NEWSLETTER

September 2009

Beloved Reader,

After waking this morning, I stumbled into my kitchen, grabbed a cup of coffee, and went to my back porch. Cooler temperatures, misty fog, and a crisp scent in the air greeted me. My moments of respite ended too soon, and I did my part to help a sleepy but hurried teen make it out the door with books, homework, and band bag in hand. This can mean only one thing: fall has arrived. My family had a lovely and fun summer, but after the heat and humidity of Georgia’s most notorious season, we are looking forward to leaves changing color and warm mugs of hot chocolate.

Summer definitely went out with a bang in my household. Starting on August 11, I embarked on a seven-state book tour, and I returned home on August 21. My youngest son started high school the day before we left. My second son, Adam, and his wife, Erin, stayed with Tyler at our house during our journey. They had additional excitement in their lives due to the news of Adam’s acceptance into pharmacy school. So while my husband and I were gone, Adam and Erin moved to an apartment closer to his new university, which has the added advantage (for me!) of being closer to our home.

The book tour was quite an adventure. My husband and I loaded up all our luggage, my laptop, and many books, bookmarks, and posters in my beloved Honda minivan, plugged our destinations into the GPS, and took off. By the time we returned to Georgia, we had put more than three thousand miles on the odometer!

We began the tour with a television interview on Fox’s Good Day Atlanta. I had appeared on the program in the past and was excited that the cast and crew remembered me. After the interview in the morning, I had a book signing at Barnes and Noble in Norcross, Georgia. We had a great turnout. You can find some videos of that signing, and other signings in my tour, on my YouTube page.

The tour took us to stores in Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. In Ohio my editor, Shannon Marchese, joined us. It was deeply satisfying to get to travel with her. We talked about writing in general and specifically about how to make book two in the Ada’s House series have all the right nuances—how best to deal with the deep issues addressed in that book.

At the Der Dutchman restaurant in Ohio, while signing books, I met my editor’s mom as well as two women who have helped provide the outfits for the models on all my book covers. I also met the photographer, Jim Celuch. Jim and I first worked together via phone in 2006, so it was a pleasure to meet him and his wife. After the signing we all ate a delicious meal and enjoyed a lively conversation.

From Ohio my husband and I drove to Pennsylvania, where I had several book signings and an in-depth interview on Pennsylvania Public Radio at Temple University with Jim Cotter. You can listen to that interview here.

On Wednesday, August 19, I had a signing at Hackman’s Bible Bookstore in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, during which a journalist from the Wall Street Journal joined us.

Our last stop on the tour was on Thursday, August 20. I had a signing at Rachel’s Country Store, which is an Amish dry goods store. I was astonished by the success of that event. About five times the number of people I expected came to the signing. I signed more than 250 books and sold out of some titles.

Added to all the blessings that took place because of the signings, my husband, my editor, the journalist from the Wall Street Journal, and I had a wonderful visit to my Amish friends’ home. I’ll share about that below in “Amish Connection.”

Behatz Sei Hoffning (Embrace His hope),

Cindy

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Cindy’s Itinerary

Here are some upcoming events to promote The Hope of Refuge, and the release of my novella, The Sound of Sleigh Bells, in October.

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A big “Thank You!” to all my readers who picked up a copy of The Hope of Refuge. It hit #29 on the New York Times best-sellers list. During my book tour I had several interviews and articles that discussed The Hope of Refuge. Here are some links to various online spots that feature it:

PA Public Radio interview
Christianbook.com interview
Grand Rapids Press article

Here are some quotes from other authors and readers:

To read the prologue and chapter one, click here: The Hope of Refuge.

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Coming to a store near you
on October 6, 2009!

The Sound of Sleigh Bells is my first novella. A novella is about half the length of a novel and makes for a perfect read during those busy holidays. It is a hardback with a beautiful sleeve for its cover. When writing the novella, I imagined the reader getting the book as a stocking stuffer, curling up with it in her favorite chair after the rush of Christmas morning, and reading. I hope you’ll join me in this story of renewed hope during the Christmas season.

