A Little Lamb Went To The Nursing Home

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the month of March is lambing time in my barn. I don't get much done at the computer, book sales for my third Nurse Hal Amish book is going well if you're intrested in a copy of Hal's Worldly Temptations on Amazon, kindle,and nook plus wwwbooksbyfaybookstore.weebly.com. We have had a good lambing season, and the cold days or the snow we had this morning doesn't bother the animals much. They have a warm, well bedded down barn to live in.

In the forty years I've raised sheep and goats, I've never had a spring that I didn't have at least one to four babies on the bottle. This season so far I have one baby goat that I feed. He is over a week old and was smaller than my grown cats which is small compared to his brother. He wouldn't get up when he was born a week ago Sunday so I put him in a box and have cared for him ever since in the house. At first, baby sucked just a few sips every 1 ½ hours until last barn check. Then he had to wait until morning for me to feed him. Talk about time consuming tasks. Finally mid week, I stood baby up on his feet. He wavered around and got his balance and has been gettin up on his own ever since. The last couple days, he can down a half a pop bottle of milk four times a day and do it standing on his feet instead of me holding him. Now as soon as the weather warms up, he's going to his new home in a pen in the barn which I'm hoping is toward the end of the week.

I found out years ago I have a talent for saving newborn animals. What a gratifying feeling when a tiny creature responds to my care. Things have changed so much. When I started doctoring my sheep, I realized I'd have to become my own vet when the vet told me a sick sheep was a dead sheep. The advice was a newborn that didn't get up right away I should just let die. Today veternairians are school on what to do, but I don't give them much business now. I already know what to do and if I'm not sure of my diagnosis, I give a mixture of medicines. One vet called that my kill or cure method, but I'm sure my treatment won't kill and it usually cures the animal.

The middle of last week I made my annual trip with a baby lamb and goat to the nursing home I used to work at. I've been doing this each spring for thirty years so I have the preparations down pat. First, I need a small box just big enough for the babies to stand in but not jump out of. This box has to have the flaps so I can make the babies lay down and shut them in. Today the grocery boxes have the flaps cut off but I keep all the boxes my books come in so I have a ready supply. I tie baler twine around the box so the flaps stay shut. Learned to do that from experience. One time, the lamb and goat stood up, opened the flaps and jumped out of the box. They enjoyed the ride much better in front of the passenger seat, but I worried until we got home. My babies usually get their pictures taken with residents for the bulletin board. They took turns petting the babies until the lamb ducked and the goat butted their fingers. In return, I got the neatest stories about their sheep raising days and an addition to an activity book for nursing homes that I've been working.

Just three mothers left to deliver and the long days of up early and to bed late are over. In about 6 weeks my little alarm clock will be ready to wean from the bottle and in the barn where I can't hear him cry for me to feed him. So what's next. Garden and flowers. I already have 4 inch tall tomato plants and a few sweet potato plants rooted. We've had a few winter green onions from the garden and soon will uncover last fall's spinach row to see if we can pick enough for a salad. But for now, I'm working on a new book-the sixth in my Amazing Gracie Mystery Series- while I wait for warm weather. That is I try to write until I hear the baby cry.

Goshen College Amish & Mennonite Author List

Why am I interested? I write Amish fiction, and I'm on the list. After I self published I've always been on the lookout for free websites to promote my books. It was my worry that I'd write a book that doesn't sell after I hired a firm to promote for me. What works for me might not be the way most authors publish and sell their book. I've put my books in different author sites and blog posts, thinking that might take longer than paid advertising, but I wouldn't lose money. Besides, I can always work on another book at the same time. At the same time, I'm always looking for other sites I can submit to. That's why I put my name or book titles in google search often to see what has turned up on the Internet. Some of the links are where my books are sold and many of the google searches came from my promoting and blog posts. I like it when I find what I've done so far leads to a submission on google that I didn't submit. This information I found recently. The website is Center for Mennonite Writing

Ervin Beck, Professor Emeritus of English at Goshen College is editor of Journal of the Center and maintains the website. He wanted to write an article about serial fiction by and about Mennonites and Amish. He intended to make a list of authors and knew of eleven. So he sent his list to Joe Springer, Curator of Goshen College. The list of authors Professor Beck got back was about three times longer.

Professor Beck complied an informal bibliography containing a complete listing of authors, brief biographies, name of series, publishers, individual books and dates of publication which is listed on his website.

Guess what? The first two books in my Nurse Hal Among The Amish series had made Joe Sprinter's list. He's always on the look out for new authors and their Amish or Mennonite books so he keeps an up to date list. Information is in the Mennonite Historical Library list at Goshen College.

What didn't make the list was the stand alone titles such as Jodi Picoult's best selling Plain Truth. Since this is the first list he's posted some fiction series probably have been unintentionally omitted. Professor Beck says corrections and additions are welcome.

Later I checked again and found another list of Amish books on a Bethel College, Kansas site Mennonite Library & Archives complied by Barbara A. Thiesen. Joe Springer had helped her with the list and for 2007 - 2008 he had added my Amish book Christmas Traditions which isn't in the series and happens to be in the library. Actually, the main character in that book is in my Nurse Hal series but adding her to the series came as an after thought.

