One of the first things you’ll see when entering the town of Chouteau is the Amish Cheese House. They have wonderful sandwiches made on fresh bread with Amish cheese, and of course the workers are Amish and Englisch. Everyone was very friendly!

This is a common thing to see in Chouteau. The Amish use tractors in this community (due to the difficulty in farming the clay dirt). They also drive the tractors to town! Notice the canopy to shield them from the sun and the truck bed pulled behind! this is for storing your groceries or other purchases. It also provides a place to sit if your friends want to go to town with you!

This is a fairly typical Amish home in the area. Notice the absence of electrical lines, the gas tank in the front, and the tractor. I discuss the differences in this Amish community in my series!

Items found at a local store. You definitely know you’re in Amish country!

Anna’s Healing will release one year from now, and I’ll let you know as soon as the pre-order button is available. In the meantime, if this series sounds interesting, you might check out my Pebble Creek series here.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!

Vannetta

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Pebble Creek series, book 1

The Pebble Creek Series

If you looked up Pebble Creek, Wisconsin on a map – you wouldn’t find it! That’s because I visited the area of Cashton, going through Amish homes and stopping at Amish businesses. I ate any Amish food I could find, and I visited with anyone who would talk to me! It was a wonderful experience, and most of it happened in or around the town of Cashton.

Once I was home, I decided I wanted a softer name for the series. Cashton is a good name, but it made me think of money, or Johnny Cash, or a train (I can’t explain that last one). I wanted something a bit more plain & simple, as we say. There were many creeks in the area, and so I came up with the name of Pebble Creek.

The Amish in this area are quite friendly, however, the area as a whole is not like the more tourist-driven Amish areas of Shipshewana, IN or even Lancaster, PA. In Wisconsin, you have to go looking for the Amish if you want to find them. And then when you do, what you find will remind you of the Old Order Amish, in that they still use outhouses, have no gas refrigerators or stoves, and chop ice from the river in the winter and then store it for the year. However in other ways–quilting, gardening, their community and their faith–they are very similar to their Amish cousins in other states.

Pebble Creek series, book 2

I recently received the following email from the sweet marketing person at Harvest House–

We are excited to let you know about an upcoming eBook promotion for The Pebble Creek Amish Series: A Promise for Miriam, A Home for Lydia, and A Wedding for Julia.  From June 27 – July 15 we will be offering your books at a special sale prices through our eBook distributors—this includes Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Apple, and the Sony Reader. 

And let me say those prices are great! You can receive all 3 books for under $11. I hope that you’ll give this series a try–it’s Amish romance with a touch of mystery. I think it’s something you will enjoy.

Pebble Creek Series, book 3

Pebble Creek Series, book 3

Blessings,

Vannetta

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VC at a quilt show

Researching in Chouteau, Oklahoma

This week I head north, to Oklahoma where I’ll be doing two fun things. On Friday and Saturday, I’ll be attending Quilt Tulsa. If you haven’t been to a quilt show, and you live in the Tulsa area, I encourage you to attend. There are quilts to look at and lots of vendors. I’ll be selling my quilt shop mysteries, as well as all of my other books. And I have a few items that I’ve picked up in various Amish communities that I will also have available for purchase. I love going to quilt shows, and I adore meeting readers.

The second thing I’ll do this week is visit Chouteau, a small community 45 minutes to the east of Tulsa. This is the largest Amish community in Oklahoma (the other is in Clarita). Next year my first Oklahoma Amish book will release. It is titled Anna’s Healing. I’m half way through writing it, and I’m looking forward to walking around the area and meeting folks.

Researching A Promise for Miriam

So what do writers do when they research?  I can tell you what I do, and I can also tell you that it’s something I enjoy immensely.

• Visit local Amish stores
• Buy stuff for giveaways when the books release
• Take pictures of Amish homes and schools (always remembering to be respectful and not take close-up pictures of people)
• Visit with Amish families. In the past, folks have been very friendly.
• Visit the local library and/or historical center.
• Eat lots of pie.
• Pick up any brochures/maps that will help me when I’m writing.
• Obtain addresses of area folks (librarians, etc.) who would like to receive a complimentary copy of my book.

Researching is a hoot. I really enjoy it. My characters are certainly fictional, but they live in a real place with real problems. Kids attend school. Parents shop. Families go to the local park. It’s very helpful for me to visit a place and root these things firmly in my mind as I write the story on my heart.

I hope that you have some fun plans this summer, and I hope that you have time to read some wonderful books.

Blessings,

Vannetta

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Amish home. Middlebury, IN

Anna’s Healing — Plain & Simple Miracles

I am so excited to be working on my new series, Plain & Simple Miracles. These will be Amish romances, much like the Pebble Creek series. If you’ve read those books, you know there is a lot more at work than one guy, one girl and a love story. These are also stories about the Amish way, how communities pull together, and God’s grace in our lives.

