Sunday Snippets – September 1

Image copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Image copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Join me, along with other Catholic bloggers, at RAnn’s Place for Sunday Snippets where we share posts from the previous week. Contributors are also asked to answer the “Question of the Week.”

This week’s question: With which ministries/activities within your parish are you involved? I am a lector at my parish, but my husband and I also teach Natural Family Planning and work on the marriage preparation team for the diocese.

In Name Only, Stealing Jenny Photo Endorsements

Catholic Writers Retreat

7 Quick Takes Friday – Volume 86

7 Quick Takes Friday – Volume 86

7_quick_takes_sm1Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at Conversion Diary for 7 Quick Takes Friday.

1. It’s Not About the Nail
Brilliant video about men-women relationships/communication:

2. Catholic Writers Retreat
Are you a Catholic writer/author? Check out the Catholic Writers Retreat that will be taking place in October in Michigan.

3. Mary of Nazareth
We had the opportunity to see this trailer (and the movie) at the Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show. Unfortunately, I didn’t actually get to see the movie, but I’m looking forward to seeing it soon. It has endorsements from many well-known Catholics!

4. Jean Heimann
One of the huge advantages of attending the Catholic Writers Conference is the chance to meet online friends. Jean has been a wonderful online friend since 2006 when she kindly reviewed my first book. JeanH

5. Recent Photo
My sister took this photo of me recently on our trip to Margate, NJ. We were stopped at a light lest you think I was posing while I should have been driving! IMG_0761

6. Reading Shelf
The Haunted Cathedral – Antony Barone Kolenc
Classroom Management for Catechists – Jennifer Fitz

7. After Day 20 Cartoon

Cartoon copyright James and Ellen Hrkach/Full Quiver Publishing Please do not use without permission

Cartoon copyright James and Ellen Hrkach/Full Quiver Publishing Please do not use without permission

copyright 2013 Ellen Gable Hrkach

Catholic Writers Retreat

Logo-New badge (2)“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven….” (Ecclesiastics 3:1)

Come away for a time in the beautiful autumn of Michigan. Do you need time to flesh out a book? Working on a current manuscript that needs to be completed? Do you want to redefine your writing style, expand or find new avenues to express God’s way in your work, or simply need time away to center yourself as a writer?

The Catholic Writers Guild is sponsoring Your Word is my Delight; A Catholic Writers Retreat, October 13-17, 2013 at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt, Michigan. Because of a generous grant from a private donor, we are able to offer our retreat at half the price of most writing retreats–$450 includes food and lodging for five days in a modern facility.

This retreat offers you time to write…a lot of time. Your days are open for you to do as you wish. You can walk the 95 acre site, write in the privacy of your room, go to Reconciliation and attend daily Mass and Adoration. There is a library on-site for research, and a daily speaker on the topic of content evangelization. There will also be an opportunity for you to schedule an appointment to pitch your book with Lansing-based publisher, FAITH Catholic.

It is a season for drawing dawn into the autumn of the year, to settle into a slower pace and write. Come and find your voice.

For more information, click here.

Sunday Snippets – August 24

Image copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Image copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Join me and other Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s Place for Sunday Snippets where we share posts from the previous week. RAnn has just started asking a question each week and this week is: “What is your favorite hymn that you hear/sing at Mass?”

My favorite hymn is “O God Beyond All Praising.”

Here are my posts:

7 Quick Takes Friday – Volume 85

Emily’s Hope and Stealing Jenny Photo Endorsement (thanks to Erin McCole Cupp)

For more Snippets, click on the link to RAnn’s place above.

7 Quick Takes Friday – Volume 85

7_quick_takes_sm1Friday is here again (where did the week go?) and it’s time for 7 Quick Takes. Check out more fun Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.

1. Memorable Moments from the Catholic Writers Conference Live
Check out my recent post at the CWG Blog entitled “Memorable Moments from the CWCL.”

