Contact: Gary Joseph, Publicist, www.ThisBibleTalks.com, 310-595-4175, gary.joseph@yahoo.com
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 22 /Christian Newswire/ -- Three years ago, St. Paul the Apostle parishioner Pamela Fischer woke up one morning in Los Angeles with a new vocation. The 48-year-old wife and mother of two St. Monica High School students and a college freshman art major had an idea for a book project.
"I felt an inspiration from the Holy Spirit to get together a Bible storybook for little ones," said Fischer. Although she was a publishing neophyte, she wasn't daunted by the challenge of producing a battery-operated Bible for pre- and early-readers. The recently-released book, which has been approved by the archdiocesan Office of Religious Education, is titled: "This Bible Talks! A Child's First 'Press & Play' Bible Storybook."
"You don't question the Holy Spirit when you feel it strongly. In discernment, I felt very comfortable and at ease and at peace that this was something I should do," said Fischer, a longtime member of St. Paul's 11-year-old weekly Women's Faith Sharing Group.
Her first step toward accomplishing her mission was to meet with the parish school then second grade chaplain, Paulist Father Brad Schoeberle, who picked 28 to 30 core Bible stories that particularly connected with young children. Fischer pared the stories down to 20 and began writing short narratives which her artist/daughter, Jenny, helped to illustrate.
"It was a lot of days of prayer. I would write and I would pray," said Fischer. A volunteer for ecumenical causes promoting Christian unity among Orthodox, Protestants and Catholics, Fischer wanted the Bible storybook to appeal to Christians of all denominations.
To that end, she contacted Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson, pastor of St. Monica Church in Santa Monica, who reviewed the text from a Catholic perspective. A Methodist minister Fischer knew from a nearby church where her young children had attended Vacation Bible School suggested a few subtle changes, and the Catholic/Protestant vetted text received a stamp of approval from her publisher's Eastern Orthodox bishop.
"It's so important to me to have the little children come to know Christ. I just really wanted to make this Bible universal to all Christian churches. I didn't want any child left out," said Fischer.
A cradle Catholic whose parents shared Bible stories with her as a young child, Fischer said her early introduction to Scripture allowed her to have Christ as a central focus in her life. When she had her own children (now aged 20, 17 and 14), she made sure she read stories to them about Jesus when they were small.
"My vision is that this Bible in different languages will reach out to children around the world, especially those living in poverty," said Fischer, who added she didn't want a child's illiteracy to keep him/her from learning about Jesus.
With the generous financial backing of her husband, Joel, a carpenter/house builder and Catholic convert, Fischer was able to self-publish the $25.95 book, with two included triple-A batteries, through GM Books in Los Angeles. Non-reader perusers of "This Bible Talks!" can hear a narration of the text by pressing the picture icons on the book's raised plastic panel. Early readers can follow the text as they listen to the engaging voice of the male narrator.
The talking Bible includes 16 chapters with short, paragraph-length stories from both the Old and New Testaments, starting with "God's Gift of Creation" and ending with "Jesus Sends Us The Holy Spirit." The colorful illustrations, many showing a smiling Jesus, were a team effort by Jenny Fischer, who drew the initial sketches, and Nicole Armitage, a former Disney artist. Pamela Fischer's husband, who was a college English major, helped with editing.
Saying she has "lofty goals" for future talking books with more Bible stories and perhaps a book on the sacraments, Fischer plans to stay focused on her target audience of pre- and early-readers. "I feel my calling is for this foundation age group," said Fischer. She sees the talking Bible as a catechetical aid, something a young child can "read" on their own, perhaps before bedtime or on a long car ride.
Fischer introduced the talking Bible at the recent National Catholic Family Conference in Anaheim and will do a book signing at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Westwood on Catechetical Sunday, Sept. 21, following the 9 a.m. Family Mass. Fischer plans another book signing at St. Monica Church later this fall.
"This Bible Talks!" can be ordered at www.thisbibletalks.com. A portion of the net proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated by the author to various Christian charities.
Internet link: http://www.the-tidings.com/2008/091908/bibletalk.htm.
