Do you paint, or are you an artist?

Do you sing, or are you a musician?

And why does it matter how you describe yourself?

We tend to assume that only people who meet some arbitrary benchmark — a completed novel draft, a publishing contract, a degree in creative writing — have the right to present themselves with a certain identity.

I have to be good enough to call myself a writer, an artist, a singer; and “good enough” is defined by some external approval. Perhaps you tend to describe your hobby with a caveat: “I love to write, but I haven’t published anything.” “I love to paint, but I’m not very good.”

It\’s time to let go of that thought process, because claiming your creative identity is actually an act of humility. Stay with me, I promise this will make sense in a few minutes.

In Romans 12:6, we hear “We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.” Saint Paul goes on to list the different charisms present in the early church, from prophesy to healing. His point was that not everyone has the same gifts.

Flip that statement around. You may not have the same gift as someone else, but you have a gift. (Or many gifts!) Graces have been given to you that allow you to give of yourself to others in some way. There are plenty of resources out there to help you identify what your gifts are, but chances are you already know. It’s the thing you’re drawn to, that brings you joy and life even when it’s hard.

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What does this all have to do with humility?

The true definition of humility is to see oneself as God sees you, to develop an accurate self-knowledge that encompasses the good and the bad. A humble person recognizes his virtues, not only his vices; his talents and gifts, as well as his shortcomings. A humble person also recognizes that as she moves through life, if she puts a little extra work in here or there, she can improve on her talents and overcome her flaws. Pride locks us into thinking that the skills we have now are all we will ever have; humility allows us to learn and grow.

When we set aside those nebulous benchmarks we talked about earlier, we can begin to recognize the gifts we have been given and the passions that draw us to one creative act or another. If we rely on “but” phrases, not only do we undermine our God-given talents in conversation with others — we also undermine the way we value our own gifts. In other words, every time you say “I love to paint/sing/write/draw, but…” you’re less able to encourage yourself, move through obstacles, learn complex skills, and achieve your goals.

Step one, no buts allowed.

But — sorry! — how do we accurately assess our abilities without relying on that three-letter word? Use “and” instead.

“I love to paint, and I’m learning watercolors!” “I’ve written a lot of nonfiction, and I’m learning to write fiction!”

Can you hear the excitement in these statements? They acknowledge that you haven’t reached your goal yet, and they’re no longer weighted down by the discouraging negativity of “but.” Not only are you communicating your passion and desire for growth, you’re encouraging yourself at the same time, and leaving your mind and heart open for continued learning. In other words, you’re becoming more humble.

Let’s go back to those arbitrary definitions of creative identities.

What makes a writer or an artist?

Anyone who does describe themselves as a writer will tell you their craft comes from a daily habit of writing. A musician spends hours in the practice room, and an artist has taken class after class to develop an eye for color or a new medium. Only those on the outside looking in assume that a creative identity is a happy accident.

Here’s your reminder that your creative identity is a choice. If you are choosing to write, you are a writer. If you are singing, you are a singer. When you choose to use the gifts you’ve been given, you are choosing to step into the identity the Lord has prepared for you. It’s a choice that only you can make, and it can’t be taken away from you.

I’ll leave you with this thought from Pope Saint John Paul II’s Letter to Artists:

How are you choosing to craft your life today?

Love,

R

Originally posted on rebeccawmartin.com some eons ago.

1. They are properly referred to as the Pontifical Swiss Guard, and their motto is Acriter et Fideliter, “Fiercely and Faithfully.”

2. They are an official unit of the Swiss military, and one of the oldest military units in continuous operation. The Guard was established in 1506 by Pope Julius II, because Swiss mercenaries were the best of the best. The Pope needed an independent unit of soldiers willing to defend him, given that it’s been historically in the best interest of a number of countries to try and control the papacy. This is reflected in the title Pope Julius II gave them: “Defenders of the Church’s Freedom.”

3. Lest you think all they do is stand around and look pretty, allow me to correct this misconception. On May 6, 1527, 147 of 189 Swiss Guards gave their lives to secure the safe escape of Pope Clement VII. That’s all but 42 men — the ones who got the Pope out of Rome. Every other man fought to his last breath to give enough time for the escape. Their last stand was near the German Cemetery, the Campo Santo Teutonico, on the south side of St. Peter’s Basilica. (This is so metal there’s a song about it…)

4. Lest you still think that all they do is stand around and look pretty, please know that they are an elite protective security unit, similar to the US Secret Service. They carry guns and pepper spray, they accompany the pope in plain clothes outside of Vatican City, they are armed with modern weapons, and they know what to do with them. They train with Swiss and Italian police and military and continue that training throughout their service. They are trained in everything from counter-terrorism to medical evacuation to etiquette. Every single one of these men has sworn to lay down his life for the Successor of Peter, and I have no doubt they’d go down fighting just like the guards in 1527. (Remember the assassination attempt on Pope St. John Paul II? Well, the Guard does. Vividly. And the reason you haven’t heard about any other attempts is because they are good at their jobs.)

6. While all Swiss men are required to serve two years in the military, the Swiss Guard are an entirely volunteer unit. In order to even put in an application, you have to be an unmarried, Catholic, Swiss male between 19-30 with your two years of military service, in excellent mental and physical health with an impeccable reputation, at least 5’ 8.5” tall, and willing to commit to at least 27 months of service. (That’s basically your 2-3 months of training plus two years of actual work.)

7. They have a band. That’s it, that’s the fact, they have a band and it makes me happy. (Also there is something about a guy wearing a steel morion helmet but also wearing glasses and playing a clarinet that delights my soul.)

8. Switzerland has four official languages, French, German, Italian, and Romansh. What language you speak depends mostly on which canton you come from, so the Guard is pretty well multilingual, but their training includes Italian language classes, since Italian is the official language of Vatican City and quite necessary for their work. That’s also why it’s hard to find directly English sources for a lot of Guard stuff—their recruitment pages, for instance, are not in English.

9. The experience in the Guard is unlike any other. The pay isn’t great, but recruits become part of a tight-knit community of men who stay connected to each other their whole lives, with former guards mentoring the younger guards. They live in the heart of the Church and experience a vast array of cultures and people. They get to travel across the world with the pope. They get Vatican citizenship. They get the kind of training that basically fast-tracks you into a variety of careers after you leave the service. They get to be part of a 520-year-old legacy. Am I slightly jealous, as a 32-year-old, married, American, Catholic1 woman who isn’t Swiss enough for citizenship and is about an inch too short anyway? Maybe.

10. Last but not least, I really hope you know this one but the myth is repeated so often on the internet. NO THE UNIFORMS WERE NOT DESIGNED BY MICHELANGELO. They were based off of 16th century depictions of early Swiss Guard uniforms, but the design was instituted in the early 1900s. In fact they have several different uniforms, of which I think I described three in Love in the Eternal City: the gala uniform, the exercise uniform, and the presentation uniform. They also just wear more basic blue fatigues for training. Pictures here.

I keep discovering more and more cool details about the Swiss Guard, and I can’t possibly share them all here! But I owe a debt of gratitude to and her husband , a former Swiss Guard under Pope St. John Paul II, for all the random questions they have answered for me! Including the ones that were answered by “Due to operational security we can’t answer that.” (Those were the best. Also, aren’t they absolutely adorable?)

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If you want to do a little of the deep dives I’ve done, here’s a few recommendations:

The Pope and the CEO by Andreas Widmer

The Pope’s Army: 500 Years of the Papal Swiss Guard by Robert Royal

The Too-Tall Swiss Guard by Michelle Widmer-Schultz

The Swiss Guard’s own website, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram (whoever their current media guy is, he is GOOD. They have fantastic social media.)

This treasure-trove, an annual report from 2024 full of statistics, pictures, and fascinating sidebars

This forty-minute documentary

And honestly the Wikipedia article is a pretty decent summary, though occasionally slightly out of date

And hey, there’s always my book, though I can’t say it’s an authoritative source…

Love,

R

So…let me tell you a story.

When my husband and I got married back in 2020, I thought I was dealing with burnout. Turns out, what I was actually dealing with was clinical depression, which took me a year, a bucketful of tears, and a lovely therapist to discover. With the encouragement of said therapist and my husband, in spring of 2021 I finally made the choice to start taking a basic antidepressant, a sort of easy entrance-level one with lots of research around it and few side effects.

