Get Hidden With Vannetta Chapman!

WHO IS VANNETTA?

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. Her novel, Falling to Pieces, was a 2012 ACFW Carol Award winner for best mystery. She writes Amish mysteries for Zondervan, Amish romances for Harvest House and Amish novellas for Abingdon and Zondervan. All of her books have been Christian Book Distributor bestsellers. Her first self-published book is an inspirational romantic suspense titled Hidden. Chapman lives in the Texas hill country with her husband.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS VANNETTA?

Website     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Goodreads     |     Pinterest     |     Blog

THE BLURB

Home is where our story begins ...

 

DANA JACOBS would rather forget the night of tragedy and violence that marred her childhood. She is now supervisor in charge of the Department of Homeland Security in Taos, New Mexico. Her team is prepared to handle any threat—biological, chemical, conventional, cyber, even nuclear. BENJAMIN MARSHALL is newly assigned to Dana’s office. Straight from a six year military deployment, he is not what Dana wants or needs.

Ben knows God has a reason for putting him in this place at this time—to help Dana. When a local school is threatened, they open a case which leads them on a chase through the Enchanted Circle and Carson National Forest, pursuing a man filled with a bitterness Dana can understand. But her anger is different. It’s justified, it remains hidden inside, and it hurts no one.

Can Dana face her own mortality? And when she does, can she truly understand what it means to forgive and to be forgiven? 

CLICK HERE FOR A QUICK READ OF AN EXCERPT!

Alexa: All right. Let’s get started, Vannetta. How often do you get lost in a story?
Vannetta: I’m lost most of the time, just ask my husband! J But seriously, I am rather absent minded and that’s partially because my nose is usually stuck in a book (or e-reader). I read approximately 2 books a week—more if we’re travelling because I love to read in the car or plane!

Alexa: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
Vannetta: Cookie Monster, for obvious reasons.

Alexa: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?

Vannetta: It will sound corny, but my husband! He’s a great guy who always does the “right thing.” We’ve been married 15 years, and I’m a very blessed woman to have met him. (ps – he’s shy, so don’t tell him I put him on a blog.)

Alexa: Who’s your favorite villain?
Vannetta: You know I thought BEN LINUS on Lost was just awful. Beady little eyes and an evil mind. But then he became a good guy in Person of Interest and it took me a LONG time to decide I could like him.

Alexa: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role? 
Vannetta: I don’t “put myself” in the role, I AM THE ROLE. J Which is why I like strong, brave, funny, smart female characters. I want to be all those things.

Alexa: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

Vannetta: I step away from the computer and shout “Yes! I’m done! I’m never sitting in front of this computer again!” That lasts for a few hours. But seriously, I try to take off at least a day or two between projects. No play time would make for a very grumpy writer.

 

 

Alexa: What question are you never asked in interviews, but wish you were? Why are stories important?
Vannetta: No one really asks that. I think stories are VERY important—whether they’re stories we hear in a song, or watch on the television, or read in a book. Stories are the way we learn things without having to go through the pain and/or experience. Stories connect us to other people and other places. They give us empathy and compassion and entertainment all at once. They help us to laugh and hope in the darkest of times. I think story-telling will continue as long as man (woman) is on this Earth … and though the format may change the fact of story-telling is a very important blessing. (Writer now steps off her soap box.)

 

 

Alexa: What does it mean to love someone?
Vannetta: Wow. Great question. I think it means to put their needs before your own. When we love someone, we care so deeply for them that their needs ARE the same as our needs—we celebrate with them, cry with them, and long to spend time with them.

Alexa: And finally, have you got a question you’d like to ask your fans?

Vannetta: I set the story HIDDEN in Taos because it’s a memorable place for me – we honeymooned there. What location is memorable for you and why?

Thanks so much for joining us today, Vannetta! Folks, our guest will be offering a free copy of a book her choice to one North American commenter so get busy answering the question!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Note: Please leave an email address for notification. 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.
                                                                                                                            

 

Shipshewana Amish Mysteries

WELCOME BACK VANNETTA 

A big welcome back to one of our favorite authors, Vannetta Chapman. Celebrating the release of her fifth book, Vannetta visited with her heroine. She thought it would be “fun to interview Callie, since she is about to find herself--once again--in the middle of a murder investigation.” Vannetta’s A Promise for Miriam made the Christian Retailer’s top 10 fiction bestseller list.

