Are you one of the millions who reside within a secret life, a life which constantly feels out of your own control: Are you plagued by repetitive thoughts and/or actions which interfere with your daily activities?
About A Secret Life: Enduring and Triumphing Over OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Are you one of the millions who reside within a secret life, a life which constantly feels out of your own control: Are you plagued by repetitive thoughts and/or actions which interfere with your daily activities? The author lived for more than 40 years with an undiagnosed form of mental illness, a phobia now known as OCD: obsessive-compulsive disorder. His emotional pain and suffering were at times almost unmanageable. In his mid-sixties, the author, a loving husband, father and accomplished high school teacher and athletic coach, discovered a unique psychologist within the Denver therapeutic community who utilizes a radical but highly successful treatment that’s allowed the author to control his OCD symptoms almost 100%. “A Secret Life” is one of the few books written by an OCD sufferer and descries in detail the pain and chaos living with this illness can cause not just the victim, but those closest to him. This story doesn’t stop there, but provides readers with options and advice dealing with OCD from someone who broke the curse of living a secret life. Now he’s ready to share his story in order to help others.
Jim Juliana was a hard-working family man with a devoted wife and adoring children. As a teacher, he taught numerous subjects over a 28-year career, was an assistant principal/athletic director for three years and mentored generations of youngsters in the classroom and in athletics. Juliana was a coach for forty years at the high school level. Coach Juliana has been a part of two state championship teams, a city championship team and several league title teams. He spent two years as a college instructor and football coach. But Jim Juliana had a secret life, one over which he had no control. For most of his life, he also fought – and eventually defeated – an embarrassing and almost debilitating OCD. OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder that effects three to five million adults in the US each year. OCD involves irrational fears or repeated thoughts or obsessions that drive an individual to engage in repetitive behaviors or compulsions. Jim Juliana’s life was finally changed when he found a therapist whose treatment all but eliminated his OCD incidents. A Secret Life chronicles Juliana’s battle against his OCD and gives readers options and information for treatment based on his experiences. You can connect with him on his website and Facebook.
From the primitive ruggedness of the Amazon rainforest to the privileged society of New York, three generations experience triumph and tragedy in this saga of loyalty, corruption, greed . . . but one woman has the power to change it all.
About A Goddess Among Men
In 1907, Julian Welch and Alan Reid meet by chance in the jungles of the Amazon attracted by the riches of the rubber boom. Pioneers in an era of uncertainty, they form an unlikely alliance and establish the foundation for a successful empire, Reid & Welch. However, with Julian’s death, the empire is left to Alan, as is the responsibility for Julian’s newborn daughter, Christel.
Yet for Christel, there’s no growing up as a privileged heiress. Instead, Alan subjects her to a life few endure, much less overcome. Through her will to survive and being as uncompromising as she is beautiful, Christel puts the horrors of her past behind her and begins to build a seemingly bright future. But when the success built on corruption starts to crumble, Christel will be forced to address the past or pay for the sins of the fathers.
My Thoughts
I was very intrigued when I saw this book cover and read the description, I had to read it! The book is multi-generational and covers a wide range of topics – greed, betrayal, deceit, family secrets and more (so many aspects that creates a novel that you don’t want to put down).
The story I feel is based on this odd relationship that is formed between Julian and Alan. They have an unique first encounter – which Julian first feels like the luckiest man alive but is soon left to deal with Alan’s consequences. This starts this odd relationship they have, Julian is the kind, thoughtful person who wants to earn enough to just make it in the world, have a wife and do good, while Alan is the smart but cruel businessman (who will do anything to get what he wants). Alan seems to be lacking any compassion, understanding or care for others (and as we get glimpses of his childhood, we begin to start to understand the damage that was done there). Together they build an empire, which from the outside seems to be a sound, wealthy business with good practices but on the inside the empire holds dark secrets, which we only begin to learn how evil some of it truly is near the middle to the end of the book. Just before Julian’s death, he finds out he is a father and to ensure his daughter’s safety he entrusts Alan (warning bells here) with her care and to ensure she receives Julian’s portion of the company. I am sure you can just picture what Alan does to his daughter, Christel.
