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Curiosity Drives My Poetry
I Made A Place For You is a collection of poetry that explores spirituality, religion, perseverance, and humility and strives for a higher order statement. What inspires you to write poetry?
I’m inspired by questions that linger, moments of awe, and life’s seemingly endless idiosyncrasies. Curiosity drives my poetry, and I find my notebook to be a safe space for never needing to table a wayward thought.
It’s the process of threading the needle between words to weave together even the most distant ideas that brings me solace when writing. I continue to crave the unique thrill of teasing out the essence of an experience or memory, which I have only ever found in poetry.
My favorite poem from this collection is ‘We Locked Eyes’. Do you have a poem that stands out to you from this collection?
Ironically, “We Locked Eyes” is also my favorite poem in the collection! I wrote that poem in the evening, and tears stained my notebook pages as I finished that night. I actually spent years avoiding mirrors and being dissatisfied with myself, so this poem was my catharsis. The first stanza of “We Locked Eyes” is what made me decide to write the rest of I Made A Place For You.
I felt like a “burial ground of missteps” with nothing but “dormant desires.” I cherish this opportunity to share pieces of myself with people who are looking for ways to heal inside. I say, “When life gives you lemons, make progress,” because being stagnant is an all-too-familiar feeling that I left in the past.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in your poetry?
Personal healing, my off-and-on relationship with religion, and nature’s mysteries are the most prevalent themes in my writing. The title “I Made A Place For You” originated with the idea that I carved out a safe space for myself to irrigate my spirituality and explore topics that aren’t great brunch table talk. Who talks about “purgatory” over waffles and mimosas?
I love to write, and I never force myself to work on poetry. If I see a breathtaking art piece or wake up in a fit of inspiration, I may jot down a line or two; however, there’s usually a special feeling in my gut when I sit down intent on writing a full piece.
The art in the book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Francesco Orazzini?
Francesco and I work well together because we both respect the artistic process. From the outset, we gave each other space to iterate on ideas, share criticism, and lean on our expertise. Francesco started each illustration with a pencil outline before finishing in watercolor. I knew the first time he sent me a sketch that he was a true artist. Most illustrators would have sent a digital mockup, but I saw Francesco’s dedication to this book in his hand-drawn sketches.
I love how the symmetry between the poems and illustrations adds a deeper visual element to the pages. My eyes feel the tug-of-war between word and image, and both are deceptively persuasive. It’s truly the book I’ve always wanted to read, and Francesco’s visionary creativity brought my poetry to life. We are already discussing ways to make our next book even more compelling.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
This poetry collection explores a number of themes, ranging from spirituality and religion to perseverance and humility. The poems in Damian White’s debut book dwell less in the realm of imagistic and narrative impulses and more so strive for “higher order statement.”
In I Made A Place For You, we experience the turmoil unearthed from daring to make a place for our inmost curiosities.
What Draws People To Each Other?
From Where I Sit: A Collection of Short Fiction follows the lives of different characters showcasing the consequences of the choices people make in life. Where did the idea for this collection of stories come from?
During COVID I was teaching multiple online writing classes and having so much fun with short stories that I returned to my collection of over two dozen from over the years. Some of the finished ones were even contest winners from years earlier. Most were in various stages of development, but I was able to split the stories up into three collections based on genre: science fiction, horror, and general fiction. I selected the best five for each to edit or finish and was especially excited to challenge myself with the general fiction stories because they were unlike anything I ever fully fleshed out before.
What things do you find interesting about the human condition that makes for great fiction?
Most of the creative writing I’ve dabbled in has been science fiction or horror. The search to find one’s place in the world, their purpose, were at the heart of those earlier stories. In those tales, the characters deal with hyperbolized conflicts that act as metaphors for what readers struggle through in their daily lives. In this collection, however, the human condition is front and center. It’s raw. Exposed. I wanted to explore the complexities and ambiguities that make up an individual’s character. The same with relationships and their connective tissue. What draws people to each other? Why are some animals more deeply connected to certain humans than others? What part do they play in how someone approaches life and its challenges? Then there are those who grow tired of adhering to the mold society has forced on them. Is it a midlife crisis if someone finally gains clarity and wants change? Is there something to be gained by going to what some may perceive as extremes? What defines an extreme? How does one go about discovering—and trusting—their authentic self? And while conflicts are introduced and resolved, I wanted these characters to be complex and interesting enough to feel as if their story was only a snapshot—a chapter, if you will—of a much larger narrative.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
Like any writer, there’s always a bit of me in everything that I write. This collection, however, was the most personal. As such, it was also the most cathartic. If one takes to heart what it means to write what one knows, the authenticity of that act makes for some very emotional content. It’s not manipulative; it’s not forced. So, yes, parts of my life are in all the characters, but three of the five stories were the most reflective of my own life experiences and emotions than anything written in the past.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
Last month an independent study skills workbook for young learners in grades 6-12, Essential Study Skills: A Holistic Approach to Learning, was published. Only the Kindle version is available, but the paperback will be released in a couple of weeks. I’m currently wrapping up a coaching book titled Who Are You, Really? The Search for Authenticity, which is due to be released on the 16th of December.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
When I Noticed Deceit Prevailed
What was the idea, or spark, that first set off the need to write Masterly Misled A History of Deceit?
