Audra Jennings

Everyone has a story, and as Lorilee Craker writes in the new book Homespun: Amish and Mennonite Women in Their Own Words (Herald Press), “I knew from early on that there were lots of different kinds of Mennonite stories.” She should know. She’s a self-described simple Mennonite girl from the prairies. In the pages of Homespun, Amish and Plain Mennonite women swap stories and spin yarns while the reader sits in. As the book’s editor Craker collected these personal writings and authentic perspectives on life, hospitality, home, grief, joy, and walks with God from Anabaptist women’s periodicals. Among the stories shared are essays penned by well-loved Amish and Mennonite writers such as Sherry Gore, Linda Byler, Lovina Eicher, Dorcas Smucker, and Sheila Petre. While her own story isn’t included Homespun, here she shares a little bit of about how she was adopted into a loving Mennonite home, and adopted by a Father who knows all of our stories. Why I’m Grateful for My Adopti...

Part 2 of an interview with Lorilee Craker, Author of Homespun Behind Amish romance novels, tourist spots and “reality” TV shows stand real people, with longings and loves just like the rest of us. Every Amish and Mennonite woman has a story. What would it be like to be welcomed into their homes and share those stories over a cup of coffee? In the pages of Homespun: Amish and Mennonite Women in Their Own Words (Herald Press) , Amish and Plain Mennonite women swap stories and spin yarns while the reader sits in. The book’s editor, Lorilee Craker, bestselling author of Money Secrets of the Amish , collected these personal writings and authentic perspectives on life, hospitality, home, grief, joy, and walks with God from Anabaptist women’s periodicals. Among the stories shared are essays penned by well-loved Amish and Mennonite writers such as Sherry Gore, Linda Byler, Lovina Eicher, Dorcas Smucker, and Sheila Petre. Here she shares more of her own background and experien...

Part 1 of an interview with Lorilee Craker, Author of Homespun Ever wish you could visit with a group of Amish or Mennonite women over a cup of coffee? In the pages of Homespun , Amish and Plain Mennonite women swap stories and spin yarns while we listen in. Lorilee Craker, bestselling author of Money Secrets of the Amish , collects these personal writings about hospitality, home, grief, joy, and walks with God. The stories include one woman who struggles with feeling inferior to her sister, from another about her longing for a baby, and from a third who accidentally bought stretchy material to sew her husband’s pants. Each woman’s story is a testament to the grace of God and the blessings of community. Q: What was the inspiration behind your new book, Homespun ? How did you collect the stories included in the book? Herald Press approached me about being the general editor of a collection of writings from Amish and Mennonite women. I collected the stories from ma...

A big thank you to all the bloggers who are on the tour! About the book from Herald Press: Straight from the pens of Amish and Mennonite women . . . Ever wish you could visit with a group of Amish or Mennonite women over a cup of coffee? In the pages of  Homespun , Amish and Plain Mennonite women swap stories and spin yarns while we listen in. Lorilee Craker, bestselling author of  Money Secrets of the Amish , collects these personal writings about hospitality, home, grief, joy, and walks with God. Hear from one woman who struggles with feeling inferior to her sister, from another about her longing for a baby, and from a third who accidentally bought stretchy material to sew her husband’s pants. Each woman’s story is a testament to the grace of God and the blessings of community. Behind Amish romance novels and tourist spots and television shows stand real people, with longings and loves just like the rest of us. Every Amish and Mennonite woman has a ...

Story makes the world go ‘round The stories of Amish and Mennonite women in their own words Behind Amish romance novels, tourist spots and “reality” TV shows stand real people, with longings and loves just like the rest of us. Every Amish and Mennonite woman has a story. What would it be like to be welcomed into their homes and share those stories over a cup of coffee? In the pages of Homespun: Amish and Mennonite Women in Their Own Words (Herald Press/ August 7, 2018/ISBN: 978-1-5138-0316-6/$15.99) , Amish and Plain Mennonite women swap stories and spin yarns while the reader sits in. The book’s editor, Lorilee Craker , bestselling author of Money Secrets of the Amish , collected these personal writings and authentic perspectives on life, hospitality, home, grief, joy, and walks with God from Anabaptist women’s periodicals. Among the stories shared are essays penned by well-loved Amish and Mennonite writers such as S...

Are you a blogger who reviews books? I'm looking for reviewers for Gathering of Sisters by Darla Weaver. Learn more below! Gathering of Sisters: A Year with My Old Order Mennonite Family by Darla Weaver Herald Press, an imprint of MennoMedia Tour dates: October 9-23 CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP! About the book: Spend a day with sisters. Once a week Darla Weaver bundles her children into the buggy, hitches up her spirited mare, and drives six miles to the farm where she grew up. There she gathers with her four sisters and their children for a day with their mother. In  Gathering of Sisters,  Weaver writes about her horse-and-buggy Mennonite family and the weekly women’s gatherings that keep them connected. On warm days, the children play and fish and build houses of hay in the barn. In the winter, everyone stays close to the woodstove, with puzzles and games and crocheting. No matter the weather, the Tuesday get-togethers of this Old Order ...

If you are interested in the daily life of Amish and Mennonite women, I have the book for you! I'm looking for blog reviewers for the new book, Homespun, by Lorilee Craker from Herald Press (an imprint of MennoMedia . Here's a little bit about the book, then below, you can sign-up right from this post! Homespun: Amish and Mennonite Women in Their Own Words Lorilee Craker, Editor Herald Press, an imprint of MennoMedia Tour dates: August 21 - September 4 About the book: Straight from the pens of Amish and Mennonite women . . . Ever wish you could visit with a group of Amish or Mennonite women over a cup of coffee? In the pages of Homespun , Amish and Plain Mennonite women swap stories and spin yarns while we listen...

What lengths would you go to to protect the person you love? Find out what one undercover English DEA agent will do to protect the Amish girl he loves in Shelley Shepard Gray’s  His Risk .  When a sudden surge of criminal activity alarms the community and even targets Alice, Calvin fears that his double life has put everyone he loves at risk. As for Alice, she can’t help but wonder if the brave and honorable man she’s lost her heart to is far more dangerous than she could ever imagine. Enter to win a copy of  His Risk . Five winners will be chosen! Click the image below to enter to win. The winners will be announced March 28 on the  Litfuse blog ! {MORE ABOUT  HIS RISK } The Amish of Hart County  (Avon Inspire, March 2018) An undercover English DEA agent will do anything to protect the Amish girl he loves. Calvin Fisher left the Amish community at fourteen and never looked back. Only his brother’s illness can bring him back to Ha...