Christel spends all of her childhood as part of an experiment that Alan commissioned and later becomes a weapon for Alan, as she uses her beauty to gather secrets. She is physically, sexually, emotionally and mentally abused. She almost becomes a shell of a person and it isn’t until later in life when a good hearted soul (who never stopped looking for her) helps her discover her worth.
This is an intense, well written novel. Some of the parts of the novel are hard to stomach (especially when we learn parts about Christel’s past) and may be difficult for some readers (they do not go into great detail but we are given high level descriptions of the events she endured). Christel is a strong woman, who despite enduring so much wants to ensure she rights the wrongs of the past. She is sometimes caught between wanting revenge and wanting to heal at parts in the book. Like her Father, she is constantly bearing the weight of the sins of Alan and his very shady practices, she is determined to make right all that they did wrong but some sins are difficult to make right. Alan made me angry throughout the novel, how could one person behave in such a way and that Julian turned a blind eye so many times does not make it right (despite how much humanitarian work he does).
I enjoyed this novel and could not put it down, I wanted to know how Christel’s story played out. Would she be able to forgive, heal and move forward? Could she find healing in her own family and giving back to others? Could she ever right all the wrong that Alan and Julian did? Christel ends the story a stronger, better and open to healing. I loved every moment.
Born in 1969, Brazil, Daniel Davidsohn’s novels have been called exciting, gripping, and engrossing, garnering him praise and rave reviews. He is passionately attracted to unfamiliar things and enjoys taking readers off the beaten path. His books include From The Nile to The Euphrates (2009), Mare Crisium (2015), A Higher Power (2016), The Karma Code (2017), Leave Her Out, a 2018 Readers’ Favorite Book Award Finalist, and A Goddess Among Men (2020). Connect with him on his website,Twitter and Facebook.
A novel of historical fiction that turns on two key events: the discovery of a dead body and a tape.
About Between These Walls
A novel of historical fiction that turns on two key events: the discovery of a beautiful blonde woman’s body in the back seat of a burnt out SS staff car during the last days of World War II, by US Army Medical Corps Colonel Samuel Singer, and the unsealing more than four decades later of a security-taped package from Germany, bearing a secret that changes the life of New York art curator Daniel Singer, the adopted son of Colonel Singer.
As Daniel learns more about the package’s contents, he unlocks the history of three families — one American and two German – through tumultuous times, from the end of the First World War to the rise of Adolf Hitler, the Second World War, the Holocaust, and through to three Middle East wars. Along the way, he gets entangled in the web of the Mossad, Israel’s top secret spy agency and Naomi one of its beautiful operatives, and is ultimately faced with a life-altering choice – and the opportunity to right the most heinous of wrongs.
My Thoughts
I love historical novels, they take us on a special journey to the past where we get a glimpse of what could have been happening and the people of this time. Between These Walls follows several seemingly unconnected characters from the the end of World War I through to World War II and three wars in the Middle East. It is intense and leaves you on the edge of your seat, never quite knowing what to expect next.
The centre of this story is Daniel – a young man raised in the Jewish faith who very early in the novel receives a mysterious package in the mail filled with documents in German that he does not understand nor particularly seem to interested in. The story then jumps in to his family history and we learn about his Father who served during the war as a surgeon, the relationships he builds during this time that last a lifetime and a discovery he makes near the end of the war. We learn about his past and how his actions bring him into connection with other key characters in this novel both good and bad. It is these connections that are key to the story and how they connect to Daniel. We are witness to horrific acts of evil, acts of kindness and bravery and acts of forgiveness.
I loved every moment of this novel, from the plot to the characters and the way it was written. I did not want to put the novel down, I had to know what happened next and how each evolving story brings us closer to Daniel’s past and future. It is well written and I loved how the story connects characters and events that span several decades. Even though the ending was a mix of hope for the future and pain, it is amazing to see how life and our actions can come full circle. It is a story of hope, faith, bravery in the face of evil and healing that comes with time. It is a definite must read novel, you will not be disappointed.
