- Do you have any other books out yet aside from When the Heart Cries and When the Morning Comes and When the Soul Mends?
- I haven’t been able to find your books at my local book store. How can I get them?
- Will you write more books with Amish settings?
- What advice do you have for a person trying to become a fiction writer?
- Do you have any recommendations for writing seminars/workshops?
- Did you ever have doubts about your books when you get started?
- How did you choose the story line?
- Do you have a favorite character? Why?
- What is your goal or mission as a writer?
Do you have any other books out yet aside from When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and When the Soul Mends? Book one in a new Amish series that is called Ada’s House will be out August 11, 2009. The title of the first book is The Hope of Refuge: Raised in foster care and now the widowed mother of a little girl, Cara Moore struggles against poverty, fear, and a relentless stalker. When a trail of memories leads Cara and Lori out of New York City toward an Amish community, she follows every lead, eager for answers and a fresh start. She discovers that long-held secrets about her family history ripple beneath the surface of Dry Lake, Pennsylvania, and it’s no place for an outsider. But one Amish man, Ephraim Mast, dares to fulfill the command he believes that he received from God–“Be me to her”– despite how it threatens his way of life.
On October 6, 2009, I have my first Christmas novella coming out~The Sound of Sleigh Bells: Remorse and loneliness echo inside Beth Hertzler from the life she once had. Children’s whispers and laughter call to her from a life she dreams of. A gifted carver holds the answer to both within his hands—but can Beth step beyond yesterday in order to find tomorrow?
I haven’t been able to find your books at my local book store. How can I get them? The books are available at your local Christian book store, as well as Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Walmart and the like. It’s possible your local store has sold out. One of the great things about book stores is you can ask a sales clerk or someone at Customer Service to order the book for you. When a store orders them for you, there are no shipping charges and they usually will have them within days of placing the order. Another way to get them is to go online and order them at CBD.com or Amazon.
Will you write more books with Amish settings? Each time I stay with my Amish friends, my mind teems with stories with Amish settings and characters, so I will continue to write Amish stories for at least a few more years.
Nicole asked: What advice do you have for a person trying to become a fiction writer? First: Never underestimate the power of prayer. Everyone has an opinion about each step of the writing process and it’s easy to get confused. Our times of hearing God in the quiet of prayer and praise time will be what keeps us in faith and steady as we move forward in our writing journey.
Second: Read Stein on Writing, by Sol Stein. Unless it suits your personality to do otherwise, I would just take a section or two of Stein on Writing at a time-not necessarily in the order it was written, but in the order that will hold your attention.
Third: Find a critique partner. Some aspiring authors make the mistake of thinking a good critique partner needs to be a college graduate with a degree in English. A good critique partner needs to be many things, but having a specific degree or any degree isn’t one of them. They need to be a reader. They need to be open minded and yet able to tell you what’s not working for them in your writing and why. They need to be encouraging, yet painfully honest. And they need to like your subject matter and genre.
Fourth: Write some each day-even if it’s just for twenty minutes.
Susan asked: Do you have any recommendations for writing seminars/workshops?
Most writing conferences have something to offer a beginning writer. Two of my favorite conferences are ACFW and Mount Hermon. You can find out more info on ACFW by going to: www.acfw.com and more about Mount Hermon by going to: www.mounthermon.org/writers/
There are other conferences, some of which I’ve heard absolutely wonderful things about, but these are the only two I’ve attended.
Two more pieces of advice:
If possible, go to a conference with a writing friend. Conferences are fantastic, but they can also be overwhelming.
If you’re at the beginning of your writing journey and don’t feel it’s time to dole out the money and/or days away to attend a conference, order some of the audio tapes from the teaching sessions.
A few weeks after each conference, both Mount Hermon and ACFW post on their Web site how to order CDs of that year’s conference.
Brittany asked: Did you ever have doubts about your books when you get started?
Absolutely! No editor, agent, or author knows what’s going to strike a chord with readers. The good news is most authors write because they love it, not because they know if the work will be picked up by a publishing house or, if it is picked up, whether the work will sell enough books to be worth all it took to get to that point.
Editors and agents know if a certain work has a chance of doing well, but when someone is starting out, that’s all they know.
Dealing with the unknowns is part of the business. Once a book has been contracted, and the publishing house puts editing, marketing, and distribution behind it, will they regret it? Or what if the book sells really well and the publishers are completely pleased, will they like book two?
The questions and doubts go on and on, so we have to quiet the voices, refuse to worry, and put energy into the things we do have control over-like caring about those around us.
How did you choose the story line?
Well . . . I think it chose me. Because of my connection to the Plain Mennonite community as a child and teen and then my connection to the Old Order Amish community as an adult, the stories that came to me were rooted in the Plain lifestyle. Hannah’s story, as told in the three-book series which includes When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and When the Soul Mends unfolded in my mind’s eye one evening as I was preparing dinner. It felt powerful, and I knew I needed to begin the journey of writing, even if I was never published.
Do you have a favorite character? Why?
I love many of the characters. Hannah, Paul, Martin, and Matthew are among my favorite. Because Hannah’s inner struggles are universal to most women at some point in their lives, she’s my favorite. She’s wounded, and there is no one who has the power to truly help her. Even those who want to help, don’t know how. She really wants to do what’s right in life, and she longs to do as her parents want, but she’s driven by desires that just won’t let her. She’s strong willed, although that’s not her goal at all. She’s naive and vulnerable in ways that tend to make situations even harder, but she can’t see how to handle things differently. She must find her own answers, but the journey is filled with self-doubt and “forbidden” ways.
What is your goal or mission as a writer?
Without insights or revelations, we are left with either legalism or fleeting emotionalism. Under the law, I fail. Under emotionalism, I fizzle. But open my spiritual eyes to life’s principles and then it becomes a part of who I am and not only do I understand why I should take a stand, I’m more willing to take that stand regardless of what’s going on around me.
So my goal is to write in a way that helps people see life from a perspective that helps renew their strength and gives them refreshment in the true value of living.
In conclusion ~
While I’m unable to provide the kind of personalized writing help many of you are looking for, I encourage all my fellow writers to keep honing your craft and to connect with a writing organization.
I’m very grateful for the many e-mails and letters I’ve received. As an aspiring author, I found these writing resources helpful:
For some great tips on writing peruse Steve Laube’s website ~Literary Agent
American Christian Fiction Writers
Mount Hermon Writing Conference
Many blessings,
