Blog Archives
The Surprising Potential Humans Have
Noki follows a boxer with Autism, he wants to use his skills to help his father but encounters people that do not have his best interest at heart. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The story of Noki was stuck in my head for over ten years. I couldn’t shake it. I just fell in love with the character and felt I needed to share him with the world. I believe the book does a great job showing the limitations we, as a society, place on people, knowingly or not. Even more importantly, it shows the surprising potential humans have. This is something I saw in my thirty-year experience as a doctor treating autistic patients. People with autism, like Noki, may have some social and communication difficulties, but it doesn’t mean they are without aspirations, goals, love, thoughts, or purpose. I hope this book shows the reader this.
What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
We all need to be aware that when you meet one person with autism you meet one person with autism. Everyone is different. Everyone deserves basic respect and nonjudgment from others, autism or not. That being said, autism is a spectrum and this has to be acknowledged. There is a pivotal point in Noki where there is a hearing to decide whether he understands the consequences and risks of boxing. Understanding the differences between each autistic person provides a learning opportunity for characters in the book and should do the same for those who read it.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I definitely wanted to explore the deep dark secrets of the boxing world. I know it all too well. No one really talks about it and it hasn’t changed much in a century. Putting someone like Noki in that environment was exciting to me. I wanted to also make a social worker a hero (heroine) because normally they are portrayed negatively. Lastly, the surprise ending in Noki is critical in realizing what you may have just read is something you have seen many times before.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am writing another business book now but will probably start on a book about Taddy Roosevelt (yes, that is spelled right).
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
A bankrupt boxing gym, a down-on-his luck drifter, and a desperate father grapple with an opportunity that could solve all their problems, but at a tragic cost.
Noki has grown up in his father’s gym, around the seedy world of boxing his whole life, the fighters there calling him a “man-child.” A young Black man with autism with a penchant for wearing Disney t-shirts, Noki is gifted with incredible boxing skills, considered by his inner circle as unbeatable. But when the unscrupulous boxing bigwigs see dollar signs, his gym family is torn: Are they permitting Noki to pursue his passion or are they taking advantage of someone with a disability. Noki, a new young adult fiction novel by Douglas Farrago, is a masterfully written coming of age story of loyalty, grit, and self-discovery in the most heartbreaking of circumstances.
How Does A Man Rebuild His Spirit
The Energy Inside Valsin’s Choices follows a man through multiple lives and explores the cumulative effect of his choices. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
In the preface I discussed having an accident and having a repetitive dream. This disturbing dream led me to write this novel. I end it with “The story that manifested the repetitive dreams after my puppy knocked my chin is now told. What does the author have to do with this story?” This is the prelude to the sequel.
Valsin is an intriguing character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
How does a man rebuild his spirit after stripping away any positive traits? Can he repair? This is something that can be achieved. But only over a long time because what he did to so many people was also detrimental to himself. Valsin had to start from the very beginning to learn what life is in order to value life, love, and especially value others as well as himself.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Not to judge others is a valuable lesson for all of us. Maybe there is a reason someone is an uneducated farmer and he is happy as he is. Maybe there is a reason why someone works to help children or be a fisherman. That life is special for that person. We do not all need to be up on the latest technologies working at the top companies. Who would grow our food?
Another important theme is that one can change if they want and work at it – whatever it is. Your inner voice, higher self, intuition, God, the universe – whatever you call it – will guide you if you listen.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working on the sequel to this book. The working title is The Energy Inside the Author. It explores Nabella and why the author wrote The Energy Inside Valsin’s Choices. I am also working on a book on caregiving called How to Care for Grouchy Old People. Both of these do not have a publish date set yet. The other project of which I am doing is the Richard Tregaskis Classics Collection, by the renowned war journalist. I reprinted his classics with introductions by his widow, Moana Tregaskis, along with rare archives. Invasion Diary, Stronger Than Fear, Last Plane to Shanghai, China Bomb, and Vietnam Diary were published in 2021 under the imprint JMFdeA Press. This year we will publish Building the Bases, X-15 Diary, The Warrior King, Seven Leagues to Paradise, and Woman and the Sea.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | jmfdeapress.com | Instagram
The Energy Inside Valsin’s Choices is a hybrid historical and metaphysical fiction respecting choices and consequences, which pulse into the beyond. Nabella is a newcomer to New Orleans in 1862 just before the Union occupied the city during the Civil War. She becomes curious about her mysterious neighbor Valsin. The energy inside his choices has cumulative effects in his future lives as well as profound impact on Nabella and others. We travel with him around the globe through centuries and witness how he transforms from darkness to light. It invites the reader to learn along with Valsin intense evolutionary lessons.
