Local, international groups for Catholic writers offer resources, prayerful support
As a novelist, Kelsey Gietl has sought out other writers who share similar faith values.
Initially she found community in several online groups for Christian writers, but she felt some of the fundamentals of the Catholic faith were missing from those conversations.
“I wanted people who understood where I was coming from and who could support me in that,” said the member of St. Joseph Parish in Cottleville.
Gietl discovered the Catholic Writers Guild, an international community of authors, editors and others in the publishing field. She also found a local group, the Catholic Writers of St. Louis, which she said has been supportive in nurturing her Catholic faith in her writing.
Since 2017, Gietl has self-published eight historical fiction novels. Her tales weave faith, family and lessons from the past with inspirational stories of hope, redemption and realistic romance.
Her first two books, “Across Oceans” and “Twisted River” from the “Over the Atlantic” series, did not include religious themes, but later books, especially those from the “Larksong Legacy” series (the fourth book in the series will be released in February) incorporate elements reflective of her Catholic faith.
“I feel like that’s been my calling, that God was placing me here,” she said. “He knew I couldn’t do it 10 years ago since I wasn’t in the right place. But now, my main focus is writing for Catholics. I feel like I am helping people who are already Catholic to appreciate the faith even more fully.”
Gietl takes a middle-of-the-road approach to incorporating Catholic themes into her books. She isn’t a fan of stepping on a soapbox or being too preachy; she isn’t afraid to express her faith, either.
“I make it very clear my characters are Catholic,” she said. “So I talk about them doing things like going to Mass.” In “Sparks Fly Upward,” the third book in the “Larksong Legacy” series, two of the characters are married in a Catholic church. For that, Gietl had to research the correct language used in a Catholic marriage rite from the 1850s.
Writing has been an important part of Gietl’s life, something that gives her an escape from her full-time day job. It also allows her a chance to share personal life experiences through her characters. “A lot of my books deal with marriage and children, infertility, anxiety — things that I have dealt with personally,” she said. “The issues I am tackling are relatable, and I hope people can see themselves (in the characters) … even 100-150 years ago. A lot of people think that’s history and it’s so far removed, but they were dealing with same sorts of issues we do now, just in a different way.”
Catholic Writers of St. Louis
On a Saturday morning in November, six women gathered around Denise Montgomery’s kitchen table. Steaming cups of coffee and tea were spread out on the table, with a smorgasbord of fresh fruit, veggies and other sweet treats at the center.
After an opening prayer, the conversation casually moved from one topic to another. Some gave updates on projects they’ve worked on, while others shared advice on tackling the writing process. A few spoke about the challenges of balancing writing with other responsibilities.
They also didn’t hold back talking about how faith informs their writing. Some have written novels, while others have written children’s books, short stories, poetry, newsletters, nonfiction and blog posts.
Montgomery started the Catholic Writers of St. Louis more than a decade ago. The group meets monthly, with a break during the summer months. While it’s meant to serve as a network and support system for writers from a variety of backgrounds, they also encourage one another to use their gifts to give glory to God.
At their recent meeting, Montgomery encouraged those gathered around the table to seek holiness in their daily lives, which includes their writing.
“I want you to have a new concept of holiness,” she said, sharing a quote from the late Mother Angelica, founder of EWTN. “You’ve got to be holy where you are, washing dishes, at the office, at school — wherever you are, you can be holy there.”
“That’s the same thing that goes with any gifts that were given by God,” Montgomery said. “We can use those gifts in any space — writing a newsletter or communicating with people, or writing a short story, or working on a novel, or writing about your family and your mommahood and your faith. It could be anywhere you are.”
Mary Hirt is still writing her first novel — a project she started more than 20 years ago. The historical fiction is based on four women religious who are sent to a small community to start a hospital. Drawing on her experience in a hospital setting as a longtime respiratory therapist, Hirt, a member of St. Joseph Parish in Cottleville, shared some of her research for the book.
“I haven’t written the last chapter yet,” she announced to the group, some of whom already knew she’s been noodling with the last part of the writing for years. A friend encouraged her once, saying that “you don’t ever stop writing totally … it may just be that you’re waiting for somebody else to write something, and it gave you an idea.”
“Do you pray to the Holy Spirit?” Donna Volkenannt asked. “That’s where I get my inspiration.”
Writing is much like discerning a vocation, Montgomery told Hirt. It’s like taking “little steps just every day, little steps. Sometimes it’s directly towards that and sometimes, it’s not away from that, but it’s something different.”
Faith and fantasy
Susan Laspe has enjoyed writing from a young age. In 2021, she self-published her first book, “Sorcerous,” a historical fantasy novel set in mid-14th century England and incorporating Roman mythology. The main character, Padric, a lieutenant knight of Chaddesden, is tasked with investigating why villagers are disappearing under mysterious circumstances.
Laspe has long been interested in history and especially the Middle Ages, a time in which “Catholicism was huge in everything everybody did,” said the member of St. Joseph Parish in Cottleville. While she incorporates themes of mythology and magic, her writing also includes elements of her faith.
“I incorporate it into the writing, but I don’t overdo it,” she said. She will depict characters praying, for example. In “Sorcerous,” Padric experiences a crisis in which he has to figure out what is magic and what are acts of the true God.
Laspe’s third book in the “Rise of the Charioteer” series is expected to be released in April, with the fourth and final book anticipated later in 2025. She is already drafting an outline for a new series, which will offer a new spin on some classic fairy tales.
The Catholic Writers of St. Louis also has been a support to Laspe, who learned about the group via Gietl. The two friends, who have known each other since their days as students at Incarnate Word Academy, also lend a critical eye to each others’ writings.
Laspe said she appreciates the resources shared among the Catholic Writers group. That goes for prayer, too. Laspe used a “surrender prayer” shared with the group when she was finishing writing her latest novel a few months ago.
“I’ve always wanted to tell stories and entertain and bring joy through my work, and if only one person ever reads my book and it meant something to them, then that would make it all worthwhile,” she said.
Catholic Writers of St. Louis
The Catholic Writers of St. Louis meets monthly to encourage and support one another in their writing endeavors. Upcoming meeting dates include Feb. 1, March 1 and April 26. Meeting locations vary. For more information, visit cwstl.wordpress.com or contact Denise Y. Montgomery at dymontgomery@gmail.com.
Catholic Writers Guild
An international community of writers, editors, publishers, illustrators who write fiction and nonfiction, books and articles. Meetings are held online and in person. To learn more about membership, visit catholicwritersguild.org.
Catholic Media Association
The Catholic Media Association helps its members share the good news through Catholic media. The association provides professional development, networking, inspiration and support for the faith formation of Catholic media professionals. In addition to the annual Catholic Media Awards, the association also sponsors a book awards program for authors. See more at catholicmediaassociation.org/cma-book-awards.