I was intrigued by the Eldridge story, which was conveyed to the Admiralty to explain the HMAS Sydney sinking in early 1942. In particular, that this story was told by only 3 people, including Detmers, the commander of the Kormoran (there were a total of 326 survivors). In other words, the ships were sailing along at 14 knots when a torpedo from one of the above-water tubes all of a sudden slammed into the Sydney – a highly unlikely story, this because Captain Burnett of the Sydney was acutely aware that the so called Straat Malakka was not plotted on his VAI (vessels in area) received twice daily. He would have challenged the SM well beforehand.
How much research did you undertake for this book, and how much time did it take to put it all together?
I have been following this same story for 25+ years, and it definitely doesn’t ring true. I’ve undertaken considerable research to the point of the latest inquiry released in 2009, when I noticed deceit prevailed (I reckon it was limited to those at the top of the RAN). My second book, Oversight, released in 2014, is really a sequel to Masterly Misled because it gave the parameters of the battle site. Thus, the latest MM tells the story in depth, but to confirm the bona fides, it has taken me since 2009 to complete the story.
Did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?
Nothing surprises you when it’s downright deceit (an everyday occurrence), especially from an inquiry which had been given carte blanche.
What is one thing that people point out after reading your book that surprises you?
I’ve had very few comments from people about the book, although I expect that Royal Navy involvement will be a shock that had unintended consequences.
These diverse rulings mean one or both are not correct.
In fact, the latest inquiry has been eroded by more recent revelations from ordinary crewmen, but this inquiry took no notice of them.
Lighter Shades of Grey
(the) Elegy is a collection of poetry that explores the darker emotions of humanity and push the reader to explore emotions that are uncomfortable. What was the inspiration for this collection of poems?
It certainly does, but there is a deep background to ‘the Elegy’ that may go some way to explaining the book’s content.
I had a close friend who was suddenly and unexpectedly diagnosed with a grade four brain tumour, a fatal diagnosis. That was a real shock to me, and led me to explore feelings of grief, impending death, life and the value we place on life, as well as some of the mundane things we get sucked into by media and advertising etc that, in reality, are just froth and bubbles when faced with certain life altering situations. But ‘the Elegy’ isn’t always pitch black, there are some lighter shades of grey in there too.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Within the scenario outlined above, it was really important to me to drill down and question what are the things we truly value in our lives, what would we miss the most when the end time comes. As well as questioning the meaning of things we encounter in everyday life. For example, marketing and adverting, how the message is presented and delivered, societal values and concerns, how we can sometimes be led to certain things unknowingly and without realising what is actually happening. I think you touched on that in your review to be fair.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this collection?
Like the prior two books in this trilogy, “Noir (or When the Night Comes) and “Natyre Boy”, this book also consists of four sections.
I wanted to try to encourage folks to think about things, as the back cover poem states ‘Elegy or legacy, you decide,’ meaning you decide how you want your life to turn out.
Each section confronts different scenarios, some more challenging than others, with the final section, somewhat more of a resurrection, and making clear there is always hope.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Solo project wise, and with the trilogy now complete, I’m returning to much happier joyful themes with a second volume of love poetry, ‘More Twelve Red Roses in Verse’ slated for release in January 2023. Other solo projects to follow. And I am also highly excited to continue my collaborations with awesome author/ poet Julie Kusma, who herself has a solo project ‘We Three’ slated for spring publication.
