A Letter from the Editor
by Timothy Pike

She’s a woman who played a pivotal role in history … yet has remained hidden in the shadows of time.

“Miriam the Magdalene was brought to my attention by a Magdalene scholar who had read my previous work,” says award-winning, multi-genre author Donna D. Conrad. “She took me with her on a tour of the Magdalene sites in southern France, and introduced me to other scholars who were passionate about someone writing a historically accurate book about this remarkable woman.”

After tumbling down a rabbit hole of further research, Donna knew what she had to do: tell the story of a woman she describes as courageous, passionate, and resilient, but who has also, like so many other women, been sidelined through the ages. “I feel the time is right,” Donna says, “for Miriam to step from the shadows and claim her rightful place in history.”

Out of a painstaking and emotional journey came The Last Magdalene, the first historical epic in Donna’s four-book series in which she masterfully brings history and religion to life.

But the book, she admits, almost never saw the light of day. During a writing masterclass, Donna’s instructor read one of her scenes aloud to the group—and his comments didn’t sit well with her. “I felt like he tore it to shreds,” she says. “I wanted to just give up and slink away. But I didn’t.” Donna spoke with him after the class and learned he had been so brutally honest only because he saw potential in her writing. “My willingness to continue the conversation about his critique led to Jack becoming a dear friend and trusted mentor,” she tells me. “That never would have happened if I hadn’t taken up the challenge of facing him.”

In my interview with her, this Oregon-based author also talks about her memoir, House of the Moon: Surviving the Sixties, explains why she always assumed she would be an English teacher, and reveals why it was a shock, at the age of six, to discover she was actually a U.S. citizen.

Take a trip through biblical history →

There’s a lot to read (and learn) in the March 2024 issue of Books & Buzz Magazine. Let’s take a look:

On writing, for those who struggle

“There are hundreds of books that discuss how to craft a satisfying story,” says critically acclaimed science fiction author Jeffrey A. Carver. “But the core of a story, the heart, is another matter. That comes from somewhere inside yourself.”

Meaning that finding the story you really want to tell is easier said than done.

“Sometimes it spills right out,” Jeffrey says, “and sometimes it’s buried so deeply and entwined around the sinews of the subconscious that it practically requires the work of a shaman, or a wizard, to extract it.”

So what to do when the story is buried a little too deep inside?

Drawing on decades of experience writing, publishing, and teaching online courses—along with some fitting advice from Anne Lamott—Jeffrey guides you toward shaking that story loose. Often, he says, it involves holding back your inner editor in the early stages. “Tell the editor to chill,” he says, “go watch a good movie, and stay out of your face while the hard work of first-drafting is being done.”

Find the heart of your story →

Why some books speak directly to our souls

It’s possible, says fantasy author Jim Hepburn, that books find their way into our hearts because of how well they are written. “However,” he says, “I think most of us would say it’s about how they make us feel.”

In other words, it’s because of how these stories conjure emotions we’ve experienced in the past, both positive and negative. “Do we remember Harry Potter’s struggles against Draco Malfoy because the moments in the chapters were particularly emotional on their own,” he asks, “or might it be because we remember very well what it is like to struggle against an unfriendly classmate in school?”

In his piece, Jim implores you to rewind time and think about how you felt when you read a particularly memorable book, because it’s those very feelings that have inspired many to greatness—helping us summon the courage to stand up to a bully, find the strength to overcome bouts of depression, or dare to pursue a career path that once seemed impossible.

Rekindle your deep connection with books →

Can a movie be better than the book?

Because turning a novel into a film presents so many (sometimes insurmountable) challenges, author Peter Thomas Pontsa has made a habit of always seeing the movie before reading the book. That way, he says, he can avoid disappointment.

But there are exceptions, and Peter identifies the movies that get it right by staying faithful to the books they were based on, whether in terms of casting, plot, characters, acting, or a little of each.

“The bottom line,” he concludes, “is that film is a different medium entirely and has different requirements to meet. Adaptations are hard to complete faithfully as well. A good screenwriter can compensate for that and transcribe a compelling story that keeps the viewer satisfied while maintaining the integrity of the author’s work.”

Put these movies on your list →

Enjoy this month’s issue of Books & Buzz Magazine!

To your success,

Timothy Pike
Editor of Books & Buzz Magazine