The First Touch of Grace

ANNIE’S TRUTH
Touch of Grace Series
Realms
ISBN: 161638607X

After learning the truth about who she really is, can this prodigal daughter be accepted back into the safety and security of home? 

Annie Beiler seems to have it all—a loving family in a tight-knit Amish community and the affections of an attractive and respected young man. But when she learns that she was adopted after being found as an abandoned newborn, she sets out on a journey to find out who she is. 

Her father is strongly against her decision to leave, as it could mean Meidung, or excommunication from the community and even her family. But Annie knows she must find “the path that has her heart.”

As Annie’s search brings her into the fast-paced world of modern life, she is confronted with all of the temptations she was warned of. Can she make her way back to the order and security of her family? Or will she remain an outsider—torn between her two worlds?

THE TRUTH ABOUT BETH

In 2003, Beth began her first book. A couple of years later it was published, and she has been writing ever since. Beth received a degree in social work from the University of Nebraska and was a caseworker before starting a family. Beth followed her passion to write and has written in a variety of genres in both fiction and non-fiction. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Literary Agency. 

Beth fit right into writing Amish stories. Her mother grew up on a ranch and father was raised on a farm, so she understands country life and has great respect for the people who make a living off the land. She frequents a nearby Amish community just south of Fort-Worth for an occasional church service or brunch with the bishop and his wife. And on the way home she stops at the community store to get some plum jam! 

TELLING THE TRUTH 

& NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?

BETH: I can tell you the last time I was completely lost in a story. The first book by Francine Rivers, The Mark of the Lion series, had me glued for an entire weekend. I’d hide so I could keep reading. I still haven’t found a book that compared to those. 

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading?

BETH: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. It was the first of a six book series, and again, the hiding thing happened until I’d read the entire series. 

ANGI: What’s your favorite “love” word?

BETH: Forgiveness, it’s hard for me to give forgiveness and accept it. Come to think of it, my characters do too. Wonder where they got that from? 

BETH: I read research for the book I’m writing and a completely different genre for fun. We recently moved a big over-stuffed chair into our living room, you know, the room you never use. Now I have a room to myself where I can curl up and read where it’s quiet. 

ANGI: What was the first story you remember writing?

BETH: When I was home last year for Christmas I found a story I wrote in second grade. It was about a donkey that fell in love with a snow drift that looked like a female donkey. I hope my writing has gotten better than that through the yearsJ 

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

BETH: It’s a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart. I still cry at the same place in the movie every year. My family all stare at me when the scene starts, and wait for the waterworks. 

ANGI: What is your biggest vice?
BETH: Chocolate, do you have any?
ANGI: Amaretto ice cream from the Marble Slab, mixed with cinnamon and white chocolate chips. Shame on you for making me confess that! 

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: I saw on your website that you visited Lancaster, Pennsylvania. What was your favorite thing? And what did you want to capture for your books?

BETH’S GOTTA ANSWER: Oh, I could go on forever. I took a friend along with me and neither one of us knew what to expect. The minute you leave the city and start driving through those farms a serene feeling comes over you. It’s like going back in time to see the Amish working and worshiping together as a community. I can still picture snapshots in my head of the little ones all dressed in their black clothes for church the Sunday morning we left. We took over 300 pictures each, so I have plenty to share if you want to go to my website and take a peek.

FINDING BETH:

Beth     Website    Facebook    Twitter     Beth’s Blog   Just The Write Charisma     
YOU CAN NOW CATCH BETH ON GET LOST IN A STORY! She’s the newest crew member.

UP NEXT

Grace Given, January 2013
Healing Grace, October 2013
Season of the Spirit, May 2014
Season of the Heart, October 2015
Season of the Soul, January 2015 


PREVIOUS RELEASES: Beth has several books on her website, including a daily devotional: PEACE FOR PARENTS OF TEENS.

BETH will be celebrating the release of ANNIE’S TRUTH with a drawing to a blog commenter.

  

Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

DON’T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter (#GetLostStories) or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes. Join us tomorrow when Shelley Coriell debuts her award-winning YA. ~Angi

~ BETH’S QUESTION FOR YOU ~

Why do you think Amish fiction has become so popular?