If you’ve heard me speak about my road to publication, you know I took a looooooong and painful route to my current career as a published author. You’ve heard me tell about collecting 147 rejection letters (yes – I still have every single one of them!) before my first acceptance. And no doubt you’ve heard someone ask, “How in the …
Launching The Amish Widower
On April 1, I hosted a book launch party to celebrate the release of my 30th book. Even if you couldn’t attend, I hope you enjoy a few pictures.
Making Amish Friendship Bread
I first learned of Amish Friendship Bread long before I had even the glimmer of an idea that I’d write a book about the Amish. A friend who hailed from Pennsylvania shared a cup of bread starter with me, and the resulting bread was delicious! So I was thrilled to find the recipe for the starter and the bread in …
Why is Amish Fiction So Popular?
When Amish novels first started selling, industry pros scratched their chins and speculated about how long this ‘fad’ would last. Nearly everyone agreed within a year or so sales of Amish fiction would start slacking off. Guess what? It didn’t happen. In fact, Amish fiction spawned a new sub-genre called “bonnet fiction.” Let me tell you one reason I think …
Researching The Amish Widower
Research is critical for a writer – yes, even a writer of fiction! Here’s a short video talking about one of the fun activities I did to research The Amish Widower.
Falling in love with a story
Readers want to find books they can fall in love with. You know what? Authors do too! Here’s a brief video I recorded about finding a character I could love in writing The Amish Widower.
Inspiration and a Call for Help!
I recently sent a newsletter to those who have subscribed to receive my news. (And if you haven’t, why not??? Sign up at the bottom of the Home page!) In this issue I talk about how I get inspiration to write, and also ask for help with a beloved older book. Read it here: http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/771917/e234fab0c2/ARCHIVE#.WKTHKKNFqJk.twitter
Who Is The Voice?
One of my favorite singing groups is Celtic Woman, and one of my favorite songs they perform is “The Voice.” (Watch and listen here.) I’ve played with the idea of singing that song myself, and contacted a friend who has accompanied me countless times to see if he’d be willing to help. Richard asked a question that got me thinking. …
Thumbs…up?
I’ve been having trouble with my thumbs lately, especially my left thumb. Kind of odd, since I’ve never had thumb issues before. An unpleasant tingle every so often, and a bit of…I wouldn’t call it pain, more like discomfort. Nothing terrible. Nothing harsh enough to require Ibuprofen or other pain reliever. But unusual enough to notice. So the other day …
Let there be peace
I’ve avoided using my Facebook page or my blog to make any political statements, because I didn’t want them to become a battleground. That is still my wish. My prayer is that today we can begin to heal the bitter wounds caused by the heated arguments that have affected us all. Regardless of whether or not your favorite candidate won, …