Vannetta Chapman Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.  

A. I’ve been writing since 1997–the same year I began teaching at the middle school/high school/college level. After 15 years of teaching, I am now blessed with enough work to write full time. My first book released in 2010 (A Simple Amish Christmas).

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

A. Not until I received my college degree in English (1997). At that point I started pursuing a graduate degree, and I completely fell in love with language.

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?  

A. There were a lot of years of writing and rejections before I found an agent (2007 I think). After I signed with my agent we will had another 18 month wait before we sold A Simple Amish Christmas to Abingdon Press. That book also attracted the attention of Zondervan and Harvest House. I now write for all 3 publishers

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Material Witness?  

This is the third book in my Shipshewana series (though it can be read as a standalone). There’s a murder in the little Amish town of Shipshewana, and there’s a mystery surrounding that murder and finding out who-did-it. At its heart though, this is a story about friendships, families and what we will do to protect one another.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Material Witness?

A: The material witness to the murder is a young handicapped boy named Aaron. I’ve worked with special needs students and I have a special needs step-daughter. I wanted to show how strong these children can be, and what life is like for their parents.

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

A: A sense of God’s grace, and how it covers us at every point in our lives.

Q: What is your favorite scene/chapter from the book?

A: Oh my. That would be a SPOILER. Let’s just say it is near the end of the story, though I also like the scene with the tranquilizer gun.

Q: What inspires you to write?  

A. People! There are so many people who need a word of encouragement, and I like to think that my stories provide that. God has given me a task–to share hope and grace, and I love doing it.

Q: How has being a published novelist differed from your expectations of the profession?  

A: It’s more hours than I thought it would be! Even though I quit my day job, I’m still working 50-60 hours a week, and I could work more. In some ways it’s like cleaning house–never ending.

Q: What advice or tips do you have for writers who are just getting started?

A: Keep writing! Too often people become discouraged and stop. Keep writing. Refine your craft, become a student of literature, and keep writing!

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?  

A. I’m finishing edits on two books. The Christmas Quilt is a sequel to A Simple Amish Christmas. A Wedding for Julia is book 3 in my Pebble Creek series. For you mystery lovers, I will begin writing my Amish Artisan Mystery series next.

Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do?  

A. Read, garden, hike, camp, exercise, play the keyboard in our praise band, and any type of sewing!

Q: Where can readers find you on the internet? 

A. webpage — www.VannettaChapman.com

blog — http://vannettachapman.wordpress.com

facebook — www.facebook.com/VannettaChapmanBooks, and

pinterest — http://pinterest.com/vannettachapman

youtube — http://www.youtube.com/user/vannettachapman/videos#

Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us?  

A. Thank you for having me! I know that what I do wouldn’t be possible without readers, and I appreciate every one of you.