Carolyn Astfalk's Blog, page 14
December 2, 2020
An Open Book
Welcome to the December 2020 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart AND CatholicMom.com!
My husband is still in no work travel/no audiobook listening mode, but together we’ve been working our way through Totus Tuus: A Consecration to Jesus through Mary with St. John Paul II by Father Brian McMaster as we prepare for a parish-wide consecration. We’re not finding this as reader-friendly as 33 Days to Morning Glory: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Marian Consecration, which we completed early in the year, and I’m struggling to find the time and attention to be meditative, but it’s chock full of the writings of my favorite saint, and I’m there for that every day, re-reading his wisdom.
I’m embarrassed to say that The Memory of You by Catherine West was a book I planned on reading in 2017. Oops. Well, I finally got around to it, and I’m so glad I did. This contemporary romance is an emotional powerhouse that tackles a lot of tough stuff, including grief, guilt, and mental illness. A rekindled teenage almost-romance set at a Napa Valley family winery keeps the story from becoming maudlin.
I picked up Above the Fold by Rachel Scott McDaniel for the same reason I grabbed The Memory of You—the alcohol production connection that made its way into one of my Relevant Fiction Reviews posts. I’d intended on reading this Prohibition Era novel regardless, because its Pittsburgh setting caught my eye. Elissa and Cole have a sweet, shared past, but Cole’s return after a stint as a big-city reporter opens old wounds from his ill-timed departure. The newsroom setting keeps the story moving at a good pace, and an unsolved murder lends suspense to the romance.
Jennifer the Damned by Karen Ullo was one of my rare forays into horror. Jennifer, an orphaned vampire under the guardianship of a Catholic religious order of sisters, matures into her soulless fate, her craving for human blood destroying her relationships with the beloved sisters, classmates, and her newly acquired boyfriend. Running from both her past and her future, Jennifer longs to love and be loved, despite being condemned to soulless immortality. Look for my interview with the author on my blog next week!
I’m diving into Christmas reading with Courtney Walsh’s latest, A Match Made at Christmas. I’ve only just begun this romance set on Nantucket, but I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by Courtney Walsh, so I can’t imagine not enjoying this story. I’m not doing the early Christmas decorating many are indulging in this year, but I’m ready for a lot of fictional Christmas escape.
My oldest son has been reading Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. The play features the tragic hero Willy Loman, an aging, failing salesman. I read the play in high school myself but remember little about it other than it was one of a string of depressing books we read. My son agrees with that assessment yet is still enjoying this modern classic.
My seventh-grade daughter used our recently resurrected NOOK to read Washington Irving’s The Legend of Rip Van Winkle. She described it as a “short, good, ominous story” that introduced her to a lot of new vocabulary. Next up is The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
In conjunction with her history curriculum, she read Saint Helena and the True Cross by Louis deWohl using our parish subscription to Formed. The story recounts the mother of Emperor Constantine’s conversion, Constantine’s rise to power, and Helena’s expedition to the Holy Land. The book is part of Ignatius Press’s Vision Books for young people.
My younger daughter supplemented her study of Peru by reading The Llama’s Secret: A Peruvian Legend by Argentina Palacios. Three of my kids got in on this legend of how the fox got a stained tip to its tail and the llama was revered. It includes colorful illustrations and many native Peruvian animals.
We re-read One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale by Demi, which I recalled sharing with my oldest child many years ago. The description: “A rajah who believes himself to be wise and fair uses his hungry people’s rice for himself year after year, until a village girl name Rani devises a clever plan using the surprising power of doubling to win a billion grains of rice from the rajah.” The illustrations really bring home the sheer volume of rice in question.
My youngest son has been reading about Australia. Possum Magic by Mem Fox is about a young possum made invisible by his grandma to protect him from snakes. A combination of native foods restores his visibility. This book sent us straight to a recipe search! Lamingtons, anyone?
You’ll recognize the look of Katy No-Pocket by Emmy Payne as it was illustrated by Curious George author H. A. Rey. It’s a cute story of a mama kangaroo who’s missing something critical—a pocket for her joey! She takes a fun journey seeking the advice of many animals until she discovers an innovative solution.
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November 19, 2020
Relevant Fiction Reviews: Spirits for Sale
One thread ties the books below together: in some way, each involves the production and/or distribution of alcohol. Some legal, some illegal. A few are Prohibition-era stories. A couple precede Prohibition. One is a contemporary story. There’s wine, hard cider, whiskey, and all manner of spirits. Of course there’s more to the stories than all that, including intrigue, romance, and even humor.
