Six lifelong friends endure a range of trials and tribulations upon entering their sophomore year of high school. Terminal illness, the sinking ship that was once a booming generational family business, and a brush with maniacal killers are only a few examples of such adversity that these young men are faced with. They rely upon one another to conquer each obstacle placed before them; grievances that no adolescent boy should be tasked with. But can their bond and their trust in one another be sufficient to emerge from their respective plights unscathed? And if so, at what cost to their psychological well-being?
Meet NATHAN GARCIA
I began laying the groundwork for what would become “Castalia Boys” on January 1st, 2022. This was my first attempt at writing in a “professional” capacity at the age of twenty-seven, nonetheless. I have two children, with one due in June of ’23. These bundles of joy have inspired as well as annoyed me since the conception of the book. I wouldn’t have it any other way. My fiancée has been a beacon of encouragement and has served as my primary editor throughout this entire process. I am eternally grateful to her. Tomorrow, as well as many tomorrows after, I will be expected to report to my “real” job and reclaim my title as “Electrical Maintenance Technician.” It’s a fine career path; it’s just not as fun as writing. Now, I’ll have to rip out this page of my boss’s copy of the book, should he choose to buy one. Seriously though, getting back into the swing of writing on a consistent basis has been one of the greatest things I could have done for myself. And I’m far from finished.
Eager to break the cycle of bad choices, cravings, and compulsions? Discover the key to leaving any addiction behind and embracing freedom. Struggling to resist your dependency? Are you riddled with guilt about sneaking around trying to hide your habit? Is focusing on getting your next fix destroying your relationships? With over twenty-three years of living a clean and sober life, respected author, licensed minister, and Therapon Institute certified therapist, Anthony Ordille has helped hundreds face down their demons and embrace a reinvigorated identity. Now he’s here to share his easy-to-follow approach to helping you or your loved ones look to a higher power and finally heal. Overcome Addiction by God’s Grace: 12-Steps to Freedom is a heartfelt guide aimed at anyone hungry to escape their destructive rut and reach for transformation. As a recovered addict, Ordille uses compassion, pointed questions and answers, testimonials, and scripture to direct you toward self-forgiveness and a positive outlook. And by following his straightforward exercises, perfect for either solo or group work, you’ll make powerful strides and pave the way to a brilliant future. In Overcome Addiction by God’s Grace: 12-Steps to Freedom, you’ll discover:
– Why the mistakes of your past don’t define you and how you can renew your self-perception
– Ways to get back on track after a relapse that allow for correcting course and soaring to new heights
– How Christ-centric techniques can lighten your load and help you walk in forgiveness
– Practices for ending negative thinking to elevate yourself to a healthy truth
– Advice for bolstering your mindset, direction on letting go of your missteps, and much, much more! Overcome Addiction by God’s Grace: 12-Steps to Freedom is the encouraging resource you need to crush negativity and rocket down the road to recovery, with an additional workbook available. If you like expert counsel drawing on the authority of God, teachings from someone who’s been there, and plain-spoken guidance, then you’ll love Anthony Ordille’s comprehensive and life-changing guidebook. Buy Overcome Addiction by God’s Grace: 12-Steps to Freedom to greet a new dawn today!
Meet Anthony Ordille
We are all affected by addiction, substance abuse, or behavioral outbursts. Some statistics say that roughly one in four persons can be considered an addict, whether it is alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, or anything we cannot live without or stop doing. Overcome Addiction by God’s Grace: 12 Steps to Freedom, along with the workbook, will help you overcome the addiction. This guidebook is filled with directions to point you on the right path so that you, or someone you love, can live a life free from the pain that addiction can cause. Addiction-Free Life (AFL) was developed from the pain and journey the author experienced to help those with addiction find a way to put the addictive behavior behind them. AFL is called to reach out to the hurting, encourage the weak, and extend hope to the lost. To share the truth about the living Word of God and give hope to those struggling with addictions of all kinds. Let them know they can recover with God’s help and live a life of freedom from this crippling disease. Take the journey to freedom and see if this path is not suitable for you. Along the way, you will discover who you are.
