Carolyn Astfalk's Blog, page 2

An Open Book

Welcome to the March 2025 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

Courtney Wash’s My Lucky Charm is the second in her Holidays with Hart series of low-spice rom-coms featuring professional hockey players and the Hart sisters. This one, tied loosely to St. Patrick’s Day, uses the grumpy/sunshine trope to good effect. Gray’s grumpiness would make him unlikeable were it not for how the author allows the reader a look behind his scowls and reticence. He’s a man of few words and few smiles, but Eloise, in all her babbling hilarity, can see through his facade. Eventually. When it comes to her sunshiny attitude and her attraction to Gray, she just can’t help herself.

Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson has been on my to-read list for a long time, and, due to life’s distractions, it’s taken me much longer than I’d like to finish. I have to guess at some of the dated vocabulary, but I’m enjoying the story of a young man betrayed by a greedy uncle and kidnapped aboard a ship bound for America. The protagonist, David Balfour, has teamed up with a Jacobite rescued from the sea and some ship-board swashbuckling ensues.

Real Life with Mary: Growing in Virtue to Magnify the Lord by Kelsey Gillespy is a relatable look at the Blessed Mother’s life, examining her role in Scripture, the virtues she exemplifies, and how we can live as  she did, magnifying the Lord. Both new and seasoned moms will particularly enjoy the personal stories the author shares and benefit from the reflections presented. Good for either personal study or a group read/reflection.

My college son has been reading C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters with a group that meets weekly at a coffee shop off campus. They read and then discuss several letters at a time. It’s his first time reading this spiritual classic, and he’s found Lewis’s demon perspective very clever.

For a history class, he’s also read Matilda: Empress. Queen. Warrior. by Catherine Hanley. From his review: “Good historical overview . . . and an interesting analysis of Empress Matilda, who has unfortunately often been buried beneath her female successors Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I, and Victoria and hidden behind her father and son.” He was wary of “imposing our modern views of society on Matilda’s own time, but Hanley treats Matilda and her contemporaries with a great deal of respect and genuine interest and curiosity that not everyone is able to provide. “

Rodney Stark’s God’s Battalions: The Case for the Crusades “isn’t really a military analysis or focused historical account of the crusades (although these do heavily factor into the book) but more of a thesis that Christians really have little to apologize for, arguing that the Crusades were for the most part justified and reasonable.” This was a different perspective on the Crusades than what’s often taught, even in Catholic schools.

My middle school daughter tore through Leslea Wahl’s In Plain Sight, enjoying opening up a series of small surprises that are tied to the text as she read. I had the pleasure of reading this new YA Christian mystery/adventure, too, and I loved the Minnesota setting, the secret rooms and passages, and the main character, Emerson’s, delightful dog, Zuri. In Plain Sight includes fun twist and turns, some sweet romance, and familiar characters from other books in the Finding Faith series.

September 17 by Amanda West Lewis was my daughter’s research novel for a short fiction competition she entered. The novel tells the story of the City of Benares, a British luxury liner used to transport 90 British children from bombed British cities to Canada in 1940. The ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sunk within a half hour. Thirteen children survived. This fictionalized account follows three of those children and the tragedy they endured.

Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen tells the story of Audra, a Lithuanian girl living under Russian occupation. When Russian Cossack soldiers arrive, Audra flees with an important package she must deliver, leaving her parents behind, eventually being caught up in the resistance movement. My daughter has enjoyed several historical YA novels by this author.

My daughter also read the first two books of the Off the Itinerary series by M. Liz Boyle, Avalanche and Chased. (The third book is waiting on the Kindle.) In this series, teen Marlee and family/friends encounter adventure, disaster, and danger. Amidst the adventure are Christian lessons in strength and virtue.

The Catholic Schools Week book fair always means more novels, and my son thoroughly enjoyed the book he picked up there: The Architect by Jonathan Starrett. I think this was his first exposure to steam punk, and he enjoyed it. Phantom City is in the clutches of a villain, and twelve-year-old Charlie gets some help from the mysterious Architect in the fight against evil.

My middle school son has also quickly read more than half of The Tapper Twins Go to War by Geoff Rodkey. In this first in a series, a pair of twelve-year-old twins engage in a prank war told from their alternating points of view with some illustrations—that’s why my son is zipping through.

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An Open Book

Welcome to the February 2025 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

After seeing the most recent Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, my husband’s interest in the folk singer/songwriter was renewed. He’s been listening to Dylan Goes Electric!: Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night that Split the Sixties by Elijah Wald. It covers not only Dylan’s artistic evolution from folk to rock and his relationship with other folk musicians but the political and cultural milieu.

I grabbed Tina Jost’s One Hour for My Priest: A Prayer Companion on my way out the door to Adoration on New Year’s Eve. Our family was pressed for time, so we weren’t there for quite an hour, yet I was able to complete one of the prescribed prayer options. This simple book makes prayer for our priests personal and concrete by creating structure and purpose.

I read Cooking Up Christmas by Jaycee Weaver as the first novella in a Christmas collection, An Evergreen Christmas. Ramsey is a chef; Bristol is hired to help with the business side of the restaurant. Work policy makes this a forbidden romance. The story is fun and entertaining, and the Christian treatment of forgiveness is well done. I’ll read more from this author.

