A big thank you to CMStewart for her review of Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors.
It’s interesting seeing what people like about the story. So far, most people have thanked me for reminding them how much fun they used to have on road trips. CMStewart honed in on a couple other aspects of the story in her review.
CMStewart is also giving away a free copy of the ebook, so swing by to see how to win.
I just realized how much my mother-in-law would love this book. She’s an ex-Catholic who went to parochial school. Her B-Day is on Halloween- perfect!
I found your book from CM’s site. I’m impressed with the premise of the book + your chiming in about yourself in the comments section. I’m also a fellow atheist, but I have not always been one. I grew up in more of an extreme Christian cult-setting.
Cannot wait to read this book! 🙂
Thanks, M.E.!
I love seeing what people take away from Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors. More than anything, it’s a humorous story about family. It’s extreme in its humor, at times, but it’s tempered with heart. Almost all feedback I’ve received has been to thank me for a nostalgic trip; the story reminds people of the hell–and fun–that was family road trips they’d taken. CMS was the first person who really picked up on the religion/atheism aspect of the book.
I’ve always been an atheist, so I grew up with some people judging and trying to convert me. Really, though, most people have always treated me with respect because I treat people with respect. I don’t really discuss being an atheist, but when I write about it, I always try to be fair. While I will never believe in a god, most people I know who do are kind to me and find peace in their beliefs, so I always try to convey that aspect of faith if faith and religion pop up. That’s not to say that I won’t shine a light on those who wield faith as a way to control people…there’s quite a bit of that in Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors. I have no problem making fun of things I hold dear, or things others hold dear.
I like that people who believe and those who don’t still take something away from Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors. The things I poke fun at when it comes to [particularly] Catholicism in this case are the same things even those who believe see humor in. Mary, the mother in the story, uses threats of eternal damnation to try controlling her kids. I saw that a lot growing up near Chicago where there are a lot of Catholics. At the same time, while I never believed, I saw the sense of peace Catholicism brought to my great grandmother and other friends. So I can’t just make fun of it without showing that side as well.
While I never believed Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors was just a string of fart jokes, I’m glad to see that people have taken away much more than what I intended. I set out to just write a fun little story with some heart, and people seem to get that and so much more from the tale.