the Cafe—Canon Press Blog

We are thrilled to announce that Douglas Wilson’s satirical novel, Evangellyfish, has just won Best Fiction of the year in the Christianity Today 2013 Book Awards! CT called it a “startlingly poignant” satire, among other things — see the whole review by clicking here. Happy New Year, Gellies!

We are still excited about Loving the Little Years, and thus we are extra excited to announce  a special release of Rachel Jankovic’s NEW book, Fit to Burst: Abundance, Mayhem, and the Joys of Motherhood. This really is special: the book won’t be available anywhere else until January 29, 2013.  As long as you preorder by December 7th, we personally suggest Fit to Burst for Christmas presents, but there’s also a whole host of other reasons for buying it, we suppose. Get it before the rest of the world by clicking here.

In all seriousness, this book is great, and is sure get you thinking about motherhood in a lot of new and exciting ways (and we bet it would help you dads, too). For a little light reading, there’s a nifty sample posted below.

“Biscuits make up a small part of the culinary world. They are easy and quick, and have been satisfying children leaving honey trails on the table for generations. But biscuits have to be made. It isn’t enough to think of biscuits, because having thought of them doesn’t make a childhood more full. Having thought of them doesn’t give the dinner table that wonderful allure that having actually made them does. Your thoughts alone will not play into the memories of your children.

“A little guilt cycle often happens in the life of a mother. It usually goes something like this, and could take anywhere from two minutes to two years to complete itself: I thought of biscuits. I would like to be a person who makes biscuits for my hungry children. I do not feel like making biscuits right now. I will make biscuits another time. I will have time when I am not tired and feeling fat. The kids won’t know. I wish I had made biscuits.I could have made biscuits. I’m such a bad mom who doesn’t make biscuits. I am not as good as all the moms who are everywhere in this stupid world making biscuits. People who talk about making biscuits are self-righteous. I hate biscuits. They make me feel guilty.Jesus loves me! Biscuits or not! Jesus doesn’t care that I didn’t make biscuits. Home free! Biscuit-free!“

~ Fit to Burst, pg. 21

You’ll have get the book for Rachel’s field notes on how to not be guilty and still make biscuits.

There’s a couple days remaining to preorder God Rest Ye Merry: Why Christmas is the Foundation for Everything and still receive free shipping (the promotion ends Monday, November 19th). Why should you want it? Because it’ll help make Christmas real, powerful, and a lot of fun (you can read more about that on the product page).

After you’ve preordered, here’s a sneak-peek to roust your interest, and merry Christmas!

“Socrates once famously said that the unexamined life is not worth living. In a similar vein, the unexamined holiday is not worth celebrating.” ~ God Rest Ye Merry, pg. 87

“If your godliness won’t imprint on fudge, then it is not true godliness. Some may be disturbed by this. It seems a little out of control, as though I am urging you to “go overboard.” But of course I am urging you to go overboard. Think about it—when this world was “in sin and error pining,” did God give us a teaspoon of grace to make our dungeon a tad more pleasant? No. He went overboard.“ ~ God Rest Ye Merry, pg. 90

“Which is more important, the hat or the cattle? The foam or the beer? The gift or the altar? The gold paper stamp on the Christmas card or the gold coin of your faith? If our hearts are decorated with the refined gold of a true faith, we may therefore decorate everything else.”  ~ God Rest Ye Merry, pg. 100

 

 

It’s that time again. Who doesn’t love a great sale?

In this Fall Sale, you’ll find some good ol’ favorites and a few newish titles. Just remember, quantities are limited and prices are low, so don’t dilly-dally, meander, dawdle, or saunter.

The Fall Sale starts Monday, October 29th and goes thru Friday, November 2nd.

The Art of Art

Order the newest issue of Credenda here! Dig out one of your pop’s old shirts, put it on backward, and dive into the watercolors: the articles in this issue unpack just how imitation of God plays out in every area.

Get the take on art and liturgy from Toby Sumpter, and how that relates to falling asleep during a sermon.  How does marijuana relate to creativity? Find out from Joost Nixon (the answer is “not well,” by the way). What about creation and astronomy for high-schoolers? How does creativity relate to nature? Or to writing? Or to paintings of naked people and the pope?

Get all the discussion, exclusively in Credenda.