Amanda Lauer's Blog, page 4

Coming Up For Air

 

In 2021 I had two books released the same month. Wasn’t necessarily my choice as they were with two different publishers. But, after that crazy month, I swore I’d never do that again.

Never say never, right? In 2023 I’m facing the same issue. My first book with Chrism Press, Royal & Ancient, will be released on October 2 and the fifth book in my Civil War series, A Faith Such as Heaven Intended, published by Full Quiver Publishing, comes out sometime not long after that.

How did this phenomenon happen twice in two years, you ask? Let me show you the timeline and you’ll see for yourself…

The cover for A Faith Such as Heaven Intended was shot August 2, 2021. I don’t remember what compelled me to add another book to my Heaven Intended series, but the idea was already percolating even two months before book #4 in the series, A Freedom Such as Heaven Intended, was published. I do remember the rush for the cover shot as my long-time photographer Brad Birkholz was critically ill and wanted his last photo shoot to be the cover for a book of mine featuring his lovely daughter Autumn. Sadly, Brad passed away a couple months later.

Chapter I of A Faith was completed by August 30, 2022, and the whole book was turned over to Full Quiver Publishing on March 2, 2023. The first round of edits came back March 13. The corrected manuscript went back to them on April 6 and the next round of requested edits will be on my desk next week. The publication date could be anywhere from late fall 2023 until early winter, 2024.

Royal & Ancient is a time-travel manuscript I started in 2014 and finally completed late winter 2022. At the Catholic Writers Guild Live! conference the last week of July 2022, I pitched the book to Chrism Press. They were interested and on August 12, 2022, I sent them the entire manuscript. October 25 I signed a contract with them. The first rounds of revisions were sent to me on November 18. Those issues were addressed and the manuscript went back to them on December 16.

Developmental edits arrived in my inbox March 27 and on April 27 I sent back the manuscript with all the fixes complete. That same day I received another offer from Chrism Press to write a book for their White Crown imprint (royal historic fiction). What’s one more book to add to my docket? Of course, I said yes! Consequently, the first draft of that book is due September 1, 2023, with a publishing date set for September 2024.

On May 23, I received the next round of edits for Royal & Ancient from Chrism, with a deadline of June 13. The next day John and I headed to Jeffersonville, Ind. for the Beatles festival Abbey Road on the River for five days (see the picture of John and I standing alongside the Ohio River with Louisville in the background) and on the way back John dropped me off in Chicago for the 2023 CWG Live! conference. Consequently, that gave me 10 days to do three weeks of work fixing the manuscript. With a lot of prayer, coffee and too little sleep, I turned the completed manuscript back in on June 12.

I took a half day off to catch up on e-mails, household chores, issues for my mom’s care, bill paying, etc. and jumped back into the manuscript for the White Crown book. Currently I’m wrapping up Chapter V of about 50, so I’ve got my writing plotted out for the summer as I’m working around the four weeks of vacation John and I have scheduled between now and the end of August.

No rest for the weary, as they say. But, here’s my philosophy. You need to make hay while the sun shines. God’s given me the ability and the opportunity to write books and an audience that appreciates my work. I’ve retired from my two journalism gigs that I’ve had for close to 20 years to dedicate time to writing books. I’ve got four books that I’d like to complete before John retires next year. After that, who knows what direction we’ll be going in. Maybe John will help me with the technical end of marketing my books while I continue on the creative side. Or maybe we’ll be on some set watching one of my books be transformed into a movie or series.

Whether my latest novels take off and I’m a nationally known best-selling author, the movie dream comes true, or John and I just decide to retire and chill out, I’m grateful for all the blessings that have come my way from the career path I’ve been on all these years. And grateful for all the amazing people in my life who’ve been so supportive. If you’ve read this far, I’m talking about you! Thank you for being there for me. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have you in my life and I’m looking forward to sharing my latest works with you!

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All In a Day’s Work

 

Remember when you were a kid and people were always asking what you wanted to be when you grew up? I never had a good answer. As much as I loved history and devoured books, I hadn’t ever given a thought to becoming an author.

Fast forward a couple decades and I was looking to transition from full-time mom of four to part-time employee when our youngest started second grade. Having been blessed with a keen eye for proofreading, I found the ideal job as a proofreader for a major newspaper chain in our state. After proofreading thousands of articles from staff writers—who all had degrees related to that field—I figured out the formula for writing articles and threw my name in the hat when the paper was looking for stringers (freelance journalists).

Our newspapers were shut down after 9/11 and shortly after I jumped completely into freelance proofreading and writing. I came to realize after a few years that nearly every journalist harbors a desire to write a book. After four years and countless rewrites, my first book, A World Such as Heaven Intended, was published. One and done. My life was complete. Or so I thought.

Within a week of its publication, readers were asking when the sequel would be coming out, so I got to work creating the next book. I streamlined the process and began writing Catholic historic fiction—sweet romances—in earnest, while still doing freelance writing on the side. Nine years later books number eight and nine are in the publishing process.

This career has allowed me—thanks in part to being a member of the Catholic Writers Guild—to have some of the most amazing experiences, including meeting remarkable Catholics from all walks of life. One person in particular is Eduard Habsburg, the archduke of Austria and Hungary’s Ambassador to the Holy See. I had the pleasure of working with Eduard on his children’s book Dubbie: The Double-Headed Eagle, and my husband and I visited him at the Hungarian Embassy in Washington, D.C., enjoyed a nice private lunch together in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol building, and attended one of his presentations on Blessed Karl, a relative who he’s praying will be canonized as a saint in the not-too-distant future.

