Blog Archives
The Survival Series
Saved from the Flames follows a young girl and her family who have lost everything to a house fire. The little girl relies on the kindness of others to help her through this emotional time. What was the inspiration for your story?
I wrote “Saved from the Flames” and the other two books of my Survival Stories Series soon after the tragedies that Nepalese people faced in the massive 2015 earthquake. This dramatic period of challenges for the nation had immense consequences, causing emotional and material losses. A lot had to be built and repaired – and the work continues.
“Saved from the Flames” is a disaster on a family scale, and it could happen anywhere without a connection to any community scale event. In this story, I have also mixed elements from events I have heard about from acquaintances or experienced myself. For example, the detail about friends collecting a photo album of memories for the suffering family is influenced by a real-life situation. As a teen, I was once close to losing my home to a house fire.
Perhaps the most important general reason behind this story is that adults too often overlook children’s experiences in the middle of significant events. We focus on the practical arrangements of things, their monetary value, and their busy schedules. I am not underestimating the importance of these things, as they are often the basis of survival in the short term. But somehow, we must find the human touch, the ability to look at the situation through the children’s eyes and understand their feelings.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
When something shocking happens, the first attention is naturally paid to survival on the material level. At the level of urgent action, the mental state of the people involved in the event is often left behind. People don’t always recognize and acknowledge the challenges of the mental side at once, but they can only appear with a delay.
“Saved from the Flames” reveals these patterns, too. Initially, the characters turn their attention to the burnt house and the lost goods. People start to question if the fire was an accident or, instead, somebody’s fault in the first place. Hearing parents argue about this topic is challenging for the confused and insecure child. She would need an entirely different kind of support. The child’s position and experiences are the essential themes in this fairy tale. After all, my attempt is always to defend the weakest in every situation.
The importance of material frameworks of life – such as the house and belongings – is naturally needed for the family’s safety. However, the most crucial thing in a crisis is to act together with others and take and give help. In this book, the cooperation of the village community is in an important role. The actions of individual people can also be decisive. The teacher and the doctor in the story are a valuable help to a shaken child. Faith in the future is gradually built with the support of these understanding adults. Of course, the return of a pet dog is also a happy event with great significance, reminding us that there are many kinds of helpers!
What advice would you offer to families going through this kind of situation to help children cope?
Losing a physical home and all the dear belongings connected to it is a challenging experience for children. Their thoughts emphasize slightly different things than those troubling the adult minds. The little ones hardly think about the financial value of the losses. For them, losing their favorite toys can be a crushing thought that overshadows everything else. It helps if adults understand this and under no circumstances belittle the children’s feelings.
The experience of a severe accident, like a fire, shakes people’s sense of security. We can also keep thinking about what could have happened to our loved ones. This matter about losing family members or other dear persons may be so sensitive that we cannot talk about it. Whether this fear is said out loud or left unsaid, we must be able to deal with it with the child.
We need to remember that the child’s injuries are not always visible and on the surface. They may occur deep inside and take a long time to heal. The supporting adults must listen to even unsaid words – and be patient. Restoring a child’s sense of security may take longer than we adults can imagine.
Every family and every individual is different. That’s why the means to solve difficult situations are also individual. In addition to family members, you can also rely on relatives and friends who have the ability and desire to participate in helping. Professional help may also come into question. The most important thing is that the children can find a support network around them and be sure they are never left alone with their problems!
What is the next book in the Survival Stories series that you are working on, and when will it be available?
The Survival Series already has three books: Traveling Companions, Saved from the Flames, and The Owl and the Shepherd Boy. They are all available in several languages in international web bookstores.
There may be sequels to the series. The world is full of individual minor events or even disasters affecting the wider community, where people are trying to cope on various levels. It’s helpful to write about individuals’ difficulties and challenges and ponder how to tackle them. As the interaction between people in such situations is vital, it’s essential to point out possibilities for helping and cooperation.
