Author Interview (and a Giveaway!): Suzanne Woods Fisher & Two Steps Forward

Please join me in welcoming Suzanne Woods Fisher to the blog today to chat about the conclusion to her Deacon’s Family series! I don’t read a ton of Amish fiction because I’m pretty picky about that genre but Suzanne is definitely one of my go-to Amish fiction authors! Her characters are flawed and layered and the stories will have you alternating between laughing out loud & choking back tears. I highly recommend her books if you haven’t read one yet.

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty books, including Mending Fences and Stitches in Time, as well as the Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop’s Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, among other novels. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher.

TWO STEPS FORWARD
SERIES: Deacon’s Family #3
GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary Romance / Amish
PUBLISHER: Revell
RELEASE DATE: February 4, 2020
PAGES: 320

Back and broke in Stoney Ridge, Jimmy Fisher has coasted as long as he could through life on charm, good looks, and deep-set dimples. They always worked just fine for him–until they didn’t. His smile has no effect on the violet-eyed beauty he met at the Bent N’ Dent, the one with that stunning horse. She’s offered him a job, but nothing else.

The last thing Sylvie Schrock King needs around Rising Star Farm is a grown boy working for her, especially her neighbor Edith’s son. The woman holds a serious grudge against Sylvie and her son, and hiring Jimmy Fisher will only fan the flames of Edith’s rancor. But Sylvie is desperate for help on the farm, and Jimmy understands horses like no one else.

While Jimmy’s lazy smile and teasing ways steal Sylvie’s heart, Edith is working on a way to claim her land. Has Sylvie made another terrible mistake? Or is it too late to outfox the fox? More importantly . . . just who is the fox?

Writing with both wit and warmth, Fisher delivers a supremely satisfying conclusion to the popular Deacon’s Family series.

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Hi Suzanne! Welcome back to the blog!

Q: Two Steps Forward is the final book in The Deacon’s Family series (wail!) Can you provide a brief description of this new book? 

Suzanne: This story brings back one of my most favorite characters, Jimmy Fisher. So far, he’s been a Peter Pan type. Smitten by Sylvie, Jimmy gets caught in the crossfire between her and his domineering mother, Edith Fisher Lapp, and finds himself at a fork in the road. One road leads to manhood, the other . . . not so much.

Carrie: I can’t wait to catch up with Jimmy & see which road he takes!

Q: What is the connecting factor for all three books in the series?

Suzanne: Luke Schrock, reluctant deacon of Stoney Ridge, is a major character in all three stories. Now there’s a guy who has made strides in maturity. In this story, you see Luke’s potential realized.

Carrie: I’ve loved following Luke’s journey since I first met him in The Bishop’s Family series & I know I’m going to love seeing him come into his own.

Q: The setting for this series (and many of your other contemporary Amish series) is Stoney Ridge, Pennsylvania. Although this is a fictional town, did you base the setting upon an actual town?

Suzanne: Stoney Ridge is based on the kinds of small towns you’d find in Lancaster County, especially those that rim the wide, open valley.

Carrie: Such a beautiful stretch of country 🙂

Q: How did you develop your love for writing Amish novels? 

Suzanne: From meeting Old Order Amish people whom I’ve grown to love and admire and count as friends. I have a family connection with the German Baptist (a cousin to the Amish), and have always admired their expression of sincere faith. In the last twelve years, I’ve met some remarkable Amish people, including a bishop who is an extraordinary man. Those are the ones I hope to represent well in my books. 

Carrie: You do such a good job with that!

Q: In addition to writing Amish fiction, you also host a popular blog called Amish Wisdom.  How did you become so knowledgeable about the Amish way of life? 

Suzanne: My first book contracted with Revell was the nonfiction Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World. That wonderful book became my foundation for writing credible fiction about the Amish. In researching it, I interviewed scholars, knocked on Amish farmhouses, traveled through country roads (got lost a lot), and read, read, read. I still do all that and more. After all, there’s more stories to be told.

Carrie: “there’s more stories to be told” – some of the best six words to a reader 🙂

Q: You also wrote a contemporary romance novel in 2018 entitled On a Summer Tide. The book is part of the new Three Sisters Island series. Do you anticipate that you will continue writing in both genres? 

Suzanne: I do plan to write in both genres, as well as additional genres. Historical, for example. It’s refreshing to me as a writer to explore different points of view, and I’ve noticed that it’s become a wonderful way to connect with new readers. We all have our favorite genres to read.

Carrie: True! Looking forward to new books from you, no matter the genre!

Q: Do you prefer one genre over the other?

Suzanne: To be candid, I think there’s a lot of the same “me” in all the different genres I write. A dependency on community, family, and faith as the hub of the wheel.

Carrie: i love that!

Q: What do you most want readers to take away from Two Steps Forward?

Suzanne: This is a story about inclusion. Everyone has a place at the table.

Carrie: Amen.

Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me! 🙂 Before we say goodbye for today, tell us what‘s coming up next for you.

Suzanne: Next in the queue is an historical based on a true story of a woman who changed America—truly made a difference—in the most unexpected way.

Carrie: ooo – I’m intrigued! Can’t wait 🙂

Revell Books is offering a print copy of Two Steps Forward to one of my readers! (US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

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What about you? What interests you most about Two Steps Forward and/or my Q&A with the author?