Like millions of others, I first learned about the NYC Second Avenue Subway Sinatra, Gary Russo, on August 1st 2011 when the Huffington Post ran an article, and then I saw him on Good...

Alex Adams' debut, White Horse, is the first in a brilliant trilogy which will no doubt be ranked among the great fantasy novels. Weaving together complex and intriguing characters and exquisite prose, the author skillfully draws you into a world turned ghastly by the White Horse pandemic.

...

It's been over a year since we first met, Giulia Falcone, the innocent and charming nun who jumped the convent walls. She is author, Alice Loweecey's, heroine in the Falcone & Driscoll Investigation series. The author's first book was FORCE OF HABIT, a mystery where Giulia adjusts to...

The Kingdom of Childhood, by Rebecca Coleman, is a gripping novel, full of suspense and psychological insight into a woman's first adulterous behavior, laddering up to statutory rape, and finally the shocking decent into insanity.

Kindergarten teacher Judy McFarland's life is slowly unraveling. She and her husband no...

Recently I took a train excursion. An adorable farm couple seated themselves across from me. Both seemed a bit uncomfortable, wore shy smiles, and spoke quietly as we passed through the mountains together.

I could gauge that the farm woman had probably insisted her husband spiff-up in his "Sunday Best"...

Now, it's Syracuse University coming under fire for allegedly failing to act on reports of suspected abuse by a coach (Bernie Fine).

A few days ago, it was The Citadel in South Carolina facing the same criticism.

Before that, of course, was the horrific...

Starry Night, Hold Me Tight by Jean Sagendorph (author), and Kim Siebold (illustrator), draws you in first because of its eye-catching illustration; its colors glow, serene and calming. What holds your attention is the simple, warm, loving and heartfelt verse. "Starry Night, hold me tight. All is calm, all...

Recently, the Boston Archdiocese released a list of accused clergy.

A good first step. A move in the right direction. But also mind-boggling is the number of Catholic clergy predators in one town.

Hopefully, one day soon, we'll see more lists from all around the United States,...

The Vatican has given the world's Catholic bishops one year to set policies for handling allegations of child abuse, including reporting to police where required by local law. And on Wednesday (May 18), the U.S. bishops released a 300-page report on the "causes and context" of the abuse scandal here...

It is now 2011, and the Vatican has been flooded with new information, new warnings and more horrific stories of sexual abuse from around the globe. Still, I have yet to read the one simple phrase, "I'm sorry," from the Pope or his entourage directed to any of the hundreds...

Gladys, my mother-in-law, known to family and friends as "GladyO'," is having a near perfect day visit away from the nursing home. And although the dementia from which she suffers seems to visit more frequently as of late, it hasn't reared its ugly head today. Instead, I find myself dealing...

The path to publication can be a gauntlet beset with trials that test a writer's endurance. Many writers give up. Jan O'Hara, of the popular, award-winning site for writers Writer Unboxed, said:

These days, getting and staying published requires a larger skill set than understanding point of view, plot...

I applaud the fearlessness it must have taken for the Irish bishop who recently turned over a 1997 letter from the Vatican to the Irish Broadcasters RTF, thinking he'd face eternal damnation and excommunication for his act.

This letter was signed by the late Archbishop, Luciano Storero, Pope John...

Before planting final goodbye kisses on Christmas, many find themselves revisiting yesteryear to see how they'd do things differently, using the Should've-Would've-Could've rule to make amends, whether that means to improve our surroundings, kick bad habits or build stronger relationships. Not too unlike those millions of Americans, I too, used...

Today I looked at my local arts calendar and settled on taking my family to see the Nutcracker ballet. That is, I intended to, until I saw that the wicked Rat King had once again left but a few crumbs in my working class wallet. I scoured the Internet searching...

While the current headlines reflect advanced thinking by the Roman Catholic Church on topics such as condoms and the 'new princes' elections, I read little on the Vatican's response to the issue of sexually abusive clergy during Pope Benedict XVI's historic meeting of worldwide bishops and cardinals last week.
...

On Oct. 19, my 16-year-old daughter's school was surrounded by EMTs, police and fire fighters. A helicopter hovered above the campus grounds. The coroner came first, then came the hearse.

There was a car crash on campus involving drunk drivers.

I remembered back to this past spring. I'd just hung up the phone. It was late and the conversation with yet another clergy abuse survivor had zapped my strength and spirit as they'd recounted to me the horrors of their youth. I looked to the clock and knew I should...