I took it, not sure what to expect but holding out a little hope. Several weeks followed while the chemicals did their silent chemical thing in my body.

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One day in June, I went to the library. I sat at a table, did some computer work, and looked out the window at the flowers in the garden.

Suddenly, and when I say suddenly I need you to imagine an anvil falling from a clear blue sky onto a cartoon character’s head, it occurred to me that I was having a weird and unfamiliar sensation. I took out mental flash cards of all the emotion words I knew (I have a good vocabulary) and sorted through until I found one that fit: delight. I watched the bright flowers gently waving in the breeze, illuminated by sunshine, and I nearly cried because I hadn’t felt delight in so. freaking. long.

The best I can do to explain it is to imagine the sun breaking through a cloudy sky that has been cloudy for so long you forgot that gray wasn’t its normal color. Some days were brighter, some darker, but for a year or two they had been always, always gray.1

About six weeks after this, I woke up in the morning with a vivid dream in my mind, involving a sorcerer who could turn into a dragon. The scene sort of stuck, like a piece of tape that you shake off your fingers but it sticks to your clothes and then you try to put it in the trash but find it on your arm. I found myself wondering about that sorcerer, about the great stone hall I’d seen him in, the girl he’d been arguing with, and the tension I knew lay between them. Later that day I opened up a Google doc and started typing. Within a few hours I had an outline of a novel.

Let’s back up for a sec. I have always been an avid reader. My family are readers, my husband loves books, I’ve hung around with readers and authors my whole life and for Pete’s sake my entire job was being an editor and working with books. But I knew, bone-deep, that I could never write fiction. Non-fiction? You betcha. Articles, Gospel reflections, letters, absolutely. Stories just didn’t work. I admired others’ creativity but knew I’d never be one of them.

Then the dragon-sorcerer book started unfolding. That fall, I signed up for NaNoWriMo (rest in peace, flawed but helpful program) and…um…I wrote 100,000 words in 30 days.2

The next year, after desultorily reading about a million clean or Christian contemporary romance novels, I had sort of figured out the formula (technically, the plot structure and genre expectations.) So when I got around to NaNoWriMo again, I thought “Huh. I wonder if I can write one of those cute romances.”

Long story short, I did. I wrote another 100,000 words that November of what turned into Love in the Eternal City which turned into a trilogy and here we are.

Dealing with my mental health wasn’t easy to begin, and it hasn’t been easy to maintain. But that first step toward healing unlocked a whole new part of my brain that I believed with my whole heart simply didn’t exist.

I wonder sometimes why this calling — it is a calling — had to come by way of clinical depression. The answer I come back to, again and again, is that the Lord’s plans are good. Confusing and occasionally maddening, but good. In this season of Easter, may my experience of a little death and resurrection be an encouragement in whatever you, dear reader, are struggling with.

Can I pray for you this week? Please comment and let me know!

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As to why I ended up writing about the Pontifical Swiss Guard…well, stick around, and I’ll tackle that in my next Substack.

Love,

R

Step One

Assume it will be easy. You wrote the first book, remember? And it went like a breeze! All those positive comments you’ve gotten from people! You’ve got this in the bag. (Pro tip: Make sure you forget all the trials and tribulations of book one, including but not limited to the existential crisis response to first edits.)

Step Two

Skip reading the first book again. After all, you wrote it, and revised it, and revised it again, so you definitely remember all the details you gave to your characters and their backstories, as well as the background relationship you gave the side characters. And besides, you might not like the first book if you read it again, so better to plug ahead without it. You’ll be fine.

Step Three

Spend some time contemplating the flexibility of time. It is, of course, nothing but a “big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff,” per Doctor Who, an authority on these matters.

Step Four

In corollary to Step Three, give yourself three months to write, but really just write your sequel in the last month and then be two weeks late submitting your manuscript. (Weeks? Months? See above.) This will definitely not mean you have to put extra time into revisions later.

Step Five

Stop marketing your first book while writing #2. Those who have read it have read it, and besides, the best way to market a book is to write another one! You can get back to that pesky audience-building stuff later.

Step Six

It will be absolutely fine if you switch jobs twice in the year you’re supposed to be writing and revising and marketing. Not to worry. You are, after all, impervious to stress, and you sail through life blissfully unaffected by your circumstances.

Step Seven

Absolutely, above all, remember that your house will take care of itself and it matters not whether you do laundry or empty the dishwasher. The Good Editorial Fairies will take care of all that.

They say a Substack post should have a conclusion. If you have not drawn your own by the end of this post, you may join me in the Existential Crisis Lounge for the Existential Despair flight taking off in five minutes.

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Love,

R

• What makes this book special? What makes it click?

• Dang I love this character. Why do I love him/her so much?

• I just laughed — what was so funny about that line?

• What makes this book SO GOOD?

This approach is a reversal of my editorial sense. After 10+ years in publishing and communications, Editor Brain never really turns off. When I read or listen as an editor, I’m standing in place of the reader, and I’m looking for how a book can better connect with me in order to convey the story or message. I have an eye out for lines that don’t land, characters that are flat, words that don’t fit, scenes that don’t blend.

As I’m developing my writing voice, on the other hand, I’m taking books that are good, which I connect with as the reader. I already love the story and have heard the message. Now I’m trying to reverse-engineer the process, figuring out what choices the author and editor made that help the book sparkle. Sometimes that’s just absorbing and wondering, but sometimes I can point to specific narrative or linguistic elements that I love. A character who resonates might do so because of the vulnerability or relatability she shows. A line might stand out to me with the insight it shows into humanity, or a quip might be laugh-out-loud funny because of clever wordplay.

What do I do with that? I’m not embarking on a particular strategy with these insights, but I am hoping that this curiosity will serve me as a writer. I’ve spent a long time learning what not to do, and coaching other authors on what to do. Now, I’m taking the positive approach, and in the process hoping that my authorial voice will continue to improve. I do intend to write more about authorial voice at some point so here’s your cue to…

Now, read on for a few books with which I’ve been refreshing my brain when I’m not working or writing (and sometimes when I should be doing the latter.) These are in reading order rather than preference order, and are about…oh, 25% of what I’ve actually read in the first quarter of the year. How oh how are we IN APRIL ALREADY.

Quick PSA, entirely unsponsored: I use Fable for my book tracking. I’ve used and like a number of different book-tracking apps, but this happens to be the one I’ve used most consistently the last couple of years. Come follow me over there if you’d like!

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter

by Heather Fawcett

Look at that lovely cover! Heather Fawcett’s newest title is a spin on Howl’s Moving Castle, set in 1920s Montreal. A young widow hunts for a location for her cat shelter, and finds the perfect place—except that there’s a sorcerer in the basement. There are cats, there is magic, there is time travel, and Agnes is extremely relatable with her love for checklists and cats (the way the character is written, she might actually be autistic?) At times it felt a little too much like Diana Wynne Jones fanfiction, and I wished it had been a bit more original, but it was such a fun read.

The Wild Card (Sheet Cake #4)

by Emma St. Clair

I always like Emma St. Clair’s books — she’s one of the authors who introduced me to clean contemporary romance outside of the Christian market. This book marries off the last of a set of siblings in a pretty well-done fake dating scenario. The family aspect—and the way all the guys challenge each other to be good men—are great. And it is what it says it is, a sweet small-town romantic comedy! I’m looking forward to the last book in this set.

The Orb of Cairado

by Katherine Addison

Of course I had to pick up this novella, given my obsession with The Goblin Emperor. It was a good mystery and I enjoyed diving back into that universe. I was a little disappointed with the audiobook narrator, however, so I’m planning to reread the ebook at some point. And the solution to how the puzzle-maker and the murderer tie together felt like an LGBT deus ex machina. Do I recommend it? Probably only if you are as obsessed with the universe as I am. It’s included here more as a follow-up to my recommendations of the other books in the series.

Tempests & Tea Leaves

Rachel Morgan

Instagram made me do it, and I’m not mad. I saw this series floating around my corner of the internet, and decided to give it a try when I needed a light read for a work trip in March. This is the first of three right now but I think the series will be up to five or six books in time. Of the first three, this was my favorite, the second was fine, and I had a few annoyances with the third, so while I plan to read them all, this is the one I can recommend whole-heartedly! I leave you to assess the others. It’s a Regency-inspired fantasy with witty writing and thoughtful relationships.

