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Deeper Truths
The Copper Scroll follows Joshua “Masa” Bennett, a young archaeologist whose quest for ancient secrets in Jordan entangles him in a dangerous struggle of faith, identity, and survival. What first drew you to the legend of the Copper Scroll, and how did it evolve into your novel?
I’ve been deeply immersed in researching Biblical history, from books to Hillsdale College classes. But I realized that my own pursuit of knowledge — while meaningful — would be rather dull to put straight on the page. I wanted to create something that could both entertain and motivate readers to seek truth for themselves. The Copper Scroll itself reads like a treasure map, hinting at hidden items and locations. That inspired me to craft a story where following those clues isn’t just an adventure for the characters, but also a way for readers to encounter deeper truths as the mystery unfolds.
Masa’s search feels both adventurous and personal. How much of his struggle with faith and belonging mirrors your own experiences?
Masa’s journey is very much a reflection of my own. His search for truth mirrors the knowledge I’ve pursued both through study and through life experiences. I spent years crossing the globe in the military, especially throughout the Middle East, and I witnessed how people everywhere chase life, death, faith, and family in unique ways. Those experiences left me with a deep respect for how culture and belief shape identity. In The Copper Scroll, I wanted to bring that perspective to life, connecting the historical events of the Bible with the very human struggles of belonging and purpose that transcend time and place.
The novel is rich with sensory detail, from food to city sounds. How did you research or immerse yourself in those environments?
In the Army, I experienced some of the most extreme environments on the planet. I once spent a night in a snow cave during cold-weather training where the temperature dropped to -59 degrees. Later, in Saudi Arabia, I stood in 125-degree heat with the wind hitting me like the blast of a hair dryer. Those physical extremes stay with you, but so do the everyday details—walking through markets and bazaars, hearing the sounds, smelling the food, seeing the colors and crowds. When I write, I draw directly from those memories. That way, the scenes in The Copper Scroll aren’t just imagined—they’re lived, and I hope readers can feel that authenticity in every setting.
The story balances history, suspense, and emotional resonance. Which of those elements came most naturally to you, and which was the hardest to craft?
The hardest part to capture was the emotion. Some of the feelings in the book come directly from my own experiences or from stories shared among veterans, and others I drew from watching how my wife responds to life’s challenges. Translating those emotions onto the page in a way that feels authentic was a real challenge.
The easiest part was the suspense and action. Writing the clashes between the Templars, ISIS, and Mossad was so much fun that I actually had to pull back at times. I also really wanted to highlight the relationship between the Rabbi and the Priest, showing how mutual respect can remain even while they challenge each other to look deeper into their own beliefs.
My biggest focus, though, was making sure the story stayed entertaining while also being clean and consistent with my values. I worked hard to deliver a thrilling story free of unnecessary profanity or messages that undermine the natural order. A few early readers pointed out places where language slipped through, and I’m grateful for that feedback, it helped me stay true to my promise of writing clean, exciting, and faith-rooted adventure.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
At the center of it all is the Copper Scroll, a cryptic Dead Sea artifact rumored to hold clues to an ancient treasure buried deep in the Judean desert. But Joshua soon learns it’s no ordinary scroll.
Hidden symbols, coded phrases, and whispers of a “shepherd’s path” point to something far more significant and far more dangerous.
As the clues mount, so do the warnings. A silent observer in the library. A cryptic priest with a knowing smile. A message slipped into Joshua’s backpack: The shepherd’s path is not for the faint-hearted.
A cryptic priest and a rabbi jump in to help understand uncovered information. As Mossad agents, Templar knights, and ISIS operatives close in, Joshua and his allies race to unravel the truth. But who seeks to unearth it, and who will kill to keep it buried?
Rich in historical intrigue and driven by sharp, character-centered suspense, The Copper Scroll is a gripping archaeological thriller where ancient secrets refuse to stay buried and the journey to find them could change everything.
