Two Arms and Ten Fingers

The fifth-century philosopher Plato was a beloved student of the great philosopher Socrates. In his Allegory of the Cave, Plato reasoned that one is presented with an incredibly distorted view of reality until released from deception by being placed in a clear-eyed position to see absolute truth.

As our lives unfold and present us with various issues requiring decisions, our character matters. Yet, sometimes people choose deceit rather than sound, principled reasoning, and the truth of their deception is never discovered.

In Two Arms and Ten Fingers, three well-respected professionals choose to create a distorted view of reality for their personal gain, only to experience the consequences of their actions. The truth, most times, has a strange habit of coming to light; however, “deceit can be beautiful – just depends on who benefits.”

In Two Arms and Ten Fingers, a doctor, a mortician, and a lawyer make life-changing decisions and share the consequences. Follow their journey from darkness to possible enlightenment.

Tides of Revelation

It’s been 10 years since Hanna, Derrick, Jane, and Pete have seen each other. They met in college but went their separate ways after graduation. Now they’ve reconnected and have decided to rent a secluded beach house to stay at for a long weekend of catching up. While they’re laughing and getting to know each other again, strange things start to happen that make them reconsider their life choices. As they reveal their secrets to each other, something big seems to be going on. What exactly is happening at the beach house? What does it mean for the four friends’ lives? Will they make it through the weekend, or will the tides change?

The Salt Shack Dweller

Once the institutions of his world proved untrustworthy, a young veteran leaves college and seeks refuge in a shack beneath a condemned train bridge along the depleted and abused Salt River. Here, he encounters those society deems invisible: Natives, migrants, and discarded souls. A makeshift clan forms as curious individuals are drawn to this enigmatic figure and his humble dwelling. Among them are a compassionate female doctor, a questioning priest, a lonely flour mill guard, a seventeen-year-old girl yearning for freedom, and a disheartened judge. Even scorpions, black widows, and countless butterflies find their place. To the Salt Shack Dweller, this motley group becomes a true family.

The Player's Brain

This book challenges the very foundation of traditional medicine with a controversial and fascinating idea: using neurosurgical intervention and behavior modification to reintegrate sociopaths into modern society. Written in accessible language, it explores the groundbreaking work of Dr. Antônio De Salles, who pioneers this approach at the intersection of medicine, science, technology, and human interaction.

The book’s thought-provoking content makes it a must-read for students and academics across various disciplines, from the sciences to the humanities. It illuminates the complex medical, technical, and moral implications of this sensitive issue, encouraging readers to grapple with the ethical questions raised by this emerging field of study.

“The field of psychosurgery promises to change how we think about science and mental illness. Already, brain surgery is safe enough, and implants are sophisticated enough, for alteration of the brain to be accepted as mainstream therapy.”

– Hays and Berenbein.

The Paisley Jubilee Story

At a mental health program in New Jersey, the colorful Paisley Jubilee brightens even the cloudiest days. A middle-aged gay man battling diabetes and depression, he empathizes deeply with fellow patients struggling to quiet inner demons.

Surrounded by a cast of endearingly quirky characters who speak and act outside the norm, Paisley discovers connection, community, and his own vibrant voice within a system that often overlooks people who think differently.

Through Paisley’s uplifting friendships and hard-won wisdom, The Paisley Jubilee Story delicately explores complex themes of mental illness, identity and stigma. But with humor and heart, these unforgettable personalities illuminate that hope can dawn in even the most broken of places when compassion kindles our shared humanity.

The Old Man and the Immigrants

This novel relates the life of immigrants in Montréal, Canada. Guided by a patriarch Daniel Sahel, known as the dean of the United Nations, a neighborhood dominated by newcomers. He was their eyes, their ears, their advisor. He defended them, comforted them in difficult moments. But eventually the integration became problematic, with diplomas and careers going unrecognized, and soon rags burn at the United Nations. A novel full of suspense to discover.

