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The Veil Breaker: Beyond Madness to Freedom
The Veil Breaker is a surreal and emotionally raw journey through mental collapse and spiritual rebirth, set against the backdrop of a dystopian world ruled by psychological manipulation and nanotech illusions. The story follows Marcus, a man caught in the ruins of a once-vibrant world, now shattered by war and the global rollout of CARLY, a mind-controlling simulation technology disguised as a solution to a mass mental health crisis. Through Marcus’s descent into madness and his struggle to reassemble his broken identity, the book becomes both a personal memoir of awakening and a broader call to question reality, authority, and the nature of healing itself.
The writing is fragmented in a way that mirrors Marcus’s own mind, and that’s part of its power. It doesn’t follow a predictable structure or clean arc, but it doesn’t try to. The rawness is deliberate. Some of the prose drifts into stream-of-consciousness, then suddenly snaps back with a chilling bit of clarity. That rhythm, messy, beautiful, unnerving, made it impossible to look away. And the emotional beats hit hard. Especially the scenes where Marcus confronts his inner voices, his past wounds, and the lies he’s told himself. I felt like I was in the room with him, holding my breath.
At times, though, the story weaved between allegory and reality in a way that left me spinning. I liked the ambition. This is a book with big things to say about love, pain, mental health, and the systems that try to fix us. There were moments when the metaphor got dense, and I wasn’t sure what was real anymore. It didn’t stop me from feeling it. In fact, some of the most powerful parts were when I stopped trying to “get” the book and just let it hit me. The message is clear: true healing means facing everything, even the ugliest parts of yourself, and choosing to love anyway.
This is not a book for someone looking for a casual weekend read. It’s heavy. It’s weird. It’s brilliant in parts and bewildering in others. But if you’ve ever been through real darkness, the kind that leaves you gasping for something true, The Veil Breaker might speak to you in a way few books can. I’d recommend it to seekers, to survivors of trauma, to anyone who’s had a brush with mental illness or spiritual transformation and wants a book that gets it. Not in a clinical way, but in a gut-punch, soul-lifting, what-the-hell-just-happened kind of way.
Pages: 114 | ASIN : B0FH717TC6
The Lowly Prophet: A Story of Healing, Transformation and Awakening to Live as a Christ
Mark Hattas’s The Lowly Prophet is an intimate, transformative exploration of faith, healing, and self-discovery through the eyes of Jack, an ordinary man thrust into extraordinary circumstances. The narrative begins with an encounter with Jesus, setting the stage for a spiritual journey filled with miracles, doubt, and revelations. Each chapter builds on Jack’s emotional and spiritual awakening, offering readers a front-row seat to his struggles with faith and the profound insights he gains along the way.
One of the book’s standout qualities is its vivid storytelling. Hattas weaves a tapestry of surreal yet relatable events, like Jack’s first bewildering encounter with Jesus at a family gathering. This moment blends the divine with the mundane in a way that’s both grounding and uplifting. Similarly, the depiction of Jack’s vision of the Sermon on the Mount left me awe-struck. The writing here is so immersive that I felt transported alongside him, pondering the eternal questions of purpose and existence. The most compelling aspect of the book is its honest portrayal of mental health and spirituality. Jack’s struggle with bipolar disorder and his time in a behavioral health facility are described with raw vulnerability, making his eventual healing feel earned and authentic. I found the scene where Marcus, a fellow patient, shares his miraculous healing particularly moving. It’s a testament to the book’s power that it doesn’t shy away from the messiness of life while still offering hope.
The Lowly Prophet is a heartfelt and thought-provoking read. Its blend of mystical experiences and relatable human struggles makes it an excellent choice for readers interested in spirituality, mental health, or personal growth. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a fresh perspective on the divine’s role in our lives. This is a book that lingers long after the last page is turned.
Pages: 172 | ISBN : 97809994815
Sometimes We Receive, & Sometimes We Give
“IT” follows a young musician who has lost all hope of achieving his dreams till one day, he learns to have self-confidence and faith. What inspired you to write this story?
This story follows the path of dissolving lies that keep us from living our best lives. After going through a mental health crisis, I got better. The path to health was a rediscovery of the “IT” within me. This simple story illustrates the truth of all of us that we have “IT” within us, and we are to support each other in its discovery. The value of each human being is huge if we allow the truth of our light to shine. It is my story. It is the story of all of us.