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 only dreams of. A gifted carver holds the answer to both within his hands—but can Beth step beyond yesterday and embrace a second chance at love?

To read chapter one of The Sound of Sleigh Bells, click on your preferrered format: (PDF); (Web page)

You can find The Sound of Sleigh Bells in your local bookstore beginning October 6, 2009.

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Amish Connection

On the last day of my book-signing tour, my husband, my editor, a journalist, and I pulled into the driveway of one of my Amish friends. Miriam and Daniel and their two youngest children came out of their farmhouse to greet us. Feeling Miriam’s arms around me for the first time since May, I did not want to let go. After hugs and warm welcomes, we introduced them to my editor and the journalist.

Daniel invited us into their home, where Miriam’s kitchen island was covered with goodies. The aromas of fruits, cheeses, and homemade desserts filled our senses. We put some of the delectables on our plates, took cups of coffee, and moved outside to sit under a shade tree. After more than a week of changing hotels every night and pushing to get to each event on time, it was relaxing and pleasant to enjoy these treats with such great company!

After our midmorning refreshments, we went to the barn to hitch the horse to the buggy for a short ride. Although I’ve written books with characters hitching a horse to a buggy, I needed greater detail about it for my next novel. The smell of hay and horse feed filled my nostrils. In another part of the barn, calves added their young voices to the sounds of the horses.

I watched carefully, asked a lot of questions, and took notes as Daniel showed me the blacksmith’s tools, explaining what each one was used for, and then hitched the horse to a two-person carriage. Once Daniel had the rig hitched, he gave each of us a ride. August’s temps bore down on the black asphalt and shadeless road, so we took short rides in order to spare the horse. I find buggies rather difficult to climb in and out of, but well worth the effort. Alexandra (the journalist) had never traveled to Amish country before, so it was fun to see her enjoying the farm and the ride.

After the buggy rides, Shannon (my editor) and I visited my friend’s craft room, which is located above the carriage house. The room smelled of old wood, reminding me of attics and of my writing room at home. It had a lot of items that Shannon had seen on my Web site and in my newsletter, including decorative hames, which are wall hangings made using a quilt patch between two old wooden pieces of a harness, the part that goes around the horse’s neck. The craft room also had various sizes of baskets lined with sewn fabric and topped with hand-painted lids, frames with paintings, antique foot-pedal sewing machines with scenes painted on them, and cute birdhouses made from old boots. When I visit, I always enjoy seeing the new crafts Miriam has created.

When we returned to the house, all the refreshments had been removed and dinner was being set out. My friend’s teenage daughter had been hard at work as the adults were busy visiting and riding in the buggy! The aromas were delicious, but the food tasted even better than it smelled. We had roast beef and lots of fresh seasonal vegetables from the family’s garden. The small potatoes had been boiled in a tasty mix of seasonings, the home-grown green beans were perfectly crisp, and the ice-cold water did wonders to quench our thirst after being outside in the heat.

Time seemed to drift away as we continued to chat while enjoying our dessert of pumpkin roll and ice cream. In fact, we were enjoying our visit so much that when I glanced at the clock, I gasped. We had very little time to get to our next signing! Everyone jumped up and rushed about, only taking enough time to put the leftovers in the refrigerator so they wouldn’t spoil.

The book signing at Rachel’s Country Store was very busy. During the signing, Daniel and my husband took my editor to the train station in Harrisburg. She had a flight to catch in Philadelphia. Since our vehicle was in Harrisburg, and we hadn’t come in a horse and buggy, the journalist waited for me to finish and then took us back to Miriam’s home before she left for New York.