It was an honor when Eduard reached out to me earlier this year asking if I would read his latest book, The Habsburg Way: 7 Rules for Turbulent Times, and endorse it if I felt inclined to do so. Of course, I was more than happy to do that and spent time during a recent four-day silent Ignatian retreat reading his work. As a Catholic, as a parent, as a history buff, the book drew me in the moment I opened it. My five-star review is below:

As a lover of history and all-things royal, I thoroughly enjoyed The Habsburg Way: 7 Rules for Turbulent Times. Eduard Habsburg, Archduke of Austria and Hungary’s Ambassador to the Holy See, has a clever way of writing that makes learning of his storied family’s history so interesting yet quite entertaining. He has no issuing poking a bit of fun at his ancestors (everything from the fabled Habsburg jaw to the inbreeding between cousins in centuries long past). Talk about name dropping, the archduke has a myriad of historical figures in his family tree from Holy Roman Emperors, Frederick III and Rudolph I to name a couple, to Queen Marie Antoinette, to Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose assassination is said to have sparked the start of WWI.

All that aside, the book itself offers an in-depth presentation on seven rules that the Habsburg family has lived by essentially since their first historical mention from the year 950. These rules are simple enough and still guide the family all these years later: Get Married, Be Catholic, Believe in the Empire, Stand for Law and Justice, Know Who You Are, Be Brave in Battle, Die Well. If every family had a set of standards like this that they lived by, what a different world this would be. As for myself, it’s an honor to be friends with Archduke Eduard Habsburg, who is a shining example of leadership with grace, not only as the head of his family, but in his public role as well.

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Slow and Steady Wins the Race

For a good 10 years I was an active participant in an international writing forum where authors and budding authors were challenged to write 50,000 words of a novel over the course of the 30 days of November.

After the non-profit group jumped off the deep end in June of 2022 when the Supreme Court released its decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, I made the choice to cut ties with them, move forward on my own, and figure out how to motivate and inspire myself to write my next novel.

Being of a competitive nature, the organization’s website — with its nifty tracking features and graphs — had inspired me through the years to commit to writing my 1,667 words per day so I could earn the various badges awarded for completing tasks along the way to the 50,000-word mark. However, one of the pitfalls of producing that much content in such a short time is the quality of your writing suffers. Participants were continually encouraged to write with abandon and keep plowing ahead without copy editing. That being the case, it wasn’t that uncommon on the days I was running behind that I would cut and paste whole articles from various internet sources into my manuscript with a note at the beginning of the chapter that said, “Fix later” or something along that line. Later sometimes turned out to be when the book went into its first round of edits.

I was able to cut down the voluminous content and create unique content from those “fix later” passages. However, I realized after rereading some of my older books that there were a good number of data dumps in my stories that somehow managed to make it through rounds of editing without being thinned out considerably as they could (or some may say should) have been.

This past fall I started a new manuscript. It’s the fifth book in my Civil War series so I’ve got a template in my head of how to create compelling, historic love stories for young adult readers. That being said, having an open-ended deadline to write this book has left considerable wiggle room when it comes to meeting the deadlines that I’m now compelled to set for myself. While I didn’t intend to follow the strict parameters under which I’d previously been working, I did set a goal to write one three- to five-page chapter per weekday in the 1,000-word range — give or take a couple hundred words.

Here we are, some five-and-a-half months later, and I’ve got 55 chapters, 54,762 words written, and I’m on page 241 of the manuscript. I’d say I’m within 2,000 words of typing an author’s two favorite words: The end.

What I didn’t do this time around is write 50,000 words in 30 days. What I did do is write a novel at my pace, without spending a month waking up at 4:00 a.m. every day to begin writing so I could complete my word count before I started my “real” job. And I didn’t spend every last minute in November — including Thanksgiving weekend — thinking about my latest book.

Working at this slower pace has gave me the ability to drop everything when our daughters and their families call us for a FaceTime session, enjoy dinner and game nights with our son and his family once a month, go to daily Mass a couple times a week, stop by and visit my mom at the assisted living center every week, hang out with my husband every night to catch up on our favorite home improvement shows, watch our grandchildren play football, soccer and basketball, and go to Bible study with my dad every Friday morning.

It may have taken five times as long to write this book than it did the previous times when I was sprinting towards the magical 50,000-word mark, but I would venture to say that this draft is five times better than any of the initial drafts for my other books. I predict that when it comes time to start the first round of revisions later this week it will be a much less arduous task than it’s been in the past.

I may never be one of those prolific writers who cranks out four or five novels a year, but I’m working at a manageable pace, truly keeping my eyes on the prize: writing wholesome, unforgettable stories that align with my faith and values to touch the hearts of countless people worldwide. In other words, using my talents for God’s greater glory. That may not win me any writing certificates, but I know a far greater prize awaits when my writing days are behind me.

 

 

 

 

 

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Ashes: Visible & Invisible Virtual Blog Tour

By Theresa Linden, Marie Keiser, Cynthia Toney, Ellen Gable, Antony Kolenc, Amanda Lauer, Carolyn Astfalk, Leslea Wahl, T.M. Gaouette, and Corinna Turner.

When Liz’s faith journey hits a roadblock, will an unexpected detour and chance encounter set her back on track?A teen’s future was all set—before his tragic loss. But his friend’s secret past just might save it.Justin’s religion is outlawed. When an unbeliever asks him about the meaning of life, what can he say?Could God be asking Paul to sacrifice a piece of himself for Lent—literally?A modern American teen discovers what faith, life, and love are like in seventeenth-century Scotland.Teenager Lexie Dugan struggles to understand the sacrifice of Lent when she’s asked to help take care of her siblings while her pregnant mother is on bed rest.Asher’s desire to prepare for the Messiah intensifies after he’s robbed by bandits but would fighting alongside the Zealots be the best way?When a risky Ash Wednesday mission to sterilize T. rex eggs goes wrong, fasting is the least of Joshua, Darryl, and Harry’s worries.A medieval girl stranded on a forsaken path confronts threats from without and turmoil from within.Struggling with loss, hunger, and temptation, Ethan finds himself walking in the steps of Jesus.

