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Can Writers Make a Living From Short Stories Alone?
Not too long ago, literally a matter of a year or two, the question would have been ludicrous. Can fiction writers make a living from short stories?
A half century or more ago, there were some authors who were fortunate enough to make a living from short stories. O. Henry comes to mind, even Robert E. Howard, and any number of genre writers from the 1920s through about the early 1950s. That was roughly the time period when lots and lots of readers turned to magazines and other printed periodicals for entertainment. Detective stories were popular, as were some fantasy and Westerns and romance writings.
Then, for the longest time, the short story seemed to dry up. Or at least any money to be made from short stories dried up. Fewer and fewer people seemed to read in general, and fiction reading trends tended towards longer forms, most commonly the novel. Fewer and fewer magazines were paying much for short stories, and a lot of magazines went out of business. For the most part, many short story writers were limited to smaller publications that did not pay much or did not pay at all.
That might have changed.
With increasing interests in electronic publishing, the short story writer once more possibly has found his or her chance to thrive.
Electronic books are growing in popularity, most notably by the ever-increasing sales of Amazon's Kindle e-reader and other such devices, like the Nook from Barnes & Noble.
More and more writers, professionals and beginners, are turning to publishing electronically, generally working directly through Amazon's Digital Text Platform or through such sites as Smashwords. Why would they do this? For lots of reasons. The writers don't have to deal with publishers, generally the pay cut is larger (at least in incremental percentages) and possibly most importantly, the writers have much more control over their product. The author gets to decide the cover art, the cover blurbs, how the ebook is edited, etc.
So with this growth in the electronic publishing industry, more and more short stories are beginning to show up, as well as novels, in the electronic form. Some writers are giving away their short stories for free as a promotion to hopefully draw readers to the writers' novels. Other writers are charging a dollar or less per short story. Yet other writers are bundling short stories together in groups, anywhere from a few stories to a couple of dozen, and selling those packages, sometimes for as little as 99 cents or less.
Does this mean short story writers are back on top? Not necessarily, but it does mean a short story writer is in a better position to be able to make a living only as a short story writer, probably in a better such position than nearly all short story writers in 50 years.
One can dream, can't one? And even if the dream can't become a reality, perhaps the challenge is enough in itself.
Should fiction writers have a blog?
I have known and know of some professional authors who never blog, yet they are doing quite fine with their writing career. On the other hand, I've known several authors who might not have been able to make a career out of writing without the help of their blog.
As example, science fiction author John Scalzi first published his novel Old Man's War online and that combined with his blog, Whatever, were huge boosts to his career. Thriller/horror author J.A. Konrath has also boosted his career quite a bit with the aid of his blog, A Newbie's Guide to Publishing.
Plenty of other novelists never blog. Ever.
So if you're a budding fiction writer, what should you do?
One argument against blogging is that it takes time away from a fiction writer, time that could be spent writing ... well, spent, writing fiction.
However, a blog can be a huge promotional tool for a writer. Remember, the actual writing itself is just the beginning of the work. Most writers have to spend plenty of time also doing promotions, making sure potential readers have heard of them. To that end, a blog makes perfect sense.
The key is not to spend so much time blogging that it takes away from actual writing time. A little self restraint might sometimes be in order, or perhaps a writer would even want to put himself or herself on a schedule; maybe they would only allow themselves to blog for an hour a day, or during a certain time of the day.
Of course some writers blog their fictional works. As a hobby, this is fine. Even as a self-publishing author, this fine. But if you are trying to sell your novel to a traditional print publisher, or even many ebook publishers, you need to think twice about putting your fiction out there for everyone to see for free; many publishers will not want to try to sell to readers material that is already available for free elsewhere than through the publisher.
Well, should a fiction writer have a blog? Considering the importance of self-promotions for writers nowadays, and considering the growing importance of electronic publishing, I lean heavily toward blogging. Even if a writer should land a book deal with a major publisher, that publisher is going to expect a certain level of self-promotions from the writer.
And what better, and easier, way to do a little promotions than to blog?
Novelist Cutting Ties with Traditional Book Publishers
Until a couple of years ago, I had been a newspaper journalist. Then in a matter of a year or two, I watched my career vanish before my eyes. The newspaper industry as a whole has been in decline for decades, but the ball has definitely been rolling downhill the last few years.
Now, over the last year or so, I'm hearing many of the same grumblings in the book publishing industry that I used to hear in the newspaper industry. No one is reading anymore. None of the publishers are making any money. Technology, mainly through the Internet and e-book readers, is destroying the publishing industry.
There's probably some truth to all that, but I don't think the major traditional book publishers are going to keel over and die anytime soon. Maybe in the next 20 years, but time will tell. Meanwhile, someone somewhere is making money from print books; there's just too many book stores and online purchases to deny this. Still, books in electronic form have made and are continuing to make major headway into the publishing industry.
So much so that lately there's another front in the conflict between traditional book publishing and electronic publishing. Some writers, even some known writers, are turning away from the traditional publishers and going it on their own.
The biggest brouhaha has been brought about by author J.A. Konrath, probably best known for his Jack Daniels police procedural series of novels and his horror fiction. Konrath has been in the public eye for at least a half dozen years now as an author, his first traditionally published novel having been Whiskey Sour in 2004.
Since then Konrath has gone on to have about a half dozen novels published in print. He has also become known for his blog about publishing, A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, and the extremes he has gone to to promote his work, including mailing 7,000 letters to libraries and personally visiting more than 600 book stores in 28 states in one year.
Konrath has also become known for being outspoken of his opinions concerning the publishing industry. On his blog he has stated "I love print publishers. But the traditional publishing industry is flawed, and I don't see any signs it will be fixed anytime soon."
Those flaws seem to have driven him away entirely from traditional book publishers. Konrath has announced, after years of working with traditional publishers, he will now go it alone without the industry. Barring a handful of books he is contractually obligated to provide publishers, his future in publishing is now turning toward Amazon's Kindle. Konrath has announced his upcoming novels will be published electronically first on the Kindle and at Smashwords for other ebook readers, then will be made available in print through Amazon's CreateSpace program.
Why would an author do this? The more important question might be, Why not? Konrath claims to have sold nearly 47,000 ebooks through Amazon over the last 13 months, the best-selling of the lot being his novel The List, which was never excepted for print publication by a traditional book publisher.
In other words, a professional author is making money without a print publisher. Will this lead to a trend of more authors dumping print publishers for electronic publication? It just might. If an author is able to bring in readers without taking a cut in potential earnings from publishers (and possibly even literary agents), it's possible more authors will go this route.
Konrath's outspokenness on his own publishing venture, and his recent announcement of dropping traditional print publishers, has drawn attention. An article recently in Publishers Weekly sought opinions from literary agents concerning Konrath's actions and words; some responses were negative while others not so much, but Konrath himself on his blog took exception to the article's tone, calling it an "epic fail" and then going on to outline the article's possible failings.
And readers and writers are paying attention. Hundreds have commented on Konrath's blog, some urging on his success, some not.
On a related note, Garrison Keillor recently wrote an article for The Baltimore Sun titled "When everyone's a writer, no one is." The headline isn't completely accurate to the article's subject matter, but Keillor is not likely to blame as columnists don't always have a say in the title to their articles. Keillor does go on about some of the positive aspects of self-publishing, but more than anything he laments the days when writers used a typewriter, mailed off their manuscripts and got paid for them. He calls it "the Old Era."
For good or ill, it seems the Old Era has passed. Electronic publishing seems here to stay, and it's changing the face of the publishing industry one book at a time.
Interview with Editor of Deadman's Tome Horror Magazine
Jesse Dedman wears a lot of hats. Not only is he the editor of Deadman's Tome, an online horror fiction magazine, but he's also the editor of Iron Bound, a new online fantasy fiction magazine, and he's the author of The Bleeder Collection, an anthology of five inter-connected horror short stories.
Recently editor Jesse Dedman agreed to an e-mail interview, so I posed him several questions. Below are the questions and his answers.
How did you come up with the idea to start online fiction magazine Deadman's Tome? What prompted you to become a fiction editor?
Originally, I started off as a writer that possessed more ego than talent. The idea of getting published teased me, almost mockingly, after a series of rejections that I couldn't agree more with, but more ambiguous and possibly paranoia induced factors began to populate. Equipped with a combination of the latest Writer's Digest (2008 at the time) and a staggering collection of databases that contained various online publishers, I found that more and more magazines appeared to be closing their doors. Combine that with a sort of twisted and yet realistic mindset towards the business of the world -- the idea that in many cases it is the familiarity with someone and not the actual work that acts as the deciding factor -- and you get the seedling to what made Deadman's Tome possible (Demonic Tome at the time). I created the magazine so that other writers would have another, welcoming avenue for their work. I actually never liked the idea of putting my own material on it, and I never thought of myself as an editor. But that all changed. A little secret exposed, when I started DT I knew rejections were going to happen, but being a scorned writer myself, I felt the need to create a buffer between me and the contributors. That buffer was Oliver Kingwood, such an awfully fictitious name, but it worked for the time being. Nowadays I proudly accept and reject submissions with a personal letter, no form bull. I want to deliver a little bit of myself in the responses I give.
