Kathryn Griffin Swegart's Blog, page 14

Lucia of Fatima: Episode 4

Welcome to episode 4 of Lucia of Fatima. As you may know, I am writing the story of Lucia Santos-the primary visionary in the famous apparitions of the Blessed Mother to three children in Fatima, Portugal in 1917.

First, I want to report that I experienced a writer’s nightmare—my computer crashed. Fortunately, I saved the 26,000-word rough draft on a flash drive. That really saved the day. Now I am letting the story sit until January. Some writers call it composting. Maine writer Stephen King in his book On Writing considers this step a necessity. That way I can look at the story with a fresh eye.

I have written four books for young readers, all are historical fiction. When writing in this genre it is important to do plenty of research.  At this point, I have read eight books about Fatima, starting with Fatima in Lucia’s Own Words. It seemed like a logical place to start since the book will be about Fatima from her perspective.   

Sometimes research reveals surprises. That is what happened in this case. I discovered that Lucia had a vision in 1915, two years prior to the six visions of Our Lady that occurred in 1917. She was watching sheep with three other children (not Jacinta and Francisco). They stopped to pray the rosary and have lunch. Here is her description:

                          We saw a figure poised in the air above the trees; it looked like a statue made of    snow, rendered almost transparent by the rays of the sun…it looked like a person wrapped in a sheet. You could not make out any eyes or hands on it.

                True to form, Lucia kept the vision a secret, but the other children told of the mysterious event. As would be the pattern throughout the apparitions, Lucia was teased and even persecuted by her own family and people in the village. No other book on Fatima that I have read tells of this presage (as Lucia calls it). She was only eight years old at the time. What is the meaning of this strange apparition? I do not know for sure. I can only speculate that it was prophetic in nature, preparing Lucia for her extraordinary mission.

                Stay tuned for more episodes and more surprises.

Now that’s an absurd idea!

As a vigilant blogger, I stay on the alert for absurdity in our society-an abundant source of inspiration. Recently, I stumbled across an insert in a child’s toy that warrants attention. Inside the toy package was a small tube filled with liquid glue. Here are the instructions:

Hot glue for emergency in case the part falls off during transit. If you find the part fell off, please use the lighter to ignite the glue stick, and then paste it again. Beware of scalding when used! Keep out of reach of children.

I see two problems with this scenario.

Since when is it an emergency when a part falls off a toy? No one, even the most sensitive child, would require a trip to the ER if a toy falls apart.Why did the manufacturer include a dangerous item inside the packaging? Picture a concerned parent lighting a small tube of glue and nervously trying to repair the toy while a child hovers nearby. My hands would be shaking. 

Sometimes I wonder how products like this see the light of day. Did high-paying executives sit around a long table, come up with a breakable toy, take a vote, and then vote to include a flammable object in the package? 

As a parent who has dealt with poorly made toys, I have a suggestion for toy manufacturers. Why not make toys that won’t fall apart in transit? If they fall apart in the package, then they will crumble in a child’s hands.

I suppose those highly paid executives sitting at a long table would think that was an absurd idea.

Lucia of Fatima: Episode Three

Here I am back home after a pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome, ready to continue our journey into the creative process of writing a book. Historical fiction has been my genre. This requires research to get the facts correct. Unlike my other four books, this story required virtually no fictional characters or plot lines. The apparitions in Fatima, Portugal were so extraordinary, that I stuck to the facts. My job was to imagine what it was like for Lucia to be suddenly thrust from her quiet life as a shepherd to be witness to a stunning visits from the supernatural. In some ways it resembles the story of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when Lucy stumbles into an alternate universe and no one believes her.

Into the Hobbit Hole

Here we go with episode 2 of Lucia of Fatima in which the writer takes you into her hobbit hole – the place where she retreats into the mysterious world of creativity. I set the alarm for 4 AM and climb out of bed. It is a time of silence, hot tea, and reading scripture. After I finish reading, I turn on the computer and start working on a scene. This morning I worked on the last chapter and struggled as I tried to decide how to end the story. Honestly, I was ready to give up. I did not know which direction to take, but I persevered and was pleased to get the story sailing in the right direction. Even if the writing isn’t exactly in the E.B. White category, I tell myself that I can fix it later. That overcomes the inertia.

Anyway…take time to watch the 30 second video posted on social media. You will get a rare glimpse into the writer’s world.

Lucia of Fatima

My research pile

Ever wonder how an author writes a story? Sometimes I put down a book like Anne of Green Gables and try to imagine how Lucy Maud Montgomery created Anne. The little orphan girl jumps off the page as a living, breathing character. Let me give you an example. Here is the moment when Matthew Cuthbert first meets the little orphan girl at the train station. 

She wore a faded brown sailor hat and beneath the hat, extending down her back, were two braids of very thick, decidedly red hair. Her face was small, white and thin, also much freckled; her mouth was large and so were her eyes, which looked green in some lights and moods and gray in others.