My particular focus as a mother and author is on children’s experiences. How do they best survive and understand what is going on around them? And that’s not at all easy in this big and busy world. Sometimes I start to doubt my possibility to influence, especially in the most extensive scale events – such as natural disasters, accidents, or wars.
But then I return to this main thing: listening to the child and giving comfort and support in every possible way. I have chosen to write stories for the little ones, especially those in challenging situations. It’s all about the mental shelter and encouragement that children’s literature at its best can provide.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
Sunita’s parents are busy building their new home, and no one has time to listen to Sunita’s worries. But she is lucky enough to have an observant teacher, who comes to her aid. The teacher takes Sunita to meet her doctor friend and she teaches Sunita how to knit a new sleep toy to replace the missing one.
Sunita learns that you can be wounded not only on the outside but also beneath the surface. Fortunately, both can heal.
This Perception Bothers Me
Remnants follows the sole remnant of a highly advanced species that comes to earth and struggles to find stability amidst a civilization that is collapsing. What inspired the idea behind this science fiction novel?
The idea behind my debut science fiction novel Remnants was sneaking into my sleeping thoughts for quite some time. I think what triggered the story-line was the perception that most people have about the arrival of a highly advanced species on our planet, namely, that we’d be shocked and terrified of them right at the outset. This perception bothers me, you see, and so I thought what if it were the other way around? What if a highly advanced species came to Earth, only to find that the state of things was so unbelievably appalling? What if we humans, driven to savageness and brutality by our own selfish ways were the ones to fear? This on its own would be brutally difficult for such an advanced species to deal with. For me, it wasn’t enough, though. I needed this highly advanced species to be extremely vulnerable. To need to achieve stability under the worst circumstances imaginable or perish. This heart-wrenching task is what allowed me to build the suspense, the urgency, the thrilling, heart-pounding atmosphere of the novel. It allowed me to pull the reader in, to trap them in the emotional story, to make them feel as if they are that sole remnant on the brink of extinction.
Copy 13 is fascinating. How did you create this character and portray its unique perspective?
Copy 13 has a real special place in my heart. She represents everything I believe a highly advanced species should embody. Her pure logic and reason, her fierce determination to keep her self-replicating species extant, her eco-awareness and respect for nature and the environment, her wisdom, her selflessness and her calculating mindset, all of it makes her who she is. It’s a crazy juxtaposition because her character, her undeniable self, is thrust into a future Earth, a life sphere so utterly different from her own that is essentially her worst nightmare. An Earth and its inhabitants who are so unlike her. So unevolved in her eyes. So primitive. I had to become her character in order to portray her unique perspective and it was quite a character to take on. I had to see through her eyes, to encounter surroundings of dread so foreign and impossible to her that it was literally emotionally taxing on me. I had to feel her struggle and her vulnerability completely, to imagine being in that dire, unthinkable situation in order to fully discover the entire story-line and build the suspense needed to fully grip the reader in the story.
What were some questions you asked yourself while writing this book?
I had to ask myself plenty of difficult question while writing this book. Some of these hard-pressed queries include: How will Copy 13 cope? Who will she encounter on her arduous journey? Will she survive? Will she reach stability? Will her species survive? Will she lose all hope? What personal growth will she achieve? How will she deal with the cannibalistic faction of humanity? Will she seek retribution for what the selfish, primitive humans have done? How will she accomplish her agenda without attracting attention to her vulnerable self?
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?
I truly hope that readers will think deeply about what we humans, individually and as a collective are doing to our precious planet. We must change our mindset sooner than later because later will be too late. We have to respect our life sphere, all its flora and fauna and its life-supporting atmosphere. We can’t let it get to the point where our harm is truly irreversible and our greed is so encompassing that everything spirals out of control and civilization collapses. We need to be more environmentally conscious like Copy 13.
