It is an interesting time to be an author. By “interesting,” I mean exciting/scary/confusing/revolutionary. All of this excitement/fear/confusion/revolution centers around modern technologies, which are changing the face of reading and publishing. There are two main effects that this technology is having on the industry:

1) Ease of publication: now anyone can cheaply “publish” a book, meaning that they can bind paper together in a nice format, or they can put their book on a e-reader device. What used to be a barrier to entry no longer exists.

2) E-Reading: reading doesn’t have to involve paper anymore. Now we can read on our computers, our phones, our iPads, our Kindles and a whole host of other devices. I have mentioned previously that most people erroneously believe that e-reading is just the next step in reading that everyone will eventually take, but there is no question that e-reading is a major factor in the publishing world now.

So what does this all mean? Some are claiming that old-school publishers are dinosaurs no longer needed in the 21st century. Others believe that the low barrier to entry means that readers need some form of filter to distinguish the wheat from the chaff and therefore traditional publishers are still very much needed. Either way, authors need to be more than just good writers these days; they need to be savvy about all the options available to them when it comes to publishing.

I tend to believe that traditional publishers are still quite necessary, but that they do have to adapt better to modern trends. The dirty little fact of self-publishing is that most of it is crap that the author’s mother wouldn’t even want to read. Most people recognize this and so they put their faith in established publishing companies to find the truly well-written works out there (and they realize that those publishing companies improve those works by their editing staff). But there are very good books hidden among the self-published masses, and some people have been very successful with self-publishing.

But one trend which most publishing companies have resisted is the trend of making more and more writing available for free. Due to the free nature of content on the Internet, most people have become more and more accustomed to paying nothing for something. They don’t mind paying for a book if they think it worthwhile, but they are often unwilling to do so “sight unseen” – they want to be able to at least read some of it first (this is why I got Our Sunday Visitor to agree to allow me to offer the Foreword and Introduction to my book Who is Jesus Christ? Unlocking the Mystery in the Gospel of Matthew available as a free download – more details coming soon). Too many publishers, however, feel like the content of their books are not to be tasted until full admission has been paid.

Self-publishing has its place in the publishing world, but only in very specific instances. The authors most likely to be successful in self-publishing are those who already have built a following for their works through traditional publishing means (for example, if J.K. Rowling decided to self-publish a book, you don’t think it would fail, do you?), and also have the ability to pay others to edit their works (almost no author can self-edit – it is just an affliction of the trade). These trusted names do not need the engine of traditional publishers to drive them to success – but such people are few and far between.

That being said, traditional publishing houses must become more adept at not only following the trends in publishing, but setting them. They need to realize that there has been a seismic shift in the publishing world and their continued success depends on remaining in front of it. The world of books would become a chaotic place indeed if traditional publishers were to disappear, so here’s hoping that they can succeed in the 21st century.

This coming year I will have one child receive her confirmation and another receive his first confession and first communion. As a parent of five young children, one of the greatest responsibilities I have is to prepare my children for their reception of the sacraments. It is a maxim of the Catholic Faith that a saintly life is a sacramental life – one simply cannot become a saint without the help of grace, and the sacraments are the best way to receive that grace. So I take very seriously the need to have my children ready when it comes time for them to receive a sacrament for the first time.

One of the best ways to do this is to give them books which explain the sacraments in such a way that they can understand better the reality of what is happening when they go to confession or receive communion or are confirmed. I have not found a lot of good books out there, but one great book is offered by Precious Life Ministries, called “The Little Butterfly Who Loved Jesus.” Precious Life also offers other books on the Faith, and they have been aggressive in getting their books into the hands of missionaries around the world to help Catholics everywhere to instruct their children in the Faith.

Precious Life Ministries is run by three sisters who each have large families and have been very active in pro-life work through the years. Their purpose in running this apostolate is not to make money, but to bring children everywhere closer to Christ in his sacraments. I highly recommend them and I encourage you to buy some of their books or just give them a donation to help their worthy cause.

Fascinating information for all bibliophiles like myself: Google has determined that 129,864,880 different books have been published in the entire history of publishing. Other interesting facts:

• Books have been published in about 480 languages (including 3 in the Klingon language).
• 20% of all books are in the public domain.
• 10-15% of all books are currently in print.
• The rest are out-of-print but still under copyright.

