Monday, December 1, 2008

Booked for the Holidays - A Plain Perfect Day!



I've been so excited and eager to feature this book for a giveaway, but I've made myself wait until after Thanksgiving because I knew I was going to get to meet the author while I was in Houston over the long weekend. And what a delightful experience that was!

Some of you may remember a few weeks back that I posted about being surprised to discover the name of my high school in the book Plain Perfect by Beth Wiseman. I emailed Beth to ask if she had a connection to that high school or if it had just been a random choice, only to discover that Beth had indeed graduated from that same high school - the year after I did!

So when I saw that she had a book signing at the Lifeway near my in-laws' house the day after Thanksgiving, I knew that was the one and only store that I would hobble to on Black Friday!

What fun we had! I got there a little before the official book-signing started so we could have a few minutes to chat. And the "small world-ness" got even weirder when I asked her which neighborhood she had lived in "way back when". Yep. Same one as me, one street apart.

And here we are, lo so many years later! (Please note that my purple sweater matches my purple cast!)


If you missed my original comments about the book, you can read them here. It's a great book, and I enjoyed it even before knowing my connection with the author. (And it has already spent some time on both the CBA and CBD Bestseller Lists!) One of the things I especially loved about how Beth portrayed Lillian was this: In her struggle and quest for peace, she kept trying to "do" the Amish lifestyle without understanding the inner change that must come first. How easy it is for all of us to focus on the externals of our Christian walk and not take care of the internal heart issue from which those externals flow. (And believe me, as a "recovering Pharisee," as I call myself, I am a pro at that!)

Beth's second novel in this Daughters of the Promise series, Plain Pursuit, is due out in April, and she is finishing up the third one, Plain Promise, right now.

Take a peek at her website and her blog and enjoy learning more about this new author!

Now for the giveaway: Beth wouldn't even let me buy a book at the book-signing; she wants to send the book directly to the winner so she can sign it personally to you! How sweet is that?! So leave a comment on this post by Wednesday (12/3) at noon CST, and I'll draw a winner. (Continental US residents only) Remember, those who have the button in their sidebar or post about the giveaway this week get extra chances to win!

And be sure to come back tomorrow for a bonus giveaway I've been given the opportunity to do this week!

Hope your week and your reading are just Plain Perfect!

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23 comments:

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

Number one never gets picked, but here I am! Enter me, please! And you stinker, keeping that a secret.

sara said...

How fun was that?!! I once picked up a book and realized it was written by the doctor that delivered my daughter. It makes the book even more fun to read! And a signed copy...count me in!!!

bp said...

When you first reviewed this book I thought it sounded like a good one. I love that you got to meet the author over Thanksgiving!

Have a good first week of December!

Liz said...

How fun to find you have a connection with the author.

Mel said...

I do believe i read this one!!!

Anonymous said...

I am intrigued by your remarks abotu the book and so happy for you that you got to meet Beth on Friday. Please enter me!

Merry said...

Plain Perfect sound terrific, please include me! Thanks.
worthy2Bpraised{at}gmail{dot}com

Anonymous said...

How cool! I have been looking at this book at Sam's and just haven't picked it up yet! Hope I win!!! :)

VaQueenBee said...

I love Amish books -- and how cool that you met the author and have so much in common. I remember being so excited when I met Beverly Lewis. How fun!

Please count me in for the give-away. I put your button on my sidebar and I posted about it. :o)

Debbie Petras said...

I love books like this. I also posted your button on my sidebar of Heart Choices. So happy to participate and promote this.

CandaceCalvert said...

Linda, what a delightful surprise for you both!

Candace

Lisa @ The Preacher's Wife said...

How cool are you? So glad you had a chance to connect..:)) I only got three things at LifeWay and stood in line for 45 minutes. It was the most fun line of the day. All the Christians acted like it for once. :))

Gayle @ thewestiecrew said...

Oh Linda, you HAD to know I'd be entering! I am loving me some Amish fiction lately!!

Crossing my fingers here.. :)

And how cool that you guys actually graduated from the same school.

Shauna said...

I'm new here, what a great blog :) ♥ Hugs!

Brook said...

How cool! You must have gone to a big high school! Please enter me in the contest. :)

Jules from "The Roost" said...

That is awesome! :0) I would love to have a signed copy of this book! Wow!!;)

Carole said...

I love Amish fiction and am glad to see a new voice in this field. Thank you for a wonderful giveaway!

cjarvis [at] bellsouth [dot] net

Xandra@Heart-of-Service said...

What a cool coincidence! Great picture of you as well...

Sign me up!

Xandra

Stefany said...

PLEASE add me to this giveaway. I totally would love to read it. I truly feel that for a number of reasons .... I need to read this book whether I win it or not. Thank you.

Karen said...

What a fun story about the two of you! The book sounds wonderful, too. Sign me up!

Angela said...

Oh,no don't let me be too late!

Mocha with Linda said...

We have a winner! Thanks for all of your comments!

Deborah said...

I too love books about the amish. And I would love to win and read a copy of this one. My best friend and I started a Book of the Month club for Women in our Church and it has been a blast. We have had speakerphone interviews with authors like, Brandilyn Collins,and others. I would love to recommend this as Book of the Month.