Finding Self-Worth
Janice Everet is a Southern gothic historical romance that retells Jane Eyre through the perspective of a blind heroine growing up in the 1930s American South. What was the inspiration for this creative and intriguing retelling of the classic story?
Janice Everet was my first attempt at a historical fiction novel, and it was a true joy to write. I chose to retell this story because, as much as I love Charlotte Brontë’s book, I found the idea of blindness being used as a sort of test or punishment to be both frustrating and sad. I am blind myself and wanted to depict a more affirming exploration. Also, my editor and friend, Stephanie Ricker, gave me the idea to explore Jane Eyre from my own perspective. Like Janice, I find solace in stories, and I love walks in nature. I am also a person who had to learn assertiveness, as I was very passive growing up. Janice Everet is a story of finding self-worth and discovering a worldview that others might not share, but it is a story of finding your voice and discovering that you truly matter. Janice’s character began to assert herself quite forcefully, and all the other characters did as well. Writing this book was both cathartic and surreal, a joyful experience I will never forget, and the characters will always haunt me. They’re some of the “truest” fiction characters I have ever had the honor of creating. They truly do not feel like something created, but something that has always existed. This is not by my doing, I can assure you. They just needed to be brought to life. This fact is hard to explain, but the characters are truly special.
Janice is based on the character of Jane Eyre, but you have added your own unique twist to this classic character. Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your character’s life?
Yes, this novel does explore some difficult topics, but Bronte’s original work explores abuse as well. What I love about the original Jane Eyre is that it is a story about a woman who defies her society’s expectations, but she does so in a humble way. So many books portray “strong” women as girl bosses or Mary Sues (people who don’t struggle or who are insufferable to be around). I wanted to portray a strong woman who is also quiet and humble, but who does not allow others or her disability to define her.
Over 83% of disabled individuals will experience assault of some kind in their lives. This shocking percentage is one I understand through personal experience. I wanted to portray the very real ways that disabled people are often treated by those who perceive them as weak or worthy of nothing but disparagement. I wanted to depict resilience and provide hope despite the horror often encountered in the world. This world is a cruel place, but it is also a place of resilient hope. How often do we encounter horrifying things on the news? Yet in the midst of the horror, hope can always be found if we seek it. Fiction enables us to explore difficult things, but true storytelling involves providing a leavening agent of hope and courage to balance out the horrific.
In your book, you explore the struggles of living with a disability, trauma survival, and the complex social dynamics of living through the Great Depression, WWII, and the 1950’s. What interests you in these subjects?
I am interested in the Depression, World War II, and the 1950’s, both because my grandfathers served in World War II and because my grandparents grew up in those eras. That generation truly learned the meaning of the word sacrifice and endured so many hardships. It was so interesting to research the time periods more extensively. I find the generation in which my grandparents grew up to be a remarkable one (as well as a generation marked by trauma that we might never fully grasp). To tell a story from that time period was truly fun and cathartic.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
I am working on a book called Earth Charmer (a sequel to my book entitled Wind Charmer). The story contains Native American lore and fantastical elements. Fans should probably expect its release in early 2027. I am also considering another historical fiction story in which one of the characters from Janice Everet makes an appearance, a story about polio and a mysterious entity in a music school. This idea is still germinating.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Growing up in the oppressive home of her Aunt Richards, Janice is stifled by condescending attitudes and flagrant disregard. She finds solace helping the household servants as they, too, are belittled. Janice especially enjoys the company of Gustav, her aunt’s servant, who is often mistreated because of the color of his skin.
When a harrowing event forces Janice to take an unexpected journey, doors are opened and opportunities are revealed. As Janice navigates school years of both triumphant and tragic times, helps with the war effort and makes both friends and enemies, her dark past lurks in the shadows.
When Janice accepts a position to teach a precocious and rambunctious little girl who is also blind, the malevolent events of her past prove to have shocking connections with her brusque and mysterious employer. Hidden passions, danger and self-discovery await in this account of a strong woman who will stop at nothing to protect the ones she has grown to love. Yet true love often means letting go. A story of confronting adversity, hidden secrets and forbidden love, Janice Everet will make you see Charlotte Bronte’s classic with new eyes.
