Blog Archives
I Live Its Evolution
Blake’s Story follows a boy who sets out on a quest for revenge but unknowingly embarks on a transformative journey instead. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
On a visit from his home in South Carolina, at age 10, my great-grandson, Bryson Brodzinski, asked it I would write a story he could be in and help to create. I agreed and we went out in the back yard for a photo shoot. This became the back cover of the book.
The following year on the weekend of his eleventh birthday, I went down to visit him and his family. He sat down at my computer and typed in the plot line for the story. That afternoon we went to Historic Brattonsville, a southern plantation at McConnells, South Carolina, for a photo shoot. This became the front cover for the book.
Thus, the setup for the story was created by Bryson. While it was intended that we would develop the story together through email, his schedule precluded this and I agreed to research and write the story based on his plot line, and include those pieces he had written the first time he came up with the request that I do the story.
Blake is an interesting character that I enjoyed watching develop throughout the story. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I was guided by Bryson’s plot line with additional influence from my research into the history and the units involved in the story. Preconceived driving ideals are not so much a part of my writing. When I sit down with my manuscript my mind focuses on the story and I live its evolution and write what comes to mind. I have mentally gone into the world of the story and it evolves accordingly. I write as it evolves. There is little preplanning. Therefore, as the story evolved, Blake’s character evolved. There are times when something after the fact influences the story. In the case of Blake’s Story, that happened as a result of the photo shoots. Eight boys, in addition to Bryson, came to represent major characters within the story. My neighbor’s older boy became
Matthew. His brother became Tyler. All boys had connections from my neighbors who mowed my lawn to brothers who were Civil War musicians, to brothers who were members of the train club, to a boy who was the grandson of fellow member of the friends board for a National Historic Site, to another who was a volunteer persona at the site. The photo shoots took place after the book was first published and resulted in a minor character becoming a major character, thus resulting in a rewrite of part of the book. A second printing included the character photos and a rewritten story.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The most important “theme” was to stay true to Bryson’s plot line. Otherwise, I focused on the main character, Blake [Bryson’s middle name, by the way] and how he interacted with those around him and with events as they unfolded. I have been faulted by reviewers for not delving more into slavery. True, slavery was part of the culture in which Blake lived, but I chose to leave out any political issues and focus on family and the relationships that were more common to the times. Blake’s family and their slaves respected one an other and accepted their stations in life as the way things were during their times. By the nature of the story, revenge and forgiveness were driving themes from the beginning. It was up to me to see that they developed and the story evolved in a fulfilling manner. I am honored that some reviewers agree.
“Despite the relatively simple plot, the greater strengths of this book include the resonant theme which emerges from the book, and the stirring revelation that the common threads which bond the boys (and humanity) are far greater than the temporary divisions of war.” Hollywood Treatment “This well-crafted collaboration is engrossing, memorable and an excellent conversation-starter about the war’s ills, the drive for revenge, and the profound power of friendship and forgiveness.” Blue Ink Review
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My most recent work has included the release of Summer at Stewart Creek, written 40 years ago and recently published December 1st 2020. It is a train themed story, which takes place in the imaginary realm of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad of West Virginia. The setting is recreated in miniature through my model railroad with photography of it being used to illustrate the book. A 40-page photo album of the railroad is included in the back of the book. Two other books have followed, both from manuscripts begun 40 years ago and related to the same setting and to another book, previously published in 2014 and republished in its 3rd edition in 2019, Summer of Two Worlds. Twelfth Winter, the sequel to Summer of Two Worlds was published June 1st 2021, followed by Stranded in Snow Shoe, the prequel to Summer of Two Worlds, on June 1st 2022. Both take place in the same setting as Stewart Creek and include overlapping characters. No new projects are planned for the foreseeable future.
Making Peace With Our Imperfections
Clouded Thoughts is a collection of poetry about the celebration of loving and accepting yourself. Why was this an important book to write?
We live in a world where almost everybody is looking outside themselves for validation rather than embracing their authenticity. We discredit ourselves when we constantly seek stamps of approval. I penned this collection with my own vulnerabilities & flaws, hoping to inspire readers to accept theirs. Making peace with our imperfections is another level of freedom. After all, we only have this one life. Why not celebrate all the rarities and idiosyncrasies that make us who we are? We can’t spend our life living on our knees with our hands out for a thumbs up.
But if I were to give you a self-centred answer, it would be that writing a book has always been a dream of mine since I was a teenager. So this debut book was important to me to prove myself right. More times, we’re so motivated to prove other people wrong, but this “in-your-face” mentality can only bring you so far. In a subtle way, this book is a testament that you can turn a dream into reality when you believe in yourself enough.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this collection?
