Month: December 2023

‘Tis the season . . . to curate gift lists! If you’re seeking inspiration for that hard-to-shop-for someone, consider one of these. I can vouch for the quality of both the writing and the humanity of each author friend.

Links are to Barnes & Noble, with gratitude to Lynn Rosen at the Rittenhouse Square store for inviting me to sell my books in person next Saturday (12/16) from 1-3; stop by if you’re local! If you have an independent bookstore in your neighborhood, however, I encourage you to shop there or support them by ordering through Bookshop.org. (Be sure to check delivery times if it must be there by Christmas.)

If you want to give my books for Christmas and can’t make it on Saturday, just email me and I’ll move heaven and earth to get personalized, signed copies to you or your chosen recipients. (I’ll even gift-wrap!)

With no further ado, here’s my list of Books I Love by People I Love (alpha by author):

The Little Book of Listening: Listening as a Radical act of Love, Justice, Healing, and Transformation by Sharon Browning et al.
Through her “Just Listening” work, Sharon has been a blessing to people in the Philadelphia area and well beyond; her co-authors’ credentials are equally inspiring. GIFT THIS TO anyone who genuinely wants to do the hard work of listening to people who come from varied life experiences.

Heart of Stone by David W. Burns
Dave is a fellow SJU alum who’s been writing all his life. Like me, he entered a Pitch Week competition at When Words Count in Vermont. Unlike me, he swept all five categories, handily winning the gold. Heart of Stone is the first in a series featuring heroine Kyra Anastas, a Gorgon (yes, snakes for hair) working as a hit-woman in present-day Chicago. GIFT THIS TO anyone who likes fast-paced action with a smart, sassy protagonist and a dash of mythological assassins.

The Diary of Jesus Christ by Bill Cain, SJ
I met Fr. Bill at the Ignatian Creators Summit last summer and quickly became enchanted with his work. A playwright and screenwriter, he retells familiar Gospel narratives as they might have been captured by Jesus himself (if the Lord kept a journal). After reading one of the chapters, I texted Bill to say “I’m weeping reading this,” to which he responded “Well, I was weeping when I wrote it, so . . . ” GIFT THIS TO anyone who wants to grow closer to God through imaginative prayer.

The Language of the Soul: Meeting God in the Longings of Our Hearts by Jeff Crosby
Jeff and I became writerly friends after he discovered my first book by spotting it in a catalog. (Who knew that actually happened?) In this cozy book, Jeff explores the concept of saudade—a “vague and constant desire for something that does not and possibly cannot exist.” He muses through ten longings, adding resources for further reading as well as a musical playlist to accompany each one. GIFT THIS TO: any spiritually-minded person who likes to read with pencil in hand.

Renewable: One Woman’s Search for Simplicity, Faithfulness, and Hope by Eileen Flanagan
How did a former Peace Corps Volunteer wind up living in a big house with a basement full of stuff she didn’t need? Reading my friend Eileen’s beautiful account of the “midlife spiritual crisis” she experienced on the brink of 50 when I was that age myself, I found it familiar, moving, and inspirational. (Check out her other books you might enjoy.) GIFT THIS TO anyone who needs to recover their bearings and move with courage into the second half of life.

Redeeming Administration: 12 Spiritual Habits for Catholic Leaders in Parishes, Schools, Religious Communities, and Other Institutions by Ann Garrido
You may know Ann from Catholic Women Preach; I fell in love with her voice when we were presenting at the same conference. I own many of her books, but this one really spoke to me when I was trying to find meaning in a ministry marked by too many tedious administrative tasks. GIFT THIS TO anyone who is trying to bring grace and goodness to the art of being “the boss.”

Madonnas of Color by Bro. Mickey McGrath
Confession: I love pretty much everything Brother Mickey has ever drawn, written, published, said aloud, or maybe even thought about, but this one is particularly striking. Though it can be devoured in a morning (as I confess I did), each tile in this gorgeous mosaic of a book is exquisite, worthy of its own prayerful contemplation. GIFT THIS TO: anyone brave enough to pray with the history of racism and the divisions in our country in the company of the Blessed Mother.

The Coffeehouse Resistance: Brewing Hope in Desperate Times by Sarina Prabasi
I met Sarina at When Words Count when we were each at the beginning of our publication journey, and now I’m delighted to call her a friend. One of my favorite things to do in NYC is visit Buunni Coffee, where Sarina and her husband Elias brew good trouble along with their excellent coffee. From Nepal to Ethiopia to Washington Heights, her memoir is riveting. GIFT THIS TO anyone who loves coffee and democracy. (Or just democracy.)

Darling Girl by Terry H. Watkins
Terry and I competed in Pitch Week together; she edged me out by one point and we’ve been friends ever since! This delightful read is a series of vignettes narrated by “DG,” a precocious child from a troubled and peripatetic southern family. We fall in love with five-year-old DG on the first page and root for her all the way to the brink of college. GIFT THIS TO anyone who enjoys curling up with a good story and rooting for the underdog.