As the writer of Amish fiction, the lists were interesting to read. Of course, I was thrilled to find my name made both lists. It's an honor to be included. I was surprised since I'm new as an author and an Independent one. When I wrote the first Nurse Hal book I didn't think about starting a series. That idea came from the readers of the first book A Promise Is A Promise. They wanted me to keep writing about Nurse Hal. It's amazing how everything seems to fall into place for a reason. The powerful reach of the Internet doesn't hurt, either. That helps me pick up new readers interested in my books.

This is my latest Nurse Hal Among The Amish book number 3 Hal's Worldly Temptations sold on Amazon as paperback and kindle and in Nook

Alzheimer's Volunteer Caregivers Up 37%

Baby boomers have reached the age to have Alzheimer's disease. Good Morning America scrolled across the screen there is now 15 million volunteer caregivers which is up 37%. These caregivers need as much information as they can get on how to take care of a person with Alzheimer's.

I've written a book titled Open A Window - Alzheimer's Caregiver Handbook. I'm very proud of how much this book helps caregivers. It's written in layman's terms. Caregivers who read the book can identify with the experiences I shared and use the solutions to make life easier for them and the person they take care of.

Monday I received a call from a woman who works at two nursing homes and for hospice. She was given one of the copies I left at a doctor's office and read it. Now she wanted more copies of Open A Window to spread around. After she told me she really liked the book, I explained the stories and solutions were true experiences I'd had while I worked at a nursing home and took care of my father. She said she knew that. I couldn't make stories like that up.

Here is a review left on Amazon from C. Wright in California. I want to thank this person for giving me such a good review.

This caregiver has taken the care to detail a number of real life interactions she's experienced while caregiving her own father and the many Alzheimer's patients at the nursing home. She's won awards for her caregiving efforts, actually.

What many people do not realize when first dealing with Alzheimer's is that the sufferer still has a lot of memory cords left, triggers that will move them, calm them, agitate them...have meaning for them. One woman patient would go around the nursing home yelling out numbers. The caregivers eventually made a game of it with the woman, and it wasn't until the woman died that they were told the patient was an avid bingo player. If they'd only known, they could have worked the concept a bit and offered the woman more of a connection to her pleasurable memories. Other patients would follow the caregivers around, or hang around the nursing station, checking on things. They then found these patients were nurses themselves, and thought they should be on the job. Lots of examples, simple stories told with heart. Will help anyone caring for people with memory problems


Another review is on the back of the book as well as on Amazon from well known Alzheimer's speaker and author of "Creating Moment Of Joy" Jolene Brackey -- "This book shares what is possible if we allow a person with Alzheimer's to "be" who they are right now. Thank you for "opening" a window."

I've listened to several of Jolene's presentations. She gives a exciting, powerful presentation that can make you laugh, cry, think and understand Alzheimer's disease. Her website is www.enhancedmoments.com Her book is sold on her website and Amazon. With a search you probably can find the book many other places. It's the 3rd revised, expanded edition. ISBN 1557533660 Also information is there on how to reach Jolene if you'd like her to speak. She draws a crowd and has a site map that shows as a speaker she's a very busy woman.

Several years ago, Jolene spoke at the nursing home as an inservice and offered to speak at my Alzheimer's Support Group the same afternoon. After the fact, I found out the administrator had sent a copy of Open A Window to Jolene. She was impressed by my stories and asked to put one in her book. I agreed. Why wouldn't I? Her books help so many people. It's an honor to be a part of that.

About five years ago when I found out Jolene would be speaking close to where I live I went to the meeting. She held up a copy of her book and said it was the only one she brought on the plane just to show us. We'd have to order from her website. After the meeting, she presented me with that book and showed me my story with my byline. She used another one of my stories as an example in another spot, too. She signed the book which really makes it a one of a kind treasure.

So for caregivers out there here is a some choices to help you. My book Open A Window and another one I wrote about taking care of my father- Hello Alzheimer's Good Bye Dad can be found on Amazon and an ebooks in Kindle and Nook as well as paperback on my website www.booksbyfaybookstore.weebly.com and the Lemstone Christian Book Store in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Third Book In Amish Series For Sale

My latest book is Hal's Worldly Temptations-book 3 in Nurse Hal Among The Amish series. ISBN 098245953X There's plenty of places to get a copy. Right now the book is in ebook form at Kindle and Nook but in the next week it will be a paperback at Amazon, and my bookstore www.booksbyfaybookstore.weebly.com and I'll put the book on ebay when I get my first shipment.

I'm always surprised by what readers like about my Nurse Hal character. She has become a bit of a rebel in the Amish community, because she has trouble conforming to their ways. For someone that is not housewife material and loves her possessions- a car and cell phone, giving in to learning what she needs to know to be considered Amish isn't easy.