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Ashes-Visible-Invisible-Leslea-Wahl/dp/B0BQ9ZXB4G/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63043118-ashes

Ashes Book Trailer on YouTube

Website: www.catholicteenbooks.com

Click here to enter the giveaway!

Advanced Reviews:

The Catholic Teen Book authors have done it again! We loved this book from page one; it’s a great way to dig deeper into Lent with your teens. The book has a story for everyone, and they all share the faith in different but wonderful ways. Highly recommend! Jennifer & Kate Waldyke, Co-hosts of Catholic Mom and Daughter

‘Ashes’, the latest compilation of stories from CatholicTeenBooks.com provides teen readers with plenty to think about. This compilation focuses on the theme of Lent, Easter, and our own mortality. In each of these stories, there is an encounter with death. Sometimes a death is pending or has just occurred or is threatening nearby. But the experienced and very talented authors at CatholicTeenBooks.com have not presented a depressing, frightening or dark anthology here. Instead, I was surprised to find that each story is uplifting, hopeful and very inspiring. What binds these stories is that each young person must make a leap of Faith, take a step into a fuller, more mature understanding of their Catholic Faith. Characters are called to forgive, to resist temptation, to be courageous, to be steadfast and responsible. All of them come to understand on a deeper level the sacrificial nature of Love.
I highly recommend this collection of stories from the authors at CatholicTeenBooks.com. Your teens will love how characters struggle when confronted with the stark reality of death but ultimately learn that with Faith, they can be heroes! Melinda Harrington Catholic Children’s Stories

This is the fourth anthology from the authors at the Catholic Teen Books collective. Each has been a great read. This Lenten volume is also, to be honest, my favourite of the four now. Each story was remarkable. Many of the contributors to this collection, in their own way, imitate Christ and are master storytellers in our own generation. I have a great deal of respect for the ten authors who contributed to this series. And a couple of them are among my all-time favourite authors. And I read a couple hundred books a year. This is a collection of 10 faith-filled stories by 10 great authors. In this collection, we have one short story from each of the contributors. Some contain characters you can encounter in novels by the authors. Some are from books and series that have been around for a few years and others to recent releases or forthcoming works. I really could not pick a favorite or least favorite. Each story is very well written. And I thoroughly enjoyed them all.
For fans of any of the authors in this collection, you need to pick this book up to read their contributions. For readers who love remarkable stories, this collection is for you also. And if you want some great reads that are clean Catholic fiction, this is the book for you. This anthology is Amazing! Steven R. McEvoy, BookReviewsAndMore.ca

Blog Tour Schedule and Reviews/Articles:

Jan 25  Ellen Gable                            Plot Line and Sinker   

Jan 26  Barb S.                                   Franciscan Mom

Jan 27  Patrice Fagnant-McArthur    Spiritual Woman Thoughts Blog

Jan 28  Carolyn Astfalk                     My Scribbler’s Heart Blog

Jan 29  Amanda Lauer                       Blog

Jan 30   Marie Keiser                         Enjoying Womanhood

Jan 31  Barb S                                    CatholicMom.com

Feb 1   Corinna Turner                      Unseen Books

Feb 2   Catholic 365                          Catholic 365

Feb 3   Victoria Ryan                         Victoria Ryan Books

Feb 4   Mary Jo Thayer                     Blog

Feb 5   Theresa Linden                      Theresa Linden

Feb 6   Catholic Teen Books             Catholic Teen Books

Author Bios:

THERESA LINDEN is the author of award-winning Catholic fiction, including the West Brothers contemporary series and the Chasing Liberty dystopian trilogy. One of her great joys is to bring elements of faith to life through a story. She has more than a dozen published books, three of which won awards from the Catholic Press Association. Her short stories appear in several anthologies, including Secrets: Visible & Invisible, and Gifts: Visible & Invisible. Her articles and interviews can be found on various radio shows and in magazines, including EWTN’s The Good Fight, The National Catholic Register, Catholic Digest, Today’s Catholic Teacher, and Catholic Mom. Her books are featured online on Catholic Teen Books, Catholic Reads, FORMED, and Virtue Works Media. A wife, homeschooling mom, and Secular Franciscan, she resides in northeast Ohio with her husband and children. You can learn more about her at www.TheresaLinden.com.

ANTONY BARONE KOLENC is the author of The Harwood Mysteries, an exciting historical-fiction series for youth published by Loyola Press. He is a long-time member of the Catholic Writers Guild, and his novels all have the Catholic Writers Guild’s Seal of Approval. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps after 21 years of military service. A law professor who’s had his works published in numerous journals and magazines, Kolenc now speaks at legal, writing, and home-education events. He and his wife, Alisa, are the parents of five children and have been blessed with three wonderful grandchildren. To learn more about The Harwood Mysteries and its author, visit www.antonykolenc.com.

AMANDA LAUER loves writing books—particularly Young Adult Historic Fiction—that portray the Church in a positive light and depict God’s children endeavoring to become the best version of themselves every day. A journalist and proofreader by trade, Amanda embarked on her novelist career with the award-winning and best-selling Heaven Intended Civil War series. A World Such as Heaven Intended earned the 2016 YA CALA award. Currently, Amanda has several more books in the process of being published.  In addition to writing novels, Amanda works in the film industry writing and copy-editing screenplays. She was awarded Best Writer 2020 (Red Letter Awards) for her work as a co-writer on the movie The Islands. To learn more about Amanda, who’s blessed to be living in a world such as heaven intended, visit her website: www.AmandaLauer.com.

