Please Become A Follower: Kathleen's Catholic is Leaving Facebook

Dear Readers,

After much thought and prayer, I decided it is time to remove Kathleen's Catholic from Facebook. I hope you will continue to follow the blog for two reasons: First, to receive articles and insights about living a genuinely Catholic life--from myself and some outstanding Catholic writers and speakers--as well as terrific recipes for Lent and year-round. Second, to participate in the exciting projects that are developing.

To continue with Kathleen's Catholic please click on the Followers box in the right column. If you prefer, you can receive my posts by email. Perhaps you maintain a web-based email as your "public" mailbox. I would be delighted to keep you up-to-date by sending you my posts to your public box. Just email me at krblease@hotmail.com and write KATHLEEN'S CATHOLIC in the message line so your request is not deleted in the junk folder.

The year ahead brings some exciting prospects! I would love it if you would participate in the creative process, even if you have just a few thoughts to share. It's really that easy.


On my drawing board for 2011:
 
1. A book about making the Lenten season more meaningful for our families. I'll be looking for your input. Credit to each contributor will be given in the text--which would be a great way to promote your own blog and writing projects.


2. A special project with The Catholic Writers Guild, to be announced.
 
3. My new book I'm Catholic, And You're Not: Hope for Loving Your NonCatholic Spouse.  My husband wrote the title, and I love it. Again, I will be looking for your insights (and questions) about raising children in the One True Faith and nurturing your sacramental marriage.
 
So I humbly ask that you do become a Follower or do send me your email address to enjoy what is sure to be an exciting year ahead.

I hope to hear from you. May God bless your year ahead!


P.S.
By the way, have you ever wondered why I call my blog Kathleen's Catholic? Well, as you know, I am married to a wonderful man who is not Catholic. Throughout our seventeen years of marriage, I've often overheard from curious non-believing in-laws and friends, "Well, Kathleen's Catholic, you know." (If you are in the same shoes as I, you know what this means. We Catholics are a curious bunch to others.) My husband and I came up with the blog's title while devouring dinner at a Brazilian restaurant. I love involving Roger in my projects. He also fell in love with the subtitle I composed--How Grace Drizzles In. Grace does drizzle in! Little by little, we are showered with God's unending and complete love.

Do You Want to Read About Books I Don't Like, Too? A Note About My Book Reviews

by Kathleen Blease

It happened one day. I read a book that was just awful. If I would have been its editor, I would have rejected it. The author had a promising list of previous books he wrote, but he squarely missed the mark on this title. To explain quickly: His premise was this... If you want to communicate with someone, then you need to connect. Every chapter was the same, an argument as to why we need to connect in order to successfully communicate. By page fifty, I was getting antsy. I thought, Okay I'm with you. Now tell me HOW to connect. He broke the first and most important rule of all writers: Show, don't Tell. By page 110, I gave up and the book ended up on the donation pile. There was a whole lot of telling going on between those two covers.

Fortunately, all I really lost was some time. I participated in a program whereby a blogger received books for free from a certain Christian publisher if she would just give an honest book review. Once one book was finished and the review was posted, another book would be on the way.

This was my first title. And my last. My conundrum: I didn't want to publish a negative review. And since I wouldn't post the review, the publisher would not send me another title. My husband even approached me about this and made a good point. "Kath, if you don't give a tough review every once in a while, will people believe your positive reviews? Will they believe you if you post only positive stuff?"

Readers, do you believe me? The books I offer to you in my reviews are indeed as good as I believe them to be. I do not in any way contrive to gloss over glaring editorial weaknesses.

So why only positive reviews? I believe my blog is a "good news" blog meant to encourage others, so I offer reviews of only those books I believe to be of help to you, to lift you, to educate you, and to inspire you in Our One True Faith.  Albeit, it would also be helpful to you if I were to state which books to avoid, those that I believe to be unworthy of your investment in time and money. I have thought about that quite a bit. Believe me, I have read quite a few stinky titles, both children and adults, fiction and nonfiction, how-to and self-help, from Catholics and non-Catholics.

I think I would like to continue bringing you only positive reviews. (Click here to read some of my review posts.) However, I would like to know your opinion. Would you like to read about books I don't like, too? Please let me know!

God bless!

My Newest Writing Projects--Exciting!

