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Guest Post with Naomi King, author of Abby Finds Her Calling & Giveaway (2 copies – US only)

March 7, 2012 by Darlene

Here we are at the middle of the week already and Naomi King, author of  Abby Finds Her Calling:  Home at Cedar Creek is stopping by with a great guest post for us.  Abby Finds Her Calling is book one in an Amish series and I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it before but I love to read Amish fiction.  Again, I just don’t have enough time to read all the books I’d really like to.  Nonetheless this sounds like a series I’d like to start on myself.  The Amish way of life fascinates me as do the stories – such a calm and simple way to live.  I need that!  Naomi is joining us today to talk about her fascination with the Amish…

 

To celebrate the arrival of ABBY FINDS HER CALLING, the first book of my Home at Cedar Creek Amish series, I’ve compiled some tidbits about Amish life from my travels and research in Plain communities of Missouri. The Amish fascinate me! We so often think of them as somber and stoic, dressed in their dark colors, yet while in a furniture store in Jamesport, Missouri I found out up-close-and-personal that these folks can be pranksters, too: the very demure young woman who was minding the store asked me with a perfectly straight face if I’d like to see inside one of the little hand-carved houses for sale on the checkout counter. So I pulled on the tiny doorknob . . . and out popped a spring-loaded mouse! After I let out a squawk, I was laughing as loudly as my hostess was. And I had to wonder how many other clueless tourists had been taken in by her little joke. I’ve gathered a lot of other fun facts as I’ve written these books, too:

Did you know . . . that many Amish buggies and carriages are pulled by retired race horses? When I remarked about the beautiful horses I saw, I learned that the Amish in Missouri buy race horses which have been retired from the track–still young, but not good for racing anymore. Amishmen are excellent horse trainers and soon convert these thoroughbreds to pull their family vehicles. While Plain folks are to avoid pride, it’s no sin to save a fine, beautiful animal for a useful purpose!

Did you know . . . that Plain folks were into social networking long before computers and the Internet? Their weekly newspaper, The Budget, features articles from scribes who live in every Amish and Mennonite settlement in the U.S. and even in colonies in Ukraine, Belize, Israel, and other international locales! Scribes chronicle the daily goings-on of local families, including births, deaths, trips, injuries/illnesses, and whose home will host church services next week! You’ll also see a recipe column, an information exchange column, and a “shower” column, where card showers for birthdays and money showers for folks with large medical expenses generate a LOT of cheer and donations. The Amish don’t believe in insurance, so it’s not uncommon for a money shower to bring in more than $75k.

Did you know . . . that the biggest “threat” to the Amish way of life is the lunch bucket!? Amish folks work close enough to home that—except for kids in school—they can gather around their own table for meals. This sort of togetherness, along with often having elderly parents, married couples, and children all under the same roof is the bedrock of the Amish culture. Faith and family are their highest priorities.

Did you know . . . that the largest Old Amish settlement west of the Mississippi River is in Jamesport, Missouri? Nearly 50 Amish and Mennonite settlements are scattered throughout rural Missouri, because farmland is less expensive and nearby towns provide a place to sell Amish products and services.

Did you know . . . that you can tell where an Amish woman lives by the cut of her prayer kapp?
Plain women in Missouri wear the pleated style that comes partway over their ears, whereas the Amish in Lancaster County, PA are known for their heart-shaped head coverings. Other details in clothing differ from place to place, too. And while Old Order Amish women only make their dresses from solid colors, Mennonite ladies use the same dress patterns but often wear wild, colorful prints! You can also tell about a person’s age or position in the community by the color of kapps or aprons they wear (black vs. white), the width of a hat brim, and other details non-Amish folks often don’t distinguish.


