NEWSLETTER
June 2008
Beloved Reader,
Welcome to another edition of Plain News!
I hope you’re having a blessed summer. Like many of you, I’ve had a very busy one so far. Not only am I writing a new novel—possibly titled Hope of Refuge—but my husband, our youngest son (the only one still in the nest) and I drove to Pennsylvania to attend a school sale, which is an auction held by the Amish.
I bought an Amish-made quilt for my quilt contest that’s going on from now until the end of December. It is gorgeous and you can see a photo of it below.
I had a wonderful time reconnecting with friends. I also met several Amish men and women for the first time, many of whom had read the first two novels in the Sisters of the Quilt series. It’s such a blessing to talk about characters and plots with those who live Old Order Amish.
The conversations reminded me once again that Christian fiction lingers in our hearts.
My writing news for this newsletter: I’m honored to share that When the Morning Comes is a RITA® finalist. Before I began writing I didn’t know a lot about the novel-writing industry or its contests, but I’ve since learned that there are some very special awards in this industry, and RITA is one of them. The RITA Awards are given by Romance Writers of America®. The 2008 RITA honors romance fiction published in 2007. Over a thousand novels were judged in 12 categories. Inspirational novels are not divided by genre, so our category is wonderfully diverse. If you’d like to read about the other books and interviews from each author, be sure to drop by my Web site.
Blessings,
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 To read chapter one: |
The final book in the Sisters of the Quilt series is When the Soul Mends. Its release date is September 16, 2008.
Having fled in disgrace more than two years earlier, Hannah finally has found happiness in the Englischer world, as well as love with Martin Palmer, a man with whom she can safely entrust her heart. But almost immediately after her arrival in Owl’s Perch, the disapproval of those who ostracized her reopens old wounds. As Hannah encounters former fiancé Paul Waddell, truths unknown to her surface about the events during her absence and she faces an agonizing decision. Will she choose the Englischer world and the man who restored her hope, or will she return to the Plain life-and perhaps her first love? |
Connecting to the Old Order
Amish Community -
Part 2
To read part one, click here
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As the years pass, Anna [1] and I continue to grow in friendship and marvel at what we’ve learned from each other. Her ways are Plain, but her life is incredibly busy as she strives to keep the Amish traditions and pass them on to her children.
Last summer, her husband, Simon [1] , and my husband, Tommy, met for the first time and spent a day journeying through Simon’s day as an Old Order Amish man.
Simon’s family trade is timber framing, an intricate skill of taking square timbers and building a frame in a way that supports an entire building without nails, bolts, or screws. This is part of the Old Ways the Amish fathers have passed on to their apprenticing sons for generations, begun before nails, screws, or bolts were easily accessible and affordable through mass production in the nineteenth century. Wooden pegs are driven in the tightly-fitted joints. Timber framing is used for houses, barns, and even on modern office buildings, and it’s even reported that timber framing is as strong as a steel structure.
The two men compared notes on the differences in living Plain or living English. An Englischer (spelling in accordance with the Pennsylvania Dutch language) is anyone not Plain. The women of Plain Amish and Mennonite sects wear the prayer Kapp and cape dresses (a particular style of dress) and the men dress plain in accordance with their sect. The men in many sects grow a beard as a sign of being married and the single men are clean shaven.
Later Tommy shared his thoughts with me:
Simon is a warm, friendly, bear of a man that has an easy laugh and, he wears a natural, pleasant smile most of the time. We talked of family, faith, cows, horses, timber framing, land surveying, and life.
Tears came to both of our eyes as he described to me the acts of heroism on the part of the law-enforcement officers who tried so desperately to save the children the day of the Amish school shooting. The pain was raw as Simon shared the aftermath the community still faces from the incident. Anna and Simon have siblings whose children attend that school.
Simon talked openly about the patriotism he and the Amish have for our country and the troops fighting in Iraq. Even though the Amish are non-resistant and don’t agree with war, they are deeply respectful of those who give their lives to protect the country, and the Amish often become involved in service to the military families left behind.
