Tag Archives: memoir

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | November 20, 2025 · 5:00 am

Book of Me Virtual Book Tour

The Life and Times of Kevin Hipes, the New York Forrest Gump

Memoir

Date Published: July 24, 2025

From the streets of Queens to the deck of an oil tanker in the
Caribbean—meet Kevin Hipes, the real-life New York Forrest Gump.

Book of Me is not your average memoir. It’s a laugh-out-loud,
tear-in-your-eye, one-of-a-kind true story collection from a man who has lived
more lives than most of us can imagine. Factory worker. Hippie. Banker.
Entrepreneur. Rockstar (sort of). Preacher. Politician. Oil tanker owner.
Cancer survivor. Bipolar truth-teller. Kevin Hipes has worn all these
hats—and more.

Told with warmth, humor, and heart, Kevin’s stories come alive in this
unconventional autobiography. Originally recorded as a series of YouTube
episodes on his channel Planet Hipes, these 66 episodes have been transformed
into a compelling, easy-to-read book that invites you to laugh, cry, reflect,
and recognize a bit of yourself along the way.

What you’ll find inside:

✅ Hilarious tales from childhood in Queens

✅ Life lessons learned the hard way—and the funny way

✅ Private struggles and surprising triumphs

✅ A faith-driven journey of self-discovery and humility

✅ A reminder that we’re all “special” in our own unique way

Whether you’re looking for a good laugh, a touch of inspiration, or a wildly
entertaining ride through 70 years of true-life adventures, Book of Me will
leave you smiling, thinking, and maybe even saying, “Hey, I’ve got
a story like that too.”

📺 BONUS: After reading the book, head to Kevin’s YouTube channel Planet
Hipes and experience the stories told by Kevin himself—animated, real,
and unforgettable.

Because life’s not about the destination—it’s about the
journey. And Kevin Hipes has one hell of a story to tell.

EXCERPT

We Used to love Harry‘s press conferences when he was going to build the tallest tower in the world in Newark, New Jersey with a monorail connection to Manhattan. The reporters said, “Mr. Grant how did you decide to make the tower 121 stories?” Harry said, “Because 21 is a lucky number, blackjack!

About the Author

Kevin Hipes is a born storyteller, lifelong entrepreneur, and proud New Yorker
with a personality as big as the adventures he’s lived. Often called
“the New York Forrest Gump,” Kevin’s life has taken him from
the streets of Queens to the pulpit, to business boardrooms, and even to the
deck of his very own oil tanker in the Caribbean. As Kevin often says
“Forrest owned a shrimp boat, but I owned an Oil Tanker and my story is
true!”

With no formal writing background, Kevin still managed to turn a lifetime of
unbelievable experiences into a heartfelt, hilarious, and deeply human
book—Book of Me. Rather than writing in the traditional sense, Kevin
recorded over 100 personal episodes for his YouTube channel, Planet Hipes,
then compiled them into a unique memoir filled with wit, wisdom,determination,
and raw truth.

As an uneducated street kid from Queens, Kevin has lived many lives from
factory worker to Hippie, to rockstar (almost), banker, preacher,
restaurateur, politician and more. He shares not just the ups and downs of a
seven-decade journey but speaks intimately about being a cancer survivor who
also struggled through and dealt with a bipolar disorder, keeping the high
energy manic side while overcoming the devastating depressions that plagued
him through most of his life. You will find Kevin’s faith in God,
unrelenting positive mindset and sense of humor make for a powerful story
boldly told in his own words.

Kevin currently lives in Orlando, Florida, where he owns and runs HCB Real
Estate, a retail commercial brokerage and development firm. Book of Me is his
debut memoir and a testament to the power of authenticity, faith, and
self-deprecating humor.

Follow Kevin’s stories on YouTube: Planet Hipes and experience the
animated storyteller in action.

Contact Links

Purchase Link

Book of Me Blitz

The Life and Times of Kevin Hipes, the New York Forrest Gump

Memoir

Date Published: July 24, 2025

From the streets of Queens to the deck of an oil tanker in the
Caribbean—meet Kevin Hipes, the real-life New York Forrest Gump.