What impressed me most about Sandralena Hanley’s The Stolen Princess is its moral depth. There’s an uncommon examination of guilt that results in not just forgiveness but penance, something both appropriate to the historical setting but also often overlooked. That’s not say the novel is heavy or maudlin. Its characters are likable, its pacing fresh, and this romance is sweet and endearing.

My oldest son had been looking for Tim Powers books at various secondhand book shops and finally came across the one he’d most wanted: Declare. This novel, set during the Cold War, is a World Fantasy Award winner. Double agent Andrew Hale traverses the Arabian desert, Berlin, and Moscow, culminating in a confrontation on Mt. Ararat. My son is about halfway through; I’m awaiting his verdict as I’ve long had Tim Powers books on my to-read list, and this was the one most-often recommended to me.

Gray Fox: Robert E. Lee and the Civil War by Burke Davis chronicles the history of the Confederate general. According to the description, it “humanizes this gentleman-soldier of tradition and makes him all the more awe-inspiring.” The Goodreads reviews are mixed, and I’m learning as I look at the books my son’s been reading that people have very strong views on biographies of historical figures—or maybe it’s on the figures themselves.

My oldest daughter tried a recipe from Bourbon Desserts by Lynn Marie Hulsman, a Christmas gift I snuck out of Kentucky this summer, right under her nose. I’ve read the introduction and perused some of the recipes, and I can’t wait to taste more from this book! My daughter baked the Light Chocolate Layer Cake with Bourbon and Cream Cheese Icing, and it was delicious!

For her Physics class, my high school daughter also read A Student’s Guide to Natural Science by Stephen M. Barr. It was a quick read that is (from her review) “a thorough explanation of the origins and history of science and mathematics, particularly relating to physics.” It explains the relationship between science and the Church. In sum, she says, “I think I understand the purpose and beauty of science and its basic tenets better.”

With her Literature class, she read The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the familiar play about the 17th-century Salem witch trials (but also McCarthyism), which many of us read in high school. We also watched the 1996 movie adaption starring Winona Ryder, and I was reminded of how much I disliked Abigail Williams.

For the same class, she’s been independently reading Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, the environmental classic written in 1962, that I’ve considered reading more for the author’s connection to Pittsburgh than anything else. My daughter has found it very dry, repetitive, and somewhat doomsday-ish, for lack of a better word. I think I’ll pass on it.

My middle-school daughter picked up several books from the school bookfair during Catholic Schools Week, including I Must Betray You by Ruta Supetys. It is set in 1989 Romania, during the fall of Communism and Nicolae Ceausescu. The protagonist is a seventeen-year-old blackmailed into becoming an informer. My daughter said the ending was hopeful, if not happy, but the climax was violent, as one might expect.

She also enjoyed Sarah Robsdottir’s Brave Water, which I read a couple of years ago. Set during a single day in modern-day Africa, the novel follows Talitha and her family, the only Catholics in their village. The daily task of procuring clean water for the village is the backdrop for the day’s events, which include an abduction. Deals with issues such as drug use and sexual trafficking as well as themes of forgiveness and redemption.

My middle-school son read Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary by Wendelin Van Draanen. I hadn’t heard of this junior detective mystery series, still stuck in the age of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew as I am. Sammy and her meet Lucinda as she’s walking her pig. Yes, pig. Lucinda then shares the tale of her great-grandmother, Moustache Mary, leading Sammy to investigate the cause of Mary’s cabin fire.

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An Open Book

Welcome to the January 2025 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

For weeks, my husband has been sharing interesting facts from the book he’s been reading. Yes, it’s another book about alcohol, but this one has broader appeal, I think —Doctors and Distillers: The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails by Camper English. Sure, if you’re at all familiar with history, you know whiskey was used medicinally. But what about an Old-Fashioned cocktail? From ancient to modern times, alcohol has been used to treat and cure a variety of ailments.

I’ve made Belinda Terri Mooney’s Pray With Us: A Saint for Every Day part of my prayer routine in the new year. It features a saint for each day of the year—some familiar from the liturgical calendar and some lesser known. Each receives a paragraph summary and a prayer. One page per day, which is about all I can manage.

I’m still enjoying Christmas reading, including Saint Nick, by one of my favorite authors, Amy Matayo, who makes characters more real to me than perhaps any contemporary author I read. Nick, a young widow, has thrown himself into saying yes to others, in part to make up for the no he told his newlywed wife. He’s become the neighborhood dog sitter, repairman, and babysitter. When his neighbor leaves town and her podcasting therapist granddaughter moves in, his do-gooder status is challenged. Low Reed is all about saying no and setting boundaries; it’s her brand. But sparks fly when these two butt heads and take a chance on being honest and vulnerable with one another.

A Wood-Fired Christmas by Maddie Evans is set almost entirely in a Maine pizza shop. Ezra his kept Loveless Pizza in business, but now the hands-off owner is giving the business to his niece, Lacey, and she needs to make changes to keep the business afloat. Only Ezra doesn’t like changes. There’s a lot of opposition between these characters too, but once they decide they share the same goals, they’re able to work beautifully together—in the pizza shop and out.

