Carolyn Astfalk's Blog, page 53

The SLOW Work of Advent

SLOW work of Advent? What’s that? It seems it was just yesterday I rooted through the closet for the Advent wreath that wasn’t there and filled the Advent calendar with chocolate kisses that were devoured posthaste by a toddler. Now all four Advent candles are lit, and I worry whether that last nub of purple, the first candle lit, will make it until Christmas.

Due to the “obligations” of Christmas, Advent often seems anything but slow, perhaps the quickest wait we ever endure. That’s why this sign outside a church I pass caught my eye:

How often has God failed to move according to my time-table? We wait on small changes – this minor illness to pass, the baby to get through this difficult phase, the busy time at work to pass.

And the big things – to find love and a spouse, this cross of infertility to be taken away, chronic health to improve, an opportunity to arise.

It hardly seems fair that we mere mortals must wait on the whim of an omniscient God that lives outside of time. The wait seems interminable, the answers slow to come or not to our liking.

Above all things, trust in the slow work of God.

We’re always looking ahead, but it’s as if our lens is clouded, looking ahead to a variety of things big and small, insignificant or important, but often not the things that matter most.

Advent is a precious time to slow down, to simply trust that God is in heaven, to be patient, to wait, to trust. Change, whether societal or internal – in the recesses of our hearts – is often slow.

While we wait on this or wait on that, it is often God who has ever-so-patiently waited on us.

Blessed are we, for unlike us, the One on whom we wait never fails and is never late. He comes to us and for us whether we are ready or not.

May Christ bless you with peace this Christmas.

How hard do you find waiting? Has this Advent whirred by or did you make time to ready yourself for the Christ-child’s birth?

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#5Faves: Christmas Romance Novellas (and More)

 

The novella is the perfect format for this busy time of year! Fit in a quick read between Christmas preparations or while relaxing in the glow of the Christmas tree. I’ve selected five of my favorites followed by a few other recommendations for Christmas short stories (which can easily be read in one sitting) and novels as well as a few items on my Christmas reading pile!

Most but not all below are Christian stories. All are clean romances.
Technically, I think A Cliché Christmas and A Sugar Creek Christmas are (short?) novels. In the true spirit of Christmas overwhelm, I’m lumping them with the others because it’s my blog, and I can.

And as a bonus, a Christmas snippet from my novel Rightfully Ours, which I hope to be sharing some exciting news about soon!

–1–
A Cliché Christmas by Nicole Deese

Georgia Cole—known in Hollywood as the “Holiday Goddess”—has made a name for herself writing heartwarming screenplays chock-full of Christmas clichés, but she has yet to experience the true magic of the season. So, when her eccentric grandmother volunteers her to direct a pageant at Georgia’s hometown community theater, she is less than thrilled. To make matters worse, she’ll be working alongside Weston James, her childhood crush and the one man she has tried desperately to forget.

Now, facing memories of a lonely childhood and the humiliation of her last onstage performance, seven years earlier, Georgia is on the verge of a complete mistletoe meltdown. As Weston attempts to thaw the frozen walls around her heart, Georgia endeavors to let go of her fears and give love a second chance. If she does, will she finally believe that Christmas can be more than a cliché?

–2–

A Christmas Hope by Leslie Lynch

Sam Bledsoe prefers his reclusive existence. A one-man landscape business keeps a roof over his head and food on the table—and keeps his badly scarred face away from curious eyes. But when a woman faints on her way from neighbor Maggie Ross’s house, he doesn’t hesitate. He rushes to help while grappling with memories of the incident that burned him so badly.

Free spirit Becca Sweet is pregnant—and down on her luck. The father of her unborn baby showed his true colors when he showed her the door. The apartment she has lined up isn’t available until the first of the year, and with Christmas and a storm on the way, living in her car is no longer an option. Becca appeals to her no-nonsense sister for help, but Maggie, unaware of Becca’s pregnancy, chooses that moment to dish out some tough love.

When Sam comes to Becca’s rescue, their battered hearts collide. In a moment of holiday magic, they discover that Christmas hope applies to all, even to them. And will hope lead to love, the most precious Christmas gift of all?

–3–

Faith House by Robin Patchen

When Hurricane Sandy destroys Sadie’s home, she’s determined to restore it. She promised her dying grandmother she’d never abandon the house that is the only link to Sadie’s schizophrenic father—a man who disappeared twenty years ago.

Max has loved Sadie since grade school, but their mutual friend died when they were teens. A decade has passed, and he’s finally found her. This time, he won’t lose her—not to a flooded house hundreds of miles from home, or to her false hope as she awaits her father’s unlikely return.

When Sadie discovers her house is underinsured, she faces an impossible decision. Can she trust God enough to let go of her only connection to her dad? Can she trust Max enough to let go of her heart?

–4–

A Sugar Creek Christmas by Jenny B. Jones

Sometimes all love needs is a second chance.

Morning television show darling Emma Sutton has just been fired. The only way to get her job back is to find a holiday story to warm the coldest heart. So when her hometown of Sugar Creek, Arkansas, needs a Christmas event planner, Emma moves back, sure her story lies in the town’s desire to become a tourist’s holiday wonderland. The plan is perfect—until Emma meets her new boss.

Charming, handsome Noah Kincaid isn’t just Sugar Creek’s newest mayor. He’s also Emma’s ex-fiancé. Ten years ago Emma left Noah her ring and a goodbye note, but it’s haunted her ever since. The last thing Noah wants to do is work with the woman who broke his heart, but Emma’s desperate to prove to him that her bah-humbug ways won’t interfere with her work.

