We just finished up in our home school reading a truly amazing book. Though for young readers, I can attest to the fact that it’s entertaining–and inspiring–for any age.
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch is the Newbery Award-winning novel based on the life of Nathaniel Bowditch, a man who truly embodies the American dream. From a boy in poverty during the Revolution to a man of wealth, respect, and honor, Bowditch changed the world, and his own life, by nothing but sheer determination…and a fair dose of brilliance.
A quote from the book that had a profound impact on the character of Nat:
“When a ship is becalmed–the wind died down–she can’t move–sometimes the sailors break out their oars…oars are made of ash. So–when you get ahead by your own get-up-and-get–that’s when you sail by ash breeze.”
Some would have said Nat was becalmed when his father indentured him at the age of 12. But he pulled out his oars instead.
If you want to learn more about him, hop over to where I talk about how he forever changed the world on Colonial Quills!
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.
Hello, I came across your site when looking up a term I used often called an “Ash Wind” and feel finding you might be “providential.” I came to the office early to write a letter of encouragement to a colleague.
Of course I could not find that phrase because it is known in seafaring parlance as an “Ash Breeze.” I had forgotten that, since I expanded the term to add emphasis on its application of doing what ever it takes to move forward. I once even tried to form a company named Ash Wind Technologies, Inc.
But to my comment, and then a query. There is a very small typo in your prose above, in the last sentence. I believe phrase “where I talk about he forever” should read “where I talk about HOW he forever” and thought you would want to know about it.
Secondly, I have a query. I noticed you are a writer, a homeschooler, and a Catholic. I am a writer-wanna-be, a former homeschooler (I’m 62) and a devout Christian (although not catholic). I am about to publish my first book which I feel should be important to the latter two of those categories.
I will not go into the details, except to say it is a secular book that illustrates how Einstein’s Special Relativity coupled with the clear existence of conscious awareness, proves with hard science that something beyond the physical world exists. By “beyond” I mean that a spiritual component to the universe must exist. The details are in the beginnings of a web page for the book http://newcopernicus.com.
I believe that this could prove to be a very compelling apologetics tool, targeted at the atheist and agnostic, who put great stock in what science says about reality. I have spent much of my life working in science and having many conversations about spirituality with such people. Now I feel I finally have a compelling argument that such people cannot deny. The proof amounts to accepting the existence of a something beyond “spacetime” as a fact, or somehow proving Einstein wrong.
I was wondering if you could help me navigate the publishing industry a bit, or if nothing else render your opinion on the work.
Very sincerely,
Chris
Hi, Chris! Your work sounds fascinating!! I have an idea for a novel that would have Einstein as a secondary character during WW2 spinning around in my brain, so you piqued my attention. =) While mainstream publishing isn’t my forte (I work in the Christian space primarily), I’d be happy to chat with you about some basics and give you direction. Feel free to email me at roseannamwhite at gmail dot com with your questions. =)