Blog Archives
Eagle Scout to Killer: A Novel Based on True Events
Eagle Scout to Killer by K.S. Alan and Lorna Dare is a harrowing and unflinching account of one man’s transformation from idealistic youth to haunted veteran. Told through the voice of Kurt S. Alan, a soldier whose service in Vietnam blurs the line between heroism and survival, the book chronicles the moral and psychological toll of war. From its opening pages, where Alan recounts his covert involvement in the events surrounding the Gulf of Tonkin, the narrative establishes itself as both historical confession and personal reckoning. This is not a traditional war story; it is an exploration of how combat reshapes identity, erodes morality, and leaves wounds that no medal can redeem.
The authors write with a restrained intensity that makes the book deeply affecting. Alan’s first-person account of meeting CIA operative Coleman and orchestrating a staged naval attack feels chilling in its calm precision. When he admits, “I grew up being taught to never lie, but here I was perpetrating a lie on the U.S. Congress,” the line reverberates beyond his personal guilt; it becomes an indictment of the political machinery that demanded such deception. The prose is unsentimental yet charged with quiet anguish, capturing the conflict between duty and conscience with unsettling clarity.
What gives the book its emotional weight is not only its exposure of covert operations but its portrait of trauma. In the preface and the reflections from Alan’s VA therapist, the story is framed as part of a long process of healing. The therapist describes it as “Kurt’s effort to reclaim his soul,” and the book indeed feels like an act of reclamation. When Alan later visits the Vietnam Memorial and leaves his Special Operations coin at the wall, the gesture becomes a moment of fragile grace amid decades of inner torment. That scene encapsulates the cost of survival and the longing for absolution that haunts so many who return from war.
The combat scenes themselves are vivid, brutal, and often difficult to read. Chapters such as “The Punji Pit” and “Operation Cherry” depict the chaos of Vietnam with visceral precision. Yet the violence never feels gratuitous; it underscores the moral corrosion that the preface warns against. The narrative’s strength lies in its refusal to glorify combat or simplify the psychology of those who endured it. Alan’s voice remains grounded, disciplined, and painfully self-aware. The result is a story that feels at once deeply personal and universally human, a meditation on guilt, loyalty, and the enduring search for meaning after unimaginable loss.
Eagle Scout to Killer is not an easy book to read, but it is an essential one. It speaks to veterans who have carried their battles home with them, and to civilians who have never confronted what war truly demands of those who fight it. For readers interested in military history, moral philosophy, or psychological resilience, this book offers a rare and unsettling clarity. It is both a confession and a cautionary tale, a powerful reminder that while war may end, its echoes never do.
Pages: 264 | ISBN : 9781965390139
Soul Reclaimed: Transforming Trauma into Triumph (Classic Paperback Edition) (The Road to Transcendence)
Soul Reclaimed tells the story of pain, healing, and rediscovery. It follows Julie, a young woman whose life is shattered by a violent assault, and Linda, a woman in midlife struggling with emptiness and disillusionment. Through the guidance of a psychologist named Bill, their separate paths converge into one that explores transformation, consciousness, and the reclamation of self. What begins as trauma and despair unfolds into a journey toward awakening. Author Neal Ritter weaves psychology, spirituality, and raw human emotion into a tapestry of stories that ultimately ask what it means to heal, not just survive.
Reading this book stirred something in me. It’s not a light read, not by a long shot. The first chapters, especially Julie’s harrowing experience, left me shaken. The writing doesn’t flinch, and that honesty made me both uncomfortable and grateful. Ritter doesn’t dress pain up; he presents it as it is, ugly, confusing, and real. But beneath the darkness, there’s this persistent flicker of hope. The therapy scenes between Linda, Bill, and later Julie hit close to home. The dialogue feels lived-in, almost like you’re eavesdropping on real sessions. I could feel Ritter’s experience as a clinician in every line. At times, I wished the philosophical passages had breathed a little more, but even when they grew dense, the sincerity kept me turning pages.
I also found myself wrestling with the mix of psychology and mysticism that runs through the book. One moment, we’re deep in clinical supervision; the next, we’re talking about ego dissolution and soul transformation. But it works. The blend feels honest to the messiness of healing, part science, part spirit, all human. The emotional through-line never wavers. I found myself caring about these people, especially Linda and Julie, whose parallel journeys felt like reflections of different stages of one woman’s soul.