Emma finds it’s more than the mistletoe drawing her back to Noah. Whatever they had is clearly not over, but Noah’s kisses can’t protect Emma from a past that won’t leave her alone. As the snow falls and the trees glisten, love will come to Sugar Creek. But will it come in time to make all of Emma’s Christmas dreams come true?

–5–

One Enchanted Christmas by Melissa Tagg

Last December, mystery author Maren Grant had the most perfect night of her life. On a glimmering winter evening, she got to watch the photo shoot for her very first book and ended up on a magical date with the cover model himself—Colin Renwycke.

Fast forward one year. This December, with a looming deadline, restless spirit and her creative spark long since gone, Maren is desperate to get unstuck. And she can’t get Colin out of her head…or his year-old open invitation to spend a couple weeks writing at his family’s farm.

Drew Renwycke never planned to come home and take over the Renwycke family farm. But he’s spent too many years watching his siblings unravel, including his brother, Colin, after one terrible family mistake. If moving to Maple Valley, Iowa, renovating an old farmhouse and switching careers is what it takes to put the Renwycke family back together, he’ll do it.

But his simple plan upends when a scrappy author lands on his doorstep. And she just might be the key to coaxing his brother home. But what if he wants her all to himself? Drew will have to choose between his Christmas wish and the enchantment of a holiday romance that just might be the happy ending they all long for.

Short Stories:

The Proposal by Becky Wade

First Position by Quenby Olson

A Sandy’s Seashell Shop Christmas by Lisa Wingate

 

      

  

  

  

Novels:

A Light in the Window by Julie Lessman

Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter

 

 

 

Can I get to them all? Doubtful, but, On the Reading List:

Home for Christmas, Historical Christian Romance Collection (various authors)

Hope for the Holidays Historical Collection (various authors)

Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh

Snowflake Kisses by Marianne Evans

A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Her Holiday Family by Ruth Logan Herne

SNEAK PEEK from Rightfully Ours by Carolyn Astfalk

Rachel lifted the candy cane to her mouth and twirled it between her lips. The cool peppermint lingered in her mouth as she slid the sweet stick over her tongue. No color remained on the straight end of the stick, which she had skillfully licked into a point as sharp and delicate as the icicles that hung from the gutters.

The minty freshness tantalized her nose, but only for a second. The dominant fragrance in the room remained the sweet and savory aroma of the ham Mom had served for Christmas dinner. When the heat kicked on, a gust of fresh pine momentarily wafted beyond the Christmas trees limbs, causing Rachel to inhale deeply and savor its woodsy scent.

Paul sat next to her, his hand interlocked with hers, and if he shifted in his seat or leaned in to whisper something to her, his cologne would join the panoply of fragrances that from now on would be uniquely “Christmas” to her.

The mini multi-colored lights from the Christmas tree cast a soft glow on the otherwise dark room. Here and there a red or yellow bulb lit a hidden alcove in the tree where an ornament hung. An eclectic mishmash or ornaments bedecked the large, fine-needled evergreen Dad and Paul had hand-cut for their celebration. Garish ornaments fashioned by little hands hung next to antique balls, ceramic snowflakes, vacation mementos and pop culture touchstones. As Paul had joked while he fastened hooks to the ornaments, “Nothing says ‘let’s celebrate the Savior’s birth’ like an eerie, talking Death Star.”

For more Five Favorites, visit The Big White Farmhouse.

You can also find the video version of this post on YouTube for Top 5 Wednesday. #T5W

Do you enjoy reading shorter stories during the holiday season? Do you have a Christmas romance favorite?

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 from my author newsletter to keep up-to-date on new releases, extras, and hot deals!

 

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Relevant Fiction Reviews: Teen Fiction

Though I’d rather not think about how long it’s been since my teen years, I’ve enjoyed immersing myself in teen fiction – Catholic teen fiction in particular.

A.J. Cattapan’s  Angelhood could easily have fit into my October reviews, Dealing with Demons. It explores the forces of good and evil (angels and demons) that either pray for or prey upon humans. Roland West, Loner also includes an other-worldy dimension, the communion of saints. Theresa Linden‘s true-to-life novel is the perfect intersection of the natural and supernatural. Finally, Cynthia Toney‘s second novel in The Birdface Series, 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status, is planted firmly on earth, as young Wendy Robichaud navigates a multitude of big changes in her life. All three are relatable stories of hope and blossoming maturity suitable for young teens and up.

Angelhood by A.J. Cattapan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Angelhood offers important messages about hope and regret through the first-person account of 17-year-old Nanette, who, in the first chapter, puts a gun to her head and pulls the trigger. From there she embarks on her “angelhood.”

Despite the name, the body-less souls, and the acquisition of wings, the period of “angelhood” bears more resemblance to purgatory than angelic life. In order to gain her own redemption, Nanette is assigned a charge whom she must prevent from making the same fatal mistake she did in taking her own life.

Nanette shadows a friendless, angsty poet named Vera, whose mother has succumbed to breast cancer. Despite Nanette’s frustration with Vera’s anti-social, “loser” ways, she takes her task seriously and struggles to find means to influence Vera’s behavior and help her see the wonderful possibilities around her.

Throughout the novel, Nanette and other angels, including her mentor of sorts, Warren, engage in spiritual warfare in defense of their charges and their own journey towards sainthood. Darkness and evil tempt and taunt, eager to draw souls to their eternal torment.

