, plenty of diapers, onesies, spit-up rags, an assortment of pacifiers to try out until he found the ideal one.

And he was perfect.

I know, I know. “Every mother crow thinks her own little crow is the blackest.” But this little dark eyed, dark haired boy really was perfect.

I spent the next seven days (and nights) getting to know this little guy. His schedule (he had none), his hunger cries (very similar to his every other cry). His pirate look--one eye open, one eye squeezed shut, as if he was still surprised by all that had taken place to him in a week’s time.

I felt surprised, too. How could my baby possibly have had a baby? How could I be a grandmother? I had just turned fifty-one. Shockingly young! How could a kid like me give up playing tennis three times a week to settle into knitting and crocheting and Friday night bingo? And shouldn’t I alter my appearance to fit this new label? Give up my jeans? Switch over to below knee-length calico dresses, thick black socks, practical shoes, gray hair pinned in a topknot. Think…Aunt Bee on Mayberry R.F.D.

As soon as people knew my daughter was expecting, I was bombarded with advice from my well meaning friends—even those who weren’t yet grandparents. “The best way to avoid getting on the nerves of your daughter and son-in-law is to not say anything. Ever.” Or “You’d better pick your nickname or you’ll be stuck with something hideous, like MooMoo Cow.” 

What should I be called? Granny? No…reminded me of The Beverly Hillbillies. Grandma? No…sounded like The Waltons. Grammy? No…it was already taken by the in-laws.

But no one really explained what it meant to be a grandmother. I didn’t know myself, not until I held baby Blake in my arms. In that moment, I realized that he was one of mine. He belongs to me. He will be on my mind and in my prayers, every day, for the rest of my life. There’s a bond between us that can’t be broken. He has altered my life forevermore.

I had become a grandmother. 

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, and The Search, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Benedict eventually became publisher of Christianity Today magazine. Suzanne is the host of a radio show called Amish Wisdom and her work has appeared in many magazines. She lives in California. www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

Pearl Girls...day six

site (in)courage, and licensed counselor. Holley loves chocolate, coffee, Jesus and connecting with the hearts of women through words. Her next book, a devotional titled God's Heart for You: Embracing Your True Worth as a Woman (Harvest House) will release this July. You can find Holley online through her blog Heart to Heart with Holley.


5/6 POST HTML:

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

When Mother's Day is Difficult by Holley Gerth

I have a confession (anyone surprised?). I have mixed feelings about Mother’s Day.

On one hand, I love celebrating all the women who have made a difference in my life (thanks, Mom!).

On the other hand, a long journey of infertility has left my heart with some tender places.

On May 8th, we’ll celebrate Mother’s Day once again. For many, it’s a time of appreciation and joy. For others, it can be one of the most difficult days of the year. This is often true for women facing infertility, families who have recently experienced the loss of a mother, and many other painful situations.

At one point in my life it seemed as if I couldn’t take another step. In addition to infertility, I was facing several other losses. I felt as if I were in a dark cave. But then I sensed the Lord gently and lovingly speak to my heart, “You may be in a cave, but you still have a choice. You can sit in despair or you can diamond-mine your difficulties.” I decided I was not leaving that time in my life empty-handed. I was taking every hidden blessing I could find. Of course, I still had difficult days. But choosing hope made a difference.

As a reminder, I now wear two rings. The one on the fourth finger of my left hand represents my commitment to my husband. The one on the fourth finger of my right hand is a simple silver band inscribed with the word “hope” and it represents the commitment I have made to God and myself to hold onto hope no matter what happens.

The story of an inspiring woman named Terrie also reminds me to hold onto hope. She endured the loss of four pregnancies and waited seventeen years before adopting a little girl. She told me, “I think one of the most important parts of this journey is learning to trust God. I don’t mean the flippant kind of trust. It’s easy for people to say, ‘You just need to trust God.’ It’s much harder when you’re in the middle of all this pain. But he is trustworthy. Through it all, God has given us an amazing story. I wouldn’t have chosen this road, but he has been with us. I can look back and truly say every step was worth it.”

