Covering from 1968 to 2018, Karpf recounts his vivid memories, life-changing dreams and resonant reflections on living a life of faith in a socially and politically tumultuous period. His narratives are crafted as poetic meditations on enduring values and meaning, which can remind any reader that we are neither abandoned nor alone, and that forgiveness is a fulfilling way of living in a world of contradictions.
Print Length: 233 Pages
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Toplight Books
ASIN: B081Y8LHZN
ISBN-10: 1476679592
ISBN-13: 9781476679594
Acts of Forgiveness is now available to purchase on Amazon.com, Target.com, Barnes and Noble, and IndieBound.
Book Giveaway Contest
To win a copy of the book Acts of Forgiveness by Ted Karpf, please enter using Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post. Giveaway ends on March 15th at 11:59 PM EST. We will announce the winner the next day on the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!
Praise for the book Acts of Forgiveness:
"Acts of Forgiveness: Faith Journeys of a Gay Priest is a beautiful work reminding again that there is no future without forgiveness; there is no faith without love. This book animates these truths through a poetic documentary legacy." - Desmond Mpilo Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus Anglican Church of Southern Africa
"In the tradition of the rabbis, Father Ted Karpf calls upon both his heritage and experience to bring the reader into a place of sensitivity and compassion. We literally "suffer with" in order to achieve healing and activate a more hopeful future; not because of the suffering, but in spite of it." - Joel Thorp Katz, MD, MACP
"Karpf has written a difficult and important book, a social justice memoir that challenges secular readers with its religious language, abusers with its painful analysis, and activists with its stories of good deeds punished. He also conducts a rigorous accounting of his own shortcomings, what in Jewish tradition is called a cheshbon hanefesh. In so doing, this Methodist-turned-Episcopal-priest models the very trans-religious values he holds so dear, and honors the memory of his Jewish grandfather in the process." - David I. Schulman, Supervising Attorney, AIDS Discrimination Unit, Los Angeles City Attorneys Office
About the Author, Ted Karpf
Ted Karpf is a priest, public servant, international diplomat, journalist, university administrator and educator. He was educated in New York, Texas and Massachusetts. A gay man, Ted is a father and grandfather. He has been and remains a man who reflects the times in which he has lived while offering a hopeful vision for the future. Ted watches clouds and tests the winds and prays while residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
You can find Ted at his website https://www.tedkarpf.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RevCanonTedKarpf
Twitter: https://twitter.com/karpf_ted
-- Interview by Nicole Pyles
WOW: First of all, congratulations on your book Acts of Forgiveness. What led you to write this book?
Ted: It was time. I am breaking silence: breaking silence about the past events and demons as well as attempting to clarify the meanings of life and my experience. As a person of faith, I am often challenged to become a more clear and cogent self in the midst of things that I may not understand. I am a writer by nature and training. That, too, cause me to commit to words and paragraphs the nature of experience, particularly the reflections on my own experiences. So I have assembled this memoir of portions of my life
WOW: I think that's incredible! What was it like recounting periods of your life to turn into a memoir that would be read by others?
Ted: Writing anything is the means of locating myself in time and space. It is the means I have found to become clearer about what I am thinking and why. As an extrovert I rarely know what I am thinking until I speak. What I speak I need to write down to remember. So writing is the means of exposure and remembering what I think and how I feel. Not a bad way to begin a project of this magnitude. I am delighted that you are joining me on this journey.
WOW: I love how you said writing is the means of locating yourself in time and space! Can you share with us your writing process a little bit?
Ted: I write daily, roughly 6-8 hours per day. I have an idea of what I would like to write about, but no specifics as to how it gets there. With Acts of Forgiveness, it felt like taking dictation from my soul. I just sat, placing fingers on the keys and the words emerged. I really didn’t read what I wrote until a chapter was done. Then it was back to clarifying spelling and meanings, missed words and typos. A great experience all around.
WOW: You have an awesome writing schedule! What do you hope readers take from this book?
Ted: The final verdict about one’s life is always incomplete. Wherever one is on the journey, there is more to discover and more meanings to explore. Hope is what we cannot see in a given moment, but merges almost as a stance toward living a life. I was Hope-Less at various junctures, but it appears that time does indeed seem to heal or reveal all wounds.
WOW: What you said about hope is absolutely wonderful. What advice would you have for anyone who is concerned about sharing their story through memoir, but have a powerful message to share?
