Author Archives: Literary_Titan
Teaching Respect For Wildlife
Clover follows a curious bunny as he guides children through his daily life, teaching readers how rabbits live, where they find shelter, what they like to eat, and the natural challenges they face. What was the inspiration for your story?
Wildlife in our backyard, especially squirrels and cottontail bunny rabbits. Their antics are fun to watch and baby bunnies are cute just like baby squirrels. We provide nuts for the squirrels and apple chunks and grapes for the squirrels and bunnies. My husband allows for one small clover patch to remain in place just for the bunnies. Truly inspiring.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
It’s important for children to know about wildlife that run through their own yards. Knowing what they nibble on and how they interact keeps children from trying to catch them, or chasing them. Watching them is fine. Nature is always a good thing. Children need to respect these furry animals.
How does your writing process for children’s books differ from writing your romance novels, as far as getting in the right mindset and how you work?
The wildlife in our area inspires me and I always look at my past career as a registered nurse. I choose a critter and a current topic that children need to read and learn about. I used mice in a book about bullies and how to overcome being bullied. I know the start and the end, so I create a story for the middle part of the galley.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
Clover is a standalone book and I’ve released four books this year. I plan to have my next one completed in 2026.
Author Links: Goodreads | X | Facebook | Website
Look Closer
Just a Little Witch, Mostly a Mom is not only a memoir sharing your story of grief, motherhood, and the quiet magic hiding in plain sight, but a reminder to notice the small spells that you cast each day. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I wrote Just a Little Witch, Mostly a Mom because I didn’t want my mother’s story — or the strange, magical details of our life together — to disappear quietly. Grief can feel isolating, but when I wrote it down, it became connective instead. The book let me braid memory, motherhood, and a little magic into something that could outlast me. And honestly, I didn’t want to wait around for someone else to write the book I needed — so I did it myself.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
That motherhood and grief can coexist with humor, wonder, and even irreverence. That it’s possible to feel devastated and enchanted in the same breath. I wanted to show how ordinary objects, pop culture, and family rituals — everything from a backyard Jaws screening to rosemary growing by the gate — carry their own magic. I wasn’t trying to hand out lessons; I wanted to say, look closer, this is what ordinary life really looks like when you let yourself see it.
What was the most challenging part of writing your memoir, and what was the most rewarding?
The hardest part was writing about my mother’s decline with honesty while still protecting the tenderness of who she was. Grief doesn’t have a clean arc, and there were days I wanted to slam the laptop shut and pretend I’d rather be doing literally anything else. The most rewarding part was realizing, as the pages stacked up, that I wasn’t just writing loss — I was writing a legacy. And when early readers told me they felt both seen and entertained? That was the moment I thought, okay, maybe this actually works.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
Permission. Permission to find the sacred in the silly, to laugh even when it hurts, and to notice the everyday magic hiding in plain sight. If nothing else, I want readers to remember that love and loss aren’t opposites — they’re the same spell, just cast differently. And if they finish the book and immediately text their sibling some inside joke from childhood, then I’ve done my job.
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Connection vs Performance
The Influencer’s Canvas follows an elite nail artist from London who is invited to an exclusive Maldives retreat for elite creators, where, while she does their nails, she documents their hidden lives. I think this original idea is intriguing. How did you come up with this idea and develop it into a story?
The idea came directly from my work. I’ve been doing nails for influencers and celebrities in London for years, and there’s something about the intimacy of that process: having someone’s hands in yours for an hour whilst they’re away from their cameras. That’s when people drop their guards completely. I started noticing this pattern. Their online personas were completely different from who they became during our sessions.
X, my nail artist character, first appeared in Polished Edges as someone who collects these unguarded moments. When I was developing her story arc, the Maldives retreat setting felt natural because I’d heard about these exclusive influencer events where the performance pressure is even more intense. The isolation, the competition, the need to create content even whilst supposedly relaxing: it creates the perfect pressure cooker for masks to slip.
