Books by Marta Perry

Paper or E-reader?

2012-02-03T06:57:00.000-08:00

Paper or E-reader--what's your pleasure when it comes to reading these days?

I have to say that I was one of those people who insisted I would never move to an e-reader. I love the feel of a book in my hands. I like the whole experience of holding it, smelling it, feeling the pages turn. And I still do.

However...my husband received a surprise gift for his birthday a year ago from our children--an e-reader. Their thinking was that he'd enjoy it, since he loves historical fiction and always has a stack of paperbacks he's working his way through. But my husband is also not really into technology, and he loves browsing through used bookstores to find the authors and series he likes, many of which aren't yet available as e-books. So, out of curiosity, I took it over. And I made a discovery: I loved it!

I especially liked the ease with which I could enlarge the type. After a day spent working at the computer, my eyes are tired in the evenings. What a boon to be able to make the print any size I wanted! I also enjoyed the fact that I wasn't adding yet another physical book to my already-crowded shelves each time I got a new book. And it was lovely to finish a book at ten in the evening, order the next in the series, and have it there to start reading in less than a minute. So I was a happy camper.

But the problem with technology is that there's alway something newer and better and faster coming along. For Christmas, one of my granddaughters received a Kindle Fire. On the few occasions when I was able to wrench it out of her fingers, I experimented, and I fell in love. The color, the beautiful covers all arranged on a shelf when I turned it on, and especially the back-lighting which made it even easier for my tired old eyes to read in the evenings.

At one point during the Christmas vacation, I looked around the room and discovered that everyone was reading--some with books, some with e-readers, one or two on computers. According to the grandkids, reading a book on an e-reader is the cool things to do!

My husband, noticing my preoccupation with Greta's new Fire, started to smile. "I suppose you'd like one of those for your birthday," he said, always at a loss to know what to get for someone with a January birthday. I agreed eagerly, and I'm enjoying my new Fire more than I'd have imagined.

Not that I'm giving up print books--far from it! I still want a print book if it's something I want to share, passing it on to my reading friends so that we can discuss it. I want a print book if it's a how-to, because I find it easier to spread the pages of a book out to study the illustrations. And I still have those old favorites that I want to pull from the shelves and enjoy again just as I did the first time around, yellowed pages and all.

So what's your pleasure? Have you succumbed to an e-reader, or does your reading pleasure depend upon the feel of a book in your hand? Does it matter, as long as you're reading?

Blessings,
Marta

A Christmas Gift for You!

2011-12-06T08:19:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to be able to offer you a special Christmas Gift during this holiday season. Nicole O'Dell, founder of the Choose NOW Ministries to young people, has put together a unique cook book with recipes from sixty-five Christian authors. Each author chose a recipe to include that was somehow linked to his or her novel, so the book is called NOVEL MORSELS.

I contributed a recipe for Apple Crumble Pie, a favorite family recipe of mine which also appears in my latest book, KATIE'S WAY. I'm so intrigued to read through all the recipes in this e-book, and I can't wait to try them for myself.

Best of all, I can offer the whole e-book to you free as a Christmas gift! All you have to do is follow the link to order the book, and in the appropriate box enter my code, which is martaperry. Be sure you put it in as a single word. That will drop your cost to zero, and the cookbook will be available to you as a pdf download.

I hope you'll enjoy this unique collection of recipes from some of your favorite authors. To order the book, just follow this link: http://nicoleodell.com/parent-side/nonfiction/novel-morsels/?openstorepage=product_det:49324

Novel Morsels is also available for Kindle and Nook at a cost of $2.99.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll find inside:

Served warm, the melt in your mouth goodness of scones is part of British tea-time ritual—one my Irish and English characters in Promise Me This crave, no matter how far from home they travel. Scones were served at their London and Southampton tables and aboard Titanic. But when WWI rations essential ingredients like butter, sugar, eggs—almost everything—Annie and Michael will surely miss the memories this recipe conjures.

~Novel Morsels, page 121, recipe contributed by Cathy Gohlke

Bon appetit! And Merry Christmas!

Marta

Work of Our Hands

2011-11-16T10:07:00.000-08:00

Last week I went to a women's association mission event at my church, where we learned about the work of Root International, a Christian organization that sends help wherever and whenever it's needed, although it has continuing operations with children's schools with Native Americans and in Mexico. It proved to be an especially meaningful event, because our town was a direct beneficiary of their work in September, when massive flooding hit our area. It was amazing to see that big trailer from Root International pull up in town, jammed full with mattresses and food and equipment to help with the losses right here.

Part of our program was to make small teddy bears to send with Root to children in need of a bit of comfort as well as more material help. For us, with the memory of our own disaster still fresh in our minds, doing so was particularly poignant. But as we sat around tables stuffing bears and sewing seams while we talked and laughed together, I was also reminded of the role handwork plays in women's lives. For generations, women have used the work of their hands not only to create necessary things for their families and others, but also to express their artistry and creative urges.

I don't have to go any farther than my cedar chest to see that expression of love and artistry. Looking at the Double Wedding Ring quilt created from postage-stamp-size patches by a Depression-era great-aunt or the Autumn Leaf quilt my mother made for me or the dresser scarves embroidered by my grandmother, I am reminded again of how precious the work of our hands can be. Each item seems to come with a memory attached, carrying love from previous generations. I've tried to express that appreciation often in my books, especially in my Amish stories. In Katie's Way, my latest book, I was able to express those feelings in the characters, both Englisch and Amish, who gather at Katie's quilt shop to work together, sharing their lives as they quilt.

So when I make doll clothes with one granddaughter and Christmas ornaments with another, I hope I'm doing my part to carry on that tradition. What hand work do you do? Do you find particular satisfaction in it? I hope so.

Blessings,
Marta

KATIE'S WAY by Marta Perry

2011-10-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

Katie's Way, Book 5 in the Pleasant Valley Amish series, will be in stores on Tuesday, November 1. I hope you've been looking forward to a return visit to Pleasant Valley.

Here's a sample for you to taste:

KATIE’S WAY
By Marta Perry

Chapter One

Fast-paced chatter in Pennsylvania Dutch, followed by a ripple of women’s laughter, floated through the archway from what used to be a hardware store. Caleb Brand forced himself to focus on the rocking chair he was waxing, trying to ignore the sounds of change.
He didn’t like change. This building, with its two connected shops, had been a male enclave for years. Now all that was different, because Bishop Mose had decided to rent the other side to Katie Miller for a quilt shop.
Caleb gritted his teeth and rubbed a little harder, trying to concentrate on the grain of the hickory. Rocking chairs were among his best sellers, and this one had turned out to his satisfaction. He’d never let anything go out of his shop that he wouldn’t be happy to have in his own home.
Another peal of female laughter. How many women were over there, anyway, helping to set up for the opening tomorrow? It sounded as if half the sisters in the church district.
No reason why Katie Miller, newly komm to Pleasant Valley from Columbia County, shouldn’t open a quilt shop. He wished her well. Just not next door to him.
The bell on his own front door jingled, and he looked up. Bishop Mose, his white beard fluttering in the mild May breeze that swept down the main street of the village, ducked into the shop.
“Bishop Mose.” He half-rose, showing the man where he was behind the counter at the rear of the show room.
“Ach, Caleb, I thought you’d be tucked away in your workshop at this hour.” The bishop, his years seeming to sit lightly on him, wound his way through the handmade wooden furniture that filled the room.
“Nobody’s here to help out today, so I have to mind the shop.” He put the lid on the furniture wax, tapping it down tight. “Can I do something for you today?”
“Ach, no.” The bishop’s blue eyes, wise with a lifetime of service to the Amish of Pleasant Valley, crinkled a little. “Chust thought I should see for myself how you’re dealing with your new neighbor.”
Caleb glanced down at the rocker to avoid meeting the bishop’s gaze. “Fine. Everything’s fine, I think.”
Maybe he didn’t understand why Bishop Mose had seen fit to install a quilt shop next to him, but he wouldn’t complain. He’d never forget that when it seemed every person in the valley had turned against him, Bishop Mose had accepted his word.
It was eight years since then, and Caleb supposed folks still talked. But thanks to Bishop Mose, he had his place here.
In the brief silence between them, the sound of women’s voices came through clearly, talking about how best to display some quilts, it seemed.
“That’s gut,” Bishop Mose said. “I thought maybe it would be a bother to you, having a quilt shop next door instead of a hardware store.”
Caleb caressed the curved spindle of the rocker absently, the wood warm and smooth under his hand. Could he drop a hint in the bishop’s ear?
“Well, I did think a hardware store was a better fit with my shop.” He said the words as cautiously as if he walked on eggs. “We shared more of the same customers, ain’t so?”
“You don’t think the folks who buy Katie’s quilts will be interested in your fine rocking chairs and chests?” Bishop Mose lifted white eyebrows.
Another burst of laughter scraped at his nerves. “No. I don’t think a bunch of quilting women are likely to want what—“
He stopped, a little too late, he supposed. Katie Miller stood in the archway, and he didn’t doubt she’d heard him.
He cleared his throat, trying to think what to say, but she beat him to it.
“Ach, Bishop Mose, I thought I heard your voice.” The warm smile she directed toward the bishop probably didn’t include Caleb. “Would you like to see what we’ve done with the shop?”
“We would like nothing better.” He reached across the counter to clap Caleb’s shoulder. “Komm, Caleb. We’ll have a look at your new neighbor, ain’t so?”
Caleb hesitated, glancing at Katie. Her blue eyes were guarded, it seemed to him, and her strong jaw set. Katie Miller looked like a determined woman, one bent on doing things her way.
Which was maybe how she’d reached her mid-twenties without marrying, unusual for an Amish woman. And at the moment her way most likely didn’t include showing him her shop.
But in the next instant her expression had melted into a smile. She smoothed back a strand of light brown hair under the white kapp on the back of her head and nodded. “Komm. I’d like fine to show you what we’ve done.”
With the bishop’s hand on his shoulder Caleb couldn’t very well pull away. He walked through the archway, feeling as if he was moving into the foreign land.
It looked that way, too. Harvey Schmidt’s barrels of nails and coils of wire were long gone, of course. The shop had been stripped down to the bare shelves during Harvey’s closing sale. But now—
The walls and shelves had been painted white, as had the counters. Against the white, every color possible glowed in bolts of fabric and spools of thread. It looked like a huge flowerbed in full bloom.
And that was saying nothing of the quilts, draped on a four-poster maple bed that had been placed in the center of the space. Another quilt, in shades of blue and yellow and white, sagged dangerously between Molly, Katie’s cousin and the reason Katie had come to the valley in the first place, and Sarah Mast, Pleasant Valley’s midwife. Both were up on chairs, obviously trying to hang the quilt from a rod that Harvey had used to support coils of rope.
“That looks like a dangerous thing to be doing.” Bishop Mose was quick to steady the chair on which Molly teetered. “Especially for a new maami.”
Dimples appeared in Molly’s cheeks. “Ach, you sound just like my Aaron. Anyone would think I was made of glass to hear him. After all, our little boy is nearly three months old now.”
“Ja, well, komm down, anyway.” Katie went quickly to grasp the quilt from them. “This I’ll put on the bed, and I have some quilted table runners that can hang from the rod instead.”
Molly and Sarah climbed down, looking a little relieved, he thought. Sarah took the quilt from Katie.
“We’ll take care of it. You have guests to show around.”
Katie surrendered the quilt and spread her arms wide in a gesture that took in the whole of the small shop. “Here it is, as you can see.” A smile blossomed on her face, touching her eyes and bringing a glow to her cheeks.
Happiness. Hope. They radiated from Katie like heat from a stove. Caleb couldn’t help but be touched.
But that didn’t change anything, he reminded himself. Having the woman’s business right next door was going to be a nuisance, at the very least.
And if she’d heard what folks said about him, he could only wonder why she’d want to be here at all.

LOOKING FOR BOOK GIVEAWAYS?

2011-10-12T06:19:00.000-07:00

If you enjoy contests and like the idea of winning a free book, I want to draw your attention to www.Goodreads.com. You may have already found this site, but if you haven't, be sure to stop by. It's a great place for booklovers! It gives you opportunities to connect with people who enjoy the kind of books you do, a way to keep track of the books you read, and a chance to post your comments on books, which helps others choose what to read.

One of the neat things about Goodreads is the opportunity to sign up for contests with books as prizes. Just click on the giveaways link, and it will lead you to a page where all the current contests are listed. Publishers and authors list giveaways, sometimes for upcoming books, sometimes for earlier books that are part of a series. It's a nice way for authors to remind readers of their books.

I currently have two contests running, both of which finish the end of October. I'm giving away copies of VANISH IN PLAIN SIGHT, book 2 in my Amish suspense series, and also copies of KATIE'S WAY, book 5 in my Pleasant Valley Amish series. KATIE'S WAY releases the first of November, and I'm delighted that my publisher was willing to make some books available for the contest. So stop by Goodreads for a chance to win a free book--or maybe two!

Blessings,
Marta

WELCOME AUTHOR LYN COTE!

