Christmas Orders for the Fairy Tale Novels

If you're planning on ordering any of the Fairy Tale Novels directly from us through our website for Christmas, make sure you do it soon!  Order your hardcovers on or before December 7th and your softcovers by December 11th!   These books are shipped directly from the printer, so we can't have them signed, unfortunately.  But if you miss those dates, you can always get them from local bookstores that stock the novels or from Adoremus Books, Catholic Child, Catholic Company, Family Life Center (special sale for $14.40!), Southwell Books (for UK readers) or of course, Amazon.   God bless your holiday shopping!

Paul and Rachel -- Dolls!

Don't tell my daughter, but this Christmas I'm giving her dolls based on two of my book characters, Paul Fester and Rachel Durham!  How did this happen?  Well, this Christmas, one of my favorite toy companies, Nova Natural, began selling their wonderful Evi dolls as dressable dolls! 

For years my children have been playing with these dolls, made of wool and cotton by a fair-trade labor cooperative, which are available in various fairy-tale characters, including knights and princesses.  But my girls kept trying to change the clothes on the dolls, which are sewn on the bodies.  I asked Nova Natural if they would consider carrying dressable dolls, and this Christmas season, they have them at last!

Click here to see pictures of their dollhouse family which come with removeable modern clothing. I ordered the father and mother dolls, and so this Christmas, my oldest daughter and I are dressing up two of them as characters from The Midnight Dancers!

(A caveat: The Midnight Dancers is "PG" (parental guidance suggested), but my husband read it aloud to my ten-year old (with judicious edits). That's how she knows about the characters and she loves them.)  Here you can see some of the clothes 'in progress.' In the photo above, the doll Rachel leaves aside her apron for the glamorous dancing dress (finished!), while juggler Paul Fester (played by the father doll) tries to reason with her.  Paul's shirt and vest are in progress, and his jeans came with the Nova Natural doll.  (PS: Yes, I know that Paul should have brown hair, but I didn't think of that till after I got the dolls!)

And here we have Paul instructing Rachel's younger sisters Linette and Debbie (played by the Nova Natural boy and girl dollhouse doll) in the fine art of juggling.  (Again, I should have ordered the blond girl doll (who is adorable) to play Linette, but I had already gotten the boy doll. He's actually destined to be a knight doll, and a present for my son -- but I had him pose for the photo first.)  The rainbow cloth the dolls are dancing on is destined to become Paul's harlequin vest -- and yes, I'll be making him a black ninja outfit.

Now that the Evi dolls are dressable, I see myriads of possibilities: I've started making dress patterns for princess dresses for them.  If you buy an Evi Doll and want to have a look at my pattern, email me and let me know!  

So if you like dollhouse dolls and are looking for a natural and modest alternative to a Barbie doll or Polly Pocket, I highly recommend the new dressable Evi dolls.  With a little bit of sewing, you can make them into princes, princesses, fairies, Our Lady of Guadalupe, the saints -- the options are limited only by your imagination. Check them out here!

A Cool Review of The Midnight Dancers

Check out this neat review of The Midnight Dancers from Treasure Chest for Tweens!

Here's an excerpt:

I wasn’t surprised at all to find a solidly good story with realistic Christian characters. I was surprised by the story in ways that… well, surprised me:

~ a main male character who reflected the self-sacrificial love of Christ.
~ a positive reflection of Protestants and Catholics with a refreshingly genuine Catholic character.
~ the presentation of Eastern medicine/martial arts blending with Western in a way that does not assume an unnecessary dichotomy.
~ a presentation of truth about the feminine and masculine woven in a way that’s bound to make certain modern feminists yearn for what they do not yet understand that they have missed.

Thanks for the thoughtful review, Tween Lit Crit!
 
PS: Notice the spiffy new cover on The Midnight Dancers?  I finally got a non-fuzzy photo. :)
 
And here's a short review of The Shadow of the Bear by Sacred Heart of Jesus Academy at Homeschool Blogger.com.

Congratulations to Joanna Fons!

Fairy Tale Novel Fan Joanna Fons won the "New Face" of the SHOP ad competition.  Joanna wrote to me asking me to cast a vote in the competition and said, "I'm really surprised since I don't even think it's that great of a picture of me, but still really excited!"  I wasn't too surprised that she won the competition!   Take a look at the blog post here.

Congratulations Joanna!  I hope this is a good first step into the fashion world for you! 

Maidens By His Design Workshop This Weekend

I'll be at the Strasburg Presbyterian Church this weekend selling books at the Maidens By His Design workshop hosted by my friend Doran!  Check out her really cool ministry here.  I'll be selling the Fairy Tale Novels, John Paul 2 High, and Awakening, so if you're in the area, come by and do some Christmas shopping!

