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Showing posts from June, 2013
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I'm so pleased to announce that The Rose Ring has been awarded the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval!

Odyssey Bookshop - My Favorite Independent Bookshop

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My favorite independent bookstore is Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA. I get to browse there on a regular basis due to a standing commitment in the beautiful. Village Commons where it is located. It is always something to look forward to. When I was there a couple weeks ago, I snapped this photo of their sign. I really think it is a work of art! If you ever happen to be in South Hadley, this bookstore is one place worth checking out!

Prominent Catholic Writers to Speak at CWG’s Catholic Writers Conference in New Jersey

Several prominent Catholic writers will speak at the fifth annual Catholic Writers’ Conference LIVE taking place August 7-9, 2013, at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset, NJ. Sponsored by the Catholic Writer’s Guild and the Catholic Marketing Network (CMN), and held in conjunction with CMN’s annual retailer trade show, the Catholic Writers Conference LIVE provides Catholic writers with a prime opportunity to meet and share their faith with editors, publishers, fellow writers, and bookstore owners from across the globe. The theme of this year's conference is “The Year of Faith.” Speakers at this year’s conference include authors Patti Armstrong (STORIES FOR THE HOMESCHOOL HEART), Teresa Tomeo (Ave Maria Radio, WRAPPED UP, EXTREME MAKEOVER), Michelle Buckman (RACHEL’S CONTRITION, MY BEAUTIFUL DISASTER), Randy Hain (THE INTEGRATED CATHOLIC LIFE), Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle (EWTN, CATHOLIC PRAYER BOOK FOR MOTHERS), Ellen Gable Hrkach (STEALING JENNY), Regina Doman (RAPUN

What You are Really Doing When You Buy a Book

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A friend of mine posted this image on Facebook today. It's about buying a piece of art, but the same holds true for buying a book as well. Thank you to those who allow me to keep creating.

Private Tours of Edith Wharton's Library

I had the pleasure of visiting The Mount several (many!) years ago. At the time, it had fallen into disrepair and was undergoing extensive renovations, but you could definitely see the beauty. I'm sure that now it is truly breathtaking. I saw this advertised online today and must say that this has been added to my dream to-do list. A Private Library Tour at the Mount

The Catholic Imagination and You

Gene Logan has this to say about The Catholic Imagination: Such an imagination is one that stems from faith – from a belief so powerful that it demands expression. It is something that needs to be shared in prose or poetry or any art form that bears witness to Our Lord’s presence in this world. In prose writing, God’s interaction in human nature is often couched by the writer in a story that imitates life in a moving and plausible way. It is identifiable and relates to the readers as something familiar and reassuring about their faith and the nearness of God in their lives. The leap of faith that sparks the Catholic imagination is instilled in artist. It inspires the desire to imitate that way of life embedded in God’s love and trust. It is a faith that is freely embraced and yearns to be given voice by the writer in words or more generally by the artist in some other form. Please read the full post at The Catholic Imagination and You

When Writing Loses Its Joy

Billy Coffey has an interesting guest post on Rachelle Gardner's blog: The One Thing Every Writer Needs He writes: Writing no longer brought me joy. To admit that feels like a confession. Even a week later, I find I cannot not write those six words straight through. My pen stopped between “longer” and “brought.” My hand went to my forehead, as though I was trying to hide myself. Writing has become a pillar of my life over the years, just as much as family and faith. To have one of those pillars shake and buckle was not an easy thing to endure. Writing is what I do. In many ways, it’s who I am. To find the delight and purpose gone from it brought a sense of hollowness. . .  There are few callings higher than that of a writer. We inspire through story. We remind others of truths that have defined humanity since the beginning. We provide a necessary break from the monotony of the everyday. We create worlds. The words we string together serve an invaluable function: