Ruth Apollonia's Blog
August 9, 2021
August 2021
I recently returned from the Catholic Marketing Network/Catholic Writers Guild conference that was held near Chicago (a video is to come on my Ruth Apollonia YouTube channel!). During the last session a question emerged: What is the 'side door' in secular publishing that would allow Catholic fiction to be published by one of the "Big 5" publishers (and, thus, making it more available and helping to make a re-birth of Catholic Arts & Letters)?
I propose that the answer is truth and beauty. No one is more equipped to offer the world wisdom and knowledge than a Catholic who, adhering to the timeless teachings of the Church and open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and grounded in the understanding of humanity's true enemy, is not afraid to present Truth in an imaginative and compelling way; to bring light to the darkness.
Jesus taught through parables, so let's remind ourselves of the power of story and the need of every soul to "rest in God" (as St. Augustine would attest) and that those hearts will continue to be "restless" as long as there is a void that needs filling. Can it be filled by Fiction? The secular world can try, but with Catholic Fiction, it is the truth behind the story that fills them, not the story itself. Timeless truths--from natural law to Truth itself--will help to fill the void.
If there is to be an emergence of Catholic Arts & Letters in the secular world, I think it will take the secular world recognizing its own hunger. So, secular world, when your awareness elevates, Catholic Fiction is here to satiate your hunger!
Blessings,
Ruth Apollonia
I propose that the answer is truth and beauty. No one is more equipped to offer the world wisdom and knowledge than a Catholic who, adhering to the timeless teachings of the Church and open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and grounded in the understanding of humanity's true enemy, is not afraid to present Truth in an imaginative and compelling way; to bring light to the darkness.
Jesus taught through parables, so let's remind ourselves of the power of story and the need of every soul to "rest in God" (as St. Augustine would attest) and that those hearts will continue to be "restless" as long as there is a void that needs filling. Can it be filled by Fiction? The secular world can try, but with Catholic Fiction, it is the truth behind the story that fills them, not the story itself. Timeless truths--from natural law to Truth itself--will help to fill the void.
If there is to be an emergence of Catholic Arts & Letters in the secular world, I think it will take the secular world recognizing its own hunger. So, secular world, when your awareness elevates, Catholic Fiction is here to satiate your hunger!
Blessings,
Ruth Apollonia
September 26, 2020
September 2020 Update
Greetings Goodreads readers,
It's been awhile since I blogged, so I thought I'd let everyone know where the series stands currently.
The first book, Annabelle of Anchony: Burdens of the Mind, was republished through Marian Press and was released last summer (2019).
The sequel has had a slight name change from Annabelle of Anchony: Heart's Relief to Heart's Relief: The Annabelle of Anchony Series (purely done for marketing reasons) and was released in July 2020. It is not yet available on Amazon, but can be found here: https://www.shopmercy.org/heart-s-rel...
The third book, Kingdom's Call, has been turned in and is scheduled to start the publishing process in October.
I'm continuing to work on the fourth and fifth books. The manuscript of the fourth, at this moment, is too long for my taste, so I must find ways to remove "scenes" and, hopefully, place them in the fifth book.
I have a website now (www.ruthapollonia.com) and a newsletter one can sign up for (under the "Follow Me" tab). In November, I'm planning on running a Giveaway via my website; details will be in the newsletter so be certain to sign up!
Blessings to all!
Ruth Apollonia
It's been awhile since I blogged, so I thought I'd let everyone know where the series stands currently.
The first book, Annabelle of Anchony: Burdens of the Mind, was republished through Marian Press and was released last summer (2019).
The sequel has had a slight name change from Annabelle of Anchony: Heart's Relief to Heart's Relief: The Annabelle of Anchony Series (purely done for marketing reasons) and was released in July 2020. It is not yet available on Amazon, but can be found here: https://www.shopmercy.org/heart-s-rel...
The third book, Kingdom's Call, has been turned in and is scheduled to start the publishing process in October.
I'm continuing to work on the fourth and fifth books. The manuscript of the fourth, at this moment, is too long for my taste, so I must find ways to remove "scenes" and, hopefully, place them in the fifth book.
I have a website now (www.ruthapollonia.com) and a newsletter one can sign up for (under the "Follow Me" tab). In November, I'm planning on running a Giveaway via my website; details will be in the newsletter so be certain to sign up!
Blessings to all!
Ruth Apollonia
March 3, 2019
What has happened to Ruth Apollonia? What will happen to Annabelle?
Greetings Goodreads readers,
In January 2017 the publishing company Ruth Apollonia was using was shut down and, as of that time, none of her books have been available for purchase online.
Confusing as it was, for she writes to evangelize, her inner monologue was this: "I did it for You, God. If You want them to be re-published, then they will be somehow." And so began her contemplation: to self-publish or to not. Considering her possibilities, while still chugging away at Annabelle's continuing story--book 4--she went to the Catholic Writers Guild's Live Conference in 2017.
Through her involvement with the Guild, she had learned the difficulty of finding a legitimate publishing house (not a vanity press) willing to publish Catholic Fiction. Suffice it to say, she was leaning toward self-publishing so that they could "get out there" as soon as possible.
However, it was at this Live Conference in 2017 that she learned Marian Press -- the publishing company of the Congregation of the Marian Father of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary -- was interested in publishing young adult novels as another way to evangelize.
Ruth Apollonia--through the intercession of Mary Immaculate--provided a review copy of Annabelle of Anchony: Burdens of the Mind to Marian Press.
It is with great humility at the awesome power of intercessory prayer that it is announced: Marian Press is picking up the Annabelle of Anchony series! This is to include the yet-to-be-published fourth book.
The books will be re-edited and better than ever! Look for the first book, Annabelle of Anchony: Burdens of the Mind, June 2019!
While you wait for the anticipated release date, follow Annabelle on Instagram at Annabelle_of_Anchony.
Blessings to all and see you in June!
In January 2017 the publishing company Ruth Apollonia was using was shut down and, as of that time, none of her books have been available for purchase online.
Confusing as it was, for she writes to evangelize, her inner monologue was this: "I did it for You, God. If You want them to be re-published, then they will be somehow." And so began her contemplation: to self-publish or to not. Considering her possibilities, while still chugging away at Annabelle's continuing story--book 4--she went to the Catholic Writers Guild's Live Conference in 2017.
Through her involvement with the Guild, she had learned the difficulty of finding a legitimate publishing house (not a vanity press) willing to publish Catholic Fiction. Suffice it to say, she was leaning toward self-publishing so that they could "get out there" as soon as possible.
However, it was at this Live Conference in 2017 that she learned Marian Press -- the publishing company of the Congregation of the Marian Father of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary -- was interested in publishing young adult novels as another way to evangelize.
Ruth Apollonia--through the intercession of Mary Immaculate--provided a review copy of Annabelle of Anchony: Burdens of the Mind to Marian Press.
It is with great humility at the awesome power of intercessory prayer that it is announced: Marian Press is picking up the Annabelle of Anchony series! This is to include the yet-to-be-published fourth book.
The books will be re-edited and better than ever! Look for the first book, Annabelle of Anchony: Burdens of the Mind, June 2019!
While you wait for the anticipated release date, follow Annabelle on Instagram at Annabelle_of_Anchony.
Blessings to all and see you in June!
