Carolyn Astfalk's Blog, page 5

Catholic Novelist Jim Sano: An Interview

Your debut novel, The Father ’s Son , is what I might call apologetic fiction. Do you think there is a difference in how readers are receptive to apologetics, or a defense of the faith, in fiction as opposed to traditional nonfiction?

The writing of and reception to The Father’s Son have certainly been a gift from the Holy Spirit, and, at one level, the story does weave in a case for the faith Christ left us as essential to living life as fully as God intends. At its heart, The Father’s Son is a very human journey for the main character, David Kelly, confronting the effects of his childhood trauma. From the world’s standpoint, David has everything, but the emotion-filled journey he has been avoiding begins with an unexpected friendship and unlocking the mystery and truth of his past. Beyond apologetics, the core of this is a story is of friendship, redemption, forgiveness, love, faith, and many twists and turns. 

Are the depth and power of the Catholic faith better received through non-fiction or a captivating human story?

That’s an interesting question. Christ taught wisdom and truth through intriguing stories and relatable characters, so what better model to reach readers who are not yet seeking the many great non-fiction resources out there or those looking to deepen their faith and relationships? I have had far too many responses from readers who said this story changed their lives, gave them hope, or made them rethink their faith and relationships not to believe there isn’t a strong place and hunger for Catholic fiction. One reader told me that reading this story was the first time he let the love of God flow right through his heart. I’ll take that as a yes to the question of receptivity. Non-fiction can tell, while good novels can show.

"Non-fiction can tell, while good novels can show." Catholic Novelist Jim Sano: An Interview
Click To Tweet

In my experience, deep dives into apologetics are precipitated by a catalyst–some event that leads a person to dig deeper into why we believe what we believe. What drives your interest in Catholic apologetics?

In a world that seems to be increasingly lost, watching so many people (especially young adults) drift away before they had a chance to hear the whys of the Catholic faith became a great motivation for me to dig deeper in learning the beauty and wisdom of the teachings of the Church, the Body of Christ. I started listening to Catholic Answers, reading great non-fiction resources, and taking classes, and I was continually amazed at the depth and wisdom of the faith Christ left us in His Church, a Church that is both divine, The Body of Christ, and very human, a community of sinners. I began to appreciate and see how God’s loving plan is the only answer to our human struggles and alone satisfies our longing for love and true meaning and purpose in our lives. I also realized how right my faith-filled mother was when she would say, “The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.”

Today’s increasingly secularlized culture is very counter to the teachings of Christ and His Church, and Catholic apologetics attempts to understand Christ’s truth and how to share it with “clarity and charity.” Many in today’s culture believe Christ’s Church represents old-fashioned irrelevance to real life, if not a negative institution to be shunned. I felt moved to offer an alternative resource for potential readers to see the faith as actually loving, compassionate, and with an endless depth of wisdom and truth critical to living our lives with freedom and meaning. A story and characters that draw you into life can show how incredibly relevant, practical, and essential faith is to the point of life – a healthy and meaningful relationship with God, ourselves, and others. 

Intriguing human stories can get to the heart of life; love, friendship, forgiveness, redemption, healing our wounds and relationships, and knowing our only satisfying source of self-worth, truth, freedom, and purpose comes from God. Great stories can bring the reader into the journey of life, the struggles, the joys, the mysteries, and adventures of each character in a way that makes our faith very real, very deep, and very soul-filled. Hopefully, the stories are also entertaining and thought-provoking. Christ wisely believed a good story could change people’s lives – and I agree.

In your second novel, Gus Busbi, you waded into the minefield of race relations and also intergenerational friendships, important topics if we’re ever to bridge the differences that threaten to divide us. How do you think fiction is uniquely suited to build empathy?

Christ teaches us that life is all about radical self-giving love, and St. Thomas Aquinas writes that love is found in actively “willing the good for the other” as other. Empathetically seeing things through another’s experience is an excellent example of that kind of love and is essential to connecting people of different cultures and ages. Gus Busbi is a story that asks what a fatherless black teen from the gang-controlled South End projects of Boston and a seventy-year-old curmudgeonly Italian man, who has given up on life, can have in common. While Jamiel Russell and Gus Busbi live in the same two-family house, they’ve never met and would have just as soon it stayed that way, but life often has more in store for us than we planned for. Fiction offers a powerful and unique vehicle for readers to enter their characters’ lives,and experience the transformative power of self-sacrificing relationships, love, and forgiveness in this story.

Each character comes to the relationship with a different set of struggles and experiences, and stories can uniquely, dynamically bring us into their worlds, their unlikely bond, and loving empathy. Through mentorship, pushing through societal walls, and sincere friendship, each character can face their challenges and open their hearts to redemption and love. The challenge to the author and reader is to see the dignity in the characters, each made in the image of God and each with an opportunity to develop even the most unexpected relationship with the other—as did Gus and Jamiel.

