Today I welcome guest-author Patrick Craig!
Patrick is one of the “men of Amish fiction,” and is giving away a signed copy of his newest release, The Amish Menorah and Other Stories, a book of Amish short stories by himself and five other male Amish authors! Please leave a comment to be in the drawing for the print book!
An Interview with author Patrick E. Craig
Welcome, Patrick! I’m looking forward to picking your brain a little – male writers in the Christian fiction field are few and far between, and I’m excited to have you on the blog today!
- What inspired you to write, initially, and what encouraged you to continue?
I started writing in the second grade. That was when I had my first article published in the school newspaper. It was a little ditty titled “What I did this summer,” but I received such a great response from my family and friends that I decided this might be something I could do well. After that, I took every opportunity to write that I could find. I worked on the school newspaper in grade school, middle school, and high school, and always ended up as the editor of each paper.
My mother had a good friend who was a reporter for the local paper and she got me a job writing a column when I was in high school. My mother was a writer and even though MS incapacitated her, she and I wrote a book together about her experience with the disease when I was twelve. I still have an original copy and plan to self publish it someday. My aunt was also a writer and always encouraged me to write. My dad used to tell me stories about my grandmother who was a real Shanachie, an Irish storyteller and although she died when I was very young, I still have a picture of her on my writing desk for inspiration.
When I was in rock and roll bands my favorite part was always songwriting. Then when I became a pastor, I turned to writing teaching books. Now I concentrate on fiction because my desire has always been to tell stories that touch people deeply.
It’s amazing how our writing changes with our time of life, isn’t it? At one time I would have written “Christian Life” books, but now? I write stories that uplift and give the reader something to think about – and hopefully smile about!
- Do you look at writing as a “calling?”
Writing is definitely a calling. God communicated to the world through his written Word and He values that form of communication so highly that His Son was called The Word of God, the Logos. He tells us that even though heaven and earth may pass away His word will never pass away.
“The pen is mightier than the sword.” This often-repeated phrase was first coined by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in his play Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy in 1839. It has been said of Bulwer-Lytton that he “had the good fortune to do, what few men can hope to do: he wrote a line that is likely to live for ages.” And it is true. These words ring down through the years because they reveal an inherent archetypal truth—the written word has enormous power: the power to lift up, the power to destroy, to bring joy or despair, to illuminate the truth, or encase it in shadow.
So, if you are a follower of Christ and a writer then it behooves you to communicate God to a lost and dying, hurting world through your writing. You must let God communicate himself to you. Listen as the Holy Spirit gives you the story He wants to tell and then uses that story to persuade, pervade, and testify of God. I’m not saying preach, I’m saying tell His story. That’s what Christian writing is all about.
Amen, and Amen!
- What is one story from real life that you’ve included in one of your books?
In my book, The Road Home, the story opens in 1966 in San Francisco in the Clayton Street flat of a hippie musician, Johnny Hershberger, who has become disenchanted with the freewheeling culture of the Haight-Ashbury. He realizes that even though he’s living the “hip” life he has become disconnected from his roots, which are in the country. He knows the city of San Francisco, even though it is exciting and “happening,” is killing his spirit. The character, Johnny, is a reflection of myself. The room he lives in, the restaurant where he has breakfast, the drug dealer who enlists him to be a driver in a crime that goes bad, all these are real scenes from my, shall I say, misspent youth. Johnny is me, back in the sixties. And when he discovers his agrarian roots, that he is actually the descendant of an Amish farmer who left the faith, Johnny returns to the land. And happily, that is exactly what I have done. Several years ago my wife and I left the stress-filled culture of California and returned to our roots in the Pacific Northwest. Our house sits high on a ridge where we can look across the Treasure Valley over miles of farmland, to see the mountains behind Boise. So, like Johnny Hershberger, I have returned to my roots. Every good writer always pours his life into his books, don’t you think?
Most definitely. My first book was about a Kentucky girl who moves to South Carolina. I’m still hoping that one comes true! LOL!
- What is your favorite Bible verse, and why?
I always look to Galatians 2/20 as a plumb line for my life. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
For me, this is the whole story of what Christ has done for me. I deserved to die, and yet the God of the universe stepped into my place and took the punishment for my sins. So truly I have paid the price “in Him” and am free to stand before God absolved of all my iniquity, no longer “appointed to wrath.” The miracle of the substitutionary death of Christ always overwhelms my thoughts. Why would He do it for such a wretch? It leaves me forever grateful to Jesus and for his cross.
As a musician, I can’t help but sing “Crucified With Christ” every time I read that verse. Without grace, we are nothing, but He gives us EVERYTHING!
- A lot of interviewers ask for your favorite book. That’s just not fair! What has been the most recent book you’ve read that excited you or moved you in some way? Why?