My-oh-my, this has been one crazy year. Between my husband being sick, my son being couch-ridden for two months, and homeschooling, it seems that my writing projects have had nothing but little fits and starts. It's no secret, really, that even this blog hasn't been very focused, and I'm grateful that I have a handful of readers who are willing to stick with me. Thank you!

But what I'd like to tell you today is that despite my crazy life, Our Dear Lord has placed a few projects right in my hands, and I'm so excited about them!

I can't give you the exact details yet, but let me tell you about them in less than exact terms.

First, The Catholic Writers Guild, whose conference I visited over the summer, has asked me to serve them in a very special and honorable way. It's a role I cannot tell you about as of yet, in this public forum. To say the least, I am very humble that they invited me to take on this role. Of course, I accepted right away! Well, maybe after saying a few prayers, because (to be honest) I didn't think I was up to the task. But the Lord said, "I am giving this to you because I KNOW you can do it." So how could I refuse? I am indeed looking forward to it! And I will surely tell you more when I can.

Second, a well-known Catholic publisher contacted me about writing a book about observing Lent at home. It will feature prayers, crafts, recipes, devotions, and essays of encouragement from one Catholic mom (that's me!) to another. I'm truly looking forward to starting the project this Spring. Again, this is also in its infancy, and a contract has not be drafted yet, so I'm not able to divulge the details (publisher, price, etc.) as of today. But as soon as I can tell you more, you can count on lots of info forthcoming.

Phew. Suddenly, the year ahead looks very exciting. Will you give thanks with me? Just as I was thinking that my aspirations were too high for this time in my life, Jesus gave me a few opportunities to encourage and edify me. Praise the Lord!!

God bless!

P.S. I just might be asking you in the near future, dear Readers, to help me with my Lenten book project. Put on your thinking caps and brainstorm: Do you have any special traditions or devotions you would like to share? They can be prayers, crafts, recipes, or any other form of Lenten devotions. I would be delighted to offer you credit in the book's text. Or...perhaps you might have some questions about Lent, which I can answer in an essay. Feel free to contact me at krblease@hotmail.com. Put "Lenten book" in the message line so I don't delete it by accident.

The Catholic Writers Conference: A Day of Inspiration

by Kathleen Blease

My a.m. editorial meeting yesterday was a tough one. But eventually I prevailed!

Phew! A tough day at work!

Yesterday, I spent the day absorbing, reading, writing, and generally following up on the Catholic Writers Conference (outside Philadelphia) I attended on Thursday. There was no better way to start the day with a good cup of coffee and a couple of good friends who share my joy for good Catholic literature.

I promise you, Deacon Gaitley, this is not staged or posed. You might want to see our story about Honey Bun at Honey Bun and Friends. She is just drawn to good books.

The Catholic Writers Conference brought--just as its name implies--Catholic writers, editors, and publishers from all over the country. It was a deluge of hospitality, moral support, and Catholic Christian encouragement for all. A chapel set up for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confession brought an extra-special dimension to the place. Imagine talking with editors and writers (some of them, as my writer-friend called them, "Catholic calebs"), then talking with Christ one-on-one. Wow, what a way to do business!

I thought I'd share with you some of the goodies I brought home. All of them are gems, and I've been luxuriating in each one. Yet, I know that somehow I must put them down and set a priority list, deciding which one comes first, then which is second, and so on--to give each and every one a fare shake at a complete and careful read. Another tough job, but one I will be happy to undertake!

Here's my list of what I managed to lug home (in no particular order):

No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy by Donald H. Calloway, MIC. Father shares how he turned from drugs and the tough teenage years, converted to the faith, and became a priest. I heard Father Calloway speak. If you are looking for a speaker, here is one who will surely draw a crowd and fill the room with laughter and hope!

Rachel's Contrition by Michelle Buckman This is a novel that I'm already digging into--and I'm not usually into contemporary novels. I had a nice long talk with Michelle about homeschooling and motherhood. She is a southern doll and a breath of honest, fresh air. A great defender of the faith. Her novel is direct, honest, and a page-turner.

Consoling the Heart of Jesus: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat (Inspired by the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius) by Michael E. Gaitley, MIC A do-it-yourself retreat? You betcha. And I'm digging in. Deacon's writing is smooth sailing, making the spiritual journey very accessible. Afraid of heady, theological materials that would take you days just to analyze a sentence? Forget about it. You won't find that here. Deacon breaks down key concepts to holiness and makes them do-able. You might have already seen this at two blogs, Faith&Family Live and God and Chocolate. By the way, the Notes at the back of the book are thoroughly enjoyable!

