Guest Post by Author Amy Lillard and Katie's Choice Giveaway...

Hi everyone! This week I am pleased to welcome back my Seymour Agency sister, Amy Lillard, for a delightful guest post. 

Amy writes Amish Romance. Her second novel, Katie's Choice is set to release on May 1st. Take it away, Amy!!

Uniquely Amish by Amy Lillard

Writing Amish fiction requires a great deal of research. Somehow when I get to visit the Amish, I tend to get tongue-tied and forget every question that I want or need to ask. For those who know me well, quit laughing. I guess I get a little star struck. It’s the strangest thing. I once had a wonderful conversation with a famous comedian, but I can’t talk to the Amish woman at the bakery.

Needless to say, I spend a lot of time online researching the Amish on various sites. After all, I don’t have to speak to websites. In all my adventures online and even in person, I have collected a bit of information about Pennsylvania Dutch. If you’ve ever had the chance to listen to someone speak the language of the Amish, it has a fun and rhythmic tone that will make you smile. As with some of the expressions they use.

Here are a few of my favorites:

achey belly --stomach ache

Fernhoodle to confuse, perplex or puzzle-- "He speaks fernhoodled English.”

Hurrieder means to do something faster or to more quickly

wunst --one time, once

“You’re all strubly.” means you are disheveled, disordered, or unkempt.

            The Amish have also been known to say:

“Spread me all over with butter a piece of bread.”

“Eat yourself full.”

“Drink your mouth empty.”

“It’s gonna make down wet." means it’s going to rain.

            And the food! We all know about shoo-fly and snitz pie. But did you know dippy eggs are eggs cooked over-easy? Scrapple is pork and beef scraps mixed with corn meal and seasoning often times served with breakfast. And my personal favorite: Wedding nothings which are fried pastries sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar and reserved for weddings. But I want to know, if they are ‘nothing’ does that mean they are calorie free?

Yeah…I didn’t think so, but it was worth a try. So what’s your favorite ‘uniquely Amish’ phrase or food?

The Giveaway ~

Amy is giving away a Reader's Survival Pack which includes a copy of Katie's Choice, bag, chocolate, mug, bookmark, etc. 

Follow this Rafflecopter link so you can enter :

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1859c32/

Amy Lillard

Now here's a little bit more about Amy...

I'm a wife, mother, and bona fide Southern belle. Published author, expert corn bread maker, and Squirrel Princess.

Though I was born in Mississippi, I moved to Oklahoma (Boomer!) when I was in high school and met my soul mate and best friend not long after.  Rob and I have been married for over twenty years and have a son--a mom proclaimed prodigy, of course! We have two funny cats and a very lazy beagle.

I have always been intrigued with the Amish culture, their gentle ways and slower-paced lifestyle. (And I love, love, love the fact that they stay married for their lifetime.) Until recently I never thought to blend this interest with my love for romance. Okay, okay, I'm a bit old-fashioned and even enjoy the gender roles that are present in this culture.  I love to cook and take care of my family. Yes, that's me June Cleaver with a laptop.

I love homemade tacos, shoes, and romance novels--not necessarily in that order. I'm a big fan of country music, a staunch proponent of saving the Oxford comma, and I'm shamefully obsessed with all things Harry Potter.

I also love to hear from readers, so feel free to drop me a line: amylillard@hotmail.com or come visit me on the web: www.amywritesromance.com

Thanks for coming by, Amy! I really enjoyed your post. 

My favorite Amish food doesn't have a fancy unique name. It's just a baked apple crisp. It's a real Amish recipe that I got out of the newspaper many years ago. It came with an article written by an Amish woman. The apple crisp is so good, almost better than apple pie, and so easy to make in one pan. And it's definitely not calorie free! I make it a lot in the fall, on cool Saturday afternoons.

Between you, me and the gatepost,

Loree