A common lament of Catholic novelists is that Catholics have little interest in fiction, preferring nonfiction to the extent that they are reaching for Catholic books at all. How have your novels been received by Catholics, particularly in parish settings?

I don’t know if the same demographics apply to Catholic fiction, but women read 85% of general fiction, and only 15% of men, who tend to read non-fiction or not at all. Fortunately, the Father Tom series has appealed almost equally to both male and female readers. While there are many fantastic non-fiction Catholic faith books for those seeking them out, Catholic fiction continues to have room to grow as a sought-out resource for Catholics. The advantage Catholic fiction can have is that the story can pull the reader into a book that can powerfully weave in the faith in relevant and powerful ways. 

One thing that has helped is that the Father Tom Series has been endorsed by several archdioceses as a recommended resource for adult faith programs, parish reads, and book discussion groups. The Father’s Son, Gus Busbi, Stolen Blessing, and Self Portrait have been used by a number of parishes and men’s/women’s groups as a basis for two to ten-week programs and discussion groups, and I’ve received great feedback from priests, deacons, and individual readers (Catholic, non-Catholic, and non-Christian alike). One of the great advantages of Catholic fiction is that it can present a more accessible or acceptable opportunity to reach out to our family members or friends who have drifted away or rejected the Catholic faith. While face-to-face conversations or letters can often be challenging and seen as trying to convince or force what we see as a loving gift to others, a good story can offer a less risky or safer opportunity to share the faith. If the reader can relate to and trust the characters and story, they can often feel more open to reading things they’ve never had the opportunity to read or hear before.

Stolen Blessing and Self-Portrait, connected to the previous novels by the character Father Tom, are a different genre: mystery. Did you find crafting this type of story more challenging, and if so, how?

While The Father’s Son and Gus Busbi included a bit of mystery, these two additions would more clearly fall under the mystery genre, and crafting each story was a lot of fun. My wife, Joanne, has been a blessing as my sounding board and first-pass editor of each book. She loves mysteries, so I wanted to write Stolen Blessing as a mystery she could enjoy and be challenged to solve. The format ended up providing an excellent vehicle for Father Tom to be involved more deeply in the lives and relationships of his parishioners, which always goes well beyond the mystery itself. 

A good mystery with unexpected twists and turns can help pull the reader into the story and keep their interest, so I’ve enjoyed adding those elements to the series. In Stolen Blessing, the kidnapping of Erick and Addie’s only child, Elizabeth, provides tension and suspense that impact the search for their baby and delves deeply into their marriage, their family relationships, and their faith. Self Portrait pulls Father Tom into another mystery with the theft of Rembrandt’s self-portrait from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the story parallels for the main characters go much deeper in solving the case. The feedback from readers who have come to love Father Tom, the faith content woven into the stories, and the lives of different parishioners in the St. Francis neighborhood has been both humbling and very encouraging. 

What are you working on now?

I’ve been attending Franciscan University for a master’s in Evangelization and Catechesis, a great program that has deepened my faith but has also competed for writing time. Fortunately, I do have three other stories completed, including Fallen Graces, which will be released in the fall by Full Quiver Publishing, run by Ellen and James Hrkach, who have both been a blessing to me and the mission of Catholic novels. As with Van Horn, the intensity and suspense of this mystery goes even deeper, and this story becomes very personal for Father Tom and Detective Brooks. 

The other two written stories are The Journey, a fantasy-type story for middle-aged readers, and Joline, another murder mystery for Father Tom, which takes place in the fishing village of Belfast, Maine. Other stories in the works are The Fighter, about a fighter and single parent involved in the underground boxing-gambling ring in Boston, and a much larger project called The Breath of the Wind, a historical fiction story of the main character Samuel’s search for truth and freedom after the end of slavery in Louisiana. As with any writing, I try to keep the story, the message, and especially the reader in mind as I let the inspiration of the Holy Spirit guide the pen.

One thing I know is that I would not be so fortunate and blessed to be writing Catholic novels without the loving support and guidance of my wife, Joanne; my editors, Michelle Buckman and Theresa Linden, my publisher, Ellen Hrkach, the Catholic Writers Guild (God bless them all), and the readers I’ve been blessed to connect with and hear back from. 

Jim Sano grew up in an Irish/Italian family in Massachusetts. Jim is a husband, father, life-long Catholic and has worked as a teacher, consultant, and businessman. He has degrees from Boston College and Bentley University and is currently attending Franciscan University for a Master’s degree in Catechetics and Evangelization. He has also attended certificate programs at The Theological Institute for the New Evangelization at St. John’s Seminary and the Apologetics Academy. Jim is a member of the Catholic Writers Guild and has enjoyed growing in his faith and now sharing it through writing novels.