The Other Bennet Sister

by Janice Hadlow

This one was an unmitigated success and sheer delight. If you love Pride and Prejudice and have, like me, wondered a little sympathetically about the awkward middle sister Mary, I loved this book. It took its time tracing Mary’s very intentional personal development. Mary has a very logical approach to life, which is badly skewed by the imperfections of those whose love she is striving to attain, and takes a dose of healthy, unconditional family love to straighten out. The slow-burn romance is well done, and I have some thoughts percolating on that which I’ll save for another Substack!

Howl’s Moving Castle

by Diana Wynne Jones

After Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter, I desperately wanted a reread of one of my all-time favorite books and movies. I picked up the audiobook on Spotify (narrator gets five stars all her own) and remembered just how much I love Diana Wynne Jones’ writing. It’s clever, immersive, entertaining, but with a sort of colorful clarity, like looking through a stained glass window.

Your Turn!

What have you been reading lately? Any titles that you particularly love?

What should I read next?

Blessed Easter!

Love,

R

Eventually I finish a semblance of a novel, send in the first draft to my editors (often quite late…), and wait. During that time, I delude myself into thinking that perhaps it was far better than I thought and really, the revisions should be easy.

Then I get the editorial letter and…

***CUE EXISTENTIAL CRISIS***

INTERNAL SCREAMING

EXTERNAL SCREAMING

WAILING AND GNASHING OF TEETH

Internal dialogue along the lines of:

How did I miss that? What was I thinking? Why did I not [re-read the first book/write a character sketch/discuss the plot with anyone other than myself] before I turned it in? This is a disaster!

That’s followed by something of a spiral into artistic despair, which is usually solved only by way of chocolate and a conversation with my editor who assures me that everything will be fine, I don’t need to scrap the entire manuscript and all my dreams. And, simultaneously, that I don’t have to enter into pitched battle with her to save the pieces I think are essential.

Eventually I take a deep breath and get down to business.

Step One: Read the Notes

My brain wants nothing more than to skim all the feedback, so as to avoid any Negative Emotions. Step one (for me at least) is…well…don’t do that.

Every editor I’ve worked with is thorough, thoughtful, and genuinely encouraging even while he or she is carefully identifying the issues with my manuscript. It’s worth reading every piece of feedback I receive, because if I try and skim, I’ll miss crucial fixes as well as much-appreciated positive affirmation.

I then follow up with my editor(s) as needed. For Love in the Floating City, I have the gift of working with my dear friend Nancy Bechel, editor and book coach extraordinaire, who loves my stories and characters even more than I do. I’ve leveraged that with some deep brainstorming sessions to take her overarching notes and figure out practical solutions. When you’re working with a good editor, there’s always room for back and forth with mutual respect and collaboration.

Step Two: The Big Stuff

Developmental edits are my chance to make sure the themes, character arcs, major plotlines, romance beats, and genre expectations are all solidly in place. That takes a lot of big-picture thinking, making notes, hashing out possibilities, and looking for solutions that solve more than one problem at once.

Here’s an example. Most romance stories rely on forced proximity: putting two people close enough together that they can actually get to know each other and fall in love. If you’ve read my first book, Love in the Eternal City, that shows up as Elena’s newfound friendship with Rianna (putting her in closer contact with Beni) and Monsignor’s scheming to make Beni and Elena work together on the Annunciation Gala.

My problem with LFC is that Oscar and Rianna are 1) in two different countries and 2) already in a relationship of some sort after book one. In the first draft, I used the whodunnit plotline to create forced proximity, but my editor pointed out that everything felt rushed and the story was missing the romantic tension (and comedy) that it needs.

For this second draft, I’m rethinking traditional forced proximity in light of Oscar and Rianna’s existing relationship—essentially, chosen proximity. That lets me continue the series smoothly and allows some delightful romantic tension (and long-distance dating representation.)

Step Three: Scene by Scene

I find it’s easier to trace out the new beats for each character, the romance, and the whodunnit, before I begin weaving them together again. I spent the last week doing that with a notebook and pen in the middle of work travel. Now I’m at a point where I can start the actual rewriting process, retaining what works from the original and letting my imagination play within my refreshed vision of the story. I’ll go chapter by chapter, keeping an eye on my notes and my editor’s as I go, to make sure I catch all the changes that need to happen.

If new problems crop up, I’ll have another brainstorming sesh with Nancy or throw long WHAT IF??? voice messages her way.

Authorial Virtues Needed

Revisions are possibly even harder than writing the book in the first place. They’re best approached with gratitude, courage, and humility, and guided by a deep love for the readers who will be impacted by the book. I’m still working on all of those virtues!

Ultimately, what helps me stay grounded is remembering that this is one of several editorial rounds. I’m doing structural work now, and there will be time to come back and polish. I trust my editors to have my back, which lets me set aside the perfectionism that always threatens to freeze me.

I’m so grateful for the Eureka! moments that come during this phase of writing! They’re hard to share without spoilers, but when you figure out that one change that sorts out three problems at once…chef’s kiss.

Pray for me, I have a lot of work to do! I’m so excited about where this story is going, though, and I can’t wait to share it with you all. What else do you want to know about the editing process or story development?

Love,

R

Sourdough Adventures

Currently bringing me joy: a second-hand bread machine, and the successful rehabilitation of a dehydrated sourdough starter that’s been languishing in the back of a cabinet for the last five years. I doubt I’ll become one of those people who makes sourdough their identity, but I love the smell and taste of freshly-baked bread.

If you’ve got tips and tricks for a lazy sourdough baker, share ‘em! I’m also taking ideas for names for my starter. I require a terrible pun or literary joke to be involved.

Speaking of, have you read Sourdough, by Robin Sloan? It’s a hilarious and intriguing novel about a Michigan robotics engineer who moves to San Francisco and is given a probably-sentient sourdough starter.

Ready for an Oscar

For some reason, likely misplaced perfectionism, I’d avoided re-reading Love in the Eternal City for far too long. But when you’re writing a sequel it’s best that you don’t forget what shenanigans you dropped your characters into the first time around! And as it turns out, I’d forgotten some of the nuances of Rianna and Oscar’s backstory.

While writing the first draft of Love in the Floating City I got bogged down figuring out the plotlines, and I lost a little of Oscar’s delightful sense of humor in the process! I mean, how could I forget this bit of dialogue between Beni and Oscar?

“Rianna is visiting this week.”

“And you haven’t asked me to escort her around town while you are working, why? I am distressed. Grieved, mon ami. Have you no thought for my romantic destiny?”

That gets him a snort. “Ri told me that the next time I sprung you on her unawares, she would take the next flight back to Zug. Anyway. She’s been nagging me about dating again—”

“As have I. She’s a woman with the utmost sense, further proof the two of us are meant to be.”

Oh, Oscar. Such a brat. Of course the two of them are meant to be, but it won’t be easy!

Speaking of LEC, I have a very important question for you:

Not making any promises but…okay yes, I am making a promise! I’m getting closer to 200 subscribers here on Substack, and I’d like to celebrate by sharing a bonus scene I’ve had in the back of my mind for a long time. So…if you vote and share Virtuous Fluff, I’ll write the top pick once I get to 200 people. Do we have a deal? :D

Five-Star Reads

I just discovered these first two books in The Retired Assassin’s Guide series and they are GOLD. Set in small-town New Zealand, they follow the titular retired assassin and a mostly-retired art thief, solving murderers with the help of a gardener who can see ghosts, a long-suffering strait-laced detective, and a cat. Both volumes were precisely as hilarious and delightful as their titles and descriptions hinted! The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Amateur Theatrics is coming out in December and I’m not sure how I’m going to wait that long.

The cat’s yelling at me so it’s time to sign off. Back to writing, revising, and more writing!

Catch y’all later. (And don’t forget to share Virtuous Fluff with someone so I’m forced to write that bonus scene…)

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Love,

R

P.S. Did you catch my article over on ?

Caeli Catholic

A laywoman’s guide to creating a rule of life

Every now and then, I have the urge to buy a new planner and organize my life. I sketch out my ideal day, planning my time in tidy half-hour chunks and writing page-long to-do lists. If I control enough variables — if my time, actions, surroundings, and personality are all as tightly managed as a military campaign — I’ll finally be happy, right…

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3 months ago · 7 likes · Rebecca W. Martin

What is so attractive about romance? I don’t just mean in novels or tv, but real life.