I don’t know how my journey will end and you probably don’t know how yours will either. I also don’t know how many of you will be silently grieving your losses as we sit in church together on May 8th. But I do know that God sees each one of us. He knows how many hairs are on our heads and how many cares our in our hearts. Whatever you’re going through this Mother’s Day, you’re not facing it alone. As King David, a man who experienced many losses in his life, expressed in Psalm 34:18 NIV, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” May God surround you with love, fill you with hope, and give you strength for each moment—especially this Mother’s Day.

Excerpted from When Mother’s Day is Difficult.

Holley Gerth is an award-winning writer for DaySpring, a cofounder of the popular web site (in)courage, and licensed counselor. Holley loves chocolate, coffee, Jesus and connecting with the hearts of women through words. Her next book, a devotional titled God's Heart for You: Embracing Your True Worth as a Woman (Harvest House) will release this July. You can find Holley online through her blog Heart to Heart with Holley.

Author Spotlight: Lori Nader Gray

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 Lori Nader Gray is in the Spotlight! To win a copy of Lori's book, From Cover Girl to Cookie Queen, 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 remarried at 49 after meeting my husband on Match.com.  I have 2 amazing daughters 23 and 25. We love hanging out together.  My “girls” are my greatest accomplishment!  I spend my time promoting my book From Cover Girl to Cookie Queen through speaking engagements and I am in the process of launching new cookie products with my company Lori’s Legendary Cookies.

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

I am a personal and spiritual growth junkie. I share my life story and encouraging life lessons through humor and stories about my life that all women can relate to. From my crazy career in modeling, to starting my own cookie business, then marriage, divorce, single parenting and internet dating. Through it all, I finally learned to trust my God given instincts and my heavenly father.

How did you get started writing? 

At 16, I won a Cover Girl Contest by sending in an essay I wrote and photos of myself and I was flown to New York which launched my modeling career.

Did you have a dream of being a published author?  

Not when I was younger, but after I began writing my book I started getting excited about becoming a published author.

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

About year and a half.

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 write in the morning after my devotional time and my exercise (if I’m good) in my beautiful office at home. My office is filled with family photos, inspirational quotes on the walls and my Westies, Harry and Sally usually keep me company.  I write for 3 or 4 hours when I am working on a project and even all day when I am really inspired, which means I never get out of my p j’s  or sweats sometimes.

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

My sister and brother’s help in reading my first, second , third and fourth drafts, sometimes more.

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

A writer has to be disciplined. A writer is only successful if they can promote their book and the best way to promote your book is through interviews and speaking engagements. Getting the book published is just the first step.

What are your biggest distractions? 

Everyday stuff keeps me from writing. Work, bills, famil fun and obligations plus launching my new cookie business.

What was one of the best moments in your career? 

Being asked to be a guest speaker at the East Bay Women’s Conference with world renowned key note authors and speakers. It was my first opportunity to share my book and message and I had an audience of 500.

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

Least: Constant promotion.  Most: creating  funny stories when I write and working from home in my uggs and jeans.

What is the role and importance of an agent? 

I am currently looking for an agent to help promote my book and message. God is my PR agent at this time and He continues to amaze me with speaking opportunities and upcoming interviews.

What advice would you give to new writers? 

Be sure your message and book are unique.  Write from your own experience and passion.  Be original.

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. 

With warmth, raw honesty and eternal hope, Lori Nader Gray shares her sometimes heartbreaking, sometime hilarious tales as a model, business entrepreneur, widow and struggling single mom. Treat yourself to From Cover Girl to Cookie Queen and learn the 10 life ingredients you need to have a sweet, fulfilling life!

What’s on the book horizon for you?  

My secret desire (although not secret anymore) is to have my book made into an I love Lucy romantic comedy filled with faith and spirit.

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

Rakestraw, READ in Blackhawk and Amazon and other book websites.  It is also available as an E-book. If you order from my website www.lorislegendary.com, I am able to personally autograph the copy.

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