Links:

Website: JimSano.com

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jimsanobc79/

X: https://twitter.com/JimSanoBC79

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-sano-a648343/

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!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Catholic Novelist Jim Sano: An Interview appeared first on Carolyn Astfalk, Author.

The best modern-day romantic escapes for frazzled Catholic moms

I shared a list of five of my favorite contemporary Catholic romances over at Shepherd.com. See why I love each of these books.

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!

The post The best modern-day romantic escapes for frazzled Catholic moms appeared first on Carolyn Astfalk, Author.

An Open Book

Welcome to the September 2023 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

I have only a few books left to complete on my summer reading list, and the one I’ve just begun is A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon. I’ve loved many of Amy Harmon’s books, but it’s been a while since I read any. This historical novel is about the real-life Deborah Samson, who disguised herself as a young man to fight in the Revolutionary War. In the early chapters, the reader meets Deborah, an intelligent and curious girl, as an indentured servant living amongst a family of boys. I’m eager to keep reading.

Firetender by Erin Lewis is the first book in the Chalice series. At 19, Dallas Malone is propelled into adulthood headlong when his mother skips town. Dallas and his simple yet highly intelligent friend Channing, who’s physically abused at home, set off in Dallas’s car, following Dallas’s wanderlust. Hunger drives them to shoplifting at a convenience store and an encounter with a state trooper that ends badly. The second half of the book is set in prison as Dallas’s impulsivity causes even more problems. Eventually, he develops a mentor relationship with a Catholic priest and his faith grows. Moving and, at times, gritty.

I read an advance copy of Royal & Ancient by Amanda Lauer. It’s a fun escape! There are many humorous moments as 21st century girl meets 17th century boy in this YA time-travel romance. Along with a handsome Scotsman hero and intrigue, there’s lots for readers to absorb about Scottish customs, history, and the practice of the Catholic faith.

Leslea Wahl has a new book out for teens. Charting the Course features a fun cruise ship setting. The enclosed environment forces Liz into close quarters with her estranged dad, who takes her along on his high school reunion cruise. There’s the mystery and innocent romance I expect in Leslea Wahl’s books, but Liz had some secrets I didn’t expect, which made her character all the more interesting and the ending sweeter.

I also read an advance copy of the fifth book in Antony B. Kolenc’s Harwood Mysteries, Murder at Penwood Manor. (It was a big month for Tony Kolenc in our house as my youngest daughter read books 1 through 4, and my youngest son read Book 2, The Haunted Cathedral.) In the latest installment, Xan, Lucy, and Christina must uncover the killer of a much-hated blacksmith. The obvious suspect is Laurence, returned from the Crusades and plagued by demons. But what of his love, Muriel? And his brother, Rolfe? And the wicked Trapper? The spiritual theme in this story is a timely and often-overlooked vice: envy. There’s a lot of wisdom tucked in the pages about the sinfulness of envy and trusting God with the path He sets before us. 

A Truly Clawful Christmas by Corinna Turner is a short addition to her adventurous unSparked series. It’s an origin story of sorts for Father Benedict, who is transferred from his comfortable (if sometimes tedious) parish life to ministry to the Catholic hunters and farmers that live outside the fence – where the dinosaurs roam. Suitable for anytime, not just Christmas.

As a reward for completing the local library’s summer reading program, my college-age son chose Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution by Eric Jay Dolin. The book examines what my son called the “largely unknown importance and reality of privateering during America’s founding moments.” He said it was both informative and entertaining, and he was surprised to see how privateering was woven into the very fabric of the Revolution.

As he returned to college, my son was still reading Hero’s Trial (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order #4) by James Luceno. The New Republic is suffering from attacks by invincible aliens. Han Solo takes center stage in this novel as he sets out to expose an old smuggler friend acting as a mercenary for the enemy. 

My son likes to pick up local history and folklore when we visit Shenandoah National Park, but this year he grabbed some campfire reading. After dark, he read selections from Spooky Campfire Stories: Outdoor Myths and Tales for All Ages by Amy Kelley Hoitsma aloud to his siblings. I really liked that these weren’t silly, supposedly spooky stories but rather eerie tales by recognized authors. We only got through several stories together, but the Jack London story was a favorite. I want to read the whole collection.

My youngest daughter selected Artemis Fowl as her prize book for the summer reading program. She enjoyed this popular novel by Eoin Colfer. Artemis is a twelve-year-old millionaire genius who kidnaps a dangerous fairy. My daughter did alert me to the mention of a pentagram in the book, but we had no other concerns with the content.

There’s been a lot of overlap in reading in our house. (See The Harwood Mysteries above.) Rather than repeat books that I’ve previously featured in An Open Book–some rather recently—I’m just going to list them:

Codename Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem – My high school daughter chose this novel set in Hollywood prior to the United States’ involvement in WWII for completing her summer reading assignment.

