Ellen Gable's Blog, page 100

Four Days to Release! Growing Up In God’s Image – Excerpt

Only four days to the release of Full Quiver Publishing’s new book on talking to your kids about sex entitled Growing Up in God’s Image by Carolyn Smith! Here is the introduction to this resource that should be on every parent’s bookshelf:

“To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.”

(1 Corinthians 12:7)

It’s been many years since that first talk with my oldest daughter about the facts of life, but I remember it very well. Like most moms, I was a bit nervous and consternated over what to say. Actually, I remember resenting that I had to talk with her so soon. I felt pressured because many of the children at school were already “knowledgeable.” Hearing something from a classmate was the last thing I wanted to happen. I didn’t want her to hear about “sex.” I wanted her to hear about the beauty of God’s gift of love. I was getting ready to tell her about a very special and holy love, the love that existed between her father and me. My husband, Jim, is truly God’s gift to me. So I went to the Source of the gift and asked Him, “Lord, what do you want me to say to her?”

I felt certain God wanted me to start at the beginning with Him. After all, He is Love itself. All love, especially this love, comes from Him. God created us to love Him and to love each other; therefore we should talk about His creation of Adam and Eve and His plan for marriage from the very beginning. What we have today is nothing new. It has existed since the beginning of time. And, in the One that we image, it has always existed! Thus, this theme became the beginning of the “facts of life” talk.

The second theme came to me many years later while away with my husband for a weekend. The gift came during Mass between the consecration and the communion. After Mass, I couldn’t wait to tell Jim! It left me absolutely in awe that God has given to married people a love that resembles His own in the Eucharist!

I was then able to share this with my fifth daughter, (and the sixth, seventh, and eighth) when I talked to her about the “facts of life.” Her reaction was everything a mom could hope for. She looked up at me and said in wonder, “Wow, THAT is really neat!”

The third theme talks about marriage as a sacrament. What God intended from the very beginning of creation was elevated to a new level of sanctity by His Son. God is intimately present to every couple through the sacrament. He is the very Center of their life and love.

The first time I was inclined to share all of this came after a call from a friend. In the course of the conversation, she mentioned that it was time to talk to her oldest daughter. She had tied herself up in knots wondering what to say. I told her that I’d done it five times already and would be glad to share with her what I do, if she wished. So we set a time and she came to my house — very nervous. But, what a thrill it was for me to watch her leave a little while later, not only at peace, but excited and anxious to talk with her daughter.

She called me later to tell me that it went great. But, she wanted more. She told me that I should and must write it down in a way that would help lots of people, just like it helped her. She said that there is such a need for this, especially in today’s world. (The ‘funny’ thing was that my husband had also strongly suggested the same thing several times already, including that very morning. The Spirit can be such a “pest!”)

So, my purpose is exactly that — to help! And, if it helps you, thank the Holy Spirit! It is His gift to us all!

In addition, my husband, Jim, very generously contributed the section, “Talking With Your Son,” for fathers to use based on what he covered with our sons.

There is no doubt in my mind that God has willed this. He wants parents to sit with their children and tell them about love. He has entrusted our children, His children, to us, not to the schools, and certainly, not to the state. There are others, such as pastors and teachers, who can lend a valuable hand when needed. They give assistance when we ask for it, but they can never take our place.

We need to be reminded and our children need to hear that nothing on this earth is separate from God. When somebody draws a picture or writes a story, we see a part of that person in their work. This is most true of God. He is the Author of it all and so we see a part of Him in every form of creation. Because He created human beings above all the rest and actually made us in His likeness, He should be the most visible in us! Just as He once did, He still comes into our world through the family.

You will find that as you and your children use this book together, you will be seeing God’s plan for each of us as male and female and God’s plan for marriage and family just as he intended from the very beginning of creation. You will see it as sacramental and holy, an image of God Himself and a reflection of His love for us. In very simple words, this is the message John Paul II conveyed in his Theology of the Body. Of paramount importance to his papacy was that all of God’s people answer the universal call to holiness, especially through their vocations in life. Most of us are called to the married life, but all of us depend on the sacrament of matrimony for our very existence and formation. If we want holy men and women serving God in this world according to His purpose, we must begin with holy families.

In our world, the meaning of family and its value in society has been lost. I pray for its conversion.

To pre-order Growing Up in God’s Image, please email info@fullquiverpublishing.com.

Copyright 2012 Carolyn Smith and Full Quiver Publishing

Stealing Jenny Photo Endorsement #1

Last week at the Catholic Writers Guild Conference, I asked my fellow Catholic authors (those who read Stealing Jenny) if they would pose with a paperback copy of my book. Here is the first of many “photo endorsements” I’ll be posting over the next few weeks. Enjoy! Thanks to Gerard Webster, award-winning author, for this hilarious shot!

photo copyright Ellen Hrkach

Sunday Snippets – August 26

Image copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s Place for Sunday Snippets, where we share posts from the previous week.