Soul Reclaimed isn’t just a story about trauma. It’s about the stubborn light that refuses to go out. I walked away from it feeling unsettled, inspired, and comforted. I’d recommend it to readers who crave depth and don’t shy away from emotional intensity. Therapists, survivors, seekers, and anyone standing on the edge of change will find something here worth holding onto.
Pages: 294 | ASIN : B0FBGMY329
Girl, Groomed
Carol Odell’s Girl, Groomed is a raw and unflinching memoir that traces her childhood experiences of grooming and abuse at a horse stable, the deep love she had for horses, and the long, painful process of understanding how that past shaped her adult life and relationships. Odell moves between her girlhood innocence, where horses offered her comfort and belonging, and the unsettling reality of how her trust was exploited. As she grows into adulthood, she reckons with the trauma, explores how it bled into her marriage and identity, and shows how therapy, reflection, and courage helped her reframe her story.
The writing is vivid, sometimes almost cinematic, and the way Odell describes both the beauty of horses and the darkness of abuse made me feel pulled in two directions at once. There were moments where I found myself smiling at her descriptions of childhood wonder, then seconds later reeling from the cruelty and manipulation woven into those same memories. I admired her honesty, but I also found myself feeling frustrated on her behalf, angry at how easily her vulnerability was taken advantage of, and heartbroken that the safe space she longed for was the same place that hurt her.
What impressed me most was how Odell refuses to simplify her story. She doesn’t paint herself as a perfect victim. She shows her younger self caught in admiration for her abuser, which was difficult to read but also profoundly true. That honesty made the book feel even more important because it illustrates the messy, confusing ways trauma imprints on us. I appreciated the way she linked her past to her marriage struggles later in life, and I found myself pausing often to reflect on how our old, unexamined wounds shape the way we love, fight, and cope.
I would recommend this book to readers who want a deeply personal exploration of trauma and survival, but also to anyone interested in the psychology of how abuse and grooming take root. It’s not an easy read, but it’s an essential one. I think therapists, survivors, and anyone willing to confront hard truths will find it valuable. It left me unsettled and hopeful at the same time, which to me is the mark of a powerful memoir.
Pages: 222 | ASIN : B0D96PPVDQ
THE BROKEN MIRROR (A transition from military and civilian lifestyle and beyond
The Broken Mirror is a raw and unflinching account of a soldier’s life after war. It begins with his transition from military service into civilian life, tracing the jagged path of PTSD, broken family ties, and personal battles that stretch across decades. He writes about his service, his divorce, the loss of his parents, the distance with his daughter, and the constant shadow of invisible demons. This isn’t a straight line memoir. It’s more like a series of entries pulled directly from his mind and heart, sometimes sharp, sometimes wandering, always honest. This is a story about survival, regret, and the hope that love, especially the love between a father and daughter, can outlast the damage of war.
Some passages were tough to get through because of how blunt he is. I could feel the pain dripping from them. I admired his bravery for putting it all out there. He’s not pretending to be a hero. He’s showing the ugliness and the shame alongside the small moments of healing. His style jumps around, which mirrors the chaos of PTSD. It was hard to follow at first, but then I realized it pulled me closer to his state of mind. It felt less like I was reading a neatly packaged book and more like I was sitting across from him while he unloaded years of grief and rage.
There’s also a tenderness in these pages that surprised me. His love for his daughter is obvious and heartbreaking. I could feel his desperation to make sure she knows he tried, that he never stopped caring, even when he fell apart. Those parts made me pause and think about the weight kids carry when parents stumble. His reflections on family, loyalty, and betrayal were heavy, but they were also deeply relatable. He doesn’t ask for pity. He just wants someone to hear him out, to acknowledge that the fight doesn’t end when the uniform comes off.
I walked away from this book feeling grateful. I’d recommend this stirring memoir to anyone who wants to understand what living with PTSD feels like from the inside. It’s especially important for family members of veterans because it shows the ripple effects of war long after the battlefield is gone. And for veterans themselves, it might feel like sitting with a brother-in-arms who isn’t afraid to tell the truth. The Broken Mirror is powerful, and it left me with a deep respect for the fight he continues every day.
Pages: 142 | ASIN : B0DLLD2CXC
Our Legacy
Big Blue Society: Fishtails and Mayhem is a collection of true stories following a group of lifelong friends as they overcome life challenges and live life by one motto: Go for It… and Deny Everything. What inspired you to write this book and share these stories?
