Introduction

"Cushman crafts strong characters that areeasy to connect with."--Romantic TimesJulie Charlton is at the breaking point. She's overwhelmed and burned out, and in today's unrelenting society, her kids are, too. When her sister-in-law Susan, a Martha Stewart-in-training, lands the chance to participate in a reality TV series promoting simple living, and needs another family to join her, it seems like the perfect opportunity.The location is an idyllic farm outside an Amish community in Tennessee. Julie, with her two children, joins Susan and her teenage daughter for a summer adventure. Susan needs to succeed in order to become self-sufficient after an ugly divorce, Julie needs to slow down long enough to remember what her priorities are and regain a sense of purpose and meaning. It becomes clear from the start that "living simple" is no simple matter. With the camera watching every move, Susan's drive for perfection feels a lot like what they left behind, while Julie suddenly finds herself needing to stand up for slowing down. With each new challenge, their season of "going Amish" gets more and more complicated, as each woman learns unexpected lessons about herself and her family.

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Excerpt

Prologue
The cupcakes drooped like wilted daisies. Instead of the nice rounded tops shown in the recipe book, they leaned left. Or right. And a few managed to sag both ways at once.
Julie Charlton carried the tray into the junior high’s mul-ti­purpose room, purposely keeping her eyes averted from her frosted nightmare. She had put so much time and effort into these. Why did her baking never turn out right, espe-cially when she was under pressure? Especially now, with the semiformal eighth-grade parent-child dance only hours away? ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. Amish life is much more difficult than modern life in so many ways. Why do you think many modern women envy this lifestyle?
2. Name three things about modern life you would be more than happy to give up. Name three that you couldn't do without.
3. Were your parents more like Julie, who trusts her kids to find their own way, or Susan, who believes that kids need to be pushed to achieve their potential? Which kind of parent are you (or which kind do you think you will be)?
4. There is a fine line between pushing yourself (and your kids) too hard, and being lax. How do you try to differentiate between the two?
5. Susan had always envisioned herself as the quintessential wife and mother. When her marriage fell apart, a large part of her self-esteem began to erode. From which of your strengths do you derive the most self-worth? What would happen if that suddenly fell apart?
6. Do you consider yourself more of a Susan, type A, in control person, or a Julie, type B, pushed around by the type A's person?
7. Can you think of a God-given gift or talent that you possess but have been too busy to use?

Weblinks

»	Publisher's Book Info
»	Author Kathryn Cushman's website with contact info for the author
»	Follow Kathryn Cushman on Facebook

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