Category Archives: Books

“Author offers two Catholic takes on recovery” : The Catholic Sun of the Diocese of Phoenix reviews my two books

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The The Catholic Sun, newspaper of the Diocese of Phoenix, AZ has written 2 reviews of my books, The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics and The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts.

Robert Curtis is the reviewer. According to the Sun’s bio of him, he is “a life-professed Lay Dominican, is the author of 17 books, holds a master’s in creative writing, teaches composition at the University of Phoenix and creative writing at Rio Salado College.”

One of my favorite passages: “Sofranko, a recovering alcoholic himself, has added one more element to the whole scheme of fighting addiction — hope. While many or even most self-help books suggest that we are the only ones capable of fixing our brokenness simply by reading the book, Sofranko elevates the place of prayer in the healing process and reminds readers of the necessity of relying on God for the grace to overcome our addictions.”

More good stuff can be found at the review, right here: Author offers two Catholic takes on recovery

(Via The Catholic Sun.)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts on Kindle and in print on CreateSpace

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My new book: The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts is now available through Amazon for their Kindle device and reader apps.

Amazon.com: The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts at the Kindle Store.

If you would prefer a print edition, Amazon’s CreateSpace offers it here: The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts on CreateSpace.

The book helps people to reflect on their recovery and relationships with others, and ultimately with Jesus Himself. Whether people are still struggling with their addictions, or have been clean and sober for a few weeks, months, or years, the reflections will lead them to meditate on the spiritual growth they have achieved so far.

It takes a time-honored prayer and brings it into a useful format for people to pause and reflect on their recovery, their relationships with others, and ultimately with Jesus Himself. Whether people are still struggling with their addictions, or have been clean and sober for a few weeks or months, or many years, the reflections for each Mystery of the Rosary will help them meditate on the spiritual growth they have achieved so far. Over the years, their thoughts on each meditation may change, depending on “where they’re at” in their recovery journey.

It is also available through Smashwords, for a variety of ebook formats. If you can’t wait for it to be available through Barnes & Noble for the Nook or Apple for you iPad and other iThingies, try Smashwords!

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

New eBook: The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts

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A new ebook I have written for Catholics and other Christians suffering from alcoholism and addiction is out:

The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts. The book helps people to reflect on their recovery and relationships with others, and ultimately with Jesus Himself. Whether people are still struggling with their addictions, or have been clean and sober for a few weeks, months, or years, the reflections will lead them to meditate on the spiritual growth they have achieved so far.

So far, it is available only through Smashwords, but print editions from CreateSpace and Amazon will be out perhaps this week, as well as an ebook version for Kindle.

The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts takes a time-honored prayer and brings it into a useful format for people to pause and reflect on their recovery, their relationships with others, and ultimately with Jesus Himself. Whether people are still struggling with their addictions, or have been clean and sober for a few weeks or months, or many years, the reflections for each Mystery of the Rosary will help them meditate on the spiritual growth they have achieved so far. Over the years, their thoughts on each meditation may change, depending on “where they’re at” in their recovery journey.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics AVAILABILITY UPDATE

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Amazon.com just picked up CreateSpace’s print edition of “The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics”, and now the book is available pretty much anywhere you can buy an ebook, and also now from two sources in a print edition:

The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics is now available for purchase through a variety on online sources, both in print, and in ebook versions.

You may buy the book in print either of these places:

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics on Amazon.com

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics on CreateSpace

For those who like ebooks, you can obtain the book via the following ways, for virtually any ebook reader:

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics for Amazon Kindle.

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics on Apple iTunes.

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics on the Barnes and Noble Nook.

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics on Kobobooks

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics on Diesel eBooks.

Stations of the Cross on Smashwords.

On Smashwords, the book is available in virtually any ebook format around. See the Smashwords site for particular formats.

If you don’t own a Kindle, you can download a free Kindle Reading app here:

Free Kindle Reading Apps.

If you don’t own a Nook reader, you can download a free Nook reading app here:

Free NOOK Reading App from Barnes & Noble.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics now available IN PRINT EDiTION

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As of today, my new ebook Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics is now available IN PRINT edition for those who either cannot use the ebook version, or who prefer books in the traditional paper format.

Please click on the link in the first paragraph, and that will take you to the CreateSpace eStore.

The book should also be available in the Amazon.com store within a week or so.

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics for Kindle is also available through Amazon at their Kindle Store at the link in this sentence.

As before, it can still be purchased through the publisher’s site: Smashwords.

