Shattered Innocence

It's taken me a long time to love every color, even the gray and the dark. I welcome the infusions of momentum, the bursts of variations, and the medley mix of all the avenues to endless possibilities. When you read this book, I hope it moves you. I hope it infuses you with a passion to ignite that flame in your heart and step into your skin, embracing all of you.

Sides of the Same Coin

The book Sides of the Same Coin is the true story of a one-time social service worker, who lost employment and moved into his mother’s home to help care for her amidst mental deterioration and aging. After a major disagreement between siblings, this once-proud worker, who had serviced clients within all walks of the social service realm, was unceremoniously evicted by people who had relied upon his help countless times in their journeys through adult life. Such assistance was even given to their children more times than imaginable. It was during these times, that this worker was unceremoniously told he was no longer welcome in his mother’s home anymore, and since he assisted clients with their housing needs, he could use his knowledge to find suitable housing for himself. That worker was me.

This was the start of a venture I never thought I would ever face. I too was appalled at the little assistance other clients received in the shelter system. This will only become worse due to the pandemic. And for the multitude of those who have fallen behind in rent payments, I believe it will only be a matter of time before the courts evict countless such individuals, and give them no choice but to seek false help from the public shelter systems.

Read this book and learn what you never expected to see, face or have to experience in your lifetime. The only suitable name for the New York Shelter System is a living hell.

Six Feet from the Edge

Johnny Sullivan is a bright and intelligent young man who finds himself caught in a dangerous life of crime and drug addiction. With his very existence on the line, Johnny must dig deep into his soul and revisit his past innocence to break free from the agony and suffering that threaten to consume him. The novel presents an intense battle of Good vs. Evil that unfolds in every chapter, as Johnny is pulled between two worlds: one defined by love, family, and nurturing, and the other by chaos and excitement. Six Feet from the Edge is a gripping and powerful story that explores the human spirit's strength and the enduring power of hope.

So, Tell Me

Have you ever wondered what a life of travel was like at a young age? Have you ever wondered how it would be meeting new people all the time growing up? Could you imagine strangers helping to watch you while your mother was sick? Can you fathom never making friends because you knew those relationships wouldn’t last? How grown up was a child expected to be or not be? Feelings of adventure, fear, sadness, and pure love all wrapped into this real-life story.

Sometimes the Truth Hurts (Before It Sets You Free)

Fortunes and misfortunes, experiences and adversity endured in life are sometimes the result of choices we make, sometimes due to events we have no control of.

My name is Denise. These are my stories.

It was a time of clashing values, the end of the freewheeling 60s, the beginning of the tumultuous 70s, and the evolving 80s. Told in her distinctive style, Sometimes the Truth Hurts are stories of loss, rebellious youth, stubborn independence, and determination to overcome adversity and achieve a secure and better place in life. Unexpected outcomes, irony and humor resonate throughout, reflecting perseverance of the human spirit. Some stories may be considered controversial, but are told openly and honestly without moral judgement, life lessons, contemporary and timeless, rendered unabashedly from the heart and soul.

Soul-Making

Have you ever met someone and felt an instant sense of attraction or repulsion even though you do not know the person? In Depth Psychology this is an unconscious as well as alchemical reaction that is understood as part of psychic projective phenomena of affinity, where a constellated chemistry between two individuals is ignited. This phenomenon was understood by Jung mythically as the unio Mystica, or the union of opposites.

This presentation will share how Jung illustrated this psychological understanding of the transference phenomena in alchemical symbolism and illustrations taken from the 16th-century alchemical text, Rosarium Philosophorum. He utilized these illustrations to show the connections that exist between the transformative process shared by alchemy and an analogous transformative process that he discovered in the psychic growth of an individual.

Spices of Life and Herbs, Too!

Spices & Herbs: what’s the difference?

Spices are hot and spicy, and herbs are, well, ‘herby,’ right? Not exactly. Spices come from the seeds of a plant, but herbs come from the leaves or roots. So, juniper, vanilla, coffee, and chocolate, are spices, but not spicy, whereas curry leaves and ginger, though quite spicy, are herbs. A good reason for abandoning the distinction, as I have done in this cookbook.