Kortney Keisel’s One Foggy Christmas is a three-part story that shares Nash and Sadie’s love story, how their marriage falls apart after Sadie’s accident-induced amnesia, and their eventual reunion. There’s nothing to dislike about loyal Nash, but Sadie, well, she doesn’t remember loving Nash, and she doesn’t come around easily. This was my least favorite of the three Christmas romances I read in December, but still likable enough.

The Harwood Mysteries by Antony B. Kolenc is a wrap with the release of the sixth and final book in the series, The Devil’s Ransom. As the characters have matured, so have their challenges. The stakes are high as Xan and his new wife, Christina, their friend Lucy, and an assortment of friends fight a presumed demoniac outside the Moor-controlled city of Xelb. There’s a lot to enjoy here from the character growth to the history and lessons about discerning the moral course of action. I frequently recommend this series for tweens and teens.

For Christmas, my son received and read J.R.R. Tolkien’s Tales from the Perilous Realm. This collection of his shorter works and essays includes “The Adventures of Tom Bombadil,” “Farmer Giles of Ham,” “Leaf by Niggle,” and more. Illustrations by Alan Lee help bring the stories to life. If you like Tolkien’s philosophy and writing style, my son says you’ll enjoy it.

For Christmas, he listened to Letters from Father Christmas, also by J.R.R. Tolkien. Each year, Tolkien wrote letters to his children, arriving with a stamp from the North Pole. My son found it very endearing and inspiring to see how Tolkien used his talents to bring joy to his children. He said, “There is a bittersweet Narnia progression to the letters as Tolkien’s children slowly grow out of believing in Father Christmas one-by-one and grow up.”

Hamlet’s BlackBerry: Building a Good Life in the Digital Age by William Powers is helpful in managing technology use. It discusses different information revolutions in history and how we can use that history to navigate our own use of technology. The book is a practical guide for how to use technology in efficient and helpful ways without interfering with other aspects of our lives.

My son’s also been lugging around our copy of John Adams by David McCullough, a book I read when he was just a baby. The Pulitzer Prize-winning, acclaimed biography of one of America’s great founders includes his roles as a patriot, president, and husband. I remember it as a fascinating, easy-to-read biography of a great man.

My high school daughter read Old Christmas by Washington Irving. I listened to the audiobook version of this book six years ago and found it disjointed as I was expecting something other than a series of vignettes. My daughter knew exactly what she was getting, and she loved reading about the old Christmas customs and traditions. She thought the illustrations by Randolph Caldecott were charming.

For Christmas, she received a copy of Roseanna M. White’s Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor, which she also really enjoyed. It’s just as warm, inviting, and Christmasy as the cover, and I knew the sweet romance with an emphasis on whimsy, Christmas traditions, and Christmas baking was something she would love.

While she was recovering from pneumonia, my middle school daughter read A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus, something I saw recommended on another An Open Book post. This WWII historical novel follows three siblings who bounce from home to home in the English countryside, hoping to find a new family after their grandmother’s death. They eventually find comfort with the village librarian, Nora.

For Christmas, she received and read Regina Doman’s first fairytale retelling, The Shadow of the Bear. Set in New York City, a tough street kid, Bear, encounters two sisters—Rose and Blanche. Bear befriends them, but his connections could prove dangerous to the girls’ family.

My middle school boy also liked Every Day on Earth: Fun Facts That Happen Every 24 Hours by Steve Murrie and Matthew Murrie. It includes facts about all sorts of things—animals, sports, nature, technology, food, etc., all framed by what happens in a 24-hour period.

My youngest son tore through his Christmas book, the latest installment in Jeff Kinney’s Wimpy Kid series, Hot Mess. I can’t believe this series has stretched to nineteen books. This one is set in a tiny summer beach house during a family vacation. There’s also a little mystery to uncover—the recipe for Gramma’s famous meatballs.

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An Open Book

Welcome to the December 2024 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

Following our Kentucky Bourbon Trail summer vacation, my husband has been listening to Buffalo, Barrels, and Bourbon: The Story of How Buffalo Trace Distillery Became the World’s Most Awarded Distillery by F. Paul Pacult. It recounts the distillery’s history from the early exploration of Kentucky to present day. It tells the story through American wars, Prohibition, the Great Depression, and more. Includes a variety of personalities and information about a variety of whiskey brands. This was one of our favorite distillery visits. Very family friendly and a great customer experience.

I’m rolling into Advent reading Courtney Walsh’s Christmas with a Crank. You don’t get more Hallmark than this. Grumpy, reticent video game developer Liam returns to his family’s smalltown Christmas tree farm for one last, best Christmas before they sell it. His childhood friend Olive, fresh from her failed small business, is hired for promotions and marketing. A relationship is being rekindled, and I’m pretty sure the Christmas tree farm will stay in the family instead of going to a developer. Predictable but sweet and fun.