Get the Fairy Tale Novels at your local EBM

Have you ever heard of an EBM?  The Expresso Book Machine is a revolutionary invention, an "ATM for books."  You tell the machine what title you want, and the machine will print, bind, trim, and deliver the perfect-bound, full color cover, library-quality paperback book to you while you wait: about four minutes. Click here to find out more.

EBMs are starting to appear in bookstores and someday may even be in libraries. Right now, about two million titles are available to be printed through an EBM--and the Fairy Tale Novels are among them.  It's hard to believe it, but through a strategic partnership, all tiltles available through our printer, Lightning Source, are available at an EBM, which means that our books could potentially be available anywhere in the world--so long as there's an EBM nearby.

So if you spot an EBM at your bookstore, just know you've found one of the fastest, easiest ways available to get your own copy of The Shadow of the Bear, Black as Night, Waking Rose, and The Midnight Dancers.  And if you use an EBM to buy one of my books, let me know!

Hey! I'm an Editor Now!

I just realized I never blogged about the job that I've been doing for the past year or so: mainly, being a fiction editor for Sophia Institute Press.  Of course, I've mentioned John Paul 2 High, but I just realized that I haven't mentioned some of the other fiction I've done for them, including the mystery Bleeder, and the hot-off-the-press teen fiction Awakening. So I'm posting links to the books, and I wanted to let you know that each of these books was carefully edited by me, just so you all would have more good Catholic fiction to read!  Catholic Reluctantly, Trepasses Against Us, and Awakening are all teen fiction, but Bleeder is for older teens and adults. Check them out by clicking on the links in this post, and happy reading!

Review of Waking Rose

Check out this cool review of Waking Rose on Rosemary-Sauce.blogspot.com: and please feel free to let the reviewer know that you read it by commenting on her blog!  Thanks much!

To see excerpts of other reviews, click here.

New Reviews of Trespasses Against Us

Check out these reviews of Book 2 of John Paul 2 High at http://www.johnpaul2high.blogspot.com/.

And don't miss this TV interview with JP2HS author Christian Frank!

In the Catholic Spotlight

Check out this fun interview I did with Chris Cash and Catholic Spotlight for Catholic Company today. We talked about the Fairy Tale Novels, editing books for Sophia Institute Press, and John Paul 2 High. I had a bit of a cold when I gave the interview, but aside from the hoarseness, I think I did okay. Click here to listen.

I also mentioned two new books that I edited for Sophia Institute Press, Bleeder, and the on-the-verge-of-being-published Awakening. I'll be spotlighting both books myself later on this week. Enjoy!

"Catholic Fiction Finder" in the NCRegister

The National Catholic Register did an interview with me about my position as fiction editor for Sophia Institute Press. If you're a Register subscriber, you can read the article by clicking here and entering your password. (Sorry, I don't have a copy of the text to show all you non-Register subscribers!) It was a fun interview to do: hope you enjoy it!

Chat This Thursday at Ora et Laboro

Hi all!
I'm a guest chatter at the homeschool message board Ora et Laboro. If you're a member and want to chat about writing, publishing, or your own work, I'll be doing a chat on Thursday night, Sept. 17th, from 8-9 PM EST. If your mom is a member, teens can join the chat as well under their mom's account. Hope to see you there!
Peace and good
Regina

Paper Dolls of the Shadow of the Bear!

This post is late, late coming, but I've been wanting to spotlight a book I released this summer with Chesterton Press: Fairy Tale Novel Paper Dolls of the Shadow of the Bear. How did this book come to be? That's an interesting story!

Years ago, a reader asked me if I would ever make paper dolls out of my characters, and I admitted that I'd never thought about it. Well, just this past year, I heard from Cassandra Stevens, a fan, who sent me a paper doll of Rose Brier that she had made, along with Rose's complete wardrobe, including peacock-patterned skirt, opera outfit, and prom dress! I was enchanted, and begged her to make more. She went on to produce a Blanche doll with appropriate clothes, and with some encouragement, dolls of Bear and Fish as well to round out the set.




I was delighted, and decided to produce a book for Fairy Tale Novel fans showcasing Cassandra's dolls. On Lulu, you can see a preview of the dolls and the clothes, but for the best-quality option, click here to order the book from us (it has a stiffer cover, and since the dolls are made to be cut out the cover, that makes a difference!).

I asked this talented artist (pictured left) to tell us more about herself, and she wrote that she lives on a farm in Central Minnesota with her family and an assortment of animals and pets. She writes that she is a voracious reader, and her "sketchbook reflects her current reading list."