Interspersed with the action are Nanette’s memories – both those leading up to her suicide and happy memories with her sister, mother, and fellow theater geeks. Not only does concentrating on positive memories help her to grown in grace, it also enables her to see clearly the rashness of her life-ending decision.

While Nanette had seen death as an escape from her various troubles, she now realizes that not only has peace eluded, her but her absence has had profound effects on her family members as well. Her perspective matures and broadens, allowing her to see hope where in the past she felt despair and to recognize, in theater terms, that comedy and tragedy exist side by side.

There are several twists, turns, and revelations along the way to maintain tension and keep the reader engaged.

In the years following the suicide of a friend’s 15-year-old son (also by gun), I’ve become hypersensitive to its frequent portrayal in media. While its depiction here made me uncomfortable, the overriding, hopeful message integrated so seamlessly into Nanette’s memories and experiences convinced me of its valuable message for teens in particular, who think their life isn’t worth living and the world would be better off without them.

I listened to Angelhood on audiobook, which opens me to distraction more than reading print does. It can also be a challenge to hear over the noise level and kid interruptions in my home. I did, however, enjoy the narration, which fit Nanette’s voice well.

Roland West, Loner by Theresa Linden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Roland West, Loner is a stellar teen novel! Entering the local public high school forces shy Roland to confront his fears and explore friendship and trust all while dealing with his mean and manipulative older brothers bent on ruining his life.

Dependent on the help of his new friend Peter, Roland’s vulnerability inclines him to share little bits of himself he ordinarily holds close to the vest.

Friendship with Peter also introduces him to sweet Caitlyn with her fiery hair and emerald eyes, gossipy Dominic, and even the guests at Peter’s family’s Bed & Breakfast.

They’ll be drawn into a mystery starting with a locked box and culminating in a life-changing experience for each of them, one that will bring Roland back to the faith of his childhood.

Theresa Linden’s superb writing will draw you in and her real-to-life characters will keep you reading to discover what Roland’s friend Peter has inherited, who’s after it, and whom Roland can trust.

With mystery, suspense, a hint of budding romance and an encounter with the Divine, Roland’s story has something for everyone.

10 Steps to Girlfriend Status by Cynthia T. Toney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

10 Steps to Girlfriend Status picks up where Book 1 in the Bird Face series left off but could be read as a standalone without any problem.

Wendy is now a high school freshman, but that’s not the only or biggest change in her life. Her mother is about to remarry, which means the addition of a stepfather and two siblings as well as moving to a new house in a new neighborhood. Her surrogate grandmother is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and she’s navigating her first boy-girl relationship with crush David.

The beautiful thing about 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status is that Cynthia Toney doesn’t try to wrap it all up in a neat little package. Like life, there are fits and starts – bursts of maturity and clarity and slides into uncertainty and childishness. In other words, it’s real. There are arguments, disappointments, and loss but also forgiveness, new beginnings, and hope.

The strain in the relationship between Wendy and her step-sister/best friend Alice is spot on, repeated countless times the world over as one friend acquires a boyfriend before the other and an unintended rivalry is born. Neither Wendy nor Alice handle it perfectly, but they learn and they forgive.

The romance is sweet and perfect for young teens. I loved the little tidbits of life on the Cajun bayou intertwined in the story. A light mystery with a little history also adds a bit of suspense and intrigue. The intergenerational relationships are refreshing, especially since so often teen stories are populated with only teens.

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 FROM MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE ON NEW RELEASES, EXTRAS, AND HOT DEALS!

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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:

Mandatory Evening Cleanup – For some reason, I’d gotten into the habit of letting the kids slide when it came to bedtime cleanup. It’s purely my fault, either being too tired or too lazy to enforce compliance. Without a playroom/family room/basement to corral the toys, the result was constant chaos in our living and dining rooms: the rooms in which we spend most of our time. By the time my husband and I sat down to relax once the kids went to bed, no relaxation could be had for the detritus scattered around us. So, I’ve resumed the nightly cleanup routine, which keeps the mess at manageable levels. I’ve already had to issue punishments for noncompliance, but I’m hanging tough.
The plastic container cupboard –  So, this one didn’t end in success, but I made a valiant effort meriting its inclusion here. The cupboard in which I keep hordes of plastic containers overfloweth. You have a drawer or a cupboard like this, don’t you? A repository for Chinese takeout containers, Tupperware, Rubbermaid and whatever else you use to store leftovers and pack lunches. It had reached the point that I couldn’t stuff everything back in after doing dishes, meaning I had to clean it out. Who knew that those cheap plastic containers (I think lids outnumbered containers 6:1) were the only things holding up the shelf above? As I removed the items, the entire shelf collapsed, dropping casserole dishes and bread baskets onto the containers. In the distance, another death knell for our wretched kitchen intoned. Bong . . . bong . . . bong.
The front closet – I’ve increasingly been finding people’s jackets tossed on the furniture, hanging from doorknobs, and lying aimlessly near the coat closet. Our home was built in 1920, so the closets are comparably small and storing outerwear for six people who live in a four-season climate is a challenge. I sorted through the closet and removed outgrown items and those ready for the trash heap. It’s still cramped, but now there are no excuses for coats not being hung in the closet.

Crammed but neat.