The Rum Runner by Christine MarciniakAn enjoyable against-the-odds romance between a rum-running, emotionally damaged WWI vet (Hank) and a young female police officer whose father was killed in the line of duty (Alice). A romance between their younger siblings keeps their paths crossing despite Hank’s reluctance and the obstacles in their path – mainly that he’s breaking the laws she’s sworn to uphold.
The characters were likable, the New Jersey scallop-fishing industry interesting, and the hunt for the bad guys enough to keep me invested.
The Memory of You by Catherine WestThe Memory of You is an emotional powerhouse with grief, guilt, and heartache all around. Despite being heart-wrenching in parts, it remains hopeful, not maudlin. The romance between Tanner and Natalie helps that hope remain alive.
As characters go, these two are some of the most real I’ve read. Their interactions fully cemented them in my imagination as real, wounded, 3-dimensional people who also have a soft spot for one another from their teenage years. And that’s where a nice bit of chemistry comes in.
There’s a lot going on throughout the story: damaged family dynamics and secrets on both sides, injury, custody, a failing family vineyard/winery business, mental illness, broken hearts, wounded faith, and more. A lot. And while I love a happily ever after, I think having just one of those elements not wrapping up so neatly would’ve lent some realism to the resolution.
Even so, The Memory of You was, well, memorable. Well done.
Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne BischofThe Norgaard brothers, Jargon, Thor, and Haakon, will linger in my imagination for a long, long time. And not only because they are “braw,” fierce protectors, and (for the most part) honorable gentleman. Joanne Bischof’s characterizations are extremely well done – so much so that I could be convinced the brothers were actual historical figures. I can easily imagine Thor stomping through the farm house; Haakon jumping into the pond or climbing the rafters, armed with a rifle; or Jargon steadfastly standing by each.
I recognize the challenge Thor’s character brought to the author, as he is deaf and mute. Certainly a writer’s challenge!
The rural Virginia orchard setting also took up residence in my imagination as I experienced its workings through Aven’s eyes and Thor’s other senses. The setting is its own secondary character, as well rounded as the human characters that live and work in and around the farm.
A beautifully written story that merits a re-read.
Spirits for Sale in November's Relevant Fiction Reviews.
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Above the Fold by Rachel Scott McDaniel
I was excited to read a historical novel set in my hometown of Pittsburgh. It was such fun seeing so many places I recognized (and one I’d never heard of) represented in this Prohibition-era romance.
The newsroom setting kept the story moving at a good pace, and the mystery of an unsolved murder lent suspense to the romance. Elissa and Cole have a sweet, shared past, but Cole’s return to Pittsburgh after a stint as a big-city reporter opens old wounds from his ill-timed departure.
Cole has a past he’s not proud of, but he loves Elissa all the same and works hard to win back her affection despite her unhealed hurts (inflicted by himself and thoughtless others).
I’ll look for more by this author.
Entanglements by Rachel McMillan
Entanglements is an enjoyable Prohibition-era romance set in Boston. With good chemistry between the hero and heroine of different social classes who bond over music and chess, it was a short, pleasant escape.
I enjoyed the presence of a minor character who was a Catholic priest, since I don’t often see Catholics represented in Christian fiction.
A lovely sweet romance (with lots of romance and kisses) between interesting, intelligent, and honorable characters.
It could use another pass by a proofreader, but even so, I still quite enjoyed it!
The Whiskey Rebels by David Liss
This novel wasn’t what I expected. Having grown up in western Pa, very near to where the Whiskey Rebellion took place, this title appealed to me. What I got was an entirely different story taking place well before the rebellion.
That said, I loved this book! Never have I laughed out loud so frequently while reading a book – and I average a hundred books a year these days. Ethan Saunders is simply one of the best characters I’ve met in a book!
Despite its substantial cast, I was able to keep The Whiskey Rebels cast straight due in part to the excellent narration in the audiobook.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story of patriots, scoundrels, greedy traders, and frontiersman – some fictional, some historic. Though the financial schemes had the potential to lose me, I hung tight through the satisfying ending.
There are some instances of brutality but nothing gory and several uses of strong language early in the book, which didn’t hinder my enjoyment. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author!
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November 11, 2020
I Stole My Husband’s Bible
I confess. I stole my husband’s bible. More than once.
Sure, I have a battered New American Bible from college. And a New Jerusalem Bible, also from college. We have a large, elaborately illustrated family bible. But when I wanted to grab a bible for study or reading, I stole my husband’s Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition in its lovely leather case.
Enter the Ignatius Note-Taking & Journaling Bible Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition, and I’m a reformed thief. And, as a matter of cosmic justice, my Bible is often now stolen from me!
The black leather-like cover of this Bible is sleek, attractive, and durable and includes a black elastic strap to keep it from flapping open when not in use. The square, rather than common rectangular shape balances nicely in my hands when I’m juggling a computer mouse, pen, and tablet and fits comfortably in my lap.
