Blog Archives
You Are So Much More: Truths Shared by Spirit
Laura Muchmore’s You Are SO Much MORE: Truths Shared by Spirit is a deeply personal and unflinchingly honest exploration of self-worth, spiritual growth, and otherworldly encounters. The book chronicles Muchmore’s journey from childhood through motherhood, nursing, grief, and awakening, told with raw vulnerability and a heart wide open. At the center of the narrative is her experience with quantum hypnotherapy and communications with non-physical beings—including her past selves, extraterrestrial entities, and what she calls the Divine Mothers. It’s a memoir and a metaphysical diary rolled into one, interspersed with session transcripts, blog entries, and soul-baring revelations that read like confessions under a starlit sky.
I found the writing honest to the point of being gut-wrenching at times. Muchmore doesn’t sugarcoat a thing, and that’s what makes her voice magnetic. Her recounting of a dream where she meets her deceased mother in a celestial garden nearly undid me: “She began handing me what looked and felt like boxes; each box contained information to store away. One after another, at rapid speed…”. That imagery stayed with me. It’s rare for a book to feel both confessional and cosmic, but this one hits that sweet spot. Even her most bizarre experiences—like her hypnotherapy session where she relives a past life as a young enslaved boy in a desert civilization—don’t feel performative or forced. She writes them with humility, as someone still trying to make sense of it all, just like the rest of us.
The book jumps between timelines, tones, and topics, sometimes abruptly. One moment she’s talking about body shame in adolescence, the next she’s recounting a visit from a Grey alien. That might be off-putting for some, but for me, it felt like a true representation of what it’s like to live a life full of spiritual detours and emotional avalanches. I especially loved the parts about her body image battles. She doesn’t offer herself as a guru or an expert. She’s a wounded healer, messy and brave, and that’s exactly why I trusted her.
This book is for anyone who’s ever felt like there’s more to life than what we can see. It’s for the seekers, the misfits, the spiritually curious, and the broken-hearted. If you’ve been down the rabbit hole of self-help, grief, or metaphysics and came out the other side still wondering what it all means, this book might be a kindred spirit. I wouldn’t hand it to a skeptic or someone looking for polished, linear storytelling. But for those open to hearing a soul speak its truth—loud, awkward, brave, and beautiful—You Are SO Much MORE will stay with you long after the last page.
Pages: 258 | ASIN : B0DT2H24Y2
Discerning Reality From Illusion
In The Conspiracy of the Christ you examine your relationship with Christ through anecdotes, mysterious encounters, and childhood reflections. Why was this an important book for you to write?
My obsession with truth seems to have been innate from my earliest recollection, and it has always been a challenge to discern reality from illusion. When I became religious, my obsession centered around Jesus Christ.
Writing is for me a learning experience. It is an excuse to do more research, and I learned a lot in writing this book. For me, this book pulled together all the threads that I left hanging for so long. I almost feel satisfied.
Is there anything you edited out of this book that you now wish you had included?
The book is too long, and I was self-conscious about that; but the volume of source material was too great, and I had to gesticulate towards the sources as a guide might point out landmarks. Giving a total overview was important. I wanted to go into more detail, but the digressions would have interrupted the flow and the balance. Especially, I hope my readers will seek out the works of Dionysius the Areopagite, which were secretly foundational to Christianity. I am thinking about doing a book on the secrets of Christianity. Also, I wanted to spend more time on atheism and Christianity, but I did not know enough sources to support that. Maybe, that is another book.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
The personal miracles and perhaps hallucinations could have made me appear unreliable as an author. It was a risk.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your experiences?
We are magical beings in a magical world, and we should become humble to better appreciate our moment in time.
Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website
The Conspiracy of the Christ: A Memoir of Gnosis, History, the Secrets of Christianity, and Carlos Castaneda
Michael LaFond’s The Conspiracy of the Christ is a memoir that defies easy classification. The book is a deeply personal exploration of mystical experiences, the nature of miracles, and a critical reexamination of Christianity. Through anecdotes from his own life—ranging from encounters with mysterious entities to reflections on childhood indoctrination—LaFond threads together theology, psychology, skepticism, and spirituality. He attempts to uncover not just the historical Jesus, but a deeper, internal experience of “Christ” as universal awareness. This is no ordinary religious memoir; it is part philosophical musing, part confessional, and part critique of organized religion.