This book is the adult debut of the author. The story contains mature sexual content as well as some mild profanity.
Emotional Truth
Dirty South Haiku sketches a childhood and young life shaped by family legends, Southern landscapes, and the mix of sweetness and grit that sits in so many memories. What inspired you to write this particular collection of poems?
Growing up in the South, I was surrounded by family stories that were passed down almost like folklore, along with landscapes that left a lasting impression. I wanted to capture the sweetness and grit that often sit side by side in Southern life without overexplaining them. These haiku became a way to sketch moments from childhood and young adulthood in brief, distilled scenes. In many ways, the collection serves as a prelude to my upcoming Southern short story collection, where those same themes will be explored in longer narrative form.
What is it about the format of haiku poetry that you enjoy, and why did you choose to tell your story in this format?
A visit to Japan deepened my appreciation for haiku. The form encourages attention—to language, to silence, and to what can be suggested. That approach felt well-suited to memory, which often arrives in flashes rather than complete stories.
How much do real-life events and personal experiences influence your writing?
My writing is strongly influenced by personal experience, but I’m more interested in emotional truth. Real people, places, and moments often serve as a starting point, then evolve through reflection and imagination.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in putting together this poetry collection?
The biggest challenge was learning to sit with restraint. I had to accept that some moments would remain unresolved on the page, much like they do in real life. Allowing the haiku to stay open was a challenge, but it felt true to the nature of both the form and the memories themselves.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Website | Amazon
Grounded in Reality
The Little Girl’s Mother centers around a family who becomes the target of a powerful criminal syndicate after their daughter witnesses a murder. How did you balance the action scenes with the story elements and still keep a fast pace in the story?
In my mind, it felt like these events were naturally happening at a fast pace, with the whole story taking place over only a handful of days. The pace was driven by the plot in that way and the parents’ (and Tyra’s former teammate’s) desire to “fix the problem” (so to speak) and to remove their daughter from danger as soon as possible. The very nature of the deeds that they had to undertake from the start to the end of the book meant the action and tension were not really going to let up.
Because this is the first book that I have ever written, and because it just sort of started one day, my whole approach to writing it was very inefficient and largely unstructured. I had the general plot, a few key scenes, and the rough chronology of it in my mind, but I wasn’t sure how it all joined together. I wrote an initial 10,000 to 15,000 words or so, and then I went back and read through it, making refinements and/or completely changing certain parts. Then I continued from where I left off, writing another 5,000 to 10,000 words before repeating that whole process again. I did this several times until I got to the end. Along the way, I noticed there was a drop in the action and tension around halfway through, and I immediately recognised that was the perfect point for me to add in the flashback story that Paul tells about how incredible a soldier Tyra is and why her former team mates are so indebted and in awe of her. It was like fitting that piece of a jigsaw that completes a key part of the total picture, and it felt perfect in every way to me when it was in place.
What was your favorite character to write for and why? Was there a scene you felt captured the character’s essence?
Tyra. Absolutely Tyra. She is formidable! Like her former teammates and her husband, Stephen, I am in total awe of her. If she were real, then she is the person you would want by your side in any eventuality. But my goal was to make her feel plausible and real, not some sort of bulletproof superhero who can smash through walls and defeat any foe. Metaphorically, she definitely can do those things, but I wanted her character grounded in reality. She was/is an incredibly skilled soldier and a ferocious, almost animal-like fighter, but what makes her so lethally effective is her mind and her intellect. It is like a tactical supercomputer that instantly knows what the best action is in any situation, and when that’s coupled with her other skills, she is awesome! I often find myself thinking “I wish I were like her.”
There are many moments in various scenes when I think this is clear to the reader, including in the very first chapter, when we literally see her switch from civilian mode back to Special Forces team leader mode. If there were still any doubt in the reader’s mind as to what Tyra’s essence is, I think it is absolutely clear in the finale, where we see how brutally lethal she can be. I loved discovering this about her in this story.
What was your favourite part (or parts) to write?