Did you know . . . that the average Amish family in Missouri supports itself on 30-85 acres of land?
Bigger is not better, where Plain folks are concerned, because larger farms mean more debt—and they require more hired help and machinery to keep them productive. If an Amish family runs a business, like a dry goods store, harness-making shop, furniture factory, pie shop, etc. their business is on their own property rather than “in town”. You need a local map so you don’t miss any turns as you drive through the countryside to find these places! Unlike the main roads through Bird-in-Hand in Lancaster County, the rural routes through Missouri settlements are usually free of traffic jams—and not always paved!

So much for Missouri Amish trivia! Please check out my new books and read excerpts, try out recipes, and sign up for my newsletter at www.NaomiKingAuthor.com.

 

About Abby Finds Her Calling by Naomi King (from Naomi’s website)

The first in a warm-hearted new series featuring two Amish families and their community in Cedar Creek, Missouri.

The Lambright family’s eldest daughter, Abby, runs her own sewing shop. There, she mends the town’s clothes and their torn relationships. But the town maidel has sworn off any suitors of her own because of her unrequited love for James Graber, who is about to marry her younger sister, Zanna…

On the wedding day, Zanna is nowhere to be found, breaking James’ heart. Zanna has brought shame to her family, but there’s more in store for them when they discover how far she has fallen. Long-buried secrets come to light, and they test the bonds of the Cedar Creek community. Abby is at the center of it all, trying to maintain everyone’s happiness. But will she ever find her own?

Read an excerpt

Buy Abby Finds Her Calling at Amazon US, Amazon Canada, IndieBound, Chapters, The Book Depository, B&N, B-A-M, and Powell’s.

 

About Naomi King (from Naomi’s website)

I’ve called Missouri home for most of my life, and most folks don’t realize that several Old Older Amish and Mennonite communities make their home here, as well. The rolling pastureland, woods, and small towns along county highways make a wonderful setting for Plain populations—and for stories about them, too! While Jamesport, Missouri is the largest Old Order Amish settlement west of the Mississippi River, other communities have also found the affordable farm land ideal for raising crops, livestock, and running the small family-owned businesses that support their families.

Like my heroine, Miriam Lantz, of my new Seasons of the Heart series, I love to feed people—to share my hearth and home. I bake bread and goodies and I love to try new recipes. I put up jars and jars of green beans, tomatoes, beets and other veggies every summer. All my adult life, I’ve been a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and we hosted a potluck group in our home for more than twenty years.

Like Abby Lambright, heroine of my new Home at Cedar Creek series, I consider it a personal mission to be a listener and a peacemaker—to heal broken hearts and wounded souls. Faith and family, farming and frugality matter to me: like Abby, I sew and enjoy fabric arts—I made my wedding dress and the one Mom wore, too, when I married into an Iowa farm family more than thirty-five years ago! When I’m not writing, I crochet and sew, and I love to travel.

I recently moved to Minnesota when my husband got a wonderful new job, so now he and I and our border collie, Ramona, are exploring our new state and making new friends.

I’d love to hear from you! Email me from here on my new site, or write to me at Charlotte Hubbard/Naomi King, P.O. Box 18731, West St. Paul MN 55118. I hope you enjoy reading my new Amish books as much as I love writing them!

Naomi’s website
Like Naomi on Facebook

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

I have 2 copies of Abby Finds Her Calling by Naomi King up for giveaway to my US readers only.  To enter…

  • For 1 entry simply leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
  • For 2 entries, follow my blog.  If you already do just let me know so I can pass the extra entry on to you as well.
  • For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway!
  • For 4 entries, follow me on Networked Blogs.  You can find it on the right hand column of my blog at the bottom and you can hit follow there or you can just click here and be taken right there.  Sign into your Facebook account and follow.  Thanks!

This giveaway is open to US residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winners on Saturday, March 31/12.  Good luck!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. wall-to-wall books-wendy says

    March 7, 2012 at 4:14 am

    Yay! You know I love Amish Fiction!
    Please enter me.
    I am a follower
    Its posted on my sidebar

    forevereading at gmail dot com

  2. Lisa Garrett says

    March 7, 2012 at 4:40 am

    I loved reading all the Amish facts above. I like to read Amish fiction also.