You've got a new online fantasy magazine, Iron Bound. Can you tell me a little about it? Why did you decide to publish another magazine?
Oh yes, Iron Bound. I've wanted to tap into fantasy for a good while, possibly a year after Deadman's Tome launch, and the only reason why it took so long was for some compulsive desire to have DT stand on its own financially before any other endeavors are attempted. But the main issue with DT's financial status has no real bearing on something like Iron Bound, and lately my time has surged into a surplus so now is the best time to do it. I absolutely love fantasy, perhaps not as much as horror, but I love every bit of it from the true and classic Celtic folklore and myths to the revisits to an Arthurian world. Blood smeared swords, battered shields, and the unstoppable, potent desire to challenge any and all willing combatants even if it meant death, draws on me.
What do you read? What kind of fiction do you like, and what fiction has inspired you?
Ironically, I don't really have the list you might expect. I publish works of horror, and yet I don't have a long list or even a short list of horror writers I frequently read. However, I have a list of certain works that are generally regarded as literary milestones to some degree, works that everyone ought to treat themselves to. Voltaire's Candide, H.P. Lovecraft (all of his stuff), Franz Kafka's The Stoker and the Metamorphosis, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, Henry David Thoreau's Walden, Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho, Joseph Heller's Catch-22, Homer's Odyssey, Iliad, and countless pages of Greek, Roman, and Celtic myths (I love that stuff). I could go on, but I'll let it rest on that.
Out of that list, I would have to say that Voltaire's outlook towards life inspired my later work, thus increasing my pull towards the bleak. Lovecraft inspired me to not be afraid of creating my own unique variations of current monsters, perhaps leave behind another set of mythos, whereas American Psycho was just a great read.
I've read some other authors that inspired me when I was little, but now stand as something I don't want to do. Anne Rice, for example, appeared as a great model when younger, and nothing against her as she is a terrific writer, but I just hated her pages of descriptions. I remember in one book she spent like a paragraph describing one portion of Lestat's coat. Not saying don't do it for future contributors or anything, but it is something I just find tedious. Like in The Bleeder, for example, I described the Bleeder in snap shots knowing that I only needed to focus on his core attributes for anyone with a brainstem to get a mental image of him.
After reading The Bleeder Collection, your prose collection of five inter-connected horror tales, I noticed what seemed to be a strong graphic novel influence. Care to expound on that some? Where did you get the idea for The Bleeder character and his stories? Will The Bleeder return in future tales?
When I wrote The Bleeder, I tried as hard as I could to capture the images envisioned in my head, which appeared to me like that of a Frank Miller graphic novel. Thoughts of a horrific, unfathomable experiment on a willing or unwilling human specimen burned in my mind. Images of blood gushing in streams from grated fingertips wouldn't leave me until I figured out a way to make it possible. The Bleeder, a terrible monster struggling with morality while protecting the only person he felt a connection with, was born. I initially created the first one with no intent on creating others, but after it became published in Demonminds.com I began to question if I could expand on it. After all, the first one leaves you assuming that Abigail is watched by the Bleeder for the rest of their lives, and the simplicity of that left a bad taste in my mouth, so I extended it with four additional tales, which, by intent, left behind a lot of questions that need to be answered.
The only reason it ended the way it did was because I really liked the idea of the Bleeder returning to his "place of birth" to fight to his bitter end. Of course, he isn't dead. In the rushed ending, I made it clear that another incident emerged later on, but how could that be?
What lies in the future for you as an editor? What hopes do you have for your magazines and your writing?
I would like to run an online magazine that actually brings in some money so that I could actually pay contributors. I tried that with DT, but that didn't go too well, it was too soon, and besides the sponsors will improve with the magazine being free.
Iron Bound is the first of other online magazines I wish to run. The next one would be a bit more mainstream and could possibly act as the bread and butter of everything else. It would be an online magazine for everything fiction but without the extremes of DT and IB. Something that, in a central hub, would provide a taste of current and developing talents in everything poetry, short story, flash fiction, and in genres ranging from literary narrative to not so extreme fantasy and horror. The problem with this idea would be the blending boundaries between the three magazines.
I would like to see DT grow, and I mean really grow. I would love to see its name reach the four corners of the world, and live the moment to where I observe people at the gym reading it off their E-reader.
As far as my writing goes, I wish to expand and do more than just horror. I'm currently working on a book right now that isn't in any real category, 7 attempts at 1 death. It's about a pseudo-evangelist-motivational speaker who is constantly overwhelmed by depression to the point to where suicide feels like the only way out. As you could possibly assume, he tries seven times. I got that idea when listening to my mom rant and rave about Joel Osteen, and I couldn't help but know with strong inclination that those types of people are no way spared by the very thing that makes us so human, the little indecisions, the little moments of doubt, and all that jazz. From that, I went on a leap and designed a character that is all of extremes and nothing in between. One moment inspiring those of weary hearts, and playing Russian roulette under the influences of Ayahuasca in the next.
Other than that, I really don't like placing my own material in the magazine. I used to feel sort of sleazy doing it, I'm not sure why, but now I do it simply because there are pieces that I've slaved over trying to get just right.
As an editor, what kind of stories are you looking to publish? What should a writer be sending you if they hope to be published in one of your magazines?
I'm a sucker for stories set in a post-apocalyptic environments that aren't afraid to plaster a dark gloomy coat over a solid, fear-induced plot. Stories of the working man, perhaps labeled as deranged by some, breaks from the fold of the shackles of society and aims to take what is rightfully his. Tales of other-world deities coming into our realm to wreck havoc upon humanity and, of course, extreme brutality exercised by insane serial killers.
I'm also open for new styles, attempts, and willing to test ideas that many publishers probably wouldn't. "When the Bough Breaks," for example, is in the May 2010 release of Deadman's Tome and is a story written in second person. The idea of reading something that protrudes into your imagination by informing you of what you are doing, trying to place you into the actions of the character, meets resistance. As people we don't want to be told what to feel, how to feel, and what to do, unless we are spending another dreaded day at the old grinding mill. However, despite that, I wanted to see how DT readers would regard it and it's too early to say anymore on it at the moment.
10 Web Sites for Horror Writers
The Book Spot, a book review blog for writers and readers
Labels: Interviews
What Fictional Character's Blog Would You Like to Read?
As a fiction author, I often enjoy mentally getting into the minds of my characters. I'm not talking strictly about writing, but also the brain work that goes into the planning stages of writing. Before I sit down to the keyboard, I usually spend a few hours or even days or weeks working out plots in my head and sometimes even characters' conversations. Sometimes I try to think like my characters and try to envision how they look at the world.
This not only can strengthen the actual writing, but it also allows me to work out how a given character will react to a particular situation.
And it can be a lot of fun.
To take that a little further, as a reader I often enjoy getting into the minds of the characters about whom I'm reading.
That too can be fun.
So if I enjoy working out the mental processes and thoughts of my characters, from both a writer and reader's perspective, it stands to reason others might like the same.
I also blog a lot. Every day, in fact. Besides my online writings, I've got several blogs.
Which could me thinking further. And once the wheels finally stopped spinning so much in my head, it occurred to me it would be interesting to see fictional characters blog.
It could be a great marketing tool for fiction authors. If you've got a new novel coming out in a few months, you could spend those months blogging as one of the characters in the novel. The characters could guest post on your own blog if you already have one, or you could create a brand new blog just for the characters.
This might be a little tricky, as you don't want to give away too much about your upcoming publication, but I think with some foresight this could work.
For example, the print version of my fantasy novel City of Rogues is probably coming out sometime in the next year. I'm not sure exactly when yet because the publisher hasn't given me a printing schedule, but the ebook version of the novel is already available online. The main character of the novel is Kron Darkbow, a mysterious warrior who dresses all in black, carries a big sword and a bow on his back. He's kind of like Batman set in a fantasy world, though he doesn't wear a mask.
I think Kron would make a great blogger. His view of the world is quite dark, though not necessarily bleak. He's someone who wants to get things done, and who wants to make the world a better place though through his own brutal measures. He's no tyrant in the bigger scheme of things, though he has no problems with handing out punishment when and where he believes it is due.
