The Catholic Bookworm

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Joan Elizabeth Bauer on her novel The Bicycle Messenger. (June 1, 2026) In the 1970s, when a distant cousin dies unexpectedly, Mary Ellen and Charles Hawley agree to take his seven-year-old son Steven into their home. Steven’s birth mother, a Polish immigrant, has schizophrenia and can’t assume custody. But in a last traumatic visit...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. Dennis Billy, CSsR, on his book My Journey’s End (May 26, 2026) This volume offers a contemplative collection of spiritual reflections and poetic meditations, tracing the human journey toward meaning, surrender, and hope. Written with simplicity and depth, these brief pieces invite readers to pause, listen, and walk honestly thr...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. Dennis Billy, CSsR, on his book Going Forth: St. Alphonsus de Liguori and the Spirituality of Mission (May 26, 2026) This book completes Fr. Dennis J. Billy’s acclaimed trilogy on Alphonsian spirituality. Drawing on theology, history, and pastoral insight, Fr. Billy explores how mission flows from God’s own life of love and find...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. Dennis Billy, CSsR, on his book Paradise for God: St. Alphonsus de Liguori and the Spirituality of Heart.  Paradise for God explores St. Alphonsus de Liguori’s “spirituality of heart,” examining his vision of conversion, prayer, and intimate friendship with God. Focusing on the human heart as the dwelling place of God, the book...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Ronda Chervin on her children's book The Girl Who Became a Cat. (May 19, 2026) When Melinda’s family evacuates during a Los Angeles fire, she stays behind to save her beloved cats. Faced with danger, she prays for help–and, in a mysterious transformation, becomes like them to lead them to safety. Her courageous journey unfolds acros...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Jon Harmon on his novel Scraps of Grace. A single father grapples with the loss of self-identity in the wake of trauma, and begins to long for spiritual connection in this literary novel filled with wry humor and wit. Twenty-six-year-old Tyler Manion is overwhelmed by the loss in his life. Six months ago, his wife died suddenly, and...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Ginny Kochis on her book Quirky Catholic Kids: Navigating Neurodivergence with Faith & Joy. Quirky kids are more: more intense, more active, more emotive, and more sensitive - as much a parent's or educator's greatest challenge as they are their greatest joy. In Quirky Catholic Kids, Ginny Kochis explores the complex journey of...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Phil Lawler on his novel Ghost Runner.  Philip Lawler, one of America’s most respected Catholic writers and cultural critics, bursts onto the fiction scene with a riveting debut novel that plunges readers into the hidden battles of the Church in the 1980s. Lawler exposes beneath the surface of parish life and chancery politics a wor...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Monica Tanner on her book Bad Marriage Advice: Debunking Myths That Will Make You Miserable and What To Do Instead. What if the marriage advice you’ve been following is quietly sabotaging your relationship? From “never go to bed angry” to “happy wife, happy life,” couples are bombarded with clichés that sound wise but often leave th...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. Ed Maristany on Heaven Can't Wait: A Glimpse of the Eternal in the Present "What if heaven isn't just our destination, and happiness isn't something we wait for, but realities we can begin to live now?" In this warm, accessible guide to Christian joy, Fr. Edward Maristany invites readers into a refreshing and deeply hopeful visi...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interview Ronda Chervin on her book Church of Love. This book presents Catholic faith as a living encounter with divine love rather than a system of rules. Drawing on Scripture, sacramental theology, and personal insight, Ronda Chervin shows how God’s self-giving love is revealed through prayer, dogma, the sacraments, and daily Christian life....