When I met Cassandra's family this past summer, I was shocked to discover that they didn't own a single copy of the Fairy Tale Novels: she'd created the clothes from the books in exacting detail with a borrowed copy! Well, I quickly rectified that, and told her to pay particular attention to The Midnight Dancers, just in case she feels the itch to do another paper doll book. So be sure to check out Cassandra's work, and enjoy!

The Deathly Hallows Lectures by John Granger

If you love Harry Potter and really loved Deathly Hallows, then this is one book you'll want to get your hands on. Hogwarts Professor and homeschool dad John Granger has produced his seventh book on Harry Potter, fittingly enough, centered around Book Seven: The Deathly Hallows Lectures: the Hogwarts Professor Explains Harry's Final Adventure. Also fittingly, it contains seven essays on the literary and symbolic aspects of Book Seven, ranging from horcruxes to hallows.

Warning: for serious fans only. If you have questions or concerns about the Harry Potter series, I highly recommend the book that changed my mind on the subject, Looking for God in Harry Potter, also by John Granger. But if you've read and relished the world's most famous Septology several times, then this book will help you go deeper, and in some places, is just as fun to read.

There are essays on the significance of faith in the book: how the entire book pivots on Harry's nearly supernatural decision to trust a man who he now knows is flawed and fallen. The question of what role Christianity plays in the book is thoroughly and wonderfully examined from a faith-based perspective. There are some interesting speculations on the relationship of Snape's Lily to Dante's Beatrice. Mirror symbolism, the three levels of meaning of the book, the role postmodernism plays in Rowling's storytelling, and examining certain high-profile symbols such as triangles and eyes are additional fascinating pieces to read. Granger rounds off the book with 31 questions submitted by fans on his website, http://www.hogwartsprofessor.com/.

And (most interesting to me) in the first two chapters, John Granger follows up on the exegesis he began in Looking For God in Harry Potter: the use of alchemical patterns in the book which in some ways determine the plot. In this way, Harry Potter, like Shakespeare's plays and Dicken's novels, follows an alchemical outline which turns on the purification, washing, and transformation of a human soul into spiritual gold. If you devoured Granger's theories on this subject in his earlier pre-Book-Seven analysis, you won't want to miss Essay 2: The Alchemical End Game.

I enjoyed this book over several summer evenings with tea and a comfortable chair, and it was delectable reading. I highly recommend it for everyone who feels that Book Seven was a triumph of storytelling. This book will give you more insight into why and how.

Joshua Michael, In Memoriam

Three years ago, on this day, my four-year-old son Joshua left this world for the next.


I still miss him so much.


My brother and sister just sent me this photo from baby Joshua's baptism. We didn't own a camera at the time he was baptized, so this was a gift our family truly appreciated. There are more photos on Joshua's website.


In this photo, my husband Andrew holds Joshua for the final blessing by our parish deacon, Richard Demers. Deacon Demers had the unusual privilege of baptizing Joshua and then, four years later, giving the beautiful homily at his funeral.


Please remember our family in your prayers today. Thanks so much.

The Shadow of the Bear Wins BEST Audio Drama Show of the Year

Press release from Chesterton Press.
July 8, 2009.

MP3 of Award Presentation. (Shadow begins at about 22 minutes into the show.)

Based on the book by Regina Doman, The Shadow of the Bear audio drama has won the Sonic Society’s 2009 Uni Award for Best Audio Drama Show.

The Sonic Society (http://www.sonicsociety.org/) is a Broadcast/Podcast out of Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. It showcases the very best of Modern Audio Drama from around the world. On their show during November 2008 the Sonic Society featured the entire 4-hour audio drama of The Shadow of the Bear, produced by Andrew Schmiedicke and written and directed by Regina Doman of Chesterton Productions (http://www.chestertonproductions.com/).

At the end of May 2009, the Sonic Society invited its 50,000 listeners world wide to nominate their favorite show for its 2nd Annual Uni Awards. The finalists in seven different categories were chosen by popular vote and announced on the Sonic Society’s blog on June 9. The listeners then voted on the finalists. After all the votes were in, Jack Ward of the Sonic Society said, “The Shadow of the Bear won by a clear majority the "Best Audio Drama Show".

“I couldn’t be more delighted,” said Regina.

“So many people helped to make this happen,” said Andrew. "It was like God brought all these people together so it could happen."

Joe Miller donated the production studio and sound equipment to make the audio drama in 1999. Most of the cast came from Christendom College, Front Royal, Virginia; but there were also some from Canada, and Leonardo Defilippis of St. Luke Productions (http://www.stlukeproductions.com/) played both the villain and the victim in the show. The band Scythian (http://www.scythianmusic.com/) gave permission for their performance of the “Drums of Belfast” to be used as the opening and closing music for the drama, and Johnny Doman (http://www.johnnydoman.com/) and Francis Fast wrote and performed most of the music used within the drama.