Whether it’s the first dance at a wedding, or an elderly couple celebrating their 50th anniversary, or a heartbreaking story about young love cut off too soon, we find ourselves drawn to romance. Even the cynical can be won over by a story of true love.

It isn’t, despite what one might think from media saturation, all about sex and sexual attraction. That’s a surface-level titillation that sells pornography in the form of books and movies. Even when we consume that, it’s really not about sex at all. Deeper down—or maybe not so deep—our broken, wounded hearts crave the truth that romance grasps at.

Romance, in its most fundamental form, is love made visible.

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It’s the pursuit and surrender, the search and finding, the giving and receiving, the hurt and healing, the separation and union. It’s desire and desire fulfilled. It’s being loved no matter what and all the time, being seen and comforted in our darkest moments.

Whether we’re looking from the outside in or the inside out, the experience of romance in fact and fiction gives us hope.

Maybe someone out there loves me enough to make me the most important person in his life.

If it can happen to my great-grandmother or this fictional heroine, maybe my broken, lonely, unsatisfied, isolated heart can also find rest one day.

Sound familiar?

Even the happiest married folks know that their spouses are never quite enough. There’s always that need for more—more signs of affection, more romance, more connection, more reassurance that we’re loved no matter what.

Many of us are trained to demand that “more” from our fellow humans, and when we can never quite find enough, we get frustrated and angry. We blame others for not being able to give us what we need.

Chances are you know where I’m going here. You know as I do, at least intellectually, that there is one Person out there who fulfills all our romantic ideals. You are His most important person, the one He’ll give anything for, the one He’ll pursue endlessly and woo whole-heartedly. But for most of us (at least for me!) this is more head knowledge than heart knowledge.

And there we come to the invitation of Lent.

On Good Friday, our Lord makes the ultimate proposal of love, asserting once and for all His desire for an eternal relationship with us. But no romantic hero proposes in a vacuum. First he courts his beloved, inviting her into friendship with him, assuring her of her beauty in his eyes, connecting heart to heart with her, delighting in the joy of being with her.

It’s true that Christ’s courtship has been going on for our whole lives. But what if today, and for the next forty or so days, we actually paid attention to His romance? What if we looked for His gestures of affection, heard His whispers, rested in His presence?

What if we let ourselves fall in love too?

This is the third year I’ve faithfully tracked my reading, and it’s such a delightful habit that I think I’ll keep doing it. Scrolling through the titles in order, I can remember not only the story, but also the events and emotions that passed while I was reading it. In some months I have only a few titles recorded, because I was savoring audiobooks. In other months, I read dozens, which either means I had some extra downtime or I was binge-reading a particular author or series.

Where do I track my reading, you ask? This year, Fable.co, which I am enjoying so far!

Join me on Fable!

I read plenty of middling-to-good books with unmitigated enjoyment. But I have high standards for OH MY GOSH THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING PLEASE READ IT SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT TOGETHER. When I gathered up the highlights for this post, I spent some time thinking about what does put a book in that category. The four qualities I settled on are unique, excellent, fun, and virtuous. Hear me out! I promise the results are less pretentious than the list might sound.

Setting the Standard

Unique: I love genre expectations (I do write romance, after all.) Some authors can take genre expectations and make them shine, either with a unique premise or with an imaginative spin on the genre.

Excellent: For me, good writing encompasses not only good use of language, but also a compelling narrative voice, storytelling that grips and doesn’t let go, immersive world-building, convincing characters with strong development, and smooth pacing.

Fun: I’m not reading for philosophical conundrums or education. I read for fun. I want stories that delight and entertain, books that give me an escape from the day-to-day but also energize me to return to the ordinary. (This is the fluff part of Virtuous Fluff.)

Virtuous: Virtuous definitely doesn’t mean boring or preachy. I want to see characters grappling with the challenges and invitations of their lives. I hope for characters who learn (or fail, with consequences) to respond with virtue, whether that’s courage, friendship, foresight, or forgiveness. When I say I want a virtuous book, I want one that, in the end and by the mysterious magic of stories, is going to encourage me to be excellent.

Share Virtuous Fluff

What Made the List?

Without further ado, here are some simply delightful titles that I have to share with you. These are the books I’ve been raving about to anyone who will listen, so if I’ve talked to you in person kindly skim right by the glowing reviews if they start to sound familiar! They’re listed in the order of when I read them in 2025.

Note: Just because I’m recommending the book doesn’t mean it’s completely free of any issues or that I’m recommending anything the author ever wrote. Use your own research and discretion.

The Goblin Emperor, by Katherine Addison

This remains the only book in my life I have ever read twice, back-to-back. I read it in e-book form first and then immediately turned around and listened to it again. Honestly, might read it once more before the end of the year. The story follows a young man’s unexpected rise from ostracized exile to emperor over a court full of byzantine intrigue and ritual. It simultaneously manages to be tightly focused on Maia, the main character (A+ for lovability and angst) while also building an incredibly detailed and one-of-a-kind world.

Honorable Mention: Cemeteries of Amalo Trilogy

Spinoff series following a side character who’s so broken by his past, his friends have to sit him down and remind him that he has friends whether he likes it or not. Mysterious and delightful. The audiobooks are amazing.

The Voice We Find, by Nicole Deese

Sons of Scandal trilogy, Becky Wade

I discovered Deese and Wade this year, and immediately tagged their books as “what I want my writing to be when it grows up.” This is Christian fiction done right. Darn good stories that go deeper than surface level; romances that are truly love stories; faith that is neither infallible nor flippant. They’ve done what I’m trying to do with the Swiss Guard Romances, so if you like Love in the Eternal City you’ll love these.

Laertes: A Hamlet Retelling, by Carly Stevens

This book is the epitome of dark academia, and a Shakespeare nerd’s delight. Hamlet is, of course, the most popular of Shakespeare’s plays and therefore the one most argued about. Even though I knew exactly where everything would go and how it would end, Stevens spun Laertes’ tragedy into its own vibrant, heartbreaking story that I couldn’t put down. While I may not be 100% on board with all of her interpretive choices, this is one book I would love to see made into a movie because it’s just so lush and vivid.

Snake-Eater, by T. Kingfisher

For some reason Amazon decided to give me an ARC of this book, and I took it with glee. Kingfisher’s fantasy is awesome, but her horror writing is simultaneously spine-crawling and hilarious. Her characters never have to face evil alone, and this story (set in the American Southwest) pulls the main character into a community of beautiful oddballs who stay by her side no matter what. Kingfisher gets bonus points for creating one of the best priest characters that I’ve ever seen in a secular book.

The Secrets of Ormdale Series by Christina Baehr

Listen. If there’s one book you read from this list, let it be Wormwood Abbey. There is literally nothing objectionable in here and everything to love. I’ve been raving about it to anyone who will listen. Imagine if Northanger Abbey and How to Train Your Dragon had a baby: cozy historical gothic fantasy, wonderful family dynamics, a main character you want to be best friends with, and please just go read it. Tagging for getting me obsessed. Also, five star audiobooks, and there’s a spinoff series that just launched which I am thrilled about.

There’s another series I reread this year that I love too much to squeeze it into a paragraph, so that might be a post for January.

What should I read next year? What books made your year?

Tell me! I always need book recommendations. Oh, and have you read any of these titles? If so may we please discuss them over tea or cocoa? :D

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in 2026.

Love,

R

I have new followers! Hello! I’m glad you’re here. If you’re in search of fun, wholesome novels, you’re in the right place.

This month’s newsletter is mostly just a quick State of the Writer’s Desk and a preview of what’s to come.

I finished the draft!

The Sapphire Crown first draft (second draft? 1.5 draft?) is done. Phew! It’s rough and very late to my editor, but it exists. I hit major writer’s block about 3/4 of the way through, because I realized I’d been working so hard on the plot points that I’d dropped the character development. Then I got stuck feeling overwhelmed about all the fixes that will need to happen, and then I felt guilty about being stuck and late. You know, just the normal writer’s existential crisis. (If you’re new, TSC is my forthcoming Edwardian-inspired fantasy novel with WhiteCrown Publishing.)

After much creative angst, I’m satisfied with the plot points for now, and I’m looking forward to working through the rest of the improvements with the help of my editors. That concludes the second manuscript I needed to write this year, bringing me to about 200,000 words drafted! And, I’m happy to say, I’ve rediscovered something of the joy of writing. Deadlines are essential, but there is a certain point at which one wants to write because one can, not because one has to. Kudos to 4thewords for getting me back to fun this month (not sponsored, just me loving the site.)