This time my story is set in Oklahoma. An hour to the east of Tulsa is an Amish community. I’m going to visit next month. One of my favorites aspects of writing is visiting the people and places I write about. The Oklahoma community is a bit different than others in that they allow tractors – and you know I will be discussing that in my book.

But the main theme of this story is quite simple. Do we believe in miracles? I’m not talking about the miracle of another sunrise (although I believe that is miraculous). I’m talking about God’s healing touch like when Lazarus was raised from the dead. Do we still believe those sorts of things are possible? If so, why are some people healed but not others?

I don’t pretend to know all the answers, but I think this will be an important book for me to write. I ask your prayers, that God will lead me to present such an important subject in the light of His love and grace.

We’ll still have romance, lots of Amish cooking, and problems between neighbors. I want you to have plenty to think about while you’re reading. Already I adore Anna Schwartz, and I trust that you will too. This book will release in 2015. Until then, I hope you’ll visit my webpage and pick out a book. They are all stories of the simple life and the grace of God.

Blessings,

V

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For moms, the work of February is much like the month before. Yes, laundry can be hung outside if it is 32 degrees or even a bit below on a sunny day. Otherwise it’s hung in the basement, or on the porch that has been temporarily enclosed. Many moms also plan their spring garden – much of the family’s vegetables will come from there rather than the store. February is a good month for quilting and also I’ve heard that quite a few babies are born in February!

For students, February brings something special – Valentine’s day. Teachers have several different plans for this holiday–allowing students to decorate the room with strings of paper hearts. These young scholars also make valentines which they put into boxes they have decorated. The last period on Valentine’s (or Friday if it lands on a weekend) is spent passing out those valentines to one another. Some moms also send treats–puffed rice candy, popcorn balls, and cookies.

In A Promise for Miriam, I describe a fun Valentine’s tradition. Each student brings a lunch, placed in a paper sack or box or pail. The container is decorated, and then they are all placed on the front table or the teacher’s desk. At lunchtime, students draw names and exchange lunches.

To me, a lot of this sounds like Valentine’s day when I was in school, and as a teacher I realize that a lot has changed. However, what hasn’t changed is the way students care about one another and how Valentine’s offers a bright, fun holiday as we wait for the first signs of spring.

I’m praying this February finds you well and looking forward to the changes in the months to come.

Blessings,

Vannetta

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I’m one of those strange people who like to make new year’s resolutions. Usually I have an entire list of them. It helps me to write things down, and when I make resolutions they are sitting there on a sheet–nice and neat, small promises to myself.

But I’ll be the first to admit that this can get out of control. Sometimes my list is ridiculously long. Sometimes I overestimate what can be accomplished in one year. Sometimes I’m just not thinking straight when I write that list. So this year, I decided to take a clue from my Amish friends, from the families I have visited. I’m going to keep things PLAIN and SIMPLE. What does that mean?

• Amish families enjoy spending time together. It’s not an “event” to share a meal or spend an afternoon with family. It’s what they do naturally. Family simply does come first for them.
• Amish families keep distractions to a minimum. Oh my. there are so many things that I agree to do, and then wonder WHAT WAS I THINKING? Amish families are involved in the community around them, but they don’t over-commit themselves.
• Amish families work together. Maybe you’ve seen the photos of fathers and sons in the fields. Or girls helping their mother hang out laundry. Amish families do work together in so many areas of their lives.
• Amish families eat together. Sounds pretty simple, right? A meal shared together can put the correct perspective on your day.

I did list a few resolutions in my journal for 2014 – but they are relatively simple. Focus on my faith. Be there for my family. Do the right thing regarding what I eat and how I spend my time. Plain and simple, just the way I like it.

God’s blessings on you and your family in 2014,

V

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When I read a book, I become caught up in the lives of the characters. It seems as if I AM the main character. I feel her feelings, think her thoughts and struggle against her problems. When I reach the end of the book, I want my character to be in a happy place. Maybe everything isn’t perfect in her life, but I want it to be headed in that direction.

And sometimes I wonder about the minor characters. I want a little more. I’m not ready to leave that place that the author has taken me. With Amish fiction, this seems to happen to an even greater degree. Amish life is based on simplicity, faith and community. I want to know what’s happened to the folks in my book’s community.

Maybe I’m the only one who does this.

As a writer, I want to tell my readers more about those “other” characters, but alas … we’re limited by the number of words and the length of pages.

Maybe we’re not so limited though. Harvest House recently allowed me to write a short story based on my characters in Pebble Creek. Which one to pick? Ach! I wanted to pick them all. But this was to be a short story, so I had to choose one.

I chose Esther. She is the teacher who works in the schoolhouse with Miriam in book 1 of this series, A Promise for Miriam. Esther is a good friend to Miriam, very much like a sister. I wanted to revisit Esther’s life and share a little more. I wanted to back up a little, and tell you about her life before Gabe and Grace moved to Pebble Creek.

Home to Pebble Creek is that story, and it’s for free on Amazon, CBD, and will soon appear on B&N as well. If you don’t have an e-reader device, you can download this to your computer from Amazon and read it there. I hope you’ll leave a review at the site you purchase from, and I do hope that you’ll share this FREE short story with a friend. It’s a great way to introduce Amish fiction to other readers.

