Review: Sex, Celibacy, & Priesthood

Synopsis:

The traditional Catholic Church views true celibacy as a gift from God. But today’s reality paints a much different picture. In “Sex, Celibacy, and Priesthood, ” the Most Rev. Lou A. Bordisso reviews the research on sexual activity and celibacy among Catholic priests. Featuring heart-wrenching, anonymous, and candid self-disclosures about the sexual behaviors of heterosexual, gay, and bisexual priests, Bordisso explores the meaning of celibacy in accordance with Roman Catholic Church teachings, doctrine, and canon law. “Sex, Celibacy, and Priesthood” provides an honest and frank study of current perspectives on celibacy in light of priestly sexual behaviors. It allows for Roman Catholic priests to speak out in their own voices about their struggles and the conflicts they experience between celibacy and their sexual activities. At a time when most are disgusted with the sexual scandal cover-ups, smokescreens, and veil of secrecy provided by many Roman Catholic bishops and their apologists, “Sex, Celibacy, and Priesthood” tells the truth and encourages us to think imaginatively and compassionately about an issue of crucial importance to the Roman Catholic Church at this moment in history. 

Rating: 4.5-stars

Review:

Sex, Celibacy, & Priesthood by Lou A. Bordisso, OSJV is a great book, if readers are wanting to know about the priests and their lives of celibacy as well as their struggles in living their vows. The writer allows readers to explore several priests ranging from heterosexuals to LGBTs. Each priest in each of these sexual categories gives their voice on this matter. I was expecting more of what we can do to prevent the Catholic priests from breaking their celibacy vows versus hearing how it’s unrealistic for priests to deny their sexual orientation and to keep up their vows. This is an ongoing and important issue that means a lot to those who are Catholic. I think there should be solutions to the issue or else priests shouldn’t become a priest, if it’s too much of a struggling seeing as they are human just like the rest of us. 

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Review: Almost Human

Synopsis:

Almost Human is a thriller where creatures with the enormous strength and power of a chimpanzee and the intelligence and size of a human are sought out and discovered in a remote compound in equatorial Africa. The special bond between trainers and their animals is central to the story. Drs. Ken Turner and Fred Savage follow rumors of chimp-human hybrids. The scientists want to study the hybrids, but government operatives want to exploit them. The resulting conflicts threaten Turner and Savage’s research and their lives, as well as the lives of many others. Can they stop the murderous onslaught in time?

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Almost Human by Kenneth L. Decroo is a fascinating thriller. The entire plot hangs onto the theme of: what happens when the line between ape and man is blurred? That question lingers in my mind long after this read. I keep thinking what if…and what will happen if that were indeed a reality. We are already hearing about robots taking over humans in the workforce…what is to say that scientists won’t go so far as to blur the lines between ape and man. 

Almost Human is exciting and terrifying at the same time. The impossible comes possible. Scientists working on experiments that no one really wants to know about…and soon, it will hit the papers. Secrets will come out…and the fear of the unknown will conquer those involved. The plot takes readers to Africa were these experiments occur. Ape-human hybrids…danger is just lurking on every page. The intensity of this wild situation will send readers with nightmares and chills as they explore what happens when the lines become blurred. Kenneth L. Decroo is a talented writer. I was awed and chilled by what his words showed. Interesting scenarios. The characters were brilliant. Both the good and the bad made it believably real. Overall, I recommend Almost Human to readers worldwide. 

Review: Dark Matter

 

Synopsis:

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits.

Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.”

In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human—a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we’ll go to claim the lives we dream of.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is absolutely stunning. There is a combination of genres that make up this brilliant novel. A little bit of science fiction, mystery, and mostly all thriller. The story is powerfully written in a way that keeps readers flipping the through the pages. Fast-paced, easy to read, and a read that sucks readers in whole. From the beginning to end readers are lured by the mysterious of what’s about to happen. They know something is about to occur but what and how…keeps them turning the pages in haste to solve the answer. Science, research, abduction and fear. This story sends chills down my back as I progress deeper. An unknown fear takes over as the main character is taken and his fate hanging in the balance. Dark Matter is amazing. The ending is just as satisfying as the beginning. How far do humans fight to get back to where they want to be? To find the answer, readers must open up the novel and read. I loved reading this tale. A fictional world where I lost myself inside the scenes. Well-written and masterfully woven. Bake Crouch knows how to create a piece that readers will never forget. Overall, I highly recommend Dark Matter to readers everywhere.

