Carolyn Astfalk's Blog, page 50

A Litany of Humility for Authors

It’s been my experience that authors and writers are a generous bunch. The vast majority of my interactions with fellow writers over the past several years has been positive. I’ve discovered support and easy camaraderie in a variety of author groups – some religious, some secular; some online, some in real life. Author friends are quick to share their experiences, advice, and sympathy. They’ll cheer your successes and bemoan your dejection, ready to boost your spirits and, if it’s within their means, your book’s success.

Sure, a few suffer from Special Snowflake Syndrome, but they are in the minority. Some behave badly, in an unprofessional or unethical manner, but they are the exception, not the rule. I find that remarkable since creative types are often sensitive souls.

Or maybe they’re no different from those whose creativity is expressed in the hard sciences. Maybe the difference is in the product of that creativity, their art. There is something inherently frightening about baring your soul through words, images, music, or a variety of other media. Sharing your work makes you vulnerable in many ways.

I was reminded of that vulnerability – fragility even – by watching the documentary I Am Chris Farley last week. I’d always been drawn to Chris Farley. I’m not sure whether that’s because we shared the same faith, because he was “the fat guy,” or simply because that much raw talent honed into skilled performance is magnetic.

His best-know skits – the Chippendales audition with Patrick Swayze and the motivational speaker Matt Foley – remain incredibly funny. So much so that their hilarity isn’t diminished with the passage of time.

The film, which I highly recommend (for adults due to language), brings to the forefront Chris’s vulnerability despite his success. The self-doubt becomes as visible as the comedic talent. Chris Farley was more than a comedian – he was a son, a brother, and a friend. A man. What others thought mattered to him.

Media, social or otherwise, can either objectify or humanize celebrities, depending on how it’s used. Take two recent examples. Country signer Jake Owen spoke openly on Siriux XM The Highway about how reading Tweets about his divorce affected him. Actor  Wentworth Miller opened up on Facebook about an Internet meme circulated when he was suicidal. (HT: Rebecca Florence. I’d never heard of Wentworth Miller until last week.)

For every artist of every stripe, self-doubt and pride will war within them.Tweet This More so for those who achieve relative success and those few who “enjoy” celebrity status. And so, for myself as much as for my author friends, I’ve adapted the Litany of Humility.

What do you think?

A Litany of Humility for Authors
O Jesus, who taught by using parables! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed as an author,

Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved by fans and followers.

From the desire of being extolled by 5-star reviews.

From the desire of being honored in writing contests, awards, or competitions.

From the desire of being praised on social media.

From the desire of being preferred to other authors.

From the desire of being consulted as a bestseller.

From the desire of being approved by Bookbub and other gatekeepers.

From the fear of being humiliated by errors and poor craft.

From the fear of being despised by 1-star reviewers.

From the fear of suffering rebukes from editors, agents, and publishers.

From the fear of being calumniated by bloggers or trolls.

From the fear of being forgotten by readers.

From the fear of being ridiculed by harsh critiques.

From the fear of being wronged by publishers or retailers.

From the fear of being suspected of mediocrity or plagiarism.

That other authors may be loved more than I,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That other authors may be esteemed more than I . . .

That, in the opinion of the world,

other authors may increase and I may decrease . . .
That others’ works may be chosen and mine set aside . . .

That others’ works may be praised and mine unnoticed . . .

That others’ works may be preferred to mine in everything . . .

That others’ works may become wider read than mine, provided that mine may reach as many souls as they should . . .

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Top 10 Tuesday: My Latest 5-Star Reads

I’m linking up with The Broke and the Bookish (which describes me quite well) for my latest 5-star reads! I know first-hand the importance of reviews, so I review most – but not all – books I read. I reviewed each of the books listed below on Amazon and Goodreads. Each was read sometime between early January 2016 and now, and for those who are concerned with such things, all are “clean” reads. I’m kind of surprised as I look over this list that only two are standalone novels – Jenny B. Jones’s I’ll Be Yours and Quenby Olson’s The Half-Killed. Now, on to the list!

