Teachings of a Shaman

by Corey Stultz

Readers’ Favorite Five-Star Winner — Teachings of a Shaman — a heartwarming, award-winning coming-of-age tale bursting with adventure, humor, and magical realism.

When Dwayne Rader gets caught stealing to support his heroin habit, a judge sends him to a drug treatment program in Arizona, but on his second day there, he's knocked unconscious and abandoned by his group in the middle of the desert!

Rescued by Rising Water, a Diné (Navajo) shaman, Dwayne is pulled into a life of ritual, discipline, and ancient teachings he never imagined. Under Rising Water’s watchful eye, Dwayne learns ancient Navajo traditions, the rites of the shaman, and the life lessons that will save him — if he can master them in time.

As Dwayne matures into an unlikely prodigy, Rising Water initiates him into the role of shaman and bestows upon him the unfathomable powers that accompany the all-important title — powers that he must master very quickly if he’s to reclaim his memory, find his way home, and face what awaits him there — a secret that will demand he draw upon everything he has learned.

What follows is a race against time, an impossible choice that stretches the limits of love and sacrifice — culminating in a breathtaking finale that won’t let you go until the last line.

Fierce and funny, Teachings of a Shaman is a coming-of-age tale of magic, sacrifice, and the strange grace of second chances. Available now in Hardback, Paperback, Audio Version & Kindle eBook. Get your copy today!

Genres: Fiction

358 pages, Paperback

Published July 13, 2018

About the author

Corey Stultz was a high-functioning alcoholic for twenty-five years. After his fifth DWI conviction, he served 21 months in jail at the Carroll County Detention Center, Westminster, MD.

It was during this time – from behind bars – that he wrote not one… not two… but seven novels! As a prisoner, Stultz did not have access to metal utensils nonetheless computers, so he was forced to scribe each book in longhand, using four-inch rubber pens and over 2,700 sheets of paper he obtained from the jail’s commissary.

His first book, Teachings of a Shaman, draws on his personal experiences of gutter-fed addiction, rock-bottom revelations, and ultimate recovery. Moreover, the profound spiritual growth he experienced after overcoming his addiction manifests in his protagonist’s journey from drug addict to respected shaman. Today, Stultz is not only sober, he is a Sunday school teacher.

Corey Stultz’s works are listed below in the order he wrote them. His remaining six novels will be released as they become available. In the meantime, please visit coreystultz.com for updates.

A Simple Man (crime/detective)

Shattered Psyche (horror)

Private Malpractice (suspense/thriller)

Biological Control (sci-fi)

Teachings of a Shaman (fantasy/coming-of-age)

A Thousand Alibis (mystery)

Tormented (paranormal)

Reviews

[Ellie Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘A thought provoking and inspiring read. A story of true determination, camaraderie, and self sacrifice.’

Teachings of a Shaman, by Corey Stultz is a novel chronicling the life of Dwayne, a man with a good, honest heart that sadly became addicted to Heroine.

In an attempt to come clean, for both his fiancée, in-laws, and himself, Dwayne (at the request of a court judge) enters into a specialist rehabilitation programme, where he is to spend nine months without the influence of drugs.

I enjoyed this novel even more than I initially thought I would. Dwayne’s character was likeable, and relatable in a way that spoke to the deepest reaches of my core-self. His third person narrative sheds light on his unusual predicament from many angels and perspectives, painting him as both a felon, and a saint at separate points in the story.

I genuinely found myself feeling sorry for Dwayne, because he seems like a nice enough guy, his only flaw being his over-use of drugs toward the story’s start. Otherwise, he comes across as a generous and selfless individual that just wants to have a greater purpose in life.

When Dwayne’s rehabilitation sentence doesn’t go to plan, he is forced to draw on his inner-wisdom, surviving with amnesia in a harsh desert environment with only his basic human instincts. He soon befriends a Native-American Shaman, named Chief Rising Water. The chief quickly became my favourite character. I loved how literally he took forms of modern expression as I tend to view them literally myself.

