Welcome to the life of the Golden family. Al Golden, a man. A reformed drug dealer turned entrepreneur and pastor of the largest church in Newark, New Jersey. The Goldens have it all: Looks, fame, fortune, faith and God's favor. Another thing they have that is not so apparent to the untrained eye of the public that praises them, is flaws. Lauded and loved by the residents of the city of Newark they can do no wrong. Or so it seems from the outside looking in. The invisible dome that had surrounded the Golden family for so long begins to crack beneath the weight of unresolved issues and grief at the passing of their beloved Carla Golden, the matriarch. The Goldens shiny exterior begins to tarnish before everyone's very eyes as their past comes back to haunt them and bad habits hidden in the darkness; secrets held behind the closed doors and the velvet rope of the pulpit of the church are brought to light. Will they survive under the weight of the pressure of exposure? In mid fall off of the religious pedestals set so high by the community, do they have the strength to keep their composure? A microcosm for the hypocrisy that lies underneath the covers of American society, the Golden family, a sleeping giant, is about to be exposed. A tale of truth and lies; loss, lust, love, life and grace and humanity; They are left to wonder if their faith has failed them or if they are their own undoing. Can this Golden family survive the impending implosion that is their lives? This is a barrier breaking story about the rise and fall of the kings of the church. A narrative that depicts reality in the raw. It is humanity, heaven, hell and high water for the reader. Not for the faint of heart, it is an adventurous drama that reflects the real lives of the haves and the have nots. Dispelling religious dogma, this deep read serves salvation and nakedness. A must read. This work will change the life of every reader and make you rethink your relationship with yourself, God and others. You are guaranteed to never be the same after ingesting this soul food. I wrote this book to dispel myths about God, salvation, people and life. What influenced the journey to The Doors... were my experiences at various churches over the years. Me being a confused Christian having been trapped by religion. Having been beaten into submitting to man's will, not that of God. Fortunately enough, I was not raised in a religious household. In hindsight, I believe that as a youth, I may have enjoyed too much freedom. Because of such libertarian rearing or lack thereof, depending upon view, worshipping authoritative figures has never been a priority on my list. I have always been rebellious in that aspect. Keeping in mind, I believe in giving respect where it is due, in the same token, I am also a firm believer that God is no respecter of persons not withstanding, there is a time and place for everything. Even Jesus encouraged people to render to Caesar what was his. Give respect and honor where it is indeed due. There is a way to come before kings as God is a God of order. As there is God-ordained authority and leadership where in fact we must submit in many instances, We must bear in mind, dominion and authority are not given exclusively to "men" as in the sex, per se. Often times where we see "man" or "men" in biblical text, it means the whole of humanity. Not just males. Not just leadership. We all have something to bring to the table. As equally, we are all very flawed creatures who ourselves need to submit to the leadership of God's Holy Spirit.
About the Author: Sonya S. Shuman was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey into a working class family who had migrated from the southern region of the United States. Newark was a rough city to grow up in. Yet, she used the hardships and adversities to strengthen herself and so, they molded her into the woman she has become. Looking up to a grandmother whose strength, spirituality and resolve she admires. A woman she revered. The astute matriarch who had raised seven children, survived much rejection, including disaster; the death of her youngest and eldest children; in addition to abuse at the hands of an alcoholic husband that has since passed away, and is enjoying a full long life-she knew she could get through any thing. Her grandmother would forever be her hero. Having been raised by a mother who had been abused by her father- a mother who would later become addicted to drugs and had tied herself to another abusive man for many years, she learned to survive amidst chaos. A child of divorce, barely functioning in the dysfunction that was her existence, by way of departure, came the introduction to dreams. Fantasy, writing and reading became her way of eluding all of the chaos. Her hometown, the backdrop. Her environment, her muse. Her faith in God, her wings. Her failures, her feet. Knowing from an early age she had been called to serve, she has chosen to work in health care for most of her adult life. Through pain the writer developed a compassion for people. Through prayer, an ear and a heart for God. Sonya is a non-traditional evangelist in her on right as the Lord has given her license to speak to, as well as see through people's facades; to minister to their hearts by unorthodox means. She writes with the mind and eye of the reader, keeping in mind, how religion has damaged and bound so many over time, herself included. This author's controversial scripts are purposed to free the spirit, renew the mind, promote critical thinking. As a consequence, promote a greater awareness of self, God and others. Every work, is centered in spirituality as much as it is reality. Steeped in truth, peppered with pop culture, laced with salaciousness. Sonya belief is for the death of religion; the birth of righteous, rebellious, realists who know life, people and our relationship(s) with The Lord are not so black and white. This consecrated caveat's novels are positioned to engage debate. Furthermore, shift paradigms in every area of life. Her works dispel myths.