Huxley Perdu

It can be hard to be grateful for what we have, even if we think those things should make us happy. Hux is disappointed with how his life has turned out. He wishes that he could erase things that should make him happy. He feels lost in a world he thinks is constantly against him. He continuously makes decisions that will only make his life worse. The time will come when he becomes truly lost. He will be forced to reform his view on life, and the decisions that form it. In order to survive he will need to choose to change far beyond what he thought was possible. Hux will come to understand that he will never need more than what he has left behind. Through confronting disaster, including himself, he will find what he feared he had lost forever.

I Am a Catholic in Case of an Accident

In I Am a Catholic in Case of an Accident, Catholic priest Andy Costello reflects on over 50 years in ministry, candidly exploring what it truly means to be Catholic in today’s world. With wisdom, humor and humility, Fr. Costello ponders questions of faith, doubt, and remaining devout amidst the challenges facing the modern Church.

Drawing on a lifetime of experiences as a priest serving diverse parishes across America, he offers relatable insights on Catholic identity, sharing personal stories and perspectives that will resonate with Catholics and spiritual seekers alike. Through short vignette-style chapters, Costello examines Catholic traditions, the humanity of Jesus, models of the Church, and staying connected to one’s faith.

I Am a Catholic in Case of an Accident is an inviting, introspective read that will inspire readers to contemplate their own religious journeys and what being Catholic means to them. Fr. Costello’s conversational musings provide a compassionate guide for anyone navigating the joys and struggles of a life of faith.

I Couldn't Find Her So I Created Her

To be honest, if anyone could have given me anything growing up, being rescued would have been my first choice. I Couldn't Find Her So I Created Her is a novel told in poems, chronicling author Tyler Harrison's experience with abuse, trauma, life, love, and God. Don't be afraid to speak up about abuse; it is serious.

I Heard the Angels Sing

Have you ever felt that God was not there for you? Have you ever questioned, “Why, God, why?” One man did constantly. After an experience he cannot explain, he begins to reflect on his life, and he finds answers to those questions.

An inspirational reveal of how one man begins his journey back to God. He revisits occurrences from his life, exploring his own relationship with God. In sharing his experiences, he encourages others to discover and embrace their own relationship with God. Each chapter explores his personal memories from childhood into his adult life as he struggles with good and bad things in his life. Some experiences are small, some major and some occurrences affect him forever. He encounters great highs and deep lows in his life. And some incidents come full circle. He finally comes to the conclusion that God was always there for him.

It all began when he heard the Angels sing…

I Only Remember Grievances And Desserts

“Revenge is a dish best served cold” – Khan Noonien Singh

My more than 20 years of professional experience in the male-dominated career of emergency management has not exactly been a walk in the park. As less worn as the “path less traveled” may be, it is neither laced with ease nor filled with treasure. I have found it to be paved with judgment and spite. This was my experience as a pregnant teenager who insisted she would not be defined by the state of her body but forge ahead in life anyway. Although this was perhaps the lowest point of my life, I was able to find solace in cooking (particularly baking) and still decided to continue the path. And today, I can say that has made all the difference—which is the name of the chocolate truffles recipe I open with, along with the genesis of my difference-making choices.

On my career journey, I have encountered all dimensions of characters—the Cretin, the Quintessential Douche Bag, and the “Special Place in Hell” Vipers (made up of the Queen Bee and the BFF)—who have all attempted to rock the boat of my career advancement with their various strategies.

However, I have also encountered mentors who not only let me know I am not alone and provided astounding support but also stood by me and for me before others in the face of adversity. A combination of all these factors and the decisions I make along the way (some good, others, admittedly hasty and improperly reasoned) have culminated in the person I have become, both personally and professionally, and of course, a lot of recipes specially tailored to the various seasons I have had to go through.

I Want Freedom

I am now certain that my purpose is to be a voice for those who are suffering at this very moment from forced arranged marriages or stuck in cycles of abuse. My past made me who I am today, and while I wouldn’t wish what I’ve been through on anyone, I am proud of who I’ve become as a result. Fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, daughters and sons, I need you: without your help, this is just an empty dream. Together, we can save some of these innocent young girls and women, who in some cases are as young as five years old. Without your help, I can’t bring them to safety and provide them with the education and life lessons that will allow them to reach a brighter future. This is an issue that affects millions of women all over the world, including here in the US; we are all human, and together we can make a change.

I, Albert Peabody

Albert has been fascinated with death since he was a young boy watching a mouse attempt to eat peanut butter beneath a mousetrap, he admits to his psychiatrist. The psychiatrist at Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake, Washington is trying to reveal his deepest darkest secrets detailing his father. But Dr Schwartz also has secrets to hide. Albert calls him “Herr Doctor.”

