The Pageturning Report: March 2025
My first book signing! Hard at work on my next kid's book (and maybe my first novel too). Plus, lots of podcasts!
March has been a hectic month! At Raynham Hall Museum, we are heading into our busy season for school field trips and I’ve begun on-the-job training to help lead tours for 4th and 7th graders. It’s been a fun experience. But between my increased responsibilities at work and family commitments I haven’t had as much time for writing as I could wish.
That said, there’s still some exciting things afoot over the next few weeks.
Book signing!
I’m proud to announce my first ever book signing as a published author! The good folks at my local independent bookstore Theodore’s Books graciously agreed to host this event. I'll be giving a talk about my debut children’s title The Riddle of the Tongue-Stones, answering audience questions, and (of course) signing books! If you’re on Long Island or in the greater NYC area, I'd love to see you there on April 2nd.
Writing
On March 17th, I finished writing the rough first draft of my next children’s book, a follow-up to The Riddle of the Tongue-Stones. Next week I’ll begin going over the manuscript with a red pen. (I mean that literally. I printed out the doc so I could make my edits with a red ballpoint.) I predict that about a third of the current word-count will have to be cut. Also, there are certain sections that need extensive rearranging. But overall I’m feeling confident about the way this book is shaping up.
When I begin the second draft in earnest, I plan to open up a fresh Word document and start over—a page one rewrite—using my rough draft revisions for guidance. This is not how I wrote The Riddle of the Tongue-Stones. But I thought I’d experiment with a different process this time.
For the second quarter of 2025, I decided once again to participate in a writing accountability group run by my friend and book coach extraordinaire
. I set myself a (perhaps way too ambitious) goal of writing a novel this year. Can I commit to something like that while working on the new kid’s book at the same time? I believe I can. Both these projects excite me, fueling my creative energy rather than draining it.And what will my novel be about? You’ll just have to wait and see! I plan to share tidbits of my creative journey with all of you, so watch this space for updates.
Podcasting
As usual, I’ve been recording a lot of podcasts. Though, as other creative projects take priority over the next few months, I will have to step back from Secrets of Star Wars. I just won’t have time to keep up with season two of Andor on a weekly basis. I want to watch that show at my own pace. Secrets of Middle-Earth is still going strong. My cohosts and I at SQPN are currently working to plan out the schedule for the next couple months. We’ve been having a lot of fun with our deep-dive discussions into The Silmarillion.
Mythic Mind
I join Andrew Snyder of the
Fellowship as we continue to work our way through the Norse myths of the Poetic Edda. In this conversation, we discuss “The Death of Sinfiotli”, “The Prophecy of Gripir”, the “Lays of Regin, Fafnir, and Sigrdrifa”, and “Fragment of a Poem about Sigurd”. Listen in to discover the surprising themes and lasting impact of these mythic stories.The Secrets of Middle-Earth
Beren and Lúthien’s legendary love story takes center stage! The panel and I break down the epic moments, from Sauron’s defeat to the Silmaril’s power and Lúthien’s fateful choice. Magic, fate, and heroism collide in J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece!
Celebrate Tolkien Reading Day 2025 as we celebrate the bonds of friendship, loyalty, and courage in Middle-earth. The panel and I share powerful passages that reveal Tolkien’s love of fellowship and community.
The Secrets of Star Wars
Which Star Wars characters could we do without? The panel and I debate the most unnecessary characters, from wasted potential to forgotten faces. Some takes might surprise you! Tune in for sharp insights and plenty of laughs.
Star Wars fan films bring humor, heart, and heroics to the galaxy far, far away! The panel and I spotlight some of the best—from LEGO laughs to Vader’s redemption—in this tribute to fan-made brilliance.
Some final thoughts…
Your support means the world to me. I mean that sincerely. The fact that anyone wants to read or listen to my stuff gives me the motivation and enthusiasm to keep creating the best books, articles, and podcasts I can.
Five years ago I was on the verge of giving up. But I decided to take a chance and start writing blog articles for Catholic websites. It staggers me how far I’ve come in such a relatively short time.
So if you’re an aspiring writer who’s feeling discouraged, I implore you—don’t give up! Keep writing. Someone, somewhere needs to read your story.
What encourages you to keep creating? Who or what has been your key inspiration? Let me know in the comments below. Let’s start a conversation!
Until next time, take care, God bless, and happy reading!
I feel compelled to write for the sake of the ideas that pop into my head... but if that was all, I'd definitely write much slower. 😆
It definitely sped me up when people finally read any of it and said, "Hey! This is actually pretty good! Now finish it."
Thanks for the mention! Looking forward to cheering you on next quarter as you make even more progress toward your goals!