This week on Amish Wisdom: Amish Authors Jennifer Beckstrand and Amy Wallace

We're featuring to more fiction authors on the show this week. The first half hour we'll hear from Jennifer Beckstrand. She has a brand new series with Summerside Press called Forever After in Apple Lake. The first book from that series, Kate's Song has just released. Then during the second half hour we'll meet Amy Wallace. Her latest novel, Hiding in Plain Sight, is set in the Mennonite community. Looking forward to hearing the inspiration behind both stories.

For a chance to win 1 of 3 copies of Jennifer's Kate's Song or Amy's book, Hiding in Plaine Sight, leave a comment here. Winners will be notified next week via email.

More about Jennifer: Jennifer Beckstrand grew up with a steady diet of William Shakespeare and Jane Austen. After all that literary immersion, she naturally decided to get a degree in mathematics, which came in handy when one of her six children needed help with homework. When daughter number four was born, she began writing, and by juggling diaper changes, soccer games, music lessons, and dinner preparations, she finished her first western historical, Rachel’s Angel, in just under fourteen years. Rachel’s Angel won First Place Full-length Book in the League of Utah Writers writing contest and First Place in the Inspirational Category in the Utah Heart of the West Writers' Contest. Jennifer is a member of the Utah Chapter of Romance Writers of America and is represented by Mary Sue Seymour of The Seymour Agency.

She has completed three Amish romances in the Forever After in Apple Lake Series (Summerside/Guideposts). Book One, Kate’s Song, is now available. Rebecca’s Rose follows in Fall 2012, and Miriam's Quilt is scheduled for release in Spring of 2013. She has two Amish readers in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania who make sure her stories are authentic. No matter the setting, she hopes to pen deliriously romantic stories with captivating characters and soar-to-the-sky happy endings. 

Jennifer lives in the foothills of the Wasatch Front in Utah with her husband and two children left at home. She has four daughters, two sons, one son-in-law, and one adorable grandson. www.jenniferbeckstrand.com

More about Kate's Song: Kate Weaver was raised in an Amish home and has always been expected to choose baptismand strict observance of the Ordnung. But Kate is blessed with a beautiful singing voice, and when another path leads her to the academy for vocal training, she struggles to understand God’s will for her life. She returns to Apple Lake, haunted by a violent encounter with a fellow student, and finds herself drawn to the peace and devotion of her Amish home. But can she give up her dreams? Or will her calling forever separate her from the people and the way of life she holds so dear?

Nathaniel King has never wavered in his commitment to the community and the Old Order Amish Church into which he is baptized. He has been in love with Kate for as long as he can remember, and he is devastated when she leaves Apple Lake to attend the academy. When Kate returns, will she make his most profound hopes a reality—or will she break his heart all over again?

More about Amy: Amy Wallace is the author of Ransomed Dreams, Healing Promises, and Enduring Justice. She is a homeschool mom, speaker, and self-confessed chocoholic. Amy is also a graduate of the Gwinnett County Citizens Police Academy and a contributing author of several books, including A Novel Idea: Best Advice on Writing Inspirational Fiction and God Answers Moms' Prayers. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia. www.amywallace.com

More about Hiding in Plain Sight: In a quiet town with a thriving Mennonite community, police officer Ashley Walters finds her threadbare faith and way of life challenged by the Plain people whose simple dress and welcoming manner open her eyes to a God she left behind. Peace eludes Ashley until she realizes the answers she seeks aren’t found in starting over but in returning to the simple truth that it’s God who overcomes the world, not her.

Written for women who desire action-packed suspense, romance, and an escape into the peaceful world of the Mennonites, Hiding in Plain Sight delves into the painful struggle to fit in and the search for peace that so often eludes our fast-paced lives.

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Comments
  1. Karla Hanns says: Oh no, I am going to miss this show, Going to a woman's weekend with NO internet and complete relaxation. Thank goodness for podcasts. I will listen when I return home. I would LOVE to win either of these books!! Haven't read either author, they sound fabulous.

    Posted on: 05-10-2012 @ 12:04 pm EST
  2. Wendy Newcomb says: Both of these books sound great. Keep up the good work your doing here.

    Posted on: 05-10-2012 @ 12:37 pm EST
  3. Maxie Anderson says: I would love to win one of these books. Both sound good.

    Posted on: 05-10-2012 @ 2:33 pm EST
  4. Maxie Anderson says: Forgot my email. ( mac262@me.com )

    Posted on: 05-10-2012 @ 2:35 pm EST
  5. Diana Flowers says: My comments are not showing up, so if they all come on triplicated please forgive me. Thank you for the opportunity to win either of these awesome books. I love reading "new to me" authors. dianalflowers[at]aol[dot]com

    Posted on: 05-10-2012 @ 4:01 pm EST
  6. Diana Flowers says: Whew! finally...third times the charm, I suppose!

    Posted on: 05-10-2012 @ 4:02 pm EST
  7. Tracy L. Tiritilli says: Sounds wonderful!