2011-10-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

Today I'm delighted to welcome author and good friend Lyn Cote, with her October Love Inspired release. Lyn is one busy, vibrant lady. Here's a bit about her:

When Lyn Cote became a mother, she gave up teaching, and while raising a son and a daughter, she began working on her first novel. Rejection followed. Finally in 1997, Lyn got "the call." Her first book, Never Alone, was chosen for the brand new Love Inspired romance line. Since then, Lyn has had over thirty-five novels published. In 2006 Lyn's book, Chloe, was a finalist for the RITA, and her book Her Patchwork Family and Her Healing Ways were finalists for the Carol Award in 2010 & 2011,, two of the highest awards in romance. Lyn also features stories of strong women both from real life and true to life fiction on her blog http://BooksbyLynCote.com Writing books at her lake cottage in northern Wisconsin, Lyn hopes her books show the power of divine and human love.

Lyn's latest book is BUILDING A FAMILY, a Love Inspired novel that will be in stores this week.

In BUILDING A FAMILY, lawyer Eleanor Washburn defends wayward teenagers and supervises volunteers for Habitat for Humanity without missing a beat. But she is unnerved by fascinating single dad Pete Beck—especially since his chaotic life includes a little girl wishing for a mother. Sweet Cassie has Eleanor yearning for what's been missing from her lonely existence. Soon, both dad and daughter are chipping away at Eleanor's defenses. Can she find the courage to risk losing her heart to this ready-made family?

A message from Lyn:

Have you ever seen a hodag?
Probably not. The hodag is the mascot of a town I live near in Wisconsin. According to Wikipedia, and I quote: "The Hodag is a folkloric animal of the American state of Wisconsin. Its history is focused mainly around the city of Rhinelander in northern Wisconsin, where it was said to have been discovered."

Rhinelander sits just to the south of the northwoods or Lakeland area where I live. Within a 50 mile radius of my home are 2300 lakes. If you fly over this area, you see more water than land. That explains part of the area's allure. Most of Chicago and Milwaukee head north to escape the heat and humidity of summer. My latest Love Inspired romance is set in a fictitious town near Rhinelander and the hodag makes its romantic debut in BUILDING A FAMILY.

You'll find Lyn's new book in stores this week. Happy Reading!

Marta

MUST-READ FICTION!

2011-09-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

My good friend Valerie Hansen has a new book out this month, and I want to urge you to buy this one. Val writes great romantic suspense, and I'm sure NIGHTWATCH is going to be one of her most popular yet.

Here's a message from Val:

NIGHTWATCH is the first book I've done about a group of volunteers that helps defenseless children by representing them in court and speaking the words they may be too frightened to say. CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates and is now a nationwide organization. I will have other books about the same organization but each will stand alone, so the books won't have to be read in sequence or saved until all are published to be enjoyed.

NIGHTWATCH begins with an arson fire that leaves three youngsters orphaned. The foster mother who takes them in and a firefighter friend of their late parents are called upon to defend these little ones against the same evil that stole their parents lives. The CASA worker who is assigned to this case will be back with her own story in June of 2012 when THREAT OF DARKNESS is published. In September of 2012 the children's uncle, an ex-Marine, is the hero of STANDING GUARD. All three books are published by Love Inspired Suspense.

From Marta: I promise you'll enjoy it!

MURDER AS YOU LIKE IT

2011-09-19T06:21:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, September 24th, I'll be running down to Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania to participate in Murder as You Like It, a mystery conference sponsored by Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookshop. Since we all know how rare independent bookstores are becoming, I'm delighted to participate when I hear of an interesting event like this one. The store has assembled a group of fifteen mystery authors to present a day-long event for fans of mystery, spy, thriller and horror novels.

Among the participants are Cordelia Frances Biddle, author of the critically-aclaimed Martha Beale historical series; Chris Grabenstein, who writes the popular "Haunted Mystery Series" for kids; mystery authors Valerie and Paul Malmont; and a number of others.

I'll be particpating on a panel called Reluctant Sleuths, and I'll focus on my Amish suspense novels, including the upcoming Danger in Plain Sight.

If you're anywhere in the Mechanicsburg area and you'd like to have a great day of chatting with mystery authors and fans, do join us. The event will be held at the Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 5000 Simpson Ferry Road, Mechanicsburg, PA. You can find a brochure online at www.MysteryBooksOnline.com

Happy Reading,
Marta Perry

FLOODING

2011-09-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

The perfect storm, they're calling it--that odd combination of the jet stream, the remnants of a tropical storm, the hurricane out in the Atlantic. All we know here is that it sent a steady trail of rain running right up the Susquehanna River Valley this week. In the past, we old-timers measured everything by Hurricane Agnes, back in '72. "Well, if you'd been through Agnes..." we'd say whenever the subject of floods came up.

But the river has made such comments obsolete, setting new, painful records which put over a quarter of Bloomsburg, our town, under water. Out here in the country we went through our own creek flooding on Wednesday, coming out with nothing worse than a couple of feet of water in the barn, ground water in the springhouse, and a lot of worry. I discovered myself baking muffins while checking the water rise, and I remembered that on that Thursday when Agnes hit, I'd baked a cherry pie. Apparently my default action to disaster is to start baking.

Now all we can do is watch and wait for the river to go down in town, praying for our friends who have been evacuated but unable even to go and help them. In the midst of the water and mud and misery, small stories of hope and heroism keep surfacing, reminding us that sometimes when conditions are at their worst, people are at their best.

Our community radio station, a dying breed, has stayed on air and on flood coverage 24/7, keeping people informed, bringing families together, directing help where it's needed. This despite the fact that the station didn't have electricity and many of its personnel had homes in the danger zone. Individuals and groups have sprung into action without being asked, putting on meals for any who need it, no questions asked, while local restaurants ferried food to the Red Cross evacuation centers as long as they had power and water.

It will be a long time before Bloomsburg and the other river towns are back to normal, but it will happen. Lives will be rebuilt along with homes, the park and the fairgrounds will once again be our community's pride. But we won't forget the flood of September 2011 in a hurry.

If you're of a mind to help, check out the website of the American Red Cross. They're doing their usual wonderful job with the aid of local volunteers, and they can always use your support.

TOMATO TIME

2011-09-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

Every year around this time, we have our annual tomato squeezing. Someone I mentioned that to laughed and said it sounded like a taffy pull. Well, not quite, but really, it's almost as much fun. Take eight friends, lots of tomatoes fresh from the garden, add one large Squeezo, and have at it. Each September, we invite some friends to come bringing their tomatoes, and we have a pleasant and amazingly productive evening.

For the uninitiated, a Squeezo is an ingenious hand-operated machine. It clamps to a table (our picnic table, in this case) and has a large hopper on top into which you put the washed tomatoes fresh from the garden. Press down with a wooden mallet, turn the crank, and the skins and seeds come out one side while the lovely tomato puree pours out the other. A tedious job if you're doing it all alone, it becomes a party when friends are invited! We end the work part of the evening with each couple having quarts of sauce ready to take home and be made into juice or soup or spaghetti sauce. And then supper is on the table--by tradition, I never serve anything made with tomatoes!

Gardens being sometimes unpredictable, each year we wonder what the harvest will bring. Sometimes one person supplies most of the tomatoes, sometimes another. Our particular tomato patch suffered this year: the ground was too wet to get the plants in on time, and then a long, hot, dry spell hit just when we were out of town and unable to water. As a result, our contribution will be sparse, but I understand our friends are more bountifully supplied, so I think there will be tomatoes for all. One community in our neighborhood has an annual tomato battle this time of year. All I can think is what a waste, when it can be turned into lovely homemade spaghetti sauce.

My spaghetti sauce recipe comes from my father, who always made the sauce in our house when I was growing up. There's nothing exact about it, since spaghetti sauce is as much by taste as by measuring. Here's how we do it:

Take one 12-quart kettle filled with fresh squeezed tomato puree. Add one cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of salt, one large onion, chopped, 4 large cloves of garlic, pressed, stir together thoroughly, then turn the heat on to medium high. As the sauce begins to heat, add a generous handful each of chopped fresh basil leaves and chopped fresh oregano. (I grow both of these in pots outside the kitchen door, but oregano seems to be trying to take over one of my flowerbeds, as well.) Add 2 bay leaves. (Don't chop the bay leaves, as you'll want to remove them when the cooking is finished.) If you don't have fresh basil and oregano, you can use dried, and be generous with the amounts. Add a pinch of red pepper. Stir thoroughly and taste, adding more spices as needed to bring it to your taste. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least 4-5 hours. You want to let it cook down and thicken a bit. When it's finished simmering, I can mine in jars, using a pressure canner. You can also put it in plastic containers and freeze. I prefer canning, as I feel the flavors meld as it sits. This amount makes about 8 quarts of sauce. When you're ready to use the sauce, it's time to taste again. You can add a few diced fresh tomatoes, if you like that in your sauce. If the sauce seems too acid, add a tiny pinch of baking soda. If you prefer it a bit thicker, add a small can of Italian tomato paste. As I say, it's all in the tasting!

Enjoy!

Introducing Sandra Orchard

2011-08-26T06:13:00.000-07:00

It's my pleasure from time to time to intoduce you to one of my author friends. This time it's new author Sandra Orchard, with her Love Inspired suspense novel. Be sure to check out her great new book!

Sandra Orchard lives in rural Ontario, Canada where inspiration abounds for her romantic suspense novels set in the fictional Niagara town she's created as their backdrop. Married with three grown children, when not writing, she enjoys hanging out with family, brainstorming new stories with fellow writers, and hiking or kayaking in God's beautiful creation. Her debut novel Deep Cover is now available on eHarlequin and hits bookstore shelves in September. You can buy it now at http://bit.ly/DeepCover

IDENTITY: GUARDED
Maintaining his cover cost undercover cop Rick Gray the woman he loved. Sweet Ginny Bryson never really knew Rick. He never gave her the chance. Not then, and not now, when he's back with a new alias to gather evidence against Ginny's uncle. The man's crimes led to Rick's partner's death, and Rick wants justice to be served. But his investigation is stirring up trouble, and Ginny is smack-dab in the middle. Someone wants Ginny to pay the price for what her uncle has done. But how can Rick protect her without blowing his cover, jeopardizing his assignment...and risking both their lives?

Deep Cover is the first book in the series, Undercover Cops: Fighting for justice puts their lives—and hearts—on the line.

Book 2 ~ Shades of Truth ~ March 2012
A compassionate youth worker fighting to preserve her dying father’s legacy battles the justice-driven detective who threatens her mission and her heart.

Book 3 ~ Dose of Deception ~ TBA (title tentative)
A nurse. An undercover cop. A killer who’ll stop at nothing to avoid being caught.

What reviewers are saying about Deep Cover:
“4 Stars. Great job…a good mystery, interesting characters and a satisfying ending.” ~ Romantic Times

“A great debut novel that will steal your breath away.” ~ Kav at Best Reads.

Visit Sandra Online at:
her website ~ www.SandraOrchard.com
her personal blog ~ http://www.SandraOrchard.blogspot.com
On Facebook ~ www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard

On Being A Writer

2011-08-19T06:58:00.000-07:00

Recently I gave a talk at an area library. Most of the participants were there because they were interested in Amish fiction, but there were a few who are aspiring writers. I always include a bit about how I started writing for those folks, hoping they will find encouragement from my story. Here's a little of what I said.

I began my career in fiction writing in a very small way, writing 3 or 4-page stories for church school take-home papers. Since I didn’t have anyone to tell me I was doing it the wrong way, I simply analyzed as many published stories as I could find to figure out what made them tick, and then tried to write my own.

The first story I wrote, called, I believe, “Kathy’s Bedtime,” was rejected its first time out. I figured I’d give it another try, so sent it out once more. It came back again, but this time the editor had taken the trouble to scribble at the bottom of the printed rejection slip, “Nice story.” Bless that anonymous editor. That response made me brave enough to try again, and that time it sold, to Story Friends magazine for the magnificent sum of $16. I took my husband out to dinner with the proceeds and told him I was a writer.

I’m telling you this not because I think it’s a remarkable story, but to show that writing careers, especially fiction careers, begin in all sorts of ways, some of them very small. If I had been discouraged by that first rejection slip, or if I had decided that the struggle wasn’t worth it for $16, I wouldn’t have reached the point of having published over 300 short stories and 43 novels.

I’ve known, over the past 30 years, so many very talented writers—some much more talented than I—who couldn’t keep going through the rejections, the slow pay, the no pay, the magazines that fold before your story comes out, the book lines that die inexplicably. If you ask me what the major ingredients are in success as a fiction writer, I’d have to say persistence and desire. Without those, writers don’t succeed, no matter how talented.

One of the participants at the library got in touch with me after the event, asking about writers' groups in the area, and I was able to refer her to a great local group. I think she's on the right track!

Country Mouse in the Big City

2011-07-05T17:35:00.000-07:00

Wow, was last week ever amazing! Romance Writers of America's annual conference is always an exciting time, but the conference in New York City last week topped them all, in my opinion. New York lived up to its reputation for being the brightest, glitziest, busiest, and loudest city in the country.

Not that I haven't been to the city before--and many other cities as well. But from the moment the shuttle bus rounded the corner and Broadway spread out ahead of us, I was hooked. I happened to ride into the city from the airport with a family of German tourists who were on their first holiday in the US, and their reaction of awe and amazement just made my own even better.

The conference was held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, and it was busy, busy, busy, with the publishing companies who have their homes in the city eager to show their authors a good time and scout the many unpublished writers for the next talent.

For me, the best part was the chance to see all the writing buddies I see only once a year at the national conference. Squeals punctuated the air in the lobby, and hugs were the order of the day. If you haven't heard two thousand excited women all talking at the same time, you might still have your hearing intact!

