Carolyn Astfalk's Blog, page 54

The Witching Hour: When It All Hits the Fan

When I say, “the witching hour,” I’m not talking about some spooky hour in the inky blackness when supernatural creatures roam the earth making the time ripe for witchery. I’m referring to the common parlance of parents of young children who are all too familiar with the early evening fussiness of babies.Early evening, you may know, generally coincides with adults returning home from work, kids heading to and from after-school activities, and preparing and eating dinner.

Even though our youngest is firmly beyond the baby stage, this “witching hour” remains the most frustrating part of my day.

It begins when I eye the clock, realizing all the things I’ve yet to accomplish before the big kids get off of the school bus. I’m not sure if I gravitate to deadlines because I’m a writer or I’m a writer because I gravitate to deadlines. Either way, it’s how I roll.

As I scramble to knock things off of my to-do list, the big kids come home, starving and emptying their backpacks. Lunch bags are dumped at the sink. Jackets are thrown over furniture.

Spying food, the little kids are suddenly voracious. I prepare serial snacks and drinks while I respond to various papers needing signatures thrust into my face. (Have children always needed so many signatures on papers or is this a recent educational fad?)

The food is gobbled and homework ensues at about the same time as multiple requests for screen time. Then the homework questions begin. And, oh look – it’s time to start dinner!

This is also the time, if my husband has been out on appointments, he arrives home to complete his work. Cue additional chaos at Daddy’s entrance, more paper thrusting, potty training reports, etc. Typically, there is a failed attempt or two at communicating with my husband, which results in raised voices and frustration.

I know I could manage this better. I could get items on my to-do list done earlier along with meal prep and have snacks ready to go. I could try to get the little ones occupied with something before the big kids return. I could lower expectations and plan on talking to my husband around midnight, when the house is quiet. Maybe it would create smoother sailing.

Or maybe those crucible hours are the hours I need to be most attentive to my vocation.  To ask God to come to my assistance. To welcome home the people I love with food to nourish their bodies and love to nourish their hearts and souls. And maybe that happens despite the surrounding chaos that leaves me feeling discouraged and out of sorts.

Because when “the witching hour” arrives, my little flock returns home, and  I know the people most precious to me are safe and nearby. And for now, we’re in the place we all call home.

Do you recognize “the witching hour” in your house? Do you have any coping mechanisms?

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#5Faves: Contemporary Christian Romance Authors

As  companion to my favorite contemporary Catholic fiction-writers that I posted in August, here are my favorite contemporary Christian romance authors (with a few bonus  honorable mentions at the end.) The prominence of Christian themes vary from author to author and story to story, but all are perfectly blended with the story and none are pushy or proselytizing, which frankly, no one wants to read.

Authors are listed in no particular order.

–1–
Nicole Deese

I read Nicole Deese’s debut novel All for Anna (Letting Go Book 1) in June of 2013. (It’s free on Kindle, so grab it!) I can’t recall now how I discovered it. Bookbub? I’ve enjoyed all of Nicole’s books. She doesn’t waste words, and the ones she chooses are witty, poetic, and endear you to her flawed heroines and the good guys who fall for them.

My Favorite: All She Wanted (Letting Go Book 2), which I’d love to re-read if I can make the time. Mainly because Briggs is a passionate, self-sacrificing, respectful guy of the swoon-worthy variety.

–2–

Tammy L. Gray

Tammy L. Gray

I’ve enjoyed Tammy L. Gray’s books from the start (another Bookbub find, I think), beginning with Shattered Rose, the first book in The Winsor Series. (It’s perma-free, so click that link and go get it.) Tammy is skilled in creating realistic, intriguing characters. The stories are “clean,” but not sanitized – meaning they incorporate the messiness (and sin) of life. The characters tug at your heartstrings and have you rooting for them to discover peace, love, and joy.

Favorite: Sell Out is Tammy’s latest and my favorite. She’s grown tremendously as a writer, and this anti-bullying high school romance is a gem for all ages. For more on Sell Out, read my interview with Tammy.

