Blog Archives
Postmarked Castle Cove
Judy M. Kerr’s Postmarked Castle Cove continues the gripping journey of MC McCall, a tough yet vulnerable U.S. Postal Inspector, as she struggles to maintain her sobriety while diving headfirst into a complex investigation involving missing mail, small-town secrets, and suspicious church leaders. The story is layered with emotional nuance, balancing themes of grief, addiction recovery, and justice. At the heart of the book is MC’s return to duty after rehab, her rocky relationship with her young partner Jim Bob, and a chilling case that uncovers a tangle of corruption and abuse tied to a religious institution in a northern Minnesota town.
Kerr writes with such raw honesty that I found myself rooting for MC like she was an old friend, even when she messed up. The portrayal of addiction isn’t whitewashed. It’s messy and exhausting and human. I could feel MC’s twitchy restlessness, her craving for booze like it was right there in the room. And the friendships, especially with Meg and Dara, gave the story so much warmth. There were moments that wre deeply emotional, especially when MC leaned on her found family to keep herself afloat.
The plot itself isn’t just about solving a case, it’s about putting your own pieces back together while the world keeps spinning. And that makes this book stand out from your typical mystery fare. The mystery in Castle Cove has this slow-boil tension that builds toward something sinister. The creepy pastor, the secrets hidden under the guise of religion, and the vulnerability of children in the community all made my skin crawl. It’s clear Kerr has a lot to say about trust, power, and how people look the other way when things get uncomfortable. That part left a deep impression. I finished the book feeling a little shaken, in the best way.
Postmarked Castle Cove is a hard-hitting story that sticks with you. It’s not just for fans of crime fiction or police procedurals. This is for anyone who’s ever had to fight to get back up after life knocked them flat. If you like your mysteries with heart, grit, and a good dose of redemption, this one’s for you.
Pages: 252 | ASIN : B0F92CHXJK
Restore My Relationships
A Break in the Silence is a memoir in which you confront the heartbreak of family estrangement and the quiet, often painful pursuit of healing, faith, and reconciliation. Why was this an important book for you to write?
The writing of this book weighed heavy upon my heart for years as I’ve seen the decline in traditional family values. I’ve seen and heard the stories of those who have been torn apart by others and the court system as they were separated from the ones they love and cherish. It is my hope that my memoir will restore hope when it comes to reconciliation. I desire to see families that were once broken find their way back to one another, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters.
What was the hardest moment to write about in A Break in the Silence, and what helped you get through it?
The hardest moment while writing this was thinking back to the memories I hold near and dear to my heart while thinking about the lost time I had with my children. Time waits for no man, once it’s gone, we are never able to get it back. The memories we could have created with our loved ones during a time of separation were never made, leaving us with a sense of hopelessness and great loss. What helped me to press on was my strong desire to find a solution that would restore my relationships with my children whom I’ve always loved and cherished. My passion and desire to make amends is what kept me writing.
How did your spiritual beliefs shape your journey through estrangement and healing?
My faith in the Lord has always been my rock, I know God wants and desires the best for all of his children, He desires us to walk in Love and Unity, one with another. It’s always been his plan from the very beginning, His faithfulness to answer our prayers is unfailing!
I’ve personally seen and witnessed his promises being fulfilled within my life as well as the lives of many others.
How do you hope this book will impact parents who are currently alienated from their children?
It is my prayer that this book will hold the power to impact and inspire not only parents but all those who have become estranged and alienated from the ones they love, to find a way back to each other. The world is full of broken people and I truly believe that my story will speak to the hearts of all of its readers, bringing forth a newfound hope in becoming a part of our children’s lives again, no matter how much time we have lost out on.
It’s never too late to start over again! Believe me when I say this our children are counting on us!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
This is where my story begins, with hopes of healing and mending broken families. It’s a story of separation and a desire to reconcile with the ones I’ve always loved and cherished, my children. While reconciliation is never easy, we always prioritize the things that are most important to us. We all desire to live a life full of purpose and meaning, which starts with happiness in our own homes. When homes are broken, lives get shattered. Picking up the pieces to put them back together is a difficult challenge to say the very least. Yet it can come with a lifetime of rewards for you and all others involved.