Timeline by Michael Crichton – The same daughter is finishing this thriller, which her brother had once used for hissummer reading assignment. It serves as a fun introduction to quantum mechanics.

7 Riddles to Nowhere by A.J. Cattapan – My middle school daughter read this one earlier in the summer about a boy with selective mutism trying to save his school.

The Forest Tales series by Cece Louise – The same daughter zipped through all these historical fantasy loose retellings of fairy tales.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte were two classics this same daughter read. She also read Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park.

My oldest son, after reading many lesser-known J.R.R. Tolkien books, returned to The Hobbit, which he’d never read independently. His dad read it to him when he was young.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Share what you're reading with An Open Book and @CatholicMomCom #openbook
Click To Tweet

Want more details on An Open Book? You can also sign up for An Open Book reminder email, which goes out one week before the link-up. No blog? That’s okay. Just tell us what you’re reading in the comment box.

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!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post An Open Book appeared first on Carolyn Astfalk, Author.

Catholic Teen Books Back-to-School Giveaways

Catholic Teen Books is sponsoring two HUGE giveaways for Catholic school libraries. Schools may enter to win either a Junior High or High School bundle of books – or, if a K-12 school, BOTH.

Then faculty, staff, families, and students can vote for their school, earning more chances to win!

Find all the details at Catholic Teen Books.

Contest is for brick-and-mortar Catholic schools in the continental United States only. Contest ends September, 30, 2023.

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!

The post Catholic Teen Books Back-to-School Giveaways appeared first on Carolyn Astfalk, Author.

An Open Book

Welcome to the August 2023 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

After a long dry spell in his reading, my husband has been listening to Annie Jacobsen’s Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to America. Using interviews and archival documents, the author brings to light the decades-long secret post-WWII project bringing Nazi Germany’s greatest minds –those who had committed war crimes and mass murder—to the United States. These men, relocated to the United States with their families, were also responsible for great American scientific achievements. This isn’t a new book, and it’s not unfamiliar to me, but it seems timely as I regularly learn of ways in which the U.S. government is or has been lying to or misleading the American public.

Local ghost lore/folklore had long been a favorite of my husband’s. Lately, he’s had less interest in the topic, but I couldn’t pass up a book on ghosts and a local railroad museum signed by the author since it appealed to a couple of his interests. Haunted Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania by Ed Kelemen and Beverly LaGorga is particular to the trains displayed in Lancaster County’s Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. (The county really does offer more than Amish quilts and smorgasbords.)

Brew Link a Monk: Trappist, Abbey, and Strong Belgian Ales and How to Brew Them by Stan Hieronymus is geared to home brewers, of which my husband is one. It begins with discussion of the monastic brewing tradition and then covers American brewing and recipes. I’d never cared much for beer until my husband introduce me to these styles of beer. Now Belgian ales are my favorite. (They taste nothing like what’s peddled in the cheap beer section of your convenience store.)

Karen Witemeyer, one of my favorite historical Christian romance novelists, has a new series beginning with Fairest of Heart, a Snow White retelling set in late 19th-century Texas. Snow White (Penelope Snow) is the maid of a touring actress. The prince is a Texas Ranger, and the dwarves are aging ranchers, and somehow it all works. I enjoyed all the little nods to the original fairy tale set amidst an enjoyable, if predictable, sweet romance.

I recently had the pleasure of leading a Catholics Read book club meeting. We read and discussed Rhonda Ortiz’s historical novel In Pieces. I enjoyed reading it even more the second time than I did the first, with its colonial Boston setting and adventures including spying and town gossip reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice. After the event, I immediately launched into an advance copy of the second book in the Molly Chase series, Adrift. It picks up immediately where In Pieces left off with childhood friends-to-lovers Molly Chase and Josiah Robb but delves more into the lives of some of the minor characters from In Pieces. It looks like there’s a second romance afoot as well as more intrigue set in Philadelphia.

If you’ve not read In Pieces yet, it’s being featured in the Fall 2023 Catholic Mom Book Club. Now is a great time to get a copy of it and Adrift, which releases next week.

Brave Water by Sarah Robsdottir is a YA novel set in present-day Africa. Talitha, her brother, and her widowed mom are the only Catholics in their village, whose men work mainly in a mine run by careless and greedy men. The women, including Talitha, are in danger of being abducted and sexually trafficked. The novel takes place over the course of a day, when the boy Talitha likes, Moses, becomes tangled up in an abduction and Talitha’s mother goes into labor. The daily travail of procuring clean water for the families becomes the backdrop for all the day’s events. It’s a moving story of forgiveness and redemption.