Dwayne’s bond with the elderly Shaman is like that of a son to his father and over the course of several years, Dwayne becomes wiser and learns how ‘To find inner peace… you must look inside yourself… you must look at the things you can change, not at the things you can’t!’

The bond between Chief Rising Water and Dwayne (Running Bird, as the Chief refers to him) is a strong, eternal link that fills Dwayne with a happiness unlike any he had experienced prior to their meeting.

This inspirational novel is a shining testament to all that is good. So many wise and inspiring quotes fills its pages that I felt as though Chief Rising Water was mentoring me, and not Dwayne.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a positive and wisdom-fuelled read.
Rated: 5 Stars!

[Julia Badger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes it’s readers on an emotional journey through the eyes of Dwayne as he experiences his lowest moments all the way through to his highest moments. Through the pages of his book, the author encourages us to leave our trials and tribulations to the powers that Be while understanding that We will be provided for and protected on our own amazing journey called life. We are also encouraged to let go of the things we can not change from our past and to move forward towards a better tomorrow through bettering our actions and reactions to evolve into the best possible versions of ourselves.

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 Stars

I won a copy of Teachings of a Shaman through the Goodreads Giveaways program. There’s no requirement for me to leave a review, but I am choosing to do so.

Teachings of a Shaman is one of seven books that Corey Stultz wrote while in prison. Yes, you read that right. He used his real life experiences as an influence for this novel, and likely the others as well. I have to respect somebody that used books as a way of helping them get their life back in order.
So far Teaching of a Shaman is the only book of his that has been published, but the other six should be coming along shortly. If you want to know more about his past and working process, I would check out his Goodreads bio or website.



Warnings first: The main character in this novel struggled very seriously with drug addiction. This comes with many other uncomfortable facts of life from that addiction. Many of his friends are dead from overdosing, and he knows some rough dealers that abuse situations.
Teachings of a Shaman is an emotional tale of a young man trying to come clean. Like many, he makes plenty of mistakes along the way, and sometimes those mistakes cost him. I didn’t know the information about Corey Stultz or his history until I finished the book, but now I understand where a lot of his influences came from.
Dwayne is one of those characters where you can genuinely tell he cares and is trying, he just keeps making mistakes. Every time he made a mistake I felt myself cringing, because being on the outside I could clearly see what path it was going to take him down. Obviously, Dwayne didn’t have the same luxury, and thus had to learn from his mistakes. It’s painful to watch at times, but that just means that Stultz did a good job making me care about the character.
I’ll admit that sometimes I had trouble focusing on this book, especially towards the end. There were times where it strayed out of the realistic journey we had been on to something more surreal, and that was jarring enough to break the immersion for me. Otherwise I did enjoy this read, even if it was (understandably) quite heavy at times.
I’ll admit that I’m exceptionally curious to see what the rest of the books Corey Stultz has written look like. I’ll be keeping an eye on him, if nothing else than to sate my curiosity.


For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Jessica Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confidence

Teachings of a Shaman is about a heartfelt, giggle worthy story about a young man named Dwayne Rade, better known as Running Bird, overcome his drug habits and learning the hard way about the consequences he faces along the way. From stealing to support his habit to watching his friends drop dead around him he only has one friend left and that's Mitch. But when Mitch gets persistent upon trying to take matters into his own hands Dwayne faces the real life threatening consequence of jail or rehab. When his girlfriends parents come to his rescue of an attorney to enforce the rehab over spending his life in jail he is sent to the desert where he meets his Sergeant and a few other people suffering from the same come downs as himself. But what he doesn't expect is to lose his memory and have an Indian Shaman find him and nurse him back to health. This story had a powerful message not only for Dwayne but for anyone who can relate to his experience such as coming clean or regaining memory but the key is to have patience and to live freely. At first I had no idea what journey I was about to embark upon when beginning to read this story but as the pages turned I started to feel compassion, sympathy, hope and love because every chapter uncovered a new message that we can all learn from. Corey Stultz took me on memorable journey that I will not soon forget and I thank him for it because I really and truly loved it and can't wait to share it with friends. Over all, the quotes such as "You must look at things you can change, not at the things you can't. " and "To find inner peace, Running Bird, you must look inside yourself." Are just a few examples as to why I am giving this great read a 5 star rating and a high recommendation for everyone all ages to take a chance to read and hope that they can soak in the life lessons it teaches along the way to recovery.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