Resilience
Resilient follows a young woman hardened by growing up in the foster system who develops an attraction to not only her boss and VP of a motorcycle club, but his cousin as well, leading her on a journey of self-discovery. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Resilient started as a small idea planted in my mind. My main goal was to create a strong female protagonist who embodied the admirable trait of resilience. My initial visions often took unexpected turns, but in the end, I hope I conveyed the message of resilience to the readers.
Your story features some unique and interesting characters who have their flaws but are still likable. How do you go about creating characters for your story?
Some of the characters are based on my own life and those of those close to me. While I incorporate elements of embellishment and fiction to heighten the excitement and intrigue for the audience, the essence of the characters remains grounded in genuine authenticity.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The title says it all: resilience is a topic that requires more discussion. Charly’s story emphasizes the importance of dealing with trauma and the ability to persevere despite the hardships she endured. Additionally, the support of friends and family played a significant role in how she navigated the obstacles placed in her path.
What will the next book in that series be about, and when will it be published?
The next book, Courageous, delves into the lives of three characters: Clark, Gun, and Vin. Their story explores the complexities of mental health, a topic familiar to many individuals. Through their experiences, I aim to shed light on the importance of understanding mental health and the various ways people cope with it. I’m genuinely excited to share their journey and the lessons they learn. Courageous was published in April 2025.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
After a harrowing attack one night, Charly and her friend Jess seek refuge within the MC’s protective walls. At the clubhouse, she encounters Dominic’s charismatic cousin, Jax, and the air crackles with an undeniable spark.
When the men reveal their interest in her, Charly’s insecurities emerge. Soon, jealousies erupt from her coworkers, including Jess, prompting Charly to set aside her fears. She begins a journey of pleasure and self-discovery with Dom and Jax.
Unfortunately, their relationship is fraught with resentment, betrayal, and sabotage. And when her life is threatened, Charly’s only option is to escape.
I, Monster
I, Monster tells the story of Hans, a boy born into poverty, abuse, and neglect who grows into a man consumed by cruelty. What begins as childhood bullying and violence slowly shapes him into a predator, then into a soldier, and eventually into a commander of a concentration camp. Through Hans, the book explores how systematic brutality and dehumanization can turn an ordinary person into an architect of horror. It is not a story of redemption but of descent, a chilling portrait of the way cruelty feeds on itself until nothing remains but emptiness and power.
The writing is sharp, relentless, and full of imagery that sticks in the mind long after you finish the book. The brutality is not sensationalized but presented with a stark clarity that made me feel both horrified and transfixed. At times, I wanted to look away. At other times, I found myself compelled to keep reading, almost against my own comfort. The author’s ability to take me into Hans’s mind disturbed me, because I caught myself understanding the logic of cruelty, even while despising it. That balance between revulsion and reluctant empathy is what made the book so powerful for me.
The prose can be heavy, almost poetic in its repetitions and its grim rhythm. It worked in creating atmosphere, yet sometimes I felt like I was drowning in it. Still, that might have been the point. The book doesn’t want to let the reader breathe too easily. It forces us to live in the same suffocating darkness as its main character. I appreciated that. It’s not an easy read, but it left me thinking hard about the banality of evil and how ordinary pain can harden into extraordinary cruelty.
I, Monster reminded me of Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning, since both confront the terrifying truth that cruelty often grows not from monsters at birth but from ordinary people shaped by their times and choices. I would recommend I, Monster to readers who are willing to confront the darkest corners of human nature. If you want a raw, unsettling exploration of how monsters are made, this will stay with you long after the last page.
Pages: 216 | ASIN : B0FN6T64YQ
The Secret of the Pharaohs
The Secret of the Pharaohs sweeps readers into the turmoil of 1939, where archaeology, espionage, and the shadow of war collide. We follow James Wilson Forrest, a young journalist, as he journeys from New York to Egypt, drawn into Professor Pierre Montet’s excavation at Tanis and the discovery of the Silver Pharaoh’s tomb. What begins as an assignment for National Geographic quickly transforms into a harrowing adventure entangled with King Farouk, French and British intelligence, stolen treasures, and the looming threat of World War II. Love, betrayal, and survival intermingle as JW and his companions navigate a dangerous world where ancient secrets hold modern consequences.