ELLEN GABLE HRKACH is an author of twelve books, ghostwriter, editor, self-publishing book coach, publisher, and contributor to multiple websites and books. She is the former president of the Catholic Writers Guild, and her books have won multiple awards: the IPPY Gold Medal (2010), and First Place in the Catholic Media Association Awards (2022). Married to her husband of 40 years, James, she is also the mother of five adult sons, three daughters-in-law, and Grammy to two precious grandchildren. When she’s not writing, Ellen can be found watching classic movies, researching her family tree, and playing with her grandchildren. Originally from New Jersey, Ellen lives with her husband in rural Ontario, Canada. Visit her website: www.EllenGable.com.

CAROLYN ASTFALK writes from the sweetest place on Earth, Hershey, Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband and four children. In addition to her contemporary Catholic romances (sometimes referred to as Theology of the Body fiction), including the young adult coming-of-age story Rightfully Ours, she is a Catholicmom.com contributor. She is a member of the Catholic Writers Guild and Pennwriters. When she is not washing dishes, doing laundry, or reading, you can find her blogging about books, faith, and family life at www.CarolynAstfalk.com.

LESLEA WAHL is the author of the award-winning Catholic teen mysteries The Perfect Blindside, An Unexpected Role, Where You Lead, and eXtreme Blindside. The characters in this short story, Luke, Celia, Austin, and Grandma Grace, appear in her newest adventurous novel, A Summer to Treasure. Leslea’s journey to become an author came through a search for value-based fiction for her own children. She now not only writes for teens but also has become a reviewer of Catholic teen fiction to help other families discover faith-based books. Leslea lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and children. The furry, four-legged members of her family often make cameo appearances in her novels. Leslea has always loved mysteries and hopes to encourage teens to grow in their faith through these fun adventures. For more information about her faith-filled Young Adult mysteries, please visit www.LesleaWahl.com.

T. M. GAOUETTE is the author of the Faith & Kung Fu series for young adults, as well as The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch and For Eden’s Sake. She also contributed to the last two Catholic Teen Books anthologies, Secrets: Visible & Invisible with her short story “Sister Francesca” and Gifts: Visible & Invisible with “Just Jesus.” Her novels have received the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval (except new releases for which the seal may be in process). Born in Africa, raised in London, England, Gaouette now lives on a small farm in New England with her husband, where she homeschools their four children, raises goats, and writes fiction for teens and young adults. A former contributor for Project Inspired, Gaouette’s desire is to instill the love of God into the hearts of her readers. You can find out more at www.TMGaouette.com.

CYNTHIA T. TONEY writes characters that show tweens and teens how wonderful, powerful, and valuable God made them. Her current novel will accompany The Other Side of Freedom that will give readers more of Robert Brown (a.k.a. Sal) and Antonina, the girl he left behind. Cynthia is also the author of the Bird Face series; 8 Notes to a Nobody, 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status, 6 Dates to Disaster, and 3 Things to Forget, as well as short stories in the Catholic Teen Books anthologies Secrets: Visible and Invisible and Gifts: Visible and Invisible. She is a member of the Catholic Writers Guild and a volunteer with the Independence Italian Cultural Museum in Louisiana. She has a passion for rescuing dogs from abuse, neglect, and euthanasia and lives with her husband and several canines. The public can also connect with her through her website http://www.CynthiaTToney.com and her blog http://www.BirdFaceWendy.wordpress.com. Look for her books and other writing at CatholicTeenBooks.com and her publisher’s website, WriteIntegrity.com.

MARIE KEISER is the author of Heaven’s Hunter. A former teacher, she now lives in Minnesota with her husband and young children. She is passionate about writing inspiring stories about people who struggle with Faith. When she’s not doing dishes, chasing toddlers, or changing diapers, she occasionally blogs about books, life, or ideas at EnjoyingWomanhood.com.

CORINNA TURNER is the author of the I Am Margaret and unSPARKed series for young adults, as well as stand-alone works such as Elfling and Mandy Lamb and the Full Moon (for teens) and Someday (for older teens and adults). She has just released The Boy Who Knew (Carlo Acutis) the first book in her new Friends in High Places series about friendship with the saints. All of her novels have received the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval (except new releases for which the seal may be in process). Liberation (‘I Am Margaret’ Book 3) was nominated for the Carnegie Medal Award 2016 and Elfling won first prize for “Teen and Young Adult Fiction” in the Catholic Press Association 2019 Book Awards. Several of her other books have been placed in the CPA Awards and the Catholic Arts and Letters Award.  Corinna Turner is a Lay Dominican with an MA in English from Oxford University, and lives in the UK. She has been writing since she was fourteen and likes strong protagonists with plenty of integrity. She used to have a Giant African Land Snail called Peter with a 6½” long shell—which is legal in the UK!—but now makes do with a cactus and a campervan. You can find out more at www.IAmMargaret.com.

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The Autumn of my Life

Having hit a milestone birthday recently, I felt prompted to consider my goals in life now that I’m technically on the cusp of retirement. I’ve been a proponent of written goals for some 40 years now, so I dove into our old computer hard drive to find the last comprehensive list of goals (more than 100) that I’d set for myself and for me and my husband John as a couple more than 10 years ago.

Studies have shown that when goals are written, even if they aren’t reviewed on a regular basis, they are more likely to be realized. I’d certainly say that has been the case for me. My first book was published in 2014 (amazingly enough, followed by six other books since then), John and I extensively updated our home, I’m driving my dream car, we’ve paid off our house and our portion of our children’s college expenses (and all four have graduated and paid off their student loans in full), we’ve covered the share of our children’s weddings to which we’d committed, and we’ve traveled extensively (London, Ireland, France, Japan, The Badlands, Boston, Savannah, L.A., San Diego, Phoenix, Dallas, Charleston, Austin, Denver, Nashville, the Grand Canyon, Hawaii, and more).