Knowing my novel is coming out sometime, I could use Kron's blog as a promotional piece. Again, I wouldn't want to give too much away about the story of my novel, but I could still provide background material, maybe even stories about Kron's days before the time period of the novel.
Or I could let one of the other characters blog. Kron's nemesis, an underground crimelord known as Belgad the Liar, has a lot in common with Kron. Belgad could have an interesting blog.
Or I could bring out a minor character, the small-time hood called Stilp, who is really a coward at heart unless he's got a bunch of goons backing him up. Stilp could definitely spin some interesting tales about the city of Bond where he and Kron and others find themselves during my novel.
I think this idea has potential.
Will I do it? I don't know. I've got enough other projects already, fiction and nonfiction alike, but the idea keeps intriguing me.
Do you think it would be a good idea? I'd like to hear some thoughts.
Another interesting idea would be blogs about known literary characters who are now available in the public domain, characters from books written roughly a hundred years ago and further.
Think of the possibilities! Imagine if D'artagnon from The Three Musketeers had a blog? Or what about Elinor in Sense and Sensibility? Heck, Moby Dick reads almost like a blog written by Ishmael.
I see possibilities here. Let me know what you think.
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Labels: Just notes
Changes are afoot
If you're a regular reader of this blog, you likely notice the page looks much different than it has in the past. Well, I decided it was time to do a major update. The old Logical Misanthropy was getting a little stale.
Let me know what you think of the new look! I'm sure there will be minor tweakings (and maybe some not so minor) over the next few weeks.
Labels: Fun stuff
Whining Does Nothing for a Fiction Writer
I hear them all the time.
"It's so hard to make it into a magazine."
"None of the publishers will look at my book."
"Agents take way too long to reply to submissions."
And a thousand other whiny complaints.
It's almost sickening.
Yes, it is tough breaking into the fiction writing market. Not everyone can get a book deal. Not everyone can land a story in their favorite magazine.
That's just too bad. Write better. Write more. Write. Write. Write.
Grousing about how tough it the fiction markets can be will not get your story published. It will not get your name on the front of a publication. It most definitely will not make you any money as a writer.
And it's also bad form. Editors, publishers, literary agents and other writers are out there on the Internet, too, and when they witness someone going on and on about how much the publishing industry sucks, they might just remember that person's name. Which is not a good thing, remembering that name in a negative light. If your manuscript lands on some editor's desk, an editor who saw you tearing into his magazine because they never published one of your stories, that editor isn't very likely to even read your story, let alone consider it for publication. "Not fair!" you might shout. "Tough luck," I say. Grow up and join the real world. If you go around offending others in the publishing business, the very business you're trying to break into, you're not going to get very far.
See, it's human nature to not want to do something for someone who has insulted you. It's also perfectly legal, some might even argue ethical. Whatever, it's reality.
Of course there are other options for writers nowadays. You could go the self-publishing route. For instance, you can publish your ebooks for the Kindle through the Amazon's Digital Text Platform. You could also publish your books through sites such as Lulu. You can even publish short stories through online publishing sites like Triond.
But what you won't get is readers, let alone any chances at making money. Don't believe me? Okay, go ahead and publish that story on Triond, or better yet, that novel on the Kindle. Now, once you've made a hundred bucks, come back here and post about it.
I'll see you in ten years.
Of course, there are success stories out there of authors who have self-published and who are doing quite well. But what those authors did was put in a lot of work, a lot of time and effort doing self promotions after they do all that work writing and editing their own material. So, it can be done. But one thing those writers didn't do was sit around and gripe about how unfair the writing industry is.
They did something about it. They wrote. They published. They cashed the checks. And they enjoyed interacting with their readers.
Which is something you'll never do if you spend more time complaining than writing and submitting or publishing.
There's Nothing Wrong With Writing For Money
Shakespeare did it. Poe did it. Twain loved doing it. Even Tolstoy did it, though he was an emotional wreck over it.
I'm talking about writing for money.
Whether fiction or non-fiction, in some writing circles there seems to be a stigma about writing for money. You're looked down upon if you write for money, if you even dare to ask for a mere pittance for something you've written. You receive scowls and frowns in person, and on the Internet you can receive diatribes that become personal and downright nasty.
All because you are writing for money or want to write for money.
Professional writers and those who want to be professional writers write for money. If you're not writing for money, you're a hobbyist.
Not that there's anything wrong with that either. Some people write only for themselves. Some people like to write free articles for their small town local newspaper. Other people like to write stories they read to their kids at bedtime. Some folks write a thousand-page novel just to see if than can do it, then hide the novel away in a closet. There are millions of reasons to write and not want to get paid for it.
But that doesn't mean you're better than me or any other writer who is writing for money.
If you want to talk ethics, how is it wrong to write for money? In what way?
Sure, there can be writers who take it too far, those who are constantly spamming forums about their writing. Those who can have another conversation with a human being only if it revolves around writing, specifically their writing. Those who post links and blogs and memos talking about their new book or short story or article.
But those are just annoying writers. And most all writers can be annoying at one time or another (probably like I'm doing right now).
Some of those who write for money do so because it gives them an ego boost. Others approach writing for money with a more capitalistic agenda, thinking the money they've earned from their writing is sort of like scoring points in a ballgame ... the more money you've got, the closer you are to winning (by the way, in case you wanted to know, the game's at a tie right now between J.K. Rowling and Stephen King).
Me? I've just got bills to pay. And writing is how I make my living.
It's not uncommon (though not extremely common) among smaller book presses and the smaller magazine and ezine publishers for there to be an attitude that beginning writers should just be happy they're getting published, even if they're not getting paid for it. To some extent that makes sense. Beginning writers are going through an apprenticeship of sorts.
But that doesn't mean they can expect to never get paid. If you've had three or four articles or stories published professionally, even if at smaller publications, it's probably time you started looking at the markets that pay, even if it's the markets that pay just a little. You can work your way up to the better-paying markets. If you're getting regularly published, you'll eventually start making some money.
Some folks use the word hack when referring to those who write for money. A writer writing for money is not a hack. A bad writer writing for money (after being fortunate enough to find someone to pay them) is a hack.
And yes, there is plenty of drivel out there. Some people frown upon thrillers. Some frown at horror novels. Myself, I don't care much for romance novels (and yes, I've given some a try, all in the name of gaining experience). But some folks like those genres. It's just that you don't. What constitutes bad writing is all subjective, and what constitutes a bad genre is subjective.
I'm not a great writer. I don't claim to be. I'm fair at this game. I get paid a little money for my work. Yes, I'd like to get paid more. When is enough money enough? I'll find out when I get there, with no expectations of becoming rich.
But I don't look down upon those who have higher goals than myself, or who just want to get paid to write. There's nothing wrong with that.
Making Villains Realistic Can Strengthen Your Fiction
Every reader of fiction has their favorite villains. For some it's a Sith Lord from the Star Warsnovels. Others remember with glee the devious ways of Cardinal Richelieu in The Three Musketeers. Still others are chomping at the bit to read more about Hannibal Lector, the cannibalistic serial killer with charm, in a series of novels by Thomas Harris.
Regardless of whom a particular villain might be, sometimes we love them. Sometimes we love to hate them. And yes, we have to admit, sometimes we even love it when they're being out-and-out bad. It's not that we don't want the hero to succeed, it's just that sometimes the villain is so awesome, so cool, that we want them to succeed, too.
But normally you can't have it both ways. In most instances, the villain will eventually be thwarted or defeated or outright destroyed altogether.
Though sometimes they come back.
That's why it's fiction. The writers can make anything happen they want to happen. Though they have to work within realistic parameters or else they risk losing their audience. Truth might be stranger than fiction, but readers need their fiction to sound like truth.
Sometimes villains are seemingly faceless. Not literally faceless. No, no. Zombies have faces, but you usually can't tell much of a difference from one to the other. Sure, physically they might look different on a movie screen or be described differently from one another in a novel, but they're still just zombies. Mobs of the shambling dead.
In fantasy fiction, faceless villains often come in the teeming hordes of bad-guy monsters that serve as some sort of army for an evil overlord. Orcs and goblins commonly are used in such a fashion.
But do we, as readers, care about such villains? Usually not. Taking the zombies as an example, in most stories featuring the walking dead, the focus tends to be on those trying to survive the walking dead. That's not too big a problem, though, because most zombie tales are, at their heart, about survival.
Using the orcs from fantasy as an example, we run into a bit more of a problem. Yes, they're monsters. But they're also sentient beings with brains and a level of intelligence. If one were to look at the world in black and white, good versus evil, then orcs usually are represented on the side of evil. So it's alright to slay swaths of them, right? Perhaps. It depends upon the story and how it is told.
