Close Enough

Nicole’s life in the sunshine state of Florida was once warm and comfortable, having escaped an abusive marriage over a decade and a half ago. Her fulfilling career in the medical field provided stability, but the arrival of a new doctor named Mark would soon ignite a passion she had only fantasized about. As their paths intertwined at the prominent rehabilitation center where they worked, Nicole’s sexual desires transformed into breathtaking realities, surpassing her wildest dreams. Under the guidance of Anita, the managing director who had taken her under her wing, Nicole embarked on a journey of sexual exploration that revealed an unexpected array of colorful and edifying encounters.

Amidst the corridors of the rehabilitation center, the tantalizing encounters between Nicole and Mark fueled her imagination, igniting a creativity that soared beyond the confines of their working relationship. Their world became a wonderland of lust and love, each rendezvous fueling their insatiable appetites. However, their passionate escapades were abruptly halted when an angry patient intentionally struck Mark from behind with a chair, shattering their idyllic existence and plunging them into uncertainty.

In this sensually charged tale, Nicole’s pursuit of sexual enlightenment takes center stage, illuminating the depths of desire and the transformative power of intimate experiences. As they navigate the aftermath of the devastating blow that threatens to extinguish their flame, Nicole and Mark must confront the complexities of their connection and redefine their relationship in ways they never anticipated.

Close Friends' Cathedral Adventure

Peat, a toad, and Paul-Paulette, an earthworm, live in the woods beneath the roots of their friend, Christy, a Christmas fern. One day they are dug up and carried away. Christy is replanted in a pot large enough to hold Paul-Paulette, but Peat is too big to get in and cannot completely hide. He stays under Christy’s fronds, but can’t disappear.

Together with their wild flower friends, they are taken to the Washington National Cathedral to participate in the annual Festival of Flowers. While the plants are being carried into the cathedral, Peat is discovered, picked up and left in the Garth – the small, enclosed garden near the base of the stairs.

This is the story of the little toad’s adventure as he tries to find his plant and animal friends in the huge building. It is a tour of the cathedral and an introduction to cathedral architecture inside and out. A short glossary of architecture terms is included.

Collections of a Filthy Heart

I have a filthy heart.

It’s been bruised,

and broken,

and houses secrets best left in the dark.

These are its collections.

Courtney Jones lives in downtown Toronto, working in content creation and digital strategy. An avid lover of the written word, she prefers to pass her free time reading a good book while enjoying a glass of even better red wine.

Colonizing Mars

What if you could move to Mars permanently and live there comfortably? You might have to work like a modern-day pioneer, but you would have complete freedom and live in comfortable surroundings, other than the occasional trip outside in a spacesuit. Thousands of people will be able to. SpaceX has a completely reusable rocket called Starship, which is capable of carrying 100+ tons (over 220,000 lbs) to Mars at a relatively reasonable cost. Elon Musk, the richest man on the planet, has stated that his intent at SpaceX is the colonization of Mars. It WILL happen. The author explains in detail how it will happen, including everything from how we will get there to the infrastructure required on Mars. This book may sound like science fiction, but it isn’t. It is a description of how it will really happen in the next 20 years. Come along for a fascinating journey as humans first explore and then move to another planet for the first time.

Columbus, Slave Trader

Columbus, Slave Trader delves into an eye-opening exploration of history as it uncovers a seldom-told truth: the initial transatlantic slave ships did not traverse from Africa to America with captive Africans. Instead, the journey took a different, darker turn. The very first slave ships embarked from the New World to Europe, carrying a harrowing cargo of 500 captured Native Americans. Their enslaver? Christopher Columbus himself.

As the narrative unfolds, we confront the chilling reality of this early chapter in the slave trade, where these Native Americans, originally destined for Seville’s slave auction, endured unimaginable hardships. Only 80 would emerge as survivors, highlighting the heart-wrenching toll of this historic voyage.

Columbus, Slave Trader is a stark, essential and accurate historical fiction account that challenges prevailing narratives, shedding light on a pivotal moment in history and reevaluating our understanding of Columbus as not just an explorer but also a slave trader.