–3–

Becky Wade

Pretty sure I found Becky Wade’s books through Nicole Deese’s recommendation. And what a find they were! Becky is masterful at pulling you into her characters’ world and not allowing anything to pull you out. The characters are always well-drawn, making me wish they were real people I could bump into at the grocery store. Or the rodeo as the case may be.

Favorite: All of them? Do I have to pick? If I must, Undeniably Yours (A Porter Family Novel Book #1). Still one of my favorite exchanges of all time, between Meg and Bo:

Meg: “You drive around with handguns and shotguns in your cars?”

Bo slanted a look down at her, humor in his eyes. “We’re hicks from a small town in Texas. ‘Course we do.”

–4–

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter produces well-written, romantic stories with remarkable speed and consistency. I’ve not yet read her entire back catalog, but I’ve loved every one of the Chapel Spring romances. Her couples ooze romantic chemistry.

Favorite: Dancing with Fireflies ( A Chapel Springs Romance Book 2). From the gorgeous cover to the unwavering devotion of Daniel, this is a charming, small town romance guaranteed to make your heart ache with every up and down in Jade and Daniel’s love story.

 

–5–

Amy Matayo

Amy Matayo

Amy Matayo does hip and contemporary better than anyone I’ve read. Her stories are alive with modern, recognizable characters – even if they’re on reality TV.

Favorite: Far and away, my favorite is Sway. This book wasn’t what I expected – it was so much more. I do NOT encourage flipping to the end, but, best last line in a book. Ever. You’ll just have to buy it and read it.

Honorable Mention: Katie Ganshert. I’ve only read one of Katie’s adult novels, A Broken Kind of Beautiful, which I enjoyed. However, I LOVED her The Gifting Series, which is written under the name K.E. Ganshert and geared toward young adults. If it fit the contemporary Christian romance category, she’d be on this list on the strength of that series alone.

Historical Christian Romance: I prefer contemporary stories to historical ones, but I love Karen Witemeyer’s books. Stealing the Preacher (The Archer Brothers Book #2) is my favorite. I’ve enjoyed many of Julie Lessman’s novels as well, particularly A Passion Most Pure (The Daughters of Boston Book #1). I plan on reading her new contemporary novel, Isle of Hope, this weekend. I suspect were I to have written this post a week later, she may have made the contemporary list.

Romantic Suspense: I enjoy an occasional romantic suspense novel. For compelling stories and consistency, Irene Hannon can’t be beaten. (A favorite? Trapped (Private Justice Book #2)) I’ve also enjoyed Dani Pettrey’s books, particularly Shattered: Alaskan Courage Book #2.

###

For more Five Favorites, visit Call Her Happy.

Do you read contemporary Christian romance? Do you have a favorite author or a favorite book?

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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To Caffeinate or Not, That Is the Question

I don’t drink coffee. I never have.

I’m the mother of four young children who on average begin to sleep through the night consistently at age four. I’m also a writer.

I repeat. I don’t drink coffee.

My Facebook feed is littered with memes like this:

And this:

And this:

I joked recently that I feared someone would snatch back my book from its virtual self when it was discovered it was created without even a half-ounce of coffee.

In college, I completed a radio station morning show internship that required me to be at the radio station at 5:30 a.m. – I think. The memory is a little fuzzy. Probably because I did not drink coffee. On days when we broadcasted from a remote location, for example, a bar where we hosted special guest John Wayne Bobbit (yes, that John Wayne Bobbit, sad but true), it was even earlier.

I tend to be a night owl. Left to my own devices, I’d routinely stay up until midnight or later. Oh, wait. I do stay up that late. Maybe later if I’m reading a good book.

And yet, no coffee. My hot drink of choice is herbal tea.

I have no medical, social, or other reason for avoiding coffee. I simply don’t like the taste. For his own amusement, I suspect, my husband sometimes offers me a taste. He drinks his strong and black. I wrinkle my nose and stick out my tongue.

Current thinking holds that drinking coffee may be good for your health, and I suspect I could acquire a taste for it. (Although a woman told me this weekend she tried over the course of a year and gained only misery for it. She never could learn to like the taste and remains an herbal tea drinker.)