The story hooked me right from the chase through the Cairo streets. The authors blend action with rich historical detail in a way that feels cinematic.Some passages read like old-fashioned pulp adventure, and I loved that energy. A few scenes linger longer than necessary, especially in the middle chapters, and I caught myself wanting the plot to move faster. Still, the characters, especially Gisele and Renée, add warmth and intrigue, and they kept me invested.
What impressed me most was the way the Alcocks wove real figures, like King Farouk and Professor Montet, into the fictional plot. It gave the book an air of authenticity without feeling heavy-handed. The writing is straightforward, almost conversational, which makes the story easy to follow even when politics and archaeology mix. The love story felt genuine, and the sheer sense of adventure, danger, and discovery pulled me through from start to finish.
The Secret of the Pharaohs is a lively and entertaining read. It would be perfect for anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a dash of Indiana Jones-style escapade. If you’re a lover of archaeology, wartime intrigue, or just a good old-fashioned adventure tale, this book will keep you turning the pages.
Pages: 234 | ASIN : B0F8C3DVNY
The Mysteries of the Sea
Stone of Faith follows a sea captain searching for a legendary stone of faith, who comes across the siren of the sea, and he realizes he has found his fated love, but she is held captive by a monster unwilling to release her. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration came from my love of Celtic Lore and the sea’s timeless mysteries. I’ve always loved stories of sirens, but I chose to make her something other than the usual temptress. I imagined her as the one imprisoned—longing for freedom. The sea captain grew from Scottish maritime history, where men risked everything on storm-tossed waters, often carrying the weight of legacy and loss. Bringing the two together allowed me to explore how love and faith can become the greatest treasures of all—more powerful than magic or curses.
I found Captain Ewan MacDougall to be an interesting character. What was your inspiration for that character and his role in the story?
Captain Ewan MacDougall springs from my fascination with Scotland’s seafaring past and the resilience of men who live by the sea—bound by duty yet longing for freedom. I wanted him to carry the weight of his family’s legacy, threaded with both honor and tragedy —a man haunted by ghosts but still clinging to hope. His role as captain gave him not only authority but also isolation—he commands the sea, yet his heart yearns for connection. Meeting the siren forces him to confront what he’s been missing: faith in love and in himself. Ewan became the bridge between the mortal world and the mystical one, demonstrating how courage and devotion can even break the strongest chains.
I felt that there were a lot of great twists and turns throughout the novel. Did you plan this before writing the novel, or did the twists develop organically while writing?
Most of the twists and turns I planned—I’m very much a plotter—but some still developed organically as the story unfolded. The seafaring theme of Stone of Faith actually grew directly from Stone of Lust, which ends with the stone slipping into the sea and vanishing beneath the waves. That loss became the natural bridge into Ewan’s world, driving both the maritime setting and his quest. While I had the major arcs mapped out, I always leave room for discovery, and a few surprising turns surfaced as I outlined and wrote. Those moments of spontaneity often bring the most magic to the page.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
Next in the series:
Highlander’s Holly and Ivy, a Christmas companion book coming December 1st, 2025. Features Alex MacDougall, Mary, and Roderick from Thistle in the Mistletoe son. A forbidden love between a Highlander and an English lady intertwines with magic, betrayal, and the fate of a nation as they fight to unite their worlds and reclaim Scotland’s legacy.
Stone of Destiny, book 7. Kathryn MacArthur, Evie’s BFF, love story. The exciting conclusion to the Stones of Iona Series, where a woman torn between fate and forbidden love must defy a Fae prophecy and battle dark forces to reclaim her future—and the heart of the Fae warrior she can’t forget. Look for this one early 2026.