But orcs and such featureless villains often deserve more, a better treatment by the author.
To make the story more believable. To draw the reader's interest more into the tale.
Sure, we all love rooting for the hero, but if you can also get us rooting for the bad guy, you're going to have pulled your readers in all that much stronger. Which could mean more story sales.
And that's never a bad thing for a fiction writer.
How does one go about making such monsters more realistic? You don't have to make them likable. Don't make that mistake. You can make them likable, but it's not necessary. After all, many of us want our villains to be villains.
As a writer, you have to ask yourself why is a certain villain a villain. Here you're getting into philosophical and psychological questions concerning evil. The best thing to keep in mind is that most evil people, real and fictitious, don't think of themselves as evil. They generally believe they are the hero of their own tale, that they are justified for one reason or another in doing all the awful things they do.
I'm not suggesting you have to bring up a villain's entire past, going all the way back to their diaper days. Bringing up all kinds of seemingly whiny reasons why a villain is evil becomes maudlin. It becomes boring. Which is death to a fiction writer.
I am, however, suggesting to flesh out your villains a little more than usual. No, you don't have to spend a thousand pages to give the background of every individual bad guy in an army of bad guys, but you should at least focus on at least one major villain, maybe even the main villain, and a handful of underlings. Why are they villains? Why are they evil? What do they hope to accomplish by their evil acts?
This stuff will bring your readers all that much closer to the fictional world you've carved out with your words. And readers like to feel closer to the fictional worlds they discover. It makes them feel part of something. It makes them enjoy the tale all that much more. And again, it'll keep them coming back to you as an author
Another thing to keep in mind is that being evil just to be evil is boring. And not very realistic. Even the most sadistic serial killers of all time had reasons for committing their atrocious acts. Maybe their reasonings don't make sense to the rest of us, but they had them.
No. 22 - House of Chains
by Steven Erikson
Started: May 7
Notes: I couldn't help myself. I wanted to read the next book in the series. So I am.
Mini review: This books started off with some of my favorite writing in the whole series, mainly because the first 150 or so pages focus on my favorite character in this series, Karsa Orlong. However, from there the book wound down and was rather anti-climactic, thus making it my least favorite novel so far in the Malazan series. That being said, it was still a decent book and I know the rest of the series is truly awesome.


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When we commit our lives to God, then we become His beloved children. Part of being a child of God, is living like a child of God. God is not like the world, where we live in. He is not perverse, wicked, unrighteous ad selfish. He is the opposite of all that: loving, honest, pure and righteous. As our Father He asks us to learn to live like He is. He is light and calls us to walk in His light, as His true children. There is no greater joy than to walk in holiness, free from the oppression and perversion of sin and darkness. Walking in the light of Jesus Christ gives us great joy and peace. Scripture Verse Art
Fifteen years ago I was struggling with a very serious sleeping disorder. One day the Lord spoke to me, through a prophetic ministry, and He said: 'David, you will start experiencing the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. Rise up ands live again!' The following months I indeed felt an inner strength to stop with the horrible sleeping medication. With His power in my heart I could overcome the addiction to the bad medicine and learn to sleep naturally again. It was a struggle, but His power enabled me to do it. Scripture Verse Christian Image
He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using three minas of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with refined gold. There were six steps to the throne and a round top to the throne at its rear, and arms on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms. Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom. All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None was of silver; it was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon. Goodnews Art
Now King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. He was a widow's son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill for doing any work in bronze So he came to King Solomon and performed all his work. He fashioned the two pillars of bronze; eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of both. read more. Scripture Art
For my Christian wall art, my shop uses state-of-the-art machines that print very beautiful and clear images onto frameless and framed canvas art. Read my reviews, all of my customers have been very happy. I created my shop to give the best inspirational and religious scripture prints on frameless artwork but I do know that it is not a low price. But if you email me, I can work with you on some special prices. I believe my bible verse wall art is some of the best in the world and its all custom made. I am currently working on some designs that are wall decals and posters which are great faith based Christian wall decor products that I think you would love. If you have any special requests, please let me know. I have made Contemporary Christian wall decor (wall decals, posters, bible verse art and more). Goodnews Art
Millions of people turn to scripture every day for inspiration and guidance. Its timeless lessons help show us the way in a world that may seem complicated and confusing. The powerful words of scripture lend themselves easily to art, music, and other creative endeavors. You can use our collection of scripture art to highlight a favorite quotation or display the grace of a life guided by God's words. Scripture Verse Art
"The house which I am about to build will be great, for greater is our God than all the gods. "But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to burn incense before Him? "Now send me a skilled man to work in gold, silver, brass and iron, and in purple, crimson and violet fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings, to work with the skilled men whom I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided. Scripture Verse Christian Image
For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood, the lintel and five-sided doorposts. So he made two doors of olive wood, and he carved on them carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread the gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees. So also he made for the entrance of the nave four-sided doorposts of olive woodread more. Scripture Verse Christian Image
Do you want to experience the life changing life saving, healing, liberating and victorious power of Jesus Christ? This wall art can help you. I created it, under inspiration of the Spirit of God, to show you how Jesus Christ has overcome the chains, the bondages, the claws, the depths of hell, and He is now eternally victorious. He wants to share this amazing victory with you as well.
and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship. "And behold, I Myself have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill, that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, and the ark of testimony, and the mercy seat upon it, and all the furniture of the tent, the table also and its utensils, and the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering also with all its utensils, and the laver and its stand, Scripture Verse Christian Image
Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. ...
It was carved with cherubim and palm trees; and a palm tree was between cherub and cherub, and every cherub had two faces, a man's face toward the palm tree on one side and a young lion's face toward the palm tree on the other side; they were carved on all the house all around. From the ground to above the entrance cherubim and palm trees were carved, as well as on the wall of the nave. The doorposts of the nave were square; as for the front of the sanctuary, the appearance of one doorpost was like that of the other. The altar was of wood, three cubits high and its length two cubits; its corners, its base and its sides were of wood And he said to me, "This is the table that is before the LORD." The nave and the sanctuary each had a double door. Each of the doors had two leaves, two swinging leaves; two leaves for one door and two leaves for the other. Also there were carved on them, on the doors of the nave, cherubim and palm trees like those carved on the walls; and there was a threshold of wood on the front of the porch outside. There were latticed windows and palm trees on one side and on the other, on the sides of the porch; thus were the side chambers of the house and the thresholds. Goodnews Art
When we commit our lives to God, then we become His beloved children. Part of being a child of God, is living like a child of God. God is not like the world, where we live in. He is not perverse, wicked, unrighteous ad selfish. He is the opposite of all that: loving, honest, pure and righteous. As our Father He asks us to learn to live like He is. He is light and calls us to walk in His light, as His true children. There is no greater joy than to walk in holiness, free from the oppression and perversion of sin and darkness. Walking in the light of Jesus Christ gives us great joy and peace.
We tend to think of 'clutter' as the stuff we set on shelves, stash in drawers, and hide under the bed when company's coming. But what about our spiritual lives? Just like our homes, many of us tend to let our spiritual lives become cluttered with junk that takes up mental space, but doesn't really add to our lives. Let's talk about ways to bust the kind of clutter that takes up space we could use to deepen our relationship with the Lord.
He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using three hundred shekels of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. There were six steps to the throne and a footstool in gold attached to the throne, and arms on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms. Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom. All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; silver was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon. Scripture Art

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Title: Early Conversions to the Catholic Church in America (1521-1830)
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Early Conversions to the Catholic Church in America (1521-1830)
Author(s): Georgina Pell Curtis
Source: The Catholic Historical Review, Vol. 1, No. 3 (Oct., 1915), pp. 271-281
Published by: Catholic University of America Press
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EARLY CONVERSIONS TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN
AMERICA (1521-1830)1
The history of conversions to the Church in America may be
divided into three periods. The first period from 1521,-the date
of Ponce de Leon's landing on the southwest point of the coast of
Florida, when priests who accompanied the expedition established
the first mission to the Indians in the United States, to 1607, the
year of the Jamestown settlement. The second period from 1607,
when Jamestown formed the first beginning of white colonies in the
new world, to the year 1830. This era embraced the Colonial and
Revolutionary periods, and the first fifty years of American inde
pendence. The third period from 1830,-a date just prior to the
commencement of the great tide of Catholic immigration, to the
present day. This period is chiefly noteworthy as embracing the
Oxford Movement of 1833-45, with its influence on America. Con
versions during the third and last decade became so numerous that
only the earlier ones (before 1850-60) can very well, as a whole,
be treated biographically. In the last sixty years converts have
come into the Church in such great numbers that they can only be
properly recorded under the general head of statistics.
