Women's Online Book Club

If you are looking for something unique and engaging, consider Laura Pearl's online book club! Join women from around the country and share thoughts, gain insights, and just have fun!

Laura is the author of two novels: Finding Grace and her latest novel Erin's Ring.

She's a gifted storyteller and a funny and warm-hearted blogger (as well as mother of five grown sons...) Nancy Carabio Belanger (author of The Gate which won first place in the 2014 Catholic Press Awards for novels) has said about Laura's latest novel: "This wholesome novel had me shed tears of sadness and joy, and these brave young Irish-Catholic women from different generations drew me in. Lovingly and tenderly written, Erin's Ring is a story of true friendship, sacrificial love, and above all, the God Who is never bound by time or space."

Digital Detox

Maybe you’ve heard it was coming.

Maybe in your heart of hearts you knew you were going to be part of it.

Personally, I didn’t need much encouragement to join.

Join what, you ask?

The Digital Detox of 2015.

In fact, I only happened to come across the naming of this phenomenon in passing so I’m already pretty much Internet detoxing. Have been for a while.

I have a few favorite blogs I read (Laura Pearl’s and Nancy Carabio Belanger’s) and a site I particularly like, but other than that I’m not on Facebook or Twitter. The digital world just seems so noisy and for my introverted self, just too much yammering and clammering.

Even the Catholic digital world is just so, well, secular.

A few friends I know are also part of the Digital Detox but haven’t named it as such; they just knew deep in their souls that it was time to pull back from what was close to becoming social media addictions. 

I received a puzzle for Christmas and have been enjoying the challenge of the 1000 piece Italian scene! I couldn’t have received a better gift for this quiet time. 

God’s timing is, as they say, always perfect!

Irish-Catholic Women Who Quietly Made A Difference

I come from a long line of strong women.

Women who overcame difficult odds and overwhelming heartache. Women who will never be known to anyone other than those in their immediate family.

The older I get, the more I think about these incredible women. I wonder if I am made of the same stock and marvel at the way they lived their lives. Faced with the difficulties they had faced, how would I have fared?

Every woman I know is able to say the same thing: Strong women are part of their history.

In that way, we all share a common thread.

I remember when the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding came out and the clever promotion that replaced the word “Greek” with “Polish” and “Italian” and any number of different heritages. It is because that thread runs through all of us. We can all relate to some of the same things when we take the time to look into our history.

That’s what Laura Pearl has given us in Erin’s Ring.  Erin’s Ring is the wonderful new book that explores the Irish-Catholic heritage in America—but we don’t have to be Irish to love, enjoy and relate to the story of perseverance and faith.

Pearl’s nod to the strong Irish women who worked in the mills of Dover, New Hampshire is a nod to all women who have overcome the most difficult of circumstances: those in my family and in yours.

The way Pearl has woven the story of these immigrant women into the modern day story of 12 year old Molly and Theresa is quite extraordinary and will speak to the 12 year old in each of us! Erin’sRing is a wonderfully warm, endearing read that will capture the hearts of many and has already captured the hearts of such popular writers as Nancy Carabio Belanger who says of Erin’s Ring, “This wholesome novel had me shed tears of sadness and joy, and these brave young Irish-Catholic women from different generations drew me in. Lovingly and tenderly written, Erin's Ring is a story of true friendship, sacrificial love, and above all, the God Who is never bound by time or space.”

Erin’s Ring is now available and really is the perfect read for the snowy winter days ahead!

Could That Best-Seller be Bad for Your Health?

There’s growing evidence to support the idea that fiction books can be good or bad for you. It’s a drum I’ve been beating on for a very long time.

I begin supporting my own belief about this by going directly to Scripture: Brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8).

Books, after all, cause us to think of things. Whatever fills the pages ultimately fills our mind.

But this doesn’t mean that books ought to be boring. I’m not interested in reading boring books—or publishing them either!

This directive in Scripture shouldn’t translate into fiction books that don’t capture our interest and don't take us on an adventure.

I was invited on Catholic television where I was asked to talk about the newest trend in YA fiction (young adult fiction): the fastest growing audience of YA books is adults! This is because adults love the adventure, characters and even intrigue found in a cleverly crafted YA book—and they like the way they feel when they are done reading it.

