Christ’s Midwife: A 21st Century Experience of the 30-Day Ignatian Exercises – a key-hole memoir, novella

I went to Hell. The spiritual director assigned to me during my 30-day Ignatian retreat recommended I not do that – but her back was turned, and well, I just couldn’t miss the opportunity. So, off I went – down to Hell, with a side trip to Purgatory, and then back again. And I wasn’t alone. Fascinating. I’ll remember that experience for the rest of my life.  

Such vivid opportunities to harness one’s God-given imagination to foray into sacred scripture is on offer daily when one is making Ignatius of Loyola’s 30-day retreat. This key-hole memoir is a bright compilation recounting some boots-on-the-ground walking through scriptural narratives for the intention of deepening one’s connection to and love for God. Hey, what can I say? I was Christ’s midwife….

Status: idea/brainstorming, based on five full notebooks capturing experiences of the 30-Day Exercises, aiming for 15-17,000 words

Peace Coffee: A travel essay on life, friendship, and great coffee

The best pilgrimage starts with a first step…or a first sip. Come along with me to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi for a caffeinated glimpse of everyday cafe culture in a lovely little country with a big heart.

Status: 1,800 words, complete. Click here for the full essay.

Father Forever – commercial novel

This sequel to Miranda’s Joy tells the story of the adolescence of Helen Cretien, her life while being raised by the men of St. Augustine’s Priory, and the true revelations of her beginnings – including the horror of the man who thinks he is her father.

It is a coming-of-age story for both Helen and the monks who experience profound changes as their world is often turned upside down by their mischievous ward, forcing the reclusive men to interact with the outside world in ways they had never imagined.

Status: in draft, outlined and first four chapters, aiming for 80-90,000 words

A Clean Tunic and Nine Bottles of Mooz – full-length sci-fi novel

When a nearby satellite explodes while she is on an extended space walk, shuttle astronaut Hope Burroughs is caught by a shock wave that hurtles her through space, far from Earth. Having blacked out from the cataclysm, she wakes up, naked and confused, in a capsule the size of a coffin. She soon meets her odd saviors and, with a burning desire to return to Earth, she begins to learn the surprising facts about how those occupying outer space are keeping many secrets from those on the Blue Planet. Undaunted, she pursues a way home but must confront hostile aliens who are no fans of Earthlings as well as navigate the stumbling blocks, trials, and machinations of a political enterprise that is – literally – the size of the galaxy. 

Status: in edit/revision, approximately 75,000 words