So far as our present knowledge of the records informs us, there
1A complete bibliography for the use of those interested in this important
subject would fill many pages. The general histories of the Church in America,
such as the standard work of John Gilmary Shea, and the many diocesan his
tories which have been published during the nineteenth century, contain valuable
references to the converts to the Catholic faith. Special biographical publica
tions on the conversions prior to 1830-the period covered by this article, are
not very numerous. In the pages of the Records and Researches of the American
Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, in the Catholic Chronologist, edited
by James A. Rooney, LL.D., (1945 83rd Street, Brooklyn, N. Y.), in the
Catholic World, St. Peter's Net, the Missionary, Truth, and in the Rosary,
articles have been written from time to time on these early conversions. The
last named magazine featured a series of such articles on converts in the army
and navy and in the different universities and non-Catholic institutions of learning.
They were: Convert Sons of Kenyon, (vol. xxxII, Jan., 1908); Convert Sons of
West Point (vol. xxxII, Feb., 1908); Convert Sons of Nashotah Seminary (vol.
xxxI, April, 1908; Converts from the Church of the Advent, Boston (vol. xxxiI,
May, 1908); Convert Sons of the Navy (vol. xxxIII, July 1908); Converts of
Note (vol. xxxm, August, 1908); Convert Sons of Harvard (vol. xxxIi, October,
1908),-- all written by SCANNELL O'NEILL, ESQ.
272 GEORGINA PELL CURTIS
were no conversions among the white settlers before 1634, wh
Catholic colony of Maryland was founded; but the Indian
history runs all through the three divisions named above and
being carried on at the present day in Alaska and the No
country. In this present article, the purpose of which is
attention to the necessity of gathering up into one volume th
of these conversions, we shall confine ourselves to the first an
periods,-1521-1830. The most logical way of ascertaining
ber of these conversions is to follow the geographical growth
early colonies themselves. This geographical division cove
corner of the United States. European colonization in Am
to the year 1607 was the work of Catholic countries and
professing the Catholic faith. During this first period (152
the work of conversion was almost entirely among the native
Beginning with " Florida," which at that time included V
Kentucky, the Carolinas, and Georgia, with other parts of the
the missions to the Indians, which were directed by the Domi
Franciscans, and Jesuits, attained a development that
promise of a brilliant success. Then came in chronological
the establishment of the Church in Maryland (1634), whe
first Jesuit missions were established by Father Andrew W
his companions. They founded a number of stations am
different tribes and were very successful in converting th
until 1645, when the Puritans and other European emigres,
been given a safe shelter in the Maryland colony, repaid t
ness they had received by plundering the churches, the missio
the houses of the Catholics, and ended by sending Fathers Wh
Copley to England, as prisoners on trial for their lives
White's Relatio itineris ad Marylandiam, small as it is, give
fair account of these Maryland Indian missions together w
methods employed by the priests to convert the natives in this
lie also wrote an Indian catechism, and a grammar of the
way language, the first Indian grammar written by an Eng
In New England, the Rev. Nicholas Aubry landed on the i
Ste. Croix (now known as De Monts Island) and celebrated M
the first time on New England soil (1604). Later, in 1613,
dation was made at St. Sauveur, near nMt. Desert, by Fathe
I3iard and three companions. From here as a centre, mission
Indians, in charge of the Jesuits, Sulpicians and Capuchins
EARLY CONVERSIONS TO THE CHURCH IN AMERICA 273
all over Maine, and penetrated into Canada on the north. In New
York, as far as is known, the Recollect Father Joseph de la Roche
de Daillon was the first to begin similar work (1626). He was fol
lowed in 1642 by Father Isaac Jogues. The subsequent history of
the missions among the Iroquois, Hurons, and Mohawks of New
York State, with their splendid though ephemeral prosperity, is the
best known page of early conversions in America. Pennsylvania
saw the beginning of the Catholic native-conversion movement in
1755, through Father Claude Francois Virot, S. J. The Ohio River
and Lake Region, which at that time embraced Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota was part of the French Juris
diction of Canada up to 1789. The first mission west of the Huron
country was established in 1660 in upper Michigan by Father Rene
Menard. Other missions, including that of Father Marquette (Illi
nois, 1674), followed in rapid succession. The Louisiana Mission
(1763), embracing Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and
Alabama, with a part of Illinois, was first visited by Father Mar
quette. Other missions, founded by different religious orders, fol
lowed in 1682-1698-1702, and during succeeding periods. The Cen
tral Western States included the labors of Father Juan de Padilla,
who accompanied Coronado's expedition in 1540. He founded
a mission in southern Kansas. The Jesuit Father Allouez, in
1666, and the Recollect Father Louis Hennepin, in 1680, who
labored among the Indians from the Wisconsin border to the foot of
the Rocky Mountains, were followed by numerous other missionaries,
ending with the noted Father De Smet in 1848. Texas was first
evangelized by Father Andres de Olmos, a Franciscan (1544). The
wonderful labors of the Franciscans in Texas cover the period up to
1812. In the territory now occupied by New Mexico and Arizona,
the cross was first planted by Friar Marcus de Niza, a Franciscan
(1539). He was followed by Father Juan de Padilla, Father Juan
de la Cruz, and a lay brother, Luis de Escalona, all of whom were
afterwards murdered by the Indians. These were the first Christian
missionaries within the present area of the United States to be mar
tyred for the Catholic faith. The California Missions began in
1769. This was the year when the first of the great Catholic Mis
sions, which will always remain one of the most picturesque monu
ments of American history, were established by the Franciscans on
the Pacific Coast. Previous to this date, Lower California had been
visited by the Jesuits, who established eighteen missions t
tween 1697 and 1769. In earlier times Lower California h
visited by Cortes in 1533, and Upper California by Cabrillo
Since Cortes was always friendly to the clergy, it is supposed
was accompanied by priests on this expedition. In num
scope California ranks next to Florida in missionary endea
the harvesting of converts. How far the Mission Archive
extant in California and Mexico would enable us to give th
number of conversions is a problem which has not yet been se
studied by Catholic historians. To the north of Californi
Columbia region, the first knowledge of Christianity in th
west (including Montana, Oregon and Washington) came t
Catholic Iroquois Indians and French Canadians about 18
field was to become the scene of Father Peter De Smet's great
in 1841. After him came a long line of other missionaries,
Jesuits and Oblates, who carried the faith to the remotest
the Northwest.
The reader has already noticed that this geographical su
of the development of missionary activity in the United State
the growth of a mighty tree. Planted in Florida, and spr
northward, it branched to the east and west and then northea
northwest, until the whole vast continent had seen the Black
who numbered everywhere their harvest of souls by thousand
of these Indian converts became famous. Among them are
ine Tegakouita, the saintly maiden of the Mohawk tribe; t
Emperor of the Piscataways in Maryland, who was baptized
Jesuit Father White; Mary Kittamaquund, his daughter, from
several distinguished Maryland families are said to be des
and Daniel Garakoutie, chief of the Iroquois (1669). It is r
in the history of Maine that Baron de Castine, who helped bu
church of St. Ann at Panawaniske (Oldtown) in 1688,
which exists to this day and is the oldest in New England,
the daughter of the Sagamore chief, Modockewando. T
many other records of prominent Indian converts in differen
of the United States. If I have dwelt on these primitive conver
it is for two reasons. First it shows, what is so seldom tho
in these days, that-following the discovery by Columbus-t
religion established everywhere in America was Catholic
other. Secondly, the vast harvest of white converts to the
was built upon, and followed these conversions of the Indian,
taking geographically almost the same trend. Wherever the
Indian missions were left undisturbed, they prospered in a mar
velous manner. It was when they were attacked by hostile
Indian tribes, by white traders, or by European explorers bent on
conquest, or later by the English colonists, that they declined and
died out. Many writers have already paid glowing tributes to the
conversions achieved among the Indians by the early missioners,
great numbers of whom laid down their lives for the cause. With
Puritan New England on one side and the violently anti-Catholic
colony of Jamestown on the other, and with thousands of hostile
savages in every direction, they yet conquered because the motive
of their zeal, which knew no bounds in their devotion to the Indians,
was a supernatural one. With hearts that were afire with a strong
conquering love of souls, they blazed their way through the wilder
ness over thousands of miles, enduring heat and cold, fire and flood,
until these primitive conversions which they effected embraced every
tribe and covered the whole area of the western continent. With
such a foundation, it is not surprising that the later history of the
Church's expansion in America among the white settlers was so
fruitful of results.
