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.

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 Out of Her

I became a Christian about five years ago. Before that, I was a New Age guru and a practitioner of the occult science of Alchemy. My whole life, I have been fascinated with all things supernatural, spiritual, mystical, and psychic—if you look up the definitions of each word, you will see that they all have the same basic meaning.

He looked at the crowd and said, “How did I get into Alchemy? As I studied everything mystical, I came across a book that explained the science of Alchemy and its history. It sparked interest in me, and I did what I needed to do to find any manuscript on Alchemy. I was around 13 years old when I bought my first book on the subject. Now, what is Alchemy? For me to answer that, I need to first reference Genesis chapter 3. I’m not going to read the entire chapter; I will summarize what it says. We will be analyzing a few key verses to gain better understanding. The serpent goes to Eve and convinces her that if she eats from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, she will be a god as God is. Here is where Alchemy has its roots—why do I say that? Let me explain further...”

Conflicting Emotions

Plagued by illness and haunted by the loss of her children, Olivia is driven by a fierce determination to heal. She suspects her ailments are tied to the heartache of her estrangement and sets out on a quest for wellness. As she grapples with her own health and remorse, she takes up residence in a modest apartment near a hospital, where she meets Jolene, a sometimes friend, sometimes burden, battling her own demons with alcohol.

As Olivia confronts her guilt, she also finds herself entangled in Jolene’s turbulent life, compelled to offer aid. Resolute in shedding the weight of her past sorrows and mending broken bridges, Olivia embarks on a poignant journey through the tapestry of her family’s history, her marriage, and the myriad ways she has sought love.

With each memory turned over, Olivia seeks answers and redemption. Can uncovering the roots of her estrangement also lead to her recovery, both bodily and of the bonds with her children?

Conspiracy of the Undead

The ancient Abbots Bromley Horn Dance has taken place in Abbots Bromley, England every year since 1226 and has roots beginning in pagan times. Thousands of years ago back in the Stone Age, men with bows and arrows used to stalk other men wearing animal skins and head-dresses. They used to mime a successful hunt as a symbolic empowerment over an actual quarry.

The year 2000 is to be no different except that this time, human blood is to be spilt. After a fluke accident and a death, strange things start to happen to Neville’s ex-fiancée, to her parents and to her husband and his twin brother when they attend a rugby union football test match in Dublin, Ireland.

Just what is this strange power that Neville, (Morris dancer, laboratory technician and part-time art student) seems to have over them all? Do vampires really exist? And most important of all, can a painting make a thing of beauty last forever?

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.

Conversations with Flowers

Dive into a poetic tapestry where the author intricately weaves reflections on nature, the sting of loss, the intricacies of relationships, and the myriad hues of life. Using masterful metaphors, she crafts layers of meaning that beckon the reader to explore deeper with each revisit. These poems not only celebrate the rejuvenating power of faith but also resonate and linger long after the last word is read. Conversations with Flowers is a collection that invites and enchants, compelling you to return time and time again.

Courage

Suppose you were living peacefully in your own country when you were suddenly visited by foreign agents from a nearby nation, who advised you that you were to no longer speak your own language, English. You were given ninety days to learn the language of the foreign country or suffer the consequences: lose your hand or arm. And if you chose to run, expect a rifle bullet to strike you in your unprotected back. That is exactly what Bayto Afwerki faced while exiting from his last day of school.

This horror story and many others will greet you as you turn each page of this heart-gripping tale of two of the most impoverished nations in the world, engaging in a life-and-death struggle, fighting a thirty-year war before Eritrea obtained its independence. Chillingly, you learn that the United Nations and all the world powers felt that Eritrea would be better off federated to Ethiopia.

This story will literally take you around the world to include the presence of American soldiers stationed at nearby Kagnew Station, and other characters as far-reaching as Australia and Saudi Arabia.

Crackers

During the late 1800s, England was a land of boundless potential, and there were those who eagerly sought to exploit it. The days of the aristocracy had faded, and self-made men of wealth breathed new life, energy, and money into the English countryside. Exploration and innovation were the tools that would usher in the next century.

Montgomery, a true English gentleman, was one such man who sought to bring his young family into an era of prosperity. Though Monty chose wisely in business, he chose poorly in those surrounding him. With a new bride, a young son, travel, and an expanding business, Monty enjoyed a happy life – until he could no longer remember it.

One rainy morning, Monty was found abandoned at an unknown manor, badly beaten and unconscious, left in the mud. As he awoke, he could feel the rain on his face and taste the blood in his mouth, but he could no longer recall who he was. Within the house, there were those who would help him and those who would seek to do him harm.

This journey takes Monty into a world where nothing is as it appears. Hypnotism, treachery, romance, and betrayal all lie in his path of discovery. With his memory gone, Monty has lost everything he once had in the world, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to get it back.

Croman - Combat Ready One Man Army Ninja

Two of the world’s most guarded secrets awaited him, and today, his journey would begin. These secrets were calling to him, drawing him in.

Croman, an acronym for Combat Ready One Man Army Ninja, follows an extraordinary warrior who discovers a box of ancient ninja manuscripts, weapons, and apparel that grant superhuman abilities. Alongside rigorous training, the ghost of the founder, a legendary ninja from ancient Japan, enhances the protagonist’s abilities and physical prowess.

Due to his unparalleled skills, the protagonist becomes the President’s secret agent, with a security clearance higher than even spies. As the sole Croman, he undertakes the most secretive military operations, including disarming a North Korean missile. However, adhering to the ninja’s creed of invisibility and driven by his own preferences, he turns rogue, prompting assassination attempts by secret agents and government officials. These attempts fail, thanks to his exceptional abilities and ingenuity.

The book also outlines various ‘Croman’ workouts, enabling readers to train and become Croman operatives themselves. Filled with spy lore and black ops, with settings in foreign countries, this martial arts fiction doubles as a training manual. Discover if you would have followed the same path as Tony Viviano.

Daisy

Have you ever wondered what happened to Daisy Buchanan after the Great Gatsby was murdered in his swimming pool on Long Island in the summer of 1922? She and Tom Buchanan fled to Europe where they met almost everybody worth knowing in the roaring twenties: the Hemingways, the Fitzgeralds, Pablo Picasso, who painted her portrait, Gerald and Sara Murphy, as well as the Prince of Wales.

After years of interviews and with the help of Daisy’s diaries, her daughter, Pamela, has reconstructed Daisy’s life in Paris, in England, and in Spain where Daisy left the privileged life she had known to become involved on the loyalist side of the Spanish Civil War.

Daler: A Novel

Daler is a coming-of-age story that follows a young man navigating life and relationships from his teenage years into early adulthood. Over the course of the nonlinear narrative, Daler experiences friendship and heartbreak, lust and love, wisdom and betrayal. He tries to make sense of a confusing world as he grows into his own. Though introspective and reserved, Daler has a kind heart and forms meaningful connections. The story provides a window into universal questions around purpose, integrity, and human nature. With vivid scenes and contemplative passages, Daler attempts to reconcile his ideals with reality.