About the Book

Book: Mary’s Calico Hope (The Heart of the Amish: Book 5)

Author: Anne Blackburne

Genre: Amish/Christian Fiction

Release date: June, 2024

Mary Yoder Is Content Despite Challenges Thrown Her Way

Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country.

If God wills it, Mary Yoder will do it, even if that means using crutches for the rest of her life. She was badly injured in a buggy accident as a child. Still, she is content living in the Dawdi Haus connected to her parents’ farmhouse and with her work weaving baskets and raising specialty roosters whose feathers she uses to make excellent trout lures. She is truly happy at twenty-nine, but. . .she wouldn’t mind finding a husband—if the Lord wills it. Along comes Reuben King, a Mennonite doctor. They are attracted to one another, but how could they ever be together? She’s a baptized Amish woman, so it seems impossible. Also, he wants her to have surgery to improve her mobility and lessen her day-to-day pain. She’s sick and tired of surgeries! But if God wills it, she’ll do it. And just maybe there will be a way for these two unlikely souls to connect.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Anne Blackburne lives and works in Southeast Ohio as a newspaper editor and writer. She is the mother of five grown children, has one wonderful grandchild, and a spoiled poodle named Millie. For fun, when she isn’t working on Amish romance or sweet mysteries, Anne directs and acts in community theater productions and writes and directs original plays. She also enjoys reading, kayaking, swimming, searching for beach glass, and just sitting with a cup of coffee looking at large bodies of water. Her idea of the perfect vacation is cruising and seeing amazing new places with people she loves.

More from Anne

Hello from Southeastern Ohio, where the sun is shining and it’s good to be alive!

Less than a year ago I wrote a kick-off post for the launch of my debut novel, Ruth’s Ginger Snap Surprise, which was also featured in a Celebrate Lit Book Tour in December 2023.

As a green newbie, I didn’t really understand what this meant, but I was (and am!) very happy for any help with my writing career. Well, the amazing bloggers who work with Celebrate Lit did a bang-up job promoting my book, and it is doing very well. So thanks to all of them, and to all who have read Ruth’s story!

Now, here I am again! I can hardly believe that my second book, Mary’s Calico Hope, is published and available to readers, and that once again I’m blessed to have the help of the Celebrate Lit folks in launching my book.

Mary Yoder will be familiar to anyone who read my first book. She appears several times in that story; you may remember her as the quiet young woman with a great attitude despite the fact that she has been using crutches to get around since a childhood accident injured her spine and legs.

Mary is the heroine of my second book, Mary’s Calico Hope. In fact, Mary is something of a heroine to me. I love her joy in living and her faith that God will get her through any challenge, even if she can’t begin to see how He’s going to do it.

We all face challenges, and would all benefit from a little more faith, and not just when times get tough, am I right?

I am so happy to bring you Mary’s story and can’t wait for you to experience her happy-ever-after. (Which of course is guaranteed, since we’re talking about a romance novel!) But how will she get there? Ah, that’s the question!

Thank you for taking the time to learn about Mary’s story! This book is my second in Barbour Publishing’s new series, “The Heart of the Amish”. It’s actually the fifth book in that series, which also contains great reads from authors Mindy Steele and Lisa Baker Jones.

I’m currently writing my third book in the series, which will feature a young woman you met in both Ruth and Mary’s stories, Elizabeth Miller. Look for Lizzie’s Little Mouse next winter.

Oh! I forgot to mention, each of my heroine’s received a tiny kitten from an elderly friend, Lydia Coblentz. Ruth had Ginger Snap. Mary has her calico kitten, Hope. And Lizzie’s kitten is a little gray one that reminds her of—you guessed it! A mouse!

I hope you’re having as much fun reading about these remarkable young women—and their kitties! —as I’m having writing about them. Thanks for being part of our journey! Without you, it wouldn’t be possible.

As for me and mine, we are all well and enjoying spring in southeast Ohio. In other words, enjoying the sunshine, but carrying a sweater and an umbrella, just in case!

God bless you and yours!

Joyfully,

Anne Blackburne

Interview with Anne

Q. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

A. I’ve always been a writer, ever since I was a child. There were little stories, cartoons, poems, etc. I got serious about publication in my late 20s, writing a middle reader which did not sell. After that, I sold a few articles to magazines, and wrote a number of book manuscripts that did not sell. Finally I struck gold with “Ruth’s Ginger Snap Surprise”. It took about 35 years!

Q. How long does it take you to write a book?

     A. As a career newspaper writer and editor, I’m very deadline driven. I often don’t get really motivated until a deadline is approaching. But with my books, I don’t like leaving things until the last minute. So when I finish a project, I tend to begin the next one, with maybe a couple weeks in between to clear my mind. Once I get serious, I’m a fast writer, doing a couple thousand words a day. So my first draft generally takes a little over a month to complete. Then there are several read-throughs and edits before I send it off to my publisher.

Q. What is your real-life work schedule like when writing? 

     A. I am a full-time newspaper editor at an independent weekly paper located in SE Ohio. I work 40+ hours a week, writing and editing stories, doing interviews, taking photos, attending meetings, selling ads, answering phones, etc. My personal writing mostly takes place in the evenings. When I’m working on a book, I write just about every evening for a couple of hours.

Q. What are your favorite books to read?

     A. I read a wide variety of books, mostly fiction, although I will occasionally peruse a non-fiction book, especially if it is on a topic I find interesting. My favorite fiction genres are romance (of course!), cozy mystery, fantasy, an occasional thriller or suspense novel.

