Blog Archives
The Strength Sisterhood Can Have
For My Sister follows twin sisters from Mumbai who, through unfortunate events, end up separated and in the red light district. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
For My Sister was inspired by my volunteer work overseas with girls rights and human rights awareness causes in Uganda and India. When I wrote the story, at first, it was a part of a collection of short stories highlighting causes like girl trafficking amongst others. The story of Amla and Asya stood out to me and when I developed it more, it turned into this novel. I spent many hours doing research with nonprofits who serve survivors of human trafficking as well as interviews with survivors of child marriage. While the story is fiction, it was important for me to portray the experiences with empathy and accuracy.
What was your process in writing the characters’ interactions to develop the bond they have?
I derived much of the heartfelt and complex interactions between Amla and Asya from my own experiences as a sister myself. Since I was writing about twins, I interviewed a doctor and expert on twin identity to dive deep into the main characters’ minds. The twin bond is even stronger than regular siblings, like my own close relationship with my sister which allowed me to dive into understanding that relationship. I learned that twins have been reported to feel their sibling’s pain, even when apart. When it came to Amla and Asya, I wanted to portray the strength sisterhood can have in times of darkness.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I wanted to give voice and visibility to the voiceless, specifically trafficked girls and women such as Amla and Asya. Along with the social issue of human trafficking, I touch upon gender inequality, colorism, caste and poverty. The main theme I hope one feels when reading about these topics is connection. I believe one of our greatest human qualities is our ability to feel and connect with one another. Stories bring people together and can inspire us. Inspire all of us to listen to our inner voices, just as Asya and Amla did to gain their freedom. People have been using the power of sharing stories since ancient times.
What is the next story that you’re writing and when will it be published?
I am currently working on another novel focused on being first generation and social causes related to race and identity. Stay tuned at my social media handles, psnamaste on Instagram and Puja Shah Author on Facebook to learn more.
Author Links: Instagram | Facebook
Their lives change overnight when their mother becomes ill with cancer and their father succumbs to the massive financial strain of her care in Mumbai and eventually abandons his children. To the twins’ dismay, their grandparents arrange their marriages to older men. When they form a plan and run away to join their mother in the hope for a new life, the girls discover that the world is not what they thought.
After trusting the wrong people, a long train ride brings them to the dark streets of India’s largest red light district where they are sold to a ruthless woman. Their only security is each other . . . until they are separated. Though they each discover ways to cope through poetry, art, and romance, they long for the other half of themselves. Will their lives ever intertwine again?
Provocative Works Of Art
“Goat Song” is a captivating poetry collection that explores a diverse array of themes and invites readers to embrace the unknown and traverse a vast landscape of linguistic styles. What inspired you to explore such a diverse range of themes in your poetry collection?
Most of my writing touches upon themes related to human or animal rights and the eco-systems that support us all. There is no end to the variety of ways that we compromise, abuse and exploit all living creatures and the planet that we call home. As a result, my creative passions are diverse. I think the linguistic styles that I use – from formal to experimental – reflect my core belief in creative freedom and the need I have, equally personal, to create unique, provocative works of art that both educate and entertain.
How did you develop your extensive linguistic repertoire, and what advice would you give to aspiring poets who are looking to improve their language skills?
I think my linguistic repertoire, such as it is, reflects my passion for language. We all have gifts and one of mine has always been to absorb and process and use language in original ways. This comes from listening and reading of all sorts. One caveat: the deep pool of reflection that produces my fiction and poetry is much different than the wading pool that informs my speaking style. In conversation, no one needs water wings to stay afloat.
Which poem from “Goat Song” resonates with you the most, and why?
I think “Eulogy for Empire” resonates with me the most. It is the longest poem I ever written and it certainly took me the longest time to write. While “Eulogy” chronicles the last few days of a dying soldier in hospital, it is really an allegorical journey through the last years of American empire and how that is visible in the natural world and in human culture. I was very happy when “Eulogy for Empire” won the Samuel Washington Allen Prize in Massachusetts for best long poem since I had invested so much on so many levels in this particular work.
