This novel with real-life roots is attracting readers nationwide
COVER STORY—Even before Laura Elizabeth reached the launch date of her new cozy mystery, All Is Now Lost, this week, readers of advance copies of her book have been spreading the buzz nationwide. There’s a theater group already planning to produce a version of her story. There’s a popular “book box” offering her novel with other goodies online. Clearly, readers nationwide already are enjoying this novel. Please, start with our Cover Story this week about the launch of Laura’s novel.
Then, follow up by reading a second story about the new “book box” option. How did her novel become part of a book box? Laura’s debut novel was chosen by a minority-and-woman-owned small book-box business based in Arizona.
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From Our Authors
‘Shining Brightly’
Howard Brown’s doctor pulls his port
AND WE’RE ALL CELEBRATING! If your family has struggled with cancer, you may already be smiling at this headline. Having a “chemo port” removed is a major milestone in recovery for cancer patients after a years-long battle with the disease. Author Howard Brown, a two-time survivor of stage IV cancer, works every day to help struggling patients and their families find hope. That’s the theme of his memoir, Shining Brightly. Please enjoy this new Shining Brightly podcast in which Howard talks about this major milestone. It’s an inspiring story—including links to some very helpful information—that you can share this week with friends who may be battling cancer.
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Larry Buxton
Remembrance of Things Past
FOR MILLIONS of AMERICANS, “9/11” remains an emotionally challenging day. We know that, since 22 years have passed, most college seniors now were not even born when airplanes crashed into New York City’s “twin towers.” Still, this is a milestone of reflection for so many families and, this year, for Jewish families the spiritual disciplines of the High Holy Days also are close to this 9/11 memory of national tragedy.
Millions are surfacing and savoring memories this week—often opening unexpected vistas from our past. That’s what author and leadership coach Larry Buxton discovered when the leader of a writing class he was taking at Chautauqua this year asked participants to begin writing from the prompt of a single image.
If you are interested in learning more about Larry’s work, consider ordering a copy of his book, Thirty Days with King David: On Leadership.
To read more about how millions of American families are living with memories of 9/11—and to find journalist Bill Tammeus’s pragmatic recommendations for “unplugging extremism”—order a copy of his book, Love, Loss and Endurance.
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Holidays & Festivals
Sweetly greeting the New Year 5784
ROSH HASHANAH STARTS SUNSET on FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 15—Holidays & Festivals columnist Stephanie Fenton reports on the Jewish New Year, which starts the period known as the Jewish High Holy Days. Yom Kippur starts at sunset on Sunday, September 24 this year. And, yes, as always, Stephanie has gathered some wonderfully delicious links to holiday recipes.
THE BUZZ on SUPERHEROES and BEES—Also, Stephanie’s Rosh Hashanah column this week includes two unusual news items: Did you know there’s a popular Marvel super hero who’s Jewish—and he’s starring in a special Rosh Hashanah cartoon for kids on Disney+ this week? And, did you know that urban beekeeping is booming in New York City, especially at Rosh Hashanah? Again, Stephanie has the news in her New Year column.
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And for Jains, September brings Paryushan Parva
THIS ANNUAL PERIOD OF FORGIVENESS AND RENEWAL is one of the most important festivals in the Jain year, as Stephanie Fenton explains.
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WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS?—It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com
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Click on this collage to learn more about the September 2023 issue of Ed McNulty’s Visual Parables Journal, packed with faith-and-film movie reviews and discussion guides. The September issue includes such popular movies as Golda, Sitting in Bars with Cake, Daughters of the Dust, War Sailor and The Hill.
Faith & Film
ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with discussion guides to films. This resource is used coast-to-coast by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.
Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:
- THE GOOD MOTHER—Ed writes, “Both Hillary Swank and Olivia Cooke give their all to their respective roles.” Ed recommends this film about a range of dramatic challenges from writer’s block to how drug addiction can challenge relationships.
- SITTING IN BARS WITH CAKE—”I love it when a film far exceeds my expectations, as this MGM-Amazon produced film did. What I thought would be an amusing boy-meets-girl flick turned out to be a deeply moving celebration of a friendship between two young woman.”
- MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3—”Those crazy Greeks are back, even though the one who claimed they invented everything is missing.”
- THE POPE’S EXORCIST—”Julius Avery’s film is based on the writings of real life Father Gabriele Amorth, the Catholic priest who served for 30 years as the head exorcist of the Diocese of Rome. Despite this, it stretches to the breaking point our acceptance of the title card ‘Based on true events’ at the beginning of the film.”
- GOLDA—”Reactions to this film have been mixed, though the majority of critics have praised Helen Mirren’s remarkable performance, enhanced by prosthetics and wig, as the title character.”
- JULES—”Director Marc Turtletaub’s film is a modest tale about a 79-year-old widower living in a small western Pennsylvania town. With a plot similar in some ways with E.T. or Close Encounters…, it is less a science fiction film than it is a parable of aging and loneliness.”
- THE LAW ACCORDING TO LYDIA POËT—Ed highly recommends this new Netflix series about Italy’s first female lawyer.
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