Stories That Are So Crazy
Taylor Mill Horror follows the terrifying true story of a family that buys a real haunted house. Why was this an important book for you to write?
We all hear wild ghost stories and claims. Stories that are so crazy we believe they could never be true. Prior to staying in this home I laughed at claims such as paranormal earthquakes and extreme poltergeist activity. The two weeks we spent in this home forever changed my life and outlook. I now realize that there are things that go on in the world that we will never be able to understand and explain. Things so frightening, we refuse to believe in them. I felt like I owed it to all those who I once thought were making up all these claims to write this book. I wanted to let others know that they are not the only ones who may be going through these things and ultimately that they are not crazy.
As you stayed in the house while researching this book, what were the scariest and the funniest thing that happened?
The scariest thing that had happened was easily the paranormal earthquake. Despite seeing things fly across the room or figures pass by, nothing will even come close to that night. While lying in the bed a loud almost mechanical sound resonated from the house, as if an engine were reving up. Shortly after the house began shaking violently causing things to fly off of the walls and shelves. At this moment, I was fully convinced that I was going to die that night in that home.
After about a week in the home we were so sleep deprived that we tried to find the humor in anything just to stay sane. Whenever we would hear odd noises or things would happen, we would explain them away in the most ridiculous ways possible. For example; the trashcan in the kitchen that had flown across the room a few times was obviously possessed by the spirit of a raccoon who was looking for a late night snack. We did anything we could to share some laughs and make light of what was a stressful situation.
How did you get interested in paranormal activity and haunted houses?
The biggest question in life is What happens after we die? I am a very critical and analytical thinker who needs to see proof before I can form an opinion. From movies to television and books we are told so many different stories about what lurks in the beyond. I simply wanted to set out and see if I could answer this ultimate life question.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently working on a completely fiction based horror novel. This novel is based off of a recurring nightmare that I have had ever since I was a child. Unlike Taylor Mill Horror, not only is it fiction it is also meant to scare the reader. This is a much more fast paced, horrifying and gruesome novel. I am hoping to release it in October of 2022.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
With the help of a priest and two paranormal investigators, Sam and his family began a battle with the unseen forces attempting to drive them from their home. They discovered the house was infested with a demonic presence. The events and dark energies were altering the emotions of the residents to the point they questioned their own sanity. When the team uncovers strange connections, Sam must ask what brought him to this home in the first place. Could a force beyond comprehension have been at work in drawing the family to that specific property? Discover the true events revealed through interviews and eyewitness accounts for the first time in the pages of Taylor Mill Horror. Written by the team who spent two weeks amidst the horrors and the man who lived it all firsthand, this is an account like no other. Taylor Mill Horror will immerse readers in a story they will never forget, made even more chilling for its status as non-fiction.
The Role of Music in Storytelling
Gotham City Sounds: The Music of Batman Villains is a case study on the psychological and emotional impact of the music used in the Batman franchise. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I’ve always been fascinated with the role of music in storytelling. Whether it’s on a stage or a screen, music can absolutely affect an audience on a primal level. A great score can inform how you connect with a specific character or story. I also think pop culture entertainment is a great window into deeper conversations about important things. It’s why I’m a professor who consistently use pop culture references and examples in my college courses I teach. And if I want to navigate readers through the psychology of music for tormented characters, I figured analyzing Batman villain scores would be a fascinating way to go about it!
What villain’s theme music is your favorite and why?
I personally have a deep love for Danny Elfman’s Batman Returns score. The way he aurally connects the three main characters (Batman, Catwoman, Penguin) with complementary yet individualized music themes is masterful and emotionally powerful. In my opinion, that score is perfection.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
I wanted to make sure my second full-length book met the bar I had set for myself with my first full-length book Cool Cats and a Hot Mouse: A History of Jazz and Disney. I was so honored and humbled by the reception Cool Cats and a Hot Mouse received (including it earning half a dozen national award recognitions). Just like my Disney Jazz book, I wanted my Batman villain book to educate readers about our history of entertainment in a captivating way.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have several upcoming chapters in scholarly books being published in the next year. I’m also excited to be launching a new pop culture hub called POP PROFESSOR, which will be a website where I’ll offer blogs and videos covering bite-size presentations of fascinating pop culture things (similarly to my books). That can be found at http://www.popprofessor.com, and my professional website is http://www.matthodge.com. I’m also still a full-time university professor, and enjoy spending my days in classrooms with students.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads | Website
Move aside, Batman. It’s time for Gotham City’s infamous villains to take center stage! Whether through film, television, or video games, members of the Dark Knight’s notorious rogues gallery consistently come to life on screen with the help of creative scores constructed by masterful composers — the true unsung superheroes of Hollywood.
