Ellen Gable's Blog, page 59

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Miracle Man #FREE on Kindle This Week

Miracle Man by Judy Landrieu Klein is FREE on Kindle this week.

“Miracle Man” is no ordinary near-death-experience account. A true story, “Miracle Man” is so full of supernatural marvels and surprising twists that readers are unanimously saying they “can’t put it down!”

“Miracle Man” will take you on a spiritual excursion as you follow Bernie Klein’s riveting journey to heaven and back after he inexplicably survives “the widow maker”—a massive heart attack that usually kills someone in three minutes. After experiencing multiple organ failure and spending six weeks comatose and on life support, Bernie comes back from “the dead” to share his dramatic encounter with Jesus, earning him the name “Miracle Man” among the hospital staff. Bernie’s come-to-Jesus radically changes him and his perspective on life, giving him extreme clarity on what truly matters. His first-hand account of a personal encounter with God also transforms his wife, Judy, as she learns to let go of her fear and mistrust and surrender completely to God.

If you’ve ever wondered if heaven is for real…if you’ve ever had doubts in your relationship with God…if you’ve ever questioned whether God answers prayers…then this book is for you. “Miracle Man” is sure to make you laugh and cry as you experience God’s outrageous love, mercy and faithfulness through Bernie Klein’s life-changing story.

“Miracle Man” powerfully reminds us that, in the end, miracles are possible.

Kindle Edition of Miracle Man is FREE this week.

Great Summer Reads

Let’s talk summer! There’s nothing I like better than to sit under a tree on a warm summer’s day and read a story that will sweep me away. Full Quiver Publishing books make ideal summer reads!!

1. The Lion’s Heart

The Lion’s Heart by Dena Hunt is currently available on Kindle and in softcover. With the recent decision by the Supreme Court of the US that legalizes same sex marriage, this book is even more relevant and encompasses the Catholic Church’s teachings on this topic. Of The Lion’s Heart, Joseph Pearce, well-known Catholic author, says, “Dena Hunt is a consummate storyteller who does not shirk or shy away from the difficult questions about life and love that her story raises. The Lion’s Heart contains not only the loves of lovers, spouses, parents, and children but also the demons and dragons that selfishness unleashes. The Lion’s Heart is not for the faint-hearted, nor is it for the hard-hearted. It pulsates with a passion that will bring true hearts to their knees.”

2. In Name Only (O’Donovan Family)

3. A Subtle Grace (O’Donovan Family)

A Subtle Grace is my newest book and is available both on Kindle and in paperback. In her review, Trisha Niermeyer Potter, blogger at Prints of Grace, says this:

“This is one of my favorite contemporary works of Catholic fiction. The storytelling is masterful, the characters fascinating, and the writing is of high literary quality. People are imperfect—past, present, and future—but each is given the opportunity to grow, change, learn, and be redeemed. In this story it’s shown how the greatest mistake of our lives can be turned into one of the most amazing blessings and even be a source of hope for others. Life’s messy. People are complex. We’ve all got some skeletons in our closets, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t also fit some trophies and triumphs in there as well. A Subtle Grace has all of the elements that good Catholic fiction should.”

4. Stealing Jenny

This is my biggest seller and most popular book as evidenced by the over 530 reviews on Amazon (and the six months it spent as a #1 bestseller on Kindle with over 280,000 downloads). It’s a quick and easy read. Check out the novel website here and the Amazon profile page here.

5. Don’t You Forget About Me by Erin McCole Cupp

Funny, quirky and great writing! Also referred to as a Theology of the Body mystery! Check out the novel website here and the Amazon page here.

6. Angela’s Song by AnnMarie Creedon

A beautiful Theology of the Body romance with over 200 reviews on Amazon!

7. A World Such as Heaven Intended

A World Such as Heaven Intended by Amanda Lauer is an ideal beach read! It is available on Kindle and in print.

8. Emily’s Hope

My first book is based on the true stories of myself and my great-grandmother. Check out the novel website here to read an excerpt and reviews.

There are two other non-fiction FQP books: Growing Up in God’s Image: A New Approach to the Facts of Life Talk and Come My Beloved: Inspiring Stories of Catholic Courtship.

SQT – Great Summer Reads

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at This Ain’t the Lyceum for Seven Quick Takes Friday.

Let’s talk summer! There’s nothing I like better than to sit under a tree on a warm summer’s day and read a story that will sweep me away. Full Quiver Publishing books make ideal summer reads!! (And, yes, this is eight quick takes!)

1. The Lion’s Heart

The Lion’s Heart by Dena Hunt is currently available on Kindle and in softcover. With the recent decision by the Supreme Court of the US that legalizes same sex marriage, this book is even more relevant and encompasses the Catholic Church’s teachings on this topic. Of The Lion’s Heart, Joseph Pearce, well-known Catholic author, says, “Dena Hunt is a consummate storyteller who does not shirk or shy away from the difficult questions about life and love that her story raises. The Lion’s Heart contains not only the loves of lovers, spouses, parents, and children but also the demons and dragons that selfishness unleashes. The Lion’s Heart is not for the faint-hearted, nor is it for the hard-hearted. It pulsates with a passion that will bring true hearts to their knees.”