The lives of social media content creators are intriguing, as is their die-hard followers’ obsession. What aspects of the human condition do you find particularly interesting that could make for great fiction?
The performance of authenticity fascinates me. We’re living through this moment where being ‘authentic’ has become a brand strategy, where people curate their vulnerability for maximum engagement. There’s something deeply human about our need to be seen and loved, but social media has commodified that need.
I’m drawn to characters caught between who they are and who they think they need to be to survive. The influencers in my book aren’t villains; they’re people trapped in a system that rewards them for turning their lives into content. That tension between genuine connection and strategic self-presentation feels universal now.
I found this novel to be a cutting piece of satire. What is one thing that you hope readers take away from your book?
I hope they start questioning the difference between connection and performance in their own lives. The book is satirical, but the real target isn’t individual influencers: it’s the systems that turn human relationships into metrics.
If readers think more critically about what they consume online and what they share themselves, that’s success. We’re all performing to some degree now. The question is whether we can still recognise ourselves underneath the performance.
What is the next book you are working on, and when can fans expect it to be released?
I’m working on Project Mirror, which takes these themes into speculative territory. It’s about a world where beauty becomes algorithmic: people subscribe to facial features and get software updates for their appearance. My protagonist is a technician who fixes glitches in people’s neural aesthetic systems.
What unsettles me is how plausible it feels when you look at where beauty technology is heading. We’re already filtering ourselves in real-time during video calls. Neural implants for aesthetic modification seem like the logical next step.
No firm publication date yet, but I’m deep into the writing process. The research keeps making my fictional dystopia look conservative.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
What you’ll find insideConfessions at the manicure table
Each chapter is a fresh set of nails and a fresh secret, from burnout hidden beneath flawless French tips to crypto fraud masked by liquid-gold chrome.
High-gloss social satire with a beating heart
Picture White Lotus colliding with The Devil Wears Prada, written in micro-cinematic detail and edged with sly wit.
A thriller of algorithms and aesthetics
Beneath the sunsets and “sustainable luxury” hashtags lurks Project Chimera, an AI experiment that scores every guest’s malleability. Recommendation: neutralize or recruit.
Sensory prose that sparks the feed
Sharp dialogue, vivid color palettes, and scroll-stopping quotes perfect for BookTok or Instagram.
Perfect for readers whoScroll Instagram before they blink and wonder what is real
Devour sharp, contemporary fiction like Crazy Rich Asians and Such a Fun Age
Love luxury-world settings, moral gray areas, and plot twists that sting like acetone on a paper cut
Will the polish crack, or will the algorithm win?
The Influencer’s Canvas peels back the gel-coat glam to expose the messy, human nailbed beneath, then asks whether authenticity can survive once the cameras stop rolling.
One retreat. Two weeks. A million followers waiting.
Swipe in if you dare.
Compassion and Vulnerability
Dark District Primer: Duology on the Lore and Lure of the Dark District combines two novellas, Sojourn and Take Me Now, weaving personal identity with fantasy, Filipino folklore with urban life, and spiritual questions with surreal encounters. What was the inspiration for these stories?
For Sojourn, I wrote it in a time of grief when my father passed away. And so most of the things that I wanted to say and wanted to do were all poured into that novella as well as the emotions involved in such a given circumstance. Writing it was both an affirmation for me in being the son that I am and the son that he wanted. He was the first one to acknowledge my writing growing up. Perhaps he already knew something even before I knew who I was.
For Take Me Now, I wanted to incorporate the world that I have established and expound on it and give it more spice and relationship-driven. While Sojourn was written first, it was Take Me Now that was first published and I had to go back and tweak Sojourn in order that it would mirror the world that I wanted to establish.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
I love it when we show our humanity both through compassion and vulnerability. Compassion when we are able to put ourselves in the shoes of others to either feel their weakness in order to give them a little bit of our strength so that we help sustain them and what they need to do and vulnerability when it is our time to be on the receiving end of the help and empathy we give to others.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
As my father’s passing was the catalyst for me to be more introspective and re-examine my writing, it was both my feelings of grief, honesty and self-identity that I wanted to explore more in Sojourn while framing it within a created universe that has touchpoints in Philippine Folklore. In any relationship, being true and comfortable with oneself is one of the pillars in making it work. Lose that or postpone that form of self-affirmation then the foundation to establishing a relationship with another falls apart.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
My next book is the next installment of the Tales from the Dark District series, entitled Take My Heart, and is being targeted for a FALL 2026 release. Along with that I shall also resume work on my New Adult series, which will also be set within the Dark District Universe.
