I'm super excited to announce my new series -- The Land of Canaan Novels -- that will debut in October 2010 with Seek Me With All Your Heart. 

I know some of you subscribe to my personal blog, and this news release is also posted on AmishLiving.com...but, just in case you haven't heard...click on this link to read the press release.  Beth's Blog.

However, there is one thing I want to mention.  I've already heard from several readers about how sad they are that the Daughters of the Promise series is ending.  No!  The Daughters of the Promise series will go on, with book #5, Plain Proposal, releasing next year.  I will be releasing a book every six months, alternating between the Daughters of the Promise series and the Land of Canaan series.  And the best part is...cross-over characters.  Don't be surprised if you are reading a Land of Canaan novel and folks from Lancaster County come for a visit, and vice-versa.  This is going to be great fun! 

Sorry this is such a short post this evening.  Barbara actually reminded me this evening that I hadn't posted.  My son got his wisdom teeth pulled this morning, so I've had that on my mind all day.  He's doing great, though!

Hope you all have a fabulous week!

Love,
Beth

        

Happy Anniversary! It’s been a wonderful year here at Amish Hearts!  I’m so thankful for the friendshipsthis blog has brought into my life—both my wonderful friendships with Beth,Barbara, and Kathy and also my friendships with you, the readers.  We’re so happy you join us every weekand enjoy our books!

 

I’m excited to announce my new book, A Promise of Hope, thesecond in the Kauffman Amish Bakery Series, will land in the warehouse atZondervan this week!  That meansthat it will be shipped out to stores soon!

 

I’d like to share an interview with me that is posted onChristianbooks.com.  Click here for the interview.

 

Today I’m wrapping up my young adult book, and I’m going tosend it off to my editor either tonight or tomorrow.  I’m excited to turn it in and start on my rewrite of a Plain & Simple Christmas, which is coming out in September.

 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Blessings,

Amy

        

I hope that your week has been wonderful.

Did you read Beth's blog on Monday about this week being the first year anniversary of AmishHearts.com? What a great time the four of us have had writing here on the blog. Oh sure, occasionally there are those e-mails that fly back and forth asking, "What am I going to write about this week? I can't think of ANYTHING!" But it's been so much fun connecting with readers here. You write us such nice notes, recommend our books to each other, and offer up great information about the Amish from your trips and your reading. I check in nearly every day to see what's happening. I hope that you do, too.

This week I got my edits for A Time for Love (see the gorgeous cover down on the right side). Barbara Scott, my editor at Abingdon Press, wrote me such a wonderful note about how much she enjoyed reading the book. We can't wait for you to read it this fall. I've been busy checking out the changes she and the copy editor made which have turned out to be minor, just like Barbara said. It's been such fun getting back into the story and being with characters who seem like old friends. A Time for Love is the first of a three book Amish series called Quilts of Lancaster County. When we get closer to the release date I'll be running contests featuring some quilt-themed prizes I think you'll like.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Barbara

        

This month I've been writing, writing, writing! When I first started writing I used to listen to music all the time, and some how I got away from that. So this week I started finding songs that would fit the stories I'm working on. It's a bit of challenge because the Amish don't listen to music other than the hymns they sing in church and at the singin's. I have heard that when they do hear music, they tend to enjoy country-style tunes more than other types, yet occasionally you might hear a booming bass coming from a tricked out buggy who's owner is in the throes of rumspringa. For the stories I'm writing now, I seem to be gravitating toward Celtic music, particularly Clannad, with a little bit of Riverdance thrown in. But I've also written to the Dave Matthews Band, Jars of Clay, and yes, I'll admit it, the Bee Gees. Though it is kind of hard transporting myself into Amish country while "Stayin' Alive" is blaring through my headphones.

What is your favorite type of music? When do you usually listen to music?

'Till next time,
Kathleen

        

Finally!  It's March 1 and time to announce the winner of our 4-book giveaway that has been going on since Jan. 25th!  First of all, what the winner will receive:

A signed book from Beth -- your choice of a current or future release (Plain Paradise releases THIS week!)
A signed book from Kathy -- your choice of a current or future release (An Honest Love releases this month!)
A signed book from Amy -- your choice of a current or future release (A Promise of Hope releases this month!)
A signed book from Barbara -- your choice of An Amish Christmas, An Amish Gathering, or be one of the first readers to get a copy of A Time for Love when it releases in August of this year!

IF AFTER ONE WEEK, WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THE WINNER -- A NEW WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN. 


THE WINNER OF OUR 4-BOOK GIVEAWAY IS...  DRUM ROLL...



NATALIE HIGGINBOTHAM!!

Natalie - email me privately at author@bethwiseman.net to let me know which books you would like from each author, and send your address.  CONGRATS!!!! 

        

On March 2, 2009, www.amishhearts.com went live, and what a great year it has been!  When we started this -- Kathy, Barbara, Amy, and I barely knew each other.  And we certainly didn't know most of you.  Since then, special friendships have formed all over the place -- amongst the authors here and with you, our readers.  We've all (authors and readers) shared successes and heartaches, and through the good times and the bad, we've celebrated and we've prayed together.  How incredibly blessed Kathy, Barbara, Amy, and I are to have each other and all of you. 

(I gotta watch it...I'm starting to get teary-eyed as I write this.)

In celebration of our one-year anniversary, I've gathered some statistics about this site.  I think you'll find this interesting.  I did!

*    138,150 people have visited our site over the past year;

*    There have been 210 entries posted, totaling 68,426 words.  Hmm...that's about the word count for a book!