Could you speak about the process of selecting and ordering the poems in your collection, and how you decided which themes and styles to focus on?
As I alluded to earlier, I chose poetry for this collection that reflects on some level the injustices suffered by those who have been marginalized, exploited or killed in the interests of the avarice and hubris of some. I am passionate about exposing inhumanity. The ordering of the poems, to be perfectly honest, had a lot to do with the readability or accessibility of each work. Often, my work is challenging. It’s who I am as a creator. If someone was brave enough to navigate a difficult piece, I wanted the next piece – in relative terms – to be somewhat more approachable. Overall, stylistically, I wanted to use the whole arsenal at my disposal as a poet. I always try to set for myself the highest possible goals and challenges. These keep me interested and motivated.
Author Links: Twitter | Website
I Think That Is Kinda Funny
Growing Down follows two drunk men who spend the day running around town trying to make up for what they feel is lost time in life. What was the inspiration for your story?
I don’t remember exactly the inspiration from it other than initially I wanted to write a story about a character who could not find their way home. I also remember sitting in a movie theater and seeing Federico Fellini’s I Vitelloni. I thought the movie was wonderful.
Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing, or did it come out organically as you were writing?
I would say organically. At this point in time I am so busy that hardly any planning goes into anything anymore. I have my notes, but I rarely use them and much of the finished product is often the initial idea reworked over and over.
Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your character’s life?
Yes and No. I don’t think I know anyone who left a wedding early and got drunk with a buddy, usually that happens after the wedding is over. I do know that I am thirty and a lot of people around me are as well. I think when friend’s or acquaintances start having children, getting married, talking about their retirement, etc. it does make one reflect because nobody tells ya, ‘you are this age, this is this time…,’ so much as one person does it and the rest follow suit. I think that is kinda funny.
What story are you currently in the middle of writing?
I’m working on a story called Louis, which is about this happy go luck guy that likes to ride the subway train. I would really like to do something that involves animals. I work at Unity Farm Sanctuary in Sherborn, Massachusetts and among many of the animals there I love being with the pigs. I have some stuff on paper involving pigs, but it would hard to be Babe or Charlotte’s Web.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
Michael Tuberdyke is the author of several short story collections. His work has appeared in Europe as well as North American in literary magazines such as Rundelania, A Million Ways, and Flora Fiction. He lives in Belmont, Massachusetts with his partner and works at Unity Farm Sanctuary.
He’s Bound For Termination
Titanium Warrior follows a man and woman whose lives are intertwined by fate and their destiny that could destroy the world. What was the initial idea behind this story and how did that transform as you were writing the novel?
I’ve been a lover of Greek mythology all my life. The concept of the Titanian universe sprouted from the Greek Titans and what could happen to the world if Kronos’s magic was misused. The Titanian race, descendants of the Titans, was created to protect humans and creatures with god-like powers, but that ability carries a high price. Hagen the main character in Titanian Warrior appeared in an earlier book. At that point in the Chronicles, he was impulsive and too anxious to demonstrate his powers. He’s matured in Titanian Warrior. The weight of his rash actions weigh heavily on him and if he doesn’t atone and find his eternal mate, he’s bound for termination.
What was your process in writing the characters interactions to develop the bond they have?
I’m an instinctual writer. In the business that’s called being a pantser. I allow my muse to invite the characters in and speak their story. Faiza came to me naturally. Her loyalty to her family was an inspiration for Hagen and a source of frustration at times. Their bond is best explained in the pages of the book.
What were some of your inspirations as a writer?
Dame Dorothy Dunnett, J.R.R. Tolkien, Laura Esquivel, Jody Hill, and Isabel Allende, to name a few have been a source of inspiration. Whenever I hit the doldrums, I read a few passages from a favorite book and that sets the writing muse on fire.
What is the next book that you are working on and when can your fans expect it to be out?