I’ve been especially tired lately, mostly due to minor illness but also due to kids who won’t sleep. Maybe coffee is the boost I need. Maybe not.

Caffeine has never had a discernible effect on me. Then again, I’ve only had limited doses in Coca-Cola or Mountain Dew.

My question for you, as I embark on another National Novel Writing Month:

 Should I give coffee a shot or stick with my beloved tea?

 

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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:

Halloween Costumes – The first costume completed was an angel for my second grader. We re-used the pretty white dress she wore this summer when she was part of her cousin’s wedding. Then we found some DIY angel wings on Pinterest that we created using cereal boxes, coffee filters, sheet music, Mod Podge, and a glue gun. I made a simple halo using gold chenille stems (apparently they’re not “pipe cleaners” anymore) and other gold “stuff” I found at the craft store. My preschoolers are going as Sheriff Callie and Spiderman in the store-bought costumes they wanted. You’d think that would mean no work for me, but after they tried on their quality apparel, I had minor sewing jobs to do on each. My seventh grader wanted to be a Star Wars tie fighter pilot until his leg landed in an immobilizer. Now we’re working on an Igor/hunchback costume .

Not too shabby if I say so myself.

Jack-o-Lanterns –  Got ’em. Carved ’em.  Doesn’t sound like a big deal, but whenever we’ve got writing implements, sharp knives, and messy substances combined and everyone comes out unscathed, I call it success.

A couple of our spooky jack o’lanterns.

Cut Back the Peonies – The peonies had browned, and it was time. Hardly seems like a chore when I get to be outside in beautiful fall weather.

The peonies in their springtime glory.

Switched Some Clothes – Seriously. I think I could  use this in every Small Successes I do. It’s my most-dreaded chore, and it never ends. Kids keep growing. Seasons keep changing. I managed to move one kid up to the appropriate size and season. Yay, me!
Made a Monthly Menu – In anticipation of National Novel Writing Month, I put together a dinner menu for the month of November. When I’m on the ball, I create a weekly menu. This is my first attempt at a monthly menu. I’m hoping it will be a time saver since I’ll be attempting to write 50,000 words of a new novel while keeping up with life. I used a simple printable:

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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At the Intersection of Time and Place

Maybe it’s the fuss over Back to the Future Day that’s got me thinking of time and space and where I fit into the universe. Maybe it’s the questions of my seven-year-old who is trying hard to grasp the space-time continuum. (I didn’t dare breach the subject of time travelers and the Temporal Prime Directive with her.)

For all the world’s fascination with time travel, its possibility, and its implications, no one has accomplished such a feat. (Unless you listen to late-night talk radio and then, well, time travelers already live amongst us.)

The fact remains that each of us came into life at a specific time in a definite place. While we may gain control of the “where” of our lives, we have no power of the “when” and exercise little influence over “how long.”

Have you ever thought you’d be better suited to another era? To another time and place?

In my childhood, likely influenced by both Laura Ingalls Wilder and Michael Landon, I thought I belonged on the American frontier circa the late 19th century.

Maybe you envision yourself flourishing during the European Renaissance Era or in the heyday of the Roman Empire. (I half-wonder if there are people who self-identify as belonging to a different historical era, claiming they were born at the wrong time. [Insert your own swipe at war re-enactors or Amish people here.] I’m afraid to Google it.)

An inability to master technology or a frustration with the predominant cultural values can leave a person longing for a simpler (and likely highly-romanticized) time. A variation on a worn cliché:

The grass is always greener in another time.

Yet you and I were created for this time. And during this time we make choices at thousands of life’s intersections – selecting this, foregoing that. Sometimes the choices are minor but the implications are huge.

We’ve all heard stories of those who at the last minute avoided a flight or a cruise that went down. How many stories have you heard of married couples who met by what seem like a random turn events?

The celebration at which my husband first asked me out was an event that I nearly skipped due to conflicting obligations. If I hadn’t gone, would we have ever gotten together?

