Blog Archives
Thinking Out Loud
Random Musings of the Left Hemisphere is a collection of your thoughts and observations about the direction that the United States is headed in and what can be done to correct the course. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It is a furtherance of thinking out loud, wrestling with the constant battle of ideologies, the unprincipled and I dare say the ugly megalomania that far too many exhibit in the wanton control over others. As I refine my thoughts and put them in writing it is important that I express my voice, right, wrong, or indifferent. Sometimes I get it wrong as I may have missed something tangible and important, or take some glee and am overjoyed in being right and I find that less noble. It is my reaction to the upside-down wokeism and lack of civility that I find myself pushing back on. There is little gained in being that way with the back and forth, and in the end, a course correction back to our founding principles is the goal.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Much of my moral center comes from an upbringing of two upright and loving parents. Personal responsibility, taking ownership of the workload and the solutions. KIndess and care of others through actions, charity, and lending a hand, instead of handouts without oversight and accountability in the use of resources. Equal application of the law without regard to a party would be a most welcomed change.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your book?
I have no expectation that my readers will adopt my worldview word for word, as my worldview comes from my unique collection of life experiences as each of us does. I would hope that it would cause my readers to search and research well beyond the talking heads, and the overflowing sea of propaganda. Dig deep as both sides of the ideological spectrum engage in flooding websites full of self serving support not necessarily based on facts, or based on gleamed half-truths. What is not disclosed is as much revealing, sometimes more than what is presented.
Are you planning a follow-up to this book to cover more topics that you were not able to include in this publication and new ones that are currently emerging?
I may down the road, I do have one coming out called “One Percent,” and it expands on a mindset of daily improvement that can be applied to any goal one might have. Another titled “Forever Roost Hunt-Honor-Respect” deals with the moral and spiritual experiences of a hunter, or outdoorsman. I have many other turkey hunting-related titles in various stages of completion and some that have been in the cure for a very long time to complete.
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The latest offering from the author is a unique departure from his well-known outdoor book titles. A random glimpse into the thoughts, and observations of a left hemisphere dominant thinker. As an engineer, awarded worldwide patents, a passionate outdoorsman, and conservative by nature, these attributes are a natural fit for the project. The reader will find a frank and honest rendering of ideas and observations to ponder and consider.
A Bit Of A Scoundrel
The Palms follows a man recently out of prison who settles in a rundown trailer park where he meets a woman and her 7-year-old daughter and becomes their protector. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for the story was my grandfather. He was a bit of a scoundrel as a younger man. He spent time in prison and was an alcoholic. Yet, by the time I was born, he’d cleaned up his act and was an amazingly caring and helpful man. Growing up, I heard conflicting stories that I didn’t really understand. My mother and her siblings would often talk about all the bad things he did while they were children, but I never was witness to those things. This was partially my attempt at understanding how someone can do something horrible yet be redeemed.
Ronnie did time for committing murder and had planned to live out his life quietly, that is, until Mary is kidnapped and put in danger. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I thought, “What’s the worst thing a human can do?” My answer was committing murder. So, I considered what someone can do to be redeemed for taking a life. I decided that the answer was saving a life. So, overall this is a redemptive story for both Ronnie and Clara.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The themes are addiction, sobriety, and redemption.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
The next book is called – Leaders to Eden Temple, and I’m not exactly sure when it will be out. I’m still working on the first draft.
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How To Become A Survivor
Escaping My Demons shares with readers the abuse you suffered at the hands of the people that were supposed to love you unconditionally. How hard was it to put this story out in the world for people to read?
Writing my memoir and telling my story was hard to do. I relived it over and over again and it constantly took me back to where I had always wanted to escape from. Whilst writing the book, especially during the night in bed brought back the nightmares. Whilst sleeping my wife often wakes me telling me I was fighting in my dream.
I am a different man these days and content with my life
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
My goal has always been for my story to be told and to help others that don’t have the know-how to help themselves.
Telling others not to keep dwelling in the past, but instead learn from the past and keep moving forward. I found that changing my mindset gave me a new scope in life. I have always said that nothing changes if nothing changes!