Please know that it’s never too late to start fresh and try again, no matter how much time you have lost out on with the very ones you love and miss. Our families are counting on us!
Boy of Heaven
Boy of Heaven, by Morris Hoffman, tells the story of an orphan boy in 17th-century Milan who discovers a fading mural, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, hidden in what has become the stables of a Dominican priory. As the boy labors among horses, he has named after constellations; he alone sees the painting’s slow return to clarity. What unfolds is a lyrical meditation on suffering, faith, grief, and vision. Hoffman’s novel blends historical fiction with a mystical edge, threading deep emotion through a richly imagined world.
Reading this book pulled something quiet but insistent from me. Hoffman’s writing is unusual, almost liturgical in rhythm. It doesn’t always make for an easy read, but it makes for a rewarding one. There were passages I reread just to feel them again. The boy’s interior world is raw and lonely, but never melodramatic. There’s very little action in the conventional sense. Instead, the story unfolds through daily labor, small kindnesses, and sacred echoes. And yet, I found myself emotionally swept up in the boy’s grief for a horse, his awe at a fresco, his quiet yearning to be seen.
I feel the book drifts at times. There were sections where the pace slowed, where there were long descriptions of the priory or repeated imagery. Everything is so reverent. Still, what the book lacks in momentum, it makes up for in heart. The blend of the sacred and the mundane, the way the horses become mythic, the mystery of the fresco, that’s where it shines. It doesn’t explain itself, and that made it feel more honest and more relatable.
Boy of Heaven isn’t just about art or faith or even memory. It’s about seeing what others miss and holding on to what shouldn’t be forgotten. It’s a quiet book, but it left a loud feeling. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves poetic writing, historical fiction with a spiritual bend, or stories where nothing much happens on the outside but everything changes on the inside. This is not a book to speed through. It’s one to sit with, one to cherish in silence.
Pages: 90 | ASIN : B0F7C4BSRP
A Greater Sense of Accomplishment
Space Autistic Author’s Puzzling Innerverse follows the narrator living in the “Innerverse,” aboard a spaceship called the Endoprise as he faces his daily challenges, represented through a series of whimsical, bizarre, and clever puzzles. I think this original idea is intriguing. How did you come up with this idea and develop it into a story?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. When I was around 11 years old, just out of my early life autistic fog, I obtained James Razzi’s Star Trek Puzzle Manual. It was a new experience for me, introducing the idea of putting puzzles into the context of an already interesting universe. The timing was perfect. Right when I was feeling my confusing differences and isolation, my autistic brain was catching up. It’s a highly impressionable age anyway, but the simple immersion that Razzi did with his puzzles hit my brain like that beam of light from another galaxy you mentioned. Before then, puzzles tended not to hold my attention for very long, but that immersion changed everything. It accelerated my development and expanded my mind.
In 2024, I was suddenly overcome by a need to “pay that forward” to kids around that age. To be frank, the development process that followed was almost subconscious. My inner child told me what it would like to see in such a book, updated for the modern world, and a few months later Puzzling Innerverse was born. That made it a deeply honest process.
In fairness, though, the basic idea of my “Innerverse” was already something I had developed for my indie-cross-promotion, garage-animated entertainment series Space Autistic Author on YouTube. It was the natural choice for the “world” in which this more-than-a-puzzle-book would be based. But I didn’t just use it for immersion — there’s a thread, full-spectrum engagement, and, best of all, transformation.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I knew the puzzles could not be boring, standalone, busywork diversions, they had to have a purpose and had to have educational content, especially in the realms of “how to think,” “how to approach a problem,” and especially “don’t get intimidated by a first glance at a seemingly scary puzzle.” I can’t stand ‘dumbing down,’ both as a reader and a writer. I also knew I wanted to include compound puzzles, which provide a greater sense of accomplishment if you commit to helping “X.” get through his day (i.e. payback for being a decent person).
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
The basic idea of this book was almost entirely out of my wheelhouse. I’m not trained in education. For this book, my approach came from my inner child’s perspective rather than from an educator’s perspective. At my age, that’s a long reach back.
Also, aside from the intellectual goals mentioned above, which are tricky to implement, I knew that I had to bring the user along on a personal transformation arc. Vulnerability and emotional honesty aren’t enough, I wanted to show the user a transformative experience. It was crucial not to simply present random puzzles with a world as a passive backdrop. I knew I had to use the world immersion to truly enable both intellectual and emotional payback.
