This novel took 15 years to write. It started as a short story in 2009, became a novella in 2016 (24 Amazon reviews, 4.5 stars), and readers kept asking: "Where's the rest of the story?"
I spent eight more years researching Christianity, Islam, and Judaism to answer that question honestly. THE SHATTERED MOSAIC is that complete journey. A Literary Fiction novel: 74K words and free kindle is 420 pages:
When his 9-year-old daughter dies, lawyer Jacob Hinsen can't accept "she's with God now" without proof. He abandons his Chicago practice and spends six months searching across Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, demanding evidence from priests, rabbis, and imams across Rome, Istanbul, Sofia and Jerusalem.
Each tradition offers beautiful certainty about God's existence and the afterlife. None can verify their claims.
Jacob discovers every faith makes unverifiable assertions, fractures internally over interpretation, and shows human fingerprints on "divine" texts. By the end, will he learn how to live meaningfully despite irresolvable uncertainty?
PERFECT FOR:
• Book clubs that love deep discussion • Exvangelicals navigating "what comes next" • Anyone questioning faith after loss • Readers who want philosophy in story form • Fans of literary fiction with theological depth
THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF:
✓ You've left organized religion but still wrestle with ultimate questions ✓ You're tired of Christian fiction's "faith restored" endings ✓ You want honest exploration of doubt without atheist smugness ✓ You loved TRANSCENDENT KINGDOM, EDUCATED, or LEAVING ISN'T THE HARDEST THING ✓ You're navigating the gap between "I used to believe" and "Now I don't know" ✓ You enjoy a story that raises questions instead of preaching answers
WHY THIS BOOK IS DIFFERENT:
• NOT anti-religion (treats Christianity, Islam, Judaism with respect) • NOT pro-religion (demands evidence, not blind faith) • NOT atheist manifesto (acknowledges atheists can't prove their claims either) • NOT memoir (fiction creates space to explore what memoir can't)
ENTER BELOW TO WIN
If you don't win but want to read the book, feel free to message me through Goodreads. I offer free pdf copies to readers who genuinely will read my novel and provide an honest review.
Some stories need to find their people, regardless of price.
I spent eight more years researching Christianity, Islam, and Judaism to answer that question honestly. THE SHATTERED MOSAIC is that complete journey. A Literary Fiction novel: 74K words and free kindle is 420 pages:
When his 9-year-old daughter dies, lawyer Jacob Hinsen can't accept "she's with God now" without proof. He abandons his Chicago practice and spends six months searching across Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, demanding evidence from priests, rabbis, and imams across Rome, Istanbul, Sofia and Jerusalem.
Each tradition offers beautiful certainty about God's existence and the afterlife. None can verify their claims.
Jacob discovers every faith makes unverifiable assertions, fractures internally over interpretation, and shows human fingerprints on "divine" texts. By the end, will he learn how to live meaningfully despite irresolvable uncertainty?
PERFECT FOR:
• Book clubs that love deep discussion
• Exvangelicals navigating "what comes next"
• Anyone questioning faith after loss
• Readers who want philosophy in story form
• Fans of literary fiction with theological depth
THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF:
✓ You've left organized religion but still wrestle with ultimate questions
✓ You're tired of Christian fiction's "faith restored" endings
✓ You want honest exploration of doubt without atheist smugness
✓ You loved TRANSCENDENT KINGDOM, EDUCATED, or LEAVING ISN'T THE HARDEST THING
✓ You're navigating the gap between "I used to believe" and "Now I don't know"
✓ You enjoy a story that raises questions instead of preaching answers
WHY THIS BOOK IS DIFFERENT:
• NOT anti-religion (treats Christianity, Islam, Judaism with respect)
• NOT pro-religion (demands evidence, not blind faith)
• NOT atheist manifesto (acknowledges atheists can't prove their claims either)
• NOT memoir (fiction creates space to explore what memoir can't)
ENTER BELOW TO WIN
If you don't win but want to read the book, feel free to message me through Goodreads. I offer free pdf copies to readers who genuinely will read my novel and provide an honest review.
Some stories need to find their people, regardless of price.
Good luck!
- AW Schade
The Shattered Mosaic: A father's search for proof in a world of faith