Grace-filled Tuesdays (Book Club "Meeting" #8): The On-Air Version

We haven't had one of these "meetings" since way back on June 16--it's been such a busy summer!  Sorry about the long absence.

After I had my phone-in radio interview with Ken Huck at Radio Maria last Thursday, I thought to myself, "That was a bit like a book club meeting.  Too bad my Grace-filled Tuesdays Book Club members weren't there to participate." (All two of you, that is. Or three?  Maybe four?)  Because as shy as I am sitting in a group, telling a story face-to-face (rushing through, usually, because I think I'll bore people to death), I seem to be surprisingly comfortable talking on the radio.  In spite of the pre-interview jitters, once Ken and I got going I felt like I was having a one-on-one conversation with a friend.

So instead of going on and on in writing here, I thought I'd just post a link to the interview.  It might answer some questions you have about Erin's Ring--about what inspired the story, the writing process, the target audience for the book, etc.  If you'd like to listen, I was Ken's second guest that day on his "Meet the Author" program (his first was well-known writer Matt Kelly, so--gulp!--I had quite a tough act to follow), and my part of the show starts at about the 28:55-minute mark.

Here's the link, if you're interested: http://radiomaria.us/august-13-2015-matthew-kelly-and-laura-pearl/

If you have any questions for me, about either Erin's Ring or Finding Grace, leave me a comment, and we'll discuss them at a future "meeting."

I Survived!

Well, just a little while ago, I finished up my radio interview with Ken Huck on his "Meet the Author" show.  I called in and talked to Ken about Erin's Ring for 20 minutes or so; and when we were finished I hung up, grateful that although there were some points in the interview where I might have been a little awkward in giving my answers, I had survived it.  After I hung up the phone, I exhaled, and even said "I survived!" aloud--then worried that perhaps I hadn't pushed the "off" button on the phone hard enough and those words had gone out over the airwaves.  I really, really hope not. 

Here's what kept me company on the dining room table as I talked to Ken.  With friends like this around (St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Joseph, Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, and Mary, Our Mother), how can you go wrong?

I had a quivery feeling in the pit of my stomach for parts of the interview; I babbled at times, and then at others didn't know how to end what I was saying. I think I ended some of my long-winded answers with, "So..."  I still need work at this public speaking business.   But Ken couldn't be nicer, and I so appreciate his willingness to have me on his show.  Not once, but twice! 

Ken gave away two signed copies of Erin's Ring during the broadcast, to callers of the show--with one caveat: they were asked to share the book with three people, and then to email Ken about those experiences.  I can't thank him enough for helping to spread the word about this book, which I hope will touch many young souls.

Thanks so much to those who prayed for me.  I appreciate it more than I can express!

Radio Maria Interview Today!

Today at 3:30, I'll be speaking with host Ken Huck about Erin's Ring, on his "Meet the Author" show on Radio Maria.  Tune in if you're interested (or just keep me in your prayers, as this sort of thing takes me way, way out of my introverted comfort zone!).

I "met" Ken already, when I went on his show last January to talk about Findong Grace.  He's a kind and interested interviewer, and he was able to put me at ease (relatively speaking!).  So I'm sure things will go okay today.  But prayers. Say them please.  That is all.

(P.S. There are only two more days left for the Goodreads giveaway, where you could win one of two signed copies of Erin's Ring.  Click on that big "g" on the sidebar to enter.)

WWRW: Ken Huck's Summer Reading List

Today, I thought I'd share some summer reading recommendations from Ken Huck of Radio Maria.  (Ken has a show called "Meet the Author," and he was kind enough to have me on to talk about Finding Grace back in January).  Here is Ken's list (pay special attention to #4--wink, wink):

 

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Meet the Author – 2015 Summer Reading List By host, Ken Huck

 

This, the 5th annual, list was inspired by a listener. I think there is something for everyone on this list – men, women, young, and adult.  The books are in no particular order. I also suggest books that parents can share with their children. 

 

1.       A Catholic Gardener’s Spiritual Almanac by Margaret Rose Realy. Great book for any time of year but especially good for summer.

 

2.       Divine Renovation: Bringing Your Parish from Maintenance to Mission by Fr James Mallon.  You will come out of the summer energized with ideas to help your parish. 

 

3.       Visiting Mary: Her U.S. Shrines and Their Graces by Julie Dortch Cragon.  If you want to incorporate some visits to shrines with your vacation this book is full of ideas and a list of shrines for nearly every state. Keep in the car glove compartment!

 

4.       Finding Grace by Laura Pearl. Wonderful books for moms and dads to read and share with their teen children. A wonderful coming of age novel that will keep you guessing to the very end! My favorite recommendation this past year for young adults.

