McGowan's Call

Davis McGowan could not have anticipated how his career would isolate him in his private life. After ordination, he finds himself an alien in a world of human need. This fictional account of a young pastor's rise and fall is based on the secret reality faced by the ordinary people who have sensed a "call" to one of the helping professions. Never quite accepted as a local, he navigates the path of conscience through the pitfalls of personal loneliness. McGowan's Call is a collection of short stories and a novella that chronicles Davis' path from the river town of Hatteras, Ohio to the suburbs of Dayton. This work of fiction provides a rare insight to pastoral ministry outside the scandals that regularly make headlines. It is an honest exposé of the real crisis that afflicts those who live in the public eye. Rob Smith is the author of two novels including Night Voices. Ann Joslin of A Sandusky Bay Journal describes Night Voices as "an exciting novel of adventure." In McGowan's Call, this talented writer explores the inner landscape of those who find themselves inserted in the personal crises of others. Rob Smith's short stories have appeared nationally in Writer's Journal and other literary magazines. In 2006, he received the Robert Frost Poetry Award for his poem Catbird. He currently resides on Ohio's north coast and sails the waters of Lake Erie on a sloop that he and his wife are restoring.

Literature & Fiction

Smith PhD, Rob

United States

Drinian Press

McGowan's Call is a collection of short stories and a novella that chronicles Davis' path from the river town of Hatteras, Ohio to the suburbs of Dayton. This work of fiction provides a rare insight to pastoral ministry outside the scandals that regularly make headlines. It is an honest exposé of the real crisis that afflicts those who live in the public eye. Here is what was said of McGowan's Call in Heartlands Magazine: "The stories take us through Davis McGowan's years of ministry and his struggles and rewards in dealing with parishioners' illnesses, aging, deaths, doubts, and even a homicide in the suspenseful novella "False Witness." One could compare the book to Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio collection of Midwest portraits from a small town; only these are contemporary tales. A wide variety of townsfolk are shown, but the focus is squarely on McGowan as he matures into his job." -Larry Smith, editor

Contemporary

McGowan's Retreat

The evening news is rife with reports of corporate excess. Public outrage is of little consequence, however, since in-competence and greed might be considered moral failings, but not criminal offenses. Shelly Martin is beginning to suspect otherwise.     It is not that she's becoming paranoid, but because the parade of CEO's announcing bonuses and bankruptcy are not just talking-heads for her. They are, or were, her personal friends. More precisely, they were her church parishioners in a small South Dakota town that is also home to the Elkhorn Institute, a financial "think-tank." When Shelly disappears, Davis McGowan tries to follow a twisted path of evidence that seems to be evaporating before his eyes.    McGowan's Retreat is a timely, fictional account of people who live just outside the spotlight of the media. It moves quietly at a deadly pace, and will give pause to those who wonder about the link between the present economic crisis, corporate ideology, and personal choice.    The Lake Erie Islands and Dayton, Ohio are the setting for this fictional account of the financial meltdown which began in the fall of 2008. McGowan discovers how a market strategy spawns a series of unintended consequences and shattered lives.

McGowan's Retreat is a timely, fictional account of people who live just outside the spotlight of the media. It gives pause to those who wonder about the link between the present economic crisis, corporate ideology, and personal choice.

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Thrillers & Suspense

McGowan's Return

Before being known as Ohio's Vacationland, north central Ohio was the Firelands, a title that predated statehood. In 1662 King Charles II granted territory extending west of Pennsylvania to the Pacific Ocean to be Connecticut's Western Reserve. The claim survived the Revolution, but the area was reduced considerably as settlement of war debts. Even so, the Western Reserve still covered more than three million acres which were later transferred to the Connecticut Land Company. One of the surveyors sent to lay out the territory was Moses Cleaveland who began his work in 1796. He charted the area near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, and later a settlement was founded there that almost bore his name. A twenty-five mile wide strip of land on the western edge of the Reserve became reparations for citizens of Connecticut whose holdings had been torched by the British during the war. These were the Firelands. By the time the homesteads were apportioned, however, many beneficiaries were too old to move west to claim them. Still, the town names on this western frontier reflect their Connecticut roots. Davis McGowan lives only a block from the lake in an area that was settled early. Little did he expect that a history lesson from a friend would help him solve a very modern mystery written in bones.

McGowan's Pass

"Rob Smith's candor about his life's journey provides the reader with keen insights that one should apply to their own life." -Col. Arnold Scheller, M.D. "This is an essential book for anyone who wants to pursue excellence in life." - Grand Master Joseph Esposito, Kenpo Karate From an internationally known Sport Psychologist This is a memoir-style account of the determination, adaptability, faith, and humility it takes to earn a Black Belt in Kenpo style karate. Psychologist and First Degree Black Belt Rob Smith candidly shares his personal successes and failures, and how they eventually lead him to pursuing the martial arts - and, ultimately, the Black Belt journey in his personal and professional life. In this book, Dr. Smith offers a rare look at what happens behind the scenes during an intense, 16-week Black Belt test, with unprecedented access to the training techniques, test requirements, and high standards set by his dynamic sensei, Grand Master Joseph Esposito.Black Belt For Life serves as a must-read manual for how to physically and mentally prepare for a life of continuous self-improvement. The book concludes with a summary of some key lessons Dr. Smith has learned so far in his Black Belt journey. The Foreword of this book is written by a man who has embodied the Black Belt path. Col. Arnold Scheller holds a Black Belt in Hapkido, served in the elite U.S. Army Rangers, and served as the team physician for the Boston Celtics from 1987-2005. Excellent . . . and thanks for writing this book" -Rob Jacob, author of Martial Arts Biographies: An Annotated Bibliography

Black Belt for Life

Biographies & Memoirs

Xlibris

Rob Smith has been able to help thousands of people rebalance their bodies to help them look, feel and live better lives. His holistic methods and belief systems were shaped by a life filled with chronic pain, failed surgeries and cortisone shots that didn't help. Knowing he needed a "Second Opinion" instead of another surgery, he decided he was done chasing symptoms with the conventional medical model. He opted for holistic methods that addressed the root cause of the symptom itself. With his wife by his side, they formed an integrated holistic process that continues to help hundreds of clients with their pain and dysfunction.
Second Opinion is about restoring balance, so your body can again, function as it was intended to. The truth about the world, ourselves, life, and our purpose - it all comes down to healing. And the truth about healing can now be in your hands.

Second Opinion: A Step by Step Holistic Guide to Look and Feel Better Without Drugs or Surgery

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Alternative Medicine

Cellular Health and Fitness

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Smith PhD, Rob. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Smith PhD, Rob

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Smith PhD, Rob. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

McGowan's Call

McGowan's Call

McGowan's Retreat

McGowan's Retreat

McGowan's Return

McGowan's Pass

Black Belt for Life

Second Opinion: A Step by Step Holistic Guide to Look and Feel Better Without Drugs or Surgery