Blog Archives
A.I. Can Be More Humane
Age of Magnus: Keepers of the Rain follows the ruling A.I. system of Earth as it prepares to battle a group of humans that want to restore power to the human race. Where you able to wrap up all your storylines in this third book?
I must say yes, I have managed to complete the trilogy with this final volume of the Magnus series, bringing this post-apocalyptic science fiction story to satisfactory conclusion. The storyline has been in development during the final stages of completion of the second novel of the trilogy. Before I started my work, I knew exactly how the story would end. All of the characters presented in the final book were new, and it was an interesting process of integrating them into the story. I wanted this to be a character driven book that also poses many interesting philosophical questions about relationship between man and advanced Artificial Intelligence and man’s relationship with nature.
Has writing and publishing this trilogy changed the way you see the future of technology?
Ever since I was a kid, I was always fascinated by technological marvels. Over many years, my interest in technologies, especially futuristic technologies and new forms of energy provided me with rich food for thought. I initially saw technology as the necessary part of everyday world, until gradually, I matured to become more analytical about its applications. Writing and publishing this book made me aware of many interesting possibilities advanced computer technology can offer mankind in its technological evolution. In my novel, I imagined a very powerful Artificial Intelligence that helps mankind in its darkest moments in history, but at the same time demands order over chaos and kindness and respect over cruelty and arrogance. In some ways, the A.I. can be more humane than any human if it taught the right values from the start.
What risks have you taken with your writing that have paid off?
This is an interesting question. For writer, there are always risks he or she must take to see the story move from start to finish. Some writers tend to be either too shy, too nice or too politically correct to get their point across without being labeled as abnormal or evil. Thankfully, in my story politics takes a backseat to the drama and the scenery where my characters operate. In my story, each person has a motive, regardless of them being protagonists or antagonists. My biggest risk in this book was in taking Magnus’s side in the human-machine conflict. Since I wrote this trilogy from Magnus’s point of view, I have imprinted on Magnus some of my strongest personality traits. There is an old saying: Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Through Magnus, I drove my point across how I would rule the world if I had attained absolute control over the planet. I do think that risk paid off because the book was worth it!
What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book?
I would advise them to be patient and set realistic goals from the beginning, in order to avoid their great expectations to be damaged or crushed because of multiple rejections. Working on the first book is a great pleasure, once the writer knows what kind of story he or she wants to tell. I would advise the writer to make his first book character driven, have interesting and intriguing storyline and keep the sentences clear, simple and avoid literary cliches. First time book writers are very impressionable and take their inspiration from other books and movies. The trick is to develop your own voice and carry it through the book from start to finish. My final advice would be to make their characters, especially their main characters to have flaws. All humans have them and the characters’ vulnerabilities as well as their strengths would make them more sympathetic.
Author Interview: Facebook | Amazon
To Fuel Positive Change
Marathon Man tells your inspirational story running 35 marathons in 35 days to create something positive from a negative and raise money for charity. Why was this an important story for you to write?
My 1,500-km lap of Ireland charity run and 500-km length of Ireland charity swim were both inspired by the actions of others. If Eddie Izzard didn’t make ‘Eddie Iz Running’ for TV and if Sean Conway didn’t write ‘Hell and High Water’, it’s very likely that I would have conjured up or completed my charity challenges. It’s unlikely I would have raised €45,000 for charity without hearing their stories. They showed me what was possible. With that in mind, it was vital for me to try to pass on the baton of inspiration.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
It’s hard writing openly about life’s struggles. I cover teenage acne, sporting failures, friends’ premature death, and my dad’s stroke. These personal experiences profoundly impacted my life. Whilst difficult to share publicly, it was essential to me to be as authentic and honest as possible in telling my story. These were the challenging moments that nudged me towards my 35-marathon charity project. It’s a warts and all account, but I made sure to balance the shade with light. Thankfully, I seem to have struck the right balance with book critics and reviewers appreciating my light-hearted Irish humour.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?
I hope readers find my story entertaining and uplifting, seeing that hard times can be used to fuel positive change.
What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone who is struggling to find the motivation to change their life?