Collaboration wise we release The Enchanted Winter Faerie Realm in February 2023, a follow-up to last year’s successful The Enchanted Faerie Realms and around another twenty books are slated throughout the year, from alphabet concept books, keepsake, educational and inspirational books and much more besides. It is a hugely exciting time for us and we look forward to continuing our secondary schools talks on creative writing.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website | Amazon
The sun will rise as the moon begins to wane.
The river will flow, the deer will run,
swans will glide on water and fly through air.
And these stones?
Well, they’ve been here for millennia already.
Elegy or legacy?
Ah, that’s for you to decide.
We Must Never Lose Hope
Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again is based on the true historical experiences of generations of a Jewish Romanian family and their acquaintances before World War II. Why was this an important book for you to write?
There are two main reasons that led me to write this book and to reveal my family’s stories. It was especially important for me to publish the book now.
The personal motive relates to my father’s death.
In December 2009 my father passed away. I went home for the funeral and found an old family photo album, a handwritten family tree, and a note that read “Write their stories, tell the world what really happened to them.”
And so, I did.
I wrote this book to tell my family’s stories. I wrote this book to give the silenced stories a voice.
My second motive for writing this book relates to the increasing incidents of anti-Semitism that we are experiencing these days. I believe with all my heart that history is doomed to repeat itself.
We must keep telling, we must share our past, we must learn from history, otherwise, the truth may be lost, and hate is doomed to be repeated.
What research did you undertake for this book to ensure you got all the details right?
The book is a culmination of 12 years of family research. I was able to find a lot of supporting and personal documents, but there are still many questions that remain open.
After my father’s funeral I returned back home. I had the old family album, the handwritten family tree and many questions.
I started researching. I read everything I could find about the history of Romania in general and the history of the Jewish communities in Romania in particular. I interviewed dozens of people, relatives who are still with us, and their children and grandchildren who knew little or some about their family’s history in Romania.
For many hours, I sat in the archives and read, researched and asked. I was able to find some old personal documents as birth certificates, photos of graves, and more.
I reached out to Jewish organizations and other research groups via social media and Facebook groups. I also received help from an organization who research the communist crimes
The puzzle is not complete. I continue to research and learn and dig into every piece of information.
The Romania’s archives and databases are few and limited, but I refuse to give up. I continue to search, to look for more answers, and I will not rest until I find the last piece of the puzzle.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The family I grew up in was loving, warm and close-knit. My father was an honest, hard working man who believed in the values of modesty, humility, and honesty. I admired those qualities in my father. Family was a top value for Dad and from a young age he made sure to visit the “elders” in the family, respect them, and learn from their wisdom.
In this book I present the family stories on which I grew up and was educated upon. Honest and kind people who had to deal with an oppressive and murderous regime. My great-grandmother Rosa, who lost her brother and his family in the Iasi massacre, my grandmother Aurica (Golda) who had to flee and leave behind everything that was familiar to her, and my grandmother’s cousin, Friddie, an innocent young girl who fell in love with the wrong man, was arrested, tortured, accused of a crime she didn’t commit, and spent 13 years in prison and in labor camp.
And despite all the suffering they went through, they continued to believe in compassion, in justice, in the kindness of mankind.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your book?
We must remember, we must respect our elders, learn from their wisdom, and we must never lose hope. There is always a new day, a better world, a world where humanity will succeed in overcoming evil. We should never forget our history, and we should never let evil overcome.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
After calling off her wedding to a young, parentally-approved accountant, she escapes to a city on the coast, where she meets a scientist-perfumer named Freddy. He is the true love she has been looking for—and a ticket to her dream.
Soon, though, that dream turns into a nightmare she never could have predicted.
Friddie’s story of incredible hardship is interwoven with the stories of her family. We follow her Aunt Rosa’s life as the glue of her household, even though she loses her husband in mysterious circumstances; her Uncle David, who dreams of becoming a schoolteacher and starting a family in Iași, and her cousins, who uproot their lives in Bucharest to start again in Israel.
In this tragic-heroic novel, the true stories, the victims, and the small moments of happiness are revealed in the Danube’s labor camps, under the fascist-dictatorial and communist rule that has been a part of Romania for so many years.
Based on the true experiences of a Jewish Romanian family, Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Againunearths stories that could so easily be lost to the passage of time. This family’s tale has emerged at a critical time, to show the need for compassion and kindness, even in the hardest moments.
About the author
Roni (Aharona) Rosenthal, PhD, was born in Haifa, Israel. She is named after her grandfather Aharon, who passed away eight months before her birth.
