Description
Still in the Universe: mother, brother, husband
a memoir by R. J. Lee
ISBN: 978-1-963695-77-9 paperback $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-963695-78-6 ebook $9.99
August 15, 2026
A factual, detailed account of remarkable experiences the author encountered shortly after the separate deaths of his mother, brother, and husband over a period of thirty-one years, the book posits a metaphysical, spiritual thesis. Namely, that these three beloved people in his life found astounding ways to let him know that they were all still part of the universe we inhabit, and, therefore, that the same universe is far more surprising and complex than we could ever imagine. Without criticizing established belief systems or suggesting a dogmatic approach, this uplifting read advocates keeping an open mind and heart regarding continuing existence and purpose.
Praise for Still in the Universe: Mother, Brother, Husband by R. J. Lee
Some might wonder why R.J. Lee asked me to read and endorse his newest book Still in the Universe. After all, I write about faithful aging from a Christian perspective while the author holds to a somewhat different belief system. To be clear, my faith has been formed by a mainstream Christian denomination, not a church steeped in legalism or narrow thinking. Diverse perspectives do not frighten me or threaten my faith. I see big questions about life as divine invitations to explore spirituality alongside others.
R.J. Lee writes with an open heart. He shares his questions and experiences from a place of authenticity and wonderment. While reading the book, there were moments when I smiled, realizing that something he credited to Universe, I would have named as God. Especially in our divisive culture, the greatest takeaway is a reminder that we are all closer to one another than we might imagine. We are all exploring the deep mysteries of life and death, and not one of us has a lock on the answers.
I hope you will read the author’s words and think deeply. Learn from his life lessons. Lead with curiosity and humility. Hold sacred space for any differences, knowing that we are all trying to find our way on this journey of life.
—Missy Buchanan, speaker and author of Feeling Your Way Through Grief
In Still in the Universe: mother, brother, husband, R. J. Lee offers a clear-eyed account of love that does not end when a life does. Writing with restraint and grace, Lee recounts the unexpected ways his mother, brother, and husband seemed to reach back to him after their deaths—not to convince, but to be known. This is not a book of answers, but of attention and openness, one that asks readers to consider how much of the world we miss when we decide too quickly what is and isn’t possible. Gentle, steady, and quietly hopeful, this memoir lingers like truth often does.
—Robert Gwaltney, critically acclaimed author of Sing Down the Moon
R. J. Lee is a native of Natchez, Mississippi, now living in Oxford, MS, after several decades of being a resident of New Orleans. He graduated from Sewanee (University of The South) with a degree in English and Creative Writing, where he studied under Andrew Lytle, editor of the Sewanee Review. He has been published since 1992 and has written series fiction for Putnam and Kensington in New York with small-town Southern life and cozy mysteries being his chosen genres. Still in the Universe is his 18th published work and his second with Madville Publishing in Texas.
His previous Madville title is The Majestic Leo Marble.
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