This short, twenty page story takes us back  to the banks of Pebble Creek. For me, it was a real pleasure to visit once again with the Amish community there.

Blessings,

V

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But seriously, some people don’t “get” that Amish stories can be romantic. I think that’s because our definition of romance has changed over the years. My mom thought my dad was being romantic when he changed the oil in her car for her. And I only remember them going out to dinner–alone–all dressed up one time. It was an anniversary and mom made a special dress for the occasion.

Maybe because of television or music or advertising, many people think that being romantic involves purchasing something–roses, jewelry, a vacation at some exotic location. There are all sorts of things you can buy to show someone you love them. Right?

And maybe that’s where Amish Romance comes in. The idea that we can show our love in simple, every day ways–that’s appealing. Here’s an example from A Wedding for Julia.

When he took a step forward and softly kissed her lips, she didn’t move. Instead, she held her breath, wondering what she was supposed to do. He ran a thumb along her bottom lip, kissed her once more, and said, “We should go in. You’re shivering.”

They might not love one another, but he was a kind man. He wouldn’t desert her. 

Sometimes we do show our love through physical actions. And sometimes, we show it other ways.

She turned in his arms and gazed up at him with her pretty brown eyes. “Are you saying I look like your bruders?”

“Nein. They’re even uglier than I am.”

“You’re not ugly,” she whispered. Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed him softly on the lips.

He reached to lengthen the kiss but she slipped out of his arms like a fish slipping off the line.

“Cake’s ready,” she said with a smile, a mischievous look in her eyes.

Sometimes romance can be as simple as baking a cake for someone, or doing the dishes together, or taking a walk. I adore Amish romance, and I hope that you do too.

Blessings,

V

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Just As Hope Runs out the Door,

Love Softly Peeks In

  Julia Beechy is so stunned, she can hardly breathe. The announcement that she must either marry or move from the family home on her mother’s imminent death catches Julia completely by surprise. How can she leave the only home she has ever known? What about her dream of opening her own Plain café?

 Quiet Caleb Zook thought his time for marrying was long past, but he feels a stirring in his heart he cannot shake for this beautiful, forlorn woman. When he offers support, comfort, and a solution, Julia is afraid to accept it. Can she marry someone she barely knows? Is that the right thing to do? Is this God’s plan for her future? For his?

 As Julia and Caleb work through the consequences of their life-altering decision, the people of Pebble Creek weather the worst storm to hit Wisconsin in the last hundred years. Where will Julia and Caleb be on the other side of it?

Doesn’t that sound fun? It is. When I start writing a book, I have one thing in mind … but as I write, that one thing often blossoms into many other. So this story is also about

Gardening

cooking

family

faith

new beginnings

caring for the elderly

guiding teens

eating disorders

surviving tragic times

I so enjoyed this return to Pebble Creek, and I hope that you do too. By the way, if you haven’t tried any of the books in this series, books 1 and 2 are currently on sale in ebook form for $1.99 You can find out more information and direct links to vendors here. And even if you don’t have an e-reader, remember you can read Amazon kindle books on your computer. Simply click the “Available on your PC” button to the right.

Blessings,

V

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Lancaster, PA

The Amish and Reality Television

Is Amish Mafia real? It’s a question I’ve heard buzzing around lately. The Discovery Channel series premiered on December 12th, and it’s caught the attention of millions of viewers. If you click over and read the description of the series, it certainly sounds real enough.

“This is a side of Amish society that exists under the radar, and the Amish church denies the group’s existence. Amish Mafia provides eyewitness accounts of the incidents, misdeeds and wrongdoings within the Amish community …”

There you have it! Eyewitness accounts. It must be real. Maybe. Or maybe not. The Washington Post spoke with Ira Wagler, author of Growing Up Amish in this article. Ira says no. It’s not real. Sam Stoltzfus, of Lancaster, PA, wrote his editor and said “Those characters are not Amish.”

I have published 5 Amish books and have 8 more contracted for the next 3 years. Some of those are romances and some are murder mysteries. Murder? Yes . . . because no community is perfect. They are stories of mystery and grace and forgiveness. While researching, I’ve visited Amish communities in Indiana, Wisconsin, Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. I’ve been to Amish homes, Amish barns, and Amish stores. I’ve eaten dinner with Amish families, Amish bishops, and Amish children. I don’t know all there is to know about the Amish, but I do know that they are what they appear to be–people living a simple life, committed to the Gospel of Christ.

And I can tell you I’ve never seen anyone even remotely resembling Amish Mafia.

Perhaps the simple, plain life we see is too calm, too perfect, almost too boring, if you only look on the surface of things. Maybe that’s why a producer in New York or LA came up with the idea of an organized group of men who “protect and maintain peace and order within the Amish community.” A fictional story line? I think so. Maybe it’s poor reporting, but for some–it’s good entertainment.

Vannetta

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