The complete history of the early conversions among the non
Catholic colonists is at present the work taken up by the writer for
publication in book-form later on. Up to the present time only
about one-half the sources for this study have been investigated. It
is a difficult, though necessary task, and its ultimate success depends
upon the facility with which these sources are made known. In
most cases the desired data are scattered; they are hard to find, and
often in a very fragmentary condition. The principal sources of
information are:-church records and archives, which are always the
most direct and reliable; the archives of Religious Houses, Colleges
and Universities, such, for example as the archives at Georgetown
University, at St. Rose's Priory, Springfield, Kentucky, in the old
AMissions in California, and in the Edwards' collection at the Uni
versity of Notre Dame; old newspaper files; pamphlets, many of
which were, and still are being written for private circulation by the
descendants of early converts and which are not to be found in book
stores, and can be obtained only as a favor; histories and biographies
now in print and others which are out of print, as well as provincial
and community histories; old letters, some of which are st
private archives, and others in the possession of private indiv
and old encyclopedias. These are the silent, printed referenc
beside these there are traditional sources, namely, the recollecti
learned men, both lay and clerical, living in every part of the U
States who have stored away in their memories, as the resu
years of study and research a vast fund of information whi
they have the time to place it at the writer's disposal, will
make this work complete. There are no books dealing profe
with seventeenth and eighteenth century conversions that are k
to the writer.
The white conversions to the Church in the Colonies begin rig
with Maryland. Maryland was founded by the convert son of
vert father, Cecilius Calvert, second Lord Baltimore, eldest s
heir of George Calvert, first Lord Baltimore, who became a C
in England, probably in the year 1624. In November, 1
Leonard Calvert, a younger brother of Cecilius, set sail for
land in charge of a party of colonists on board the Ark an
Dove. They numbered in all about three hundred souls, one
of whom were Catholics. The place of their landing they n
St. Mary's; and here on March 25, 1634, Mass was celebrate
the first time. The apostolic labors of the two priests, who
panied the expedition, were so successful that in a short time al
all the Protestant colonists who were of the party became Cath
This first Catholic colony in America was ideal. Its law
wise, its spirit was noble, and its toleration formed a marked co
to that of the Jamestown and Puritan settlements. Religiou
dom was the rule. Bancroft, in his History of the United S
gives to Cecilius Calvert the honor of being the first in the
of mankind to make religious freedom the basis of the
Vol. I, ch. vii, edition of 1838. In the edition of 1883, Bancroft sup
this word of praise. A comparison between these two passages will giv
reader an idea of the eminent historian's method of "re-editing" his w
which edition (1883) the praise given to Catholic institutions in the New
was either weakened or deleted altogether.
(Text of 1838) (Text of 1883)
Calvert deserves to be ranked among Sir George Calvert
the most wise and benevolent lawgivers be ranked among t
of all ages. He was the first in the most benevolent lawgi
history of the Christian world to seek connected his hopes
Under this beneficent and liberal rule the colony flourished and con
versions increased.
The persecutions carried on against the Catholics by the Puritan
element in Maryland after 1649, drove many colonists in differ
ent directions. The first large settlement of Catholics outside Mary
land seems to have been made in 1785 near Bardstown, Kentucky.
This state, the first great nursery of the Faith west of the Alleghenies,
has a glorious Catholic history, and, as might be expected, conversions
there were numerous. History records that in a series of missions
given during the time of Bishop Flaget (1826), six thousand people
went to Confession and Holy Communion, while over twelve hundred
were confirmed and many converts were received. One of the ear
liest cradles of the faith in Kentucky, whence the apostolic labor of
conversions was carried on, was St. Rose's Dominican Priory at
Springfield, founded in 1806. Many of the conversions were ef
fected by the saintly Father Nerinckx. From Kentucky the light
of faith spread to St. Louis. The territory known as the Louisiana
Purchase had a varied history. Between 1658 and 1826, the coun
try east and west of the Mississippi had its jurisdiction changed five
times; nor were the different divisions on each side of the river
always under the same jurisdiction at the same time. Whether or
not this retarded its development, the fact remains that in 1810 the
present great Catholic diocese of St. Louis was a struggling village
in the midst of a wilderness. When Bishop Dubourg took possession
of the See in 1818, the pro-Cathedral was a poor wooden building in
a more or less dilapidated condition. Under the great Bishop Ro
sati, of the Congregation of the Mission, St. Louis entered upon its
for religious security and peace by the dizement of his family with the
practice of justice, and not by the exer- establishment of popular institu
cise of power; to plan the establish- tions; and, being a "Papist,
ment of popular institutions with the wanted not charity toward Prot
enjoyment of liberty of conscience; to estants."
advance the career of civilization by
recognizing the rightful equality of all
Christian sects. The asylum of Papists
was the spot, where, in a remote corner
of the world, on the banks of rivers
which, as yet, had hardly been explored,
the mild forbearance of a proprietary
adopted religious freedom as the basis
of the State.
present wonderful development. We read of him that w
preached "his audience included men of every rank and stat
so convincing were his words, and so impressive his personality
his converts in St. Louis for one year alone (1839) number
hundred and ninety-nine." Evangelization of the white col
had been made at an earlier date by the Jesuits who labored in
part of the great territory then included in the diocese.
The second great section of development in the matter o
versions was that now occupied by New York, Pennsylvan
New Jersey. The average non-Catholic will tell you that the
of New York began with Hendrick Hudson; but nearly a c
earlier two Catholic navigators, Verrazano and Gomez, saile
distance up the Hudson and placed New York under the pa
of St. Anthony. It is presumed, though not certain, tha
explorers were accompanied by priests, and that Mass was
the Island (Manhattan). The fact that Catholic colonizers s
sailed from the Old World without one or more priests on the
lends color to this supposition. Subsequent occupation by th
resulted in the prohibition of public worship on the part of Ca
When Father Jogues reached the island of Manhattan in 1
found only two Catholics, an Irishman and a Portuguese w
It was not until 1684, under the Catholic Governor, Thomas Do
that religious liberty for the Catholics was established, ma
posssible for conversions to occur more frequently. It was
first Catholic church erected in New York, old St. Peter's on B
Street (1785), that the saintly Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton,
and first superioress of the Sisters of Charity in the United S
was received into the Church on March 14, 1805. Othe
verts of that period were Henry James Anderson, born in
who became a Catholic in 1849, and who held the chair of
matics and astronomy in Columbia University (New Yor
1825 to 1850; and Mrs. Thomas Floyd, whose husband was
as "The Father of American Shorthand," and who, in 1
printed in America his work, The Unerring Authority of th
lic Church in Matters of Faith. Mrs. Floyd, originally a P
terian, became a Catholic at Lancaster, Pa., in 1780.
It has been said of Pennsylvania that no other American
had such a mixture of languages, nationalities and religions
first settlements in Cambria and Westmoreland Counties,
PDF Document 25011337.pdf
conversions father catholic america which converts history early great terms these church first about jstor


text:
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Disclaimer: I own nothing, except maybe the idea.
It was a late night at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A lone figure stood in the Entrance Hall, not caring if anyone saw him. A storm was raging outside, and he was not able to hear it in the dungeons. Violent storms usually kept people up, but for Draco Malfoy, it was soothing.
His dorm mates, sixth-year Slytherins Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Blaise Zabini, were sleeping, when he snuck out of the Slytherin House. Footsteps were heard over the thunder, and still Draco did not move.
The professor turned and looked at Draco. His silver-blonde hair was worn loose, ending just above his shoulders, covering his ears. Draco then turned to look at his dark-haired professor.
Severus wrapped one arm around the sixteen-year-old Slytherin. Quickly and gently, the Potions Master tucked Draco�s hair behind his ears.
Draco nodded and, unconsciously, un-tucked his hair, once again covering his ears. Severus led Draco to his office. Severus said something in a language Draco didn�t understand, but had heard his mother use. The door to the office opened, and the two Slytherins entered. Draco had been in the Potions Master�s office before. It was one of his favorite places to spend his time.