Last summer, our college-age son watched some James Bond movies with his dad. Last month, he read Casino Royale by Ian Fleming, a paperback he picked up in Ireland this spring. It took him a little while to get into the book, but once the high stakes baccarat game got underway, he was hooked. Bond is partnered with the beautiful Vesper Lynd, another MI6 agent with a secret. My son mentioned wanting to try a vesper martini when he turns twenty-one next year, a drink named in Agent Lynd’s honor.

This same son met then-local (to us) Star Wars author Joe Schreiber at one of the first author events I participated in. We purchased an autographed copy of Death Troopers, but he wasn’t yet ready for a novel that addressed the possibility of zombies in the Star Wars universe. Especially since as a boy he had a longstanding fear of zombies. Now that he’s an adult, he was able to enjoy the book. While there is not a lot of character development or plot progression in the story, it does what it sets out to do: let a “what if” scenario play out, exploring what happens when a swiftly lethal disease leaving behind hordes of unstoppable undead spreads across a Star Destroyer.

The Art of Star Wars: Episode III, Revenge of the Sith by J.W. Rinzler is exactly what you’d expect from the title. My son said in his review, “The book has more introspection into the design process and the creative development of the movie, showing character design concepts and scene/story concepts I had never seen or heard of before, which is something I felt was lacking from other art books I read.” The artwork was beautiful, allowing him to breeze through the book in a few days.

Michael Crichton is one of my son’s favorite authors, and he’d been wanting to read Sphere for some time. Set underwater, a thousand feet below the surface, it has all sorts of twist and turns, coded messages and mysteries, and gets the reader’s blood pumping and heart racing. In it, the U.S. Navy employs psychologist Norman Johnson to explore a spaceship crash site that is at least 300 years old. My son described it as sci-fi, mystery, and horror wrapped into one.

My high school daughter read The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. During the French Revolution in 1792, the Scarlet Pimpernel is an alias for a mysterious figure saving French citizens from the guillotine. He’s being hunted by the Frenchman Chauvelin. My daughter struggled with the early chapters, saying they were difficult to follow and unfocused. She likely would’ve set it aside if I hadn’t encouraged her to stick with it. I remember suffering through the early part of the book as well, only to love it by the end. She did as well, and afterwards, we watched the 1934 movie adaption starring Leslie Howard. While entertaining (Howard does a great job), it doesn’t follow the book closely enough for our liking.

My soon-to-be middle school daughter enjoyed Theoni Bell’s The Woman in the Trees, a fictional book related to Our Lady of Champion (formerly Our Lady of Good Help), who appeared to Adele Brise in Wisconsin in 1859. Adele Brise plays a minor role in the novel, which focuses on Slainie, an American pioneer girl of Belgian descent, who survives the nation’s most destructive wildfire. I’m still amazed at how little most American Catholics (myself included) know about the only approved Marian apparition in our country.

I suggested that my daughter read Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque and the Sacred Heart of Jesus around the time that we did the Enthronement to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in our home. This short book is part of the Encounter the Saints series. It’s simple, with short chapters and some illustrations, but it’s a good introductory biography with a helpful glossary and prayers as well.

Both of my youngest children have been reading Antony B. Kolenc’s Harwood mysteries. My son is reading Shadow in the Dark, the first book of the series, in which the reader meets Xan, who is nursed to health at a Benedictine abbey after bandits leave him alone and with no memory of how he got to be there. It’s got a lot of history, a little mystery, and even a wee bit of spookiness—perfect for young readers.

My daughter read both Shadow in the Dark and The Haunted Cathedral, which takes the reader back to 12th-century England as Xan and his friend Lucy explore something spooky in Lincoln Cathedral. There is a lot of great camaraderie among friends in this series, and this installment shows Xan slowly learning to forgive those responsible for his parents’ deaths. The covers in this series are fabulous, especially in paperback, and really encourage kids to pick them up and read.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Share what you're reading with An Open Book and @CatholicMomCom #openbook
Click To Tweet

Want more details on An Open Book? You can also sign up for An Open Book reminder email, which goes out one week before the link-up. No blog? That’s okay. Just tell us what you’re reading in the comment box.

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!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post An Open Book appeared first on Carolyn Astfalk, Author.

An Open Book

Welcome to the July 2023 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

I’ve enjoyed some additional reading time since the school year wrapped up. First up was Ginny Kochis’s debut YA novel, Blink and We’ll Miss It. From the cover to the content, this is a perfectly summery read for teens and adults. Set in the Outer Banks on the Atlantic Coast, it reminded me a lot of T.I. Lowe’s Under the Magnolias, another novel featuring a Southern female teen protagonist trying to hold everything together in the wake of a parent’s ongoing manic episodes (with the help of a handsome, loyal, compassionate boy who loves her).

