Each time I log into my email account and find a book order, I feel gratified. With all the other books out on the market, I am grateful that someone will go to the effort to pay me for my story. That’s after all, why I wrote my book — so that others will read it. I am grateful whenever … Amazon’s Print Book Price Increase Read More ..read more

I have published two new posts at About Amish and Beyond: A Soul-Nurturing Experience and Nostalgia in Amish Country. If you would like to receive email notifications when I publish a new blog post and have not yet signed up, you can do so by following this link. Soon I will no longer be notifying from this site. Happy reading! … New Posts on About Amish and Beyond Read More ..read more

My experiments with Blogger and Substack are coming to an end. Neither was a good experience for either you or me, and the latter functioned more like social media, which I’m not fond of. Therefore, I decided to build a new site for my blog. With the help of my competent webmaster, Clay Showalter, I think we have it working … Hello Again to About Amish and Beyond Read More ..read more

I thought I was going to move on after my most recent post to publish future blog posts at Blogger. But then I discovered that Blogger doesn’t notify readers when a post is published. I’m not actually sure what one gets out of becoming a follower on blogger. I don’t even have access to the emails of those of you … Another Bend in the Road Read More ..read more

“Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.” ~ Garrison Keillor I’ve heard from many of you who are not receiving my email notifications even though you are signed up. Judging by the number of unsubscribe notices I’ve been receiving of late, I believe it is safe to say that many are receiving my notifications who no longer want … Saying Goodbye to one Blog and Hello to Another Read More ..read more

In my last post I mentioned that there is a network of advocates who are supporting those who have emerged from Plain communities, and how I hope to join in their efforts. I am taking a first step in that direction by attending the Voices of Hope (VOH) conference in Berlin, Ohio later this month on March 24th and 25th. … Voices of Hope Conference in Berlin Ohio Read More ..read more

So much has happened since my last post, back in early November. I’ll give a brief synopsis of some of these events, and then share my thoughts on the future of this blog. I’m back in communication with two of my long-lost sisters. I’ve had no communications with any of my sisters for the past five years, and no communications … Finding Inspiration and Life Meaning Read More ..read more

Today I discovered another report about the new law in Ohio that requires all buggies to have yellow blinking lights and how some of the Amish men are non-compliant. Most of them are pleading no contest in court, resulting in a guilty verdict and then refusing to pay their fines. I don’t know how to get the most conservative Amish … Promoting Safety for Horse and Buggy Travelers Read More ..read more

The question in my title today has been asked of me ever since I published my first book, Why I Left the Amish. Because my story was one of the first to expose both sexual and physical abuse in an Amish community, the answer was elusive. I would answer this question by saying that because each family keeps these abuses … How Prevalent is Sexual Abuse Among the Amish? Read More ..read more

This is a reminder about my speaking engagement via Zoom tomorrow (September 7) at 7PM.  I will be in conversation via Zoom at the Asheville Wisdom Exchange. To participate, you can follow this link and click on the purple button “Join Zoom Meeting” at 7PM. Also a reminder about the in-person speaking engagements coming up. Here is the schedule again: … Online Speaking Engagement at the Asheville Wisdom Exchange Read More ..read more