Category Archives: Interviews
Grow, Evolve, and Blossom
Garden Quartz and Paper Flowers is a collection of stories and poems centered around a girl navigating the trauma of abuse and the healing process. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It was important for me to write, Garden Quartz and Paper Flowers as a way to finally close a chapter of my own life. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember: poetry, music, and short stories but I lost all my original works in a very traumatic incident. That use to haunt me, endlessly.
I don’t know of many stories that tell the tale of resilience, that transcends through time with authentic but healthy coping mechanisms. In this story, the main character Calla recognizes that self-work was required to set her free. For you never have to be your childhood or adulthood circumstances. Those moments will shape you but you should not allow them to break you.
My fondness for precious gemstones and flowers with inspirational meaning were the metaphorical tools necessary to breathe life into this piece. Stones are shaped by their environment. Flowers can weather the storm. Both survive under tough pressure.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in putting together this collection?
My biggest challenge was simply starting. For years, I dwelled on it subconsciously, should I pick up my pen again and recreate what was destroyed. Eventually, I got to a place where I said this is going to be therapeutic for you and it’s time to get it done. My second challenge was struggling with remembering much of what I originally wrote, but once I started to complete the individual pieces one by one, I was able to weave them together into one fluid story. You can delay the inevitable but it’s still has to get done, even when it’s overdue. I also needed to live a little bit longer, to complete this work of art in full circle.
Have you received any feedback from readers that surprised or moved you?
I’ve received a lot of positive feedback on this piece of art. I’m honestly VERY surprised. I didn’t think it would move so many people to connect with it so deeply, especially since it’s a fiction. I know Art imitates life, and I know that some of the things I wrote could align as a lived experience rather than a collection of different occurrences. I just didn’t know it would resonate with some many people.
“Not for the faint of heart,” was the common themed remark. Which to me, shows I planted a seed and I hope it grows. Uncomfort as it relates to knowledge, has always been a sign that I’m headed in the proper direction. I remind myself every day, learn something new, try something different and feel something real.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from Garden Quartz and Paper Flowers?
I want readers to know that it’s okay to feel every emotion in the moment—but it’s not okay to live in the negative ones. We have to find the strength to rise, overcome pain, and to keep pushing forward. It’s not easy, but NOTHING in life is simple. After the all hard work, aches and pains, I promise greatness is waiting on the other side, ready to greet you.
You’re not your past. You’re not even your present. And you’re not even alone. Continue to actively grow, evolve, and blossom into who you’re meant to be. It’s time to do your due diligence. It’s time to rediscover your resilience. It’s time to heal. Let’s do this!
Pain has Transformed me. . .
Step into this immersive garden of ruin and bloom— a memoir told in fragments of memory, poetry, and survival.
This is the story of a girl named Calla, rooted in silence, shaped by shadow, and determined to rise.
Because not all wounds bleed. Not all truths are spoken.
And you never have to become what tried to break you.
Re-Crafting the Relationship
Beneficial Economics examines history, political theory, and constitutional design to equip readers with the critical information they need to combat the growing ideological divide in America and rebuild a stable and moral society. Why was this an important book to publish at this time?
We provide red state citizens with the constitutional framework of 4 essential functions of the national government:
1. The protective state, which protects citizen liberty and freedoms from coercion and exploitation.
2. The productive state, which creates the fair rules for citizen freedom to produce and obtain the future value of their production.
3. The entrepreneurial state, which decentralizes economic activity to the most local regional metro level to allow citizens maximum ability to innovate.
4. The sovereign state, which protects the sovereignty of citizens and the nation from outside threats from other nations and from inside threats from anti-national forces.
At this time in the nation’s history, the government has strayed from its initial purpose, and is untethered to Madison’s constitution.
The government has failed the citizens, and the citizens have a natural right to abolish this government and start over, with the principles of 1776, which is what the book’s four functions are designed to create.
In your book, you sketch a new political architecture —a “Democratic Republic of American States” — built on state sovereignty, fair economic rules, and resistance to “predatory state capitalism.” Can you give a high-level explanation of what this would look like?
The new architecture of the national government offers two forms of decentralization, intended to overcome the flaws of centralization in Madison’s constitution.
First, the new constitution aims at geographic political decentralization, intended to return authority and government power to citizens at the most local levels of government.
We cite Jefferson’s phrase,
“That which governs the best, governs the least, and closest to the people.”
The book proposes re-crafting the relationship between states and the national government by limiting the national government powers to those “expressly delegated” to the national government, by the states, in the constitution.
Second, the book describes the economic relationship between decentralized entrepreneurial innovation, in metro regions, to the freedom and liberty of citizens to obtain the future prosperity that they are imagining for themselves.