I figure I have read perhaps 2,000 books in my lifetime, which is approximately 0.001540062% of all books ever published. I sure have some work to do!

It looks like we will have to wait a bit longer to read the 2nd volume of Pope Benedict’s Jesus of Nazareth series:

In May, Pope Benedict finished writing the second volume of his work, “Jesus of Nazareth,” and the text went to a Vatican translating team.

The translators are being careful. So careful, in fact, that the book isn’t expected to be published before Lent of 2011, according to Vatican sources I spoke with this week.

It seems the first volume of “Jesus of Nazareth” has some discrepancies in the various language versions. To make sure that doesn’t happen this time, the translators are doing a lot of cross-checking.

The Vatican wants the book to be released simultaneously in major languages. Lent would be an appropriate time to launch Volume 2, which treats Christ’s Passion and the Resurrection. The first volume of the work, which ran more than 400 pages, was published in the spring of 2007 and covered Jesus’ life from his baptism to his transfiguration.

Meanwhile, it’s rumored in the Vatican that Pope Benedict is already making plans for a third volume on the life of Jesus, this one focusing on his infancy and childhood years. He’ll have time to work on it at his summer villa in Castel Gandolfo, where he’s headed today and will remain for most of the next three months.

I can’t think of a better read during Lent than this pope’s reflections on Christ’s Passion and Resurrection. What a treat!

A few days ago I was on the Son Rise Morning Radio Show discussing some summer reading picks. This is a popular segment on the show where regular guests share some good books that would be worthwhile reading this summer.

My picks were:

Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology by Eric Brende
This is the story of an M.I.T. graduate who decides (along with his wife of 10 days) to live among a strict Amish community for 18 months with no electricity and no telephones. It is a fascinating read and quite thought-provoking. Brende is not anti-technology, but he instead is trying to remind us that we should evaluate new technologies before blindly embracing them.

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
This is my all-time favorite C.S. Lewis book. It is a fable of a man who finds himself among denizens of Hell making a day-trip to the outskirts of heaven. The key insight of Lewis here is that Heaven has an “open-door” policy, but those in Hell choose not to go there. This may sound like heresy, but it is in keeping with the insights of some past Saints (such as St. Catherine of Genoa).

Saint Among Savages: The Life of Saint Isaac Jogues by Francis Talbot
I just finished this in anticipation for a recent pilgrimage to the Shrine of the North American Martyrs (I should have some reflections on this trip in the near future). The book is a bit dated (it was written in the 1930’s) and a bit long (over 400 pages), but it is worth the read. The story of this great saint and his companions who gave their lives for the conversion of the Native Americans is quite inspiring.

Since 2002, Catholics have been hit with the sexual abuse crisis in the Church. First it was uncovered in the United States, then revelations of abuse and cover-ups spread to other countries, reaching a crescendo this past Spring with many media outlets trying to tag Pope Benedict with accusations of misconduct. One of the problems with this slow drip, drip of sordid revelations is that it is hard to get a “big picture” perspective of the problem and the Church’s response to it. Instead, it just appears as if nothing is changing and nothing is being addressed. News story after news story just seem to repeat the same allegations over and over.

Because of this, Greg Erlandson and Matthew Bunson have done Catholics a great service by writing the book “Pope Benedict XVI and the Sexual Abuse Crisis” (full disclosure: Erlandson is the President and Publisher of Our Sunday Visitor, which is publishing my book this Fall). In this book, the authors do two things: recount the details of the crisis and note what the Church – and particularly Pope Benedict – has done to respond to it. They are not afraid to criticize church officials when they need to be criticized, but they also note the leading role Pope Benedict has taken to rid the Church of sexual predators, dating back to his days as a Cardinal.

This book is split into two parts: the first is the analysis of Erlandson and Bunson, and then the second part includes a large number of official writings and documents from the Pope and other church officials related to the crisis. This second section serves the same purpose as the first: to gather together in one place a “big picture” of what church officials have been doing since 2002 to address abuse within the Church.