The Booksigning for Literacy topped all expectations, as authors and fans jammed the ballroom, raising over $47,000 in two hours for literacy programs. But I must confess, by the time I'd signed books and then gone out to dinner with one of my editors, I was more than ready to crash. I'm far more used to hearing the call of birds than the wail of sirens.

After four crowded days, lots of meeting and greeting, workshops, lunches with editors, booksignings, brainstorming, bull sessions, and a couple of glitzy parties, I was ready to come home. This country mouse had had her fill of excitement--until next year, of course!

VANISH IN PLAIN SIGHT

2011-05-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to announce that VANISH IN PLAIN SIGHT, Book 2 in the Amish Suspense series, will be out in bookstores June 1st. I hope you'll look for it.

Here's a bit about the story:

Since she was a little girl, Marisa Angelo has been haunted by the image of her mother walking away, suitcase in hand, to return to her Amish roots. Marisa and her Englischer father never saw or heard from her again. Now Marisa has received a shocking call from police. Her mother's bloodstained suitcase was found hidden inside the wall of a Pennsylvania Dutch farmhouse.

Desperate for answers, Marisa heads to Lancaster County. But no one—not the police or Marisa's tight-lipped Amish relatives—can explain what happened to her mother. Only one man is as determined as Marisa to unravel the mystery—Link Morgan, the handsome ex-military loner who found the suitcase in the house he inherited from his uncle. Now both Link's and Marisa's family member are implicated in the decades-old disappearance.

The secret lies somewhere in the quaint Amish settlement. But someone will do anything to ensure the truth remains hidden forever.

HQN Books, June, 2011

Please let me know what you think of it!

Blessings,
Marta

Summer Salads from Marta Perry

2011-05-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Marta Perry!

Despite the fact that it’s rained every day for the past ten days, my thoughts are turning to summertime food. Even if picnics are moved inside because of rain, it’s still all about the food!

Most of my recipes for summertime salads come from by Pennsylvania Dutch background, and we use mayonnaise—boy, do we ever use mayonnaise. Maybe I shouldn’t even think about the amount of calories in some of our popular dishes. At a typical church picnic around here, you’re likely to find an array of salads to suit every possible taste.

My two favorites to take to events are potato salad and tuna and shells salad, both of which I make with my mother’s recipe. My husband is usually so happy to see me making the potato salad that he offers to chop all the onions and celery for me!

I thought you might enjoy my recipe for Tuna and Shells salad, so I’ve included it below. I make potato salad in exactly the same way, except substitute six to eight large cooked potatoes to the pasta and delete the tuna.

Do you have favorite foods that say ‘summer’ to you?

TUNA AND SHELLS SALAD

¾ box of pasta: elbows, shells, or rotelli, cooked and drained
2 cans tuna, drained
5-6 eggs, hard-cooked and chopped
¾ cup chopped celery
¾ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped bread and butter pickles

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T pickle liquid
1 t sugar

Combine salad ingredients. Combine dressing ingredients and adjust to taste. Combine dressing and ingredients, mix. Add more mayo as needed. Salt and pepper.

Memories in the China Cabinet

2011-05-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

No good deed goes unpunished, so the cynics say. Last week I decided that the glass doors of my china cabinet looked a bit streaked, so I decided to clean them. Unfortunately, that led to my actually looking into the china cabinet! Dust, dust, and more dust! Where did it all come from in a cabinet that's always kept closed?

Well, you know what happened. One job always leads to another, and before I had even made a decision to do it, I started taking things out. Three days and many, many dishwasher loads later, I finally finished!

But this isn't about a job that I clearly should have done sooner. It's about the precious memories that were lurking, nearly forgotten, inside that cabinet.

My mother's clear hobnail glass pitcher, for example. I washed that by hand, remembering hot summer Sundays, my parents' friends gathered on the lawn, the murmur of the adult conversation forming a reassuring background to the children at play. The glass pitcher was always filled with homemade iced tea, slices of lemon floating in it. For some reason, that was fascinating to a child. We kids didn't get iced tea, of course. There was lemonade for us, also homemade, served in paper cups. We scurried off, carrying our cups under the huge weeping willow in the backyard. The branches swept to the ground, and inside it was cool and shady. That willow tree cave was by turns a fort, a castle, or even a pirate ship, and willow switches made fine swords. I'd nearly forgotten those days, until a glass pitcher reminded me.

My mother-in-law has a place in the cabinet, too. She collected the amber depression glass, piece by piece, at a time when the economic future looked worse than it does today. She cherished those pieces, and I like to think each one gave her an extra bit of pleasure when she passed them on to her children.

The silver baby spoons aren't in my cabinet any longer, much as I loved them, especially the older ones that had been given to me by my mother and aunts. But when my grandchildren began to arrive, I knew it was my turn to pass on a memory. Fortunately there were enough...one for each grandchild as he or she arrived.

Are there memories stashed away in your china cabinet, too? I hope so. Our grandchildren are moving into a future that changes so quickly it seems impossible to keep up with. Family treasures, even small ones, can form a link, connecting them and us to our pasts.

If this inspires you to take a look, let me know what you find!

Blessings,
Marta

Free Novella!

2011-05-02T05:51:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to announce the release of an ebook novella in my Amish Suspense series. Even better, the novella is available free for a limited period of time!

LOST IN PLAIN SIGHT is set in the same community as MURDER IN PLAIN SIGHT and features an appearance by Geneva Morgan, a favorite character from the series. Here's a little about the story:

Leah Miller's peaceful life as a member of the Spring Township Amish church shatters when she's accused of theft from an Englisch home in which she works. Even if she is not charged, if the crime is never solved, she will live under the taint of the theft and may never be able to participate fully in her Amish community. Josiah King, friend of Leah's brother, is drawn into helping Leah—and discovers the ‘little sister' he'd always tolerated has grown into a strong, appealing woman.

But what future can they have together if suspicion makes Leah an outcast? As they attempt to learn the facts behind the accusation, danger grows around them. It's only through their trust in each other and the support of a faithful Englisch friend that Leah and Josiah can find their way through a tangled, dangerous maze to the truth.

An ebook exclusive novella from Marta Perry's The Brotherhood of the Raven series. FIND IT ONLINE STARTING MAY 2 AT WWW.EHARLEQUIN.COM

And here's a direct link to the story:

http://ebooks.eharlequin.com/013960F5-CC03-41CE-B322-477D56290A34/10/141/en/SearchResults.htm?SearchID=24293429

If you have trouble with the link for any reason, go to www.eharlequin.com, click on ebooks, and enter Lost in Plain Sight into the search box.

Let me know what you think!

Blessings,
Marta

Blooming

2011-04-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

Remember the old saying, "Bloom where you are planted?" Right now, I'm thinking of something that's the exact opposite. Some twenty years ago or so, our local 4-H club was selling flower bulbs for a fundraiser, so of course I bought some to help out. Among the bulbs was a bag of tiny ones called Siberian Squills, which I popped into my flower bed along the stone wall and promptly forgot about.

Now, after all these years, the squills are still blooming beautifully beside the wall. But they've also become scattered throughout the side yard of the house and are rapidly advancing toward the front, as well! On these gray early April days, I can't tell you the joy I feel when I glance out and see the lovely little patches of bright blue here and there throughout the yard. They're a reminder that in spite of the gloomy wet days we've been having, spring really is coming!

The wandering squills link up with something else that happened to me recently, in that odd way that the writer's mind connects things. Recently I happened to exchange e-mails with a writer friend I seldom see except occasionally at a statewide writers' event. And she thanked me for an encouraging word I'd spoken to her many years ago, saying how much it meant to her. I didn't remember, to be honest. But something I'd said that day and as quickly forgotten had been just the word she needed to hear at that particular moment.

I can't help but believe, when something like this happens, that it's a little piece of God's plan. A casual word took root and grew for another person, spreading encouragement like the tiny blossoms of the squills. It humbles me, but in a way it frightens me, too. What about the words I haven't spoken? What about the fleeting impulses to extend sympathy or trust or encouragement that I didn't act upon?

So maybe this is about blooming where you're planted after all. Each day, there's surely a chance for each of us to say a kind word to someone. Isn't there? It's not important to know the result of that word. It's enough to do it.

Blessings,
Marta

Where are the bookstores?

2011-03-30T07:29:00.001-07:00

Where are bookstores going? Does anyone know? I realized over the winter that several of my favorite booksellers in Hilton Head, where we spend the cold months, have closed. In fact, Barnes and Noble seems to be the only one left thriving. Don't get me wrong--I love Barnes and Noble! I can go in, browse to my heart's content through the mystery and religion sections, check out the latest juvenile books for my grandkids, and have a Chai Latte and an orange scone and eavesdrop on the latest comments from the quartet of older gentlemen who seem to spend all their time there, setting the world to rights.

But I love bookstores, and I hate to see any of them perish. The independent bookstores, in particular, have an atmosphere I cherish. Each one seems to reflect the personality of the store owner, and often the books have been hand-chosen to appeal to his or her clientele. Like B's Books in Punxsutawney, for instance. Punxsutawney is known for its famous groundhog, but the delightful small bookshop across from the park is a treasure, as well.

Or my own favorite hometown bookstore, Cloak and Dragon Bookshop in Bloomsburg. Right on Main Street, it allows you to take up a table in the front window, sip a cup of coffee or tea, read, and watch the world go by on the sidewalk outside. Cloak and Dragon is also "my" bookstore in another sense. Every author needs a hometown bookshop which will keep his or her books in stock, promote him or her at every opportunity, and handsell books. Here I am, with my eyes closed as so often happens when someone points a camera in my direction, with Sharon, the proprietor of Cloak and Dragon, at my most recent signing. This was such a lovely event, and I am always grateful for her support.

Of course I love online booksellers, too. Where would I be without Amazon? In need of a reference book for the work-in-progress? It's only a click away. Want to see the backlist of an author I've just discovered? That's there as well. And since I live in the country, there's a lot to be said for finding the books I ordered on my doorstep in a couple of days!

And then there's the e-reader. We now have a Kindle, and I've fallen in love with it, as well. When I'm sitting in my favorite chair in the evening, can't find anything worth watching on television, don't sense an appeal from the books in my "to be read" pile, a new read is just seconds away with the Kindle. Obviously I'm a devoted reader, and I'm sure you are, too. As far as I'm concerned, the more places I have to buy and borrow books, in whatever format, the better. And I don't want to lose a single one of them! How about you?

SARAH'S GIFT WINNER!

2011-03-01T07:20:00.000-08:00

And the winner of the signed copy of SARAH'S GIFT is.......Kristie Donelson!

I'll e-mail you separately, Kristie, so that you can send me your mailing address.

If you weren't a winner, I hope you'll go out and buy your copy soon! If you'd like a signed bookplate for it, just e-mail me with your address at marta@martaperry.com and I'll be happy to send you one.

Blessings,
Marta

Book Giveaway

2011-02-18T11:40:00.000-08:00

The latest book in my Pleasant Valley Amish series from Berkley Books, SARAH’S GIFT, will be in stores on March 1st, and I’m so excited about its release that I’d like to give someone the sole copy I have at the moment! (More should be on their way, I trust.)

SARAH’S GIFT is the story of Sarah Mast, a widowed midwife who comes to Pleasant Valley to join her aunt’s midwife practice. But things start to go wrong the moment Sarah arrives. Her aunt, the strongest woman Sarah has ever known, has become forgetful, and the birthing center which was supposed to be finished is barely started. Instead of the thriving practice Sarah remembers, her aunt is seeing only a few clients. With the choice of forging ahead or retreating to her former life, Sarah takes a step in faith, offering to pay for finishing the birthing center.

Aaron Miller, Aunt Emma’s neighbor, was glad when he heard the midwife practice might close. At least that would force women to go to the hospital for births, instead of dying at home the way his mother had.

Aaron’s emotions take a swing the other direction when he meets Sarah and learns she plans to expand the practice. He wants to stay as far away as possible from this disturbing influence in their lives, but when Bishop Mose asks him to take on the job of finishing the carpentry at the birthing center, he finds it difficult to refuse.

Thrown together with Sarah on a daily basis, Aaron can’t help but come to admire her strength and caring, even while he wishes she were anything other than a midwife.

The practice begins to thrive as the birthing center goes up, and Sarah’s hopes for its future rise, as well. With Aaron and his brothers a daily part of her life, she begins to care about them, but especially for Aaron. She has to deny, even to herself, that she feels anything more than friendship. Her marriage had faltered even before her husband’s death, when she’d been unable to conceive, and she won’t risk going through that pain again.

But life has a way of interfering with people’s plans. When an Englisch doctor tries to put the midwife practice out of business and Aaron’s sister goes into labor with no one but Sarah to help, both Aaron and Sarah are forced to confront their secret pain and longing. As trouble thickens around her, will Sarah’s confidence in God’s gift to her be enough to see her through?

I hope you’ll want to visit Pleasant Valley again. You’ll have a chance to revisit old friends and meet new ones, and I pray that SARAH’S GIFT will touch your heart.

If you’re interested in winning a copy, just comment below, leaving your e-mail address so that I can reach you. I’ll pick a winner on March 1st.

Hexel and Mummix and Pennsylvania Dutch

2011-02-05T13:19:00.000-08:00

Ever heard of hexel? Or mummix? If so, I'd guess there's some Pennsylvania Dutch in your family tree, as there is in mine. And if you checked first thing on Grundsou Day to find out what Punxsutawney Phil said about Spring, I'm sure of it!