Love on the Mend by Karen Witemeyer

After reading No Other Will Do (see below), I recalled this short Karen Witemeyer story was waiting on my Kindle as well, so I sped through it in a day.

“This short, simple story was a nice diversion in the midst of reading many longer, heavier stories.”

My Goodreads review of Love on the Mend.

No Other Will Do (Ladies of Harper’s Station Book #1) by Karen Witemeyer

I read and reviewed an advance copy of No Other Will Do. I think Karen Witemeyer writes consistently well, maybe more so than any other author I follow.

“Over and above the romance, the mystery surrounding the threats to the women’s colony kept me intrigued.” (Available 5/31.)

My Goodreads review of No Other Will Do.

I’ll Be Yours by Jenny B. Jones

This new release is the only Young Adult book on this list, but definitely one to be enjoyed by adults as well as teens.

“I’ll Be Yours is so smooth and polished that I found it nearly impossible to put down.”

My Goodreads review of I’ll Be  Yours.

After the Thaw (Frozen Footprints Book 2) by Therese Heckenkamp

I enjoyed reading an advance copy of the sequel to Frozen Footprints (see below) back to back with Book 1. I enjoy a good romantic suspense novel now and again!

“Among my favorite parts were Charlene and Clay’s conversations about faith, gratitude, and suffering.” (Available 4/5.)

My Goodreads review of Frozen Footprints.

Frozen Footprints by Therese Heckenkamp

This thriller had been on my to-be-read list for so, so long. It took a sequel to bring it to the top of my pile. Why did I wait so long?

“The ending was PERFECT and in keeping with the novel’s emphasis on faith as a sustaining constant that points to eternal joy over temporary happiness or relief from suffering.”

My Goodreads review of Frozen Footprints.

The Goodbye Bride (A Summer Harbor Novel Book 2) by Denise Hunter

I can zip through Denise Hunter’s romances in no time flat. I didn’t think I would buy the amnesia premise in this book, but to the author’s credit, I did.

“I relish the interplay between brothers, and the Callahan men with their fierce love, loyalty, and brotherly banter are no exception.”

My Goodreads review of The Goodbye Bride.

The Marshall Plan (Bennett Book 2) by Olivia Folmer Ard

The Bennett Series books are among the best new adult women’s fiction I’ve read.

“The Marshall Plan is the kind of book I wish I’d read as a young adult, when my sense of justice was impervious to mercy and when ambition tends to override empathy.”

My Goodreads review of The Marshall Plan.

A Season to Love (Love in Lenox) by Nicole Deese

I’m a fan of Nicole Deese’s writing, plain and simple. I also included a separate mini review in this post.

“Nicole Deese shares not only a sweet and tender love story, but beautiful lessons about fear, anxiety, courage, and control that merits reading and re-reading.”

My Goodreads review of A Season to Love.

The Tomb: A Novel of Martha (Living Water Series Book 3) by Stephanie Landsem

The entire Living Water Series is worth reading and re-reading. Best biblical fiction I’ve read, hands down. Also posted a mini review in this post and an interview with the author.

“This beautifully-written, imaginative novel drew me into the biblical story of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus from the first pages.”

My Goodreads review of The Tomb.

The Half-Killed by Quenby Olson

I feared I might not enjoy the subject matter of this book, but I was wrong. Quenby Olson is a skilled and talented author. Read my interview with the author.

“The book succeeds as much as in what’s beautifully said as what’s left unsaid, allowing the reader to enter the narrative in an expansive way that’s reminiscent of classic literature.”

My Goodreads review of The Half-Killed.

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Alleluia! An Easter 2016 Link-Up

Best wishes for a happy and blessed Easter!

