New Reviews Up on Macworld


Here's something fun. In addition to the writing I do about Microsoft Office, green technologies, and narrative approaches in helping professions, I have been able to write more about digital scrapbooking recently. A few years ago I wrote the book Creative Digital Scrapbooking for Peachpit, and had a blast. Here are the first two reviews on digital scrapbooking programs available for the Mac:
I've just finished two more general articles on digital scrapbooking (love it! fun and creative) and will be doing another review shortly. Stay tuned... :)

posted by Katherine at 1:04 PM 0 comments

New bio update...and an oops :)


I was making some changes to my Blogger profile a little while ago and posted my latest bio in the "About Me" section...and then was shocked to see the whole thing appeared in the profile segment of every blog I publish. Wow. That's not what I intended. :)

So...here's the updated bio. I'm going to post it only in this space because having it everywhere is unnerving. :)

    Katherine Murray is a writer, editor, mom, and nana who loves the earth and all beings living here. The author of many nonfiction books (including Green Home Computing for Dummies, published by John Wiley & Sons in 2009), Katherine mixes pastoral care with contemplative writing and feels that healing our relationship with the earth is integral to personal and societal healing. She is currently writing “One Self, One World: Meditations on Belonging to the Earth” and offering the contemplative retreat, “The Language the the Earth Speaks,” which helps participants uncover their personal responses to the earth’s call for care. Katherine’s essay “Water as Healer,” is part of the collection Water: Its Spiritual Significance, published by Fons Vitae (2009) for the Louisville Festival of Faiths. With an M.Div from Earlham School of Religion, Katherine has served as a hospital chaplain and facilitator of healing groups. She is a member of the Society for Environmental Journalists and writes about earthcare both as practical and spiritual practice. Katherine’s work is available online through her blogs (Practical Faith and Narrative) and you can follow her on Twitter at http://twitter/kmurray230.

posted by Katherine at 9:19 AM 0 comments

Green Home Computing for Dummies: Finished!


Well, it was a whirlwind, but we're done--Green Home Computing for Dummies will be appearing soon on a bookstore shelf (and on amazon.com and every other bookselling site on the planet) soon. What a blast I had working on this book! I have been wanting to write a green book for the last few years, and I'm grateful to Woody Leonhard (my coauthor) and to Wiley for giving me the opportunity. This is just the beginning--I want to do much more writing about ways we can make a big, positive impact for the planet and for each other. :)

Several great new projects are already in the works...stay tuned for news about Office 14, fundraising revisions (yay!), and new possibilities for technology and beyond...

posted by Katherine at 9:48 AM 0 comments

Lots of New Work & Go Green!

[Update: March 1, 2009] Hello and happy (almost) spring! I wanted to let you know about a few new resources I posted this morning. reVisions Plus has a new set of communication tips (for March) based on riding the wind of change in your organization or business, and over on BlogOffice, you'll find a new 3-Minute Quick Guide to Creating a Glossary in Word 2007. (It's easier than you might think!)

Also, some project news: I just finished writing Learning Web Design with Adobe CS4 for Emergent Learning/Pearson and am working on Green Home Computing for Dummies with Woody Leonhard right now (awesome book! I am absolutely loving this project). There are so so so many ways we can cut back on the energy we use; it's really exciting and empowering. I'll post more about this as time goes on, but here's a quick little green tip for you:
    Green tip: You can start saving energy easily--with just a couple of clicks--by changing the power management settings in Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 7, and on your Mac (see the Energy Saver dialog box) so that your system uses less energy and goes to sleep sooner rather than later. (Note: Sleep mode in Vista is much better and more reliable than Stand By mode in Windows XP.)

posted by Katherine at 8:35 AM 0 comments

Just Published!


I just published a new book called Awareness: An Owner's Manual, offering gentle ideas and meditations for tuning in to personal awareness and finding clarity, peace, and a greater sense of who we are deeply, beneath the external circumstances of our lives. Click here for a preview of the new book. :)

posted by Katherine at 10:02 PM 0 comments

How did you spend your summer vacation?


I think I say this every year, but it amazes me how quickly the time goes--especially in the summer! I hope you had a good, relaxing few months of bliss, wherever you live. :)

Summer here has been full, as always. Here are some of the projects and ideas I've been fascinated with over the last several months:

  • Social networking for nonprofits
  • Product development, management, and launch of a research-based pilot for education
  • Collaboration across time, space, and industries
  • Writing about mindfulness and peace in work, life, identity
  • Initiatives truly designed to serve (as opposed to grab market share)
  • Relaxing into a sense of the good ideas arising now

All in all, a wonderful summer. I'm thankful. How about you?

posted by Katherine at 8:52 AM 0 comments

Life Is Fun


Well, I discovered tonight that I've been remiss in updating this resume blog. My writing is continuing to flourish (thanks to Peter for that wonderful word!) and I love it more than ever. Here are a few of the milestones in the few months since I've posted. I am working or have worked on the following projects recently:

  • Managing editor of The Educational Forum for KDP
  • Creating social networking solutions for nonprofits
  • Design, layout, and proofreading for Earlham School of Religion
  • Monthly newsletter and web content for Microsoft
  • Work in pastoral care at a local hospital
  • Volunteer work transcribing Thomas Merton's handwritten notebooks
  • Retreat facilitation (coming fall 2008!) on contemplative living at Bethany Spring

    In addition to these life-enriching activities, I am actively writing "Gentle Conversations: Nurturing the Art of Deep Connection," and working on two other projects that spring from the center of my heart (one is a book on guided meditations related to loving the earth and another is a reflection on Sri Ramana's Forty Verses of Reality).

    It is a rich summer full of creative expression--such a blessing! I've never been happier. What inspiring things are you working on right now? (Comments welcome!) :) k

    • posted by Katherine at 8:43 PM 0 comments