Author Links: Website | Amazon
But Copy 13’s resolve begins to unravel when she learns the horrific truth about the state of humanity from a plump primitive on the toxic beach. The pitiful economic landscape. Excessive pollution. Greed. Self-destruction. Selfishness. All of it culminated in the turning point. The point of no return. The splitting off of humanity into three distinct remnant factions. The dirters. The leafers. The ruthless, quad-walking, cannibalistic fleshers…
The end of civilization on a global scale…
Copy 13’s convergence with the plump primitive terminates with an auto-replication, the sacrificial primitive freed from the insanity of its own species. Her first copy as Primary. She couldn’t be more relieved… But, her relief is short-lived. The inevitable shakes her to her very core. She will face the nearly impossible task of replicating on a foreign, toxic, uncivilized, tri-factioned life sphere… There is too much at stake… She must reach stability. If not, her highly advanced species will cease to exist….
Her strength, will to live, and sanity will be pushed to the brink as she embarks on a hopeless journey into the remnant city, her sole copy at her side. A journey that will force Primary to decide the fate of the tri-factioned humans…
Caring For And Adopting A Pet
Beatific follows two young children who find a kitten all alone and learn about adopting and caring for a cat. What was the inspiration for your story?
I must say that what inspired me to write this story is the fact that I am extremely passionate about reading and writing, and I wanted to support creating this passion for reading and writing in students. I know that children love animals, a lot, and I figured that they could read these Beatific books—Realistic Fiction– and learn a bit, vicariously, about what is involved in caring for and adopting a pet.
When my oldest daughter was around 7 years old, she and her friend stumbled upon a stray cat. The cat fitted the description of the one in this story, and it was a very happy, friendly kitty. At that time, I did not know much about animals, so I demanded that she and her friend stay away from the stray. So, bits and pieces of the events that took place in this ‘stray cat’ endeavor were also a part of the inspiration to write this book.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I felt it important to share the monumental piece of finding out if the stray animal has an owner somewhere, because if a pet is lost, it can have anxiety and become very sad just like we can. We become attached to the animal and it becomes attached to us. It is also pertinent that children know to involve their parent(s) in the adoption process, and that they know what is involved in caring for a pet and the dedication necessary to endure through this “having a pet as my very own” process.
How has working as a reading specialist influenced your desire to write a children’s book?
Oh my goodness, immensely! I can’t even start to share how many short stories students wrote while I worked with them. I would stimulate their desire to write by writing along with them and creating an even deeper love for writing in the students. I was also able to reel in some who had no desire to write, and their stories were sometimes better than those who wanted to write.
I have always had this desire to write. When I retired, I had more time to focus, so I put to practice what I was teaching, and I finally got around to doing something else that I was quite passionate about.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
Quite frankly, I have already written and published a second book, entitled, Beatific Visits Doctor Mae, and I am working on the third Beatific book that will be published at some point in 2023. I will share the title upon publishing. A memoir is also in the making, and is roughly two-thirds completed. So I have a lot of work to do, and I am super excited about completing all of it!
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
The Abused And Abuser
Love, Kisses and Crazy White Jackets follows the emotional journey of finding your soul mate and, having things turn bad, then having to make a hard decision for your future. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I actually wrote my story as a source of self therapy. One day at work, the high school girl who was in the work study program, who worked a couple hours a day with us, asked what I was writing during my break. I told her. She asked if she could read it. Although it was very personal, I let her read it. She read the original and told me she loved it. She had only read the first 10 chapters. A few more people read it and they all said I should actually write to publish.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
As I wrote, I sent every chapter to Michael, (Mitch) and we talked about each chapter after he read it. He gave me the validation I guess I needed. He gave me a wide explanation of why he felt he acted in that way, not excuses, but for the first time, he said he was able to see himself through my eyes.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger?
Michael and I discussed it and we felt I should publish our story. Not because it’s more remarkable and violent than anybody else’s who has gone through it, but because it helped him, the abuser, find himself and understand that he wasn’t the terrible person he always felt he was, but that he should have reached out to those who could help him through his terrible circumstances. This book wasn’t only written one sided, but was written with both sides told, that of the abused and abuser. We wanted to help other young people facing the same situations.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
Sadly, Michael passed away in April of 2017 after reading the published story of us. I was told he carried the book around for the last 7 months of his life. I think his passing holds me back from celebrating the accomplishment of my book because he is no longer here too celebrate it with.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
He soon becomes aggressive toward her, but she doesnt want to give up. Loving him felt right, but she found that staying with him was wrong. The pain of having to let go of the one soul who made her visible and whom she would forever feel connected to forever was a heart-wrenching decision she had to make.