Vannetta writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania. Her novel, Falling to Pieces, is a 2012 ACFW Carol Award finalist. A Promise for Miriam earned a spot on the June 2012 Christian Retailing Top Ten Fiction list. Chapman writes Amish fiction for Abingdon Press, Zondervan, and Harvest House. She lives in the Texas hill country with her husband.

MATERIAL WITNESS

A SHIPSHEWANA AMISH MYSTERY

Zondervan Press

ISBN-10: 0310330459

Tragedy strikes on the opening night of the Fall Crafters Fair when a woman is killed in the parking lot of Daisy's Quilt Shop, and the only material witness is one of Melinda Byer's boys. The investigation takes a more bizarre turn when detective Shane Black becomes convinced the killer was actually after Callie.

This time it's a madman loose in the largest crowd of the year, and he's looking for something or someone. If they can't figure out what, one of Deborah and Callie's close circle of friends may be next. Masked identities, antique quilts with hidden messages, an Amish boy whose handicap makes him stronger, one brave dog, and a possible hidden treasure ... this time it's nonstop action, danger, and a dash of romance.

EXCERPT   

AN INTERVIEW WITH CALLIE HARPER

VANNETTA: How are you adjusting to life in an Amish community?

CALLIE: Define adjust! I don't understand half the things my Amish customers say. I'm trying to learn Pennsylvania-Dutch, but it's harder than you'd think. I love living in the small town of Shipshewana, and I have close friends who help me more than you can imagine.

VANNETTA: Let's talk about those close friends. Amish or Englisch?

CALLIE: The gals are Amish - Deborah, Melinda, and Esther. They're actually more like sisters than friends. The guys? Well, I'm still trying to decide exactly what they are. Friends? Or maybe something more ...

VANNETTA: Guys? More than one?

CALLIE: I know that sounds terrible. I never planned for my love life to be complicated. I never planned to HAVE a love life after my husband Rick died. But with Trent, Gavin and Shane it's different. I can't believe I'm saying Shane is even a possibility, though sometimes, the way he looks at me makes me feel as if I've just stepped off a roller coaster.

VANNETTA: Wow. You are definitely very busy.

CALLIE: I am! Plus there's my dog, Max, who needs a lot of attention, and the quilt shop I inherited. My life is very full and very blessed.

VANNETTA: You used that "blessed" word. How has your faith changed since moving to Indiana?

CALLIE: I suppose I might have been angry at God, back when I lived in Texas. I'd lost my husband and then my aunt. I felt really alone. But Deborah is helping me to see that God has a plan, and the pastor at my local church is patient with me when I have a lot of questions.

VANNETTA: No doubt that helps when you find yourself in the middle of  a murder investigation, and you've been involved in two.

CALLIE: I am so grateful those are over. Those were very hard times, but now they're in the past. Soon fall will arrive, and we'll have the Fall Crafters Fair. It's the biggest event of the year, and I'm looking forward to it.

VANNETTA: Anything you'd like to ask our readers?

CALLIE: Well, I wouldn't mind a little dating advice. It's not something I have much experience at! Should I accept dates from Trent? He's our newspaper man and something of a shark as far as his work. And what about Gavin, who is one of our police officers? He's been a real rock for me. Then there's Shane, who I don't understand at all. He is more the handsome, quiet and dangerous type. Which one should I date? Or should I date them all?

FINDING VANNETTA:

Website    Facebook    Goodreads   Pinterest    Blog    YouTube    Purchase Material Witness    

UP NEXT FOR VANNETTA: I recently signed another 3 book contract with Zondervan for an Amish Artisan Mystery series. Plus I'll be writing a follow-up to A Simple Amish Christmas (Abingdon). 

A HOME FOR LYDIA

The Pebble Creek Amish Series, Bk 2

February 2013

Harvest House Publishers

ISBN-10: 0736946144

PREVIOUS RELEASES:

A SIMPLE AMISH CHRISTMAS

Abington Press, ISBN: 1426710666, EXCERPT

OTHER SHIPSHEWANA MYSTERIES

A PERFECT SQUARE    EXCERPT

FALLING TO PIECES    EXCERPT  

THE PEBBLE CREEK AMISH SERIES

A PROMISE FOR MIRIAM    EXCERPT  

A DRAWING FOR COMMENTERS

Vannetta will be drawing from blog commenters for one of her books.