Lorelei Savaryn’s The Edge of In Between is a darkish middle grade novel with a beautiful message. Despite it being a mass market secular book, it’s a strongly Christian story of hope, the value of each life despite suffering, the nature of good and evil, and the folly of playing God. Lottie, a young girl with magical creativity, loses her parents in a tragic accident and, like many other grief-stricken people, loses her color, becoming part of the Living Gray. (This fantasy is a retelling of The Secret Garden, and since I haven’t read that, I’ve probably missed out on some of its magic.)

As part of an American history course, my college son read John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry: A Brief History with Documents by Jonathan Earle. It includes a brief summary of Brown’s life and includes primary source documents. My son said it was useful for analyzing sources as part of his class but not something he would pick up as a casual read.

For personal reading, he’s picked up William Marshal: The Flower of Chivalry by Georges Duby (translated by Richard Howard). It assumes some knowledge on the topic of the chivalric system, so it’s not a starting point on the topic, but of value to those interested in the chivalry. Marshal (1146/47-1219) was the 1st Earl of Pembroke, a soldier, and a statesman who served five English kings.

My high school daughter has been reading The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge. She picked it up to help fulfill the requirements for application to The Coolidge Scholarship but is thoroughly enjoying learning about the life of President Coolidge. (Did you know he kept a black bear (from Mexico), a pair of lion cubs, and a small hippo from South Africa in addition to more convention pets?)

My middle school daughter read Tobias: The Boy Who Faced a Demon, a graphic novel by Rhee Hahn Young. It is an illustrated adaption of the Old Testament Book of Tobit and follows Tobit and his son, Tobias. The contemporary format brings the biblical stories alive for young readers.

Confined to the couch for many days with an illness, my daughter has been reading bits and snatches of various books as she feels up to it. One book she did complete is My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier. It is a Newbery Honor Book set during the Revolutionary War. Tim Meeker must decide whether to side with his father, a Loyalist, or his brother, Sam, a Revolutionary.

My middle school son read from The Oregon Trail series, The Race to Chimney Rock by Jesse Wiley, a choose-your-own-adventure book. Who doesn’t love those? Your character is a young pioneer heading West to Oregon Territory. It’s all a little reminiscent of the classic Oregon Trail video game. I assume there are many deaths by dysentery. He’s already begun the second book in the series.

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An Open Book

Welcome to the November 2024 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

Last month, I caught up on Cece Louise’s most recent rom coms in the After All series. Faking After All includes the fake dating trope as well as enemies to lovers or grumpy/sunshine—take your pick. I really enjoyed this fun romance between uptight, ambitious executive Victoria and soon-to-be gym owner Caleb. She’ll help him with his grand opening if he’ll pretend to be her boyfriend for work functions. The characters are well-developed, and it is a quick, easy read.

In Working After All, “odd” Audrey is forced to work for her cousin’s partner/best friend Jackson, the object of her teenage affections. In their last interaction, she suffered a humiliating rejection, and now, after losing her job and her fiancé, well, beggars can’t be choosers. Jackson soon discovers Audrey has become an attractive woman, and sparks fly—including some actual July 4th fireworks.

I embraced the early reading of Christmas novellas, including Roseanna M. White’s Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor. I want to crawl into that cover illustration! Like many others, I have a great love for The Nutcracker derived from many years of ballet performances. The story was uplifting without being schmaltzy and the reminder of the importance of imagination and whimsy was perfectly suited to the early 20th century Christmas setting. A new Christmas favorite!

I listened to Christmas Ella by Angela Ruth Strong on my way to pick up my son for fall break. This Christmas romance is set in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with a reality TV show as the backdrop. As you might guess, this story is a nod to Cinderella with some nefarious stepsisters and a masquerade. It hits all the right notes for a sweet Christmas novella.

Four members of the family read “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs, a classic short story that could be classified as horror of the non-gory, Edgar Allan Poe sort. It can easily be read in one sitting, but the story will stay with you as you ponder the wishes made on the monkey’s paw. As they say, be careful what you wish for.

My oldest son read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein for the first time and loved it. The painted edition linked here to Amazon was available at a fantastic price, and I couldn’t pass it up! We all know the basic premise of Frankenstein, but reading the original for the first time, my son was struck by how movie adaptions fall short. In his review, he said, “Perhaps the perception of Frankenstein has shifted so much that Hollywood isn’t even aware of the source material or production studios don’t want to tell a story that has themes like the differences and necessities of the sexes, the creation and dignity of new life, and the restraint of ambition at its heart.”

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson was also on his spooky season reading list. Until seeing the sticker on the Amazon cover, I didn’t realize this had become a Netflix series. According to the Wall Street Journal, it is widely regarded as “the greatest haunted-house story ever written.” From the description, four seekers arrive at Hill House: “Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of psychic phenomena; Theodora, his lovely and lighthearted assistant; Luke, the adventurous future inheritor of the estate; and Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman with a dark past.” Hill House will soon choose one of them to “make its own.”

My middle-school daughter read Corinna Turner’s Elfling. In this fantasy, Serapia Ravena, accompanied by her dragonet pet, searches for her father. But her father has some secrets, and Serapia’s quest to save him is fraught with danger. In my own review, I noted that Elfling “examines the nature of evil, sin and its consequences, suffering, forgiveness, and immortality from a Christian perspective.” My daughter really enjoyed it though she was surprised at a dangerous turn in the book. (That’s intentionally vague to avoid spoilers.)