Ted: Be yourself and tell your own story. Rarely do we think we have something important or valuable to say about life and experience, faith and understanding until we are prepared to try to write it down. The depth and possiblity of meaning often does not occur in the first iteration of a person’s story. It takes a number of tries to liberate meanings. Just keep at until you can say “aha, that’s what it means.”
WOW: I love that advice! What is next for you? what are you working on now?
Ted: I am working on another expanded intensely personal story of my encounters with HIV/AIDS and the people it infected and I am looking a the subject of aging and a mature spirituality.
WOW: Best of luck to you throughout the tour and we look forward to reading more of your work in the future!
-- Blog Tour Dates
March 9th @ The Muffin
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Stop by the blog today and read an interview with author Ted Karpf. You can also win a copy of his book Acts of Forgiveness.
https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/
March 10th @ God vs. The Patriarchy
Stop by Annie's blog and read her review of Ted Karpf's book Acts of Forgiveness.
http://www.godvsthepatriarchy.com
March 11th @ Reading Whale
Stop by Caitlin's blog today and you can read her review of Ted Karpf's memoir Acts of Forgiveness. Enter to win a copy of the book as well!
https://readingwhale.com/
March 15th @ Coffee with Lacey
Visit Lacey's blog and catch her review of Ted Karpf's memoir Acts of Forgiveness.
https://coffeewithlacey.com/
March 17th @ Bookwoman Joan
Visit Joan's blog today and you can read her review of Ted Karpf's memoir Acts of Forgiveness.
http://bookwomanjoan.blogspot.com/
March 19th @ The Frugalista Mom
Come by Rozelyn's blog today and you can read her review of Ted Karpf's memoir Acts of Forgiveness. You can also enter to win a copy of the book!
https://thefrugalistamom.com/
March 23rd @ Memoir Writer's Journey
Make sure you go by Kathleen's blog today and read her review of Ted Karpf's memoir Acts of Forgiveness. You can also win a copy of the book!
https://krpooler.com/
March 24th @ Amanda Diaries
Stop by Amanda's blog today and you can read her review of Ted Karpf's memoir Acts of Forgiveness. You can also enter to win a copy for yourself!
https://amandadiaries.com/
March 28th @ Author Anthony Avina's Blog
Visit Anthony's blog today and you can read his review of Ted Karpf's memoir Acts of Forgiveness.
https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/
March 31st @ The Revolution Continues
Visit the blog The Revolution Continues to catch Cindy's review of Ted Karpf's memoir Acts of Forgiveness.
http://bernie2016.blogspot.com/
April 3rd @ Words from the Heart
Visit Linda's blog today and you can read her review of Ted Karpf's memoir Acts of Forgiveness.
https://contemplativeed.blogspot.com/
April 7th @ No Sushi Tuesdays
Stop by to catch Cindy's review of Ted Karpf's memoir Acts of Forgiveness.
http://nstbookreviews.blogspot.com/
April 11th @ Joyful Antidotes
Visit Joy's blog today and you can read her review of Ted Karpf's memoir Acts of Forgiveness.
https://joyfulantidotes.com/
April 11th @ Style Wise
Visit Leah's blog today and you can read her review of Ted Karpf's memoir Acts of Forgiveness.
https://www.stylewise-blog.com/
***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****
To win a copy of the book Acts of Forgiveness by Ted Karpf, please enter using Rafflecopter below. Giveaway ends on March 15th at 11:59 PM EST. We will announce the winner the next day on the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Nicole--Thanks for doing this interview.
ReplyDeleteTed--Congratulations on birthing this book. I admire your determination and persistence that it took to complete it. These days, we need more honesty and more courage. (I also envy your writing habits. Wow! You really rack up the writing hours.)
Good luck with your future writing.
As a retired minister who is currently working on my memoirs, I look forward to reading this book. From the reviews, I have a feeling I will learn much about being honest and genuine in my own writing from Father Ted's work.
ReplyDeleteFather Ted: I think it is incredibly brave and important that you are sharing your story with the world. There will be clergy who need to read this book, but also people who are struggling with telling anyone a secret they are holding from loved ones. Thank you for writing this important book!
ReplyDeleteThank you Nicole for your blog. It is very helpful. Yes writing is an act of discipline and often the experience of discouragement. However, I have learned never to read a chapter until it is completed and to keep writing until it is done. Further through the many iterations of the book, I kept finding new depth and possibilities after having written my first thoughts. There are as many chapters not included as those which were published. Which is also to say, keep the out takes, they may come in handy one day. Thank you all again for your warm reception to this work. It is a honor to share it.
ReplyDeleteThis book looks very interesting. Thanks for the great giveaway!
ReplyDelete