Tangled Violets: A Novel of Redemption by Denise-Marie Martin demonstrates the boundless mercy of God. To greater and lesser degrees, we make messes of our lives by sinning. And sinning some more. The sins in Tangled Violets are egregious but have the intended effect of showing the reader that no one is beyond redemption. 

From early childhood, Liz struggles to connect with her adoptive mother. As an adult, she makes serial connections with husband after husband after husband. Reunions with her birth parents do little to mend the hole in her heart. In fact, they eventually break her heart open, making her ready to accept God’s forgiveness and grace. A bit women’s fiction, a bit family saga, and another part conversion story, this gritty (but never graphic) novel was hard for me to put down.

I’ve long enjoyed Becky Wade’s books, but her most recent series mostly left me cold. There’s lots I loved about Memory Lane in the new Sons of Scandal series though, including the coastal Maine setting, the straightforwardness of the characters, their determination and courage, and the message that God is with us, especially in the hard times (even if we don’t recognize Him there). Memory Lane flowed so smoothly in pacing and narrative that I happily whipped through it, eager for more.

Holy Habits from the Sacred Heart: Ten Ways to Build Stronger, More Loving Relationships by Emily Jaminet includes ten chapters, each short enough to digest in one session, centered on a particular virtue (prudence, temperance, etc.). Using testimonies, personal experience, and drawing deeply on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the author creates a compelling case for this beautiful devotion given to us via St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

Emily Jaminet shares how devotion to the Sacred Heart can be applied in your life – to bring peace to your home, fight addictions, forgive offenses, and more. This was the perfect choice for June reading (the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart) and preparation for our home enthronement.

If you’re hungry, you may want to set aside Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The descriptions of food! Oh my goodness. So many and so delicious sounding. This is one of the few books in the Little House series I hadn’t read as a child, and I promised my daughter years ago that I’d read it after she’d enjoyed it so much. Well, I finally got to it. There’s little to the over-arching plot, but I learned so much about 19th century New York farm life. I admire the Wilders’ independence, ingenuity, and work ethic. 

My kids are generally readers, but the incentives provided by the local library’s summer reading program have pushed them into high gear. It doesn’t hurt that they’ve all discovered some books they love.

My college-age son read in two veins in June: Tolkien and Star Wars. Starting with Star Wars, he read Star Wars Dark Tide 1 and 2: Onslaught and Ruin, both by Michael A. Stackpole. These novels are no longer part of the Star Wars canon, thanks to Disney. The New Jedi Order series are now “legends.” They chronicle the continued invasion by life from beyond the galaxy, explore Jedi philosophy, and provide more detail about the Yuuzhan Vong warriors, who form a shaky alliance to help fight remnants of the Empire.

Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader by James Luceno takes place earlier in the Star Wars universe. My son really enjoyed this book, which he said was like reading one of the movies (which would be after Episode 3). The story is written not only from Vader’s perspective but others as well, so it’s not all-villain all the time. My son says this is a good introductory book to Star Wars novels and ties well with Darth Plagueis (see below).

Back to Tolkien. The Fall of Arthur by J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien is mostly commentary on the Arthurian legend. My son said it would be of more interest/use to someone more familiar with that legend. He wished he’d known to read the appendix first since is explains a lot about the poetry – the meter and alliterative poetry used in Old English and Old Norse. The book also shows the Arthurian legend’s influence on The Lord of the Rings.

Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Númenor and Middle-earth by J.R.R. Tolkien is, as you’d expect, unfinished. The first part is more or less from The Silmarillion. There is also a shortened version of Children of Húrin, both of which my son read last month. Christopher Tolkien edited these stories from his father’s archives, covering the first, second, and third ages of Middle-earth.

My high school-age daughter finished two very long books in a series we already covered here and has recently begun reading Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (a book her sister read recently). In sum, fifth-graders Jess and Leslie spend their time in the woods, creating an enchanting land – Terabithia. Tragedy strikes, and Jess must deal with his grief. My daughter and her best friend are reading this as part of their summer book club and then watching the movie adaption.

My younger daughter read The Hobbit (Graphic Novel): An Illustrated Edition of the Fantasy Classic adapted by Charles Dixon. My daughter really liked the illustrations. Her brother had read some of The Hobbit to her previously, so she had some familiarity with it. It makes the book more enjoyable and accessible to its audience. (The illustrations are based on the book descriptions, not the movie adaption.)

For her school summer reading project, my daughter, who will be entering middle school, had a list of books from which to choose. She selected The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. Ember is an underground refuge for humans, but now the lights in the city are dimming, threatening total darkness. Lina and her friend Doon have a secret message, and they race to figure out its meaning and save the world from darkness. My daughter thought the book was okay, not a favorite.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen was recommended to my daughter by her sister, who loved it when she read it several years ago. This Newbery Award winner follows thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson, who survives a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness and then must survive the elements. His only tool? A hatchet.

