Catholic Vitamins Interview!

Last week, I was delighted to be able to speak to Deacon Tom Fox over at Catholic Vitamins, about my recently published YA Catholic novel Erin's Ring.  Here's a link that the podcast if you're interested in listening!

My First Baby

I am so tickled that I've had a second novel published (by Bezalel Books), a work of Catholic YA fiction titled Erin's Ring. 

But don't worry, Finding Grace.  I haven't forgotten about you.  You will always be my first "baby."

Erin's Ring Giveaway Winner: and Her Name is Erin!

My Aussie friend Erin, from Seven Little Australians and Counting, won the signed copy of Erin's Ring that I was giving away over at String of Pearls.  (Read all about it here.)


Here's the Claddagh ring that my husband gave me in 1979--
not unlike the one that Molly finds in the first chapter of Erin's Ring!
So...aren't you anxious to find out what happens next?!

I've still got three more signed copies of Erin's Ring that I'm giving away over at Goodreads.  You have until midnight on December 15 to enter.  Head on over there now and throw your hat into the ring!

Giveaways Galore!

If you enter my Erin's Ring Goodreads giveaway between now and midnight on December 15, you could win one of three signed paperback copies!  That's right, readers, I'm giving away three copies of my newly-released Catholic YA novel Erin's Ring, just in time for Christmas.  Why don't you head on over and enter--what have you got to lose?

 is for Goodreads.

 

Here's the link, to make it so easy that you have absolutely no excuse for not throwing your name into the hat: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/117965-erin-s-ring

I'm also giving away one free signed copy on my blog, String of Pearls.  Just leave me a comment there by December 8 (or here, if you've found this semi-secret blog that I haven't really been advertising yet), and you could be the lucky winner!

Erin's Ring is Out! And I'm Having a Christmas Giveaway!

When the UPS man came yesterday, it felt like Christmas!

He brought me my eagerly anticipated copies of Erin's Ring!  So I got to see what the book looks like in its finished form for the first time yesterday, and it was so much fun.

If you'd like to win your very own signed copy of this hot-off-the-press YA (and A, too) Catholic novel, just leave me a comment--here or over at String of Pearls.

I ho-ho-hope you win!

(And by the way, I just decided to run a giveaway on Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/117965-erin-s-ring.  Go and sign up for a chance to win one of 3 signed copies!)

It's a Big Day Around Here!

Today is an exciting day--because I'm supposed to receive my shipment of books from Bezalel.  If everything goes as scheduled, I will be holding an actual paperback copy of my second novel, Erin's Ring, in my hands by end of day.  I can hardly wait to see how it looks "in the flesh," so to speak.  Right now, all I have is a copy of the final galley, which I printed out to see how it looked.

I can't wait to see the actual book!

I already blogged about this over at String of Pearls today, if you want to read that post.  It will explain a few things: which well-known Catholic YA author has already endorsed it, how you can get a signed copy from me, and why it's not available in Kindle format as of yet, to name three.  But head on over and read the rest!

A Special Christmas Offer for Mothers and Daughters

Check out this limited time offer on a mother-daughter Christmas package from Bezalel Books!  You can get Cheryl Dickow's inspirational novel for women, Elizabeth, a Holy Land Pilgrimage

and my newly released YA novel, Erin's Ring

for just $17.99 (with free shipping and handling!).  Both books can be enjoyed by women of all ages.  There are limited quantities of these special Christmas packages, so hurry on over to order now.

Happy reading!

Erin's Ring is Now Available at Amazon!

I'm very excited to announce that Erin's Ring is now available for purchase.  My publisher Cheryl Dickow's enthusiasm for this Catholic YA novel is infectious.  Here is what she said of the book on her Amazon author's page:

"The latest publication from Bezalel Books is Erin's Ring by Laura H. Pearl.  Erin's Ring is a wonderful book on the Irish-Catholic heritage in the United States.  It is a story of love and perseverance and hope.  Erin's Ring is a Young Adult book that will surely be loved by readers of all ages!"

I am humbled and grateful to have endorsements for Erin's Ring already, from successful authors like Nancy Carabio Belanger, Rosemary McDunn, Amy M. Bennett, and Kay Murdy, and also from one of my favorite bloggers (Tiffany over at Life of a Catholic Librarian).  If you check out the page on Amazon, you can read what these wonderful ladies had to say.

If you've got a teen or pre-teen reader who likes a good love story, you might want to get a copy to wrap up and put under the tree for her this Christmas!  Just click on over to Amazon to order!  (You might want to get one for her mom and her grandma, too!)

My First Blog Post for The Write Stuff: In Which I Show You That I Have the Best Publisher Ever!

This is my first blog post for The Write Stuff, and I thought it was only fitting that I share with you a blog post by my excellent publisher, Cheryl Dickow of Bezalel Books.  Back in 2012, my first novel, Finding Grace, was published by her fine Catholic publishing company.  Then this past May, she approached me with an offer I couldn't refuse: she asked me to consider writing another YA novel for Bezalel.  (Actually, I almost did refuse this amazing, once-in-a-lifetime offer, out of fear of failure.  Why Cheryl had so much faith in me, I'll never know!  But God somehow inspired me to say "Yes!"  And I'm so glad He did!)

Here is a blog post which shows the enthusiasm Cheryl has had for my second novel, Erin's Ring, from day one.

Sometimes the Stars Really Do Line Up

When Laura Pearl first brought Finding Grace to Bezalel Books, I was impressed with her writing. At Bezalel Books, we don’t publish everything that comes our way—even if the author is willing to pick up the publishing costs. Rather, we read a sample chapter or two, a synopsis and then get a “feel” for the author’s passions and skills. Pretty much the Holy Spirit is part of everything and we are okay to say “no” if things don’t seem like a good fit.

Laura was a great fit.

Laura’s work at marketing and blogging and even entering the world of Twitter continued to impress me. Laura is the mother of five grown sons and I am the mother of three grown sons so there’s that, too. But I just continued to find her wit and insight to be inspiring. Every time I read a blog of hers I found myself smiling or laughing or in some way connecting with her spirit.

So it was that I began praying about approaching Laura to write a second book with one big difference: this one would be on our dime. We’d take the chance on her because what we saw in her first book and in her continued foray into the world of Catholic fiction really captured what we are about at Bezalel Books.

Needless to say, after months (literally) of praying, I approach Laura with the proposal for a second book. Knowing it took Laura years to write Finding Grace in between her duties as wife and mother, I also knew that I had a timeline in mind—as well as a smaller book. 

You can read Cheryl Dickow's blog post in full here.