What advice do you have for victims of abuse to let them know that there is hope for a better future?
My book is aimed at helping victims of abuse of similar circumstances. It was written specifically to help them how to start believing in themselves and move on with their lives with the hope that eventually they will stop listening to that little voice in their head that is telling them they are worthless. My book is a survival kit for all victims on how to become a survivor.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?
What it was like to walk in my shoes as a victim and most importantly make “biased parents” realise and recognise the injustice, hurt and pain they are causing their child to bear.
Author Links: Website | Facebook
This boy grew up with an aggressive and womanising father that constantly reminded him that he was a mistake that ruined his father’s life.
While been beaten and mentally abused, all he craved from his parents was love but received nothing but humiliation and sufferance from his father. This caused detrimental trauma to the young boy, and he grew up believing that he would not achieve anything in life.
I was this little boy, and this is my story.
Leave Your Audience Wanting More
Mystical Force Volume 5 takes readers on a captivating journey as Detective Shinjo and Shi-Ria battle crime and unravel prophecies amidst the looming rise of Kage Dai Yokai. What was one thing that got you excited to write this book?
It would have to be the introduction of the character of Chiyoko. The first four books were more of world building. While they introduce plot elements which will play a part later on in the series, this was really the part where the actual story really starts getting moving in my opinion. What’s really great about it is that it allows me to really start to explain things that I’ve been hinting at in the previous books. That’s really the hard part in writing a series, you don’t want to give away too much information right at the beginning. They always say you should leave your audience wanting more.
How do you strike a balance between delivering action-packed sequences and exploring diverse points of view in your writing?
That’s a very good question! I wish I had a very good answer for you (HA HA)! Honestly, I don’t really think about it. When I write an action sequence I tend to think more along the line of “how do I get from point A to point B, then C, then D…” and so on. As far as exploring diverse points of view, I always remember the words of my late screen writing teacher Mr. Michael Monty when I studied film and television at Seneca College. He always said that what makes a story work are interesting characters. If you don’t have engaging characters, then no amount of action, sex, violence (or in the case of film/television) impressive visual effects can save your story. I tend to favour the character scenes more, since in my opinion/observation, when it comes to speculative fiction, the focus tends to be more on the characters powers. “What can they do? Can they fly? Can they shoot lasers from their eyes? Can they move things with there minds?” It seems to me (though this is just my opinion – and I don’t watch a lot of movies/TV – so I may be wrong) that a lot of times people tend to create characters with powers simply to have cool things happen to them. For me personally, I’d rather go into the character’s head, find out what makes them tick. So I guess the short answer is I focus more on the characters and exploring their “diverse points of view”, then use the “action-packed sequences” to move the plot along.
Can you tell us more about the process of crafting individual narratives for each character in the book and how they contribute to the overall tapestry of the series?
Another good question! And again, I wish I had a very good answer for you! I don’t really think about it at least not on a conscience level. I guess I tend to either put my views into the characters or have them serve as counterpoints to my views just to debate the matter. I remember a while back reading an article, something about “signs you march to the beat of your own drum”. One of the signs was that you look at both sides of an issue. I’ve always been the type of guy to step back and look at the bigger picture. All too often it seems society encourages us to (as I call it) “think in binary”. To look at the world in black and white. It’s either all or nothing, black or white, one or zero. As for “how they contribute to the overall tapestry”? Mystical Force is really a story of learning to overcome the binary thinking. Specifically the idea of fate and free will being polar opposites. Society in general seems to have this idea that either we have free will or God set some divine plan for us that we must blindly follow without question, whether we want to or not. I don’t agree with that personally. I personally see fate as God/the universe (whatever you choose to call it) giving us the means to follow the decisions we would have already chosen in life. I use my characters individual narratives to show the kind of people that they are, why their lives are the way they are, why they made their individual choices. To go back to my earlier point about ‘fate/free will’, most people tend make their life choices unconsciously, then when things don’t work out the way they expected they claim fate dealt them a bad hand in life. The truth is it’s our thoughts and actions that determine our lot in life, now there are things in life that we can’t control, but we can control how we view/deal with them. That’s how I weave it into the tapestry of the series. Characters like Mystic, Noonien and Shi-ria, trying to show Sister Rose, Chiyoko and Scarlet Knightwalker how to choose their own fate consciously, rather than unconsciously choosing what they don’t want then blaming it on fate.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m currently in the process of editing Liberator vol. 2. I just got the first draft back from my editor, so that one should be out sometime in the fall. While at the same time I’m also writing Mystical Force vol. 6. That’s how I work, whichever series is currently being published by Tellwell, I write the manuscript for the other series. Once that book is out I submit the manuscript for the next one. In this case, I’ll be writing Mystical Force vol. 6 while Tellwell edits and prepares Liberator vol. 2 for publication. After Liberator 2 is out, the manuscript for Mystical Force 6 should be ready to be submitted for publication.