Q. When did you write your first book and how old were you?

      A. Answered in question one.

Q. How do you create your main characters? 

      A. With my Heart of the Amish books, it’s easy, because in my first book I had eight young women receive kittens from their elderly friend, Lydia Coblentz. Each woman has the potential to be the heroine of her own book. In fact, I’m working on the third book now! Readers met Elizabeth Miller in my first book, “Ruth’s Ginger Snap Surprise”, and saw her again in my second book, “Mary’s Calico Hope.” She is the heroine of book three in the series, “Lizzie’s Little Mouse”, which will release in winter of 2025.

With each of these women, I’ve made notes as to appearance, jobs, hobbies, men they like, etc.

Other main characters I’ve written just sort of come to me. And then I flesh them out in the same way, figuring out as I go who they are and what they like or don’t like.

Villains can be even more fun than heroes and heroines, because they can be sort of ridiculous. I don’t write really grim stories, so my villains can be less terrible than some written by other authors. They may be redeemable.

Q. What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book?

      A. If I discover a book is too long, it’s hard for me to cut out hundreds or even thousands of words. Those words were hard won, but sometimes they just have to go! The truth is, I’ve always found, starting back when I was a new feature writer for newspapers, that a story is usually better once it’s been ruthlessly edited and pared down. It gets rid of unnecessary drek.

Q. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

      A. Unlike a lot of writers, I’m an extrovert. My playground is my local community theater, where I direct and act in shows, mostly musicals. I love to sing and dance, and I love to give others the opportunity to shine on stage.

            I write an original, full-length Sherlock Holmes murder mystery every other year, and produce it in partnership with my community’s visitor and convention bureau, Main Street, and community theater. The last couple of times, I’ve played Watson. It’s a blast!

            I also love to travel, and go on a girl’s cruise every other year. Back home I enjoy kayaking and swimming. I love spending time with my five kids, my grandson and my big, goofy poodle, Millie.

Q. What does your family think of your writing?

      A. They’re very supportive. They always told me I could do this, and turns out they were right! My kids are also very creative, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see books in their names on shelves in the future.

Q. Do you base your characters on real people?

      A. Generally not. However, occasionally I’ll put a real person into my book, such as a real life business owner. I ask first, of course. But most of my characters come from my fertile imagination.

Q. Have you experienced writer’s block, and how do you handle it?

      A. Thankfully, this is not a problem for me. This could be because in the newspaper business, you don’t get to have writer’s block; you’re working on a short deadline, and the pages have to be filled. So you write, whether you feel like it or not. I think that was very good training for me as a novelist.

Q. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

      A. Oh, I’m wrong about things all the time! And I’ll argue about it and try to prove I’m right through research. When I find out I’m wrong, I admit it gracefully (ha ha! Mostly), and move on. Nothing stands out; there have been plenty of things.

Q. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

      A. I’ve written about a dozen, and published one so far, with the next releasing in June. The oddest book I wrote was an urban fantasy I did during COVID as an exercise. It doesn’t fit in with my chosen direction as an author, so I won’t publish it, but it was fun to do! And since I did it as part of a contest I won through the Romance Writers of America, in which I was able to work with a published author in that genre as a mentor, I learned a lot about polishing a manuscript, readying it for submission to agents and publishers, and other things about seeking publication such as writing a good query letter and synopsis, all of which translated very well into publishing my Amish romance.

Q. Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

      A. I have a website, AnneBlackburne.com, and am on Facebook, Twitter (X), and most recently, Instagram. I also recently launched a monthly newsletter. Readers can subscribe to it by emailing me at AnneBlackburneAuthor@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from readers!

Q. Any current or upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?

     A. Since you ask, lol! After “Mary’s Calico Hope” releases in June, my next release will be a novella titled, “Lucy’s Christmas Sunbeam”, which is part of an exciting collection being released by Barbour on September 1. My story will be included with those of three other authors, all of whom are better known than I am! I’m really honored to be included with Amy Clipston, Amy Lillard and Mindy Steele in the collection, titled, “A Lancaster Amish Christmas”. My story is about a young Amish woman who, upon the death of her mother, determines to raise her newborn sister, who has Down Syndrome, on her own.

            I’m also writing my next book in The Heart of the Amish series from Barbour, “Lizzie’s Little Mouse”, featuring Lizzie Miller, who is finally realizing her dream of opening a New Orleans-style French bakery in Holmes County, Ohio. She’ll need the help of her handsome Amish friend John to figure out who is out to make certain her business fails before it really gets started. And if Lizzie and John find more than answers to a mystery while searching for clues; if they discover love where they’d only before seen friendship, then that’s all for the better! This book will be released next winter. After that, I have a couple of ideas I’m developing, but nothing official.

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, June 27

Jeanette’s Thoughts, June 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 28

Lighthouse Academy Blog, June 29 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Texas Book-aholic, June 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 1

Lakesidelivingsite, July 2

Splashes of Joy, July 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 3

For Him and My Family, July 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 5

The Lofty Pages, July 5

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, July 6

Stories By Gina, July 7 (Author Interview)

Devoted To Hope, July 7

Bigreadersite, July 8

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, July 8

The Avid Reader, July 9

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 10

Holly’s Book Corner, July 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Anne is giving away the grand prize package of a print copy of the book and a $25 Amazon eGift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2c560/mary-s-calico-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway