Blogging – Page 2 – Catholic Writers Guild

Visiting Homebound Elder-Catholics—A Privilege and Sometimes, an Unexpected Challenge

December 6, 2016/0 Comments/in Blogging, Catholic Theme, Catholic Writing and Publishing, Inspirational/by Larry Peterson

I have been an EMHC (Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion) for over twenty years. I have had the honor and privilege of bringing Holy Communion to many people in many places: hospitals, nursing homes, hospice centers, assisted living facilities,and, of course, to the homebound. I love being part of this ministry and it has brought me in touch with some amazing people who have lived their Catholic lives quietly, faithfully and without fanfare or notoriety.

Most of those I visit are Elder-Catholics.These are the Catholic faithful who have, throughout their lives, supported their church, been active in various ministries and carried on the faith that was and still is, part of their very being. Some were born into the Faith and it was nurtured in them by their parents and oftentimes by nuns, brothers, priests and Catholic laypersons. They in turn have passed it on to their own children. Some found the faith as adults and converted. (I so admire those people.) And so, as is the way of things, the Church continues.

I would like to share a story about one of these people. His name is John. I have been bringing Holy Communion to John every Sunday for a little more than a year. He is ninety years old, an Army veteran who spent almost thirty years in the Far East and was married for sixty years. His wife, Mary, passed away several years ago. He loved her dearly and misses her greatly. John is not delusional, or suffering from dementia or anything like that. His mind is sharp and clear. Physically, John is deaf (hearing aids help a tiny bit) and wheelchair bound.

When I arrive at his front door, I push the doorbell. I hear a chime; he does not. Inside, several strobe lights begin to flash, notifying him someone is at the door. He is expecting me and the front door is unlocked. I walk in and he gives out a big, “Hey, hey, good morning.”

I more or less holler back, “Hey John, how you doing today?”

He is always wearing a smile. He says, “Well, I’m still here.” We both laugh.

John is facing a dilemma. He picks up the newspaper from a few days before and points to a story. “Have you gotten any feedback on this?” I look at the paper he has opened to an article dealing with the church’s newly revised guidelines on cremation. I shrug and tell him I have not. He says, “I have a problem and maybe you can help me out. I need some guidance.”

I am not “Father Larry” or “Deacon Larry”…I’m just Larry. I immediately feel a bit insecure because I do not like telling folks what they should or should not do when it comes to their personal faith issues. I quietly ask the Holy Spirit to quickly help me out. Then I say, “I’ll try, John. But I may not be able to. I will go to Father Anthony and ask him if necessary.”

Being part of this ministry can have unexpected rewards. God was about to bless me with a glimpse into the hearts of two Catholics, a man and a woman, people of faith who married in the faith and lived it and who shared a love that did not die upon the death of one–rather, it simply continued and still existed. John says to me, “You know, I am upset about this article. It says we Catholics must bury the ashes of loved ones in sacred ground.”

I said, “That isn’t anything new. Some folks are scattering ashes over the Gulf of Mexico or off mountaintops or sharing them among family members. Those kinds of things are not approved of.”

“Look”, he says. “I have Mary’s ashes here with me. I talk to her every day. I’m all alone and I feel she never really left and I get such comfort from that. Do I have to get her over to the cemetery?”

I’m looking at him and tears are filling his eyes. He wants to be a GOOD Catholic man and he loves his wife and wants to be loyal to her. He will give her up if the Church requires it even though the pain he will feel is unimaginable. It did not matter. He would be true to his faith no matter what. I was looking at a man who would have gladly embraced a martyr’s crown if he had been called upon to do so.

I knew that cremated remains are supposed to be kept intact and placed in a proper vessel. Nervously I began to answer but he continued. “I have a spot down at the VA for both of us. I made arrangements with the funeral home and when I pass they are going to take us together down to the VA and bury us next to each other.”

I breathed a sigh of great relief. Casting doubt to the wind, I told him, “John, that is great. She can stay here with you. She is encased in a vessel and is scheduled for burial. You will make the trip to the VA together. Don’t worry about a thing.”