Ken Fast of Northern Rain Studio in Canada (http://www.northernrainstudio.com/) handled all the post-production. After receiving the digitized recordings of the actors and actresses, Ken and his team edited and mixed the performance with music and sound effects. “I think it’s a great example of how we can all work together no matter where we are,” Ken said. “Through the power of the internet we can transfer it, and way up here in Alberta, we can do the sound track.”

And the result of this cooperative work is fantastic. Not only did The Shadow of the Bear win the “Best Audio Drama Show”, it was also a finalist in 4 other categories:
Best Sound and Editing by Northern Rain Studio
Best Script by Regina Doman (http://www.reginadoman.com/)
Best Actress for Theresa Ford Fisher’s performance of Blanche Brier
Best Actor for Alex Fedoryka’s performance of Bear

The Shadow of the Bear is about a mysterious young man, who lands on Blanche and Rose Brier's doorstep in New York City. The two sisters have conflicting opinions on whether or not he is dangerous. Even as Blanche learns to trust him, her fears that Bear's friendship threatens their family prove terrifyingly true. A modern retelling of the classic Brothers Grimm fairytale, “Snow White and Rose Red”. For more information about this story and its sequels, visit http://www.fairytalenovels.com/.

Recommendation: The Scribbler's Guide to The Land of Myth

I first heard about The Scribbler's Guide to the Land of Myth because the author, Sarah Beach, and I are both fans of Janet Batchler's blog. I've really enjoyed getting to know the folks who hang out around Jan's site, and Sarah is one of them.

But the topic piqued my interest because of course, I'm a scribbler, and since I deal with fairy tales, myth and archetypes are a topic of perennial interest to me. So I bought Sarah's book. I assumed the high price was because it was a small publisher: I was not prepared for the 400+ reference tome that arrived in the mail from Amazon!

I could not have been more delighted with the Scribbler's Guide. It is a fantastic reference guide for any writer who dabbles in myth. I suspect the fantasy writer might need something more arcane, but for a contemporary novelist like myself, this book was perfect, a great way to bring depth and symbolism into my writing.

With copious references to many contemporary and classic films (Sarah's background is film/television), Sarah examines mythic elements ranging from the Hero's Journey to Archetypes to the Seven Deadly Sins to Mother/Father Figures to Symbols ranging from Fire to Autumn to Twins to Strength. Helpful mythological and historical references are included throughout. Sarah's Christian faith is operative in this book as she examines the mythological and symbolic significance of Christ, King David, and other Biblical figures.

For those interested in story structure, Sarah covers the Hero's Journey in depth, including an analysis of the differing versions (Joseph Campbell's, Christopher Vogler's, as well as five others), plus her appendix includes notes on the Anti-Hero's Journey, The Grail Quest Journey, Maslow's Hierarchy of Need, and other narrative structures. I can't think of a better tutorial or overview of the different quest narratives available to today's writer.

This book was a fascinating read, and one I know I'll be sending young and experienced writers to again and again. If you're a writer of any genre, pick up The Scribbler's Guide before you set off to write your next novel. For a reference book, you can't beat the price, and most reference books aren't half this much fun. Don't leave home without it!

Finished the Draft: Alex O'Donnell and the Forty Hackers

Just wanted to tell folks that yesterday after a mad day at the computer (working nearly 8 hours straight) I finished the first draft of what will hopefully be the next Fairy Tale Novel: Alex O'Donnell and the Forty Hackers. It's a LONG WAY from being publishable -- I couldn't even begin to tell you how much it needs to change. But the first rough draft is done, and that's the first step. We might be one-third of the way there!

What comes next? Well, in the case of this novel, lots of research. As you can guess from the title, this is my first 'tecchie' novel, and I'm no tecchie. So that means that I need to start learning. When I write before I research, I have a better idea of exactly what sort of research I'd need. I don't necessarily like to do research, but I've learned that a stronger book is worth the price.

So, lots of research to do. (And yes, I will gladly take advice from any tecchies out there who know anything about computer hackers who could help me out or help me fact-check. Email me at regina@reginadoman.com if you want to help.)

It also took an entire draft for me to figure out just what's going on in the relationship between Alex O'Donnell and Kateri Kovach. Now that I know, I have to go back and rewrite those parts (most of the book!).

So the rewriting commences now. After I finish draft one, I start re-reading the book. Whenever I get to a boring part or a place where something is missing, I start rewriting from that point. The next day, I read it again. (I've described this process at length here.)

