There hasn’t been a specific defining moment in my salvation experience—it’s been more of an ongoing journey that continues with each breath I take. But I did have an experience so personal and profound that it changed everything about me, and that light continues to shine in my heart, and hopefully in my writing.
You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?
Oh, Lena…this is such an unfair question. There are SO many! But I suppose I would choose my fellow writers at http://www.amishhearts.com/ – Kathy Fuller, Barbara Cameron, Kelly Long, and our former member, Amy Clipston. We’ve never all met in person, so it would be a super treat!
Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.
I don’t do a lot of speaking, but when I do, I pray a lot that someone will be positively affected by my words—and my books. Some of my readers are folks who are on the fence about God, angry at God, or searching for God. If one person is moved toward Him by something I’ve said or written, then I have done my job.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?
How much blog space do you have, Lena? LOL… I’ll just give you my most recent embarrassing moment (you might have heard about it!). At the last ACFW Conference after the awards ceremony, I spilled a COLD full drink in Allen Arnold’s lap. Pretty much the entire beverage landed in his lap. For those who don’t know, Allen is the ‘top dog’ at Thomas Nelson Publishers and my boss. I tried to make amends by sending him a bottle of Texas hot sauce since I’d been told he loved hot sauce. His response—“Thank you so much for the hot sauce, but you are SO wrong if you think that will get you off the hook. You will be living this down for many years.” Gotta love him. :-)
I guess I missed that at the banquet. Wish I had seen it. People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?
Everyone has a book in them. Just do it!
Plain Proposal is book #5 in the Daughters of the Promise series. It is a different kind of Amish story, and I loved writing it. Here’s the back cover copy:
Miriam secretly vows to follow Saul no matter what the future holds.
But she never thought that future might take them away from their Amish community.
Miriam Raber could have her pick of any of the eligible bachelors in Lancaster County. But she only has eyes for one . . . Saul Fisher. He captured her heart years ago, and she’s never looked back. Even when rumors circulate that Saul may leave their Amish community to pursue a once-in-a-lifetime apprenticeship, Miriam makes a bold assertion: she will stand by him, whether he stays or he goes, though she knows this decision could break her family’s heart.
Saul Fisher has experienced an inordinate amount of loss in his short life. Saul is raising his two brothers and caring for a grieving father who privately seeks solace in the comfort of his homemade wine. Saul has kept his father’s drinking from the community, but if he leaves Lancaster, the burden of secrecy will be left to his young brothers. How does he balance this with the dream that burns bright within him?
As Miriam and Saul consider leaving their lives behind, God starts revealing things to Miriam that make her think twice about what it means to be a Daughter of the Promise, and what it means to make a home.
Experience this love story with a surprising resolution by one of the most popular voices in Amish fiction.
Includes Reading Group Guide and Old Order Amish Recipes
Sounds intriguing. Please give us the first page of the book.
Miriam stepped back and admired the matching quilts lying on the twin beds in her room. Gifts from her grandmother before she died. The pastel circles of yellow, powder blue, and pink were framed by a simple blue border in a traditional double wedding-ring pattern. They were finally making a debut—just in time for company.
“Your room looks nice.” Mamm walked in carrying a wicker basket filled with towels to be folded. “Your mammi would be pleased that you saved her quilts for a special occasion.” She glanced at the white vase full of pink roses on the nightstand and smiled. “Ach, fresh flowers too.”
Her mother unloaded the towels onto Miriam’s bed, and they each reached for one as Mamm’s eyes traveled around the room. When her mother nodded an approval, Miriam grinned.
“When will she be here?”
Mamm placed a folded blue towel on top of Miriam’s green one. “Not for a couple of hours. Your daed hired a driver, and they went to go pick her up at the airport.”
What a good hook! How can readers find you on the Internet?
http://www.bethwiseman.com/,
‘Fans of Beth Wiseman’ on Facebook,
http://www.amishhearts.com/,
http://www.amishliving.com/,
http://blog.bethwiseman.net/.
Thanks so much for having me, Lena!
The pleasure is all mine, Beth.
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