Blog Archives
Making Sense Of The Insanity Of Moralities
Re-birth tells the compelling story of Anessa’s reincarnation in the intriguing fantasy world of Anfang. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I’ve been a fan of Mythology of almost every variety. As a child I was always intrigued by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and being pulled through to a new world.
Anessa is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Anessa is a logical view of what might happen to a western person should they be taken at the point of their death and placed on a new planet through divine intervention. She’s lost, confused, and must navigate a new world alone, forging new bonds, making sense of the insanity of moralities that are different from what knew she on Earth.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Our world is on the precipice of some vital changes to personal rights. Anfang represents an exploration of an ideal, and in future volumes I may tinker with how easily it can crumble.
The exception to this question is nobles using marriages to form bonds between families as chess pieces, but that is a component of medieval societies, not of a theme I wanted to explore.
When and where will your book be available?
Re-Birth will be available November 24, 2022, on Amazon in eBook, Paperback (black and white) and Hardback (full color). The eBook is on sale for $4.99 until 1/1/2023. The sale pricing for the paperback and hardback are beyond my control as I’ve already found out.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BHVG5ZB6 – eBook
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1959098004 – Hardback
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1959098101 – Paperback
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website
For Anessa, death was just the beginning…
Originally from Earth, she finds herself transported to Anfang with one question:
“How did I die?”
Reborn into a family of wealth, privilege and magic, the expectations placed on her clash with her Earthen sensibilities.
As Anessa grows into her newfound place and power, she struggles with the notions of political marriages, inane rituals, and the awareness that her biggest threat may come from within.
Who do you trust when your first life was stolen by your best friend, and your latest sin is living?
Join Anessa on her debut journey in My Own Mythology — Re-Birth; get yours now!
I Hope It Sparks Some Curiosity
Adventures of the Negassi Brothers follows two brothers who are transported through time in a traditional coffee ceremony to witness their family’s history. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
As a first generation immigrant, I wanted to create a story I could share with my sons, Isaiah & Azariah. A book that was timeless and relevant at any age of their lives. A story they could share with their own children in the future. It is also an introduction into their history. I hope it sparks some curiosity that grows into reading and learning more about themselves.
Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your characters life?
One of the most important memories for me was sharing stories with my own father. There were many stories about back-home and how he grew up. My love of history began with these stories.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The story had to capture the essence of our culture, it was important to incorporate coffee and the coffee ceremony. Our countries, Eritrea & Ethiopia, have thousands of years of history together and apart, it’s easy to get lost in politics and tribalism. It was important that I leave that out of the story and focus on the historical facts.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next book will be a about our language, Tigrinya. A simple to read children’s book of our alphabet and common words. There are over 200 letter in our alphabet so I’ll have to think through the breakdown. It will be available Q2 of 2023.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Acknowledge Her Vulnerability
Salt Island follows private detective Marissa Ellwyn as she sets out to find her missing father and crack a cryptic mystery. What is your writing process like and what is the biggest hurdle you often face in completing your books?
My biggest hurdle continues to be carving time every day to write. I seem to be able to easily carve out time for marketing and promotion, but the “create” energy comes from a different place and so it has different requirements.
What were some questions you wanted Marissa Ellwyn to answer in this book?
I wanted her to really acknowledge her vulnerability instead of pretending to be superwoman all the time. I think she (Mari) did a good job revealing her emotionally and psychological need to not only find but be reunited with her father in this book, and that relationship is still evolving. Book 3 (the last in the series) will likely be out in summer, 2024.
What has been the most surprising feedback you’ve received from fans of your books?
