Follow Us On
Call Us Today
312.479.2378
Our Published Works
See You In Court by Jeff Hicken
"Breaking Up is Hard to Do," the song goes. It's easy for some. They do it by text, or they sit down at the kitchen table and draw a line down the middle of the page. His and hers. We lawyers call that "splittin' up the silverware."
But for many, the process is traumatic. Spend a day in divorce court and you'll see where dreams die, sometimes more than dreams.
Meet the parents who force their disabled son to testify in their own divorce, the tipsy judge who presides over drunk driving cases, the social worker who engineers a termination of parental rights case so her sister can steal a child, the caring grandparents who seek custody of their wayward daughter's children, until their own conduct comes under scrutiny, the funeral director whose scheme to sell fake coffins emerges at his divorce trial. These and more stories span forty-five years of courtroom experience.
To get your copy of Jeff Hicken's wonderful "See You in Court," make a motion this way!
"Invading Nirvana – a Chicagoan in the City of Angels” by Kevin Theis
Fort Raphael Publishing’s own Kevin Theis, co-author of the cult classic “Confessions of a Transylvanian: a Story of Sex, Drugs and Rocky Horror,” presents: “Invading Nirvana: a Chicagoan in the City of Angels” the story of one actor’s quixotic odyssey into the heart of the entertainment industry: Hollywood, California.
From the early preparations for his trip to La La Land to his search for representation, his encounters with the famous (and soon-to-be famous) as well as his deep-dive exploration of this unique and fascinating city, “Invading Nirvana” is a must-read for anyone considering moving to L.A. to pursue a dream of breaking into show business.
The author is both candid and unsparing in his description of the industry, the city of Los Angeles and the challenges of being a performer in Hollywood looking for work. Casting agents, pay-to-meet workshops, the comedy club scene, film and TV auditions as well as a peek inside the audiobook world; every aspect of the entertainment industry is thoroughly examined in this hilarious and comprehensive look at life as a professional actor in Hollywood.
To pick up your copy of “Invading Nirvana,” have a walk thisaways.
"A Dangerous Season" - A Sheriff Matt Callahan Mystery by Russell Fee
One of our self-publishing success stories, A DANGEROUS SEASON is the third book in the Sheriff Matt Callahan mystery series by author Russell Fee.
The novel depicts life on Callahan's iced-in Northern Michigan island during a brutal winter. Callahan discovers a lone young girl hiding in the island wilderness. She is unable to speak but agile at surviving on her own in the desperate cold. In the quest to discover the girl's identity, Callahan teams with the Ojibwe tribal police and is drawn to a place where myth and reality merge deep in the Northwoods' most dangerous season.
Self-Published by Mr. Fee's own Outer Island Press, A Dangerous Season is available wherever books are sold. You can purchase your copy here.
"Reflections of Valour" by James Elsener
A new novel from author James Elsener (self-publishing as Ledger Publishing, Inc.), Reflections of Valour is an American story of untested lovers from opposite backgrounds during the tumultuous early days of the Vietnam War.
Brenda Walker attends an exclusive east coast women's college and enjoys the trappings of her wealthy suburban environment. She begins seeing John Briggs, a young man from a modest midwestern working class family who has enlisted in the military.
The Marine Corps owns Briggs' loyalty. When he is called to war, Briggs is torn between a sense of duty and having to leave behind the woman he loves. His departure leaves many unanswered questions about their future.
In Vietnam, Briggs emerges as a leader among the young troops trying to survive combat. The reader experiences the exhilaration, the boredom, the confusion, and the horrors of war. Eventually, the hunter becomes the hunted when Briggs' squad is ambushed. After a fierce firefight Briggs leaves the battlefield alive, but critically wounded. He faces slim odds to recover from wounds and exposure to Agent Orange.
John Briggs' place of honor on "The Wall" is more than a name. Like 57,939 other names, it is a life story. Two decades after they said goodbye, Brenda finally learns why he was drawn to war and what happened to him afterward. Her life is changed forever by knowing him and loving him.
Reflection of Valour is a novel of love, of peace, and of closure.
To pick up a copy for yourself, click here.
"Class Dismissed" by Mike Conklin
Journalist and author Mike Conklin (self-publishing as Write Stuff Publishing) presents a new novel of intrigue, murder and small-town machinations.
Every small, rural community has secrets, some harmless and embarrassing and others dark and ugly. No question what's hung over Harrison, a college town in southern Indiana.
The mysterious death of Marlene Scott, a precocious high school student, has gone unsolved for 50 years. Enter Phillip J. (Flip) Doyle and a course he teaches at Harrison College, a sleepy, staid academic fortress yet to discover the 21st century.