Adjusted expectations – This is an ongoing project, but I disciplined myself to accept that I was not going to come anywhere near completing my National Novel Writing Month project this year. I resigned myself to adjusting priorities and doing what I could while trying to keep my family’s needs front and center. I constantly feel as if things are out of balance, and I probably get things more wrong than right, but at least in this case, I feel as if I made the right decision and have been rewarded with some post-NaNoWriMo creativity. Erin McCole Cupp wrote a great post that touches on this constant give and take between creativity and responsibility.
Christmas planning – I’m by no means anywhere near done started with Christmas preparations, but I at least took the time to jot some notes. For several years, we’ve gone with the this simple formula for the children: something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. (You can find fancy pins for that on Pinterest.) I gave some thought to how to fill those slots, noted the charities I’d like to donate to, talked about Christmas card options with my husband, and selected cookie recipes with my oldest daughter. It’s a start. Meanwhile, I’ve gotten caught up with Advent. I’ve restocked the Hershey kisses that were pilfered from the Advent calendar (twice). I nagged my husband to mount the wooden calendar on the wall to help forestall a third theft of chocolate. (We’re just out of luck on the missing nativity pieces.) I resurrected our little Jesse tree, fixed its plastic base (with duct tape), and re-hung its lights. I snagged a new Advent wreath from Amazon Prime when I discovered ours was missing or had been disposed of and forgotten. It’s also a space saver on our dining room table, so, BONUS.

Have the kisses been pilfered AGAIN?

The spiral is a space saver.

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

Have you had any small successes this week?

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 from my author newsletter to keep up-to-date on new releases, extras, and hot deals!

 

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Roland West, Loner – A Character Interview

Last week, my friend Theresa Linden released her Catholic teen novel Roland West, Loner, first in a series including the West brothers and their friends. It’s simply a great novel for teens of all ages, Catholic or not. The author deftly handles common teen experiences from sibling problems and the school social scene to first attraction and rediscovered faith.

Click here to jump to the book blurb.
Click here to jump to the Rafflecopter giveaway link and enter to win a free copy of Roland West, Loner.

What follows is a fun interview with the neighbor boy who befriends Roland, making him less of a loner. As you’ll see, Peter’s a charmer.

Character interview of fifteen-year-old Peter Brandt conducted by author Theresa Linden, age undisclosed. This interview occurred sometime after the story began . . .

Author: Thank you for agreeing to this interview, Peter. It’s nice to sit face to face with a character in my story and really get to know him.

Peter: Yeah, okay. Whatever that means. Hey, I don’t mean to sound rude, but can we make this quick because I’m in the middle of a project? I’ve been working on this transmitter and receiver, and I finally got some parts in the mail so I can finish . . . never mind. What was your question?

Author: I didn’t ask one yet, but since you’re in a hurry, let’s get right to it. Do you, Peter, have any secrets?

Peter: Wow, are you kidding me? Is that really your first question? I mean, you can’t start with something simple like where do you live? Or what’s your favorite sport? Or how many awards have you won for science projects? You have to start with a question that might make me look bad. If I say no, I sound like I’m lying. If I say yes, you gotta wonder if you can trust me. I’m not answering that. What’s your next question?

Author: Okay, Peter. I didn’t mean to upset you. We’ll start with one of your questions. Would you like to tell us where you live?

Peter: Sure. That’s a great question. I live in a house attached to a bed-and-breakfast on the edge of a national forest in South Dakota. Black Hills. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. It’s a great place to live. I know you think of South Dakota and you’re thinking flat land and buffalo, but we’ve got trees here, too. And we’ve got awesome rock formations and rivers and even a waterfall. My brother and I . . . Oh . . . never mind.

Author: No, please continue. Tell us about your brother.

Peter: My brother? Toby? Whew. I thought you meant the waterfall.

Author: Okay, tell us about the waterfall. Is it near your home? How big is it?

Peter: Forget I mentioned the waterfall. I’ll tell you about Toby. You did ask about my brother, right?

Author: Very well. Tell us about Toby.

Peter: Okay, Toby’s my little brother. Well, he’s not that little. He’s nine years old, and he’s big for his age. And he’s a bit of a pest. I know you’re thinking every older brother says that about their younger brother, but it’s different in my case. Toby’s autistic. You know what that is, right? Sure you do; like one in sixty-something kids have autism. Anyway, when he’s a pest, he’s a pest over and over and over and over. And sometimes he doesn’t let up until steam blows out my ears. And whenever we’re out in public, he does the most incredibly embarrassing things.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. I’m a meanie. I should be more tolerant of my little autistic brother. Well, I’m not mean. And it’s not like I don’t love him. I’d never let anyone say or do anything bad to him. Want to see the bully in me come out? Do something mean to my little brother. I’ll feed you your shorts. Or whatever you’re wearing. But people don’t understand what it’s like. I mean . . .

Author: Do you need a moment? You look a little choked up.

Peter: No, I’m just clearing my throat. It’s just that sometimes I wish . . . well, I wish he didn’t have autism. I wish I could reach through to him. That I could have what other brothers have. You know? I just want more for him. And it’s . . . hard sometimes.

Author: Well, thanks for sharing, Peter. I have an autistic son. So I can kind of understand what you’re going through. But I’m sure it’s different for brothers. So would you like to tell us about the waterfall now?

Peter: Move on. What’s your next question?

Author: Okay, I can see some resistance to that subject. I guess this kind of goes back to question number one.