2. In Name Only (O’Donovan Family)

3. A Subtle Grace (O’Donovan Family)

A Subtle Grace is my newest book and is available both on Kindle and in paperback. In her review, Trisha Niermeyer Potter, blogger at Prints of Grace, says this:

“This is one of my favorite contemporary works of Catholic fiction. The storytelling is masterful, the characters fascinating, and the writing is of high literary quality. People are imperfect—past, present, and future—but each is given the opportunity to grow, change, learn, and be redeemed. In this story it’s shown how the greatest mistake of our lives can be turned into one of the most amazing blessings and even be a source of hope for others. Life’s messy. People are complex. We’ve all got some skeletons in our closets, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t also fit some trophies and triumphs in there as well. A Subtle Grace has all of the elements that good Catholic fiction should.”

4. Stealing Jenny

This is my biggest seller and most popular book as evidenced by the over 530 reviews on Amazon (and the six months it spent as a #1 bestseller on Kindle with over 280,000 downloads). It’s a quick and easy read. Check out the novel website here and the Amazon profile page here.

5. Don’t You Forget About Me by Erin McCole Cupp

Funny, quirky and great writing! Also referred to as a Theology of the Body mystery! Check out the novel website here and the Amazon page here.

6. Angela’s Song by AnnMarie Creedon

A beautiful Theology of the Body romance with over 200 reviews on Amazon!

7. A World Such as Heaven Intended

A World Such as Heaven Intended by Amanda Lauer is an ideal beach read! It is available on Kindle and in print.

8. Emily’s Hope

My first book is based on the true stories of myself and my great-grandmother. Check out the novel website here to read an excerpt and reviews.

There are two other non-fiction FQP books: Growing Up in God’s Image: A New Approach to the Facts of Life Talk and Come My Beloved: Inspiring Stories of Catholic Courtship.

St. Maria Goretti, Pray For Us

Today is the feast day of St. Maria Goretti. During my teen years, I attended a church named for St. Maria Goretti and was married in that church. She is one of my favorite patron saints and a patron saint of, among others, rape victims and young girls. To find out more about St. Maria Goretti, check out this link here.

The movie based on her life is compelling and we watch it every year on her feast day. It’s available on Amazon or through Ignatius Press.

St. Maria Goretti, pray for us and especially pray for the 300 schoolgirls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria last year. We pray that they will be found and brought back to their families.

SQT – The Lion’s Heart and #SSM

Please join me and other bloggers at This Ain’t the Lyceum for Seven Quick Takes Friday.

Given the US Supreme Court’s decision last week on legalizing same sex marriage, I’m dedicating my entire SQT today to a book FQP published last year entitled, The Lion’s Heart by Dena Hunt, which I believe encompasses the Catholic teaching on same sex attraction.

1. Synopsis of The Lion’s Heart

Paul Meyer has never let anyone get too close. Until Max. The Lion’s Heart is a heart-rending story about love and sacrifice. The emotional struggle of Paul’s same-sex attraction, the guilt he feels, and his ambivalence toward his Catholic faith all come together in this look inside the heart of a tortured man.

2. Excerpt

It wasn’t the deception, unpleasant as it was, that troubled him. In fact, he simply couldn’t put his finger on it. All he knew that was truly different with Max was that he loved him. And it was that, that single stark truth, which made everything different. He never loved before… He put the empty wine glass on the balcony floor beside him and tried to find again that mysterious, interior quiet that city noise always brought him. But he felt instead a kind of disquiet that seemed urgent… Love was never wrong. He’d heard that so often from sincere people, good people… ‘Love is never wrong.’ More than a platitude, it became a mantra. No one could argue with it, not without being judgmental or bigoted. Paul himself always believed it, although he never thought much about it before—never had much reason to think about it. But then, he’d never really loved anyone before…

3. Review from Joseph Pearce

“Dena Hunt is a consummate storyteller who does not shirk or shy away from the difficult questions about life and love that her story raises. The Lion’s Heart contains not only the loves of lovers, spouses, parents, and children but also the demons and dragons that selfishness unleashes. The Lion’s Heart is not for the faint-hearted, nor is it for the hard-hearted. It pulsates with a passion that will bring true hearts to their knees.” Joseph Pearce, author of The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde, co-editor of the St. Austin

4. Review from A. K. Frailey

“It may be fiction but The Lion’s Heart reflects a truth that is as real as the sunrise. The moral conflicts and dilemmas are treated with dignity and there are no easy answers, though, thank God, there are answers. The style, beauty, and flow of Dena’s writing speaks for itself. I could not give this book a higher rating, for it is at the top of the charts. I thank Ms. Hunt for having the courage and the beauty of heart to see, feel, and love as she did – for this book is, above all, a work of love. May it be accepted as such.” A.K. Frailey, author The Deliverance Trilogy