Would you like a quick glimpse inside TSC? As a little treat?

“Comfortable shoes, I beg you, Vincent.”

My valet tied my cravat with a flourish and tipped his head to look me over. “I can’t allow you to wear carpet slippers to a formal reception, my lord.”

“Drat.” I sighed and resigned myself to, at least, the less stiff-and-pinching pair of my boots. Today’s duties required a great deal of standing. Why I couldn’t at least sit on my throne—not the most comfortable seat, but a seat—I did not fully understand, despite Martin’s lecture on correct etiquette when I had raised the question. It seemed that greeting two margraves, a dozen barons and baronesses, and a foreign delegation complete with eligible imperial princess required me to be as uncomfortable as possible.

As Vincent tied my boots, I let my mind return to the shadowed sitting room and the touch of Sira’s hand.

“Are you well, Your Highness?”

“Hm? What?”

“You stopped breathing for rather a while.”

“Oh, did I? Ha. No, no, everything is perfectly fine. Just thinking over the schedule for the day.” Martin would meet me in the throne room and assist with the receiving of our guests. I had asked Augusta to prepare Lia for a brief appearance at a state dinner this evening, the official welcome for Princess Zaralva and her retinue.

“You’re as ready as I can make you, at least. You’re Martin’s worry now.” Vincent ushered me out the door and wished me a good day. My guards fell in before and behind, and I was off to my... You’re not being executed, Gabriel. You just have to be polite and sociable to every noble in the entire country with enough funds to travel to Teigh for a week.

Thankfully, the Coulstons were at my side. Less thankfully, so was that rat Isidore Mulvahill. Martin kept him distracted while I welcomed Cecil and Felicia Harrington.

“What’s all this about Reapers?” Cecil bellowed at me, thereby undoing Martin’s good work.

“Yes, Gabriel, you’ve been remarkably taciturn after sending us a dire warning about murdered mages,” Isidore oozed into the conversation like a garden slug.

“I’ve been waiting to receive your reports,” I retorted. “Any sign of Reapers in Arlyn?”

“Not a whisker. Father stamped them all out years ago.” Not-at-all diplomatic subtext: and did a better job than your father.

“I’ve set my Guildhall to inquiring,” Cecil cut in. “No news yet, but those wizards will take an eternity to settle on whether there’s anything amiss or not. They have the self-preservation instinct of infants.”

Felicia, who had been chatting with Melba, returned to her husband’s side. “Are you insulting the mages again, dear?”

Cecil blustered and demurred. His wife led him off to speak to Magnus, leaving Isidore and me standing far too close to each other. Granted, in the same palace and possibly in the same march was too close, as far as I was concerned.

Listen, Gabriel really, really doesn’t like Isidore…

What am I working on next?

Well, while I wait for edits on Love in the Floating City and The Sapphire Crown, one of the side characters of TSC--the ocelot book, as my mother accurately refers to it--is demanding her own story. And, while three out of four villains were dealt with in TSC, the fourth villain behind the conspiracy was too complex to be finished off in one book. So Heroine #2, Lucia Kirkham, will have to contend with her devious, scheming mastermind of a second cousin, along with the rest of her very dysfunctional family, her own calling as margravine, and the numerous suitors lined up on her doorstep.

And her rabbits. Apparently Lucia breeds rabbits. Why? You’ll have to ask her; I personally have no idea yet. I foresee trouble with visiting ocelots.

Now for another life update.

Yes, I just started a new job in March and yes, I will begin a new new job on December 1. The circumstances are really a matter of God working in mysterious ways, and leading me to where I need to be next. Next, as it happens, is a role as Senior Copywriter for the Western Dominican Province. I’ve learned a lot in my time with Openlight Media, and I’m looking forward to supporting the Western Province friars on their communications team. (For a little peek inside, check out Sleigh Ride, an award-winning short documentary about their Alaskan mission.)

Somehow, I’ve gone from full-time editor with a little writing on the side, to full-time writer with more writing on the side! I’ll try and get back to monthly newsletters now that I’m not frantically finishing a manuscript.

Last but not least...

I’m terrible about marketing my books, but! If you’re in need of Christmas gifts for the small people in your life, may I recommend my two children’s books? They’re a joyful look into the vocations of the priesthood and consecrated life. Both are available through OSV Catholic Bookstore or any of your usual online retailers. (And if you’ve purchased a copy already, might I request an Amazon or Goodreads review? They’re gold for authors!)

• Father Drew, What Do You Do?

• Meet Sister Mary Margaret

Have a blessed Thanksgiving! May you enjoy lots of pie and time to read.

<3

R

It’s been an eventful couple of months—and by eventful, I really just mean that I’ve been glued to my computer for a few months now. And I can finally report success! Rianna and Oscar’s story is drafted and submitted to my editors at Chrism Press, thanks in no small part to the amazing Nancy Bechel who has been my alpha reader, book coach, and cheerleader through the whole process.

Writing this book was so different than Love in the Eternal City or The Sapphire Crown (read to the end for more about that one.) For one thing, I had to make sure of my continuity with LEC, while setting up the reader for book three, Love in the Buried City. Before copy edits I’ll need to do a deep read of LEC to make sure I haven’t missed anything.

For another, in the past I’ve bounced between chapters and scenes sort of as I feel like it, then gone back and pieced everything together into a whole draft. This book just refused to do that for me. I had to write start-to-finish, and if something wasn’t working, I stalled out until I could fix the problem. Nancy constantly reminded me to focus less on how I felt the story “had” to go, and more on what the natural reactions and inclinations of the characters would be in the situations I was putting them in. Every time, that was the solution to what I was perceiving as a pacing or plot issue.

I feel as if I’ve learned so much working on this manuscript. I’m fairly confident it’s a much better draft than what I turned in for LEC, so I’m actually excited to hone it now during the editorial process.

A change in title

The original title for this book, Love in the Glass City, has never quite sat right with me despite the fact that it was mostly my idea. I had multiple people ask what the Glass City was, and in the US, the answer that pops up on Google is Toledo, Ohio. Great city, but not the vibe I was going for. Also, the glassworks in Venice are all actually on the island of Murano, relegated there by a Doge who wanted to protect the main city from the risk of fire. It’s worked out to Murano’s advantage, allowing incredible techniques for mosaic and blown glass to be developed and preserved through the generations. (Rianna does go to and spend time in Murano.)

So, after conferring with the internet and my editors, we’ve switched the title to Love in the Floating City. That’s a much clearer reference to Venice for readers, and “the Floating City” is a real-life nickname for Venice.

How about a quick excerpt from Oscar’s POV?

In the warm summer evening, with street lights glinting off the water, Rianna and I stroll slowly along the canal. Gianni has become my new favorite person, delivering the two of us to a quiet gem of authentic Venetian cuisine—though, despite the skills of the chef, exotic sea creatures are not high on my list of favorite foods. But the opportunity to gaze at Rianna across a table for two? That’s worth any amount of indiscernible lumps of things that didn’t eat grass.

She’d taken my breath away when she stepped out of her hotel room for dinner, wearing a pale yellow knee-length dress and white denim jacket that highlighted her sun-kissed olive skin. Her hair falls loose in glossy waves down her back, though after an hour of meandering, the sea breeze has tangled the lighter strands. We’ve stayed a few inches apart since that first hug, but she’s drawn closer to me as we walk. We’ve talked of everything and nothing, solving the problems of the world but ignoring our own.

We emerge from a side-street onto the Piazza San Marco, and look down between the grand arches of the Palazzo Ducale to the lagoon beyond. Like every popular destination in Italy, it’s still bustling with tourists and street artists, and will be for hours yet.

“I always wondered if Venice was as beautiful as the guide books made it.” But really, I’m looking down at the woman who is more lovely than any building could be.

“La Serenissima, Queen of the Adriatic. She really is magnificent.”

I lead Ri to a bench looking out over the water and the faint starlight above. “You should see the stars at home. In Breilles, I mean. With nothing but fields and mountains, the sky is thick with stars at night.”

“It sounds beautiful.” Rianna’s reply comes so softly I almost don’t catch it. But when I glance over at her, she smiles at me and my breath catches. “Beni always talks about how much he loves your family and visiting the farm.”

“They’re not so bad.” Gopferteli, it’s becoming harder and harder to focus on friendship when all I want to do is kiss the girl.

