Category Archives: publishing, book

New Review for *Looking Forward*

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I just got a new review on Goodreads for Looking Forward: More Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist. The reviewer filled my heart with her kindness. I really needed her kindness today. Here’s what H. Benson wrote:

Karen’s message is one of LOVE’s ability to carry us through the ups and downs of daily life as well as support us and provide hope in these crazy times when the world seems to have gone mad.

I’ve had the pleasure of reading 3 of Karen Molenaar Terrell’s books, the most recent being “Looking Forward,” which I’ve read twice in the past couple of months. It provides solace to the soul as you read of the kindness, love, humor, and compassion that infuses Karen’s life and daily activities with aging parents, husband, adult sons, extended family, pets, and community. She shares about her life with such openness and vulnerability that when you’ve finished reading, you feel like you’ve thoroughly enjoyed catching up with your best friend and you’re looking forward to your next get-together.

All teachers should read Karen’s chapter on education. The country and the world would be a far better place if teachers shared Karen’s perspective on students and incorporated her creative ways of sharing academic lessons and life’s wisdom with students.

Karen’s political campaign gives the reader a taste of how our country’s leaders could and should be: intelligent, passionate, respectful, articulate and kind. How we sorely need that in this world!

The quotations and book references with which Karen begins each chapter have been added to my reading list. If they inspired Karen, they are sure to inspire me.

This “Madcap Christian Scientist” has a heartfelt and hopeful message for all of us: LOVE and a sense of humor are the keys to a fulfilling life.

A Force for Good

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Diane Sue and I had met, once, years ago, at a gathering at a mutual friend’s house. We’d both worked for the same school district then – she as a counselor and me as a teacher. She was one of those people that I immediately connected with; one of those people that I’d never forgotten. She had heart.

A decade later, we reconnected again when Diane’s close friend, Noemi Ban, a Holocaust survivor, died at the age of 96. Diane knew that I loved Noemi, too.

I’d come to know Noemi when I’d invited her into my school to speak to our students about her experiences during the Holocaust. After Noemi had given her talk, she asked me if I’d drive her back to her home, and invited me to come in. The first thing I’d seen when I’d stepped through the door was a framed photo of Noemi’s family before the Holocaust – her mother and father and siblings. Noemi and her father had been the only survivors, and this photo – which her father had found in the rubble of their house after the war – was the only photo left of her family.

Noemi embodied love and forgiveness and strength. There was a powerful presence in her compact form.

After she died, Diane began to put together the story of Noemi’s life Noemi had asked her to write. When she was nearing completion of the book, Diane sent me a copy of the manuscript to get my feedback.

Here’s my response to Diane:

Dear Diane Sue –

It is two in the morning and I just finished the book and I’ve got tears pouring down my face. Wow. You and Noemi have created a masterpiece together. This book – her story – is so beautiful! You’ve captured Noemi’s essence beautifully.

I’m always a little nervous when someone asks me to read a manuscript – I’m never sure what I’m going to find waiting for me – but you are a wonderful writer! I’m so glad you stepped up to do this for Noemi – and for all the rest of us, too.

I’ll attach the manuscript with my suggestions highlighted in red – but these are just suggestions, and there is absolutely nothing you need to do with them.

Your writing is exceptional, and this book is perfect!

Love,
Karen

Diane published Remarkable Resilience in April 2022 and invited me to be a part of the Zoom book launch. I felt so honored by her request.

Diane asked me to join her for a walk in Bellingham not long after this. It was such a joy to spend time with Diane one-on-on, talking about our community and Noemi, education and the world. I remember apple blossoms were blooming on the wild apple trees along our walk, and everything was new and green. It seemed fitting that I should be walking with Diane on a sunny spring day when the world was starting to wake up from the winter.

Like Noemi, Diane is a powerful, but gentle presence. Like Noemi, she is a force for good.

It is a blessing to know her.
-Karen Molenaar Terrell

Check It Out! (From the Library.)

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I was curious and did some googling and discovered that some of my books can now be checked out from the Bellingham, Burlington, Washington State University, and University of Washington libraries. How cool is that?! Check it out:

First Review for *Looking Forward*!

