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.
Emilia Salvini dreams of marrying a man who loves music as she does. But in 18th-century Milan, being the ‘second sister’ means she’ll likely be sent to a convent instead. Emilia’s only hope is to prove her musical talents crucial to her father’s quest for nobility. First, though, she must win over her music tutor, who disdains her simply for being a girl. Too late, Emilia realizes that her success could threaten not only her dreams but her sister’s very life.
3 CommentsDespite just meeting each other, Tillie and Noah’s lives have been mysteriously intertwined for many years in Ta’Mara Hanscom’s The Pretender. From the moment they met, Tillie and Noah wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but a deliberate omission will keep them apart – and that same omission will be responsible for the escape of a murderer, and a bride’s deception.
Set in South Dakota in 1975, where eighteen-year-olds could order beer in a bar, and loaded guns were kept under the counter.
Frankie Valli sang “My Eyes Adored You,” and American soldiers returning from Vietnam struggled with their new reality.
It’s within this tumultuous season of American history that Tillie Caselli meets Noah Hansen, and they are never the same again. Their lives were mysteriously intertwined – and had been for many years – yet they had no idea.
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When the reward is the most costly sacrifice of all . . .
In a southern U.S. farming community in 1925, thirteen-year-old Salvatore and his Italian immigrant father become involved against their will in a crime that results in the murder of an innocent man and family friend. Will Sal keep the secrets about that night as his father asks, or risk everything he and his family cherish in their new homeland, including their lives?
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Couched in ordinary circumstances and ordinary characters (except that, well, they live in sort of a castle), Standing Strong deals with the most important things. We start asking ourselves the relevant questions sometime in the elementary school years: What do I want to do? What kind of person do I want to be?
And we answer them every day with our actions or inaction, our habits, our determination, and our willingness to accept who, ultimately, will rule our lives. To whose will do we bend? Our own? Or God’s will?
Leave a CommentWelcome to the October 2017 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart AND CatholicMom.com! When I saw a book recommendation by our…
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(Updated 9/15/2019 – Just added: Kindle Notes and Highlights!)
Maybe you log books you read on Goodreads, but are you taking advantage of its other features?
For instance, did you know you can post a general update on Goodreads, like you would a status on Facebook or other social media? You can!
While logged into Goodreads, look in the left-hand column beneath what you’re currently reading.
All it takes is a little time browsing and clicking to discover what’s there. Pro tip: Scan the WHOLE page, including the sidebars, menus, and widgets for links. I guarantee there’s more there than you realize.
You may wonder, what’s the difference between a Goodreads “Friend” and a Goodreads “Follower.” Simple: Being a friend means the flow of information goes both ways. You see what your friend posts, and your friend sees what you posts. Being a follower means the flow of information goes one way: only the follower sees information; their posts are not shared.
For tips on establishing a new account, Dave at Kindlepreneur provides a good step-by-step guide and highlights some Goodreads features.
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I was a behind the scenes gal when it came to high school theater, but I still have many happy memories tied to our musical productions. As a proud member of the stage crew for four years, I was able to identify with the closeness and camaraderie that comes from putting on a show together.
The following are three excellent YA novels that stand on their own merit, but have something just a little extra special if you are or were a high school theater geek.
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I write frequently about my current favorite books, including those I read to and with my children. However, I don’t think I’ve ever listed MY favorite books from my own childhood – until now!
Unlike my current home, my childhood home didn’t hold a ton of books. I remember being read to from a very small stash and from the books I checked out of the school library. And, my mom was very indulgent with my requests from the Scholastic Book flyer.
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