Starting Afresh

Yay! The last book in the Starting in Henderson County is here! Starting Afresh is the final book in the series. A series that I started in October 2020. Four years!

Blurb: After emerging from rehab, Sage is desperate to rebuild her life, but her past haunts her in unexpected ways. A chance encounter with Kenneth, a cafe owner and ex-military man, brings her a glimpse of hope. She lands a job assisting Kenneth’s ailing mother, but the shadow of her history complicates her new life in the tight-knit Henderson County.

As Sage navigates her role in Kenneth’s family, she must confront her own pain and doubts while balancing newfound relationships with both children and adults alike. Unbeknownst to Kenneth, Sage’s quiet resilience begins to pierce his walls, drawing them closer even as external forces and old secrets threaten her second chance. Can she truly escape her past, or will it ultimately define her future?

Book Series

The books that have come before have been published in audio and eformat! When I first released Starting Over, there were so many people who said the book was too short and they would like to read more about Henderson County. It took a lot of planning and thinking but I wrote a series of novellas focusing on the seasons of Henderson County. And it has worked. The entire series would be a long saga if read together.

Release Date

My release date is December 16th, 2024. I’m a little sad that this series has come to a close. I’m listening to Vaseegara as I format and finish the edits on this book which is also making me sad. The concept and the rain encapsulates the book but I have loved writing about this place and its people. I enjoyed writing about their joys and sorrows and their ups and downs. I’m choosing the song for the book trailer and I’ve been out of sorts that this is the end here! I’m planning to do a book bundle next year but Starting In Henderson County is done. It’s time to close the series and work on other projects that I put aside.

What’s Next?

Lots! Touchpoint Press is closing and so I’m going to get all my previous books back. There’s plenty to do. However, it’s a matter of choosing what can be done first and which book I’m most interested in doing. It also depends on my mood. What I’m feeling like influences what I write.

If you want to know what I’m writing and where I’m going next with my books then sign up to my newsletter! I share more pictures, news and giveaways there.

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We know there is a post-mortem state of existence that cannot be hell.

– Karlo Broussard 

Who is Karlo Broussard ?

Karlo Broussard, a native of Southern Louisiana, left a promising musical career to devote himself full-time to the work of Catholic apologetics. As a staff apologist and speaker for Catholic Answers, and a member of the chancery evangelization team at the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, he travels the country and the diocese
giving talks on apologetics, biblical studies, theology, and philosophy.
Karlo has published articles on a variety of subjects in Catholic Answers Magazine, is a regular guest on Catholic Answers Live, and is an active writer for Catholic Answers Magazine Online at
catholic.com. Karlo holds a doctorate in philosophy with St. Patrick’s Pontifical University in Maynooth, Ireland, along with undergraduate and graduate degrees in theology from Catholic Distance University and the Augustine Institute, as well as a masters in philosophy with Holy Apostles College and Seminary.

111 Praying For The Dead In Purgatory

In this episode, Pamela talks to Karlo Broussard about Purgatory. He explains:
i. What is purgatory and what is the Scriptural evidence?
ii. How does it still support the salvific role of Jesus and the doctrine of justification by faith?
iii. Is there any evidence?
iv. Why do we pray for people and purgatory and how to go about doing it.

Purgatory is real

I found Karlo through his book, Purgatory is real. It explains our practice of praying for the dead. With all soul’s day coming up, I prayed about what we would talk about next. It was a difficult subject and I prayed as I looked for a guest. I wrote to Karlo and he responded immediately. God is always so good. I read plenty on the subject and there are just a handful of books on the subject of purgatory. Against all odds, we managed to record, another one of God’s blessings.

I remember back home, we pray for the dead during our daily rosary. Every year we offer masses for all the departed souls in our family. On all soul’s day, my mom made us attend 3 masses for everyone. I used to think it was pure punishment that she did this to us. My dad never said no. Every year it was a family tradition. My little brother would fall asleep during these masses.Now that my dad’s in heaven, I don’t mind hearing a hundred masses where I can offer up a prayer for him.

We pray for our departed family members knowing that they’re heading to God. I love how Karlo talks about the post-mortem existence. He provides scriptural evidence. This could be across denominations, just a passing thought can be converted into a prayer for our beloved. He also explains what you can do and where you can read more. From CS Lewis to the mystical experience of saints, there’s a lot more you can find out if you’re interested. He even has more on the website where he’s on staff and podcast.

What are your traditions for All Soul’s day? How do you pray for your beloved departed souls?

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“Being an Extraordinary Minister is a wonderful chance of being extremely close to the body of Christ and His people.”

Who is Corinna Laughlin?