Hexel and mummix are used to describe what most of us would call leftovers--or rather, the dishes that are concocted from them. Being a thrifty people, the Amish and other Pennsylvania Dutch don't like to let good food go to waste, so they find different ways to get one more meal from leftovers.

The main staple of hexel and mummix is leftover meat--beef, ground beef, creamed beef, pork or ham. To the meat is added a variety of ingredients, according to the cook's taste. In other words, Hash!

Here's a simple and easy recipe to start you off:

Mummix:

1 lb ground beef or turkey or venison
1 cup of boiled potatoes, cubed
1 egg
1 small onion, chopped
2 T vinegar
1 T butter
1 T vegetable oil
Salt and Pepper

Heat the butter and cooking oil in a hot frying pan. Mix the other ingredients and add to the pan. Cook and stir until the meat is browned. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Enjoy for breakfast or supper.

Happy eating,
Marta

Amish Wisdom Radio Interview

2011-01-13T06:54:00.000-08:00

Amish author Suzanne Woods Fisher is, in addition to writing wonderful books, the host of a web radio show called Amish Wisdom, airing every Thursday at 5:00 Eastern Time. I was delighted to be asked to be her guest, and we taped the show last week. My radio interview on Amish Wisdom will air today at 5 Eastern time at http://toginet.com/shows/amishwisdom/articles/1266

The interview will continue to be available after the initial airing, so if you'd like to hear it, stop by anytime. I had an hour-long discussion with Suzanne about Amish fiction and my books. I was very nervous, but Suzanne made the process easy. I was just getting over strep, so my voice and energy were flagging by the end, but I hope it turned out all right. We discussed both of my series, Pleasant Valley and the Amish Suspense series.

I hope you'll give it a listen!

Marta

Post-Christmas Catch-Up

2011-01-10T10:28:00.000-08:00

Are you still trying to catch up after the holidays? If so, you're not alone! We spend so much time and energy preparing for Christmas and New Year's, that we're bound to let something else go, aren't we?

I don't know what you're working on, but I've been playing catch-up with my writing. Currently I'm writing Book 3 in my Amish suspense series, Judgment in Plain Sight. I'm also starting to write a suspense novella that my publisher will make available at eHarlequin.com as a lead-in to the second book in the suspense series, Vanish in Plain Sight, coming in June. And I'm expecting the edits on the fifth book in the Pleasant Valley Amish series, Katie's Way, to arrive on my desk shortly. It's no wonder I get confused at times!

However, the beautiful holidays made the work very worthwhile. We had all six grandchildren and their parents here for Christmas. The four girls were angels in the Christmas pageant on Christmas Eve, and the three-year-old was almost an angel. Unfortunately, his mother says he reverted to his normal personality too quickly, shedding his halo even before he reached the pew! Still, the pageant was a lovely reminder of what we were celebrating. Each year we visit Bethlehem anew in the form of precious old carols, well-loved scripture, and a fresh crop of angels with crooked halos and shepherds in bathrobes. Small wonder that I had tears in my eyes.

Christmas morning was total chaos, as might be expected with six children ten and under. It seems each one got his or her heart's desire, and no one had a meltdown, which is always a surprise! As for the adults, I think most of our pleasure came from seeing the children's delight. When we have the grandkids around at the holidays, it's such a sweet reminder of when our own children were small.

That happens at Christmas, doesn't it? No matter what the present situation is, those memories of Christmases Past come to the surface, bringing both joy and perhaps a few tears.

Whatever the memories you had at Christmas, no matter how stressed and busy you were, I hope that you found moments of peace and joy in the celebration of our Savior's birth.

Blessings,

Marta

Must-Have Book for Writers

2010-12-17T06:44:00.000-08:00

My friend Jeff Gerke, a talented Christian writer and the developer of Marcher Lord Press, has a new book out on writing from Writers Digest Books, and I'm so impressed with this one that I just have to share. PLOT VERSUS CHARACTER is an excellent guide in developing both of these crucial elements in writing. I used his process in developing the book I'm writing now, Judgment in Plain Sight, and it really helped me in integrating a complex suspense plot with character development.

With PLOT VERSUS CHARACTER, A BALANCED APPROACH TO WRITING GREAT FICTION, Jeff Gerke presents an answer to the age-old question of writers: which comes first, character or plot? Whether you love developing complex characters but struggle to find something for them to do, or excel at developing intricate plots, only to find your characters are made of cardboard, you’ll find solutions to your problem in Gerke’s book.

Gerke’s entertaining, friendly style, full of concrete examples, will keep you reading, finding insights you can apply to your story on every page. Whatever the level of your writing skill, this excellent book will help you take your writing to the next level.

If you're a writer, or if there's a writer on your Christmas gift list, I highly recommend PLOT VERSUS CHARACTER by Jeff Gerke.

Christmas Baking

2010-12-10T06:37:00.000-08:00

Marta Perry’s Rolled Sugar Cookies

Generations of Pennsylvania Dutch women have spent long, tiring, but happy hours come December in baking Christmas cookies. No home would be complete without at least several kinds, but the crowning achievement in Christmas cookie-dom has to be the traditional rolled sugar cookie. Each group, maybe each baker, has its own particular take on how these are to be done. The Moravians typically use confectioners sugar instead of white sugar in their recipes. Sometimes the cookies are baked with a sprinkling of colored sugar, but our family tradition has always been the iced cutout cookie. Shapes vary with the cookie cutters that are available, but stars and trees are probably the most common. My own children loved a particular reindeer cutter, despite the fact that the reindeer legs were very fragile and might break during the icing process.

The following recipe has been popular in my family since before I can remember. My mother made rolled sugar cookies with me when I was a child, and I did the same with my three kids. Now, I’m making them with my grandchildren. The oldest, ten-year-old Bjoern, loftily explains to his younger sibling and cousins, “It’s a tradition.”

In the photo you'll see Estella, complete with Santa hat, making Christmas cookies with me. This is a special picture for me, because my husband and I were at her house, awaiting the arrival of her little brother, Tyler. We filled in the time making Christmas cookies!

Rolled Sugar Cookies
1 Cup Crisco
1 ½ C sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
4 C flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
4 to 6 T milk

Cream the shortening and sugar. Add eggs; beat. Add other ingredients and mix well. The dough may be refrigerated at this point for ease in handling. Roll out very thin on a floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 degrees for about six minutes, until very lightly browned.
After the cookies have cooled on a rack, frost them with the following confectioners sugar icing. The children can then decorate still more with icing tubes or colored sugars, if you really want that extra dose of sweetness.
This recipe makes a very thin, crisp cookie that is not overly sweet, contrasting well with the frosting.

Frosting
1 box of confectioners sugar
½ C butter or margarine, softened
3-4 T milk
1 t vanilla

Combine and beat until smooth and creamy.

It's best to let the icing dry a bit before storing the cookies. Then store them in tight containers with wax paper between the layers. I promise, they'll go fast!

CHRISTMAS AND THE AMISH

2010-12-03T07:17:00.000-08:00

I'm deeply involved in Christmas preparations right now, as I'm sure you are. Gifts to buy and then wrap, decorations to be put up, cookies and special holiday treats to bake, and Christmas parties and dinners, enough to send an introvert like me into hiding!

We'll have fourteen people around our Christmas dinner table--but that is nothing compared to the numbers when an Amish family gathers for their holiday celebration. Because of the large families and the fact that extended families typically live close to each other, a Christmas family gathering might have sixty or eighty people!

Usually that large family gathering is not held on Christmas Day. Instead, celebrations are spread over a longer period. Some families might have their get-together on Second Christmas, the day after Christmas which is usually reserved for visiting friends and relatives. Other might choose to have a family celebration on New Year's, or some other day that works well for the entire family.

As for that gift list of mine, which sometimes seems to be getting out of hand-- The Amish give gifts to each other during the holidays, but they are typically small items, often something that is handmade for the recipient to treasure. Most Amish schools have a gift exchange, and in areas where home schooling is more popular, the children who are home-schooled might get together and exchange names for a holiday party. And of course, the teacher must receive a gift--again, usually something handmade or baked.

Most Amish do not take their children to see Santa, although some do, depending upon the particular community, and Santa doesn't leave presents under a tree, since there is no tree. But it's common for children to receive small gifts on Christmas morning, followed no doubt by other gifts as they visit, or are visited by, their grandparents.

The fact that they don't put up a tree doesn't mean that there are no signs of Christmas in an Amish household. Here in Pennsylvania, with our strong Pennsylvania Dutch traditions, it's common to see greens and candles in the house as the season approaches. The children may pounce on every Christmas card that arrives, eager to add it to a string or tape it to a door frame so that everyone can enjoy it each time they pass.

The school Christmas program is a huge part of the celebration in Amish communities which have their own schools. The children spend excited weeks preparing for the presentation, which is done in English. Teachers may spend even more time, collecting the poems, readings, and songs which the children will learn! The poems and readings focus on the meaning of the season, often stressing the importance of having an attitude of thankfulness and the joy of doing for others. By the time every scholar's parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, and other relatives file into the one-room school, it's crowded with an uncritical audience ready to enjoy every minute of the program, even the occasional error or forgotten line!

And what would Christmas be without baking? Most families have their special Christmas cookie traditions, and during the days and weeks before the holiday, the house is filled with those special aromas which say Christmas in any language.

Wishing you all the joy and peace of the season,

Marta

MURDER IN PLAIN SIGHT

2010-11-26T12:09:00.000-08:00

What would happen if an Amish teenager were accused of murder?

The contrast between a peaceful, pastoral countryside dotted with barns and crisscrossed by horse-drawn buggies and the gritty, dark city streets of Law and Order popped into my imagination and wouldn’t let go. Who would defend this innocent-looking Amish boy? Imagine a big-city female attorney in a stylish power suit and Italian shoes trudging across a muddy pasture—there she was, the total fish out of water, my protagonist, Jessica Langdon.

MURDER IN PLAIN SIGHT proved to be one of the most interesting, as well as difficult, stories I’ve tried to write. Fortunately I have an attorney daughter-in-law who is only as far away as a quick e-mail. And I started with a treasure trove of knowledge about the Amish and their ways, garnered from a lifetime spent in rural Pennsylvania. But juggling all of this: the mystery, the suspense, the romance, planting the seeds for the second book in the series...well, maybe I was a juggler with one too many balls in the air!

The result of my labors, MURDER IN PLAIN SIGHT, is available now, so look for it at your nearest bookseller or online. Here’s the back cover copy:

MURDER IN PLAIN SIGHT by Marta Perry
HQN Books, December, 2010, 384 pages, $7.99
ISBN: 978-0-373-77472-2

Cover Blurb:

There are secrets buried in Amish country...

Did a sweet-faced Amish teenager brutally murder a young woman? To save her career, big-city lawyer Jessica Langdon is determined to defend him—against the community’s bitter and even violent outrage. Yet without an understanding of Amish culture, Jessica must rely on arrogant businessman Trey Morgan, who has ties to the Amish community...but believes in the boy’s guilt.

Jessica has threats coming from all sides: a local fanatic, stirred up by the biased publicity of the case; the dead girl’s boyfriend; even from the person she’s learned to trust the most, Trey Morgan. Just when Jessica fears she’s placed her trust in the wrong man, Trey saves her life. And now they must both reach into a dangerous past to protect everyone’s future—including their own.

Happy Reading!
Marta

Amish and the Law

2010-11-18T11:31:00.000-08:00

When I was doing the research for my latest book, MURDER IN PLAIN SIGHT, which will be out from HQN Books the end of November, I spent a good bit of time sorting out what the society in general believes about the Amish reaction to the law from the truth. In my story, an Amish teenager is accused of the murder of a young woman with whom he was apparently involved. The protagonist is a female attorney from Philadelphia who is brought in to defend him. Amish relationship with the law is a big part of the story, and I needed to know how that would play out from the Amish perspective, so that I could attempt to portray the different reactions.

For the Amish, living separate from the world generally means that while they are very law-abiding themselves, they are reluctant to turn to the law for help. In some instances, outside groups have helped to obtain lawyers to represent the Amish when their beliefs and practices run afoul of government regulations, as in the celebrated school disputes of the 1950s, which went all the way to the Supreme Court. In more recent years, this sort of dispute with the government has resurfaced over requirements to have photo IDs, since the Amish object on religious grounds to having their photographs taken. This controversy boiled up recently in Missouri, with numbers of Old Order Mennonites planning to move to another state if they were required to do so.

The Amish do use attorneys' services to draw up wills, handle real estate transactions, set up business partnerships, etc., but they are unwilling, or at least reluctant, to use the legal system to protect their rights. Unfortunately, this has led to a number of situations in which others have bilked Amish individuals or businesses, knowing that the Amish are unlikely to sue them.

For much the same reason, the Amish in some areas have been the victims of thefts, home break-ins, and vandalism. It may be that the perpetrators are drawn to people they believe will not fight back. In one recent incident, someone had been repeatedly breaking in Amish businesses, apparently feeling that he could get away with it more easily than tackling an English business. One business owner, frustrated at being robbed several times, hid an infrared hunting camera in his place of business, catching the suspect on tape. While the Amish do not believe in taking photos of themselves, their beliefs don't prevent them from taking a picture of someone else, especially if it helps to catch a thief!