I will never forget the smile that broke out across his face. I’m not sure if I gave him proper “guidance.” No matter; in this case I am sure the Holy Spirit helped me out. I will check with the priest when I see him.

Alzheimer’s Disease Has Turned Me into a “Guilt-Free Liar”

August 2, 2016/0 Comments/in Blogging, Catholic Writing and Publishing, Inspirational/by Larry Peterson

By Larry Peterson

My wife, Marty, has Alzheimer’s Disease, which can lead to the unexpected, like this essay. I did not plan on writing what follows but certain things, silly things, happened last night that I found myself still thinking about this morning. I thought this might provide some insight into the daily world of Alzheimer’s patients and their primary caregivers.

After dinner (by the way, I am turning into a pretty good cook) Marty asked me, “What time is my show on?”

Reflexively I asked her, “What show?” (I know she has no favorite show. I also know she has stepped into what I call ‘Uh-oh time.’ I call it this because these are the moments that can lead her to become quickly frustrated and agitated).

She looked at me and I could see her tensing up. Raising her voice a decibel or two, she said, “You know what show. Just tell me what time it comes on.”

Quickly I became a liar. I have become a guilt-free, therapeutic liar because, in my world, I have to survive. My realization is that without me she is alone and she can no longer survive on her own. “Sorry, sweetie, your show is not on tonight. There is a special about sharks, and you don’t care about sharks, do you?”

“You know I don’t like sharks. But that’s okay. I can watch the news, right?”

“Absolutely.”

She headed to the sofa, sat down and picks up her puzzle book. She always was good at doing the anacrostics (I find them incredibly difficult) but now she more or less looks at the page, holding the pencil on it. The pencil never moves. Then she said, “Do I have to go to work tomorrow? I’m so tired. I really could use a day off.”

Two years ago I might have tried to explain to her that she does not have a job and has not worked in seven or eight years. However, with my Liar’s Hat still in place I answered, “You’re right. You do look tired. I think you need a day off too. Don’t worry, I’ll call in for you and tell them you’re sick.”

“You would do that for me? That’s’ so nice. I’m so glad I don’t have to get up and go in. Is today Sunday?”

Whew, a relief question. I could tell the truth. “No, it’s Wednesday.”

“Wednesday, are you sure?”

“Yes, it’s Wednesday.”

Things were quiet for a while. It was about 9 p.m. when I walked back to the bathroom. Suddenly I heard smashing and banging coming from the utility room off the kitchen. I headed in there and Marty had, in a matter of minutes, emptied the wall cabinet of all the plastic containers, glasses and cups and other things that were inside and stacked them all on the washer and dryer below. “Hey, hon, what are you doing?”

She looked at me and I could see she was agitated. “We have all this junk. We have to get rid of it. Why do we have all this junk? We have to throw it out.”

Immediately, I switched back to my Liar’s Hat. “Okay, when should we throw it all out?”

“I don’t know; maybe right now?”

“Well, it is kind of late. Maybe we can do it in the morning.”

“I don’t feel like putting it all back tonight.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll do it.”

“Oh, thanks. I’m too tired.”

There was one final question. She looked at me and asked, “We’re married, right?”

“Yes Marty, we are married.”

She got into bed about 9:30 and was asleep in about two minutes. I was mentally worn out but I looked at her and realized that the innocence of childhood has come back from an unknown place and once again embraced her. I also knew that when she awakes in the morning she will not remember anything of what has happened.

Since I do not “punch a clock” I have the joy of being able to attend daily Mass at 8 AM. Marty will wake up at about 7 AM, and she always asks me, “Are you going to church?”

I answer, “Yup.”

She will ask, “Will you take me with you?”

“Of course.”

From 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

As a caregiver to a child of God, I have been blessed.

Being a caregiver for his wife with Alzheimer's Disease has turned Larry Peterson into a guilt-free liar.