It is also available through Apple’s
iTunes store for the iPad and also through BARNES & NOBLE for their “NOOK” reader and app.

Two additional ebookstores are:

Kobobooks and Diesel eBooks.

Also be kindly aware: we are now in the season of Lent, and it makes a great gift: Lent and a gift opportunity!!!

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics now on Amazon through the Kindle Store

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Just an update that my new ebook, the Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics is NOW AVAILABLE through Amazon at their Kindle Store!

Just follow that link in the first sentence and you can purchase the book for your Kindle device or Kindle app for the Mac or PC.

It is still available for purchase through other venues, and if you go to this link: Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics is now available in lots of ebookstores you can see the list of online store (Barnes & Noble for the Nook, Apple iTunes for the iPad, iPhone and whatever other iThingie they have, as well as other fine online book distributors.) I will probably update that blogpost to reflect this new development!

Perhaps coincidental, but this book has become available on Amazon (the biggest online bookseller) just in time for Lent! As I have suggested before, although Lent is not associated with giving gifts, this would make a fine gift for yourself, or some other alcoholic or addict that you know.

To all those who have already purchase the book, THANK YOU! I appreciate every one of you.

The book should also be available in a PRINT EDITION, perhaps by later this week. There will be another announcement when that happens.

I would like to take the time and offer my gratitude to my wife and photographer, Rose. She was invaluable in figuring out the whole file conversion and uploading thing. She took care of the technical end. If it was up to me, well, let’s just say that despite nearly 10 years of sobriety, patience is still sometimes elusive. 😉

Rose is a creator of beautiful things. She takes pictures and runs some online shops to sell her graphic designs. Her photography can be found here: ARTIST4GOD: Rose Santuci-Sofranko. Her shops, where she markets her photography and graphic designs can be found here: Artist4God: Zazzle.com Store and Rose Santuci-Sofranko – Fine Art.

Visit her sites and see what is available!

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics is now available in lots of ebookstores

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Just a public announcement that my ebook: Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics – a new ebook by ME!! is now available for purchase (at only $2.99!) through a variety on online sources.

As before, it can still be purchased through the publisher’s site: Smashwords.

It is also newly available through Apple’s
iTunes store, and also through BARNES & NOBLE as a “NOOK Book”.

Two additional ebookstores are:

Kobobooks and Diesel eBooks.

It should be available on Amazon at some point.

Also be kindly aware: Lent is coming up and it makes a great gift: Lent and a gift opportunity!!!

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lent and a gift opportunity

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Lent will be here in just over one month (Ash Wednesday is February 22nd, I think) and although it is not normally associated as a season of giving gifts, there is a gift that might be of interest to a person in recovery in your life (or yourself).

As many know, I published a little devotional booklet entitled “The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics”, it is available online for a $2.99 download through Smashwords.com.

Here is the direct link:

Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics

Thank you in advance! I appreciate every reader.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Just one more

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Today’s meditation in “Walk in Dry Places” by Hazelden mentions the diminishing returns of having “just one more drink.” As if having “one more” could bring the comfort and solace that is missing, it merely hastens our descent into deeper addiction. It is a false promise, an illusory note that we can be satisfied by a physical thing or act for what is essentially a spiritual problem.

As Catholics, we have access to a wealth of spiritual aids that we can dive into, and fill our soul. Mass and the Sacraments, but also devotional practices such as the Rosary. The Rosary, when said slowly and prayerfully, meditation on the Scripture-based Mysteries, can do wonders for filling that “hole in the soul”, which never seems to be satisfied by just another drink.

Reading Sacred Scripture is the ultimate devotional tool at our disposal. Reading the Word of God and dwelling upon the words and meanings is excellent for that satisfying spiritual hunger.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Recovery Daily Meditations

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For 2012 I started re-reading some 12 Step daily devotionals, namely AA’s “Daily Reflections” and Hazelden’s “Walk in Dry Places”. The latter is designed mainly for people with more than a year or two of sobriety. The former is excellent for the newly recovering, or anyone who wants a “refresher.”

Although not a recovery book, per se, I also started again (not sure if I’ll continue) “Daily Affirmations for Forgiving and Moving On.” by Tian Dayton, Ph. D. It is basically about what the title suggests, getting over resentments and hurts. Whether you have hurt others or not is beside the point, chances are that if you are recovering from alcoholism and other addictions, you have been whacked upside the head by other people’s actions towards you. Real or imagined, we all have been deeply hurt by others. It is a good daily read to help get over hurts. It would seem to me that in doing so, one could also address the hurts YOU have caused.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)