What’s Next?

While I wait for the first round of edits on Love in the Floating City (still getting used to the new title but gosh that feels better), I’m heading hell-for-leather into the next book I need to submit: The Sapphire Crown, my Edwardian-inspired fantasy romance for WhiteCrown Publishing. It’s time to switch from turboprop planes, wedding planning, and Vatican City, to a world of sparkling blue magic, political intrigue, and, yes, ocelots. The book is very roughly drafted but needs a lot of work before I turn it in to my editors on August 15. (Eek. Send help and chocolate.)

In the meantime, I’m planning my friends’ wedding, working hard at the new job, and doing my best to stay cool in the summer heat.

Let me know what y’all think of the new title and excerpt. :)

Love,

Rebecca

Bonus: keep reading for a brief excerpt from Love in the Glass City!

Step One: Research

And by research, I mean discover two amazing Christian romance authors and binge-read everything they’ve ever written in the hopes that a little bit of their genius will rub off on you as you slap words on a page. Nicole Deese and Becky Wade write the way I aspire to. Their books are about people, first and foremost, and the romance genre expectations are at the service of getting to know complex people with complex emotions, life experiences, and faith journeys. Highly recommend Deese’s most recent release, The Voice We Find, and Becky Wade’s Memory Lane which I am currently very much enjoying.

Step Two: Research More

With the death of Pope Francis and the papal conclave, Swiss Guards have been all over the media in photos, videos, and articles. It’s been a great opportunity for me to get even more insight than is commonly available online. I also feel a little bit like a fond mama watching other people become fascinated by the guys I’ve accidentally adopted even though they’ve never met me.

Step Three: Read Positive Reviews

Sometimes when I’m in the depths of author doldrums (i.e. “why did I think that I could do this once much less twice” or “my gosh this book is never going to end”) I go and read my reviews and remind myself that people actually did like Love in the Eternal City and they probably won’t hate Love in the Glass City. I discovered this delightful review on Fable that made my day:

This book was an absolute masterpiece. The writer has a way of speaking to the soul, and I have no doubt that was through gifts from God.

Even better, Dappled Things published this amazing and author-tear-inducing review of LEC by my fellow Catholic novelist Sarah Greydanus. She captured everything I had hoped Beni and Elena’s story would do!

Glass City is turning out differently than I expected, and it seems to have a rather different feel than LEC. But I’m following the characters and the story where they want to go, and I’m pleased with the results! (Unless, again, I’m in the author doldrums.)

Step Four: Release a Different Book

My second (possibly last?) children’s book, Father Drew, What Do You Do?, released last month from OSV Kids! I’ve done an abysmal job of promoting it beyond handing copies to my parents and a few friends, but I’ve started spotting it in the wild on social media! Now to buckle down and do the marketing work.

Step Five: Celebrate Progress

For context, this is all in jest. I have, in fact, been writing as fast as I can. Unfortunately “as I can” is not as fast as I would prefer. But we’re getting there! I thought Rianna and Oscar’s romance would be challenged by Rianna’s commitment to her role at Rechsteiner Designs. But as it turns out, the obstacles to their relationship are caused by the deleterious effects of sin and shame. It’s turning out more compassionate than comedic, and I’m not mad about that!

For your enjoyment, I hope, here’s an unedited glimpse into the world of Love in the Glass City:

My phone vibrates on the desk. It’s probably Vati or Mamma, sharing their joy about our family news. I answer quickly, before the screen shows the caller name.

“I assume you’ve heard the news? Beni’s a melting pile of goo over here, it’s embarrassing.” Like a cannon shot through cardboard, the deep, laughing voice on the other end of the line breaks right through the barriers protecting my heart.

“Oscar, hi. Yes, they called me just before you came off duty.”

“He’s as giddy as a schoolboy,” Oscar pretends to complain. “But I’m a little jealous. It’s sweet watching him and Elena together.”

“They’re made for each other. I know what you mean.”

There’s a brief pause, in which I know what Oscar is thinking and he knows what I’m thinking and I know he knows what I’m thinking and he knows I know what he’s thinking…

“Anyway, I thought I’d call to share the excitement with someone who understands,” Oscar explains. “And ask if you need any help with the wedding planning. I might be Beni’s best man, but he hasn’t said anything yet.”

“Oh, you will be. Elena and I have already talked about the wedding party. You’ll be Beni’s best man and her sister Maeve will be her maid of honor.”

“Not you?” Oscar seems genuinely surprised. “Aren’t you best friends?”

“There’s best friends, and then there’s sisters. Elena was torn, but she and Maeve are only a few years apart in age and they’re close. And they’re not going to have a big wedding party, just the two witnesses. I told her it was fine, and really it is.”

“And here I was hoping to walk you up the aisle,” he teases, but gently, not flirting like he usually does.

“You can escort me to my pew,” I offer without thinking. I kick myself as soon as I say it. If he takes it as encouragement... “I’ll need a friend, Mamma will be busy crying on Vati’s shoulder.” There. That should keep the barrier up.

“Anything you need, Ri. Any time. You know that.”

“I know,” I say softly. “Thanks for calling, Oscar. Until later.”

“Later, Ri.”

I hang up, staring at the contact photo I have saved for Vice-Corporal Oscar Baldauf, a snapshot from a day we spent together three years ago before I left for the US. He’s grinning at me through the camera, head cocked to one side and a broad smile illuminating his face. He’s blond and light-skinned like many Swiss, but the summer sun added a light dusting of freckles to his cheeks. I remember the feel of his short-cropped hair under my fingers, the teasing glint in his hazel eyes, his hand in mine a bit rough with callouses. I swallow hard, wishing I still had the innocent joy of that day, wishing we could have nurtured our growing connection. But things happened, and…

I close the photo before I can be tempted to dive too deep into the past. But the memories keep playing in my head even as I pack up my leather satchel, lock the office door behind me, and head home an hour early.

That’s from the very first chapter! Many, many thanks to my alpha readers who are cheering me on, and to all you readers invested in Oscar and Rianna’s romance. Keep on praying for me, if you can spare a moment. St. Mary Magdalene is this book’s patron. Which, if you are a particularly nerdy and attentive Catholic, might give you a clue to the plot. ;)

Love,

Rebecca

*I’m pretty sure at least one editor is in fact reading this. Hi Marisa, hi Karen. Love you.

Since I’m deep in the midst of drafting Love in the Glass City (Book 2 of the Swiss Guard Romances), this month’s newsletter will be short and sweet.

Oscar and Rianna are taking me to places I’ve never been, from the Venetian lagoon to the Swiss Alps. There’s been a ton of research involved so I can try and make things as legit as possible! I want to develop a rich, authentic backdrop for Oscar and Rianna that can measure up to the way Rome was practically her own character in Beni and Elena’s romance.

So here, come learn some cool things with me!

• Wild haymaking is a huge part of Swiss agriculture, and involves taking the hay from practically-vertical mountain pastures—and transporting it down to the valleys by way of zip lines or helicopters!

  The nets, which farmers call Pinggel, used to be loaded onto sledges for transportation to the valley. Today, a common strategy in hay ball [sic] logistics is the zip line. In the canton of Uri with its steep cliffs, the whistling sound of flying hay nets can often be heard from afar. However, helicopters are the most efficient mode of transport for Pinggel – moving up to 1000kg of hay per minute. (Source)

• Tradition holds and evidence supports that St. Mary Magdalene, along with her brother Lazarus and another disciple named Maximin, ended up in France. St. Mary Magdalene’s remains are interred in the Basilica of S.-Maximin et La Ste.-Baume in the South of France. A four-hour hike away, up into the mountains, is the grotto where she spent the last thirty years of her life in prayer and penance. (More info)

• Venetian is actually its own language! And no, it’s not an Italian dialect, it’s actually its own language, also descended from Latin, and spoken throughout the Veneto region. (The Private Language of Venice, BBC)

• Speaking of Venice, La Festa del Redentore is celebrated with a pontoon bridge and a massive fireworks display, and is providing a gorgeous backdrop for ***SPOILERS*** (More about the Redentore celebrations and history)

• The Swiss Guard barracks are undergoing a much-needed massive overhaul, and if you want you can donate to the cause. This will allow for more Swiss Guards to get married and remain in the service! (not a spoiler) (yet) (maybe) (I haven’t finished writing) (Foundation for the Renovation of the Barracks of the Papal Swiss Guard in the Vatican)

• Some color printers add an almost-invisible pattern of micro tracking dots that were originally intended to deter counterfeiting. (Why printers add secret tracking dots, BBC)

Hope you enjoy! Excuse me while I continue torturing my characters. :)

—Love, Rebecca

Seven years — is that a long time? A drop in the bucket? Both? For me, at the moment, both.

