Relevant Fiction for Body & Soul
Author: CAstfalk
Carolyn Astfalk is a wife, mother, and author of contemporary Catholic romances, including her latest, All in Good Time. She formerly worked as a communications director and now works just to keep her head above water. Find her books on Amazon and her other words scattered around the blogosphere and social media.
Like many who watched the recent Abby Johnson bio-pic Unplanned (based on Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader’s Eye-Opening Journey across the Life Line), I was startled by the utter contradiction of a joy-filled baby shower being held in the same site where dozens of babies lives were lost that very day, dismembered and discarded as biological waste. Not only did Abby and her friends and co-workers fail to recognize the humanity of every child in the womb, but they condemned each to death according to the mother’s wishes.
At the same time, in the midst of a Lenten Bible study (No Greater Love: A Biblical Walk through Christ’s Passion by Edward Sri), I struggled to comprehend the failure of the Jewish people (especially the Sandhedrin) to recognize the Messiah they’d long awaited standing before them. Not only did they not recognize Him, but they condemned Him to death.
2 CommentsYour author tagline is “Inspiring Adventures with an Edge.” Elaborate on what that means pertaining to your novels for teens.
I aim to write adventures that will grab the interest of young readers and provide hours of exciting entertainment. Life is edgy, so keeping the story is real as possible without crossing the line is the key to entertainment. Entertainment first, then it isn’t difficult to write from the perspective of hope. I want to give kids hope that they, too, can conquer this difficult period of life and walk away from this story feeling good about life and themselves.
When my oldest son was about five, we launched our allowance system that incorporated four piggy banks. Taking a cue from Dave Ramsey, we set up piggies for long-term savings, short-term savings, spending money, and charity.
That system served us well for eleven years. My youngest son just joined the allowance crowd (as his older brother is about to turn sixteen and, God-willing, find a “real” job), and it was time to overhaul the system.
2 CommentsWelcome to the April 2019 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart AND CatholicMom.com! With his new job, my husband is…
8 CommentsLinking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for Top 10 Tuesday . . .
I’ve come late to podcasts. Very late. Until recently, I’ve had very little quiet, uninterrupted time in my life. Even now, if I try to listen to audio when my family is around, I end up frustrated by near-constant interruptions. So, I save listening to audiobooks and podcasts for when everyone is asleep or out of the house.
We also had an issue with a shared Apple ID, which essentially meant my husband and I sharing a podcast app. That was problematic, so I deleted the app from my phone and didn’t look back.
Now, however, we have separate Apple IDs, and a world of podcasts has opened up to me. I’ve been sampling some, listening here and there, and I’ve found one I absolutely love (the top spot below) and many others worth a second or third listen.
I’ve always called radio my “first love,” so it’s fun to venture into these audio adventures. Maybe I’ll even get more housecleaning done with them playing in the background!
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Anxiety, depression, and panic disorder are featured in these recommended books. They are, in my opinion, well-depicted with realism and authenticity. Often, mental illness is isolating, and these books remind those who suffer from these disorders that they are not alone. They also help those who haven’t experienced these disorders to understand what it might be like to live with them.
For reasons unknown (or not recalled), I didn’t review two other books I’ve read and would recommend that include this topic: Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade and Song of Silence by Cynthia Ruchti.
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If your idea of celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day goes beyond green beer and “Kiss me, I’m Irish” stickers” here are some reading selections that feature Ireland, many honoring its faith and its patron saint.