Smitten: Beneath the Layers of the Holy Land

Beneath the layers of politics, religion, and history lies a social life often overlooked. Amidst the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, people continue living their lives beneath the tumultuous surface.

Saba Salim finds herself living with the man she loves. However, the man she chose to be her husband and protector becomes her tormentor. The house she thought would be her sanctuary becomes her personal prison, where she endures physical abuse and constant verbal attacks.

Saba struggles to prove her abuse, facing interrogation by various men. Ultimately, she stands alone, presenting her case to the deciding elders of East Jerusalem.

The walls of Jerusalem feel suffocating, but they expand little by little as Saba gains her freedom. A feminist without realizing it, Saba discovers her strength and identity, breaking free from the chains of her oppressor and becoming her own person.

Sheikh Al Jin

The fantasy of exploring a different, enchanting cosmetic world is a dream many humans long to experience. Imagine acknowledging the existence of different species that share some human values yet are unique in their nature. It’s not every day we have the thrill of diving into other worlds, but the mysterious and unknown realm of the Jinn is something many seek to explore. This book offers a glimpse into a world beyond our wildest imaginations. Throughout history, stories of such worlds have captivated the minds of people, whether believed to be true or mere myth. Readers are encouraged to open their minds before opening their eyes and let their imaginations soar beyond all boundaries.

Malkin

Malkin tells the story of a small-town girl with big dreams, who believes her aspirations can only be realized in the big city, just a few hours away by train. Despite her humble beginnings, she seizes every opportunity, holding steadfast to her ambition of becoming a ‘Malkin’ in the bustling metropolis. She understands that achieving her dreams comes with a price: giving others what they want in order to attain what she desires.

With unwavering determination, she navigates the challenges and tribulations of her nuclear family and the struggles of her childhood friend. The narrative offers readers a vivid portrayal of how often her dream teetered on the edge of disaster.

Her journey is marked by indomitable courage and a positive mindset, fortified through meditation and gratitude. These elements guide her, acting as her talisman, and show her the path to success. She learns to see things in their true reality, overcoming self-deceptions born from her background, family, environment, and preconceived notions. Perhaps this is what it takes to dream and make that dream come true.

Faithfully Failed

A well-raised women is one who models the vision of family life taught by her parents. She can only play the role of one character in the script. The other role players in her story must possess integrity for her contentment.

Imbria gets a taste of the good life. An inspiring clothing designer who wants the fairy tale ending, like most women want. Marriage is an important part of life’s completion. She is elated when her dreams come true. The twist and turns, lies and deception, can change the tremble of the heart. A spur of the moment decision can turn holy matrimony into rupture.

Double Star

This story is set in Germany at the start of the First World War and follows Klaus, a quiet astronomer of Jewish background, who spends his time with a telescope in an observatory on the edge of town. There he meets an independent young woman from a well-to-do background whose desire for a career of her own leads her to work on the laboratory’s microscope.

Their different backgrounds clash even as the world is changing around them. Ulla is forced to keep her work secret from her socially ambitious mother to whom status and the old ways are prized above all. Her father encourages Ulla to help him in his quest to find a cure for a deadly disease. However, he has a secret of his own which also threatens the stability of their family.

As their relationship grows and Ulla and Klaus share their scientific discoveries, unforeseen events force them to make choices which will have far-reaching consequences for both them and their families.

Academic Overtures

For twenty-five years, Lola has endured a tumultuous marriage marred by her husband Jack’s infidelities and abuse. Despite his betrayals, she clung to the hope that things would change when Jack landed his dream job as university president.

However, Jack’s new position thrusts them into a sordid scandal involving the sexual exploitation of student athletes by the athletic director. Haunted by his own history of misconduct, Jack resorts to his usual tactics: bribery and cover-ups. But when one of his past victims surfaces as a faculty member, the web of deceit threatens to entangle them both.

As the stakes escalate, Lola finds herself at a crossroads. Will she continue to enable Jack’s misdeeds, sacrificing her dignity? Or will she summon the courage to break free from the cycle of abuse and help others find their voice?