This economic future would look very much like what Adam Smith described for British society in his 1776 book, The Wealth of Nations.
This future economy, in the Democratic Republic of American States, would look like free citizens making free financial and economic decisions which leads society to beneficial outcomes for all citizens.
After reading your book, what steps can the average citizen take to start making meaningful change in their own communities?
In the current two-party, first-past-the post political system, red state citizens do not have a political party or political movement that aims to champion their liberty and financial interests.
The book is designed to promote a red state citizen consciousness of their own class interests, which depends on the creation of a coherent ideology of freedom.
As the political polarization intensifies, and as the Democrat Marxist seek to impose a communist solution, red state citizens will use their state legislatures to implement citizen-led study commissions to recommend changes to the state-national relationship.
Those citizen study commissions become the launching pad for a new constitution.
What is one thing that people point out after reading your book that surprises you?
I am surprised at how alien the notion of citizen liberty and economic freedom has become for red state citizens.
Part of the intent of the book is to use the notion of quantitative physics to explain to red state citizens that nothing bad will happen if citizens are free to make their own decisions.
We extend the notion of Adam Smith to describe that something good will emerge in society when citizens have the greatest ability to obtain the future that their brains are imagining, for themselves, and their families.
Author Links: X | Website | Rumble | YouTube | Substack | Gettr
At this point in American history, middle and working class citizens in red states are confronted with two paths.
Red state citizens could do nothing, and accept the path of blue state Democrat Marxism, that increases the power of the central government over the lives of citizens.
That path leads to a global police state of citizen surveillance and a social credit system controlled by central banks, private corporations, and tech companies.
Alternatively, citizens in red states could restore the original 1776 principles of liberty that animated the first American Revolution, by implementing a decentralized political system, based upon a metro-decentralized entrepreneurial capitalist economic system.
We wrote about the irreconcilable cultural and moral differences between citizens in red and blues states, leading up to a political civil dissolution, at this point in history. (Laurie Thomas Vass, A Civil Dissolution: The Best Solution to America’s Irreconcilable Ideological Conflict, 2023).
In this book, we extend our analysis, that after a political civil dissolution, what comes next for citizens in the red states is creating a new, better constitution.
Our book explores how red state citizens might craft a more fair constitution that puts political power back in the hands of ordinary people, at the state and local levels of government.
We combine a political dissolution with a constitutional dissolution that aims at creating fair economic rules.
Political geographical dissolution – the cultural/geographic separation along red/blue state lines that is inevitable.
Constitutional dissolution – the fundamental redesign of economic rules and institutional structures, moving away from Madison’s system that enabled the original ruling class aristocracy, that eventually turned into a global predatory state capitalism.
Living In The Moment Method
Bart Bantam The Flying Rooster follows a small bantam rooster who has big dreams of flying, offering young readers important lessons about believing in themselves. Where did the idea for this story come from?
The inspiration for this book actually began 25+ years ago. You see, I am a father of two sons, and when I needed to wake them up for primary school, I coerced them to get up and get ready by using a chicken’s voice. The irritation of my chicken voice worked supremely well! In 2014, I bought an iPad and started doodling. It came to me with a sketch of a bantam rooster and a vague outline of a story. A barnyard chicken is not very large; however, a smaller Bantam, with an even smaller voice, sparked my imagination. Wouldn’t it be surprising if this small rooster did what others were incapable or unwilling to do? As a former therapist, I witnessed the struggles of children in families. I saw Bart as a friend to anyone needing a friend, and a voice to convey a message to further help others in a meaningful way.
What was your favorite scene in this story?
This is an easy answer for me. I gravitate to the final page of the book where Billy, a former bully, has reformed into an appreciative young rooster whose life has changed forever. Billy can’t contain his gratitude, and he lifts the bantam roosters in his wings as the teacher and classmates cheer them on.
The artwork in your book is wonderful. Can you share with us a little about your illustration process?
I am both a writer and an illustrator of my books. Both tasks are challenging to say the least. I am currently using an art program called Procreate. This app allows scenes to be stacked like pages in a book. The tools I use while drawing allow my story to develop. I build the storyline as I draw. Let’s back up a bit. I had the idea for the chicken, then the idea for a Bantam rooster. Finally, alliteration kicked in and Bart Bantam became the main character’s name. As I began drawing young Bart, it helped me see his unique personality. I felt my way through the book page by page, and as I drew, I developed the narrative and the story’s conflicts and resolutions. I believe they call this technique “Pantser.” “Flying by the seat of your pants.” Or as I have laughingly renamed it, “Living in the moment method.” There is an honesty and freshness to this technique in my humble opinion, though editing has become an important collaborative tool.