 Deacon Gaitley, author of Consoling the Heart of Jesus, speaks with Catholic writer Celeste Behe, contributor to National Catholic Register and the Catholic News Agency.

The Da Vinci Code: The Church Responds... by Janson Media  (DVD) I can't wait to watch this! What else can I say?

The Mass: Four Encounters with Jesus That Will Change Your Life by Dr. Tom Curran Here's a study guide packaged as a simple paperback. You can use this as a group or on your own. A title on Confession is also part of the program. I brough home The Mass, while my friend brought home Confession. We are going to read, then trade.

Bless Me, Father, For I have Kids by Susie Lloyd. Susie gave me a signed mug, too. This is her follow-up to Please Don't Drink the Holy Water. Funny, funny, funny!! Homeschooling mom of seven, she has fifteen years of home-tested lessons under her belt, with another fifteen years to go--giving her plenty of fodder for the giggle mill. Oh, you think you're busy, huh?

Faith and Family: The Magazine of Catholic Living Years ago, I was searching for how to make my home more Catholic. At the time, I had no idea there was such a thing as the Domestic Church, but somehow the Holy Spirit kept me "in search of." Here's where I found my answers. Glossy, beautiful, well-written, and inspiring, Faith and Family will help you build your Domestic Church, too, from the ground up.

Liguorian: Proclaiming the Good News as Good News I haven't read this magazine yet, but it's certainly at the top of my reading list. This edition is a special issue all about Mary--one of my favorite topics.

The National Catholic Register Here's our very own national newspaper!

Well, there's my list. You can see I have my work cut out for me. If you would like to look into any of these titles, you can search Amazon without leaving this blog. Just find the Search Amazon Here box in the right column and type in the title you're interested in. To learn more about The Catholic Writers Guild, which hosted this conference, click here to visit there website.

It's a Jungle! Let the Little Bird Guide You

by Kathleen Blease

As you can see from my lack of posts this past week, I have been finding it very difficult to write. My writing is usually connected to my ability to pray and contemplate. When these two dry up, so do my words. Aridity.

Today, I visited A Solitary Bird, who posted a few paragraphs on aridity and praying with a book. I love the imagery of the bird drinking.

When we face these dry times, we should turn to spiritual books--such as the gospels or books written by saints--to help us settle and/or direct our minds. This is where the little bird comes in. Have you ever watched a bird drink water? It will dip its beak into the water and take a few sips. Then, it turns its face to the sky to let the water go down. Little by little, dip by dip, the bird replenishes itself.

Just as the little bird takes these drops then turns its face skyward, so we, too, should take a few words from God or a Heavenly saint. Then, put the book down for a moment and turn our faces to Heaven to contemplate these tiny bits of nourishment for our souls.

Don't be in a rush. Don't force yourself  to be productive again in this way. This certainly isn't the first time I faced such a dry spell of creativity and aridity in spirituality, and it won't be the last! Perhaps these times are designed for us by God to slow us down, to find a new path. Hey, sometimes it looks like a jungle out there, and finding the straight and narrow path takes time to cut through the overgrowth and cast away the unnecessary.  It can be a tedious chore that appears to get us nowhere. But suddenly, with the help of Our Savior, we find our new path. If we drink from His fountain, bit by bit, and turn our eyes to Heaven, even our aridity becomes a bountiful time. How's that for a paradox?

God bless.

Rewrite, My Friend! Rewrite!

by Kathleen Blease

My son's 7th grade paper. Three drafts to an A.

The science fair is over. The classroom is cleaned and the rubber cement has been scraped off the floor. One research paper is finished and another is in the mix.

In a past life, when I worked at the Times Books imprint at Random House, Inc. in Manhattan, a young author by the name of Robert Wright had just completed his first book, Three Scientists and their Gods. If memory serves me, Bob just started, scarcely in his 30s, as the editor in chief of the Atlantic Monthly. He was tall and slender, topped with blonde hair and a boyish face. He wore a tweed jacket and a certain look of intellectual exasperation. “Bob,” I inquired, “I’m putting your book into production. Is there anything you would like to do before I send it downstairs to the production editor?” “Yeah,” he said as he ran his hands through his hair, “You can let me re-write it!”  I smiled: “Why? It’s good!” His hand punched the air to make a point. “Oh, but I can make it better!”