Corinna Laughlin has been a member of the Cathedral of St. James’ staff since 1998.  As Pastoral Assistant for Liturgy, she works with Father Ryan and the Cathedral staff and volunteers to plan hundreds of liturgies each year.  Corinna also serves as a Consultant to the Liturgy Office of the Archdiocese of Seattle.
 
Corinna’s writing on liturgy has been featured in many publications, including Pastoral Liturgy, Ministry and Liturgy, Today’s Liturgy, and AIM Magazine. Corinna has also written the Guide for Sacristans, Guide for Servers, and Guide for Celebrating Holy Week and Triduum for Liturgy Training Publications. With her sister, Maria Laughlin, she co-authored Journey of Faith: An Illustrated History of the Archdiocese of Seattle as well as histories of the Dioceses of Brownsville, Orange, Green Bay, La Crosse, Wilmington, Austin, San Antonio, and New York City, through Editions du Signe.
 
She holds a Masters of Arts in Liturgical Ministry from Catholic Theological Union, Chicago. She also holds a doctorate in English language and literature from the University of Washington, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts.

Becoming An Extraordinary Minister

In this episode, Pamela talks to Corinna Laughlin about Becoming An Extraordinary Minister. She explains:
i. What is an extraordinary minister? Why is it an important ministry?
ii. What are the characteristics of a good minister?
iii. How do a person become one?
iv. What are the challenges?

A Ministry that brings you close to Christ

Corinna Laughlin wrote the Guide for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion with Kenneth A. Riley and Paul Turner. It serves as a guide and teaching aide for new and current ministers.

This was an amazing episode. I looked for a ton of resources on the subject and found Corinna’s book. Then I hunted for her email and was so happy to have found her on the Cathedral’s website.

I have a lot of friends who have been part of this ministry and was always aware that it was not easy. There’s a weight to it. I wrote to Corinna to come on the podcast. And she replied so quickly. It was just a blessing to have her respond. We set a time to record and in the interim I read more about becoming an extraordinary ministry. I was surprised to see the opposition in book reviews and online trad forums. I knew we had to do this episode.

A heart for Christ

I love how Corinna explains this is a ministry for you to come close to Jesus and His people. There’s joy in seeing people spread across the Church coming to Christ with all of their human-ness. There’s a special training and commissioning in this ministry. It is one that will allow people to experience community indirectly. What a blessing to serve here.

I highly encourage people who are interested to reach out to their parishes. Corinna says, “don’t worry about your worthiness, just focus on being with Jesus,” she says. And I love that. Fixing our eyes on Jesus can fix a lot of our problems. Do you feel the need to serve? Do you still feel you don’t know where to serve in your church? How about being an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist?

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

We hope you enjoyed this podcast. Check out our podcasts on St. Therese  and Blessed Sacrament If you liked this podcast, like us, and leave a comment. Share our episodes on social media with those who may benefit from it.

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As always, my preference is to do a walking tour to get a lay of the land. I chose Guru Tours simply because it was a 2 hour walk and early in the morning.

Travel

You can travel to Boston using the mbTa and within Boston it’s called the T. That’s their subway. It’s fairly regular. You can get a Charlie card or a one time ticket. The subway is pretty clear. Maps everywhere, well, labelled. Hard to miss or go wrong.

Backbay

I started with Backbay because that’s where I got off the train. You have the Copley Place, a large mall and plaza in Backbay. Backbay has some beautiful streets. The Trinity church and Boston Public Library are along the way. We were told it costs $20000 if you want the Boston Public Library as a wedding venue. I would have loved to stop here but was in a rush to get to the tour.

Boston Public Garden

This garden is beautiful. It’s the park where Forrest Gump was shot where Robin Williams tells Matt Damon, “your move, chief!” The garden is filled with people working out, walking their pets, people on pics and dates, stretching and reading. I love the vibe here. The story, “Make Way for Ducklings” is set here and so there are ducklings sculptures were created by the city of Boston for children. Once a year, they do an actual reading where children come dressed up ducklings. It’s so cute!

Boston Common

The Boston Common has a memorial about the Founding of America. The Common is adjacent to the Boston Public Garden. It has more open space. It was where Pope John Paul gave his address on his way to Washington. It’s also the location for the Martin Luther memorial called “Embrace.”

Beacon Hill & Freedom Trail

Beacon Hill is an expensive neighborhood where Ann Whitney’s (sculptor and poet) home and where the first 13 American colonies were established. All the flora here is taken care of by the city of Boston. The cobblestoned street is one of the oldest in Boston.

