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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.

Relevant Fiction Reviews: The End of Life

Published by CAstfalk on 03/19/2018

Relevant Fiction Reviews

Because fiction excels at creating empathy, books that involve deeply personal, emotionally-intense issues help readers consider situations in a whole new light. Over the years, I’ve read many books that touch on life issues – both at its beginning and end. These books are ones that touch on end-of-life issues.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a review for Waking Rose, which I loved when I read it many years ago. (There was actually a time when I didn’t review almost everything I read!)

And finally, there are four dystopian series listed. I hope you’ll click through and read more about these exceptional books!

Next Relevant Fiction Reviews (May 2018): novels that deal with the beginning of life.

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Seven Quick Takes

Published by CAstfalk on 03/16/2018

 

7 Quick Takes

Fostering Friendship Edition

–1–

For the last several years, I’ve become acutely aware of the dearth of friendships in my life. For that reason, when I caught wind of The Friendship Project: The Catholic Woman’s Guide to Making and Keeping Fabulous, Faith-Filled Friends by Michele Faehnle and Emily Jaminet last year, I was eager to read it.

If you haven’t gotten a copy, I recommend it (and you can read my review here). There’s plenty of practical suggestions, but to be honest, I need to go back and make a list of baby steps to get started.

The Friendship Project was a catalyst for thinking more about friendships and how they arise and where they are missing in my family’s lives. This post is less about my friendships, but about helping my children foster friendships.

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Guest Post: 10MINCON is Coming! Register Now.

Published by CAstfalk on 02/26/2018

10MinCon

As writers, some days we struggle to find ten minutes in a day to dedicate to our writing. We scrape together small snippets of time each day, adding words to our work-in-progress. Those words add up. Our small things, brought together, can make something great.

The writers of the Facebook group 10 Minute Novelists believe that this is true. Started by Katharine Grubb, who wrote the book, Write A Novel in Ten Minutes A Day, the Facebook group offers tips, encouragement, and community for time-crunched writers world wide.

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Interview with Author Crystal Walton

Published by CAstfalk on 02/19/2018

I discovered Crystal Walton’s well-written romances last year and am eagerly awaiting the next book in her current series! They are realistic, sweet, and filled with hope!

Your contemporary, clean romances are so fun to read! How did you choose the genre, meaning why “clean” and not mainstream romance, why “clean” without being Christian or inspirational?

Begin AgainOften in mainstream romance, a romance novel’s sole focus hinges on graphic sexual tension, which to me, ends up leaving romance feeling stilted and devalued. I prefer portraying romance as the beautiful, hard, sacrificial, painful, messy, redemptive gift that it is. Yes, that’s going to include physical attraction and real-life temptations and struggles. But it’s important to me to balance that out with a very real emotional connection between the characters themselves, and consequently between the characters and the readers.

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The Ogress’ Son

Published by CAstfalk on 02/12/2018

The Ogress' Son

About the Book:

It’s a new Dark Age.

200 YEARS AGO:
An apocalyptic level scientific overreach catastrophe reversed the poles, killed off 97% of the world’s population, and caused inheritable genetic anomalies in some of the few who survived.

TODAY:
Those with flawed genes, the Unearthly, are pariahs, science and technology is regulated by a despotic king, lawlessness has given way to local fiefdoms, and a new dark age has arisen, explaining what were once scientific facts as legend, lore, and myth.

NOW:
Slade lives a quiet life in the Iron Wood, hunting alongside his mother and visiting the village only to trade goods. But when she’s assassinated, he goes out into the dreaded human world to find her killer. Human he might be, but as the son of the Ogress, he is unafraid of rebels, Syndicate crime lords, or ruthless nobles who would love nothing more than to see him dead.

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When You Fast: Jesus Has Provided the Solution Blog Tour

Published by CAstfalk on 02/05/2018

With Lent about to begin, I can’t think of a better time to read this short book and to  implement it in your life.

When You Fast

About the Book:

There are many references to fasting in Scripture. In Saint Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 5, Jesus puts the solution in front of us when he says, “When you fast.” He doesn’t say “If you fast,” but “When you fast.” As Christians, we’re supposed to imitate Jesus. Jesus fasted before every major event in His life.

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