Blog Archives
Serving Humanity
“Unplug…Take Back Your Power” is a transformative journey into the heart of human resilience, guiding readers to cultivate a positive outlook, embrace life’s challenges, and reclaim their innate strength. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Initially I envisioned this book would be an ideal outlet for organizing my thoughts and expressions and seemingly the aspiration to become an author seem to remain stuck on my bucket list, so I took a shot at removing it. Moreover, it is my view that if the use of my small voice can propel readers to think deeper and not be afraid to want better for themselves, then I would’ve fulfilled a larger purpose in life.
Can you share an experience or incident from your own life that directly inspired the concepts discussed in the book?
I have incorporated strong views in my book which reflects my true beliefs, and personality; nonetheless as a young adult I considered myself a conduit for empowering and uplifting others who felt hopeless, powerless, or defeated. This I believe is a trait inherited from my deceased mother.
What is more, Unplug was written at a difficult time in my life as I was still grieving the death of my mother, who always encouraged me via many examples to use my “words and heart” to affect change; Notably, some of the titled chapters such as: “Using words to heal and not to hurt”, “Never fearing failure”, “Loving all of who you are”, and in particular….“Enriching life by giving” were personal projections and strategically written not only to inspire my readers but myself as well. The chapter I wrote regarding “Grief” was written in honor of her.
Each section of your book concludes with an empowering call to action: “Unplug!” Could you tell us more about the significance of this phrase and how you hope readers will apply it to their own lives?
Yes “Unplug…Take Back Your Power” takes us on a transformative journey, guiding readers to not only cultivate and embrace life’s challenges; but to reclaim innate strength and stand strong. At times it is so important that we “Unplug” from some of life’s hassle that seems to weigh us down and thereafter recharge and start again.
‘Personal reinvention”, no doubt requires a change for the sake of a larger purpose.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
Having a genuine concern towards serving humanity, my hope is that readers reclaims the aspects of their lives that have fallen victim to the pressures of modern society and contemporary living conditions. It is also my hope that they appreciate that: “everything in this life belongs to us through God but we must create the capacity to receive it”.
Surely it’s a rewarding feeling when approached by readers to hear compliments such as, “Your book is so powerful and profound”, “It is a keepsake” or “I have read your entire book and it has given me a new outlook on life.
It’s so very humbling.
Author Links: Facebook | Amazon
A Guilt Your Soul Carries
‘The Instruments of Death’ is a gripping tale of a grief-stricken man’s struggle for justice and redemption, his potential descent into darkness, and his supernatural alliance with the mysterious lord of death. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
‘I’ve always been intrigued by what comes next. It’s the eternal question asked by every race on this planet; is there life after our physical death?. David’s journey in this first part deals with the mistakes we make and how sometimes, you can never take them back or make up for them and if that’s true? How do you live with yourself? Is this a guilt your soul carries for an eternity?
The idea of an afterlife (or some form of it) has always been something I wanted to explore and it’s not something I’ve seen touched upon much in modern fandoms. The idea that we don’t know, that we actually have no idea what’s next made me realise I had stumbled upon a way to really be creative, to really let my imagination go wild.
I started my creative life as an artist. I would draw and paint everything from landscapes to portraits but in my head, there was always a picture, and no matter how hard I tried I could never get it out of my brain and onto paper. My skill was never good enough to properly convey what was in my head. As you can imagine this is the sort of thing that can drive a person crazy and eventually I needed an outlet. One day, I was sitting on a bus, much like David is in the opening few chapters and I came to a realisation: what if I can describe what I’m thinking? Maybe that way I can finally bring this world that I’ve been thinking about forever to life. So I got out my phone, opened a very popular writing app and just, well, began…’
David is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
‘I wanted David’s motivation to be clear, as it reverberates throughout the rest of the series and subsequently affects almost every other character he meets. David’s motivation is redemption. He’s messed up bad in possibly the worst way you could ever mess up, but at his heart is also a good man. He understands that his grief, his depression, desperation and frustration with the legal system in Radio City leads him to the most horrible (but in his mind just) solution. David’s cross to bare is the result of what happens when a good man is torn down. How long can you keep a hold of your humanity before you become something else entirely? And it’s that, that ultimately costs him an eternity of seeking redemption. There were many inspirational moments that contributed to The Instruments of Death, from my time as a Security officer to the year I spent homeless and living in an abandoned warehouse. I like to think of my characters as different shades of my personality. There are many little things throughout all of this series that mirror me. Some are very obvious but some are there just for me. As a human we feel so much and I wanted David’s approach to this odyssey to be as normal as possible. It would freak you out. Meeting these people that have these abilities and are genuinely the tools of Death himself would definitely make you question a lot of stuff about yourself. Who you are, why you are here and ultimately what is your place in the universe? Does what you do even matter in the grand scale of things?’