    Posted on: 05-10-2012 @ 6:54 pm EST
  8. Karen Gervais says: Oh no, I missed the show. Was watching the local news capture a black bear for over an hour. Will have to listen to your show. Would love the chance to win one of these books.

    Posted on: 05-10-2012 @ 7:16 pm EST
  9. karenk says: thanks for the chance to read these wonderful stories :) kmkuka at yahoo dot com

    Posted on: 05-10-2012 @ 7:52 pm EST
  10. Felecia Digsby says: Both of these books sound great! Thanks for the chance. felecia@twinoaksfl.org

    Posted on: 05-11-2012 @ 11:52 am EST
  11. Theresa oberlag says: these are new authors to me....would love to check out there books....coacho@ktis.net

    Posted on: 05-11-2012 @ 12:42 pm EST
  12. Name EB says: I loved Amy Wallace's previous books--looking forward to many more from her! And now I'll know to check out Jennifer Beckstrand's books, too! jbrightwell2@suddenlink.net

    Posted on: 05-11-2012 @ 5:00 pm EST
  13. Kristie D. says: I have never read either author. The books sound great! I'm always looking for a new author. It's interesting that Jennifer has a math degree. I love a good romance and some suspense so I know I would love Amy's too. kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.

    Posted on: 05-11-2012 @ 8:51 pm EST
  14. Karen Gervais says: Forgot to add my email address. kmgervais@nycap.rr.com

    Posted on: 05-12-2012 @ 7:50 pm EST


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Schedule of Guests

May:

16: Sherry Gore guest hosts | Summer in Lancaster with Joel Cliff of www.padutchcountry.com and the Sensationalization of the Amish with Brad Igou

23: Tricia Goyer - Amish Fiction

30: Erik Wesner

June: 

6: Kate Lloyd - Amish Fiction

13: Dan Walsh - how fiction impacts with real marriages

20: Plain Weddings with Sherry Gore, Maryann Kinsinger, Sharon Lavy, & Rhonda Schrock

Suzanne's Latest Releases

A New Home for Lily (Available now!)

Book 2 in The Adventures of Lily Lapp series.

Change is all Lily faces when her family moves to an Amish community in Pennsylvania. She has to make new friends, settle into her new home—which she thinks is ugly—and adjust to another new baby brother. (Still no sisters!) Even worse, a boy at school, Aaron Yoder, enjoys tormenting poor Lily. There are some bright spots about Lily’s new home—she has a wonderful teacher, and her relatives have moved close by. But there are a few lessons Lily needs to learn about starting over. 

Be sure to visit Lily's interactive website.

The Lesson (Available now!)

Book 3 in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series

In her wildest dreams, spunky and impulsive nineteen-year-old Mary Kate Lapp never imagined herself behind a schoolteacher’s desk. A run-in (literally) with the schoolteacher compels her to act as a substitute teacher, just as her restless desire to see the world compels her to apply for a passport . . . just in case. The only thing of interest to M.K. in the sleepy Amish community of Stoney Ridge is the unexplained death of a sheep farmer that coincided with the arrival of a mysterious young man into the community. Frustrated that no one takes the crime seriously, she takes matters into her own hands. Unfortunately, as tends to be the case for M.K., she jumps headlong into trouble.

Life with Lily 

Book 1 in The Adventures of Lily Lapp series.

Life with Lily is the first book in the ‘Adventures of Lily Lapp’ series. Lily is six in this story, just starting first grade in a one-room schoolhouse in upstate New York. Her parents are busy building a farm, and soon animals join the family—Jenny the cow and Chubby the miniature horse. A baby brother arrives, too, which Lily has mixed feelings about. (She wanted a sister!) Aside from a mischievous friend like Mandy Mast, Lily is happy at school and even happier at home. Trouble is brewing at the schoolhouse and change is on the horizon for Lily and her family.

Click the Adventures of Lily Lapp badge to visit Lily's interactive website. Geared toward children of all ages the Lily site is loaded with fun, games, downloadable coloring pages, Mama's recipes,a way to ask Lily questions...and more! Check it out by clicking on the pix...and be sure to watch the fabulous trailer about Lily!   

The Haven 

Book 2 in the 'Stoney Ridge Seasons' series

From Publisher’s Weekly:

“Popular Amish romance novelist Fisher (The Choice) continues her Stoney Ridge Seasons series with a stand-alone tale focusing on Amos Lapp’s middle daughter, Sadie. Fisher’s style is light and engaging. Her setting may be a simple Pennsylvania Amish community, but the struggles of faith, trust, and forgiveness are common to a wide-ranging audience. Moral elements are so deftly woven into the plot that most readers will learn the lesson before realizing there is one.”

When Sadie Lapp steps off the bus in Stoney Ridge after being in Ohio for the winter, she is faced with a decision–one that goes against her very essence. Yet it’s the only way she can think of to protect a loved one.