Ignatius Note-Taking & Journaling Bible: A beautiful bible that's compact with room for notes.
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Inside, the pages are thin without being flimsy with generous columns on the outside of every page for adding notes or decorations. While I have a natural resistance to writing in most books, I’m eager to fill my margins with notes and highlights rather than resorting to my previous, less-than-ideal system of stuffing prayers cards in various places, hoping they don’t come tumbling out when I open the book.
The interior text is a bit small (7 pt.), but that’s probably what allows for the compact size I appreciate. I say “small” as a middle-aged woman who’s had to acquire reading glasses over the past year. Before that time, I’d likely not have batted a strained eye at the font size. (In fact, without my glasses or contacts, the size is quite comfortable for reading.)
I prefer the RSV translation to any other I’ve read and draw quotes from it frequently for my own writing.
In the back of the book are sixteen durable color maps of the Holy Land, something I’ve come to rely on more and more as I participate in bible studies and gain a greater grasp of the historical geography.
My new bible has become the family favorite. When someone needs to read a passage for school or look up a reference, it’s the Ignatius Note-Taking & Journaling Bible they are going for. I’ve also found my daughter studying the maps, tracing the journey of the Israelites out of Egypt.
This bible is perfect for personal or group study, reference, journaling, and reading. It would make a great gift this Christmas or anytime.
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I received an evaluation copy of the Ignatius Note-Taking & Journaling Bible from the publisher.
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November 8, 2020
This is the Way
Jesus said to him [Thomas], “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.”
John 14:6
These words from John’s Gospel couldn’t be simpler. the way, the truth, and the life.
Seven simple words.
Despite the many distractions created by my children, these words and their implications burrowed into my mind and heart at Adoration last month.
During the same hour, they stared up at me from the pages of St. Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle. Then again in a scripture quote in Totus Tuus.
I’m accustomed to not hearing from God very often, whether due to His taciturn way of dealing with me or my own failure to listen, I can’t say. I suspect it’s a bit of both. Either way, I’m quite accustomed to it. That this little verse could move me so deeply, nearly to tears, was highly unordinary and remarkable.
For several minutes, I felt a tiny, infintessimally small fraction of Jesus’s sorrow. His sorrow at our rejection of those words:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”
We’ve replaced those words with something more akin to:
This is the way – We’ve replaced Jesus's words with something more akin to my way, my truth, my life.
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Commit your WAY to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
Psalm 37:5
What “way?” We are drowning in “ways.” There is a “way” for everything. Take one “way,” a way to eat. Keto, paleo, South Beach, Mediterranean, intermittent fasting, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free – those just off the top of my head. These ways, generally speaking, have no moral consequence.
There are the ways of philosophies, creeds, political parties, candidates, and the innumerable and unnamed ways in which we proclaim our identities, our own “little ways,” through rampant virtue signaling.
Even among those who profess Jesus Christ as their Savior, there are more than 33,000 ways, or denominations (in heartbreaking contradiction to Jesus’s prayer “that they may all be one” (John 17:21)).
Within those churches, you’ll find every brand of cafeteria-style adherence to doctrine (because you have your truth, and I have mine).
Within the Catholic Church there are sub-“ways.” Grab a bucket of popcorn and watch self-proclaimed rad trad Catholics duke it out with fellow believers on #CatholicTwitter, if you can stomach it.
Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH will make you free.”
John 8:31-32
The X-Files offered us a conundrum with its competing slogans, “The truth is out there,” and “Trust no one.”
What is truth without trust? Isn’t that the core of the division in the United States? We need fact-checkers for our fact-checkers. Truth is deemed so by those who shout the loudest, speak first, or suppress opposition.
We have to trust the arbiter of truth, otherwise truth is indiscernible from lies.
Is there a single institution in America left with unblemished moral authority, secular or religious? Whether by human institution or human involvement, each has failed in some measure. How can we discern truth without trust?
It is the Spirit that gives LIFE, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and LIFE.
John 6:63
Life, an unparalleled gift, is paradoxically celebrated and denigrated from start to end, beginning with conception and contraception and culminating with natural death or euthanasia. In between are myriad offenses against life ranging from a simple lack of kindness to murder.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have LIFE, and have it abundantly.
John 10:10
How much it must hurt Jesus when, in our pridefulness, we choose another way, a more comfortable way, perhaps.
. . . when we choose a self-styled truth of our own making, one we’ve carefully crafted to soothe our conscience.
. . . when we reject life, acting in our arrogance as if we are the givers of life, on our terms, meting out who is worthy and who is unworthy.