  3. Lisa Garrett says

    March 7, 2012 at 4:41 am

    I follow via GFC and email.

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

  4. Lisa Garrett says

    March 7, 2012 at 4:42 am

    Tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/lag32583/status/177358354786680832

  5. Bookworm says

    March 7, 2012 at 5:26 am

    Fun post! I enjoy reading Amish fiction too. They are comfort reads. Thanks for sharing these tidbits about the Amish.

  6. Linda B says

    March 7, 2012 at 5:55 am

    Enjoyed all the tidbits about the Amish. Years ago I read several Amish fiction books and enjoyed them. It’s time to try another. Thanks for the giveaway.

    GFC follower

  7. zibilee says

    March 7, 2012 at 8:10 am

    All of these little factoids were wonderful, and really piqued my interest about the book! I have never read an Amish book, and have been so curious to try one. It’s hard to choose which one to go with though, because there are just so many out there. This was a great post today, Dar, and I would love the chance to be considered for your giveaway, so please do add my name to the list!

    zibilee(at)figero(dot)net

  8. Bethie says

    March 7, 2012 at 8:26 am

    Thanks for the giveaway.

  9. Bethie says

    March 7, 2012 at 8:27 am

    I follow on GFC

  10. rhonda says

    March 7, 2012 at 10:11 am

    i love amish fiction.lomazowr@gmail.com

  11. rhonda says

    March 7, 2012 at 10:11 am

    i am a subscriber.

  12. rhonda says

    March 7, 2012 at 10:12 am

    i will tweet at rhondareads.

  13. JJT says

    March 7, 2012 at 10:23 am

    thanks for the giveaway – book sounds great.

  14. Karen B says

    March 7, 2012 at 10:24 am

    All the Amish facts are fascinating – thanks for sharing!
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

    • Karen B says

      March 24, 2012 at 5:41 pm

      Please delete – I’ve already won and read the delightful book! Thanks – Karen.
      kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

  15. Karen B says

    March 7, 2012 at 10:25 am

    Email subscriber.
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

    • Karen B says

      March 24, 2012 at 5:42 pm

      Please delete – I’ve already won and read this book! Thanks – Karen.
      kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

  16. Karen B says

    March 7, 2012 at 10:26 am

    Networked blogs follower.
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

    • Karen B says

      March 24, 2012 at 5:43 pm

      Please delete – I’ve already won this book! Thanks – Karen.
      kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

  17. karenk says

    March 7, 2012 at 10:46 am

    thanks for the chance to read this story 🙂

  18. karenk says

    March 7, 2012 at 10:46 am

    i’m a follower, too!

  19. Terry Martini says

    March 7, 2012 at 12:20 pm

    I have always been fascinated with the Amish. Would love to read this one. I follow through email, GFC and Networked Blogs.

    tmrtini at gmail dot com

  20. bn100 says

    March 7, 2012 at 4:23 pm

    Sounds like an interesting book.

  21. bn100 says

    March 7, 2012 at 4:24 pm

    I follow the blog.

  22. Staci says

    March 7, 2012 at 5:57 pm

    I just watched a documentary on PBS about the Amish. Their way of life always intrigues me and I love to read fictionalized stories of their lives. This is a new author for me and I would love to read this one!!

    follower
    stacijoreads@gmail.com

  23. Liz says

    March 7, 2012 at 6:19 pm

    Have just read a number of Amish based books. Glad to find a new-to-me author. Thanks.