Roni is the Director of Judaic Studies and a Hebrew Literature Professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. This is her third novel.
That Took A Total Uturn
Broken Chains follows a woman who begins an unforeseeable job as a secret agent and betrayal, bondage, and chaos become the new order in her life. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Broken Chains was actually a short story called Spooky in my collection Heads & Tales.
The short story became the prologue. The short story ended when she was offered a job working for MI5. We already know that her mother is dead, and her father is living somewhere in Greece. That set up for a surprising reunion I hope no one saw coming. The story was just going to be about the assassination of the Greek Primeminister on his visit to the UK. But as you know, that took a total Uturn and then the story just wrote itself ( as we authors say)
Liz Finely is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind her character’s development?
I didn’t know at the time how much hurt I would put Elizabeth through. But I knew she had to be resilient. Or act strong even though she wasn’t. I’m not a plotter. My plotting happens in my head, and it comes out only when I write. I’m a pantser all the way. I have a scene in my head, and I run with it.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The mafia family tree. Who was in charge, and how the mafia worked? How they treated their own. How they looked after each other. But should you cross them, family or not, you’d be sentenced to death. Trust was paramount. And when it comes to business, seeking alliances meant more power, more money and respect.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m working on In Times of Violence – Adult edition. This novel should have been written nearly 20 years ago when the YA edition came out. But I wasn’t ready. If I had written the book back, then it would be nothing like the book I’ve written today. I’ve grown as a writer; my writing style has certainly changed, as has my genre. In Times of Violence is a Dark MC romance. Whereas Broken Chains was a Dark Mafia Romance, my next one will be even darker.
I already have Road Rage and Huntress, which are Dark MC Romances, published this year. You can expect In Times of Violence in 2023 no date as yet.
Author Links: LinkTree | Facebook | Website
If only the idea of wanting to become an author had never entered her mind.
If only she’d never met Alex.
That one meeting had caused an avalanche of fate to clash with a dangerous destiny that forced Liz Finely to become the most wanted woman in the world. Stalked by three deadly mafia bosses, Liz has to learn to survive. Passed from one brutal hand to another, tortured, and abused, it’s her blood, her name, which lands her in trouble each time.
Now it’s up to Liz to find the strength accept and become who she’s meant to be, and finally break the chains that bind her.
This novel is a dark mafia romance for 18+ due to the graphic sex and violence
Things That Do Not Yet Exist
Forbidden Horizon is yet another sharp sci-fi novel that contains compelling ideas and well-conceived science inserted in the fiction. What got you excited about writing this book?
Forbidden Horizon novel was a product of my deep fascination with the world of science fiction. I loved it since I was a kid and read many books about humans visiting other planets and dimensions, as well as discovering fascinating alien worlds on the bottom of the oceans. I wrote several science fictions books in the past dealing with interstellar travel and alien contact. This particular novel was different, given its exotic blend of science, adventure and political intrigue. The novel takes place at the end of the twenty-first century, and I believe that in the future separated from our time only by several decades, humans will still be faced with many problems that we face today I wanted to create a book of high adventure, suspense and mystery about the cosmos and alien life that surely exists out there somewhere and is waiting to be discovered.
What draws you to the science fiction genre and makes it ripe for you to write in?
What makes science fiction to wonderful and so attractive is that science fiction in many ways becomes a science fact with the invention of the appropriate technology and tools of science and exploration. Human beings have dreamt about visiting the underwater worlds since the beginning of time. They also dreamed about being able to fly beyond the skies and into outer space. Science fiction is a great tool for discovering the new possibilities of existence, thanks to the scientific wonders that humans are able to make. I would like to believe that one day it would be possible to send advanced space probes to the nearest stars and improve life on our own planet by protecting and cleaning its environment. Imagination of things that do not yet exist but have solid scientific foundation provides me with interesting ideas in my writing.
What scene in the book was the hardest for you to write as far as getting things as factually correct as possible before going full-blown fiction?
It is a very interesting question. There are scenes that are hard for any writer to create because the writer must be absolutely certain and correct about the scientific data he or she presents to the readers. The hardest things for me to write was getting the numbers correct in regard to the distance between the celestial objects and planetary movements. I noticed many mistakes in Hollywood movies in regard to the distance and communications between the spaceship crews going to a distant planet and the time it takes for the signal traveling with the speed of light to reach Earth and be sent back. Sometimes it takes only minutes for the people to talk to each other separated by millions of miles. Sometimes it takes hours or even days, depending on how far the humans have traveled away from Earth. Space is vast and getting the numbers and the basic science data right is very important. The readers will know that the writer did his homework.
