Guest Post (and a Giveaway!): Jennifer Beckstrand & The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unconventional Niece

YAY!! So excited to have Jennifer Beckstrand here today to chat about her new book The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unconventional Niece! Jennifer is one of my very fave authors, and her books are always wholly delightful.

THE AMISH QUILTMAKER’S UNCONVENTIONAL NIECE by Jennifer Beckstrand
SERIES: The Amish Quiltmaker #3
GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary Romance / Amish
PUBLISHER: Zebra Books
RELEASE DATE: October 25, 2022
PAGES: 268

Resourceful Colorado Amish quiltmaker Esther Kiem has her hands full with husband, home, and a baby on the way. But putting her skills to the test for an outspoken niece who’s running for town council is a matchmaking challenge she can’t resist. Infused with her signature humor and saturated with heart, award-winning, USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Beckstrand blends quilting, mischief, and matchmaking for the third Amish Quiltmaker romance – perfect for fans of Charlotte Hubbard, Wanda Brunstetter, and Linda Byler. 

Mattie Zook always stands up for what’s right—which is why she’s been exiled from her Pennsylvania Dutch home to her Aunt Esther’s farm. Outraged at local discrimination against the Amish, she’s using her rumschpringe to run for town council. Esther can only hope that sensible local farmer Freeman Sensenig will help Mattie—and keep her from going too far. But Mattie is soon finding her new campaign manager all too appealing . . .

Freeman never thought that the standoffish, opinionated Mattie would care so much about others. Even more amazing, their differences are somehow making her campaign successful—and have him hoping for more of a future with her. But unexpected obstacles and a sudden romantic rival will put their growing closeness to the test—and give them only one chance to truly reconcile their hearts.

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by Jennifer Beckstrand, author of The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unconventional Niece

Anybody who knows me knows I’m passionate about politics. My friends call me during election season to ask who I’m voting for, I usually put three or four campaign signs in my yard, and I’ve actually attended a “Meet the Candidates” event. These days, politics has become so contentious that I’ve had to pull back a little or risk getting steamrolled by the social media mob. Politics has become a blood sport!

Several years ago, I helped my dear friend’s husband in his campaign for mayor of our small town. Unfortunately, the opponent was bent on spreading manure, and the campaign got frustrating. But I believe in the basic goodness of voters to seek for truth and choose a person of integrity—if there’s one running. 🙂

In The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unconventional Niece, Mattie Zook is an uncommon Amish girl, and when she sees injustice, she is determined to do something about it, even when her entire community resists her “help.”

The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unconventional Niece includes one or two experiences I had when I helped my friend’s husband with his campaign. I am so happy I can look back now and laugh. I hope you will also laugh at some of the antics of Amish candidate Mattie Zook; her reluctant campaign manager, Freeman Sensenig; her self-appointed chief of staff, Cathy Larsen; and of course, her long-suffering Aunt Esther, the Amish quiltmaker.

And yes, my friend’s husband did win the election! Read the book and see if Mattie can do the same.

Here’s an excerpt from The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unconventional Niece:

Mattie felt her face get warm. “I’m sorry I insulted your beloved Colorado, but you have to admit there’s more water in a bathtub.”

Freeman swiped his hand across his mouth—perhaps to hide a smile? “It’s arid here, for sure and certain, but the clothes on the line dry three times as fast, and we never get mold. And who doesn’t prefer crisp toilet paper to that damp stuff in more humid climates?”

Mattie pursed her lips so she wouldn’t smile. “I do like crispy toilet paper.”

“It’s the best reason to live in Colorado.”

She cracked a smile. “I don’t think they’ll put that on the travel posters, and I don’t mean to argue, but my skin feels like it’s been crammed into a toaster.” She twisted her kapp string around her finger. “But the mountains truly are beautiful, and there’s lots of fresh air. Dry fresh air. I didn’t mean to sound like a snob. I was mad at my dat for sending me here, and I blamed the whole state.”

“I guess I shouldn’t have gotten so defensive.”

She shook her head. “I was boastful about our district and our ministers and our abundance of water. But you’ve really got to stop making yourself so unpleasant.”

“Me? Unpleasant?”

“I barely know you, and you’ve already accused me of being proud, snobby, and foolish. You don’t have a very endearing personality.”

Freeman shrugged as if he didn’t especially care what she thought. “If you go ahead with this election, Bill Isom will make your life miserable.”

“And that’s why you think I’m foolish?”

“He’s going to hurt your feelings, and I think you’ll regret running.”

Mattie blew a puff of air from between her lips. “Hurt my feelings? Is that all? I’m not afraid of that.”

The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unconventional Niece comes out Oct. 25! Don’t miss it. You can preorder from Amazon, Walmart, Barnes and Noble, and many other book retailers.

Jennifer Beckstrand is the RITA-nominated and award-winning author of The Amish Quiltmakers Series, the Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill, The Honeybee Sisters series, The Petersheim Brothers series, as well as a number of other novels and novellas. Novels in her Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series have been RITA® Award and RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award finalists. Huckleberry Hill won the 2014 LIME Award for inspirational fiction and Huckleberry Hearts was named a Booklist Top 10 Inspirational Fiction Book of the Year. Jennifer has always been drawn to the strong faith and the enduring family ties of the Plain people. She and her husband have been married for thirty-six years, and she has four daughters, two sons, and seven adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten. Please visit her online at JenniferBeckstrand.com.

Jennifer Beckstrand is offering a print copy of His Amish Sweetheart and The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unconventional Niece 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 makes you want to read The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unconventional Niece by Jennifer Beckstrand?