Local police in some heavily Amish areas have begun cooperating more and more with the Amish to deal with and prevent problems. They will speak at meetings to educate parents about drug use, for instance. Some meet regularly with the bishops in their area to discuss any issues or problems they see, particularly with young people, so that the church can actively help to address them. In respect to the law, as in so many other aspects of modern culture, it seems the Amish balance on a constantly shifting line to maintain their traditional faith in a modern world.

Time for Squash

2010-11-10T07:57:00.000-08:00

By this time of the year, usually the only thing left in gardens around here is winter squash! I love all the different varieties--they are so bright and colorful.

I have several winter squash recipes, but my family's all-time favorite is Butternut Squash Bake. It makes a sweet, custardy casserole, and the raisins add even more sweetness, so that it's almost like a dessert, but oh so good for you!

I made this recipe once for our Norwegian relatives, and encountered an interesting problem in trying to explain winter squash. Apparently their growing season isn't long enough for winter squash to be a common vegetable. I finally had to describe it as being similar to a pumpkin, which I guess is close enough!

And now for the recipe:

Butternut Squash Bake

2 C cooked mashed butternut squash (or acorn or buttercup)

1 C sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 C orange juice

1/2 C raisins

1/3 C dry milk

1/2 t salt

1/4 C melted butter

Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased, deep 1-2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 until set, about one hour.

Enjoy yet another taste of autumn!

The Amish Way

2010-10-26T14:59:00.000-07:00

I'm delighted to suggest a new book for those for love learning about the Amish. THE AMISH WAY: Patient Faith in a Perilous World is written by Donald Kraybill, Steven Nolt, and David Weaver-Zercher, whose earlier book about the tragedy at Nickel Mines school, Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy, was a national bestseller.

The Amish Way is a very readable and fascinating look at the distinctive practices of Amish spirituality. The authors discuss how Amish faith is connected to community, family, child rearing, home life, and a host of other topics. In our increasingly busy and fragmented world, I am constantly intrigued by the way everything in Amish life seems to be grounded in their faith. If you want to understand why the Amish can live as they do in the midst of contemporary culture, you won't find a better place to start than this book.

The authors draw on interviews with Amish individuals, Amish publications, and their own firsthand experiences in Amish communities. The book is filled with engaging anecdotes in which the Amish speak in their own words about their lives and their beliefs.

Jodi Picoult, author of Plain Truth, has this to say about The Amish Way: "With detailed personal anecdotes and explanations straight from the Amish themselves, The Amish Way illustrates the simplicity and grace with which the Amish live their lives, and proves that those of us who have our own questions with faith might well learn from their example."

In my own struggle to understand how God wants me to live, I find continuing encouragement in learning how others are answering this same question.

Blessings,

Marta

Fall Delights

2010-10-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

If it gets any prettier than these past few days in Pennsylvania, I don't know where it would be, but I'm sure we all think, wherever we are, that our autumn color is the best. We took a drive after church on Sunday to enjoy the colors. Just a short one, we thought, but ended up spending three hours! Around every bend in the road, we found something new to appreciate.

We happened upon a pumpkin festival at a little rural fire hall...pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins. They were serving lunch, so we had homemade bean soup and homemade barbecued ham sandwiches. So good! The fire companies in our area, all volunteer, do such a great job, and it takes constant fundraisers like this one to keep them going.

And speaking of pumpkins, here are a few of our grandkids enjoying a trip to the pumpkin patch. Georgia seems to have picked one as big as she is!

One of the things I enjoy most about fall is baking all my favorite apple treats. The orchards around here seem to have had a great year in spite of some worries early on about a late frost. So every week a new bag of apples appears on my kitchen counter, beckoning me to make something. After plenty of batches of apple sauce, this week I did my favorite Apple Walnut Cake recipe, and I thought you might like to try it.

Apple Walnut Cake

4 cups chopped apples 1/2 cup of oil 2 t each baking soda and cinnamon

2 cups sugar 2 t vanilla 1 t salt

2 eggs 2 cups flour 1 cup chopped walnuts

Combine apples with sugar and set aside. Beat eggs in oil and add vanilla. Mix flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Add flour mixture and apple mixture to the oil. Stir in walnuts, making sure the batter is evenly moist. Pour into a 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

This is a lovely, dense cake that is very good topped with whipped cream or ice cream. It continues to get more moist as it sits.

I hope you'll take the time to enjoy the beauties of autumn, refreshing your spirit before another winter comes.

Blessings,

Marta

Christmas in the Air

2010-10-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

I'm delighted to recommend the latest book by veteran inspirational author and my dear friend, Irene Brand. Irene is a popular writer who has been writing Inspirational Fiction for twenty-five years. She's been involved in the start-up of several inspirational romance lines at different publishers, including Steeple Hill.

LOVE FINDS YOU UNDER THE MISTLETOE is the first anthology published by Summerside Press, and Irene's novella, "An Appalachian Christmas," shares the spotlight with a second Christmas novella in the two-for-one volume. In "An Appalachian Christmas" Irene returns to the beautiful mountain setting she knows so well and has used in many of her previous books. If you're looking for something to put you in the holiday mood, these two stories will definitely do it!

As an added benefit to her readers, Irene is providing a free e-book on her website, http://www.irenebrand.com/. CHRISTMAS: ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL is a lovely collection of quotes, family recipes, traditions, and memories. Just go to Irene's site and download your copy today.

Christmas in October!

2010-09-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

My latest story in The Bodine Family series, The Bodine Family Christmas, is coming out in October in a Love Inspired Christmas novella collection, Mistletoe Prayers. I'm so delighted to be partnering with Betsy St. Amant in Mistletoe Prayers. Her novella is The Gingerbread Season, and if you're ready to get into the spirit of Christmas a little early, I hope you'll look for it.

The Bodine Family Christmas is set, like all the Bodine books, in the Charleston, South Carolina area. I was delighted to have the opportunity to write a Christmas book there, since we always make our move south before Christmas, and I've had many happy Christmases in the Low Country. Most of the Christmas traditions mentioned in the story are ones in which we've participated, and the Living Nativity is based upon one held on Sullivan's Island, in which two of my granddaughters make appearances as angels each year!

The Bodine Family Christmas features Annabel Bodine, twin sister of the heroine of Book 2, Heart of the Matter. I hinted in that story that Annabel had a sad romance in her background, so I was able to use that to bring about this story. Here's a bit about it:

Left at the altar on Christmas Eve, Annable Bodine has lost her holiday spirit. When her big brother brings home handsome Coast Guard buddy Travis McCall, can she summon the courage to open her heart to love for the holidays--and maybe for a lifetime?

I hope you'll enjoy my story, and that it will make you think of your own Christmas traditions!

AMISH QUILTS

2010-08-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

I'm currently writing KATIE'S WAY, the fifth book in my Pleasant Valley Amish series, and in this story Katie Miller, the protagonist, runs a quilt shop in the village of Pleasant Valley. One of the most delightful aspects of writing this book is that it gives me a wonderful excuse to visit Amish quilt shops!

Quilting isn't restricted to the Amish and Mennonites, of course. It's popular around the world, probably beginning as a way to make good use of the small scraps of material left over from other projects. Although quilters now often buy the materials they use, planning the color effects as carefully as any other artist, there's something very special about those old quilts made from scraps. We have a lovely Double Wedding Ring quilt that was made by my mother-in-law's aunt in the early 1900s, and when I look at it, I can easily imagine which pieces came from a little girl's pinafore, which from a man's work shirt. It's the story of a family, told with love in stitches and scraps of fabric.

I don't think that anyone would argue about the quality of quilts made by Amish and Mennonite women. The quilts are functional, befitting a community which values making things for use, not just 'for pretty.' But they are also often works of art, with each bit of color, each element of the design, each stitch even, an expression of a woman's gift.

The Amish tend to use traditional designs, although some newer patterns have worked their way into their repertoire, especially in quilts that are made to sell. The Log Cabin, the Double Wedding Ring, the various Star patterns are used over and over again in endless combinations. The quilt on my bed, handmade by an Amish woman from Lancaster County, is a lovely combination of Log Cabin and Star, done in shades of blue and yellow with touches of white. The older Amish quilts, which were made for use by the maker, were typically made with scraps from clothing fabric, always plain, and in the deep, rich, saturated colors used for clothing. Background and binding were typically done in black.

If you're interested in Amish quilts, you definitely want to plan a visit to the People's Place Quilt Museum in Intercourse, Pennsylvania. Their displays change from time to time, but they are always enthralling. On my most recent visit I was captivated by a Tumbling Blocks pattern so designed that it almost made me dizzy to look at because of the effect of movement it gave. The People's Place Quilt Museum is on the second floor of the Old Country Store, which sells a huge variety of quilted items handmade by local residents, mostly Amish and Mennonite women. It also has what has to be one of the best collections of quilting fabrics I've ever seen. I can never go in there without buying something!

And if you're near New Holland in Lancaster County, you must visit the Witmer Quilt Shop. Emma Witmer runs the shop she inherited from her mother out of her home. The day I visited with her, Emma had over 150 quilts in the three first floor rooms of her house. She has a number of women who do the actual quilting, but Emma herself picks out every color and every fabric that goes into the quilts. Emma's shop is open every day except, as is the case with all Plain-run businesses, on Sunday.

I'm not finished yet. I have several Amish quilt shops yet to visit, and I hope I can resist the temptation to buy more than I can afford while I do this research!

CANNING SEASON

2010-08-21T13:45:00.000-07:00

We definitely have more than four seasons here in the Pennsylvania countryside--like Mud Season, for instance, which comes early in the Spring. But this time of year it's definitely Canning Season!

My husband has a bumper crop of Roma tomatoes in the garden, so I'm into making and canning spaghetti sauce right now. Over the years, we've worked out a system which keeps most of the mess out of the kitchen: he picks the Romas, washes them outside with the hose, and processes them with the Squeezo clamped to the wooden picnic table in the backyard. In case you're not acquainted with this great device, it's a hand-operated grinder that separates the pulp and juice from the skins and seeds. The characters in my book ANNA'S RETURN make sauce this way in one scene which comes straight from life!

Here's my recipe for homemade spaghetti sauce:

Starting with about 14 quarts of tomato pulp, begin cooking it down in a large kettle. Add 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of salt, 4 cloves of minced garlic, and a large onion, chopped fine. For seasoning, I prefer to use the fresh basil and oregano that's growing in pots on our patio, but you can also use dried. If using dried, add about 4 tablespoons of the herbs. If using fresh, chop a generous handful of the leaves. Add a pinch of red pepper.

Cook this down for about 4-5 hours. You should end up with about 10 quarts of sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Fill hot jars and process in either a water bath or pressure canner. If you prefer the sauce thicker, you can always add a small can of tomato paste when you use each quart.

We generally use about twenty quarts of spaghetti sauce in a year, along with tomato juice and whole tomatoes. With just the two of us at home, we don't eat nearly the amount we once did! Still, I think it's well worth the effort. Fresh from the garden food has a taste nothing else can match, and I love to look in the cabinet, see all the rows of filled jars, and know we're prepared for the winter!

Amish Reading

2010-08-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

No, not reading about the Amish, or even writing about the Amish, but what are the Amish themselves reading? Do a quick internet search on the subject and you'll find a lot of opinions, ranging from the rudely uninformed who can't imagine that Amish people read to those more thoughtful articles which express valid concern over the number of books currently being published about a group which prefers its privacy and isolation. Do the Amish find it offensive that so many books are on the shelves about their way of life?

As the author of a number of novels which feature Amish characters, I can't help but be concerned about how my books are viewed by the Amish themselves. So to find out, I went looking. I first visited a small bookstore which is run by Amish owners and has primarily an Amish and Mennonite clientele. The morning I was there I was the only English person in the store. I loved seeing the huge array of books for children and teens, including all the Little House books as well as some more contemporary authors. As I browsed the shelves I noticed the books which seemed to draw the most female adult customers. That was the section devoted to Christian romance! It included a number of Amish romances along with works by other Christian authors like Karen Kingsbury, who seemed to have quite a following. One Amish woman held several novels featuring covers with bonnet-clad heroines, and she worked her way through the shelves, seeming to check for those she hadn't read yet. Clearly she didn't have a bias against Amish romances!

I wish I could say that my books were there, but alas, they weren't. However, I did find them in a nearby Amish-owned gift shop which had spinner racks of books. All three of my Pleasant Valley books were featured, so I introduced myself to the owner and asked if I might put bookmarks in the books. He was happy to have me do that, saying the books sold very well.

I've also spoken with several librarians who confirmed the Amish interest in Amish-themed romances. One pointed out that she always knows when harvest season is winding down, because her Amish members begin coming back to the library. Many Amish are great readers, she says, perhaps because they're not sitting in front of the television every evening. Come to think of it, I'd probably get through more books if I gave that up, too!

A final bit of confirmation came from a close friend who grew up Plain. She sent three of my books to relatives who live in a Hutterite community, and I waited with some trepidation to hear what they thought. Fortunately the verdict was positive--they enjoyed the books and felt that I had portrayed the Amish characters honestly and with respect.

So maybe that's the key--to write the best books I can, showing the Amish as the real people they are. That's all any writer can do, after all.

KIDS AND CREEKS

2010-07-23T05:58:00.000-07:00

The first set of grandkids visiting Grammy and Grandpa just left, with two more sets yet to come. As the grandchildren get a little older, I've started to be concerned that they might find country life, in comparison to their busy suburban environments, well...booooorrring. After all, we're not within easy reach of some of their favorite things, like multiplexes, IHOP, Target, bounce palaces, etc., etc.