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
‘As you have read, I get into a lot with this book. I explore many themes from grief and rage, loneliness and depression to love, what it means to be loved and how much it hurts when you have to go on living your life without that love. I wanted to absolutely explore what’s next. I wanted to look at Death, what he is and what it would be like if he were an actual person with a job to do just like anyone else. Even though Amara is probably the most feared general manager of all time! The main theme in this first book, is definitely love. What it pushes us to do. How far we’ll go to get it and in the end can we ever live with ourselves once we know the truth?’
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
‘The Instruments of Death and the City of Ghosts’ is a direct sequel and the second part of an epic five part story. The sequel not only continues David’s redemption arc but expands his world meeting some new and some very very old characters. The sequel looks at the spectral side of what’s next and takes the reader on a very unexpected ride into the unknown. In the first book, David got the job. In the second part, it’s all about what it takes to do the job. It’s definitely a significantly bigger book than the first part and I’m excited to open up my world a little more to our readers. I’m currently just over half way there and I would like to think we’ll be on the market at some point next year.’
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
“I am the end of all things to all things” – Amara
David was enjoying his very normal life until his world collapsed in on itself.
Grief and personal tragedy lead our unlikely hero to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of his young family and uncover a mystery that goes beyond our world and into the next. Unfortunately for David, a man in some very dark glasses is also on the case. Will he assist David or will he be an Instrument of Death?
Speaking of Death, the lord of the dead has a problem. One of the most dangerous men that has ever existed has managed to hide himself and his followers from the dark master’s gaze. What follows is a unique story featuring time travel, otherworldly beings, a civilisation at the centre of the earth, a gem that could alter our very existence and an adventure unlike anything you’ve ever read.
I Had Amazing Powers
The Tale of the Young Witch follows a teenage girl in a small village who discovers she has magical abilities that were long thought lost from the world. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
When I first thought about the concept, I was watching a Game of Thrones episode and I thought to myself, What would happen to that world if it underwent an industrial revolution? Then I thought to myself, What if our alternate history of the real world turned out differently based on a magic interwined with history? Different movies and television shows, especially Japanese animation, also inspired me with making sure imagery and world building was a first.
Amelia struggles with believing she has magical abilities and how to wield them while dealing with the loss of her home and father.
What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I tried putting myself in her shoes. I would have been struggling to believe I had amazing powers at first, just like her. She had to grow up over the course of the story to meet challenges and overcome them.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
History, science, philosopical concepts, cinematography.
Will this novel be the start of a series or are you working on a different story?
I am actually thinking about making a follow-up book to explore some remaining concepts that were mentioned but went unanswered from this book.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Now in 1901, 450 years after the perceived death of witchcraft, an unsuspecting teenager, Amelia Twigg, is about to discover that not only does magic and witchcraft still exist, but it has found in her a vessel in which to manifest itself.
When a floating broom in her cellar makes it clear that magic is still around, Amelia is initially skeptical. But when it becomes apparent that she is indeed a witch, with powers that she could scarcely believe, she is hesitant to use them, fearful of the consequences and the future.
All that, however, is quickly put aside when she becomes the target of a secretive cabal who are intent on unlocking the secrets of witchcraft for their own uses once more.
Now, relentlessly hunted by this group, Amelia must find a way to stay one step ahead as she comes to terms with her abilities. But can she evade them long enough to learn how to use the powers she has been granted? Or will they find her before the magic inside of her can truly become effective?
Inspired By The Need For Balance
What inspired you to create the unique blend of cultures and characters found in Three People, Three Countries, One Path?
The unique blend of cultures was inspired by my interest in Buddhism, of which there are many variations and traditions that flow through the three countries in the book. I found it interesting to interlink these combining them with the complex history between India, Tibet, and China. Inspired by fate, destiny, and choice, this allowed me to explore the cultural norms and nuances of both the larger cultures and the people within them, as not everyone follows the norms as the book teaches.
For me, Pinia encompasses all of this—with his Indian and Chinese lineage he is already blended, yet whether due to circumstance or the middle ground he is most comfortable in the ‘middle’ in Tibet. I feel because of the travel aspect of the book, the natural inspiration was to blend these cultures. As the characters travel they learn and take away from their encounters.
