Point Pleasant, WV — April 1, 2026 — Heathen Editions, the independent press known for resurrecting the strange, the lost, and the worth‑remembering with its signature precision and exacting style, is proud to announce the release of its first Heathen Original, inaugurating a new line of contemporary authors published under the Heathen banner.

The inaugural title, Life Stands Explained: The Simple Fun Book That’s All About You — and why Something like Nothing is Everything! by C.J. Carew, is a rollicking, whimsical, and high‑spirited take on the self‑help and how‑to genres. Blending ancient wisdom with modern science, Carew offers a philosocomedy that opens readers to how “everything” works — especially themselves. With humor, clarity, and a surprising spiritual undercurrent, the book argues that play is the way to make life better — and perhaps even saving the world.

“I’m excited to be a part of Heathen‘s journey into their realm of original work. Our partnership has been nothing but helpful and without a doubt enhanced the book in ways that have exceeded my high hopes,” said Carew. “The Heathen approach to publishing embodies all an author could hope for: attention to detail, creativity in approach to presentation, technical acumen, open-mindedness — all of those things in abundance. I’m grateful to have this opportunity to share what I have written, and I know Heathen shares my hope that readers will enjoy it and meet the book in the same spirit it was written: open, curious, and ready to let play be the way! I’m also honored to be the very first Hallowed Heathen — are you kidding me, how great is that title?!”

“Heathen Originals is where a new line of literary inheritance begins,” said Sheridan Cleland, founder of Heathen Editions. “We’ve spent eight years restoring and publishing texts that deserved a second (or third, or fourth, or fiftieth) life. Now we’re publishing works that deserve a first one. C.J. Carew’s book is the perfect beginning — sharp, hilarious, and philosophically rambunctious.”

About the Author
Raised in Maplewood, New Jersey, C.J. Carew began writing in early adulthood while living in Philadelphia, producing several short stories and a novel that remain unpublished (and perhaps unpublishable). His affinity for satire emerged after an encounter with author Frank McCourt, inspiring a collection of short stories that also remain unpublished (though perhaps publishable). Life, marriage, and children paused his writing for nearly a decade — until a job loss became the unlikely opening that led to the writing of Life Stands Explained. Carew now lives in West Virginia with his wife and two sons, where he continues to write.

A New Era for Heathen
The release of Life Stands Explained marks Heathen Editions’ expansion from curation to creation. Heathen Originals will publish contemporary writers whose work carries the same clear‑eyed focus, narrative sharpness, and resonant mythic hum that permeate the publisher’s catalog. Each Original receives a boutique editorial process and a design philosophy guided by clarity, precision, and a commitment to letting the text speak in its strongest, purest form.

Availability
Life Stands Explained is available for pre-order now, and will be available in hardcover, paperback, and digital formats through Heathen Originals and all major online retailers beginning May 15, 2026.