I’ve had a very busy week, so my one and only post was on Friday:

7 Quick Takes Friday – August 24

On Monday, I’m heading down to Dallas/Fort Worth for the Catholic Writers Conference Live and Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show. I’ll be taking the week off from blogging and will return the week of September 3rd.

7 Quick Takes Friday – August 24

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at Conversion Diary for 7 Quick Takes Friday.

Here are my takes:

1. Catholic Writers Conference

On Monday, I’m heading down to Arlington (Dallas) Texas for the Catholic Writers Conference and the Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show. If you live in the vicinity, it’s not too late to attend. Click here for more information.

2. To NFP or Not to NFP

Great article on Natural Family Planning at the Catholic News Herald.

3. Teresa Tomeo’s Take on 50 Shades

If you’re wondering what I think about the 50 Shades phenomenon, Teresa Tomeo captured my thoughts precisely in an article entitled “Grey is the Devil’s Favorite Color.”

4. Breastfeeding Gymnastics Cartoon

Image copyright James and Ellen Hrkach

5. Husband’s New Kayak

My husband is thoroughly enjoying his new kayak. I’ve accompanied him on a few of his “just after sunrise” kayak rides. Nothing like sitting back and listening to the quiet sounds of nature.

6. Full Quiver Publishing’s New Website

My publishing company’s website will soon get a new look, thanks to our friend and web developer, Mark Cassanto. It will be unveiled soon!

7. Loreena McKennitt Concert

Yesterday morning, I bought tickets to Loreena McKennitt’s upcoming concert on December 1st at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Needless to say, I’m pretty excited as she is one of my all time favorite performers.

Photo copyright Josh Hrkach

Copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

Sunday Snippets – August 19

Image copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s Place for Sunday Snippets, where we share posts from the previous week.

Here are my posts:

Working With An Editor (my recent post for the Catholic Writers Guild)

A Simple Trip to the Mall

7 Quick Takes – What’s In Your Purse (unusual items in my purse…share one item from your purse in the comments section of the 7 Quick Takes post and you’ll be entered to win a print copy of Stealing Jenny)

7 Quick Takes Friday – What’s in Your Purse?

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at Conversion Diary for 7 Quick Takes Friday.

After having my kids tell me that “you have EVERYTHING in your purse,” I decided to do a Quick Takes on items found in my purse. I won’t include mundane things like wallet, keys, business cards and cell phone. The following items aren’t unique to me, but they may seem unusual to others.   Share one item in your purse (below) for a chance to win a print copy of my third novel, Stealing Jenny.

1. Catholic Emergency Card

2. Rosary

3. Kindle

I never know when I’m going to have a few free minutes so I always carry my Kindle with me. In a pinch, I also have 3G on my Kindle so I can check email.

4. Stealing Jenny

I often carry a copy of my latest novel in my purse (yes, my purse is a fair size).

5. Guitar pics

I don’t play guitar but the other six members of my family do. If I had a dollar for every time one of the kids or James says “I need a guitar pic,” I’d be rich. And I’m usually able to say, “I do.” Always good to be prepared.

6. Nuts, crackers or granola bar

I usually have some sort of snack food in case I’m delayed somewhere and one of the kids or myself is hungry. It’s always good to have a snack.

7. Plastic spoons and forks

One would be surprised to know how often we need a spare spoon or fork, although admittedly, I’ve lent these out more than I’ve used them.

What are some unusual items in your purse?  Comment (before Friday, August 24th) below to be entered to win a print copy of my Amazon Kindle Bestseller, Stealing Jenny.

copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

A Simple Trip to the Mall

photo copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Last Friday evening started as a simple trip to the mall in nearby Ottawa, Ontario. My husband and I were leisurely shopping, enjoying each other’s company. We stopped at the popcorn place to pick up a snack then I told my husband I would return after going to the restroom.

On the way, I noticed a commotion by the computer store: a group of paramedics working on an unconscious woman on the floor. One was performing CPR. I recited a Hail Mary for the woman then began saying the Divine Mercy Chaplet while I headed into the restroom. When I came out, it looked like they had stopped doing CPR. I wasn’t sure whether it was because she had died or whether she had begun breathing again. A large crowd continued to gather. Most people seemed genuinely concerned instead of merely curious.

When I returned to my husband, he offered me some popcorn, which I refused. It didn’t seem right to be sitting and eating popcorn while a woman was fighting for her life or perhaps had lost it a short distance away. Together, we said a prayer for the woman as we walked out of the mall.

It got me to thinking, however. And brought to mind the fragility of our earthly life, the absolute temporariness of our life here on earth.

It also reminded me of another woman, who in 1909, was going on a simple trip across the street in Philadelphia to pay the rent. She was the mother of ten children, the youngest, 18-month-old twins. As she was crossing the street, she dropped dead of a brain aneurysm. That woman was my great-grandmother, Mary Smith Hamilton (1866-1909). She was only 43 when she died suddenly and left a houseful of ten children for her husband and oldest daughter to raise (my paternal grandmother, Margaret Hamilton Gable 1907-1988, was one of the twins).