Can we look forward to more books for young readers soon? What are you currently working on?
Yes indeed! So far, The Tales of Bart Bantam series has a total of four books. Also, there is a supplemental coloring book encouraging young children to express themselves in coloring their favorite characters of Bart and his friends. I also have an adorable non-fiction children’s story about carving a rabbit out of a dead tree stump. As you can probably guess by now, I’m just getting started with this new-found love of writing and illustrating books. Thank you again for your attentiveness. Kindly yours, Papa Fred.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
★★★★★ “… Brimming with charm, gentle humor, and an uplifting message, (this book) offers inspiration without ever feeling heavy-handed. …Young readers will find a hero in Bart’s boundless enthusiasm.” – Literary Titan
Get ready for an adventure like no other! Join Bart Bantam, a young rooster with big dreams, as he navigates life on the farm with his mother, Mama Betty. But things take an unexpected turn when Bart finds himself in a showdown with the school bully, a rooster much larger than him. With the help of a new friend named Buddy, they set out to do what no other chicken has done before, “Fly!” But when danger strikes, Bart and Buddy must use their newfound skills to save the day. Will they succeed? Find out in the thrilling tale of Bart Bantam The Flying Rooster!
This story highlights:
achieving goals
perseverance and resilience in doing hard things
handling peer pressure around a bully
showing kindness and compassion to others
the power of friendship
Bart’s journey will warm your hear and inspire readers of all ages. From beautifully hand drawn illustrations with vivid color and detail to a tender story from the author’s heart about friendship and forgiveness, Bart’s kindness leads the way!
This book is a true labor of love. It is a created by a dedicated author who uses his own story and illustrations from his own hand (No AI) to help children in a meaningful way. Large 8.5×11 pages bring the characters to life and engages the reader whole heartedly. Premium color and glossy pages make these illustrations dynamic to grab one’s imagination. This short story is perfect for shared reading with little ones or as independent reading for primary school readers ages 7 and up.
If you enjoyed books like Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little, you’ll love Bart Bantam The Flying Rooster. So don’t wait, grab your copy now and lose yourself in the wonders of Bart’s World.
My Lifetime Journey
The Stories is a collection of deeply personal reflections with each story representing an encounter with faith, destiny, or divine intervention. Why was this an important book for you to write?
For posterity, it was important for me to record amazing stories from my lifetime journey in various roles and over times and places. I had shared many of these stories with family members, my university students (as examples for learning), and colleagues at professional conferences, especially during the years when I presented conference papers on the topic of psychospirituality. It was important for me to share stories within the context of readers understanding human vulnerabilities and human possibilities. It was important for me to share these amazing, if not incredible, stories from my experiences as a civil rights pioneer and leader, as a child growing up in the Jim-Crow South, as a counselor-psychotherapist, as a consultant, as a family member and friend, and as a channel of messages from a spirit existence as well as my experiences in meeting people who voluntarily shared their stories of spiritual channeling, clairvoyance, and telepathy.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Much of my writings tend to teach and enlighten. Through my stories, I trust that I have communicated to readers to do what is right, continue to grow and learn, share your gifts and blessings with others, value family and your children, and listen to spiritual messages from God and your ancestors.
What was the most challenging part of writing your memoir and what was the most rewarding?
The writing of the manuscript for THE STORIES was more joy than a challenge. It afforded me the opportunity to recall and reflect upon significant experiences and encounters during my lifetime. I guess that a minor challenge was writing down my stories in detail from memory and personal records while I was still cognitively competent in my 70s. Some stories go back to age three and to times when I was in elementary school.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
I hope and trust that readers of THE STORIES will follow their heart and mind, and discover and pursue the light of talent from within them. After years of doing so, I realized that I was gifted as a thinker, writer, helper, leader, and organizer. Therefore, my purpose during my adult like has been to “CREATE [such as writings] and SERVE [e.g., as counselor and professor of counseling] for good cause.”
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
A Man Driven By Greed
The Kingdom Thief follows Princess Sitnalta as she races to undo a thief’s reality-warping wish, becoming the lone keeper of the truth in a world that no longer remembers who she really is. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The Sitnalta Series finds itself focusing a lot on this coin- its origin, its powers, and the power of wishes. Through the first book, with Sitnalta’s relationship with the troll, Najort, we look into the consequences of wishes done with the right motivation, and by good people. For the sequel, I wanted to look at the reverse. Wilhelm is not Najort. He is not Sitnalta. He is a man driven by greed, and what would that look like, if he were to acquire the coin and make a wish.
