Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Amish Christmas Matchmaker by Vannetta Chapman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
Title: The Amish Christmas Matchmaker
Series: Indiana Amish Brides #4
Author: Vannetta Chapman
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: September 1, 2019
Genre: Inspirational Amish Fiction
She’ll find him a wife for Christmas…
Which of these Indiana Amish Brides is next?
With her wedding business thriving, Annie Kauffmann could never leave her beloved Amish community.
So when handsome Amish cowboy Levi Lapp tries to convince her father to move the family to Texas, she must put a stop to it.
If Annie finds Levi a wife, he might forget his dream of moving…but can she keep from falling for him herself?
CONNECT WITH VANNETTA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Hi Vannetta! First of all, I want to thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and allowing myself and my readers here at A Modern Day Fairy Tale the chance to get to know you and your book a bit better. Let’s start with something fun… tell us 5 random facts about yourself that we WON’T find in your bio!
1. I don’t eat white foods.
2. I’m afraid to drive on fly-over bridges.
3. I play the piano at my church.
4. Knitting and quilting are 2 ways I relax (though I’m a beginner at both).
5. I’m an avid reader.
On your website, you describe yourself as an ‘author of fiction full of grace’. As a reader of a wide variety of Christian genres, I love this description. Can you explain what that means to those who may be new to your novels?
I write in a variety of genres (Amish romance, Amish cozy mystery, romantic suspense, and dystopian). Although the type of story I tell might vary, the common thread is that they all emphasize that the grace of God is real and present in our lives, and it is sufficient.
Life in the Amish culture is quite a departure from the modern world we live in these days. As a reader, I know that that simplicity appeals to me as a much needed break to slow down, but I’m always curious about how it is for the writers that choose to write about this world. What is it that first drew you into writing Amish fiction?
I first dipped a toe into the Amish world when my agent asked me to write an Amish romance. That was in 2009, and we sold it immediately. Since then I’ve published 28 novels and 4 novellas, all but 5 of those have been Amish. I, too, am drawn to the simplicity and the way that the Amish people in general live out their faith.
Growing up in southern Indiana, I grew up around many Amish families but must admit that I didn’t know nearly as much about the culture as I’d thought until I began reading Amish fiction novels. What kind of research goes into creating these stories and keeping true to and respecting the Amish culture?
I’ve had Amish people tell me they read my books because I don’t put them on a pedestal. They don’t want to be portrayed as perfect, but rather as Christians who are striving to live the life God has called them to live. For my research, I try to visit every location and speak with local Amish. In general, they’ve been very receptive to that. What I always come away with is an abiding respect for their lifestyle and a conviction that in many ways they deal with the same problems we do.
The Amish Christmas Matchmaker is obviously a Christmas story, so let’s chat Christmas! What are some of your own favorite traditions/memories? Are there any personal stories that made it into this story?
I thought I grew up in a relatively normal family. Only later did I learn that not every dad numbered Christmas presents instead of putting our names on them. He thought that was quite clever, and now I laugh at the memory. At the time, I always figured out my “number” because I was the only one who asked for a record (yes, a vinyl album).
The funny thing about The Amish Christmas Matchmaker is that Levi is based on my husband (who I dedicated the book to). My husband honestly does believe that Texas is the promised land. I hope the readers enjoy his passion about the Lone Star state.
I find that writers are always some of the best readers. If we were to take a look at your current to be read pile, what might we see?
Like I said, I’m an avid reader. I average 1-3 books a week and I read a wide variety of genres. I just finished Richard Paul Evans “A Perfect Day.” Currently I’m reading an indie Christian cozy novella, “Ice House Murders” by Bruce Hammack. Stacked up on my bedside table is “Hunting Season” by Nevada Bar, “Invisible Prey” by John Sandford, “Animal Dreams” by Barbara Kingsolver, and “Tell Her No Lies” by Kelly Irvin.
I am so looking forward to reading The Amish Christmas Matchmaker myself this holiday season (and Summer of Suspense is also queued on my Kindle to be read as well), but I look forward to seeing what you’re working on next! Can you tell us anything about what’s coming up that we can look forward to?
I’m super excited to release “Dead Wrong” An Agatha’s Amish B&B cozy mystery. This first book in a new series will be available for purchase in September. “An Unlikely Amish Match” will be the next book in my Indiana Amish Brides series and releases in February.
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions. Before you go, is there anything else we should know about The Amish Christmas Matchmaker? What will we all love about it?
I hope readers will respond to the fun in this story. While it’s true that love can often be frustrating and finding the right person sometimes seems impossible, we can rest assured that God has a plan for our lives…and His grace really is sufficient.
(1) winner will receive a copy of The Amish Christmas Matchmaker (print or digital), a quilted Amish mug mat, a woven Amish mug mat, and $10 Amazon gift card!
Be sure to check out each stop on these tours for more chances to win. Full tour schedule on this tour shown below. Giveaway begins at midnight September 9, 2019 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 16, 2019. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Due to shipping cost, only US mailing addresses valid.
For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
Love Christmas books!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite so far it the amish bishop series.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great read. I love my Christmas stories.
ReplyDeleteI like books set in the heartland.
ReplyDelete