Peter: Are you kidding me? Did you just do that? Wow, you know, that’s not fair. I don’t answer question one so I’ve got something to hide. Unbelievable. Are you . . . are you laughing at me?

Author: No. No, I’m just smiling. You seem like a nice person, Peter. So can you tell us about your friends?

Peter: My friends? Uh, sure. So which ones? Cuz I’m pretty popular. Okay, I’ll tell you about my friend Dominic. We’re pretty good friends, but we haven’t always been. That’s a long story so we won’t go there. But Dominic knows just about every kid in school, and he knows everything about every kid in school. And sometimes he shares that information, so let’s just say it’s good to be friends with Dominic. Oh, did I mention he was in a wheelchair? You kind of don’t think of him being in the chair, really, unless you want to go hike in the woods or something.

And then there’s Caitlyn. I guess I should mention her, but she’s more like my sister. We’ve been friends since we were crawling around on all fours. She’s got two younger sisters and two younger brothers, lives in town in a little ranch house. Not sure how they all fit in that house. Anyway. If I were to describe her, I’d say she looks like a long-haired orange cat. You know, cuz she’s got long red hair and her eyes are green and have this perpetual naïve look.

Author: I don’t see what’s so funny. Can you please stop laughing so we can continue the interview?

Peter: Okay, okay. It’s not that I don’t like her. I do. She’s nice. To everyone. Even people she should’t be nice to because they’re jerks. It’s just that she’s like a sister to me, so you know how that is. Have you got any sisters?

Author: Well, actually, I do. But I can’t say I’ve made fun of her appearance. I like my sister. She’s actually the one who inspired me to write. 

Peter: Oh.

Author: Okay, so I understand you made a new friend recently. Care to tell us about him?

Peter: Oh, you mean Roland? I don’t know too much about him. I mean, I know the rumors, but you can’t really go by those. And he’s not too talkative. I know he lives in a big house. If I told you what it looked like, you wouldn’t believe me. You kind of have to see it for yourself. And I know he’s got two older twin brothers. They’re juniors. I gather he doesn’t get along well with them. So . . . You’re the writer. Why don’t you tell me about him?

Author: Well, you did say you were in a hurry. So thank you for your time. It’s been great getting to know you and—

Peter: Looks like I’m not the only one with secrets.

Roland West, Loner by Theresa Linden

Roland West, Loner is a contemporary Christian story of a fourteen-year-old boy who finds himself friendless at a new school and the subject of cruel rumors. Despised by older twin brothers, he feels utterly alone but not without hope. If he can avoid his brothers while his father is away, he might have a solution to his problem. When his brothers lock him away, having a plan of their own, he gets rescued by an unlikely pair: a neighboring autistic boy and his brother. Struggling to trust his new friends, secrets, rumors, lies, and an unusual inheritance put him on a journey that just might have the power to change the life of this loner.

Roland West, Loner addresses loneliness, sibling relationships, facing fears, autism, and the Communion of the Saints. Susan Peek, highly popular author of saint stories for teens, including A Soldier Surrenders said, “A heartwarming tale of friendship, faith, and forgiveness. Linden had me laughing on one page and crying on the next. The story stayed with me long after I closed the last page. Simply put, Roland West, Loner is the best Catholic fiction I’ve read in ages.”

Theresa Linden

Theresa Linden, an avid reader and writer since grade school, grew up in a military family. Moving every few years left her with the impression that life is an adventure. Her Catholic faith inspires the belief that there is no greater adventure than the reality we can’t see, the spiritual side of life. She hopes that the richness, depth, and mystery of the Catholic faith arouse her readers’ imaginations to the invisible realities and the power of faith and grace. A member of the Catholic Writers’ Guild, Theresa lives in northeast Ohio with her husband, three boys, and one dog. Her other published books include Chasing Liberty and Testing Liberty, books one and two in a dystopian trilogy.

Website: http://theresalinden.wix.com/theresalindenfiction

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theresalindenauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindenTheresa

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/TheresaALinden/catholic-teen-fiction

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Roland-West-Loner-Theresa-Linden/dp/0996816844

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0189FKSPE

Enter to win a copy of Roland West, Loner by Theresa Linden!

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 FROM MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE ON NEW RELEASES, EXTRAS, AND HOT DEALS!

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#GivingTuesday: Real Alternatives

If you’d like to give a little something in honor of #GivingTuesday and are looking for a worthy nonprofit, charitable organization to donate to, I have a suggestion for you: Real Alternatives.

For many years, I’ve been privileged to be involved with the work of Real Alternatives, a Pennsylvania-based national corporation that provides life-affirming pregnancy and parenting support services empowering women to avoid crisis pregnancies, choose childbirth over abortion, and improve parenting skills.

This short video provides an excellent overview of the good work done by Real Alternatives service providers in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan.

Begun in the mid-1990s by then Governor Robert P. Casey, through its network of pregnancy support centers, Catholic Charities, and maternity homes, Real Alternatives has enabled trained counselors to assist hundreds of thousands of women with confidential counseling; clothing, food, and furniture pantries; temporary shelter; pregnancy and parenting classes; education and career guidance and so much more.

Don’t take just my word for it. Here’s what others have to say about Real Alternatives:

“Real Alternatives counselors and volunteers are ‘true agents of hope and change’ . . . This army of compassion has succeeded against enormous odds . . . and their success is being replicated across the country.”

Michele Malkin, syndicated columnist, author, and blogger

“A program that doesn’t just play lip service support for mothers, for families, for children, to the fact that abortion is a tragedy, but it does something about it.”