By Gelonida – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29513537

Meet “The Doorkeeper:” Solanus Casey, the Man without Ego

November 3, 2015/4 Comments/in Blogging, Catholic Writing and Publishing, Inspirational/by Larry Peterson

By Larry Peterson

The 2016 election (more than a year away) has already worn me down. The pundits include the greatest thinkers of our time. I know this because virtually all of the TV and radio commentators, campaign officials, editorial writers, government officials, TV talk show hosts, comedians and, of course the candidates are always saying, “I THINK…this” or I THINK…that.” Those folks sure do a lot of thinking. And I know it must be important thinking because the ones doing all the thinking are doing it on TV, radio, in print or somewhere in cyber-land. It MUST be important, right? Wrong!

They are all experts in everything you can think of and, filled with their own sense of grandiosity, they vilify, name-call, and besmirch those with an opposing viewpoint or philosophy. They even attack their opponent’s families. Then you hear the great Machiavellian disclaimer of, “Hey, that’s politics.” You know what, I have my own phrase for all of it: rude, obnoxious, self-gratified egomania. I’m so over it.

I decided to begin a search for someone sans EGO. I was sure it would be almost next to impossible. But guess what? It was not. We Catholics celebrate the great feast of All Saint’s Day on November 1. The saints are members of the Catholic Hall of Fame (I call it that). They are the best of the best, the crème de le crème, the most selfless of the unselfish. These are the people who loved God unconditionally and, in some cases, failed many times before they got it right. But they all invariably emptied themselves for others before they died, many times giving their lives in doing so.

By Mahatma Gandhi (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Let me tell you about one of them who was a quiet, uncomplicated man who never aspired to be anything more than a simple priest. His name was Bernard Francis Casey, and his family and friends called him Barney. There are many guys and gals like Barney in our Catholic Hall of Fame and they, like Barney, were ‘ego-less.’ This was not a birth defect. Their secret simply was knowing how to love God with all their mind, heart and soul. That led them to love others more than themselves. It was NEVER about them.

Barney was born in Oak Grove, Wisconsin, back in 1870. He was the sixth of 16 kids of Irish immigrant parents. When Barney was a boy he contracted diptheria, and it left him with a permanently raspy-sounding voice. (Barney would never have qualified for American Idol). Barney felt the call to the priesthood but, at the age of 16, he hit a detour. He had to go to work to help the family and worked at jobs in Minnesota and Wisconsin as a lumberjack, a prison guard, a streetcar operator and a hospital orderly.

Barney Casey always did whatever job he had to the best of his ability, wanting to serve his God in all things. Five years later he was able to enter St. Francis High School Seminary in Milwaukee. He spent five years there before being able to move on and join the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. Upon his acceptance he took the name of Solanus after St. Francis Solanus, a 17th century missionary.

Solanus Casey was finally ordained a priest at the age of 33. He had to study extremely hard to reach that goal, and when he was finally ordained he was given the title “Sacerdos Simplex,” which means “simple priest.” This meant he was not permitted to preach or to hear confessions. He never complained; he took joy in just being a “simple priest.”

Father Solanus Casey lived in Detroit, and his main job at the monastery was that of “doorkeeper.” Father Casey, wanting to the absolute best at whatever God chose for him, became the finest doorkeeper that ever lived. He did this for well over 20 years and also became known for his service to the sick and the advice and consultations he would have with visitors. People began attributing cures and other blessings to his interaction with them or others.

Father Solanus Casey: a man who opened and closed doors for people. A man who had no ego and was happy to serve God in the simplest of ways. A man who, because miracles have been attributed to his intercession, was declared “Venerable” by Pope John Paul II in 1995. This is the first step toward canonization as a saint. Father Solanus Casey died in 1957.

Father Casey is the first man born in the USA to be on the road to full sainthood. And all he did was humbly and happily open doors for people and talk to them if they wanted. A Catholic Hall of Famer for sure, and quite the contrast to the gaggle of egotists that bombard us daily with their “I think” wisdom. Solanus (Barney) Casey has recharged me. It might be nice if all of today’s bloviating pundits could hear or read his story.