  24. scottsgal says

    March 7, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    I really enjoy Amish fiction – would love to read this
    msboatgal at aol.com

  25. scottsgal says

    March 7, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    already a follower
    msboatgal at aol.com

  26. Linda Kish says

    March 7, 2012 at 7:48 pm

    I really enjoyed the background information on the Amish.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

  27. Linda Kish says

    March 7, 2012 at 7:48 pm

    I am a GFC follower

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

  28. Diane Bojda says

    March 8, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    Hi, I love books based on the Amish. What a fascinating and fullfilling way of life. I often think of how wonderful it must have been to be a little child growing up without the stress that kids go through now.
    I am a follower & follow on network blogs also. I also tweeted the giveaway.https://twitter.com/#!/Dyniy/status/177853531674517504

  29. Carol Wong says

    March 8, 2012 at 2:12 pm

    I love to read Amish fiction. I really loved the information about fiction that I had never heard of. I was surprised to learn that they use retired race horses to pull their buggies. I haven’t read anything by Naomi King before. Her name will be easy for me to remember since my name is Carol Naomi Wong!

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  30. Carol Wong says

    March 8, 2012 at 2:13 pm

    I am a GFC follower of your blog.

    CarolNWong(at)aoldot)com

  31. Carol Wong says

    March 8, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    I tweeted:

    http://t.co/oZDJcFZE

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  32. Carol Wong says

    March 8, 2012 at 2:17 pm

    I now follow you on Networked Blogs.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  33. Ann says

    March 9, 2012 at 8:34 am

    I stopped by your blog today – thanks for doing the giveaway.
    Ann
    cozyintexas@yahoo.com

  34. Angela/Griperang says

    March 9, 2012 at 11:35 am

    Thank you for the chance to win this book, it looks like a good one.

    I am a gfc follower (griperang)
    I tweeted the giveaway (@griperang)
    I +1 you on google +
    I am an networked blog follower (Angela Holland)

    griperang at embarqmail dot com

  35. Wendy Newcomb says

    March 9, 2012 at 12:27 pm

    I would really love to win this book!

    +2 for being a GFC follower (Wendy Newcomb or wfnren)

    +3 for blogging (Wren’s Thoughts) here:http://wrensthoughts.blogspot.com/p/contests-and-giveaways-good-luck.html

    and tweeting here: (WendyNewcomb)
    https://twitter.com/#!/WendyNewcomb/status/178198999541620736

    +4 for being a Networked follower (Wendy Newcomb)

    wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
    wrensthoughts.blogspot.com

  36. mamabunny13 says

    March 9, 2012 at 3:35 pm

    I love stories about the Amish!
    tweet https://twitter.com/#!/mamabunny13/status/178247563860901888
    I follow via gfc – mamabunny13
    I follow on networked blog – mamabunny shelor
    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

  37. Beth says

    March 10, 2012 at 6:05 pm

    This looks great! Please enter me!

    bethsbookreviewblog2 AT gmail DOT com

  38. Beth says

    March 10, 2012 at 6:06 pm

    I’m a follower.

    bethsbookreviewblog2 AT gmail DOT com

  39. Beth says

    March 10, 2012 at 6:10 pm

    I’m a Networked Blogs follower (Beth Book Review).

    bethsbookreviewblog2 AT gmail DOT com

  40. Naomi King says

    March 13, 2012 at 10:58 am

    Thanks so much to all who have followed and tweeted and commented and in general sent a shout-out about ABBY FINDS HER CALLING! And thanks to our Peeking Between the Pages hostess with the mostest for posting my blog post and details about my book!

  41. Maureen says

    March 16, 2012 at 1:28 pm

    It looks like a good story.
    I follow on GFC – maureen
    I follow on Networked blogs – maureen carol
    Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/MaureenCE/status/180737044484591616
    mce1011 AT aol DOT com

  42. Mary Ann Woods says

    March 28, 2012 at 11:12 am

    I’ve just started to read Amish fiction. Abby Finds Her Calkling sounds like a wonderful book to add to the few books I’ve read. Thanks for the chance to win and read it!

  43. Mary Ann Woods says

    March 28, 2012 at 11:13 am

    Sorry — I forgot to say that I follow you both via email and Networked Blog.

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