Why were we born to a particular time and place? Had any one of my miscarriages been full-term pregnancies, due to the proximity of their conceptions, I would not have the children I have today. Or would I? Is the same person born months later really the same person?

Myriad paths combine and collide in order for things to turn out as they do. Some call these coincidences. Others call them God-incidences.

A twisted intersection in which every turn takes you in a different, loopy direction.

Whatever you call them, these ideas always lead me to marvel at the omnipotence of God. Not as a puppet master pulling our strings but as a loving, omniscient Creator who endows us with free will.

Any novelist knows that there is a system, a grand design for nearly every aspect of a story. Details are not left to chance. Each is chosen with knowledge and purpose. The time, the place, the events, and how the characters’ lives intersect are intentional.

This time – your time – is not accidental. Now is the time for which we were meant.

Are you fascinated by another era? Have you ever felt like you belonged there (or then)? Have amazing coincidences changed the course of your life – for better or for worse?

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Top 10 Tuesday: 10 Reasons I Haven’t Given Up on the Rosary

The Rosary drifts in and out of my life. Seasons change, lifestyles are uprooted, and my interest in the prayer waxes and wanes. Yet, same as the beads scattered across the dining room buffet, it remains within reach.

October is the Month of the Holy Rosary, and I’m bothered by the fact the Rosary isn’t part of my routine the way it once was. I had no experience with a family recitation of the Rosary, so praying it privately during my daily commute for years suited me just fine. Then the commute ended, and I’ve struggled ever since.

Add to the fact that family prayer with young children – at least my young children – is frustrating and aggravating at best. I breathed a sigh of relief when I read this post on a family Rosary that resembles prayer in our household. I’m so weary of the gentle suggestions to provide little ones with pretty pictures to look at and coloring books to use so that they can follow along quietly. Ain’t gonna work here.

I can’t recall a time we’ve gotten through bedtime prayers, which last less than five minutes, without multiple calls to “kneel,” “stop climbing on me,” “leave your sister alone,” be quiet,” etc. There is NOTHING calm, peaceful, or satisfying about it. It is a cross with only glimmers – very small, distant glimmers – of devotion.

Yet I’d never consider abandoning bedtime prayers.

Here’s why I haven’t abandoned the idea of the Rosary despite repeated bouts of boredom and circumstances that make its recitation less than appealing.

It’s flexible and portable. The mysteries and prayers have long been committed to memory. Got a few minutes? Time enough for a decade. Forgot your beads? Still have ten fingers. Driving, waiting, lying in bed, walking? Got you covered.
It fits every mood and need. Discouraged and suffering? Try the Sorrowful Mysteries. Happy and grateful? Pray the Joyful mysteries. Humbled and awestruck? Go with the Glorious Mysteries. You get the idea. It’s adaptable.
My relationship with Mary. I’ve always been comfortable turning to Mary in times of need, begging her to go to her Son. There’s nothing quite like a mother’s love, especially when the mother is sinless, pure and yet fully human.
It brings peace. And sleep. There’s something calming about the prayers, whether it’s the repetition, the familiarity, or the words themselves. It’s still my go-to prayer in times of trouble when more then a quick prayer or plea is warranted. It’s also an effective sleep-inducer, as I’ve counseled kids with occasional bouts of insomnia.
So many resources to keep it fresh. Need a boost? I do. There are all sorts of aids and books. It’s time for me to re-read this book – The Rosary: Keeping Company with Jesus and Mary. (My short Amazon review.)
The mixture of repetition and contemplation. Paradoxically, it’s both the same and different every time.
The beads. They can be rough-hewn and masculine, intricate and dainty, or chunky and coated in primary colors. You can go plastic, glow-in-the-dark campy or finely-detailed and handmade. To each his own. These lovely beads recently caught my eye.

Day of the Dead Rosary. Look at the little skulls.