Award-winning composer, professor, and author Matthew Hodge shines a fascinating spotlight on the psychological and emotional musical representations constructed by composers for numerous portrayals of Batman’s iconic villains. These pages discuss dozens of Gotham City characters, including well-known villains and lesser-known troublemakers. From flamboyant tricksters and monstrous brutes to seductive femme fatales and complicated antiheroes, the musical possibilities are endless.
Gotham citizens, beware! Evil doesn’t just have a name and a face — it has a sound.
The Different Worlds And Aliens I Invent
The King of Gems follows an astrophysicist and master King of Gems player who finds aliens trapped in the game. How did the idea for this novel come about?
I have always wanted to write a story that combined my two favorite genres so I’ve been playing around with this idea for a couple of years. A friend of mine is an actual astrophysicist who studies the interactions between galaxies. We were discussing his work one day and the topic of this idea for a new book came up. We tossed around a few ideas using some of the physics behind his work and that spurred me on. At the same time, several coworkers were discussing their latest adventures in a dungeons and dragons game they had played together. I’m not really sure how the two connected in my head, but they did. The result was The King of Gems.
What were some sources that informed the development of the Chandrans aliens?
If you have read any of my previous books, you can probably tell I have a fondness for telling stories with aliens. Part of my job at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science involves talking to guests about other worlds, both within and outside our solar system. In fact, one of the programs I do involves playing a real estate character attempting to sell exoplanet vacation properties to the guests as a way to describe what it is like on those worlds. I love thinking about what environments would support extraterrestrial life and how different cultures might evolve in those environments. My research for my work in this regard helps feed that interest and provides a basis for the different worlds and aliens I invent.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
I like the interaction between HAL and Dr, Kennan. HAL’s snarkiness toward Dr. Kennan was the best way I could devise to have the android show his concern for him, without igniting the professor’s irascible nature to the point of rewriting HAL’s programming. This allowed me to add a bit of humor from time to time that all good stories need. The other piece I had fun with was Dr. Kennan’s complete ignorance and frustrations when dealing with women. I have a personal affinity and sympathy for that due to my own fumbling around with it all during my much younger years.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
At this point, I do not have another novel in mind. Instead, I would like to try my hand at several short stories. The goal of these would be to illustrate or explain some scientific concepts through the eyes of science fiction and fantasy tales. As a retired middle school science teacher, I know how dry and miserable reading textbooks can be. My hope is that teachers could use these stories to help preface a lesson on some scientific topic, or use them as summaries after the fact. If I come up with enough ideas for topics and stories I can put them into an anthology of sorts and try to get that published.
Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Website
Many Surprises Detailed in the Book
Trust and Confidence -The 1998 Battle Between the Secret Service and Ken Starr is about the high-profile cases of former Director of the United States Secret Service, Lewis Merletti. Did you find anything in your research of this book that surprised you?
I never expected to obtain a copy of the Harris report—a special counsel investigation into possible misconduct charges by Ken Starr’s attorneys when they confronted Monica Lewinsky at the Ritz-Carlton hotel.
Harris was told her report had been sealed. After many months I had located the report and discovered it had not been sealed by the court. Harris opened up in a series of interviews regarding her interview with Ken Starr and several attorneys in the office of independent counsel. While Harris did not find any misconduct by the attorneys, her report points out that they had crossed an ethical line when Lewinsky asked to speak to an attorney several times and was dissuaded. The Department of Justice had stressed the importance of ethical conduct for all prosecutors.
The discovery of that report led me to track down and obtain documents related to the Secret Service matter. All the documents I received from the National Archives and utilized in “Trust and Confidence” had not been previously released and led to many surprises detailed in the book.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Trust and Confidence?