The blend of characters came from real life inspiration thinking about how different people in my life have different perspectives on the same event. From this I thought about what motivates these responses and this enabled me to create the depth of characters. Pinia, Loysin, and Lakishma represent three different approaches to the plot yet they blend together to provide a full picture of what can and will happen. Many other characters enter the story to help blend the cultures and personalities of the main protagonists, which was inspired by the need for balance both in life and in the novel itself.
How did you research the cultural nuances of India, Tibet, and China to so accurately portray them in your novel?
Apart from researching into names of places and looking at maps enabling me to plot the journey the characters embarked on, I did not have specific time spent on research. I feel that I portrayed these cultural nuances through my vast reading on Buddhism, novels and biographies set in this region. At the time of reading these it was not planned research as the book had not been imagined yet. I always think you should write about what you know and from my general interest that is what I did, so the seed was planted long before the book took life.
If I am honest the writing of these different cultures and interweaving them to provide the nuances to make them individual all came very naturally to me as though the information was stored in a box in my brain waiting to be retrieved once the pen hit the paper.
I grew up in a spiritual household, so I have always been open to meditation. A lot of my information and answers came from this. When I had a block, I would sit back and focus on it until the answers came.
Pinia, Loysin, and Lakishma are unique characters each facing their own challenges. Which character was the most challenging for you to write and why?
Pinia was definitely the most challenging to write due to the extensive character development he has throughout the book. There are so many turnarounds and revelations for him that I needed to make them both believable and relatable to the reader so they would empathise and embark on the journey with him.
Without spoiling the book for people, his world, beliefs, and priorities shift in an almost 180° way, yet for much of the book these are beyond his control—something which echoed my own life. This made this aspect of Pinia both easier to write as I had experienced the emotions and confusion this provides internally, yet it was also harder because it made Pinia much more personal to me. Therefore, making that journey believable and honest was so important that it put pressure on the character.
Also, Pinia is a Buddhist monk who explores life through his spirituality making this realistic but accessible to all raised challenges, which the children aided in, so it was interwoven into the plot naturally.
Despite these challenges I feel I managed to create a complex but relatable character in the end.
The book emphasizes the power of choice over fate. How did you arrive at this theme, and what do you hope readers will take away from it?
I feel that although a path or fate may be laid out for you, you always have the choice to change this or the results of this. This theme was drawn from my own life, where a path was set out for me and I followed it for a long time before I realised I had the power of choice. The internal and external battles the characters face are close to my heart and the reason I am even doing this interview. If I had not learned to take my power I would not be an author.
From this theme I hope readers will be empowered to realise that they can make choices about their lives. No matter what their circumstances or what they are told about their path, ultimately they are in charge of their own fate, and they always have the power of choice.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Pinia thinks his monk life is it. Until a devastating event brings Loysin and Lakishma into his life. Travelling through India, Tibet, and China, the three become a family. Destined to face a terrible test to balance karma that is not their own, can they remain as one?
In Three People, Three Countries, One Path by Cara A’court, we experience a journey of mind, body, and soul for all involved, reminding us that the choices we make define who we are, not our fate.
Secret Forces Between Them
Entirely continues to follow the love saga of Quinn and Jonathan and introduces new challenges that threaten to break up their relationship. What was the inspiration for the obstacles they faced in this story?
A couple of things inspired the obstacles facing Quinn and Jonathan in Entirely, the third book of the trilogy. First, my curiosity about how Quinn would get more involved at Octavia’s club — and how that would impact her relationship with Jonathan. She wants to learn about the lifestyle and has found a welcoming community at Octavia’s, but he does not fully share her appreciation of the club. And the second source of inspiration was the challenge of real-life relationships. Often in relationships, you might resolve a thorny issue only to have it arise again (and again and again) 😉 as time goes on, each time with a slightly different twist or complication. Differing perspectives on the club — complicated by the wedge that Maximillian’s secret forces between them — is that recurring issue that challenges Quinn and Jonathan.
How has character development for Quinn and Jonathan changed for you through the series?
As the stories progressed, it was fascinating for me as the author to see and explore how the two of them grow both individually and together, including as a result of their initial experiences at the start of Silently, the first book. They navigate a lot — they have pasts, they’ve experienced love and loss, they have friends and careers, faults and motivations and goals and fears, and all of those add complexity to their personalities and their relationship that I was able to work with as the series unfolded.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
Throughout the writing of all three books, I promised myself (and the characters) that I would step back and watch where they would drive the story. At heart, I’m a plotter, a writer who likes to outline and know where the story will go. But sometimes (often?) things you think will work ahead of time don’t actually work on the page, or new ideas and twists come up that weren’t in your outline, and they feel even more authentic to the characters and the story. I wanted to make sure I stayed open to those unexpected moments, that I let the characters lead.