Do aliens exist? And if so, where are they?
Do aliens exist? I believe they do. Life can exist in many forms and in many ways. Our own Milky Wat galaxy has millions of suns and tens of millions on large moons and planets where life could have evolved under certain conditions. Humans are carbon based, and we breathe oxygen and swim in water that is composed form molecules of hydrogen and oxygen. It is not inconceivable to imagine an alien civilization that has evolved to have a very different chemical composition in regard to their environment. I once read a science fiction novella long time ago featuring the accidental meeting between human and alien starships in orbit of a distant planet. The aliens were vaguely humanoid, but they had purple skin, yellow blood and could see better at night because of the low intensity of their mother sun. They breathed different gas and could swim in acid, which for humans would be fatal. As for the alien life in the universe, I think that life is very abundant there but may not have yet evolved to reach an advanced technological level. Someone had mentioned once that the possibility of intelligent life in deep space as well as its total absence could be equally terrifying. I do hope that one day we make contact with advanced extraterrestrial intelligence. What will happen then is anyone’s guess, but our world would never be the same again.
Author Interview: Facebook | Amazon
Discovering My True Feelings
In Herschel’s Wake, is the story of you and your siblings traveling to bury your father and, in the process, coming to understand each other better. Why was this an important book for you to write?
When I returned from the island, after the incredible events in the story, every single person I told urged me to share the story. It was just so unbelievable and hilarious, while simultaneously being heartfelt and wrenching. But In Herschel’s Wake is ultimately a book about forgiveness. It’s a story about finding compassion, and I think it holds an (entertaining) lesson for so many people who struggle, not just with challenging parents, or complicated sibling relationships, but it also speaks to our political divisions. No one can find peace or happiness if they’re wrapped up holding anger or resentment or a grudge towards someone. The story is intensely intimate and personal, yet the themes are incredibly universal and relatable.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
Discovering my true feelings about my father’s transgressions, as well as the grief I felt (despite thinking I had written him off years before his death) was all very complicated for me. In fact it took several revisions of the book before the experiences I was writing about and my true feelings about them really came into focus. Excavating that emotion, committing to the vulnerability of sharing the story, and trying to do all that while still creating a piece of work that was accessible, engaging, and fun to read was a great challenge.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
It’s very uncomfortable to sit in uncertainty; where your feelings are not clear and easy to understand. This book is about my experience confronting that discomfort, and coming out on the other side having learned/earned a profound wisdom that enabled me to change my life and find peace after decades of living with unbearable ambivalence that all but paralyzed me from living my life fully. Despite common usage, the word ambivalence doesn’t mean feeling wishy-washy or not having a strong feeling about something. It actually means having strong feelings that are contradictory or on both sides of an issue. The thing is that many (most?) real situations and dilemmas warrant such ambivalent feelings, but too often we bury some of our feelings to help us maintain a narrative that “makes sense” even when it often is untrue, and even may be destructive to our relationships and to our own emotional selves.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
Struggling with ambiguity and the hard feelings our family relationships generate takes patience, endurance and courage. This is my story of finding that courage and how it changed my life in a profound and beautiful way. I can only hope that it will inspire others to take a similar path.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Website
HERSCHEL WOHL WAS MANY THINGS: twice-divorced astrologer, pharmacology professor, failed novelist, on-the-lam drug-runner, manual typewriter thief, Aikido white belt, possible communist, and temporary resident of the little-known island of Statia. He was also a father.
When Herschel dies unexpectedly just before his 71st birthday, his adult son Michael has to travel four thousand miles and overcome four decades of filial resentment to pick up Herschel’s pieces. Along the way Michael must reconnect with a forgotten half-brother, reconcile with an overeducated, underachieving sister, and reckon with his ambivalence about religion.
With no modern funerary services available on the tiny island, the three estranged siblings are left to bury their enigmatic patriarch by themselves, and by hand. As one day stretches into three and they wonder if they’ll ever get the bastard in the ground, they are forced to confront their complicated relationships, not only with their charismatic but irresponsible father, but also—and perhaps more importantly—with each other.
In Herschel’s Wake is a darkly funny examination of faith, funerals, family, and f*cked up fathers, but most of all, it’s about forgiveness.
LITERARY TITAN 