Here are a few of my favorite Easter things:

Easter Hymn

Apparently, my favorite Easter hymn, “Christ Is Risen From the Dead,” stopped appearing in hymnals decades before I was even born. I guess that explains why it was always printed on a separate sheet of paper in the pew. To me, this hymn is synonymous with Easter. It contains just enough Latin to make it extra special. Resurrexit sicut dixit, Alleluia!

Bunny Tales

Somewhere in his travels, my husband picked up the hardcover version of this now out-of-print book, The Hutchinson Book of Bunny Tales (tales, not tails, get it?). It contains ten illustrated bunny stories, including “The Easter Bunny,” that make great read-alouds for children. My favorite is “Carrot Tops and Cottontails,” which culminates with this frightful carnage: “And when the carrots were slain, the rabbits turned upon the radishes and the beetroots, the cabbages and lettuces and the earthy turnips who had gathered round to watch. When night fell, the garden was laid waste.” Shudder.

Chocolate

To prove not everything I love about Easter is out of date, take a gander at this Sarris chocolate. Made in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania (hometown of singers Perry Como and Bobby Vinton), this is by far our favorite chocolate. Yes, I live near Hershey, and I like its chocolate well enough, but Sarris is my favorite.

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#5Faves: Kitchen Stuff

There is little I like about our kitchen itself. So, to find the joy in the kitchen, I have to look to gadgets and other “fun” stuff. These are five of my current kitchen faves.

–1–

Banana Hanger

I often wonder if I’m raising a troop of monkeys. Poo flinging, nitpicking, and other monkey action aside, the sheer number of bananas consumed is staggering some weeks. Finally, instead of multiple bunches littering our limited counter space, they hang above it. I don’t know whether it has any effect on their ripening or shelf life, but it’s a space saver.

Also keeps small monkeys from snatching fruit from the counter.

–2–

Produce Bowl

By the end of the CSA share season, our small counter space was topped with red onions, yellow onions, sweet potatoes, golden potatoes, and more varieties of squash than I knew existed. Enter the produce bowl. So simple. I don’t know why I went so long without one.

So simple, yet so helpful.

–3–

Bagel Tongs

These simple, inexpensive bamboo tongs save us from burns and electrocution as we try to extract bagels from the bowels of our toaster. That’s enough to justify their place in our kitchen.

Saving broken bagel bits since 2015.

–4–

Oven Squirrel

This squirrel may not be the only rodent in the house, but it’s the only one that is welcome. My mom gave me this wooden squirrel, which lives on the ledge atop our stove. It’s useful for pulling out an oven rack in order to reach the oven contents without having to use an oven mitt. Simple, handy little guy.

Squirrel!

–5–

K-Cup Holder

We have only one (very particular) coffee drinker in the house. I like that pod carousel keeps a variety of cups easily accessible while maintaining a small counter footprint and not taking an inch of my precious cupboard space.

The brewing station.

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For more Five Favorites, visit The Big White Farmhouse.

Do you have any favorite “stuff” in your kitchen?

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Author Interview with Stephanie Landsem

The Well, the first book in The Living Water Series, is a spectacular debut novel. I don’t cry easily while reading, but the book’s portrayal of sacrificial love left me with tears streaming down my cheeks. How did you come to fiction writing and how long was The Well brewing (or bubbling), so to speak, before its publication?

Thank you so much, Carolyn. I am truly happiest when I’ve made my readers cry. ☺

As for my writing journey, I can see now that I was inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit. When I decided to write historical fiction, I had no idea what or whom or when I wanted to write about. After about a year of no ideas, I was ready to give up. Then, one day at Mass not long before Easter, I heard the Gospel account of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman. Sitting in my pew, I began to wonder about her—who was she? Who was her family? And most of all, what happened to her after she met Jesus?

By the time I got home, I knew that it was her story that I wanted to write. I even had a rough idea of Mara’s character and that of her mother, Nava. Since that day, I find my best inspiration at Mass or at our perpetual adoration chapel.