So I wasn’t surprised when I recently read in the book Hildegard of Bingen’s Medicine that “It is detrimental for the nerves if persons are always reading new thrillers, or the newest bestsellers.” It goes on to say how the nerves can, however, benefit from reading excellent books and even recommends re-reading them.

I immediately thought of a few amazing fiction books that I had planned on re-reading this fall and now feel even more excited about doing so:

1.     The Green Coat byRosemary McDunn. Love this book!

2.     The Gate by NancyCarabio Belanger. Easily a classic!

3.     Finding Grace byLaura Pearl. I plan on joining her 2015 online book club for the book.

Of course, these are also the reasons that we ought to immerse our tweens and teens in great fiction as well—and these books are a perfect start!

Are You Setting Yourself Up for Failure This Lent?

This Lent I’m doing some different things. Or maybe I should say I’m doing things differently.

Regardless of my intentions, I’ve noticed that the last few Lenten Seasons (and Advent, too) have started out as gangbusters but then have really petered out. I’m reminded of the saying “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.”

Talking with some friends, I’ve found that it is a far more common occurrence then most of us are willing to admit. We purchase the Lenten book, we buy all the pieces for the Advent wreath, we envision the holy and anointed times that will take place in our homes and in our hearts during these sacred seasons.

Of course, the more we plan, the more likely we are to fail. After all, 40 days is a long time to stay committed. It is test of endurance and we unwittingly set ourselves up for failure because we aren’t always realistic in what we set out to do.

So this Lent, I’m doing something different: I'm setting myself up for success.

This Lent I’m re-reading a couple of books that I have loved over the past few years; books that have fed my soul AND kept my interest. I’m not about cutting down bare tree branches and painting them and hanging Easter eggs on them (yes, that was one activity we did years ago that had less than successful results! LOL!).

This Lent I’m excited to pick up Nancy Carabio Belanger’s latest book The Gate and delve back in. It is such a great story and one that seems so fitting for my Lenten reading.

I’m also going to re-read Rosemary McDunn’s The Green Coat. Every time I read her book my heart is filled with a renewed sense of hope in all things. Perfect for Lent!

Last month I was invited to be a guest on Catholic Television’s This is the Day and talk about Young Adult literature. The fastest growing segment of the YA market is adults! This Lent I am reminded why that is the case and will be enjoying great Catholic YA literature—and invite you to do the same.

It is something I promise you will finish and feel nourished.

Young Adult Books Aren't Just For Young Adults

Young adult books are big sellers…for the over 18 crowd.

This, according to a recent Nielson poll and reported by CBS news.

I’m not surprised by this "new" poll—and you shouldn’t be either.

And I would hazard a guess that the numbers are mostly women—or are even higher if only women were polled. After all, we want more than pornography and vampires. We want to be transported to that place of hope and kindness despite odds. Speak to us about the realities of our lives and remind us of all the great potential we have!

Long ago (okay, about 3 years ago), I reviewed Nancy Carabio Belanger’s “Olivia” books. What I couldn’t get over—and tried to get across in my posted reviews—was how much I enjoyed the books that were written for tweens and teens. Me, a slightly older than middle-aged woman truly loved them. I likened them to Anne of Green Gables: a timeless book that can be read by anyone of any age. Nancy’s books are that good. They take you back to a place filled with possibility and hope. They aren’t sugary sweet and so unrealistic that you gag; rather, they are just realistic enough to draw you in but still allow you to dream and grow.

Nancy’s newest book The Gate is out and I could not put it down when I read it. Again, another winner!

A number of young adult books come to mind that will definitely be enjoyed for the “over 18” crowd and will make excellent Christmas gifts to get and give.

To name a few:

1.       The Story of Peace by Miriam Ezeh

2.       The Green Coat by Rosemary McDunn

3.       Finding Grace by Laura Pearl

4.       Saints Alive! by Andrew Seddon

5.       Emperor of North America by John McNichol

Come see what all the fuss is about!

And enjoy a good book like you did when you were a kid!

Cheryl Dickow

www.BezalelBooks.com