What were some challenges you felt were important to defining your characters in this story?
I wanted to show the reader the importance of listening to their inner guidance even when it may feel uncomfortable. By witnessing the impact of trusting that guidance on our struggling musician, Joe, my hope is it will inspire people to follow that loving guidance available within them. Another major challenge is our worth. We see Joe struggle with this and how an answer arises in an unexpected and perfect way. Also, when we see someone struggle, we may think we need to fix it. Notice the people who cared about Joe the most had prayed for him. They couldn’t fix it and likely tried. However, there was a solution that arrived just in time. We sometimes lose faith, and I wanted to have the reader see the power of Joe’s loved ones resting in that place of faith without being the ones who had to solve it. Lastly, hope was nearly lost, and I wanted to reveal how quickly hope can be restored. Sometimes it is a simple word from LOVE.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
We have an opportunity. We are all our “brother’s keepers”. Sometimes we are called into action and may not understand why. In the presence of love, we may receive insights and take action in support of someone and never know just how impactful our action was. However, in love, we can always trust. We may lose hope, and it may just be our perception is not aligned in a way to see what is true. Challenge your perceptions and allow them to change. We saw this with Joe shifting from self-judgment to awakening to what is true about the talent he has within him. The path to our optimal life is intertwined with the paths of others. Sometimes we receive, and sometimes we give. Do both. Somehow there is a connection amongst us, invisible threads we are able to tune into, like the dream the reader experiences. The opportunity is here now to receive these insights and expand our senses from the five physical senses to the more subtle spiritual senses. This process of discovery and nurturing of these senses is available to everyone.
What is the next book that you’re working on, and when can your fans expect it out?
I am working on two more books right now and have six out already. The next books include my story of healing from a mental health challenge and a novel about the same subject. My belief is everyone has within them an innate guidance system designed to lead us each to remember the core LOVE we were created in the image of. This process (if followed) will lead to a dissolution of most mental health challenges people experience today. The great news is we can discover this proactively and well before symptoms of health challenges emerge. I expect these books to be launched on April 27, 2024, and sometime soon thereafter for the second.
Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Website
Mark Hattas was blessed with a unique and transformative life experience after building and selling a tech services company. The gift of storytelling emerged as part of that experience and he began writing and writing and writing. Married with five children, sharing wisdom through entertaining, faith-oriented stories has become a passion. Along with Aubrey’s gift of illustration, “IT” is a joy to read and share.
“IT”
The “it” factor–we have all heard about it. Some have it, and some don’t. Even if we don’t have it, we recognize it in others. Joe isn’t sure if he has “it.” He wants more than anything to thrill audiences and move their hearts with his music. He feels at home on the stage, but he can’t shake the feeling that his skills are not good enough–not the “it” that everyone wants and expects. As he takes his place on an empty theater stage, Joe imagines himself in a big-time band. He begins to play, never knowing that his life is about to take a most unexpected turn.
IT: A Children’s Book about Encouragement and Discovering One’s Gifts, written by Mark Hattas and illustrated by Aubrey Foster, is a story filled with hope, empowerment, and an important lesson in self-confidence. Hattas’s main character, Joe, sees his future wherever he looks when he is onstage, and it is truly amazing. He, like so many of us, lacks the self-confidence to step out of his comfort zone. Joe is a shining example of what it means to be young and have a dream. Readers will find Joe as likable as he is relatable.
I was struck by Hattas’s unique choice of point of view. The use of a second-person point of view is not something you see often in books of this genre, and I found it to be both an interesting and effective tactic. This speaks volumes about the author’s knowledge of his audience and ability to reach readers through his narratives.
Aubrey Foster’s illustrations draw the reader into Joe’s experience onstage. With a style that will remind many readers of anime artwork, Foster has effectively portrayed Hattas’s main character and put his every emotion front and center with clean lines, vibrant colors, and soft highlights that illuminate both her illustrations and Hattas’s message.
IT: A Children’s Book about Encouragement and Discovering One’s Gifts is a beautifully illustrated and spiritually moving account of hope. Hattas’s work is billed as a children’s book, though the message is one for any age. Hattas’s work is deep and thoughtful and will, no doubt, leave a lasting impression on readers.
Pages: 39 | ASIN : B08JHMZDMP
LITERARY TITAN 