Within minutes, Miriam and I were reclining under the shade tree again as if there were no dishes to be washed. She said we couldn’t use valuable chat time doing work—not during such a short visit. I promised to be useful during our next stay. When the men returned, they joined us, and the conversation flowed nonstop until my husband and I had to leave.

While on our way to our van, rain began sprinkling the farm while the sun shone brightly. I turned to my friends and said, “We’re about to see a rainbow.” As we hugged good-bye, we marveled at the gorgeous rainbow, commenting that it felt like a promise that even though our trip had been short, we’d have more visits in the future.

My husband and I visited my dad, stepmom, and brother while in Pennsylvania, and by the time we arrived home, we’d traveled more than three thousand miles. But Home Sweet Home greeted us at the end of our trip…as did bills, yard work, and a teen who’d successfully weathered most of the first two weeks of school without Mom or Dad.

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2009 Amish Quilt Contest

As mentioned in the Amish Connection segment of the July Newsletter, one of the quilts I purchased at the Amish school sale in May is the prize for this year’s quilt contest. The quilt was sewn by at least a dozen Amish women from that area as they taught an Englischer how to quilt Amish-style.

The contest is easy and fun. You can enter yourself into the contest one time. You can also have your friends visit the site and enter themselves and you. (One time per friend, please.) So if you have twenty friends drop by the site, they can each enter themselves once and enter you in “Your Friend’s Name,” too, which will cause your name to be entered twenty-one times. To enter the contest, follow this link: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/contest.php.

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Newsletter Contest

Last issue, the readers of my newsletter had the chance to win their choice of an autographed copy of The Hope of Refuge or The Sound of Sleigh Bells. The winner of the contest is Stephanie of Huron, Ohio! And she chose The Hope of Refuge as her prize.

For the fall newsletter contest you have a chance to win a small basket of goodies, including a copy of The Sound of Sleigh Bells.The contest will run until a few days before the next newsletter is sent out in mid-December.

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.

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Bookplates are now Available

Bookplates are adhesive-backed stickers that I can sign and mail to you in a regular envelope with letter-rate postage. Putting the sticker on the title page of your book makes it an autographed copy! For more information go here.

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Author Spotlight

Jane Kirkpatrick is much more than an award-winning author of books that will gently sweep you from your world into the one she’s created. When you return to your world, you’ll find yourself deeply moved, refreshed, and filled with insight. When I’m in her presence, she reminds me of a safe and serene room lined with shelves filled with books full of wisdom, humor, and hope.

I asked Jane to share with us some of her thoughts and feelings that helped to inspire her writing of A Gathering of Finches.

Here’s Jane Kirkpatrick!

Oregon’s southern coast is known for its high cliffs and basalt rocks that rise from the ocean floor to slice the sky like breaching whales. Breakers pound against the rocks, and in a special place that is now Shore Acres State Park, the waves often splash and soar to the highlands where Cassie Hendricks Stearns Simpson once watched with her husband from the wide porch of the mansion he built for her at the turn of the century.

Though the mansion burned down many years ago, the five acres of formal garden Louie Simpson planted to surround the estate still attract thousands each year (www.shoreacres.net). Louie’s ship captains brought exotic plants from around the world to add to this gorgeous escape in the midst of tall trees standing as sentinels to the sea. Weddings are held there; people find respite in the flowers and the sounds of surf and the closeness to creation.

The first time I visited Shore Acres, I read the kiosk information and learned all about the entrepreneur, shipping and lumber magnate, former candidate for governor, the “richest man in the country in 1911,” and husband of Cassie. Yet there was only one mention of her: that she’d received the estate as a gift. “What kind of woman would inspire this?” I asked my friend as we inhaled roses and meandered past the Japanese pool. “And why don’t people talk about her? I mean, my husband loves me very much but he only gives me earrings.” There must have been something special about this woman.

