Raindrops and Great Reads
Well, everyone can stop envying those of us who live in Florida. It isn't even hurricane season yet and we've had a weird weather system that's already dumped more rain on us than the three back to back hurricanes did about five years ago. The rain started Saturday afternoon, briefly let up for a while on Sunday, and has been falling steadily every day since. More is expected today and through the weekend. I live in a small town south of Daytona Beach and we've been lucky not to have flooding (especially my little house on a little hill) but scenes from Daytona look like the aftermath of Katrina with people being rescued and cars floating in the streets. Please pray for everyone who's suffering the effects of the flooding.
One of the best things to do when it's raining is read. I've been indulging in reading two special books by fellow authors Beth Wiseman and Amy Clipston this past week. It's so nice to happen to like not only the people who wrote the stories but the stories themselves. Plain Pursuit is Beth's second in her Daughters of the Promise series. Beth's Englisch heroine, Carley, comes to visit her friend Lillian (from Plain Perfect) and meets Noah, who's been shunned by his Amish family. Carley is a courageous heroine who says just how she feels about Noah being shunned. You'll want to nominate Noah for hero of the year when he makes a sacrifice for his nephew, David, who's suffering from a life-threatening illness. I think you'll enjoy reading Plain Pursuit and seeing how Beth weaves characters so many readers have come to love from Plain Perfect into a new and compelling story without overwhelming the story of a new love blooming between Carley and Noah.
Amy Clipston's A Gift of Grace is the story of Rebecca, a childless Amish woman who suddenly becomes guardian of her two teenage nieces when her sister and brother-in-law die. Amy paints a compelling portrait of characters facing loss and surviving the pain in very different ways. Jessica, a rebellious teen, and her mild-mannered sister, Lindsay, are Englisch and it's quite a culture shock for them to think about life in an Amish community. Rebecca's eagerness to mother her nieces despite her husband Daniel's reservations causes strain on their marriage. Readers can relate to Rebecca's struggle to understand God's will for her life. I think you'll enjoy reading Amy's story, the first in a series called Kaufman Amish Bakery Series.
Both books landed on the CBA bestseller list this week. Congratulations to Beth and Amy!
Rain, rain, go away...well, maybe after I read one more book on my To Be Read pile on the nightstand!
One of the best things to do when it's raining is read. I've been indulging in reading two special books by fellow authors Beth Wiseman and Amy Clipston this past week. It's so nice to happen to like not only the people who wrote the stories but the stories themselves. Plain Pursuit is Beth's second in her Daughters of the Promise series. Beth's Englisch heroine, Carley, comes to visit her friend Lillian (from Plain Perfect) and meets Noah, who's been shunned by his Amish family. Carley is a courageous heroine who says just how she feels about Noah being shunned. You'll want to nominate Noah for hero of the year when he makes a sacrifice for his nephew, David, who's suffering from a life-threatening illness. I think you'll enjoy reading Plain Pursuit and seeing how Beth weaves characters so many readers have come to love from Plain Perfect into a new and compelling story without overwhelming the story of a new love blooming between Carley and Noah.
Amy Clipston's A Gift of Grace is the story of Rebecca, a childless Amish woman who suddenly becomes guardian of her two teenage nieces when her sister and brother-in-law die. Amy paints a compelling portrait of characters facing loss and surviving the pain in very different ways. Jessica, a rebellious teen, and her mild-mannered sister, Lindsay, are Englisch and it's quite a culture shock for them to think about life in an Amish community. Rebecca's eagerness to mother her nieces despite her husband Daniel's reservations causes strain on their marriage. Readers can relate to Rebecca's struggle to understand God's will for her life. I think you'll enjoy reading Amy's story, the first in a series called Kaufman Amish Bakery Series.
Both books landed on the CBA bestseller list this week. Congratulations to Beth and Amy!
Rain, rain, go away...well, maybe after I read one more book on my To Be Read pile on the nightstand!
I'm in Panama City Beach, FL. We've had the winds this week, and the rain is just getting to us. I've read Beth's books (loved them) and have A Gift of Grace on hand. That sounds like good reading for this rainy weekend.
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Whether the weather is rainy, cold, hot, or just right ... or it's early or late, it's ALWAYS a good time to read a good book, especially a good Amish book, don'tcha think? : )
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Thanks for the wonderful review! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I'm currently reading "Plain Pursuit" and can't put it down! Beth's characters are so real, and the story is fabulous. I can't wait to see what happens to Carley. I have about 60 pages left and hope to get some reading in tonight!
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No thanks needed. Thank YOU for writing a book I enjoyed reading.
Yes, I bet you can't wait until you can finish Beth's book! I felt the same way about finishing the books you two had written but I had to finish that second novella first. So hard to not have enough time to read everything I want while I'm working.
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Yes, Barbara, rain, rain...here I am too stuck in my 3rd floor apt in Daytona Beach knowing that many of the streets (including my own) are closed even to local traffic. Right now are looking out the window seeing a few rays of sunshine, knowing within the hour it will begin to rain again (20 inches and counting). Apparently He's not taking it away but is seeing us through (the middle) to the other side.
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People in Daytona Beach must be wondering if they should start building an ark!
I hear the rain beginning again. Sigh.
Last week my insurance agent wanted to sell me flood insurance. I might just think about that...
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You are so right!! It is always a good time to read an Amish novel. I can hardly wait to purchase a suitcase of books when we visit Lancaster County in Sept. The Christian Fiction books are extremely expensive in Canada, yet so reasonable in PA!! I stock up when we make our yearly trip and do lots of reading when we stay at our favorite Bed and Breakfast in Paradise, Frogtown Acres.
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I can't wait until my next visit to Amish country.
This time I will be using my new camera and capturing more photos for myself and the website.
I've been testing more Amish recipes (the recipe for Amish pretzels will be posted soon) but it will be good to visit Pa. and taste the real Amish cooking, not my version of the recipes!
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I live just south of Melbourne, FL, and though we haven't had the buckets of rain you have, it's been a lot of rain. I'm ready to see the sun again. I think it has rained every day for at least a week now.
At least rainy days provide ample reading time. I read both Plain Perfect and Plain Pursuit this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed them. I can't wait for Plain Promise to come out in September!
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Hi Kimberly and guide dog Rufus!
Would you believe after I wrote this blog it rained again for several hours each day? I went to put a garbage bag in one of those big wheeled plastic garbage and it was FILLED with rainwater! It was so hard to push it down to the ground and empty it.
At the moment I'm contacting Christian bookstores to arrange book signings for An Amish Christmas due out mid-August. If there is a Christian bookstore you like in Melbourne, send me the name of it and perhaps we can meet if they'll host a book signing. My e-mail is barcameron39@yahoo.com. I believe I'm only about an hour and fifteen minutes away from Melbourne...
Yes, I didn't mind the rain so much when I had Beth and Amy's wonderful books to read!
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And it is still raining today! Sigh. At least the mornings are sunny now, right? My yard and garden sure love all the rain.
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