iUniverse would like to announce the release of In Consider the Ravens by Paul and Karen Fredette

April 3, 2009 - PRLog -- EDITORS: For review copies or interview requests, contact:
Promotional Services Department
Tel: 1-800-AUTHORS
Fax: 812-355-4078
Email: promotions@iuniverse.com
(When requesting a review copy, please provide a street address.)   
Consider the Ravens
On Contemporary Hermit Life
BLOOMINGTON, IN – It’s likely that most people have the wrong idea about someone choosing to live the life of a hermit. In Consider the Ravens: On Contemporary Hermit Life (published by iUniverse), authors Paul A. and Karen Karper Fredette set out to dispel common misconceptions about this lifestyle choice. They also strive to offer practical advice and information for anyone who may be considering the eremitical life or would just like to learn more on this fascinating subject.

Defining your topic is always a good place to begin, and here the authors are not remiss. But they are careful to point out that it can be difficult to define or categorize a hermit because a person’s solitude is usually as unique as the individual. The authors do make it clear that hermits are not the stereotypical curmudgeonly recluse many people think of as tottering down a dirt road in raggedy robes. Rather, someone truly considering the life of a hermit is typically seeking a deeper spiritual understanding or more peace and centeredness in their lives.  

But how does someone go about achieving this? The authors recommend that anyone seriously thinking of becoming a hermit needs to think about how they will handle the practicalities of life while maintaining their solitude and spiritual focus. It’s a tough question, but Consider the Ravens was written with the intention of providing the necessary guidance and answers to those practical questions. Readers will find chapters dedicated to helps and hazards that hermits may encounter along the way, information about the return of modern-day hermits, and suggestions for dealing with such 21st-centruy distractions as health care and the Internet.

Although the book’s title is based on the story of the biblical prophet Elijah, who must go into hiding and depends on ravens sent from God to deliver his food, the authors recognize that anyone seeking to become a modern-day hermit would be ill-advised to plan on surviving on manna falling from the heavens. The helpful information gathered here relies in part on Karen’s personal experience living six years as a solitary. It also shares anecdotes, quotes, and illustrations based on interviews with modern-day hermits.

Whether you’re searching for higher meaning in your life or simply curious to learn more about this fascinating lifestyle choice, Consider the Ravens will feed your hunger for knowledge.

About the Authors
Karen Fredette lived for six years as a hermit, recording her experiences during that time in her book, “Where God Begins to Be: A Woman’s Journey Into Solitude.” Before her solitude, Karen was a member of the Sancta Clara Monastery in Canton, Ohio, for 30 years. Paul, a member of the Glenmary Home Missioners from 1975 to 1995, engaged in pastoral and formation ministry before becoming editor of The Glenmary Challenge in 1992. He is now a qualified professional in the field of developmental disabilities and mental health. Since their marriage in 1996, they have developed a fabric art enterprise and co-authored several books. They also minister to hermits worldwide through their quarterly newsletter, Raven’s Bread: Food for Those in Solitude.

iUniverse is the premier book publisher for emerging, self-published authors. For more information, please visit www.iuniverse.com.

# # #

iUniverse offers a variety of publishing services to help individuals publish, market and sell fiction, poetry and nonfiction books. The company utilizes print-on-demand technology, and is one of the largest self-publishing companies in the U.S.