My next book is a contemporary romance, with dark themes in the Central Florida Stories. The manuscript is with the editor and I hope to release it in May. Meanwhile, I’m working on another Central Florida Story. I’m planning on an end-of-the-year release.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Hagen drags himself to the gates of Hell, body and soul shredded by the bloodlust that consumes all the unmated of his kind. Awaiting the painful atonement that will buy him ten more years to find his eternal mate—or face oblivion. But Hades himself kicks him out with the bloodlust still prowling, unsatisfied, in his veins.
Bargained away by her parents to Master O, a mysterious and cruel wizard, Faiza serves in his household, keeping her small magic a secret, plagued by wild, confusing visions of a strange suffering male. Then her master brings home a wounded Titanian warrior whose touch sends ice, fire, and desire through her body.
When she learns Master O plans to use Hagen as a weapon to conquer all races, she devises a desperate plan to free him—a plan that opens a portal to a world she’s never known. And a destiny entwined with danger that could destroy them all.
Overcoming Our Fears And Challenges
Pedaling West follows a recently unemployed and single woman who decides to ride her bike across the country in the middle of a pandemic. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
For my previous two published books, I backdated the stories to avoid the issues associated with COVID-19-mandated protocol during the era. Finally, for Pedaling West, I decided to take the pandemic on. I hoped the book would resonate with readers because of the interesting characters and exciting story, but also because of our common challenges with COVID-19.
Carrie suffers several blows to her self-confidence and through this ride rediscovers her own inner strength. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
My goal was to create a character with whom many could identify, who had a full basket of recognizable qualities and familiar flaws. Metaphorically, Carrie represents each of us who uses our unique talents and skills to stumble forward positively, overcoming our fears and challenges, to create successful lives. Like Carrie, we usually find we don’t have to do everything ourselves. Others will help us if we take the initiative to ask.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The imperative for determination and resilience.
The critical nature of our human connection to each other and the common bonds we share.
The power, beauty, and majesty of nature versus the fragility of its environment.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
At my publisher’s urging, I plan to follow up Pedaling West, with another crime fiction novel featuring the partnership of agents Marina Butnari and Doug Hill. After the escapades of Pedaling West, they are back to addressing the most heinous criminal activity in our world: human trafficking. Crime unfortunately creates staggering wealth and power which makes the battle between good and evil much closer than it should be. The working title for the novel is “All In.”
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads | Website
Yet dangers lurk that she’d never anticipated. During Carrie’s idyllic journey across the continent, her greatest danger comes not from her encounters with angry animals, road hazards, or the elements. Something much worse stalks her—something much too human.
EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS a novel that’s part literary suspense, part women’s fiction, part crime thriller, part travel fiction, and one hundred percent fun. A young woman’s journey of adventure becomes one of profound self-discovery.
Emerged In My Mind
Justin’s Quest follows a young artist’s journey through the Australian Outback as he seeks to discover his destiny while exploring his cultural heritage. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I do not know myself what was the inspiration for the Trilogy. It just happened that several readers of “Under Surveillance” requested a sequel. I said that that story was completed, but I asked myself if it would be possible for me to write a parallel story, using the same time frame and a similar setting, which I was comfortable with. Then the idea of the station “Shangri-la” came to me one night. I saw the place and the family as the characters and the background of each just emerged in my mind. Then came the idea of starting the story with the arrival of Constable Peter with the horse he had mentioned he was intending to buy. From then on, I just watched what the characters said and did, and the story wrote itself.
I have since heard that Lee Child uses the same method when he writes his Reacher books. He just watches his character and writes down what happens. It was not until I had completed “Justin’s Quest”. and my neighbour begged to know what happened next, that I did a little thinking about how I could possibly tie up some of the loose ends which had been floating along in the sidelines. Yet even then, I had to wait until the next chapter came to me: I did not even plan anything until it happened.