A Hungarian refugee (1956) and the son of Holocaust survivors. A retired lifetime entrepreneur living on Toronto’s waterfront with my wife and cocker spaniel. Enjoys reading, mainly books about WW2, boating and worldwide travel. Father of three kids and grandfather of eleven. You can connect with him on his website, Facebook and Twitter.
When souls intersect deeply, but their paths are separate.
About A Delicate Dance of Souls
After a harrowing experience from his service in the military, Matt returns only to find his marriage to the love of his life is over. In the midst of his darkness, Matt seeks peace camping in Wyoming, where he meets Nicole, an intriguing woman who shifts his perspective, and changes his life forever. As their connection deepens, their relationship uncovers the fears that are holding both of them back.
Matt isn’t the only one with an unresolved love in his past. Waiting in the wings is Sam, Nicole’s business partner and best friend. The pair have a history of more than just catering and event planning, but Nicole has always been afraid of letting Sam get too close.
In this novel of self-discovery, compassion and healing, Nicole and Matt are brought to a greater understanding and acceptance of themselves, and who they are in the world.
My Thoughts
This novel introduces us to two main characters – Nicole and Matt. Nicole has had a rough past and from the outside, she doesn’t seem to like to let people to get to close (especially men). She holds a lot of her past inside her and this prevents her from allowing herself to be open to receiving love. She is a bit of a free spirit, she doesn’t seem to care about what others think of her, and she dances to the tune of her own beat. But at the same time she is thoughtful and kind – just timid in accepting love because of her past. Matt has his own scars after serving in the military. His time serving causes him to become emotionally and physically distant from his wife, to the point that they separate after not being able to come to some middle ground. He is left lost, hating himself and feeling lonely and lone.
The two characters have a chance encounter, with sparks flying but more importantly they connect on a deeper level. Matt is finally able to open up to someone about his past and face his fears about the past, himself and his worries about his future. He is able to push past those mental blocks that kept him emotionally and physically distant from those he loves, including his wife that he is separated from. Nicole while initially is the one that appears to do all the helping, is also able to confront her past and work through her own mental and emotional blocks.
This is a wonderful story of faith, second chances and the healing powers of friendships. Their chance encounter develops a strong friendship that helps them face their past, come to a level of healing and understanding and the ability to move forward with hope and trust. While they are at first physically attracted to each other, out of this grows so much more. This novel is different then anything I have read before but I enjoyed it. The beginning felt a bit rushed as their physical relationship developed but about a quarter of the way in, the novel returns to a normal pace and we can appreciate their relationship and the healing nature of it.
Karen D. Hamilton’s spiritual journey has spanned decades and has included several teachers with transformative perspectives. Believing that life is a wondrous gift, she strives to appreciate all aspects of the human experience. Karen loves the excitement of thunderstorms, the silence of falling snow, the chirping of late summer crickets, the meditative art of weaving, and the natural beauty of mountain streams. She especially loves being with family and friends. She currently lives in Colorado with her husband and fluffy cat, Merlin. Karen hopes her work will give readers a broader and more compassionate view of their own lives. You can connect with her on her website.
As they search for “The Nightjar’s Promise” and the truth surrounding it, Carolina and the FIGs come face to face with evil that threatens to destroy not only their genius, but their very lives.
About The Nightjar’s Promise
Jennifer Torres, one of the three FIGs (Females of Intellectual Genius) who is a genius in both music and art, is the last to leave the closed rehearsal for her upcoming performance over Thanksgiving break at Carnegie Hall when she hears something in the darkened Hall. Recognizing the tilt of the woman’s head and the slight limp of the man as they hurry out an exit door, she realizes it is her parents who were supposedly killed in a terrible car accident when she was 15 years old. Devastated and feeling betrayed, she sends a text to Carolina and the other two FIGs—THURGOOD. It is the code word they all agreed to use if ever one of them got into trouble or something happened that was too difficult to handle. They would all meet back at Carolina’s bungalow at Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women to figure it out.