Turns out that when you introduce them to a creek, kids are still kids! Our farm is bordered by two creeks, Scotch Run and Catawissa Creek. For years we've had a nice swimming hole, about waist deep, behind the barn where the run joins the bigger creek. We even have a sandy bank, thanks to the deposits left behind by a few floods.

Apparently the appeal of catching minnows and salamanders is eternal. We caught and released a few hundred minnows this week, no doubt leaving them all with strange tales to tell all the other little minnows. The salamander our grandson caught was the prize of the collection. He wanted to save it to show his father, but the salamander, maybe wise in the way of small boys, made his escape from the bucket during the night.

Bjoern's method of catching wildlife involved stalking them carefully, letting them swim right up to his motionless hand before closing it. Greta is more of a pounce and grab artist, resulting in a lot of splashing.

When they got tired of bending over searching for minnows, they could jump back into the swimming hole to cool off. It's just wide enough for two kids to race side by side, discovering that they can go much faster with the current than against. Grandpa taught them the fine art of stone-skipping, while I showed them how to make body paint by rubbing two pieces of red shale against each other.

And when I wasn't busy admiring the latest catch or how high someone could jump off a rock, I had time to sit, listen to the gurgle of the stream, count the number of wildflowers along the bank, and find peace creeping into me, as it always does when I stop my busyness long enough to enjoy God's creation.

May you have many such moments this summer.

Blessings,
Marta

Time for Rita Awards

2010-07-18T10:37:00.001-07:00

I’ll be heading to Orlando, Florida next week for the Romance Writers of America’s annual conference. It’s a jam-packed, exciting time filled with inspirational workshops, industry updates, meetings with my agent and editors, and a chance to visit with friends I see only once a year. It’ll also be time for a little fun, as one of my daughters will join me at the Disney Dolphin Resort with my granddaughters, ages 8 and 5.

The highlight of the conference is the announcement of the Rita Awards on Saturday evening, when romance writers honor the best of the best romance fiction published in 2019. Over 1,000 novels and novellas were judged in 12 categories, and it is hugely exciting to cheer for the winners.

I’d like to introduce one of my Christian writer friends who is a finalist this year. Tamera Alexander is a bestselling historical author whose books have won numerous awards. She’s earned a devoted following for the way she combines solid historical research, wonderful storytelling, and her devotion to her faith.

Tamera’s THE INHERITANCE is the first historical for the WOMEN OF FAITH fiction line from Thomas Nelson. Set in 1877 Colorado, it’s the story of a young woman’s struggle to let go of her independence while she discovers an inheritance beyond her imaging.
Here’s a bit about the story:
THE INHERITANCE by Tamara Alexander
An unexpected inheritance. An unknown future. An unending love.
Determined to tame her younger brother's rebellious streak, McKenna Ashford accepts her cousin's invitation to move west and to begin again. But she quickly discovers that life in Copper Creek, Colorado is far from what she expected. Shouldering burdens beyond her years, McKenna tries to be the parent Robert needs, instead of the older sister he resents. But an "untimely inheritance" challenges her resolve at every turn, while also offering a second chance to restore her trust--and perhaps even her heart.
U.S. Marshal Wyatt Caradon is dedicated to bringing fugitives to justice, yet years of living on the trail have taken their toll. When his path intersects with that of McKenna, he comes face-to-face with a past he never wanted to relive--and the one woman who can help him find the future he's been longing for.
As McKenna struggles to let go of her independence and Wyatt considers opening his heart again, they discover an inheritance beyond imagination. But it will come at a price.

Punxsutawney Groundhog Summer Festival

2010-07-09T12:57:00.000-07:00

This week I had the unique pleasure of doing a booksigning during the Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Groundhog Summer Festival. Punxsutawney is known throughout the country as the home of Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary. While the most important of Phil's activities occurs on February 2nd each year, when he tells the winter-weary whether or not there will be six more weeks of winter, he's also the host of a family fun festival each year during the week of the Fourth of July.

How, you might wonder, did the Punxsutawney groundhog achieve such fame, appearing on the morning news shows around the country on February 2nd, even inspiring the popular movie GROUNDHOG DAY? The tradition started, as so many Pennsylvania traditions did, with the Pennsylvania Dutch, settlers from Germany and Switzerland who brought their language and customs with them when they settled here. The second of February is Candlemas Day, and tradition says, "For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May." The traditional weather forecaster in Germany was a badger, but since Pennsylvania was lacking in badgers, the settlers used the local groundhog instead, and Phil has been predicting the weather officially since 1887.

We arrived shortly before time for the booksigning to find the town awash in groundhogs. Decorated groundhog statues, groundhog inflatable balloons, groundhog cookies, groundhog beanie babies, groundhog murals...anything that can be turned into a groundhog will be! I was signing at B's Books, a charming shop directly across from the park where the main events were held. The owner had prepared thoroughly for my visit, something which doesn't always happened. She'd been handselling my books and passing out bag stuffers for weeks, and we had a great event. It was such fun to talk to people who enjoy Amish fiction so much and had been looking forward to having their books signed.

We ended the day with a great dinner at a local restaurant--fortunately groundhog wasn't on the menu!

If you'd like to know more about Punsutawney Phil, visit www.groundhog.org.

Uniquely Pennsylvania

2010-07-03T06:43:00.000-07:00

After living all my life (never mind how many years!) in Pennsylvania, I’ve just recently come to appreciate what we all owe to William Penn. Oh, sure, we studied him in 8th grade Pennsylvania history, but not very much has stuck since then. But as I’ve stumbled through some research on my own family genealogy, as well as researching the Plain People for the two series of books I’m writing about them, I’ve renewed my appreciation for Penn’s unique attitude, which has made us what we are. Without his “holy experiment” in encouraging immigrants of all religions to settle here and to worship as they chose, our culture would be so much poorer.

I read an estimate recently that nearly one-quarter of all Pennsylvania residents are of German descent, which seems astonishing to me. Probably most of those Germanic ancestors landed in Philadelphia in the 1700s, mine among them, and after all these years, we’re still here!

Among the groups who came seeking religious freedom, the Amish must be the most fascinating. Amish culture may have made its first impression on a general audience when Harrison Ford donned that Amish straw hat in Witness, but folks in publishing are still shaking their heads over the current wave of popularity of Amish fiction. Though searching to understand why readers across the country suddenly can’t get enough of tales of rumspringa and barn-raisings, publishers are naturally eager to provide what the reading public wants.

Several years ago, in the course of an existing inspirational romance series set in Pennsylvania, I introduced a few Amish characters. They seemed to fit the story I was telling, and they simply walked on. I wondered what my editor would say. Her response? Do more of that!

So now I have two separate series going for two different publishing houses, both with Amish settings. The Pleasant Valley series, for Berkley Books, is series of trade-size books focusing on the residents of a mythical central Pennsylvania valley, based very much on what I see when I look out my office window. Anna’s Return, Book 3, came out this month, and it seems to be doing well. Book 4, Sarah’s Gift, will be out in March. It’s completed now, and my editor and I have been back and forth via e-mail all week, trying to firm up the cover. For some reason, the art department just doesn’t seem to ‘get’ Amish, and didn’t understand why I wouldn’t want a woman wearing bright pink lip gloss on the cover!

My second series, for HQN Books, is a romantic suspense series which begins with Murder in Plain Sight, releasing in December. The two main characters are not Amish, but are involved in defending an Amish youth accused of murder. This series is set in Lancaster County, and since that’s obviously a real place, I have to be considerably more careful about my setting, though I hope readers may forgive a little artistic license in what I put where.

Writing about the Plain People has been a trip into my own family’s past for me. The Dovenbergers and the Ungers came to Pennsylvania from the same areas of Germany and Switzerland and at the same time as the Amish, and although not plain, have held onto many of the same traditions, especially when it comes to food. I’ve compiled a brochure of Pennsylvania Dutch recipes from family and friends, and I’d be happy to send a copy to anyone who cares to e-mail me at marta@martaperry.com.

Happy Reading and Eating,
Marta Perry
(And give a tip of the hat to Billy Penn the next time you pass him!)

THE GUARDIAN'S HONOR

2010-06-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

My latest book from Steeple Hill Love Inspired, THE GUARDIAN'S HONOR, will be in stores next week, so I hope you'll look for it. This is the third book in my series about the Bodine family of South Carolina. Set in Charleston and the coastal islands, the series revolves around a Coast Guard family. Although each book stands on its own, I hope once you meet the Bodines, you'll want to come back for more.

I love writing about the South Carolina coast. One of my daughters lives on Isle of Palms, and her two little girls are really growing up to be island girls. They attend school at Sullivan's Island Elementary School, one of the few elementary schools in the country with a beach just beyond the playground! My husband and I spend three months each year on the South Carolina coast, and it's really become a second home for us. I was especially moved by the stories I learned about the Coast Guard as I researched these books. They truly are unsung heroes in all that they do to protect and serve.

In THE GUARDIAN'S HONOR, Coast Guard officer Adam Bodine finds his long-vanished great uncle. But the secretive elderly man has adopted some new kin...single mother Cathy Norwood and her disabled little boy. Adam is grateful when Cathy convinces his relative to reunite with the Bodines, until he learns why she's so eager. Though his heartstrings are tugged by their plight, he knows he doesn't deserve them in his life--not with his past, not unless one big extended family can teach Lieutenant Bodine something about love and honor.

Friend's Book: SIMPLE SECRETS

2010-06-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

I love showing off my friends' books whenever I can, and if you enjoy Amish fiction, I'm sure you'll like Nancy Mehl's new book, SIMPLE SECRETS, out now from Barbour Books. SIMPLE SECRETS is the first of a series combining mystery, romance, and suspense, set in the fictional small Mennonite town of Harmony. The town itself becomes a character in the story, and you'll find yourself wanting to settle in for a visit...a place populated by nice, friendly people, one of whom happens to be a killer. SIMPLE SECRETS is a charming read, and you'll find yourself wanting to go back to Harmony again and again!

I asked Nancy for a few comments on how this book came to be, and here's what she said:

Simple Secrets: The Harmony Series by Nancy Mehl

I never planned to write about the Amish/Mennonite way of life. In fact, “Simple Secrets” was originally a proposal for a cozy mystery. At the time, the title was “Murder, Plain and Simple.” The setting was an Amish town. I came up with the idea because the concept of evil set in such a simple, innocent location appealed to the mystery writer in me. But somehow, things changed until the town became Mennonite and the story morphed into romantic suspense with a strong thread of mystery. When my publisher first suggested I adjust the story line to lean toward a more romantic flavor, I wasn’t certain I could do it. Although I hate to admit it now, at the time I had a tough time understanding the appeal of “bonnet books.” But after I agreed to change my original concept, I discovered something interesting. I think I figured out why so many people love to read stories written by wonderful authors like Beverly Lewis, Kim Sawyer and Cindy Woodsmall. One of the clues came from my previous cozy mystery series. The Ivy Towers’s mystery series was set in a small town drawn from my imagination. I named it Winter Break, Kansas. I’m a winter person, and the winters in Wichita, where I live, had been rather disappointing. I said I’m a winter person, but actually, I’m a snow person. Love it. Crazy about it. My frustration with our lack of snow led me to create Winter Break – where snow comes early and leaves late. I began to fashion the town as a place I wanted to live. And readers responded. I received lots of letters and emails telling me how much they loved Winter Break. One woman even said she’d been scouring maps, trying to find it! I realized as I began to create the Mennonite town of Harmony, Kansas, that all of us are looking for that rare place – a home in our hearts where old-fashioned values still exist. Where people treat each other with love and respect. Where evil is defeated and good triumphs. What better place than a town filled with people who live simply - who have shut out the harsh voices of the outside world? So called “bonnet books” actually open the door to that unique spot where life is lived the way we dream it can be. I hope my readers will fall in love with Harmony, Kansas like I have.

Blessings from Harmony!

Spinach and Basil and Chives....

2010-06-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

Spinach and basil and chive...that sounds like a folk song, doesn't it? I'm in a gardening mode today. Or rather, a picking mode. The garden is starting to produce, and there's nothing that beats the taste of veggies that are two minutes from the garden to the stove! At the moment, the last batch of rhubarb is on the kitchen counter waiting to me to do something about it, and beautiful green spinach leaves are rinsing in cold water.

I have to admit that my husband does most of the gardening. I do have my own favorite things that I take care of, in addition to the flower beds. Mint grows along the base of the stone wall where it's nice and moist. It's been thriving there for forty years, and I'm not about to disturb it! My chives grow in the flower bed next to the patio off the kitchen. Last year it seemed the echinacea had crowded them out, but they've made a comeback this spring.

The rest of my herbs I prefer to grow in pots on the patio wall. They grow well there, and they're right at hand when I want to cut a few leaves for supper. This year I'm trying globe basil instead of the other type, which seems to get leggy. The leaves are smaller but plentiful, and the aroma is delightful. Greek oregano shares a large pot with the basil, and so far they seem to be co-existing nicely. I also have a pot of sage, which I love for the scent. I throw a bit into almost any meat or fish dish, and it's also nice chopped up in olive oil for bruschetta. Cilantro is a new addition to my little collection. We've begun to enjoy a number of Mexican dishes, although my versions are probably very Americanized. So I thought I'd try the cilantro, and maybe even make some of my own salsa once the tomatoes come in.

