Simonetta Carr's Blog, page 2
March 13, 2016
Using All Burners
If you are like me, you like to have different projects cooking at the same time – some on high flame and some brewing on the back burners. If a deadline approaches, you give all your attention to one project and leave the others behind. I have done this for years, until I realized that the back burner projects were pretty much stuck.
This year, I started something new. I limit myself to six projects and devote one day of the week to each. They don’t have to fall on the same day each week. For example, right now I am working on the translation of a book, I am writing a book in Italian about Giulia Gonzaga, a book in English about my experience with schizophrenia, and two books for my series for children. Then I have Sunday School lessons to prepare each week. This is of course on top of my homekeeping duties and my work as Italian instructor, which come first. On busy days, I work on easier projects, like the Sunday School classes or the translation. In any case, I make sure that I cover all six projects in the course of a week.
There are several advantages to this method. First of all, there are no more simmering projects. All the burners are used at the same time and each project continues to progress. If a week is particularly busy, then I just devote an hour to each project, or even less – just as long as I make a small progress.
A second advantage is that I don’t spend all my time thinking about one project. When I go to bed at night, I know the day is over and the next day I will work on something else, so I sleep better. This helps me to be more disciplined in other areas too and to live more fully in the present. If I get ideas for a project that is assigned to a different day, I just jot them down in a notebook with a page for each project, and view my notes when the correct day arrives.
Another advantage is that I have to limit myself to six projects. If I think of new projects, or if someone sends me a new offer, I have to decide if I want to drop a project I am currently doing or if I want to place the new project on hold – not on a back burner, but completely out of my mind until one of the six projects is out of the way.
I have been doing this since January 1st and it seems to be working for me. It’s just an idea…
December 31, 2015
Why Michelangelo?
I met Nancy Sanders, a talented children’s author, two years ago, through the popular 32 Authors Online Scavenger Hunt. We have since become friends and she has been a source of advice and even comfort in the difficult times of my life. At that time, I noticed she had written several interesting books for Chicago Review Press. Two titles were for their “For Kids” series of biographies, whose format seemed very similar to that of my Christian Biographies for Young Readers. I contacted the editors to see if they were interested in a title. Originally, I wanted to write a book on the Protestant Reformation, in view of the 2017 anniversary of Luther’s 95 Theses. They didn’t accept my proposal, but told me they had been looking for a while for someone willing to write a book on Michelangelo.
Immediately, I saw many advantages in writing such a book. Michelangelo was Italian (so I could read his original writings), he lived during a time period I have researched in depth, and his works have an amazing depth that can enrich the lives of children. Also, I had a burning desire to present the Protestant Reformation and Roman Catholic response with clarity and accuracy.
On the other hand, I had to take many factors into consideration. First of all, art books require many images which are normally very expensive. Second, I have normally been writing for Christian families who may in some cases object to images of God and Christ, or to images of the naked body. On the other hand, you can’t talk about Michelangelo without showing those images.
I sought counsel from my pastors (Rev. Michael Brown and Dr. Rev. Michael Horton), who encouraged me to pursue this project, especially since it practically fell on my lap. You can’t teach children art history without incurring in images of God and Christ, or occasional nudes. Parents can avoid this subject altogether, or use judgment and wisdom in guiding the children in this field of learning.
As expected, this book has required lots of time and money, so I don’t foresee any financial profit. Overall, I think it can be useful to many children and families, but that remains to be seen. Soli Deo Gloria.
(Photo credit – National Gallery of Art)
December 15, 2015
Teaching What Counts
In case anyone feels too proud of our exceptional children and innovative teaching methods, a letter by Anne Hooper to Henry Bullinger might be the good dose of humility and the kick in the pants we need. Anne wrote this letter from London in 1551, while her husband John Hooper (pictured here) was in prison. As godfather of the Hoopers’ four-year old Rachel, Henry Bullinger was concerned about the young girl’s upbringing and asked Anne to give him some news.
“First then,” Anne replied, “you must know that she is well acquainted with English, and that she has learned by heart within these three months the form of giving thanks, the ten commandments, the Lord’s prayer, the apostles’ creed, together with the first and second psalms of David. And now, as she knows almost all her letters, she is instructed in the catechism.”
Four year old?!? Within three months? I am sure Rachel was a bright little girl, but she also had parents and a church family who believed her young mind could retain much more than weary old brains, and who knew what type of instruction counted most.
To Resist or to Register…
“Register” – we read on a stone in the cell where Marie Durand and other Protestant women were kept for most of their lives.
Recently, Reformation Heritage Books received a message from a reader who was concerned this might be a mistake. “If you google the French translation for the English resist you will see that it gives: resister. If you ask for the translation of the French word register you will see that the English dictionary will give you the word register,” the reader said. I can understand the concern.
It’s true, the G could be a badly written S, but it’s so different from the second S that most historians agree that the writing is, in fact, “Register.” French historian Yves Krumenacker, an expert on 17th century French protestantism and spirituality, wrote the following in his dossier, Marie Durand, une héroïne protestante?: “…on lui attribue, sans aucune preuve, la célèbre inscription «Register» (sic) gravée sur le mur de la margelle de la prison” (Translation: We attribute to her, without any proof, the famous inscription “Register” (sic), engraved on the edge of the prison’s wall.”