 

 

Review: The Vatican Protocol

 

Synopsis:

A struggling writer and nearly bankrupt Sean O’Shea is searching for the blockbuster story from which he can create a best seller. The goal is to regain his financial independence and self-esteem. When he learns of a horrific 1936 UFO crash in Germany’s Black Forest, he chases the story to its origin. The discovery of insidious Nazi involvement peaks his interest and when he unearths secret assassinations of previous investigators, he is hooked. As his probe continues, witnesses are murdered and he becomes the target of deadly agents sent by the most powerful man in the Vatican-The Black Pope. The cover-up is greater than he ever imagined. When he discovers that UFO’s, Nazis, Wewelsburg Castle and the Vatican are connected, he has the killer story he envisioned, though it just may kill him to get it published.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

The Vatican Protocol by Brian Gallagher is one highly entertaining novel. It’s one of the few novels that exactly holds every theory on aliens, government, and religion as well as the advance technology. As a Catholic, I enjoyed this thriller like rush, of a plot and the determination of the main character. Readers can easily lose themselves in this complex tale. The danger creates an edge of your seat thrill that readers can’t deny. I was so deep in the story that I read it all within a day.

Vatican Protocol shows a writer looking for an interesting story to write. Low and behold, Sean O’Shea finds just that…but what he didn’t expect was for his story to be more than just an interesting bestseller…it was real. Agents, UFO crash, the Black Forest and Nazis involvement is sure to gain readers’ attention. What started off as a research for a tale turn out to be a whole lot more complicated and deadly. As the writer continues with his research people are being murdered and he becomes the next target. A cover-up that involves the world’s greatest conspiracy stories is found all masterfully woven inside this remarkable read. The question on whether Sean O’Shea lives to tell it is one that readers must dive into themselves to solve. Overall, I loved reading this brilliant thriller, and I highly recommend it to readers everywhere.

An Author’s to Do List

An Author’s to Do List

Here are some basic things every author should have, do, and be doing:

• create a mailing list
• a free book in return for signing up for the mailing list
• an advance readers team to leave reviews prior to book launch
• a great website
• affiliate links to help boost your site & earnings
• Facebook Ads
• have a team of bloggers that you go to for author interviews, Q&A’s, and for guest posts as well as featuring your book on their sites
• know where to send your book to for ratings
• have a close knit of friends that can beta read your book(s)
• create visual ads of your book coming soon, sale discounts of your book, and where it’s available
• create contests where readers can win cool swag stuff from you every so often…readers gravitate towards this!
• Use Goodreads to give away a digital book copy. I also highly recommend, to give away, at least 5 print copies  once in awhile.
• Create a fun environment for readers to  gravitate towards your website and books
• Have an author website on all social media platforms as well as where all books are sold…
• double check the publishing company you want the publishing company that’s seeking to publish your book…this was a major lesson learned on my part and one I won’t ever forget.

Universal Creativity Inc. Services

   Submissions:

We accept submissions for the following: poetry, short stories, flash fiction, novels, creative nonfiction,  column pieces,  book reviews, and author interviews.

All of these submissions are free of charge and must be:

Typed in English.

Times New Roman

12 size font

Double-spaced

First name, last name

Title

Genre

Word Count

Submissions for editing, critiquing, and proofreading services must follow the above guidelines as well.  Please email all submissions with your query letter to: universalcreativityinc.2014@gmail.com 

Our fees for all editing services are:

• Editing short stories (up to 7,500 words) is $10.00 USD.
• Editing novels (above 7,500 words) is $20.00 USD.
• Proofreading service is $5.00 USD.
• Critiquing service is $10.00 USD.
• Developmental Editing service is $25.00 USD.
• Research service is $10.00 USD.
• Article Writing service is $5.00 USD per article (250-300 words)
• Article Writing service is $10.00 USD per article (500 & above words).

             Contest Submissions:

All contest submission fees are $2.00 USD per submission. All writers are to submit only one piece of writing per category per genre.  Unlike other publishers, we accept every writer’s submission and then judge and critique it based off a 5 star system. We then place writers into 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place categories. Each winner will receive a digital seal to be placed on their published work as well as being featured in our magazine along with their interview. Others writers will receive full feedback on their work. Most publications won’t take the full-time to give writers full feedback on their writing, but here at Universal Creativity Inc., we believe in taking the time and dedication for all of our writers.

Upcoming Contests

 March 1st – Creative Nonfiction Contest; work of any length will be accepted.

April 1st – Mystery & Mayhem Contest; work of any length will be accepted.

May 1st – Poetry Contest; work of any length will be accepted.

June 1st – Historical Fiction Contest; work of any length will be accepted.

July 1st – Thriller Suspense Contest; work of any length will be accepted.

August 1st – Romance Contest; work of any length will be accepted.

September 1st – Paranormal Contest; work of any length will be accepted.

October 1st – YA Contest; work of any length will be accepted.

November 1st – Children’s Fiction Contest; work of any length will be accepted.

December 1st – New Adult Contest; work of any length will be accepted.

All writers will get an email back on the first day of the next month about their submission status. All writers can into more than one contest. Each entry in any one contest will cost a fee of $2.00 USD. All submissions must follow the guidelines above or else will be forfeited from the contest(s).