Spices of Life and Herbs, Too! contains 87 recipes, each featuring a different herb or spice (or several), and each with ‘locked-in tastes.’ The book also contains my ‘alphabet’ of spices and herbs, from A to Z, which answers questions such as:

Which is the most expensive spice on the planet?

Answer: Saffron, which comes from crocuses. And how many crocuses do you need to make a kilo of saffron? Answer: 77,000!

Which is the real Spice of Life?

Answer: ‘Spice of Life’ is the nickname of Sumac, ground from the fruits of the Rhus tree, sometimes known as the Tree of Heaven.

Which is the most popular spice in the world?

Answer: Pepper, which comes in many varieties: black, white, pink, red and green.

Which spice was considered as valuable as Manhattan?

Answer: Nutmeg. The only source of Nutmeg used to be the Banda Islands, now part of Indonesia, Once controlled by the British but coveted by the Dutch, these islands were swapped for Manhattan, which Henry Hudson had already claimed for the Dutch Trading Company. The 1647 treaty gave the British control of the whole Hudson River area, whilst the Dutch gained a monopoly supply of their beloved nutmeg.

Spiritual Flights

Spiritual Flights reveals supernatural events occurring in the here and now.

Inside these pages, you find an exploration of reincarnation and discover some striking examples of the rich and the famous in the present century with compelling parallels to their probable past lives—from Oprah to George Clooney. You, the reader, will be thoroughly amazed.

Spots on a Leopard

The title of this book was born the day I walked into my therapist’s office, believing that there was no hope of healing for me. The scars I carried were embedded in me from infancy, and I asked her: “Are we trying to change the spots on a leopard here with me? Are not some of these negative traits so deeply imprinted that we’ll never root them out, no matter how hard we try?”

And she replied, without a flinch, without hesitation, and with full confidence, “You were raised by leopards. Those spots were never yours to begin with. Those spots belong to them and we will root them out, one by one.” That moment changed my life. Right then and there, I turned a corner and faced the sunlight for the first time. There was hope. I could heal. I could become whole again.

Stolen Inheritance

Stolen Inheritance has a universal appeal, but should prove to be of particular interest to those who are looking to connect or re-connect with the peoples of Africa and Eurasia. Peoples of these two largest and one of the most populous continents have traded, fought, and inter-bred since the first recording of human existence. Older readers may find some of the evidence provided difficult to accept, as it challenges some of their own taken-for-granted understanding of racial thinking, whilst young readers may be encouraged to explore the value of human diversity. But, whoever you are, it is hoped that you will enjoy reading this book, as you travel from Ancient Khemet (Egypt), through western and northern Eurasia, crossing the Atlantic Ocean to the lands of the Americas.

Tales of Agonies

Given the current Nigerian security quicksand, characterized by a plethora of human brutality seen in only very few countries of the world, the book offers coping resources primarily to Christians, who seem to be the most vulnerable group. Of course, these could be of help to non-Christians as well. This intervention has become necessary as people live in constant anxiety, fear, and apprehension and are, in fact, distressed. Consequently, human life is unprotected, miserable, and strained. The social, economic, and political life of the country is off-kilter. Only multiple intensive surgical interventions, such as those offered in the book, can save the day. Thus, a synergy of psychological and spiritual resources and techniques is considered robust enough for this purpose. In this way, they are conducive to effective coping and full functioning, not only in hostile environments.

Tell the Truth About Adultery

Tell the Truth About Adultery is a story of love, betrayal, and hope. The refreshingly honest words of Sheila Smith tell the heart-wrenching tale of betrayal and adultery, an old, old story repeated often through generation after generation. Yet, its nuances are rarely spoken out loud, especially within the context of the Church. Instead, they are whispered and shushed up and down the aisles of sanctuaries, mainly to protect the predominantly male hierarchical leadership.

Sheila unabashedly speaks about a legacy of artifice and deceit perpetrated by her pastor, who happened to be her husband as well. Nevertheless, her story does not get stuck in the ditch of victimhood, but instead, her readers are drawn to navigating with her the winding road to post divorce and recovery.

Names have been changed, except for the author’s, to help readers focus on the story and not the characters.