Time to “Slap Back” at the Self-Serving Intolerance of the Anti-Catholic/Christian

April 7, 2015/2 Comments/in Blogging, Catholic Writing and Publishing, Encouragement for Writers/by Larry Peterson

Sorry–it is Good Friday and I do not feel too “bubbly” right now. When I began to contemplate the Cross today and Who was nailed to it I found myself disgusted. I am disgusted and fed up with the approximately 2% of the population who are gay and are screaming at the “intolerance” of the Catholic/Christian community which comprises 80% of the American population. I am tired of us being called “intolerant” and “homophobic” and “racist” etc., simply because they do not get their way in every little thing they demand. Have they ever once considered what that Cross we revere stands for? The fact is, they have hijacked the Cross and insist it represents them and their self-indulgent ideology. We Christians are the “bad people.” This perverse nonsense has to stop.

I am also tired of the mainstream media and the Hollywood elite denigrating and mocking Christianity and all who belong to it as “fools.” Aren’t you tired of being trashed by the anti-God people? Why can’t they seem to understand one bit of the the kindness and goodness that has been extended to ALL people by Catholic/Christians, you know, people like all of us. Bill Maher says that people who believe in God, “are idiots and they are stupid.” Has he or any of his fellow God-haters ever taken one damn moment and looked at that Cross and reflected about the sweet mercy, flowing grace and abundant love that smeared blood red all over the wood? I think not.

The United States State Department says that in at least 60 countries, Christians face persecution simply because they are Christian. Imagine, being hated for loving. How twisted is that? Seventy-five percent of the world’s population lives in areas with severe religious persecution. Yes, yes, I know, we are supposed to “turn the other cheek.” Well, this Catholic man says I’ll turn it but if you keep slapping my face every time I do, sooner or later I am going to slap you back. My brothers and sisters, I think it is time to start slapping back. Not with fists and pipes and lies and rants but with the written word defending our Faith against all attacks, even if it is a Tweet on Twitter or a blurb on Facebook.

I also want our bishops to get up there and start defending Christ and His people. And I want them to tell their priests to defend it also. (When was the last time you heard a priest in your parish defend the faith against the evil run amok all over the world including the USA?) I want them to say “We don’t need your your damn tax exemption 501c3. We must defend our faith no matter what.”

That’s right, forget this “PC” (politically correct) nonsense. We, as Catholics, do not put pen to paper and lie, slander or foment falsehoods about people. We write about Jesus Christ and the beautiful Faith He has given to us. That is not evil or intolerant. That is what we are about. We are about loving our neighbor and, for the most part, we do.

Last June ISIS overran the city of Mosul in Iraq. They killed countless numbers of our brother and sister Chaldean Catholics. The Church in Erbil has set up camps and is helping more than 130,000 refugees settle in temporarily until they might once again go back home to Mosul. Pope Francis has set an example for us all, including our hierarchy. He has sent Cardinal Fernando Filoni, the Prefect for the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, to these displaced Catholics. The Holy Father has initiated a program to give out cakes to each of the families in the camps. A total of more than 20,000 cakes will be distributed as the Holy Father shows them they all have his support and he is standing up to the maniacal, Satan driven savages of ISIS. He has taken the lead.

All I am asking for is more defense of the faith via the spoken and written word and some leadership from our safely placed American hierarchy in mounting a campaign to do so. Jesus never said it would be easy following Him. Seeing what happens to Him on Good Friday proves it. War is being waged against us, not only over there but right here in our own country. Time to “slap back.”

Reconnecting with an Old Family Friend: St. Therese

March 3, 2015/0 Comments/in Blogging, Catholic Writing and Publishing, Inspirational/by Larry Peterson

I have a small bedroom I converted into an office. Against the wall next to the closet is a narrow bookcase. It is about seven feet tall and one foot wide and has seven shelves. It is a great dust collector. Anyway, I had this sudden urge to “straighten up” the mess of papers and supplies I had so “neatly” placed on those shelves over the past few years. So I reached for the stack of old Writer’s Digest and Writer magazines on the third shelf. I placed one hand on top and tried to get my other underneath the stack. As if working together in synchronized dance, they all slid out and landed in a pile on the floor. I shook my head and chuckled. “Typical you,” I mumbled to no one.