I do wish that the book addressed critically the results of some of the U.S. bishops’ actions since 2002 to protect children. There seems to be no question that predator priests are becoming more and more rare because of the bishops’ actions since 2002, but there is legitimate concern that some of the actions taken (such as mandatory and possibly inappropriate “Safe Environment” training in Catholic schools) can have long-term negative consequences. But frankly, that is not really a criticism of this book, as that was not a topic Erlandson and Bunson were covering. I do hope someday that someone does study those issues and writes a comprehensive book about it.

However, if you want to get a great overview of the abuse crisis in the Church and the Church’s – and Pope’s – response to it, I would recommend buying a copy of Pope Benedict XVI and the Sexual Abuse Crisis. And for those particularly interested in this topic, OSV has set up a blog associated with this book and the issues surrounding it.

If you are a Catholic and you are a writer, then you should be interested in this:

The second annual Catholic Writers’ Conference LIVE will be held August 4-6, 2010, at the Scanticon Hotel Valley Forge in King of Prussia, PA. Sponsored by the Catholic Writer’s Guild and the Catholic Marketing Network (CMN), and held in conjunction with CMN’s annual retailer trade show, the Catholic Writers Conference LIVE provides Catholic authors with a prime opportunity to meet and share their faith with editors, publishers, fellow writers, and bookstore owners from across the globe.

To view our promotional trailer click here. Share it with your friends!

This year’s conference will feature presentations on such topics as market tips and time management for busy writers, poetry, creating evil characters, working with an editor, creating winning proposals, journaling and much more.

To register – you simply need to click here.

For accommodations contact the Scanticon Valley Forge. Rooms are $119 a night. Please tell them you are with the Catholic Marketing Network.

God bless all of you and we look forward to seeing you in Pennsylvania!

I plan on attending, so I hope to see you there!

I recently reviewed the book “The Eucharist and the Rosary” by Matt Swaim on Amazon. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to grow in their appreciation of the Mass and the Rosary (and if you don’t want to, why not?).

Here is my full review:

A great way to deepen your love for the Rosary and the Mass!

The most important prayer for Catholics is the Mass, and the most popular devotion among Catholics is the Rosary. Matt Swaim takes these two important spiritual practices and carefully leads the reader to a deeper understanding of their relationship. It is a unique approach and offers Catholics an accessible way to deepen their appreciation of both the Mass and the Rosary.

In “The Eucharist and the Rosary”, Swaim dedicates a short chapter to each of the twenty mysteries of the Rosary. For each one, he ties the mystery to our celebration of the Mass, and in doing so, both allows us to understand the Mass better as well as the mystery in question. But this book is no dry theological tome; Swaim writes in a breezy style yet doesn’t fall into a disrespectful tone for the sacred topics he is addressing. He combines references to saints, Church teaching, and popular culture in a way that helps the reader better understand sacred realities with little effort.

There are many ways to approach the praying of the Rosary, and in “The Eucharist and the Rosary” Swaim gives the Church a marvelous method of enriching this traditional prayer – and along the way also enriches our appreciation of the Mass. For any Catholic who wishes to advance in the spiritual life, I highly recommend this book.

My favorite Anglican bishop and non-Catholic Biblical scholar, N.T. Wright, is retiring from his post as Anglican bishop of Durham, England. He plans to return to academic life, taking a position as Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at St Andrew’s University.

In all honesty, I’m ecstatic about this development. I’m sure he was a positive force in the Anglican church as a bishop, but I think it is as a theologian that he has the most positive impact on Christianity as a whole. In the confused world of biblical studies, he is a giant who uses modern methods of scholarship to support traditional Christian doctrines. He is sorely needed.

May you have many years, Bishop Wright!

I have always been a great lover of books. I can remember reading Lord of the Rings in 6th grade and just being enchanted. Most of my leisure time these days is spent reading some book or another. I also have my first book being published later this year. So, needless to say, I am very interested in the publishing industry.

Technology has had two major impacts on publishing in the past 20 years. First, the rise of the Internet has led to the dominance of Amazon in the book-selling world. The days of going to your local mom-and-pop book shop for your latest read is becoming a thing of the past. Instead, books are bought online. Second, e-books have recently started making inroads in the bibliophile world (again, led by Amazon and their Kindle device), which has changed the book-reading experience itself.

