We are all in “quiet time” here in rural Maine, a period with few scheduled events and plenty of time at home. That is a perfect setting for writers to make headway on projects. Currently, I am working on two projects. I have mentioned Lucia of Fatima several times in this blog. I still have several more … Read moreMiraculous! Catholic Mysteries for Kids
Over the last weeks of confinement at home, work continues for the writer. In fact, I have more time devoted to projects. Research for the book Lucia of Fatima, has turned up little known facts about Lucia dos Santos. One of these revelations stunned me. In 1917, Lucia was only ten years at the time Our Lady … Read moreLucia of Fatima: A Surprising Discovery
Right off the bat, this is not hyperbole. Tomie de Paola’s depictions of Francis: The Poor Man of Assisi are the best illustrations found in any saint book yet written. First published in 1982, de Paola explains that his paintings were inspired by frescoes found at the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi. Filled with bold lines and … Read moreFrancis: The Poor Man of Assisi
Take a close look at this photograph. It is a picture of you and I right now, drifting in suspended animation without an umbilical cord. You guessed it. I am talking about how we all feel as we “shelter in place” during a scary pandemic with no end in sight. Turn back the clock six … Read moreLost in Space…You and I!
Once again, you are getting an insider’s look on writing and book making. I am excited to reveal the cover for Lucia of Fatima. I am fortunate to engage the services of a fine artist named John Folley. He has created computer- generated covers for Perilous Days and Martyrs. It is truly amazing what he can do … Read moreLucia of Fatima: Episode 7
Your ideas are needed for a story in my next children’s book. It is entitled Miraculous! Catholic Mysteries for Kids. Geared toward children ages 6-12, this is a collection of 10 short stories. I have ten solid ideas but need one more. So far the topics are: Miracle of the Sun….Fatima Shroud of Turin Mary’s … Read moreI Need Your Help!
February brings blizzards in Maine. It is a perfect time of year to read William Steig’s book Brave Irene. Every page is graced with enchanting illustrations that remind me that beauty is powerful. The Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote, “Beauty is the battlefield where God and Satan contend for the hearts of men.” In our fatigue … Read moreBrave Irene: Book Review
I sat in the darkened movie theater and watched the final credits roll across the screen. The movie was finished, and it was time for me to walk out of the theater and get on with the busyness of life. Normally, that is the routine. Not this time. I was stunned, barely able to talk. … Read moreA Hidden Life: Movie Review
Welcome back to this journey in which we learn what it is like for a writer to create a character and the world in which she lives. But wait, you say, you are not creating a character! Lucia Santos was a real person! That is true. Many books have been written about the children of Fatima … Read moreLucia of Fatima: Episode 6
. I cannot think of a better Christmas gift to give the young reader in your family than The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe—included on Time magazine’s list of the 100 Best Young-Adult Books of all time. Set in the fantasy land of Narnia, it is a classic battle of good versus evil, a place where it … Read moreThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe