Blog Archives
Conflict & Peace: At Home with Jesus
When I first opened Conflict & Peace: At Home with Jesus, I expected a familiar retelling of biblical stories, but instead I found something far richer and more layered. The book walks through twelve figures ranging from Matthew and Mark to Constantine and Luther and explores how each shaped, struggled with, or even fractured the Christian story. Eric D. Hovee doesn’t shy away from pointing out contradictions, tensions, and the uneasy balance between faith and evidence. What emerges is less a polished theology and more a raw chronicle of pioneers wrestling with belief, doubt, politics, and power. The book argues that Christianity has always lived at the crossroads of conflict and peace, heresy and orthodoxy, struggle and hope.
The writing style surprised me. It’s not slick or overly academic, and that’s what makes it work. Hovee mixes scholarship with a kind of candid storytelling that feels personal and searching. He admits where his own faith has faltered, where scholarship has raised more questions than answers, and where interpretations may lean too heavily in one direction. I appreciated this honesty. The detail can be overwhelming at times, with deep dives into language debates or church history that slow down the flow, but even then, I never felt the effort was wasted. It gave weight to his central claim that truth isn’t always clean or easy.
What I liked most, though, was the emotional undercurrent. This isn’t just about doctrine, it’s about Hovee’s father, about legacy, about the ache of wanting faith to feel real in a world of contradictions. I felt that ache with him. When he points out Matthew’s overreach on prophecy, or the way Constantine’s empire-building warped Christianity, I didn’t just learn facts, I felt the tension of a man trying to reconcile devotion with doubt. The book left me inspired. It made me look at my own beliefs with sharper eyes and a softer heart.
I think Hovee’s work is best for readers who want faith that is not easy, neat, or dogmatic. It’s for Christians wrestling with the weight of history, skeptics curious about the roots of belief, and anyone who values honesty over certainty. If you want a book that stirs you, challenges you, and leaves you thinking long after you close it, then Conflict & Peace: At Home with Jesus is well worth the read.
Pages: 401 | ASIN : B0F5641XR1
Two Divergent Souls
Land Without Shame follows an iconic film star whose plane crashes on a dormant volcanic island, where he winds up on a mission to rescue children being used as slave laborers in a clandestine gold-mining operation. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Honestly, I have no definitive answer. In book one of this series, Cody Musket, a former Marine and now a famous major league baseball icon, has formed a covert paramilitary organization to rescue trafficked children in third-world countries. The story in Land Without Shame takes place more than twenty years later, with Cody Musket Jr., age 22, at the helm, carrying on the Muskets’ child rescue operations into the next generation. This story was a natural outgrowth of the family’s covert enterprise history. I never intended to write Land Without Shame because I thought the Musket story was finished after book 3. Go figure.
Was the character’s backstory something you always had, or did it develop as you were writing?
This question caused me to reflect deeply upon how I put together this messy, unlikely, but clean love story involving two divergent souls whose relationship defied all odds. Diamond Casper, the spoiled but broken film star whose only ambition was to make movies and live in Malibu, and Cody Musket Jr., a dedicated Christian from a conservative background who repeatedly put himself in harm’s way to rescue kids–somehow this story gripped me from the beginning. To this day, I have no idea exactly why or when the story invaded my mind, but once it came, it grew and grew. After that happened in the middle of the story, I realized that my child trafficking novel had exploded into a tale of redemption, love, and second chances.
How did you balance the action scenes with the story elements and still keep a fast pace in the story?
This is a hard one to answer. Candidly, I seem to do everything at a fast pace, so maybe I just stumbled naturally into this balance that you mentioned. Sometimes I feel like an accidental author who wrote an accidental book series. (smiling)
What is the next book that you’re working on, and when can your fans expect it out?
I am delighted that you asked. The sequel to Land Without Shame is now live on Amazon and Goodreads. The title is Black Pearl. It is the finale of the series and follows Cody Jr. and Diamond as they begin their lives together and rejoin the entire Musket family in this final episode. This one is a political thriller that introduces Cody’s older brother Raymond, a US Marine whose codename is “Ghost,” and who has become the president’s right-hand man. This story is about betrayal, insurrection, high-tech terrorism, and politics in 2041 AD. Maggie and Kennedy, the Muskets’ adoptive daughters, ages 13 and 12, have heroic roles, and you can read a more complete description at this link.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Amazon
A clean story of first love, second chances, rescue, and redemption, with futuristic sci-fi in the mix.
The year is 2041. Cody Musket Jr. and iconic film star Diamond Casper, strangers, are marooned on a dormant volcanic island after their commuter flight crashes. The uncharted island is home to a clandestine gold-mining operation which uses child slave laborers. When the volcano suddenly erupts, they must team-up against all odds to rescue 60 captive children and escape the explosive island. A solid romantic thriller!
KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM: SUBLIME THOUGHTS TO ELEVATE YOUR LIFE
Knowledge and Wisdom: Sublime Thoughts to Elevate Your Life is a pocket-sized collection of over 300 quotations arranged alphabetically by subject, compiled by Nges Elmer. It draws from a wide range of historical and contemporary figures like philosophers, writers, leaders, and anonymous voices alike. The book presents bite-sized pieces of wisdom meant to inspire reflection, action, and growth in everyday life. Topics range from ambition and change to prayer and resilience, with each quote centered around themes such as education, love, forgiveness, success, and character. Designed to be carried easily, it’s positioned as both a spiritual and practical companion for personal development and social living.
Reading this book felt like walking through a garden of timeless truths. Some quotes struck me deeply, like William Wordsworth’s musing on the value of small acts of kindness or Emerson’s call to greet each day afresh. I appreciated that Elmer included reflections from diverse cultures and centuries, making the book feel universal in its intent. It’s not a narrative journey but a mosaic of ideas. I sometimes longed for more context or commentary to link them together, but maybe that’s the point: let the reader draw their own connections.
Stylistically, the book leans heavily on structure over storytelling, but it does what it sets out to do. Elmer’s choices are thoughtful, occasionally surprising, and clearly personal. I liked how he mixed sacred and secular wisdom without pushing an agenda. There’s a gentle, humble spirit throughout the compilation that makes it feel like advice from a wise friend rather than a lofty lecture. While not every quote felt equally strong or relevant, I found myself pausing to reflect more often than I expected.
Sublime Thoughts is a book I’d recommend for readers who like to sit with an idea and turn it over in their mind. It’s perfect for morning meditation, journaling prompts, or just flipping through when life feels noisy. Teachers, preachers, and writers looking for inspiration will likely find this a handy resource.
Pages: 114 | ASIN : B09JWRVMLK
A Little Time More
40 Days of Fasting is a collection of 40 poems resulting from a four-week period of fasting and covering forgiveness, service, humility, and enlightenment. Why was this an important collection for you to write?
Interestingly, I didn’t intend to write much, maybe journal my thoughts during the fast, but as the prologue explains, these unconscious impulses to chronicle a stream of messages, counsel, and admonitions suddenly came through in rich, poetic form. Strange indeed, for never was I an enthusiast of this genre of art. Now, 40 Days of Fasting is the product of this uncanny and provocative inner experience.
How do you know when a poem is truly finished?
I came out of this interfacing with Carlos – my muse – when no more words were channeled. There was a silence, an emptiness, and a mental weariness after the experience. There was an abrupt end to the flow of words.
Do you have a favorite poem in the book, and if so, why does it hold special meaning for you?
“A Time Appointed,” I would say. It centers on death, the most significant of all initiations we experience in a given incarnation. Scripturally, we are told that there’s a time–irrevocable–for us to be called home; not a second before or after are we summoned. But there are times, few and far between, when we can petition for a moment, a little time more, not for selfish ends, but to complete a service unfinished for the betterment of others. In these rare cases, it is granted by Source. And I have reason to believe this based on my own experience. “A Time Appointed” ventures into this phenomenon.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from 40 Days of Fasting?
I pray that this work is studied, not just read. Therein are timeless, irrefutable teachings that speak to us. These truths liberate us from the world’s illusions and the seemingly ceaseless cycle of suffering.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
This book is not merely about abstaining from food or water. It is a journey through the soul’s deep yearning to reunite with its Source. Each poem is a meditation-on love, death, healing, divine presence, spiritual purity, and the human struggle for truth. These recitations echo ancient teachings while remaining deeply personal, echoing the author’s own trials, revelations, and reconciliations.
40 Days of Fasting invites readers to slow down and reflect. Drawing on spiritual philosophies from various traditions-Christianity, Islam, Eastern mysticism, and metaphysical teachings-the poems act as spiritual signposts, guiding us back to our essence. Themes of divine mercy, inner light, karmic justice, sacred union, and the soul’s eternal nature are explored with poetic grace.
Whether read as a devotional companion, a meditative guide, or a poetic reflection, this book touches something universal. It does not preach. It invites. It does not declare answers. It helps the reader ask the right questions.
Above all, 40 Days of Fasting is a testament to the soul’s quiet knowing and the sacred power of listening during times of intentional silence. It is both a personal diary and a mystical manual-an offering to all those walking the spiritual path with faith, doubt, longing, and hope.
EL Gran Intercambio
El Gran Intercambio es un poderoso testimonio autobiográfico de Aneasa Pérez que narra vívidamente su viaje espiritual, emocional y personal desde el dolor y la decepción hasta la sanación y la restauración divina. Escrito con sincera sinceridad, el libro explora los oscuros valles del trauma infantil, las relaciones abusivas, los falsos sistemas religiosos y la profunda soledad, culminando en un encuentro transformador con el verdadero amor de Dios.
Pérez abre su alma, relata momentos personales de desesperación, pensamientos suicidas y la búsqueda de aceptación. Su transparencia hace que el libro sea cercano y cautivador, especialmente para lectores que han sufrido abuso religioso, abandono familiar o relaciones tóxicas. Un tema central es la crítica a los falsos profetas y a los sistemas religiosos manipuladores. Pérez expone con valentía las tácticas de control y comercialización dentro de ciertas iglesias, especialmente a partir de su experiencia con la Iglesia Universal del Reino de Dios. Este segmento es particularmente impactante y estimulante para los cristianos que se enfrentan a la autoridad espiritual.
Más allá de la oscuridad, Pérez ofrece esperanza. Su narrativa está impregnada de reflexión bíblica y enfatiza el poder de Dios para redimir, restaurar y sanar. Su nueva paz, simbolizada por eventos sencillos pero profundos, ilustra cómo las pequeñas victorias pueden ser el símbolo de una sanación espiritual más profunda. El libro incluye orientación para mujeres que enfrentan abuso y confusión espiritual. Pérez comparte lecciones sobre la independencia emocional, la fe genuina y la importancia de discernir la verdad en entornos religiosos.
El Gran Intercambio es un llamado a la claridad espiritual, la sanación y la verdad. La voz de Aneasa Pérez es de valentía y compasión, y se dirige a quienes tienen el corazón roto y se pierden en la niebla de una religiosidad engañosa. Su camino es un testimonio del amor redentor de Dios, y el libro ofrece un rayo de esperanza a quienes buscan una fe genuina tras la desilusión.
Pages: 103 | ASIN : B0F49JZQ8K
Finding Something to Beleive In
Struth Mate! Is This Hell? is a mad, cosmic ride through a metaphysical reality where life, death, religion, science and philosophy collide. What was the inspiration that created the fantastic journey these characters go on?
I guess as we all age, we start to wonder what life’s journey was all about and seek some reassurance that it was worthwhile and that we leave behind some lasting legacy. To put this another way, I guess to be fully content we need something to believe in, some form of religion, however that may manifest itself.
On my own journey in search of a religion, my initial approach was to delve into science and established religions, believing that answers were already established. But unable to find solace and any meaningful connection, I eventually decided to start afresh and develop a sort of personal religion based on known facts and logic. “Struth!” at its core, is really the outcome of this search, with all the workings included, but wrapped up in a novel to provide drama and intrigue. I decided to publish it in the hope that it would provide others with an alternative perspective that may help shape their own views.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Having previously revealed the core model in the first book in this series, this second book took those ideas and extrapolated them to predict the future. The fate of mankind and the Earth is revealed by applying the model to the Bible’s Book of Revelation, decoding its meaning and creating a whole new literal translation that provides some thought-provoking insights. Furthermore, it attempts to consolidate the seemingly conflicting views of religion and science.
I have always been puzzled by the strange multiple personality disorder of the Christian God, who appears to have extreme mood swings. In this book the form and existence of Gaia, or Mother Nature, is revealed. It is she who has been the prime controlling influence over Earth’s development for millions of years, even aiding the rise of mankind … although she now believes that to be a mistake!
What experience in your life has had the biggest impact on your writing?
Without any doubt, becoming a father (x3). The miracle of birth and parenthood never failed to amaze me and brought with it a sense of awe and wonderment at nature. It certainly starts you questioning whether there truly is a God and how life began.
Turning your question around, the experience of writing has certainly impacted my life. Before embarking on this journey, I would have describe myself as an agnostic bordering on atheism. With my journey now nearing its conclusion, I would still describe myself as an agnostic as the ideas I have generated, although being logical and rational in my own mind, are still fictional and unproven. But perhaps now with a greater appreciation of the spiritual, my views have certainly shifted a little towards the religious.
When will book three be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
The third and final book in the series will focus on the very meaning of existence and provide plausible answers to those ultimate questions of life, the universe and everything. As to when it will be published, I can’t say. This is my retirement project and things move slowly these days.
Author Links: GoodReads
In this second book in the series, the search for meaning continues and we learn of mankind’s fate, how the Earth meets its end and locate the elusive “42”. On the journey we encounter Gaia, or Mother Nature if you prefer. Who or what is she? What is her connection with God and the Devil? Is she really able to influence life on Earth, change our environment, or even alter the course of evolution? Furthermore, by applying the “Struth!” model to the Bible’s Book of Revelation, reveals some thought-provoking insights and decodes its meaning to create a new literal interpretation. Here the returning Messiah takes on greater significance and is brought startlingly into focus.
WARNING: This product may challenge your existing beliefs
Shoulda – Woulda – Couldas
Parables for Today is a collection of modern-day stories, some fictional, some heavily autobiographical, that aim to offer moral or spiritual insights akin to the teachings of Jesus. Why was this an important book for you to write?
There were situations and issues from my life that were nagging me with a host of shoulda-woulda-couldas, one of which was leaving about 30 grand in a backpack the trash collectors hauled away because I didn’t learn the money was there till it was too late. So I wrote about that and other events adding the outcome I would like to have seen rather than what actually happened. I did this to help put my mind more at ease.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
As you observed, I wanted to challenge my readers on their own virtuosity by allowing them to insert themselves into my stories in place of the main characters in order to tweak their consciences just like Jesus did!
What experience in your life has had the biggest impact on your writing?
Many years of writing for newspapers and magazines with success. I felt like it was time to make the next step and see if I could author a best-seller.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Parables for Today?
I want them to realize they have many opportunities for self-improvement if they just resist the temptation to get set in their ways!
Author Links: GoodReads
His parables were profound, powerful, and packed with meaning – and they were also subject to interpretation. They have withstood the test of time as each new generation has been able to discover a new message in the tales He shared. They have as much meaning today as they did back then.
In this book, the author imagines what situations Jesus would reference today to present His rich spiritual teachings. He shares stories that will help the spiritually hungry find their way back to the Lord while finding solace and peace.
Topics highlighted in the book include fame, forgiveness, what happens when we die, drug addiction, and the rules for living a successful life.
The eleven stories the author shares will make you think. Perhaps they’ll even change the way you view the world.
Parables for Today
In Parables for Today, Mike Mulhern reimagines the ancient tradition of parable-telling by placing it in a contemporary context. The book is a collection of modern-day stories, some fictional, some heavily autobiographical, that aim to offer moral or spiritual insights akin to the teachings of Jesus. Mulhern’s tales span themes like fame, forgiveness, grief, addiction, ambition, and redemption. Each chapter presents a different scenario, designed to speak to readers facing the complex realities of modern life while steering them gently toward reflection and self-awareness.
Reading this book felt like sitting across from someone who has lived a lot, thought even more, and now needs to get it all out in one breath. There’s an urgency and rawness in Mulhern’s voice that’s hard to ignore. The opening parable, “The Fame Game,” is a sprawling meditation on the obsessive chase for recognition. It’s part stand-up monologue, part sermon, part social critique, and it’s both hilarious and sad. I found myself laughing one minute, then pausing to reflect the next. Mulhern is clearly passionate, and the prose often reads like a stream of consciousness. But the emotion is real. The man cares deeply about his message, and that sincerity shines through.
What I appreciated most was the book’s earnestness. Mulhern isn’t trying to impress you with vocabulary or literary tricks—he’s trying to reach you. Some stories are deeply touching, like “A Supreme Act of Forgiveness” and “Coping with the Torment of a Drug-Addicted Child.” These resonated with me. You can tell he’s either lived these stories or walked very closely with someone who has. Other parables, like “The Shrink” or “The Sinister Sisters,” are more playful, even theatrical. Occasionally, I wished for tighter structure or more variety in tone, but the underlying ideas stayed with me long after I finished each tale.
This book is best suited for people looking for spiritual comfort or those who enjoy moral storytelling without pretense. Great for folks who read Chicken Soup for the Soul or who tune into late-night philosophical conversations with friends. If you want something honest and always heartfelt, Mulhern delivers. I’d recommend it to seekers, soul-searchers, and anyone who needs a nudge toward hope.
Pages: 206 | ASIN : B0DYQC98SJ
LITERARY TITAN 