Unless we measure every action against the perfect measure, Jesus Christ, we’ll come up short. Our nature, unless conformed to Christ, will mislead us. We make ourselves our own god, creating our own WAY, TRUTH, and LIFE.
His way is not the easy way. His truth is not the comfortable truth. “For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.” Luke 9:24
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Matthew 25:13
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November 4, 2020
An Open Book
Welcome to the November 2020 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart AND CatholicMom.com!
Being named a bishop in the midst of a book launch can’t be bad for sales, can it? That’s what’s happened to Father, now bishop-elect, William Byrne, whose book 5 Things with Father Bill: Hope, Humor, and Help for the Soul, was recently released. The book’s exactly what you’d guess from the subtitle: five short bytes about a variety of themes and occasions. His style and voice lend themselves to an easily accessible book that’s one part humor, one part catechesis, and another part chat with a friend you’d like to share a cup of coffee or a glass of beer with.
The Kissing Tree: Four Novellas Rooted in God’s Love by Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, Amanda Dyke, and Nicole Deese gave me the opportunity to discover two new authors. Karen Witemeyer and Nicole Deese are already on my must-read list, and their stories here don’t disappoint. But I also got to enjoy short historical romances by Regina Jennings and Amanda Dyke, all linked by a grand Texas oak tree standing sentry over generations of lovers.
When I’m With You by Jennifer Rodewald has solidified the author’s spot as one of my favorite Christian contemporary romance authors. I haven’t yet read the previous books in this series, but I was able to dive in without problem. Erstwhile rancher Lane starts out as a first-class jerk but undergoes a dramatic yet believable transformation when he befriends broken-hearted ranch hand Daisy.
The final book in Denise Hunter’s Bluebell Inn series wraps things up tidily. Autumn Skies features the youngest of the inn-owning siblings, Grace, and a secret service agent, Wyatt. Sparks fly despite the gap in their ages and their seemingly incompatible life goals. Both are suffering the long-lingering effects of grief and survivor’s guilt, but God seems to have orchestrated their introduction to spur healing.
If any author’s books have been my favorite escape during COVID quarantine, it’s Mimi Matthew’s Victorian romances. A Convenient Fiction, the third book in the Parish Orphans of Devon series, brings long-lost orphan “brother” Alex Archer front and center as he encounters Laura, whose family has been unscrupulously deprived of her father’s perfumery inheritance.
I’m always intrigued when one of my children picks up a book I’ve previously read. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger filled the bill for my high school senior son’s recent assignment. I was decidedly not a fan of Holden Caulfield; my son, however, though he understands why readers may not like the novel, did enjoy it. The basic premise is a student leaving his Pennsylvania prep school for three days and going underground in New York City.
Seeing that there is a remake of the movie Dune in the works, my son has begun reading the science fiction classic Dune by Frank Herbert. I have no knowledge of Dune beyond the fact that David Bowie appeared in the ‘80s movie adaption, so I’m going to share a portion of the book description: Dune is the story of the boy Paul Altreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where the only thing of value is the “spice” melange, a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness.
While studying ancient Rome, my seventh-grade daughter read The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff, a book I first read for Sabbath Rest Book Talk. I’d never heard of it at the time, but since, my son watched the movie in Latin class and now my daughter’s curriculum recommended it. The story follows a young Roman officer in Britain as he tries to uncover what has become of the mysteriously disappeared Ninth Roman Legion.
Keeping to the same time period, my daughter is also reading August Caeser’s World: A Story of Ideas and Events from B.C. 44 to 14 A.D. by Genevieve Foster. The book is not only a biography of Augustus, but also includes a wealth of information on the contemporary leaders, cultures, philosophers, and events and includes many illustrations as well. She’s really enjoying it.
We share stories of saints with our children and hold them up as models of virtue, but Lisa Hendey’s new picture book, illustrated by Katie Broussard, fills a practical purpose in translating hagiographies and simplified saint stories into actions that children can take right now to become saints themselves. Even this middle-aged mom took away a couple of new insights on living a life of virtue worthy of spending eternity in heaven. I highly recommend I’m a Saint in the Making for every Catholic child’s bookshelf.
In anticipation of Halloween, I guided my kids in studying and listening to Edvard Grieg’s “Peer Gynt Suite.” Part of our study included reading In the Hall of the Mountain King by Allison Flannery. The book, with illustrations that drew the kids’ interest, helped to convey the basic story and mimicked the music’s “action.” We supplemented our discussion with some lesson plans supplied by the author, a YouTube video, and, I admit it, a Little Einsteins episode.
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October 19, 2020
Chapter Books Series for Catholic Kids
I remember the unique joy of reading well enough to pick up a chapter book for the first time and read on my own. I’d anticipate finding the next illustration, then moving on to the next chapter, and checking my progress to see how close I was to completing the book and how much I’d already read.