The Freedom trail has multiple stops. From the gathering of the opposition to the British taxes to the first speech. The burial ground for Benjamin Franklin’s parents, Samuel Adams. On the way there’s the Omni hotel, where the Boston cream pie was created and where JFK proposed to Jackie Kennedy. There’s a memorial of the Irish immigrants and the dedication to the famine. In a way, it embodies the fact that America is made of immigrants. Right across is where the Boston Tea party meeting was held.

There’s also the former official British seat of Parliament with the lion and unicorn atop. Every year the Declaration of Independence is read from the balcony.

North End

The North End is where the Italian immigrants first headed. And there’s signs all over that this is an Italian neighborhood. Lots of bakeries and pastry shops only take cash here. The restaurants were full at lunch. You would have to wait a while. I wanted to eat here but there was not enough time to wait since I needed to catch my show next.

Sports

The TD garden arena is massive. Boston loves its sports. This is a city of champions! The Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics make their home here. There are lots of stores selling their memorabilia if you’re into it.

Charles Hayden Planetarium

I headed to the planetarium where I booked the afternoon show. There’s a host of them to choose from including one narrated by Dan Brown. So cool!

The planetarium is large. There’s a host of seating. There are also shows with music by Coldplay and Radiohead. I wished I had assigned more time. I honestly would need an entire day here. Maybe next time!

Cathedral of the Holy Cross

I finally ended the day with the evening mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. It was also the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. How awesome! I couldn’t see the main church as there was a wedding going on there.

Food

There’s plenty to eat. Italian food would have been good but I was rushing to my next stop. Boston has good Italian pizza and coffee. For seafood, the Seaport area is great but it was out of my way. By then I had already done 25000 steps. I was exhausted. Boston also has that European style outdoor patio seating. I chose to eat at Tatte’s a popular bakery and got coffee. After, all Boston is known for its coffee. I even got dessert to go!!!

I really did try to squeeze everything in one trip! I know I have to go back. I loved Boston’s vibe. It was obviously livelier than RI’s. I was told the city sleeps by 7 though. So NYC still has it beat!!! I had so much fun here! I would be glad to come back. However, there are other places to go to. Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, here I come!!!

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How to Write an Amazing Author Newsletter?

Here’s how to make yours stand out:

Be Personal and Authentic

The first paragraph of my newsletter is always about me. What’s the one thing that took over my month? I add a picture, let my readers know the general landscape of life. For eg, I moved. I worked 90 hours a week. I traveled. I was on vacation. Your readers want to connect with you, not just your books. Share your writing process, challenges, behind-the-scenes moments, or personal stories. Being authentic builds trust and keeps readers engaged.

Add Author Value: The Author Update

I see lots of authors now with a random list of all their posts with links. Others will add a list of all their items on sale. Make your newsletter more than just a promotional tool.

As an author you should provide some value to your reader. What’s going on in the your writing world? Where are you in the writing process? Is there a book coming along? How far have you written? What’s holding up the process? Is there a hiccup? Is the cover ready? Has the editor started editing?

I usually offer exclusive content—sneak peeks, deleted scenes, or things like why I’ve based my characters on a location. I remember as I was writing Butterflied, my third book, in the To Love A Sportsman Series based on swimmers, I asked my readers to send in famous swimmers that I could read about since I knew nothing about the world of swimming. And people called me just to explain which swimmer I should research.

Readers will appreciate the value and look forward to your emails.

Include a Call to Action with your Featured Book

I always share a book every month. I have a long catalog at this point. So I’m able to feature a book and tell people to go to Spotify or Apple for an audiobook. Some books that are based on seasons or holidays do well during that time. You can get a lot of traction on older books, by doing this.

You can also link this featured book to a news item or a song or a movie.

Encourage Reader Interaction

Ask questions, invite replies, or include polls to create a dialogue with your audience. Reader feedback can provide insights and help you improve your newsletter. Invite them to an event you’re planning to do or let them know where you’re going to be.

I love polls. I asked my readers to send in names for a cat that I was going to add to my book. It was just so amazing to read all the responses. And I did end up naming the cat in In Other Ways based on a reader recommendation.

Freebies & Discounts

Every month I offer discounts. I was at Walmart, the other day and any decent print book was $15 and up. The better books were $25. In this season of inflation, I just picked up a cheap trade copy of something I didn’t even want to read because I love reading. I can only imagine how hard it is to pay for good books. No wonder there’s so much piracy. As a solution, I offer lots of audiobook discounts and freebies on my newsletter. I love reading reviews that my readers provide as they are true, wholesome and honest.

An amazing author newsletter offers a mix of personal connection, valuable content, and professional polish. Keep your readers engaged by delivering content they can’t wait to open.

Sign up for my newsletter!

What do you add anything special to your author newsletter?

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