Yes, indeedy, anything written can be made better (except the Word, of course). Now, there are a few types of editors: copyeditors read manuscripts for tiny details and make sure that all the t's are crossed and all the i's are dotted. Line editors read them for grammar and smooth-sailing sentences; clunky ones are nixed and rewritten. Then there is the developmental editor. Ah, yes. We are cut from a different cloth. We don't have the master eye for details like the other two; we obsess over logic. Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How are our best buddies. They go with us everywhere and drive everyone crazy. When there’s a hole in the writer’s logic, it’s the developmental editor who introduces him to the 5Ws and How. And we don’t stop there; you see, we can’t sleep at night if chapter one should be chapter three and chapter three should be chapter twelve. Or, Heaven forbid, a lame paragraph sends the reader down the wrong path, only to meet the dead end of confusion. It kills us to see logic wasted. Linear, my man, linear!

The developmental editor is the editor about whom authors have strong opinions. Some rave over how she makes beautiful books out of the piles of spaghetti plopped on her desk. After all, it's not the editor's name that graces the covers; these authors send thank you cards and breathe a great sigh of relief. Others pout and cry uncle: “You’re making me redo this? One time is enough for me!” For these authors, the developmental editor is more than happy to take it upon herself to re-write the manuscripts as she sees fit, on the sneak. Better to re-write than to face the mobs with an incoherent diddy of a book, and (gasp) with her name listed in the acknowledgments. I can only speculate that these authors breathe a sigh of relief, too, but thank you cards are not forthcoming under these circumstances.

After some years in the biz, I now have my newest victims-- my boys. They are young, fresh, and very reluctant. Oh, to be the son of a professional book editor. The torture. Rewrite! Rewrite! Ever since my guys have been old enough to fashion a paragraph, I have impressed upon them that they should never be married to what they write. There is always a new way to express an idea. Writing is an exploration and a journey; and the more you dig in, the more you grow. To get right down to the crux of the matter: Like many tasks in life, it's better to be in love with the process than the outcome. If you’re looking to get it right the first time, you’re heading for an experience that’s about as exciting as the dentist’s drill! Heady stuff for a third grader, I know, and my sons have gone through as many as four drafts before hitting the editorial home run.

My oldest son, in 8th grade, is now accustomed to my edits. He leaves his paper dutifully on my desk and asks me to "give it a read.” The red editing pencil comes out, and the work begins. I follow a few basic guidelines. Sentences and paragraphs that are well crafted receive a positive note. I use standard editing marks to show him how to fix sentences that are grammatically incorrect or clunky. Or if I suspect there would be a better way to explain something, I ask him, in the margin, to think about another approach. On the other hand, sentences that could be rewritten to sound more mature are left alone. After all, it’s his paper, not his mom’s, so it's better to let the youngster's voice shine through. Nevertheless, holes in logic are noted with my trusty 5Ws and How. I treat him just like I would an author. And, you know, he tackles it (the whining has subsided over the years to a small sigh), searching and researching to find the materials, crafting his work to make it right—or as Bob Wright would want “better!” Over the years, I have found that fewer sentences sound less than mature, and his paragraphs are more fleshed out without his mother’s prompting. Well done, son!

Now a note about red pens and pencils: I once read in a well respected home schooling magazine that red pens and pencils are a no-no. Children, apparently, find them insulting and become overwhelmed by a paper covered in red marks and comments. This, the expert said, leads to tears and disappointment. Hmm. I never thought of this. So when we visited Staples at the start of the school year, I happily asked the boys what color pens they would like me to use. I heard that purple was a favorite among the school age sect. I presented a few gel pens for approval. My boys screwed up their faces, simultaneously. (I love when that happens.) “Why?” they said. “If you use purple, we won’t see it all that well. No, we like red. Get red.” So much for educator’s psychology. The checking and editing pencils made by Ticonderoga are perfect for the job—red and erasable (hey, even us editors need to erase!).

Well now, whatever happened to Robert Wright? I hear he’s still out there, thrashing out the big ideas he loves to explore to get the kernels on paper. I haven’t read his more recent titles, but I suspect that he’s finding out why book critics are called book critics. It's a tough world, publishing is. Well, Bob, you were right. Big ideas take an enormous amount of patience and most of all, yes-indeed, rewrites. Enjoy the journey! God bless.