Tag Archive for: catholic fiction

Cath-Lit Live: The Good Death of Kate Montclair

Cath-Lit Live: The Good Death of Kate Montclair

“Cath-Lit Live!” features brief interviews with Catholic authors who are releasing new books. Hosted by Catholic author and speaker Amy J. Cattapan, “Cath-Lit Live!” gives viewers a glimpse into the latest Catholic books while getting to know a bit about the author as well.

 

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The Good Death of Kate Montclair by Daniel McInerny

Kate Montclair is dying. She has arrived at late middle age loveless, childless, and having failed to achieve the career dreams of her youth. Now diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, she sees the next fourteen months of suffering as an intolerable prospect. Desperate to avoid excruciating suffering and the indignities of so-called palliative care, the terminally ill Kate Montclair secretly plans to break Virginia law with an assisted suicide—but she isn’t prepared for the passion for life a “good death” can inspire.

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About the author:

Daniel McInerny is a novelist and dramatist as well as associate professor and chair of the philosophy department at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. In March of this year he published, with Chrism Press, his novel, The Good Death of Kate Montclair, which his fellow Catholic novelist Maya Sinha has called “an instant classic of 21st-century Catholic fiction.” In June 2024 Word on Fire Academic will bring out his scholarly monograph, The Way of Beauty: A Philosophical Reflection on the Arts, and in the fall of 2024 his play, The Actor, on the early life and underground wartime dramatic activities of Karol Wojtyla, the man who would become Saint John Paul II, will premiere at Christendom College. Visit his Substack, The Comic Muse, for more of his reflections on philosophy, the arts, technology, and culture.

 

You can catch “Cath-Lit Live” live on A.J. Cattapan’s author Facebook page. Recorded versions of the show will also be available to watch later on her YouTube channel and Instagram.

 

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Copyright 2023 Amy J. Cattapan
Banner image via Pexels

Cath-Lit Live: The Love We Vow

“Cath-Lit Live!” features brief interviews with Catholic authors who are releasing new books. Hosted by Catholic author and speaker Amy J. Cattapan, “Cath-Lit Live!” gives viewers a glimpse into the latest Catholic books while getting to know a bit about the author as well.

The Love We Vow

 

The Love We Vow by Victoria Everleigh

TV reporter Violet Rosati thought she’d be married with kids and living in the suburbs by now. Instead, she’s single, thirty-one, and starting a new job in Portland, Maine. Her move brings her closer to her boyfriend, Jude, who accepts everything about her – even her darkest secret. While in confession at her new church, she realizes the priest is her ex-boyfriend, Tristan. She hasn’t seen him in seven years and never told him about her pregnancy. He treated her terribly and now he’s a priest?

As she faces old wounds, she finds Father Tristan to be kind, empathetic, and apologetic. Old feelings reemerge. But he’s a priest, and she loves Jude. How can she be drawn to a priest when she has such a wonderful boyfriend? Can she find the life she wants with Jude? Or does she confront her feelings for Tristan and risk the lives they’ve both chosen?

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About the author:

Victoria Everleigh is an AP award-winning TV news producer-turned-financial coach who finally decided to pursue her dream of writing novels during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. While she wishes she could be a morning person, most of her writing gets done after 10 PM. Away from her laptop, she likes to dance, figure skate, and cuddle up with a good book. She lives in New England with her husband and daughter.

You can catch “Cath-Lit Live” live on A.J. Cattapan’s author Facebook page. Recorded versions of the show will also be available to watch later on her YouTube channel and Instagram.


Copyright 2022 Amy J. Cattapan

Cath-Lit Live: ‘Unholy Bonds’ by Leslie Lynch

“Cath-Lit Live!” features brief interviews with Catholic authors who are releasing new books. Hosted by Catholic author and speaker Amy J. Cattapan, “Cath-Lit Live!” gives viewers a glimpse into the latest Catholic books while getting to know a bit about the author as well.