How long will this take? Who knows? My goal was to get my rough draft done by August, so I'm way ahead of schedule, a rare occurrence! (I was very conscious of how many of you were praying for me during this draft, and I'm sure that had something to do with it.) So it looks like we may make a 2010 publiction date for the next installment of the Fairy Tale Novels. Stay tuned, and keep praying!

Oh, and I started this post for those of you who like to pester me with--I mean, ask me questions about the book. Check this FAQ (or better yet, the Fairy Tale Novel Forum post "And Everything Else") before you ask a question, then fire away!

This August: Fairy Tale Novel Fan Gathering II

I wanted to make a long-overdue announcement about the Fairy Tale Novel Fan Gathering this coming August 13 through 16.

What will we be doing? Here's the possible schedule so far. We are doing many of the events that were popular at the last Fairy Tale Novel Fan Gathering and including some new ones. Of course much of this schedule will depend on the weather and on the times guests need to arrive and depart. So we're flexible!

August 13, Thursday
- 8:30am-8:45am Scriptural Rosary
- Most of this day is an informal time for Regina, Andrew and their children to socialize and get acquainted with their guests.
- Dinner.
- 6:30pm-9:30pm Traditional Folk Music and Dancing with the Woodhouse Band. Meet Veronica Randolph, the model for the Black as Night cover

August 14, Friday
- Breakfast
- 8:30 AM Mass...for those who would like to go. (St. John the Bapist Catholic Church)
- Second Breakfast.
- Scriptural Rosary.
- Depending on the weather, possible canoe ride down the Shenandoah River
- Lunch
- 3:00pm-3:15pm Divine Mercy Chaplet.
- Picking peaches at Hartland Orchard
- Dinner
- 6:30pm-9:30pm The Miller Sisters Concert
Meet Marie, Carol Lynn (model for Rachel from The Midnight Dancers cover), & Theresa Miller who will play Christian music for us.

August 15th, Saturday
- Option for 8:30am Mass.
- 2nd Breakfast
- Scriptural Rosary.
- Hike up Buzzard Rock. 2-mile hike. (George Washington National Forest)
- Lunch and rest.
- Divine Mercy Chaplet and Crowning of Mary on the Feast of the Assumption.
- Swordplay and juggling with the Cor Guys featuring some friends who were models for the Sacra Cor students from Waking Rose
Preparation for Lord's Day supper and celebration
- 5:30 Saturday evening Mass option for travellers
- Lord's Day Supper & Celebration.
- 6:30pm-9:30pm MYSTERY THEATER. The Pirates of the Caribbean meet the Princess Bride - The Urn of Gravagna. (Come in costume!)

Sunday, August 16th
- Mass at St. John the Baptist Church
Note: Mass Times are 7:00 am, 8:30 am, 10:45 am (Novus Ordo Mass, Latin) and 12:30 pm (Tridentine Mass, Latin) We will probably attend the 8:30am Mass, but others may go to one of the other Mass times listed above. Of course, the non-Catholic attendees may go to a church of their denomination, but they are also quite welcome to come with us!
- Visit to Joshua's grave.
- 1:00 Brunch and guest departure
- For any guests who remain, weather permitting, we might have games, swimming, and picnic at nearby Elizabeth Furnance Picnic Park in George Washington National Forest.
- Farewells to departing guests.

Click here to see more details, also available at fairytalenovels.com.

For details about lodgings, contact andrew@reginadoman.com. Hope you can make it!

See My Brother At Creation 09!

I almost can't believe it, but my lil' brother Martin Doman is going to be leading worship for the Catholic Mass at the Creation 09 music festival. For those of you who've never heard of it before, Creation is a massive Christian music festival held in the hills of Pennsylvania, sort of like an annual Woodstock for Christians that typically showcases the top Christian bands in the country. I remember when I was back in middle school, my best friend, an evangelical Christian, raving about what a wonderful time she had when she went to Creation with her church youth group. I never dreamed my brother would be on stage there one day! I've long ago stopped following Christian music but I still have a soft spot in my heart for it. I admit I still listen to and enjoy such golden oldie artists as Dion, Don Francisco and The Imperials (I know, I have no sense of what's cool in music! My numerous musician-siblings are constantly telling me that!). I'm amazed and heartened to hear that Creation now offers a Catholic Mass on site for Catholic participants: it seems we've come a long way in relations with our separated brethren. And I'm pleased that festival attendees will get a chance to enjoy the vibrant and reverent music my brother creates and sings. So if you were planning on going to Creation, you can say hi to my brother for me. He's asking for prayers on his website: so I'll join in asking you to say a prayer for him too!

1st Ever Catholic Writer's Conference - register now!

