Nokturnal Bliss – A Novel by E.J. Amaral
Based on a true story set in 2010 —
Nokturnal Bliss follows the rise and collapse of Luis and James, two young men from the suburbs who become unwilling legends in Los Angeles and Las Vegas nightlife. Told through the reflective lens of Luis, the story traces their descent from broke party addicts to underground icons—revered as gods in a world built on illusion, sex, and synthetic highs.
Their world takes shape after James hatches a plan to escape debt and keep the party going, unintentionally launching them into a criminal empire that thrives beneath the strobe-lit chaos of club culture. As they chase adrenaline, money, and myth, their empire swells—and then cracks.
Surrounding them is a rotating cast of women, lovers, enablers, and ghosts—each drawn into the seductive glow of their after-hours kingdom. But two women—one trying to save them, the other unwilling to be collateral—ride with them through the madness, their presence anchoring what humanity remains as the spiral deepens.
At its heart, Nokturnal Bliss is an exploration of obsession, loyalty, and the toll of living like legends. It’s the story of two men who lived for the night—until the night took everything.
Note: The hardcover edition features a special alternate cover design. Content is identical across all formats.
The One-Eyed Sailor –A Graphic Novel by E. J. Amaral
introduces the first-ever Popeye origin story, set against the backdrop of 1938–1952. Adapted from Edward Amaral’s screenplay, it breathes new life into the iconic characters, telling the dark and compelling tale of a lonely sailor whose obsession with a whore—unaware that she is, in fact, his childhood friend—leads him down a path of transformation.
'Popeye' the cartoon was violent! Each episode ended with attempted murder and our protagonist was hopelessly obsessed with a hypergamous and promiscuous woman, who just might have been a prostitute / whore. Regardless of her infidelity and disdain for Popeye, he takes her back at every turn. Popeye's need for love, extended to his need for respect, magnified by his failures, is a man helplessly addicted to a strength giving substance, that can only be satiated with violence toward the opposition. This hardback is larger ( 8.25 x 11) and includes 10 additional pages of preliminary art, process and forward from the author Edward Amaral that is masterfully illustrated by Maysam Barza.