I’m always surprised to see how many readers buy the hardcover versions of my books, and also surprised that readers like reading longer books. My novels are typically shorter, under 80,000 words, and that’s not by choice – they just sort of come out that way.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Tiktok | Website
“The E&A Investigations Series by Lisa Towles, are always winning choices when it comes to selecting mysteries. Readers will find the quick pace and snappy dialogue in Salt Island refreshing. Above all else, Marissa Ellwyn is a character who jumps off the pages and into readers’ hearts. Her earnest search for truth will grab readers and make them instant fans of Towles’s work.” – Literary Titan
The Fight Is Never Easy
At the Threshold of the Universe follows the Castus family and their struggle for survival against a formidable enemy that will alter the course of humanity. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
This book was a long time coming for me. I knew what I had built over the course of the trilogy, and I knew how I wanted it all to pay off in the end. I was thrilled when I was outlining this novel and how well it was all coming together, which only works with deep, deep planning. I wanted to make something that was completely my own, and wrap it all up nicely.
How has character development for the main character changed for you through the series?
There are a few characters I would consider as mains in this trilogy, and each has surprised me with their growth on the pages. Eliana comes from a place of deep trauma and finds a way to live with herself peacefully. She’s mostly alone in the start of In the Orbit of Sirens, but over the course of the trilogy, she forms a family and finds happiness. Denton Castus starts as a man who’s looking for a purpose, a new way of life on Kamaria. He is thrust into a situation that gives him both of those things, but not the way he intended. Both of them have to fight for what they have earned, and the fight is never easy.
Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel?
I believe so. I felt fulfilled with every plotline I created, and I feel like it all came together better than I could have hoped for. I still miss Kamaria and the days of writing this trilogy, it’ll forever hold a place in my heart. With a passion project like this, it means the world to see reviews like the one here on Literary Titan and know that I stuck the landing for some readers. I am very happy with this trilogy.
What is the next book project that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I am currently working on a world-hopping adventure set within the universe of the Song of Kamaria trilogy, but so loosely tied to it that readers are not required to read the trilogy to enjoy this new book. It’s a stand-alone. I am still knee-deep in writing out the first draft, so I won’t say too much, but I do hope to have it published sometime either early to mid 2023. I post regular updates on my website for readers looking for more information. I can’t wait to share more info!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
ALL SONGS END.
War ravages Kamaria as an old enemy resurfaces from the depths of the ocean. Offering no support in the coming battles, the Auk’nai isolate themselves in their tightly guarded Nest. Outgunned and outmatched, humanity once again trembles on the edge of obliteration.
The Castus family is torn apart. Denton fights on the front lines, hoping to free Cade from a nightmarish foe. Meanwhile, Eliana and Nella set out on a path that will change everything they understand about the Sirens. The Song will end, but who will remain to hear its final verse?
Heal From My Life’s Baggage
How To Eat A Shit Sandwich: and Keep Smiling tells readers your story about dealing with the bad things that happen and how you managed to get through them and get on with your life. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I have been a writer since I could hold a pen. I have always been intrigued and fascinated by people’s stories; especially the stories of people the world considers ‘ordinary’. I find these are the most compelling stories – the ones where true grit and determination are displayed; not to get attention, but from necessity and survival. I want those who have lived extraordinary lives quietly and humbly to know that their stories matter, and no matter what has happened to them, there is an opportunity to help others heal. Writing my book was a cathartic experience – I shed a lifetime of pain by letting it pour from my head to the screen/paper. I wanted to finally heal from my life’s baggage. I also wanted to share that our stories do not define us. Yes, they shape up but you can have a life that has been so hard, but still dig deep to heal and go on to bigger and better things.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
Writing about my childhood was hard; realising how many times I have been abandoned and abused by people who were meant to love and protect me. It was also hard to write about the sexual abuse I experienced. There was one chapter that just flowed out of me…I had forgotten it happened until I put my fingers to the keyboard. I was only 13 when it happened and it changed how I looked at my body and my sexuality … and I think it left me vulnerable to future abuse. I got to the end of that chapter and sobbed. How can people be so cruel and horrible to each other?
What is one piece of advice someone gave you that changed your life?