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Looking Forward: More Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist has its first review on Goodreads! I’m sitting here, all teary-eyed and grateful for the kindness in this review.

Maryjmetz writes:

“Karen Molenaar Terrell’s latest, Looking Forward, is another pretty darned inspiring and comforting book. It covers the period between 2014 and 2023 so, as she herself notes, an eventful period in every way: the death of both her parents, a world-wide pandemic, a certain President and his followers. The individual pieces were written as events happened so Karen doesn’t necessarily know how things are going to turn out any more than the reader does, but she generally manages to convey her expectation that things will be okay. More to the point, she acts in such a way as to somehow make things turn out okay. Without being preachy in any way, she shares her belief – no, models her belief—that Love is in ultimate control, while her own day-to-day actions make the world better: buying shoes for someone in need, teaching at an alternative high school, treating the other candidates with respect when running for her local school board, or just appreciating the beauty that exists everywhere.

“What I love about Karen’s writing is how genuine and truthful she always is; she isn’t some starry-eyed innocent who believes everything she is told nor is she ever full of herself for being so clever (but when you read about all the stuff she teaches at that alternative high school you recognize there’s not much she doesn’t know or can’t do). She acknowledges her own doubts and her own failings, but seemingly never lets that stop her from doing what she thinks is right. Her positive outlook, a result in part of her Christian Scientist beliefs, never feels forced and so she somehow manages to make me feel more positive and hopeful when I read her, though I don’t share her faith and, in general, tend towards pessimism.

“I wish I. could do the spirit of the book justice with this write-up, but I’m not the writer that Karen is.”

The Editing NEVER STOPS

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fricasfracasfrigginfrick!!!

(Deep breath. In my best customer service voice and with a smile glued on my face…)

Dear friends, my sincere apologies if you’ve already acquired my most recent book, Looking Forward: More Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist. Editing is on-going. Forever. Editing never friggin’ stops. Editing is… ahem. Yes. So. I thought I was all done with the editing. But yesterday, as I read the book one more time, I discovered that I had spelled Alison Krauss’s first name with two Ls.

@$%&$&*!!!!

(Deep breath. Smile glued on my face.)

If you have a kindle version of the book, the latest editing should update in your copy in a day or so. If you have a printed copy of the book… well… I guess you now own a collector’s item. It might be worth gazillions $ someday. Or not. I’m so sorry.

Have a wonderful day.

The Madcap Christian Scientist Series

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There are four books in the Madcap Christian Scientist series now – and a fifth one that’s related. I have 64 reviews for the five “madcap” books. (51 five star ones!) 🙂

VoIP – Dragon User writes about the first book in the series, Blessings: Adventures of a Madcap Christian Scientist:
“OK, after reading the reviews, I thought this might make a nice Christmas present for a friend. When it arrived I decided to ‘peek’ at a few pages, but couldn’t put it down. I finished reading it in one sitting. But how to review the book is a challenge. It leaves you with such a joyful uplifted feeling and one of appreciation and relevance. At first I found myself saying, ‘I want to know this woman’ and after I finished the book I felt I did.

“Karen brings very positive reinforcement into the reader’s experience and the easy flowing style just melts in your mouth like comfort food. I found dozens of instances where I saw a parallel in my own life, that were entertaining and inspirational in a down to earth sort of way.

“I’m wearing a smile having read this and can’t think of a better way to pass an evening than this quick roller-coaster ride through another’s eyes of refreshing gratitude.

“It touched my heart and soul. Highly recommended.”

Adventures with Dad Series

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There are two books in the Adventures with Dad series – plus a related book called Finding the Rainbows. There are 25 reviews for the three books – 24 of them are five stars. 🙂

Heidi writes about Are You Taking Me Home Now? Adventures with Dad:
“This is a delightful book and Karen is a gifted writer. She lets us listen in to the conversations she and her 100 year old Dad have on their car trips, which had me laughing and crying. Interspersed are memories of earlier times. Having a relationship with an older person whose body and brain don’t work as well as it used to requires patience, humor and love. As someone else here said, “Karen shows us how to do it right.” I enjoyed reading this very much. I highly recommend this book and will be giving it out for gifts.”