Note: Commenters are encouraged to leave a contact email for faster notification. 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 Donnell tomorrow when Hank Phillipi Ryan returns to “get lost”. And come back Friday when Cat hosts Sarah Anderson. ~Angi

THE QUESTION FOR TODAY:

What's your favorite fall activity?

Amish Promises

A PROMISE FOR MIRIAM

An Amish Romance

Harvest House

Amish schoolteacher Miriam King loves her students. At 26, most women her age are married with children of their own, but she hasn’t yet met anyone who can convince her to give up the Plain school that sits along the banks of Pebble Creek. Then newcomer Gabriel Miller steps into her life, bringing his daughter, an air of mystery, and challenges Miriam has never faced before.

READ A LITTLE

ALL ABOUT VANNETTA

Vannetta Chapman has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather's birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania. Her first novel, A Simple Amish Christmas, quickly became a bestseller. Vannetta lives in the Texas hill country with her husband.

GET TO KNOW VANNETTA

ANGI: What do you like about the hero of your book?

VANNETTA: I insist on a sympathetic hero ... otherwise I put the book down. He can be a RELUCTANT hero, but I have to sympathize with the guy. I have to ROOT for him on a very basic level. 

ANGI: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?

VANNETTA: Tim Grimm, Sarah Darling, The Band Perry, Edens Edge ... I could go on! 

ANGI: Is there a “Blooper” in your story (it may have been changed before printing)?

VANNETTA: I kept confusing DONKEYS and MULES. I know ... I'm showing my "city roots." But seriously .... aren't they basically the same? No! And some Amish only use one. I'll let you read the book to find out, but I did correct myself. GUS is an important part of the story.  

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: What’s the favorite thing you’ve learned about the Amish community and have you incorporated it into your books?

VANNETTA’S GOTTA ANSWER: I learn something new with every book. This book took me to Wisconsin where things are much different! What tugged at my heart the most was walking through the one room schoolhouse. Since I've taught for 15 years, that sight captured my imagination. I learned it's still possible for students to learn is such an environment--learn and be successful in our society.

FINDING VANNETTA

Website   Facebook    Goodreads    Pinterest   Blogs  

CHECK OUT VANNETTA'S FIRST GLIAS INTERVIEW 

UP NEXT: Material Witness (book 3 in my Shipshewana Series, Zondervan) releases in August

And I recently signed another 3 book contract with Zondervan for an Amish Artisan Mystery series. Plus I'll be writing a follow-up to A Simple Amish Christmas (Abingdon). 

PREVIOUS RELEASES:

A SIMPLE AMISH CHRISTMAS

Abington Press

ISBN: 1426710666

LOOK INSIDE 

FALLING TO PIECES

Zondervan

ISBN: 0310330432

READ AN EXCERPT

A PERFECT SQUARE

Zondervan

ISBN: 0310330440

READ AN EXCERPT  


 

VANNETTA HAS A GIVE-AWAY

I would like to give two copies of A Promise for Miriam ... one ebook and one trade paperback (North America addresses). 

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 me next week when Kylie Griffin returns and I host Robin Covington with her debut. Come back tomorrow when Susan hosts Tawna Fenske. And Friday when Connie Gillam will be Donnell’s guest. ~Angi

VANNETTA'S GOT A QUESTION 

What year from your school days stands out the most and why?

Getting Lost with Vannetta Chapman

A PERFECT SQUARE

Zondervan

ISBN: 0310330440

There’s more to the quaint northern Indiana town of Shipshewana than handcrafted quilts, Amish-made furniture, immaculate farms and close-knit families. When a dead girl is found floating in a local pond, murder is also afoot. And Reuben, brother of Deborah’s best friend’s fiancé, is in jail as the suspect! Reuben refuses to divulge any information, even to clear himself of a crime Deborah is certain he didn’t commit. So, with her English friend, Callie—fellow sleuth and owner of Daisy’s Quilt Shop—Deborah sets out to uncover the truth. But the mystery deepens when an elderly man seeks Callie’s help in finding his long-lost daughter, missing since the days of the 1965 Palm Sunday Tornadoes. An old man who has lost his past. A young man who may lose his future. Once again Deborah and Callie find themselves trying to piece together a crazy quilt of lives and events—one that can bring unexpected touches of God’s grace and resolve the tragedy that has shaken this quiet Amish community.