A much fuller account of the Starr investigation regarding the Clinton/Lewinsky relationship and how Ken Starr believed an anonymous source inside the Secret Service that director Lewis Merletti had a deal with Clinton: keep quiet about Lewinsky and I’ll make you director.
All false.
This is one of the best untold stories of integrity whereby readers will learn how valuable personal integrity is today.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’ve spent 12 years researching and writing “Trust and Confidence” I haven’t had a chance to think about what’s next.
Book Review
Changed In An Instant
Ice Out follows a mother who is trapped in the frozen ice after a snowmobile accident, she can’t find her daughter, and her husband seems to have abandoned them. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I have seen many people’s lives turn on a dime. What was a perfect, happy, fulfilling life changed in an instant, and those people found themselves in circumstances they never dreamed of. They then acted in ways they never anticipated. I have been interested in such events, how it changes people, how people react. I was also interested in exploring the processes people go through that brings them from grief to acceptance. And I wanted to explore the idea of forgiveness.
Years ago there was a ferry accident in the English Channel. Many of the men got out, many of the women were left behind. The ferry sank, and it was theorized that it took some physical strength to escape the underwater ferry and make it to the surface. I wondered if some of those men left behind their spouses or partners in their rush to the surface. When I began to craft this story, I thought of this incident and wondered, could you forgive your significant other for leaving you behind in a life or death situation? Should you? What would make someone do this? I used a snowmobiling accident because I live in Vermont, and as a snowmobiler myself I have seen some of these dedicated snowmobilers do crazy things. It’s a wonder there aren’t more accidents! All of this inspired the story.
The form this novel has taken is not quite linear. The action moves from the present to the past and back again over and over as the story advances. The reader is not able to know the full extent of what is going on (until the end). This was inspired by a movie called Jacob’s Ladder. The technique (in this film) is very effective as I believe it adds to the dramatic moment at the end when everything makes sense. Since the concept of time in my novel is very important, I wanted a framework that would accentuate this.
Francesca has a strong personality and learns early on in life that breaking a promise is unforgivable. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
In order to explore the idea of forgiveness, I needed Francesca to have very strong principles about what promises mean to her, and how unforgiveable it is for them to be broken. She admits, early on in the story, that she is quite stubborn and unforgiving of herself and others. And of course, this is the worst possible betrayal to happen, especially to someone like her.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Themes in Ice Out
Forgiveness: I wanted to explore what a person can and can’t, should or shouldn’t forgive.
Reality: The nineteenth century romantic writers believed life was nothing more than a dream, that the line between dreams and reality was tenuous at best. I think they were on to something, so I wanted to explore this idea in Ice Out.
Grieving: I also wanted to explore the process of grieving, whether it is for a job someone has been fired from, a home that had to be quickly abandoned, or a loved one who died. Most people find it hard to go with the flow, and they fight immediate change, especially if it is a change they don’t want and didn’t initiate. They refuse to accept it, they get angry and fight it, then they get depressed. But finally, in order to emerge from that dark place into which their grief has thrown them, they realize they need to accept things as they are and go on.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am obsessed with the larger questions of life – why are we here, what is our purpose, if any, what will happen to us when we die – in short, what is this all about. My next book will explore these questions. I’m hoping to make the form more experimental – in the tradition of Italo Calvino, for example. Not sure when it will be available, but in the meantime, readers can avail themselves of my previous novel, The Tale of Lucia Grandi, the Early Years.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Francesca believes she sees their dog pull Addie from the lake and drag her into the nearby woods. Desperate to help her daughter, she crawls from the icy waters and follows them. Once she enters the forest, however, she finds herself trapped in a sinister, dream-like world where night never ends, where Addie’s whereabouts remain hidden from her, and where she encounters a group of women who, like Francesca, have been left to die and now seek to unleash their revenge on those who have harmed them. When they have Ben in their sights, Francesca realizes that if she is ever to escape this nightmare and save her daughter, she must first save the husband who abandoned them.