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“I saw a teenage girl I took as my apprentice and trained as a Taman Knight. Actually, I saw two possible futures: one where I die and my apprentice becomes a Koldar Warrior and another where I live, and she becomes a Taman Knight,” Shiria told her friends after arriving on Earth. Now she’s finally going to meet her new apprentice, a teenage girl named Chiyoko.
Abandoned by her father, despised by her mother, Chiyoko is determined to join the Poison Starfish and earn the respect she feels she deserves. Now it’s up to Shi-ria and Detective Shinjo to show Chiyoko she has the chance for a better life than that of a petty criminal. Unfortunately if the Poison Starfish find out about this, it may cost the three of them their lives.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, a mysterious cult tied to the prophecy that brought Shi-ria to Earth wants to use Chiyoko as bait to find Shi-ria and kill her to ensure she doesn’t interfere in their goal: resurrecting a powerful shadow demon, the Kage Dai Yokai, and bringing about the end of the world.
And what about Scarlet Knightwalker? She travelled back in time to prevent Shi-ria and Chiyoko from meeting, to prevent Chiyoko from giving in to her inner darkness and becoming a Koldar Warrior. But what if in doing so she ends up creating the very future she’s been so desperate to prevent?
A Young Adventurer
Exploration: The Stanfield Chronicle follows a young man in the early 17th century who leaves home to become a sailor and documents his experiences. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Fascination with the largely untold back story of the founding of New England led me to tell that story through the eyes of a young adventurer.
What were some of the trials that you felt were important to highlight the character’s development?
Isaac’s development came through having to learn the life of seaman, responding to opportunity through luck and ingenuity, learning to deal with women. dealing with adversity, and understanding the responsibilities of leadership.
What kind of research did you do for this novel to ensure you captured the essence of the story’s theme?
I spent five years in deep research about the people, intrigue and events that caused the settlement of New England. I have sailed all my life but did further extensive research on off-shore sailing in the 17th century.
When will book 2 be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
Book 2 – Retribution – is available on Amazon and in bookstores. It continues where Exploration ended in 1620 and follows Isaac’s adventures to 1628 when he and his family depart as settlers for New England.
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Isaac Stanfield is a young man with a thirst for adventure. He leaves his home to become a sailor on a merchantman, the Sweet Rose, and through ingenuity and sheer luck, finds himself in the middle of the drama and explorations that precede the departure of the Mayflower for New England in 1620. Exploration is Isaac’s coming-of-age story, capturing the turbulence of the times through his observations and experiences.
Suspenseful, poignant, and expertly researched, David Tory’s novel brings to life an engaging cultural history of English seafaring exploration and intrigue in the early 17th century.
In Shifter Worlds
The Rogues Who Went Rogue stands out against traditional shifter novels and brings its own twist to the genre. I think this original idea is intriguing. How did you come up with this idea and develop it into a story?
I can say the trick is to start with ‘what ifs’, then ask an endless amount of ‘whys’ and ‘hows’.
Rogues, when they aren’t the main love interest, are often given a peripheral or antagonistic role in shifter worlds. So, I wanted to know what could unfold if they were given a more central, protagonist role instead – one that doesn’t rely mainly on romance. And that’s how it all began. Rogues are known to not run with a pack, either because they’d been kicked out or because they were born as rogues.