Please spread the word about this cool conference I'm speaking at in August specifically for Catholic writers, especially fiction writers! I'll be speaking on problems with creating evil characters. Hope to meet you there!
Peace and good
Regina

M E D I A R E L E A S E

CONTACT: Ann Lewis Karina Fabian
Phone: (317) 755-2693 Phone: (701) 727-6662
E-mail: annlewis@joesystems.com e-mail: : karina@fabianspace.com
For Immediate Release

Catholic Writers Guild, Catholic Marketing Network Hold Writers’ Conference

Somerset, NJ--The Catholic Writers' Guild, in conjunction with the Catholic Marketing Network, will host its first-ever Catholic Writers’ Conference LIVE! at the Doubletree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, Somerset, NJ, from Aug 5-7, 2009. The conference will host publishers, editors and authors from all aspects of the Catholic writing world, including magazines and devotionals, novels and educational materials. The panel discussions, presentations and workshops will cover all aspects of writing including generating query letters, crafting a good story, worldbuilding, marketing finished works and more. In addition, editors from several Catholic publishers will be on-hand to share their wisdom and hear authors propose their works.

The Catholic Marketing Network's International Trade Show, held at the neighboring Garden State Exhibition Center (http://www.gsec.com), will serve as the exhibition floor for the writers’ conference, giving writers a chance to browse the booths, meet with publishing companies, pitch their books to publishers, have their work critiqued at a private critique session and chat with the published authors at book signings at the Catholic Writers’ Guild booth. CMN will also be hosting daily Masses and rosaries at the Doubletree Hotel, and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at the exhibition center. Other CMN events including the seminars and inspirational talks scheduled for Tuesday, August 4 will be held at the Doubletree.

Presenters for the writers’ conference include: author/Sophia Press submissions editor Regina Doman (Angel in the Waters); Pauline Books and Media Editor Sister Maria Grace, CEO of Ignatius Press Mark Brumley (How Not to Share Your Faith), Susan Brinkmann editor of Canticle Magazine, Lisa Wheeler, Executive Vice President of the Maximus Group (PR and marketing firm for The Passion of the Christ), author/Ascension Press publisher Matt Pinto (Do Adam and Eve Have Belly Buttons?), Claudia Volkman, General Manager of Circle Press, Tom Hoopes, Executive Editor of the National Catholic Register, and mystery author John Desjarlais (Bleeder) among others.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for both writers and publishers to connect," said science fiction writer and Catholic Writer's Guild President, Karina Fabian. "The CMN has been especially generous in offering to share it facilities and programs with us, which really enhances the quality of the conference for attendee and presenter.”

Conference Coordinator and CWG Vice President Ann Lewis adds “There will be a lot of good information, encouragement and learning opportunities for Catholic authors at our live conference. Our goal is to help good Catholic writers to get published. The world needs their words.”

The Catholic Writers’ Guild has hosted two highly successful on-line conferences.
To register or for more information, go to www.catholicwritersconference.com. Registration is $80 through June 1st, $99 through July 31st and $110 at the door.

Trespasses is HERE!

Order it now.

And don't kill me when you finish it: all I can say is, Christian Frank is working hard on Book 3. :)

The Midnight Dancers Onstage!

A few weeks ago at the Milwaukee Homeschool Conference I was privileged to see the very first stage performance ever of one of my books, The Midnight Dancers.

Around Christmas, a group of Wisconsin homeschooled teens had approached me about adapting the book for the stage, and with their encouragement (or should I say, harassment!) and help, I managed to write a script for them based on the book, which they cut down to 50 minutes in order to meet the constraints of the conference time slot. The play was performed on Friday night during the conference and I was so impressed! Even with simple staging and costumes, the teeanged actors gave a performance of warmth, humor, and depth.

The leads in particular were phenomenal: the lead role of Paul Fester is so difficult I had wondered if it would be unperformable, and Rachel Durhams's part is so large that's she onstage and talking for nearly the entire play. But the teens who played Paul and Rachel mastered the parts wonderfully. I was particularly moved during two new speeches I wrote especially for the play: Paul's speech to Rachel on beauty, given during a nighttime garden scenes, and Rachel's speech to Paul after the whole adventure is over.

The actors who took on the parts of Colonel Durham and the villain, Michael Comus, were also wonderful. Michael Comus in particular was so creepy I squirmed every time he came onstage! And the other sisters -- from bookish Cheryl to ditsy Prisca to shy Melanie down to the perky youngest girls Debbie and Linette -- were perfectly cast. And they all assured me that they had a blast putting on the play! I can't tell you what a fantastic experience it was for me as an author to see my story being captured and brought to life in front of my eyes. Many thanks to this troupe of teens for that memorable experience.