I read some marvelous classic chapter books and probably some junky ones as well, but I didn’t have access to the wonderful Catholic books I’ve been able to offer my children. One or more of them have read many of these books already.
Armor of God series by Theresa Linden
The Breastplate of Righteousness
Chime Travelers by Lisa Hendey
Saint Michael the Archangel Academy series by Andrea Jo Rodgers
Sisters of the Last Straw series by Karen Kelly Boyce
The Case of the Haunted Chapel
The Case of the Vanishing Novice
The Case of the Stolen Rosaries
The Case of the Flower Phantom
The Case of the Christmas Tree Capers
The Case of the Easter Egg Escapades
The Case of the Campground Creature – Coming Soon!
The Case of the Missing Maps – Coming Soon!
The Pope’s Cat series by Jon M. Sweeney
Margaret’s Night in St. Peter’s: A Christmas Story
Margaret and the Pope Go to Assisi
Before Margaret Met the Pope: A Conclave Story
Do you know of any other chapter book series written with Catholic children in mind?
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October 7, 2020
An Open Book
Welcome to the October 2020 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart AND CatholicMom.com!
Complaints of the Saints: Stumbling Upon Holiness with a Crabby Mystic by Sister Mary Lea Hill, FSP, aka The Crabby Mystic, arrived in my mailbox, and I promptly handed it over to my favorite complainer, my husband, who took to it readily. It’s filled with short, easily digestible sections. I’ll read this eventually too. It’s comforting to know that sainthood is attainable despite persistent character flaws because we all have those.
My audiobook listening, already greatly diminished during the pandemic, has taken another hit as we’ve transitioned to homeschooling. It may well take me the better part of a year to get through the long book I’m listening to! Even so, I’m sticking with Elizabeth Seton: American Saint by Catherine O’Donnell. This isn’t a hagiography, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, one of my longtime favorite saints, is portrayed very much as a woman of her time. I’m less than a quarter through, but I’m enjoying learning the details of her family life. It’s also interesting that characters in this book intersect with those portrayed in the novel The Whiskey Rebels, William Duer being one of them. I’m looking forward to the remainder of this biography.
I completed the final two books on my short summer reading list. The first is The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White. Set in London during World War I, the characters are involved in code breaking and espionage efforts. There is an element of suspense and a lovely sweet romance, but the characters really shine in this story. The heroine, Margot, is unique in her affinity for numbers, manipulating them with more ease than she can navigate relationships with others. Her friend, Dot, suffers from social anxiety, but they support and care for each other well, as does Dot’s brother, Jake, who loves each of them as they are.
The last book from that summer to-be-read list is The Rum Runner by Catherine Marciniak. This prohibition-era novel highlights a WWI veteran who has added running liquor to his family’s scallop-fishing business. Traumatized by his wartime experience in France, Hank’s solitary life suits him fine until his brother’s new romance forces him to repeatedly cross paths with police officer Alice. She’s eager to work a case instead of being relegated to a desk, and he’s eager to discover who’s killed a fellow fisherman/rum runner. A very enjoyable clean historical romance.
I needed a new book to take along to Adoration, so I began reading St. Teresa of Ávila’s Interior Castle. I’d avoided this book, thinking it was all lofty, difficult-to-understand prose about spiritual ecstasy. Turns out it’s more down to earth than that. It strikes me as a precursor to a million modern memes in which you try to identify which category you fit into. A good portion of the book is also St. Teresa going on about how unqualified she is to write the book, so I’m not sure what I think of it yet, but it’s a spiritual classic and there are many salient points within, so I’ll read on. The hardcover edition from OSV’s Noll Library is also a beautiful book with a wonderful introduction by Teresa Tomeo.
My oldest son is reading one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, Macbeth. I keep asking him if he’s gotten to the handwashing yet. (He’s almost there.) I like seeing how much he enjoys these plays (and how much better he is at comprehending them than I was). He recommends what he’s seen of the 2010 film adaption with Sir Patrick Stewart.
He’s also been reading Jurassic Park, the second book of Michael Crichton’s that he’s read. I think we all know the storyline. He’s been most impressed by how quickly the reader is brought into the action. I read the book many years ago, and remember it being a page-turner and far better than the (very good) movie.
My daughter has been enjoying her favorite genre, historical fiction. She recently read Theoni Bell’s debut novel, The Woman in the Trees. It tells the story of Slainie, a Belgium immigrant girl, whose life intersects with Adele Brise, an immigrant catechist visionary. The novel touches on the American Civil War, and culminates with the Peshtigo Fire of 1871. It is a fantastic introduction to Our Lady of Good Help, the only approved Marian apparition in the United States.
