Abyss of Tyranny by Justin Cook Few among us would relish time in prison, but if we found ourselves incarcerated, certainly that moment of freedom, our eventual release, would be a glorious affair, right? “If anyone tells you getting out of prison is easy or joyful, they’re full of it.” This pulls-no-punches outlook permeates Justin Cook’s second […]
A Black Woman’s Journey by Melissa Owens
The birth of a child is a beautiful event, but families tackle parenting in different ways according to their means and abilities. Beginning with our impressionable formative years through the transition to young adulthood, good role models and sound guidance help children thrive. Unfortunately, not every childhood looks quite so idyllic. A Black Woman’s Journey
A DAY IN THE NEXT by Arlaana Black
A collage of vigor, willfulness, conviction, and love. Within seconds of birth, babies take in their first life-giving breath, and this act of breathing remains necessary for survival throughout their lives. Just as humans can’t live without oxygen, a life without hope can feel similarly impossible, suffocating, and directionless. For Arlaana, the idea behind A
I’d Rather Be Dead Than Deaf by E. Adrienne Wilson
A celebration of creativity and life. Over the course of several months, vivacious Adrienne Wilson succumbed to a cancer invading her body. I’d Rather Be Dead Than Deaf: A Young Woman’s Journey With Liver Cancer is a colorful snapshot in time as revealed through enthusiastic journal entries, artwork, poems, and observations. Just a teenager at
The Ocean Inside Me by R.G. Shore
A refreshingly compassionate way of seeing the world. From goat yoga to ASMR, humans have found creative and delightful ways to relax, gain a sense of calm, and find internal harmony. But nothing could prepare R.G. Shore for the level of determination required to find balance and peace while incarcerated for almost a thousand days.
FiNDing Hope by Jocelyn Bystrom
Compelling, insightful, inspiring, and educational. Have you heard of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND)? Maybe, maybe not. But certainly not because sufferers are few in number or unconcerned about their health. Rather, this devastating disorder is often mistaken for another illness, masked by other health problems, or underdiagnosed by practitioners unfamiliar with FND. Jocelyn Bystrom had
Every Other Weekend by Anthony J. Mohr
Magnetic storytelling and innocent charm. Imagine the scene: You’re a young child just home from a typical day of school when you catch a glimpse of a photo lying on the coffee table. To your horror, you realize the image shows your father bloodied and battered, propped against a collapsed wall. Does your heart rate
Infectious Injustice by Justin Cook From a fast-paced, middle-class lifestyle to a lifeless cell in San Quentin, Infectious Injustice is an honest story about a man whose sins finally catch up to him. Except, that isn’t even close to the whole story. Without much memory of the precipitating events, an arrogant, angry, and drunk Justin Cook
Apropos of Running by Charles Moore
An energetic memoir that will motivate, educate, and help you find your own inspiration. Charles Moore might just be the most driven person you’ve never met. A willing transplant to New York City, this Detroit-born Black man has been competitive from as far back as his memories stretch. “A passion to compete and win burned
You Promised to Do No Harm by Jonnie Ramsey Brown
Eloquent and effusive, telling a tale of love that is powerful enough to soften the hardest of hearts. Jonnie Ramsey Brown shares an impassioned account that will touch readers on every conceivable level in her shattering memoir, You Promised to Do No Harm. The title stems from the failure of a Florida medical team to
Boy Wander by Jobert E. Abueva
A story not just about surviving under the weight of expectations, but about embracing ourselves. Everyone longs to be understood and wants to find their voice, but these things don’t always come easily. That’s especially true for Jobert E. Abueva in his unguarded memoir, Boy Wander. From Manila in the very early 1970s to Michigan
Nuns with Shotguns by P. H. Mountain
Nuns with Shotguns is a humorous memoir set in the early nineties, at a time when Paul Mountain is determined to finish his novel and nothing is going to stop him. Well, a few things might get in the way. A dalliance here, a bender there. Plus the daily grind in Eldora, Colorado, which is