Sitnalta and Navor’s relationship holds so much emotional weight. How did you approach balancing romance with the fast-paced plot?
For someone their age, the idea of a budding romance can be what drives a person. In a way, it is the plot. Navor wants to help Sitnalta, and Sitnalta wants her home back. This should be in balance with what is happening outside of their little bubble. For them at least, their feelings are just as important as magic, and politics, and stopping the mad man who has stolen a kingdom. When you look at the world through the lens of two young people and their feelings, one thing is never more important than the other. As a parent of teenagers, I’m surrounded by that on a daily basis, and that was my approach.
If you could expand one section of the story, give readers more time in any particular place or emotional moment, what would it be and why?
I would love to spend a lot more time in Navor’s head. He has a lot on his plate right now. Writing his dreams, his fears, and his hope for the future was a lot of fun, and I would love to have done a lot more of that.
What can readers expect in book three of the Sitnalta Series?
Oh, without giving too much away, I can say that we have tragedy, a very different type of romance, and so many questions about the past get answered. In a way, this is almost a prequel, but still very much Book Three. Sitnalta would not have been ready for these answers before now. I hope that wasn’t too cryptic.
Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website
Princess Sitnalta has been living happily ever after with Queen Aud and King Gerald as her adoptive parents, enjoying the peace in her world. Her growing friendship with the mysterious Prince Navor leads her on a journey to visit his island kingdom. While there she receives the horrible news that her kingdom has been conquered and cruel King Wilhelm is responsible.
With King Gerald and Queen Aud imprisoned, Prince Navor and a secretive network of spies as her only allies, Princess Sitnalta feels lost and adrift. Nothing about Colonodona’s takeover seems right, and Sitnalta suspects magic may be to blame.
Far from home and unsure of whom to trust, Sitnalta must find a way to save her kingdom, and return her beloved Aud and Gerald to their rightful thrones.
Be Willing To Try
Love is Golden follows a golden doodle who works as a therapy dog and teaches his friends what therapy dogs and service dogs do. What was the inspiration for your story?
The inspiration came from my sister’s dogs. She was taking Ted to therapy dog training classes, while his little sister Rosie had to stay home. This made me think about the big brother, little sister dynamic. I thought it would be fun and a little different to tell the story from the dogs’ perspective. At the time, I was also teaching at a high school where therapy dogs would visit, and I saw firsthand how much joy and comfort they brought to students. That experience inspired me to write a cute story that also shares an important message about never giving up.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
Overall, I wanted this book to focus on empathy, compassion, and resilience. I hope kids come away knowing that they can do anything if they’re willing to try. Sometimes one thing doesn’t work out, and that’s okay, you just try something else. I’m hoping the book will encourage kids to think about the many ways they can be helpful and to recognize the unique talents that make them who they are.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with the illustrator Nomrota Saha?
I found Nomrota on Fiverr.com. She lives in India and is an aspiring art student. The process was amazing! I shared my manuscript, she would share the line drawings, the flat versions and then the final versions of each page. It was a really nice collaboration, in which she was able to take my words and make them come to life through the images.
Will this novel be the start of a series or are you working on a different story?
I started with “We Love Nacho” and then “Nacho Loves Salsa” and then I wrote this book. It wasn’t meant to be a series but the characters carry throughout. This book mainly features the dogs, with an appearance of my nephews, but Nacho is seen throughout all of the books. I have a few more ideas in mind. I’d love to make this book bilingual, as I went back and did with my first two books, and I’m currently working on the companion, “Love is Golden Coloring and Activity Book”. What comes after that, we shall see!
Author Website
It’s Always Been About Purpose
Mental Health Sounds Like This is a heartfelt and deeply personal guide blending science, storytelling, and soul, to explore how music can be used not just as an outlet for emotion but as a structured process for healing and transformation. Why was this an important book for you to write?
As I mention in the book, I began teaching vocals when I was just 17, and in 2019, I expanded my work into what’s now known as Empowerment Through Songwriting Coaching. What’s always fascinated me is that my clients rarely come to me just for music; they come seeking confidence, personal development, and healing. All the while: I was writing and singing my own music of self-actualization, expression and growth. So it made sense that for a long time, people struggled to understand why I chose to both sing and coach. “Why not just focus on becoming famous and using your gift for yourself?” they’d ask. But for me, it’s never been about fame: it’s always been about purpose. From early on, I knew I wanted my music to mean something – to do something. And that’s exactly what this book represents: a reintroduction to who I am, what I do, and why I do it. It’s an invitation for the world to truly understand what Emma G Music is all about.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Good question! I think it goes back to the principles behind my work: The importance of providing safe space for my clients to truly show up, the importance of leading by example, the scientific, cultural, spiritual, and practical reasons behind why music [especially singing and songwriting] are so powerful, and how imperative it is that we seek out proactive approaches for mental, emotional, spiritual, social and even physical well-being.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
It wasn’t necessarily “hard”, but I found myself waking up from dreams about different situations that occurred as a teenager that I’d definitely buried over the years. Writing this forced me to open that can of worms back up, and really analyze some of my experiences, and responses… and the what if’s. I have several catalogs of music documenting those parts of my life, but I hadn’t really looked at those songs in depth for a long time… it was cathartic. Painful at times, but healing.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Mental Health Sounds Like This?