With her class, she also read Kate diCamillo’s The Tiger Rising. It may be a National Book Award finalist, but my daughter didn’t care for it and found it bland and boring. A twelve-year old boy, Rob, encounters a caged tiger in the Florida woods. He also meets and befriends a girl named Sistine. Together, they discover “that some things—like memories, and heartache, and tigers—can’t be locked up forever.”

My middle school son read Is That an Angry Penguin in Your Gym Bag? by Todd Strasser. When the Tardy Boys show up at the ice rink for hockey practice, they discover it’s been overtaken by penguins. The boys must save the penguins from a villain who wants to make them into penguin oil. Sounds very juvenile. My son liked it though.

I received a copy of Pauline Books & Media’s beautiful anniversary edition of A Boy Who Became Pope: The Story of Saint John Paul II by Fabiola Garza. JPII is one of my favorite saints, and I’d long wanted to read this book. Though it’s a picture book, the length lends itself to an older audience than is typical. Reading JPII’s biography once again, even in simple terms–but as a middle-aged adult, I am struck by his remarkable fortitude and reminded the saints are not cowardly but bold and courageous. We could all benefit from this saint’s prayers and his example.

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Bake Soul Cakes for Halloween

Sometimes I feel as if my family is eating its way through the liturgical year. Cake for the guardian angels, cream puffs for St. Joseph, Mexican food for Our Lady of Guadalupe, king cake for Mardi Gras, Paska bread for Easter, and on and on.

So in addition to our secular yet delicious pumpkin, ghost, and bat butter cookies, we’re enjoying soul cakes, which a couple of my children have been prodding me to make for several years.

In conjunction with the release of the Catholic Teen Books anthology Shadows: Visible & Invisible, my daughters and I and fellow author Catholic Teen Books author T.M. Gaouette had the opportunity to test and tweak several soul cake recipes, finally landing on the one that appears at the end of the Shadows anthology. These cakes can easily be made with pantry staples.

I encourage you to learn more about souling traditions and the entire Halloween triduum by reading Shadows. Halloween has taken a dark turn in our culture in some cases, but it’s fascinating to see its Christian roots. Maybe by noshing a few soul cakes, we can revive some positive traditions from the past, and remind us of the reason for our celebrations.

Soul Cakes

[Printable version .]

Prep time: 15 minutes, baking time: 15 minutes

Yield: About 2 dozen cakes

INGREDIENTS

• ¾  c.  butter,  softened

• ¾  c.  brown sugar

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 3 ⅓  c. all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• ¾  tsp. ground nutmeg

• ¼  tsp. ground cloves

• pinch of mace

• ⅔  c.  raisins

• 2-5 Tbsp. buttermilk

For the glaze:

• ½ c. confectioners sugar

• 2 Tbsp. milk

• 1/4 tsp. vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375° F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour and spices.

4. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring after each addition.

5. Stir in raisins, then add buttermilk as needed until dough is soft but crumbly.

6. Roll dough to 1/2” thickness and cut circles with a floured drinking glass or biscuit cutter.

7. Using the back of a butter knife, make a cross the length of the circle on each cake.

8. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.

9. Combine confectioners sugar, milk, and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Brush cakes with glaze while still warm.

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Celebrate the Life of JPII with A Boy Who Became Pope Anniversary Edition

Like many Catholics of my generation, I have a great love for Pope St. John Paul II, who, along with St. Teresa of Calcutta, was the worldwide face of Catholicism in the 1980s and ’90s. How blessed we were to hear and see these living saints in real time as they ministered to the world with their love and wisdom.

As nearly two decades have passed since JPII’s death in 2005, I have grown to love and appreciate him even more. He is one of my favorite saints and one whose intercession I seek daily. I’ve long wanted a copy of A Boy Who Became Pope: The Story of Saint John Paul II. Despite the fact that my children have pretty much grown out of picture books, I treasure the anniversary edition copy sent to me by Pauline Books and Media.

The hardcover picture book is beautifully and lovingly written and illustrated by Fabiola Garza, a character artist at Disney Creative Group. It follows Karol Wojtyla from birth through his papacy and death, enumerating the deaths in his immediate family and demonstrating his persistent desire to discern God’s call.

The story is set in his home in Wadowice, Poland, later expanding to Krakow and Rome. Despite being originally published in 2014, JPII’s life story is remarkably fresh. The world is still sadly rife with anti-Semitism and Communism as well as the unavoidable suffering that is inherent to the human condition.

Reading JPII’s story once again, even in simple terms–but as a middle-aged adult, I am struck by his remarkable fortitude and reminded the saints are not cowardly but bold and courageous. We could all benefit from this saint’s prayers and his example.

A particularly poignant page has JPII echoing Peter’s thrice repeated call to feed Jesus’s sheep as JPII contemplates accepting the papacy. Details such as a small image of JPII’s beloved black Madonna in the shadows add such richness to the depictions of his life.

I hope this lovely book is treasured for generations by young Catholics who strive for holiness by becoming who they are called by God to be–in their families, neighborhoods, countries, and in the Church. J-P-2, we [still] love you!

