Living Memento Mori on CatholicMom.com!

I’m so happy to see a lovely review of Living Memento Mori up at Catholicmom.com!

Seven Quick Takes--Fourth Friday of Lent

-1-

Hi everyone! Sorry no quick takes last week. I was on the last day of the Evil Antibiotic and my body was just blah. So there was no blogging, or really much of anything. But I feel much better now and my sleep schedule and energy and coming back! Yay!

-2-

Most recent posts:

The Cardigan is DONE!

Podcast Interview and Best Of List for Living Memento Mori!

-3-

This Lent has been sort of meh. I didn’t really make a good plan this year, if I’m being honest. I did my usual things of no book buying and no chocolate but I wanted to stay off social media more than I have. So….Lent’s not over and I can still do something about that! I’m going to try to be better with set limits. How’s your Lent going?

-4-

I am doing Stations of the Cross every Friday on my Facebook page during Lent, however!

(yes, I just wrote about social media and here’s Facebook. It’s the best way to communicate with video, I’ve found. IG live is sort of fiddly for me and I need to figure out videos without social media…it’s on my to-do list.)

I post a prayer request thread every Wednesday on my page as well! So these intentions are prayed for during the stations and in my own prayer a well. We use the prayers from Living Memento Mori for the stations, so you can follow along in your own copy if you want.

-5-

Here’s your weekly dose of Patty:

She also got her blanket!

And you can also clearly see her two teeth! She’s working on an upper tooth now, her mom says, so she’s sort of crank-tactic. This week she tried to eat a spider and was very put out when her mom didn’t let her.

-6-

If you would like a signed copy of the book, they are $20 and they include a bookmark, a prayer card, and free shipping! Drop me an email.

-7-

I’m still waiting for the second dose of my COVID vaccine to be scheduled. It hasn’t quite been a month yet, but it will be next weekend, so…..I’d like to know if I’m going to be getting it then! I am totally chomping at the bit to be fully vaccinated!

Book News: Podcast Interview and a Best Of List!

Two things in the book news category!

First, my episode of the podcast “How They Love Mary” is live! Go check it out!

Second, Living Memento Mori was named one of the best books of 2020 in a Catholic World Report piece! It asked its contributors to name the best books they read last year, and Living Memento Mori was on the list.

Seven Quick Takes--1st Friday of Lent

-1-

Hello everyone! How’s your Lent going so far? (The weather might be providing your penance….)

So far mine is going well. I’m adapting this monastic horarium for my use, which is great for adding in extra prayer and also dedicated times for spiritual reading, Lectio, and work. So I get a lot more done, partially because I use this schedule and partially because I’m on social media less, although I think I might need to cull that even further. We’ll see how it goes.

(Fun fact: I was discerned being a cloistered Dominica nun! At Summit!)

-2-

Little Patty and her family are definitely getting penitential weather. They live in Texas, so they lost power, gas, and water, and then had to go to her grandparents’ house for a bit. Now they have gas, power, and “60% water pressure” (according to her dad) so Patty and her family are warm, but so many families aren’t. Pray or them!

Patty does not seem to mind being bundled up….

And yes, she has two teeth now!

-3-

Patrice Fagnat-McArthur wrote a lovely review of Living Memento Mori! (You can find all the reviews of the book here). If you’d like a copy, there are nine left on Amazon! Yes, more are coming, but you know you want it now, right? :)

In other book related news, don’t forget that I’ll be doing Stations of the Cross, using the prayers in my book, starting next week! (We were going to start tonight but….see next point.)

-4-

This is going up later than usual because I had an ENT visit this morning. No, not Tolkien Ents, Ear, Nose, and Throat. I knew that it was going to be AN APPOINTMENT, meaning we’d have lots of thing to do, and we did. Ears were vacuumed (that’s the BEST seriously), and my sinuses were found to have infection. Yayyyyyy. (Not) So that means cipro, which means not moving for two weeks so I don’t rupture any tendons. Seriously, no working out. It sucks because I just started working out again yesterday and it was great. But, alas. Cipro for two weeks.

So because of that I am headach-y and dehydrated (because of all the heat that’s on), so my cochlear implant is hurting my head. So it’s going to go off making me deaf for the rest of the day, but that’s OK. But it does mean no stations tonight. Next week, though!

