Book of the Week: Saints I Know
About the Book
As Sula walks through her Mission home, she meets more than a dozen saints, In Saints I Know, she shares them with anyone who has an interest.
Saints I Know depicts the lives of 21 saints in both their imperfection and perfection--chosen based on the relationship to a Franciscan Mission, Old iMission San Juan Bautista and, told through the eyes of the Mission's cat. The sections of the book include saints related to the founding of the Mission (St. Francis, St. John the Baptist, and St. Juniper Serra), the Holy parents (Mary and Joseph), saints whose statues are behind the altar in the Mission, patron saints of animals, patron saints of children, and the favorite saints of the parish priest. In a final section, she gives some thought, as well, to future saints.
Book Endorsement
Pending
Review of the Book
This is a brand-new book so Sula is still waiting for reviews. Want to write one in exchange for a free copy of the book? Send a note to editor@msipress.comeditor@msipress.com.
Interview with the Author
I am the parish cat at Old Mission San Juan Bautista near the central coast of California. I have been the parish cat now for more than ten years. Because I had two bouts of skin cancer, I no longer have my ears. That does not bother parishioners or readers, but sometimes visitors notice and ask questions.
What prepared you to write this book?
I spend all day every fay at the Mission, surrounded by the statues of saints. Also, I listen to the docents giving tours around the Mission. I learn a lot that way.
What is your book about?
My book is about saints. First, there are the saints who were very special people, though often they did not start out that way, who are no longer living. At the end, I think about people I k now today. I think some of those will become saints, too. After all, when the great saints were living, they did not know that they would be saints.
Why did you write it?
Mission San Juan Bautista, my home, sits on the cross-section of three faults. Twice, the Mission has collapsed as a result of a big earthquake. The scientists tell us that another big earthquake is coming, but they don't know when. This has made the State of California nervous, and the State told our priest that if we did not retrofit the Mission, the State would close it. There are many people who come to daily Masses. They need the Mission. The Mission is my home. I need the Mission. We need $14M to save the Mission. So, I wrote this book (and three others so far) to save my home.
(If you want to read my other books, they are listed here: Sula's books.)
What is your favorite part of the book?
The pictures. Lots of parishioners took pictures of me with the saints and with future saints. Also, my official portrait appears for the first time on this book. It was drawn by Kris Barone Parente of Kris Kat Artistry in New York. I love how well she understood me and the great job she did on my portrait.
Who were your emanuenses?
One amanuensis is Dr. Betty Lou Leaver. She is a cat lady and has a twitter account, cat lad of Amman. That is because she took in more than two dozen cats when she was working in Amman, Jordan. Now, she works in San Juan Bautista, and we spend time together at daily Masses. The amanuensis is Deacon Van Wolverton. He copyedited my previous books, but for this book, because it required so much knowledge about the saints and Catholic dogma, he helped a whole lot more; he also wrote the preface to the book, explaining why saints are important.
Are you working on any more books?
Oh, yes! I already have one book started, Easter at the Mission: A Cat's Understanding of the Paschal Mystery. Several others have been suggested to me by parishioners and local writers, and some of the latter may help me: Pray the Rosary with Sula and Celebrate the Mass with Sula are a couple of them.
Other Actions You Can Take
Read the book
Read the Press Release
Read an Excerpt
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