Book news

For some reason, my small book on Jerome Gratian (AKA Jerome Gracian) has recently begun selling better. We are not talking big sales here, of course. But of the three books I have published, this is the one that generally is of interest only to a small group of people studying the history of the Teresian Carmel's beginnings. His autobiography is about to be published in English as part of an effort to have him beatified (a step on the road to sainthood), and that may have stirred up some interest.

I was involved in a small way in editing the translation of the autobiography. In the process I was pleased to discover a footnote referring favorably to my own book. Perhaps after that volume gets on the market, where it will be vigorously marketed and is sure to sell much better than mine, I will see a small bump in sales, too. Whether I do or not, I have a lot of respect for the priest who translated the autobiography and appreciate his kind words about the translation of the minor work that forms the bulk of my book.

Tom did the portrait of Gracian for the cover of my book, based on an old one that he found online. The publisher of the autobiography plans to use the portrait as part of their cover design, too. Tom agreed to let them. He asked that he not be acknowledged by name, however, because he had only taken an existing work and modified it. Trust me, his version looks much better than the original, but I understand his feelings about it.

The book on Elijah, for which Tom also did a great cover based on an Eastern Christian icon, is my bestseller. The John of the Cross mystery is my favorite though, probably because it was the most difficult for me to write. Apparently it is also the most difficult for people to read, unfortunately!