What you’ll find inside:

✅ Hilarious tales from childhood in Queens

✅ Life lessons learned the hard way—and the funny way

✅ Private struggles and surprising triumphs

✅ A faith-driven journey of self-discovery and humility

✅ A reminder that we’re all “special” in our own unique way

📺 BONUS: After reading the book, head to Kevin’s YouTube channel Planet
Hipes and experience the stories told by Kevin himself—animated, real,
and unforgettable.

Because life’s not about the destination—it’s about the
journey. And Kevin Hipes has one hell of a story to tell.

About the Author

Follow Kevin’s stories on YouTube: Planet Hipes and experience the
animated storyteller in action.

Contact Links

Purchase Link

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Tagged as Book of Me, Kevin Hipes, memoir

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | October 9, 2025 · 5:00 am

The Princess of Wraiths Virtual Book Tour

Memoir

The Princess of the Wraiths is a captivating memoir that weaves science,
spirituality, and personal triumph into a vibrant tapestry of life’s
deepest questions. Born in Mexico City, Peregrinus Hierusalemsis confronts
childhood terrors—sparked by a chilling visit to the mummies of
Guanajuato and a fear-inducing teacher—that leave him grappling with
post-traumatic stress. A mystical experience at an ancient monastery becomes
his turning point, igniting a lifelong quest for meaning.

As a shy teenager, Peregrinus faces heartbreak over Verónica, only to
find solace in philosophy through his friend Emilio, shielding him from the
clutches of a drug cartel infiltrating his school. Relocating to the United
Kingdom, he falls for Jana, whose guidance fuels his success in biology
studies, but a toxic relationship with Birgitta tests his resolve. Armed with
philosophical wisdom, Peregrinus confronts an enigmatic “Princess of the
Wraiths,” determined to conquer his fears and reclaim his strength.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Mexico’s cultural richness, the
UK’s academic halls, and Sweden’s serene landscapes, this memoir
vividly describes the biodiversity and ecosystems Peregrinus explores as a
biologist. While science and spirituality are thoughtfully explored, they
remain distinct, with scientific accuracy meticulously preserved. Written with
literary finesse, this accessible yet rigorously academic narrative invites
readers into a true story of resilience, love, and existential
discovery—a journey that resonates with anyone seeking to overcome fear
and embrace life’s mysteries.

EXCERPT

The next place where I went to look for ptarmigans (Lagopus muta) was a mountain that almost no one visited in the middle of the alpine tundra. It was the Carn Ban Mor. I hiked up to the summit and I was able to see and record a couple of ptarmigans, and some Eurasian dotterels (Eudromias morinellus). Once I was at the summit, there was a blizzard. It was terrible! The wind was so strong that it removed my hat from my head. It also removed a space blanket that I attempted to wear to protect myself from the blizzard. The cold was too extreme and walking in the snow made it difficult to reach the lower part of the mountain. As it was too cold, my whole body was shivering… I could only see white in front of me, on each side of me, and behind me. That was because there was so much snow in the air due to the blizzard.

As I could not see anything, I was not able to find the right path to exit the mountain. That is because the summit of Carn Ban Mor is above the tree line, as in Scotland, the tree line is too low. As a result of this, there were no trees, so everything was the same and no path was obvious. I was extremely terrified! Soon my nose and all my fingers turned numb. At that time, I was exceedingly afraid! It was clear that this would end up becoming a health problem and there was still a lot of distance to walk to go down the mountaintop!

In the middle of the whiteness of the snowstorm, I had a mystical experience. I asked that the blizzard would stop, and immediately, a voice answered me. No one was around me, but I still heard it. The divine voice that I listened to told me that the snowstorm would immediately stop and that I would not suffer any health problems. This divine voice is known as bat kol in Hebrew. A minute after listening to the message of the bat kol, the wind stopped and the cloud that was producing the blizzard left. The sky was blue, and the Sun was shining… everything was too strange.

Just a minute before, all the air was white from so much snow and the wind reached an extremely high speed. Suddenly, the atmosphere was peaceful, and no snow was falling. I ran downwards as quickly as possible! My nose and fingers stopped being numb and nothing bad happened. Until that time, I thought that mystical experiences were instances of hypnosis that were spontaneous and involuntary. I thought they were like the voluntary practices that Enríquez taught me, but by far more extreme. When I realized that mystical experiences not only hypnotized human minds, but also the atmosphere that lacks any brain or perception, I started to doubt that they were truly a form of spontaneous hypnosis.