On the more personal side, John and I are doing what it takes to stay healthy and fit, I’ve been standing firm to my commitment to be consistently punctual (much easier as an empty-nester than it was with four young children to corral), invested in a year-round capsule wardrobe, was a chaperone on an Old Glory Honor Flight, saw the overturning of Roe v. Wade (still a lot of work to do to reinforce the value of life from conception to natural death in our country), and have upped my spiritual game by now attending Mass two or three times a week, praying the rosary daily, and setting aside at least 30 minutes every morning for reflection and reading the Word of God.

After reviewing the goal list again, there were things that I’d wanted to accomplish that I no longer do, including my running goals (finally hung up my running shoes), things that aren’t actually in my control, traveling to places such as Alaska, The Great Wall of China, Australia, New Orleans and San Francisco, mastering French and photography, and (*sigh*) being a celebrity dancer on Dancing with the Stars. (Sorry, Derek Hough, you’ll have to find someone else to do the quickstep with to Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting and Higher Ground.)

That being said, in these golden years of my life, I’m recommitting to some old goals and coming up with new ones including taking more continuing education classes, John and I getting electric bikes, traveling to Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, the East Coast during fall color season, Atlanta (to see Gone with the Wind sites), Virginia (to visit The Walton’s home turf), Italy (Rome and the Vatican for sure), taking a river cruise through Europe (Germany in particular), biking around Lake Winnebago (on those sweet electric bikes), investing significantly for our retirement, writing more books, reading all the books on my TBR pile (100-plus), attaining peak physical health, and seeing my books (A World Such as Heaven Intended and Anything But Groovy to start) produced as movies or limited run series on streaming services.

While some people may look at this time of life as the opportunity to start slowing down, I’m choosing to see it as the chance to up my game and spend time doing the things that matter the most to me with the people who matter the most to be with whatever time God gives me to spend on this earthly plane. My ultimate goal in the end? Spending eternity in Heaven with John, our children and grandchildren, and other family and friends. Now, that’s a goal truly worth working towards!

Virtual Book Tour – Miracle at the Mission by Joseph Lewis

Today, I’m taking part in a Virtual Book Tour for fellow Catholic Writers Guild author Joseph Lewis featuring his new book, Miracle at the Mission.

I had the privilege to be able to read an advanced copy of this book. It’s the second book in a series, but it’s a stand-alone story (with enough references to the first book that you’ll want to read that one too). It never ceases to amaze me how intriguing and well-written teen books can be, particularly faith-based books like this one. No need to worry about inappropriate material — readers from teens on up will enjoy this. Fellow Catholic Teen Book author Leslea Wahl summed the book up succinctly: “Joe Lewis’ vivid descriptions of the California coast will sweep you away on an epic adventure with the perfect blend of relatable characters, fascinating history, intriguing mystery and strong faith.”

Scroll down for a book summary, a fun fact, purchase links and story excerpt!

MIRACLE AT THE MISSION

BOOK SUMMARY

After recovering from their daring exploits in the exciting first book, The Ghosts of Westthorpe Academy, high school best friends Joe Pryce and Pete Figueroa return for another thrilling, action-adventure in Miracle at the Mission.

When one of them wins a St. Junipero Serra essay writing contest and is rewarded with a summer trip to California, they both embark on an adventure they will never forget. While visiting one of the historic Spanish missions founded by Father Serra, the boys meet a holy but mysterious old Franciscan monk who warns them of the dangers they would soon encounter.

It isn’t long before the boys are drawn into a series of events filled with suspense, intrigue, a high-speed car chase along the precipitous Pacific Coast Highway, and the schemes of foreign operatives seeking to bring harm to the President of the United States.

Caught up in the pursuit of the bad guys, the boys discover they have become suspects in the investigation by the FBI. Desperate to prove their innocence, they must rely on the guidance and wisdom of the old padre, who just happens to bear a strange resemblance to St. Junipero Serra himself.

With the world teetering on the brink of an international crisis, the story reaches its climax at another mission––Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel––where the boys and a large gathering of people witness an incredible miracle that changes their lives forever.

Fun Facts About St. Junipero Serra & the California Missions

Part of the tradition of the Franciscan missionaries was to always walk whenever possible. After arriving in Mexico for his missionary work, Fray Junipero Serra’s left foot became severely infected (some suggest from a possible insect or spider bite). Though the injury tormented him for the rest of his life, he still insisted on walking whenever he could––including most of the way to California. (You will notice in the book how the old Franciscan padre favors his left leg).

BUY LINKS

Amazon.com: Miracle at the Mission: 9781649495662: Lewis, Joseph: Books

Miracle at the Mission – Kindle edition by Lewis, Joseph. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Miracle at the Mission by Joseph Lewis, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

EXCERPT

The padre turned and looked at Joe. The hood of his habit had opened wider, revealing more of his face. In the dim light, his eyes looked dark, his complexion a somewhat lighter olive brown. His thinning gray hair was cut in the traditional tonsure style, something more common among religious orders in the past but not as much today. He wore a large crucifix that hung underneath his hood and rested over the top front of his habit.

As Joe prepared to leave, he suddenly stopped, though he wasn’t sure why. Something of what he had experienced earlier that day in the chapel seemed to compel him to want to listen to what the old padre had to say. Joe slid closer across the pew, stopping just a few feet from him in the pew.

“I am confident you will find your friend safe,” the priest said in a reassuring voice. “From what I gather, the three of you are here for an extraordinary week. So much of what is going on in the world today has found its way near to this very place. Important leaders will be meeting, and the eyes of the world will be watching. It is no coincidence that, at this time in history, they have come here, where so many peoples and cultures met not very long ago and welcomed the missionaries who brought the message of the Gospel. It was, and continues to be, a message of the love of neighbor, of joy and forgiveness, of thanksgiving for one another, and peace among all nations.”

Joe sat mesmerized. Though the padre referred to present-day events, his eloquent words and profound meaning made him seem like someone from another time, another world.