I was immediately struck by LaFond’s openness in recounting intimate and often bizarre experiences, like the childhood encounter with what he calls the “bogeyman” in a tree—a shadowy, pulsing mass that disappeared upon his father’s denial of its existence. These stories are told with conviction and a sincerity which make them hard to dismiss. His writing has an offbeat cadence that feels both earnest and unpredictable, sometimes philosophical and other times oddly playful. It’s a rare voice—self-aware, but not self-important. I appreciated the vulnerability in passages like when he describes hearing a voice say “You will save the world,” and how, rather than embracing a messianic complex, he questions its origin and meaning. The way he balances belief and skepticism feels honest and relatable.
LaFond is clearly well-read and philosophically curious, yet his prose avoids academic pretensions. His critique of Christian doctrine, particularly miracle stories and the early church’s reliance on spectacle, is bold without being dismissive. He’s not trying to debunk belief entirely; instead, he’s trying to widen the definition. This book isn’t about theology in the institutional sense. It’s about how one person’s mind wrestles with experience, meaning, and the spiritual weirdness of life.
There are stretches of tangents and long personal digressions that don’t always circle back. It’s part of the charm, but also part of the challenge. At times I felt like I was eavesdropping on a very long, very personal monologue. But even when it wandered, the writing never felt false. His refusal to provide neat answers or a definitive worldview is what gives the book its authenticity. He lets contradictions stand—faith and doubt, science and mysticism, belief and disbelief—all jostling together under the same roof.
The Conspiracy of the Christ is a heartfelt and thought-provoking memoir. It’s not for someone seeking traditional apologetics or tidy theological conclusions. But if you’ve ever felt torn between reason and wonder, or if you’ve wrestled with religion and longed for a more personal, mystical experience of meaning, this book will speak to you.
Pages: 423 | ASIN : B0DS1KXWXS
Creating Community
In The Break, you share with readers your experiences battling addiction and codependency and offer an intimate look into the unraveling of your marriage. Why was it important for you to write this book?
It was important for me to write The Break and share my experiences with codependency as my ex-husband and I came to terms with his alcoholism because I remember how alone I felt as I looked for community and understanding. I found more stories of people becoming sober than I found of those caring for someone going through alcoholism. The examples of alcoholism that were readily available were stories of various forms of abuse, mood swings, police interactions, empty bank accounts and houses built on fear. None of that was my story and I wanted to show others what high functioning alcoholism can look like. As I looked for my community, I realized there were more programs to assist the individual going through addiction than there were to help guide the loved ones. Alcoholism is a full life disease – it affects family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances – so I found it very odd that there was not just as much support for those around the alcoholic. I wanted to add to that community and that conversation because we, the co-dependents, need a strong support system as well.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
The hardest part for me to write about was our wedding and accepting the fact that I really didn’t want to get married at the age of 25. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to marry my now ex-husband, it’s simply that I felt like I was up against societal standards and I was behind. I felt like I needed to get married because it was the next right step. Yes, I loved my now ex-husband and I should not have gotten married. While it was the next right step based upon societal measures, it was not the next right step for me and I was too young and too scared to recognize that truth.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger?
There is a lot of advice that I wish my younger self had been told, however it does not mean I would have been ready to accept it. If someone had told me that I didn’t have to get married, that there is always another way and to make sure I take the time to listen to myself, I can’t say I would have fully listened to them or understood what they meant. Especially since all the women close to me modeled a very different belief system. Even the women in the news were heralded more for their looks and who they were dating, than the accomplishments they created on their own.
What is one thing you hope readers are able to take away from The Break?
The biggest take away that I hope readers carry with them after reading The Break,is to give that inner voice space. Take the time to listen to the quiet nudging and pulling that says Try this or Are you sure?. It can be scary to give that voice a chance to be heard, especially if she’s been quieted for so long, AND it will be very worth it.
Author Links: GoodReads | Websites
This quieting leads us towards a life out of alignment with our truest and most authentic selves. This leaves us feeling anger, exhaustion and constantly stuck. A life the author was too familiar with as she struggled to accept her then husband’s alcoholism and the part she played in the cycle.
The Break is a story of Brandee’s unlearning, seeking truth and finally allowing herself to trust her inner own knowing. The journey back to herself was not easy and it was completely necessary. This story is shared with the hope it will guide you back to your own inner knowing as well.
