Are you a creative cook? It should be easy for most of us. We have year-round access to foods from all over the world, in and out of season. We have refrigerators, stoves and a variety of electric appliances. Best of all… we have Pinterest! And if we don’t cook, we can still order pizza, right? How creative would you be without all those conveniences? Day after day, three meals a day? I’d probably do great for one week and then we’d starve. My creativity is not manifested in the kitchen, so I asked Rachel J. Good, author of best-selling Amish romances, to tell us how her Amish friends do it. Hi Rachel! What inspired you to write Amish fiction? I grew up near Lancaster, and later when I worked in the library, we had many Amish patrons. I especially loved the Amish children who came to my storytimes. My best friend gave part of her farmland as a right-of-way to an Amish school, so we enjoy watching the children walking or driving their small pony carts to school. I now have many Amish friends in Lancaster County, who have invited me into their homes and lives. I admire their Read More
Category: Author Interviews
Judith Rolfs and Jesus Time
Have you ever met someone who seemed like just another pleasant person? …but then, as you began to know her better, you realized how special she really is and that God set that woman in your life to bless and challenge you? He does that kind of thing fairly regularly for His children, but sometimes it seems like an extra-sweet blessing. That’s how I feel about Dr. Judith Rolfs. The longer I know her, the more I appreciate her. She’s fun and kind and sweet and wise and just shining with faith. Judith Rolfs is one of those rare authors who can cross genres with skill and flair, writing nonfiction, novels and children’s books. She also speaks to Christian women’s groups, sharing her heart for marriage and family relationships. And when I asked if I could interview her here on my blog, she generously agreed to do that, too! Welcome, Judith! What a pleasure to be a guest on your blog today… As I read through the devotionals in your new book, Jesus Time: Love Notes of Wonder and Worship, I was struck by how intimate and true it feels. Was it hard to be so transparent? Yes and yes. Read More
Celebrating Good Mothers-in-Law – by Heather Day Gilbert
I always like a family story, especially if it has a good mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship. My favorite woman in the Bible is Naomi. She is the ultimate mother-in-law role model. Ruth’s promise to her – “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.“ – indicates a rather staggering level of commitment. That is love. When I read Heather Day Gilbert’s Miranda Warning, I found a new heroine in Nikki Jo Spencer, the mother-in-law of the main character. She’s amazing. I want to BE Nikki Jo. She gets even better in Trial by Twelve! So when it was time to write about Mothers Day, I thought of Heather, and she kindly agreed to share her thoughts about mothers-in-law . Thanks, Heather! Happy Mothers Day… Celebrating Good Mothers-in-Law By Heather Day Gilbert Yes, you read that title right. Despite popular opinion, some mothers-in-law are indeed good. We’ve all heard the mother-in-law jokes that sometimes seem eerily accurate. The controlling MIL. The imperious MIL. The _________ MIL (add your own adjective). But I also know that good mothers-in-law exist, because Read More
Jaime Jo Wright – Author Interview
I met Jaime Jo online through the American Christian Fiction Writers, but even though we both live in the land of Packers and Bratwurst, we haven’t yet met in person. I recently read one of her novellas, Gold Haven Heiress, in the California Gold Rush Romance Collection, and asked if I could interview her on my website. She graciously said yes and donated a paperback copy of the book for me to give away! Barbour makes beautiful paperback novella collections. This one has covers that open and fold out to reveal western landscapes, and the paper is beautiful soft and heavy with deckle edges. Beautiful. See the raffle form below for your chance to win it! Welcome, Jaime! It’s fun to have you here. I know authors have the best book recommendations, so tell me… what are you reading now? I am currently in between books, actually. But LOVED reading Kara Isaac’s “Close To You” and Joanne Bischof’s “Lady and the Lionheart”. They were both so well written and have stuck with me far longer than most books I’ve read this year! Do you have a favorite contemporary author? Well, it sounds redundant now, lol, but Read More
Salsa & Speedbumps ~ an Author Interview with Susan Baganz
I met Susan Baganz at an American Christian Fiction Writers meeting. It was my first experience with a writing group, and Susan went out of her way to make me feel welcome. She has the best kind of bubbly personality – the kind that hints at a deeper, more thoughtful nature. Her books are the same way. They are delightfully fun to read, but they touch on serious issues with compassion and sensitivity. Her other books include Pesto & Potholes and a Christmas novella, Fragile Blessings. Her new book, Salsa & Speed Bumps (Prism Book Group), is a contemporary inspirational romance novel being released TODAY, January 22! Hi Susan! I’m looking forward to your new book! Is Salsa & Speed Bumps part of a series? Yes! It is the second in my Orchard Hill Romance series. Book 1 is Pesto & Potholes (April 2015). Book 3, Feta & Freeways, is due out later this year and the next three are contracted: Root Beer & Road Blocks, Bratwurst & Bridges and Donuts & Detours. The individual novels stand on their own. You don’t have to read them in order to enjoy them. What made you decide to set your series Read More