5. Review from Fr. Paul Check

“Dena Hunt conveys some of the very real struggles of those persons who have same-sex attractions (SSA), especially the shame, confusion, and misery that can accompany such feelings. She shows how that suffering can affect family and friends. The path to understanding homosexuality requires abundant patience, prudence, and good will because the topic is not primarily a controversial cultural issue, but rather a complex personal reality. It is one for which there is not one simple or general explanation – or response. This novel gives us a glimpse into the lives and hearts of those touched by SSA who are striving to understand themselves, and so to love genuinely after the example of Jesus Christ and the teachings of His Church.” Rev. Paul Check, Executive Director, Courage

6. Review from Erin McCole Cupp

“Whatever side of controversy you call home, this book is a game-changer. With The Lion’s Heart, Dena Hunt gives us a compassionate story courageously told, depicting the truth in all its dimensions. Readers will never be the same, and with The Lion’s Heart, the landscape of faith-based fiction is changed forever.” Erin McCole Cupp, author, Don’t You Forget Me

7. Review from Christopher Blunt

“The Lion’s Heart is a rocketing page-turner that had me hooked from beginning to end. The characters’ very genuine experiences with same- sex attraction, and its consequences, led me to a much deeper understanding and empathy for all those who must bear this burden. Above all, this story powerfully brings to life the reality that love often means saying “no” to one’s own desires, and instead choosing what is truly good for the other.” Christopher Blunt, author of Passport

You can purchase The Lion’s Heart on Kindle at this link.

It’s also available in paperback at this link.

SQT Friday – Sale, Graduations Etc.

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at This Ain’t the Lyceum for Seven Quick Takes Friday.

1. University Graduation #3 Son

#3 son’s graduation from Ottawa University (Image copyright Ellen Hrkach)

2. High School Graduation #4 Son

Yesterday, #4 son graduated from high school. He sang his own music composition “Growing Up” at the graduation ceremony (and got a standing ovation from his fellow classmates and the rest of the audience.) He also won the Brody Armstrong Music Award/Scholarship.

copyright Ellen Hrkach 2015

3. Big Sale!

A group of Indie authors are holding a huge summer sale. To find out more, click here. Stealing Jenny is on sale for .99! (US customers only!)

4. Catholic Writers Guild Blog

I’m also over at the Catholic Writers Guild blog today. Check out the post here.

5. Live the Fast

Have you discovered the joy and value of fasting yet? Whether you fast on a regular basis or not, check out this website to find out more information.

6. Reading Shelf

Victorious Exile by Echo Lewis

7. St. Anthony Cartoon

When my husband initially conceived this cartoon, he used #2 and #3 son’s images. Both of those boys are now men and both are graduates of university!

Image copyright James and Ellen Hrkach Please do not use without permission

SQT – Father’s Day Edition 2015

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at This Ain’t the Lyceum for 7 Quick Takes Friday.

With Father’s Day coming up this weekend, this will be an all photo Quick Takes, devoted to the father figures in my life and to my husband:

My father and me, 1961, at a picnic. He died in 1978.
Copyright Ellen Hrkach

My stepfather (1933-2012) and my sister, 2011.
Copyright Ellen Hrkach

My husband and his father (1980), who passed away in 1995.
Copyright Ellen Hrkach

1987, with #1 son. My husband has always been a “hands on” type of father.
Copyright Ellen Hrkach

1990. With #2 son at a winter carnival.
Copyright Ellen Hrkach

1992. Rocking #3 son.
Copyright Ellen Hrkach

1997, swimming with #4 son. Copyright Ellen Hrkach

2000. On the beach with #5 son.
Copyright Ellen Hrkach

Did you count more than seven? There are actually eight photos (I couldn’t do this in less than eight!)

Happy, Happy Father’s Day to my father, stepfather and father-in-law in heaven. And a Happy Father’s Day to my husband!

Updated: Copyright 2015 Ellen Gable Hrkach

Major #Catholic ebook #Sale Next Week!

Major Catholic ebook sale next week!.

Seven Quick Takes Friday – Kindle Sale!

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at This Ain’t the Lyceum for Seven Quick Takes Friday.

Emily’s Hope (Kindle Edition), my first book, is still on sale for .99! Click here to download.

1. Graduations!

June is the month of graduations! There will be two in our family: our third son, Tim, is graduating from Ottawa University on June 14th, and our fourth son, Adam, is graduating high school on June 25th. Let the celebrations begin!

2. Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Today is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus! There is a beautiful and powerful novena to the “Efficacious Sacred Heart of Jesus” that St. Padre Pio recited every day. I also pray this beautiful novena every day for all the intentions of my family.

3. O’Donovan Family Series

There’s a unique page for the O’Donovan Family Series on Amazon.com. Check it out here! Both

4. FQP Newsletter

If you’d like to receive news about upcoming books and sales from Full Quiver Publishing (my company), please sign up here.

5. Catholic Life Support

Stealing Jenny is mentioned in a list of Catholic books over at 365Catholic.

6. Reading-Review Shelf

True Radiance by Lisa Mladinich

7. Cartoon

Image copyright James and Ellen Hrkach. Please do not use without permission