Unholy Bonds by Leslie Lynch

Pilot Lannis Parker has triumphed over her past—or so she thinks. She faces her rapist, then dredges up the courage to bring him to trial, and is relieved to see Robert Davis imprisoned. But the closure she’d sought is elusive. Resurrected memories invade her life and threaten to splinter her relationship with those she loves most, including Ben, her new husband. Cracks appear in their fledgling marriage, and Lannis becomes desperate to repair the underlying cause. She gradually realizes that healing will come only when she acknowledges Davis’s humanity—not a popular notion, but one she increasingly understands as essential. In a bold move, Lannis meets with Davis in prison—and challenges him to recognize her humanity. Will Lannis’s gamble free her from that unholy bond and open a path to peace? Can she save her marriage? Or will she lose everything in the process?

About the author: Leslie Lynch writes gripping stories that delve beneath the surface. She has had three full-length novels published: Hijacked, Unholy Bonds, and Opal’s Jubilee, as well as two novellas: Christmas Hope and Christmas Grace.

She is an occasional contributor to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis’s newspaper, The Criterion, and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Spalding University in Louisville. Her work has been included in various anthologies.

 

You can catch “Cath-Lit Live” three times a month live on A.J. Cattapan’s author Facebook page. Recorded versions of the show will also be available to watch later on her YouTube channel and Instagram.


Copyright 2020 Amy J. Cattapan

Cath-Lit Live: ‘The Light of Tara’ by John Desjarlais

“Cath-Lit Live!” features brief interviews with Catholic authors who are releasing new books. Hosted by Catholic author and speaker Amy J. Cattapan, “Cath-Lit Live!” gives viewers a glimpse into the latest Catholic books while getting to know a bit about the author as well.

The Light of Tara by John Desjarlais

While the Roman Empire crumbles into chaos, the flickering light of civilization is in the hands of a teenager herding sheep and swine at the edge of the world. His name is Patrick. Kidnapped by Irish pirates and sold to a Druid chieftain, Patrick befriends his master’s son and falls for the feisty daughter, making a jealous enemy of the druid’s apprentice. Even so, he boldly escapes to home after a dangerous journey, only to hear an insistent call in a dream to COME BACK. But first he must overcome a suspicious church, a backstabbing mentor, and his old rival who is now the Archdruid of Ireland, sworn to kill him and eager to enslave the beautiful woman Patrick left behind. Can he save Ireland from darkness—and free the girl he once loved?

About the author: John Desjarlais taught literature and creative writing for 25 years at Kishwaukee College in Illinois before retiring to the mountains of western North Carolina. His books include The Throne of Tara, Relics, Bleeder, Viper, and Specter.

You can catch “Cath-Lit Live” three times a month live on A.J. Cattapan’s author Facebook page. Recorded versions of the show will also be available to watch later on her YouTube channel and Instagram.


Copyright 2020 Amy J. Cattapan

Sisters of the Last Straw: CWG May Book Blast

 

This month, the Catholic Writers’ Guild is touring Karen Kelly Boyce’s delightful children’s book Sisters of the Last Straw, Case of the Stolen Rosaries. It’s an SOA winner as well as an award-winning novel.

Summary: The Sisters of the Last Straw are a group of sisters struggling hard to overcome their bad habits. Sister Krumbles forgets everything. Sister Shiny can’t stop polishing and cleaning everything. Mother Mercy has a terrible temper. Yet when the misfit nuns band together to form a new order, lessons on tolerance and forgiveness (as well as much hilarity!) ensue. In this, the third of the series, the adventures of the lovable sisters continue! New troubles for the Sisters of the Last Straw require courage and cunning! A renegade rooster terrorizes the Sisters’ back yard and a mysterious thief snatches the Sisters’ rosaries. The Sisters struggle with their problems while seeking to love Jesus more. The Case of the Stolen Rosaries is a fun story that teaches tolerance and forgiveness in the midst of many comic exploits.

It’s available in paperback or electronically. You can read the first few chapters here: http://reginadoman.com/CP_book_previews/Sisters_of_the_Last_Straw_3_sample/index.html

Find it on Amazon or get it from Chesterton Press. http://www.chestertonpress.com/sisters-of-the-last-straw-3-the-case-of-the-stolen-rosaries/

Karen’s website: www.karenkellyboyce.com/

 

10 Steps to Indie Publishing

Printing pressThese are the best of times for authors—and possibly the worst of times! The changes in the publishing industry over the past five years are nearly as significant as the advent of the internet. In fact, the two developments are intertwined and build on each other.

