A number of years ago I was approached by my editor at Harvest House Publishers and asked to write an Amish book. “I told the publication committee you wouldn’t do it,” my editor said. “You’ve mentioned to me several times you would never write any more Amish fiction.” She was right. I had co-authored three books that featured Amish characters …
Meet the Beast!
Sunday was an exciting day at the farm. Brad and I got the motorcycles out, wiped off the winter dust, and fired them up! Woo hoo! Brad rides a Honda Shadow, and I still have the first bike I ever owned, a 2003 Suzuki Savage. Yes, I’ve had others in the past, but I love this one. Over the years …
Meet the Flock
If we are connected on Facebook then you know that my husband and I recently became chicken farmers. We inherited a small flock in November and have been enjoying the whole process of getting to know them .I confess that they really are more like pets than livestock to us. They’re a diverse flock. By that I mean we have …
One Million Copies Sold!
Authors keep track of book sales for a variety of reasons. One is because of the publishers we work with, or hope to work with. When an author pitches a new book to a publisher, the proposal includes the number of books sold in the past. Publishers are in the business to make money, so they like to know how …
My Favorite Time of the Year (NOT)
It’s THAT time again. The time when bean counters everywhere go through pencil lead and coffee like a shopaholic goes through a trust fund. The time of year I dread more than any other. It’s tax time. Every year I promise myself I will be better at saving my receipts. I will keep them organized into income and deduction categories …
Groundhog Day in Punxsatawney PA
I’m sure you’ve all heard about Punxsutawney Phil, the weather-predicting groundhog who emerges from his den on February 2nd each year and prognosticates the length of winter. This year Brad and I decided to check out the event! We had a blast in Punxsy (their nickname for Punxsutawney). We stayed at a wonderful bed and breakfast in nearby DuBois (the …
It’s a Movie!
Every novelist dreams that one day they’ll see their story come alive on screen as a movie, but so often that’s a pipe dream that never materializes. There are tons of really, really good books that are never made into movies, while some that readers would consider mediocre are. Why? Various reasons, almost all of them out of control of …
We Got Hitched!
On July 28, 2024, I married the man of my dreams. I met Brad on New Years Eve 2023 at my sister’s NYE party, so it seemed appropriate for her to officiate at our wedding. We didn’t want a traditional wedding – we’ve both done that before. Instead, we wanted to have a party with a few close friends and …
Amish, Anyone?
I always swore I would not write an Amish book. So many authors have done a fabulous job with that genre, and I didn’t feel like I had anything significant to add. But my brother-in-law was raised Amish, and I helped him publish his memoir (The Wild One). My editor at Harvest House Publishers knew that, and one day I got a …
A Fresh Start
Today begins a fresh start – on a new book, that is. I’ve been contracted to write a book in an upcoming series published by Guideposts Books called “The Secrets of Blackberry Valley.” This series is going to hold a special place among the others in my bio because it is set in a small town in Kentucky! I’ll be …