Not yet read - but interested

[Mary]

Hello R.W.! Just took a look at your website for Wretched Man and am immensely interested! I've always looked askance at St. Paul (being a progressive-sort-of Catholic, and am REALLY looking forward to your take on him. Thanks for inviting me to the conversation. I'll check back in when I've got a copy. Cheers! mfburns (author of J-The Woman Who Wrote the Bible)

[R.W.]

I would like to introduce the members to each other.

Mary may not remember, but we had email conversation a year or two ago since we both were in the process of writing and seeking publication for Biblical novels. It appears her novel about "J The Woman who Wrote the Bible" will be out later this year.

Kate is also an author, and her memoir (Lost & Found) about her birth mom contacting her after her adoptive mom's funeral has drawn rave reviews and is doing very well. She is also a friend/mentor from the Loft as she served as my editor / coach.

Phil is a friend here in Northfield. Phil is a retired Lutheran pastor and my regular coffee date at Blue Monday coffee shop.

I met Ray through my "Spirit of a Liberal" blog. He is also a Lutheran pastor serving an addiction Recovery church in Fargo.

Thanks, all for joining!

[Mary]

Hi Ray! Thanks for reminding me of our e-conversation from November 2008! I still have the emails. I really like the new title, much better than the working title of a year ago (The Jewish Gentile) - isn't it fun and interesting how those things evolve? Please let me know if you're heading to San Francisco on a book tour, I'll pal around with you and help! mfburns

[R.W.]

Just so everyone knows, my book is authored under RW Holmen (stands for Robert William), but I usually go by Obie, which is a nickname without a rational basis.

[R.W.]

Mary,

The publisher ditched the old title. I like the new one much better also. I should also mention that everyone here to this point has a decided progressive, religious bent.

[R.W.]

Ed's intro:

Ed and I were in a novel writing seminar together at the Loft. He will add an irreverant voice.

[Ray]

Happy to be on board, looking forward to the book arriving in the mail. Obie, if you go to San Francisco on book tour let me know, I’ll carry your bags. I haven’t been to SF in over 30 years, I spend several months at the Alameda Navy base when I was in the Navy. A lot of really good memories, and the source of a lot of really good “Sea Stories” that I can talk about in my sermons at Recovery Worship that I would not be able to tell in a “normal” congregation. People in recovery would understand the stuff we do when we are intoxicated. I am looking forward to the conversations!

[R.W.]

Two more intros in order. We have two more clergy folk from Northfield. Sandy is the pastor at First UCC, but she is retiring this summer. Joy is the soon to be former pastor at a nearby church that is likely to vote to leave the ELCA but Joy chooses to stay.