"There was a curious local character, an old man who used to go about swapping gossip and weather-wisdom and such like. To amuse my boys I named him Gaffer Gamgee, and the name became part of family lore..."
J.R.R. Tolkien
"Family Lore," which I got from the Tolkien letter quoted above, is a phrase that has stuck in my mind long enough for me to finally use it in some way. It seems to capture perfectly what this new publishing venture is all about. "Family" of course indicates that this is a family venture (or adventure); also that the things we write and publish are written by and for the family (that ancient, venerable, and beleaguered institution).
"Lore," is a less-often used word these days, but it calls to mind images of stories and ancient wisdom. Tolkien used it a lot, as in this bit of poetry from The Lord of the Rings:
Learn now the lore of living creatures
First name the Four, the free peoples...
Thus Family Lore Publishing. You can learn more about us by clicking on this About Family Lore Publishing link. Today begins my first blog post under the name of this new publishing venture (though as you can see I've used the blog for other things in the past).
There's more to it than mere definition of words, however. I write because I'm a writer: it's what I do. But a writer ought to spend his time writing about things he cares deeply about. Under God and His Church, the thing I love most in this world is my family. My wife and I are about to celebrate (this weekend) 18 years of a good and happy marriage, for which, God be praised. And in January, God willing, we will see the arrival of our sixth child (four are with us; one is with God, having departed a brief life in a miscarriage).
My writing has tended to be, for the most part, oriented towards my wife and children. I've written stories and poems for them (some of which you can find on this blog). I am deeply interested in "moral philosophy" (a thoughtful approach to the development of virtue and character), especially in children and families. In particular: is it possible for children to be noble and virtuous, or is that expecting too much? Is "well, you know how kids are" the best that can be hoped for? Must we wait until they become teenagers (or older) before we see strength of character in them? And what about parents? Can we fight the tide of selfish mediocrity that marks so much modern parenting?
I believe stories and storytelling are at the heart of true moral philosophy. That's the kind of thing I will be blogging about here. Look also for book reviews and movie reviews that will help your family navigate the often treacherous waters of modern entertainment. So that's the kind of thing you'll find here on our blog, along with updates on the progress of Family Lore Publishing.
Speaking of that, our first project is moving along quickly, which is all to the good, since the release date of September 28 is fast approaching. This book, written by my wife, Angela, is quite a bit different from the sorts of things I write about. The title says it all: Couponing ABCs: The Easiest, Fastest Way to Serious Savings and Free Groceries. Angela is an expert in coupon use, and, through her Coupon 101 classes, has taught thousands of people how to use coupons to get groceries for pennies or free. Coupons are all the rage these days, of course, but more to the point, they are a small way to exercise wise and prudent stewardship over the resources God has given us.
And wise and prudent it is: using the principles Angela will teach you in this book, you can easily cut a $100 grocery bill back to$20 or even less. Some of you may have seen the hit show Extreme Couponing. This show focuses on the hard core experts, but Angela's book is for the coupon neophyte: while other books will give you chapter after chapter of extraneous material, or information too overwhelming for the newbie, Couponing ABCs is a true "quick start guide." (But for those of you who like to live on the edge, there is an Appendix with some principles for becoming an "Extremer.")
If you are interested in scheduling a class, or learning more about coupons, take a trip over to Angela's website, Coupon Class 101. I'll wait.
We'll be talking a lot more about this book as the time nears. Look for special offers and giveaways, including the chance to get this helpful new book for free.
In the meantime, you can learn more about my books by clicking on the images over to the right and left. You can even buy a copy in our online store. The Crown of Fire is a historical novel for young readers based on the true story of Polycarp, disciple of the Apostle John, and leader of the early Church. Talking of Dragons is a non-fiction, family-oriented guide to the children's books of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.
