The Gods Stopped Smiling

By Stogie Kenyatta

"The gods stopped smiling."

Is an intelligent, provocative, story about love and friendship. Between friends who've become wealthy NBA stars. "Kendaji Lorde" and "Mickey O' Reilly" a tough Irish-Italian point guard. This 1990's story exposes the hypocrisy of fame, wealth, and shame; when a young man's talent, takes him someplace, his character can't keep him. Society worships athletes because the "Gods" have smiled on them. Well one spring morning in the hills of Bel-Aire; for about 60 seconds the gods stopped smiling. They embraced the beauty in the struggle, but weren't prepared for the ugliness in the success. Their friendship, which had once been their salvation, would now be their curse.

It's been described as; emotionally intimate, brutally honest, funny, violent, sexy, profane, profound, inspiring and romantic. It breaks your heart, then puts it back together again. It succeeds on many levels, champions the wisdom of women, and a hopeful way of dealing with grief and loss. At its core; it's a beautiful, faith-based love story, between Kendaji's college sweetheart and his loving, yet sometime toxic brotherhood, with his teammate. Educationally entertaining and spiritually uplifting. By the end; you're emotionally exhausted, but enlightened, happy and a better person to have taken the journey with them.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0BTVKHSXJ
• ISBN13: 9798215897133
• Release Date: January 2023
• Publisher: Diamond in Da Dirt LLC
• Length: 226 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"