Included in my extended Catholic family (besides you and all Catholics) are the saints. Regarding the saints, there are many of these family members I have never even heard of. But, I do know that if I ever hear about one of them and seek them out, they somehow heed my call. For example, recently I “met” St. John of God for the first time and I had never heard of him. After reading about him, suffice it to say that this saint is no longer extended family for me. No sirree, he is now close family. I give him a ‘shout-out’ every day. (You can Google his name and a wealth of info comes up).

But what about an old family member who you were very close to and then, for some inexplicable reason, you more or less ignored them for many years? How do you finally get back together with them? I’ll tell you one way it can happen. They might hit you upside your head with a clear and unmistakable message. Guess who my message sender was? It was St. Therese, the “Little Flower.” Many of you know what I am talking about. There is no subtlety when she is communicating with you. You can do like me though. You might begin to take her for granted and then begin to ignore her. SIGH–I did that, I admit it. Not anymore.

I should explain that my family and I have had some profound experiences courtesy of this great saint. In fact, I could write an entire short story right now about each of several miraculous things that have happened in our lives courtesy of St. Therese’s intercession. (I actually started to do that so I just deleted more than 400 words of “stuff” that was turning this into a novella.) “C’mon Larry, get to the point.” (That’s me talking to me.)

I bend down to begin picking up the magazines which are spread evenly across the floor. The mastheads are all showing as if they were put on display. In the middle of the pile I see a thin box. It does not belong. It is an interloper. I pick it up and see it is an old Xerox box, 8.5 X 11 by about one half-inch thick that held something called transparency paper. I did not even know what that was and then the end of this box popped open and a bunch of photos slid out. Guess whose 8 X 10 photo is on top looking right at me with this satisfied smile that made my knees get weak? Yup–you got it, St. Therese.

Two hours later that photo of my sweet, little friend (and your friend too), was in a very nice 12 X 15 bordered frame hanging on the wall a few feet away. Now I get to see her every day and she still is smiling gently. Since we have reconnected I have seen more ROSES than I can count. I found the booklet, “Mary Day by Day” in the garage (don’t ask me how it got there) which was Blessed Mother Teresa’s favorite book. I received an e-mail from someone named Therese Martin (St. Therese’s real name) and, thanks to the encouragement of Elizabeth Schmeidler, my book is coming out in print in a few weeks. I also am reading Connie Rossini’s book, “Trusting God with St. Therese.” How timely is that? I might add that our stillborn daughter’s name is Theresa Mary and my granddaughter’s name is Theresa Marie.

I shall end this now by simply asking St. Therese to please pray for all of us and by promising her that she can stay smiling at me from up on that wall for the rest of my life.

Meditating “Melchizedek”

February 3, 2015/1 Comment/in Blogging, Catholic Writing and Publishing/by Larry Peterson

When it comes to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass I freely admit that of all the Eucharistic Prayers that are offered I do LOVE the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I) the best. The words after the consecration are specifically about our role in this heavenly drama:

“we, your servants and your holy people, offer to your glorious majesty from the gifts that you have given us, this pure victim, this holy victim, this spotless victim, the holy Bread of eternal life and the Chalice of everlasting salvation.”

Are not those words just beautiful? And then, after a few lines, “in humble prayer we ask you, almighty God command these gifts be borne by the hands of your holy angel to your altar on high—–so that all of us may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing.—“ Magnificent, even out of context. But I skipped a few lines that come between the italicized words. Specifically, “the offering of your high priest, Melchizedek—“

I don’t know about you but I confess, I never thought about “Melchizedek.” Who is he? Where did he come from? Why am I thinking about this after all these years? Well, I heard a homily the other day where the priest talked about tithing. (Everyone’s favorite topic). First he quoted from the Letter to the Hebrews, Ch 5; 6, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Then he went on to say that in Chapter 14 of the Book of Genesis Abram’s nephew, Lot, was captured during the Battle of Sidim. So Abram takes 318 of his best men and goes and rescues him. Enter Melchizedek (I have just given new meaning to the word “synopsis”).

