St. Valentine’s Day, yes. But also the birthday of a saint far more appealing to me — Gaetano Catanoso.

Happy birthday, cuz.

On Sunday, Jan. 24, at 5 p.m., my interview with NC Bookwatch host D.G. Martin will be rebroadcasted on UNC-TV. The 30-minute interview with me about my book originally aired last July. Tune in!

Found today on a message board:

I loved My Life With the Saints and My Cousin the Saint (completely unrelated books, just similar titles). I love, love, love saint biographies!

__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (17) & dd (11); 24-year Navy wife. Writer and dance mom.

Thank you, Nancy. Being in the same company at Father Jim Martin’s mega-bestseller is pretty nice. Both books are available on Amazon and a Barnes & Noble near you.

NYT reports here:

ROME — Pope Benedict XVI moved two of his predecessors a step closer to sainthood on Saturday, confirming the “heroic virtues” of John Paul II and, in a surprise move, those of Pius XII, the pope during World War II.

Posted recently on the online bulletin board of CapeMayHerald.com: “This isn’t a commercial but I must tell you I just finished reading a very wonderful book called “My Cousin The Saint” by former North Wildwood resident writer, teacher, Justin Catanoso. Honest, a beautiful read.  —Wildwood”

Thanks!

Raleigh News & Observer reporter Yonat Shimron wrote this story shortly after My Cousin the Saint was released in May 2008. She is a teriffic reporter and writer.

My Google alert for “Gaetano Catanoso” pushed me this morning a story from history — a New York Times feature about the beatification of a gypsy in 1997 by Pope John Paul II in Rome. Just so happens, my cousin was beatified in the same ceremony. Of course, at the time, I knew nothing about this cousin, and no had idea he was on a path toward sainthood. Must’ve missed this story in the Times, too…

A monthly magazine about family lineage offers a blurb about My Cousin the Saint in its January 2010 issue. Not too late to make it a Christmas present! Click here.

Tonight, Nov. 12, at 6:30 p.m., I’ll give what appears to be my last book talk of a very busy year at St. Paul’s the Apostle Catholic Church in Greensboro on Horse Pen Creek Road. The event has been planned since summer, and is part of a one parish, one book program. Thanks to Jeannine Martin for organizing the event and selling so many books.

Since the release of My Cousin the Saint in May 2008, I’ve given 76 book talks in seven states. Several more to come in 2010, including one at Penn State University in March and Wisdom House retreat center in Litchfield, Conn., in late April.