Parts of Speaking Publishing

 Unfortunately, he committed suicide, so even this wisdom was not enough.  If anybody feels like perspiring, I'd invite you to go ahead because I'm sure going to. In fact, I'm going to get a hickey right here. Greetings, thanks, and congratulations to Kenyon's graduating class of 2005. There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way who nods at them and says, "Morning, boys. How's the water?" And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, "What the hell is water?" This is a standard requirement of US commencement speeches, the deployment of didactic little parabolish stories. The story thing turns out to be one of the better, less bullshitty conventions of the genre. But if you're worried that I plan to present myself here as the wise older fish explaining what water is to you, younger fish, please don't be. I am not th...

 I read/heard at least four journalistic efforts about the podcast between Hassan Piker, Jia Tollentino, and Nadya Spiegelman where they discussed committing crimes themselves and what crimes they consider acceptable (theft, murder, vandalism) because of their Marxist ideology.  I have heard a lot of conservative moaning and groaning about these rich kids justifying shoplifting lemons from Whole Foods. "Aren't I cool?" is the undercurrent to their laughing conversation about Bryan Thompson's murder to Mangione, etc.  And I'm driving the U.S. Route 41 By-pass around Dalton, Georgia, dodging traffic, trying to get home, thinking, "How many American citizens give a crapola about what these three idiots have to say? Like me, they are trying to get through traffic, pay bills, pick up kids from school, make their mortgage, take an elderly parent to the doctor, etc. etc."  The journalists and chattering classes do not live where the rest of us do. Twitter users...

  https://newsletter.oalannoble.com/p/your-body-is-a-temple-so-act?utm_campaign=email-half-post&r=2pwl1&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email This substack article from Alan Noble calls for a radical transformation in our view of and treatment of the human body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. 

 I read Joel Miller's Substack (not sure how I got started) because he does thoughtful book reviews. Here is one worth reading: https://www.millersbookreview.com/p/no-books-are-not-remotely-too-expensive?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=564548&post_id=194518187&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=2pwl1&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email If you can't get to it, essentially he defends the costs of new books (especially in retail stores) because they have stayed below inflation for other things in the market. He uses the costs of the original To Kill a Mockingbird and The Fellowship of the Ring in the early 1960s: $3.95 and $5.00.  Today a hardcopy of TKAM is $27.99, but if it had followed inflation rates for everything else, it would  be $43.00.  He then presents a clear argument about what you're getting for that $19.99 or $24.99 you pay for a new book. As a writer, I appreciate this. As someone who works closely wi...

 I feel as if I have been in a funk recently. For one, I've been suffering, off and on, from sinusitis and pink eye, of all things, for over a week and am beginning to feel some relief from antibiotics I got too late in the game, as usual. My husband , of course, caught it from me, so I've been dealing with his as well. Nothing can make you feel funkish like conjunctivitis, which I have not had since my son was a toddler and I worked in the church nursery. To someone who spends most of her time reading and too much of it from a screen, this is miserable, and even two types of antibiotics (oral and drops) have not given total relief yet. Of course, there is the pollen and dryness right now. O Lord, send rain! I should be elated, as my eleventh novel is to be published in late-ish summer, and we are working on the launch and revisions. This one is going to get what it deserves, finally. Although I am not 100% happy with it yet. The title and cover should get sales, though. Whethe...

 Nice article on the subject:  https://www.christianitytoday.com/2026/04/to-write-well-is-human-ai-writing-editing-church/ However, I think the writer is a little soft on people who use Generative AI. Its use is pure deception (if not admitted to upfront) and there is no reason to make excuses for them. 

 I am speaking of his bizarre tweets/social media posts about Pope Leo, and the AI where he is dressed like an imagined image of Jesus and healing someone.  I think his associates should stand far away from him when he gets struck by lightning.  He has been called King Cyrus because of helping the Jews. He is more like Nebuchadnezzar, although he has surpassed Neb's nonsense in Daniel 4:28. I would say Trump would be walking around in madness but I think that has already happened.  God help us. It would be an answer to prayer to have leaders we need rather than those we deserve. 

 This past week I watched my granddaughter twice, caught an infection (sinus and eye) that I'm trying to recover from today by staying in bed and not acting like I can ignore it, recorded a very good podcast (because of the guest), spoke at church to a small group, and lived, I hope, for Jesus. I also reviewed my upcoming book that will be out in the early fall and thought a lot about its launch and marketing. I made a lasagna, cared for a garden, talked with friends, and read about self-publishing for a presentation next month.  This morning, thanks to YouTube, I listened to my pastor at Brainerd Baptist Church speak on Colossians 1:24-2:2.  Colossians and Ephesians (which I used as a basis for the reflections on Lent) have a lot of parallels. In his sermon, Pastor Hill brought out the theme of what drives us. In this text (which starts a little hard to understand, see below*) Paul expresses how his motivation:    Him we preach,  warning every man and teac...

 Alan Jacobs has a truthful and helpful essay in Dispatch Faith on "C & E Christians" (not to be confused with C of E - Church of England - Christians). I think he may be a little tongue in cheek, but he reminds us not to judge them since we all are in need of grace. Here is the link:  https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/dispatch-faith/christianity-easter/ I think you'll get a free read.  I want to add to it that maybe those C & E Christians are kept from attending for valid reasons. Many people have to work Sundays. Many are caregivers. Many can't get regular transportation. I know this is not the case for most people who only show up on Christmas and Easter. I'm not sure I would call all of them Christians. In the South, they might be showing up for "Momma" or "Grandma" before the big holiday meal and not have too much interest in the practice of worship the other 363 days per year.  But then again . . .  This morning I sat next to a y...

 From Jonah Goldberg: I didn’t intend to write anything tied to Passover and Easter, but it occurs to me that both are celebrations of triumph over despair. Both start in darkness, the Crucifixion for Christians and the bondage of slavery for Jews. Both are wholly justifiable causes for despair. Jesus has been tortured and slain. The Jews, enslaved for generations, are on the brink of erasure as a people. But Christ rises, and the Jews rise up. Death is not final. The despair of slavery is not eternal. The Powers That Be, whether Roman or Egyptian, are not immutable, unconquerable forces foreclosing the possibility of hope. There is good work to be done, and the doing of it is a reward unto itself.

 From the famous S.M. Lockridge sermon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS2wPotScZY&list=RDQS2wPotScZY&start_radio=1  Already, but not yet. And Lent, the time of waiting, is over. 

  Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,             Guilty of dust and sin. But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack             From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning             If I lacked anything. "A guest," I answered, "worthy to be here":             Love said, "You shall be he." "I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,             I cannot look on thee." Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,             "Who made the eyes but I?" "Truth, Lord; but I have marred them; let my shame             Go where it doth deserve." "And know you not," says Love, "who b...

 Maundy sounds like "mundane" or a word that sounds like something sad, depressing, morose, lamenting.  But it relates to the command to love as shown in the washing of each other's feet.  How? The Latin word for commandment is "mandatum." Over time in French and Middle Engilsh, the vowel took on a different sound.  "A new commandment I give you, that you love one another," is the core. Some of the last words to his disciples!

I just figured out why I am not a darling of the literary world.  I don't use the "f-" word and I haven't written the gritty story of my life. Or the story of my gritty life.  The "f-word" is not forthcoming. Maybe some grittiness, though.