Author Interview with J.E.B. Spredemann & Giveaway!! and winners are......

Author Interview with J. E. B. Spredemann & Giveaway!!! 

and the winners are:  JYN Hoffman wins "An Unforgivable Secret" and Lisa Korell wins "Amish by Accident" 

emails are being sent to winners and author will send your autographed copies!  thanks to all who entered!

Luke Beiler has loved Elisabeth Schrock for as long as he can remember and is looking forward to the day they both join the church so they can marry. Elisabeth, however, chafes under the church rules and flees to the Englisch world leaving Luke heart broken.

When an accident leaves Brianna Mitchell with amnesia, she feels helplessly lost. What will happen when she is mistaken for Elisabeth Schrock and taken home to Paradise, Pennsylvania?

Hannah has a good life. A beautiful home, a loving husband, and a wonderful Amish community are only a few of her daily blessings. But she has carried a heavy burden for years: a secret that no one must know. When tragedy strikes, her secret threatens to be revealed, jeopardizing everything she's ever loved. Will Hannah be able to face her greatest fear and find God's purpose for her life?

Your name is quite interesting. Is there a story behind the three initials?

First of all, thank you, Rhonda, for allowing me to share a little of my life with readers.

Regarding your question: Yes, there is. J.E.B. Spredemann actually began as three authors, not just one. J is for myself (Jennifer), E is for my oldest daughter (Emily), and B is for Brandi (one of my other daughters). However, what began as a writing trio has essentially become simply J. Spredemann. The girls inspired and co-authored the Amish Girls Series, but have since began their own writing journeys. Since the name J.E.B. Spredemann was already established in readers' minds, I thought it would be best to keep the full name.

How did you come to write about the Amish?

I am a reader, and my favorite genre (after God's Word, which compares to nothing in this world) is Amish fiction. Writing about the Amish actually came as a surprise to me. My children take turns shopping with Mom. Oftentimes, I would bring a book along (usually my latest library book or thrift store purchase) and they would be my live audiobook. I mean, who wants to take a shopping break while reading? ;) One day, while Brandi and I were shopping, she paused and asked, "How come there aren't books like this for people my age?" I pondered that question and did some research to find there were indeed few books of the kind. Thus began our writing journey...

Have you lived in any Amish community?

No, I have never lived in an Amish community. My husband's family is German (former Mennonite) and have a lot of the same views as the Amish. Their lives are quite simple compared to most Englischers. My mother-in-law still bakes her own bread and a lot of their food is made from 'scratch', she still hangs her laundry out on a clothes line. They've always shared in a special family Bible reading time. They still speak fluent German.

Although I was raised in a Christian home, these are things that my family did not practice.

Do you have a family of your own?

Yes. Along with my wonderful husband, I have six awesome kinner!

You are extremely sensitive to the needs of teenagers in your Amish Girls Series.   How do you feel you are so well-equipped for that sensitivity?

We currently have four teenagers living in our home. The Amish Girls Series espouses values that I'd like to pass on to my children. As we, as a society, pull further away from God, our children need positive godly role models. While our characters in the Amish Girls Series are certainly not perfect, they find that God's grace is sufficient.

I don't know if I'd consider myself well-equipped, but I believe each parent can pass on the valuable life lessons they've personally learned. The Amish Girls Series has a lot of my heart and life in it. Danika's Journey, for example, is about an adopted daughter. My adopted daughter is the model on the cover of the Danika book.

If you could live in an Amish home, what do you think you would miss the most?

It's funny that you should ask that because we are currently considering purchasing an Amish home. It has no bathroom - well it does have an outhouse :/. No electricity. No indoor plumbing - well I guess there is a small sink with a hand pump. So...it's a toss up between a bathroom and electricity. If I didn't have electricity I wouldn't be able to write. An indoor flushing toilet is priceless.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why? 

Heaven, but I don't think that counts?

I always thought I wanted to live in Pennsylvania. I traveled there as a pre-teen girl and fell in love with the trees and beautiful foliage. It was also the first time I learned the Amish culture existed. However, as I've grown up, I've had to take in many more factors: i.e. the spiritual/political environment, where I would want to raise my children, all those important considerations.

Born and raised in California, I never thought I'd be able to survive being land-locked, far away from the ocean. Although California is a nice state to visit, it's not an ideal place to raise a family. I feel certain states have more of the good ole conservative Americana spirit. They hold more to family traditions and embrace a stricter moral code. We've considered moving many times: Hawaii, Colorado, Mississippi, Ohio.

We've finally decided on Indiana, which is where we'll be moving this year. Lord willing. So I guess if I can't live in Heaven yet, Indiana is the place for me! :)

What is your favorite season and why?  I love fall but I also LOVE snow and I am hoping to see some soon!

I've always loved spring and fall. I haven't had much experience with snow, so that will definitely be an adjustment when we move! Where I currently live, summers are very hot and winters are practically non-existent. It's the middle of January and it's been in the upper sixties to lower seventies. I've never had a white Christmas and am looking forward to it this year.

What upcoming projects are you working on?

Leah's Legacy, the final book in the Amish Girls Series, is due out February 14. Learning to Love (Saul's Story) is a spin-off adult novella from Chloe's Revelation and should be out in spring. Other projects this year include the final book in the Amish Secrets Series, A Secret of the Heart; a Christmas novella featuring the characters from A Secret Encounter; and another Amish Fairly Tale (a fun novelette for adults). Lord willing!

Enter with a comment to win an autographed copy of Amish by Accident or An Unforgivable Secret.   Two winners will be chosen on Wed., Jan. 29, 2014 at 10:00 p.m. Let me know which one you'd like to win in your comment & answer our question below from the author.   Please leave an email so that I can contact the winners.

Question: Do you have a favorite character from J.E.B. Spredemann's books? Who is it and why? No spoilers, please.