Note from the Author, 4-5-2024:
“Christian! I am with thee still,
Always loving, always near;
Whether good betide or ill,
I am with thee—never fear.
Didst thou dream that I forsook thee
In My Passion’s bitter smart?
Christian, no! ’Twas then I took thee
Closest to My tender Heart.
When Mine Agony oppress’d Me,
When the Bloody Sweat ran down,
Were the woes that most distress’d Me,
Christian, thinkest thou, Mine Own?
When My Soul was sorely troubled,
Then ’twas most I thought of thee;
All My sharpest griefs were doubled
By the load thou laidst on Me.
Every where thine image met Me,
E’en as though were none beside;
Could I leave thee or forget thee,
When ’twas thou for whom I died?
Now My grief and shame are ended;
Death is vanquish’d, Glory won,
Satan baffl’d, Man befriended,
God propitious in His Son.
Did thy craven spirit fail thee
When it lost Me out of sight?
Did the pangs of doubt assail thee,
Doubt of Mine inherent Might?
Did not legions without number
Burn to stay My Passion’s course?
Did My Godhead seem to slumber
When ’twas I that stemm’d Its force?
Death itself could not restrain Me—
Weak its hold though sharp its strife;
Nor the narrow Tomb contain Me—
How could cerements bind The Life?
Lo! I stand before thee glorious;
I am Risen, and am here,
Over sin and hell victorious;
I am with thee—never fear.”
(Taken from Lyra Liturgica, “christ’s abiding presence with his elect,”
based on the Introit of the Mass for Easter Day: Resurrexi, et adhuc tecum sum.)
Christ is risen; indeed, He is arisen, alleluia!——Happy Eastertide and a most blessed feast of St. Vincent Ferrer!
My current web hosting service is discontinuing the plan that I signed up with, so I'll soon be moving my account to another, hopefully more stable, place, which may result in a bit of a mess on some of the webpages, requiring cleanup. Please pray that the process can go smoothly! . . .
"O Glorious Apostle and worker of miracles, St. Vincent Ferrer, a new angel of the Apocalypse and our kind protector, receive our humble prayers and obtain for us a copious shower of divine favors. By that love with which thy heart was inflamed, obtain for us from the Father of mercies the pardon of all our sins, confirmation in the faith, and perseverance in good works; so that living as good and fervent Christians we may become worthy of thy powerful patronage. Extend thy patronage also to our bodies, and free us from our infirmities. Protect our lands from the violence of tempest and hail, and keep misfortune far from us. Thus, blessed by thee in the goods of soul and body, we shall be ever devout to thee, and one day see thee in heaven, there with thee to praise God forever and ever. Amen."
Note from the Author, 2-14-2024:
Happy Ash Wednesday and feast of St. Valentine!
Note from the Author, 1-1-2024:
Happy Octave Day of Christmas and feast of the Circumcision! . . .
In honor of the Christ Child and His Holy Mother, beginning on the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus this year (January 2nd, 2024), and extending throughout the remainder of the Christmas Season to its liturgical close on the feast of the Purification (February 2nd, 2024), all thirteen of my printed fiction books will be available for sale on Amazon.com at these special discount prices:
A Kingdom of Old: $12.57 $9.43 (25% off)
A Kingdom of Old, pt. 2: $12.57 $9.43 (25% off)
Tales of Yore: A King’s Protectorate: $12.57 $9.43 (25% off)
Tales of Yore: A Princess Bride: $12.55 $9.41 (25% off)
The High King’s Queen: A Short Story: $7.50 $5.63 (25% off)
Once Upon a Time Stories: $14.25 $12.11 (15% off)
Once Upon a Time Stories, pt. 2: $15.25 $12.96 (15% off)
More Once Upon a Time Stories: $15.07 $12.80 (15% off)
Even More Once Upon a Time Stories: $13.75 $11.00 (20% off)
Even More Once Upon a Time Stories, pt. 2: $15.75 $14.18 (10% off)
To Fynde a Husband: A Courtship Tale: $13.75 $11.69 (15% off)
The Prodigal and the King’s Daughter: $14.75 $12.54 (15%off)
Operation: Apocalypse: $14.75 $12.54 (15% off)
NOTE: In view of the ongoing holidays, you might like to know that three books with sections containing Christmas celebrations are To Fynde a Husband: A Courtship Tale (standalone novel), Once Upon a Time Stories, pt. 2 (volume two of the Catholic Once Upon a Time Series), and also Even More Once Upon a Time Stories, pt. 2 (volume five of the Catholic Once Upon a Time Series).
Note from the Author, 9-29-2023:
A most blessed and happy feast of St. Michael the Archangel!