I tend to use the fresh herbs for almost anything, but one of my favorites when I also have spinach is a Stuffed Chicken Breast. Here's how I do it for two people:

For filling: mix together about a half cup of bleu cheese or feta cheese with a generous handful of chopped spinach. Add finely chopped chives, basil and oregano to taste and mix thoroughly. If you like cheddar cheese, a tablespoon of grated cheddar can be added, but don't overwhelm the taste of the other cheese.

Cut a large boneless chicken breast horizontally, but not all the way through, so that you can open it. Put the filling on one side, fold the other side back over the filling, and secure the edges with wooden toothpicks. Dust each side lightly with flour, salt and pepper. Brown on both sides in about a tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan. When it's nicely browned, add a tablespoon or two of water, turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for about twenty minutes or until done in the center.

About 5 minutes before the chicken is finished, make the sauce. Combine 1 tablespoon of sugar with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small pan and stir in the sugar-cornstarch mixture. When it bubbles, slowly pour in about a cup of orange juice, stirring until thick and clear.

Remove the chicken to a plate, top with some fresh spinach leaves, and pour the orange sauce over it. Delicious!

New Books

2010-06-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

Love Inspired Classics has just re-released two of my books from the Caldwell Clan series, A Time to Forgive and Promise Forever. It's such a pleasure for me to see the books back in print again after all this time--they were originally published in 2002 and 2003. The Caldwell books were about an extended family living on a fictional South Carolina sea island. My husband and I have been wintering on Hilton Head Island for many years, it's a pleasure to write books that are set in a place I love. If you didn't catch these two stories the first time around, I hope you'll look for this double volume, out now from Love Inspired.

And I'd like to introduce a great book from a writer friend of mine, Kim Vogel Sawyer. Kim has a wonderful gift, and here's what I've said about her latest in reviews:

Kim Vogel Sawyer hits all the right notes in her latest historical romance, A HOPEFUL HEART, Bethany House. With her trademark heartwarming style, Sawyer treats readers to the story of Tressa Neill, a dowryless Easterner sent to the Wyatt Herdsman School in Barnett, Kansas, with the hope of finding a husband, a family, and a life of her own. Tressa's mistakes and misadventures and her valiant efforts to fit in to her new Western community will touch readers' hearts. Sawyer has a gift for transporting readers to another time and place, and they are sure to enjoy this trip to 1880s Kansas in her skillful hands.

Happy summer reading!
Marta

ANNA'S RETURN is out!

2010-05-28T07:55:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited that the third book in the Pleasant Valley Amish series, ANNA'S RETURN, is out this coming week from Berkley Books. I really learned to love Anna when she was a rebellious teenager in LEAH'S CHOICE, and I couldn't wait to write her story. It was fascinating for me to develop how Anna had been changed by living three years in the Englisch world and to consider the difficulties involved in re-adjusting to life in the Amish community after all that time.

The characters you met in the first two books reappear here, so you have a chance to see what's happening with them. And we've added something new to the end of the book: a few favorite Pennsylvania Dutch recipes. I hope you'll let me know how you like the story.

Here's a bit about it:

ANNA’S RETURN
June, 2010, Berkley Books

After spending three years in the English world, Anna Beiler has come home. She brings with her a baby girl, which will surely cause a stir since Anna is unmarried. She is also hiding secrets: The baby is not hers by birth, nor does Anna intend to stay. Rather, she desperately needs sanctuary from the child’s violent father. Anna’s childhood friend Samuel, whose slow, thoughtful manner used to frustrate her, seems the only one who truly understands her.

But Anna hasn’t fully faced the consequences of her past, and her mere presence may endanger the ones she loves. Only a true change of heart will allow her to make a new beginning and find her way home.

On the Road Again

2010-05-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

On the Road from Marta Perry
I've been on the road far too much in the past week, but it was all in a good cause. Over the weekend, I taught at the Pennwriters Conference in Lancaster, PA. What a great event that was! Three days of non-stop talk about writing in all genres is exhausting, but so much fun. The keynote speaker was James Rollins, a NY Times author of science fiction and thrillers. He was very down-to-earth and had us all in stitches with his stories of the elaborate plots he undertook to scare his younger brother--clearly he was a writer in the making even at age eight or so!

I taught workshops in Writing Romance and Creating Dialogue, both of which went well; served on a panel for a Read and Critique Romance group; visited with old friends and made new ones. But when all was said and done, I was relieved to be home again to the peace and quiet.

Last night was another busy one, with a library talk in a small town about forty miles from here. I have to confess that I dragged myself out the door--I have so much to do at home and was still tired from the weekend. But I was more than rewarded for my efforts. That small library is bursting at the seams with activity and enthusiasm, once more assuring me that people do still read and enjoy books despite all the other claims on their attention. The group was so interested and so happy that I had come that I felt ashamed of myself for ever doubting that the trip would be worth it. They talked intelligently about books, telling me what they did and didn't like in inspirational fiction, and in some cases they seemed to know more about my books than I did!

As writers, most of us tend to be introverts. I find it far easier to retire to my office and not speak to a soul for hours on end, but my experiences of the past few days have reminded me that I need that jolt of inspiration sometimes that comes from fellow writers but also from enthusiastic readers.

So, thanks to all the writers and readers who might read this post. You should know that you're appreciated!

Horses, Real and Imagined

2010-05-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

ANNA'S RETURN, the third book in the Pleasant Valley series, will be out in less than a month. I just love the cover--I think it's the best yet. The figure in the background is Samuel, Anna's hero. In addition to working in the machine shop owned by Anna's brother, Samuel is known far and wide for his talent with horses. Like the character in THE HORSE WHISPERER, Samuel even seems to know what the creatures are thinking.

We had horses for a number of years while our kids were growing up, and while I learned to love them, I can't say I always understood them. How is it that a creature the size of a horse can become suddenly terrified of a piece of blowing paper? And stubborn! My son had a small dun pony, Ginger, who was the stubbornest animal ever born, I think. Fortunately my son was equally stubborn!

Some might say that the horse is the quintessential symbol of what it means to be Amish in twenty-first century America. By choosing to travel by horse and buggy, to work their fields with horse-drawn equipment, the Amish are making a sacrifice and a decision which impacts their lives every day. A sacrifice, because it takes time and trouble and effort to travel by horse and buggy, which makes each trip a matter for consideration. Is it really necessary? Sometimes I think our lives, and our planet, would be better off if all of us asked ourselves that question.

By choosing to use the horse instead of the car, the Amish are automatically putting restrictions on themselves--restrictions as to how far they will travel, how fast they will go, how quickly the work will be done. Horses symbolize the slower pace of Amish life. In fact, they contribute to that. If you can't jump into the car and drive off to the mall to shop or see a movie, you're more likely to be doing things at home or in the community.

My car may need nothing more than fuel and regular maintenance, but a horse requires much, much more. It must be taken care of every single day: fed, watered, turned in and turned out, its stall cleaned. One can't just park it and walk away, and that constant care for another living creature is a responsibility that must be taken seriously.

I saw a young Amish man one day training a young horse to the buggy, a task that takes endless patience. He had been driving it along the narrow country road, and when it balked at traffic he drew off into a graveled lot and started all over again--working with the animal, getting it used to traffic, patiently repeating the lesson he'd been teaching it.

That endless patience can be one of the gifts of Amish life. It's one I've tried to highlight in ANNA'S RETURN. Writing about it has already been a gift for me, bringing back memory after memory of the 'horse years.' They weren't necessarily all happy memories, but with every incident, there was something of value to be learned, and I wouldn't trade that for anything.

AMISH MIDWIVES

2010-04-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

The novel I am finishing now, SARAH'S GIFT, is about an Amish midwife, so I've been deep into research on that topic. Fortunately I have a friend who is a midwife, and through her I've been able to meet others, so it's been a fascinating trip.

In contrast to much of mainstream America, a high percentage of Amish women prefer to have their babies at home, and cite a variety of reasons for doing so. For one thing, having a baby at home can be much less expensive! But more importantly, most Amish regard childbirth as the natural process of a healthy body, not as a medical procedure. After all, they say, women have been having babies with a midwife in attendance for centuries. To them, unless a woman has risk factors that make a hospital birth preferable, having a baby at home is both comforting and comfortable.

Amish midwives typically come to the woman's home to assist in delivery, but there are a growing number of birthing centers in rural areas as well. One midwife I spoke with said that she would much rather go to the mother's home, but that it had become too difficult to do that, especially if two of her mothers decided to have babies at the same time fifty miles apart.

Mary, this particular midwife, now has a birthing center in a typical Pennsylvania farmhouse, which looks so much like a home that women are sometimes surprised to learn that she doesn't actually live there. The only concession she has made in the way of furnishings is to use hospital beds, which allow for greater ease is adjusting position.

Mary, also sometimes called Grandma Mary, has been delivering babies for 36 years. For her, this is the most rewarding thing she could do, and she remains close to the couples and the children, sometimes going on to deliver the babies of women whom she delivered. When I asked what her greatest disappointment is, she replied that it was when things went wrong and the patient required hospitalization. That happens rarely, but when it does, she has the patient quickly transferred to a local hospital.

Amish women typically become midwives--"catching babies"-- through their longing to help other women have the kind of birth they want. Though they may receive formal training, much of their education comes in apprenticing to an established midwife.

SARAH'S GIFT, the fourth book in my Pleasant Valley Amish series from Berkley, will come out in March, 2011.

SNICKERDOODLES

2010-04-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

I've received several requests recently for the Snickerdoodle cookie recipe, maybe because the Amish women in my books LEAH'S CHOICE and RACHEL'S GARDEN always seem to be baking them. One person who wrote asked if there really were such cookies, or was that a made-up thing!

Yes, indeed, Snickerdoodles really do exist, and the recipe is a favorite one among Pennsylvania Dutch cooks. And the sweet sugar cookies with their cinnamon topping are definitely a favorite among children. My grandkids love them. Why are they called Snickerdoodles, you ask? I have no idea!

Pennsylvania Dutch country is a place where cooks take their recipes seriously, and every little variation of a recipe is carefully saved. I have three or four versions of the Snickerdoodles, but here is my favorite:

SNICKERDOODLES

½ cup soft butter or margarine ¾ cup sugar
1 egg 1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp salt
2 T sugar 2 tsp cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and beat until fluffy. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Blend into creamed mixture to make a stiff dough.

Mix the 2 T sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Shape the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Roll cookie balls in the cinnamon sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until very lightly browned. The cookies will have their characteristic crinkled appearance on top. Remove to cooling rack, cool, and enjoy!

SPRING CLEANING

2010-04-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

What is it about the first warm days and the appearance of daffodils in the yard that makes my mind turn to housecleaning, of all things?! A young man's fancy may turn to love at this time of year, but for me, it's the urge to have my house clean, inside and out. It must be something in the Pennsylvania Dutch genes--that's all I can think. When I was a child, my mother treated spring cleaning as seriously as a spiritual ritual. Everyone had to help, and everyone got to share in the satisfaction. And in those days, with a coal furnace, the house got really dirty over the course of a long, cold winter!

Just now, with a book due May 1st and another due August 1st, I have plenty of excuses not to dive into spring cleaning. After all, houses don't get nearly as dirty now as they used to. But the urge wouldn't go away. As a sort of compromise, I started with my office. After all, a clean office will make my work go better, won't it?

I began with sorting out my storage closet. Oh, dear, oh, dear. There were things in there which hadn't seen the light of day in years. I became slightly side-tracked, reading through old magazine stories and wondering whether this or that old manuscript might be re-cycled into a new story. I discovered connection cords for printers long gone and several hundred feet of telephone cable. Wonder what I was saving that for?

Finally, buried in with office supply receipts from 1990 (Tip: you don't have to save records for the IRS for more than seven years, it seems.) I discovered a list I'd made sometime in my first few years of writing. Turns out that my first year of actually selling what I wrote was 19**, and in that year I wrote twelve short stories and sold six for the magnificent total of $185! Somehow, that hand-written sheet brought back all those feelings I had when I sold my very first story. Someone liked my writing enough to pay me for it! Real people would read and perhaps enjoy the story I had created! I was a writer!

Over the years, that excitement sometimes gets buried under deadlines and publicity opportunities and galleys to read and talks to give. But you know what? It's still there. It's just as exciting to sell a book now as it was when I sold that first little story to a children's Sunday School paper. I just need to be reminded of that once in awhile.

So now not only do I have a clean office, I have a renewed sense of purpose about my writing. That was certainly worth a few hours of hard labor, wasn't it? I'm diving into the last few chapters of the current work with energy to spare.

I wonder what I'll find when I start on the kitchen?

Have a great spring, everyone.

Hugs,
Marta

SUCCESS MADE SIMPLE

2010-03-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

It's a delight to introduce an excellent book by someone who has been such a help to me in my Amish fiction. Erik Wesner, the go-to guy for all things Amish and author of the popular AmishAmerica blog, has a book out now--SUCCESS MADE SIMPLE: AN INSIDE LOOK AT WHY AMISH BUSINESSES THRIVE. Whether you are interested in Amish culture or in entrepreneurship, you'll find this book simply fascinating. With his easy, engaging style and wealth of knowledge about all things Amish, Erik has created a book that deserves a spot in your library.

Here's a bit about the book:
According to the Small Business Administration figures, only half of all newly opened companies will survive for five years. In comparison, an Amish small business stands a 95 percent chance of thriving. SUCCESS MADE SIMPLE is the first practical book of Amish business success principles written for the non-Amish reader. The book offers a fascinating look at the reasons for the remarkable success of Amish businesspeople.