Holier people than me recommend it. Starting with Mary. And lots of saints. Do I have to say it? Nope. Should I? Yep.
The Hail Mary. In my estimation, except for the Our Father, a prayer doesn’t get more perfect than this. Most Catholics have rattled it off a bazillion times. It’s worth examining. Sarah Reinhard’s new book, Word by Word: Slowing Down with the Hail Mary is the perfect tool for doing so. I recommend it.
It can be fun. Living rosaries, rosaries prayed during a cemetery procession. My school-age children participated in a Rosary with balloon launch last week.

Rosary Balloon Launch
(Photo: Carla Lang)

BONUS: The bling factor. We’ve all seen rosaries dangling from rearview mirrors or hanging from celebrity necks. (You can Google the celebrity images. Some are repulsive. Some are respectful. Like anything else, its propriety depends on the spirit with which it’s done.)

I’ve wasted more time than I should trying to gauge whether a celebrity is wearing a rosary or something else. Is it a rosary or a “miracle icon”?

Exhibit A: Rosary or not a rosary? Miracle icon? Who knows? Is he even Catholic? Not sure.

What’s your relationship with the Rosary? Do your struggle with it? Do your kids attempt to choke one another with their beads? Do you think celebrities wearing them is a sacrilege?

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Relevant Fiction Reviews: Dealing with Demons

The longer I live, the more I’m convinced that evil is real. It’s a tangible force – one commonly overlooked in our “enlightened” post-modern era. That’s why I was struck by these four novels: one the sequel to a historical romance, if we can call the 1980s “historical” now, and the others a dystopian trilogy.

The Gifting by K.E. Ganshert

The Gifting has a little bit of everything – mystery, suspense, romance, action, and a full-out battle between good and evil. In fact, what struck me most about the series, beginning with The Gifting, was the acknowledgement of evil. As a demonic entity tells Tessa, “You see, people have a hard time fighting against something they don’t believe. Their denial makes our job easier.”

The dystopian setting allows the reality of good and evil to penetrate without inducing nightmares. The Gifting hits its mark in making the reader consider unseen realities without fear-mongering.

The sense of immediacy, urgency, and ever-present danger are enhanced by the first person present point-of-view. Seen through Tessa’s eyes, The Gifting will keep you guessing about both her sanity and the loyalty of charismatic, good-looking Luka.

K.E. Ganshert effectively taps into real fears: both those endemic to high school life (being different, ignored by the opposite sex, and misunderstood by parents) and larger, lifelong fears (evil, death, isolation, being unloved, societal collapse). She does an outstanding job of showing the dangers of dabbling in the occult and of deeming certain persons unworthy of life. These threats are such an organic part of the story that the truth shines through without any author interjections or hokey, proselytizing dialogue. Very well done.

The teen romance with all its starts and stops is realistic and clean. Short chapters keep you moving ahead, leading me TWICE to do something I’d never done – click “buy” on my Kindle within seconds of finishing a book because I just couldn’t wait to read more.

The Awakening by K.E. Ganshert

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Awakening, the second book in the series, had the word “brilliant” flittering on the periphery of my thoughts as I plowed through it.

The book takes place largely in a dream world as Tess and Luka learn to manipulate the physical and spiritual realms. Safe together in “the Hub” as they develop their powers, they are, ironically, pulled apart.

Luka is tormented by dreams portending Tess’s death. Tess is alternatively driven to do more to save her grandmother and live up to her potential, and to cower in fear and reject her gift.

Cap offers Tess this wisdom: “Your gifting isn’t something you earned or deserved. It was given to you. It’s a gift, the size and value of which says more about the giver than the recipient. By definition, it doesn’t come from you at all.”

This is a stellar example of how K.E. Ganshert uses her dystopian world to subtly convey beautiful truths about life and faith.

Passages throughout the book hint at the fallen angels, the power of free will, the eugenics movement, and the evil of mass exterminations perpetrated by brutal regimes throughout history.

Free will is a recurrent theme, and what Tess perceives as Luka’s lack of it causes her to continually doubt his affection for her. How can he truly love her if he is drawn to her, compelled to defend and protect her from birth, propelled by an innate force not of his own choosing? (A question beautifully resolved in the final book.)