My immediate impression of this was that the characters were completely unrealistic and unlikeable, and the dialogue was stilted and stupid. I tried to push through anyway... until I got to the part where they were JOKING about one of them putting his ex's cat in the microwave and killing it in front of her. There are a few deal breakers for me when I'm reading a book, and animal abuse is right at the top of that list. I deleted the book immediately and have no intention of ever going back to it, or reading anything else from this author.

[Bruce Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Values-based Read

This book provides an excellent progression of a man from the edge of a life mired in drugs and probable death to one of redemption and ultimate self-sacrifice. The spiritual themes are powerful but not preachy. The narrative reads like a high-level young adult novel except for spots where the language gets a bit gritty and uncomfortable. But much of the story draws on Mr. Stultz's experiences, so one can expect that the world of drugs is filled with much more offensive language than in this book. I gave the book 5-stars because of the powerful message of redemption and showing a spiritual, positive side of Native Americans.

[Bigbooksandhottea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book in that it offers a perspective that isn't often seen in literature. However, I did have a few problems concerning verisimilitude. Although these were very small things, they were enough to pull me, a very detail oriented person, out of the book. Firstly, I was confused by the fact that the main character was an 4.0 AP student who was throwing $10 words around and didn't know what a butte was. Although I don't have the authority or experience to determine if the Navajo lore and practices that were prominent in the book were portrayed accurately, I do however feel the need to correct the misrepresentation of mental illness in the book. While I understand that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder was used as a tool to explain to the character the concept of harmony, saying that the character has this disease when he showed no symptoms of it prior to rearranging items symmetrically trivializes a serious problem for many. Furthermore, OCD is in the realm of anxiety disorders, and the main character is one of the least anxious I have seen in literature, especially when compared with his friend. If anything, he may have OCPD, which is a personality disorder, but not an anxiety disorder. More likely Dwayne has a Type A personality, which is not diagnosable by a psychologist. I will say again, that I did thoroughly enjoy the book, except for when those very small things took me out of it. It is always nice to see books written from a unique perspective, even more so when the narrator is somewhat unreliable. The plot is also intriguing and engaging and makes for a quick read.

[Hillary · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a full work, I really enjoyed this story. At the end, I was in tears because it was very moving. It definitely had bouts of incredible description.

I did have a few issues with its grammar in some cases, and for the majority of the story, I was told what was happening instead of having described to me out of dialogue. After a while that became pretty tedious. I feel like the whole story needed better tightening up.

But honestly, I did really enjoy it, and I love stories that have magic realism. If you're at a rough spot in your life, I imagine this book would really help you see past the problem to the solution you need.

[Mary Ratcliffe-Pezzetti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teaching of a Shaman is the first book my Corey Stultz to be published. Stultz uses some of his own personal experiences to create characters in this book. The main character Dwayne is a young man dealing with some difficult issues a drug addiction, physical abuse and neglect. Throughout his coming of age journey obstacles and opportunities are put in his path. The choices he makes will determine the rest of his life. There is spirituality in this book and what kind of person he wants to become is influenced by this.
I want to thank Corey for allowing me to be one of the first to read his book. I look forward to reading his other books as soon as they are published.