In conjunction with her history studies, my seventh grader is also reading The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare. I’d never heard of this book, then, as so often happens, saw it mentioned twice within a week. My daughter hasn’t read biblical fiction before, so she is really enjoying this novel set in Palestine at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry.
We’ve been reading The Green Ember by S.D. Smith aloud at night, and my girls are enjoying the story. It doesn’t hold my youngest son’s attention, but then I can’t think of a single novel I’ve read aloud that did. The rabbit characters à la Watership Down drew me into this action-packed story. History and intrigue in this rabbit world are being revealed bit by bit as brother and sister (now, likely orphans) Heather and Pickett hop from one adventure to another.
In her study of Canada, my youngest daughter has been reading Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling Clancy Holling, a Caldecott Honor book about a boy who carves out a canoe and takes it through the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. It provides a great overview of Canadian geography.
Jan Brett books are all so beautifully illustrated, and my second grader has read a couple of them lately, including Armadillo Rodeo about a young armadillo who mistakes a red boot for a friend. It fits nicely with his study of native North American animals.
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September 28, 2020
Pair a Book and a Drink
Bethany House Publishers had a fun blog post pairing their new fall books with a beverage. It got me to thinking what drinks I’d pair with my own books.
I would pair Rightfully Ours, which includes a few sweltering summer scenes, with a glass of ice-cold, fresh-squeezed lemonade. Paul and Rachel could use something to cool them down, in more ways than one!
Here’s a little excerpt. For context, Rachel’s little brother James has just shot her with his squirt gun.
A stream of ice-cold water smacked her upper arm.
She squealed and jumped from her seat, turning in time to see James push off the ground with his forearms and sprint around the side of the house. She let out a growl. “I’m going to kill him.”
Paul sat up, scanning the yard in either direction. “Man, I’ll pay him to hit me. I’m dying out here.” He unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves.
Rachel giggled. “You look ridiculous, you know.” Sleeves and pant legs rolled up. Shirt undone. Bare feet. He needed to put on some shorts. He could leave his shirt off, and she wouldn’t mind one bit. Not one bit. “Why don’t you go get changed?”
…
The screen door creaked behind them, and Rachel jumped. The door closed with a loud crack, and Dad stepped onto the porch.
He held a tall, frosty glass in each hand. “Lemonade?” He offered one to each of them.
Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay The obvious beverage to pair with Stay With Me is a craft beer, being that Chris goes to work in a brewery. That doesn’t go over well with Rebecca’s Fundamentalist father, but his dad doesn’t mind sampling the brews he brings home.
In this scene, Chris has a lot on his mind and shows up at his parents’ house hoping his dad will lend an ear.
The morning newspaper was spread over the kitchen island. His dad climbed onto the stool in front to it. His seat faced the recently updated cooking area and new cherry wood cabinetry. To the right, a pair of French doors opened onto the deck that descended to his parents’ in-ground swimming pool and three acres of land. Chris raised the two bottles of beer he had brought and set them in the center of the counter.
“Brought you a beer.”
Lifting the bottle to eye level, his dad glanced at it and wrinkled his nose. He read the label aloud. “Bare Ass Ale. There weren’t any bare asses involved in the brewing, were there?”
“Not a one. It’s good, despite the name.” Chris pulled a bottle opener from the drawer in front of him, popped off the caps and passed a bottle to his dad.
Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay has its share of cold, snowy scenes. One of my favorites is Dan and Emily enjoying hot chocolate while taking a break from ice skating. Nothing warms you up after playing in the snow like nice, hot cocoa–with marshmallows, of course!
Dan hasn’t been on the ice in years, and this date is about to take a nosedive, but for now, it’s warm and sweet.
With a few refresher lessons from Emily, Dan circled the rink with her at a modest speed without his legs flailing in opposite directions.
The wind picked up, stinging his cheeks as they skidded to the edge of the rink. Dan’s skate caught the rim where ice met concrete, and they both stumbled forward, laughing. Their breaths created little white puffs in the frigid air. “How’s hot chocolate sound?”
“Perfect.”
He bought each of them a steaming cup of cocoa, and they sat on a bench alongside the rink.
Dan sipped his drink, gazing at the glass buildings that towered over them. Once the sun set, the windows glimmered, reflecting the colored lights aimed at them. He’d lived in this city his whole life and had never been to the downtown skating rink before.
Image by Terri Cnudde from Pixabay In All in Good Time, Melanie sometimes enjoys a glass of wine with Brian after a long day of wrangling her kids. Can anyone relate?
Brian, Melanie, and Melanie’s three young children have just returned to her house from a picnic in the park. The kids are playing in the backyard while the adults relax and watch.