Draco sat in one of the chairs in front of the fire and looked around the room. There were a couple certificates (including his diploma from Hogwarts) whose light-colored frames contrasted with the midnight blue walls and black ceiling. On one wall there was a large tapestry depicting a large serpent and a raven-haired Slytherin with the words The Heir of Slytherin at the bottom. The opposite wall was covered completely by shelving. Resting on the shelves were potion ingredients, most of which Draco had never handled himself. Stuff like Lobalug Poison, Runespoor Eggs, Powdered Romanian Longhorn Horns, Jobberknoll Feathers, and Frozen Ashwinder Eggs were on the lower shelves. The higher shelves held the more dangerous and magical ingredients, such as Erumpet Horn and Tails and Exploding Fluid, Dragon Hide and Blood and Hearts and Livers and Horns, and Unicorn Horns and Hairs. The highest shelf, however, was completely empty, except for a raven which at the moment was sleeping. On the adjacent wall was a bookcase (as well as the door Severus had gone through). Several titles of books stood out at Draco. Titles such as �Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them,� �Quidditch Through the Ages,� and �1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi� were familiar to him. There were several other potion books and just as many Defense Against the Dark Arts books. A desk was next to the bookcase. Normally, it was devoid of any clutter. So, it shocked Draco to see a few rolls of parchment, an ink bottle, Severus�s green and black quill, and a couple of books on the desk. The sixth-year Slytherin got up and walked over to the desk. The books didn�t look too interesting to Draco as one was on Werewolves and the other Vampirism. Draco picked up one of the rolls of parchment and, expecting to see a potion recipe, unrolled it. To the silvery-blonde Slytherin�s surprise, it wasn�t a recipe. In fact, there was nothing written on it. This confused Draco. �Why would Severus keep a blank roll of parchment on his desk?� Shrugging, Draco rolled the parchment back up and laid it on the desk. Curious as to what the other rolls of parchment were, Draco picked up the next one.
Narcissa nodded and both of them flooed to the staff room, where Severus led both of them to his office.
Draco had finished looking at the rolls of parchment. Aside from the blank parchment, there was a potion recipe, an essay done by a Ravenclaw, and a document written in a language Draco didn�t understand.
Severus nodded as he pulled a blanket out of a trunk. It was green with the word �Slytherin� embroidered in silver on the front. The �S� of Slytherin was a snake. He carried the blanket into the next room and over to Draco. Severus draped the blanket over the young Slytherin and knelt down in front of the chair. He reached out and tucked Draco�s hair behind his ear, revealing his pointed ear.
The silvery-blonde woman smiled and tucked Severus�s hair behind his ears, revealing his pointed ears. Severus smiled at her, stood up, and led her into the adjacent room, where they sat in chairs that were facing each other and talked about everything from Draco to Lucius to Voldemort and his Death Eaters, back to Draco to the classes Severus taught.
It was still dark out when Draco woke up. He recognized where he was immediately; Severus�s office. �I must have fallen asleep,� Draco thought. He was about to go back to sleep when he heard the soft murmur of voices in the next room, both of which he recognized. He got up, leaving the blanket in the chair, and walked into the adjacent room.
Severus and Narcissa were still sitting in the chairs, but each now had a cup of tea in front of them.
�Mum?� Draco�s tired voice interrupted the conversation. Both Severus and Narcissa turned and looked at him.
Draco didn�t notice his mother�s slip-up either. He walked over to her and she pulled him onto her lap. Severus smiled at mother and son. Draco had a small enough frame that, even at sixteen, Narcissa could still hold him on her lap.
�Severus, what time is it?� Draco yawned.
�Time for you to go back to sleep.� Severus stood up and walked over to Draco and Narcissa. Draco looked at Severus and furrowed his brow.
�No, you�re full Elf. Woodland Elf to be precise. Narcissa is full Elf, Lucius isn�t Elvin, but I am,� Severus replied, gently.
Author�s Note: If no one had guessed, I�m using Lord of the Rings as a template for some of the details of the story.
�All right. We�ll all spend the night with Severus,� Narcissa added, climbing into the bed.
�The Headmaster.� Severus wrapped one arm around Draco and the other around Narcissa, drawing both of them closer to him. The two blonde Elves snuggled even closer to Severus, making him smile, before drifting off to sleep.
Narcissa was the first one of the Elvin family to wake up that Saturday. She slipped out of the bed, tucking the blanket around her lover and their son. Pausing for a moment, she marveled at how much Draco cared for Severus, even before he knew of their relationship. She continued on her way to the bathroom to take a shower.
Severus woke up a few minutes before Draco. Severus un-wrapped his arm and slid out of the bed and got ready to spend the day in Hogsmeade with his family.
Draco yawned and stretched. He pale eyes opened, taking in his surroundings. The wall to his right had a door, which led to the bathroom, and a bookcase. There were several titles Draco didn�t recognize, but there were a few photo albums. On the wall across from him hung another large tapestry, which depicted a woodland scene inside a valley with gorgeous waterfalls in the background and a grand manor with towers and balconies from which the large nearby lake and the gold and red and orange leafed trees could be seen perfectly. The wall to his left had a desk pushed up against it. The door leading to the main room of the office was next to the desk.
Narcissa, her silvery-blonde hair still wet from her shower, was seated at the desk, but Severus was nowhere in sight. Draco got out of the bed and walked over to his mother, straightening his school uniform and robe as he went.
A hairbrush flew into Narcissa�s outstretched hand, and she set to work fixing her son�s hair. An urgent knocking on the office�s main door could be heard. Neither Draco nor Narcissa moved to answer it, knowing that Severus would, and he did.
�Professor! Draco disappeared last night! No one has seen him since bed check!� Pansy Parkinson exclaimed.
�Yes, Professor, and thank you.� Pansy left the office and went back to the Slytherin dorm to report what happened to Draco.
Severus pushed the doors open and walked in with Draco beside him. The two Slytherin Elves felt everyone�s eyes on them. Severus knew why the other professors were looking at them. It was because Severus was being gentle with one of his students. Dumbledore caught his Potions Master�s gaze and they both nodded.
Draco took his seat at the Slytherin table between Goyle and a fourth year.
�How long were you with Professor Snape?� asked Blaise who sat in front of Goyle.
�A few hours,� replied Draco, off-handedly.
�Not all students, Albus. My so-Slytherins don�t fear me.� Severus almost let it slip about his having a son.
�Your ears,� she said with a slightly curious look in her eyes.
The other professors always enjoyed the light banter between the two Heads of the rival houses, but Severus�s dark glare shocked them and even scared McGonagall a little.
�Severus,� Dumbledore said in a warning tone.
With a last glare at McGonagall which clearly said, Don�t push it, he turned his attention to his Slytherins. Breakfast passed without any further incidents, and all of the third year and above students and some of the staff left the school and journeyed to the nearby village of Hogsmeade.
As he was leaving, Severus saw Draco walk by; however, he was with several other Slytherins, including his dorm mates and Pansy (AN: Poor Draco!), so Severus wasn�t going to interrupt. Instead, he just headed off to the Three Broomsticks, hoping to see Narcissa there.
She was there; however, she wasn�t alone. Apparently, Lucius had returned from his �business tip� early and found Malfoy Manor empty, save for a few house elves. At the moment, Lucius was dragging his wife out into an alley that ran behind the Three Broomsticks.
Severus ran out after them, fearing for Narcissa�s health. He knew first hand how violent Lucius could get, and just as he suspected, the second he stepped into the alley, he saw Lucius slap the female Elf.
�So, you�re telling me he�s not even my son?� Lucius yelled.
Both Lucius and Narcissa turned and looked at Severus, who had stepped out of the shadows.
�Severus, what are you doing here?� Lucius lowered his hand.
�Yes, it just stings a bit,� she answered in Elvin.
�Yes, I am,� Severus answered in the basic tongue.
Severus, Elvin reflexes kicking in, pushed Narcissa out of the way, but the Cruciatus Curse hit him. Lucius disapparated, not wanting someone to see him with his wand out, standing above a nearly unconscious Hogwarts Professor.
�I�ll�be�fine,� Severus replied, twitching all the while.
Narcissa helped Severus stand, and the two Elves walked back into the Three Broomsticks.
Before anyone could ask any questions, Draco walked toward his family. Severus and Narcissa noticed the Slytherin boy walking toward them.
Draco nodded and rejoined his friends.
�What did you and Professor Snape talk about?� Pansy asked.
�Nothing,� Draco told her, his tone leaving no room for arguments.
Draco tuned out his dorm mate and looked over at his parents, who were talking about something over their butterbeer.
�We could go back to Honeydukes and pick up some more sweets.� Pansy�s voice broke Draco�s train of thought for a second, but Severus and Narcissa apparating out of the Three Broomsticks caught his attention.
Before the group said anything, Draco started walking in the opposite direction. However, his thoughts were not on Quidditch. They were on Severus. Being hit with the Cruciatus Curse was a horrible experience. Draco had never been hit with the curse before and never wished to, but he knew of the effects from his DADA lessons, especially from his fourth-year.
His thoughts weren�t on where he was going, so his feet led him to the Quidditch shop. True to his word, Draco entered the shop, but not two seconds later, he exited the shop. There wasn�t anything that caught his attention. It wasn�t for lack of trying either. His thoughts were stuck on his Elvin family, and not even the latest and fastest broom could keep his attention.
