Finding Flannery: A Travel Memoir Exploring the Mystique of Flannery O’Connor and the Legacy She Has Left Us All
authored by Christina Brajkovich, Karen Anne Mahoney, and Roxane B. Salonen
REVIEWS
Jay Sorgi (March 5, 2026) “Following Flannery’s Path of Grace.” Catholic Herald of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Click here to read.
Beverly Willet (December 18, 2025). “A Pilgrimage to Find Flannery O’Connor.” National Catholic Register. Click here to read.
Katie Fitzgerald (December 1, 2025). “Book Review: Finding Flannery by Christina Brajkovich, Karen Anne Mahoney, and Roxane B. Salonen (ARC). Read-at-Home Mom. Click here to read.
TESTIMONIALS
“A truly enjoyable read! Three Catholic writers from the North take a plunge into the Deep South to explore the mysterious landscape that shaped Flannery O’Connor’s fiction. This enchanting and enlightening book unlocks a treasure trove of details about Flannery’s life that will delight her fans.” — Lorraine V. Murray, author of The Abbess of Andalusia: Flannery O’Connor’s Spiritual Journey
“What an extraordinary introduction to the life and writings of Flannery O’Connor! Here we meet the real person, idiosyncrasies and all. Should there ever be a cause launched for her sainthood, this book must surely be part of the libellus. We are, by definition, on a pilgrimage: because of the instinctive notion of the human heart, our authors have undertaken this journey to draw near to the heart of Flannery. They believe deeply in the communion of saints and invite their readers to join them, bringing their doubts and struggles to a truly noble soul who leads the way heavenward. This is of the essence of spiritual direction.” — Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson, Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter
“Finding Flannery is a folksy, intimate portrait of Catholic author Flannery O’Connor through the eyes of three authors and their longed-for visit to Andalusia Farm This is really three portraits in one, and the lovely hand illustrations crafted with foraged inks make this volume truly special. Here’s hoping this book inspires a new generation to love the truly American experience found in O’Connor’s writings.” — Joseph M. Hanneman, investigative reporter, Blaze Media, and author of The Journey Home
“As a Southerner and a longtime devotee of Flannery O’Connor who recently made my first pilgrimage to Andalusia on the occasion of her 100th birthday, the deeply personal reflections in Finding Flannery have been a beautiful way of anchoring the memories of my own trip; from the farm and house where she lived and died, to the cemetery where she’s buried, and the parish where she worshipped, such that these places themselves become characters in the story. Flannery’s gift was her unique ability to explore the mystery of grace in all its oddness as it rubbed up against the ugliness of a broken world. Each of the writers brings her own experience of odd grace in the midst of misfittery to the text, and it is a delight to read how those threads weave together in the very town where O’Connor herself wrote so powerfully” — Matt Swaim, Co-host, The Son Rise Morning Show, outreach director, The Coming Home Network
“With warmth, honesty, and lyrical storytelling, the authors invite us into their journey of faith, friendship, and discovery at the home of one of America’s most distinctive writers. Their reflections don’t just illuminate Flannery O’Connor’s life and legacy; they awaken the reader’s own longing for grace, beauty, and courage in the ordinary. A delightful and inspiring read for anyone who loves literature, faith, or the surprising ways God meets us along the road.” — Danielle Bean, speaker and author of Whisper: Finding God in the Everyday
“Finding Flannery is a captivating journey of faith, friendship, and literary discovery. Christina, Karen, and Roxane beautifully intertwine their unique voices, offering both warmth and insight. This pilgrimage through Flannery O’Connor’s world enlightens the soul and delights the heart—readers will be both entertained and inspired to seek grace in unexpected places.” — Allison Gingras, author of Jesus Heals and Encountering Signs of Faith
“People often ask me if I think Flannery O’Connor will ever be canonized a saint. I think she will, but not for another two hundred years. And I think part of her canonization process may very well involve Finding Flannery, for within it, three multigenerational Catholic writers offer engaging, intelligent, personal, heartfelt accounts of Flannery O’Connor’s influence on their lives and their vocations. Saints make those around them better, and that is the story of this book. Like O’Connor, Brajkovich, Mahoney, and Salonen are strange birds, yet they each have a song and they sing it well. These three Northern women met in an online writer’s forum, thought it would be fun to make a pilgrimage to Flannery O’Connor’s South, and they actually did it. Finding Flannery is an account of that transforming pilgrimage, replete with O’Connor quotations, reflections, and inspirations. It is right and just that Finding Flannery arrives during the Jubilee Year of Hope, which also happens to be Flannery O’Connor’s centenary. And if anyone is wondering why Catholicism is cool again in 2025, this book has some answers.” — Fr. Damian Ference, author of Understanding The Hillbilly Thomist: The Philosophical Foundations of Flannery O’Connor’s Narrative Art and No One Was Paying Any Attention to the Sky: Flannery O’Connor and Modernity
“Whether you are a Flannery O’Connor aficionado or simply someone who loves a compelling story, Finding Flannery is for you. Kudos to the authors, not only for combining forces to shine a light on one of America’s greatest literary legends, but also for sharing so much of how this gifted woman’s life intersected with their own. Their journey of discovery invites us along on one of our own. Highly engaging!”—Lisa M. Hendey, author of Jesus Every Day, Jesus Every Way
“This travel memoir opens the invitation to journey with three women writers from the North throughout their insightful and joyful experience in the South.” — Beth Dotson Brown, author of Rooted in Sunrise
“An exploration of themes close to the heart of Flannery: how loss informs the soul, how the sacred and profane often live side by side, and the ways that grace erupts in the most unlikely places, even and especially in the lives of misfits. This work is a vivid reminder that every life, no matter its limitations or challenges, has something important to teach, and that the stories we choose to tell matter.” — Liz Kelly Stanchina, community leader for women’s formation with the Word on Fire Institute and award-winning author of Love Like a Saint and A Place, Called Golgotha.
“A moving travelogue that blends memoir, literary reflection, and spiritual insight. With vivid prose and deep Catholic sensibility, the authors draw Flannery’s world into focus through pilgrimage, prayer, and profound encounters with grace.” — Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, author of The Narrative Spirituality of Dante’s Divine Comedy
“I’ve learned more from Flannery O’Connor than anybody else about how to live a good life, because in her fiction, she teaches us how to attend to the time and place we’re in. This memoir highlights the beautiful particularity of place in our lives.” — Jessica Hooten Wilson, Fletcher Jones Chair of Great Books at Pepperdine University and author of Flannery O’Connor’s Why Do the Heathen Rage?
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Christina Brajkovich is a Wisconsin-born writer and a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, with articles published in faith and community-driven publications around the country. After visiting the South, she transplanted to the Pacific Northwest to pursue her dreams, eventually making a pivotal return to the Midwest. Hers is a coming-of-age story, emboldened by Flannery’s influence. She lives in southwest Wisconsin with her husband and four children. Click here to visit Christina’s Substack.
Karen Anne Mahoney, mother of five and grandmother to 15, has contributed as an award-winning journalist to Catholic and secular publications in her home state of Wisconsin and beyond for more than 30 years. Like Flannery, Karen suffers from autoimmune diseases, and in this journey, she finds renewed inspiration in the grace with which our heroine bore her crosses. Click here to visit Karen Anne’s Substack.
Roxane B. Salonen has been crafting stories as a journalist and author based in Fargo, North Dakota, for decades, including through co-authoring the award-winning What Would Monica Do? Whether through podcast interviews or newspaper articles, Roxane finds Flannery’s love for the truth and Catholic convictions fortifying as she seeks to report on the truth today. Click here to visit Roxane’s Substack and here to visit her website.
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