A second goal was not to rush them. I’m not a huge fan of insta-love stories. Chemistry, a spark, a sense of familiarity — all of those things that can lead to falling in love, I enjoy reading about. So since Entirely ends only a few months after Quinn and Jonathan’s first wordless night together, I didn’t want to push them into a wedding or even engagement. It didn’t feel right given their experiences, the issues they’re (still) working through, their personalities, and I would add, their age. They’re together because they’re crazy in love, and at this point in their lives neither is impatient about what might come next.
How do you feel now that this trilogy is complete? What are your plans for future books?
For much of the writing of the three books, I believed Entirely was the end of Quinn and Jonathan’s story — they’re committed and together. Romance author mission accomplished. 😉 As I got closer to the end of Entirely and the trilogy though, I could see so much more for them and their circle of friends, inside and outside of the club. Also, committed relationships are hard and often bring new challenges. Quinn was leveled by loss — Jonathan too, although by different events and circumstances — and they’re both figuring out their “new normals,” individually and together. That’s huge. So I think it’s safe to say, watch for Book 4 and beyond.
Author Links: Website | GoodReads | BookBub | BingeBooks
Quinn and Jonathan’s journey continues in Entirely, the third novel in the Transformation series. Outfitting a wedding barn and planning Becca’s reception has Quinn furiously busy and—except for a stinging writing rejection—optimistic. Jonathan watches her self-protective walls crumble as their relationship begins to bloom.
Until Octavia calls with an urgent plea.
Quinn can’t refuse Octavia’s request, while Jonathan sees red. The erotic arrangement she proposes to make it up to him yanks him straight out of his comfort zone. He rises to the challenge, though, taking them to stratospheric heights of pleasure and closeness.
But when a shocking discovery forces Quinn to make an impossible choice, will their story end with a chasm of hurt and betrayal between them, or can they find their way back to each other?
Intensely intimate and emotional, Entirely concludes the first Transformation trilogy. (No cliffhanger.)
• Friends to lovers, slow burn, second chance, fish out of water—readers will click with the themes in this extra-steamy contemporary romance.
• Third-person, alternating points of view
• Characters over 40 and a sexy beta hero
Mature themes, strong language, dungeon and super-steamy open-door bedroom (and other places) scenes. Entirely is Book 3 in the Transformation Series; the novels should be read in order.
My Journey Of Finding The Light
Resembling a Moth is a collection of poetry that takes readers on a journey of self-discovery and introspection. Where did the idea for this anthology come from, and how did it develop over time?
I had been writing poetry for years, and those poems had been sitting in my phone collecting dust. I knew I wanted to bring them out into the light. I started to compile the work together after I had reached out to Indie Earth Publishing about working with them on a collection. I started to string the work together like a popcorn garland, and it turned out to be my journey of finding the light. The title came from the piece Covered In Dust: “I am a butterfly covered in dust very much resembling a moth”
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
Losing my great aunt (Margie) was incredibly rough and put me on a route of self-destruction. It was hard to reflect on those memories after getting sober. That whole period of my life was quite dark.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
My relationships with all the people I love/loved, including myself. I had a hard time with my parents growing up, and now we’re best friends. My great-aunt, who was such a pillar of support for me. My best friends, who are able to see through most of the shows I put on. I have gratitude for every person who left an impression on me, good and bad. Another important theme was my sobriety, which is woven into the pages too, and was the element necessary for me to get the dust from my wings. Lastly, a theme was my striving for balance. My friend told me that happiness is not a realistic goal, but that instead, we should aim to be content. Sitting in the center of dark and light is where I’m able to be content.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your collection of poetry?