The most research I did for my debut novel was watch a YouTube video about riding two-up on a Harley Davidson. Obviously your series required more diligent study. Aside from the Bible and biblical history, did you read any fiction as well? (For instance, Louis de Wohl’s novel The Spear, which, like The Thief, features Longinus as a main character.)

I did do a lot of research for the Living Water Series. It seemed that every time I sat down to write, I discovered there was more I needed to know about the culture, the laws, the food, and how biblical people lived. Fortunately, I love research. As for fiction, I used a great deal of sources for research, but I stayed away from most biblical fiction. I worried that I’d lose my writing voice or second-guess my story if I read in my own genre. Now that the series is done, I’m catching up on some of my favorite biblical fiction authors.

I once heard a woman say, referring to the Bible, that it was the only book she read; she had no need to read another. Her remarks stand in stark contrast to a quote about fiction, which I discovered in Dean Koontz’s most recent novel, Ashley Bell. He says, “You should have more faith in fiction. It lets you come sideways at the truth, which is the only way anyone ever gets near it.” As someone who has fictionalized stories from that Bible, how close do you think Koontz is to the mark with that statement? What would you say to the person who maintains there’s no place for fictionalized accounts of Bible stories?

I love Koontz and completely agree with him. I think fiction has the advantage of touching readers’ emotions, rather than just their intellect. We can know that Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead, but when we read a fictional account, we can be there—see the empty tomb, feel awe, sympathize with the great joy of Martha and Mary—and so we enter more fully into the miracle. As long as we don’t contradict what is actually stated in the Bible, fiction is one more way that we can meditate on the biblical events.

I’m wary of biblical fiction that portrays Jesus saying or doing things outside of what we know from Scripture, but you beautifully and seamlessly incorporate words and scenes from the Gospels into your novels without adding or detracting from the biblical canon. Did you create any rules for yourself as to how you’d handle Jesus as a character?

I was very worried about that, mostly because I’ve seen it done badly. And so yes, I did have some rules I followed:

First, I prayed a lot. Mass and perpetual adoration were the perfect places to ask for God’s help in portraying his Son.

Second, I tried to sketch a physical picture of Jesus without being overly specific. I like to think everyone has their own picture of Jesus in their heads and I don’t want to contradict that. Also, I tried to keep him very real by describing things like the touch of his hand and the smell of his clothes. Or even when Martha noticed that he really needed a haircut!

And last, I didn’t put words in his mouth. Jesus no doubt said many things that weren’t recorded in the Bible, but I don’t think I’m qualified to guess what they were. So I used only words that were recorded somewhere in the gospel accounts and make sense in the story.

You’ve recommended The Thief as Lenten reading material. I the think The Tomb, which brings the story of Lazarus to life (pun intended), makes great reading for the Year of Mercy that Pope Francis has declared. When would you recommend reading The Well?

I often think of The Well as a good book for spring, since it has the celebration of the Samaritan Passover and the journey Mara takes is through Galilee in the springtime.

All three of the books are taken from what the Church calls The Scrutiny Gospels—readings from the Gospel of John that we often hear on the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent. These are the Samaritan woman at the well, the man born blind, and the raising of Lazarus. Because of that, all of the books of the series are ideal for Lent and the Easter Season.

What are you working on now? If I’m right, it’s biblical, historical fiction, but not from the biblical era. Is that correct?

After writing The Living Water series, I was ready to try out a new historical era but still wanted to stay with a biblical theme. I’m working on a novel based on the story of the Compassionate Father – also known as the Prodigal Son.

The Prodigal in my story is a daughter who leaves her Midwestern family for the ‘freedom’ of Hollywood in its Golden age, the early 1930s. Her determination to become a star leads her to ruin and finally, in her desperation, she realizes that only by going home and asking for her father’s forgiveness will she truly become free. She also must face her sister, who is less than willing to forgive her offenses. I love everything about writing this story – especially the research!