I genuinely enjoyed writing it all, especially the chapters for the flashback and the finale. Or perhaps it’s fairer to say that I enjoyed what I created because, to be totally honest, there were times when the writing was hard.
But without a doubt, my absolute favourite parts were the “interactions” (!) between Tyra and Shefi (the man who wants her daughter dead). I don’t want to give anything away about those moments when they come in the story, even now, after having read them countless times, I can still read them and feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. As I was imagining those scenes (especially the finale) and as I was writing them and even when I’ve read them back since, I found myself almost acting them out to feel the power of those moments and, really, the power of Tyra herself!
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
Up until about a month ago, I would have said that I didn’t have one! I always have a fair few ideas kicking around, but they are often just a few bullet points or sentences and totally disparate. This is the first book I have ever written, and it just sort of happened (over a four-year period!).
However, much like what happened with The Little Girl’s Mother, a few of my recent ideas have started to join up and develop to the point where I’m now intrigued and excited to experience this new story myself, so I am 99% certain that I will start writing again in 2026. It won’t be in the same story universe as The Little Girl’s Mother and will be set around the early 1980s, but it will be another Action Thriller with formidable characters and an exciting storyline. As for how long before it’ll be finished, I’m sorry to say that I don’t honestly know (full-time job and full-time family commitments eat up so much free time), but I believe that, from what I’ve learned from writing The Little Girl’s Mother, it will not take me four years to finish!
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
A young girl witnesses a gangland murder and barely escapes with her life. The criminal responsible wants her dead at all costs but, when the police seem unable to guarantee their daughter’s safety, the father and the mother, along with the members of the special forces team that she once led, must take matters into their own hands.
There is nothing more fearsome in nature than a mother protecting its young.
This is an Action -Thriller that truly delivers plenty of action and plenty of thrills! You will not be disappointed!
The Asset Within: A Romantic Spy Thriller
The Asset Within drops us straight into danger and never lets up. The story follows Andy, a CIA case officer whose routine debrief spirals into a life-altering nightmare after an Iranian defector hands her intelligence that could shift global power. The opening chapters move fast and hard, packed with fear, chaos, and heart, and they lay the foundation for a novel that blends espionage, romance, and trauma recovery into one intense ride. The plot moves between Andy and Cameron, the special operations officer who once broke her heart, and the book builds both the thriller and the love story with equal weight. It is a spy novel that centers emotion as much as action, giving it a very human core.
I enjoyed how raw the writing felt. The scenes hit with real force, especially the early sequence in the apartment that left Andy stabbed, injected with a mysterious substance, and scrambling to save a terrified family. I could almost feel her panic and her stubborn grit as she tried to keep moving. The prose has a conversational pulse, like someone telling you a story while their adrenaline is still high, and I found that surprisingly effective. It pulled me right into her head, even when her thoughts were messy or jagged. Some moments felt rough around the edges, but that added to the charm. The emotional stakes felt real because the writing never tried to polish them too much.
Cameron’s chapters gave me a different kind of tension. His anger, regret, and determination mixed together in a way that made me want to shake him one moment and root for him the next. His memories of Andy, along with the guilt buried under all that swagger, made him feel layered. The book treats their history with sensitivity, showing how unresolved pain can sit right under the skin and flare the second two people share the same room again. I also liked how the author wove themes of Black patriotism, marginalization, and institutional bias straight into the spycraft. It made the story feel grounded. The romance did not float above the plot. It grew from the pressure, the fear, and the simple fact that these two people were shaped by the same kind of hurt.
By the time I turned the final pages, I felt like I had been through something with these characters. The book mixes high-stakes action with heart, keeping the tension sharp while never forgetting the people at the center of the chaos. I would recommend The Asset Within to readers who love spy thrillers but want them with real emotional depth. It is perfect for fans of character-driven thrillers, readers who appreciate stories about Black excellence in spaces that try to erase it, and anyone who wants a book that hits hard but still leaves you rooting for love.
