Traveling and New Perspectives

David and I returned from a trip to New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It is always fun to travel with David. We tend to get into deep conversations on road trips, which I enjoy very much. And David and I are now co-presenters at the talks, given he wrote part of the book. Our first presentation…

Read More

Speaking of Bonnets and Head Coverings

My friend, Shirley Hershey Showalter, has done a thought-provoking blog post called Mennonite Bonnet and Covering Stories in preparation of the joint talk she and I have scheduled for next Tuesday, February 25, in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania. This talk is sponsored by the Milanof-Schock Library and will be held at the Mount Joy Mennonite Church. We are going…

Read More

Coming to a Venue Near You…

A week after the film "The Amish: Shunned" premiered on American Experience, and also a week after Bonnet Strings was released, my new agent, Heidi Ihrig, and I are busily scheduling for the cross-country book tour that David and I would like to make to promote Bonnet Strings and its prequel Why I Left the Amish. There is…

Read More

Sticky Bun Recipe and More…

Welcome to my new blog! Two days after the premiering of the PBS documentary, "The Amish: Shunned," I am looking out my window at the slanted afternoon sunlight shining on the white buildings across the street, I am taking a deep breath. I must have been stressed leading up to the launching of my book on…

Read More

Announcing the Winner and Updates

I would like to thank all of you who participated in the informal survey about maintaining a blog and Facebook account. Not only did you cast your vote, but most of you also gave reasons why you were voting the way you did. Many thanks — that was very helpful information.   If I do need to…

Read More

An Informal Survey and a Giveaway of Bonnet Strings

First I would like to announce a giveaway of Bonnet Strings: An Amish Woman’s Ties to Two Worlds. Please read down through this post to find out how to enter. The team at Herald Press and I are in the countdown… there are sixteen days left until Bonnet Strings is launched. Last week it felt like…

Read More

In Eager Anticipation…

When I was in first grade in public school (because there was no Amish school near us), I was the only Amish child in my class. When our class was practicing for a Christmas program, I played the part of one of four children who were “all snug in their beds.” The four of us…

Read More

Giveaway of “Bonnet Strings” with Jolina Petersheim

I would like to announce that Jolina Petersheim, author of the bestselling book The Outcast, is offering a giveaway of my book Bonnet Strings on her blog, where she posted an interview with me. So head on over to leave a comment, and have your name entered for the drawing. It is now less than a…

Read More