Star Wars: Darth Plagueis by James Luceno was a recommendation from her older brother. I thought this book might be a little beyond her reading level, and she did have to ask me for some definitions, but otherwise, she read through the book quickly. Darth Plagueis was Darth Sidious’s (the Emperor Palpatine’s) master, and this book details their “grand plan” to dominate the galaxy and their fractious relationship.

My 10-year-old son dove into reading this month, and while I don’t mind him reading some simple illustrated books (calling them graphic novels would be a stretch), I’ve been glad to see him reading some books that are more of a challenge. He started with books his older brother once enjoyed. First up was the beloved Time Warp Trio. In See You Later, Gladiator by Jon Scieszka, the three time-traveling friends visit ancient Rome. (The Amazon link takes you to a graphic novel version of the story. My sons read the novel, which currently has limited availability.)

Next, he read the first three books in the Killer Species series: Menace from the Deep, Feeding Frenzy, and Out for Blood. The premise for the books is the same. A scientist creates a hybrid animal predator to root out an invasive and aggressive species. For example, the pteragator is designed to rid the Everglades of anacondas. There is a series-long thread in which the boy protagonists must uncover the true identity of the villain, Dr. Catalyst. My son has one remaining book to read in the series.

I recently reviewed a copy of Light of the Saints: A Shine the Light Book That Reveals the Miracles of the Saints by Cory Heimann from Word on Fire Spark. My kids were first introduced to shine-a-light books through Usborne, and we spent so many evenings lying across my bed with a flashlight enjoying them. This book introduces faith to the fun with rhyming prose and an introduction to each saint.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Share what you're reading with An Open Book and @CatholicMomCom #openbook
Click To Tweet

Want more details on An Open Book? You can also sign up for An Open Book reminder email, which goes out one week before the link-up. No blog? That’s okay. Just tell us what you’re reading in the comment box.

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!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post An Open Book appeared first on Carolyn Astfalk, Author.

All in Good Time for $1.99 on Kindle!

This time of year, my kids and I love to watch hundreds upon hundreds of lightning bugs rising out of the soy bean fields behind our neighborhood at dusk. It’s nothing short of spectacular.

Lightning bugs make a couple of appearances in my novel All in Good Time – including the cover! So, what better time to put the Kindle ebook on sale?

Only $1.99 on Kindle right now. Sale runs through July 4, 2023.

Download All in Good Time Now

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!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post All in Good Time for $1.99 on Kindle! appeared first on Carolyn Astfalk, Author.

Catholic Writers Retreat Slated for October

The Catholic Writers Guild’s Retreat for Catholic Writers has returned and is scheduled for October 9-13, 2023, at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt, Michigan.

The retreat offers ample time away from life’s distractions to focus on writing, whether it’s developing a proposal, polishing a manuscript, banging out a first draft, or meeting an editorial deadline. Time is provided for critiques by fellow Catholic writers.

Deacon Greg Kandra

Deacon Greg Kandra, best known for his popular blog “The Deacon’s Bench,” will deliver daily reflections. Deacon Kandra is an author, speaker, blogger, and award-winning journalist, who was ordained a deacon in the Diocese of Brooklyn in 2007.

Cost, including room and all meals, is $875. The retreat center is conveniently located five minutes north of Lansing, Michigan, an easy drive from the airport, and a shuttle is provided.

Register at bit.ly/CatholicWritersRetreat.

The Catholic Writers Guild, formed in 2007, is an international membership group for lay and religious Catholic writers, helping them to succeed through education and fellowship, including live and online conferences, retreats, critique groups, and more. Learn more at www.catholicwritersguild.org.

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!

The post Catholic Writers Retreat Slated for October appeared first on Carolyn Astfalk, Author.

Relevant Fiction Reviews: Go South, Y’All

Southern fiction is a genre that has clear parameters in my mind that don’t quite match the descriptions I’ve been able to find. One obvious definition is books that are set in the southern United States. I’ve read plenty of those, but only a handful, to my mind, are Southern fiction.

Southern fiction, by my definition, is characterized by a particular mood. It includes quirky characters, languid summer days, and secrets. Usually family secrets. It may lean a bit toward the macabre or Southern Gothic.

Whatever you want to call it, these are some novels that fit my definition.

Turning in Circles by Michelle Buckman
Turning in Circles exhibits the wonderfully languorous feel of what is, to my mind, a quintessential Southern novel. Narrative visits to the town post office, the creek, the barn, and horse trails immerse the reader in a town that feels as if it hasn’t quite caught up to the 21st century, dawdling in the waning days of summer.

Savannah can do little more than watch as her sister Charleston, so close in age they’re in the same grade, drifts further from family and faith into the dangerous arms of Dillon, a possessive and abusive boy.