Pages: 296 | ASIN : B0FLVQQNKK
Litter Lady Leads: in a Litter-Filled Land
Litter Lady Leads, written by Martha Goldner, is a sweet and simple story about an older woman who cannot stop tidying the world around her. Page after page, she strolls through beaches, parks, trains, ballparks, grocery stores, even windstorms, always scooping up trash with her pointy-tipped cane. Kids adore her. She feeds them cookies, picks up after everyone, donates useful things to people in need, and somehow keeps going even when she is tired. By the end, the kids learn to help her clean, and the whole picture book wraps up with a cheerful idea that we can all make the world a brighter place.
I found the whole book very charming. The writing is short and punchy, which fits a children’s book, but it still gave me little bursts of feeling. I kept smiling because Litter Lady is drawn with this stern face that kind of hides how soft-hearted she is. The pictures on the pages add a funny mood, too. They are colorful, a bit messy, and that rough style works because the story is about mess itself. It made me feel like the book was hand-colored with real love.
I also caught myself thinking about the book’s message more than I expected. It is simple. It is repetitive. Yet it got to me because I know people like her–people who clean up without asking for thanks and who make small corners of the world better just because they care. When the kids finally asked if they could help, I felt a tiny lump in my throat. Her not having cookies for them at the bus stop made me worry about her as if she were my own neighbor. This book surprised me with how much heart it carries in so few words.
I would recommend Litter Lady Leads in a Litter-filled Land to young kids, early readers, teachers, and anyone who wants a gentle story about kindness and caring for your community. It is simple in the best way. It is warm and sweet and gives a little nudge to be helpful. If you like picture books that mix humor with a feel-good lesson, this one will certainly make you smile.
Pages: 32 | ASIN : B0CZ6SRBTZ
Bound in Flames
Bound in Flames follows Cleo, a young woman trapped in a brutal life until her long-buried magic erupts in a moment of fear and fury. Her escape pushes her into a violent world shaped by prejudice, power, and ancient conflict, and her path soon crosses with Dex, an orc chieftain who is far more dangerous and far more compelling than she expects. The book blends dark fantasy with intimate character work, vivid trauma, and a slow-burning bond that blossoms amid cruelty, captivity, and war.
I was pulled into Cleo’s pain in a way I didn’t expect. The writing hits hard. The author doesn’t flinch from the ugly parts of Cleo’s life, and that honesty hooked me right away. The scenes of abuse are raw. What kept me going was the spark beneath it all. Cleo’s voice has this stubborn edge that refuses to die, and I found myself rooting for her even in the worst moments. The worldbuilding unfolds through emotion rather than long explanations, and I liked that. It felt natural. It felt lived in. And the moment her magic breaks free felt huge.
The introduction of Dex adds a shift in tone that I didn’t know I needed until it arrived. The banter between them carries a bite. It feels risky and strangely warm at the same time. Dex has this mix of humor, menace, and quiet conviction that drew me in fast. Their chemistry doesn’t rush. It simmers. The writing leans into that slow build, balancing danger with curiosity in a way that made me grin even as the situation around them stayed grim. I liked how the story lets them challenge each other. There is a sense of two people learning their power in a world that wants them crushed. Some moments made me laugh. Some made my chest tighten. The blend felt messy and human and honestly pretty addictive.
I walked away thinking about the bigger ideas running under the story. Power that comes at a cost. Survival in a world built to break you. The strange tenderness that can bloom between two people who have every reason to mistrust each other. The writing doesn’t hide its darkness. It leans right into it. But it also offers hope in these sharp, glowing little shards. I felt that more strongly than I expected. It made the whole experience land with a weight that surprised me.
If you enjoy dark romantic fantasy with emotional depth, brutal stakes, and complicated characters who fight for themselves even when the world tells them not to, this book will hit the spot. Readers who like morally gray heroes, slow-burning tension, trauma-to-power arcs, and a world that feels rich with conflict will get the most out of it. It is intense, bold, and highly recommended.
Pages: 366 | ASIN : B0F16V46X6
Elf Stone of the Neyna
Elf Stone of the Neyna is a character-driven fantasy adventure that follows Yanda Selkeden, a surgeon from the planet Alland who is wrenched away from her life and her young daughter when a mysterious psychic call drags her onto a ship and into captivity. The novel moves from claustrophobic imprisonment on a barren moon to the toxic, war-scarred world of Terlond, where Yanda and a diverse group of other abducted women, each with unusual abilities, must survive the schemes of the mind-controlling mage Kridenit. As Yanda forms bonds, grows her own powers, and eventually encounters the ancient Elves whose fractured Great Stone summoned her, the story blends science fiction settings with classic fantasy motifs, creating a hybrid genre that feels both familiar and new.