Nurse Hal can't catch on fast enough to keep her from making mistakes. That's another reason readers like her. Some of her mistakes will make you laugh out loud like when she's learning to drive a buggy and can only make the horse go in circles which ties up two intersections. One person told me she can just read so many sad books then she has to read one of mine to get herself back in a good mood. Each humorous situation I put Nurse Hal in comes easy when I think about what would happen to me if I tried to go back a century and learn what she is expected to know.

I hope you like the picture on my book's cover. A cover catches the buyer's eyes if done right and helps sell the book. With Christmas Traditions I used clipart which had the side view of a young woman in a bonnet. With my Amish series, I decided not to use people on the cover as many other authors do. I realize the people they use are models, but since Amish don't believe in pictures taken of them I've used scenery instead. The first book A Promise is a Promise has a picture on it that I took south of Bloomfield, Ia on an Amish farm. The second book, The Rainbow's End picture is my front yard just after a storm, and I added a buggy. I had to since I never see one go by. On this latest book, the picture is from the neighbor's place west of me. He'd just painted his buildings red and was proud of the way they looked. I told him I'd probably turn his barn white. You should have heard him groan. So recently I informed him I left his barn alone on the book cover, but he now owns two horses instead of one and has several buggies sitting in his pasture. When someone helps me out in any way with my books I give them a copy. I'm thinking this book cover will make him laugh.

Here is what it says on the back of the book - Join the fun! You are invited to the wedding of John Lapp and Nurse Hal. Family and friends gathered to cook, clean and plan. Men put up a tent in the yard for guests. So put on your bonnet or felt hat, hitch up the buggy and take a ride by scenic pastures and rolling hills to Wickenburg, Iowa. Take a seat on a bench next to Hal's parents. They will be glad to explain the ceremony, because they came armed with facts from Aunt Tootie's book on Amish customs. You will find a few surprises. Little Daniel Lapp interrupts the bishop when he asks if anyone objects. Oh and Stella Strutt has some sort of fit. It will be the most talked about Amish wedding for years to come. Hal's life goes down hill from there for awhile. She refuses to give away her car and cell phone. Getting caught by Stella Strutt at the Old Thrasher's Reunion on a "joy ride" doesn't help her avoid punishment. Is Hal going to be sent away before she gets settled into her new home? Stick around after the wedding and find out, why don't you.

If you like Amish stories join my readers and try the Nurse Hal books. I hear the stories aren't quite like any other Amish stories you've read.
www.amazonauthorpagefayrisner.com

Good Old Days Magazine Buys My Story

If you have a subscription to Good Old Days magazine watch for a story with my by line in the May/June issue. Last summer, I submitted a story which was a take off of a blog post about what my family did on Memorial Days in the 1950's. You might be able to find the post in my blog so I won't rerun it here. This is the 6th story the magazine has bought from me.
I've heard the old saying that we become our parents. I happen to be a combination of mine. My father was a delightful storyteller about his youth. He couldn't have written down a good tale but he sure could tell them. My mother was a saver of everything which came from the fact she lived through the thirties, depression years, and thank goodness I picked that up from her.
So I grew up with a treasure trove right under my nose and didn't realize it. This treasure was in the small right hand drawer on an antique sideboard in Mom's kitchen. As time went by every picture, newspaper article, funeral card and anything else that sealed in our memories a family happening was placed in that drawer. Finally, the drawer was so stuffed, pictures hung up. One day I volunteered to clean that drawer out and sort by years Sorting wasn't easy since the pictures hadn't been identified on the back until Mom told me names and dates. I'm glad I had her do that so I can look on the family tree and put a face to a name. My intention was to put the pictures in scrapbooks. I found that a slow go so after filling one scrapbook I dumped the rest of the pictures back in the drawer. There was enough space for awhile to make the drawer close easily.
When my mom passed away, I inherited that drawer full of pictures and dumped them in a box which I stored in a closet. I didn't see this box as a treasure yet, but I couldn't make myself throw away mementos that Mom treasured.
I got a subscription for Good Old Days so I could read the stories that happened before 1959 to the residents at the nursing home. The stories are good for discussion groups. Memories came rushing back to the residents, and I heard many of their great stories. The same company has a magazine titled Looking Back which takes stories after 1960. Both magazines are filled with old fashion memories. As I read Good Old Days, I kept thinking I had tales to tell but they want pictures to enhance the story if you have them. When the idea hit me, I was upstairs in a second and tearing the closet apart to look for that box of pictures. I went through the pictures and thought with each is there a story here? When I came up with an idea, I wrote the memories. So now 9 stories later with 6 sold, I'm thankful my mom taught me to be a saver. I'd have missed out on so much in more ways than one if I had dumped that drawer full of precious treasures in the trash
If you're interested go to the Good Old Days website. The submission information is there and address. They do like pictures but will print a story without them. Some stories are fairly short and others are a couple pages long. I suspect you get paid better for the larger stories with pictures but I can tell you this magazine company does pay good. They give two free magazines with your story in them and let you buy up to ten more. A selling point is names and location with dates so tell the story in detail. One way the company sells the magazine is people buy it because of the area stories or people they knew. Or like me the writer is a relative. The subscriptions make good gifts, too. I know because I bought several just to make sure the relatives found my story.