“But there are forces in the world that oppose these cherished things. Principalities who are enemies of God and of mankind, who choose the darkness; some who are visible and made of flesh and blood, others who are spirit and lurk in the shadows.” He paused as he looped the rosary beads he had been holding in his hand through the cincture around the waste of his habit. “My son, the world’s current dangers are real and require the courage and effort of a select few whose work can make the difference between conflict and resolution, division and harmony, hostility and goodwill for all peoples. The events of this week are crucial to determining the direction the world may be inclined to go. We must pray for God’s divine providence, that those who lead us may choose the path of peace. Look for the signs of God’s guiding hand in answer to those prayers. I also want to implore you and your friends to be vigilant this week, as you will be close to many of these things. The world can be a dangerous place, and sometimes people find themselves in circumstances they could hardly have anticipated.”

“I very much appreciate your concern, Father.” Joe politely accepted the padre’s advice, although he didn’t quite understand why he felt the need to offer it. But this wasn’t what Joe had come here searching for. He still didn’t know for certain if Pete was all right. Joe stood up. “I better get back and make sure my friend is okay.”

“Sí te entiendo.” The padre grabbed hold of the back of the pew and pulled himself up. As he did, he shifted as if to favor one leg. He had a thin frame and couldn’t have been more than an inch or two over five feet. His worn sandals looked as though they had traveled many miles.

“Please don’t get up on my account,” Joe said.

“I wish to extend to you my priestly blessing, my son.” With some effort, he shifted his legs again and moved a little closer to Joe. “I am extremely glad you and your friends can spend some time with us in this beautiful place. You know, the mission is in great need of support to help maintain it, not only to preserve the legacy of the missions but for the work they continue to do. This mission is an active parish and serves many people and families, some of whom are descendants of the native people who first lived here many years ago. Please keep the missions, and the people they serve, always in your prayers, won’t you?”

“I will, Father.” Joe turned to leave but turned back again. “I sure hope we have a chance to talk again. I’ve really enjoyed our conversation.”

“So have I, my friend, so have I. God willing, we will have a chance to meet again. In the meantime, go in peace.”

The padre raised his right hand and extended it toward Joe, who bowed his head. “Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless this fine young man and his companions in all their endeavors. May their work bear much fruit in the service of your kingdom. I ask that you protect them and keep them safe from harm in the name of Christ, Our Lord and Savior, Amen. May the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost descend upon you and remain with you forever. Amen. Amar a Dios, mi hijo. Love God, my son … and may He make a saint of you!”

“Thank you, Father.” Joe slid back across the pew, then genuflected before the tabernacle. He pivoted and glanced back at the old padre, but he wasn’t there!

Joe looked around the church. “Father?” There was no sign of him. Where could he have gone—and so quickly? … He seemed to mysteriously vanish into thin air.

All We Need Is Love

As someone who’s made a living for decades as a writer (i.e. Paperback Writer), there aren’t too many times when I’ve been at a loss for words. That being said, my husband and I spent five days over Memorial Day Weekend at Abbey Road On The River in Jeffersonville, Indiana (the largest Beatles festival in the United States) and when we walked away from a couple of concerts, in particular the Beatles Love set, the only phrase that I could utter was “Mind-blowing.”

John and I are lifelong Beatles fans, but this was the first time we’ve attended this event which draws Beatles fanatics from everywhere looking to enjoy top-caliber Beatles cover bands from around the globe. We had no idea what to expect, but we were mesmerized from the first concert to the last.

The bands and singers covered everything from the early Beatles to deep album cuts, Paul McCartney & Wings, George Harrison and John Lennon. Some bands performed entire Beatles albums front to back, which was nothing less than amazing. Then there was the stellar abbreviated version of the Get Back documentary which came out earlier this year. 

Our favorite concert was the Love show, which featured several bands showcasing the Beatles at various stages in their career. Seriously, the lead guitarists would give Eric Clapton and Prince a run for their money back in the day.

It was gratifying being part of an event where people, young and old, from all walks of life, found common ground over the course of five days relishing their love of Beatles music. Over the course of the weekend, we didn’t witness any poor behavior or even hear any foul language. When the Beatles said, “All you need is love,” they weren’t kidding. This was a time for aging hippies to relive their teen years, for teens to enjoy modern-day flower power, and for a whole new generation of Beatles fans to experience Beatles music up close and personal.

The surreal part of the event was standing directly in front of the stages dancing and singing along with the bands with the other diehard fans who chose to be in the thick of things rather than watching from lawn chairs. I felt as though I was had VIP seating as the Beatles performed on the Ed Sullivan Show, rocked out Shea Stadium, crafted songs at Abbey Road Studios, or as Paul McCartney & Wings were making their way across America.

I’ll bet every person at AROTR has their own unique story of why The Beatles are so special to them. Here’s why Beatles music has been so instrumental In My Life…

The Beatles had their first hit in 1962, the same year I made my initial appearance on this planet. My dad tells me that he bought each of their albums as they came out and had their entire collection, so I was raised on this music.My late brother Rodney was a talented singer and guitar player and had a Wings songbook that he played from a lot when I was in grade school, thus my fascination with Paul McCartney & Wings.When disco became all the rage around my senior year in high school, we’d go to the local disco, and, much to the dismay of my disco-obsessed friends, I always requested Beatles songs.I met my husband John at the aforementioned disco and discovered and soon discovered he was a huge Beatles fan as well.On our wedding day 41 years ago, we had our guitar duo play two Beatles songs (Here, There & Everywhere and I Will) at church before the wedding ceremony (apparently Beatles songs aren’t approved wedding Mass hymns, LOL). Made a mix tape including Beatles songs to listen to during labor and delivery of our first child.John and I blasted Photograph by Ringo Starr on repeat all the way to the hospital when I was in labor with our youngest child.We raised our four children on Beatles music (and numerous of our grandchildren are fans now too).Our oldest daughter chose the song Blackbird for the father/daughter dance at her wedding.Our son chose In My Life for the mother/son dance at his wedding.We’ve seen Paul McCartney in concert eight times, including our dream concert with VIP seating (Row 8, vegetarian meal beforehand, and sound check) at Lambeau Field. Had a chance to see Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band perform a couple years ago.We ordered a streaming service just to watch the phenomenal Get Back series.Most recently was our incredible Abbey Road On The River experience.And someday, when our time on this plane is done, we’ve requested Beatles music for our funerals… What is Life? (if John goes before me), Photograph (if I go before John), In My Life for me either way and I’ll Follow the Sun for John either way.