Not only is this book full of wisdom and depth, but girls will swoon for protective, handsome, respectful, and gentlemanly Luka.

Unlike the other two books in the series, this one contained a handful of typos and comma errors that occasionally brought me out of the story, but only briefly.

The Gathering by K.E. Ganshert

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I may have electronically highlighted more passages of The Gathering than any other book I’ve read. Filled with wisdom on fear, sacrificial love, accepting unconditional love, and evil masquerading as good, there is plenty in this novel that demands a re-read.

The final installment of the series is filled with Tess and Luka’s ups and downs, secrets and insecurities, and a frustrating quasi-love triangle. Tess cannot truly love Luka until she stops putting conditions on his love and gives him the freedom to sacrifice himself for her.

I wondered at several points whether K.E. Ganshert could pull off a satisfying ending, but she did. Linked to Tessa by love, Luka is the resurrected Christ-figure that brings new life, new love, and new tomorrows.

I’m eager to share this book with my daughters when they are teens. It is a series that above all entertains, but also can generate important discussions on good and evil, love and sacrifice, and the value of every human life.

One Night With a Rock Star: part deux by Chana Keefer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved One Night With A Rock Star so much I re-read it, something I rarely do. I eagerly looked forward to the sequel, Part Deux.

What struck me most about this book was the author’s willingness to take on evil, essentially freeing her hero of a demonic obsession. Not ordinary fare for a fairytale romance.

Kudos to Chana Keefer for her sobering and gripping depiction of the subtle manifestation of evil in our lives. My only qualm was what amounted to a lay exorcism of sorts, something I’d have preferred to seen addressed by a trained priest exorcist.

Part Deux reads more like a memoir than a romance in its storytelling. The upside is that the reader is further drawn into the lives of Esther and Sky, whose newlywed love is endearing. It’s a joy to witness (“offscreen”) the consummation and continuation of their married union and loving intimacy. It is real and sensual without become tawdry or in any way pornographic.

The downside to this type of storytelling is a rambling plot, which at times did not seem cohesive. It may be that I’ve become a more critical reader since I read One Night With A Rock Star, but this book felt less structured, lacking in foreshadowing, and therefore less satisfying. Again, the draw here is the characters.

There were some good subplots involving sex trafficking and the “adult” industry. The struggles of marriage, difficulties of superstardom, pregnancy loss, and incorporating faith into life with integrity and without compromise are all addressed. They are handled well, but I wondered at times if the author tried to tackle too much.

All in all, an enjoyable continuation of Esther and Sky’s love story.

View all my reviews

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Seven Quick Takes Friday

Stay With Me Launch Edition
Until two weeks ago, I’d never launched a model rocket, much less a book. But since then, my debut novel Stay With Me has been released. Here are my seven take-aways from the experience.


–1–
Stalking the Amish Baby

My release day leisure-time fun consisted solely of clicking the refresh icon in my browser and watching as my ebook ratings bobbed up and down. To make it interesting, I set my sights on overcoming a variety of Amish romances blocking my path to the top. My Facebook status that day said it best:

“My goal for the day: To catch and surpass Amish Baby Surprise in the Inspirational Religious Fiction category. Maybe even catch The Amish Nanny. My Harley-riding hero and his girlfriend are being smothered by 50 Shades of Hay.”

 –2–
The Facebook Launch Party

Thanks to a good turnout and some good sports, my Facebook Launch Party was loads of fun. I’m highly impressed at the number of my friends who can produce pictures of themselves alongside men wearing cassocks on such short notice. (Really. Scroll through the Selfie Share thread and look at the photos.)

–3–

The Blog Tour

The Virtual Book Tour commenced on launch day and lasted ten days. I so enjoyed reading what my hosts and hostesses wrote about Stay With Me. The interviews were fun, the guest host spots were much appreciated, and the reviews were humbling – in a good way.