-5-

I also have clinic on Monday. I have basically three hours between the testing part of clinic (labs, chest X-ray, and PFTs) and seeing my doctor. So I might go to the yarn store. I’ll definitely hit the local French bistro for lunch because it’s one of the perks of being at New Resort. I’m close to really really good food.

-6-

My cardigan is ALMOST DONE! Yay!!!!!!!!!! Just about an inch more to knit on the collar and then I can cast off!

-7-
I get my first COVID vaccine tomorrow! REJOICE!

Read Living Memento Mori for Lent!

Although one can read Living Memento Mori any time, it’s really great for Lent. If you haven’t picked it up I hope you will!

The book is divided into fourteen chapters and an epilogue, each chapter focusing on one of the stations of the cross. There are discussion questions at the end of each chapter and an appendix that contains the Stations of the Cross with a memento mori focus.

If you are reading the book with a book club or small parish group, I would love to come talk to you! Just email me and we’ll set up the details.

If you would like a signed copy, same deal—email me. They’re $20, which includes shipping and a book Mark and prayer card.

You can check out the book’s resources page here, and more about the book here.

Seven Quick Takes--Feb. 11, 2021

-1-

Hello everyone! Happy Valentine’s Weekend!

Here’s your weekly Patty to kick us off….

Somebody really likes butternut squash! :)

-2-

So yes, Lent starts on Wednesday…are you ready? Need Lenten reading? Pick up a copy of my book!

-3-

Like I said last week, sales are super important, especially now that there aren’t in-person conferences (yet), so Ave Maria doesn’t have their awesome tables at these conferences to sell books! So it’s so important for me to get book sales, because they have sales goals for my book. So every purchase means so much to me and my publisher!

I am really awful at selling things. I hated selling Girl Scout cookies! But it’s part of the deal with writing in the 21st century, so, I do it. THANK YOU to everyone who has bought the book!

I will also be doing Stations every Friday in Lent with the prayers in my book, so come join us on Facebook!

-4-

If you are using Living Memento Mori for book club or small groups at your parish, I will come talk to you! Yes! I will answer questions, talk about the book….whatever you need that can be done via Zoom. :) Email me to set things up!

-5-

In the “well, you never know what will happen in Emily’s week” category: I spent Monday morning in the local ER because I was having crazy weird chest pain and I thought I might have pneumonia. So I went to get myself checked out. I’ve also been having productive cough, which I never have, so that also made my eyebrows go up a bit.

I was tested for heart attacks, COVID, pneumonia, and anything else—and I’m clear. So my body is ust being weird, and I think the issue with the coughing is that it’s coming down from my sinuses. I see my ENT next week so we can talk sinuses then but I wouldn’t be surprised if they needed some work. We’ll see, and I’ll let you know.

-6-

I am FINALLY vaccine eligible on Monday! Huzzah!!!!!!! So we’ll see how long it takes for me to get scheduled with the local health department. Hopefully not too long!

-7-

And in #emilyknitsacardigan news: I AM KNITTING THE COLLAR!!!!!!!

This is the LAST STEP before I block the cardigan, and I am so excited. At this point I just knit 5” worth of garter stitch to get the nice shawl collar you see here:

You can see that the collar is a pretty big design element here. So once it’s done I can bind off and block! And then wear it! I am excited!

(Unlike the photo, I will roll the cuffs on the sleeves. I have short arms.)

Seven Quick Takes--Let's Talk Lent

-1-

Hello friends!

From the blog this week: Yarn Along with progress!

Also speaking of yarn, I’ve started this Whatever the Weather knit along from Wonderland Yarns, and I LOVE IT. Essentially you take the low/high/average temp (whichever you choose) of the day, and that correlates to a yarn color. So you can see the temperatures of the year in yarn!

Here’s January—I chose the daily highs.

It’s a “mystery” knit along because we get a new “clue” every month. I think that every month is going to have a different stitch pattern, bordered by garter stitch rows (at the top of the bit here, you can see the rows) . But that’s just my guess. And I love working with these yarns—they’re so buttery and squishy!

-2-

OK let’s talk Lent.