These tragic incidents remind me of how vigilant we should be about our spiritual life and how we shouldn’t wait until tomorrow to improve ourselves and try to be better…because our death could happen at any time, on our way to the grocery store, while sitting at home watching TV, walking across the street to pay the rent or…during a simple trip to the mall.

Copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

Working With An Editor

My latest post for the Catholic Writers Guild Blog is a reprint and talks about working with an editor.

Self-published authors should not publish a manuscript without hiring a competent editor to improve and polish it.

For the purposes of this post, an editor is someone who suggests changes in overall plot, setting, characters and theme. I am not talking about a copy-editor (although copy-editors are important too).

Before I started writing fiction, I had written many non-fiction articles. I mistakenly thought fiction would be easier. The first draft of my debut novel, Emily’s Hope, was so bad that when I gave part of it to my kind (and honest) husband to read, his response was, “You’re not going to let anyone read this, are you?”

Admittedly, I was crushed. I hired an editor and over the next two years, she helped me to take a badly written first draft and transform it into a much better novel. She helped me not only to improve my writing style, but to also create a convincing narrative voice.

Here are a few key points to remember when working with an editor:

Be Humble: If you think your book is going to be a Nobel prize-winning book or that it’s the best book ever written, well, it probably isn’t, not yet anyway. It may have the potential of being a great book but, generally speaking, most books need a lot of polishing and editing to get it to the stage of being “great.”

Like many authors, I spend more time polishing and editing than I do actually writing the first draft.

Consider and Reflect on Each Criticism/Suggestion: It may take hours or days of reflection to realize that most of the editor’s ideas will actually make the book better.

Authors tend to be blind to the defects in our own works. Some of us can be rigid with regard to what we want the story or characters to be. For example, in my second novel the first draft was entirely from the main female character’s point of view (POV).

The editor said that she understood why I chose that particular POV, but either I needed to include the major male characters’ POVs or find another way for the reader to understand and bond with the male characters better.

I initially rejected the idea of including the male characters’ POVs. Then as time passed and, as I reflected, I admitted that she might be right. As it turned out, writing from a male POV was also great fun. This novel went on to win a Gold medal in the IPPY awards and is currently is an Amazon Kindle top five bestseller in Religious & Liturgical Drama.

Resist the Urge to be Defensive: This is where I have the most trouble. Then again, that’s probably my personality. Even now, when I read my editor’s suggested changes, I have to resist the urge to be defensive.

You Don’t Have to Agree with Everything: Sometimes, the editor will suggest changes the author is reluctant to make. If, after reflection, you still feel strongly about keeping things the same, talk it over with the editor. I find I usually agree with about 85 percent of the suggested edits and I disregard the rest.

Keep in mind that your editor is not being paid to be nice or to make you feel good; he or she is being paid to make your book a quality book.

Trust Your Editor: If you don’t trust your editor, you should probably find another editor.

Working with an editor can be a challenging experience. However, if you exercise humility, consider and reflect on each edit, be open to change, resist the urge to be defensive and trust your editor, you will hopefully produce a great quality book.

Text Copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

Image purchased from iStock.

Sunday Snippets – August 12

Image copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s Place for Sunday Snippets where we share posts from the previous week.

Here are my posts:

Another Child…cartoon

7 Quick Takes Friday – Portraits

Cartoon copyright 2012 James & Ellen Hrkach and Full Quiver Publishing

7 Quick Takes Friday – Portraits

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at Conversion Diary for 7 Quick Takes Friday.

My Quick Takes Post today is an all photo quick takes:

Below are some of my favorite James Hrkach portraits (not in any particular order).

1. Ellie Feet Up (charcoal and Gesso on paper, 1987) I was pregnant at the time this painting was done, and not feeling like doing too much.

2. Ellie and Josh (oil on canvas, 1988) Sorry for the off kilter lighting of this one…this is me with our oldest son, Josh, then a year old.

3. Josh with Boots (oil on canvas, 1997) Again, our oldest son about ten years after the previous painting.

4. Marg (oil on canvas, 1987) James’ former art teacher.

5. Self-Portrait in Caramel (oil on canvas, 2011)

6. Self-Portrait and Light (oil on canvas, 2011)

7. Four Nine and a Half (oil on canvas, 1985). My husband sold this painting back in 1986 and I don’t have any photos with just the painting in it, (this is my husband and me along with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law back in 1986 attending the art show that exhibited this painting). This is my favorite of James’ paintings of me and it’s now hanging in someone’s big house somewhere near Port Dover, Ontario (sigh).

Most of these paintings were recently exhibited at the Cornwall Regional Art Gallery in Cornwall, Ontario.

Images Copyright 1985-2012 James Hrkach