Over the course of 30 years Albert details his 10 murders to Herr Doctor. He also rooms with another man who likes young girls in a most peculiar way.

All of this leads to a climatic conclusion with a very substantial twist at the end that makes everyone wonder, who really is crazy around here?

Illinois 1000

Illinois 1000 is a quick dive into the lives of the English and the Indians of the Upper Midwest a thousand years ago.

Building on The Year 1000 by British historians Robert Lacey and Danny Danzinger, the author moves from one side of the Atlantic to the other. The contrasts are as much from the past to the present as between the two very different cultures. ‘Primitive’ is often used to describe the Indians’ way of life, and not without at least some reason. So much of what characterized and made English life possible was entirely absent in North America.

Yet, centuries later, hundreds, even thousands of Europeans joined the Indians, preferring their way of living to that which they had known in Europe or colonial America. The Indians, the first people, survived and prospered in what was at that time not amber fields of grain but a very ungenerous landscape. If they were brutal, they were hardly unique. In their affinity to the earth they lived on, there were few like them.

Jazz, Joy and Justice

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all American school children learned something about our great American art form of jazz? If they not only listened to and played their music, but also learned the stories of our American jazz geniuses? If by hearing these stories, they also came to understand something of how systemic racism has hurt and continues to hurt us all? If they were inspired to begin the long walk toward justice, accompanied by the joy of jazz?

Jazz, Joy and Justice is the trio that will help us as we stand at the crossroads between education and catastrophe. It sings out the songs of our triumph and shame, our joy and our pain, our happiness and our sorrow, our yesterday and tomorrow. If you love jazz, find out the hidden stories of some of your favorite musicians. If you love justice, discover how jazz musicians did so much more than entertain. If you need some joy in your day, listen to the musical examples suggested in these pages.

Come join Louis, Ella, Duke, Lady Day, Monk, Miles and many more to consider how to make the world our children deserve as beautiful and swingin’ as the music they created.

Jesus at 29

This story deals with Jesus as a husband, father, and leader of a carpentry/construction crew, who is contemplating a new career as a rabbi, teacher and minister. Unacquainted with the politics of religion, he seeks the advice of family and friends about his new endeavor.

Jesus soon finds himself caught between the Romans and the Sanhedrin Court, heading straight into a political storm. His mother and his wife form a dynamic pair who will strive to see his dream come to fruition despite how fraught with danger it seems to be. Meet James, Jesus' older brother and crew foreman, and Simon, Jesus' best friend. Meet his fisherman buddies, and his new friend from Egypt. See how ideal virtues manifest in a confusing and violent world. See what it takes to be the kind of man others choose to follow. See why he had to be that man.

Jesus at 29 – Exemplary Virtues of an Ordinary Man will take you to a simpler time, when Jesus was allowed to be just a good man, good father, good son, good boss and, finally, a good teacher. His message of inclusiveness was not well-received among his peers at the time. Yet it was central to his core doctrine. It is as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago.

Just Be Kuz – A Life Most Fractious

This book blurb introduces the concept of being a ‘sunshine seeker’ and asks whether these individuals are never satisfied with what they have or simply driven to be their best selves. The author shares personal stories related to addiction, family, divorce, and other topics, offering a unique perspective on the world. The book contains some strong language and shocking content.

See the world through the lens of a sunshine seeker. See how he feels about everything from sex to addiction, to family and divorce.

Be entertained by the stories which drive Just Be Kuz in his world of sunshine seeking. See where you agree and disagree.

Caution, there’s some real shock value in this book – and some off-colored language! Apologies up-front.

Kat's Dilemma

Kat’s Dilemma is a work of fiction. Created out of bits and pieces of research into the social and cultural challenges encountered by women and men in America at the turn of last century. Only two of the characters are based on real life people in the history of my family. Katherine Gehm was my great grandmother. Some of the known family incidents and resulting emotions are reflected in the character Kat.

Johann Wuenderlich was a young German Lutheran who immigrated to the US, converted to Methodism, and returned to Germany to introduce and spread that Christian sect. A memoir of his experience came into my possession, was translated by my daughters, and provides the basis of some of that character’s words and actions.

The US Constitution and Bill of Rights were meant as a foundation of government for all American citizens. But, the men and women of that era (and ours), influenced by societal norms or religious dictates, have never fully understood its real meaning. Therein lies the promise and the struggle between principle and prejudice in Kat’s Dilemma.