We all know traditional publishing has undergone tremendous upheaval. It’s still difficult to find an agent. Same goes for a publishing home, doubly so when entire houses fold or get bought out by another entity. Authors are taking to the waters of Amazon and related ponds by the droves, flooding the markets with their manuscripts.

What are some advantages to independently publishing your work? Total control is the one most often mentioned. You work directly with a cover artist to produce the best one for your story. You can replace it if you decide it’s not working. You can set your pricing, then change it at a moment’s notice if needed.

Total control is also the disadvantage to indie publishing. Marketing is incumbent upon you, no one else. Make no mistake: this is a big responsibility.

Given this environment, if you are interested but have yet to dip a toe into the pool, how do you go about what has become known as indie publishing?

1. Know your goals. Do you want to get something in print form for family and friends? Skip down to items 4 through 7 and ignore the rest. Do you want to reach readers who don’t personally know you? Start here and slog through every step listed.

2. Hone your craft. Write the best book possible, run it by critique groups and/or beta readers and/or enter it in contests to get unbiased feedback. Then hire an editor and revise. Yes, this will cost money. Yes, you must do it. Do not fall prey to the delusion that your book is the best one on the planet or the only one not in need of professional editing. It’s not. You can always make it better. Believe me, if your critique partners/beta readers/editors say it needs work, it does. Fix it. If you don’t, the whole world will be privy to the lashing you will get from Amazon and Goodreads reviewers. So make it the best possible book before you put it out there. At least no one will be able to say “poorly written/edited!”

3. Buy books on the process. Let’s Get Digital and Let’s Get Visible  by David Gaughran are great resources, they are cheap, and they are fairly up to date. He is a proponent of the Amazon-only model. If you are comfortable with reading advice by savvy romance writers, The Naked Truth About Self-Publishing by The Indie Voice is another great resource.  This group is a proponent of getting your work out to every venue possible; why limit yourself to one vendor? These three books come to less than $15 and lay an excellent foundation for understanding the nuts and bolts of self-publishing.

4. Explore publishing options. Amazon’s self-pub arms are KDP for ebooks, Create Space  or print on demand, and ACX for audio books. Ingram Spark is another option. Barnes & Noble, Apple, and Kobo have platforms for uploading books; I have not gotten that far and do not have information to share. I’m sure others can contribute to the conversation here!

5. Utilize the tutorials on each publishing site. They provide a wealth of information. My experience with customer service on each site has been exceptional. If your budget allows for additional services, pretty much anything you need is available .

6. Remember that nothing is set in stone. If you make a mistake, all you usually have to do is replace the file. For ebooks on KDP, the old one will still be available for sale until the new one goes live. With Create Space, the title will not be available during the changeover, typically twelve hours or so. That said, some mistakes require taking the book down and reissuing it. Call customer service if it looks like something you can’t address on your own.

7. Mistakes: You will make them. The earth will not stop rotating. You will fix them. A week later, you will probably have forgotten the details. Moral: Be nice to yourself when you demonstrate your humanity. Even better, laugh!

8. Connect with your writing community. Ask for help, share insights, cheer each other on, and promote each other’s work. There are enough readers out there for all books. Amazon gave a presentation at a conference I attended recently. Their statistics show a dramatic rise in books sold since the ebook became widely available. More titles, more sales. Readers are voracious. There is enough success to go around; it’s not a finite quantity.

9. Adapt. There is no right way or wrong way to do this. The only given is the quality of the product you put out. Beyond that, much of the process for individual books is trial and error. Try something and see if it works. If not, try something else. Be persistent. Realize that marketing is part of the authorial journey these days, whether you are traditionally or independently published.

10. Remember this is a business for the long haul. It may take years to build a following. Meanwhile, keep improving your craft and writing new content. That is the one action you can take to improve visibility of your books, and visibility translates to sales. Continue to interact with readers, either online or in person, so they remember you and look for your books as you write them.

Questions? Discussion? How about suggestions of books or other resources you’ve found? Please share!

The End: Sweet Words for an Author, Sweet Experience for a Reader

The EndThe end.