I uploaded the eBook files for eleven of my published titles on the twenty-sixth, and their listings are now beginning to appear on Amazon.com. Of the two titles remaining, Operation: Apocalypse will be ready by sometime next week, and then I will continue working on finishing the eBook formatting for Even More Once Upon a Time Stories, pt. 2. I’ll also work on adding these new links to the titles’ individual pages, but for now, I’ll add them here:
A Kingdom of Old ($2.99)
A Kingdom of Old, pt. 2 ($2.99)
Tales of Yore: A King’s Protectorate ($2.99)
Tales of Yore: A Princess Bride ($2.99)
The High King’s Queen: A Short Story ($1.99)
To Fynde a Husband: A Courtship Tale ($4.99)
The Prodigal and the King’s Daughter ($6.99)
Once Upon a Time Stories ($6.99)
Once Upon a Time Stories, pt. 2 ($6.99)
More Once Upon a Time Stories ($6.99)
Even More Once Upon a Time Stories ($4.99)
Operation: Apocalypse ($6.99) [UPDATED, 10-04-23]
I am also happy to announce that I completed setting up a sub-domain, on which I have uploaded some old book trailers for several of my stories. You can see my note on this by going to Notes from the Author, located in the navigation menu, and clicking on “Book Trailers.” A link there will take you to the new website.
Among pages created in preparation for future releases and productions, the actual book trailers featured so far are for:
A Kingdom of Old
Tales of Yore
The High King’s Queen: A Short Story
Night Falls Over Sol: The Rising of the Deathlord
Once Upon a Time Stories
More Once Upon a Time Stories
Even More Once Upon a Time Stories
Additional Once Upon a Time Stories
To Fynde a Husband: A Courtship Tale
The Prodigal and the King’s Daughter
The Catholic Colonies
and The Evangelistae Kingdom Chronicles
Our team is very busy; I hope to have more good news in my next note!
May God bless you and Mary keep you! St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!
Note from the Author, 7-16-2023:
(hymn for the confraternity of our lady of mount carmel, by Eleanor C. Donnelly)
Happy feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel!——Final brainstorming for the last chapters of The Hostage took much longer than we had expected, and I only finished typing on July twelfth. The story ended up being extended to 35 chapters! resulting in an almost 800-page document. As such, I’m excited to say that The Hostage will be our first standalone novel to be a “duology!”
We have shifted our focus to The Tournament Trials side story now. Your prayers for this project would be greatly appreciated!
I have also been looking into eBooks with the intention of providing this more easy-to-access format. Learning the correct requirements and preparing the files for this has been a rather time-consuming task. God willing, I hope to report good news in the near future!
Editing of The Catholic Colonies is still ongoing, as expected. May God reward your patience! ;o)
Note from the Author, 4-17-2023:
“Christian! I am with thee still,
Always loving, always near;
Whether good betide or ill,
I am with thee—never fear.
Didst thou dream that I forsook thee
In My Passion’s bitter smart?
Christian, no! ’Twas then I took thee
Closest to My tender Heart.
When Mine Agony oppress’d Me,
When the Bloody Sweat ran down,
Were the woes that most distress’d Me,
Christian, thinkest thou, Mine Own?
When My Soul was sorely troubled,
Then ’twas most I thought of thee;
All My sharpest griefs were doubled
By the load thou laidst on Me.
Every where thine image met Me,
E’en as though were none beside;
Could I leave thee or forget thee,
When ’twas thou for whom I died?
Now My grief and shame are ended;
Death is vanquish’d, Glory won,
Satan baffl’d, Man befriended,
God propitious in His Son.
Did thy craven spirit fail thee
When it lost Me out of sight?
Did the pangs of doubt assail thee,
Doubt of Mine inherent Might?
Did not legions without number
Burn to stay My Passion’s course?
Did My Godhead seem to slumber
When ’twas I that stemm’d Its force?
Death itself could not restrain Me—
Weak its hold though sharp its strife;
Nor the narrow Tomb contain Me—
How could cerements bind The Life?
Lo! I stand before thee glorious;
I am Risen, and am here,
Over sin and hell victorious;
I am with thee—never fear.”
(Taken from Lyra Liturgica, “christ’s abiding presence with his elect,”
based on the Introit of the Mass for Easter Day: Resurrexi, et adhuc tecum sum.)
Christ is risen; indeed, He is arisen, alleluia!——Happy Eastertide! Brainstorming for the final arc of The Hostage has gone very well, and, God willing, I’ll begin typing the last three chapters next week. Altogether, it ended up being 31 chapters; depending on the final page count, we will see whether or not it has to be split into two parts.
With much excitement, I announce that I already have two new writing projects lined up.
Firstly, after the conclusion of The Tournament Trials, Christine and I had pondered the possibility of writing a side story about an event that occurred toward the end of the trilogy but, because it was not the main focus of the story, the adventure was only briefly mentioned. Christine recently thought of some good ideas, and so we are going to write our first ever side story!
Secondly, much like how we’ve been even more closely collaborating with The Hostage, I’m going to team up with both Christine and Renae to write a miniseries. The idea for the plot occurred to me back in December of 2022. We’re just in the earliest stages of planning everything out, but there is already a lot of promising material to work with. I’m really looking forward to seeing what our team can do with it! I’ll reveal the name of the miniseries once we have officially begun.
Phase 2 editing of The Catholic Colonies: Part One is still ongoing. We’ve made excellent progress, despite how it turned out to be harder than anticipated for Renae and I to make time to meet up for it during Lent; also, we both had bouts of illness. With The Hostage nearly complete, we plan to put in some good hours of editing before delving into the side story and miniseries, D.V.!