SUCCESS MADE SIMPLE reveals how, with only an eighth-grade education, these thriving businesspeople choose and manage employees, acquire skills and know-how, get and keep customers, and lead their companies to lasting success. The common threads woven throughout their experiences stress the vital importance of cultivating strong relationships, creating long-term goals, taking the welfare of others into account, and maintaining personal integrity. As one Amish businessman says, "Erik Wesner shows that success has many more dimensions than numerical growth. SUCCESS MADE SIMPLE is a valuable read not just for mainstream American business people but also for the Amish."

SUCCESS MADE SIMPLE is available now. You can find it at your local bookstore or order it online at Amazon.com.

Spring and Dandelion Greens

2010-03-19T08:03:00.001-07:00

Spring is finally here in Pennsylvania--lots of mud, crocuses blooming, daffodils up, and a faint green haze on the willow trees. In RACHEL'S GARDEN, Rachel sees spring as a time of renewal, taking comfort in the signs of new life all around her as she recovers from her long winter of grief.

One of the favorite dishes of spring here in the country will be ready before long--Dandelion Salad! Dandelions may be something to dread in suburban lawns, but not here in the country. When the first tender leaves come up, it's time to enjoy a treat.

Here's my recipe for Dandelion Salad. I also enjoy using this dressing with fresh spinach and leaf lettuce.

DANDELION SALAD

Pick about 2 quarts of small, tender dandelion leaves.(Note: you can only do this is early spring, before the center stem comes up.) Wash thoroughly and drain. Fry 1/4 lb. of bacon until crisp and break up.

For dressing: beat 2 eggs, add 1/2 C sugar, 1/2 C water and 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar. Add to the bacon pieces in the pan and stir over low heat until the dressing thickens. Pour over the greens and add sliced hard-cooked eggs and/or sliced mushrooms, if desired.

This recipe and other Pennsylvania Dutch favorites are in my PA Dutch Recipes brochure. If you'd like a copy, just e-mail your mailing address to me at marta@martaperry.com.

RACHEL'S GARDEN releases!

2010-02-28T10:24:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy to announce that RACHEL'S GARDEN, the second book in the Pleasant Valley Amish series from Berkley Books, will be in stores on March 3. This second book in the series takes place about a year after the events of LEAH'S CHOICE, and if you read that one, you'll have a chance to re-visit the people and places of that story. However, RACHEL'S GARDEN does stand alone as a story.

Here's a bit about the new book:

It has been almost a year since the Amish community of Pleasant Valley lost Ezra Brand to a tragic accident. Since then his wife, Rachel, has struggled to raise their three children and run their dairy farm.

Rachel's friends and family have come forward to help--Rachel's friend Leah, who is now married and expecting a child; Ezra's brothers, who work on the farm; and Rachel's parents, who are no strangers to grief after their only son, Johnny, left the Amish community. But their constant advice, hoever well-intentioned, puts undue pressure on Rachel. And when Gideon Zook--Ezra's best friend, who survived the accident--asks her permission to build the greenhouse that Ezra had always promised her, she finds his presence too painful a reminder of the past.

As spring turns to summer, and Rachel puts her heart into growing the flowers and plants that have always brought her joy, can she discover the courage to make her own choices...and embrace new beginnings?

May I ask a favor of you? If you read the book, please let me know what you think of it. And if you enjoy RACHEL'S GARDEN, you could help me by placing a favorable comment or rating about it on www.amazon.com and/or www.christianbook.com. Those reviews do make an impression on others!

Best,
Marta

Following A Dream

2010-02-12T09:49:00.000-08:00

People are always asking small children, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" How did you answer that question? Usually I said I wanted to be a mommy or a nurse or a teacher. But what I really wanted to be was a writer.

It all started when I was eight. My mother took me to the library, and I picked out a new book, The Secret of the Old Clock. The adventures of Nancy Drew captivated me. Most little girls, when they reach the end of the book, want to be Nancy Drew. Not me. I wanted to be the person who wrote that terrific story.

So why couldn't I say that when people asked me what I wanted to be? I guess because I didn't know any writers. I'm not sure I even realized that writing books could be a career. Or maybe it was because I feared that was a dream that would never come true.

Amanda Bodine, in my book, HEART OF THE MATTER, out this month from Love Inspired, has reached the age of thirty--one of those milestone birthdays when people take stock of how they're progressing toward their dream. She's still single, without a serious boyfriend in sight. She's working as a reporter, but the serious stories she longs to write elude her. Worse, her new boss, Editor Ross Lockhart, seems convinced that she's a frivolous Southern belle who can't cover anything more important than a local dog show. She longs to prove herself, but when Ross finally seems ready to give her a chance, she learns it's only because he wants to get close to her family to write an expose on their family secret. It's time for Ross Lockhart to learn that the most important thing--the heart of the matter--is love and family. Without that, all the success in the world isn't important.

Like me, Amanda has a dream, but that dream is one she may have to sacrifice in order to save her family. I hope you'll like this second installment in The Bodine Family series, and be on the watch for Adam's story, A GUARDIAN'S HONOR, coming in July.

And I also hope that whatever your dream may be, you'll find the courage to pursue it with all your heart.

Blessings,
Marta

Amish Schools

2010-01-31T11:53:00.000-08:00

Leah Beiler, in my November book, LEAH'S CHOICE, was an Amish schoolteacher. Despite the fact that I was already familiar with Amish schools, I found myself doing a great deal more research in order to make the scenes set in the actual schoolroom as realistic as possible.

Most people are aware that Amish children only attend formal school until they complete the eighth grade. The Amish feel that by that time, their children will have gained enough formal education for the lives they are expected to lead--lives of worthwhile work, sharing, cooperation, and humility in obedience to God. In most Amish communities, children attend an Amish one-room school, provided and cared for by the parents, taught by an Amish teacher who is usually an unmarried woman. The emphasis in the classroom is on cooperation, rather than competition, with each child encouraged to achieve his or her own best.

Parents are very involved in their children's schooling, dropping in for unannounced visits to observe, helping the teacher with special events, hosting lunches and picnics for the young scholars. Fathers also serve on the school board, meeting regularly to decide on school matters and caring for the maintenance of the school. The community also donates or raises all the money required for the school and teacher. In my county in central Pennsylvania, the local

Amish hold an auction three times a year to provide money for the schools in this area. The auctions have grown to be large, popular events, with many non-Amish eager to attend and bid on everything from farm equipment to home-baked goodies.

Since children speak Pennsylvania Dutch at home, they usually don't learn English until they start school. I was amused to find, at one school, that the teacher used the Dick and Jane primers--the books I used when I learned to read in the four-room schoolhouse I attended as a child. In addition to English and reading, the children also concentrate on spelling, geography, and arithmetic. Each classroom usually has a small library. The Little House on the Prairie books and Little Women are particular favorites among the children.

People are sometimes surprised that religion is not taught at Amish schools, although the school day begins with a scripture reading. The Amish feel that religion is best taught by parents and the church.

What could be more popular than recess at any school? Usually an Amish school will have a play area outside, and the teacher, who may not be a great deal older than some of her older students, will often join in a game. Even in play, cooperation is valued over competition.

A visit to an Amish school is a trip back to a simpler time. Even though the school doesn't have the latest in technology and many of the things that are considered necessary to a modern educational plant, for the most part it provides its scholars with a solid education that prepares them for the life they're intended to lead.

LEAH'S CHOICE in stores now!

2009-11-16T10:13:00.000-08:00

I'm delighted to say that LEAH'S CHOICE is in stores now. It's been an exciting week, as I've done several booksignings and an author talk. But I never get over the thrill of seeing a new book of mine on the shelves at the bookstore.

Here's a bit about LEAH'S CHOICE:

All of Pleasant Valley seems to think the newcomer from Lancaster County would make a perfect husband for teacher Leah. After all, so few new families come to their separate Amish community, and fewer still unmarried men. Daniel Glick is a widower with three young children to look after--clearly he's in need of a wife.

Daniel's past haunts him. Though he cannot miss the beauty in Leah's bright eyes and patient ways, he also sees a reminder of his pain-filled marriage. Leah Beiler, too, has a burden to bear. Years ago, she was engaged to Johnny Kile, and she was heartbroken when he decided to leave the Amish community. since then she has immersed herself in teaching, forgetting any hopes of having her own family. When Johnny returns, seeking reconciliation, Leah must decide between two paths and rely on her faith to show the way.

If you'd like to receive a signed bookmark and my free brochure of Pennsylvania Dutch recipes, just e-mail me at marta@martaperry.com with your mailing address.

APPEAL OF AMISH FICTION

2009-10-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

AMISH APPEAL by Marta Perry

No one can doubt the appeal of Amish fiction in today’s romance field. Popular authors are reaching the bestseller list and appearing on television, and even the Wall Street Journal has featured a front page article on it.

The Amish romance flood started, as these things often do, with a single author. Beverly Lewis has been quietly selling her Amish stories for a number of years, with no one in publishing apparently noticing, until she reached so many dedicated fans that she began appearing on the Times list. In short order, Wanda Brunstetter followed her to the list, and then Cindy Woodsmall. Suddenly every publishing house wanted its own Amish author, and Amish series are popping up like weeds in my flower bed.

Why are they so popular? That’s the million dollar question. Based on the letters I receive from readers, I’d say that the books help feed a longing for a simpler lifestyle. Haven’t you ever wished you could get rid of the constant pressure and demand for interaction posed by e-mail, Facebook, cell phones, twenty-four hour news channels, and all the rest? Sometimes it seems that all those things which should be keeping us together are just serving to isolate us. The books allow readers to live for a few hours in a society which gets along very nicely without all those things.

It’s also a society where families tend to live close together, and one in which there’s an instant support system in time of need. So many of us have no close relatives within an easy distance...something that would have been surprising just a few generations ago.

The oddest thing about the craze for Amish books, though, is the fact that this genre has grown up around a culture which does its best to stay out of the spotlight. Maybe that’s why people are so interested in knowing what goes on there. The challenge for me has been to write it real and in a way that I trust will cause no offense to a group of people I admire.

As a lifelong resident of rural Pennsylvania, I’ve always lived in areas where there were Plain People, and my own roots on my mother’s side are Pennsylvania Dutch. I went to school with children who were Old Order Mennonite, and I have friends who grew up Plain. The county where I live in central Pennsylvania has a substantial Amish population. Given all that, the only surprising thing is that it took me so long to begin writing about them!

Awhile back, in the course of an established series for Steeple Hill Love Inspired, I introduced some Amish minor characters, wondering what my editor would say about that. She responded, “You know that Amish thing? Do that more.” Delighted to be able to write about something fascinating in my own back yard, I agreed.

Next up came a three-book suspense series for Love Inspired, set in Pennsylvania Dutch country with, again, Amish minor characters. The art department did a lovely job—buggies on every cover. Then, through a series of events that had to be experienced to be believed, my agent made a three-book trade-size deal with Berkley Books. These are much longer, more complicated stories than the books I write for Love Inspired, and the main characters are Amish. Because of the length and complexity, the stories are more challenging to write, but I love every minute of it. The first book in the Pleasant Valley Amish series will be out in November, and Berkley has already contracted for another three books.

LEAH’S CHOICE, the first book in the new series, will be available in stores and online on November 3, so this seemed the ideal time to begin blogging about my experiences and about the Amish in general. I hope you’ll join me from time to time as we talk about the Amish...and I’m sure we’ll also venture into other topics, like my six beautiful grandchildren, the life of a writer, and whatever else happens to come up.

There will be something new here every week, so come back often.

Blessings,
Marta Perry

Books by Marta Perry

Paper or E-reader?

A Christmas Gift for You!

Work of Our Hands

KATIE'S WAY by Marta Perry

LOOKING FOR BOOK GIVEAWAYS?

WELCOME AUTHOR LYN COTE!

MUST-READ FICTION!

MURDER AS YOU LIKE IT

FLOODING

TOMATO TIME

Introducing Sandra Orchard

On Being A Writer

Country Mouse in the Big City

VANISH IN PLAIN SIGHT

Summer Salads from Marta Perry

Memories in the China Cabinet

Free Novella!

Blooming

Where are the bookstores?

SARAH'S GIFT WINNER!

Book Giveaway

Hexel and Mummix and Pennsylvania Dutch

Amish Wisdom Radio Interview

Post-Christmas Catch-Up

Must-Have Book for Writers

Christmas Baking

CHRISTMAS AND THE AMISH

MURDER IN PLAIN SIGHT

Amish and the Law

Time for Squash

The Amish Way

Fall Delights

Christmas in the Air

Christmas in October!

Recommended Reading

AMISH QUILTS

CANNING SEASON

Amish Reading

KIDS AND CREEKS

Time for Rita Awards

Punxsutawney Groundhog Summer Festival

Uniquely Pennsylvania

THE GUARDIAN'S HONOR

Friend's Book: SIMPLE SECRETS

Spinach and Basil and Chives....

New Books

ANNA'S RETURN is out!

On the Road Again

Horses, Real and Imagined

AMISH MIDWIVES

SNICKERDOODLES

SPRING CLEANING

SUCCESS MADE SIMPLE

Spring and Dandelion Greens

RACHEL'S GARDEN releases!

Following A Dream

Amish Schools

LEAH'S CHOICE in stores now!

APPEAL OF AMISH FICTION