FALLING TO PIECES

Zondervan

ISBN: 0310330432

When two women---one Amish, one English---each with different motives, join forces to organize a successful on-line quilt auction, neither expects nor wants a friendship. As different as night and day, Deborah and Callie are uneasy partners who simply want to make the best of a temporary situation. But a murder, a surprising prime suspect, a stubborn detective, and the town's reaction throw the two women together, and they form an unlikely alliance to solve a mystery and catch a killer. Set in the well-known Amish community of Shipshewana, Falling to Pieces will attract both devoted fans of the rapidly-growing Amish fiction genre, as well as those who are captivated by the Amish way of life.

READ AN EXCERPT

WHO IS VANNETTA CHAPMAN?

Vannetta Chapman has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather's birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania. Her first novel, A Simple Amish Christmas, quickly became a bestseller. Vannetta lives in the Texas hill country with her husband.

THE Q&A

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

VANNETTA: Honestly, if I don't get lost in a story, I give up on it after the first 50 pages. There are a lot of good books out there, so read the ones that make you feel like you've had a cup of coffee with the characters! 

ANGI: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?

VANNETTA: You're going to roll your eyes if I say my husband, but it's true. I didn't believe there were any men like him left. I didn't believe he was "for real." I was a single mom at the time, and it took over a year for him to convince me . . . 

ANGI: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?

VANNETTA: She's Country (Jason Aldean), If I Knew Then (Lady Antebellum), This Kind of Love (Sister Hazel), Grace Like Rain (Todd Agnew), LaBoeuf Takes Leave (Carter Burwell).

ANGI: Where do you read and how often?
VANNETTA: I read a lot ... like even when I'm sitting in the car waiting on a train or at the post office waiting for my turn. I read all the time. Keeps me from growing impatient. : )

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

VANNETTA: Snoopy

ANGI:Fairy Tle or Action Adventure?

VANNETTA: Action fairy tale. 

ANGI: Who’s your favorite villain?

VANNETTA: When Denzel is bad, he's very bad. : ) 

ANGI: What is your biggest vice?

VANNETTA: doing too much. 

ANGI: How is it working with hot guys and sexy women all day?

VANNETTA: Well. I'm glad you asked. Folks laugh when you tell them you write Amish romance or Amish murder mystery, but in MY mind, Officer Gavin from my Shipshe series is Matt Damon, so you know ... 

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: Hey girl, Congratulations on your series. I’ve seen you around the contest circuit for a long time and was so pleased with your three book series !!  So, I’ve been poking around your website and noticed you have a PINTEREST page. I have been forbidden to get onto Pinterest account by my daughters. (I love crafts and they’re afraid it will take over my writing time.) My real question: How do you work Pinterest into your writing?

VANNETTA’S GOTTA ANSWER:  Ha! My marketing person at Zondervan suggested I join Pinterest and I literally rolled my eyes at her--NOT another thing to do! But I always do what Alicia Mey tells me to, so I joined. What fun it has been, especially for murder mysteries. I have a clue board for each book. Doesn't that sound like a hoot? Now it's leaked over into my Amish romances. As I edit a book, I keep a pad and paper close by and make a list of images I want to post on my board. I'm telling you, it's a hoot.

FINDING VANNETTA & MORE RELEASES

A Promise for Miriam (Amish romance, Harvest House)

July 2012

Material Witness (book 3 in my Shipshewana Series, Zondervan) 

August 2012

And I recently signed another 3 book contract with Zondervan for an Amish Artisan Mystery series. Plus I'll be writing a follow-up to A Simple Amish Christmas (Abingdon).

Website  Facebook  Goodreads  Pinterest  Blog

A SIMPLE AMISH CHRISTMAS

Abington Press

ISBN: 1426710666

LOOK INSIDE

A FREE BOOK? YES !!

Vannetta is choosing two winners today: one for Falling to Pieces and another for A Perfect Square.
Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America (US & CANADA) 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 me tomorrow when I host RITA finalist Jessica Andersen. And come back Thursday when Cat hosts Alexa Borne. ~Angi

 

VANNETTA'S QUESTION FOR TODAY

Where is your favorite place to read once the weather turns warmer?