Your continued patience and the support of your prayers are greatly appreciated. May God reward you! To close, I’ve copied over a few more seasonal verses from A Collection of Poems by Eleanor C. Donnelly that I hope you will find as warm and uplifting and inspiring as I do.
Easter-Tide
These April days are full of song,
And all alive with poesy,
The streams of thought, ice-fetter’d long,
In sunlight melt and sparkle free.
And as, throughout the fair creation,
The sap is stirring in the wood,—
The gentle thrills of inspiration
Are stirring in the heart and blood.
Methinks I hear the children call
That buttercups are in the lane:
And surely by the garden-wall,
I hear a robin sing again!
The flow’rs and birds in fresh affection
Are meeting at the Easter-tryst,—
O earth! thy vernal resurrection
Salutes and shrines the risen Christ!
The Alleluia of the Pasch
Alleluia! the bells are ringing,
Up, high up, in the golden dawn;
Alleluia! the choirs are singing,
Passiontide and its shadows gone.
Alleluia! the birds are trilling
Over the eggs in their new-made nests:
Field and meadow and garden filling
With th’ joy o’erflowing feathered breasts.
The world of nature round us rises
Clad in resurrection green;
The world of grace all heav’n surprises
With risen glories, earth unseen!
Alleluia! chants the river
To hill and mountain, sky and sea!
Evermore and still forever,
Float the echoes back to me:
Echoes of an Angel-chorus
(White-robed in the garden gloom),
Shouting to the welkin o’er us :
“Christ hath risen from the tomb!”
All my heart springs up in greeting
To the rapture of the word:
“Alleluia!”—glad repeating—
“Hail, thrice hail, Thou Risen Lord!”
Easter Hymn of the Sacred Heart
O infinite Power, almighty, supreme!
O Heart of our new-risen Savior and God!
We come in our need, in our weakness extreme,
To share in the blessings Thou sheddest abroad.
We tremble—we faint—we are helpless and frail—
Ah! let the strong arm of Thy mercy uphold
Our feeble endeavors. Thro’ Life’s dreary vale,
Support with Thy might the weak lambs of Thy fold.
O Heart of our God! O God of our heart!
O Beauty and Brightness that naught can transcend!
Thy grace and Thy love to our spirits impart!
Thy glory, Thy will be our joy to the end!
O infinite Wisdom, resplendently bright,
Forever illuming a Heart all divine;
Descend on the shadows which curtain our night,
And thro’ its thick darkness, triumphantly shine!
We grope ’mid the gloom—we are blinded with doubt,
O Light of the world! be our counsel, our stay;
Ah! let the sweet star of Thy Wisdom blaze out,
Thy Heart’s brilliant luster illumine our way!
O Heart of our God! O God of our heart!
O Rainbow of Hope, where all benisons blend!
Thy grace and Thy love to our spirits impart,
Thy glory, Thy will be our joy to the end!
O infinite Love, ever ancient, yet new!
Thy Heart is aflame with the Spirit’s warm breath.
No waters can quench, or those fires subdue,—
They are older than Time; they are stronger than Death!
O Heart of all hearts! let Thy mystical fires,
Like sparks ’mid the reeds, set our bosoms aglow:
Enkindle our coldness, inflame our desires,
Refine us like gold—make us pure as the snow!
O Heart of our God! O God of our heart!
O Risen Redeemer! our Master, our Friend!
Thy grace and Thy love to our spirits impart,
Thy glory, Thy will be our joy to the end!
Christ Hath Risen
i.
AS the glorious sun on high
Rends apart the night’s dark cloud;
As the radiant butterfly
Springs from out its dusky shroud;
As the lily from the mold,
Blossoms in its robes of snow;
Or, from out its ashes cold,
Mounts the phœnix, all aglow,—
Out of Death’s sepulchral prison
Christ hath risen!
ii.
Sleep the Roman guards as dead;—
Where the stone is rolled away,
Shining angels watch instead
On this beauteous Easter Day.
Vain the spices, unguents sweet,
Which the holy women bring:
Blessed head and bleeding feet
Need no more Love’s minist’ring.
Hark! that burst of song Elysian—
Christ hath risen!
iii.
Speed the rapturous news abroad—
Give it to the breezes free!
Every chorister of God,
Weave it into melody!
Hearts that bleed and heads that bow,
See, He cometh from afar!
Living pearls, His teardrops glow,
Every wound is like a star!
Up! adore the shining Vision!
Christ hath risen!
The True Easter
(The word Easter, according to St. Jerome, signifies a change and a passage. St. Bernard says,
referring to this: “Our Lord, passing to a new life, invites us to follow Him, to change our lives.”)
What doth it profit us to rise with Christ,
And share with Him new life on Easter Sunday,
If, straightaway, by the olden snares enticed
We die to Him by sin on Easter Monday?
To fast, to pray—to watch and meditate
From Mardi Gras till Resurrection morning,
And then, to keep a Saturnalian féte
For moons to come—all prayer and penance scorning:
Is this to rise with Christ in fear and love
The cerements of the grave forever quitting?
