“Temptations prove thee.” A line from a prayer book I read this morning stopped me in my mental tracks. I had been talking the night before with my daughter about the value of professionalism in our world and how important it is to apply the concept to our thoughts as well […]
A Great Equalizer
Outside the sun shines on still-green grass while glistening spider webs rock in a gentle breeze. Dead, prickly flower heads bob on brown stems while clusters of rust-colored oak leaves rattle against the bare branches of neighboring trees. Even the indoor plants oppose each other in stark contrast. My green […]
Opportunities
Every now and again, an opportunity strolls up and shakes my hand. Over the years, my response has changed from over-exuberant my-life will-now-be-so-much-better fantasy to a take-it-as-it-comes-live-in-the-moment reality, saving me a great deal of disappointment and offering me a whole new take on life. Recently, I connected with two podcasters, Dick and Jay, who […]
Profitable Aspects of Writing—Little Cash Involved
The most profitable aspect of writing has little to do with money. When I began my writing journey, I believed I might make enough profit to buy…to repair…to solve… To fill in some blank in my life. Yet, during the ten years that I’ve been writing and publishing novels, non-fiction […]
We’re on the Same Island
Though I do believe that John Donne was right, “No man is an island,” since we are all connected to the God who made us, I must also toss in a clarification: suffering can separate us in ways that islands don‘t dare to dream. For the past several months, I’ve […]
Stand With the Best in Humanity
I went to election judge training yesterday, taught math, English, history, helped with online classes, made dinner for the kids, took a walk with a neighbor down the road, and chatted with my daughter on the phone. This chilly morning, as I enjoyed a hot cup of coffee, I wondered […]
Return to Paradise – by Tim Speer – YA Review
Return to Paradise relates five critical days in the life of a man named David Martin. In them, his courage, steadfastness and integrity are tried by an unusual experience. Seemingly quite by accident, he finds himself stranded in a small, rural town in Missouri on a trip to visit […]
Review of Ad Limina by Cyril Jones-Kellet
When considering great novels, Ad Limina comes quickly to my mind. The story is a spectacular display of humanity. The writing was phenomenal; drawing its readers into a futurist world so easily it was almost unnoticeable. The story begins when the first native bishop of Mars is called to go […]
Review for Erin’s Ring by Laura Pearl
Erin’s Ring tells a short but inspiring tale of lives touched and shaped by their Catholic faith and Irish heritage in New England. Time separates the lives of many of the characters, but each struggles against their own hardships in the tumult of life at varying seasons. Erin’s Ring […]
Review of Finding Grace by Laura Pearl – by Teresa Frailey
My encounter with Finding Grace was a very potent one. I could easily say it is a gem amongst modern young adult fiction, a jewel of rare quality. This story drew me into the life of a girl named Grace Kelly living in the seventies/eighties era. It pulled me into […]