A mysterious mala bead necklace connects the lives of 36 people throughout the United States and Canada—each needing a miracle. When a woman is robbed at a Cape Cod beach she gives the gunman all her money along with a small drawstring bag, eliciting a promise that he use what is contained inside.

Filled with guilt, the man returns home and opens the bag to find a sandalwood necklace with scrolled instructions. "This japa mala holds ancient and powerful Sanskrit energy used to manifest miracles .

. .

Once your intention has been realized you will pass this sacred energy to the next person in need . .

. "And so begins the journey of The Mala Beads, the characters' lives intertwining with each passing of the beads.

The people the beads touch are diverse, each story unfolding intimately and culturally. • A young woman dealing with gender dysphoria.

• A Native American couple trying to save their horse ranch from a devastating wildfire. • An alcoholic mother whose fear of losing her children overrides her need for help.

• A Russian immigrant restarting his life in Canada after the mother of his two children dies of an overdose in his homeland — and more. The Mala Beads is about human frailty and the enduring strength that can only come from a force greater than we know, written with the hope that each character’s journey will provide something meaningful to your own life’s journey.

"The writing is witty, masterful, and fun to read. " Madeline Miele Holt, Producer, Books and the World”These are edgy and profound tales of hope, love, and connection, set against the backdrop of the 2020 pandemic.

I read The Mala Beads with a smile on my face and a lump in my throat. "—Kathi Scrizzi Driscoll, former Arts Editor for the Cape Cod Times"I love this book.

Whether you read it in one sitting or experience it slowly, it's a book you'll want to share with friends, buy as a gift, or suggest for your book club—an easy read with a lot to say. "—Christine Merser, Writer, Managing Editor, Blue 2 PublishingWinner of the 2024 POTY Award for Multicultural FictionFinalist for the 2024 AMERICAN BOOK FEST AWARD for Multicultural FictionKathy Aspden is a novelist and screenwriter from Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

For more information on her work go to www. kathyaspden.

com. .