First, get a copy of my book. Please and thank you. :) If you would like to choose your retailer, here is a list of places you can get the book. You can also get it from your local Catholic bookstore!

Really, though, every sale means so much to me. My publisher has goals for sales, and I want to meet them so I can write another book! This really is a team effort. So thank you!

(also please leave an Amazon review if you haven’t.)

-3-

I will be praying the Stations of the Cross, using the Living Memento Mori reflections, every Friday during Lent (except Good Friday), on my Facebook page. Check the events tab for all the dates! (If you like my page then you’ll get updates and you’ll know when I’m going live, so that’s another option to following along!)

-4-

Since I can’t give up anything food related for Lent, and I am also VEHEMENTLY TOLD NOT TO FAST, I’ll be giving up social media usage except for book related and Stations related things. Also no yarn buying. :) Normally I give up buying books during Lent, but given that I’m still sort of stuck in my hobbit hole until I get the vaccine, I’m letting myself buy books.

I want to use SM as a force for good—hence doing stations on FB—but I also have to use it mindfully. I’ve found a lot of good on social media—I’ve made wonderful friends and connections. But, gotta use it mindfully, just like any other tool or “thing”. This is also a very Dominican thing—things aren’t bad in and of themselves, it’s how we use them. And as preachers of truth, we want to use media! That’s how we get the Word (and the word) out!

I’ll also be doing the Consecration to St. Joseph again, as well as 33 Days to Greater Glory. Last Lent I read about St. John of the Cross and then I read his Dark Night of the Soul. Not entirely sure what I will read this Lent. Probably more of the books I have stock piled here? :)

-5-

It is probably not likely that I will receive both doses of the vaccine before Easter. However I am VERY much hoping to get to Mass during the Easter season and then be back to normal Mass going and sacramental life!

-6-

Next week is clear but then I have three doctor appointments to round out February: eye doctor, ENT, and then transplant clinic. I hope everything goes well but I will keep you updated.

-7-

And finally, here’s your weekly Patty. She cut her first tooth this week!

Happy Birthday, Living Memento Mori!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, little book! :)

Living Memento Mori is officially one year old and I am so happy about that.
It’s sort of mind-boggling to think that she’s been out in the world for a whole year, that people have read her and left reviews and asked for signed copies…that people do seem to like it.

When I wrote LMM, all I wanted was to share my story and give people some hope. If I’ve done that, then I’ve succeeded.

So a big THANK YOU to everyone who has supported me and the book!

If you would like a copy, you can get one at your retailer of choice here. (scroll down a little bit to see the retailer links). If you would like a signed copy, email me.

It’s been….weird?….releasing a book during a pandemic. Fortunately I was able to attend the Columbus Catholic Women’s Conference to do a book signing, and there were some big conferences before the nationwide shutdowns started, so that helped sales. (I always hate to talk about money and sales, but it’s part of the book world, so here we are). The truth is that authors need to sell books if they want to keep writing, so your support is invaluable to me. Really, it is! Leaving reviews on Amazon is so important (as is adding the book to your shelves on Goodreads and reviewing it there).

I’d also like to know—what would you like me to write about? What are you interested in reading from me? Please let me know! Leave a comment or use the blog contact form to tell me. Your input really does matter—I want to write things that you want to read!

Thank you thank you thank you for your support of Living Memento Mori. It means so much to me, because with you, no book! Authors exist because people read them.

Here’s to year two!

WIN a Signed Copy of Living Memento Mori!

In honor of Living Memento Mori turning one on the 24th, I’m doing a giveaway!

I’m giving away two signed copies of my book, which includes a prayer card and bookmark specially designed for the book. So there are two winners!

I will inscribe the book to you, a friend, a relative—whoever. So if you already have a copy and you win, you can give this one to someone you love! It makes perfect reading for Lent! (Really, anytime, but especially Lent!)

So, here you go! Winner will be announced in a blog post, so keep your eyes peeled!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK!

Seven Quick Takes--January 15, 2021

-1-

Hello, all! Welcome to the Friday Quick Takes. :) Glad you’re here.

We’ll start with some Patty, per usual….

No, I did not make that really cute sweater, her grandma (my Aunt Sue) did. :) She’s almost 7 months old!