Is this to seek the things that are above,
Where Christ is at His Father’s right hand sitting?
Ah! no, our Easter is a passage sure,
A change from midnight gloom to noonday splendor:
The great stone rolled away, and angels pure
Lighting the tomb with lustrous eyes and tender!
A passage to that land where Grace and Peace,
Like Easter lilies, bloom in full perfection.
From vice to sever, and from sin to cease,
Ah! this it is to share Christ’s Resurrection!
Note from the Author, 2-14-2023:
Happy feast of St. Valentine!
Thanks be to God and Our Lady, the writing of The Hostage is going very well! I am about to begin Chapter 26, and we are now well within the final arc, with only some major brainstorming and a few more chapters left to go! Please keep praying for us!
During this Lenten Season, Renae and I will be making an effort to continue with the editing of the Catholic Colonies Series. God willing, we may be able to make these books officially available soon after Easter/throughout the summer. I will give an update when I write my next Author’s Note in early April. I’ll also have an exciting announcement to make at that time!
In the meantime, I would like to give a hearty recommendation for a book that was recently published and made available on Amazon, entitled A Collection of Poems by Eleanor C. Donnelly. Here is the book description, copied over from Amazon:
This is a collection of poems, articles, and a short story by the “Poet of the Pure Soul,” Eleanor C. Donnelly (1838 — 1917). They were culled from several books and miscellaneous sources, including:
Out of Sweet Solitude;
Legend of the Best Beloved;
Domus Dei;
Crowned with Stars;
Children of the Golden Sheaf;
Prince Ragnal and Other Holiday Verses;
Christian Carols of Love and Life;
A Tuscan Magdalen;
Blessed Youth;
Little Compliments of the Season, and Other Tiny Rhymes for Tiny Readers;
Amy’s Music Box;
The Conversion of St. Augustine; and,
The Secret of the Statue.
The carefully selected contents have been arranged in a general order of the months and seasons, beginning with the close of December/opening of January, and ending with Christmastime.——The compiler believes these verses and writings to be some of the best from the pen of Miss Donnelly, and hopes that the reader will derive much enjoyment and spiritual benefit from them. . . .May they “distract for a space . . . one tired heart from its pressing personal sorrows” and “gladden . . . a few earnest souls with the graceful accomplishment of a divine decree,” was Miss Donelly’s expressed wish in the introduction to the first published volume of her verses in 1873.
I greatly admire the majority of Eleanor C. Donnelly’s works and am happy to have read nearly all of her printed books. I have included her poems in several of my stories; among them, Operation: Apocalypse and The Catholic Colonies Series. This compilation (filled with accompanying illustrations) is an 8.25 x 11 inch hardcover, with a length of 384 pages, priced at $25.00. The cover, pictured below, is beautiful and would look great if kept displayed on a “coffee table” for frequent perusal by family members or houseguests.
Also below are two sample poems for this St. Valentine’s Day and the upcoming penitential Season of Lent (beginning Ash Wednesday, February 22nd, and culminating with the Sacred Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday/Easter Sunday, April 6th — 9th). Please enjoy! :-)
The First Valentine
Ah! ’twas not a soulless ditty
From some love-lorn cavalier;
But warm words of loving pity,
Strong with counsel, rich with cheer,—
Writ by Valentine the holy
To a martyr of old Rome,
Christ’s confessor, poor and lowly,
In some dungeon’s living tomb.
And its reader thrilled with ardor,
Burned and glowed with love divine,
And the last breath of the martyr
Bless’d that first pure Valentine!
Keeping the Fast
If fragile health or toil prevent
A strict observance of the Lent,
Will there remain no penance still
For ailing sinners to fufil?
Ah! yes, dear Lord, Thou dost supply
A hundred ways to mortify
Our pride, self-love and passions bold,
Our greed for honors and for gold.
The curious eyes, (these Lenten days),
On Christ’s dear Wounds must fix their gaze;
The gossip-loving ear forego
The spiteful tale, sharp jeu de mots;
And fashionable devotees
Forget their accustomed luxuries.
The opera-box and banquet-room,
Fastidious dress and rich perfume,
The call, the play, the dance, the ride,
Give place to Jesus Crucified.
While clubs are shunned, late suppers feared,
And billiards for the time cashiered
Let novel-readers quit their books
For prison-wards and pauper nooks;
And, (surest test of all), at last,
Loquacious tongues in silence fast.
Dear Lord! the paths of self-denial
Are paved with many a precious trial,
Sharp, shining stones o’er which we flee
Into the desert, Love, with Thee!
Thrice-happy, tho’ our bleeding feet
Track every step to that retreat,
If in its cool, sequestered air,
Our eyes, long-blinded by the glare
Of passion’s lamps, begin to see
How full of sweetness life can be,
When every trifle meets reward
If offered freely to the Lord.
One basket of champagne denied,
One case of rare cigars untried,
One set of diamonds for Christ
And Christ’s dear paupers, sacrific’d,—
And lo! we grasp the means to save
Some soul from ruin or the grave.