But why had they been kicked out or why were they born as rogues? Was it wholly their fault? If it was, how do they feel about what they did, and was there another choice in their circumstances? If it wasn’t their fault and they were punished for it, how has that changed the person they once were and affected who they choose to be today? Do they like who they are today? Do they feel they have a choice in this life? Rogues are a community who – depending on their circumstances – may have most, if not everything taken from them, and this is an aspect that isn’t often explored. It’s always about what the rogues have taken and continue to take, so I delved into the flip side of the coin – of what was taken from the rogues and continued being taken – instead.
As for the newly-introduced species – vampires, it’s a common concept that vampires and lycans/werewolves do not get along, but the reason behind why that is isn’t always given the depth it deserves. So, I played around with their history and expanded the hatred from there to give it more context and to make their animosity understandable, even to lure readers to take a side.
The next issue was how I would bring these two age-old enemies together. And although the usual way would be to form a forbidden romance between two characters of opposite species, I wanted to try something new. So, I plucked out a piece of the plot in the previous book mentioning vampires and expanded that nugget of history, then weaved out a whole new interspecies relationship using the concepts of loss, platonic love, and reincarnation of souls, along with how shared pain can bring people together, no matter how different they may seem.
There was a lot of time spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?
Relatability, because the goal is always to have every character felt, not just imagined.
From the protagonists to antagonists to supporting characters, my aim is to make each one understood, regardless of the stance they take. Each character has their own backstory, motivations, goals or lack thereof, and a reason behind how they approach life and its challenges. It was crucial to make these distinctions and allow their differences to guide me in weaving the plot – you wouldn’t get a character who’s never been wronged suddenly wanting revenge. There has to be something that was taken away from him/her to justify them embarking on the vengeful route. It’s never about moralizing questionable choices. It’s always about having those choices make sense and letting the reader decide whether they would’ve reacted the same way had they been in that character’s shoes.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
Any scene with the Forest of Oderem. I never intended to make the forest what it is now, thinking it was just another fantasized location with magical elements when it started as nothing more than an abstract idea. But when I began writing about it and got carried away, I realized it deserved to be a character in its own right (though a non-verbal one).
Can you tell us where the book goes and where we’ll see the characters in the next book?
The next book, entitled The Indomitable Huntress & the Hardened Duke, transitions into the world of hunters, where new lore, characters, and territories will be explored along with the mystery that’s been weaved into the story. A certain huntress would catch the duke’s eye, and we’ll see whether their courtship would develop into something more while also learning about another aspect of the mate bond.
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When the line between allies and enemies blurs, a king and queen must trust each other—even when trust seems lost.
A rogue pack seems to possess almost impossible knowledge to evade capture as King Alexandar and Queen Lucianne learn a difficult truth—the leader of the rogue pack is bonded to one of their allies.
To make matters more difficult, something is stirring in the vampire community.
Rumors, reports, whispers of kidnappings and invasions. With threats pushing in from every angle, the king and queen must fight to protect their kingdom, their allies, their friends, and even one another. As bonds are forged and broken, the royal pair must face a sinister thought—perhaps the threat looms within their circle.
And as their love and trust for one another are put to the test, they must remember that dark forces are no match for their bond. But how can anyone fight an unseen threat with the ability to bring the kingdom to its knees?
When all seems lost, even a pinprick of light can ignite the fires of hope . . .
The Emerald Fairy and the Dragon Knight
Jennifer Ivy Walker’s enthralling novel, The Emerald Fairy and the Dragon Knight, seamlessly weaves into the existing narrative arc as the third installment of her captivating series, The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven. A captivating concoction of tension, suspense, and gripping plot twists, this volume proves itself indispensable in maintaining the continuity and dynamism of the series.
Central protagonists Tristan and Issylte make their compelling return, immediately plunging into conflict as Issylte’s unexpected pregnancy is revealed en route to Tintagel. The ensuing narrative raises the stakes even higher when Issylte is spirited away by antagonists intending to use her as a sacrificial pawn. This necessitates a desperate and high-stakes pursuit, compelling Tristan to confront a choice with potentially far-reaching implications for his kingdom and his beloved.