-2-

We could talk about politics. But the thing is, I’d rather not, because I spent so much of my life in it. And at this point I am glad I am out of it. I will, however, repost something I wrote over the summer about how we deal with current events. Here you go.

I really do think that we have to think about what we say, pray about what we say, pray about what God is calling us to do. Not all of us are called to be big shaking world changers. Food for thought.

-3-

Sort of attached….I know a lot of people are talking about leaving social media. I can understand that. If you want to stay in touch with me and the blog—which means you get all the posts, the giveaways (one next week!), notifications, and news—please sign up for my mailing list. I do not send spam. :) You get blog posts and my newsletter sent to your inbox, and you also get subscriber goodies!
And also, publishers look at the “engagement” authors have with their audience. So a healthy email list is something I can show publishing houses to say that people actually, you know, read what I write?

-4-

My Book’s Birthday is on Jan. 24, and I’ve got giveaways! On Monday the first one will go, and then I’ll be doing another which is more Lent focused in February. I’m excited.

-5-

In other news, I’m really happy because one, hockey is back (even if the Pens did lose to Philly last night) and two because I’m sleeping again, yay body! It’s so nice to have energy!

In other health news, my “group” of people here in Ohio is set to begin receiving the COVID vaccine on January 25. I’m registered with my local health department and OSU (Ohio State) is also setting up a site for their patients, so I’m not sure where I’ll get it or which one it will be . I guess it’ll be whoever calls me first. I you are in Ohio and want more information on the vaccination process, you can read it here.

What I’m hearing is that we (meaning immunocompromised folk) might not get as much protection as the rest of you from it, because we’ve broken our immune systems on purpose. But even some protection is better than none.

-6-

Some books I’ve read lately and really liked: Miss Austen, Piranesi, and The Exiles. If you want some good fiction reading, I highly recommend these!

-7-

My tree is still up, yup. I try to keep it up until Candlemas, which used to be the end of the Christmas Season. We’ll see how long it stay up. :) But some of the other things can start to come down. I don’t have too many Christmas decorations but some things like the pillows can move back into storage until next year.

How about you? Is your tree or nativity still up, or have then been packed up?

Seven Quick Takes--Post Turkey

-1-

Happy Post-Thanksgiving! I hope you had a lovely Turkey Day!

Patty certainly had a good day.

-2-

We had Buca di Beppo. They had the normal menu (well, a smaller menu, as is usual these days) an then Thanksgiving meal which was very good. I really liked the stuffing, which had Italian sausage in it—WINNER. It was a little different than regular stuffing (or dressing, as some of you say), but I really liked it!

-3-

OK time for business!

OK first: my ebook, Catholic 101, is on sale for FOUR DOLLARS. If you are a blog subscriber, you get even MORE off with your special coupon code! So if you aren’t a subscriber, sign up now and get the code!

This book is based on my experiences as a first grade CCD—as I was teaching the kids things, I noticed that parents and other adults didn’t know the stuff I was teaching the kids! So I decided to write an ebook about it.

The ebook is gift-able—you can email it to people!—printable, and also readable on any screen.

The sale runs through next Friday (Dec. 4), at midnight. You don't need a code or anything. Just go buy it. :)

Second, Ave Maria Press’s Black Friday deal is on. Using the code BLACK20 to get 30% off and FREE SHIPPING PLUS an Advent booklet (while supplies last) for free! You can get Living Memento Mori here.

-4-

I got my first Christmas gift today from Tiff (aka Billy’s mom)—three books that I will probably spend the rest of the day devouring. That and also digging out in Orchard House—it’s a disaster. One of the biggest issues with not going out to shop is that I get so many BOXES AND BAGS delivered on a weekly basis. So they pile up fully quickly! So today I’ll be making several trips to the bulk trash and trash compactor.

-5-

Normally I put my tree up tomorrow during the OSU/ Michigan game. But….that game is now next week, so my schedule is all off. :) So I might not get the tree up until next week but it’s all good, right? I would like to get the nativity set out this weekend.

-6-

In what has become a Thanksgiving tradition, I watched Miracle on 34th Street (the original) last night while I worked on my Find Your Fade Shawl. It’s actually quite a lovely tradition, if I do say so myself.

