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Vizard: An Ember Files Side Story (The Ember Files)
In Vizard: An Ember Files Side Story, author Shari Marshall crafts a suspenseful narrative around Juniper Berry, a young girl entangled in a web of vengeance and survival. The story begins in the aftermath of a harrowing attack, with Juniper emerging as the sole survivor. This tragedy propels her into a dangerous world where she must navigate a complex web of secrets and peril.
The book’s central theme of resilience against overwhelming odds resonates deeply. Juniper’s character is intricately portrayed, allowing readers to journey with her through challenges and triumphs. This emotional depth not only endears Juniper to the reader but also adds a layer of realism to her extraordinary circumstances. Marshall excels in creating a character who is not merely a passive participant in her story but an active pursuer of justice. Marshall’s narrative pacing is a standout feature, skillfully balancing suspenseful action with moments of introspection. This equilibrium keeps the storyline engaging, drawing readers into Juniper’s world and holding their attention until the final page. The vivid descriptions and imaginative setting further enhance the reading experience, crafting an intriguing and relatable world.
Vizard is a well-rounded novel offering a blend of intrigue, emotion, and adventure. It invites readers into a fantastical realm where themes of identity, determination, and the strength of the human spirit are explored. This book is a noteworthy addition to the fantasy genre, offering a compelling read for those who appreciate stories of adversity and triumph.
Pages: 198 | ASIN : B0CH5KYY44
Waiting for the Second Coming
The Apocryphal of Lazarus follows Lazarus, who, after rising from the dead, travels the world, plies different trades, and falls in love over and over again while trying to find purpose in life as he awaits the return of Christ. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
There are many legends indicating where Lazarus of Bethany was buried, including Cyprus or Kilton. In Jewish tradition and in the writings of Maimonides in his Mishneh, Torah spoke of the resurrection at the end of times where the souls of those who had died inhabit other bodies, a Jewish acceptance of reincarnation. Reform Judaism rejected the idea of the resurrection in the Pittsburg Platform of 1885. I believe that resurrection means that you, like Christ, cannot die and that Lazarus is walking the earth, waiting for the second coming. What does this affect a human being? How do you cope with seeing loved ones grow old and die? How do you deal with changing your looks to disguise perpetual youthful looks? Is this a blessing or a curse? The Apocryphal of Lazarus involved my exploration into this character and how circumstances molded him and helped him to cope with the grief of loss. To see a wife, a son, a daughter, and grandchildren grow and change, then finally wither and die must have been overwhelmingly sad, yet his faith kept him moving forward.
When you sit down to write a book, what comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?
The plot stems from the characters involved in the story. Once I know who is speaking to me, the plot writes itself. Once I know who my protagonist is, how he deals with the bumps in the road and how he struggles and overcomes difficulties in life, where he goes next is easy.
What is a significant way your book has changed since the first draft?
After I put a manuscript down for a while and then go back and reread it, I find the need to add more description of what I see in my mind’s eye. How do the desert, the ocean, and other places smell and look? The background music of the time helps me to feel that I am actually there. I want the readers to feel that they are there, walking with the characters and seeing what they see, think, smell, and desire.
What do the words “literary success” mean to you? How do you picture it?
Literary success, to some, means how many copies they sell, but for me, it’s more about how many people have read the book and enjoyed it. Many of the world’s great writers realized no significant book sales in their lifetime, but we remember them as great authors because their words still resonate and inspire us. They teach us that we are not alone and that others have gone through similar struggles. There is always hope.
Author Links: Goodreads | Amazon
Over his long life, Lazarus marries, has children, watches them grow to adulthood and give him his first grandchildren. They age and die, leaving Lazarus alone, traveling and plying his trades, until he marries again and the story repeats—children, grandchildren, and the deaths of more loved ones.
He travels with Cortez, fights in the conquest of the Aztecs, and struggles to protect native peoples against the Spaniards in California and New Mexico. He journeys east to New Orleans where he works to establish the first healthcare system. In the midst of the Battle of New Orleans, he tends to the wounded. He moves to New England and participates in building the hospital system in Boston.
Compounded with personal tragedies, Lazarus faces another dilemma because he does not age. He is forced to devise disguises to protect his ageless state or leave and start life anew where no one knows him.
Between the lines, Lazarus never loses his true mission, spreading the good word about Jesus and His life as Lazarus knew him in childhood.