Helen M. Alvaré, professor of law

Real Alternatives has been awarded the PANO Seal of Approval, which identifies it as an ethical and accountable organization. In short, the work it does is worth your hard-earned dollars.

To donate to Real Alternatives via GiveDirect.org, click here.

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Hiding in My Comfort Zone and Other Sins of Omission

Last week at the library and immediately after at the playground, I got to talking to another mom. I tend toward the quiet introvert type, so I don’t often strike up a conversation. My husband can’t get through a simple retail transaction without a full-blown conversation ensuing while I could go weeks without one if pressed. Meeting new people is not my strong suit, but after seeing this woman in not one but two places in a short span, I started chatting.

She was a young, pregnant mom, new to the area. We found some similar interests and common experiences and had a good conversation. Eventually it was time for me to corral my kids and for her to get to a prenatal appointment. We each went our separate ways without so much as a goodbye.

And it bugged me.

Here was a young woman in a new town, with a husband who travels a lot for work, suffering through first trimester sickness with a  toddler in tow. Oh, how I could relate.

And yet, she didn’t leave my company any better than when she’d met me, other than perhaps to be assured that her experience wasn’t unique. Another mom understood.

As I drove  home, I wished I’d offered to keep in touch. If she ever needed an emergency baby sitter or a friendly ear, I live less than a mile from her neighborhood. But, I hadn’t had a business card on me, nor a paper or pen. I did, however, have a phone. It never occurred to me that I could have easily texted my contact information to her or given her my name and invited her to find me on Facebook.

All this to say that while my intentions are often good, I fail at simple interactions.

I readily accept that when it comes to sins of commission, growing in virtue and eliminating bad habits may take time, persistence, prayer, and practice. I may have to employ specific tactics or use specific skills.

Then why when it comes to sins of omission, do I think I should spontaneously know and do what’s right every time?

I’m not certain that my behavior last week was sinful, but at the least it was a missed opportunity to demonstrate kindness. I’m reluctant to admit that doing so doesn’t come naturally.

Maybe being a better person means I have to do things that are difficult or uncomfortable. Maybe just as I teach my children to make eye contact and offer a firm handshake, I need a lesson in social graces myself if for no other reason than to cultivate virtue.

I’ve long considered practiced social skills as calculated or manipulative. It’s taken many years for me to realize that if done in the proper spirit it’s merely thoughtful.

Take this post from Michael Hyatt on simple conversation starters. Why has it taken so long for me to see that preparing and practicing for such situations is more courteous than disingenuous? That a habit of enduring conversation rather than engaging conversation has caused me to miss opportunities to do good?

Everyone is called to kindness and holiness regardless of personality type. Certainly the saints offer us vivid examples of the diverse paths to sanctity. Whether spunky, smart, dim-witted, cranky, introvert, or extrovert, they were filled with grace. Holiness didn’t make them less of who they were, only more, enabling them to be the person God intended them to be.

Regardless of our personality types or natural proclivities, we may have to step outside our comfort zones – do a little more, try a little harder – lest we let a wealth of opportunities for doing good slip by. Even one as simple as lending an ear.

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Top 10 Tuesday: 10 Ways Anger Kills

I’m fascinated by what readers take a away from my book. A few have mentioned how much they disliked the heroine Rebecca’s father.

He is a minor character, but his actions and attitudes – his unrestrained angry outbursts – have shaped and colored Rebecca’s views of love, faith, femininity, and sexuality.

As Stay With Me makes its way into the local library systems, I’ve gotten a kick out of looking it up in the online catalog. The subjects it’s listed under in the York Library System are:

Dysfunctional families > Fiction.

Man-woman relationships > Fiction.

Fathers and daughters > Fiction.

Fresh from reading Julie Lessman’s latest release, Isle of Hope, I was struck by the similarity of the father/daughter relationship in our books. That relationship plays a more integral role in Isle of Hope’s themes and plots than in Stay With Me‘s, but in both books, it’s obvious that anger kills.

Here are ten ways the anger can kill, many of which are obvious in both Stay With Me and Isle of Hope:

(Note: I’m not referring here to righteous anger nor occasional outbursts that are part and parcel of being human. No one’s expected to behave like Mr. Spock, immune to pressures, stressors, and life in general. I’m talking here about the kind of recurrent, consuming anger that becomes a person’s default response to even the smallest triggers.)

Anger kills love. It’s like a cancer that slowly eats away at both the angry person and the object of the anger, squashing every impetus to love and forgive.
Anger kills humor. Finding the humor in difficulty is a great coping mechanism. A person consumed with wrath can’t find it. Lightheartedness is difficult to come by.
Anger kills peace. The sense of serenity you should normally feel in the presence of loved ones is absent when you live on edge, waiting for the next spontaneous outburst.
Anger kills security. Similar to the absence of peace, a sense of security is lost, too, when a person worries how their feelings, their needs, their actions will be met. Met with harsh words or worse time and again, security is eroded.
Anger kills unity. Anger pits one against the other so that where natural camaraderie should exist between lovers, spouses, parents,  or siblings, disharmony reigns and they become opponents rather than allies.
Anger kills trust. Faith in another person is hard to come by when you never know – or know too well – how you’ll be received.
Anger kills hope. Like other recurrent sins, anger’s relentless cycle diminishes hope – for both the person struggling to overcome it and those affected by it.
Anger kills creativity. When your bucket is depleted of love, humor, peace, security, trust, and especially hope, there is little from which creativity can grow or flourish.
Anger kills confidence. With anger, there is often blame of self and others. Confidence takes a hit from a seeming inability to change.
Anger kills self-respect.  Like hope, this attribute is weakened on both sides of the anger equation. Mired in the ugliness of anger, a person’s sense of self-worth tanks.