The school's ambitious, new president, Jonathan Casey, wants to change all this with new, barrier-breaking faculty like Flip and their curriculum proposals. First, Flip must tiptoe his way past tenure-obsessed colleagues, an entrenched dean, and arcane department meetings sure cures for insomnia. Through Flip's networking, the students got their work published in the local Hoosier-Record, helping to revive a struggling newspaper faculty considered a joke. And, looking back, it was inevitable the ambitious, young teacher and his merry band of bright students would run head-first into the Marlene Scott case.
Could they solve a 50-year old murder mystery? Did new technology open doors to a solution? Could the killer be found on Google?
Joining Flip and the students in this exercise was a helpful, young woman, Maria, an outsider who opened their eyes to a world under their noses. Little did they know her own story was as compelling as the one they chased.
For your copy of Class Dismissed, click here.
"Inspired Manifesting: Elevate Your Energy & Ignite Your Dreams Through the Akashic Records" by Dr. Linda Howe
Dr. Linda Howe has helped tens of thousands all over the world learn to use the Akashic Records, bringing this ancient knowledge to a new generation of seekers. Here, self-publishing as Energy Integrity Publishing, Dr. Howe presents "Inspired Manifesting through the Akashic Records: Elevate Your Energy and Ignite Your Dreams," a compendium, formulated over her 25+ years of practice with students all over the world. Here she provides lessons, practices, exercises and reflections to help readers take a big breath, let go of what's holding them back, and feel empowered to take bigger, bolder steps into the future.
Ours is a kind and compassionate world that cares and wants to co-create with you to enrich your life so you feel fulfilled and can serve your greater purpose in the world. Here is a brand new paradigm, a new way of living in the world starting today: as you are, right here, right now, with what you have.
Dr. Howe is championing an entire transformation of your relationship with Life so you can enjoy exceptional, extraordinary relationships and feel empowered to live in the sweet spot where your perfectly divine essence meets your imperfect humanity. It is possible to enjoy heaven on earth-to encounter, experience and express our divine light and unconditional love through our ordinary human selves.
THIS is Inspired Manifesting.
"Under the L: A Chronicle of Growing up in the Near North Side of Chicago in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s" by Charles J. Martinez
Charles J. Martinez (self-publishing as Delta Publishing Company) has created "Under the L: Growing Up In The Near North Side Of Chicago," an oral history, turned into a chronicle, obtained by personal interviews with childhood friends.
As Dr. Martinez puts it: "This book is not a scientific social document. It is not a confession, nor does it try to achieve catharsis. This book was written out of awe. I hold my childhood in awe. Awe that so much of the human condition can flow from such meager beginnings. I have been in touch with all those I interviewed and many others from the old neighborhood for many years, and when we get together at parties, weddings and funerals, one comment that runs through our conversations is, 'How did we survive?'
"Behind this question is the realization that some did not survive; many brothers and friends fell by the wayside from drugs and crime."
Mastering Senior Life: Thriving and Surviving
Are you or someone you care about dealing with the new challenges in life that the senior years present? In Mastering Senior Life, you will find practical, easily understood advice from someone who has dealt with both thriving and surviving. Ms Porter is an active and involved senior who shares tips about how senior life can open new, exciting doors. They range from ways to unlock your creativity to how to save money on travel. How can you get the best deal on a car rental? What are you going to do with your extra time when you retire? How can you be in movies? What forms should you fill out to protect your family, medically, financially, and emotionally?
Of course, almost everyone eventually will deal with health issues, and Ms. Porter experienced so many aspects of medical challenges throughout her late husband's many illnesses. After learning so much through hard personal experience, she wrote this self-help book partly because she wished she'd had a guide to help her navigate so many unknowns, and she wanted to help others.
Varnished Truth - From Chicago to Hammond: Memoir of a Pneumacrat
"VARNISHED TRUTH" is a memoir of R.J. Nelson's eleven years (1994-2005) as CEO of the Hammond, Indiana Port Authority. Fired without cause from the Chicago Park District as Superintendent of Special Services (all on the lakefront) when Richard M. Daley took office as mayor, he was hired by the HPA, whose main business was a 1300 slip marina about to go bankrupt. He was the fourth CEO in its first three years, all three being fired for mismanagement. The arrival of casino gambling on HPA property changed the HPA and industrial city of Hammond forever. The book contains unusual stories of waterfront deaths and suicides and other tales filled with waterfront characters, one of whom was a yacht captain and master varnisher, who believed and regularly argued, "There is no such thing as the unvarnished truth."
Quick Links:
Contact Info:
Phone: 312.479.2378
Email: info@fortraphael.com
Vnmo, Zelle, SquareCash