That began my journey to the book A Gathering of Finches. I researched old records and newspapers, interviewed descendants who dug up long-forgotten photographs and Cassie’s King James Bible with the bookmarks still in place. As a special treat while writing, I spent hours in the garden talking with the eleven full-time gardeners, many of whom helped restore the gardens in the 1970s after it fell to ruin.

I thought A Gathering of Finches would be a love story, and it is in part. The love of place, family, and faith. But it’s also about misplaced love, having everything yet risking the loss of one’s soul, failing to see gratitude in the everyday. It’s about decision-making and how we come to terms with our choices.

One special thing I learned from writing this book had to do with gardens. Not having a green thumb myself, I loved discovering that what brings on the bloom of a flower is not the proper soil or fertilizer, nor perfect seed. It’s not placing a stake before it’s needed to secure the plant against the winds. It’s not even the daily tending. What brings on the bloom is the lengthening of the days, the increased exposure to the sun.

I like the metaphor of that. I hope readers will see within this story God’s hope for each of us. We can trust that as we grow older, we’ll bloom brighter with increased exposure to the Son.

Jane Kirkpatrick
www.jkbooks.com

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Recipes ~From the Esh Family Cookbook

While my daughter-in-law Erin and I were putting the newsletter together, she looked through the Esh Family Cookbook for a recipe to share with you, and she discovered this:

Aunt Betty’s Rivel Soup, submitted by David B. Esh
“I don’t have the recipe. Ask Aunt Betty!”

After we stopped laughing, she asked me if I thought I could find Aunt Betty. I know the Amish family who created the Esh Family Cookbook, so now I’m in the process of tracking down Aunt Betty. If I do find her, and she has the recipe, it will be in December’s newsletter.

Arlene’s Baked Oatmeal, submitted by Mrs. Naomi Esh

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine oil, eggs, and honey. Beat well. Add oatmeal, baking powder, salt, and milk. Mix. Then add apples, raisins, pecans, and cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Heartland Corn Chowder, submitted by Mrs. Susie Cox

In large saucepan, melt a small amount of butter. Sauté onion and ham over medium-high heat, stirring often, until onion is tender, about five minutes. Stir in corn, potato, mushrooms, soup, and milk. Cover and simmer for five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheese, mustard, sugar, parsley, and pepper. Simmer for another five to seven minutes to blend flavors and melt cheese, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

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A Tidbit about Amish Life

Wedding season for the Amish is in the fall, after the harvest, and sometimes continues into the new year. A wedding is a very important event for the communities as well as for the intended couple; it indicates that a new family is committing to living and raising children in the Amish way of life. Courtships for the Amish are often a secretive process. The community may not know who is a couple until they are officially “published” in the church. They are published in October, and from the time of their publishing to the time of the wedding ceremony can be as short as a few weeks or as long as a few months.

The wedding ceremony and the gatherings that follow have several similarities to our Englischer ceremonies, but also many distinct differences. The ceremony takes place in the morning and is usually a three-hour service. There can be 350 to 400 people in attendance. The ceremony is held at the bride’s parents’ house, unless there is an issue of space. If that happens, it can be held at a place belonging to the bride’s friends or relatives.

After the solemn ceremony, which is similar to an Amish church service, the benches are converted into tables. My Amish friends say this is quite a sight to behold! Two full meals are served, with dinner around noon and supper in the evening. Between the two meals there is singing, snacks, and lots of talking and games. The snacks are often soft pretzels and homemade lemonade. After the evening meal, which is smaller than the dinner, the youth stay seated and sing until time to go home, which can happen as late as ten o’clock or even midnight.

Similar to our Englischer weddings, the gifts are often cookware and dishes. The men may receive farming items. Wedding gifts are often filled with candies and goodies to share during the festive celebration. My Amish friend told me about an interesting wedding gift she gave to a couple in her community. She took a large new feed scoop for horses, decorated it, and filled it with a trail mix she’d made. During the break between meals, the wedding guests passed it among themselves. It made for lively conversation because the trail mix resembled horse feed!