Treasurer and Conference Coordinator Ann Lewis and myself at the CWCL

Treasurer and Conference Coordinator Ann Lewis and myself at the CWCL

2. Don’t You Forget About Me by Erin McCole Cupp
Final edits and preparations to publish Erin McCole Cupp’s upcoming novel, Don’t You Forget About Me, are happening as we speak. Erin passed out free tomato pie at the Catholic Writers Conference (and I must say, it was very scrumptious…I actually prefer it to pizza…although I usually stay away from wheat.)EMCsm

3. Successful Kindle Marketing for the 21st Century Author
My presentation on “Successful Kindle Marketing” went well and the attendees even participated in a game called “Snowstorm” (second photo below).conf19EGHKindlepresentation3

4. We’ll Be Warm This Winter
Just received our yearly delivery of logs for the winter.IMG_0840

5. Our “Pope” Picture
At the Catholic Writers Conference/CMN Trade Show a few weeks ago, we posed with the best cardboard cut out of the Holy Father that I’ve ever seen. Even standing in front of this double of the Pope, and knowing it was merely a cardboard cut out, we were amazed at how lifelike it was!

copyright James Hrkach

copyright James Hrkach

6. Reading Shelf
A Body in Prayer – Neil Combs
Finding Grace – Laura Pearl

7. Be Fruitful, Multiply (Classic Cartoon)

Image copyright James and Ellen Hrkach (Please do not use without permission)

Image copyright James and Ellen Hrkach (Please do not use without permission)

Cartoon copyright James and Ellen Hrkach/Full Quiver Publishing
Text copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Sunday Snippets – August 17

Image copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Image copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s Place for Sunday Snippets, where we share posts from the previous week.

I’ve missed a few weeks of Sunday Snippets because we’ve been away.

In Name Only Endorsement

7 Quick Takes Friday – Volume 84

Special thanks to Barb, “Franciscan Mom,” for this wonderful review and photo endorsement of Stealing Jenny!

7 Quick Takes Friday – Volume 84

7_quick_takes_sm1Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at Conversion Diary for 7 Quick Takes Friday.

It’s been a whirlwind two weeks with visiting family in New Jersey, then helping to organize the Catholic Writers Conference Live (held in conjunction with the Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show) in Somerset, NJ. I gave three presentations, organized the CWG Booth and basically spent 16 hours a day on my feet. It was a great two weeks, but understandably, I’m exhausted. I met many new people and connected with long-time friends. More on the conference and trade show in upcoming posts.

1. Cool Odometer Reading (again, it’s kilometers, not miles) IMG_0751

2. Famous Philly Water Ice Place
Special thanks to my cousin for treating me to some delicious water ice.

photo copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

photo copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

3. Lucy the Elephant, Margate NJ
When I was a child and my family visited Margate, NJ, I was always in awe of the giant elephant, Lucy. Back in the 60’s, however, it was in disrepair. Thankfully, in the 1970’s, it was restored and, since then, it has been a popular attraction in the seaside town.

photo copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

photo copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

4. View from the Top of Lucy

photo copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

photo copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

5. EWTN Live Radio Interview at the CMN
For me, one of the highlights of the Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show was being interviewed live on EWTN radio:

photo copyright James Hrkach

photo copyright James Hrkach

photo copyright James Hrkach

photo copyright James Hrkach

6. Reading Shelf
My reading/review shelf now has an additional 40 books, thanks to the publishers who gave away books at the Catholic Marketing Network’s “Author Reception” and various author signings throughout the Trade Show. Here are two of the best books that I received and will be reviewing in upcoming posts:

Treason by Dena Hunt (Outstanding Catholic novel! Review coming soon!)
The Miraculous Medal: Stories, Prayers and Devotions by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle

7. EWTN Bookmark
I was interviewed briefly again by Doug Keck for EWTN’s Bookmark and I spoke about the Catholic Writers Guild’s Seal of Approval process.

photo copyright James Hrkach

photo copyright James Hrkach

Copyright 2013 Ellen Gable Hrkach