As Charleston courts danger again and again, Savannah straddles the line between keeping her sister’s secrets and seeing that she stays out of trouble. Neither her parents nor her dearest, deepest friend Ellerbe can set Savannah’s world – or Charleston’s – to rights.

Suspense builds as Charleston’s troubles come to a head, resulting in surprising revelations, sorrow, and tragedy. Turning in Circles is a beautifully-written study of the consequences of free will and the limitations in attempting to safeguard those we love. Under the Magnolias by T.I. Lowe
I picked up Under the Magnolias based on glowing reviews and only the knowledge that it was set in the 1980s, but I didn’t know another thing about it. I was expecting a romance – and there is that – but what I got was a beautifully written coming of age story with emotion, depth, and all the things I’ve come to enjoy in southern fiction. The quirky characters. The slower pace. The off-beat humor in life.

Ox/Austin is a strong protagonist, holding together her family, including six siblings, as her widowed father’s mental health deteriorates. Thank God for good, faithful Vance Cumberland, who is steadfast in his affection for Austin, despite their difference in social class and experience.

I didn’t love the ending as much as I’d hoped, but Under the Magnolias is a memorable story that moved me in the best ways. Shooting at Heaven’s Gate by Kaye Park Hinckley
Shooting at Heaven’s Gate is an interesting descent into the sway of evil in the lives of broken people and evil’s effects (in both direct consequences and the human condition).

I was a little put off by the initial style, which seemed like an intermingled series of character sketches, but the second half of the book immersed me in the unraveling of the perpetrator(s) and the impending shooting.

With the frequency of such heinous crimes in modern America, Shooting at Heaven’s Gate provides insight into the darkness and light that co-exist inside the human person. Blink And We’ll Miss It by Ginny Kochis
Excellent debut YA clean contemporary romance by Ginny Kochis.

This book reminded me a lot of T.I. Lowe’s Under the Magnolias, another novel featuring a Southern female teen protagonist trying to hold everything together in the wake of a parent’s ongoing manic episodes (with the help of a handsome, loyal, compassionate boy who loves her). That association may be what kept me thinking the setting was more modern historical despite group texts between characters. (I kept picturing the main character’s parents in the 1970s instead of what would’ve been the early 2000s.)

The instability Lily Mae Griffin’s mother creates as her mental health goes from bad to good and back again has left “Mae” running and shutting out her friends as a defense mechanism. A forced return to her family’s roots exposes a history that explains her penchant for escape and the source of troubles between her family and the family of the boy she loves (dreamy Ezra) and his twin, her best friend (faithful Evangeline).

Lots of Outer Banks vibes like you’d find in Nicholas Sparks novels (think A Walk to Remember). An inspiring clean read for teens and adults. (Some underage drinking but no drunken behavior.)

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!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Relevant Fiction Reviews: Go South, Y’All appeared first on Carolyn Astfalk, Author.

Summer YA Reading: Blink and We’ll Miss It

For decades now, our family’s summers have been marked by visits to the local libraries. It used to be Books & Babies, Book Buddies, and Chewsy Readers programs with added visits for summer performances and activities.

My children have grown and the pandemic ended many of our beloved summer reading activities, but these months still mean reading and racking up the books read to increase chances of more summer rewards. I’ll never tire of the return trips from the library when the usually raucous ride is silent as everyone but the driver delves into their new book.

I’ve posted about Catholic Teen Books’ summer bingo, but I also want to share a new general market YA novel by fellow Catholic Writers Guild member Ginny Kochis. Her debut novel and its bright and lively cover illustration (created by her daughter) is great summer reading for teens and adults.

Blink and We’ll Miss ItMy review:

4.5 stars

Excellent debut YA clean contemporary romance by Ginny Kochis.

This book reminded me a lot of T.I. Lowe’s Under the Magnolias, another novel featuring a Southern female teen protagonist trying to hold everything together in the wake of a parent’s ongoing manic episodes (with the help of a handsome, loyal, compassionate boy who loves her). That association may be what kept me thinking the setting was more modern historical despite group texts between characters. (I kept picturing the main character’s parents in the 1970s instead of what would’ve been the early 2000s.)

The instability Mae Griffin’s mother creates as her mental health goes from bad to good and back again has left Mae running and shutting out her friends as a defense mechanism. A forced return to her family’s roots exposes a history that explains her penchant for escape and the source of troubles between her family and the family of the boy she loves (dreamy Ezra) and his twin, her best friend (faithful Evangeline).

Lots of Outer Banks vibes like you’d find in Nicholas Sparks novels (think A Walk to Remember). An inspiring clean read for teens and adults. (Some underage drinking but no drunken behavior.)

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!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Summer YA Reading: Blink and We’ll Miss It appeared first on Carolyn Astfalk, Author.