In the corresponding endnote, Krumenacker goes on to explain, “On peut hésiter, à la lecture, entre «register» (plus probable) et «resister». «Register» correspondrait à la prononciation vivaroise du mot.” (Translation: In reading, one may hesitate between register (most probable) and resister. Register corresponds to the pronunciation of the word in the region of Vivarais).
The text in our Marie Durand reads, “It might have been during one of those times that a prisoner—many think it was Marie—engraved a word in a stone ledge in the middle of the common room: Register, which means “to resist” in the language of that particular region” (page 38). In future editions, I will try to add further details for my bright and inquisitive young readers.
November 23, 2015
Thanksgiving Day Sale at RHB
Reformation Heritage Books is having a huge Thanksgiving Day Sale, which includes two titles in this series: John Owen and Jonathan Edwards. Both books may be purchased for $8.10 (55 % off the original price)!
John Owen will be a very useful tool for parents and teachers who want to go beyond the traditional account of Thanksgiving and explore reasons why English Puritans had to leave England in the first place. You can find a fuller explanation of the book’s contents, read a few sample pages, see some of the reviews and download a helpful study guide here.
Jonathan Edwards will help children to understand what came after the Puritans and how God continued to preserve his truth in spite of the challenges the church faced from within and without.
See the full RHB Thanksgiving Day Sale here
November 14, 2015
PHOTOGRAPHY ADVICE I GIVE EVERY TIME
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YOU DON’T TAKE A PHOTOGRAPHY, YOU MAKE IT
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised:
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged.
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“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”ANSEL ADAMS
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FILMING IN THE MOST WILD OF LOCATIONS
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YOU DON’T TAKE A PHOTOGRAPHY, YOU MAKE IT
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised:
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged.
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.fusion-testimonials.clean.fusion-testimonials-2 .author:after{border-top-color:transparent !important;}
“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”ANSEL ADAMS
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.
MOTHER NATURE WANTS TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
YOU DON’T TAKE A PHOTOGRAPHY, YOU MAKE IT
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised:
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged.
#fusion-testimonials-3 a{border-color: #ffffff;}#fusion-testimonials-3 a:hover, #fusion-testimonials-3 .activeSlide{background-color: #ffffff;}
.fusion-testimonials.clean.fusion-testimonials-3 .author:after{border-top-color:transparent !important;}
“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”ANSEL ADAMS
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.
October 9, 2015
Sounds Familiar? Letters from Heinrich and Anna Bullinger to their son.
The 16th century was different from our age in many ways, but some things never change.
“Your mother makes big eyes when you already speak of needing another pair of shoes for the winter,” wrote Heinrich Bullinger to his son on December 20, 1553. “It is hardly fifteen weeks since you left us, when you took three pairs with you, the red, the gray, and black. At this rate, you will need six pairs a year. I have more than enough with two. Do not let your shoes go to pieces, but get them mended on time.”
On another occasion, Anna wrote to the same young boy, “My friendly greetings my dear, and know that it makes me completely happy that you are so well provided for. I ask you to be sound, hard working, and to clean yourself, fearing God, honorable toward God, and all people. I ask you to always think about why you are in a foreign place and to watch the time for doing what needs to be done, not being slothful, and praying without ceasing, loyally. And protect yourself from bad company and enjoy staying home. In addition to this, let me know how your clothing is, and if you have enough shirts or how they are being washed. They must be soaped or given to the woman again sometimes. It is so hot. Write it down, and greet her from me. And do not let your shoes fall apart, give them to be cleaned, and be domestic. May God not only protect you from suffering. From me. Anna Bullingerin. Your mom.”
And Heinrich added, “Greetings from daddy too.”
From “Myths and Reality about Heinrich Bullinger’s Wife Anna,” by Rebecca A. Giselbrecht, ISSN 0254–4407 – Zwingliana 38 (2011), 53–66
August 4, 2015
StoryTent
PRESS RELEASE
Traveling Stories (www.travelingstoreis.org) welcomes published author Simonetta Carr to the Santee StoryTent on Wednesday, August 19 from 3:30 to 4:30pm for a free, special event for children of all ages.
Carr is the author of 11 books in the Reformation Heritage Books series of Christian Biographies for Young readers. During her visit to the StoryTent, she will take the children through the adventurous story of Marie Durand and her family, and will explain the process of writing a biography for children. To learn more about the books Carr has written, please visit www.cbfyr.com.
Carr and Reformation Heritage Books will donate three copies of her latest book to be given away at this special StoryTent event.
Carr has visited several schools to inspire children to explore their historical heritage and improve their writing. Born in Italy, Carr has lived and worked in different cultures. Three of Carr’s books have been finalists for the San Diego Book Awards. Anselm of Canterbury has won first prize as best biography at the 2014 San Diego Book Awards, and first prize at the 2014 Athanatos Christian Writing Contest.
The Santee StoryTent takes place at the Santee Farmers’ Market (9608 Carlton Hills Blvd., Santee CA 92071) the third Wednesday of every month from 3pm to 5pm. The program provides free reading support to children and is run by members of the West Hills High School Key Club in partnership with Traveling Stories.
Traveling Stories is a 501c3 nonprofit organization based in San Diego that transforms reluctant readers into confident ones through local StoryTent programs. To learn more, please visit www.travelingstories.org.