As soon as they receive the text, because of their genius, Dara starts thinking of words in ancient Hebrew, German, and Yiddish, while Mackenzie’s visions of unique math formulae keep bringing up the date October 11, 1943. That is the date during World War II when the Nazis—the Kunstschutz—looted the paintings of targeted wealthy Jewish families and hid them away under Hitler’s orders. And as Carolina waits for the FIGs to return to Wood Rose, she hears warnings from Lyuba, her gypsy mother, to watch for the nightjar, the ancient name for the whip-poor-will.
As they search for “The Nightjar’s Promise” and the truth surrounding it, Carolina and the FIGs come face to face with evil that threatens to destroy not only their genius, but their very lives.
My Thoughts
I fell in love with this group of strong, intelligent young women. Each one has had a difficult past but instead of letting this define them, they embrace what makes them special and support each other through all of their ups and downs. Each of the young women carries a special gift – arts, language and math. Combining these skills with the guidance, connection and love from their teacher, Carolina, they can be unstoppable. They use these special gifts to help solve their past and the current mystery in the novel.
In this novel, Jennifer is presented with a huge mystery – what really happened in the deaths of her parents, could they possibly still be alive? And if so – how could they just leave her, did they not love her?? As she pulls from her own strengths and the strengths of her friends, terrible secrets unfold along with a plan to regain what was lost so many years ago. We are taken down a path of darkness and pain but along this path, we find glimmers of hope, strength and kindness.
This is an excellent short story for young adults and adults who like an interesting, suspenseful read. You can read the novel on its own but I would recommend reading the rest of the novels in this series. We are given enough of the history of each of the young girls and Carolina’s family but to really gain a better understanding of their past, it is best to read each of their stories (bonus – you will not be disappointed). I loved the build up of the story and how we uncover Jennifer’s family history and how this was connected to the looting of arts from World War II. I loved how their friendship, their unique skills and their strength is highlighted throughout the novel. While they are strong individually, they need each other in order to solve the mystery (a great reminder that we are always stronger together!). This is a novel that does not disappoint.
Originally from Carrollton, Illinois, author/agent/publisher Barbara Casey attended the University of North Carolina, N.C. State University, and N.C. Wesleyan College where she received a BA degree, summa cum laude, with a double major in English and history. In 1978 she left her position as Director of Public Relations and Vice President of Development at North Carolina Wesleyan College to write full time and develop her own manuscript evaluation and editorial service. In 1995 she established the Barbara Casey Agency and since that time has represented authors from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. In 2014, she became a partner with Strategic Media Books, an independent nonfiction publisher of true crime, where she oversees acquisitions, day-to-day operations, and book production.
Ms. Casey has written over a dozen award-winning books of fiction and nonfiction for both young adults and adults. The awards include the National Association of University Women Literary Award, the Sir Walter Raleigh Literary Award, the Independent Publisher Book Award, the Dana Award for Outstanding Novel, the IP Best Book for Regional Fiction, among others. Two of her nonfiction books have been optioned for major films, one of which is under contract.
Her award-winning articles, short stories, and poetry for adults have appeared in both national and international publications including the North Carolina Christian Advocate Magazine, The New East Magazine, the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer, the Rocky Mount (N.C.) Sunday Telegram, Dog Fancy, ByLine, The Christian Record, Skirt! Magazine, and True Story. A thirty-minute television special which Ms. Casey wrote and coordinated was broadcast on WRAL, Channel 5, in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also received special recognition for her editorial work on the English translations of Albanian children’s stories. Her award-winning science fiction short stories for adults are featured in The Cosmic Unicorn and CrossTime science fiction anthologies. Ms. Casey’s essays and other works appear in The Chrysalis Reader, the international literary journal of the Swedenborg Foundation, 221 One-Minute Monologues from Literature (Smith and Kraus Publishers), and A Cup of Comfort (Adams Media Corporation).
Ms. Casey is a former director of BookFest of the Palm Beaches, Florida, where she served as guest author and panelist. She has served as judge for the Pathfinder Literary Awards in Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Florida, and was the Florida Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators from 1991 through 2003. In 2018 Ms. Casey received the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and Top Professional Award for her extensive experience and notable accomplishments in the field of publishing and other areas. She makes her home on the top of a mountain in northwest Georgia with her husband and three cats who adopted her, Homer, Reese, and Earl Gray – Reese’s best friend.
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