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The One Sound We Need More Of

It’s ironic that while our means of communicating have proliferated, our ability to communicate in person has diminished. I’m convinced that unless we cultivate silence in our lives, our communication with others will suffer.

Where once there was silence within the home, there is noise. Children, of course, create all sorts of noise, and that noise definitely impedes communication between adults. But there is a more insidious noise that accompanies our electronics and devices.

Besides the pings, rings, dings, and chimes that accompany messages, alerts, and alarms, there is the noise of podcasts and an endless stream of talking heads. There is music of every sort. Movies, videos, games—more and more and more! And it’s all available and accessible 24/7.

Similarly, the television, which was once relegated to waking hours, now broadcasts or streams content all hours of the day and night. We can blithely move about our days from room to room, home to car, car to store, restaurant, or workplace, and take our noise with us, even as we walk to and from.

This noise stifles natural conversations. When the relative quiet that naturally encourages interaction is absent, we withdraw, knowing it’s not an opportune time for dialogue.

Don’t bother Dad while he’s listening to his podcast. Don’t interrupt Johnny’s video game. Jenny’s listening to her music. Mom’s trying to listen to an audiobook.

Don’t get me wrong. There is good that comes from the convenience of listening and the wealth of information at our fingertips. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a book while scrubbing the toilet or listening to music while cutting the grass.

But the wall-to-wall listening comes at a price.

Important conversations never initiated. Casual discussions never had. And precious little time for the creativity that comes from a wandering, daydreaming mind.

All of the noise also impedes the still, small voice of God, the moving of our consciences, and the self-awareness and growth that come from quiet introspection and prayer.

If we can’t cultivate silence in our hearts and in our homes, we’ll never discover it in the world, where music and chatter are pumped into nearly every retail space, sometimes at a volume that impedes normal conversation.

There’s one sound we could use more of. We’d all be better off if we cultivated a little more silence.

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An Open Book

Welcome to the October 2024 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

Many years ago, when I belonged to a local library’s writing group, I became aware of Maria V. Snyder’s Poison Study. The author was a local success story in publishing, and there was often mention of her. It took me a decade or more, but I’ve finally gotten around to reading the novel. In this fantasy, a young woman is spared execution and offered a position as food taster for the commander of Ixia. She’s kept captive by the need for a daily dose of antidote only her captors can supply. So far, so good.

Close to the Soul by Mary Jo Thayer is another book that’s been on my to-read list for a long time. This story that follows Carolyn Fandel from her early teens through young adulthood demonstrates the impact of rape, specifically in a 1950s Catholic American household. It has a beautiful pro-life message and demonstrates the good that can eventually come from such a horrific crime. That alone makes it a timely and worthwhile read. The style isn’t quite to my taste, and I had some minor quibbles with inaccuracies, but I’m glad I read it.

I’m starting to have trouble keeping up with Amy Matayo’s books! I think I’ve missed one and another launches soon, but I did get to complete Walking in Circles, a romance between a young woman from an abusive home and a football player with a different kind of suffering in his past. Shane is kind, patient, and the best kind of boyfriend material — if only Emma can overcome her trust issues, particularly when it comes to men. Includes a sweet intergenerational friendship and treats the matters of abuse, illness, and death with the proper amount of seriousness without becoming maudlin.

Shadows: Visible & Invisible by seven Catholic Teen Books authors (including me!) recently released, and I was able to read it from cover to cover. Social media posts have spread a lot of nonsense about the origins of Halloween and the roots of its celebration, and this collection is meant to re-introduce young Catholics to the religious roots of Hallowtide with mildly spooky stories in a variety of genres. This was a fun project to be part of, and I enjoyed remembering details about my childhood parish church to create my story, “Bogey in the Belfry.”

My oldest son decided he ought to read Letters to a Young Catholic by George Weigel while he was still a young Catholic. The book was given to him by one of his former teachers. I remember when this book came out, and re-reading the description, I kind of wish I could go back to being a young Catholic and read it. “Weaving together insights from history, literature, theology, and music, Weigel uses these touchstones to illuminate the beliefs that have shaped Catholicism for two thousand years. With clarity and conviction, Weigel examines the foundations of Catholic faith and explores the topics of grace, prayer, vocation, sin and forgiveness, suffering, and-most importantly—love.”

My son’s also been reading (or maybe listening to) How to Fly a Horse: The Secret History of Creation, Invention, and Discovery by Kevin Ashton. This isn’t a new book either, but it appeals to our endless curiosity about what it takes to create and succeed. “Ashton showcases the seemingly unremarkable individuals, gradual steps, multiple failures, and countless ordinary and usually uncredited acts that lead to our most astounding breakthroughs.”

Finally, he’s been reading The Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle. The ancient Greek philosopher discusses how to live well and how happiness is tied to the practice of virtue. The text was highly influential in the study of ethics in the West.

My oldest daughter is finding she has a little more time to breathe this school year than last and was able to read The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien relatively quickly. I think she’d had at least parts read to her in the past, and she’d seen the movie adaption, but she much preferred reading the book and loved the bucolic world of the hobbits.