Since I have a feeling other homeschool or youth groups might be interested in doing a performance of their own, I'm planning to offer the script for sale, as soon as I work out some kinks in it. I hope to offer the script for sale at http://www.fairytalenovels.com/ with this arrangement:

For a one-time performance right fee of $50, a small group can put on the play for an agreed-upon number of performances: performances they can charge admission for and make money on. (This way I don't have to worry about groups sending me a percentage of the sales, etc.) The performance fee will include a downloadable file of the script which they can print out and copy as many times as they need for their group.

Since I know that there aren't many plays out there that offer parts for twelve girls, I'm happy to be able to make The Midnight Dancers available for sale sometime this summer. If you are interested in getting a copy for your group, email me at regina@reginadoman.com and that will inspire me to finish my revisions sooner!

And just in case you're interested, I'm working on a similar stage adaptation of The Shadow of the Bear for another group, who has a smaller group without a lot of girls. So stay tuned for more details!

My Sister's First Solo Album

Allow me to share with you one of the great delights of my life.

For years, one of my favorite musical experiences has been to listen to my sister Alicia sing. (Alicia is two years younger than me but is taller and looks older than me, so most people assume she's the older one!) Her voice is my favorite kind of female voice -- high, strong, and clear. For years she's sung with choirs and as a backup singer for other professionals, and more than once she's been tapped as a soloist. But up until now, she's only sung on other people's CDs. If my memory is correct, I believe she's appeared as a soloist on four different albums thus far with three different groups.

But finally, she's come out with her own album, and I am so excited to be able to share her music with you. Her first album, Beloved, is now available from her website, http://www.aliciahernon.com/. Produced in conjunction with my brother Martin Doman (who sings backup and duet with her on several of the tracks), this album is dedicated to women in all stages of life, from girlhood to betrothal, from marriage to motherhood, from the grieving mother to the consecrated religious. It is, fittingly enough, titled Beloved, to emphasize that all women, at every stage of life, are beloved by Christ.

Alicia (who, unlike me, publishes under her married name, Hernon: not her maiden name, Doman) considers herself a singer, not a songwriter or composer. She surmises this by comparing herself to the various composers, musicians, and songwriters she's worked with over the years, including those she's related to. But I think she's mistaken to undervalue her talent as a songwriter, and, lucky for us, the more than half of Beloved are her original compositions. Perhaps Alicia hasn't written many songs, but the ones she has written are a handful of gems, beautifully constructed, memorable, loved by many, and sung in Alicia's unfailingly lovely voice.

Since it's not every day that Alicia produces an album, and since this one is long-overdue, forgive me if I treat you to an in-depth review of my all-time favorite singer/musician/songwriter who also happens to be my sister.

First track on the album is The Cry of the Beloved, which Alicia wrote as a mere college student but which has become a perennial favorite and even became the title track of a Steubenville conference album. It's known more popularly in some circles as "Draw Me, O King": the lyrics are based on the first chapter of the Song of Songs.

Draw Me, O King! I will follow you eagerly:

draw me, O King, to your rooms!

The love that you give is sweeter than wine:

how rightly you are loved!

How rightly you are loved!

The chorus has a sprightly melodic line, and it's been used as a responsorial psalm in more than a few weddings, including my own. :) This is the third time Alicia has been asked to record this song, and this version, with my brother Martin Doman singing backup, will not disappoint old fans and will hopefully win many new ones. My ultimate dream is to see this song incorporated into Catholic hymnals. To hear a clip, click here.

Second track, another fruit from Alicia's college years was a growth in her devotion to Our Lady. And from this meditation and love came another gem, the deceptively simple and utterly passionate song, Maria. The song's verses consist of the first parts of three of the most popular prayers to Our Lady: the Hail Mary, Hail Holy Queen, and Memorarae: the chorus contains variations on the Litany of Loretto together with the heartfelt cry: Maria! It sounds so easily constructed, but the combination is a breathtaking solo piece that few forget once they've heard it. To hear a clip, click here. To see Alicia's thoughts on this song, click here.

The third piece on the album is a duet for engaged couples, sung with my brother Martin, called The Ring. True disclosure: this song is based on a poem I wrote of the same name. I've been trying to recall why I wrote it and for whom, but shortly after I wrote it, Alicia set it to music, making it a far more beautiful creation than it was originally. This is one of the few songs that currently doesn't have a sample track on Alicia's website, but perhaps Alicia will post it soon. Here are the lyrics of the original poem, which don't quite capture the intricate interplay of harmonizing and voices that you will hear on the CD:

The Ring

My sister, I ask you in this hour
Unfolding with the morning flower,
to stand with me and make a vow.
No more shall you be freedom's slave
but since your life you freely gave,
take servanthood in freedom now.
The ring, the round of eternity,
I place on your hand, I give to thee,
a symbol of your love for me.