I found when I spoke of my modern day life amongst fast vehicles, computers and electrical gadgets, there was a hollow sound to it compared to his life. An uncomfortable desire for simpler things invaded my mind.
My time with Simon was much too short. I can’t remember ever enjoying a conversation with anyone as much as I did with him. Simon seemed to be living the real American dream, the one that’s slower-paced, quieter, and filled with hard work, but also time in lawn chairs, visiting with family and friends.
The ability to live Plain in a modern world began generations before Simon was born and, through ancestral as well as personal determination to stick to the Old Ways, the heritage continues. The community is self-reliant—not something any one family can do because they decide to live the simple life. The Amish provide training and jobs for their own. When Englischers are sitting in a class room through high school and maybe college, the young Amish men and women are working as full-time apprentices in vocations that won’t lay them off or fire them. If one job comes to an end, an entire Amish region, filled with Amish entrepreneurs, will begin trying to find a place for them. This worked well when the primary industry shifted away from farming.
Regardless of how some in the mainstream may feel about living such a unique life, the wisdom and grit to change only when necessary and never for the sake of convenience, entertainment, or ease of lifestyle has equipped the Plain to hold on to a lifestyle they believe in.
My husband found the timber framing work absolutely beautiful and the skill unsurpassed. The generational trade that goes farther back than Simon’s life and is aimed at going on into the lives of his grandchildren and great grandchildren is remarkable. The work ethic, as well as the camaraderie, in every generation working that day was incredible. And my husband’s observations left me wondering if Georgia will remain this author’s place of residence.
My son says the only part that ever bothers him while we’re visiting is the inability to escape the heat, even at night. His joy could stretch for months if he could run a fan at night, giving him two things he’s used to: the mechanical purring of an electric motor and artificially-produced air. I find it interesting that he doesn’t miss all the electronic gadgets that permeate our home.
On the last day of our 2007 summer visit, Anna and I sat under shade trees near her well-tended garden and chatted for several hours. After covering the highlights of all that’d taken place since the last time we saw each other, we talked of the book I was working on, and brainstormed on other books, and dreamed of collaborating on a writing project one day.
While we spent our day in relative leisure, a mile down the road, Anna’s daughter-in-law and her sister canned a hundred quarts of corn—without even the whir of an electric fan to cool things off. She has a toddler and is expecting another baby soon, so when I spoke to her that evening, she was looking forward to taking it easier the next day. But the satisfaction of planting, tending, and harvesting from her garden and preparing for winter months seemed to give her more energy than if she’d worked in an air-conditioned office.
As our last day to visit slipped into evening, we sat in the front yard, under the stars. The frogs croaked loudly and the moon’s reflection glimmered brightly across the pond. The phone in its shanty near the side of the barn remained as quiet as usual. Many of Simon and Anna’s family had gathered with us: parents, young children, adult children, spouses, and, at that time, their only grandbaby. I could see that the peaceful sounds of the surrounding farm had settled into my husband’s soul and he longed for more.
The use of kerosene lamps to navigate a dark house, washing dishes by hand three times a day, and hanging laundry outside year round would take more of an adjustment for me than a few lessons from Anna. I longed for my Blackberry, Windows Vista laptop with high speed, Wi-Fi Internet, and let’s not forget about the air-conditioning, electric washer and dryer, or the ease of jumping in my van to grab a bite out to eat.
But my affinity for technology and Anna’s resistance to it doesn’t diminish the kinship we share, knowing those things make no difference to our God who is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34)
Newsletter Contest
The prize this time is one set of all three books from the Sisters of the Quilt series. The contest will run until mid-September. The winner will receive an autographed copy of When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and When the Soul Mends.
Contest:
Here’s how to enter. (Please follow these steps carefully to prevent your entry from being disqualified.)