From the darkened kitchen, Melanie observed the kids climbing up and over a small plastic slide while she retrieved a couple of wine goblets from the back of the cupboard. She poured two glasses, smiling as she recalled Kevin’s dip in the creek. Then her smile faded. Was Brian amused by the kids’ shenanigans or was he sitting outside trying to formulate a polite way to end their nascent relationship?
Another glance out the window revealed the kids engaged in a game of monkey-in-the-midle sure to leave poor Penny frustrated and angry. Melanie stepped through the back door, a blast of heat warming the cool sweat on the back of her neck. She crossed the concrete slab they called “the patio” and handed a glass of red wine to Brian.
“Thank you.” He accepted the glass, smiling, his gaze following her as she collapsed into the wrought iron chair. Feet crossed at the ankles, he sat comfortably in the matching chair.
Melanie brought her glass to her lips.
“Ma-ma!” Penny shrieked and ran to her. She must’ve hit her limit with her brothers’ taunts and came crying. Hiccupping between sobs, she pressed her sweaty head into Melanie’s lap.
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay In Come Back to Me, Alan tries to calm his sister-in-law, Rebecca, who’s in first stage labor, with some herbal tea. It serves the dual purpose of trying to sober him up so he can clear his head enough to get her to the hospital on time.
Alan’s just arrived “home,” more than a little tipsy, to find Rebecca in a panic, having contractions, and unable to get her husband on the phone.
“Can I, uh, make you some tea or something? And I’ll give Chris a call myself. At least let him know we’ve got things under control here.” A laugh bubbled in his throat, but he stifled it. He’d never felt less in control of anything in his life.
Without listening for her answer, he hustled to the kitchen. Fumbling with the handle, he grabbed the stainless steel tea kettle from the stove, filled it with water, and returned it to the burner. Where did she keep the tea bags? She’d been going on about raspberry tea this morning, and he hadn’t paid her any attention. Maybe she stored it in one of those canisters along the countertop. He spun in that direction, teetering slightly.
Rebecca stood so close he almost smacked into her.
“Whoa. I didn’t hear you. Water’s on. You okay?”
…
The tea kettle whistled behind him. First a squeak, then a full-out, blaring whistle.
Maybe a cup of tea would help. He grabbed a couple of mugs from the cupboard and dropped one of Rebecca’s raspberry tea bags into each. After pouring the water and sloshing some over the rims, he pushed them back on the counter to steep for a few minutes.
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay If you’ve read my books, what other drinks might you pair with them? How about a beverage paired with a classic?
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September 17, 2020
The Bird and the Bees Blog Tour
The Bird and the Bees
by Neena Gaynor
About the Book:
When Larkin Maybie buries her mother in the foothills of Appalachia, she is left all alone. Her only inheritance? A crazy aunt, a mountain of debt, and a run-down, secluded cabin left by a mysterious benefactor. While Larkin thinks an escape to a cabin miles from anything familiar might be exactly what she needs, the quick answer to her problems only leaves her with more questions … Questions concerning her true identity.
As Larkin searches for her link to the Lewandowski Estate, she begins to accept the kindness of strangers on Presque Isle and the affection of professional baseball player, Ketch Devine. Charged with caring for the cabin’s honey bees and haunted by past choices, Larkin struggles to move forward in a new direction and is running out of time. With summer and baseball season coming to an end, she must decide: what is the value of true love and an authentic life?
The Bird and the Bees, contemporary Christian romance by @NeenaGaynor #mustread
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My review:
Oh, my heart. What is it about this gentle book that made it ache so? Had to be Ketch Devine.
I didn’t know what to expect from this first-time author, but what I discovered was a unique voice, a slew of wonderful similes, and a redemptive, empowering story with the unfailing, unconditional love of God at its heart.
Part women’s fiction, part romance, with a little mystery and a heavy does of Truth, The Bird and the Bees follows broke (financial and otherwise) nurse Larkin Maybie from the hills of Appalachian Kentucky to Presque Isle, on the Pennsylvania shores of Lake Erie. (A place not so far from my native Pittsburgh, recognizable from childhood memories.)
Enter too-good-to-be-true (or at least too-good-for-Larkin) minor leaguer Ketch Devine, whose easygoing, steady, no-strings-attached friendship, slowly wears down the walls Larkin has built around her damaged, guilt-ridden heart.
If you’re looking for a selfless romantic hero, you’ll find it, but The Bird and the Bees runs deeper, with layers to uncover about what it means to live and to what or whom we anchor our lives.
Excerpt:
On the beach, the waves rolled upon the shore. The dark blue water caressed the beach like a mother pats her sleeping baby. I inhaled the lulling landscape, my mind expecting the smell of salt and sea, and shocked by the crispness of the air. The vastness of the lake continued to thrill me. As did the man who held me.