Seven years ago, the Lord moved me from Ann Arbor, Michigan down to Fort Wayne, Indiana to begin work as an editor for OSV. It was so clearly a “God thing” — the perfect fit, the timing, the opportunity. And for the last seven years, I’ve been blessed with incredible opportunities, wonderful mentors and colleagues, and the chance to work on about 70 incredible books (and be involved with many others!) I can’t even begin to parse out all the ways I’ve grown as a human and as an editor, or number the author friends I’ve made.

Most days, I thought I’d stay forever. Occasionally, I joked about returning to the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist — my previous Ann Arbor employer — to become their editor as they moved into publishing books, curriculum, and other resources.

Five years ago, I moved back to Michigan after marrying my husband, and we landed not too far from the DSMME convent and offices. I’d pop in now and then to visit the Sisters and former colleagues. I carried on at OSV, doing exactly what the Lord wanted me to do and enjoying (almost) every minute of it. But, truth be told, every now and then the thought would pop up. “I wonder if the Sisters will need an editor at some point?” I never really thought twice about it, though, figuring the Lord would move me around if he needed to, but intending to stay at OSV for the foreseeable future.

But God doesn’t like to work with the foreseeable, does He?

Looking back over the last year or two, I can see where He was demolishing, renovating, reorganizing areas of my life. I went through periods of hurt and healing, failure and growth, and finally landed (somewhat painfully) in a place where He could open me to the possibility of a new adventure. And that was right when the Sisters — more specifically, Openlight Media — posted a new position on CatholicJobs.com.

The long and the short of it is, I’m moving from one dream job to another, leaving OSV to take a new role with Openlight Media as Director of Content and Communications.

I’m excited! This is a wonderful opportunity in many ways. But more than excitement, I have a deep sense of peace knowing that this change is precisely what the Lord wants from me right now. How it will all play out, I have no idea! It will be good, of that I have no doubt, but I’m definitely sad to leave my colleagues and the good work of OSV.

To repeat what I shared in an OSV editorial newsletter this week:

But grief is an invitation to gratitude. We don't mourn evil, so when we feel the draw to mourn, it's because there has been something good and worthwhile, a blessing that maybe we only recognize in the ending of it. If you've ever done a rubbing of tree bark or a gravestone, you know what it's like to see the imprint of what lies beneath coming clear on the surface, the essence of the thing transferred into an entirely different medium. Grief feels a bit like that constant rubbing which slowly leaves an imprint on the soul so that we can see clearly what it is we should be grateful for. Perhaps grief is really just a profound and unexpected form of joy, if we do it right.

Please pray for me as I embark on this new adventure! And as I frantically try to finish Love in the Glass City for my editor…

In Christ,

Rebecca

But there is a gift and a joy to looking back over a calendar year — if we're bringing ourselves and our stories into the clear, strong light of God. No lens required.

I'm not immune to the desire to turn my life around whenever a tidy calendar landmark presents itself. I've bought a new calendar for the wall and a planner for my desk. I've even started early on a few resolutions. More than anything, though, I've been trying to be open to and aware of what the Lord might have in mind for my new year.

I wrote recently on Instagram about feeling a tug from the Lord toward the word fearless. That's been joined with a renewed urge to read the Bible in the morning before checking my phone, a stronger devotion to my patron saint, and a few other bits and pieces of inspiration coming together into what I am considering my spiritual moodboard for 2025. It's all in the service of hope. I'm clinging to the knowledge that God's plan for me is good, even and especially when it seems excruciatingly hard.

It's been A Year. In some ways I've found healing, strength, and growth. In other ways I feel just as exhausted, overwhelmed, and broken. For the first time in my life I hit a wall I couldn't break through and I had to step back big-time to reset. I strengthened old and new friendships. I released my debut novel. I read over 200 books, from deep spiritual classics to fluffy indie urban fantasy. I spent more time in bed than in my whole college career, I think. I worked the National Eucharistic Congress and visited Santa Fe for the first time. I learned how to take care of my body and mind.

I don't have wisdom to share, conclusions to draw, or comparisons to make. I hardly even have strong emotions about the turn of the year.

What I do have is sheer, stubborn, sometimes stupid determination to keep putting one foot in front of the other until the good Lord calls me home. To keep striving and failing and suffering and laughing and writing and sleeping and praying and thinking. I don't know what this next year holds — I don't really want any warning, truth be told, I'll deal with it when I get there.

But hey, I figured out how to make an em-dash with my phone’s keyboard so that is a win. And 25 is my favorite number (5 squared, and since 5 is my second-favorite number…welcome to my brain.)

So it's going to be okay. And if not, well, Christ will eventually come again, which means that one of these days, I'll never have to deal with taxes again. Or death. But mostly taxes.

Happy New Year, y'all. Thanks for being here.

A few weeks ago, I briefly mentioned my other WIP, The Sapphire Crown (working title). As it turns out, my creative brain wanted to go play with Edwardian-esque magic and royalty, so I’ve been pulling that draft together from the bits and pieces I wrote over the last two years. I’m having so much fun diving into this world, which is growing ever more complex as I write. It’s 60% drafted which is super exciting.

(If you’re here for Swiss Guard content, never fear! It will come back in future newsletters.)

What’s The Sapphire Crown about, you ask? Well…

Disgraced mage Sira Firtree has been living in disguise since the Reapers — who murder mages to steal their power — destroyed her life. Prince Gabriel Remington, preparing to become the Archduke over the country of Eson, faces a complicated tangle of politics and single-fatherhood. When Sira intervenes in an accident involving Gabriel’s young daughter, the widowed prince and the disguised mage are drawn together. They must battle the Reapers’ growing reign of terror, while navigating political intrigue and their growing attraction for each other. But the Reapers turn out to be closer to Gabriel and Sira than they could have imagined, and betrayal threatens to end both their budding romance and Eson’s way of life.

Would you like to meet (some of) the characters? Good, because I want to introduce them to you!

(Yes, these are all AI. I have no visual imagination and no drawing skills. I’ll only be sharing these via email, not on social media.)

Top left— Prince Gabriel Remington, the ruler of the principality of Teigh, on his way to becoming Archduke of the whole country of Eson. He’s determined to be the best ruler he can, but he often feels overwhelmed by the complexity of his role and wishes he had more time just to spend time with his young daughter.

Top center— Sira Firtree, a.k.a. Augusta Snow, a young medical mage determined to survive anything the Reapers throw at her. Born into the minor nobility and educated in the Collegium of the Mage Guild, she’s a street-smart spitfire with a fierce loyalty to those she loves.

Top right— Princess Lia Remington, Gabriel’s daughter, is a sweet little girl who everyone loves. But with a busy father and a deceased mother, she’s close to becoming a spoiled brat until Sira comes along.

Bottom left— Martin Foucalt, the Dextro (right hand) of Prince Gabriel, handles most of the day-to-day running of the principality — and soon, the whole country. He’s incredibly capable and organized, and knows everything there is to know about politics.

Bottom center— Baroness Pearl Hamlein is a rich, up-and-coming young widow with her sights set on the eligible Gabriel. She and Sira share a complicated history…

Bottom right— Princess Zaralva of Samandura is the younger daughter of the Emperor of Samandura, whose armies are slowly approaching Eson’s borders as the empire absorbs much of the continent. She’s offered her hand to Gabriel in a marriage alliance, but such an agreement threatens Eson’s independence. Also did I mention she has a pet ocelot? Because why not. And she’s beginning to clamor for her own book. Zaralva, not the ocelot.

SO MANY LAYERS. There’s a plot and then there’s about five subplots. Maybe not that much, but…all this intrigue is a beast to try and sort out, much less articulate in a sensible way. I’m keeping notes of things that need to be adjusted later, but letting myself be drawn along by the flow of the story. Some of the characters have already surprised me by adding twists and turns (like Zaralva with her ocelots.)

And, if this story concept intrigues you, you should check out WhiteCrown Publishing, which is home to a whole host of fun royal fiction!