I just finished Jerry Eicher’s new book, When Hearts Break. I had already read the two chapters that were included in our recent anthology, The Amish Menorah and Other Stories, but I had no idea of the depth and power I was to find in the complete book. When I first started writing Amish fiction ten years ago, one of the names that always came up in conversations about the genre was Jerry Eicher, an Amish man who wrote Amish fiction. We both wrote for Harvest House, but in all the following years I never read one of Jerry’s books. I have now corrected that glaring mistake.
When Hearts Break is not Amish fiction—it is brilliant Literary Fiction about Amish people. Mr. Eicher takes a deep dive into the hidden secret of many Amish communities—sexual abuse and its effect on lives and families. But He does not leave you in the darkness. Instead, he delivers characters that are powerful and mesmerizing and a story that is absolutely riveting, and along the way, I also discovered grace and redemption.
This is a brilliant book that embodies all the qualities I look for as a reader—brilliant writing, incredible dialogue, picture book settings—they are all here, and when I finished reading it, I was forever changed for the better. Great writing! Jerry will be publishing it soon through Elk Lake Publishing. Look for it coming soon.
I will definitely keep an eye out for that one! It sounds great!
Thanks for the interview, Patrick!
About Patrick
Amazon Best-Selling author Patrick E. Craig, is a lifelong writer and musician who left a successful music career to become a pastor in 1986. In 2007 he retired to concentrate on writing and publishing fiction books. In 2011, Patrick signed a three-book deal with Harvest House Publishers to publish his Apple Creek Dreams series. His self-published books, The Amish Heiress, The Amish Princess, and The Mennonite Queen, as well as the reprinted Apple Creek Dreams, are now published by Patrick’s imprint, P&J Publishing. In 2017, Harlequin Publishing purchased The Amish Heiress for its Walmart Amish series and released it in April 2019.
Patrick and Murray Pura have just released Far On The Ringing Plains, Book 1 in a nine-book series that will take in the whole sweep of men and women at war from WW II to the current Desert Campaigns. They have also collaborated on an anthology of realistic Amish stories written with the four other men who write Amish fiction: Willard Carpenter, Jerry Eicher, Thomas Nye, and Amos Wyse. The Amish Menorah and Other Stories is published by Elk Lake Publishing. He has also recently released two books in his YA mystery series, The Adventures of Punkin and Boo, with Elk Lake Publishers They are The Mystery of Ghost Dancer Ranch and The Lost Coast. Patrick and his wife Judy live in Idaho. They have two daughters and five grandchildren.
The Amish Menorah and Other Stories
Six short stories by all the men who write Amish fiction that will entertain and educate you. You’ll journey with an Amish man and the Jewish woman whose life he saves (The Amish Menorah), suffer with an Amish girl in love with an Englische man (A Cloudy Day), agonize with two sisters both in love with the same man (When Hearts Break), pray with the family whose child is injured in a fall (The Silo), join forces with a non-violent Amish sheriff in a violent western town (Lone Star), and laugh at the girl forced to be Amish for the summer (Amish for the Summer.)
Willard Carpenter, Patrick E. Craig, Jerry Eicher, Thomas Nye, Murray Pura, and Amos Wyse—The men of Amish fiction have a winner!
Where can readers find Patrick online?
www.patrickecraig.com Webpage
https://www.facebook.com/PatrickECraig Facebook
https://twitter.com/PatrickECraig Twitter
Where can readers purchase his books?
http://tinyurl.com/n6sfagg Amazon
Any of the other online stores.
The Giveaway
As I mentioned earlier, Patrick has graciously offered up a SIGNED copy of his book, The Amish Menorah and Other Stories!
Simply comment below with a question or comment, and we’ll put you in the drawing!
Have an amazing Wednesday!
I am very interested!
Would love to read this!! Would make a great addition to my library 🙂
Would live to read this book also the book about a girl from Kentucky Since I live in Kentucky You were one of the men authors that I read that wrote Amish books
I would love to read this book and enjoyed reading the above description of your life, many blessings your way.
I’m interested thank you for the chance to win this book.
After reading this interview, I would love to read your books! This one sounds wonderful! Thank you for the opportunity to win.
One of my two favorite make authors….love the fact that you followed a desire to write since second grade…mine was in sixth…..would love to add your new book to my tea time.
Stories definitely can be a tool to touch people. I love reading Christian fiction and seeing how things relate to my life. Being a writer who communicates well is definitely a calling…me, I’ve been called to read. LOL So keep on writing!
Read and review! Your input on many of my stories has been greatly appreciated and very useful.
I really enjoy reading Patrick Craig’s books, very gifted &excellent writer.
Thank you, Joyce!!
What an amazing interview! The book sounds great and the idea was amazeing!
I’m interested to read it!
It was so good learning more about Patrick and his writing. I am a huge fan of Amish fiction that deals with real-life issues that we all face. I especially liked what Patrick said about story: “I’m not saying preach, I’m saying tell His story. That’s what Christian writing is all about.” My question for Patrick, out of all your books, which was your most favorite to write?