A promise drawn out through fire and sand
Now gleams in silver on your hand
Eternity that enshrines your finger,
I stand to be yours as life is long:
clasp my hand, and be my singer.
Draw near to me and be my song.
The ring, surpassing old and new,
clings to your hand just as I do:
a symbol of my love for you.

copyright 1991, Regina Doman.

I know I had originally thought of it as a song sung by Christ to the devout soul (hence the term 'servanthood' in the first verse) but Alicia's arrangement has been used to celebrate weddings and anniversaries, where servanthood would refer to the mutual submission found in marriage. I suppose the first verse could be sung twice, with the appellation, "My brother..." to emphasize this.

Fourth track: You're the One. I absolutely love this song, a recent composition by Alicia for her husband, Michael. This song so wonderfully captures their deep friendship and romantic love: and I know that others will see their own marriage in its easily-hummable lyrics. You have to hear it.

Fifth track: Conquer Me. I have been waiting to hear this song again for years. In 1997, when my daughter Rose was baptized, Alicia sang this song after the baptism. The lyrics are from the mystic Hadewijch of Belgium, and Alicia was so moved by them, she set them to music. Any woman, any soul who yearns for union with God, who wishes that God could overcome all the inner resistance and residue of sin and selfishness within them will appreciate this song. I'm just delighted to have a recorded version of the song I've been humming now and again to myself for these past twelve years! Enjoy! To hear a clip of this song, click here.

Sixth track: "Talitha Cumi." Alicia was kind enough to dedicate this song to me, as well as to all mothers who've suffered loss. Another duet by Alicia and Martin, this song is a poem written by a woman to her child who died. A heartfelt reflection on Christ's words to the little girl he raised from the dead. To hear a clip of this song, click here

Seventh track: Up to the Moon. This song by Kim Hill captures my sister's love for her children. Alicia is one of the most motherly persons I know, and her love of music and motherhood is manifested in her eight highly musical children and her years of teaching Kindermusik classes to young children. When Alicia sings to children, she's most in her element. But next time, I'd like to hear her record one of her own original lullabies.

Eighth track: As I Kneel. As befitting an album that has so much to say about women, children, and motherhood, Alicia included this traditional hymn to our Lady, sung with her little daughter Maggie. If you're not familiar with this enchanting song, this version is an excellent introduction.

Ninth Track: The final rousing psalm, "Give Thanks to the Lord" reflects Alicia's committment to her parish music ministry: a fellow singer set this Psalm to music for their parish Easter Vigil, and Alicia loved it so much she decided to record it. It gives the entire CD a liturgical coda, bringing us from the individual soul to the embrace of Mother Church praising her Bridegroom.

Bonus Track: Scripture Medley. Not only does Alicia teach Kindermusik, help with her parish choir, she also homeschooled for many years. In order to help her children memorize Scripture, she set several short verses to music. While this track departs from the meditative soft music of the rest on the CD, it's enjoyable to hear Alicia interacting with her children and being a mom, coaching them to give a spirited rendition of "Children, obey your parents" and "Be holy, for the Lord your God is holy." The last song, an old favorite camp song, "Rejoice in the Lord always" is a fun ending to an enjoyable solo album.

Alicia writes on her website, "by her very nature, a woman is made to give herself away." As if to emphasize this, although this CD is $18 post-paid, all profits from album will be donated to pro-life causes. So please, visit http://www.aliciahernon.com/ and take a listen to the clips. If you like what you hear, feel free to buy a copy. And please spread the word! Thanks!

Trespasses Against Us: Pre-order Book Two!

It's here. At last.

I am pleased to announce the second installment in a book series that's very close to my heart, John Paul 2 High Book Two: Trespasses Against Us. The saga of seven students in a Catholic start-up school and their tempestuous relationship to the massive secular school next door continues and intensifies. As Series Creator (and as you know, I prefer the title Series Queen) I have to say I think this is even better that Book One, Catholic Reluctantly. More suspense. More action. More craziness. More Catholic truth.

Celia Costain finds it tough being thought of as the perfect principal's daughter at John Paul 2 High. Being Catholic has never been easy, but now Celia’s friends are all dating and say she’s uptight. Celia can deal with that, but how can she relax with someone stalking her friend Allie?
And no one will tell her what’s really going on!

So click here to pre-order the book! It won't arrive in time for Easter, alas, but you could always ask your parents to order it for you and put a note in your Easter basket saying it's coming!