Themes in this book include:
Addiction
Separation
Learning to trust ones self
Strengthening your inner knowing
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Adding Depth to My Characters
The Oberon Stone follows a group of friends who are searching for an ancient artifact of immeasurable power, when one is kidnapped, turning their mission into a desperate rescue. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I wanted the second book to break away from the artifact-hunting structure of the first, so I set up the story to make readers believe the search for the artifact was the main plot—only to subvert that expectation when the real quest became the Mage’s rescue. That shift came as a shock, flipping the narrative focus. If you look at the book’s climaxes, they’re tied more to the rescue than to the artifact itself, even in the “coming back home” moment. The artifact hunt ended up taking more of a side-quest role.
Removing the MC’s mentor was also intentional. It allowed other characters to step into the mentor role, shifting the dynamics from Book 1. The different quests also gave me the opportunity to define the rules of magic in more depth, breathing more life into the Downtown-verse—something I couldn’t fully explore in the first book without overwhelming the reader.
What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
Ada was a difficult character for me. I was very cautious about making her more than just an unpredictable sidekick. I wanted someone loud, someone who would steal the scene multiple times, but she also needed to be deeply flawed—a character that would play with the reader’s emotions. I couldn’t push her so far that readers would put the book down because of her, but I wanted to push right up to that emotional edge, making her memorable not for her wins, if that makes sense. The hardest part was figuring out where that fine line was for different readers.
I really enjoyed writing Montgomery. It’s easy to write a classic arch-enemy—just make them all bad and powerful. But if you know anything about me, you know I’d never lean into that cliché, just as much as I dislike Deus Ex Machina solutions. So yes, Montgomery needed to be awful, but he also needed a history behind his awfulness—one that readers could relate to, enough to humanize him. I loved crafting his background: the family dynamics, the bad parenting that shaped him, his desperate need for his father’s attention, and how discovering a half-brother only deepened his existing insecurities. I especially enjoyed writing Montgomery as a father—desperately overcompensating with Rachael, trying to give her the love he never had, without realizing he was creating another version of himself. Different paths leading to the same destination.
Yes, Montgomery was a fantastic creative process.
When you first sat down to write this story, did you know where you were going, or did the twists come as you were writing?
Mostly, yes — I knew where it was going, at least for the main ideas. But side stories and details tend to change as I populate the story. I base the overall plot on Vogler’s Hero’s Journey structure, which gives the main plot a very well-defined progression. Then, I break the story into bigger chunks, which usually turn into one or two chapters each. From there, I start layering the side stories — the events that make character interactions unique and develop each character’s individual trajectory.
For example, Bruno and Sarah’s broken romance is a side story. Sarah’s emotional progression — learning self-love and accepting that she often gives more than she receives — is another side arc in itself. These subplots, along with side quests, can shift as I write. I also tend to place unexpected obstacles in the characters’ paths that I hadn’t planned initially. This adds a sharp edge of anxiety to the quest, making readers wonder whether success is even possible. Sometimes I let the characters overcome these hurdles, and sometimes they are forced to find a workaround — a plan B. These choices often happen at the last minute. Yes, I’m the kind of author who ruins my characters’ lives — and you’ll love it.
When will book three be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
Book three (The Temporal Scythe) is already available for pre-order on Amazon (Kindle only). It will be released — along with the physical copies — on June 10th, 2025.
You can expect a deeper, darker, and more emotionally intense story, just as you could notice the progression from book 1 to book 2. The characters are also more emotionally mature, with their arcs intensifying both in magical knowledge and personal growth. The stakes are higher, and the long-awaited climax of the trilogy arrives, featuring the much-anticipated final battle between good and evil.
Without giving too much away, readers should prepare for the emotional rollercoaster they already know they will get from my works — only this time, with higher speed, sharper loops, and a broken track somewhere that might just as well launch them toward their doom.
Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website | Trilogy Website
“This jam-packed, … cross-genre tale proves consistently entertaining! A smashing final-act turn makes checking out the sequels a virtual necessity.” – Kirkus Reviews
The Wishing Shelf Book Awards Nominee
Eric Hoffer Da Vinci Eye Nominee
Reader’s Favorite Five Stars YA SF / Dark Fantasy
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Liam Hale’s world spirals into chaos when he receives a message in his late mother’s handwriting-delivered by a friend who should no longer exist. This is no coincidence. As he searches for answers, he unearths something far worse: the prophecy foretelling the end times has been shattered, tearing apart the fragile barrier between the Houses of the Living and the Dead.
