One Girls Weekend + An Epic Family Road trip + A Writers Conference = Personal, Professional, and Spiritual Rejuvenation

Welcome to Leslea’s June Update.

Sometimes in life we find ourselves in a funk. Maybe due to struggles, loss, or just from the mundane of life. And sometimes we don’t even realize we’re in such a state until something jars us out of it. That’s what I’ve recently experienced. I thought I’d been doing pretty well after the dual loss of my parents, but three experiences in the past two months have jolted me awake.

In April I was able to reconnect with several girlfriends who I hadn’t seen in 20 years! It was such an amazing weekend of simply chatting, laughing, and drinking lots of coffee. 😊

May found me road-tripping with the family. Having two adult children who live out of state is tough. But we always have such an amazing time when we’re together. Besides exploring new sites and enjoying our time together, we were able to visit several religious sites—the miraculous staircase in Santa Fe, the Chimayo healing site, and the beautiful Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, AZ.

A few days after that trip, I was off to Chicago for the Catholic Writers Guild conference. It’s always so fun to meet up with fellow writers and be inspired by the lineup of speakers.

All three events have filled me with new energy, ideas, and gratitude.

May your summer be a time of renewal as well.

Blessings,

Leslea

Scroll down for all my writing news and this month’s book reviews.

 

News:

• • I have a release date for my newest book: In Plain Sight – December 2024! I’m so excited to share the third novel in my Finding Faith series.

• Recently, I was able to meet up with a few CatholicTeenBooks authors at the annual Catholic Writers Guild conference. It was wonderful catching up with Antony Kolenc, Amanda Lauer, AJ Cattapan, and Carmela Martino.
• Catholic Teen Books has a new anthology in the works – Shadows: Visible & Invisible! Each of the short stories in this book will center around the Hallowtide Triduum of All Hallows Eve, All Souls Day, and All Saints Day. Watch for all the details!
• My novel eXtreme Blindside continues to be on sale at Pauline Books and Media for $5.00! Don’t miss this extreme price! HERE!

 

Clues:

Solve this puzzle to discover the newest furry family member to become a character in one of my novels—Zuri. HERE!

 

Reviews:

Silly Sophie’s Summer Sunday Morning by Alexandra Sizemore

 

This is a cute book about a little dog and the family she faithfully protects. Through this story children are reminded of the importance of attending Church and honoring God. Bible verses are scattered throughout the story.

 

Detective Thomas and the Biggest Question by Caitlin Bootsma

This chapter book is a delight, especially for those inquisitive children. When a friend asks Thomas about his faith and how he knows God is real, Thomas is led on an investigation to discover the answer. A mysterious box with helpful prompts leads him on this journey.

Some of the concepts that Thomas explores are quite deep, but the author does a good job of breaking them down for younger readers to understand. I loved the beautiful message of children being proud of their faith and being able to explain their beliefs. Even the younger members of our family can plant the seeds that can lead others to Christ.

Penny and the Stolen Chalice by Antony B. Kolenc

Antony Kolenc has an amazing gift of writing for middle-grade kids. From the moment I read the first book in his Harwood Mysteries series, I’ve been a fan. So, I was thrilled for a chance to check out his new contemporary story, Penny and the Stolen Chalice. And what a fabulous book it is!

The main character in this story doesn’t know much about faith but attends a Catholic school. This provides many opportunities to explain the Catholic faith. Many of the traditions, prayers, and parts of the Mass can seem a little strange and confusing to someone who has not grown up in the Church. Kolenc does such a wonderful job of highlighting and explaining these elements.

There were many enjoyable aspects to this story. As a mystery-lover, I always enjoy a good whodunnit. So, the storyline of the missing chalice lured me right in and kept me guessing until the end. This author is known for creating relatable characters and touching family situations, which he brings to this new book as well. Penny and the Stolen Chalice had me cheering on the main character, laughing at numerous situations, and even tearing up a time of two. Excellent job!

Waykeepers of Valdeor by Sandralena Hanley

This is the second book in the Valdeor series by Sandralena Hanley. While I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, this one really drew me in. I was immediately hooked and needed to know where this compelling story was headed.

This fantasy novel for teens reminds me a bit of Lord of the Rings – a tale of good and evil with mystical elements and an exciting adventure. Hanley’s writing is quite engaging with a natural story-telling ability, and the Christian messages permeate the story without being heavy-handed. While this book is part of a series, it can be read independently. The main characters are new to the series, and the author gives enough details that the reader will understand the back story.

Since his father’s death, Guy’s life has been difficult, but overall, he’s content. But when the mysterious, if not frustrating, Donella arrives, everything he’s ever known to be true comes into question. He has no interest in joining Donella on her quest, but as war threatens the Kingdom of Valdeor, he knows he can not sit idly by when he alone has so much to offer.

Ablaze: Stories of Daring Teen Saints by Colleen Swaim

This book is full of fascinating, but heart-breaking stories of teens who gave everything for their faith. Most of these teen saints will be unfamiliar, but their stories of steadfast courage are all incredible. These teens all lost their lives at a young age through disease or violence, but there is so much we can learn from these brave young souls.

The teens featured are Saint Dominic Savio, Saint Teresa of the Andes, Saint Kizito, Blessed Chiara Luce Badano, Saint Stanislaus Kostka, Saint Alphonosa of the Immaculate Conception, Blessed Pedro Calungsod, and Saint Maria Goretti.

Each story features scripture verses, pictures, quotes, prayers, interesting facts, and recipes from different regions of the world. The thought-provoking discussion questions make this book perfect for group discussions or an inspiring gift.

Accidental Allies by Karina Bartow

What an enjoyable book! I always love a great detective story. And this one came with a refreshing main character who I was rooting for from the very first page. While the tension ran high, the mystery was intriguing and kept me guessing. It was also a very heart-warming story about a determined woman who had to overcome a lot of challenges. Great story!

Everybody’s experienced a rocky start to a new job, but few can top Minka Avery’s return to Orlando PD. After almost six years as a stay-at-home mom, Minka’s nervous but excited to sit at a detective’s desk again. Before she has a chance to break in her badge, however, her career resumes with a bang when someone bombs the county courthouse. With many disillusioned with the justice system, plenty of brow-raising suspects emerge right away. Minka and her new partner, Renee, follow several tips that lead to dead ends, until they zero in on the courthouse’s former security guard. Their attempts to apprehend him send the city and police department into chaos. Meanwhile, Minka contends with the lingering suspicion of another party being involved. Could his accomplice be closer than she thinks?

Women of Hope – Doctors of the Church by Terry Polakovic

If you are curious about the four female Saints that are also Doctors of the Church, you’ll want to get you hands on this book. You can discover why the Church has honored St. Therese of Liseaux, St. Theresa of Avila, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Hildegard of Bigen with this distinction. These four amazing Saints used their unique gifts and talents to lead others to Christ. We can all learn so much from their faithfulness and wisdom.

 

 

Until next time, happy reading!