Almost-Autumn Updates

Are you ready for some fall weather? I am! As we approach the first day of autumn, I know that won’t ensure automatic cooler temperatures here in the South, but I’ve already taken out some fall decor around my house.

my mantelFiretender awarded the CWG Seal of Approval!

My biggest news to share is that Firetender, Book One in the Chalice Series, was recently awarded the Seal of Approval from the Catholic Writers Guild! What is the seal, you may wonder? You can read about it here, but the quick version is that it is awarded to works of fiction that are Catholic in nature, do not misrepresent or go against Church doctrine or moral teaching, and have been professionally edited (containing few to no typos). As non-fiction books are given an imprimatur to indicate their content as being in line with the Catholic faith, the CWG SOA shows that a work of fiction is not going to mislead readers about truths of the faith. The inclusion of it being well-edited gives the award credibility from a professional standpoint as well, in that a book containing many typos or grammatical problems will appear amateurish to a reader.

If you’ve read Firetender - or Enkindle in Me - book reviews on Goodreads and/or Amazon are much appreciated! Thank you for your support!

Firetender and Enkindle in Me in the library!

My novels can be checked out from the local library! Here they are in the PINES system. Enkindle in Me is checked out and has two holds placed on it! It’s surreal to walk into the public library and find your own book on the New Releases shelves in the front of the building! Watch the video below of when I located Firetender on the shelf.

Where’s the backstory?

Ah, yes, the next installment of Backstory Excerpts for Hardcore Fans… I plan to get to sharing that soon. If you’ve been following along, we last left Channing as a pre-teen in middle school, a glimpse into his experiences in the classroom and with the school’s guidance counselor. Up next, Channing’s life will finally intersect with his friend Dallas’s, and we will move into his early teenage years. That means we only have a few more excerpts to go… but if that makes you sad, never fear—the beach scene excerpt is long enough that it will be released in several segments. It’s one of my favorites for showing the nuances of Dallas and Channing’s friendship.

Found this picture on Pinterest… can you guess which boy I would say is Dallas and which I would say is Channing?

If you’ve missed out on the backstory excerpts and want to catch up, you can go back to my previous Substack posts. I recommend having read Firetender first, but it’s up to you, of course.

What I’ve Been Reading

I recently finished Diary of an American Exorcist by Stephen J. Rossetti and Three Last Things, a short story by Corinna Turner. If you want to read real-life encounters with demons or a fictional account of a death row inmate’s last days on earth, then these books will deliver. You can read my more detailed review of both books here on my author website.

pretty turkish coffee mug from my forest school friends!

I am currently finishing up The Picture of Dorian Gray for my book club. My daughter and her boyfriend are leading our group discussion on the story because my daughter took an online class taught by Joseph Pierce about the novel. I’m excited to get a closer look at the symbolism and the themes of this tragic story written by Oscar Wilde, an author who experienced a troubled life and a deathbed conversion. Maybe I will share about our discussion in the next newsletter!

Until next time…