About the Author

I studied biology, but I am also interested in philosophy and
spirituality. I have worked in some labs as a molecular biologist. I have also
been interested in systematics, so I have published some scientific papers on
such a subject. I am from Mexico, but I have also worked in labs in the United
Kingdom and Sweden.

Originally, I used to write essays at university. Later, I wrote scientific
papers. It was not until I solved a difficult issue in my life that I became a
writer of books. I was able to free myself from a toxic relationship. That was
a success because I was never able to do that during previous experiences. I
thought the messages that I wrote to finish that bad acquaintanceship were
very important, so I transferred them from my mobile telephone to a Word
document. Then I wanted to add a paragraph to explain the meaning of the
messages. A paragraph was not enough, so I ended up writing what became
chapter 28 in my book. After that, I wanted to add more background. I ended up
writing a whole memoir! I hired 5 different proofreaders in Fiverr. Four of
them were American. One was British. Then I commissioned 94 handmade paintings
to illustrate my book.

Contact Link

Website

Research Gate

Free Book

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Tagged as memoir, Peregrinus Hierusalemsis, The Princess of Wraiths

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | October 7, 2025 · 5:00 am

The Trek Continues Blitz

More Memoirs of a Rocket Scientist

Memoir

Date Published: October 7, 2025

Publisher: Pawpress

A life of adventure, science, and survival— one man’s journey from
writing for Star Trek® to exploring the edges of the world

After
co-writing “The Tholian Web,” a classic episode of the original series of Star
Trek, Chester L. Richards charted a path unlike any other—one that led
him from the wonders of science and engineering to the wilds of uncharted
rivers and exotic creatures with sharp teeth, some of them human. Now, in The
Trek Continues: More Memoirs of a Rocket Scientist, the award-winning author
of From the Potato to Star Trek and Beyond shares a Tholian Web night and the
surprising legacy of the show, and series, in his new, unforgettable
collection of true-life stories about extraordinary people, leading-edge
projects, the love of his life Sarah and oh, those wilds.

Contact Links

Purchase
Links

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Tagged as Chester L. Richards, memoir, The Trek Continues

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | September 19, 2025 · 5:00 am

Babymaking Reveal

Memoir

Date to be Published: December 11th, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

Making a baby is one of life’s most precious and natural acts. But
sometimes, despite our deepest wishes and most sincere prayers, the body has
other plans.

Vincentia Schroeter dreams of building a family of her own and expects an easy
pregnancy. She imagines following in her mother’s footsteps, surrounded
by the love of children. However, when complications mount, she must face the
likelihood that her wish will never come true.

As her sisters bear children, and women all around her share their happy baby
news, Vin grows more envious than ever. The frustration continues as hard
truths test her patience and faith and medical professionals deliver
devastating blows. The only thing she knows for sure is that she is determined
to become a mother.

A story of one woman’s harrowing path through trauma and
disillusionment, Babymaking is a heartfelt memoir of vulnerability, rupture,
and repair. Vin’s journey reminds us that hope and unconditional love
have the power to lead us to the place we were always meant to be.

About the Author

Vincentia Schroeter grew up in a small town in central California as the
fourth of twelve children. Intrigued by the many different personalities in
her family, she knew by the age of sixteen that she wanted to be a counselor.
She put herself through college and graduate school in order to pursue her
dreams.

Vin is the author of the award-winning self-help book, Communication
Breakthrough: How Using Brain Science and Listening to Body Cues Can Change
Your Relationships (2018). She also co-authored a training manual on somatic
psychotherapy that has been translated into three languages.

After a forty-year career as a psychotherapist listening to clients’
stories of pain and trauma, Vin felt drawn to share her own story. She now
lives in San Diego with her husband Steve and enjoys pickleball, painting, and
time with family, including her dog, Ren.

Contact Links

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Tagged as Babymaking, memoir, Vincentia Schroeter

Tag Archives: memoir

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