Author Links: GoodReads | X | Instagram | Facebook | Website
By C.J. Edmunds
Welcome to the Dark District. A place where magic hides in plain sight, and desire leads you deeper into the unknown.
In this atmospheric duology by C.J. Edmunds, two queer protagonists are drawn into the same hidden world—but under very different circumstances.
🌀 In Sojourn, David Lansing, a half-Filipino call center trainer, suddenly begins seeing visions and a mysterious spirit guide. Haunted by creatures from Philippine folklore—Tikbalang, Aswang, and the White Lady of Balete Drive—he embarks on a magical and existential journey that becomes one of purpose, ancestry, and an invitation to a place where people like him finally belong.
✅ Recommended for ages 16+ due to complex parental and identity themes and supernatural tension.
🔥 In Take Me Now, Alvin is tired of the wrong men, wrong choices, and wrong timing. Until the Dark District opens its doors and gives him more than he bargained for. Steamy encounters, eerie magic, and dark truths collide in this sensual tale of love and self-worth.
⚠️ Recommended for ages 17+ for sensual scenes and mature emotional content.
Whether you crave introspection or intensity, Dark District Primer invites you to step through the veil—and explore what’s waiting on the other side.
This lush and haunting collection explores:
Filipino urban legends reimagined
Queer identity and transformation
Steamy encounters and emotional awakenings
A universe where fantasy, myth, and reality blur
Welcome to the Dark District. You might not want to leave.
Perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, Philippine mythology, and magical realism with queer narratives.
📘 Includes the complete novellas “Sojourn” and “Take Me Now.”
A Touch of Fantasy
Bugs That Bug You is a rhyming story centered around a young boy frustrated by the numerous bugs that inconvenience him at every turn. Where did the idea for this story come from?
Yes, I experienced bugs who bugged me at the time. A very annoying fly would buzz around my head every morning and wake me up. Then a cockroach flew directly towards me. This is what inspired me to write the book.
What is it that draws you to write children’s literature?
I love the fun of it all. Usually, children’s literature has a positive tone to it, and you can add a bit of fantasy to it. This is why I love childrens literature, you can almost come up with anything you like 😊
Is there anything from your own childhood included in Fred’s character or his experiences?
Yes, we had weasels in our oats when I was a child; that’s why I added the weasels to Fred’s breakfast.
Can young readers look forward to seeing more from Fred? What are you currently working on?
At the moment, there’s nothing more from Fred. But you never know I might come up with in the future. I’m currently working on “Oh Dear, There’s Gum in My Hair,” a series of “Oh No, There’s Poo on My Shoe.”
Thank you, I hope you enjoy my books. Thanks Again
Author Website
It all begins when a fly buzzes around his head first thing in the morning. Then come the weevils in his breakfast, a moth that munches a hole in his favourite jacket, and an ant that crawls up his pants!
As the day goes on, more and more bugs appear, and Fred is getting fed up. But Mum has some wise words: don’t let the bugs bug you – enjoy the rest of the day!
A fun, rhyming story full of pesky pests, giggles, and a gentle reminder to shake off the small stuff and keep smiling.
Adapt and Persevere
The King’s Ascent follows the rightful ruler of a kingdom that has been taken over by an insane man craving power and control, who, with his loyal friends, must find a way to regain his throne. What was your inspiration for the setup of the story, and how did that help you create the ending?
I believe people are drawn to the timeless clash of good versus evil. While it is a familiar trope, its enduring appeal lies in its reflection of real life—where both good and bad exist. The battle between Barrett and his friends against evil mirrors the struggles we face in the world today.