The means to light some drear hearth-stone
Where shiv’ring widows sit and moan,
Till brighter far than gems or wine,
The tears of grateful orphans shine!
O Heaven! on every side we hear,
“I am not keeping Lent this year,
I cannot fast.”—Dear heart! if thou
Wouldst put thy weak hand to the plough,
And drive it, firm and fearless both,
Across the fields of pride and sloth:
Unsparing zeal, repentance thorough,
Crushing a vice in every furrow—
Tho’ thou wert fragile as a pet
Camellia, in a hot-house set:
(Not even to thy zealous pain,
Permitted simply to abstain),
—Yet shall thine Easter sun, in time,
Illume a harvest so sublime,
That, gazing on the golden yield
Of sacrifices sown a-field,
(Thy grateful wonder finding vent,)
Thou shalt cry out in glad content:
“Thank God! I’ve kept the fast of Lent!”
Note from the Author, 1-1-2023:
A most happy Octave Day of Christmas and feast of the Circumcision! . . .
Dear Readers, this New Year is a very special one. Here is why:
One of my fondest memories from my childhood is of how my eldest sister was always writing fictional stories. Before we started using the computer to type, she would have stacks of colorful, lined notebooks filled with humorous and exciting handwritten stories that she would let my sisters and I read. I looked up to my eldest sister a great deal and wanted to imitate her, so I began writing too, finding it enjoyable to come up with new characters and story concepts, although almost all of my numerous ideas, particularly those involving any lengthy series, remained unfinished. We both wrote simply because it was fun and we were happy when doing it. These personal stories were only for our own nearest and dearest family members to see.
Much later, it was Christmas of 2012 when my eldest sister introduced me to Fr. Finn’s “Famous Three” and also gifted me with the Letzenstein Chronicles, by Meriol Trevor. These sets of interesting and significantly Catholic literature are what led me to write of A Kingdom of Old the following January. The two Tales of Yore books were then written back-to-back in February, and, lastly, The High King’s Queen was written in March. These four stories were finished as a present for my eldest sister. She enjoyed them so much, though, and felt so strongly that they should be published (they were quite different from anything that I had ever penned before), that we at once looked into self-publishing, attracted by the thought of being able to have full creative control over the stories’ content. With the help of my Editor, the Catholic Kingdom Series underwent some heavy revision over the next couple of months, and the first volume, evenly split into two parts, was ready for publication by June 2013.
Now, ten years later, forty-five wholesome Catholic fiction books have been written with the intention of making them available for others to enjoy as well. Out of these, thirteen books are available for sale and four are about to go through the final stages of editing and formatting. Renae, a genius, has become an invaluable part to our team over time. The incredible poster pictured above was designed by her, and given to me on Christmas Day as a surprise anniversary gift. All twenty-eight different cover images from my 45 titles are seamlessly featured.
Can you spot every one? . . .
Renae: Betcha can’t.
. . .Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born
of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold! . . .
Note from the Author, 12-25-2022: Following a little restful Christmas Break, I will be resuming work on The Hostage. This project has taken up more time and thought than originally anticipated, so once we finish the final arc, Renae and I will then be able to turn more of our attention to the second phase of editing the Catholic Colonies Series. Happily, my dear Editor finished Part 4 earlier this month, so we will be able to finish editing and make the whole set of books available for sale all in quick succession, D.V.! Please pray that the process can go smoothly! At a later date, I hope to be able to announce the exciting news of what story will undergo the first stages of editing next! ;o) . . .
Note from the Author, 12-6-22:
Happy feast of St. Nicholas!
Our work on The Hostage has necessarily had to slow down a bit, as Advent cleaning in preparation for the Christmas Season leaves little time for brainstorming (needed to fill out the rest of the outline). I am currently on Chapter 22, though, while the amount of chapters altogether has grown to be twenty-seven! We’re just two chapters away from the “final arc.” It continues to go very well! :-)
In between chapters, I have been finding some time to work on preparing chapter samples for my published books to post on the website. Along with Operation: Apocalypse, I have now added chapter samples for The Prodigal and the King’s Daughter, Once Upon a Time Stories (volume one), To Fynde a Husband: A Courtship Tale, A Kingdom of Old, A King’s Protectorate, A Princess Bride, and The High King’s Queen, which can be seen by going to the navigation menu and clicking on the name of the book in the TITLES section.
Also, the Readers’ Corner that I mentioned back at the end of August has now been added.——This is a place where readers can send me emails, sharing their favorite parts (and/or favorite lines, memorable moments, and best-liked characters) from my stories. From the letters received, Renae will select what to post on the website for everyone to see. For further details, please go to the navigation menu and click on THE READERS’ CORNER in the Notes from the Author section.
Lastly, I am very pleased to announce that, in honor of the Christ Child and His Holy Mother, beginning on the first day of the Christmas Novena (December 16th, 2022) and extending throughout Christmastide to the feast of the Epiphany (January 6th, 2023), all thirteen of my fiction books will be available for sale on Amazon.com at these special discount prices:
A Kingdom of Old: $12.57 $9.43 (25% off) [UPDATED: Amazon is currently having an automatic sale on the sale price for this book, pricing it at $7.49.]