Whether people love me or hate me, it has nothing to do with me. It took me a while to get this because my whole life I have worked hard to get people to like me. I’ve yearned for approval from all and sundry. Yet, it didn’t make my life any better. When I realised how people see me, whether they like me or not, is not something I can control, because people make judgements about others based on THEIR life experiences. Our beliefs, life experiences and inner thoughts shape how we look at the world… and it is not always based on reality. So if someone doesn’t like me, it could be because I remind them of someone who was horrible to them – how do you control that? You can’t. So I stopped bothering. I just be the best I can, and as long as I show up without the intention to hurt others, those who want to be in my space will and those who don’t won’t.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
I want people to see that everyday ordinary people can make an impact on the world. There is nothing special about me beyond I survived my childhood. I found a way to dig deep and heal through my pain. It is possible. Bad things happen to good people, and while we cannot control how those bad people impact our lives, we can control how we deal with it. I chose to live my life, despite the terrible things that have happened to me, with joy, expectancy and determination. You can eat a shit sandwich, you can eat a buffet of them, but you control how you let that impact you. I want readers to see that there is a silver lining, that good can come from bad, and that there is always a way forward to a happier life. It starts with what goes on between your ears. You control your thoughts, feelings, and how you show up in the world. Take control. Don’t let those who hurt you win, but being a victim.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
The only difference between you and Annette Densham, is she decided to share her shit in a memoir. Is she famous? Ah ah! Is she an intellectual giant? She is smart but nothing extraordinary. Is she popular? Only in her own lunch time. But she does have a lot to say. You dear reader, get to follow the bouncing ball of her life as she shares the gut wrenching lows and moments of hilarity.
How To Eat A Shit Sandwich & Keep Smiling may sound messy and yucky, and in some parts it is. Annette takes a trip down memory lane – exploring key events in her childhood and adolescence. Written in the voice of the age she was at the time, some parts will make you cringe and blood boil as she shares stories of abandonment, bullying, sexual abuse, and domestic violence, will others will remind you life is what we make of it. You can eat a shit sandwich and still find joy and happiness. Some people call it resilience and grit, Annette calls it getting on with life.
Conformity vs Individuality
Liberator: The People’s Guard follows a man who is a member of a secret police organization that genetically modifies him to become a real superhero. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
There wasn’t any one specific thing or event that inspired my story. I’ve always been fascinated by the history of Russia, particularly the period from the Russian Revolution to the collapse of the Soviet Union. In part because my parents grew up in post war Germany and had to flee when the Soviets invaded. My father specifically grew up in America, thus was taught that those “godless commies” were the bad guys. Also after reading the manga “Fairy Tail” and the idea of magic guilds, I thought of the idea of registered superheroes; in other words, how would real world governments react if people like Superman, Batman, Iron Man, Spider-Man and such actually existed. I also drew inspiration from the backstory of “Khan” from Star Trek. The idea of governments trying to control such people because, as someone once said, “What you can control can’t hurt you.”
Tovarich has a moment of awakening, where he starts to see what he grew up believing may not be what is right or what he now believes. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I’ve always been what they call a ‘sigma male’. I like doing my own thing and following my own interests, regardless of what’s popular or cool. I’ve never been one to concern myself about the latest trends or fads. Also I’m also not the type of person to blindly follow authority figures (be it politicians, celebrities, businessmen, even teachers or my own parents) I don’t believe they’re always right about everything. I believe in looking within and thinking for yourself. Like the character of Sister Rose in my “Mystical Force” series, Tovarich is a person who grew up having dogmatism drilled into his head ever since he was a small child. Now, that inner voice/wisdom within him is telling him what the state is saying isn’t true. Actually his ‘higher self’ has been doing that all along, it’s just now that he’s starting to listen to it.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The same theme from “Mystical Force” the idea of conformity vs individuality. Those who look within, who make their own decisions in life, who think for themselves vs those who don’t want to think and would rather drift blindly through life being told what to think, do and say by others. The idea of setting the story in a totalitarian dictatorship seemed like an ideal setting to explore such a concept. Especially now with since Ruthenia is an obvious expy of Russia/the Soviet Union and Putin’s unjust invasion of Ukraine (which I am firmly against). But more so that that, the fact that we’re seeing the rise of more authoritarian leaders (whether they’re left or right wing makes no difference) who willingly spread misinformation to ignorant followers who blindly accept it without question. They resort to such methods because they know the rest of the world is awakening and seeing through the lies. Thus they react out of fear because they know the power they once held in an iron grip is rapidly slipping away from them and they’re in panic mode because of that.