Anyway, the point Father was traveling to was this. After Abram won his victory, the King of Salem, Melchizedek, came out to greet Abram and gave him bread and wine, and being a priest of God, he blessed Abram with these words “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the Creator of heaven and earth—“ And Abram knew immediately that he was supposed to give Melchizedek 10% of all he had. And he DID.

As soon as Father said this, drums began beating inside my head. Amid the pounding I began hearing words, “WHAT! WHAT! What did he say? Did he say Abram just knew? How did he know that? How could he know that? Why not 5% or 25%?” The pounding turned into doubting.

He immediately directed us all back to the quote from the Letter to the Hebrews. He explained that since Jesus was “a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek” and Abram knew what to do, that is why we are asked to give 10% as a tithe. Father did admit that no one really knows who Melchizedek was or where he actually came from. Salem could have referred to the future Jerusalem or Zion or to a tabernacle; there is much speculation. Oh well.

I am far from being a theologian, so I assume this is solid Catholic teaching. Since Jesus is identified as a “priest forever in the line of Melchizedek,” He assumes the role of High Priest once and for all. This I will not question even though I really do not understand it. But I posted this here because our CWG site is a truly Catholic place, and I am hoping for some simple input regarding the tithing business.

Father finished by saying, “All of us priests follow in Jesus’ footsteps. Therefore we have the right to request money from you, and you have an obligation to give it.” He said it, and I did not like it. For me it was like swallowing a pill that got stuck in my throat. Well, the pill is still stuck, right where it stopped. Any ideas on how I can get that pill swallowed without gagging would be appreciated.

From the President’s Desk – Courage and the Catholic Writer

September 26, 2014/4 Comments/in Blogging, Catholic Writing and Publishing, Inspirational, Journalism, Religious Liberty/by Ellen Gable Hrkach

photo by Josh Hrkach

As I write this, it is a gloomy, cold and wet day. It feels more like the end of November than September. The Farmers’ Almanac and recent weather forecasts have predicted that Canada and much of the Northern and Midwestern states will be experiencing another brutally cold and snowy winter. Upon hearing this, I groaned.

It’s good to be prepared, not only emotionally, but practically as well. For our family, that means making sure we have enough logs for the long winter ahead to keep us warm and always having extra provisions in case we lose electricity.

In the grand scheme of things, a cold winter can be uncomfortable, but not usually life-threatening, especially for the vast majority of us who live in well-insulated homes and have warm coats and cars. In fact, a brutal winter has the potential of being a positive experience because it can build our character and increase our patience.

Right now, Middle Eastern Christians and others are dealing with worse atrocities than cold temperatures.

With Social Networking, many of us thought that genocides (like the Holocaust) would not be possible. Instead, extreme Islamist terrorists are using Social Networking to boast about and to spread their evil through their graphic beheading videos (which admittedly, I have not watched). Christians are being murdered and persecuted not only in the Middle East but also in Africa.

So what does all of this have to do with the Catholic writer? A great deal.

Catholic writers must have the courage to speak the truth through their blogs, columns, books, novels and Social Networking. In fact, nowadays, that courage to write the truth has already resulted in the brutal deaths of several journalists. Jim Foley, a Catholic journalist, was one of those beheaded last month by terrorists.

I see this courage to speak the truth daily as I read the inspiring and no-holds barred posts of some of our members (Rebecca Hamilton and Elizabeth Scalia to name a few).

Elizabeth shares an Op-ed article, but also comments that the world situation is, in fact, as bad as we thought in this gripping post.

I know some of us don’t want to read the depressing realities. But as Elizabeth writes, “Sadly, this is essential reading; this is essential thinking. The long sleep induced by prosperity and power must now be broken. The choice to remain unengaged, fully tricked out with technology, is coming to an end, as is the easy habit of playing partisan games at the expense of human lives.”

We’re nearing the end of the Week of Prayer and Fasting for Peace so check out Lisa Hendey’s post for more information.