Two of the most satisfying words a writer can tap onto a keyboard.

We’ve all dreamed of typing those six letters, and many of us have been fortunate enough to have achieved that particular success.

In my past few posts, we’ve discussed beginnings and middles. Let’s talk about endings today.

How do you craft an ending that works? You know what I mean: the ending that satisfies in a way that nothing else can. The good guys win, the couple (finally!) gets together for their happy ever after, the world is saved from certain disaster.

Yet I suspect many of us know when an ending doesn’t work. Have you ever read a book where the story had you in its grip—and then it fell flat and limped to the last page? I have. It feels like the author suddenly lost interest. Perhaps they were on a deadline and just typed a bunch of words to fulfill a contract. Or maybe they really didn’t know how the book ended, so they just threw some words on the page and hoped they would do. And that the reader wouldn’t notice.

Alternatively, I’ve read books where The End happened ten or fifteen pages before the printed pages did. It’s disconcerting to be engaged in the story, come across that emotionally satisfying ahhh that is the indisputable end…but then things keep happening and the characters keep talking, and as a reader, you’ve lost interest.

To avoid a bad ending, go back to the beginning. Is your theme still clear? Will the ending make that theme shine (even though it’s likely not stated outright)? What is the question posed at the beginning of the book? There may be an overall question, along with individual questions for each of the main characters. Are those questions answered in the last chapter?  What about the middle? Does all that suspense and tension you’ve nurtured through the book come to a climax that is addressed in the final scene(s)? If you’ve been paying attention to these elements of craft, you’ve set yourself up for a good, satisfying end.

Pacing is another issue. Keep the tension strong; don’t dilute it with throwaway words or scenes. When the end is reached, end the story; don’t belabor it.

Make sure all loose ends are tied up. This is a great task for critique partners and/or beta readers. Whatever did happen to Uncle Bert after everyone else hared off after the bad guys and left him chained to the gushing water pipe in the basement? Or Sally rescued the lost kitten in chapter two, but the kitten was never mentioned again. What happened to it??? You can bet your readers will ask these questions!

Whatever you do, please, please avoid the temptation to use a plot ploy at the end. No hand of God reaching down to set all aright, or aliens/knights in shining armor/Navy Seals (that haven’t been part of the book until now) suddenly appearing out of nowhere to solve all the problems. Or a minor character who inexplicably becomes the linchpin upon which the premise of the entire book now rests. I have read books that ended this way, and they were disappointing, to say the least. Keep your characters true to their motivations and your plot logical. That makes for authenticity, and happy readers.

The ending should have a twist that no one saw coming. No one likes to read clichés, whether within the book or at the end. Do your best to give the reader a wonderful surprise, one that delights or challenges. Don’t be afraid to brainstorm different endings; too often we pick the first idea that pops into our head. The best idea may be the fifth or eighth. Have fun with this. Readers will enjoy the result.

What about epilogues? They seem to be more effective and better received than prologues. An epilogue can be a wonderful way to tie up remaining loose ends (especially in an action-packed story). It can even set the scene for the next book, if you are writing a series. But keep it short. No more than two pages. Make it count; otherwise, it’s best to leave it out.

You want your readers to be satisfied so they will write nice reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. You want them to tell their friends about the great book they just finished. You also want them to like the end so much they’ll come back for your next book. And the next one.

So give them an ending that carries an emotional punch, the one they hope for. Your reader has invested money and, more important, their time. Make it worthwhile.

What have you learned about writing endings? Any tips to share? I’d love to hear them!

Books, and Toned Middles

belly dancers for CWG croppedLast month, I talked about beginnings and how important they are to drawing the reader in to your book. It seems appropriate to continue on to story middles today.

Middles ought to be pretty simple. After all, it’s the stuff that happens between the beginning and the end. Many authors, however, struggle with middles. There’s a term for middles that lose their direction and energy: the dreaded Sagging Middle.

How do we keep our middles on task, doing the unsung but necessary work of getting the reader to the end of the story? How do we keep the energy high? Most important, how do we keep the reader engaged?

It’s best to step back and look at the big picture first. What is the underlying theme of your story? Is it clear and evident in every scene, though it’s likely never stated outright? Theme should be the basis for every action that takes place, every decision a character makes, and even descriptions of setting. Every word you use can and should further the development of the theme you’ve chosen. For more on THEME, click here.

