A masterpiece of esoteric fiction. The "black light" is an ancient Hindu ritual which invokes the karmic debt of each character so that he can plainly see the misdeeds he has done. But the true ritual is the transformation which occurs in the heart of the main character, Joe Beddington, as he learns to stand up against his domineering mother and social convention and take control of his life.
Carl Japikse is the author, co-author, or editor of more than 75 books on the mind and creativity. He also writes a twice-weekly column distributed by internet called Above the Mean, and a companion report, The Mass Consciousness Reconnaissance Report. (The collected columns are available in books entitled Above the Mean, Toward the Light, You Are What Your Read, and Our Greatest Gift.)
His bestselling book is Fart Proudly, a collection of the humorous writings of Benjamin Franklin, which has sold over 200,000 copies. Many of his better known books are issued under pseudonyms, as in the case of two books by his cat Waldo Japussy, The Tao of Meow and The Ruby Cat of Waldo Japussy--and his parody of books on Zen, The Zen of Farting by a student of Zen master Reepah Gud Wan.
All of Japikse's works are designed to stimulate thoughtfulness and help people shed the shackles of prudery, superstition, and careless thinking. His titles include It's All in the Mind--a collection of mystery stories--The Light Within Us, The Story of God, Love Virtue, Light and Night, The Fabled Gate, The Hour Glass, A Primer of Love, The Spirit of America, We Hold These Truths, Enjoying Poetry, and What's the Big Idea?
He has also written two plays--Plato's Cave and The Last Laugh.
Japikse has collaborated with Robert R. Leichtman, M.D. for the last 35 years. Together and individually, they have written seminal books on the topics of the human mind, creativity, personal growth, and human psychology, from the recent Brainwashed! to such standards in personal growth as Active Meditation, Forces of the Zodiac, The Art of Living, The Life of Spirit, and Enlightenment.
The team of Leichtman and Japikse is also responsible for the works of Xavier Crement, M.D.--A**hole No More, A**holes Forever, and The A**hole Conspiracy. A fourth book in this series, The Bulletproof A**hole, is in the works.
Japikse is publisher of Ariel Press, Enthea Press, and Kudzu House, as well as president of Light, a nonprofit corporation that encourages the spread of enlightenment throughout the world. As such, he has overseen the publication of reprints as diverse as the complete poetry of Alexander Pope and Richard Hovey to the novels of H.G. Wells, Talbot Mundy, Joan Grant, A.E. van Vogt, Dion Fortune, and Henry van Dyke. He edits two journals of inspired writing--Sophy and Sophy for Kids.
He is the developer of the Enlightened Management Seminar, the Enlightened Classroom, and Walden Grove schools.
A graduate of Dartmouth College, Japikse worked in his youth as a staff writer for The Wall Street Journal. He lives with his wife Rose and their cat Pericles in the mountains of northern Georgia, where he writes and teaches.
