He never wanted to talk about it. Then I found his war diary. What my grandfather actually experienced in the final days of World War II became the foundation for In the Ashes — but writing it as fiction was the only way I could truly honor what he lived through. Read the story behind the book.
I’ve come to believe that many Middle Americans possess a quiet advantage. Having lived in both rural and urban worlds, they’ve seen more of this country — and more of human nature — than many of their critics assume. They understand that “normal” looks different depending on where you stand, and they’re not ashamed of it. I call these people averagists — individuals who think and act like most of their neighbors but who see opportunities where others see obstacles. They turn disadvantages into advantages through common sense and lived experience. They’re exceptional without believing they’re superior.
In the final 24 hours of World War II, a squad of battle-weary American soldiers accidentally kills an innocent prisoner while clearing a concentration camp. They launch a desperate race against time to find and save the man’s wife before the SS can execute her, while struggling through the collapsing chaos of occupied Germany and confronting the horrors around them and the moral darkness within themselves.
Feeling overwhelmed by screens and short attention spans? Reading printed books can seriously help. Just 6 minutes slashes stress by up to 68%, and regular reading rebuilds your focus. Printed books beat audiobooks for deep concentration and even help restore empathy in our divided world.
A cryptic box from a dead great-uncle. A beautiful best friend. Ancient ciphers, a dark library chase, and men willing to kill to stop them. Jimmy Thevenin’s ordinary life just became a real-life treasure hunt.
The 60 percent of Americans with Revolutionary-era ancestors are not being deliberately erased. They are simply statistically unlikely to have their specific family experiences researched, written, and published by the small number of professionals working within an industry that must prioritize profitability and editorial fashion.
Josh had always been an unimportant man—ordinary, overlooked, quietly accepting his place in the world. Seeking escape, he joined a rugged overnight trek deep into the southern mountains. As the group descended into a shadowed valley, the guide led them toward a roaring creek swollen by morning rain. For the first time in years, Josh felt alive with nervous energy. This night would test everything he thought he knew about himself.
Chris, a weary construction owner from West Virginia, and Brandon, a slick data engineer from Silicon Valley, found themselves trapped inside the quiet bar on Fuller Street with Nicole, the enigmatic bartender. As riots engulfed the city outside, shattering windows and lighting fires, the three strangers took shelter in the back storeroom. What began as awkward small talk soon exposed deep cultural divides—until the violence closed in. In the darkness, masks slipped and true natures emerged. None of them would ever be the same.
When a French tourist stumbles out of a Utah ravine begging for help, Ryan and his group of hikers spring into action. His wife Lina is somewhere at the “bottom.” As Ryan descends deeper into the scorching Canyonlands wilderness, the rescue becomes a desperate fight for survival. But nothing is as it seems in the red rock desert.
Trapped between memory and madness, Henry discovers that some seconds never end, and some guilt cannot be escaped. “Seconds” is a haunting exploration of grief, time, and the fragile boundaries of the mind.