As for the ending, I wanted to convey that life is never a straight path. Like Barrett and his friends, we are often guided by unpredictable twists and turns, many of which are beyond our control. Yet, to survive, we must adapt and persevere. While this lesson is difficult and sometimes painful to learn, Barrett’s journey reflects the challenges we all face in life.
Your characters go on a deeply emotional and transformative journey in your novel. Do you think this is intentional or incidental to the story you want to tell?
The theme of transformation is intentional. Every moment, we are changing—shifting in ways both big and small. We are never the same person we were yesterday, last week, or even last month. Barrett and his friends undergo a similar evolution, growing before our eyes. They make countless mistakes, but it’s through these trials and tribulations that they ultimately become stronger and better equipped to reach their goal
What is your background and experience in writing and how did it help you write The Ruinous Curse series?
I have been writing since I was a child, creating short pieces of fiction as early as nine years old. Over the years, I have honed my craft as an outdoor columnist, taken writing courses, and learned the art of editing and storytelling. I have never looked back. My time in the military, where I had the opportunity to travel the world, deepened my understanding of diverse cultures and people. I strive to weave those experiences—the sights, beliefs, and emotions—into my writing, enriching my stories with a global perspective.
Where do you see your characters after the book ends?
That’s a great question, and honestly, I’m not sure there’s a clear answer just yet. I’ve been toying with the idea of extending the series into another trilogy, featuring a more mature and wiser cast of characters. However, I haven’t taken that step yet, as I’m currently immersed in a new project titled The Library Between Worlds. Stay tuned, there’s much more to come.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed my work. I truly appreciate each one of you.
Author Links: Website | LinkedIn
To save their home, the friends must remove the tyrants. But the task will be harder than imagined as their plans fail at every attempt. Making things worse, the wizard Elimar is nowhere to be found and the sorceress, Trishar, is confined to her house under the watchful eyes of Bureau Agents.
Now, Barrett must use all his cunning and powers to free Westmore from the vile grasp of the Bureau, regain his throne, and rebuild the city. Standing in his way are an evil wizard, armies of hired killers, Mystical Affairs, and Grimes himself, who has more secrets than anyone could have guessed.
A Curse or a Gift
Apadora Rising follows a young prince thrust into impossible battles and choices, wrestling with magic, loss, and the burden of leadership. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My inspiration stemmed from a blend of mythology, real-world history, and the profound emotional complexities of growing up under pressure. I have always been drawn to stories where young leaders are forced to grow up too quickly. In this case, it is where the weight of the crown is more curse than a gift.
I tried to explore what would happen if a teen were suddenly responsible for many lives, a kingdom, and the fate of magic itself. The story grew out of that tension: the clash between destiny and personal choice, the cost of leadership, and the emotional toll of loss at a young age. Magic in this world became a metaphor for potential—beautiful, dangerous, and unpredictable—just like the prince’s journey
In many coming-of-age fiction novels, authors often add their own life experiences to the story. Are there any bits of you in this story?
Authors always leave pieces of themselves in their stories, and Apadora Rising is no different. For me, it was the group of friends. Barrett and his friends reflect the bond I shared with my own friends during my youth. The way they support each other, challenge one another, and stay loyal even when everything around them is falling apart—it all came from real experiences. We faced our own battles, not with swords or magic, but with life, and that kind of friendship leaves a mark. Writing their dynamic was one of the most natural and heartfelt parts of the book, because it came from something very real.
Can you tell us where the book goes and where we’ll see the characters in the next book?
Book #3, The King’s Ascent, takes a darker turn as the series moves toward its climax. With the stakes higher than ever, Barrett and his friends will face overwhelming odds, uncover a traitor hidden in plain sight, and fight to prevent their city from collapsing into despair under the Bureau’s tightening grip. Every lingering question will finally be answered.
As with the previous books, the friends’ lives are filled with tough choices that will test their loyalties. The journey concludes with heart, sacrifice, and an emotional farewell that will hopefully stay with readers long after the final page.