This series leads into another connected series, Dragons of Tantallon, a dragon-shapeshifter series revolving around the magic Iona Stones.
Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website
D.O.L Light Running in Afghanistan
The book plunges headfirst into a world of secret military projects, hidden powers, and tangled family ties. Lilly and Aurora, caught between loyalty and betrayal, navigate brutal battles, heartbreaking losses, and a storm of revelations about who they are and where they come from. The story moves with a wild energy, shifting from explosive action in New York to covert missions in Afghanistan, all the while threading in the complicated web of love, grief, and survival that binds its characters together. The book is about identity and the cost of power, wrapped inside high-octane scenes and sharp dialogue.
I found myself both entertained and unsettled. The writing has a raw pulse to it, like the author wanted every scene to bleed emotion or crackle with tension. Sometimes that worked beautifully. The fight sequences felt cinematic, and the dialogue between Lilly and Aurora was charged with anger, sorrow, and just enough dark humor to keep it human. But there were moments when the avalanche of detail threatened to bury the emotional core of the story. Even then, I couldn’t put it down, because there was always another twist, another confession, another blow waiting around the corner.
I also caught myself feeling torn about the ideas underneath the action. The story plays with big questions: what it means to be family, how much pain someone can carry, and how power both saves and destroys. The story also leans hard into chaos and violence, which keeps the energy high and the tension unrelenting, never giving the characters or the reader much chance to breathe. The author clearly loves his cast, though, and that affection comes through in the banter, the awkward humor, and the way even the most hardened fighters carry their scars like open wounds. It gave the book a surprising tenderness under all the blood and bullets.
Light Running in Afghanistan reminded me of the relentless drive you find in early James Patterson thrillers mixed with the emotional grit of something like Suzanne Collins or even Stephen King at his more chaotic. It isn’t neat or carefully buttoned up the way a Tom Clancy novel might be. Instead, it thrives on the jagged edges, the mess that makes its characters feel human. Readers who want a story that punches fast and doesn’t apologize will feel right at home here.
Pages: 364 | ASIN : B0F9TV3ZX2
Corsair and the Sky Pirates
From the first page, Corsair and the Sky Pirates drops you straight into a swirl of history, imagination, and high-flying adventure. It starts with Jules Verne and Nikola Tesla in a café in France, dreaming up impossible machines and strange new power sources. That meeting sparks a chain of events that explodes into a world of airships, sky pirates, secret plots, and the dangerous lure of comet fragments with world-changing energy. At the center of it all is Corsair, a rogue pirate who’s as much a freedom fighter as he is a thief, and his diverse crew of outcasts who take on empires, corporations, and tyrants in an age where science blurs into fantasy.
I found myself grinning at how much fun the writing is. The prose is quick, like a stage play mixed with pulp adventure, and it leans hard into spectacle. The characters are bold and colorful, each with their quirks, backstories, and weapons that are almost as wild as their personalities. There were moments where I rolled my eyes at how dramatic some scenes were, but I also loved it. It felt like the book knew it was larger than life and leaned all the way into that spirit. I kept turning pages because I wanted to see what trick or twist would come next.
At the same time, the ideas underneath the adventure stuck with me. There’s a real push and pull between invention for progress and invention for profit. The way the story frames Edison, Tesla, and ERP as forces shaping the world gave me something to chew on between the swashbuckling fights. I felt frustrated at the greed and cruelty shown by the corporate powers, and I rooted for Corsair even when his choices were brutal. The story isn’t subtle, but sometimes that’s the point. It makes its villains nasty, its heroes daring, and its stakes almost absurdly high, and that gave me the freedom to just sink into the ride.
When I closed the book, I thought about who would enjoy it most. If you like steampunk worlds, if you enjoy a good pirate tale with a twist of history and a lot of flair, or if you just want to escape into something that’s fun, fast, and fearless, this book will be right up your alley. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants adventure with heart and a lot of imagination.
Pages: 303 | ASIN : B0BRX8SBVM
LITERARY TITAN 