A World Free From Prejudice And Intolerance
Mystical Force: Vol. 1 Stranger in a Strange Land follows three groups that are all battling for the good of the Earth in their own way and with their own view of good vs evil. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The origin of the series actually revolves around a character who will be introduced later in the series, the “chosen one” I’ve hinted at. I wish I could explain more about this but that would be giving away spoilers. For now I’ll simply say, there were many different inspirations for the story. The main question was ‘how did the character of Shi-ria end up on Earth?’ I came up with various ideas, but none of them seemed to work. When I hit upon the idea of Scarlet Knightwalker having seen the future and trying to prevent Shi-ria from coming, only to have Zolida ensure “destiny will be fulfilled”, suddenly all the pieces seemed to fall into place. One of the themes I’ve always been fascinated by is the idea of ‘fate vs free will’ and how people seem to believe they’re polar opposites; a belief that I do not share. Fate is simply life/the universe/God (call it whatever you like) providing the circumstances to enable us to live the life we choose. The question is whether you make that choice consciously or unconsciously. In a way, Mystical Force is the story of conformity vs individuality. Our heroes are the type who think for themselves and make their own decisions based on their own knowledge, instinct and intuition. By contrast, the Order of the Cross consists of the type who blindly follow their religious dogmatism without question. We see this conflict represented through the character of Sister Rose, who loves Tokijin and (in her heart) knows he’s not evil but is constantly being told that he’s a servant of the devil, simply because the Church says so. As is often the case in reality, which do you choose? Do you listen to your higher self and know the truth? Or do you blindly follow what others say and live your life in ignorance, assuming the events of your life (be it good or bad) to just be random chance?
I enjoyed that this story takes place on Earth with characters from other worlds being brought here. Why choose this place and time for the setting of the story?
It seemed appropriate as we seem to be on the cusp of evolving right now from our old fear based society to one of love. When you look back through history, the issues of prejudice, racism, sexism, religious intolerance and so on, you see that many people today are beginning to realize that our current way of thinking (politics, religion, economics) do not serve us and aren’t taking us where we, as a collective society, say we want to go. While some of us embrace this shift in consciousness, others still surrender to fear and desperately try to fight progress; or worse, actively try to force society to regress to a more primitive stage of development. By having the series introduce characters from more evolved societies interacting with the characters on present day Earth, it shows the audience that change isn’t something to be feared but to be embraced. Like Star Trek it shows that we can make the world a better place. A world free from prejudice and intolerance. Where the goal in life isn’t to make the most money, but to make the most of living for everyone.
What was your favorite character to write for and why?
That isn’t a fair question. It’s like asking a parent “which child is your favorite and why?” But if I must choose, I would say it’s Shi-ria, with Mystic being a close second. I think they’re both great examples of what we can be as a people. Both are strong and wise beyond their years. They’re the type of characters you don’t want to mess with but at the same time they also have the compassion and wisdom to know when to stand and fight and when not to. Sometimes it takes more strength to put down a weapon than to pick it up. Sometimes it takes more courage to stop a fight then to start one. There are some out there who don’t agree with those statements, who think compassion is weakness and refusing to fight is cowardice. The truly wise know that we are all one, that by hurting another you’re actually hurting yourself. To quote the Beatles song Within you, without you: “When you see beyond yourself then you may find peace of mind is waiting there.”
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Since Mystical Force is a series, I’m currently working on the next volume. When I first published Mystical Force, I wasn’t aware of Literary Titan. Thus volumes 2 (Angels and Demons) & 3 (The Kolri and the Koldar) were already out before I discovered Literary Titan. That’s why I did the review for volume 1. Otherwise it would be like asking you to review a TV series when you haven’t seen the pilot episode. Without the introduction, without context, it makes the story much harder to follow. I guess reviews for those books are next on our to do list! I’m currently working on volume 4 (Many are 1, 1 is 0). It should be out sometime in the spring.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | LinkedIN | Instagram
When Shi-ria graduated from apprentice to Taman Knight her master foresaw she was destined for something no other Taman Knight had done. She had no idea what he meant until a sorceress named Zolida brought her to a strange, remote, backwards planet called Earth.
There, Shi-ria meets a witch named Mystic, her husband, Noonien, a demon named Tokijin and a nun called Sister Rose (who happens to be secretly dating Tokijin). Together they get drawn into a tangled web of criminal smugglers, vengeful spirits and Sister Rose’s fellow members of the Order of the Cross, who wish to exterminate these ‘devils’ for their ‘ungodly’ powers.
As if this wasn’t enough, a rival sorceress named Scarlet Knightwalker is adamant that this unlikely team not meet, just as much as Zolida insists they must. Now they must find the answer as to why Zolida insists their meeting was predestined, and more importantly, why Knightwalker is determined to fight fate. Answers that could change the course of the future, but for better or worse?
LITERARY TITAN 