The good news is, we don’t have to let anger consume our relationships. Love and hope are stronger. Counseling can help both the person struggling with anger and their loved ones learn how to help recognize and reduce triggers.

Isle of Hope beautifully details the role that faith and forgiveness play in healing relationships wounded by sin and anger. Julie Lessman deftly demonstrates how Jesus heals us in ways big and small when we open our hearts to Him.

What tips do you have for overcoming anger? What can you do to help loved ones who seek freedom from relentless anger and rage?

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Interview with Author of the Bird Face Series for Teens Cynthia Toney

I’m delighted to share my interview with author Cynthia Toney.  Cynthia is a fellow member of the Catholic Writers Guild, and I thoroughly enjoyed 8 Notes to Nobody. (You can read my review here.)

I love the new look of your Bird Face series – bright covers and snappy titles that capture the mood of the series. Is it how you envisioned Wendy’s story being presented?

Thank you so much. At first I didn’t envision a series at all. I began to write book two well after book one released through its original publisher, under the title Bird Face. Soon I had to search for a new publisher because the first one was no longer going to publish MG or YA, and it would eventually stop publishing books altogether.

Although the series handles some serious issues, my new publisher and I agreed that the covers should be cheerful. The stories are full of hope and contain some humor. I also wanted the covers to tie together yet retain individual looks. When my publisher asked for new titles because she wanted to use “Bird Face” as the name of the series, I thought about the elements of the stories that were numbered. Wendy receives eight notes in book one, 8 Notes to a Nobody, and tracks ten steps in her relationship with David in book two, 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status. It must’ve been divine inspiration that caused me to create titles containing numbers that also employ alliteration and have a sort of rhythm to them. I’m happy to report that I’ve received positive and unsolicited feedback regarding the titles and covers.

Your main character, Wendy Robichaud, is Catholic, although I think the series would appeal to any and all faiths. What is the Young Adult market like for Catholic and Christian teens?

Fortunately, the quantity, quality, and variety of books for Catholic teens are steadily increasing, based on my non-scientific research. Books appropriate for Catholic teens fall within the broader selection of those appropriate for Christian teens in general. Teens and adults who do not practice the Catholic faith or any Christian religion can still enjoy my books and most other books written with Catholic or Christian teen characters in them because the stories are universal.

I think the key is to make the protagonist’s religion a natural part of her character. In the case of the Bird Face series, I can’t imagine half-Cajun Wendy, who wears a crucifix willed to her by her Cajun grandmother, being anything but Catholic. Her Catholic background drives her reactions to the plot elements, but Catholicism does not drive the plot elements. Teens of any faith, or no faith, can accept Wendy as being more like them than unlike them.

I enjoyed reading a novel geared toward the younger end of the teen spectrum, age-appropriate but not dumbed-down. Why did you choose to write about characters in their early teens?

The reason I began writing the first book is I noticed a gap between light-hearted contemporary fiction for middle grades and heavy-topic contemporary novels for high-school teens. Where were the stories for that transition period when kids begin to notice or focus on more mature matters but are not ready to be slammed with sex, drugs, and graphic violence?

Bird Face Book One: 8 Notes to a Nobody tackles some heavy topics but remains light. How do you maintain that balance, incorporating themes with depth without making the tone gloomy or depressing?

Having one POV character helps. I show only what 14-year-old Wendy is able to see or hear regarding her peers suffering from eating disorders, depression, or bullying. Through a series of events, she pieces together what she suspects is causing her peers to behave the way they do. The reader doesn’t go behind the scenes with her classmate who has an eating disorder, nor does the reader gain any of the detailed information about the disease that the girl or her parents are privy to.

When I read 8 Notes to Nobody, I half-wondered if addressing suicide wasn’t premature for middle schoolers. Unfortunately, not long after, a thirteen-year-old tragically jumped to her death within walking distance of our home. How important do you think it is to equip kids of that age to handle that specter? 

I think it’s extremely important for YA authors, parents, educators, and others who work with youth to acknowledge the existence of teen suicide and to help young people recognize signs of potential victims around them. Reaching out to a lonely or bullied classmate and getting that person to open up about what’s troubling him or her might save a life.

Unfortunately, suicide might still occur within a young person’s peer group in spite of offers of friendship and help, so pre-teens and teens should be made aware of whom to tell if they suspect someone is suicidal—and that it’s okay to tell. A very good high school friend of my daughter’s, one who visited my home on occasion, committed suicide in spite of his having many friends and both parents who tried to help him. If that happens, I think it’s important to help teens understand that some psychological or medical causes are out of their control.

I found some great resources on your website for use in discussing 8 Notes to a Nobody. In what settings do you envision groups making use of those resources?

Anywhere that pre-teens or teens gather and talk—even sleepovers! Scout meetings, church youth groups, middle-grade through high school classrooms, and after-school or summer programs are good venues for discussing topics such as eating disorders, teen suicide, and bullying. A free, downloadable and reproducible PDF of a Book Club or Teacher’s Guide for 8 Notes to a Nobody is available on www.cynthiattoney.com.

