Northern Appalchia Reivew

https://www.northernappreview.com/ 

     The concept of place is very important in my writing, especially for poetry. When I was asked to be a fiction reader for the NAR, I immediately accepted. Although I have not lived in the area for 57 years, I came back regularly until my aunt passed in 2001; she was the last near relative left in the Monongahela Valley. 

     The region formed me, and my sports loyalties for the most part lie there. My accent and vocabulary are Western Pennsylvanian. Certainly, my tastes and personality have been influenced by other places I have lived, mainly the Philadelphia area and Germany. 

     As I was working on the Botley novel, I was glad to read some fiction and get an idea about the new genre. Submissions to the NAR are still open, but hurry as they will close soon.

    Lik to Vol. 2:  https://www.sunburypress.com/products/northern-appalachia-review-v2?variant=39364387504221

And for the Botleys.....https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

Eustacia Botley, Ultimate Church Lady "The Botleys of Beaumont County" on Blurb!

 

     Dana Carvey created "The Church Lady" on SNL, largely based on his experience in a Lutheran congregation while growing up. She is dressed well, but not flashy, attends all of the time, and makes snide comments about everyone else's shortcomings. In her mind, she has none of her own.

     Eustacia is the widowed mother of Slerd Jr. and Dexter. Always in pearls, always with a sharp eye and sharper tongue to family, friends, and complete strangers. She rules over the Women's Group at st. Clement's and also its Altar Guild. She and her friends occupy the center table in the Tea Room where they hold forth on any and all.

     The 21st Century has not been kind to her. She remembers when the Botleys were VERY prominent in Marion and Beaumont County and even beyond. Slerd Jr.'s career and life have stalled. Her husband died too soon. Her priest is acting strangely. Originally a Democrat, the GOP that she embraced has changed. The world has gone trashy, from Marion to Sarah Palin.

     When the Botley family faces its strongest challenges ever, Eustacia attempts to control everyone. This time, she meets resistance.   The result is in the novel!

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

Fr. Michael Bertoni, Interim Rector in "The Botleys of Beaumont County: now on Blurb

     An interim rector/pastor comes into a congregation that is in transition. He or she is most likely not going to be there permanently. That is one of the pre-conditions. Because of this, she or he can speak boldly, maintain what is working well, straighten out what isn't, and then move on. 

     I have been there myself. Sometimes it is after a long pastorate that ended well, and sometimes after something else.

     Fr, Bertoni is there after the something else: the debacle of Fr. Johnson/Dmitry Stallworth. St. Clement's needs a strong hand, and Bertoni has it. However, it is a gentle hand also. He is a retired US Army chaplain with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. A few years before he came to Marion, he was in Baghdad.  He is an outsider in several ways. Coming from Philadelphia, he is also an Italian-American; in other words, he has two strikes against him.

     The youth of St. Clement's love him. He visits the shut-ins, is visible in the whole community, and finds community in places that the elite do not. Even though he knows from the start that he will not be there forever, he nevertheless gives his all to the parish and community.

     Most of the action in the novel takes place from November 2008 to the following summer. At the Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost services his sermons play a subtle role in the plot. 

     Like him, I was an Army chaplain (ending at the same rank), spent a lot of time in and around Philadelphia, and am mistaken for an Italian-American at times.

Order the book here at:

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

Religion in "The Botleys of Beaumont County" (on Blurb)

 

     Years ago I rode the subway in Philadelphia one evening. A visitor to the City of Brotherly Love asked me a question, and we struck up a conversation. He was the Superintendent of Education in Florida. Since I had my clerical collar on, we talked about religion.

     He told me he had been a Methodist, but when he prospered professionally and financially, he was invited to join the local Episcopalian congregation. "That's where the prestige is in the South," he told me.

     At that time I had spent three years in Virginia and knew what he meant. I filed that knowledge away. Also in Virginia, I learned about the "jackleg" preachers. They had no formal training but were accepted by a local congregation.

     With the rise of non-denominational congregations ( and even that is a denomination in my view), the money and power have shifted on the religious scene in the US. But when I started the Botley novel, there was no question what religion the family would be.

    I have been licensed as a supply priest in several Episcopal dioceses, and the experience has been very good. Lutherans and Episcopalians essentially have the same beliefs and theology, which is why we have official relationships (not the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and others, but that is another story).

    As the Botleys cling on to authority and prestige in Marion and Beaumont County, so does St. Clement's. Relations with the downtown Main Line churches- United Methodist, Presbyterian, and Southern Baptist are good. St. Philip's is a rural Episcopalian church for those in the countryside with less money; it is served by a part-time priest. Jessica Cavendish's Presbyterian congregation in Rivertown is not as prestigious, since it is where it is. Joe Ed Crudup serves a rural independent congregation for a bit, then establishes his own storefront in town. Nominally Baptist, he creates his own brand of right-wing American Christianity.

    Of course, there are people who have no official religion. Given that Marion is what it is, many of these have loose ties to congregations. Many of them are nominal members since the family would be horrified if they were not on the rolls. 

    Slerd and Jessica take religion seriously, and that adds to their guilt. How do they resolve it?

   https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

     

Fr. Johnson/Dmitry Stallworth from "The Botleys of Beaumont County" on Blurb

 

     St. Clement's Episcopal Church plays an important role in my novel. That denomination for years was dominant in the South. Several colonies were officially Anglican. After the American Revolution and the establishment of the USA, the Episcopal Church in the USA emerged. 

     In a town like Marion, many of the leading families attend St. Clement's, or at least are on the rolls. Fr. Johnson comes to Marion from his first parish, which is more remote and smaller. He yearns to be back home in Williamstown on the coast. Sadly, he is someone who is capable enough but who does not stand out. A parish like St. Clement's is the best he can expect.

     Johnson is concerned about liberal trends in his denomination and seeks out Orthodoxy. Many Episcopalians, lay and ordained, felt that same way and sought an Anglo-Catholic parish or actually became Roman Catholic or Orthodox. After Johnson realizes that St. Clement's is not going to indulge his Orthodox tastes, he decides to leave. Insisting on observing the date for Orthodox Easter and excommunicating his vestry does not help, either.

     Orthodoxy appeals to Johnson since he studied Classics and History in college. But the canonical (official) Orthodox groups want him to spend a few years studying. After that, there is no assurance that he will be in or even in the same state as Willamstown. 

     Johnson stumbles across a non-canonical Orthodox group. And things get very interesting. This link has a lot of information and can appear confusing. Soon his transforms to Fr. Dmitry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church_organization#Unrecognized_churches

  Jump down to section 3, Unrecognized Churches and get an idea.

    To order the book, 

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

Joe Ed Crudup Was Not Intended to be Real......

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county 

     Joe Ed Crudup is a colorful character in "Botleys". He is an arch-conservative, lay preacher and local radio show host where he spews venom against Democrats, Muslims, African Americans, etc.

    Today he could well be elected to public office, maybe to Cong

ress. See this:

  https://www.salon.com/2021/08/06/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-tells-crowd-to-pull-out-guns-on-vaccine-canvassers/

   Lawd, have mercy! I mean it!

You don't have to wait to read "The Botleys of Beaumont County" on Blurb!

    It's simple! You can order pdf files for a reasonable price and  start enjoying it right away!

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county