Finally, please take a look at this video from Cardinal Wuerl, “Where Are The Voices?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kujTZbwOMcc

We have no idea how this will play out for the rest of the world or, more specifically, for North Americans. Right now, many of us are groaning and complaining about the impending cold winter. But we are safe and we have freedom to practice our Catholic faith and freedom to live where we want. This is not the time to be complacent or spend our time complaining. This is the time to prepare emotionally and spiritually for those difficult and challenging times ahead. Let us offer our prayers, fasting and sacrifices for all those who are the victims of evil. May God give us the courage to write about the truth. Amidst the darkness, Christ can and will be our light. As Catholics, we know that God’s goodness, love and mercy will triumph over evil.

Until next month, as always, please let me know if you have any comments, complaints or concerns. You can email me at president -at- catholicwritersguild.com Please keep me in prayer as I keep you all in prayer.

In Christ,

Ellen Gable Hrkach
President, CWG

From the President’s Desk: NFP Week and Catholic Writers Conference Live

July 25, 2014/5 Comments/in Blogging, Catholic Fiction, Catholic Writers Conference Live, Catholic Writing and Publishing, Fiction, Self-Publishing/by Ellen Gable Hrkach

James and I teaching an online (virtual) NFP class

In case you didn’t know, we are coming to the end of NFP Awareness Week.

Before I became President of the Guild…even before I started my writing career, I taught Natural Family Planning (NFP). This year, my husband and I will mark our 30th year teaching NFP. My passion for promoting Natural Family Planning and Saint John Paul II’s Theology of the Body is what prompted me to start writing fiction. Since this is NFP Awareness Week, I’d like to first share a few of my NFP-themed blog posts from this week:

Theology of the Body in a Nutshell

The Spiritual Works of Mercy – TOB Style

Theology of the Body Fiction

When I self-published my first book nine years ago, I joined a local (secular) writers’ group. At the first meeting, they asked me to introduce myself and when I said I had five children, I heard a few gasps and perhaps a scoff. Someone said, “With five kids, where did you find time to write a novel?” I remember thinking, “Five kids isn’t all that many.” It wasn’t that they weren’t welcoming; they were nice enough, but I had little in common with the members. I attended a few more meetings, but eventually decided to stop going.

Soon after, I found a Yahoo group called “Catholic Writers Online.” I looked forward to the posts of fellow members, but rarely posted anything. A few years later, some of the Catholic Writers Online members started a group called the Catholic Writers Guild. Knowing they were “faithful to the magisterium,” and knowing I wanted more interaction than daily emails, I joined the Guild in early 2008 and I really felt like I had “come home.” These were writers with whom I shared a common faith and common goals. There were online conferences and in 2009, the first live conference.

The (Sixth) Catholic Writers Conference Live is just around the corner. I’m looking forward to meeting, networking and just chatting with other Catholic writers next week in Schaumburg. If you’re attending, please come and introduce yourself to me (I’ll be the short one giving orders). If you’re not attending, please pray for a successful, safe conference.

With Karina during our book signing. 2009 Trade Show/Conference

As always, please let me know if you have any questions, comments and/or concerns: president(at)catholicwritersguild.com

Ellen Gable Hrkach
President, CWG

Cheerleading! Mutually Beneficial Author Support

May 27, 2014/3 Comments/in Blogging, Book Review, Catholic Fiction, Catholic Writers Guild, Catholic Writing and Publishing, Encouragement for Writers, Fiction, Inspirational, Marketing Your Work, Networking, Novel, Pro-life, romance, Self-Publishing, The Writing Life, Writing Tips and Tricks/by Leslie Lynch

There are a lot of us out there. Authors. With great books to share. Too often, though, we feel alone in our endeavors, trying to get readers to notice us in the roiling sea of other great books. This is a great time to be a writer! It’s more possible than it has ever been to publish a book. But that means that all sorts of other people are doing the same.

Whether you are independently publishing your work, under contract with a traditional publisher, or working with a small, online press, the business of marketing one’s work falls more and more upon the shoulders of the author. “But I just want to write,” you say. Hey, I’m with you. Me, too. But that’s not our reality anymore.

How do we get “out there” where someone might notice?

First, write a quality book, no matter the genre. If you’re publishing independently, surround yourself with an expert team of editors, formatters, and cover artists. First impressions matter. Don’t give the reader a reason to skip past your book; give them a reason to stop and look at it, really look at it. Hopefully, they’ll be intrigued enough to click the ‘buy’ button.