Reading this in Yanda’s corner of the universe pulled me in quicker than I expected. The writing has a clean, direct style that makes even the stranger pieces of worldbuilding, mind-speak, stasis flights, toxic moons with domed prisons, easy to settle into. I found myself warming to the rhythm of scenes where the women talk in their cells late at night, learning to trust each other despite trauma and fear. Those chapters felt grounded and human. At the same time, the book isn’t shy about darkness. Kridenit’s manipulation and violation of Yanda is handled with a starkness that made me pause. It’s uncomfortable because it’s meant to be. The author doesn’t sensationalize it, but she doesn’t soften it either, and that honesty shapes the emotional arc of the whole story.
What surprised me most was how the story shifts tone once the Elves enter more fully. When Zamani reveals the true nature of the Stone and Yanda’s connection to it, the narrative opens up. The fantasy elements step forward, the ancient magic, the living forests, the sense of destiny pulling at her life. Those scenes have a gentler color to them, almost like stepping from a metal corridor into filtered green light. I liked that the book didn’t rush to resolve Yanda’s sense of guilt over leaving her daughter or the unease she feels about how her powers are growing. The author gives her space to make mistakes, to wonder, to push back. It makes her feel real in a story full of mind magic and star travel.
I walked away feeling like I’d been given a part of a much larger journey. The book’s blend of science fiction and fantasy, its hybrid genre, will appeal to readers who like character-centered stories with both technology and ancient magic intertwined. If you like your fantasy worlds with a hint of sci-fi grit and emotional stakes that don’t let up, Elf Stone of the Neyna is worth your time.
Pages: 308 | ASIN : B0C1629PRX
Because of His Heart
Because of His Heart tells a twisting story of strained love, private wounds, and the strange ways people hide from themselves. The book moves between Charles Portland, a journalist who stumbles through heartbreak and confusion, and Erica Seames, a doctor whose inner world spills into journals, therapy sessions, and dream-like reflections. Their marriage trembles under jealousy, grief, illness, and the pull of outside influences. Around them swirl detectives, therapists, academics, and a host of observers who add tension and mystery. What begins as a domestic rift grows into a psychological maze that pushes everyone toward breaking points and revelations. The story feels intimate and huge at the same time, like a whisper that somehow shakes the walls.
I felt pulled in by the writing right away. The style is rich, sometimes thick with emotion, sometimes floating in quiet sadness. I caught myself slowing down just to feel the rhythm of a paragraph. At other times, I sped ahead because the tension swelled and I needed to know what someone would say or remember or confess. The voices of the characters shift often, and that creates a strange, almost musical pattern. I enjoyed that. It felt risky and bold. When the book turns inward, especially through Erica’s journal passages, I felt a kind of ache, something tender and unsettling. The language is lush, sometimes a little wild, but it fits the turbulence inside her.
The book probes marriage. It pokes at the pride and fear that sit quietly between two people who love each other but stop speaking honestly. It also wanders into questions about identity, longing, projection, and the blurry line between truth and imagination. Some sections confused me in a way that felt intentional, almost like the author wanted me to experience the disorientation the characters felt. At times, I wished for clearer edges, yet the fog added to the emotional weight. I admired how the book balanced real-world problems with almost mythic undertones. Charles and Erica felt fragile but also alive, and their pain carried a beauty.
I would recommend Because of His Heart to readers who enjoy psychological fiction that digs deep into relationships and the hidden storms beneath daily life. It is perfect for someone who likes character-driven stories that wander through memory, longing, and emotional tension. If you want a straightforward plot, this may feel heavy. If you love getting lost in voices, feelings, and messy human truths, this will be a fantastic book for you.
Pages: 555 | ASIN : B0FS5BF8GD
LITERARY TITAN 