Years later, she receives a letter that doesnt excuse his actions but helps her understand why his soul was so sad, confused, and chaotic.
Dark Academia and Magic
House of Pain follows a half-witch who attends a prestigious witchcraft university where she’s a target of one of the rival Houses and fights a dangerous attraction. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
When I sat down to write House of Pain, I wanted to write the darkest story I could. I wanted something gritty, toxic, and filled with characters that are very hard to like. I’m a huge fan of dark academia, but I often want fantasy with it. So, I wanted to mix fantasy with dark academia and magic and then add a sprinkle of high-society drama because who doesn’t love Gossip Girl?
Your characters are intriguing and well-developed. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Thank you. Honestly, I took a lot of my inspiration for the main characters, Alecto and Blaze, from social media, particularly TikTok. I’ve stumbled across so many real-life stories of women struggling with sexual trauma, men who treat them poorly, and similar stuff, and so Alecto became a combination of it all. Val’s personality and drive, the cutthroat approach to getting things done no matter what, and the hunger for more power was inspired by my grandmother in a way. It’s hard to pinpoint one source of inspiration, really.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I would say that the most important one was toxic family dynamics and family trauma. We are often affected by our surroundings growing up more than we think, and it’s very easy to turn into our parents/grandparents and repeat the cycle of toxic behavior because it feels familiar. In House of Pain, the main cast of characters is all from prominent families that look pretty on the outside but hide dark secrets. I loved writing about how the main characters navigate the expectations they have and what they truly want.
Another theme that was very important for me to explore is the true nature of love. In House of Pain, Alecto is struggling with her place in a world that doesn’t want her, with her sexual trauma, and she finds herself gravitating toward bad men, looking for validation and probably some form of affection. On the other end, we have Blaze, who appears to have all the love and admiration from the outside world, yet he’s as lonely as Alecto. Maybe even more so. I also talked a lot about the nature of love and whether there is one right person for us, a soulmate if you will or if we’re meant to love more than one person in our lifetime. I find the topic of love to be fascinating.
What can readers expect in Precious Villains Book 2?
Precious Villains Book 2, House of Ruin, will be a wild ride. Readers can expect lots of steamy action between Alecto and Blaze, dark family secrets uncovered, high society drama and the themes of vengeance explored.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Gothic Harry Potter meets Gossip Girl, House of Pain is the first book in a dark fantasy romance trilogy set in the magical world of Inathis, where the witches are beautiful just as much as they’re wicked.
Alecto Black has spent her whole life in Inathis, yet she never quite fit in being the half-witch amongst the purebloods. When she finally enrolled in the most prestigious witchcraft university, The Venefica Academy, last year and joined the House of Snakes as a rightful legacy member, she thought she had finally found her place.
But every year, The Venefica Academy students that belong to 12 Houses all participate in the deadly Game that many witches don’t survive. And when the second year at Venefica starts, Alecto finds herself a target of one of the rival Houses while also having to face the enemy from the inside — fellow Snake, Blaze Leveau. As secrets start unraveling, hate turns into something more dangerous and deadly.
While Alecto tries to fight her new dangerous attraction to Blaze, she also finds herself asking how far she is willing to go to secure her place in the world that wants to destroy her?
House of Pain will be perfect for dark academia and Dramione fans who want morally grey characters with spice and loved The Atlas Six, The Ninth House, and Zodiac Academy. It’s a dual POV, steamy (extremely) enemies-to-lovers bully romance, so please read the content warning list before reading.
The Fate of Humanity is Already Decided
The Story of Humanity: Ecology & Consequence follows the natural history of humanity, from emergence to demise, and provides readers with a saga of misadventure from a remarkably adaptable creature. What inspired you to write this book?