*    2,290 comments were posted by readers;

TOP 3 ENTRIES:

Hello From Amy Clipston
Welcome to Amish Hearts
When Winter Comes

MOST DISCUSSED ENTRIES:

4-book Giveaway
Another Giveaway
Much Thanks...and Another Contest

(everyone loves a contest!)

MOST FREQUENT COMMENTATORS:

Rose Goddard holds the top spot!
Karla Hanns is right behind her, and
Cathey Buchta is not far behind Karla.

SURVEY RESULTS FOR AMISHHEARTS.COM:

97% - Liked
1% - Disliked
2% - No opinion

(I think it's safe to say...we're pleased with that!)


As we go into this next year, what would you like to see more of on this blog?  Leave a comment and let us know! 


Thank you for making this such a great year for us!  May God continue to bless all of the friendships formed here!  Have a great week!

        

Hi everyone!

 

It’s been a crazy week at our house.  I’ve finished my second draft of my new book, and I’m ready to hand it off to my three friends and my mom.  My friends and mom critique and edit it for me before I turn it in to my editor.

 

This book is a new genre for me.  It’s a youth adult book, and it’s been the biggest challenge of my writing career.  I’ve learned a lot, and I hope I’ve grown as a writer.

 

Each new book is a test of faith for me, and I always learn more about myself while writing it.  I’ve encountered scriptures that inspire me while writing this book.  Here’s one of them:

 

Deuteronomy 31:6:  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.

 

So, here’s my question for you – What are your favorite scriptures?  Please leave a comment below with one or two.

 

Have a great weekend!

Blessings,

Amy

        

Happy Friday!

I have to confess -- Friday is one of my favorite days of the week. Friday signals the end of a work week for many people. I usually work on the weekends and feel I do some of my best writing then even though I have more time to write during the week than in previous years. But I still like Friday for that "end of the week" feeling.  

I enjoyed a special day off this week well ahead of the weekend. I piled my two dogs in the car and drove an hour and a half away to visit my daughter and my almost four year old grandson, affectionately nicknamed K-Bear. He got to pick the restaurant where we ate dinner and chose Golden Corral. Apparently it's the combination of cheese pizza, mashed potatoes, green beans, a small cob of corn, and soft serve ice cream decorated with gummi bears that makes this a top-flight restaurant in his eyes. He provided entertainment by lining up the gummi bears by color around the rim of the ice cream dish -- sort of like a colorful conga line -- before he ate them. Leave it to a kid to make a memorable moment out of a dish of ice cream decorated with candy (and yes, there was some hyper-active but fun behavior in the car on the way home!). 

As I drove home later, one of the dogs kept setting his long, Italian greyhound nose on my forearm. It was cold and wet but a nice touch of affection as he and the other dog snored  away. Both were worn out by the sugar-hyped grandkid and only woke up when we pulled into our driveway.

Work is going well on edits of A Time to Love, the first book in the three book Quilts of Lancaster series by Abingdon Press due out in August or September. They've interrupted my work finishing up the second book, A Time for Peace, but both editors said such wonderful things about the book that I'm a very happy writer right now.

Oh, and thank you so much, dear readers, for putting An Amish Gathering on the ECPA bestseller list! We appreciate your buying the book and thank you for all the nice notes as well!

I hope that you get to take a little time for yourself this week. It's not too late to enter the contest to win four books by the authors on this website, won't you? The winner will be announced March 1. Just tell me what you do on a day off.

Have a happy weekend!

Barbara

        

Just a reminder about a couple of contests we have going on. If you haven't entered our four-giveaway, there's still time! We'll announce the winner on March 1. The great thing about this giveaway is that you get to pick the books you want, including choosing from our upcoming releases. Here's the link to the post to enter the contest: http://amishhearts.com/2010/01/25/4book-giveaway.aspx.

Also, Beth is running a contest on her facebook page. Enter to win an autographed copy of An Amish Gathering from Beth here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Fans-of-Beth-Wiseman/47576397539?ref=nf. Also, if you haven't joined her fan page, please do!

We found out this week that An Amish Gathering is #10 on the ECPA best-seller list! Thanks to you all for putting it there, and for the wonderful feedback you've given us on this collection. We're so happy you all are enjoying the book.

'Til next time,
Kathleen

        

Happy Monday Everyone!

I went away with a writer friend on Friday to work on my current project.  We took another trip to Tiki Island near Galveston.  I got some serious writing done - but not as much as I had hoped.  There was some 'playing' involved on this trip, too -- dinner out with the girls both Friday and Saturday night.  It cut into my writing a bit, but I have no regrets!  I live in the country, away from most of my friends -- so it was great to spend some time with the girls.  We even had one 'celebrity sighting'.  Holland Taylor.  Heard of her?  She has a long list of movie credits and is currently Charlie and Allan's mom on the TV show 'Two and a Half Men'. 

So, I might not get dressed this week, cook for my family, clean, etc...  Due date on current project -- SUNDAY!!  On these kind of weeks, it's probably good that I live in the country...LOL. 

I have some recipes from an Amish friend, and I'm using one in my current project - German Apple Cake.  I haven't tried this, but it sounds SO yummy!  I'm hoping one of you will try it and report back!  

German Apple Cake

1 cup sour milk 
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cinnamon (she doesn't state if this is a teaspoon or tablespoon - I would think a teaspoon)
2 cups apples, peeled and diced

Topping:

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Add the vinegar to the milk to make sour milk.  Stir in the baking soda.  Place the oil in a large bowl and add the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, flour, salt, cinnamon, sour milk mixture, and apples, in that order.  Pour into a 9" x 13" baking pan.  In a small bowl, mix all the topping ingredients together.  Sprinkle on the batter.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

I think this sounds super good!  Let me know if you try it! 

Hope everyone has a wonderful, blessed week!