Break the end goal down into manageable pieces. There’s always take a tiny step today. Training to run 35 marathons in 35 days wasn’t about doing one 500-mile training run. That would be an impossible starting point doomed to fail. I trained 5 miles one day, 3 miles the next, 10 miles the next, and lifted some weights the next day and so on. Within months, I was a comfortable marathon runner. Then I became an ultramarathon runner. The exact process applies to writing a book, starting a business or anything. Consistent small steps will get you to the mountain’s peak.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website
Larry Never Gives Up
Diminished Capacity follows a hardworking lawyer as he takes on two cases that bring more attention, and work, than he expected. What were some sources that informed this novels development?
Every lawyer wants to be altruistic. The reality is every lawyer has an office to run, bills to pay and a family to support. Larry’s character was formed before the book was written.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The themes are suspense, conflict, grief and determination. Larry never gives up and he is never intimidated.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have two more Larry Ross novels completed and one more “in the can.” My goal was to create a repeat character that readers would identify with and want to follow.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Tom Rogers has just been accused of brutally murdering his business partner, Art Mendoza. Larry decides to represent Tom in the capital murder case, even though it looks like Tom is guilty. But while waiting for the trial, Larry makes a tactical error and accepts another high-profile case-a complicated products liability case against a major auto manufacturer.
Now, with two work intensive cases to deal with, Larry is drowning in responsibility. His one man practice is suddenly catapulted into the local and national spotlight, and things only get worse when Tom leans on Larry for support in his personal life. Larry’s stress level has just about reached its limit and both trials have yet to start. Can he win both cases and keep his sanity? There’s only one way to find out.
Intrigue, murder, and mystery combine in Diminished Capacity, a first-rate legal thriller from talented newcomer Leighton Rockafellow.
It Was Also A Revelation
Journey Between Two Worlds follows your mom’s life from growing up under Hitler in Germany to moving to America. Why did she feel her story was important to share?
My mother wanted us, her children, to know the circumstances of her upbringing and life in Germany, and to have an understanding of our heritage in its personal, historical, and cultural context. On a broader scale, she wanted to communicate a lived knowledge of the tyranny of authoritarianism versus the value of freedom she discovered in a democracy; those of us born into such freedom can easily take it for granted and be unaware of its fragility.
When editing your mom’s memoir, what was something you learned that you had not previously known?
At the tail end of a long editing process, which felt akin to piecing together a puzzle, I was surprised how much of my father’s diary entries were included. It felt so right having his presence and voice so prominent. It was also a revelation how instantly he took a shine to my mother. I never thought of my father in that way.
What is your favorite memory of your mom from reading her memoir?
My favorite memory is her memory of Christmas 1946. It is the title and subject of Chapter 2 and at the heart of her story, falling in love with my father. It touches me deeply and brings a tear to my eye every time I read it.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your mom’s story?
With all the hardships and difficulties she endured throughout her life she remained a beacon of positivity and possibility, with courage and humor ever at the ready.
Author Links: Website | Instagram | Facebook | GoodReads | YouTube
Karola Schuette describes in lyrical detail how her destiny is transformed forever when she meets a German-born US Army intelligence officer. Forging a life of new horizons and experiences in the United States, Karola opens our eyes to the liberties and opportunities that we may assume to be our birthright, and subtly and insightfully conveys that a democracy requires constant cultivation to sustain it.
A Simple Concept – Yet So Powerful!
On The Turning Away: The Real Life Hide & Seek shares with readers your process for finding the things that matter in life, and how to achieve your goals. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It was particularly important for me to write this book for two main reasons. First, it was therapeutic for me. Gathering my thoughts, putting order into the seemingly chaotic lives most of us live, and returning to the basics that both what we yearn for and run away from is found within us. Secondly, I wanted readers to feel as though I were speaking directly to each of them directly and individually. To accomplish that, I used stories, humor, and anecdotes. Real life experiences dealing with new life, childhood years, losing loved ones, and family deterioration are among topics I covered to carry my points across.
Where did the idea of modeling your book after a children’s game, Hide and Seek come from?
As a little boy, one of my favorite games was hide and seek. I especially enjoyed playing a night time. I remember the added challenge that the cover of darkness brought. I vividly remember the lightning bugs flying around in the New Jersey air. It was pure joy. Nothing else mattered during those fun times. The obvious fun of hiding, the incredible job to seek – all under the cover of darkness – with a few lightning bugs to light the way – inspired me to use it as the basis to model my book around. After that realization, the ideas freely flowed. Everything fell into place nicely.