Afro-Bougie Blues is a collection of twelve original, engaging, and occasionally edgy short stories that dig into the souls of ordinary black women and men meeting life’s challenges with courage and care. A newlywed considers her past abortion after having a miscarriage. An Army veteran subdues his war memories with alcohol. A woman who loses weight watches her marriage crumble around her. A single father reflects on his pre-teen daughter’s complicated questions about love. A married woman falls in love with a jazz singer. Watch as the protagonists find their way, find love, or find themselves amid the chaos. Explore the world of Afro-Bougie Blues. An extraordinary assortment of stories awaits you. Dig in.
Meet Lauren Wilson
Lauren Wilson has been writing poetry and prose off and on for over 40 years, beginning with a series of poems to commemorate a cousin who passed away at age 19. She finds inspiration for her stories from a muse, an inner voice that propels her to put thoughts and emotions into words. When she isn’t writing, she uses her engineering background to work as a safety consultant, assessing machines and robotics in preparation for sale to European companies. Lauren is married to Howard Wilson; they have one dog, Petey. Lauren and Howard also have five precious nieces who provide much fulfillment and joy. In her spare time, Lauren is working on a labor of love – a 5 story miniature apartment building, filled with African-American art. She has been a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. since 2004.
Ex musician, assembly line worker and alcoholic, John Coleman Sr. is a man with deferred and shattered dreams. Living in a Chicago housing project during the 60’s he is a father raising his eight-member family; four girls, two musical prodigy boys and a mentally unstable wife, in a drug, gang and gun infested environment among households with absent dads. During a competitive time of young musical prodigies, he fights for a pathway out of the projects through his talented sons. On a quest to find a way out, he drags his gifted boys on a whirlwind journey of hope, from talent shows to south side Blues clubs and observes their reputation growing with each performance. But along with the journey to see his boys “get great”, is his ongoing struggle with alcohol, his wife’s neurotic behavior and the fortified barrier of resentment from his jealous daughters all brought on by a family history of mental illness. Not only does John Coleman Sr. have to contend with the inner turmoil of his family, but a family tragedy shakes him to the core and threatens the sanctity of his high-spirited loved ones.
The ‘Great’ Kickin’dog is a Black experience during a turbulent time of civil rights in the 6o’s and free spirits of the 70’s embedded in the cradle of Chicago’s segregation. It is a coming of age saga of passion, perseverance and the courage to rise above; a compelling story of hope and the question of fate.
Meet Kenneth Allen Crutchfield, Sr.
Kenneth Allen Crutchfield, Sr. was born on the south side of Chicago into a family of musicians. During his formative years he worked as a professional drummer in Chicago then traveled globally after finishing high school. He received a Bachelors degree from the University of Southern California and a Masters degree from Queens College (CUNY) in New York City, both in music. He has written several plays, The Great Kickin’ Dog, Balloon on a String and Lorna’s L’Elegant Lounge; two musicals, All God’s Saints Go To Heaven-Not and Bones Brothers Brothel. All were produced in New York City as well as nationally. Ken is also a writer of prose and pens poetry as well. The ‘Great’ Kickin’ Dog’ is his first novel, loosely based on his family.
Where did the chip on the author’s shoulder come from; such that he wants to protect business owners as they exit for retirement? The chip comes all of the way from the rough and tumble streets of Boston to the exclusive offices of private wealth management in Palm Beach.
Callanan takes the reader through his painful rollercoaster’s journey of generational alcoholism, bullying and drug addiction as a youth. The book also includes him finding his faith in God. This faith helped him to deal with a baseball bat accident that took the life of a classmate, a family suicide and more than one business market crash.
The author presents a well-researched argument that Wall Street is operating from a broken 50-year-old model. This broken model will disappoint retirees as they age unless they make risk management a priority in their family portfolios.
This very personal and vulnerable story is told so that the retirement income planning paradigm for business owners is transformed. Callanan wants to educate people how to exit for all they are worth. It’s an insider’s view that although the odds are against the client, something can be done about it. Nothing is left off the table. The People need to know. This is a must read for anyone who wants to make sure they are not getting bullied by their financial institutions into taking less than they deserve.