With the Megaverse on the brink of collapse, Liam and his companions-alongside the enigmatic druid Sarah and the unpredictable witch Bruno-set out to restore the balance. Their only hope lies in the Oberon Stone, an ancient artifact of immeasurable power. But when McCormick is kidnapped by the merciless Winifred family, their mission turns into a desperate rescue.
The Break: Rediscovering Our Inner Knowing
The Break is a raw and soul-baring memoir about the unraveling of a marriage caught in the quiet storm of high-functioning alcoholism and the slow rebirth of a woman learning to trust her own voice. Brandee Melcher takes readers on an intimate, winding journey through love, codependency, addiction, motherhood, and self-liberation. The book is structured in short, potent chapters that trace the trajectory of her life — from a childhood shaped by domestic violence to a marriage strained by denial and rules designed to fix what couldn’t be fixed. With startling honesty, Melcher offers readers not a step-by-step how-to, but a companion in the dark. This is a book about listening to the gut, especially when the heart wants to pretend everything is fine.
I enjoyed Melcher’s writing. I liked how sharp and tender it is all at once. She doesn’t hide from the uncomfortable. She walks right into it, like in Chapter 7, “The Long Ending,” where she describes the heartbreak of discovering that her husband had lied about drinking. Her rage, disbelief, and exhaustion are palpable. And yet, she never lets herself or the reader off easy. She owns her part, too — the enabling, the rationalizing, the excuses, the countless “rules” in Chapter 4 that were made and broken. There’s no polish here. No clean endings. Just someone standing in the ruins of what she thought marriage should be, slowly sweeping up the truth. I felt her weariness. I felt her clarity when she says, “It became too much to keep up with… and I was tired of the discussions.” That kind of fatigue isn’t just emotional — it’s physical. And she writes it like it is.
And then there’s the bravery — not just in leaving, but in staying so long and still trying. In Chapter 10, “Soul Break,” Melcher recounts the moment her partner admitted he drank simply because “he wanted to.” There’s no villain here, only a man in pain and a woman who couldn’t carry both of their stories anymore. I admired how she didn’t demonize him. She held grief in one hand and compassion in the other. And in doing that, she gave readers permission to feel both at once, too. Melcher’s ability to distill big, messy truths into plainspoken sentences is one of her greatest strengths.
This isn’t a book for people looking for easy answers or perfect closure. But if you’ve ever doubted your own instincts, if you’ve stayed too long, if you’ve bargained your way through a relationship thinking “at least he doesn’t…” — then The Break will feel like a mirror and a lifeline. I’d recommend this book to anyone healing from emotional exhaustion, codependency, or the quiet heartbreak of unspoken truths. Especially women. Especially mothers. Melcher’s voice is a steady hand on the shoulder — one that says, “You’re not crazy. And you’re not alone.”
Pages: 83 | ASIN : B0CH94Q63N
The Oberon Stone
In this second installment of the Conjurers’ Prophecy series, the stakes are higher, the darkness is deeper, and the emotional gut-punches come harder. The Oberon Stone dives right back into the chaos where book one left off, with Liam’s powers growing out of control, old enemies regrouping, and new villains entering the game. We get a peek behind enemy lines—into the twisted mind of Montgomery and the broken-but-desperate heart of his daughter, Rachael. The story stretches across magical dimensions, haunting memories, and existential questions about fate, free will, and what it really means to be “good” or “chosen.”
The book kicks off with a literal storm of dark energy, grief, and desperation. Montgomery flying through chaos, clutching a dying Rachael is intense. And weirdly emotional. He’s awful—seriously, he’s terrifying—but seeing his panic over his daughter gives you this whiplash moment of almost-feeling sorry for him. The writing here is theatrical, like a twisted fairytale. The fairies trapped in a dark cave scrubbing stone for eternity is both horrifying and weirdly beautiful.