What is Volume 2 in the series going to be about, and when will it be available?
Volume 2 follows the natural progression of a country creating a genetically enhanced superhero, other countries react with panic and create their own to try and counter the Liberator. Volume 2 deals with General Flagg and Usonia trying to create their own version of the Liberator, one that’s loyal to their country. I’m currently writing the manuscript for that one so it will probably be out by the fall of 2023. Currently I’m working with Tellwell on publishing Mystical Force Vol. 5: Shadows and Darkness. That one should be out sometime in the spring of 2023. By the time that’s published I should have the manuscript for Liberator Vol. 2 ready for editing and publication.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | LinkedIn
buildings, to peaceful demonstrators protesting their government’s poor human-rights record, both of which he must face when a terrorist group plots to kidnap the premier in protest of the state’s iron-clad rule. Fortunately, he’s been genetically modified to be stronger and more resilient than the average person. But do these enhancements help make him a better hero, or further emphasize him as a tool of oppression? Is he the hero or is he the villain? Join Tovarich in this exciting new series as he discovers for himself what it truly means to be a hero. The only real question is: Will his definition of “hero” be compatible with that of the state?
The World Has Never Been More Fragile
Sky Curse: The Chosen Five is a sci-fi and fantasy novel that follows five young adults, who are chosen to fulfill a Mayan prophecy and must locate crystals that will hopefully save the Earth. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Sky Curse series aims to bring hope for Earth’s future, while analyzing causes that might bring its demise, like environmental chaos. It was important for me to bring up the mighty Mayan civilization that disappeared abruptly and the recent research that suggests that human-made environmental disasters had caused their demise.
The protagonist Cecilia is just like any one of us. She’s quite ordinary with a lot of problems of her own. At the beginning of the book, she has nothing to do with climate change activism. Until she gets hold of a mysterious crystal that gives her some magical powers. With her newfound abilities, she tries to save the world from an impeding apocalypse.
Readers say Sky Curse is a page-turner that…
- reads like “news from the future,”
- which helps understand the present,
- while learning from the ancient past (the Maya, Roman Empire, etc.)
As for the inspiration for the setup – many people, especially teens and young adults, suffer from climate anxiety, but unfortunately feel helpless to do anything about it. They give up. They call the subject “depressing” and steer away from it. They get depressed about their future and the future of the next generations. That’s exactly how I felt before I started writing the Sky Curse series. Sharing my feelings on the subject with the world made me feel that I’m actually doing something about it, however small. It’s an empowering feeling to have and it’s that exact feeling that I want to share with the world. I would like to start some empowering and educational conversations around topics that cause climate and even AI anxiety. This book aims to inspire sustainability-related action without causing any feelings of guilt or inferiority to the readers.
Did you create an outline for the five chosen ones in the story before you started writing or did the character’s personalities grow organically as you were writing?
I did a little bit of both. I had had an initial outline for their characters, but later I added intricate story layers to the manuscript during the editorial process. The new and improved plot drove the characters’ personalities to grow organically and dramatically with the story, while I was reviewing the storyline over and over again.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
This is a highly entertaining, action-paced novel that touches upon topics such as the environment, mental health and resilience (happiness and self-fulfilment,) the future of ai and technology, spirituality etc.
I believe that the world has never been more fragile than it is now, but it’s definitely worth saving. We live in unprecedented times when our sustainability efforts as well as our technological advances and failures will soon define humanity. We must discuss important questions: will humans soon live, work, collaborate, compete, and integrate with machines? Will humans become an interplanetary species? Will human cloning become the norm? If so, what would that look like? What are our collective and individual roles in imagining and then shaping this future?