What is one piece of advice someone gave you that changed your life?
My father, Oscar, was my greatest advisor, mentor, and provider. He gave me many pieces of advice. I would point out that his “living” was the best example to me for a sound, well grounded family life. However, to answer your question, if I had to pick one? It would have to do with the topic of worrying about things. He would tell me that worrying is futile. If a tough situation in life has a solution, do not worry. Simply go thru the process of solving it. If a tough situation in life has no solution, do not worry. Worrying about something that is beyond control is counter productive, even unhealthy. Like examples in my book, a simple concept – yet so powerful!
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
That you are not alone. That those intrusive thoughts, horrible ideas, past actions, and temptations are not the things that define you. Other people have the very same and even more extreme situations & challenges. It is a part of the human condition. Trust the “person in the mirror” and aim to please that person. Pleasing that person is not meant to be selfish, but instead, should be random acts of kindness. Care for your entire being, both physical and emotional. Visit the lonely. Comfort the sick. You cannot help but feel good about yourself when you do something good for others. It is a part of our spiritual DNA. Lastly, a big take away from my book? Always remember: animals make us human. Want to learn about true unconditional love? Get a cat or a dog!
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Taking A Leap Of Faith
Sammy the Flying Squirrel follows a young squirrel that is afraid to fly and must overcome his fear to same his best friend. What was the inspiration for your story?
Having six grandchildren it was illuminating to see how each one tried to handle their insecurities differently. In searching to find the ways to get them to open up about trivial or significant issues I learned what they were worried about.
I found that talking about animals and giving them human characteristics made it easier for young children to open up and talk about what made them anxious.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
- Fear of rejection,
- Bullying,
- Friendship,
- Positive close family interactions.
Perhaps most of all–believing in yourself and taking a leap of faith in order to save a friend.
Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing?
My husband Dan, son Sean, grandson Kevin and granddaughters Fiona, Macalyn and Kate.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
In Sammy the Flying Squirrel who Was Afraid to Fly, Thomas the Terrible Tomcat got a “bad rap” as a mean and hurtful villain. I want to explore how he got that way, and see if there is there hope for him. (You’ll have to read the next book to find out!)
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads | Facebook
After Sammy makes friends with another squirrel, Sarah, they play together, day after day. Sammy is in no hurry to learn to fly, especially since he is having so much fun with Sarah. As Sammy and Sarah scamper, roll, and play on the forest floor, they have no idea that another animal is lurking in the bushes, just waiting to pounce. But everything is about to change when Sarah has an accident. Can Sammy overcome his big fear and save her, before it is too late?
In this charming children’s tale, a young flying squirrel must overcome a giant fear in order to rescue his new best friend from a terrible fate.
He Must Bend The Rules
The Dance Towards Death follows a private investigator traveling the world trying to complete his mission. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The Dance Towards Death is the third book of The Brotherhood Chronicle trilogy–although each book can be read independently, reading each successively can help one understand the evolution of the main character Niral Solanke and many of the other characters in the trilogy.
In the first book, The Brotherhood, Niral has lived a life of dissipation but he believes he can redeem himself through religion and spirituality. He struggles with this quest throughout as he experiences more of the world including its deep corruption. Considering he is indebted to several organizations, he loses his faith and also reconsiders what a true “dharmic” path is.
So by The Dance Towards Death, he realizes he must bend the rules to get out of his entanglements and do the right thing. Not everything goes as planned, of course.
Much of the setup is based on my personal experiences and lots of research I did over many years. I’m first-generation Indian-American, born in New York City to Indian immigrants and raised in Queens, NY, so while there are many differences between Niral and me, I could base him on a real background. I was raised Hindu although I am agnostic, and I grew up in a highly multicultural environment, so I’m knowledgeable about many cultures and backgrounds. I’ve taken many trips to Thailand, India, Australia, and the American south, so that’s helped with the setting details and bringing them alive.
Finally, New York City was a very dangerous place when I was growing up (seems to be reverting back now), so I’ve had a natural connection to its criminal elements and the working class, but also to the wealthy elite, from financiers to lawyers and politicians. While the book is fiction, just being in that environment helped me with details and bringing it alive, although there was plenty of research done and the majority is based on that, but elevated by the imagination into fiction. And Hindu philosophy, a multifarious tradition which looks at life as a whole, with its elements of kama (pleasure), artha (wealth), dharma (duty) and moksha (enlightenment), provided me the ingredients that I could play and build with regarding the book’s drama, both internally within characters and externally in terms of the plot.
