At 10 years old, she was reading Hemingway and Capote from her father’s library.
Remarkable for any child, but for Lucinda Streiker-Schmidt it wasn’t supposed to even happen. She was Old Order Amish, a girl, and her father was a bishop of the church.
“He pretended he didn’t know I was reading his stash,” she said.
Streiker-Schmidt, who lives along Simonton Lake in Elkhart, loved reading, writing, learning — and questioning.
Those questions led her to make decisions about her own life — divorcing her abusive husband, taking her two children and leaving the Amish church. Along with her came years of journals that she have now turned into a fictional account of one Amish woman’s life. More
Podcast - What's Up with Missy
March 1, 2010
Missy announces her birthday month, reveals the Comcast plot, gives her opinion of the NY Times Style Section about The Happiness Project, and speaks with Woman on the Move Lucinda Streiker-Schmidt author of A Separate God, Journal of an Amish Girl.
Keynote Speaker-Rotary Club of South Bend
February 10, 2010
Our speaker today was author Lucinda Streiker-Schmidt who wrote the novel "A Separate God." The oldest daughter of an Old Order Amish bishop, Streiker-Schmidt wrote and spoke about her childhood experiences growing up Amish. About 30 years ago she left the Amish community. As a result of some of her revelations of the Amish, she was severely criticized by members of the Amish community and was shunned for about ten years. Eventually she was accepted by members of her family for who she was. She still has many friends and family members in the Amish community but she now lives among "the English", the term the Amish use to describe those outside their community.
TV - Suncoast Scene with Rochelle
Aired: November 2009
In reference to the video below:
It has come to my attention that Richard Schrock was not the genesis of the public humilation inflicted upon my father referenced in the interview below. However, it is my firm belief that Bishop Schrock, although not guilty of instigating, is absolutly guilty of passively allowing an act of degradation against a parishoner. I apologize for any factual errors I may have made, however, the fundamental position I hold is not affected by who instigated the act that was allowed to take place. I have offered Bishop Schrock an opportunity to respond and will post any "unedited" rebuttal he provides and would welcome the opportunity to dialogue with him.
I'm nervous as I dial Lucinda's number. Her book, A Separate God: Journal of an Amish Girl, is creating quite a buzz. Lucinda is doing a national book tour, and her fictional story which is based on true events from her life has sold out on Amazon. She's been contacted by the Oprah show. Will she really have time for to speak to a book-loving Mennonite librarian with a modest blog? Will I be interrupting her favorite television show when I call? These are my thoughts.
From the bookshelf to the kitchen, WNIT Public Television's popular DINNER AND A BOOK returns with new recipes from best-sellers. The 2008-9 season of DINNER AND A BOOK includes reading material with universal themes.
Gail Martin selects the books, the hosts, and menu and gets additional help from savvy cooks who add a great deal to the show.
Martin's taste for the exotic continues with book choices reflecting foreign lands like Cuba, the Isle of Guernsey, The Burgundy region of France, the French Cordon Bleu Cooking School, Baku, Azerbaijan, to local authors' books like South Bend mystery writer Jeanne Dams's "To Perish in Penzance," Amish writer Lucinda Streiker-Schmidt's A Separate God and recipes from our own Elkhart County Fair.
This is the eight season that the Rex and Alice A. Martin Foundation has underwritten DINNER AND A BOOK. Gail admires their love of great food and superb entertaining and adventuresome travel. Alice has been a guest on numerous programs with the last three taped in her home in Lakeside, Michigan. This year's book featured Lucinda Streiker-Schmidt's A Separate God.
Print - eTruth.com - Woman overcomes fear to publish tale of abuse and repression in Amish upbringing
Published: Friday, January 16, 2009
Last updated: January 15, 2009
By Jodi Magallanes, Truth/El Noticiero Staff
Source: http://www.etruth.com/Know/News/Story.aspx?id=472692
Even as a child, Lucinda Schmidt loved to write.
But the most absorbing tale the soft-spoken single mother and nurse ever created remained hidden and unpublished for years, too revealing to share with the great loves of her life, her two children.... More.
TV - Channel 16 WNDU Morning Show - Focus on Faith: The story of an Amish woman
Aired: January 11, 2009
Last Updated: January 12, 2009
By: Channel 16 WNDU Morning Show
Source: http://www.wndu.com/home/headlines/37408999.html
Lucinda Streiker-Schmidt grew up on an Amish farm in Indiana and has nothing but fond, loving memories of her childhood. Yet, throughout her early life, Lucinda never stopped questioning the differences between her life and the "outside society." When she got a little older, Lucinda experienced the horrors of abuse, incest, neglect and emotional torment after being forced to marry into another Amish family. More
The Amish invoke visions of beauty and mystery, but there are other more scandalous elements that remain hidden from the outside world. In her book, A Separate God, author Lucinda Streicker-Schmidt explores the premise that all is not as it seems in this very closed society.
Press Releases:
Press Release - “A Separate God-Journal of an Amish Girl”
Author Book Signing at Rainbow Books and Gifts Release Date: August 11, 2009 Former Amish Woman Signs Novel Based on Real-Life Events Download Release (.doc format)
Press Release - “A Separate God-Journal of an Amish Girl”
Author Book Signing at Family Dutch Mill Buffet Release Date: August 5, 2009 Former Amish Woman Signs Novel Based on Real-Life Events Download Release (.doc format)
Press Release - “A Separate God-Journal of an Amish Girl”
Author Book Signing at Burlington County Library Release Date: April 6, 2009 Former Amish Woman Signs Novel Based on Real-Life Events Download Release (.doc format)
In her new book releasing nationwide this week, titled A Separate God, Indiana author Lucinda Streiker-Schmidt tells the story of a young woman's conflict between her strict Old Order Amish upbringing and the freedom she desires.
Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, A Separate God follows Rachel, a young woman raised in an Old Order Amish family, who has dreamt of living a life of joy and freedom. Yet, due to her strict upbringing, she is not allowed to embrace the life she imagined. Rachel's pilgrimage takes her from oppression, abuse and dissatisfaction to the liberty of self-discovery once she finds the courage to resist the Old Order Amish structure.
The book is available at any bookstore nationwide or can be ordered through the publisher at www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore or by visiting barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com or target.com . An audio version is also available from the publisher.
Streiker-Schmidt currently resides in Elkhart, Indiana where she maintains close relationships with her family, treasuring time spent with them and her friends, both secular and Amish.
Editor/Producer: Are you interested in interviewing the author or reviewing the book? Let e know and I'll gladly send along a book copy for your consideration.
Contact:
Sunnie Atkins Marketing Representative
Tate Publishing and Enterprises
888.361.9473 sunnie@tatepublishing.com
127 East Trade Center Terrace
Mustang, OK 73064
Phone: (405) 376-4900
Fax: (405) 376-4401
Press Kit:
To download a digital version of the media kit for "A Separate God-Journal of an Amish Girl" click here (.pdf format)