-7-

And speaking of knitting, this weekend I will start picking up the stitches for the cardigan collar! Wish me luck. :)

Black Friday at Ave Maria Press!

Starting TODAY (Wednesday), and going through Sunday (11/29), Ave Maria Press is offering 30% off PLUS free shipping with the code BLACK20. So if you need copies of Living Memento Mori, go get them! This sale gets you a copy of the book for under $10—that’s a GREAT deal.

Have a great Thanksgiving!!!

The "Brave New Us" Podcast Interview is Live!

I was so privileged to be interviewed by Samantha Stephenson for her Brave New Us podcast! This episode is about genetic illness and genetic manipulation: Should we do it? Why or why not? I had a great time talking to Samantha and I hope you enjoy our conversation! You can listen here.

My First Royalty Statement! (And....buy copies!)

So, today I got my First Royalty Statement!

Yay!!!

The way my publisher does this is that the royalty periods run from January-June, and then July-December. So the royalty statement I got today shows how many books I’ve sold from January to June.

And it did pretty well! Thank you for buying copies!!!! :)

It’s broken down into USA, Canada, and “Foreign” sales—there were two foreign sales, not sure who those were, but THANK YOU! :) I can also see ebook sales—there were 44 of those.

You might not know this, but authors don’t get paid royalties until they’ve paid back their advance. I am almost halfway to that goal, so yay. THANK YOU! :) Once I pay back my advance, then I actually start getting royalty checks. (As in: MONEY.)

And that brings me to…..buying copies for Christmas gifts! :)

Lent starts February 17, 2021, so you could even buy a copy of the book as a Valentine’s Day present! (Come on, it’s a good idea!) But, buying for Christmas is also a good idea, because then you’re ready for Lent with Lenten reading! :)

So you can buy a copy, or you can email me for a signed copy. Those are $20 and include a prayer card, a book mark, and shipping!

I should get my next royalty statement in March, and hopefully I’ll have made even more progress toward the repayment of the advance! :)

So, thank you for buying my book and supporting my writing! I appreciate every book sold.

Like what you’re reading? Consider supporting my writing by joining my Patreon!

25% OFF LIVING MEMENTO MORI (and free shipping!)

Just wanted to let you know that the book is on sale at Ave Maria Press!

They just launched a new website so if you use the code NEWSITE, you get 25% off AND free shipping! :)

So go shop! This would be a good time to get copies to give out as early Lent gifts—aka, Christmas presents! :

Seven Quick Takes--Gallbladder Surgery Scheduled, Cheers Throwback, and More!

-1-

Hi, y’all!

So the big news is that I am having gallbladder surgery on September 3. This isn’t actual big news, per se. I mean, yeah, my gallbladder needs to come out, but this is more of “removing a thing that is annoying” vs. “removing something that will make me feel a lot better”, because it really doesn’t bother me that much. And seriously, when you’ve had pancreatitis as much as I’ve had it (at least 10 times), abdominal pain isn’t new. I’ve been dealing with it for 20 years now, and we can’t take out my pancreas. But it is nice to have an annoying thing taken care of, that’s for sure.

-2-

Couple quick notes re: the blog!

I have a newsletter that goes out once a month to subscribers. Subscribers also get special discounts and other goodies. If you’re not a subscriber, fix that here.

Also if you would like a signed copy of Living Memento Mori—Christmas is coming, people!—email me. They’re $20 and that includes shipping, a bookmark, and a prayer card, both of which were specialyl designed by Ave Maria Press for the book!

-3-

Was sad to see that the Cheers bar in Fanueil Hall Marketplace in Boston is closing—Dad and I went there after my Jeopardy! tryout in 2015.

Some snapshots:

It was a dang good burger! Dad basically ate Boston Clam Chowder whenever he could that weekend. :)

(Quick bit of Cheers and Emily medical history trivia: I was in the ER for a broken wrist the night of the Cheers finale. My softball team was in the playoffs and we’d been practicing. I played third base, and the left fielder and I got into a tussle about the ball. We both went for it, and my wrist hit the ground. I had CF at the time but we didn’t know it, so that’s probably why the wrist broke. But yes, I did play a sport, and we were undefeated in the regular season that year!)