What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I was not conscious of any driving ideals when writing the story. But now, with the story complete, and looking back on my life from the vantage point of eighty-three years, I realize how important it is to not disregard the gifts with which we come to this world. Yet we also come with lessons to learn too. I did not attempt to become a professional artist until I turned fifty, although I could paint since childhood. See my website, http://www.winsart.com for my paintings. I knew very well the difficulties Justin faced in surviving as an artist. I have always been interested in the complexity of the old Aboriginal culture, and I am very aware how difficult it is to integrate some of the Aboriginal ways of viewing reality with our individualistic and competitive modern society.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Again, I was not conscious of the themes when writing the story. In retrospect, the problems of family violence and drug abuse do interest me. I am more interested in possible solutions than dwelling on the problems. I did not think of Justin as being in constant danger, after all, he walked the streets of Darwin even at night without experiencing a sense of danger. His capture in “Confluence” was almost an accident from his foolhardiness. I am interested in seeking solutions to post traumatic stress, and the underlying problem of Aboriginal self confidence after their lived experience of alienation and powerlessness in the period of white domination. And I am interested in Aboriginal methods of psychological healing, which are just beginning to be given a degree of credibility. Actually, I thought it was a positive book rather than an analysis of darkness and danger.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I do not know if another book will be “given to me”. Obviously, Justin and Djet’s future will present many challenges, but I am not really comfortable in the digital world and the city. and that is where their future will take them. There will be the problem of changing the Aboriginal attitude of loyalty to their “mob” or tribal affiliation, to a wider view of the place of indigenous people in the modern, multicultural Australian society. There will be the continuing problem of how an artist can survive. A possible “bad” character could be someone who profits from Aboriginal art without giving due recognition to its origins. For now, I must learn how to promote the books I have written, and the original paintings and prints I have yet to dispose of.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Why be bothered by a heritage no one else in the family believes is of any importance.
Why?
Jerrimiah Stonecastle Author Interview
Flash of Light follows a mother and her two children who are racing to their bomb shelter in the Catskill mountains in the wake of a nuclear bomb strike. When you first sat down to write this story, did you know where you were going, or did the twists come as you were writing?
This is one of my books where I actually stayed close to the outline until the last chapter. I had intended for this to be a stand alone issue but the ending opened up the possibilities of two more books in this series. After the Flash is the second book. I know there will be a third but have no clue what it’ll be about. But I know from the notes on the second book there will have to be a third book.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
On the third chapter of this spiritual thriller. If I can stay focused I hope to have it done in time for an Easter release.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
A second air blast over New York knocks out all the car’s electronics except for The Beast, the mother’s armored, custom-made, Dodge Durango Hellcat.
Can they make it through the marauding gangs who have taken advantage of the cities abandoned by the cops to protect their own families? Will the prototype regenerative fuel cell she developed last until they reach the Catskill Mountains and safety?
Hang on for the high octane, action-packed, death race to safety from the Next Name in Horror.
Iris March Author Interview
“The Broken Bridge” follows a plant shop owner turned succulent sleuth as she unravels small-town secrets and navigates unexpected twists to solve a captivating cozy mystery surrounding a missing college student. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I regularly walk or run on the trails in our local park district. On a run on one of these trails, I was struck with the “succulent sleuth” term and knew I needed to use it in my series title. I also really wanted to incorporate trails in my novel. I thought about making one up but decided I should use the real-life Buckeye Trail that makes a loop within my home state of Ohio.
Did you plan the mystery at the heart of this story before writing, or did it develop while writing?
It’s so funny to say this but I knew who I wanted to kill before I started writing the book along with who the suspects were going to be – the red herrings. I thought I knew who the killer was, but that person evolved a bit as I was writing.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
I wrote the showdown between Molly, my main character, and the killer long before I was done with the middle of the book. I still get goosebumps when I reread those chapters!
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I have a short story in an anthology that’s coming out in April – it’s the second story in the Succulent Sleuth Cozy Mystery Series. My story is called The Library Attic Attack. Molly and her BFF are organizing a plant swap at the local library. Someone collapses in the attic – Molly thinks she smells something planty and our Succulent Sleuth is on the case again. The ebook will be available on April 11 and the print book will be out in May.
https://books2read.com/ABookwormofaSuspect
I’m working on the second Succulent Sleuth novel, but it’s slower going this time around for some reason.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
LITERARY TITAN 