I would love to get one of Patrick’s books
Debra, I loved writing all my books but some impacted me more than others. In the Apple CreekDreams series, I was intending to write Jerusha’s story then Jenny’s story, then Rachel, Jenny’s daughter’s story. But I fell in love with Jenny and wrote a second book about her. So I had to start a new series to do Rachel. As far as enjoying the actual technical side of writing, I would say Far On The Ringing Plains was my favorite. That was because Murray Pura is such a brilliant writer that he pushed me from story telling into Literary Fiction.
How can an Amish person have a manorah?
You will have to read the story. 🙂
I can’t wait to read this book. What was your favorite part in writing the book?
My favorite part of writing my story was researching the actual historical background and then co-ordinating the Jewish and Amish points of view about their Messiah.
I have read several Amish books by men, mainly Jerry but have read Patricks work as well. Look forward to reading this one. Great interview BTW.
Thanks Cindy!
I have never read any of your books but I love Amish fiction, would like to read your book
Patrick was instrumental in my early Christian walk. I am forever grateful.
Brian, contact me. I would love to hear how I helped you.
I have never read an Amish Fiction book by a male writer, but now plan to because of this interview. Thank you for your story.
Actually there are six of us men who write Amish and all of them are in this book. So you’ll get a chance to see the other side of the spectrum. 🙂
Love Amish books and would love to read this one!
I can’t wait to read this!
Thank you for sharing more about you and books. A signed copy would be wonderful to add to my library. Thank you for the giveaway.
Thank you for the wonderful interview with Patrick. Enjoyed learning more about the man behind several books on my TBR list – including “The Amish Menorah and Other Stories”.
I think he writes book for the same reason I love reading them – to see parts of myself in the characters and to hear the message (even if greatly underlying) that the author’s trying to bring across. Often times, a story touches my heart so much that I can’t help but share it with others hoping they too will see the meaning and take it to heart.
One of the things I love about reading Christian literature is because they are books that I wouldn’t be ashamed of anyone seeing on my end table. They are clean reads. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have problems and bad things happen, because that is the way of life for all of us Christian or not. It’s how the problems are handled, the solutions to them and the lessons they leave behind that are handled in such a way that they can be learning tools, lessons learned through others misfortune and Christian ways to rectify wrongs or wrong doings.
Thank you for the chance to win a copy of your book! Shared and hoping to be the fortunate one selected. I would love to have the opportunity to read, review and share this book compiled by men whose writings I admire.
Kay, thanks for the post. Your observation about why I write is spot on. I do use my characters to reveal the lessons I’ve learned in life that I hope to impart to my readers—some good some bad, but all promoting growth.
I would love to read this book. Do you write from an outline? And how strictly do you stay with it.
Shirley, Yes I write from a timeline and a Chapter outline. I try to stay fairly close to it, but I have found myself switching chapters around to fit the action. I do plenty of research because I write a lot of historical fiction.
Thank you for the chance to win, love reading stories about the Amish. Interested in reading stories written by men.
Thanx for the interview & giveaway! My husband, Jurrell, has Patrick & Murray’s war book. What a book!!! He loves it and is eagerly awaiting the next in the series!!! Anything “The Men of Amish Fiction” write is amazing!!!
Although we love writing Amish, Murray and I truly love our war series because it gives us a chance to write like Hemingway. 🙂 We have finished the second book and I love it. Working with Murray on this project has pushed me from being a story teller to writing Literary Fiction, something I have always wanted to do.
love your books as all amish books
I love these authors.
🙂
A very good interview, I like to know an authors background. I don’t have this book so thanks for an opportunity.
Have been following Patrick for a little while, and I have heard wonderful things about his work. Thank you for the chance.
It was so much fun meeting you & Judy in Shipshewana last August!! I’ve read several of your books & loved them, but THE
AMISH HEIRESS sure kept me on the edge of my seat! Can’t wait
to read THE AMISH MENORAH & FAR ON THE RINGING PLAINS.
KEEP THOSE BOOKS COMING!!
Okay, Darlene. Will do!
Truly enjoyed the post, Regina and Patrick. By the way Regina, you still write Christian Living books! And Patrick, we all have misspent youth stories. Thank God for his grace and forgiveness!
Patricia, Indeed!
Enjoyed your interview very much! That’s neat that you still have your first book you wrote in second grade. Your family encouragement and history is definitely
special ! Thank you for sharing your story!
Enjoyed the interview. Would love to win a copy as my library doesn’t have it …..
Hope I am not too late for this drawing. I have read one of Jerry Eicher’s books and know he is a good author.
Yet not I but through Christ in me! My favorite song 🙂 goes with your favorite verse. Thank you for the interview and nice to meet you!
Thanks, everyone, for all the great comments! Good luck in the drawing!
Patrick and I met and got our writing chops at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conf. many years ago. It’s been so fun watching him go go go! I would love to read The Amish Menorah (oooh….that cover!) Congrats, Patrick!