Q&A with Wanda E. Brunstetter

Why don’t we start by you telling us a little about yourself?

I’ve wanted to be an author since I was in the second grade and wrote my first poem about a moth. I’m married to a wonderful man named Richard, and we have two grown children, Richard Jr. and Lorine. We are also blessed with 6 wonderful grandchildren. I began writing for publication in the 1980s, after my children were both in school. My first novel, “A Merry Heart,” was published in 1997.

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club will be released the first week of April, and in August a musical play based on the book will premiere at The Blue Gate Theater in Shipshewana, Indiana. The book is about a widowed Amish woman, Emma Yoder, who decides to teach quilting classes in her home. Emma is surprised when six people, all with some personal problems, show up for her first class. Emma soon comes to realize that God sent these people, from various walks of life, to her home to learn more than just how to quilt.

What inspired you to write your very first book?

My husband grew up in a Mennonite church in Pennsylvania, and many years ago, through one of his Mennonite friends, we were introduced to an Amish couple in Lancaster County, PA. After spending time with the Amish family I realized that they were a lot different than I thought they would be. As I got to know the Amish better, and realized that most tourists see them as a curiosity, I decided to write my first novel with Amish characters. It was my goal then, and still is, to give my readers a true picture of the Amish way of life.

If you couldn’t be a writer, what would your ideal career be?

I would probably be a photographer, which is what my husband does, because I, too, like to take pictures and have always been very visual.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I’m also a professional ventriloquist, so I often use my ventriloquism when I speak to children in Amish and public schools. I also like to garden, take pictures, bird-watch, beach comb, and spend time with my family.

What is your favorite thing about being an author?

I love having the opportunity to write about the Amish people who I have come to know and love. It’s also very rewarding to receive e-mails and notes from people who have found encouragement or help by reading one of my novels.

The next two questions are questions from Facebook fans!

How much of the Amish culture and way of life do you apply in your daily life?

I always try to focus on the simple, beautiful things that God created for our enjoyment. I also have a great appreciation for my family. Both of these things I have seen in the lives of my Amish friends.

How do you find time to travel and write?

I usually take writing with me when I travel and write whenever I get the chance. When I’m not traveling I spend several hours a day writing.

Do you have anything that you would like to share?

Some of my readers have asked if the Amish read my books. The answer is yes, and in fact I have been invited to do a few book signings in Amish homes.

What’s next for you?

I have several more books coming out this year, including two Amish-themed children’s books. I have also begun to work on a new book that will release in 2013.

The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club (April 2012)
{Coming April 3, 2012}

Amish widow Emma Yoder’s first quilt class brings the most unlikely people together. there’s Star, a young woman yearning for stability; Pan and Stuart Johnston, a struggling couple at odds in their marriage; Paul Ramirez, a young widower hoping to find solace in finishing a quilt; Jan Sweet, a rough and tough biker doing some creative community service; and Ruby Lee Williams, a preacher’s wife looking for relaxation when parish problems mount. But as these beginning quilters learn to transform scraps of material into beauty; their fragmented lives begin to take new shape with the helping hands of each other and the healing hand of God. Coming in April, 2012 from bestselling author, Wanda E. Brunstetter.

 

 

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Website: http://www.wandabrunstetter.com/

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Pre-order The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club here

For Book Giveaway click here or go to previous post.

The book giveaway is for Lydia’s Charm.