As some of your may know, I also write books for young people- four to be exact. I read books like Anne of Green Gablesfor inspiration. You see I am writing a story about another intriguing character, although this character really existed. Lucia de Santos of Fatima, Portugal became one of the most famous children in history. Lucia, along with her cousins Jacinta and Francisco, were three peasant children who lived in the early 1900’s. From 1916-1917, they witnessed nine extraordinary visions with supernatural visitors. 

Come with me as I try to bring this story to life through the eyes of ten-year-old Lucia. I have been working on the rough draft for six months. I arise at 4:30 in the morning, brew up a pot of black English tea and read daily scripture from Magnificat magazine. After teatime, I climb stairs up to the dormer, turn on the computer, and start writing. What is that like? The story unfolds scene by scene, like a little video is playing in my mind. Sound mysterious?  In some ways it is. 

Come join me on this adventure into creativity, starting from rough draft to finished product. Every week I will post 30 second videos showing where I work, helpful writing prompts, and other tricks of the trade. Along the way you will meet the truly heroic children of Fatima.

Lost in the Soap Suds

                                 

One late summer day I stood at the kitchen sink washing dishes, not knowing that I was in for a surprise. I glanced at the lilac bush growing near the side of our old New England farmhouse. Soap suds bubbled up on my hands as I paused in the midst of my chore. Lilac blossoms were long gone. Amid the lilac branches was an enormous paper wasp nest. I craned my neck for a better look and shook my head in wonder. Clever architects had built a wasp city right under my nose, inhabited by thousands of insects. 

While I was busy wiping dinner plates, worker wasps chewed plant fibers gathered from nearby trees and carried them in their mouths, winging their way to the lilac bush. Wasp saliva is waterproof and contains sticky adhesive that makes the nest strong and water repellent. From a safe distance, I studied the nest. It had swirling layers of white, brown, and gray fibers. Skilled potters would be challenged to create such a work of art. 

Not only is the nest an intricate structure, it also abides by the laws of physics and geometry. Outer walls are built to allow the greatest amount of space in the smallest wrapper. Like honeybees, wasps manufacture cells in the shape of hexagons-the form best suited for saving space.

Inside the hive, a strange world exists, complete with paper scales, archways, and tunnels. Young grubs hang upside down in combs, waiting for nectar brought by adult wasps. Entomologist Jean Henri Fabre describes the feeding process.

With a thoughtful air the wasp bends her head toward an opening, and touches the grub with the tip of her antennae. The grub wakes and gapes at her, like a fledgling when the mother bird returns to the nest with food.

How sad to think that all these months I kept my head down scrubbing pots, not aware that a masterpiece of nature hung outside my kitchen window, truly fingerprints of the Divine Architect.

A Saint from Maine?

Ben stanton narrating Martyrs

Perhaps you have been busy having fun in the sun and missed the big news.

On August 3rd, a pilgrimage was organized by a gifted seminarian, Joseph Moreshead. Young and old alike walked along the Kennebec River to honor Father Sebastian Rale, a Jesuit missionary who lived among the Abenaki people for thirty years and was massacred by British soldiers 295 years ago.

It was a perfect summer day with a gentle breeze rolling off the river. As I walked with other pilgrims, it was hard to imagine that on this spot, a holy priest and an estimated 80 indigenous people were killed in a bloody ambush. As some of you may know, I wrote a book for young readers telling this story of faith and courage. It is entitled Martyrs-a work of historical fiction for ages 10-14. On this calm summer day, we walked in Father Rale’s footsteps, along with another Jesuit, Father Paul Sullivan.

As we stood at the foot of a large granite monument marking the spot where Father Rale died, Father Sullivan made a stunning announcement. Our bishop and the superior general of the Jesuit order have given approval to move Father Rale’s cause for canonization forward. Documentation will be presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. If Father Rale is beatified and declared a martyr…Maine will have a full-fledged saint.

This holy man has been a subject of controversy over the years-accused of being a political agitator. I believe this is an erroneous portrayal. Father Rale never sought to stir up trouble, but he always stood up for Indian land rights and religious freedom for the Abenakis. With the recent canonization of Father Oscar Romero-also accused of political agitation-a major stumbling block for Father Rale’s cause was removed.

My book Martyrs will soon be an audio book, narrated by Benjamin Stanton – a talented voice artist who has a knack for bringing stories to life.

Martyrs is also being considered for the Catholic Writer’s Guild Seal of Approval. Check out this blog and my facebook for more exciting developments in the cause of Father Sebastian Rale and news about Martyrs.

You can’t get there from here!