Ketch turned me to a large brick house. “Let’s go check this out.”
The deep, soft sand was difficult to walk through, and I stopped to remove my sandals. Ketch carried them and managed the sand in his shoes.
“Here’s the lighthouse. Have you ever seen one?” he asked.
I hadn’t. Ketch kept walking and talking, telling me about how the walls were constructed to withstand weather with a five- brick thickness.
“Remind you of anyone?” He gave me an insinuating, impish glance.
Giveaway
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About the Author:
I’m a Kentucky wife, mother, and beekeeper. I’ve spent much of the last decade living out of a suitcase with my husband, Wade, a former professional baseball player. Throughout the 29 changes of address, the stresses of moving a young family, and working many of those years as an emergency or surgical nurse, I learned to embrace the peace that only comes from the steady accompaniment of Christ.
Links:
Website: http://www.wordslikehoney.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NeenaGaynor/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/NeenaGaynor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/NeenaGaynorWriter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/NeenaGaynor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20117947.Neena_Gaynor
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September 8, 2020
PRAY: The Story of Patrick Peyton
The rosary has saved the world in the past. It will save the world now, by saving the family.
Father Patrick Peyton
In Theaters October 9, 2020
PRAY: THE STORY OF PATRICK PEYTON is an inspiring documentary about a poor, uneducated Irish immigrant who sets sail for America in 1928 with nothing but his faith and dreams of becoming a millionaire. Arriving in Pennsylvania and unable to find work, he accepts the position as a janitor at the cathedral, which rekindles his long lost desire to become a priest and changes the course of his life. Nearing ordination, his life takes a radical turn when he is stricken with tuberculosis. Facing certain death, he sinks into despair. A visit from his mentor, who delivers a simple message to pray, lifts the darkness. Taking his advice to heart, Patrick prays fervently to Mary, the Mother of Christ, for her intercession and he experiences a miraculous recovery. Feeling deep gratitude, he dedicates his life to telling all the world about the power of prayer and encourages families everywhere to bring prayer into their homes. Never taking “No” for an answer, he convinces Hollywood’s biggest stars to help him spread the message, “The family that prays together stays together,” through the power of mass media including radio, television, and film. Father Peyton’s fame spreads around the world and audiences in the millions flock to his public prayer rallies. This is the story of a tireless missionary, an unlikely hero, and one of history’s greatest advocates for family prayer.
“That question, ‘Where does prayer fit in today?’, I’d say where does your heart fit in in your body? Where does the air fit in when you breathe? It’s an essential dimension in our very lives.”
Father Patrick Peyton
My family and I had the opportunity to preview Pray at home. Previously, my daughters and I had read The Tale of Patrick Peyton (a graphic novel), so we were familiar with Father Peyton’s story – his upbringing in Ireland, his journey to Scranton, PA, his road to the priesthood, and his work with Hollywood stars.
Pray covers all of that, intertwining interviews with experts on Father Peyton’s life, family members, and families who have adopted the practice of the family Rosary.
The movie held the whole family’s attention – teen, tween, and elementary age children in addition to my husband and me. (Okay, we started watching LATE, and the youngest did doze off, though he fought it.)
The film is, in parts, amusing and moving. I may have felt a swell in my chest and a tear in my eye a time or two.
The family’s uniform reaction, aside from marveling at Father Peyton’s courage and persistence, was remarking on how much the world has changed – and how quickly! Yet the need for prayer and the crucial role of the family remain unchanged.
HCFM intranet picturesNow, my confession: We do not pray the family Rosary regularly. Oh, we give it a good go for a night or two now and then, but we’ve never made it a habit.
I’m content to pray the Rosary alone. Together, I’m more susceptible to the boredom and distraction that already creeps in by myself.
But the family Rosary is as much about family as it is about the Rosary, and Pray gave us a shot in the arm to begin again, gathering our beads and praying together. (If you’re looking for encouragement on praying the Rosary as a family, I recommend Erin McCole Cupp’s Adventures of a Family Rosary series at CatholicMom.)
I highly recommend Pray for families to watch together. It’s an important educational film in many respects – as it relates to the the history of the Catholic Church in the United States and American cultural history, and as a spiritual encounter, a reminder of the importance and the power of prayer, particularly through the intercession of the Blessed Mother.
Moreover, Pray is a top-notch, professionally produced film that does justice to Father Peyton’s global influence despite his humble beginning.
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY! STAY A WHILE AND LOOK AROUND. LEAVE A COMMENT. SHARE WITH A FRIEND. IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE ON NEW RELEASES, EXTRAS, AND HOT DEALS!
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