On November 20, 1820 the Nantucket whaling ship Essex sailed Pacific waters in search of sperm whales. Thousands of miles from land, the ocean was filled with these great leviathans who roamed the deep. Twenty men were on board, unaware of the fact that their lives were about to change forever. Calm waters lapped against the bow … Read moreThe Wreck of the Essex
In our limited viewpoint, the year 2020 has been filled with weird twists and turns, some call them unprecedented. My son and I reflected on this weirdness and projected that five years from now, we will have a new expression to describe strange twists of fate. We may say…that is so 2020. In order to … Read moreStressed out? Try this!
October thirteenth is the day that we remember one of the most spectacular miracles ever recorded in Catholic history. In the year 1917, seventy thousand people gathered on a hillside in Fatima, Portugal to witness a miracle. It was an event predicted by ten-year old Lucia dos Santos, a child chosen by God to … Read moreDid Lucia Witness the Miracle of the Sun?
Ever wonder why you do what you do? Perhaps you are quick to react and like to argue, to debate, to be the boss, to always be right, to be a doer. On the other hand, you may be diplomatic, peaceful, hate conflict, are oversensitive, and enjoy being home in a quiet place. Both these … Read moreBook Review: The Temperament God Gave You
The National Weather Service says we are in the middle of a moderate drought. I don’t believe that. To the animals in fields and woods near our small farm, the land is parched. I walked in the woods and crossed the cracked bottom of a stream that normally would flow over rocks and roots. Further … Read moreBattle of the Birds
Warning. Spoiler alert! Well, sort of a spoiler alert. You see, I will tell you of a scene in the movie, Fatima (released on August 28th), that does not appear. For those who know the story of three shepherd children who had six visions of the Blessed Mother in the year 1917, this omission will surprise you. Now … Read moreFatima: Movie Review
In the spring of 2019, I began writing Lucia of Fatima. I believed it to be an important book for young readers on this famous apparition. The last biography on the Fatima visionaries dates back to 1957. Let’s just say that some of these books tell the basic story but are a tad bit rusty. … Read moreFatima: The Movie
As a writer, I will not complain about my computer, especially contemplating life as a writer back in the 1800’s. Consider Herman Melville. He wrote his thousand-page novel, Moby Dick, completely by hand. His fingers must have been numb by the end of the day. Consider Pulitzer Prize winning author David McCullough. He had a … Read moreInto the Abyss
In the year 1291 a strange thing happened in the little town of Nazareth. On the morning of May 10th, people of the village walked by and were astonished to see that a small house had disappeared. Now this was not your run-of-the-mill dwelling. Pilgrims considered it a holy house for it was the … Read moreThe Holy House of Mary
Over the years, John and I have collaborated on children’s books with Catholic themes. We both have devoted our time and talent to bringing inspiring books to young readers. It has truly been a blessingtoo have him share his talent for these projects. What did you like to draw as a kid? I loved drawing … Read moreAn Interview with artist John Folley