Stephanie Landsem

Next fall, watch for a new book coming out from Ave Maria Press. I’ve joined with a group of Catholic women to write a five-week meditation for Lent. It will include six original short stories from me of women encountering Jesus before his crucifixion (tentatively titled: Walking in Her Sandals).

Thanks for having me on your blog, Carolyn, and for sharing The Living Water Series with your readers.

 

 

Website/Blog: http://www.stephanielandsem.com

Facebook Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/stephanielandsem

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6509583.Stephanie_Landsem

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/stephlandsem

My reviews of The Well and The Tomb.

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Seven Quick Takes

Useful Free iPhone Apps Edition

I still feel like a neophyte with my iPhone since I only upgraded from a flip phone last summer. I love my phone and use it most heavily for social media: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Goodreads are used multiple times daily. Aside from social media and email, these are my best-loved apps. (You may also want to check out this list of top free apps for 2016.)

–1–
Feedly

Feedly is my go-to source for keeping up with blogs, websites, and news I track. When our local daily newspaper switched to publishing only three times a week, I eventually lost interest. I don’t watch local news or TV. (Typing that actually makes me cringe being that I studied broadcast journalism, but it’s the truth.) That leaves the Internet as my main news source. (Yikes!) With Feedly, I can follow the feeds of national or local publications, magazines and blogs. I can easily see the latest news sorted by category, scroll through headlines, save for later reading, or share.

 –2–
Laudate

Laudate is my handy reference for daily Mass readings, prayers, and the Bible. I can’t for the life of me remember the words to my favorite morning offering, and Laudate is always there to help. I have barely tapped the usefulness of this app, which also includes The Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Liturgy of the Hours, and much, much more.

–3–

Animal Sounds

Animal Sounds is the only kid app on my phone. I let the little kids use it when I need to occupy them in a pinch, like when the toddler is squirrelly at his brother’s basketball game or I need to keep a small child out of the bio-hazard container during my physical exam. The sounds are fascinating to the older kids and me as well. I finally know what the fox really says. In addition to the sounds of a slew of land, sea, and sky animals, it includes dinosaur sounds as well – all accompanied by thumbnail photos.

–4–

Scanner Pro

Scanner Pro turns your documents into .pdfs. Rather than making copies on our printer or simply snapping a picture, this app isolates the text on the page and converts it to .pdf. It’s a simple app, but I’ve found it extremely useful for converting documents on the fly.

–5–

Layout/Snapseed/Pixlr

I’ve lumped these three graphic apps together. I don’t use them frequently, but when I need to create a visual collage, edit a photo, or add some text or stickers to a photo, these are the apps I use, respectively.

–6–

CardStar

The number of retail rewards cards dangling from my key chain had become embarrassing. My husband urged me to use CardStar and even downloaded it and added cards for me. I persisted in using my physical cards anyway, reasoning that it was faster. It is quicker, in most cases, for me to grab my keys from my purse or pocket and hand them to a cashier. However, once I realized the sheer mass of cards was going to split a seam on my new purse, I relented. I left a handful of cards on my key chain – the ones I use most frequently, such as grocery store rewards cards and a library card. For the ones I use less often, I rely on the app. You can also add shopping lists to the app, although I still rely on scraps of paper and text messages for that.

–7–

Repost

Repost allows you to repost Instagram pictures. That’s it, but it’s enough.

What’s your favorite app? What am I missing?

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For more Quick Takes, visit This Ain’t the Lyceum.

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Suffering From Spring Fever

Is spring fever a real thing? Can I claim it as an excuse for my scattered brain, my rapidly-multiplying to-do list, and my tardy #MondayBlog? Desperation, despite a half-dozen half-written posts, led me to search the Internet for “what to blog about today.”

SPRING FEVER:
A lazy or restless feeling often associated with the onset of spring. (Merriam-Webster)

I feel as if I’m being pulled in a dozen different directions as we shift seasons. The calendar is filling with baseball and softball practices, though basketball will. not. end. I skim the weeks and months ahead and see a ballet recital, volunteer commitments, 4H, scouting, Holy Week, choir, talent show, band, a First Communion, doctor appointments, and on and on.

Somewhere I’ve heard of the notion of spring cleaning. I’ll just squeeze that in around, oh, writing and marketing books.

It’s tempting to look at all of that – much of it our own doing – and complain. In reality, some of these events are simply necessary. Some enrich our lives. Some nurture our souls. It’s the best kind of busyness I can imagine.

Despite or maybe due to all that busyness, I love this time of year. I love the symbolism inherent in spring – life, renewal, and resurrection. I take pleasure in flowers valiantly sprouting forth from the ground, trees budding, and animals emerging from their winter torpor.

First daffodils I’ve seen in bloom this year.

I recall the rainy spring days of my childhood as I walked from the bus stop to home, singing and daydreaming. Hoping. Quite possibly thinking about boys.

After decades of springs, little has changed. Except that now I daydream about boys in fictional worlds, limiting my personal daydreams of boys to my husband.

So, I have spring fever, can I call in sick?

Do you suffer from spring fever?

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Small Success Thursday

Why small success? Because that’s the only kind I know! Even the big ones come in small steps. Here’s my paltry offering for the week:

Scheduled Vacation/Summer plans – Maybe it’s the balmy weather we’ve had here the last couple of days, but although spring has not yet sprung, I’m thinking about summer. I updated our various calendars and began completing registrations and reservations for camps and vacations. Among our plans is an overdue visit to Shenandoah National Park.

Shenandoah National Park, sunrise from below Hazel Mountain Overlook, photo by National Park Service

Replaced the UV Bulb – For years, we paid an older gentleman to replace the ultraviolet bulb that is part of our water treatment system for our well water. Finally, we discovered a place where we could purchase the bulb ourselves and install it without paying twice the cost of the bulb for installation. I make an annual pilgrimage to the supply store at this time of year. Done.
Bought an Iced Tea – This will sound odd to many people, but I consider this a success. I do not drink coffee, and therefore do not frequent coffee shops, cafés, or convenience stores for beverages. I feel a little guilty when I buy bottled iced tea at the grocery store as it seems like an unnecessary indulgence. While pregnant, I would sometimes go through a fast food drive-thru for iced tea, but otherwise, I almost never buy myself a specialty drink. I guess it just seems frivolous to me. This week, while my daughter was at her dance class, I stopped in the tea bar upstairs from the studio and bought an iced tea. It was honestly the best iced tea I’d ever had, brewed for me before my eyes. Sweet and delicious without a sweetener. I so enjoyed that cup of iced tea.
Took the Little Kids to the Park – Despite many more “important” things that needed doing at home, I took the two younger kiddos to the playground for an hour or so to enjoy the beautiful weather. It seems as if it’s been forever since we’ve done that, but with nice weather and the snow melted, it was a welcome diversion.
Writing Stuff – Lots going on with the writing, including some minor changes to this website related to An Open Book link-up. I also had the pleasure of hearing the first fifteen minutes of Stay With Me in audiobook format. I still sort of cringe at hearing my words read aloud, but, oh my goodness, this narrator is hitting it out of the park. I actually laughed aloud at her delivery of a line that was only mildly amusing to me as written word. It’s exciting and fascinating to hear the story come to life in a brand new way. On top of that, several Amazon reviews rolled in, a query was sent, and best of all, I made time for more novel-writing!

That’s all I’ve got. Celebrate more small successes over at CatholicMom.com.

Have you had any small successes this week?

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The Wearin’ O’ the Green: Envy

Envy is ugly. And selfish.

I should know.

Last week a simple social media post written by a lovely, young Christian woman sent me into a pit of envy for the better part of an afternoon.

If wasn’t her post, of course, which I assume was meant to be innocuous and helpful. It was me. My pride. My discouragement. My envy that lay at fault.

