Historical Fiction
Date Published: April 1, 2026
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
eleven-year-old Jamie steps into the confines of a dark confessional booth.
With promises of confidentiality, Father Nelson uncovers a chilling secret
buried deep within the young boy’s subconscious.
Intrigued by his grave past, Father Nelson brings him into the church as an
altar boy under the mentorship of Harry, an older acolyte. The priest quickly
gains control over Jamie, using the boy’s complicated history and his
own undisputed authority to initiate a dark turn in their relationship. Jamie
falls deeper into the world of religion, and his blooming friendship with
Harry becomes a needed distraction from the somber realities of the church.
Shaped by major cultural events, from the Manson murders to the moon landing,
to Woodstock and the Civil Rights Movement, Jamie’s life unfolds as he
navigates religion, power, and loss of innocence. A haunting coming of age
story, Boy Altared explores a seismic shift into adulthood during one of the
most turbulent decades in history.
 J.S. Pavoggi was born in 1957 and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, the sixth of
eight children in a devout Catholic family. He attended parochial school,
served as an altar boy, and came of age during the turbulence of the Vietnam
War era and the cultural upheaval that followed.
After a 40-year career in public service with the United States Postal
Service—where he also served as a union representative—Pavoggi
experienced a life-altering heart procedure that changed the way he saw the
world. What began as an impulse to write a better streaming series evolved
into a powerful, fictionalized account of survival and healing.
His debut novel, Boy Altared, is a deeply personal work of historical fiction
rooted in memory, silence, and resilience. Pavoggi lives in Arizona with his
wife of 38 years. They have three children and four grandchildren.
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