Note: You are reading the Web site version of Plain News. The Newsletter Contest is only available to those who receive the newsletter via their inbox. The newsletter is free and is sent four times per year, but on an occasion a special announcement may be sent. To sign up, to go http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/newsletter.php.
We have four winners from the last newsletter contest, each of whom will receive an autographed copy of When the Soul Mends (when it’s available).
March newsletter winners:
Sharon of Rochester, Indiana
Rita of Kokomo, Indiana
Susan of Leavenworth, Texas
Lorna of Sandy, Oregon
Tidbits about Tamera Alexander
A few words about one of my favorite authors, Tamera Alexander:
I met Tammy six years ago. At the time, we were both aspiring authors with stories inside us that were begging to be written. We were on the journey of learning how to make those stories work on the written page. From the time we met, I just knew whatever she wrote would be notable and she’d become a best-selling author. Well, she’s proven me correct. What I hadn’t expected was for this dear, sweet woman to cause me to nearly miss my plane! Years after we met, I had her debut novel in hand as I went to the airport. Because of his schedule, my husband needed to drop me off more than two hours before my plane would board, but with Tammy’s book in hand, I was looking forward to the extra time.
I went through security, rode the train to the correct terminal, found a comfortable seat at the gate, and opened her book, Rekindled. A few minutes later, I glanced up and they were closing the door to the Jetway. The plane had boarded—everyone but me! Two hours had passed, but I was so absorbed in the novel that it felt like only a few minutes.
I soon settled into my seat on the plane and began reading again—hoping for possible delays along the way. By the time we touched down in Colorado, I’d finished a book that still lingers with me. I love the way Tammy writes. I think you will too.
The other day I asked Tammy if she’d like to share some things with you and she said:
Stories are journeys, and each story I write is a journey for me.
Rekindled began with a dream—the image of a man returning home on horseback. He came upon a freshly dug grave and when he knelt to read the name carved into the roughhewn wooden cross, he discovered the name was…his own. The inspiration for Revealed grew from two characters in Rekindled whose stories needed to be told. But even more, whose stories I needed to tell. Writing Revealed was a very personal journey for me, and a healing one. For Remembered, I met that story’s heroine (figuratively, of course) while strolling the ancient cobblestoned pathways of a three hundred-year-old cemetery in northern Paris, France. And From a Distance came from a question I was struggling with in my own life at the time, “What happens when the dream you asked God for isn’t what you thought it would be?”
What’s that dream for me? Oddly enough, it’s writing. I never thought I’d be a writer and was actually told when I was a teenager that I had no talent at it. So I buried that love for writing deep inside. But now, in the second half of my life, God has dusted off that discarded dream and is breathing new life into it—and into me—that I never imagined. Yet writing doesn’t come easily for me. Each book represents a greater challenge. But I’m learning to trust in God’s dream for my life, instead of my own, and that’s what From a Distance is all about.
To read about or order, click here.
For me, the greatest thrill of these writing journeys is when Christ reveals Himself in some new way, and I take a step closer to Him. And my deepest desire is that readers of my books will do that as well—take steps closer to Him as they read. After all, it’s all about Him.
In the Potter’s hand,
Tamera
Tidbits from my editor, Shannon [Hill] Marchese
I’d like to recommend The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society by Beth Pattillo. A warm, engaging “yarn” of a group of five ladies who read and knit and harbor secrets that unravel as they explore novels and life.
Review:
Take five knitters, put them in a book club, expand it to include a rebellious teen and you’ve got this agreeable “yarn” by Pattillo. Eugenie Pierce is a 60-something “tough love” librarian in Sweetgum, Tenn., who finds the neglected 13-year-old Hannah Simmons tearing out pages of a library book. In reparation, Hannah must attend Eugenie’s “Knit Lit Society” at Sweetgum Christian Church. Pattillo offers a mélange of additional characters: Merry McGavin is an overwhelmed mother; single gal Ruthie Allen is 55 and at odds with her sister, Esther Jackson; Camille St. Clair is a 24-year-old committed to caring for her terminally ill mother. All five women harbor secrets that Hannah’s presence in the group will prompt them to reveal. Though the plot can be predictable, the story grows smoothly in Pattillo’s competent hands. As each woman’s situation comes to a crisis point, the tension never escalates past a gentle simmer. Pattillo, a Rita Award-winning writer author (Heavens to Betsy) creates a sweet story of redemption that will go down well with knitters as well as the knitting-challenged. —Publisher's Weekly, May 2008.