Green with envy.

I’ll refrain from reposting what she shared – though my envious self made sure to screen capture it so I could mull over the ways in which it got under my skin. In sum, it was a simple shot of a basket of books, an open daily planner, and a mug of coffee. Sounds pretty harmless, doesn’t it? A day later, my over-reaction stupefied me.

Yet at the time, it drove me BANANAS! This simple post embodied everything I currently lack in my home and my life: order, beauty, simplicity, quiet, piety. The accompanying description enumerated an additional list of ways (in my mind), I didn’t measure up. My schedule includes no time for structured prayer or study, no housekeeping agenda or workout routine. Nor an upcoming opportunity for a retreat.

When I got to the end of the post, the simple question meant to engage followers tempted me to spew every one of the ways in which I resented this woman’s plan for the day (and my polar opposite non-plan) into the empty, waiting combox. I longed to belabor how her Pollyanna routine, so saccharine and perfect, sickened me.

Thankfully, I’m not completely daft. I knew what I experienced was an unreasonable flash of envy and that it was grounded in vice rather than virtue. I knew better than to fire off a snippy comment that I’d later regret or that might hurt her.

Instead I stewed.

I lost hours – precious hours I should’ve been serving my family or others or actually writing – to an Instagram feed. I scoured all her photos, the post – again and again – dwelling on the details that irritated me. Everything looked perfect – from her straight, white teeth to her figure, exercise routine, husband, baby, and home decor. I searched for something, anything, by which I could summarily dismiss her superiority. Some flaw or deficiency by which I could write off her and her perfect little routine.

The photos rankled like a bristly clothing tag on the back of my neck. Did she have a photographer follow her everywhere? Or was she THAT good at selfies? Is that what her home actually looks like?

I could tell myself that she took thirty selfies to get an acceptable one. That behind the camera there’s a heaped-up mess worthy of a “Hoarders” special event. Of course she’d want to put her best foot forward,  especially if it’s her “brand.” I could chalk it up to sudden onset of social media envy.

A litany of excuses for my inferiority followed: She has fewer children. She has more money. A nicer home. And on, and on.

I could appreciate a more self-confident, less self-deprecating style than I prefer without resorting to envy. I could just un-follow and be done with it. Coudn’t I?

Why couldn’t I assume that all she purports is reality and be satisfied? Why should I hope for someone seeking to inspire others to look more like a screw-up to appease my failings?

Why did it bother me so much?

It’s not been a huge struggle in my life, but envy crops up from time to time. More often than not, I’m the one in our home offering the reminder to avoid comparisons. I’ve experienced peace by shunning comparisons about writing, living, and, I thought, every facet of life. There’s a billion non-comparison memes. I should be concerned about me, not others, right? I’d beaten envy.

Boy, was I wrong, as evidenced by the green-eyed monster that reared its ugly head.

Perhaps a re-read is in order.

What exactly is envy?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church* defines it as such:

2553 “Envy is sadness at the sight of another’s goods and the immoderate desire to have them for oneself. It is a capital sin.”

How about this passage? No glossing over the hideous nature of envy here:

2538 The tenth commandment requires that envy be banished from the human heart. When the prophet Nathan wanted to spur King David to repentance, he told him the story about the poor man who had only one ewe lamb that he treated like his own daughter and the rich man who, despite the great number of his flocks, envied the poor man and ended by stealing his lamb.323 Envy can lead to the worst crimes.324 “Through the devil’s envy death entered the world”:325

We fight one another, and envy arms us against one another. . . . If everyone strives to unsettle the Body of Christ, where shall we end up? We are engaged in making Christ’s Body a corpse. . . . We declare ourselves members of one and the same organism, yet we devour one another like beasts.326

Let’s pile on, shall we?