Then we’ve got the heart of the book—Chiara. Watching her spiral, question everything, and fall for Rachael’s manipulation felt like watching someone you love walk straight off a cliff while you’re screaming at them to stop. In the scene where she spies on Liam and Ada through water pipes I could feel her guilt like it was my own. But what really broke me was the final confrontation with Rachael. The choking spell, the pain, Chiara trying to survive and not wanting to hurt anyone was brutal. Rachael’s cruelty felt personal. The moment Chiara dies (or seems to—Franco loves to keep us guessing) was so vivid, so devastating, that I actually had to stop reading for a minute.
And Liam… poor Liam. He’s unraveling in real-time. One of my favorite moments is when he looks at Ada and says, “I’m tired.” It’s not dramatic. It’s raw. He’s lost so much—his mom, Chiara, maybe even Ada—and he’s still standing, still chasing birds and cryptic notes like his life depends on it. That moment when Titan (his maybe-dead, maybe-magical bird) leads him through the portal into a new world was actually kind of magical. For a second, there’s peace. Wonder. Then everything falls apart again, but that pause? That pink-sky, giant-mushroom pause? It gave the book a necessary breath before plunging us back into the deep.
I absolutely recommend The Oberon Stone. But be warned—it’s darker than book one. It’s emotionally heavier. It’s also bolder, messier, and richer. If you loved the first book, this one will break your heart and make you thank it for doing so. It’s for fans of character-driven fantasy who aren’t afraid to feel a little wrecked. Anyone into morally gray characters, epic stakes, and stories that feel like myths and memories wrapped into one—this is for you.
Pages: 277 | ASIN : B0CLDCT9D7
Guidance and Knowledge
Using Your Superpower follows a woman thrust into the office of Secretary of State struggling with her own self-doubt and who finds that empathy is a mighty weapon in even the most challenging circumstances. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I’m not too sure of my actual inspiration for creating this literary life of Amelia Castro. I have been inspired by the fact that Madeline Albright, Condoleeza Rice, and Hillary Clinton all were placed in that role, and in my opinion, each did an excellent job. Adding that factor to my conviction that the Secretary of State is perhaps the most important political post with the most difficult responsibility of all Cabinet positions.
Amelia Castro is an incredibly relatable character. What was your process for creating her traits and dialogue?
I wanted her to be successful in this role and therefore, just like the President selecting her, would have to select the most qualified person to do the job. However, the most important safeguard for Amelia was to have a support team and therefore I created the Fearless Five who would advise and protect her to the utmost degree.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
First, what was to be the Superpower, and I selected Empathy as the most important power that would guide my characters and the government agencies they led. Next, who were to be the other characters that guided Amelia and where did they all receive the Guidance and knowledge to provide the advice they imparted.
Can we look forward to more fiction from you soon? What are you currently working on?
Yes! I am currently near finishing a very ambitious Vision Quest fiction novel that follows a middle-aged man who decides to trek by foot throughout the country of Belize. He was inspired by the actions of Shirley McClaine when she performed the trek though the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain. There is no specific connection between my character’s journey and that of Shirley McClaine except for each person’s need to accomplish a trek that would satisfy a spiritual lack in each person that needed to be internally resolved. My character is more aggressive in attempting to reach a certain spiritual advancement, but both have that in mind for their trek.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
These three were Madeleine Albright (1997-2001), Condoleeza Rice (2005-2009),and Hillary Clinton (2009-2013).
This fictional story does not explicitly relate to those world leaders but acknowledgesm the legacy of the many strong women like them who can change the world through their actions.
From the author
Dan Ford
Using Your Superpower is a truly unique fictional novel. Its narrative beats with thelife and triumphs of Amelia Castro, a woman of exceptional strength and resilience, making it a compelling read for those who seek something different. In a story as enthralling as it is unique, we are drawn into Amelia Castro’s life as she struggles with her fears and the weighty responsibilities that come with her role as Secretary of State of the United States.
Amelia’s emotional odysseys, brimming with mystery, drama, and thrilling spiritual and physical escapades, will undoubtedly captivate readers. The novel uniquely
celebrates themes of non-religious spirituality, friendship, and unity, taking readers on a rollercoaster of adventure, emotions, and actions and inviting them to explore a different perspective of life.
Amelia’s closest friends, known along with her as the Fearless Five, are not just characters in a journey through life. They are integral, inspiring figures who strive for human supremacy as Spiritual Warriors who solve problems while promoting the power of Empathy. Their resilience in the face of severe opposition is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and inspires readers to consider concepts quite
different from the norm.
LITERARY TITAN 