This daughter is also on her way to becoming the first of my children to read one of my novels, Rightfully Ours. Being aware of all my writing weaknesses, this makes me a bit apprehensive, but she insists she’s enjoying it very much so far. This is my only novel that features teenage main characters, and I refer to it mainly as a coming-of-age story that leans heavily on the Theology of the Body. There’s also a little suspense, and I love some of the symbolism I unknowingly wove into this book.

In school, she read Plato’s The Allegory of the Cave. I’d never read this part of Republic. In it, Socrates “describes a group of people who have lived chained to the wall of a cave all of their lives, facing a blank wall. The people watch shadows projected on the wall from objects passing in front of a fire behind them and give names to these shadows. The shadows are the prisoners’ reality.” There’s more to it, but that’s what I’ve been able to glean.

Lives of the President: Fame, Shame, and What the Neighbors Thought by Kathleen Krull isn’t my middle school daughter’s typical read, but her teacher forced her to pick something informational from the shelf. A little variety will do her good. She can consider it a palate cleanser. The book purports to emphasize presidents’ “bad habits, silly nicknames, and strange pets, and focuses on those who had the most impact on history.”

My youngest son, also now a middle school student, read Guys Read: Funny Business edited by Jon Scieszka. I recognize the author’s name as his Time Warp Trio series was among my oldest son’s favorites many years ago. This is a collection of ten humorous short stories by a variety of authors, including Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and prolific children’s novelist Kate DiCamillo.

My son’s also reading No Talking by Andrew Clements with his sixth-grade class. It’s a boys vs. girls battle among fifth graders as to who can go longer without talking. Clements seems to be a popular author among late middle grade/middle school teachers since his books are funny yet include great lessons.

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Spooky Stories for Hallowtide from Catholic Teen Books

Shadows: Visible & Invisible About the Book:

Shadows: Visible & Invisible is a collection of short stories by seven authors and is centered around the All Hallowtide Triduum of All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. These fictional stories are meant to help teens learn more about the history of these important days on the Church calendar through engaging tales.

“Grace and the Grave Robber” by Leslea Wahl Grace doesn’t know what it means to go “souling,” but she certainly wasn’t expecting it to be like this! “Bogey in the Belfry” by Carolyn Astfalk A storm drives William and his friends inside the dark church for shelter. Are animals making noises in the loft or is it something more sinister? “A Very Jurassic Halllowtide” by Corinna Turner Trapped in the mountains by a blizzard and a pack of T. rex, Darryl, Joshua and Harry’s All Hallows’ Eve is looking dangerous enough–even before things take an eerie turn. “Lucy and the Forbidden Secret” by Antony Kolenc A medieval girl in a nunnery struggles with conflicts when another novice breaks her vows on the day of All Souls, revealing a shocking secret. “Helpless” by Theresa Linden Vanessa doesn’t need anyone’s help, and she sets out to prove it by going alone to investigate strange lights in the cemetery. “At the End of His Tether” by Marie C. Keiser When you live on a spaceship like Philip does, visiting the cemetery to pray for the dead always comes with the risk of joining them. “The Far End of the Cemetery” by T. M. Gaouette It’s another All Hallowtide, and on this All Souls’ Day, a young man finds himself at the cemetery yet again, but he’s not alone. Will tonight be the night, or will the torment continue?

Dedicated to Nicholas of Tolentino, patron of the holy souls in purgatory and the dying. “He spoke of the things of heaven,” wrote his biographer St. Antonine. “Sweetly he preached the divine word, and the words that came from his lips fell like flames of fire. Among his hearers could be seen the tears and heard the sighs of people detesting their sins and repenting of their past lives.”

Spooky Stories for Hallowtide from Catholic Teen Books #HalloweenStories #CatholicTeenBooks
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PaperbackKindleOther ebookAdvance Reviews:

“With powerful tales ranging from historical fiction to contemporary stories to sci-fi and speculative fiction, the authors gently nudge readers to appreciate the importance and efficacy of praying for souls at all times of year.” 

Barb Szyszkiewicz, Senior Editor, CatholicMom.com 

“I might never look at Halloween the same way again! These exciting and emotive stories, representing a variety of genres, draw the reader into settings and situations that shed new light on celebrating the triduum of Allhallowtide: Hallowe’en, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day. Expect this anthology for teens to cause reflection on the afterlife and to invigorate prayer for the dearly departed. It will do the same for adults! And now I must find a recipe for those delicious-sounding soul cakes.” 

Cynthia T. Toney, Author, The Bird Face series and The Other Side of Freedom 

“Spooky and Satisfying! This book is a wonderful way to teach teens about the important impact our prayers have on the Holy Souls in Purgatory. A valuable resource!” 

Catholic Mom and Daughter Channel (YouTube) 

“Maybe it is because I am past the half century mark, or maybe just finally growing up a bit, or even because if have lost a sibling to addiction, but whatever the reason for the last 5 years the concepts of purgatory, and praying for the dead have been more and more on my mind, on my heart, and part of my daily prayers. Because of that this anthology touched me deeply. Each of the seven stories caused me to reflect, think and pray.” 