Our Stories by Rae Scott and Amber Allen
You’ll want to share these outrageous true stories with everyone you can. “There is no black and white, there is only gray. Everyone has a story and it’s up to us to find the truth in the gray area.” That is exactly the challenge Rae Scott and Amber Allen tackle in Our Stories: Tales From
On to Plan C by Jeremiah A. Gilbert
Remember when most of the planet was shut down? When we weren’t allowed to travel, a prohibition that was triggered by a microscopic virus? People spent hours lamenting canceled plans, rescheduling flights and hotels, re-rescheduling those arrangements, and then, with nothing left to do but wait for COVID to release its arresting hold, forcing our
There is No Shrimp… And Other Lies My Mother Told Me by Kenny Loui
Humor, drama, and fantasy in an expressive manga world. Children are born with an innate curiosity. Why is the sky blue? What is a cloud made of? Parents can usually cobble together an answer with a reasonable level of accuracy and sensibility. But sometimes the questions get trickier to answer when parents are put on
Life Lessons from a UFO Catcher by Kenny Loui
Will touch the heart and capture the imagination. If you like comics with heart, ones that offer a fun, retro feel, this book was written for you! Throwing off subtle Star Wars vibes, Kenny Loui’s autobiographical manga journey begins where all epic journeys begin, with a sobering self-examination and a worthy goal too noble for
Echoes in the Stars by Gordon Frisbie
D.O.G. Three little letters that mean so much to the enamored human companions that care for them. Gordon Frisbie is introduced to his three-lettered companion at a moment when he wasn’t particularly looking for a pet. “She was built like a miniature racehorse. Like a vessel designed to contain a strong spirit. Simply beautiful. I
Lost in Beirut by Ashe and Magdalena Stevens
An extravagant affair filled with striking contrasts, triumphs of spirit, and poignant awakenings. Through a blinding string of daunting experiences and enlightening interactions in Lost in Beirut: A True Story Of Love, Loss and War by Ashe and Magdalena Stevens, readers are treated to a wild ride that has a profound message and a humanizing
Pray For Them by Trisha Fenimore
An absolutely brilliant perspective piece. If somebody accused you of racism, how might you respond? Would you defend yourself, citing inclusive lawn signs and a diverse voting record? At the very least, you could state with certainty that you’ve never been involved in a hate crime nor joined any racist group, right? Maybe, but is
Born Into Crisis by Kenneth Nixon
Will serve as a boon to any suffering the vicious pains of mental illness. Crisis can be defined in a number of ways. An unstable situation. An emergency. A stressful point in life. A decisive moment. All of these graphic definitions only scratch the surface of the choices and moments forming the foundation of Born
Midpoint: A Memoir by Patricia Angeles
An excellent example of what perseverance looks like in the real world. One reason people love memoirs is because they provide an opportunity to walk in the shoes of another, without getting our literal shoes dirty. We can read about the greatest inventors of our time, peek behind the scenes at the lifestyles of the
Life Travel And The People In Between by Mike Nixon
Soulful, heartfelt, and one of the most memorable books you’ll read this year. From humble beginnings in a poor part of Missouri to sharing a meal with Mongolian nomads, Life Travel And The People In Between: A Memoir by Mike Nixon is a globetrotting adventure that is sure to stoke the flames of wanderlust in
Knowing When To Leave: A Memoir by David Hughes
Offers every piece of his authentic self in a display that garners respect and admiration. Though modern opinions and viewpoints are shifting, being gay in a world that feels different from you has never been easy. And growing up as a gay child in the 1950s and 1960s was a much different experience than it
The Reader’s Companion to the World of Jane Austen by Joe Giampaolo
The closest you’ll get to sharing tea and scones with the famed novelist. Are you guilty of naming a beloved pet Mr. Darcy? Were you disappointed to discover that Austenland isn’t a real resort? When you dream, do you see yourself in elegant but stifling formalwear that requires assistance to put on? If so, Joe





