–4–

The Fever

To keep things real and ensure proper humility, 3/4 of my children had fevers on and around lunch day. The culprit was a virus that left the kids with a cough. All in all, not a big deal, save for 106.1-degree midnight fever that had me laying cool wash cloths on my daughter’s head and immersing her in a lukewarm bath. Thankfully, those remedies were effective in bringing her temperature down. Nothing like a little scare to put things in their proper perspective and remind me that I’m a mom first and foremost.

–5–

The Importance of Pen Selection

Signing a book seems like a simple task until you actually go to do it. I scoured the web for what to write and what kind of pen to use. In the end, I would up with a blue, fine-tip, permanent, acid-free Sharpie. Still searching for a catchy phrase to go along with my signature. Right now, “Blessings,” is going to have to cut it.

–6–

The Real-Life Launch Party

With my friend Michelle’s help, we hosted a small but fun Family Hike/Launch Party at a local park. The fall weather was perfect, and the kids enjoyed a nature scavenger hunt. The novel’s playlist served as musical accompaniment and several homemade baked goods mentioned in the book provided the snack. As a bonus, we launched a monarch butterfly that had emerged from its chrysalis that morning. Oh, the symbolism.

–7–

Lives of Their Own

The greatest fun for me, as I wrote in a message to those who had so kindly agreed to post reviews of the book, is that characters who for so long lived only in my imagination now exist in the imaginations of other people as well. It’s as if they now have lives of their own.

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

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Stay With Me Virtual Book Tour Wrap-Up

It’s been a whirlwind eleven days since Stay With Me’s release!

For me, one of the most satisfying things is that characters that have lived for years in my imagination now live on in the imaginations of other people as well.

The 10-DayVirtual Book Tour wrapped up a couple of days ago. I’m gratified and humbled at all the lovely things people had to say about the book.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to peruse the stops. It’s a lineup filled with talented and hard-working writers: bloggers, nonfiction authors, fiction authors, and even a radio show host! Please take a moment to explore their sites and writing as well.

Virtual Blog Tour
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1
CATHOLICMOM.COM

“Stay with Me is a great blend of romance and faith witness and comes complete with a great set of supporting characters like Abby (Rebecca’s boisterous sister), Father John (who’s connected to both Rebecca and her love interest) and Rebecca’s overbearing father.”

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2
RECONCILED TO YOU (ALLISON GINGRAS)

“Stay with Me is a very well crafted, engaging romance that was happily not 50 shades of anything! Though, having said that, it wasn’t dowdy either — it is not billed as an ‘edgy Theology of the Body romance’ for nothing!”

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
PEACE TO ALL WHO ENTER HERE (DON MULCARE)

“As Carolyn Astfalk’s first published novel, Stay with Me bursts with realistic characters, scenic background, humor, heartache and jubilee. ”

HARVESTING THE FRUITS OF CONTEMPLATION (Michael Seagriff)

“This is an exceptionally well written and realistic novel. I found it difficult to put it down. In fact, I read it in two days – choosing not to do other things on my agenda. I do not regret doing so.”

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4
KAREN KELLY BOYCE

“This author, with great talent and much wisdom, uses the love story of Chris and Rebecca to display romance as it was meant to be. While neither of the characters are perfect, solace is found in the forgiveness and recovery of grace. This novel should be required reading for older teens and young adults.”

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5
THERESE HECKENKAMP

“Stay With Me is a journey of discovery, forgiveness, and redemption—a beautiful journey of two hearts that long to beat as one.”

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6
CATHOLIC FIRE (JEAN HEIMANN)

“It’s fantastic!  It is filled with everything that makes a story appealing – romance, suspense, action, and humor. It is a fast-moving, extremely addictive book that you won’t want to put down.”

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7
SARAH DAMM

“Stay With Me is a contemporary, realistic, and heart-warming romance that is filled with authentic characters, picturesque scenery, and deep dialogue. It is the next book for your book club and certainly the one you will want to share with friends.”

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8
 Erin McCole Cupp

“At the same time, in an effort to read more in the genre I’d been writing, I’d been consuming a heavy dose of Christian romances. While I enjoyed many of the books, overall, I’d found that most glossed over the realities of sexual temptation.”