A Kingdom of Old, pt. 2: $12.57 $9.43 (25% off) [UPDATED: Amazon is currently having an automatic sale on the sale price for this book as well, pricing it at $8.54.]
Tales of Yore: A King’s Protectorate: $12.57 $9.43 (25% off)
Tales of Yore: A Princess Bride: $12.55 $9.41 (25% off)
The High King’s Queen: A Short Story: $7.50 $5.63 (25% off)
Once Upon a Time Stories: $14.25 $12.11 (15% off)
Once Upon a Time Stories, pt. 2: $15.25 $12.96 (15% off)
More Once Upon a Time Stories: $15.07 $12.80 (15% off) (NOTE: Amazon is currently having an incredible automatic sale for this book, pricing it at $4.41 (71% off). I definitely recommend taking advantage of this great deal!—I will keep an eye on it, and only when the price returns to normal, will I set my own intended sale price.)
Even More Once Upon a Time Stories: $13.75 $11.00 (20% off) (NOTE: Amazon is currently having an automatic sale for this book as well, pricing it at $4.20 (69% off).—I will keep an eye on it, and only when the price returns to normal, will I set my own intended sale price.)
Even More Once Upon a Time Stories, pt. 2: $15.75 $14.18 (10% off)
To Fynde a Husband: A Courtship Tale: $13.75 $11.69 (15% off)
The Prodigal and the King’s Daughter: $14.75 $12.54 (15%off)
Operation: Apocalypse: $14.75 $12.54 (15% off)
NOTE: In view of the upcoming holidays, you might like to know that three books with sections containing Advent preparation and/or Christmas celebrations are To Fynde a Husband: A Courtship Tale (standalone novel), Once Upon a Time Stories, pt. 2 (volume two of the Catholic Once Upon a Time Series), and also Even More Once Upon a Time Stories, pt. 2 (volume five of the Catholic Once Upon a Time Series).
. . .May God bless you and Mary keep you! Thank you for all of your continued prayers. I hope that the remainder of your Advent Season is most blessed and grace-filled! . . .
Note from the Author, 10-24-2022:
A most blessed and joyful feast of St. Raphael the Archangel! . . .
Work on my new writing project is going very well, thanks be to God and Our Lady of the Angels! The outline continues to grow, so the number of chapters keeps increasing. I began October third and am presently on Chapter Fifteen of a tentative twenty-four chapters. It has been an incredible experience working this closely with both Christine and Renae brainstorming, reviewing, and revising our notes and the story text as we go along!
I have added this new book, The Hostage, to the Standalone Novels (Eight) in the TITLES section of the navigation menu, and the cover image can be seen by clicking on that.
Note from the Author, 9-29-2022:
A most blessed and happy feast of St. Michael the Archangel! . . .
I have two great updates and an exciting announcement to share with you on this glorious feast day.
Firstly, I finished writing The Diplomat Wars on September 10. Thanks be to God and Our Lady, the story ended very well and also within a reasonable length, so it will not have to be split into two parts. Altogether, it has a prologue and twenty-two chapters and is 540 pages in unedited format. I have added this book to Standalone Novels (Seven) in the TITLES section of the navigation menu, and the cover image can be seen by clicking on that.
Secondly, my dear editor recently finished the first stage of editing for the third book in the Catholic Colonies Series, and has moved on to the fourth and final part! God willing, Renae and I will begin the second stage of editing this October, with hopes of being ready to make Part I officially available for sale sometime this Christmas Season.
Lastly, Christine came up with a new story idea in mid-July. She and Renae have been thinking about it together and working out a lot of the details while I was working on The Diplomat Wars. This new, joint project will be another standalone novel. Starting this October, I am to begin writing it. Your kind prayers for this and for our ongoing editing projects are gratefully requested! Later on, I will share the title of this new story and an image of the cover once it’s been designed.
May God bless you and Mary keep you! . . . St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle! . . .
Note from the Author, 8-28-22:
Here is a quick update on my new writing project and the editing process for The Catholic Colonies Series.
My editor finished the first stage of editing Part Two in early August, and immediately began work on editing Part Three. This is really great progress!
Meanwhile, I am currently in the middle of Chapter Seventeen in The Diplomat Wars and am quite close to finishing; with only four major portions of the story left to be written. So far in unedited book format it is 400+ pages; the page count is looking like it will remain a single standalone novel, instead of having to be split into two parts due to length. Deo gratias et Mariae! . . .Hooray!
Also, I have a fun announcement to make: I am preparing to add another page to the website a little later this year called “The Readers’ Corner,” where readers can send me emails, sharing their favorite parts (and/or favorite lines, memorable moments, and best-liked characters) from my stories. I will then select from the letters that I receive what to post on the site for everyone to see. I’m looking forward to hearing what you enjoyed most when reading my books! I’ll share some of my “favorites” too! ;-)
Note from the Author, 7-26-2022:
Ave Maria! Happy feast of St. Anne! I sincerely apologize for the long delay in working on and updating the website! I have three exciting pieces of news to share, which I will post here on the main page.