We were lucky to be part of a brotherhood that formed in the great outdoors, and we wanted to share that experience with others. But the inspiration to write the book did not take hold until one of our men died. His passing let us in on the unspoken obvious… that we all will pass, and the Big Blue Society along with it. This book is our legacy, and we pass it on to our family, friends, and anyone else who has felt their soul expand in the wild.
How did you balance the need to be honest and authentic with the need to protect your privacy and that of others in your memoir?
The statute of limitations ran out. Seriously, we were involved in some illegal activities back in the day, but some are no longer prosecuted, like smoking marijuana. And there was a time when we had to keep Society activities hidden from our children lest they get the wrong idea, but they are grown now and can handle the truth. Finally, we guarded our reputations in the past, lest we lose employment or get sanctioned in some way. Now, as elder retired statesmen, if you will, we don’t give a hoot about our reputations. We have the liberty of candor and honesty, and in that spirit of full disclosure, we revealed all in this memoir. Let the chips fall.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
For our war-torn hero, Norm Hansen, he found healing in the Big Blue brotherhood. TWe all did. And there was no “political correctness” about it. That mattered because the Society stood apart from the societal standards. We were in revolt against the straight jacket placed upon men these days. Our motto, “Go for IT… and deny everything,” has a certain ring to it.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
Guys love each other in unconventional ways. The ties that bind us through misadventures help us endure the hard realities of life. And sometimes, a guy needs to cut loose, get whooped-up and, hell yeah, have a little fun… so they can deal with the daily responsible grind.
Author Webpage
When disabled Vietnam veteran and war hero Norm Hansen returned home in a body cast and suffering from PTSD, he felt helpless, hopeless and lost. He asked his best friend to take him to catch a fish. The one place where fishing success was ensured was posted and patrolled. They got arrested and threatened with jail time if caught trespassing again, which meant they had to take their angling pursuits on the road.
From the soothing silence of the Adirondacks to the roaring heart of Yellowstone, these men chase their dreams with a tackle box, a tent, and a penchant for adventure. Over 40 years of fishing and camping trips, hijinks in the wilderness, campfire stories, raucous initiations… and occasionally catching fish.
Equal parts emotional healing, misadventure and enduring camaraderie, Big Blue Society is about a once-in-a-lifetime brotherhood that formed around Norm, and how it healed them all. Outdoor adventure enthusiasts and fans of camping and fishing humor books will never forget the quiet, reflective, thoughtful moments in the book, as beloved members pass and the remaining members soldier on… for the Big Blue Society lives on so long as one of them draws a breath.
Big Blue Society – Fishtails and Mayhem
Big Blue Society is a wild, hilarious, and unexpectedly moving memoir about a brotherhood of misfit fishermen who find freedom, healing, and a whole lot of chaos in the great outdoors. Told in a patchwork of voices, mostly from Norm (aka Bobby), it follows a group of lifelong friends—war vets, philosophers, drunks, dads, and goofballs—as they blaze a trail from the backwoods of New England to the lakes of Maine and beyond. It’s about fishing, sure, but it’s really about the ties that bind men together through trauma, time, and ridiculous misadventures.
Reading this book feels like sitting around a campfire with guys who have known each other forever—guys who aren’t afraid to laugh at themselves or tell it like it is. There’s something raw and beautiful in how Cavanagh balances the deep with the absurd. One minute you’re cracking up as Norm gets busted by a Don Knotts lookalike for trespassing while reeling in a monster pickerel on a busted leg and a handful of Percodans. And the next, you’re sucker-punched by the quiet weight of what these men carry—especially in Norm’s post-Vietnam recovery, where a fishing trip becomes a lifeline rather than a pastime. The humor never feels forced, and the serious stuff never drags you down.
But the writing is where it hits a different gear. There’s no polish here, no pretension. It’s all grit, whiskey breath, and nostalgia. You can hear the voices, smell the campfire, taste the bad coffee and cheaper beer. I couldn’t help but love moments like the Deliverance joke turned inside out—when Norm becomes “Bobby” because he’s the one who can’t run if hillbillies show up, only to bluff them off with an imaginary gun tucked under his cast. And then, somehow, in all this mess, there’s poetry—like the fire they talk about in the foreword, the one that burns through memory and keeps the stories alive after one of their own is laid to rest.