If I receive positive feedback about the Guide for 8 Notes to a Nobody, I would like to create one for 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status. That story has a deaf/hearing-impaired teen character and an elderly character suffering from Alzheimer’s, so the Guide would contain resources and discussion questions for those topics as well as others.

What’s next for the Bird Face series? Any other projects you are working on?

Cynthia Toney

The third book of the series has the working title 6 Dates to Disaster. Like the first two books, it will handle some serious issues and include some mystery. With each book, Wendy will advance through high school.

I completed a YA historical manuscript titled The Other Side of Freedom. The story takes place in the 1920s and has a Catholic boy protagonist. It’s very different from the Bird Face series, obviously, and I enjoyed writing it. I currently seek a home for it!

Cynthia is a former advertising designer, marketing director, and interior decorator with a BA in art education and a minor in history. While employed by a large daily newspaper, she rewrote some ad copy without permission and got into trouble for it. At that point, she knew she was destined to become an author. She has a passion for rescuing dogs from animal shelters and encourages people to adopt and save the life of a shelter animal. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking Cajun and Italian food and studying the complex history of the friendly southern U.S., where she resides with her husband and several canines.

Website:  http://www.cynthiattoney.com

Blog:  http://birdfacewendy.wordpress.com

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7872181.Cynthia_T_Toney

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=79780768&trk=spm_pic

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/CynthiaTToney

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Seven Quick Takes Friday

Kitchen Desperation Edition

People say their kitchens are awful, but I don’t think they know what awful means. Around the country, families are remodeling kitchens that, from my perspective, are already quite serviceable.

Give me your tired, your worn, your avocado appliances. Your vinyl floor yearning to be wiped clean. The sparkling product of your gleaming double sink. Replace my crumbling kitchen from a bygone era.

Which era, I’m not certain.

We’ve lived with this kitchen for eighteen years, finally socking away enough from a refinance to do something to it, only to be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the project and a plethora of choices.

Its state of disrepair crystallized when a year or more ago, I watched a sampling of entry videos for a kitchen remodel competition. These, presumably, were the worst of the worst. I watched these videos astonished that with one exception on par with our wretched room, the remainder would be a giant step up for us.

I’d intended to make a humorous video of our own kitchen as a fun summer project. Perhaps a producer of some kitchen redo show would find it, take pity on us, and help us with an upgrade. Alas, it has not come to pass. Here instead are my Seven Quick Takes from my nightmarish kitchen. Consider it a service, as it will surely make you appreciate your current digs.

–1–
The Cabinetry

Let’s just call the shade “poop brown.” Some doors sport interesting,  um, scratches. Like a small canine long deprived of sustenance clawed at them in a desperate search for kibble. One drawer has simply collapsed. Sometimes I catch one of the kids playing with the gaping hole where the drawer once lived, using it as a pretend oven and stuffing things in it as if it were a built-in terrarium of sorts. Or toddler habitat.

The gaping hole where a drawer once lived.

 –2–
The Hardware

I possess limited spacial abilities and capacity for basic physics, but even I know sticking a giant, vertical, spear-like handle in the middle of the door gives you zero torque. Okay, probably the wrong term, but the fact is this “design” requires you to use your whole body weight to pull open the cabinet, after which it pops open with such force you careen backwards. These fixtures were also recently responsible for a gash to my son’s leg so large it required seven stitches.

Deadly impaler/handle.

–3–

The Floor

The floor is held together by duct tape. As part of a home safety Cub Scout requirement, my son once surveyed the house and addressed safety hazards. Upon completion, I think we had a dozen shiny, gray “patches” in the floor. Oh, and there may be asbestos in there. Can’t get a clear answer on that one.

Duct tape: Holding together the heart of the home for several years.

–4–

The Walls and Ceiling

The brown paneling from the seventies is stylish, isn’t it? Topped with wallpaper depicting, uh, are those tomatoes? It’s got blood-red plates, pitchers, bowls, and urns scattered with random red fruit. The dropped ceiling, which we discovered hides the busted out plaster beneath the bathroom, is new. Yes, we replaced the nicotine-stained ceiling tiles with tiles my workplace was throwing out and replacing about fifteen years ago. Lovely, huh?

Tomatoes, apples, or cherries? Keeping the hungry hordes guessing.

–5–

The Countertop

Who designs a kitchen with six inches – six measly inches of countertop next to the sink? There’s no space for an automatic dish washer, so that means I’ve got to pile dishes from dinner for six on an area not much wider than the width of my palm.  (This may or may not be related to the rising number of shattered glassware.) There’s also the issue of the gold-flecked pattern, replete with a few strategically-placed burn marks.

A balance beam for dishware.

–6–

Placement

I don’t know feng shui from chop suey, but even I know an oven shouldn’t go next to a refrigerator with nothing in between and no countertop on either side. On some elemental culinary level, it’s just wrong. 

–7–

Doors, Doors, Doors

Part of the challenge in redesigning the kitchen is the number of entries. The rectangular room has one window and four -count ’em FOUR- doors. With access to the basement, living room, dining room, and mudroom, and no heating or cooling, the kitchen is little more than a glorified hallway. With a chimney in the corner. And asbestos beneath your feet.

Yes, the glass is missing. Long story. Above the door is the most charming feature of the kitchen IMHO: the transom window. Only it’s painted shut and half hidden.

###

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

 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 from my author newsletter to keep up-to-date on new releases, extras, and hot deals!

 

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