Writing That’s Mostly Thoughtful (and Occasionally Decent)

Reflections and stories about alignment, resilience, and the messy beauty of being human.

The river doesn’t forget…

Officer Andrew Foster has seen his share of troubled souls, but when a young college student goes missing in Harper’s Crossing, something about this case gnaws at him. The town’s quiet, its secrets buried beneath layers of time and mist—but Andrew can’t shake the feeling that the river knows more than it lets on.

Haunted by the death of his brother, Andrew struggles with the weight of his own regrets. As he delves deeper into Daniel’s disappearance, the search becomes less about finding the missing boy and more about confronting the parts of himself he’s tried to bury. The river, cold and unyielding, mirrors his search for redemption—a force that both beckons and warns.

In The Search Party, a gripping mystery unfolds alongside an emotional journey into guilt, obsession, and the shadowy depths of the past.

5.0 out of 5 stars 

Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2025

I loved, loved, LOVED this book! The descriptive words helped my ADHD mind build a perfect picture of what was happening as I was reading! I also felt like each chapter ended in the perfect way that left me wanting more and I simply couldn’t put this book down! I read it in two days and that’s only because life got in the way. I absolutely could have finished this in one sitting!

5.0 out of 5 stars 

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2025

This book pulled me in from page 1. I believe at some point in our lives we’ve all been Andrew - endlessly searching. Bravo, Kirk!

Soul Audit: A Not-So-Perfect, Broadly Spiritual (Or Not) Guide to Aligning Your Life is a funny, honest, and deeply human exploration of what it means to live in alignment with your soul—even when life is messy, imperfect, and not at all what you expected.

Blending storytelling, therapeutic insight, and humor, licensed therapist and writer Kirk Sheppard invites readers to stop chasing perfection and start paying attention to the real signs of growth: less hiding, fewer emotional spirals, and more moments of quiet joy. With warmth and irreverence, he walks alongside readers through the messy middle of adulthood, offering reflections on identity, shame, grief, time, spirituality, friendship, the body, and work.

Through relatable client stories (fictionalized for confidentiality), personal anecdotes, and practical soul audit exercises, Sheppard shows that alignment isn’t about becoming a polished, idealized version of yourself—it’s about building a life that feels like your own. One honest choice at a time.

Written for anyone who has ever felt out of step with their own life, Soul Audit is an invitation to get curious about where you’re living out of alignment—and to start making small, realigned choices without judgment or perfectionism. It's not a manual for self-optimization. It’s a reminder that authenticity matters more than image, and that living well is less about being impressive and more about being present.

Whether you’re wrestling with anger, rebuilding your relationship with your body, grieving what could have been, or rediscovering joy in unexpected places, this book offers a compassionate, funny, and practical guide to coming home to yourself—probably.

For fans of Brené Brown, Glennon Doyle, and Mel Robbins and anyone who prefers their self-help with a side of humor, Soul Audit is a new kind of roadmap: imperfect, practical, and fiercely kind.

What happens when everything you thought you knew about God, the Bible, and yourself no longer feels true?

For Kirk Sheppard, the answers didn’t come easily. Raised in a conservative Christian community, Kirk spent years living by a script of rigid doctrines and certainties. But as he began to confront his own identity and the inconsistencies in his faith, the walls of certainty began to fall.

In Jesus & Me, Kirk shares his journey of unraveling and rebuilding—from challenging dogmas to embracing his authentic self. Through moments of humor, heartbreak, and profound revelation, Kirk’s story offers a raw and relatable account of what it means to find grace in the mess of faith and identity.

This memoir goes beyond personal storytelling, inviting readers to reflect on their own journeys of faith and authenticity. Kirk poses questions that resonate with anyone navigating the tension between belief and doubt: Where do you feel out of alignment with your faith or identity? How do you find peace when answers seem elusive?

With empathy and insight, Jesus & Me serves as a guide for those seeking to reconcile who they are with what they believe. Whether you are questioning rigid doctrines, redefining your relationship with faith, or learning to embrace the beauty of life’s gray areas, Kirk’s story will inspire you to live with courage, curiosity, and grace.

5.0 out of 5 stars  - The growth of true Faith and Compassion

Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2025

The author and I both grew up in rural Ohio, and although my upbringing was far more liberal than his, I do have an understanding of just how conservative it can be. Sheppard writes with great sensitivity and honesty about his spiritual journey and how it was shaped and influenced not only by his conservative upbringing, but also by his growing awareness of his own sexuality and by the things he learned from both his clients and his colleagues in the field of counseling. I would recommend this book to anyone who has struggled to reconcile their faith with a growing sense of compassion for themselves and those who may be "different" from the "norm," whatever that is. This book is also a good guide for anyone who wants to ask themselves some good, thought-provoking questions not only about faith but also about society and our place in it. The chapters are well laid-out, short and informative. At the end of every chapter are a series of questions for self-reflection. I was particularly moved by the author's personal experiences with the deaths of those very close to him, his father, when he was six years old, and his sister, after he became an adult. Yes, this is a self-help book, but it is a good one, and I highly recommend it.