But another technology, called the Espresso Book Machine, has the potential to reverse both of those recent trends. Take a look:

So with the EBM, anyone who can afford this machine (which is quite pricey right now), can have an almost unlimited inventory of paper-bound books. Imagine going to your local bookstore and having any book available to buy! Furthermore, this machine doesn’t create e-books, it creates traditional paper-bound books.

It will be interesting to see if this technology takes off in the market and what kind of impact it has on Amazon and other modern booksellers.

When they finally announce the actual release date for the Pope’s 2nd book in the Jesus of Nazareth series, which is coming “soon,” I think I should get one of those countdown clocks for my blog to mark the days, hours and minutes until it is available. That’s how excited I am about it.

One of the inspirations for my book “Who is Jesus Christ? Unlocking the Mystery in the Gospel of Matthew” (coming this September) is the Christology of Pope Benedict XVI. The depths in which the current pontiff has delved into the mystery of Christ is quite remarkable and has helped me in my own understanding of the person of Christ. His book “Jesus of Nazareth” introduced much of the world to his Christology, but he has been exploring the reality of the person of Jesus for decades.

Amy Welborn, author of numerous books and host of the popular “Charlotte was Both” blog, has just published a book entitled Come Meet Jesus: An Invitation from Pope Benedict XVI which explores the Pope’s Christology in some depth. I’m sure it will be very insightful. Click on the link of the book title to read more details from Amy.

We are now nearing the end of our first full week of Lent – have you been doing your spiritual reading? If you have not yet begun, let me make it easier on you. Here are two great lists of books to consider during this Lent, one from the East and one from the West:

Catholic Lenten Reading List

Orthodox Lenten Reading List

Now your only problem is choosing just one book!

When I was a young Evangelical in high school, I remember picking up the book “The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis. The book, which recounted the letters of a demonic tempter to his younger apprentice, had a profound effect on my spiritual life, primarily in that it reminded me to look at my own sins rather than studying everyone else’s. The book’s unique format allowed Lewis to remind his readers that demons can tempt everyone into sin no matter their personal beliefs and convictions. Are you conservative? Liberal? Traditionalist? New Christian? Long-time Christian? It doesn’t matter, the devil will find a way to tempt you into sin. As St. Peter wrote, “Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for (someone) to devour” (I Peter 5:8).

So it was exciting to find out that popular blogger Fr. Dwight Longenecker has taken Lewis’ format and written an updated version called “The Gargoyle Code”. There are two key differences between the two books, however: (1) Longenecker uses specifically contemporary examples which do not allow the reader to easily excuse himself of the sins being tempted; and (2) Longenecker writes from an explicitly Catholic perspective, as opposed to Lewis, an Anglican who wrote his books for  “Mere Christians”. Whereas The Screwtape Letters will always remain a useful classic, The Gargoyle Code does modern Catholics a needful service by making a similar book more specifically geared towards them.

The Gargoyle Code primarily consists of the communications of Slubgrip, a senior-level demonic tempter who is advising his young protegé, Dogwart. Slubgrip’s “patient” is an older, conservative Catholic, and Dogwart’s is a young Catholic who is discerning his vocation. With this setup, Longenecker is able to address most situations that face Catholics today, regardless of their age or status in the Church. And Longenecker leaves no one unscathed: through the writings of Slubgrip, he warns against the sins that can beset traditionalists, charismatics, liberals and everyone in-between.

The book recounts the communications over the course of one Lent, so it obviously would be a wonderful book to read during that season. However, this leads to my one criticism of the book: it would be impossible to read over 40 days, as it is too enjoyable! I read the short book (103 pages) in only two sittings myself. But I would recommend it to anyone looking for spiritual reading for this Lent or any time of the year.

You can purchase The Gargoyle Code at Fr. Longenecker’s website.

In the technology world, everyone has been looking forward to Apple’s Tablet device. That wait will soon be over.

In the movie world, everyone has been wondering who will play Bilbo in The Hobbit. Perhaps now we know.

In the Catholic book world, everyone can’t wait for my the Pope’s book about Jesus. Looks like it will soon be released. (You’ll have to wait until September for mine).