A Darkness Pierced Heart

The death of Sarah Samuels, who was a wife, a mother, and a friend, brings the Foster-Hughes family back to Mountain Home, Idaho, to support the man she left behind. Taylor Samuels, the aggrieved, must find a way to survive without her. As a medically retired veteran, he struggles to figure out if his wife loved him, why she loved him. His memories of his injuries cloud his judgment.Cable Archer, an EMT and healing mage, finds himself on-site when Mrs. Samuels' body must be collected. He comes across Taylor, and sees what no one else can: he sees the man's aura, and how it reads of despair unlike any other. It could be deadly if not addressed. Cable does what he can, having to earn the approval of Taylor's loved ones, deciding in a moment where his life will go, and ultimately, how his sight and his healing power could be useful to the Foster-Hughes-Samuels family.

Now in ebook, the classic sequel to bestseller This Present Darkness, about another small town in the midst of an unseen supernatural battle for truth. This sequel to This Present Darkness follows the supernatural battle over the small town of Bacon’s Corner, where, once again, armies of angels and demons are at war. Sally Beth Roe is trying to escape her past and struggling to find the truth, while Tom Harris finds himself embroiled in a battle to save a Christian school threatened by outside forces.

March 1820 When James Denis is arrested for murder and lands himself in Newgate, it falls to me to prove his innocence. I have nowhere to start but in a dark street in Seven Dials and the name of the unknown man Denis is supposed to have killed. I soon find myself beleaguered by enemies from Denis’s past, secret societies, and a host of people who want Denis to hang. In addition I receive word from a mysterious young woman I haven't heard from in years who now seeks my help.

The shadow of Bram Stoker’s Dracula looms large over the darkest mystery yet faced by Victorian detective Charles Maddox—as the acclaimed author of The Solitary House and A Fatal Likeness once again pays homage to a literary classic, in a chilling tale of superstition, dangerous science, and shocking secrets. When an Austrian nobleman offers a substantial donation to the University of Oxford, Charles Maddox is called on to investigate the generous benefactor. It is a decidedly mundane task for the increasingly renowned criminal investigator, but Maddox welcomes the chance to trade London’s teeming streets for the comforts of a castle in the Viennese countryside. Comfort, however, is in short supply once Maddox steps onto foreign soil—and into the company of the mysterious Baron Von Reisenberg. A man of impeccable breeding, the Baron is nonetheless the subject of frightened whispers and macabre legends. Though Maddox isn’t one to entertain supernatural beliefs, the dank halls and foreboding shadows of the castle begin to haunt his sleep with nightmares. But in the light of day the veteran detective can find no evidence of the sinister—until a series of disturbing incidents prove him gravely mistaken and thrust him into a harrowing quest to expose whatever evil lurks behind the locked doors of the Baron’s secretive domain. After a terrifying encounter nearly costs him his sanity, Maddox is forced to return home defeated—and still pursued by the horror he’s unearthed. Owing to a string of gruesome murders committed by an elusive predator branded the Vampire, London is on the verge of widespread panic. But there’s little doubt in Maddox’s mind who is responsible. And whether his enemy proves merely mortal—or something more—Maddox must finally end the monstrous affair . . . before more innocent blood is spilled. Praise for The Pierced Heart “Another tour de force with a striking finale from [Lynn] Shepherd, who specializes in turning iconic novels into clever, complicated mysteries for her tormented hero to solve.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Shepherd’s [plots] are darkly serious and feel very real. . . . The idea that Stoker’s novel was somehow inspired by events surrounding the subject of Maddox’s investigation seems tantalizing plausible. Another sterling entry in this imaginative series.”—Booklist “A heart-thumping climax . . . The Pierced Heart is a clever and seductive pastiche of genres [that] builds to an electrifying and stunning dénouement. A stylish and gripping Gothic revival.”—Lancashire Evening Post “Compulsively readable, suspenseful, and dark . . . The book is unsettling in the best way. . . . This is a new tale, with a similar creepy flavor that Dracula lovers will enjoy.”—Historical Novels Review “With wonderfully descriptive passages and stunningly atmospheric prose, Shepherd spins a compelling, intricately plotted story which quite capably stands apart from the novel that inspires it.”—Book Batter (five stars) “Captures some of the best elements of Dracula, while at the same time creating a thrilling and absorbing crime novel.”—The Dracula Society

Heart of Darkness is often considered the world’s best short novel. The book serves as a bridge between the 19th century and modernism, an adventure tale revolving around the ambiguity of themes such as truth, morality, and evil. Joseph Conrad witnessed the European exploitation of the Congo with his own eyes. He once sailed up the Congo River himself to locate a countryman at a trading station deep within the country – even though this man wasn't named Kurtz. The goal and enigma of the journey have become synonymous with this name, one of the most unforgettable fictional characters of our time. JOSEPH CONRAD [1857–1924] was born in Ukraine to Polish parents, went to sea at the age of seventeen, and ended his career as a captain in the English merchant navy. His most famous work is the novella Heart of Darkness [1899], adapted into a film by Francis Ford Coppola in 1979 as Apocalypse Now.

2022 Catholic Media Association second place award in theology: morality, ethics, Christology, Mariology, and redemption For some decades, the work of Carmelite theologian Constance FitzGerald, OCD, has been a well-known secret, not only among students and practitioners of Carmelite spirituality, but also among spiritual directors, spiritual writers, retreatants, vowed religious women and men, and Christian theologians. This collection sets out to introduce the work of Sister Constance to a wider and more diverse audience–women and men who seek to strengthen themselves on the spiritual journey, who yearn to deepen personal or scholarly theological and religious reflection, and who want to make sense of the times in which we live. To this end, this volume curates seven of Sister Constance’s articles with probing and responsive essays written by ten theologians. Contributors include: Susie Paulik Babka Colette Ackerman, OCD Roberto S. Goizueta Margaret R. Pfeil Alex Milkulich Andrew Prevot Laurie Cassidy Maria Teresa Morgan Bryan N. Massingale M. Catherine Hilkert, OP

Over time, the meaning of the word bully needed expanded, and so it was, and so it is inside this book. Some call this a bullying epidemic, and others say a bully is abusive. Plus, abuse is only one attribute of many covered inside these pages. Today, bullying covers everything from projecting hate to the bully drugs. In the end, there are not only similarities and differences before and after the internet and social media, but the outcome remains the same: broken, hurting, and shattered lives./ Here, you will read about bullies, abuse, and the addict who overcame drugs and more. But how? Yet, regarding the severity of any traumatic event or how far back an incident occurred, know that God can help you recover what was lost, broken, or stolen. Being candid, Grace’s memory stream of being bullied led to a collection of authentic events, where the names have been changed to protect the forgiven and preserve the dead. How did she overcome and forgive what happened? Besides, we all sat in church Sunday after Sunday, month after month, year after year, and absolutely nobody discussed it—their silent pain. “Shush! Don’t tell anyone I’m dealing with an addict. My son ... My daughter is using. Or worse.” So one day the same familiar faces now admitted that their children or family members or friends were indeed addicted to opiates and more. Wow! This had hit way too close to home to not talk about the cause, the effect, or the outcome. On the flip side, you may be dealing with a different type of addiction, even food. Or perhaps you have been bullied. Possibly you are in a toxic relationship, or maybe you’ve been raped, molested, victimized by a bully, or body-shammed over your size or what you eat. Still, out of these devastating experiences, read and know: God is a God of healing and restoration.