Then, the meat of this post: Network. Before you ask people to spread the news about your book, make sure you’ve nurtured relationships with them, and have crowed about their successes. You can do this well before you are ready to publish your own work; in fact, that’s the best time to create these relationships. Have you gone to Catholic Writers Conference Live? Or participated in the online CWG conference? How about the Writing Retreat? Or any other writing focused activities? What about the CWG Facebook page? Have you interacted with other writers in any of those venues? I hope so, because that’s crucial for the next step, which is:

Celebrate with them! Post their new releases or awards on your Facebook page. Use your blog or Twitter to let your followers know there’s something available that’s worth their time. If you’re on Twitter, find and follow some entities that reflect your interests; they may reTweet for you and expand your reach.

Buy and read your friends’ books, and then review them on Amazon and Goodreads. *Caveat: Always say something nice, or don’t post a review. This does not mean you can’t be honest, but be honest in a kind manner. Personally, I never give a review with less than four stars, and even if I didn’t like everything about the book, I focus on what I loved about the book—or, if it’s in a genre that’s not my favorite, focus on what readers of that specific type of book will enjoy about this particular one.

Here’s an example of how this might work. A few weeks ago, Erin McCole Cupp contacted me because I’d done a cover reveal on my upcoming release, Hijacked, on CWG’s Facebook page. Would I like to trade read and reviews with her? She’d recently published Don’t You Forget About Me, a cozy mystery. I said yes, and posted reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. She upped the ante and asked me to be an interviewee on her blog the week my book comes out. I said yes (!), and then tagged her on a My Writing Process blog tour/relay. With any luck, some of my readers will be interested in her work and some of hers readers, in mine. That’s just with two authors! Imagine what can happen when more get in on the fun!

(And did you notice what I just did? I linked Erin’s website and the Amazon link to buy her book to this post. I purposely do this for everyone I mention on both my CWG and personal blogs. What goes around comes around…)

Join writing organizations and establish relationships with authors you respect. Be a cheerleader for them, and hope they’ll return the favor when it’s your turn. Yes, it’s time consuming, but it is well worth the effort—not just because they’re going to help you sell books, but because they are wonderful people and their friendships enrich your life.

Are you feeling a little less alone now? I hope so! If you’ve had success in the arena of networking, please share your story! What are the elements that contribute to that success?

Catholic Writers Conference Live! A Two-fer Blog for conference goers (and stay-at-homers)

July 23, 2013/1 Comment/in Blogging, Catholic Writers Conference Live, Catholic Writers Guild, Catholic Writing and Publishing, CWG member benefits, CWG Member News/by Leslie Lynch

Are you headed for this year’s Catholic Writers Conference Live? If you are, check out my blog from last year regarding conference etiquette. It was good advice then, and I can’t think of a thing to improve on it. Just substitute the words Somerset, New Jersey for Arlington, Texas.

If you’re not able to go to the conference, you can still share in the excitement and even network. Go to http://www.catholicwritersconference.com/ and see who’s going to be there. If a particular publisher or presenter interests you, go to their website and see if they have a Twitter account – and then follow them. It will quickly become clear who is tweeting and which threads have value for you and your situation. You can even jump in on conversations if you have salient points to contribute. One caveat here: Unless someone invites such, do not pitch via Twitter. And, as always with social media, remember to keep your tweets polite and on-subject.

Are you one of the lucky ones going to the conference? Tweet, blog, and Facebook your experiences. Engage your followers and create a ripple effect that no one else can. Encourage questions and/or discussions that you can facilitate simply by being present at the conference. Get on the Catholic Writers Guild blog and website. You have much you can share.

Like so many other enterprises we undertake as Catholics, it’s not ‘all about me.’ Be generous with your abilities and presence, whether it’s at the conference or from home. Support each other at the conference, and share with those unable to come. This is a unique opportunity to live your faith – evangelization in an unanticipated form!

Let’s all make this year’s Catholic Writers Conference Live the best ever!