�I have to check on Severus!� Draco thought. Determined, the silvery-blonde Slytherin started making his way towards the castle. However, before Draco could leave Hogsmeade, he was stopped by Professor McGonagall.
�Oh?� McGonagall raised an eyebrow, her tone curious.
�Please?� Draco was practically begging.
�All right. Go ahead.� McGonagall waved her hand in the direction of the castle.
�Thank you, Professor!� Draco exclaimed before running towards the Hogwarts Castle.
Narcissa had ordered Severus to stay in bed for the rest of the day, and, being in as much pain as he was, he didn�t argue.
�Narci, there�s an essay on my desk. Could you get it, my quill, and ink bottle?� Severus asked, settling back against his pillow.
�Draco?� Narcissa opened the door, revealing an out of breath Draco.
Draco did as he was instructed and handed his father the album. Severus patted a spot on the bed beside him, inviting the young Elf to sit next to him. Draco smiled and sat down next to his Head of House, who opened the album.
Draco enjoyed spending time with Severus and looking at these pictures was relaxing. Most of them were Quidditch pictures involving Severus the Seeker. However, there were three non-Quidditch pictures which caught the silvery-blonde Elf�s attention.
In one of the said pictures, Severus, who was clearly annoyed judging by his expression, was kneeling behind his cauldron, a book in one hand and a test tube in the other. There was someone standing behind the young Slytherin. It was James Potter. He had his wand out and pointed at Severus�s cauldron, and his free hand rested on top of Severus�s head. Suddenly, the flame which was heating the potion went out. The smirk on James�s face told Severus who had extinguished the flame, so Severus planned to get revenge. He leaned forward to relight the fire, and James�s hand (the one resting on Severus�s head) slid, causing James to fall on the floor face first, earning a snicker from Severus, who had gotten the flame to relight.
In the next one, Severus was talking with two Gryffindors near the entrance to the Great Hall. One Gryffindor was a young woman with vivid green eyes and waist length fiery red hair by the name of Lily Evans, and the other one Draco recognized as Remus Lupin with his shoulder length light-brown hair and gold eyes. The two Gryffindors and the Slytherin were chatting amicably to one another. Suddenly, Severus started laughing and was joined by Lily and Remus.
The last picture was of Severus and Narcissa dancing at the Yule Ball. Severus was dressed in a long sleeved black jacket over a long sleeved white dress shirt, which had its collar out and its ties into a very fancy knot, and a pair of black slacks. Narcissa wore a white spaghetti-strap floor-length dress. The front, which had a slightly dipped neckline, and the back, which had a transparent triangle section at the top, both had the neckline and the transparent section outlined by blue and silver small tube shaped beads. The beads trailed down the back of the dress, making a V-shaped pattern.
�Wow, Severus. These pictures are amazing,� Draco commented, motioning to the three non-Quidditch pictures which caught his attention.
Severus Snape will be a little OOC at the very end, but it works so well.
Slytherin was losing. AGAIN. However, they could still win if Draco caught the snitch. The silvery-blonde didn�t pull his hair back for the game, but it didn�t matter. He and Cho Chang caught sight of the snitch at the same time and took off after it. They were level, neck and neck, and just out of reach of the snitch. Then, Cho reached out further than should�ve been possible and caught the snitch.
As the Ravenclaw players circled above the pitch, Draco landed on the pitch, dazed. The team lost again, and this time it was his fault. He looked up at the teacher�s box at his father, who got up and started making his way down to the Quidditch field. By this time, the other six members of the Slytherin Quidditch team had landed near Draco.
�How could you lose to someone riding a Comet 260?� Adrian Pucey exclaimed, pulling his right hand back and hit Draco.
Draco�s shoulder-length hair flew-away from his right pointed ear, giving the Quidditch Team a good view. Comments such as �Did you see his ear?� and �What is he?� ran through the team.
�It�s obvious that Lucius Malfoy isn�t his father! He�s nothing but a Mudblood Slytherin!� Montague spat out.
Adrian hauled back his fist.
�Professor!� the entire Quidditch team exclaimed.
�Mr. Malfoy is not muggle-born. His mother is Narcissa Black Malfoy and his father is a well-known wizard.� Severus tucked his hair behind his ears, revealing his Elvin ears. �Any questions?� The Quidditch Team shook their heads. �Good. Now, leave!� The six Slytherins flew off the pitch, leaving the two Elves alone. �Draco, are you okay?� Severus didn�t get an answer. Draco remained on his knees, so the Gothic Elf kneeled down. �Little Dragon? Draco, please say something!� Severus was concerned. He gently pulled the young Elf into his arms and, looking around to make sure no one was watching, acc�oed Draco�s Nimbus 2001. Severus mounted the broom and flew to the castle, holding his comatose-looking son. Severus didn�t even dismount the broom when he approached the castle. He just magically flung the doors open and flew to his private rooms. From the �sidelines,� Dumbledore and McGonagall watched their Potions Master fly almost recklessly to the dungeons.
Severus dismounted the broom and laid Draco on the bed. During the flight, Draco had come out of his comatose state. He had wrapped his arms around Severus and said, �Dad, I love you,� before falling asleep in Severus�s arms. He sat down next to his son and stroked his hair, tucking it behind his ears like his own was.
�Elvish,� he hissed. �My son and I are Elvish.� Severus�s face paled as he realized what he had said.
McGonagall cleared her throat. �Severus, Draco, dinner is ready. You two should come up.� Then, she left.
The entire Great Hall was buzzing with many conversations. The topic was the same. Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy were related and Elvish. Suddenly, the double doors of the Great Hall opened and in walked Severus and Draco. The Great Hall fell completely silent as the two Elves made their way to their respective tables.
Severus took his place between Madame Pince and Remus Lupin. Only Remus, McGonagall, Madame Pomphrey, and Dumbledore weren�t staring at him like he had the Dark Mark tattooed on his cheek. He subconsciously rubbed his left forearm when he thought of that comparison. Looking to his left, Severus caught Hagrid staring at him from the opposite end of the table. He simply glared at the half-giant which made Hagrid a little uncomfortable, making him break eye contact with the Potions Master. The other professors, noticing this exchange, resisted the urge to stare at Severus, turning their attention to the dinner feast, instead. Only Dumbledore locked eyes with the Gothic Professor. Once again, the two wizards nodded, and Severus was the one who broke the eye contact by looking at the Slytherin table.
Severus smiled and nodded, completely understanding what his son meant.
Once again, Draco was out of his common room and up walking through the upper levels of Hogwarts. This time though, Mrs. Norris caught him. She pinned her scarlet gaze on him before dashing off to find Filch.
�He was looking for me.� A silky voice called out from the shadows.
�Professor! There you are!� Draco called out.
�Yes, Sir.� Draco gripped the handle of his Nimbus 2001.
�Let�s go, then. Good night, Argus.� Severus wrapped his free hand around Draco�s shoulders and le him away from the caretaker and out of the castle.
�For saving me from Filch.� Draco took off into the air.
�Your welcome, Little Dragon.� Severus smiled as he joined his son.
�Of course.� Severus took off after the young Slytherin.
The chase was watched by one of the few people that were still awake. Dumbledore smiled as he watched the two Slytherins. It was nice to see Severus the way he used to be; happy and enjoying himself (away from cauldrons and potions). Laughing brought the Headmaster out of his reverie, and he smiled. Severus had caught up to his little Elf and grabbed him, causing the boy to laugh. Severus, then, looked in the direction of the castle. Dumbledore�s lighted window had caught his attention. Dumbledore and Severus locked eyes for the second time that night. At that moment, Dumbledore knew Severus would take care of Narcissa and Draco, no matter what anyone else said or did.


I can claim another culinary victory this week.
And I have successfully created some dog ice cream for Izzy that is a nutritious treat. It uses probiotic yogurt, fresh pureed pumpkin and cooked liver (lamb's liver in this case).
Best of all, it looks like orange/chocolate chip ice cream!
I've poured this mixture into ice cube trays and Izzy can indulge in it a few times a week.
This is a treat – not a core dog food of course. But I'm very pleased with the result.
This entry was posted in dog care, Dogs and tagged cooking for dogs, dog treats, liver, nutrition, pumpkin, yogurt. Bookmark the permalink.


Heat 1 Tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
and season with 1/4 tsp marjoram, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.
liquid has been evaporated, 5 to 7 min. Set aside with the onions.
the first batch of cooked mushrooms and onions back into the skillet.
the liquid evaporates and the mixture is a rich brown, about 5 min.
occasionally, to saturate the bread. Gently stir in the cheese.


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