I'm so thrilled to welcome Jolina Petersheim back to Ink Dots with her second book release this year, The Midwife.
Jolina's the award-winning and bestselling author of The Outcast, which Library Journal gave a starred review and named one of the best books of 2013. Jolina's sophomore novel, The Midwife, also taps into her and her husband’s unique Amish and Mennonite heritage originated in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They now live in the mountains of Tennessee with their young daughter. Whenever she's not busy chasing this adorable toddler, Jolina is hard at work on her next novel. Visit Jolina at jolinapetersheim.com.
The Midwife ~ The Past -- Graduate student Beth Winslow was sure she was ready to navigate the challenges of becoming a surrogate. But when early tests indicate possible abnormalities with the baby, Beth is unprepared for the parents' decision to end the pregnancy -- and for the fierce love she feels for this unborn child. Desperate, she flees the city and seeks refuge at Hopen Haus, a home for unwed mothers deep in a Tennessee Mennonite community.
The Present -- As head midwife of Hopen Haus, Rhoda Mummau delivers babies with a confident though stoic ease. Except in rare moments, not even those who work alongside her would guess that each newborn cry, each starry-eyed glance from mother to child, nearly renders a fault through Rhoda's heart, reminding her of a past she has carefully concealed.
Past and present collide when a young woman named Amelia arrives in the sweeping countryside bearing secrets of her own. As Amelia's due date draws near, Rhoda must face her regrets and those she left behind in order for the healing power of love and forgiveness to set them all free.
Jolina Says...
If I could eat anywhere in the world tomorrow, it would be...Well, this is a hard question. I’m over six months pregnant, so I’m not sure where I would like to eat tomorrow (on Saturday I had my husband drop me off at Blue Coast Burrito while he went to wash the car), but I know that today I could eat some Indian chicken biryani with a side of steaming rice, garlic naan, and a mango lassi for desert. (Recipe for mango lassi: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/mango_lassi/). Wow, all that sure sounds better than the tuna and crackers I just had for lunch.
The most unusual job I've ever had is...Right after I married my husband, we started working together in our outlet grocery store (which we’ve since sold). I did most of the stocking, and he worked on pricing the miscellaneous items in the warehouse and listing them on eBay. We also lived in an 11,000 square foot apartment adjacent to the grocery store. So, if I was in the middle of cooking and ran out of an ingredient, I would dart through the office, down the steps into the store, and scan the shelves until I found it . . . or a substitute.
My all-time favourite movie is...Sense and Sensibility, the Kate Winslet version. My best friend and I have watched it countless times over the years; she is the sensible Eleanor, and I will admit that I am the impetuous Marianne (though I am getting better as I become older). Oddly enough, my best friend’s and my life stories even followed along with Jane Austen’s plot. I love my Colonel Brandon.
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I can't wait for the calendar to flip over to ... September 8th! This is the day we are expecting our second baby girl, and I’m so excited to meet her and kiss all of her little fingers and toes. Aww, I don't think there's a better answer than that one. :)
When I was a child I most feared...Getting kidnapped, which would separate me from my parents. I had a very overactive imagination even back then. I saw kidnappers behind every bush and every tinted window. I tend to still see kidnappers. My husband says I write too many books. ;) Ok, what is it with authors and kidnapping fears? You're the second this year who's answered this question with kidnappers. So glad it didn't happen for either of you.
If I had a pet kangaroo, I'd name it...Oliver. Is it possible to have a pet kangaroo? If so, I want one. I’ve had a pet pig (Wilbur grew too big and had to return to his family) and a pet owl (which we released after he was grown). It's possible to have a pet kangaroo if you live in the right place (Australia Zoo perhaps) but it's not in my neighbourhood, or anyone else's I know. It's fun to imagine, though...Thanks so much for visiting with us again, Jolina. I hope that September date doesn't take too long to come around. Can't wait to hear news baby news from you.
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If you'd like like the chance to win a copy of Jolina's The Midwife, please leave a comment below with your all-time favourite pet's name, or a name you've been saving for a pet... for someday. I'll announce the winner on Friday. (Open to US readers only)
My one and only childhood pet was Jasper the bulldog. Now we have sweet Gilbert the cat.
Good luck and happy reading,