Come Thirsty: Leave Quenched

Come Thirsty, Leave Quenched invites you on a transformative journey into the depths of your spirit, offering a sanctuary for the weary soul. In a world filled with noise and distraction, this devotional serves as a navigational guide, leading you to the oasis of inner fulfillment you’ve been seeking.

You will find solace and inspiration for your heart, whether facing a broken spirit, a tired mind, or seeking answers to life’s profound questions.

Prepare to encounter whispers of grace and the realization that within you lies the key to everlasting fulfillment. Discover the courage to confront challenges and the strength to drink deeply from the wellspring of life.

Come with an open heart and leave these pages forever changed!

Confidence Matters

This book can help you to develop your self-awareness, your self-belief, and your sense of self-worth so that you can feel confident whenever, wherever, and with whomever.

Go on a journey of self-discovery with practical step-by-step exercises, and develop and strengthen your authentic motivation and self-confidence with techniques based on the powerful behavioural science of neuro-linguistic programming.

Confidence Matters by Dr. Louise J. Goddard EdD is for everyone – from teachers to business leaders, entrepreneurs to coaches, parents, and people from all walks of life. It goes beyond positive thinking. It contains no-nonsense step-by-step exercises for self-discovery, transcendence of unconscious limiting beliefs, and enhancement of mental clarity, self-awareness, motivation, gratitude, and self-empowerment.

Connections

I am a practicing psychotherapist with over fifty years of experience, still actively seeing patients in the San Diego area. I currently specialize in those needing treatment for long-term care, chronic conditions, and PTSD.

I returned to my roots in writing Connections. I expanded upon the developmental frameworks I taught in my UCSD courses; my students encouraged me to adapt these core psychological constructs into a matrix encompassing my other passions, like physics and spirituality. I believe we need an ongoing inner Renaissance if we hope to spark one in the wider world.

Conscious (R)Evolution, Humanity, Insanity, and the Planet

In Conscious (R)Evolution, Humanity, Insanity, and the Planet, the author brings together two powerful insights: that all life on this planet is interconnected, and that humanity’s current path of consumerism and industrialization is leading to catastrophe. From deforestation to pollution, we are damaging the very environment that sustains us. This book asks us to stop and consider the bigger picture: as an intelligent species, why would we willingly destroy the planet that gave us life? With urgency and clarity, the author calls for a new way of living, one that recognizes our place in the natural world and uses our intelligence to create a better future for all.

Conundrum Murders

Detective George McCraken is on a dangerous mission to solve the murder of Hampton socialite Rosalie Stevens, who has been found slumped over the steering wheel of her BMW with roses in her hand and a bullet in her head. McCraken must outsmart a Russian mob henchman while navigating the complex motives behind the murder, which remains a mystery as Rosalie had no enemies and no involvement in criminal activities. The investigation heats up with the potential for a romantic entanglement for McCraken and a connection to a money laundering scheme in the family’s real estate business. The Conundrum Murders will test McCraken’s detective skills as he races to uncover the truth.

Cosmian

This memoir is an interesting blend of history and fantasy, of reality and poetry, of high-mindedness with the occasional carnality thrown in…I feel as though – not just for the fact of the words, but also for the ebb and flow of thought direction – I have been wandering the nerve-endings of your brain.

Your history is there, certainly, but slathered with other gravies: poetry, philosophy, passion, and dispassion. And a great deal of playfulness. I believe there is something very Zen-‘Masterish’ about the angled prose you set down in this writing, a wild-and-crazy trip, man.

While I was reading your history with ‘C’ (cosmos), I was reminded of these lines that Rumi wrote sometime in the mid-1200s:

I would love to kiss you

(The price of kissing is my life)

Now my loving is running toward my life

Shouting, “What a bargain,

Let’s buy it!”

– Dennis O’Keefe, American Poet

Cosmian Rhapsody

Praise be to those who in their waning years make others happy. Praise be to those who find light in the darkness and share it with others. Praise be to those who can spread joy through trust and tolerance. Praise be to those who look far beyond themselves to their place in the cosmos. For Lee Tae-Sang, Doris R. Wenzel (Publisher for Cosmos Cantata)