This month, the Catholic Writers’ Guild is touring Antony Barone Kolenc’s book, “The Haunted Cathedral,” the second volume of “The Harwood Mysteries.” It is a CWG Seal of Approval recipient! While Xan struggles to forgive the bandit who caused him great evil, he and Lucy must discover whether a cathedral is haunted by the ghost of a little girl.
Summary:
An ill-fated journey, a long-lost uncle, and a mysterious cathedral mark the next chapter in the life of Xan, an orphan in search of his destiny. For a year, he has lived in the care of Benedictine monks at Harwood Abbey. Now he learns that he has an uncle, said to live in the far-off city of Lincoln. Will Xan survive the trip alongside the prisoner Carlo and his cruel guards? Will he find Uncle William? And why is Xan drawn to the spirit that haunts Lincoln Cathedral—could a ghost reconnect Xan with his dead parents? With Lucy and some new friends at his side, Xan must solve the mystery of The Haunted Cathedral.
Excerpt:
[I]f this was a ghost, how could he approach it, talk to it? Unless this wasn’t a ghost at all, but something of flesh and blood, just like them. If so, it was living somewhere deep inside this cathedral. Whatever it was, it had revealed itself to them, whether on purpose or not—who could say? But now it had disappeared into darkness and had not reappeared. Perhaps it had heard them?
“You all can go if you want,” Xan said finally. “I can’t. Not yet.” His voice cracked with uncertainty, but still nobody left his side.
Lucy began to murmur words under her breath: “Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.” Of course, she was praying. Who could fault her for it? This seemed like the perfect time.
Website: www.antonykolenc.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HarwoodMysteries
Twitter: @TonyKolenc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antonykolenc/
Bio:
Antony Barone Kolenc (“Tony”) is the author of the award-winning youth historical fiction series, The Harwood Mysteries, which was awarded the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval and has won two gold medals in the 2020 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards and the 2021 Illumination Book Awards. He is an award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction books and articles, and a columnist for Practical Homeschooling Magazine. He’s been a guest on NPR, CatholicTV, Catholic Faith Network TV, and other radio and television programs. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps after 21 years of military service. He currently teaches law at the University of North Texas Dallas College of Law, and he speaks at writing, legal, school, and homeschool events. Tony and his family live in Jacksonville, Florida, and are the proud parents of five children and three grandchildren.
Buy links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ULNmrm
Loyola: https://store.loyolapress.com/the-haunted-cathedral
Tweet:
In “The Haunted Cathedral,” Book 2 of the award-winning YA series, “The Harwood Mysteries,” by @TonyKolenc and @loyolapress, Xan and Lucy investigate a cathedral said to be haunted by the ghost of a little girl! Buy it at https://bit.ly/2NUCDut or https://amzn.to/3tf6tKj.
Michael Fraley
Michael Fraley has been editing and posting the CWG Book Blast since 2016. He's adapted the Arthurian portion of Geoffrey of Monmouth's “Histories of the Kings of Britain” to the comic page, has worked in book illustration, graphic design, and has also served as a newspaper columnist. In 2019 the story of his conversion to Catholicism was told in Nancy Ward's book Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story. His primary area of study is in the Jewish roots of the Church, with an emphasis on the Gospel of Matthew and the Epistle of James. He holds a MA in theology from St. Joseph's College of Maine and a BFA in fine art from Indiana University. He can be reached at michael@michaelfraley.com
This sounds like a very engaging plot, especially for readers looking for escapist literature. Best wishes on its publication!