Dr. Lisa Theus

Historical Fiction Editor

Lisa Theus thinks one of the best ways to get to know somebody is their favorite books, and she credits Eiji Yoshikawa’s Musashi with helping her fall in love with her now husband. Her favorite works include (listed chronologically!): The Epic of Gilgamesh, Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War, Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Thomas à Kempis’ Imitation of Mary, the poetry of John Donne, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Robin McKinley’s The Blue Sword, and Pope Benedict XVI’s Jesus of Nazareth.

She has spent most of her life training herself how to think like an ancient Roman (she earned a PhD in Classics at Rutgers University and taught college courses for several years). Eventually, she left academia for something more stable–working first as a church secretary for her local Catholic parish and now as an assistant for a financial advisor. She can’t keep her head out of history or rich worlds, however, and she loves reading about noble heroes and the difficult pursuit of virtue–however that may manifest. Bonus points for an engaging cast of characters and strong worldbuilding.
When she isn’t working for her paycheck, she’s pursuing the life of a freelance writer and editor; building her own worlds; volunteering in her community; or playing video games with her husband.

Corinna Turner

Fantasy Editor

Carnegie Medal Award nominated author Corinna Turner has been writing since she was fourteen and likes strong protagonists with plenty of integrity. She has an MA in English from Oxford University, but has foolishly gone on to work with both children and animals! Juggling work with the disabled and being a midwife to sheep, she spends as much time as she can in a little hut at the bottom of the garden, writing.

She is a Catholic Christian with roots in the Methodist and Anglican churches. A keen cinema-goer, she lives in the UK. She used to have a Giant African Land Snail, Peter, with a six inch long shell and an even larger foot, but now makes do with a cactus and a campervan! 

The Light of Tara by John Desjarlais

As the power of Rome crumbles, a teenage St. Patrick must decide between his home and sacrificing himself for those who had enslaved him.

An Exorcist Tells His Story by Fr. Gabriele Amorth

Do not be afraid. The Vatican’s top exorcist shares stories of his day job that prove God’s power over evil.

The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene

“Virtue, the good life, tempted him in the dark like a sin.”

The Eternal Spring By, Phillip MacArthur

A fairy tale about faith, hope, and the destruction they protect us from.

Live and Let Bite Review by Declan Finn

The battle with the demons of San Francisco left Marco broken and now Amanda isn’t answering his messages.

Saint Magnus: The Last Viking by Susan Peek

A young Viking Prince evades a warlord while finding his own harrowing path to sainthood.

Girl Arise by By Claire Swinarski

A Catholic take on feminism, going beyond the political talking points and approaching women on a personal level.

Silence by Shusaku Endo

The story that introduced faith to one of the most secular nations on Earth

Lily of the Mohawks By Voyage Comics

Will Tekakwitha obey her uncle and marry a warrior, or boldly live out her faith?

Pilgrims by M.R. Leonard

Aliens on pilgrimage from across the stars, throw the world’s delicate balance into chaos.

Deus Vult By Declan Finn

Detective Nolan returns home for a well-deserved vacation only to find himself fighting hordes of gunmen, Lovecraftian monsters, and a demon straight from the pit.

Sister Aloysius Comes to Mercyville By Linda Etchison, Illustrated by Denise Plumlee-Tadlock

A young nun teaches children how to offer up their daily irritations to God.

The Rescue Sisters Series Adventures by Karina Fabian

Kickass Catholic Nuns in Space- what more do you need?!

2021 Summer Reading List for Preteens

Six series that are a must-have for your Preteen’s library ages 8-13

Hold Fast By Spencer K.M. Brown

Will a small rowboat on Lake Superior awaken the stalled lives of a father and son?

Officers and Gentlemen by Evelyn Waugh

Evelyn Waugh’s brilliant examination of the moral fatigue of men at war.

A Spiritual Odyssey By Brian O’Hare

A wonderful testament to the love of God and how He never abandons us, even when we say no to Him for decades.

Battle for his Soul by Theresa Linden

Bereft of a mother & betrayed by his twin, Jarret fights for a place to call home, unaware a supernatural war threatening to damn him to hell itself.