For those of you who love The Beatles, dig watching live performances, reliving the greatest times of your life, dancing like no one’s watchin, and singing songs that define your life, make it a priority to get to Abbey Road On The River in 2023. In addition to all things Beatles, you’ll get to enjoy the music of The Monkeys and The Rascals (with headliners Micky Dolenz and Felix Cavaliere), plus see outstanding sets featuring other mega bands throughout history such as the Queen and Pink Floyd shows we saw this year. See you at Abbey Road!

www.arotr.com

Facebook: Abbey Road On The River 2022 Group

Our first Abbey Road On The River 2022! Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Our first time at AROTR but our second time on Abbey Road…

The real Abbey Road with our four kids crossing this amazingly busy street. Our youngest daughter chose to go to London for her 17th birthday when she was granted a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 2009 f. This was one of our many adventures in the city. All four kids are still Beatles fans and now they’re raising the next generation of Beatles fans!

Upping Our Lenten Game…

We’re in the middle of the Easter octave. If you’re reading this, that means you’ve made it through Lent. Halleluiah!

Of course, for those of you who either don’t observe the Lenten season, or chose not to do anything out of the ordinary or give anything up for Lent, this may not be that big of a deal. But, for those of us that did challenge ourselves this Lent — and made it faithfully through 40 days of prayer, almsgiving and fasting — kudos to us!

The older I get, the more I’m interested in diving further into my Catholic faith. Back in the day, the thought of giving something up for Lent made me dread that seven-and-a-half week stretch of time that started during Wisconsin’s never-ending winter season.

Something happened along the way and now I actually find myself looking forward to Lent. Maybe because it’s the harbinger of spring. Or what should be spring, I say, as I look out the window at the snow falling… again. Those poor robins came back way too early this year. They never learn!

But, there’s more to it than just the light-at-the-end-of-the-winter tunnel. For some reason, I’ve really grown to enjoy embracing the three pillars of Lent. During this season of the year, in the spirit of almsgiving, we try to give more generously to the various organizations that reach out to us in need of funds.

As far as fasting goes, apparently, my husband and I have reached the age where fasting is no longer mandatory during Lent. Regardless, we still felt compelled to do that this year.

Last year for Lent, we committed to fasting two days per week. A zero-calorie liquid fast (think tea and coffee with no creamer, which is hardly worth the effort of making it, if you ask me). We decided to do that again this year. To make it a bit more challenging, I quit weighing myself during Lent. I didn’t want losing weight to be the focus of the fast. I wanted to offer up my hunger pains for people and souls in need and to reflect on Christ’s Passion on my fast days.

Ramped up my prayer game too. On Ash Wednesday, I started a 54-day novena for our nation. John and I also did the nine-day Surrender Novena. The biggest challenge I undertook this year was committing to attend Mass six days a week, doubling my normal schedule.

Working from home, I usually try to schedule two days each week with no outside appointments. Giving those more-leisurely days up was trying, but the joy I got from attending Mass at eight different parishes in our area during that timeframe was totally worth it.

On Mondays, weather permitting, since it’s a half-hour drive from our house, I attended a small wayside shrine for Mass. The church held maybe 40 or 50 people and there was a full house every week. I was particularly touched by the heartfelt prayers that attendees said out loud during the general intercessions.

When the roads were in poor condition, I attended Mass at noon at an older church in our downtown. We’re told that Blessed Solanus Casey said his very first Mass in that building. The large, older church is packed every Monday. Even parking was at a premium.

On Tuesdays, I attended the church where my husband and I were married 41 years ago. Not to be biased, but this traditional European-style church is one of the prettiest spaces in which I’ve ever worshipped. They have a deacon and priest team who take turns doing the homilies and I’ll tell you what, those men are on fire! And they incorporate traditional Catholic practices into their Mass including offering Adoration an hour before Mass starts, praying The Sanctus (Holy, Holy) and Angus Dei (Lamb of God) in Latin, and ending each Mass with the St. Michael the Archangel prayer.

Wednesdays I have a commitment to my own parish to lector and lead the rosary after Mass, so I was there each week. It’s a smaller crowd, but we’re dedicated. I enjoy our priest’s unscripted sermons on the week days.

Thursdays found me at the sister parish to the Tuesday parish, so it was the same pastoral team. Those parishes feature a kneeler in front of the sanctuary so people may kneel to receive Communion in the hand or on the tongue. When I was there I took advantage of that and did the latter. Another nice feature at those churches is that they pray the rosary before Mass and the Divine Mercy Chaplet for Life after Mass, so it was worth the drive to be there at 6:30 a.m. to catch everything.

Year round, on Fridays I attend a Catholic Bible study with my dad at 6:30 a.m. After the class ends at 7:30, I walk next door to the parish for 7:45 a.m. Mass. The church is a modern style, which wouldn’t normally be my preference, but the priest there does an incredible job of preaching short and memorable sermons so the Masses there are very meaningful.

First Saturday found me at a parish in another local community. The priest there happens to teach our Bible study and is a dear friend, so I always enjoy attending his Masses. I tried to go to confession there during Lent, but the line was surprisingly long, so I went to one of the other churches, making sure to be there fifteen minutes before confession stared to secure a place in line.