[Glenda Clemens · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. Although from the beginning I found the author's way of writing a little off-putting, the story was compelling. At least until the shaman part began. Core Shamanism is my spiritual path. I liked the premise and the possibilities and even parts of the shaman story BUT treating the Native American shaman with such poor grace ruined it for me. The language of the shaman was stilted and reminded me of "Me Tanto, you white man." Very few verbs were used in the dialogue of the shaman and felt prejudicial and sterotyped to me. I hope the author didn't intend this but it put me off the whole book.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nuggets of gold

I bought this book because I felt for the author's struggle and applauded his triumph against addiction. I never thought it would hold so much truth and reveal so much spirit. But it did.

I found the story solid, the writing strong albeit a bit juvenile but when you dig deeper you realise it reflected the personality of the protagonists. In the end, the simplicity of love won out and a life bent on destruction became the soil of growth for a new and different life.

I enjoyed this book a lot but wished I knew what happened to Mitch.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Loved it!

Wow...what a shocker to me... This book was suprisingly unexpected and really good! I enjoyed the style of writing. The story line was so smooth and each character was so unique and i felt like i knew thebtype of people they were just by the very detailed and descriptive way the author had each character speak. I could not put this book down and had so many "wow" moments & then tears, happy tears, sad tears, tears with laughter. I loved this story and definitely recommend it to all.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was wondering about the title and the beginning of the book, especially when it went on for a while without a Shaman. After reading about the author, I realized why this was the case. It would have been easy for the author to end with a happy ending, but it was more realistic the way it ended. I enjoyed the redemption of the main character and his self sacrifice. My only constructive criticism is that he mentions that the male eagle is larger than the female, when it is the other way around ( I know this because my in-laws are eagle watchers.) I enjoyed the book very much.

[Aniko Nagyne vig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a fairytale story, but very interesting and eye-opening details and questions about addiction related issues. The book felt like having two completely different parts, the realistic everyday life of an addict and the fairytale like shaman part, with the bittersweet ending. I liked the writing style, but overall I feel odd about not being able to categorize it. This is the first book I won as a free giveaway.

[Kathy Seymour · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story the author really shared the characters full emotions, The beginning is rough with a really troubled young man who wants to change and can't. It tells of love not just romantic but how a love of someone can change one. It demonstrates how trust in one person can make a huge difference in a life. Then we move to the redemption of his soul by an old man and his caring ways, and the willingness to learn. This book grabs you and holds you until the end.

[Joan Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells of the journey of a struggling man dealing with his physical addiction to heroin. While ordered by the court to a drug treatment program in Arizona, Dwayne instead experiences spiritual revelations and personal growth under the guidance and help of a Navajo shaman. Indeed, losing his memory, becoming lost, and then left-behind in the desert may be the best thing that could have happened to Dwayne! Wonderful story.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed

Let me start by saying a book has to knock my socks off to nbn get 5 stars. That said, this was a good book. I got a little confused at one point thinking the main character was one person but it was another. I think that was just me though. This was a quick easy read.
I received this book as part of a giveaway in Goodreads.

[Debby · Rating 2 out of 5]

The culture of the American Indian nations has always gripped me. This is just such a tale. The story was enjoyable and interesting although very non-challenging.

The writing style of the author seemed elementary and often caused me to drift from the story. Conversations were simplistic and descriptive scenes were somewhat shallow.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thought provoking yet interesting read

[Tena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this Kindle version in a GOODREADS giveaway.

[TRENA LAMORE · Rating 1 out of 5]

😲😞

Unfortunately I couldn't even finish this book because it seems like a 10 year old wrote this, and the native American sounds so outlandish....no thanks..not for me!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book on Goodreads. I enjoyed it altho it was easy to guess the ending A good summer read.

[Barbara Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written. Very enjoyable to read

[Margie]

Teachings of a shaman

Enlightening story. Teaching love of nature and oneself and compassion for others, patience and spirituality. Lovely. Thank you, Mr. Shultz.

[Jacqui]

I won a copy of Teachings of a Shaman through the Goodreads Giveaways program. There’s no requirement for me to leave a review, but I am choosing to....

What an emotional ride! This is a great coming of age story that will warm your heart completely.

[Amileigh Gordon]

#GoodreadsGiveaway