I’m excited to announce that my new book, “Good Catholic Kids,” is out now on AMAZON! This is my first fiction novel, written to entertain. It’s set in the ‘90s and inspired by real life events.
Karen A. Rogers was not what most would consider a good Catholic kid. At only fourteen years old, she already had a troubled past, an odd sense of humor, and was battling addictions and other demons. In the Summer of 1993, she was invited on a bus trip from Salem Massachusetts to Denver Colorado with a youth group that was attending the World Youth Day festival to see the pope. Karen practiced witchcraft and hardly knew who the pope was, but she desperately needed to get away from home. What she experienced made her question her gender, the kind of people she was attracted to, and whether or not those things made her a sinner the way the Catholic religion said. The ten-day trip was full of self-exploration and the kind of fun that only a troubled teenager could have.
Similar to books like “High Fidelity,” “The Perks Of Being A Wallflower,” and “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”
Some reviews and a free sample…
“Karen’s story reminded me of myself at 14 when the world felt like a lot to handle. It was easy to feel like a failure when you’re convinced you should have more control over your life. It was easy to feel like a failure when you are surrounded by the noise of everyone’s opinions about you. I think most adults wipe out those hard memories. Karen’s story is unique and also not. This book challenges the reader to humanize someone who is often otherized. We get to know Karen as she repeatedly fumbles during her journey of becoming a better person.” – EM
“As a trans queer adult who was also raised Catholic and abused substances, I related a lot to the story of the main character. This book is definitely for anyone who was a young queerdo in the 90s” KC
“Right from the start, I was taken back to the 1990’s and my flannel wearing combat boot stomping Wiccan self. It is a journey to see the Pope, but what Ren (the main character) finds is so much more. GCK tackles friendship, questioning one’s own spirituality, sobriety, the difficult choices teenagers have to make on a daily basis, the complex relationships with their parents, bullying, and finding ways to ask for help when it is most needed. I remember watching on tv the thousands of kids packed into Denver to see the Pope, and hearing about the extreme heat and conditions that resulted. It foreshadowed the return of Woodstock in ’94 and ’99, in many ways. Reading this fictionalized memoir of someone who made the journey put me right there with them. The gentle way that Ren starts to question their gender identity and sexuality was also so familiar to me.
My favorite part is the inclusion of so much great music. The characters remind me of people I’ve met in life, and brought back a lot of memories of my own. The book helped me reframed the journey of my own life and teenage struggles. It also allowed me to understand the journey of a peer with alcohol and drug addiction.
Check it out!” – CW
“I can relate to this story. I grew up as a Catholic and was also an alcoholic at a young age. The story was well written and I couldn’t stop reading it once I started. I can’t wait for the next book to come out.” RN
“This was a great story with a very interesting perspective both about religion, gender, drugs, alcohol, and everything else. I’m excited to read the next book when it comes out and to see what happens with the main character.” S
“A very “different” perspective on growing up in the 90’s than the typical…but that’s why it’s interesting! I read it in a day, so it obviously kept my interest. We can all relate to Karen on some level, even if we had a vastly different experience in suburban Boston.
I can’t understand why anyone thinks football is important either! I loved lemon powdered donuts as a kid, and I love the Boston accents (you could just hear them in your head). And I can certainly relate to a disgustingly high degree of anxiety. Great read!”
“I Haven’t Been This Hooked On A Wonderful Book Like This Since I Was A Kid! This World Needs This Book! The Positive Energy From The Art Cover To The Magical Words That Flow On Each Page This Book Is Simply Wonderful.” AL
“This book kept me hanging on from the first page to the last. It had me looking back on my self discovery. Not only of sexuality, but who I was as a person. A lighthearted book with a deep story.” KH