2539 Envy is a capital sin. It refers to the sadness at the sight of another’s goods and the immoderate desire to acquire them for oneself, even unjustly. When it wishes grave harm to a neighbor it is a mortal sin:

St. Augustine saw envy as “the diabolical sin.”327

“From envy are born hatred, calumny, joy at a neighbor’s misfortune, and sadness at his prosperity” (St. Gregory the Great).

So, what’s to be done about it?

2554 The baptized person combats envy through good-will, humility, and abandonment to the providence of God.

2540 Envy represents a form of sadness and therefore a refusal of charity; the baptized person should struggle against it by exercising good will. Envy often comes from pride; the baptized person should train himself to live in humility:

Would you like to see God glorified by you? Then rejoice in your brother’s progress and you will immediately give glory to God. Because his servant could conquer envy by rejoicing in the merits of others, God will be praised.329 

And, of course, there’s time. A day later I looked at the post and shrugged. It’s a mood. It comes, it goes. Sometimes all I need is a reminder that patience is required in different seasons of life.

At any rate, it became clear what I should be doing for Lent. I’d long forgotten to say the daily decade of the Rosary or to get to Friday afternoon Stations of the Cross. For the first time, this year, I hadn’t really given up anything, which was a mistake. I downloaded this little book, and I will work at transforming envy into good-will.

I’ll fix my eyes more firmly on the cross this Lent. Death, after all, is the great equalizer. The green of envy pales as its pettiness is glimpsed through an eternal lens.

* (numbers and notes preserved for convenience)

How do you overcome envy? Do you find social media tempts you to envy more frequently?

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An Open Book

Welcome to the inaugural An Open Book Link-Up! Let’s get started.

My husband is reading a couple of Star Wars books: Aftermath by Chuck Wendig and The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  Of the former, he says it’s taken him way too long to read because “he can’t stand it.” I’ve never heard him complain about writing  before, but apparently the author’s style does not agree with him. At all. I think it has something to do with a multitude of sentence fragments. He’s not alone. With more than 2,000 Amazon reviews, it’s rating is 2.6 of 5 stars. More than a third of the reviews are 1 star.

I imagine writing for a rabid fan base like that of the Star Wars franchise would be a challenge for most anyone. I’ve not glanced at Aftermath (which takes place between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens), but I’ve read some of Chuck Wendig’s often-salty writing posts.  Perhaps he’s an acquired taste.

I’m finally reading a book that’s been on my to-read least for several years. It’s Frozen Footprints, a Christian suspense thriller by Therese Heckenkamp. It’s a break from the steady diet of Christian romance I’ve been reading lately, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.

The eighteen-year-old granddaughter of a stone-hearted billionaire searches for her missing twin brother. While Charlene is convinced Max has been kidnapped, no one else, including the police, is buying it. She’s left to unravel this mystery on her own.

My twelve-year-old son recently finished Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. (You can read the ebook for free.) He’s required to read twenty-five books in various genres throughout the school year, and this is one he chose and reported on. Next up: Ancient Egypt by Miranda Smith.

My eight-year-old daughter has delved back into the Magic Tree House books. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, she’s reading Magic Tree House #43: Leprechaun in Late Winter by Mary Pope Osborne. She’s also re-reading her favorite of the series, Magic Tree House #30: Haunted Castle on Hallow’s Eve. She says she enjoys “the intensity.”

Last month, Lionsgate acquired the film rights to all fifty-four books in the series, so look for Jack and Annie on the big screen soon!

Dr. Seuss’s birthday is today. (Also Read Across America day.) He would be 112, were he still alive. Birthday celebrations in schools and library story times abound. This wasn’t “a thing” when I was a kid, though I read my share of Dr. Seuss (On Beyond Zebra! being my favorite). To mark what qualifies as a near holiday in children’s literature, my little ones (four-year-old daughter and three-year-old son) have been reading Green Eggs and Ham and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. I’m honestly not a huge Dr. Seuss fan, but I like his books well enough and enjoy the occasional tongue twister reading challenge they present.

What are you reading?

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