SNORING SCHOLAR

“It’s a romance that will pique your interest without sullying your thoughts and one that also manages to not shove religion down your throat so that you choke and gag and take the author’s name in vain.”

PLOT LINE AND SINKER (ELLEN GABLE)

“My favorite part is when all the puzzle pieces fit together – the plot is resolved, the themes emerge, and all of the threads are neatly tied up. Sometimes I marvel at how it happens almost as if the story has a life of its own. ”

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9
DOMESTIC VOCATION (CHRISTINE JOHNSON)

“With a good dose of humor and a healthy appreciation for a good craft beer, Carolyn Astfalk pulls you into the story easily, and from there, you don’t want to get out again!”

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10
FRANCISCANMOM (BARB SZYSZKIEWICZ)

“Billed as an ‘edgy Theology of the Body romance,’ this book is a nice, thick read at over 300 pages–and I’d have been happy for more!”

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!

Filed under: My Scribbler's Heart Blog

Stay With Me Available Today!

Today is the long-awaited day! Stay With Me is now available!

Buy it on Kindle at Amazon!

Buy it in paperback from createspace (and “like” the page) using the $2 off coupon code at checkout: B3E4E622

(Due to a printing snafu, paperback is not yet available from Amazon, but will be soon!)

A statement that is as true for the writer as it is for the reader.

If my memory serves me well, which it often does not, Stay With Me was written largely in 2012, when my youngest daughter was still a tiny baby who enjoyed long naps in her swing. Stay With Me : brought to you by the Graco infant swing.

The book originated with an encounter at the grocery story and blossomed from there. (You can read more about that on the Virtual Blog Tour when I visit Erin McCole Cupp on October 8!)

I previously shared 10 Ways Writing A Book Is Like Having A Baby.  Here’s another: As you gaze and admire your newborn with wonder, you ask yourself, ” Did this really come from me?”

Yes, Stay With Me did. I’ve visited the locales, I’ve witnessed some of the experiences, felt the same emotions. I don’t want to place more importance on my novel than it merits. It is after all, just a book. But there are aspects that I cannot completely account for, and regarding those,  I can say only, Thank you, Lord Jesus.

To  participate in creation in this infinitesimally small, insignificant way, which pales in comparison to the birth of my flesh-and-blood babies, is still truly a blessing.

I’d like to share the acknowledgments from the book. I’m so very grateful for the assistance of all those listed as well as many others who offered me support and encouragement.

Thank you to my husband, Michael, and my children for their patience and support. Thanks, too, to all those who read my manuscript and offered suggestions: Christopher Blunt, Erin McCole Cupp, Ann Frailey, Father John Mulcahy, Barb Szyszkiewicz, and especially Theresa Linden. Theresa, you’ve made me a better writer and Stay With Me a better book. To my fellow 10 Minute Novelists and members of the Catholic Writers Guild, your generosity in sharing your knowledge and encouragement on this writing journey has made all the difference. Finally, thank you Ellen Gable Hrkach for your support and encouragement and taking a chance on an unknown author.

Facebook Launch Party

Finally, everyone is cordially invited to tonight’s (October 1, 2015) Facebook Launch Party! It begins at 7:30 p.m. EST. Drop by for as long as you can for fun and giveaways, including a signed copy of Stay With Me.

Virtual Blog Tour
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1: CATHOLICMOM.COM
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2: RECONCILED TO YOU (ALLISON GINGRAS)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3: PEACE TO ALL WHO ENTER HERE (DON MULCARE)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4: KAREN KELLY BOYCE
MONDAY, OCTOBER 5: THERESE HECKENKAMP
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6:CATHOLIC FIRE (JEAN HEIMANN)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7: SARAH DAMM AND ROBIN PATCHEN
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8: SNORING SCHOLAR (SARAH REINHARD), ERIN MCCOLE CUPP, PLOT LINE AND SINKER (ELLEN GABLE)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9: DOMESTIC VOCATION (CHRISTINE JOHNSON)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10: FRANCISCANMOM (BARB SZYSZKIEWICZ)

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!

Filed under: My Scribbler's Heart Blog