Author Links: Website | LinkedIn
Declaring all magic forbidden, the Bureau brands Barrett and his allies as enemies of the realm. As the friends prepare to flee, a ghostly vision of Alesta appears, begging for rescue. She is imprisoned by Apadora, a malevolent force long confined to the Outerworld.
Apadora, the embodiment of ancient evil, has waited centuries for her chance to return. As her release draws near, the very fabric of the western lands is threatened. Now, Barrett and his companions face rival factions as they race to find the key to either bind or unleash her.
Orphaned, homeless, and hunted, the exiled prince must choose between reclaiming his kingdom or restraining the evil tide poised to sweep across the western lands.
Be Free and Fly
Drums of a Distant Tribe is a memoir that weaves together moments of joy, recklessness, grief, and revelation, sharing with readers your story of survival, resilience, and the search for truth about life and what may come after death. Why was this an important book for you to write?
From the Book, Drums of a Distant Tribe: A Son’s Message from the Great Beyond:
As I reflect on this amazing journey, I realize I’ve been visited by nothing less than miracles that prove the greatest gift to mankind is real. Perhaps we should not be so surprised. Those who chose to follow Jesus in antiquity reported many miracles. The Gospel of Mark 16:20 says, “And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.”
When these followers experienced miracles, they felt compelled to report what they witnessed. This, I also feel compelled to do. I cannot keep this to myself. But how can I tell this story in a way that will make sense to others? I can only do my best to explain these events as accurately as possible to help others during their challenging test of life.
Perhaps a message I received on Wailea Beach after discovering the Church of New Beginnings explains this sense of responsibility better than I can. As I read old notes from a special evening under the glow of torches, protected now in a plastic bag and only being weathered slightly from hours spent on the beach and the many years that have transpired between, and looking like they had been penned yesterday, I notice the following entry: “You are beginning to see the good in what your life has come to. So, you will see the greatness in our experiences . . . Be like a freedom fighter . . . The tide on Earth is changing. Catch the wave and help to pioneer a new consciousness . . . Your pen will fly with the excitement of many souls. And like the crashing of waves on the massive rocks of the shore that slowly break them into sand, our words will reduce the rigid structure of conventional wisdom and help to create a palette that will form the foundation of life’s effervescent force.”
I ask, “Why is it important that we share these experiences with others? People are set in their ways, and most will dismiss our words.”
“There are important reasons. It is part of evolution. It is a path toward order. It is a path toward goodness. It is for relief of suffering and the pursuit of wisdom. The quest is endless, but it is the quest that is important . . . Act with love and there will be love. Quest for truth, and there will be truth. Search for beauty, and there will be beauty. To share our experiences is to spread the joy and happiness we found. This in itself is the reason. What becomes of this knowledge after we share it is like asking, ‘What happens to a beam of light?’ Nothing and everything. It is still just a beam of light. The fact that it is light is what is important . . . this light will survive into eternity, it is its own end . . . Thus, it is with our work. Even those who do not believe will be illuminated by it. They may not recognize it, but they will benefit, whether consciously or not. . . May the light we shine illuminate the darkness!”
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Life tends to be overwhelming and out of our control at times. I think it’s important to take a step back periodically and view the picture as someone who will survive all the challenges and come out the other side. Hopefully this book will help provide that perspective.
What was the most challenging part of writing your memoir, and what was the most rewarding?
The most challenging part of writing this book was doing the subject material justice. After all, those much greater than I have already covered the important part of the message. The most rewarding part of writing the book was doing an honest job of telling the story. Whether I told it effectively is up for the reader to decide. But I am satisfied that what I have written is an accurate description of the events that occurred.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
I hope that the readers can relate personally to the story and gain a sense of freedom from the message that we will survive; the afterlife is real. “It’ll be alright. It’ll be alright. Be free and fly.”
Author links: Facebook | Amazon
Walk slowly lest you miss your turn in the forest.
LITERARY TITAN 