 
5.       The Glory of the Crusades by Steve Weidenkopf, Not Peace But A Sword – The Great Chasm Between Christianity And Islam by Robert Spencer, or Christianity, Islam, and Atheism by William Kilpatrick. With militant Islam in the news nearly every day I recommend all three of these books.

 

6.       Prayer Works! Getting a Grip on Catholic Spirituality by Matthew Leonard. Just because it is summer it doesn’t mean you can’t work on your faith practices!

 

7.       Something Other Than God by Jennifer Fulwiler, and Not God’s Type: An Atheist Academic Lays Down Her Arms by Holly Ordway. Two of my favorite conversion stories.  

 

8.       Making Gay Okay: How Rationalizing Homosexual Behavior is Changing Everything by Robert Reilly. The Supreme Court is expected to redefine marriage this summer and this book will explain how we got to this point in our culture.   

 

9.       No Turning Back by Fr. Donald Calloway.  If you don’t know Fr. Calloway’s story you need to read this book!   

 

10.   Saint John Paul the Great: His Five Loves by Jason Evert.  A fantastic overview of the life of this great saint of our time.

 

Books for moms to share with daughters: The “Lily series” of novels Sherry Boas. Sherry is a fantastic writer and even greater mom.  

   

If you have teens check out Regina Domain’s The Fairy Tale Novels series and the John Paul II High series of novels by Christian M. Frank about the adventures of a group of teens at a tiny Catholic school.

 

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Hope you're having a great summer, filled with great books!  Now head on over to Jessica's for more good titles.

An Irresitible Face, and a Face for Radio

I'm still here, in spite of all evidence to the contrary.  Still trying to have my own little (very, very little--these days anyway) voice in the Catholic blogosphere. I've been busy, you see.  Because...well, because of this, for one thing.  This wee happy munchkin, who is better known here at String of Pearls as "G-Man."

This FACE!  How can I tear myself away from it to blog?  I could blog when he sleeps, I suppose; but I like to let him slumber on my person, you see--in the crook of my arm or on my shoulder...which makes trying to type on my laptop a tad problematic.

I've been spending quite a bit of time with this handsome little lad.  My husband and I traveled down to VA to stay at the home of our middle son, his wife Preciosa, and their firstborn son G-Man, just after New Year's.  We live in New England (and I have to say that with the record-breaking blizzard that is hitting up that way right about now, being down here where it's [relatively] balmy is not too shabby at all).

Our original plan was to go back home to NH on Feb. 2, just after G-Man's Baptism the day before. And then he was going to start going to daycare after we left--just until May, when his mommy plans to quit her job and stay home with him full-time.  But in the last week or so we have come up with a new plan that will enable us to stay down here until our daughter-in-law is finished working.  (We're lucky that as an airline pilot, my husband can commute to work; otherwise, we wouldn't be able to do it!)  During the 7-10 days each month that my husband and I have to be other places--at home checking on our house and picking up our mail (so we can pay bills!), out at Notre Dame for our youngest son's Army ball, out in MI to help our oldest son and his wife when baby #4 arrives in April, etc. etc.--Preciosa's parents, aunt, and cousin are going to take turns filling in, traveling here from FL and AL.

So it looks like we're going to get to know our new little grandson very, very well!  He's going on 4 months old now, and already he's changed so much since we arrived almost a month ago.  He's trying to roll over--and even to CRAWL!--already, and he gets cuter and chubbier every day.  I can't even imagine what he'll be like by the time we head north in May.

So, that's what I've been up to lately, in case you've been stopping by and wondering if I'm ever going to put up a new post.

Before I go, I thought I'd share a link to a recent radio interview I did with Ken Huck for Radio Maria.  Ken has a show called "Meet the Author," and after being given a copy of Finding Grace by an old high school friend, he invited me on his show to talk about it (and Erin's Ring) on January 15.  If you'd like to listen, here's the link (I'm the second person Ken interviewed that day, and my segment starts at the 32-minute mark).

I have trouble advocating for my own works of YA fiction in person--even though I do believe they could be a positive influence in the lives of readers of all ages.  For instance, this past weekend, my husband and I drove over to the DC area to visit with son #2 and his new bride, Ginger; and while at the dinner table with Ginger's whole extended family, the subject of my books came up.  As usual, I got somewhat tongue-tied and embarrassed.  But while talking to Ken on the phone during his radio show, I didn't have ten people making eye contact with me while I spoke and I found it was so much easier that way.  I was nervous before we got started, but Ken put me at ease almost immediately, and I chatted away as if I didn't have an introverted bone in my body.  Amazing.  Who would have ever guessed I'd be comfortable on the radio?!  

It must be that, as that old saying goes, I have a face that was meant for the radio.  Hardy-har-har.

See you soon.  Really, I will.