*cracks knuckles*

Time to get into the home stretch of November. I have twelve days left to finish another twelve chapters, so wish me luck!

P.S. If you love virtuous fluff like I do, check out this new release!

Love,

R

October started off in a leisurely fashion, with a weekend trip to our favorite B&B in Mackinaw City. That’s how we tend to vacation — a quiet, comfy suite with good food and no work. Unfortunately it was back to real life far too quickly, and wondering where the first ten months of 2024 have gone. Lest this turn into a melancholy diatribe on the passing of time, however — a thing that irritates me on an hourly basis — let’s talk writing.

Of Velvet, Glass, and Private Jets

For LEC, I researched the Swiss Guards and the Casina Pio IV, and did some scouting through Google Earth, but that was mostly all I needed since I could pull from my memories of Rome.

For Love in the Glass City, I get to explore a completely new area: Venetian arts! As you might have guessed, the “glass city” refers to Murano, once an independent city but now part of Venice. In its heyday, Murano held a monopoly on state-of-the-art glassmaking, and its craftsmen still practice the techniques and styles that have been passed on for centuries. Venice itself is known for its textiles, from velvet and damask to lace and silk (the silkworm farms were on the mainland.)

THE COLORS. The colors!!! Look!

As you might guess, some of LGC will take place in Venice…including Elena’s bachelorette party. And Rianna may or may not fly them all from Rome to Venice in her personal plane. (Researching private jets is super fun, let me just tell you. Turns out there’s a Swiss jet manufacturer not far from where the Rechsteiners live…)

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In the Eleventh Month

Now, how’s the sequel coming, you ask?

It’s hard, y’all.

Not that you didn’t know that. It’s a fallen world. Everything is hard. Being creative is sometimes the hardest, especially in a world that drives us to a fever pitch of busy-ness and sensory overload and emotional dysregulation.

When I wrote what became the first draft of Love in the Eternal City, I was playing. “What happens if I try to write to the genre conventions of a contemporary romance?” I asked myself. “I bet I can do that, it can’t be that hard.” There was an adventure to it that helped smooth over the hard parts. Yes, I had to push through at times, but it was still a journey of discovery as I pantsed my way through Beni and Elena’s story.

I want to reclaim that sense of adventure and discovery. At first I thought I knew exactly where Rianna and Oscar’s story would go, but now I’m realizing that I don’t have to lock myself into that preconceived outline. I can get back to playing, and have fun with the challenge of telling a new story.

So that’s my goal for the month of November: pound out a decent chunk of — if not all — the draft for Love in the Glass City. LEC was a NaNoWriMo book; I’ve stepped back from the official NaNo program, but I’ll still be joining my writers’ group, First Draft Detroit, for an “aggressively-Midwest-friendly” November writing challenge. Our mantra is “First drafts are legally obligated to suck.”

I also have another project (royal fantasy) in the works, which I’ve been developing since about the same time as LEC. More on The Sapphire Crown in a later email, but I’m excited to progress on it too. Come the new year, I’m hoping to put a wee beta-reading group together to help me work through the first draft.

So, for the next month, this overachieving writer will be surviving on chocolate, popcorn, and caffeine, and we won’t talk about what the house will look like by the end. See you on the other side. :D

Love,

Rebecca

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From now until October 7, everything is 25% off since I promised y'all that discount earlier and never got the store running!

AND…

If you send me a photo of one or more of the products (or tag me in such a picture on social media) before October 31, I will send you a little surprise happy mail. Just to clarify: buy something, take a picture of it, share that with me, and I send a thing. :D

Shop the Virtuous Fluff store!

I promise I will soon fall off the bandwagon of frequent/regular emails and stop spamming you all the time.

And thank you for the warm welcome to 5-Minute Poetry! My reward today when I’m done with work is to record and post another one.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Love,

Rebecca

This is, however, related to my current season of life, because stress does weird things to my brain.

Last night as I was falling asleep stressing out about fifty thousand and one things, the first few lines of Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If—” flashed into my head. Combine that with the fact that I have, for a long time, wanted to do a series of…somethings…basically teaching people how to enjoy poetry. AKA poetry appreciation for people who hate poetry.

I don’t have enough of an academic background to approach poetry from that angle, and I wouldn’t want to anyway. Instead, I want to invite you to experience a poem. A poem is to a novel what a painting is to a movie, we might say. A movie tells a story, gives you characters and a plot arc and a whole series of emotions. A painting, captures a moment, but in that moment we can still become immersed in the emotions and desire of the artist. And from there, we can start to discover our own emotional response to that piece of art.

Take, for instance, Van Gogh’s The Starry Night:

This isn’t a peaceful, quiet night sky, even if it is a countryside scene. There’s a sense of movement and energy in the heavens, like a whole drama is going on above the sleepy village. Depending on my mood, it might make me feel curious or it might just feel chaotic. Either way I’m drawn in, intrigued by the movement and texture.

The same is true for a poem. The key to reading poetry, in my opinion, is curiosity — about the poet, the poem itself, and one’s own response to it.

All this to say…

I recorded a video on my back patio over my lunch break, and decided to see how it might work. Low-budget, limited prep, bad lighting, but I finished it and pushed “post” before I could chicken out. So…here you go. :) It’ll be posting on YouTube tomorrow (link here, after 10AM it’s shareable.)

I have a few more poems in mind, mostly easy-access ones (and, of course, “The Cremation of Sam McGee” for Halloween…)

Let me know what you think! What poems or aspects of poetry might you want to see covered? (And hey, maybe I’ll never do this again! But it’s good to be creative now and then.)

Love,

Rebecca

P.S. Hitting send before I can chicken out AGAIN.

Welcome to my newest subscribers! The best part of this launch has been meeting new people through reviews or the kind notes you’ve sent my way as you’ve been reading. Having real people read my writing, especially people who have never met me in their lives, is both surreal and so exciting. I’ve loved hearing how Beni and Elena’s story has touched hearts and brought a bit of joy and relaxation to your lives!

Reviews, of all sorts

Launch Day was a flurry of social media and reviews being posted. My launch teams — both the one I assembled personally and the Band of Booksters through WhiteFire — were on point and ready to go! Carl and I celebrated with ice cream after Mass for the feast of the Assumption, and then with some family and close friends at an Italian restaurant.

I’ve started what I call a Praise Book — a little notebook where I’ve written down all the positive comments people have shared about the book, both privately and publicly. Basically, it’s the millennial version of a clippings book, and it’s a fantastic way to make all the affirmation real instead of just ephemeral type on a screen!

(By the way, if you’ve read LEC but haven’t left a review yet, I’d be super grateful if you did!)

Bringing the virtual launch party to you

The VLP was delightful. So much fun, great conversation, and an all-round lovely celebration! One of the highlights for folks was the virtual tour I put together of some of the places and scene settings featured in Love in the Eternal City. As I finished, Canva informed me that it has a Present and Record feature…so as soon as I have a few minutes and a decent hairday, I’m planning to rerecord the virtual tour for y’all!

We also played what was described as a “sadistic” trivia game for the identifying of Italian pasta shapes. See if you can beat Sunday’s winners and get a perfect score!

Pasta Trivia

To complete the asynchronous virtual launch party experience, you could listen to the official LEC playlist, assembled by my lovely friend Liz with a few additions from me!

Playlist

I need to get to the post office and mail out a dozen or so packages to the VLP prize winners…sorry, y’all!

Last but not least…

Some fantastic folks have been reviewing and interviewing me about LEC! Check out these podcasts and articles to discover more about what went into the book, my relationship with the characters, and more.

Articles

CatholicMom.com

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

The Protagonists Pub (article and video)

Radiant Magazine with Lindsay Schlegel (I love the thoughtful questions Lindsay asked me. She challenged me to think about things I might not have articulated otherwise! This one was also picked up by Theology of Home on their weekly article roundup.)

Detroit Catholic with Gabrielle Patti (This one has been picked up by OSV News and syndicated to diocesan papers around the country! Last spotted in Baltimore…)

Podcasts

Cath-Lit Live with Amy Cattapan

CatholicMomcast with Maria Johnson and Barb Szyszkiewicz

and a few more still in the works. :)

Thank you all so much for making this first month of the launch such a wonderful one. Rianna and Oscar’s story will be continuing soon, as soon as I can muscle my way out of writer’s block (or “the yips”, as Katherine Center’s The Rom-Commers puts it.)

~Rebecca W. Martin