I’d like to pass on the message that, although life can be so dark and hard, the sun always comes up in the morning, and that there is beauty all around.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook
Families Are Complicated
“Every Other Weekend” is a captivating memoir that explores the challenges and self-discovery of growing up with two fathers in 1950s L.A., offering a vivid glimpse into the complexities of family. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Forty years ago, Dorris Halsey, a family friend and literary agent representing luminaries like Aldous Huxley, Ring Lardner, Henry Miller, and Upton Sinclair, urged me to write about my biological father and my stepfather. She saw a story there, but I was too busy practicing law. Then I became a judge and was too busy hearing cases. What’s more, I didn’t think my life was exciting enough that people would want to read about it. Dorris passed in 2006, and I dropped all thoughts about the project. But years later, at the Community of Writers (f/k/a Squaw Valley Writers Workshop), an editor urged me to put both men on the page and light up the times in which they lived: the Southern California of the 1950s and early 1960s. The light went on, and I decided to “compare and contrast” my two fathers, Gerald and Stan. The result was Every Other Weekend.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
Despite my love and gratitude for both fathers, I had to discuss their faults, of which there were plenty. Writing about my father’s second marriage and his subsequent affair proved difficult. While I don’t blame him for the tryst—his mistress provided him with needed warmth and support—I found it confusing to be dragged into the affair. As for Stan, I felt obligated to show how, in a flash, he could pivot from peace to anger, even violence. To this day these memories hurt, but I felt an obligation to include them.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
To paraphrase Leo Tolstoy, families are complicated for their own reasons. They face their own unique demons, but their troubles don’t necessarily rule out successful child raising. My stepsiblings on both sides turned out well, and I think I did too. I hope a reader will take away the story of two men who tried their best.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Every Other Weekend focuses on my blended families in the Southern California of the 1950s and early 1960s. My next project will turn the lens outward and focus on life in the Southland during the same time period. Many consider those years California’s “golden era.” Maybe they were, but I hope to show the details of what it was really like to be a child of purported privilege during those years. I am hoping to finish the project next year.
Author Links: Twitter | Website
As his stepfather’s career rises and his biological father’s eases downward, Anthony tries to find his place. One weekend he’s sailing on his stepfather’s fifty-eight-foot catamaran; the next, his Swedish stepmother tells him that they’re poor. Coming of age in a time when divorce is rare and viewed as shocking, Anthony lives at the edges of what others regard as a dream world, a place where reality and fantasy blend, maps lead to the homes of the stars, and obstacles abound.
Sharing Your Culture With Others
Zoey Wonders Why follows a young girl’s journey to understanding and celebrating her diverse cultural heritage, bringing to life the complexities of self-identity and the power of familial bonds. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My eldest son would go to the library and just didn’t feel that the characters in the books at his time were relatable to him. He too was feeling shy of the cultures in his because they were different from the norm in class and the town. I wanted to write a book for all kids to appreciate and feel its ok to be different and to enjoy sharing your culture with others.
The artwork in the book is fantastic. What was the collaboration process like with illustrator Tasya Nabiella?
Tasya is a global illustrator hailing from Indonesia. Her artwork is very culturally diverse and we built a friendship over social media through Instagram. A vision board of the character’s physical features and emotions had to be developed through Google Meetings and guidance on every illustration to ensure a book that children would love to read relating to the illustrations. She is a great team member and works with any other authors that might need her assistance even if she is 12 hours away.
How did you approach the topic of cultural diversity and heritage in a way that resonates with young readers?
I made it in a first person way for the main character Zoey involving the reader in the storyline. Young readers want a storyline and characters that makes them feel that they are part of the story. Many kids are currently going through the dilemma of sharing and learning more about their culture and I hope this story helps them open up to being more inquisitive to learn. Many of the generations like mine, were made fun of for displaying our culture, be it through the food we would bring to school or the intricate henna designs we wore for holidays. I wrote Zoey as a character for kids to be able to learn more about their diverse culture in some way and to learn more about their peers. Without proper knowledge the concept of respect would be lost. Sadly, we see this loss of cultural identity among adults.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am in the phase of gathering my launch team for my teacher supplemental resource guide. It provides teachers, homeschool parents, and students to get additional enrichment after reading Zoey Wonders Why. It entails reading comprehension, art, history, music, and sight words for students to learn more about culture diversity and heritage. I Have also in parallel started the second book in the series but Zoey is older and discusses the topic of spending time with grandparents and the loss of a job by a parent. It entails the loss in terms of a child’s perspective versus the norm of an adult.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Instagram
Zoey is a curious five-year-old kindergartener who is full of spunk and character. She speaks her mind but sometimes a little too much. Now she needs to decide whether to hide her true self to fit in, or to shine bright like the stars. Can she conquer her fears and love herself for all that she is?
Join her adventures into a diverse world of many beautiful traditions and customs. Learn together with Zoey about being the best that we can be in all walks of life.
This book makes the perfect gift for school-aged children who are in elementary school grades K-2. It teaches children lessons in respect, cultural diversity, kindness, and regulating emotions.
Zoey Wonders Why is a recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award. The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) evaluates products and services created for parents and educators and is globally recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. Zoey Wonders Why has also been selected as finalist for Readers Choice Awards.
Get Zoey Wonders Why today!
LITERARY TITAN 