That their voices matter. Their experiences matter. Their truth matters. In fact, that’s where their power lies. By ignoring or suppressing the difficult parts of ourselves; we cut ourselves off from growth, and strength building. I want people to understand that they can sing their pain away, and come out the other side: a whole, healed person. But they need to first lean in, and learn to express themselves authentically.
Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website
Written by singer-songwriter, TEDx speaker, and vocal empowerment coach Emma G, this book is a creative blueprint for anyone who’s ever struggled to make sense of their emotions, find their voice, or feel seen in a chaotic world.
Blending storytelling, science, and soulful strategy, Emma introduces a revolutionary 5-step framework that uses music and songwriting as tools for healing, resilience, and self-discovery.
Whether you’re navigating grief, burnout, anxiety, or identity challenges, this book invites you to do more than survive—it helps you create your way through it.
Drawing from personal experience, somatic healing, and her work with Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha, Emma shows how singing and songwriting can turn pain into power and help you reclaim your voice—literally and metaphorically.
Inside, you’ll discover:
How emotions live in the body—and how singing can release them
Why songwriting is a form of prayer, reflection, and personal growth
A step-by-step guide to turn your experiences into empowering anthems
Real stories of healing and breakthroughs through music
Prompts, practices, and tools to help you start writing your own story
Whether you’re a seasoned musician or just someone searching for clarity and healing, Mental Health Sounds Like This will meet you where you are—and show you how to sing your way forward.
You are not broken. You are becoming. And your voice has always been the key.
Respecting Water
The Tralls of Mundi follows a group of tralls headed to the Coming Together celebration who, along the way, discover a dark and dangerous adventure that threatens the tralls’ future. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Illegal damming of water sources is becoming an issue in Australia, especially in areas that have a lot of agriculture and limited water resources.
There are many reasons for this, some quite understandable, and in a vast country like Australia the situation is hard to monitor.
Unfortunately, however, Illegal dams can have a negatively impact on the environment and ecosystems.
They can lead to habitat destruction, degrade water quality, negatively impact aquatic life and cause health risks for humans through contaminated water.
I wanted to make my young readers aware of these issues and hopefully encourage them to be respectful water users in the future.
Were there any characters that you especially enjoyed writing for?
Each book in The Tall Series is dedicated to two of my grandchildren. The two represented in “The Tralls of Mundi” are often complimented on their leadership, persistence, courage and resourcefulness so I was keen to highlight these traits in the main characters, Jete and Jak.
What was the inspiration for the culture of your characters? Is it modeled after any particular society?
There are two memories that are very special to me. The first was when I lived with my grandparents in Tasmania. We spent a lot of time traipsing through the bush and marvelling at the beautiful flora and fauna during the daytime and then at night, we’d read and re-enact the classics. Those memories are very dear to me and I tried to share them with my family and my readers through this series.
The second very precious memory is of the time we spent living on Badu Island in the Torres Strait.
The laid-back, happy, communal life-style of the islanders and the friendly way they included us in their lives had a strong impact on us and Badu and the friends we made there still mean the world to us.
My hope is that by threading that happy, peaceful ambience through my stories , I could impart the same feeling to others.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from The Tralls of Mundi?
I hope “The Tralls of Mundi” engenders a deep respect in my readers for the environment and a desire to protect it. I also hope they learn the importance of all water resources and treat them with consideration and care.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
When the terrified tralls discover that the village of Mundi and all its inhabitants have disappeared they are convinced the Chameleons have returned, and when they find that the mighty River Maire is now only a dried-up mudflat, those fears are strengthened.
Jete and Jak are determined to save their friends but what they find when they enter the Sacred Caves of Mundi leaves them so confused and horrified, they are no longer sure they can save the tralls of Mundi or even their own kinships.
The Tralls of Mundi is the second book in The Trall Series; a collection of environmentally based portal fantasies set in the Australian bush. It is recommended for readers 9 years to 13 years.
LITERARY TITAN 