I am so very, very lucky to have a wonderful author, whose books I absolutely love to read, as my featured guest today on my blog.
Vannetta Chapman, author of many wonderful Amish books, including cozy mysteries, has shared some of her personal thoughts with you. I hope you will enjoy learning more about this amazing author, just as I have! Thanks Vannetta, for being my special guest today.
Vannetta, please tell us about when you first realized you wanted to be a
writer:
It was while I was finishing my graduate work for a MA in
English. We had a lot of reading to do and even more writing. I found I enjoyed
it immensely, but that I wanted to write things of a less academic nature. That
was 15 years ago, and it’s been an incredibly fun journey.
We are anxious to hear about Hidden, please share a little bit about this book and how it came
to be written:
Hidden is the story of Dana Jacobs—who SEEMS to have it all
together, but in fact is held back in her personal and spiritual life by events
in her past. Faith is something she stopped having as a small child. Now Ben
Marshall is in her life—a steady, calming, faithful presence, and she doesn't
know what to do with him. When they become deeply involved in a case that
threatens both their town and their lives, Dana must decide if she’s going to
let her past define her. She must decide whether she’s going to live in fear,
or live by faith. It’s a fun, suspenseful story that focuses on God’s grace and
love for us.
What are your feelings about writers supporting one another:
Certainly there have been a lot of writers who have
supported and encouraged me. In return, I try to do that for new writers as
well as other established writers. We are in competition with one another, but
in another sense we’re a community of writers who have the same goal—to tell a
good story and in the process, for Christian writers, to glorify Christ.
What is the most satisfying part of writing in your life?
Meeting readers. I love reading myself, so I love to talk to
readers about what kind of stories they enjoy and what they’d like to read
about next. In effect, we’re a big book club for one another.
What is your favorite genre when you are the “reader” and
not the writer.
Probably suspense. I like and read all genres, but I do grow
frustrated if a story moves too slowly.
Which of your books brought the most satisfaction?
Oh, that’s a hard question. It seems I have a personal tie
to each of my stories. For instance, A Perfect Square (book 2 in my Shipshewana
series), helped me work through my father-in-law’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. For
each book I've written, I could tell you a story like that. They’re all
personal to me and have really all brought a great deal of satisfaction.
What other writers have had the most impact/influence in
your writing?
I grew up reading Janette Oake and L.M. Montgomery. Those
stories did have a huge impact on me. I can still REMEMBER them—scenes will pop
up in my mind though it’s been 35 years in some cases. And what always stands
out most, for me, is the relationships within the books.
How do you spend your “me” time? What do you like to do when you are not
writing?
I have a lot of hobbies! I quilt and crochet, garden, hike,
and travel when I can. We have 2 cats and a new dog that is a 3 year old lab—so
we spend a lot of time walking her.
If you were an Amish youth in Rumspringa-how would you want
to try to “spread your wings” or would you?
This will make me sound like a nerd, but I would want to go
to school! I’d want to read more and learn more, even though I understand their
reasons for ending their formal education after the 8th grade. This
was really the catalyst for Annie in my book, A Simple Amish Christmas. She
loved being Amish but she had a thirst for knowledge. I’d probably spend my
rumspringa in college!
About the author:
The
first thing you need to know about me is that I write Fiction full of GRACE.
Every plot is different. The characters change. Some of my books are
mysteries, others are novellas, and some are romances. But they all are stories
of light, hope, and truth. Stories that at least for a moment touch the deepest
places in our heart.Tales that whisper hope. That speak of family and community.
That remind us of God and His love. What do I write? If I had to reduce it
to four words, I suppose I’d say I write Fiction full of GRACE.
Vannetta is offering a giveaway of her new book HIDDEN in either a print or ebook version. Here is the question she has for you to answer in your comment.
"HIDDEN takes place in Taos, New Mexico, where my husband and
I went for our honeymoon. What is one of your favorite vacation spots?"
Be sure to add your email address to the your comment so that you can be contacted if you are the winner! This giveaway ends Sept. 27, 2014.