On this page you can find descriptions of my books and some things people have said about them. Gender: An Inclusive Church Resource was published in March 2015 by Darton, Longman and Todd. The other three books can be purchased from SPCK Publishing. All four can also be found on Amazon, in some cases with reader reviews.

Gender: The Inclusive Church Resource (2015)

This book has been produced by Inclusive Church in partnership with DLT. It is edited by Bob Callaghan and includes profoundly thought-provoking contributions by Natalie Collins, Hilary Cotton, Rachel Mann and David Monteith, as well as an excellent resource section by Ronni Lamont. It is an attempt to outline a theology of gender, to reflect on how gender and theology intertwine in the lives of individuals, and to provide discussion material to explore the issues raised in the book.

Does My Soul Look Big in This? (2012)

Does My Soul is a book about how we face some of life’s big issues: Do things really have to change? Am I happy enough? Does my life have a point? Will I ever be ‘in’ with the ‘in crowd’? Where on earth is home?; and how we use them to explore the deepest possibilities of our lives.

‘She muses around the things of life that make or break us, that build or demolish us. She starts with real human experiences, real questions, then digs down a bit and rummages around what is thrown up. I would commend the book to anyone.’ Nick Baines, Bishop of Bradford

‘wise, compassionate and warm-hearted … movingly written … an insightful steer for our culture … creative, fresh and engaging.’ Johnny Douglas, The Good BookStall

‘Reading this book is like having a conversation with a wise, funny and compassionate friend. Full of relevant insights and thoughtful advice.’ Ysenda Maxtone Graham, Author ‘The Church Hesitant’

‘a highly accessible, conversational tone … an excellent ‘taster’ for seekers, agnostics, disillusioned believers. (The author’s) friendly authorial voice, honesty and moments of vulnerability are engaging.’ Naomi Starkey, BRF, in The Church Times

‘Her engaging and compassionate style calms fears, promotes serenity and aids our courage in faith to embrace change.’ Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent, The Times

‘opens new maps showing where our souls might experience new life, and flourish’.  Martyn Halsall, Diocesan Communications Adviser, Blackburn

‘Her work is suffused with the presence of God. Quotations from the bible bubble up inside her as naturally do quotations from other sources, and she uses them all to make sense of the universe in which she finds herself.’ Laura Sykes, Lay Anglicana blog

Unwrapping the Sacred: Seeing God in the everyday (2009)

Unwrapping the Sacred reflects on the events of a year from one Spring to the next. Exploring the meaning of stories and events it encourages the reader to pay attention to the detail of life, to sadness and to joy. Among other themes it looks at equinox moments and hinterlands, friendship and identity, fragility, control and how to ‘make holy ground’. A book for those who long to see God’s hand in the sweep of history and the detail of each day.

‘If we prepare well for our dreams and live them with courage, imagination and understanding, water can become wine’. From Chapter 12

‘Anyone who yearns to live deeply and reflectively will love this book, and appreciate the practical example it gives of the spiritual riches on offer to those adept at “sifting the stuff of life”’. Dr Paula Gooder, theologian and author

‘If you’re trying to put the different parts of your life together – secular and spiritual – this book may help you. Good holiday meditative reading.’ Rabbi Lionel Blue

‘Drawing on examples from film, TV and music, this slim volume seeks to offer examples of Christian thought found in everyday life. These reflections traverse a breathless array of cultural references, one moment quoting Des’ree songs, the next turning to the wisdom of John Humphrys and Alain de Botton.’ The Observer

‘The fluidity of the writing makes this book easy to engage with … it feels almost conversational in its style and refreshingly playful with its ideas. By stripping away religious language and getting back to the basics, the author challenges us all to engage in the present, however banal it might seem; to treasure the memories we are creating for they will become the stories we retell; and to seek God’s illusive presence in the normality of our days.’ Siân Hancock, GoodBookStall

The Courage to Connect: Becoming all we can be (2007)

This book is about the attempt to become more deeply human and more fully alive; to live deliberately and intentionally. It asks how we might connect with ourselves, God and others through essential human issues and experiences such as risk, envy, fertility, perfectionism and doubt. Aimed at a broad readership the book is accessible both to those who are familiar with Christian belief and those who are not.

‘God can act in and through you in a way that God cannot act in and through anyone else.’ From Chapter 5

‘For any of us wanting to recognise the small miracles of life as we make our way through the world, this book is a precious gift that will help us understand why we are here.’        Lucy Winkett, Rector, St James’s, Piccadilly

‘It’s good to see Faith tackled with the sort of intellectual toughness that’s the Today tradition.’ Edward Stourton, Today Programme, BBC Radio 4

‘She strips back much of what gets in the way of encounter with the mystery of God. She allows God quietly to emerge out of the fabric of living. This is a serious book written with a gentle humour and lightness of touch.’ Georgina Byrne, Worcester Cathedral

‘Disarming honesty … wonderfully insightful …Rosemary Lain-Priestley urges us to take a different path …’ Bruce Duncan, The Church Times

‘Exactly the kind of spiritual writing I enjoy most: no neat answers, but a great deal of wisdom and experience shared.’ Veronica Zundel, Goodreads