Firstly, I am very happy to report that I finished writing the third and last book of The Tournament Trials on April 2nd, 2022. . .almost a year after having started work on writing the Trilogy! Book Three ended up being eleven chapters long with an epilogue, and 370 pages in unedited book form (about the same length as Book One). Thanks be to God and Our Lady, it turned out really well! Thank you very much for your prayers for this intention!
Secondly, back at the same time that I thought of the Trilogy, I actually had another story idea. When showing both ideas to Christine, we decided to shelve that one and work on the Trilogy first. Toward the end of the writing of Book Three, Christine felt inspired to start brainstorming for this other project and greatly expanded on the original idea, putting together a bundle of notes and research that I later polished up into outline format. Following a short break, on June 13th, 2022, I was able to make a start on this brand-new standalone novel: The Diplomat Wars. So far, it has a prologue and twenty chapters planned. Depending on page count, it should be one book, but may have to be split into two parts. We shall see! I am currently on Chapter Six (and it is 200 pages in unedited format). It is coming along nicely! I’ll reveal the cover image another time. ;-)
Lastly, and most exciting of all: My editor has been working on The Catholic Colonies Series! So far, she has finished editing Part One and is presently in the middle of editing Part Two. God willing, she intends to do all four parts in a row! Once I finish typing The Diplomat Wars, Renae and I will get together to work on the edits for The Catholic Colonies: Part 1. By and by I will be able to give a more definite date for when we’ll be ready to make it officially available for sale. There are three stages to the editing process, which I will keep you updated on once we begin work. They are as follows:
1) My “editor-in-chief” reads through the whole book and makes major corrections in the book’s physical copy with a red pen. . .
2) Renae and I read through the marked-up book then and make the corrections on the book’s computer document, keeping some and changing others.
3) Renae and I do a final “read through,” making any further corrections as needed and catching what other “typos” and mistakes may have been missed.
I greatly look forward to presenting you with a “new” release (or two); please God, by the end of this year!!
May God bless you and Mary keep you! Please keep this new writing project and the editing process in your prayers! Oremus pro invicem!
Note from the Author, 4-12-2022:
I recently switched to using a new web hosting service provider site, so the website will need to be reconstructed.
Please excuse the current upheaval; I will be working on it in the coming weeks. :-)
BOOKS OFFICIALLY AVAILABLE ARE:
THE CATHOLIC KINGDOM SERIES
A Kingdom of Old
The old king is dead. His son has assumed the throne, but the night of the coronation enemy assassins strike provoking a revolution! This is the stirring story telling of the counterrevolution to take back the country for God and to restore the Kingdom of Oulde to its rightful king. The first installment of the Catholic Kingdom Series.
Publication date: Jun 3, 2013 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 214 pgs — Price: $12.57
A Kingdom of Old, pt. 2
War is on the horizon. As the two opposing armies meet in battle, the fate of the Kingdom of Oulde hangs in the balance. Will the loyal subjects ride to victory or death? Find out in this stirring conclusion. The second installment of the Catholic Kingdom Series.
Publication date: Aug 2, 2013 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 220 pgs — Price: $12.57
Tales of Yore: A King's Protectorate
Heresy like poison is spreading in the Far East Province of Youre. This is the simple tale of the shepherd, Domenico Elizondo, who sets out to become a King’s Protectorate—to combat the evils of his time—and the telling of the many providential misadventures that he meets with along the way. The third installment of the Catholic Kingdom Series.
Publication date: Oct 7, 2013 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 244 pgs — Price: $12.57
Tales of Yore: A Princess Bride
“A princess bride is yours to wed, when the cold months have come and fled. . .Choose her fondly, but be warned: the way is rough and the maid hard won. . .” These words that the prince heard as he knelt in church one day cause him to travel far and wide in search of a bride. This is the thrilling tale that goes back in time, recounting the events that led up to the Great Wedding between the eldest son of Youre and his princess bride. . .in the end. . .so fondly chosen and so hard won. The fourth installment of the Catholic Kingdom Series.
Publication date: Jan 23, 2014 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 212 pgs — Price: $12.55
The High King’s Queen: A Short Story
(Including One Last Look: An Epilogue)
As the proclamation goes forth that the High King Regis is seeking a bride, the young princesses of the Southland are all astir. Who will the lucky maiden be? This is the lighthearted story that relates how the High King came to find his virtuous wife and Queen. The fifth installment of the Catholic Kingdom Series.
Publication date: Mar 19, 2014 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 120 pgs — Price: $7.50
THE CATHOLIC ONCE UPON A TIME SERIES
Once Upon a Time Stories
Told in a way as never before, Once Upon a Time Stories is the retelling of two beloved classic fairy tales—Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella.
In persecuted Roselyn: three sisters and their merchant father have recently come upon hard times and have moved to the country to seek other lodging. They are directed to an uninhabited manor or so they think. . .Just who is the mysterious “beast” that lives there and his silent companion? Will the “curse” of the Masonic revolution ever be lifted from the land?
Meanwhile, in neighboring Graceland: many scheming mothers are hoping that their daughter will be chosen to wed the Prince. Rumor has it that he is in disguise searching for a bride. Will he find her? And will he be able to save his kingdom from being taken over by the Masonic Revolutionaries who wish to conquer Graceland as well?
