Friday, March 27, 2020

Annabelle of Anchony Burdens of the Mind Book Review






This Young Adult novel placed in Medieval Times was written by Ruth Apollonia, a practicing Catholic, and RCIA Director of her local parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau. The novel is the Winner of the 2013 Catholic Arts and Letters Award awarded by the Catholic Writers Guild and is published by The Marian Press.  The Catholic Writers Guild is a group of writers, artists, editors, illustrators, and associates dedicated to building a vibrant Catholic literary and artistic culture. The group encourages its members to create, publish, perform, and share their work which reflects core Catholic values.

The award winning novel tells the story of a very young Princess Annabelle who was taken captive by a warring faction in the fictional Kingdom of Anchony.  She finds herself rescued on The Forbidden Island by a loving hermit named Peter who raises her like his own daughter teaching her about faith, and morals.  When she reaches the age of 18, she escapes the island and lands back in the Kingdom of Anchony.  In the meantime, the royal family believes she had died.  While on the island Annabelle is helped by St. Celestria, Anchony’s patron saint, a fictional one, based on a real saint, St. Clare of Assisi.

While working her way back home through the Kingdom of Anchony, she runs into a squire, Nicholaus, who helps her.  Nicholas wants to become a knight.  She also is helped by Sy, a Duke in hiding who is in love with Princess Annabelle’s sister, Isabella.

The Catholic Faith is weaved into the story, as natural as your faith is weaved into your daily life, with prayers to the Father, and His answer back.  The Sacraments are also weaved naturally into the story, and is not heavy handed preaching. Annabelle deprived of the Blessed Sacrament on the island weeps with job when she finally finds herself in His presence.  During this time with our churches shut down due to the Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020, we can relate to this hunger for The Holy Eucharist. So it’s an appropriate book to read during your downtime in this isolation. So this Winner of the 2013 Catholic Arts and Letter Awards does indeed build a vibrant Catholic literary culture in her book.

Unfortunately, the story has a few flaws.  The outcome of the war was left hanging, as well as the exact whereabouts of a certain neighboring Prince. Maybe this will be covered in the sequel?

It was fast paced, and although I don’t belong to the age group that the novel was trying to reach, I do believe that Young Adults would enjoy the book, and I recommend it.

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Prayer of St Patrick

 I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.

Amen.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

LS Wagen Attends Career Day at AZ Compass Prep


LS Wagen with Job Hunting book at High School Career Day



LS Wagen on February 25, 2020, at the request of the Dean attended a High School Career Day at AZ Compass Prep school in Chandler, AZ.   The fair was convened to give high school students from the Skyline Charter School high school campuses across the Phoenix Metropolitan Valley a chance to investigate their chosen paths after high school.

Many higher education schools had tables including Maricopa Community College, Grand Canyon University, Park University, and others such as my alma mater, Arizona State University.  Also, the military was there, as well as a few employers.

I was able to present my job hunting book for beginning resume writers such as teens looking for their first or second job, recent college graduates, returning veterans, stay-at-home Mom's reentering the work force, and recent immigrants.

One reason why this nonfiction book appeals to teens, and other Superman fans is because it's about Superman.  Superboy is growing up and applying for a job as Superman.  We follow his journey in doing this thus learning how to apply for jobs for ourselves.

Since I wasn't allowed to sell my book for legal reasons, I explained to the teens that they could find Super Man's Resume: A Beginner's Guide to Resume Writing, and Beyond at Amazon, or wherever books are sold.  It can be specialty ordered from any bookstore.  It is available as print, or Kindle.

However, one of the students won a free book!!!