To read about or order, click here:
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Also, I read the advanced reader copy of a book I think your readers will enjoy: Where the River Ends by Charles Martin. Charles is the author of six novels including several Christy nominees and an ECPA Gold Medallion winner. Where the River Ends is a beautiful love story in the tradition of Nicholas Sparks, and Charles is a lyrical writer and a joy to read. Be forewarned—keep Kleenex handy. It will be out July 15th.
A powerfully emotional and beautifully written story of heartbreaking loss and undying love
Review:
He was a fishing guide and struggling artist from a south George trailer park. She was the beautiful only child of South Carolina’s most powerful senator. Yet once Doss Michaels and Abigail Grace Coleman met by accident, they each felt they’d found their true soul mate.
Ten years into their marriage, when Abbie faces a life-threatening illness, Doss battles it with her every step of the way. And when she makes a list of ten things she hopes to accomplish before she loses the fight for good, Doss is there, too, supporting her and making everything possible. Together they steal away in the middle of the night to embark upon a 130-mile trip down the St. Mary’s River—a voyage Doss promised Abbie in the early days of their courtship.
Where the River Ends chronicles their love-filled, tragedy-tinged journey and a bond that transcends all.
To read about or order, click here.
Recipes ~From the Esh Family Cookbook
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For your summer recipes, I’ve included a delicious cheese spread to go with chips and crackers during a cookout, and a refreshing drink. Note the recipe for the slush is from a young girl.
Horseradish and Cheddar Cheese Spread
submitted by Yonie Esh
(she makes and sells this at their market in
Dover, Delaware)
5 lbs. white American cheese
2 heaping Tbsp. cheddar powder
8 oz. horseradish
3-1/2 pints milk
Cut cheese into small chunks. While heating milk, stir in cheese and other ingredients a little at a time until cheese is all melted. Do not overheat.
Lime Slush
Submitted by Malinda Fay Esh (age 9)
1 – 6-oz. pkg. lime Jell-O
2 cups boiling water (dissolve Jell-O in hot water)
1 cup sugar
1 – 12-oz. can frozen orange juice
1 – 46-oz. can pineapple juice
6 cups cold water
1 – 2-liter bottle of ginger ale
Mix the first 6 ingredients together and freeze. Remove from freezer 2 hours before serving. When ready to serve, add ginger ale. NOTE: can be made with strawberry Jell-O.
A tidbit about Amish life
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After a week of sweltering temps, it’s a beautiful day today in Pennsylvania. I know this because Anna [1] called me from her phone shanty and told me so. She’s been busy this week weeding her garden and mowing—all in prep for taking a few days off and going to visit some cousins who live out of state.
To mow the yards, Amish use reel mowers. When living in Maryland as a child, I saw several neighbors use reel mowers to cut their grass.
For Englischers, “living green” is trendy—from recycling everything we can, to using cloth diapers instead of disposable, to avoiding fuel emissions. Much of what society is returning to in order to slow the negative impact on this planet the Amish have never stopped doing.
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Today, as I shared with Anna what the “tidbit about Amish life” section in this newsletter would be about, she said that in the spirit of Tom Sawyer, anyone interested in seeing how a reel mower works is welcome to come experience using one on her yards.
And that, my dear readers, is Anna’s sense of humor in a nutshell. She makes me wish I lived next door and not seven hundred miles away!
[1] names have been changed to assure their privacy
- June 2010
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- December 2009
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