-4-

Speaking of exercise….I found this article to have some good tips. She’s definitely right about making it part of your routine. Starting last month I really focused on creating a good daily routine that works for me. Obviously, it’s still in progress, but this is what I do so far:

• I prep the coffee and my insulin pens the night before—KEY. Even if I do nothing else before I go to bed in terms of cleaning or prep, I do this, because it makes the next morning go much more smoothly.

• In the morning, I switch on the coffee and dose myself with insulin. I have to wait 10 minutes before breakfast (so the insulin can take effect) and while that’s happening…

• I say lauds from the Liturgy of the Hours and read the daily Mass readings.

• After that, 10 minutes is usually up, so I eat breakfast. While I eat breakfast I check my email and social media and do any blog or “business” stuff I want to do that day, like setting up the newsletter or updating a mailing list.

• After that I do my duolingo—I’m learning Italian and Scottish Gaelic!

• And after that, I exercise.

That’s my morning so far! After exercising it’s usually time for lectio, spiritual reading, or a bit of knitting before lunch. Sometimes this is where I do some cleaning/tidying too—I’ll start the dishes if they need it, or the laundry if it needs it.

(I’ll actually write more about this in an upcoming blog post, so keep your eyes peeled. :) )

-5-

This piece, on Fanny Price and Mansfield Park, is basically a shorter version of my undergraduate thesis. Fanny is awesome and more people need to appreciate her! Read Mansfield Park!

-6-

Patty’s blanket is moving along—I’m about done with the first set of four stripes, so YAY! I’ll. have some updated photos for you soon, I hope. :) I keep forgetting to take pictures!

-7-

Have you gone back to Mass/church yet? How is it? I’m thinking about going back because honestly I MISS IT!

Glorious Scars

Caravaggio, “The Incredulity of St. Thomas”, oil on canvas, 1601-1602.

For my spiritual reading, I’m re-reading Fulton Sheen’s Life of Christ. And as I was reading yesterday, I came across this great bit:

Satan never has and never will appear with scars.

And this struck me so deeply, and I’ll tell you why.

I talk about this in my book (in the epilogue)—the idea that Christ has glorious scars, that we see, in His glory, the scars of His crucifixion and the things he has endured. The hymn “Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending” talks about this:

With what rapture

With what rapture

With what rapture

Gaze we on those glorious scars!

But we don’t like scars, right? We try to cover them up or remove them or have them lasered away, because they’re imperfect, they’re ugly, they’re not pretty.

But they’re also signs that we survived. Chris Cleave, in his novel Little Bee, writes that scars don’t form on dead people. Scars are signs of life. And they are.

I have a lot of scars, in a lot of places. But they’re signs of life. Just like Christ’s are, they’re signs of triumph in battle, of overcoming, of survival and glory.

Satan doesn’t have scars, because he doesn’t fight the battle. He causes the battle.

Christ fought the battle and won. Thomas poked his fingers into the scars and saw them and believed.

To me, scars aren’t ugly. They’re glorious. And they’re glorious for Jesus, too.

(Here’s my favorite version of “Lo He Comes”—by the Dominican student brothers of the Province of St. Joseph. You can get the CD here. )

A new review of Living Memento Mori

Hi, everyone!

I wanted to share with you a lovely blog post about Living Memento Mori from my SM pal Therese Zoe Williams, which she put up over at her blog.

Go check it out!

Reminder that if you’d like a signed copy, email me. They’re $20 and include shipping and book goodies! Signed book plates are $3 and also include goodies!

If you’re a priest or religious, also email me for a discounted price! :)

An Interview with Andrea Green Burton

I’m such a bad book blogger!

My friend and fellow author Andrea Green Burton interviewed me about Living Memento Mori months ago, and I never posted it, and wow, I am terrible! :)

But, I’m posting it today! Andrea asked me some great questions and I had a lot of fun doing this. I hope you enjoy reading our conversation!

(Also, check out her other blog posts—she’s working on a historical fiction novel now and it’s fabulous!)

Living Memento Mori in the Catholic Times! (D. of Columbus)

I am really excited to share with you that my friend Sarah Reinhard wrote a lovely review of Living Memento Morif for our diocesan newspaper!

I also like being compared to whiskey. :) Makes my Scots/Irish heart happy!