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
I have no plans to create a novel as a follow-up to Puzzling Innerverse. Some day, I might find myself creating a Puzzling Innerverse follow-on, but who knows?
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | YouTube | Substack | Amazon
Step into an immersive world where every brain challenge helps you grow—both intellectually and emotionally. In this interactive book, you’ll join author X. Ho Yen as he navigates his day, confronting a series of intellectual and emotional hurdles.
These challenges are more than puzzles—they’re opportunities to develop patience, creativity, and resilience. As you solve each challenge, you’ll gain valuable skills for life.
Perfect for ages 10-12 and up, this book offers a unique experience that sharpens your intellect, fosters emotional growth, and encourages you to approach life’s challenges with both thoughtfulness and heart.
Black & White interior graphics (to keep the price down)
Immersive, educational brain tasks promoting emotional health and critical thinking
Categories:
Humor & Entertainment › Puzzles & Games › General
Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
Activities, Crafts & Games › Interactive Adventures
For 10-12+: Activities, Crafts & Games › Puzzles
#STEAM
======================
Puzzle books are fine for those who already love doing puzzles. This unique interactive book is more for those who might
enjoy a little immersion. And it draws upon a variety of skills.
These challenges are threaded together with story and healthy introspection and objectivity (using a translucent fourth wall).
Instead of an infinite pile of standard puzzles to grind, this book features a variety of perplexities for you to thwart with your
patience, ingenuity, and heart.
Most challenges are combined with others, requiring thinking, not just grinding. It could be more fun as a family/team activity.
Use it for middle and high school (and general life) prep for ages ~10-12+, but also just fun for anyone who may not have
had an interactive book experience quite like this before.
This bespoke book is more of a participatory educational experience, almost social, like a road (space) trip with a friend.
Living Love of Christ
El Gran Intercambio (The Great Exchange) is a powerful autobiographical account of your life, vividly chronicling your spiritual, emotional, and personal journey from childhood trauma, abusive relationships, false religious systems, to divine healing and restoration. Why was this an important book for you to write?
This book was deeply important for me to write because it gave voice to years of silence. For so long, I carried pain that I didn’t know how to release—and writing became both a mirror and a doorway. I wanted to create a space where others who have faced similar wounds could feel seen, understood, and ultimately, offered hope. El Gran Intercambio is not just my story—it’s an invitation to anyone who has ever felt lost, broken, or deceived to experience true freedom through God’s healing power.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
One key idea was the difference between religion and relationship. I had lived much of my life trying to perform for acceptance—by people, systems, and even God. I wanted to show that healing comes not from following rules, but from encountering the real, living love of Christ. I also wanted to address the generational impact of trauma, the dangers of spiritual manipulation, and the beautiful reality that we are not defined by our past—we are transformed by grace.
What was the most challenging part of writing your memoir, and what was the most rewarding?
The most challenging part was revisiting the darkest moments of my life. Writing about abuse, loss, and spiritual deception required deep emotional courage, and there were times I had to step away and allow myself to grieve again. But the most rewarding part was realizing that every page—every painful memory—had purpose. Knowing that my story could serve as a lifeline for someone else made it all worth it. Healing for me came not just through writing, but through the act of sharing.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
I hope readers walk away with this truth: You are not alone, and you are not beyond restoration. No matter how far gone life may feel, there is a divine exchange waiting for you—your pain for His peace, your shame for His grace, your ashes for His beauty. Healing is possible. Freedom is real. And God has not forgotten you.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Amazon
Este libro relata la vida de la autora y su lucha contra la soledad y las falsas comunidades de la iglesia. Criada por sus abuelos sin el amor de Dios, luchó por encontrar amor y conexión. Esto la llevó a Estados Unidos, donde buscó la religión para encontrar la paz. Sin embargo, los sistemas religiosos con frecuencia la alejaron de Dios. A través de sectas, falsos profetas y charlatanes, la autora enfrentó numerosos engaños y manipulaciones, pero, finalmente, encontró el camino de vuelta a casa, como el hijo pródigo, a los brazos de Dios. El relato honesto de su vida inspirará a los lectores a superar sus propias dificultades con un corazón abierto y un compromiso con Cristo.
