Here comes the school year and with it, required reading assignments. Get back into the groove by supplementing those dry textbooks with some fiction. Need a reminder of why fiction is so good for you? Find it here.
The selections below start at middle grade (Rosa, Sola) and up. The last two selections are intended for mom and dad, because you need good books too. And an escape. Maybe more than the kids!
And for more recommendations for middle grades and teens, visit Catholic Teen Books.
In your most recent novel, Shadows of Hope, the reader knows from the first pages the heartbreaking conflict bound to be revealed: Marissa counsels Kaitlyn throughout her unplanned pregnancy and unbeknownst to both women, Marissa’s husband Colin is the father. You gave not only Marissa and Kaitlyn a voice, but Colin, too. Was it challenging to write from his point of view?
First, thank you so much for inviting me to your corner of cyberspace, Carolyn!
As for Colin, writing from his point of view wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I tried to dig in and really think like someone who’s created a horrible situation but now wants to do the right thing, only he has no idea what that is.
And that’s the thing, when you’re not walking with God and you’re in an impossible situation, life can be a total mess! I really wanted to bring that complexity to his character—a man who truly doesn’t see how his sin is impacting those around him since he’s trying to do the right thing now.
Who was it that said everyone is a hero in their own story? That’s what I tried to keep in mind as I wrote Colin. Continue reading
So, you’ve had your books made into audiobooks using ACX. (You haven’t? Then you should read Part I:Tips for Turning Your Novel into an Audiobook Using ACX and learn why and how.) Now what? How do you market your audiobooks(s)?
Image by sik-life (pixabay)
Commonsense, right? But sometimes we forget to do the obvious. Wherever you list your books, particularly your website, make sure your audiobook cover(s) and links (to Audible, Amazon, and iTunes) are included.
Dedicate an entire page of your website to your audiobooks with summaries, sales links, and samples. (see below)
Continue reading
Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe by Robert Matzen has been playing inside my husband’s car. The book gives insight into the Army Air Corps during WWII and what the bomber groups experienced. More than Jimmy Stewart, the actor, Mission is concerned with Jimmy Stewart, the man. Stewart’s family had military roots in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, and he saw such service as his calling (more so than entertaining).
I finally bumped Cinder Allia by Karen Ullo to the top of my reading list. As the title suggests, the book is a take on the classic Cinderella fairy tale. Only a few elements form the original are retained here, including a slipper lost at a royal ball. The writing is lovely, filled with imagery. The story, which involves a sham prince, a priest/spy, and a mysterious affliction wrought by the tip of the enemy’s arrow, is more intricate than you might expect, involving espionage, war, and shifting loyalties.
I’m eager to read Broken Brain, Fortified Faith: Lessons of Hope Through a Child’s Mental Illness by Virginia Pillars, with whom I am presenting at the Catholic Writers Conference Live this week. It is a memoir, “the story of one family’s journey through schizophrenia, navigating the uncharted waters of mental illness to find help for their daughter, Amber, and support for their family. ” It has five out of five stars on Amazon with 47 reviews! I’m looking forward to reading this next.
School starts in a few weeks, so my son has begun his summer reading project. From a large selection of titles set in medieval times, he selected Timeline by Michael Crichton. (Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott ran a close second.) In a nutshell, young scientists travel in time to medieval France on a daring rescue mission. I’m going to read this time-travelling, swashbuckling thriller when he’s done!
My soon-to-be fifth grader completed the local library’s summer reading program and was excited to find a book about her favorite thing these days: the American Revolution. In order to prolong her enjoyment, she’s limited herself to a chapter a day of King George: What was his problem?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn’t Tell You About the American Revolution by Steve Sheinkin and Tim Robinson. It includes-lesser known but very interesting details about the Revolutionary War and includes maps and battle plans.
Staircase for the Sisters: A Story of Prayer and Saint Joseph by Pamela Love and John Joseph is an illustrated retelling of the story of the mysterious completion of the staircase in the chapel of the Sisters of Loretto in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1878. It is a quick read about an amazing (miraculous?) story suitable for about third grade and up. My daughter loved it!
Handel, Who Knew What He Liked by M.T. Anderson and Kevin Hawkes is another book our family picked up in relation to the library’s music-themed summer reading program. This picture book follows Handel from childhood to the composition of his famous “Messiah” and beyond. My 10-year-old loved the book, but despite the engaging illustrations, the length left my 5- and 6-year-olds drifting off to other activities.
I’ve added 7 Ate 9 by Tara Lazar and Ross MacDonald to my short list of favorite children’s books. The word (and number) play is fabulous! My teenager grabbed this staff pick from the library shelf for his siblings, and we loved it! In a word, 7 Ate 9 is FUN.
What are you reading? Share it at An Open Book and find new book recommendations too! #openbook Share on X
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Want more details on An Open Book? You can also sign up for An Open Book reminder email, which goes out one week before the link-up. No blog? That’s okay. Just tell us what you’re reading in the comment box.
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Online–September 14-16, 2018, the Catholic Writers Guild will host, via webinar, an online writers conference focused on helping Catholic writers succeed in their craft. The Catholic Writers Conference Online provides Catholic writers with a prime opportunity to meet and share their faith with editors, publishers, and fellow writers from across the globe. Speakers will discuss writing as a calling, literature as evangelization, and even how genre fiction like horror and science fiction can still reflect Catholic values.
Presenters include Joseph Pearce (Further Up & Further In), Michelle Buckman (Turning in Circles), Karen Ullo (Jennifer the Damned) and many others. Recordings and reference materials from all presentations will be available free to all conference attendees. Continue reading
We buried my mother this week and returned home to what seemed like endless days of rain, gloom, and flash flooding. And yet, the sun rises. The flowers bloom. The butterflies flit from flower to flower.
Life is good.
God is good.
Our garden brings no small measure of unadulterated joy.
–1–
On Tour with Prism Book Tours
The Truth Between Us
(Bentwood #2)
By Tammy L. Gray
Inspirational Contemporary Romance
ebook, 252 Pages
July 12th 2018
Nine years to win her. Three years to love her. And one decision that destroyed it all.
April Duncan was raised with three clear truths: the family name is absolute, ambition and success rule over every emotion, and love always comes with strings attached. Image was everything in her carefully crafted world… until the mirror cracked. Continue reading