Real-life Knights
Worst Knights Ever follows a comically disastrous adventure in which the Queen, backed by a ludicrously inept band of modern-day celebrity knights, must defeat a dragon terrorizing 2001 England. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My co-writer, Jimmy Paulsen, and I were writing movies at the time and living in Hollywood. We had just read about the new real-life celebrities that were knighted that year, and it made us laugh because the very worst people you could choose to save the world would be old, vain, selfish, self-important actors. Within an hour, we had a 3-page outline that became this book.
This seemed like a fun book to write. What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
Like a real egomaniac, I still listen to the audiobook all the time when I shower. Our narrator, Mitch Benn, did a phenomenal job and even did all of the celebrity impressions. It’s an incredible performance. So, in that sense, producing the audiobook might have been the most fun. Speaking of written chapters though, the pet shop scenes kill me. The knights have acquired a box of grenades from probable maniac/actor Vinnie Jones. The only thing the knights know that the dragon eats is dogs, (RIP to the Queen’s corgis and dorgis), so they head to the pet shop in hopes of getting a dog to wear a necklace made of grenades and be bait for the dragon. Don’t worry, dog lovers. The pet shop workers are hilariously on to them.
There’s a seamless blend of chaos, humor, and pop culture references throughout the book. How did you balance all these elements without overwhelming readers, and did any scenarios get cut for being just TOO over the top?
Thank you. Honestly, I have no idea. I simply wrote the book for me. This is what I would enjoy as a reader. Obviously, I’m biased, but this is my favorite book ever. I’d never read a book like this.
There was one chapter that was cut for just being way too crazy. As ludicrous as the plot and humor may be, everything in the book is played dead-serious. Life and death are at stake. So, there was one chapter where the fictional wives of the knights, Elton’s partner, David Furnish, and my favorite character – Connery’s housekeeper, were getting drunk together. They’re so stressed that their significant others could possibly die that they’re getting wasted. That quickly took a turn, and they all spent the evening having a ladies’ fight club to blow off steam. It was really fun and silly, but it was just too much.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m hoping to write the sequel to Worst Knights Ever to coincide with the release of the film if there is one. But that’s a ways off. I truly think Worst Knights Ever could be a movie franchise that spans decades. Make a film and a sequel, wait ten years, cast new real-life knights, and make a sequel. Rinse. Repeat. As long as real-life celebrities keep getting knighted, you could make these movies forever.
I will start writing my next book in November. I think in movie references, as evidenced in Worst Knights Ever, so I’d say my next novel is a story about a young boy trying to navigate his parents’ divorce with the help of some famous imaginary friends. In that sense, I hope it feels like JoJo Rabbit. The trick will be keeping the R-rated comedy at the forefront, getting laughs on every page while also deftly handling the seriousness of physical abuse and divorce. With any luck it should be out in the fall of 2024.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Website | Amazon
The only problem is that the Queen has only knighted celebrities.
Worst Knights Ever is the hilarious tale of four celebrities who volunteer to hunt down the dragon and try and save all of London.
This novel is an R-rated fantasy satire that has been called Jaws meets Ricky Gervais’ Extras. Its outrageous irreverent humour and surprising heart have delighted early reviewers.
The novel is very inclusive and features LGTBQ heroes.
If you like quick wit, some dirty jokes, loving relationships, and brave celebrities who are under-prepared and in grave danger – You will love Worst Knights Ever!
Dystopian Story Inside of a Dystopian Story
Da’Resistance follows five friends who somehow managed to survive an alien invasion apocalypse and now are forming a resistance to save Earth. What I love about these characters is how realistic their interactions are. Did you create an outline for the characters in the story before you started writing, or did the characters’ personalities grow organically as you were writing?
I let the characters develop as I went along, I always start with a very basic premise for all of my books, with Da’ Resistance I simply used the start of a very common joke that people tell in the UK. An English man, an Irish man, and a Scottish man are in a pub, that gave me the starting point, so I just let it progress from there.
With so many laugh-out-loud moments in this story, what was your favorite scene to write?
I think it was when they found the people hiding underground, I really enjoyed putting a separate dystopian story inside of a Dystopian story.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
It’s already available, it’s the second book in my One-Eyed Cy series called, One-Eyed Cy And The Army Of The Toad People. I am currently working on the second Da’ Resistance book called Still Resisting, which will be available sometime towards the end of November 2023.
Author Links: Goodreads | Bookbub | Facebook | Amazon
Forming the resistance did not take long, there’s only five of them, but they will put up a fight none the less.
This is a tale of something or other, and what a tale it is. There was, something, then there was this other thing. Nobody saw it coming, nobody expected it, and nobody could have imagined the fight that followed, from Da’ Resistance!
LITERARY TITAN 