(Full review on BookReviewsAndMore.ca) 

Steven R. McEvoy, BookReviewsAndMore.ca 

“Even the Souls in Purgatory will agree that this book is a rare and much needed find. Any book that inspires prayers for the faithfully departed is a winner, and this collection has seven unique stories sure to inspire any teen to practice spiritual acts of mercy.”

CatholicReads.com

About the Authors:

LESLEA WAHL is the author of the award-winning Catholic teen mysteries The Perfect Blindside, eXtreme Blindside, Where You Lead, Into the Spotlight, and Charting the Course. Leslea’s journey to become an author came through a search for value-based fiction for her own children. She now not only writes for teens but also has become a reviewer of Catholic teen fiction to help other families discover faith-based books. Leslea lives in her beautiful home state of Colorado with her husband. The furry, four-legged members of her family often make cameo appearances in her novels. Leslea has always loved mysteries and hopes to encourage teens to grow in their faith through these fun adventures. For more information about her faith-filled Young Adult mysteries, please visit www.LesleaWahl.com. 

CAROLYN ASTFALK writes from the sweetest place on earth, Hershey, Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband and four children. In addition to her contemporary Catholic romances, including the young adult coming-of-age story Rightfully Ours, she is a CatholicMom.com contributor. She is a past president of the Catholic Writers Guild. When she is not washing dishes, doing laundry, or reading, you can find her blogging about books, faith, and family life at www.CarolynAstfalk.com.

CORINNA TURNER has been writing since she was fourteen and likes strong protagonists with plenty of integrity. Although she spends as much time as possible writing, she cannot keep up with the flow of ideas, for which she offers thanks—and occasional grumbles!—to the Holy Spirit. She is the author of over twenty-five books, including the Carnegie Medal Nominated I Am Margaret series, and her work has been translated into four languages. She was awarded the St. Katherine Drexel award in 2022. 

She is a Lay Dominican with an MA in English from Oxford University and lives in the UK. She is a member of a number of organizations, including the Society of Authors, Catholic Teen Books, Catholic Reads, the Angelic Warfare Confraternity, and the Sodality of the Blessed Sacrament. She used to have a Giant African Land Snail, Peter, with a 6½‛ long shell, but now makes do with a cactus and a campervan. 

To learn more, visit: www.IAmMargaret.com.

ANTONY BARONE KOLENC is the author of The Harwood Mysteries, the award-winning historical-fiction series for youth published by Loyola Press, as well as other published novels for youth and adults. He notes that the discipline of nuns and clergy in the Middle Ages was much more severe than in modern times, as Lucy and the other novices discover in this short story. 

Tony is a long-time member of the Catholic Writers Guild. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps after 21 years of military service. A law professor at Ave Maria School of Law, he has also had his non-fiction works published in numerous journals and magazines. He speaks at legal, writing, and home-education events. He and his wife, Alisa, are blessed with many wonderful children and grandchildren. 

To learn more about his writings and activities, visit www.AntonyKolenc.com.

THERESA LINDEN is the author of award-winning Catholic fiction, including the West Brothers contemporary series and the Chasing Liberty dystopian trilogy for teens, the Armor of God series for children, and supernatural thriller Tortured Soul, a purgatory soul story for adults. One of her great joys is to bring elements of faith to life through a story. Several of her books won awards from the Catholic Media Association. Her short stories appear in each of Catholic Teen Books’ Visible & Invisible anthologies. Her articles and interviews can be found on various radio shows and in magazines, including EWTN’s The Good Fight, The National Catholic Register, Catholic Digest, Today’s Catholic Teacher, and Catholic Mom. 

A wife, home-schooling mom, and Secular Franciscan, she resides in northeast Ohio with her family. You can learn more about her at www.TheresaLinden.com.

MARIE C. KEISER is the author of Heaven’s Hunter. A former teacher, she now lives in Minnesota with her husband and young children. She is passionate about writing inspiring stories about people who struggle with Faith. When she’s not doing dishes, chasing toddlers, or changing diapers, she occasionally blogs about books, life, or ideas at www.EnjoyingWomanhood.com.

T.M. GAOUETTE is the award-winning author of the Faith & Kung Fu series for young adults. This series won a second place Catholic Media Book Award in 2022 for Best New Religious Book series. The last book in the series, Loving Gabriel, also won second for Best Books for Youth (17-21). Gaouette is also the author of The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch, Shadow Stalker, and For Eden’s Sake. The latter received an endorsement from Evangelist Alveda C. King in addition to winning a first place Catholic Press Association award in 2020 for Books for Young Adults. She also contributed to the last four Catholic Teen Books Visible & Invisible anthologies: Secrets, Gifts, Treasures, and Ashes. Her novels have received the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval. 

Born in Africa, raised in London, England, Gaouette now lives on a small farm in New England with her husband, where she homeschools their four children. When the goat, chicken, and horse chores are done, you’ll find her canning home-grown produce, watching k-dramas with her family, trying to learn six languages at the same time, or writing fiction for teens and young adults. A former contributor for Project Inspired, Gaouette’s desire is to instill the love of God into the hearts of her readers. Find out more at www.TMGaouette.com.

Links:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218328105-shadows

Website: https://www.catholicteenbooks.com/

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