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
First, lets’ mention my previous book. Reaching Beyond Ourselves: Leading a Spiritual, Peaceful and Diverse World is my poetry book that tells my own personal story of enjoying different cultures and speaking different languages on my journeys from Ukraine to Israel to Canada. You can find it on Amazon Books.
As for the next book – the outline of the second book in the Sky Curse series is mostly written at this point and the novel will be called Sky Curse: Trial by Fire. It will shed light on some of the unresolved mysteries of book 1, while presenting new mysteries and adventures. Expected to be available in 2023. Please subscribe to my website to get notification about its release.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
I Learned The Hard Way
Pay The Price provides practical advice and wisdom readers will need to find entrepreneurial success through any setbacks. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I thought my business was a no-brainer. I had done all the research, the training. Identified the market need. Launched it straight after business school. But after 10 years of slugging it out without a single pay check and enduring all sorts of challenges from near bankruptcy, humiliating chronic illness, 2 car crashes where the cars were so damaged they had to be written off, moral failure and losing 2 members of my close family, I was on the brink of giving up and sticking to my 9-5 job. But I didn’t, and after a decade, I signed my very first million dollar deal. It turns out that 90% of entrepreneurs face the same challenges but end up giving up too soon. And I felt an indescribable pain every time I walked past a closed small business, or read another story of a business going bankrupt, or met another failed entrepreneur. It sounds like a cliché but I felt deep down I had to do something about it, and this book is a result of that pain, that feeling, that ‘’calling”.
What is one trait that you think any successful entrepreneur must possess?
Resilience. If you believe in your honeymoon period, i.e your dream, your purpose and your passion, success does not come automatically. You need to have the grit, the diehard attitude to stick it out. As I say in the book, its crucial to stick with it if you believe in it.
What is one thing about entrepreneurship that you learned the hard way and how can others do it differently?
The one thing I learned the hard way? Pain. Its inevitable. I dedicated almost a quarter of the book talking about it – even to the extent of devising a brand new Pain Response Model. In that model, I show that there is a part of pain you can minimize or completely eradicate to make the journey a bit easier, to make the price to pay a bit cheaper – the pain of self-sabotage, what I call Red Flag Pain in the book. This is so simple, so ”common-sensicall” that it hardly needs saying. But it’s the one thing that trips up so many entrepreneurs even after they have succeeded. You need to know what yours is, be self-aware and take drastic steps to kill its growth before it kills you and your business in the end. My path to success would have been much smoother, but then I may not have had the ammunition to write this book!!
What research did you undertake to complete your book?
I researched using literally hundreds of books and academic papers, first hand interviews with entrepreneurs across the world, top rated podcasts, my own journals, social media feeds, and articles from dozens reputable websites such as the BBC.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | LinkedIn
Starting a business is tough. It’s even tougher building one with strong ethical foundations. Up to 90 percent of UK and US startups fail by the 10th year. This trend is even worse in developing countries such as in Africa, which incidentally is the most entrepreneurial continent in the world.
Strong foundations are impossible without going through the mill. The process. Highs and lows, shame and pain. This dark side of entrepreneurship is not highlighted enough in the literature, possibly contributing to these high failure rates.
There are plenty of business books about success out there. There aren’t nearly enough business books about failure—and how sustained perseverance through pain and repeated setbacks is often the prerequisite for true, lasting success.
This book is different.
You’ll learn how Passion, Pain, Time and Purpose are vital keys to succeed—with plenty of pioneering insights from unusual sources: music, poetry, chemistry, sport, and stories. It even has its own dedicated Spotify playlist.
In here, you’ll discover:
The Five Principles of Ethical Entrepreneurship
The Three Universal Phases of Entrepreneurship: the Honeymoon, the Formative and the Legacy.
How starting with who, NOT why is crucial for building a successful, enduring, ethical business
Overcoming the FOUR kinds of pain that lead to entrepreneurial failure with a brand new Flag Response Model.
Validating Your Business Model and Partner using real theories in Chemistry.
Earning the best Legacy type, the Pathfinder, out of the FOUR available options and much, much more.
LITERARY TITAN 