Sticking to Lenten commitments isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. My husband and I are already starting to consider what we’ll do next year. But, in the meantime, we are enjoying Eastertide. Blessings to you and yours as we all journey through this next liturgical season.  

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire!

One of my favorite movie scenes is from the movie Liar, Liar which, according to Wikipedia, tells the story of a lawyer who built his entire career on lying, but finds himself cursed to speak only the truth for a single day, during which he struggles to maintain his career and to reconcile with his former wife and son who he alienated with his pathological lying.

Police officer: You know why I pulled you over?

Fletcher Reede: Depends on how long you were following me!

Police officer: Why don’t we take it from the top?

Fletcher Reede: Here goes. I sped, I followed too closely, I ran a stop sign, I almost hit a Chevy, I sped some more, I failed to yield, I changed lanes without signaling while speeding.

Police officer: Is that all?

Fletcher Reede: No. I have unpaid parking tickets.

Obviously, this guy is a pathological liar. You know who else lies on a regular basis? Pretty much every human on the planet. One study in particular showed that the average person lies 100 times a day. The study went further and noted that we lie in 25 percent of all our social interactions. (Note, politicians and news pundits have been excluded from this survey so as not to skew the numbers. Not really, but they probably should be.)

Think I’m fibbing? For the next 24 hours, pay attention to everything you say. How much of what you say isn’t totally factual? How often do you fudge the truth?

Lies run the gamut from white lies to exaggeration (or embellishment as we writers like to say), plagiarism, lies of deception, lies of fabrication, broken promises and bold-faced lies. We lie to keep ourselves from getting into trouble (children are pros at this), we lie so as not to hurt other people’s feelings, we commit sins of omission (something to think about as you work on your taxes, especially for those folks getting paid “under the table”), we don’t admit things when we should (what percentage of people plead “not guilty” in court when they most certainly know they are guilty?), we lie to save face. The list is endless.

We’re not just lying to other people; we’re lying to ourselves on a regular basis as well. “I can get one more task done before I leave the house and still be at my appointment on time.” Or, “I’m just going to eat one Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg.” (Like Lay’s potato chips, you can’t eat just one.)

Lent’s just around the corner (Ash Wednesday falls on March 2 this year.) How about giving up lying for Lent? Think through every word you say before it leaves your mouth. Sound easy? You’d be surprised. If it turns out to be a struggle, the good news is that Lent is the ideal time to go to Confession. You can wipe the slate clean and do your best to go forward and tell the truth and nothing but the truth.

Oh, The Places You’ll Go

As they say, books can transport you anywhere. While that certainly is true for book readers, it can be equally true for book writers as well. When my first novel, A World Such as Heaven Intended, was published in 2014, I had no idea of the adventure on which I was embarking.

It started out with short trips, like driving to my hometown in Northern Wisconsin for book signings. Then it was to Chicago to attend the annual Catholic Writers Guild / Catholic Marketing Network convention where I was able to connect with other Catholic writers. More conventions followed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Chicago again.

Then, as I delved further into the world of writing by co-writing a screenplay (The Islands for which my team earned the 2020 Best Writer Award – Red Letter Awards), there came my dream trip to Hawaii to watch the premiere. Working with the director of that movie brought us an invitation to attend the premiere of another of his movies at Fox Studios in Los Angeles.

Researching for books currently on the drawing board took us to Ireland and Civil War battle sites including Gettysburg, North Carolina and obscure battlegrounds in the Tennessee foothills.

Our latest trip was to Washington, D.C. where we met His Excellency, Archduke Eduard Habsburg-Lothringen, Hungary’s ambassador to the Holy See and Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

So, how exactly does a writer living in America’s heartland get such an honor?

In a word — Twitter. One of my fellow Catholic writers tweeted this, which I retweeted:

After some thought, I composed my own tweet using Eduard’s original tweet and threw it out to the universe. You’ll never get anything in life if you don’t ask:

Which brought me this follow:

Eduard sent me a message saying that he would buy his daughter Sophie the Heaven Intended series as he wanted to support writers. Lo and behold, she loved the series and declared that I was her favorite author. Sophie and I began corresponding via e-mail and I sent her a copy of the manuscript that I was working on at that time. She read Anything But Groovy and gave it a glowing review which is now one of the reviews on the inside of the book.

Then one day I got this DM from Eduard:

It turns out that Eduard is an author himself. He had written a book in his native language of German (translated by his older daughter who was studying English literature in college) based on a bedtime tale he’d told his children as they were growing up. Dubbie: The Double-Headed Eagle was the sweet story of this little double-headed eagle (which happens to be on the Habsburg family crest) who was on the search for any other double-headed eagles like himself.

Eduard had a dream of having this book published in the United States. By chance, I had the ideal publisher who could help make that happen. Full Quiver Publishing had published all my books. Ellen Gable Hrkach and her husband James Hrkach, who is a professional artist and musician, were delighted to take on the project. I copy edited the book with Ellen, James illustrated it and Full Quiver published it.

Earlier this year, Eduard mentioned that he would be in Washington, D.C. in October for a Mass honoring his relative Blessed Karl of Austria. He invited my husband and me to attend the Mass at St. Mary Mother of God Church. We drove out there the day before to meet privately with Eduard and take him to lunch. We introduced him to his first taste of Buffalo chicken and pastrami. (I’d say he’s a fan for life.) I presented a gift to him from writers in the Catholic Writers Guild and Catholic Teen Books — 14 books to take home to his three youngest daughters in Rome.

Who knows where this writing journey will take me next? If it’s in God’s plan, it will be to Hollywood or Georgia to begin filming a movie or limited-run television series based on my book A World Such as Heaven Intended. Only time will tell!

My advice to budding authors? Dream big and keep asking. You’ll be surprised how often the answer will be “yes!”