Schoolteacher Gideon Smucker has been crazy about Sadie since boyhood. But his response to her surprising decision undermines his own reputation–and his relationship with Sadie.

College student Will Stoltz is spending the spring at the Lapp farm as a guard for a pair of nesting Peregrine Falcons–courtesy of the Lancaster County Game Warden. Will needs to get his life back on track, but his growing friendship with Sadie threatens his plans.

The lives of these three individuals intertwine, and then unravel as unexpected twists create ripples through the town of Stoney Ridge . . . and through Sadie’s heart.

Once again, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher intrigues and delights with a story that explores the bonds of friendship, family, and true love. Readers will enjoy every surprise in Sadie’s story as they search for the truth hidden within these pages.

Read an excerpt!

The Keeper 

Book 1 in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series

"The Stoney Ridge Season starts off with characters who are trying to make the right choices, but sometimes with unexpected results. Fisher always brings freshness to her Amish novels. The Amish culture is interesting to read and learn about, but there is also a message: God has plans and those plans may vary greatly from the plans you have." -Romantic Times, 4 Stars

Julia Lapp has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. When Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding--again--she knows who is to blame. Perpetual bachelor and spreader of cold feet, Roman Troyer, the Bee Man.

Roamin' Roman travels through the Amish communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives full of bees, renting them out to farmers in need of pollinators. He relishes his nomadic life, which keeps him from thinking about all he has lost. He especially enjoys bringing his bees to Stoney Ridge each year. But with Julia on a mission to punish him for inspiring Paul's cold feet, the Lapp farm is looking decidedly less pleasant.

Can Julia secure the future she's always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?

Full of the plot twists and surprises her fans love, The Keeper is the first in a new series by bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher. Through touching family relationships and trials of the heart, Fisher's vivid characters grapple with yielding to God's will when it doesn't match their own.

A Lancaster County Christmas 

Jaime and C. J. Fitzpatrick began their married life as most couples do--in love and looking forwardto abright future together. But four years later they've drifted apart and are almost ready to call it quits.

Mattie Riehl was hoping to give her husband Sol the Christmas gift they have both longed for--news that a baby was on the way. But as usual, she is disappointed. The holidays bring an acute awareness to Mattie that her dream of a big family isn't likely to become a reality.

Then a winter storm raging outside blows the Fitzpatricks into the Riehl home--and into a much slower pace of life. Can these two couples from different worlds help each other understand the true meaning of love this Christmas?

Amish Values for Your Family 

For readers who long for strong families that know how to truly enjoy life together, there is much to learn from the Amish. Values like community, forgiveness, simple living, obedience, and more can be your family legacy--without selling your car, changing your wardrobe, or moving out to farm country.

In Amish Values for Your Family, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher shows how you can adopt the wisdom of the Amish when it comes to family matters. In this inspiring and practical book readers will find charming true stories interlaced with solid, biblical advice about parenting, marriage, and all aspects of family life. As readers get an intimate glimpse into the everyday lives of real Amish families, they will learn to prioritize what's truly important, simplify decision-making, slow down as a family, safeguard time together, and let go when the time comes.

The Search--Book 3 in The Lancaster County Secrets Collection 

Fifteen years ago, Lainey O'Toole made a split-second decision. She couldn't have known that her choice would impact so many. Now in her mid-twenties, she is poised to go to culinary school when her car breaks down in Stoney Ridge, the very Amish town in which her long-reaching decision was made, forcing her to face the shadowed past.

Bess Reihl is less than thrilled to be spending the summer at Rose Hill Farm with her large and intimidating grandmother, Bertha. It quickly becomes clear that she is there to work the farm--and work hard. The labor is made slightly more tolerable by the time it affords Bess to spend with the handsome hired hand, Billy Lapp. But he only has eyes for a flirty and curvaceous older girl.

Lainey's and Bess's worlds are about to collide and the secrets that come to light will shock them both.

The Waiting--Book 2 in The Lancaster County Secrets Collection The Waiting

Jorie King’s life is on hold. She’s waiting for Ben Zook to return from serving in the war as a conscientious objector. Waiting for Ben to settle down and join the church. Waiting to marry him. When news arrives that Ben has been killed, Jorie finds unlikely comfort in the friendship of his brother Caleb. As friendship ripens into love, Jorie and Caleb plan for a life together filled with the promise of a fresh beginning, until the past intrudes.

A multifaceted story about complex people living the simple life, The Waiting is the second book in the Lancaster County Secrets series. Readers will find themselves transported into the world of the Amish and deeply invested in these wonderful characters.

Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World

You don't have to "go Amish" to make personal peace a reality. Organized around five central themes in Amish life, Amish Peace shows you how you can cultivate a simple life of love, gratitude, and faith in the midst of a very complicated world. It includes real-life stories and examples of Plain People, Amish proverbs, and fascinating facts about Amish communities. Each section also contains questions for reflection and action, outlining things you can do in your own life that "make for peace."