My Books

"Writing a novel is like driving a car at night.
You can only see as far as your headlights,
but you can make the whole trip that way."
E. L. Doctorow



Bishop Myriel: In His Own Words

a novel



"A stunning achievement. Garrotto delivers compelling spiritual insights through the humble voice of Victor Hugo’s beloved priest, Bishop Myriel. 

"Meticulously researched and delivered in the authentic style of an early nineteenth-century writer, Bishop Myriel: In His Own Words charms as it challenges. The bishop’s gentle words continued to speak to my heart long after I turned the last page."

-- Judith Ingram, author of Forgiving Day by Day

Order now from Amazon,com or you local bookstore.



The Soul of Art



“The wisdom and guidance offered in The Soul of Art motivates artists to ‘never give up,’ but rather to seek ever higher goals in their art form, knowing always that what we have is a God-given gift and privilege.”

— 
Andrei Tremaine,  artistic director, choreographer and premier dancer – soloist, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo — and founder of the Pacific Ballet Theatre
. 



Purchase on Amazon.com



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There's More: A Novella of Life and Afterlife





Relief pitcher Jack Thorne stares at his catcher’s target. 

His single focus is to get this batter out. If he does, a coveted World
Series ring will be his. But will his next pitch be his last?


Available in paperback and e-book formats at your favorite source
of online book shopping.

Available in paperback at CreateSpace/Amazon store and other online booksellers. 
Also available in all major e-book formats.


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The Saint of Florenville: A Love Story



\Two good friends, An American priest and a Belgian nun, are kidnapped while sightseeing in picturesque Bruges. What follows is a tale of loss and survival; a celebration of love that cannot be defined by human rules.

Available in paperback on Amazon.com and other online booksellers. Also available in all major e-book formats.

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The Wisdom of Les Miserables:
Lessons From the Heart of Jean Valjean
Book 1 


I offer Victor Hugo’s flawed protagonist as a model for anyone in search of practical wisdom for everyday living. One of fiction’s most beloved characters, the former convict and life-long fugitive, represents humanity in both its brokenness and its potential for selfless—even saintly—living. 

Reflection topics range from forgiveness and the primacy of conscience to the joys and sorrows of parenthood. Each Reflection explores a universal theme, including the daily call to spiritual and moral conversion and the life-lessons parents impart to their children. 

Questions at the end of each Reflection invite you to use the book as your personal wisdom journal. My experience as teacher and spiritual guide has prepared me to harvest the deeper meaning of Les Miserables and apply its inspiring message to modern daily life.

San Francisco Bay Area graphic designer Douglas M. Lawson created the stunning cover art for the book.


What they're saying about
The Wisdom of Les Miserables

"Alfred J. Garrotto has succeeded brilliantly in distilling the wisdom of a nineteenth century classic novel and using it to illuminate our twenty-first century lives. This part autobiography / part spiritual handbook seems to me a classic in its own right, one that stands on the shoulders of another classic."
Poet Tom Savignano, A Time To Ponder, A Time to Sing and Prayers and Reminiscences

"An elegant collection of inspirational meditations and exercises."
Darryl Brock, bestselling author of If I Never Get Back, Havana Heat and Two in the Field.

"I especially like the journaling feature--those thoughts that come to us intuitively
when something fires our imagination so often get lost, but you've provide a very handy way for preserving them."
Maureen Boyd Biro, Author, Walking With Maga (All About Kids Publishing)

“I found The Wisdom of Les Miserables enlightening on so many levels. I read your book
into the middle of the night until it was done! The whole book has my yellow highlighter marks and comments in the margins! Then, I went back, over the next week, and read it again, making notes and answering the questions you provided....What a growing experience!
I appreciated having that option to go deeper with the concepts and to use them in my own spiritual journey.”
Pamela Ward, former Director, Bay Area Adoption Services, Inc.

"I am enjoying the personal spiritual journey [The Wisdom of Les Miserables] offers. It packs a big punch right in my heart. I would recommend it to anyone wants to explore a deeper meaning in their life. I am an eclectic reader, and a fan of Alfred J. Garrotto's books."
Reviewed on Amazon.com by “madm”

"The questions are so thought provoking . . . . Thank you for making me stretch and grow."
Sharon McKee

"A powerful, profound, honest book! The Wisdom of Les Miserables reveals a path to transformation for each of us."
Artist Helen Tiernan, Benicia, CA


ORDER NOW FROM . . . Amazon Kindle Edition


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The Circles of Stone  



Natalia McCrory has it all--a high-profile career,
fame, wealth, a ,man who loves her.
When a terrible family secret is revealed,
she must reassess her priorities and 
nurture her long-meglwcted inner spirit.




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Down a Narrow Alley

In this sequel to Circles of Stone, former international supermodel Natalia Edgerly has relocated from the United States to Lima, Peru. She now supports and works in the same orphanage from which she was adopted as an infant. 

When ten-year-old Marisol Lagos is abandoned at the orphanage gate, Natalia nurtures and mentors the child and plans to fund her education in the United States. Natalia's dream for Marisol's future is shattered when the girl's mother, a rebel leader intent on revolution, resurfaces and demands the return of her daughter. 

This sets in motion a series of tragic events the reader will ponder long after turning the final page. 




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                                        I'll Paint a Sun



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February 14th was to be Libby O’Neill’s wedding day, the happiest of her life . . . until her fiance betrayed her. Plunged into despair, she could not foresee that God was about to send her a new Valentine — an angel in disguise.

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Finding Isabella

Analisa Marconi has lost her family—for the second time. First, as a child named Isabella Maria Aguilada, when her birth mother gave her up for adoption. As a young woman, her adoptive parents perish in a plane crash that she alone survives. 

Devastated, feeling lost and rootless, Analisa returns to her native Caribbean Island birthplace, Santo Sangre, in search of her birth mother and siblings. But, these days, the tiny island nation is a dangerous place for young women who escaped lives of destitution by foreign adoption. Thrust into this unwelcoming environment, Analisa struggles against life-threatening obstacles to find links to her past and future.

Analisa must also make a difficult choice between two men, each touching a special chord in her heart. Father David Gallego, cherished friend, ever-faithful, torn between his two great passions: priesthood and Analisa; and international singing star and local icon Arturo Cristobal, a stranger Analisa recognizes as the mysterious comforter who appeared with Dave in a near-death vision as she lay injured at the crash site.


Order print editions from online booksellers
or directly from the author at

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