Next, what about story structure? If you’ve built even a rudimentary five-sentence outline of turning points for a particular story, it is much easier to keep the individual scenes pointed in the right direction. No ambling about aimlessly in the rose garden and boring the readers—unless, of course, the rose garden is critical to both the theme and structure of this story! In that case, amble all you want, as long as there is purpose. For more on STRUCTURE, click here.

Now we get down to the nitty-gritty. Each scene in a story must have tension. This is sometimes referred to as conflict, and always results in suspense. Suspense isn’t defined as horror movie scary stuff; it’s simply a reader asking the question “What happens next” and turning the page to find out.

This is the key to toning up the middle of your book: Every scene and each chapter must have higher and higher stakes for the main characters. Each character has more to lose as the story progresses, and each character is forced into increasingly difficult choices. As situations evolve, and as the characters slog their way through their troubles, they reveal their increasingly deeper secrets to the reader. The characters struggle, and they grow. The reader identifies in some way, roots for them, and is willing to be swept along. For more on ROOTING FACTORS, click here.

One caution: Watch for filler, and ruthlessly cut it. It’s easy to rationalize that since this is the middle of the book, the reader is already caught up in it and won’t put it down, so you don’t have to work quite as hard, and nobody will notice that this whole scene/chapter doesn’t really advance the story; it’s just there because you, the author, like it. Nope. Readers are smart. Cut the scene if it doesn’t advance the story. Cut the details if they don’t advance the story. I know. It’s hard. If it’s too hard, create a file for deleted scenes and put the cuts there so they’re accessible if you want them later. I find that’s sometimes a necessary intermediate step, even though those end up fully deleted later. Human nature is pretty funny!

Once you approach the end of the book (or even at the end of chapters!), resist the urge to tie up loose ends too soon. I admit to that failing as a new author. My first attempts at chapters all had tidy endings. Wrong, wrong, wrong! Every chapter should end with an unanswered question. Analyze your favorite I-couldn’t-put-it-down book. What created that quality? I’m willing to bet it was ever more crucial unanswered questions, and lots of loose ends. For more on TENSION, click here, and for more on HOOKS, click here.

What tips do you have to share regarding middles? I’d love to hear a new take on the subject!

From the President’s Desk – February 28, 2014

Image from iStock

Image from iStock

You don’t have to live in Canada to have experienced a brutal winter this year with record breaking amounts of snow and bitterly cold temperatures across the North, Midwest, South and East. Some experts say that it’s the result of the Polar Vortex. Whatever it is, I am sure of one thing: I’m ready for spring.

I’m also ready for the Catholic Writers Conference Online which will take place from March 10th to 21st. If you’ve already registered, great! If not, registration is now closed (and hopefully you can join in the fun next year). Take a look at the schedule here.

In other news…are you a self-published author? If so, have you ever heard of The Independent Author Network? I belong to IAN. They are a great resource as well as a good marketing tool for the independently published author. Starting on March 1st, they will be offering a special yearly rate, 20% discounted from their normal rate. If you’re interested, email me at fullquiverpublishing(at)gmail.com and I will give you more details (as well as a coupon code for the discount).

Have you written or contributed to at least one book? If so, your book is probably on Goodreads. Goodreads is an excellent marketing tool for both self-published and traditionally published authors. To learn more about the Goodreads Author Program, click here.

Volunteers needed! We have two positions currently open that need volunteers.

First, Sarah Reinhard, SoA Chairperson, has asked for one additional volunteer for the Seal of Approval committee (Evaluation Coordinator) whose duties are as follows:

1.Recruit evaluators by sharing the link to the Google Form
2.Follow-up to make sure evaluators have received books, are reading
3.Log denial points from submitted evaluations on current quarter’s Decline Notes document
4.Bring concerns and needs to Chair’s attention as needed

Second, the CWG blog needs a Virtual Book Tour (VBT) Coordinator, duties as follows:
1.Communicate with CWG members regarding new books and hosting them for VBT
2.Copy and paste the information for the VBT into a blog post (making sure that the books are appropriate for the blog) Note: VBT Books do NOT have to have the Seal of Approval
3.Schedule posts