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. Carter Griffin on his book Reclaimed: Win the War of Freedom, Self-Mastery, and Holy Purity (May 4, 2026) You were made for greatness— but the culture around you is trying to convince you otherwise. The permissive sexual wisdom of our time has failed. In a world hijacked by half-truths about freedom, love, and masculinity, young...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Ken Francis on his book Cities of the Absurd: Strange Tales from the Dark Metropolis (May 1, 2026) This anthology of fictional short stories follows curious moments in the lives of alienated characters confronted in a moral maze of theological, technological, and existential angst in dark places where AI hologram ghosts malfunction,...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. Michael Najim on his book Radical Surrender: Letters to Seminarians. In Radical Surrender: Letters to Seminarians, Father Michael Najim offers a series of spiritual letters designed to accompany men discerning the priesthood. Written in the spirit of lectio divina, these reflections guide seminarians toward deeper prayer, trust...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Ian Mahood talks about his book Prince, Patron and Patriarch: The Litany of St. Joseph and the Dogma That Makes It Strong. St. Joseph is often called the Silent Saint―but in this bold and beautifully structured meditation, his voice resounds loud and clear as a spiritual father, guardian, and intercessor for the whole Church. Ian Mahood leads readers throu...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Dr. Stephen Rouhana on his book The King and Queen are Naked (April 27, 2026) This book is the result of analysis of the literature on Gender Dysphoria published in journals of psychology, psychiatry, and medicine, and in other relevant publications. In part one, Dr. Rouhana starts from basic definitions and leads the reader through...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Rob Thomas on his book Wordless Connection: Deepen Intimacy Without Saying a Word Even if You’re Married Rebuild your relationship. Strengthen your connection. No words required. When words stop working, most couples try to talk more—but effective connection isn’t about saying the right thing. It’s about doing the right thing. Busin...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Chris Hanson on his book Lily of Our Valley. When God asks you to do the unthinkable, will you obey? Christina's pregnancy should have been a time of joy. At 27 weeks, she was glowing with anticipation, planning for baby Kayla's arrival. Then everything changed in an instant. Diagnosed with liver and kidney failure, Christina and he...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Mary Gillespie on her novel The King (April 13, 2026) The King invites readers on a fantastical journey with Will, a young boy swept from an ordinary day into an extraordinary realm. There he faces magical challenges, surprising allies, and deep questions of loyalty and courage as he seeks the message of the king. A richly imagined...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews  Laura Ercolino on her book The Womb of My Heart Rosary Devotional (April 6, 2026) In The Womb of My Heart, Laura Ercolino invites readers to encounter the mysteries of the Rosary as a living participation in Christ’s life and love. Guided by Mary, the soul becomes a spiritual womb where Divine Love is conceived, nurtured, and born...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Marie Brousseau on her book Defending Human Dignity: Catholic Answers to Gender, Abortion and Relativism (April 6, 2026) In these essays, Canadian Catholic teacher and essayist Marie Brousseau addresses today’s most pressing moral controversies — from freedom of speech and religion to gender ideology, abortion, relativism, and beyon...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Allison Gingras on her book Jesus Heals: Finding Hope, Wholeness, and Peace. Jesus healed a lot of people during his earthly ministry. Yet those healings weren't fancy magic tricks to show off his divinity. Every miracle healing reveals something about Jesus and teaches us about who he is and who we are in him. Jesus Heals guides wo...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Leigh Snead on her book Infertile but Fruitful (March 30, 2026) Those suffering from infertility too often do so in silence, isolation, and even shame. Some married couples find the suffering so raw and intimate that they are unable even to lean on each other. By sharing her story, Leigh Snead aims to encourage open, informed, and g...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Gerry Turcotte on his book The Space Between . (March 23, 2026) The Space Between by Gerry Turcotte is a wry, tender novel that explores faith, failure, love, and longing through a series of sharply observed episodes. Moving from boyhood to adult reckoning, Turcotte writes with humor, intellectual depth, and emotional honesty about...

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Kaleb Hammond on his New Oxford Review article "Tolkien’s Insights into the Feminine Soul: Icons of the Virgin Mary in 'The Lord of the Rings'". To subscribe to New Oxford Review, see https://www.newoxfordreview.org/