The book demonstrates the undeniable chemistry and progression of Tristan and Issylte’s relationship, ultimately culminating in their anticipated union and the imminent birth of their child. Moreover, Issylte’s inherent power offers her a semblance of protection against her kidnappers, enhancing the plot’s intriguing complexity.
The narrative also showcases noteworthy creativity and depth in its depiction of a diverse range of characters. The addition of new characters, such as the sinister Mistress Malfleur, alongside previously introduced figures like the formidable evil queen and their associates, enriches the plot with multifaceted layers of intrigue and suspense. This heightened complexity may offer readers a more stimulating challenge as they navigate through the engaging storyline.
Furthermore, unexpected shifts in character behavior, such as Issylte’s interaction with the midwife, add a refreshing unpredictability to the story. These moments provide opportunities for readers to witness character growth and to explore different facets of their personalities, enhancing the overall depth and richness of the narrative.
The Emerald Fairy and the Dragon Knight offers an enjoyable journey through meticulous character development and a well-orchestrated plot line, which consistently maintains its synergy with the previous books. This installment is an impressive continuation of Walker’s series. It’s exquisite composition and intricate storytelling is commendable. The Emerald Fairy and the Dragon Knight is a splendid read that leaves the audience eagerly anticipating potential sequels.
Pages: 348 | ASIN : B0C28XRHR2
We Make Our Own Monsters
Tales from P.I.T. Crew: Case of the Wayward Son follows a paranormal detective who prefers working alone and has to assemble a team to find the missing children. Is there anything about Dr. Darell Diamonback that came from yourself or your life experiences?
Darrell is a lot like me actually, then again, so is the rest of the PIT Crew. It helps me keep their personalities in check as sometimes when you have a broad spectrum of charters, voices can get lost or even sound the same. When you break it down: Darrell represents my intellect, Charlie my youth, Jaiden my feminine side and my heart, Ed my time as a marine, my stubbornness and my dogged determination, even Stravinsky represents my common sense and reason (though Jaiden does have a place there too with her blog at the end,) and I love animals so Nicodemus and Pooky made sense to me; everyone has their roll. Having a love of biology, science, CSI, and a bit of my background over all did help add to the gritty realism I tried to keep with this book despite the paranormal aspect, because take away the fantastic portion of the book and your still left with the underlined message: As a society, we make our own monsters.
How did you come up with the idea for the antagonist in this story, and how did it change as you wrote?
I do so love antagonists. I have ever since I was a kid, and the stronger the backstory, the stronger the villain. That’s why I focused a lot on the bogyman’s backstory so much. People needed to not only understand who he was, but why he was who he was, (if that makes sense). People love a good hero, but if you can bring a strong villain to the story, I feel those are the best stories. I had a pretty good sense of who and what I wanted the bogyman to be from the beginning: a psychopath and hopefully I portrayed him that way. He was the product of abuse though, so in understanding that, hopefully readers are able to still draw a connection to him and understand him a bit more and if not empathize then maybe at least sympathize with him by the end of the book.
Will there be another story about Dr. Diamonback in the future? If so, when will it be available?
Short answer: yes. Book 2- Tales From the PIT Crew: Mystery of the Missing Heart (I hope) should be out before the end of the year and I am in the process of penning book 3 as well- Tales From the PIT Crew: Secret of the Severed Soul. I even have ideas for books 4, 5, & 6 but I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
CSI forensic psychologist turned paranormal investigator for a secret government agency, Dr. Darrell Diamondback hunts down the things that go bump in the night. But after a string of mishaps, he needs a solid win. Unfortunately, he is about to get more than he bargained for, especially when his handler is insisting the lone wolf detective start building a team.
But learning how to play well with others is the least of his problems. Children are being kidnapped across the Diamond Heights District of San Francisco by a psychopathic spirit, the bogeyman himself! While this detective must find the missing children, Dr. Diamondback is about to understand how personal this case really is.
Urban legend is true crime in this detective thriller featuring the supernatural. Fans of dark, witty, and haunting adventures will relish this exploration into a world where the monsters of our own making can bite back.
LITERARY TITAN 