I’m on My Own with This One

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It just hit me. In the past when I wrote a “Madcap Christian Scientist” book, my mom was one of the first people I’d share it with. She was my biggest fan. And, just now, for a moment, I forgot she was gone, and I thought: I need to give Moz a copy of this. And then I remembered.

Whoah.

I’m on my own with this one.

This picture of my mom, wearing her Obama cap, always puts a grin on my face.

New Madcap Christian Scientist Book

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So this is what I’ve been working on the last month or so. A new book – Looking Forward: More Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist.

It would be a spectacular understatement to say that there have been some new developments since my last Madcap Christian Scientist book, The Madcap Christian Scientist: All Things New, published in 2014. Since that book, my parents moved from their home of 48 years; my mom died; my dad died; friends died; pets died; I retired; the world experienced a pandemic; my country survived an insurrection; new pets arrived; the sons found life-partners and had pandemic weddings; and we have a new grandchild on the way. For example.

And through all the “new developments” I have felt Love with me – guiding and directing me, comforting me, and connecting me to my fellow passengers on this boat of life as we forge our way through high waves.

We have some catching up to do, my friends.

This is the fourth book in the series. In order:
Blessings: Adventures of a Madcap Christian Scientist (2005)
The Madcap Christian Scientist’s Middle Book (2012)
The Madcap Christian Scientist: All Things New (2014)
Looking Forward: More Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist (2023)

The Madcap Christian Scientist’s Middle Book (a collection of Christmassy stories) (2014)

(Also available on Kindle.)

Feedback for *Cosmic Connections: Sharing the Joy*

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Feedback from Writer’s Digest for Cosmic Connections: Sharing the Joy:

This book is exemplary in its structure, organization, and pacing.

Very nice pace, with the narrative gliding along, a healthy forward pull in the structure. We see no jumpy parts or dropped-off parts. Just great transitions between sections. Watch out, though, that if you’re taking blog posts and turning them into a book, you have to say, ‘I’m starting this book’ instead of ‘I’m starting this post’. That happens right up front, throwing the reader, and also throughout. Give the book the identity of a book, not a repurposed collection of blog posts.

This book has spelling, punctuation, and grammar corresponding with the region of the world from which the author hails (ex. British English or American English) or with where the book is set (including slang, vernacular, or dialect). These choices are intentional and implemented consistently throughout with few, if any, errors.

Good work in making sure that typos are edited out of the manuscript, so that the reader is not distracted by this as well.

This book is exemplary in production quality and cover design. The physical materials, printing, and binding are of professional quality and traditional industry standards. The typesetting and page layout (including illustrations, images, or figures) are easy to follow, thoughtfully designed, and error free. The cover appears to be professionally designed and is compellingly related to the content/genre of the book.

Lovely cover with the butterflies on her vibrant running shoes. That ties into the book’s title, with serendipitous events such as this feeling like it has to be a cosmic connection.

This book is exemplary in its choice of topic or theme of the story. It is unique but still has strong appeal for most readers in its intended genre.

Overall, the theme is kindness, and connection. Author brings together so many signs and forces of positivity. Author walks us through her days as she notices things about people, establishes connections and questioning of others. We get bright energy and some surreal moments like we’ve gone through a time portal. Very fascinating and high energy that keeps us immersed. Well done.

This book is exemplary in its voice and writing style. It has a unique voice, and the writing style is consistent throughout. The style and tone are also consistent with or will appeal to readers of the intended genre.

Author writes with a bright energy, lifting us with her voice as she elevates the narrative through enthusiasm and eye-opening observations. It’s a feeling of impressive presence here in the story, as author paints so much realism and sensory detail.

I love how the author brings out the little details like a pumpkin spice latte and snow geese. Author paints a gorgeous setting and populates the story world with remarkable detail. Nice work. I love how several of the segments open with a breathless excitement: ‘something really amazing happened.’ I saw that a few times, and it had such a great energy to it, a nice opener. Very nice choice for last page’s entry. Sensory details stand out.