Big Blue Society is for anyone who misses their friends, loves a good story, or needs to be reminded that the world is a little less lonely with a crew, a lake, and maybe a cooler full of cold ones. It’s not just for fishermen. It’s for sons, brothers, veterans, and anyone who’s ever felt their soul stretch a little in the wild.
Pages: 257 | ASIN : B0DZD6MYZC
Mental Health Crisis
The Stress is Gone Method helps readers navigate stress, anxiety, and trauma via emotional awareness and exercises centered around self-reflection. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I feel this material is so important right now because effective mental health care is so hard to find. The mental health crisis is compounded by stigmas, waiting until the last minute to ask for help, long wait times before appointments are available, etc. Personally, I have seen thousands of clients quickly improve their mental health by learning how to address problems from the inside, as opposed to searching for solutions on the outside.
How much research did you undertake for this book, and how much time did it take to put it all together?
This book is a culmination of the past 25 years of professional experience in the field. The techniques are time tested; first by myself, and second by my clients and students. I now train a broad range of mental health professionals, school guidance counselors, and suicide prevention specialists in my methods. The reach of these techniques continues to grow.
Why was it important for you to include a workbook for your readers?
Often I’m asked, “Why did you write a workbook?” It’s because the human race has a lot of work to do. Another book to read and not interact with, not engage with, that doesn’t help you explore yourself, would be just another book on the shelf. But something that causes a person to look deep inside themselves, and then guides them through practical steps to reduce their stress and anxiety, I felt would be my best service to humanity.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from the advice you offer in The Stress is Gone Method?
I hope readers take away a few things; (1) they can take control back from stress if they focus on what’s happening inside their body, (2) they can release anxiety and emotional pain, and heal traumatic memories, and (3) they can find all the answers they seek inside themselves in deep meditation.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Amazon
• Traumatic Events
• Caring for Elderly Parents
• Work, Finances, or School
• Caring for a Child with Special Needs
• Out-of-Control Family Situations
• Abusive or Narcissistic Relationships
• Personal or Family Health Crises
• Generational or Ancestral Trauma
• Loss of a Loved One
• Legal System or Medical Trauma
• Exhaustion from Placing Everyone Else’s Needs Before Yours
• Being Raised by Abusive, Addicted, or Neglectful Parents
This book allows stress to enlighten us as triggers become teachers and self-love fills the hole that trauma left in our soul.
Shared Struggles
Dawn: EverGreen Forever follows a woman with PTSD who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and faces the demons from her past that rise up to shatter her future. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
When writing, I take some inspiration from my personal life. I use a lot of metaphors and symbolism in my stories. Once I pick a topic or theme that I want to focus on, the fictional story evolves pretty quickly into something I know my audience will enjoy.
When creating Daisy did you have a plan for development and character traits or did it grow organically as you were writing the story?
All of my characters evolve in different ways, but I pretty much knew what Daisy’s story would be from the beginning. She was an easy character to write. Sometimes I struggle with a particular character’s story or background, which makes it hard to connect with them when I’m planning the book’s outline. Daisy wasn’t like that. She came to me quickly and it was easy for me to understand her mindset.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Dawn began simply as being Daisy’s story. I had known she existed in the EverGreen Universe for a long time before I wrote the book. After exploring her experiences and backstory, I decided what themes I wanted to focus on in the story: mental health, domestic abuse, trauma, healing, and love. Without giving too much away, Daisy’s story in Dawn has some similarities with Athena’s in Fallen Snow. The connection between the two characters made me decide that I wanted to highlight many of their shared struggles, but also explore things from a different angle.
What will your next novel be about and what will the whole series encompass?
Dusk, the next installment of Daisy’s story, is already published and available for readers to purchase. The third book in the series, Midnight, will be released October 28th, 2024. Midnight follows a new protagonist, Adele, in her journey of self-discovery. I have another book, Raven, that also relates to Daisy and Athena’s stories, and it will likely be released next year.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
“Kissing him was like being transported to another time and place where the only thing that existed was our love.”
Daisy Claire was only sixteen when she first became involved with Silas, a man well versed in how to manipulate women. Years after his death, she meets Athena, another of his former ex-girlfriends. The two bond, becoming close friends through their shared experiences. Little does Daisy know that Athena, along with Ash, Daisy’s fiancé, are part of a whole other world she has yet to discover. When a demon from her past threatens to ruin her hopeful future, Daisy must discover her own strength, and learns that she is indeed more powerful than she ever dreamed.
LITERARY TITAN 