Written from a Catholic perspective, the two plots are woven together until a happy ever after ending is reached—complete with glass slipper and a beast transformed!
(The first volume of the Catholic Once Upon a Time Series.)
Publication date: May 31, 2014 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 406 pgs — Price: $14.25
Once Upon a Time Stories, pt. 2
The exciting conclusion to the Catholic retelling of Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella. (The second volume of the Catholic Once Upon a Time Series.)
Publication date: Jul 1, 2014 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 548 pgs — Price: $15.25
More Once Upon a Time Stories
The Catholic retelling of Snow-White. (The third volume of the Catholic Once Upon a Time Series.)
Publication date: Sept 15, 2014 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 538 pgs — Price: $15.07
Even More Once Upon a Time Stories
The completely Catholic retelling of Rapunzel. (The fourth volume of the Catholic Once Upon a Time Series.)
Publication date: Nov 22, 2014 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 362 pgs — Price: $13.75
Even More Once Upon a Time Stories, pt. 2
The completely Catholic retelling of Rapunzel. (The fifth volume of the Catholic Once Upon a Time Series.)
Publication date: Dec 24, 2014 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 612 pgs — Price: $15.75
STANDALONE NOVELS
To Fynde a Husband: A Courtship Tale
It’s that time of year again in the kingdom of Regnum Virtus. . .The courtship season has begun and Princess Christina Maria soon has numerous suitors arriving to seek her hand in marriage. Many surprises await her, as the months go slowly by, until at long last her courtship is happily concluded and she finds a husband—the right man that God provides for her. (A standalone novel)
Publication date: Jul 24, 2014 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 336 pgs — Price: $13.75
The Prodigal and the King's Daughter
The Prodigal—who has forsaken his Faith, allegiance to his country, and all ties to his family—finds that he must return home to the New World to fulfill a military mission. His superiors, atheistic Coronans, vying with the King of Cor Jesu for control of the newly discovered territory, have ordered him to locate a girl among the King’s Daughters—an institution designed to increase the number of Catholics in the New World. The Prodigal must not allow the young maiden to impart a secret of vast import. . .to a very influential family. . .At all costs, she must be brought back to the Coronans before her message is delivered. . .Will the King’s Daughter manage to succeed in her quest before being discovered? What will be the outcome of the Prodigal’s mission? Will he ever truly return to God? Find out in the unique Catholic standalone novel, The Prodigal and the King’s Daughter, a tragic tale of betrayal and redemption, by Angela Marie Michaels.
Publication date: Aug 22, 2018 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 498 pgs — Price: $14.75
Operation: Apocalypse
(No description yet. A sample of the first two chapters will be posted soon. . .)
Publication date: Oct 2, 2020 — Dimensions: 5.5″ x 8.5″ — Print length: 508 pgs — Price: $14.75
TITLES TO LOOK FORWARD TO READING, ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN EDITED:
Night Falls Over Sol: The Rising of the Deathlord (Part One of Two)
In the sixth volume of the Catholic Kingdom Series written by Miss Michaels, travel to new lands and kingdoms as the people of Sol face the rising threat of the Deathlord.
. . .He has one goal only—to claim all lands and all souls for hell. It is a dark night for the vast Kingdom of Sol and its allies when the Deathlord rises up to carry out his plan of death and destruction. Wishing to exterminate Christ’s reign on earth, by targeting the Catholic Church, the persecution wages fierce as one region after another falls prey to the enemy—until only Sol remains. Will the light of Faith be extinguished? Will darkness overcome? Find out in: Night Falls Over Sol: The Rising of the Deathlord.
Additional Once Upon a Time Stories
The Catholic retelling of Andersen’s Little Sea-Maid. (The sixth volume of the Catholic Once Upon a Time Series.)
The Heir of Castle Crowne
A standalone novel
(NO DESCRIPTION YET)
The Pretender
A standalone novel
(NO DESCRIPTION YET)
THE CATHOLIC COLONIES SERIES (Four Parts)
(CURRENTLY IN THE FIRST STAGES OF EDITING!)
The rightful King of Christland has just reclaimed the throne that was usurped by his half-brother. He attempts to Catholicize the Sanguis Christi Isles, otherwise known as the Catholic Colonies—the recently acquired territory that now belongs to his kingdom, and which largely serves as a penal colony. But his half-brother, who is on the loose, and is still determined to take back the throne, has other plans. . .Will he succeed?
Troubles abound in the Colonies. . .and young orphan Edwin Noland gets caught up in the midst of them. . .Under suspicion for theft of a grave nature, he could be convicted and hung. Can he clear his name, and find a real home at last?
Danger lurks around every corner. Deadly secret societies, dangerous convicts, and bloodthirsty savages are only some of the threats that Noland must confront in The Catholic Colonies. An exciting new novel by Angela Marie Michaels, author of the Catholic Kingdom Series, the Catholic Once Upon a Time Series, and the epic Evangelistae Kingdom Chronicles: Books One, Two, Three, Four, and Five.