Ten Years of Bliss, Poems
Lisa A. Lachapelle’s Ten Years of Bliss is a sweeping and soul-baring collection of 300 poems written over a decade. The work explores spirituality, love, grief, enlightenment, intuition, and the vivid experience of being alive. Lachapelle’s writing shifts effortlessly between meditative verses and emotional bursts, forming a layered mosaic of personal growth and cosmic musings. Divided into thematic clusters, spirituality, love, identity, and time, the book feels like a quiet unfolding of the author’s inner world, told in rhythm, metaphor, and unfiltered thought.
What struck me most was how Lachapelle’s voice dances between the mystical and the matter-of-fact. Her lines are often like whispered prayers or flashes of revelation. Poems like “Greet the Morning” or “The Majesty of Trees” feel rooted in the earth yet always reaching skyward. There’s a humbling beauty in her spiritual reverence, but it never gets self-important. It’s earnest, raw, and sometimes cryptic. A few poems do drift into abstraction, where the emotion is clear but the imagery loses grip. Still, I found myself going back to those pieces, confused at first, then weirdly comforted. The book doesn’t just present poetry; it invites quiet reflection.
On the flip side, her poems on love and human connection made me ache in the best way. There’s so much longing and gentle devotion, lines that made my chest tighten or my heart flutter a little. “It Was Always You” and “Count With Me” hit like confessions. She doesn’t write romance for show. It’s the kind of love that feels lived-in, broken a bit, healed again, then handed to the reader. The style can feel meandering at times, almost like journal entries dressed up in rhyme, but that’s part of what makes it feel honest.
I’d recommend Ten Years of Bliss to anyone who finds comfort in introspective writing or enjoys poetry that blends the mystical with the mundane. If you’re someone who has sat in stillness and asked big questions with no expectation of answers, this book will meet you there. It’s not a fast read, and it’s not always easy, but it’s emotionally resonant.
Pages: 328 | ASIN : B0F5N7MWLN
To Save a Life
To Save a Life is a historical novel set in early 1900s New York, chronicling the intersecting journeys of Malka Kaminsky and Yaakov Rogovin—two young Jewish immigrants who have fled trauma, violence, and constraint in Eastern Europe. Malka escapes an arranged marriage in Grodno, stealing her dowry in the process, while Yaakov leaves Valozyn, carrying the weight of a haunted past. As they struggle to carve out lives of meaning and agency in the Lower East Side’s chaotic tenements and sweatshops, they find themselves drawn together in a tentative alliance that flirts with hope, love, and the idea of starting anew in a land that promises much but delivers on its own terms.
This book left me both emotionally shaken and deeply moved. Zuckerman’s writing is textured and rich, never rushing, always letting the weight of the moment hang in the air. His depiction of early 20th-century immigrant life doesn’t glamorize struggle—it holds it close, like a bruise you can’t ignore. The scenes of factory labor and violent crackdowns on striking workers burned bright with tension. And yet, it’s the quieter moments—Malka rolling noodles, Yaakov pressing coats while humming a tune—that linger. They feel relatable. I also loved how layered the characters are. Malka’s shame, rage, and tenderness are all tightly wound; Yaakov hides behind music and wit, but you can sense his wounds pulsing underneath. They’re both survivors, just barely hanging on, and their tentative trust feels earned, not forced.
At times, the novel slows a little more than I’d like, especially in some of the reflective passages. But even then, there’s something refreshing about the patience of Zuckerman’s prose. He lets his characters breathe. I found myself unexpectedly teary during the scenes where Malka reflects on the home she fled. There’s a raw honesty to those passages that hit hard. And the subtle Jewish references—Mishnah, Shabbos, old-world customs clashing with American hustle—ground the story with authenticity without weighing it down.
This novel isn’t just for lovers of historical fiction. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt like a stranger in their own skin or tried to build a new life out of broken pieces. Readers who cherish character-driven stories, especially those rooted in immigrant narratives and quiet acts of rebellion, will find a lot to hold on to here. To Save a Life is tender, brutal, and hopeful in equal measure—a heartfelt reminder that surviving is one thing, but daring to live is something else entirely.
Pages: 286 | ASIN : B0F2X1RB6F
LITERARY TITAN 