I am long a student of history. All of my Spokes books are laden with history stories. I wanted to encompass humanity’s experience as a creature with a destiny, addressing in holistic perspective the how & why of that destiny.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about technology today?
While appearing to many as a boon, technology has proven a detriment to humanity’s survival. One of my favorite quotes in The Story of Humanity: Ecology & Consequence is by British war commander & prime minister Winston Churchill: “What might now shower immeasurable material blessings upon mankind may bring about its total destruction.”
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Humans are an ape in thrall to tools. Rather than exercise prudence & discipline – and learn from the wise among us, the Collective of humanity have blithely followed their biological urges. Women were key to humanity’s wellbeing. Their subjection sorely dimmed the prospects of societies in the areas of education, economics, the arts, justice, and social balance. Rather than cooperate, man’s inclination to individualism, materialism, and dominance of others have been the powerful forces which set humanity’s destiny. As I wrote in The Story of Humanity: “Though taken as natural, the original sin of men was laying claim to what belonged to all. The idea of ‘owning’ Nature ultimately doomed humanity.” As a political economy and cultural folkway, plutocracy has been the kiss of death.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
The major takeaway to The Story of Humanity: Ecology & Consequence is that the fate of humanity is already decided. The end times now are simply a culmination of world civilization. There is no possibility of hurriedly altering that vector.
Author Links: Website | Twitter
Ethan and Abby Compelled Me
Ethan’s Abby follows a young woman who loses her family to a massacre, is rescued by an outlaw on the run, and together they find love and try to build a life. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Ethan and Abby compelled me to write their story.
Abby narrowly escapes slavery and must grow up fast while on the run with Ethan. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
She strove to gain the strength to be independent and capable of taking care of herself in order to find someplace she could belong. Despite discouraging odds, she also hoped to provide a healing home for her baby sister.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The complexity of right vs. wrong, the need of men and women for each other, the obligations an individual owes family, the demands of sustaining the self-respect of an autonomous identity.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I do not know.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
In Orphans Wharf, motivated by jealousy, Rene tries to destroy her sister’s marriage. As Abby struggles to sustain a household with a husband home only often enough to keep her pregnant, Rene flaunts her bordello expertise to inspire Ethan’s defense, thereby jeopardizing his freedom. Liliana, Ethan’s lesbian sister, and Abby are targets for his enemies but hold their own against nefarious lawmen and malevolent witchcraft that threatens Abby’s unborn son. Through a profound deception, Marshal Ledbetter intervenes to become the family’s ally.
In the trilogy’s conclusion, By the Hands of Men, Ethan has been declared legally dead, jeopardizing his income from the family trust. To prove his survival means appearing in court and risking his freedom. Caught in the dilemma, he tries to maintain the well-being of his family while avoiding the encircling noose of the law. When his grandfather arrives to confirm his identity, Ethan is forced to face the truth about the crime he committed at the age of fifteen. Driven to distraction by the growing tension, Abby fights her son’s demonic possession, creating a breach between herself and Ethan when he needs her most. Their reunion is born when Ethan learns to stop hating what he has already killed.
Stenetta Anthony Author Interview
Ella Learns to Dance follows a young elephant girl who dreams of being a ballet dancer even when others discourage her. What was the inspiration for your story?
After hearing a story about a professional ballet dancer and her challenges. She was told she did not have the proper body image to be a ballerina.
What educational aspects were important for you to include in this children’s book?
Some of the ideas suggested in the book are: (always be proud of yourself, teach them to deal with frustrations when learning a new skill and how some children can relate to Ella’s story when friends do not always support their dream).
Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your characters life?
One memory comes from learning modern dance in high school. Since I never considered myself as a graceful dancer. It was often difficult to learn the dance moves, sometimes not wanting to attend the class.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Ella Learns to Dance is the first book in her series, so I am currently working on the 2nd and 3rd books respectively.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
LITERARY TITAN 