Judith’s Place

Judith Hershberger wonders what her life would have been like had she been born into an English family instead of an Amish one. Would she be happier with the freedom to obtain more schooling as an English young woman instead of being limited to only an eighth grade Amish education? In Judith's Place, the second book in the Dreams of Plain Daughters Series, schoolteacher Judith Hershberger yearns to learn more despite the educational restriction imposed on her because of her Amish upbringing. Wanting more than an eighth grade education, she puts off joining the Amish faith. During her rumspringa, she'll be able to obtain her high school diploma without being shunned. Her father is afraid Judith will leave their Amish community if she passes the GED test. He knows she's unhappy that Amish women are expected to follow a certain path in life. When a non-Amish college student, Eliza Dunbar, observes Judith in her classroom, a friendship between the two young women develops. Eliza gives Judith the nudge she needs to study for her GED test. Eliza wonders what it would be like to switch places with Judith to live a simple life without electricity and other modern conveniences. Judith envies Eliza because she is free to attend college. Jacob Weaver finally gets the courage to ask Judith to go with him to a Sunday singing. Like Judith, he wants to do something that isn't allowed in their Plain community. Jacob wants to get his driver's license so he can drive a truck to make the deliveries for the lumberyard. He needs to earn enough money to buy his own small farm. But even though it sounds plausible, Jacob feels stress with trying to learn to drive a truck instead of a buggy. Once he accomplishes this, Jacob plans to become baptized and join the Amish church. Will Judith decide to stay in her Amish community or will she decide to leave in order to attend college? Will Judith's friendship with Jacob influence her as she finds her place?

While growing up on a farm in Findlay, Ohio, I often acted out characters from my own stories in the backyard. In high school I was the student sitting in class with a novel hidden in front of my propped up textbook. Before starting on my writing career, I was a schoolteacher and play director. I met my husband while teaching at an orphanage, and we married three years later. While raising our six children in southwestern Ohio, I started writing nonfiction. Later, I decided it would be a nice escape to write fiction. Several non-fiction articles of mine have been published in Woman’s World Weekly, The Catholic Telegraph, Virtue, Down Syndrome Today, WritersWeekly.com, and several other publications. A Joyful Break (Dreams of Plain Daughters, Book One) received 5 stars and was a reviewer’s top pick from Night Owl Reviews as well as receiving a 5 star review and January 2013’s CTRR Reviewer’s Recommend Award from Coffee Time Romance and More. Additionally, it finished in fifth place in the ＂other＂ novel category of books in the 2012 Preditors & Editors Readers Poll. I write Amish romance, contemporary romance, inspirational mainstream, romantic suspense, and non-fiction books. My novels have received great reviews from readers and reviewers. I have published through a variety of houses, including Publishing by Rebecca J. Vickery, Samhain Publishing, Whimsical Publications, and Victory Tales Press. Recently, I decided to self-publish several novels. Learn more about my books at http: //www.dianecraver.com.