If you feel called to do either of these two positions, please email me: president(at)catholicwritersguild.com

Last, but not least, my fifth book, A Subtle Grace, will be coming out on Kindle March 22nd and in paperback on April 6th. I recently received a proof copy. After years of work, it’s always very satisfying for me to hold the finished product in my hands. Special thanks to my husband for taking this cool photo of all my books (this represents ten years worth of writing, polishing, editing and nearly 500,000 words!)

photo copyright James Hrkach

photo copyright James Hrkach

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact me: president(at)catholicwritersguild.com

Ellen Gable Hrkach
President, Catholic Writers Guild

In the Beginning…

"The Beginning" Road Sign with dramatic blue sky and clouds.The most important part of your novel, short story, or even nonfiction piece is the beginning.

What compels the reader to keep reading? How do you craft a beginning that doesn’t bog down, one that keeps the reader engaged?

There are several schools of thought regarding beginnings. Depending on the genre, the beginning can create a normal world (think of the movies Star Wars or The Wizard of Oz), and let the reader get to know the characters in their natural habitat. Women’s fiction and literary fiction tend to follow this style. Caution: Choose the details of the everyday life carefully, to the point of foreshadowing what’s going to come nextnamely conflict. What’s at stake for the main character? In Star Wars, Han Solo saw his family facing the loss of their way of life, and peace. Dorothy, in The Wizard of Oz, engaged in a life or death battle to keep Toto.

What we tend to remember in these stories is the outrageous intergalactic characters and battle scenes of Star Wars or the Technicolor adventures on the way to Oz. Yet when one analyzes the story structure, the “black and white” ordinary life is where the story begins—and presages the main conflict in a way that amplifies the conflict when it arrives.

A different way to begin a story, common especially in suspenses, is in media res, which throws the reader into the deep end of the swimming pool along with the main character. Picture a book beginning with a young woman being snatched from a sidewalk and shoved into a van. The van speeds off—and of course the reader is going to turn the page to find out who, why, where, and what happens next??? This technique can be very effective. The author gives concise clues to setting (city or suburb, day or night, good neighborhood vs bad, etc.), characterization (she fights back or is paralyzed with fear, the snatcher and snatchee know each other and have shared history, etc.), and motivation (kidnapping vs bodyguards collecting an errant charge vs fraternity joke, etc.) without much else in the way of detail to ground the reader. It’s not for every story, though; imagine Dorothy opening the door of the house after setting down in Oz, with the story beginning in Technicolor. The event would lose much of its impact, and the subsequent conflict would lose its sizzle.

One of the most common mistakes new writers make is starting the story in the wrong place. My advice is to write it the way that makes sense to you, then come back when you’ve finished the whole thing and re-read the beginning. Chances are you’ll hit a certain paragraph where everything springs to life. That’s where your story really begins. One common suggestion is to dump the first chapter and start with the second. Personal experience: I had to dump the first three chapters of my first novel—they were that boring, even to me! But I had to write them in order to discover where the story really began. You may have to cut words, but they are never wasted; you always learn something important about your characters, even if it doesn’t end up as words in the book. 

Another common mistake is to explain the characters and back story (what happened before the book started). This is called an information dump. Resist. Draw your characters clearly through their internal and present thoughts; let the reader get to know them deeply, layer by layer. What brought them to this point will be revealed in good time. Another wise bit of advice I’ve come across is to get about thirty pages into a story before disclosing back story.

Dialogue is a great way to tell a story, and the beginning is no exception. If you can incorporate dialogue at that point, do so, and make it unforgettable.

For a fun exercise, go to the library or a bookstore, or even your own shelf of well-worn favorites. Open to the first page and read the first line. Is it compelling? Intriguing? Why did you want to read more? How much information about the character, setting, motivations and tone did the author convey in those few words?

When it comes down to it, the story begins when there is a change in the main character’s life. The change can be subtle or cataclysmic, but that is the point at which you, as author, commence weaving a tale that will hold readers in thrall until the words The End.

How do you know where your book begins? Do you have a strategy for determining what the opening scene is, or who inhabits it? Please share!