Monhegan Island, Maine

Twenty- six years have passed since natives of Maine have graciously accepted this Bostonian as one of them. They have been patient with me as I learned a new way of life. No longer did I live in a Boston suburb, complete with neatly mown lawns and neighbors who lived wicked close to you. We actually shared a driveway with our next-door neighbors for decades without a whiff of trouble, despite the presence of numerous cars and complicated work/school schedules

Now the human and goat kids have found greener pastures and I happily still live on the farm with my patient husband. Now there is more time for travel. Recently, my birthday present was a trip to Monhegan Island-a sparsely inhabited village 10 miles out of Boothbay Harbor. We booked seats on the Balmy Days-a fishing boat converted to tourist ferry. In preparation for the trip, I studied a map of the complicated coastline. In fact, the coast is only 228 miles long as the crow flies, but if one includes circuitous inlets and bays, the distance is 3,478 miles long. Many short bridges were built over marshes and small tidal rivers to connect towns. Otherwise, you literally could not get there from here (unless you have a boat or enjoy long distance swimming in frigid waters).

If you ever want to get unplugged from the world, Monhegan is the place to go. Walking narrow dirt paths, we noticed that there were no real roads and hence no cars. A few rusted out, unregistered pickup trucks bounced their way to the wharf to pick up supplies. I saw no bicycles and one golf cart. Half the island is a nature preserve comprised of wetlands and forests. The main attraction are steep cliffs that provide breath-taking views of the Atlantic Ocean. Artists stand on rocks and try to capture the image of waves crashing against rocks. Prominent American artist Andrew Wyeth retreated to Monhegan for inspiration. Visitors look down on flying seagulls and treetops.

In many ways, it felt like we were in a different era. Visitors took leisurely hikes without that extra appendage—the infernal cellphone attached to their ears. As we chugged out of the harbor aboard the Balmy Days, I felt a little sad to leave, but also a little glad that we could actually get there from here.

It Takes Moxie to Drink Moxie!

One fine day in 1876, Dr. Augustin Thompson entered his laboratory and shut the door behind him. It was time to think. It was time to experiment. It was time to invent a nerve tonic that would cure paralysis, softening of the brain, and nervousness. Dr. Thompson himself was nervous. Why? He had just sunk his life’s savings-$15,000 ($35,000 by current standards) – into his project. He mixed gentian root into liquid and took a sip. It tasted terrible, but maybe…just maybe he was onto something. Thompson bottled and marketed it as a tonic certain to cure anything that ails you. He gave it the name Moxie and sold it to local apothecary shops. Instructions read, “take it by the spoonful”. Why? Even Dr. Thompson agreed it tasted terrible. In fact, it left a bitter aftertaste. Still, consumers bought Moxie nerve tonic by the hundreds.

Buoyed by his success, Thompson added carbonation in the form of soda water. The year was 1884. Bingo! Moxie drinkers loved the fizz and seemed to get used to the bitter taste. Experts say it takes three sips before you want to spit it out. I have yet to pass that stage.

Along with lighthouses, the rocky coast, and ear muffs,Moxie is quintessential Maine. To drink an entire can requires inner fortitude, much like surviving a long Maine winter.

 

Frank Anicetti, curator of the Moxie Museum in Lisbon Falls states “nothing can compare to the taste of Moxie.” Notice he doesn’t say that it tastes good. Despite the bitter aftertaste, Moxie boasts thousands of loyal followers. Carbonated Moxiewas first sold in 1884, making it the oldest carbonated drink in the country.

 

Every year Lisbon Falls, Maine celebrates The Moxie Festival on the second weekend of July, complete with parade, fireworks and a recipe contest.

Need a Remedy? Read this!

Yesterday I sat in the doctor’s office and perused magazines. A women’s issue caught my eye. I won’t tell you the actual name. Let’s just call it the Miracle Magazine. The cover alone was packed with miraculous remedies. Here is a sample:

“Rinse away tiredness!”

“The candle scent that will make your hair 30% thicker!”

“Slimmer in seconds!”

“Clogged bile makes it impossible for 80% of women over forty to slim!”

I was hooked. I desperately wanted to read about clogged bile. As I flipped the pages, miracle after miracle appeared before my wondering eyes. Raw, chapped nose? Dab coconut oil in your nostrils. Dark, puffy eyes? Soak cotton balls in cold milk and place on eyelids. Eliminate stress on peanut butter smoothies!

So many remedies, so little time. Citrus prevents early wake-ups! Tart cherries tame pain!   Jasmine rice eases anxiety!

So many promises, so little time. Keep garden aches from blooming! Morning sun nixes neck pain! Pilates cured my headaches!

Now the worst of all afflictions –chemicals in yoga pants cause fatigue! (I am not making this up!)

I could go on, but I have used up my quota of …. !!!!

Oh yes, you breathlessly await news about clogged bile ducts. Gastroenterologist Robynne Chutkan writes: “Bile helps with the digestion of fats by providing a detergent-like effect…helping fat globules dissolve.”

That’s the good news. Ready for the bad news? Seasonal bitter greens like arugula and dandelion greens get the bile flowing. Now that’s a bitter pill to swallow.

I closed the magazine and felt dizzy. Once again, the magazine beckoned. Perhaps there is a remedy for magazine-induced headaches. Just wait. I’ll get back to you on that later.