THE ACCIDENTAL PILGRIM, by Stephen Kitsakos, is a riveting read that spans geographical distance even as it explores the tension between science and altered states, visible evidence and crucial pieces unavailable to the naked eye. Marine biologist Rose Strongin’s decision to join an archeological excavation in Israel sets events in motion that will test the fabric of her life and those close to her. With consummate skill, Kitsakos threads a labyrinth of questions to find the answer at its center. What is revealed will take your breath away. In the end, THE ACCIDENTAL PILGRIM embraces the greatest mystery of all: what connects us to our ancestors, ourselves and each other.
Paul Pines, author of The Tin Angel (William Morrow) and My Brother’s Madness (Curbstone Press).
THE ACCIDENTAL PILGRIM weaves together a compelling story of a pragmatic scientist --steeped in 21st century rationality -- who must confront an irrational situation that confounds everything she believes in. Told through a series of time-distorting flashbacks, Stephen Kitsakos’s novel starts by building a comfortable and familiar world, then quite by surprise reality changes. From that point onward it is impossible to put the book down. At times sad, at times eerie, it’s a haunting tale of love, death, and spiritual immortality.
John Feldman, writer/director EVO: Ten Questions Everyone Should Ask about Evolution Hummingbird Films.
An intriguing family drama with an otherworldly twist.
Laurence Carr, author of Pancake Hollow Primer (Codhill Press) (Next Generation Indie Book Award Winner)
A beautifully written page turner that reveals the strength of family relationships against the backdrop of a mysterious archaeological discovery in the Holy Land.
Sharon Boorstin, author of Let Us Eat Cake: Adventures in Food & Friendship (Harper-Collins)
“A story so easy to be drawn into, to want to know what happens next, to enjoy the hints, and finally to be let in on the secret.”
Carole Ford grew up in Brooklyn; her most recent book, After the Girls Club (Lexington Books) takes place the same time that this tale begins.
"A can't-put-it-down mystery of the heart, the soul, and lives--past, present, and future--lived at the intersection of religion, science, and a deep connection to the atavistic mysteries of our origins. As we traverse alongside protagonist Rose Strongin's journey, we cannot help but ponder, as she does, the route we all take toward self-discovery, compassion, and love for family through secrets revealed in the end. However, THE ACCIDENTAL PILGRIM leaves us questioning: is there really ever a true end?"
Linda Rader Overman, author of Letters Between Us (Plain View Press) (Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist)
PRESS RELEASE
ASD ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF “THE ACCIDENTAL PILGRIM” – A LITERARY NOVEL EXPLORING SCIENCE, RELIGION, AND FAMILY
HAWTHORNE, NEW JERSEY – January 26, 2015 ASD Publishing is proud to announce the release of Stephen Kitsakos's debut novel, "The Accidental Pilgrim" (ISBN: 9780996102919, Release date March 3, 2015). Crossing several decades, this novel explores the intersection of science, religion, and the unexplainable.
In the summer of 1974, Dr. Rose Strongin, a marine biologist, disappears for three hours on the last day of an archaeological dig at the Sea of Galilee. She has no memory of the disappearance, but it causes her to miss her flight home to Canada. That plane, TWA 841, explodes over the Mediterranean killing all aboard. Twelve years later a discovery is made, and she begins to put the missing pieces together. But it is not until after her death, when her family gathers to say goodbye that her secrets start to make themselves known.
Kitsakos is a theatre writer and journalist as well as the author of three opera librettos. His current project is the opera adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's international bestseller "A Thousand Splendid Suns" all with music by Sheila Silver. Other librettos include the Sackler Prize award-winning "The Wooden Sword” and "The White Rooster: A Tale of Compassion" for the Smithsonian Institution. His work often explores the connection between religion and art. He divides his time between Key West and New York.
"I've known Stephen as a writer, composer and journalist for years," says ASD Managing Editor Greg Goldston. "When I read the first manuscript of his debut novel, I was blown away by the amount of historical research he had weaved into this captivating fictional story. After months of working back and forth on this very layered story, ASD is thrilled to be able to share it with the world."
Author Sharon Boorstin calls it, “A beautifully written page turner that reveals the strength of family relationships against the backdrop of a mysterious archaeological discovery in the Holy Land.” Author Paul Pines adds, “A riveting read that spans geographical distance even as it explores the tension between science and altered states...Kitsakos threads a labyrinth of questions and embraces the greatest mystery of all: what connects us to our ancestors, ourselves and each other.”
“My work in theatre and opera introduced me to a number of sacred texts in both the Western and Eastern traditions which were important to understand as background material for projects,” says author Kitsakos. “In particular, the sublime poetry of Paramahansa Yogananda and a passage in John’s Gospel brought into focus for me a story I had been percolating for a while. My protagonist, a strong Jewish heroine, took me on one path and then abruptly brought me somewhere else.”
The book will be available in print and eBook from all online retailers as well as indie bookstores across the country. Kitsakos will be hosting book signings and discussions in several states. To keep up with where he will be, please check out his website at www.stephenkitsakos.com
ASD Publishing, a division of ASD Media & Entertainment, is an independent book publisher based in New Jersey, specializes in thought-provoking literary fiction, memoir, self-help nonfiction, and written word that champion personal growth and the independent spirit. www.asdpublishing.com