I felt that there were a lot of great twists and turns throughout the story. Did you plan this before writing, or did the twists develop organically while writing?
I usually have a two-tier process: I plan everything out, and then I just write and develop things as I wish, rarely staying true to the original plan. Sometimes it takes a few rewrites of the book to get to what I want. The Brotherhood was rewritten from scratch over 20 times, whereas The Run and Hide and The Dance Towards Death were written in one continuous draft, though I did rewrite the whole draft once more, to tighten up the action, and then did another run through to clean up the language. Then copyediting, proofreading, etc. So it depends on the work, but for the most part, I’m best when I do some light planning and then let things roll as they will.
Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel?
That’s a tough question. I think The Dance Towards Death is satisfying, and most characters achieve their arcs, but not necessarily in expected ways. The book leaves a lot open too, just like in life. There will likely be a fourth book, but probably not anytime soon.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Bad Americans, the second book of my anthology short story series The Human Tragedy, will hopefully be available sometime in 2023 or 2024. I achieved my New Years Resolution in January 2022 by finishing the first draft–a whopping 300,000 words (the length of three full-length novels). It’s a very ambitious book–a 12 story collection within an extravagant frame narrative set during the Covid pandemic–parts Boccaccio, The Bachelor, Big Brother and Upstairs Downstairs. I’m getting great feedback from beta readers and the rewrite is going very well, but such a large book will take a while to perfect, and then there’s the publishing process…
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Author Facebook | The Brotherhood Chronicle Series | Good Americans/The Human Tragedy Series | The New Wei Literary Movement
Niral Solanke is on a mission, but he’s not sure who to trust: the terrorist organization that wants him to carry out a political assassination, the criminal gang that has him locked in perpetual debt, the drug dealer who wants his help setting up a new enterprise, or the religious organization that wants him to heal society.
The ingenuous way he balances these interests and survives is the core of this remarkable noir epic that also features the captivating stories of detectives, financiers, politicians, political radicals, military generals, strippers, hired killers and many others across the entire world including Thailand, India, Australia, Russia, the American South, and New York City.
The Dance Towards Death is the third book of the bestselling The Brotherhood Chronicle series, but can be read independently.
It Turned Into So Much More
The Heart of a Lion: and the Body of a Cat follows a lion cub that just wants to play even though he knows he will get sick again. This is a personal story for you, why was this an important book to write?
Very personal. It was important to write this story to give hope and uplift children dealing with chronic health issues. I originally wrote the book to deliver to hospitals to inspire kids not feeling well during the holiday season, but it turned into so much more. It turned into a story of inclusion and awareness, something I’d always wanted for my daughter.
The art in this book is fantastic. How was it working with your husband on this project?
It has been a joy to work with my husband over the years to bring to life our projects. It’s an incredible connection to have, and I treasure it. He inspires me to believe in the impossible. I ask for something, and he goes beyond what I could imagine. It has been awesome.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
I want the takeaway to be the ability to think outside the box and overcome challenges. But, above all else, I want readers to take away what I’ve instilled in my daughter – to persevere in the face of challenges and never give up on their dreams.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next book is called Shani and The FireFly. It is inspired by the things around me and it touches on overcoming challenges. It’s due out late this summer.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Literary Titan Book Award Winner
Readers’ Favorite 5 Star Review
Abeautiful 75-page picture book you will enjoy from beginning to end. Any reader can relate to the journey and apply the message and lessons learned to their life. The book is inspirational for all readers.
The Heart of a Lion was written for kids dealing with health issues. The story is inspired by a little girl’s experiences while dealing with and learning to manage Sickle Cell Anemia Disease. It was not an easy journey, but she was brave through it all, and today she manages her pain while accomplishing her goals.
You will be proud of the little lion in this story and the journey to do what appeared impossible. The journey shows Bravery, Courage, and Determination. Awareness and Inclusion start when we start sharing stories that help us understand the lives of others around us. So get ready to cheer on the little lion.
LITERARY TITAN 