Self-evaluation was one of the primary themes I intended to highlight in this collection. We’re so quick to turn a blind eye to our flaws and magnify someone else’s imperfections. The age-old advice of knowing yourself has been tossed around for decades, and the truth is we’re often all guilty of being ignorant by our way of thinking. And with that in mind, I aimed to incorporate humour within the pieces when I sifted through matters of sorrow, healing, peace, and doubt, all of which we are bound to experience during our time here on earth. And, of course, what good is a poetry book without love?
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your collection of poetry?
I hope this book inspires readers not to let life pass through their hands. I hope it stands as a reminder never to lose focus on what’s truly important while they piece together a meaningful life. When all is said and done, all that counts is profound peace & love – whether it stems from family, significant other or anything that strengthens you. Because in the end, everything else falls away.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My third collection is still up in the air—all in divine timing.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
These poems are written to be easily understood and absorbed. Phrases could be pulled from many of them and would be perfect pinned on mirrors, written in diaries and used as mantras repeated daily to remind ourselves to focus on what our life truly means to us.” – Clarissa Pattern, Author of Airy Nothing
Here’s to flourishing in a world where becoming the best version of yourself is frowned upon.
Here’s to breaking through barriers and exceeding expectations, including your own.
You will discover a fistful of engaging well-versed themes within the pages bound to empower you, uplift you, and remind you of your truth.
More importantly, this book goes over and above to emphasize the importance of looking up when confronted with intimidating setbacks. Because this understated act is the keystone to overcoming the stumbling blocks life throws and rising above our shortcomings.
Overcome Their Dark Sides
Dueling with Snakes is the last installment in The Phoenix Trilogy. Were you able to accomplish everything you wanted with this series?
Yes. My whole point/goal for this story was to show, through Leila, how anyone can discover their true identity and could overcome their dark sides—their demons—while dealing with grief.
Was there anything that surprised you about Leila’s character development over the series?
Yes. How self-centered, controlling, and dominating her dark side—the Phoenix—could become. Also, how she stood up against it with a simple ‘no’.
Where do you see the main characters in the story a year after the ending scene in the book?
A year after? Leila and Dragunov at least having 1 kid: a girl, and living in peace, carefree and happy in Russia.
Do you have more stories planned within this world or are you working on something new?
I have 2 companion short stories—already published—that go after the first two books. The last companion short story, that goes with Dueling with Snakes, is coming in October.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Leila Wells couldn’t fight against the Phoenix any longer: Bryan Foster had to die. No more would perish by his hands. She returns to the Rulers of the Realms Fighting Tag Tournament with Dragunov by her side to kill him. The competition doesn’t matter, they just want his blood.
Panordom tests them—and their dark sides—physically, mentally, and emotionally, with Foster present on the sidelines and when the former fling strains Leila and Dragunov’s love. Discovering Xander’s intention by using her to unleash an unworldly evil shifts their focus on solely getting vengeance. For everything to end, Leila confronts her most difficult decision ever.
Winner of Literary Titan’s Gold Award
Me In Animal Form
Tegan Finds Her Tribe follows an abandoned cat who joins a group of kindred spirits that help her live her best life. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The inspiration was a combination of my finding and rescuing a small kitten who became part of our tribe, and my escape from a toxic work environment during The Great Resignation. In the book, Tegan is essentially me in animal form. I have found a new life, kindred spirits, and am starting to realize my dreams! One of those dreams was writing a children’s book. Becoming both a publisher and author is much more than I ever imagined! But here I am!
This was a charming book with beautiful illustrations. What was the artistic process like to bring this book to life?
Being that Tegan Finds Her Tribe was my first attempt at writing and illustrating a book, it was a challenge! But I pulled it together somehow. I guess determination was the key.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
I enjoyed visualizing Tegan’s antagonists in the forest at night, and how they made her feel. She used that, refusing to let fear of the unknown conquer her. She knew intrinsically that she would persevere… somehow. She trusted herself, and took a leap of faith.
Do you have more children’s books planned that feature Tegan?
I hope to do at least one more book about Tegan (and Willow), I just haven’t figured out what’s next for Tegan or for me. In the meantime, I have two other books in the works.
Author Links: Amazon | Facebook
The story teaches authenticity, acceptance, diversity, inclusion, overcoming obstacles, empathy, the importance of having a sense of community, kindness, compassion, and realizing your worth. The story of Tegan’s journey encourages your child to appreciate their own unique traits and accept the differences of others so that everyone can thrive. It feels good to be yourself!
For ages 6 – 10
MY True Story
MINDBLOWN follows a woman who discovers that everything she knows about her family is wrong and seeks to find out where she came from. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
It’s loosely based on MY true story, I fictionalized characters but the content is true to form.
Soule is a riveting and well-drawn character. What were some driving ideals behind Soule’s character’s development?
I loved it, she is ME…I strive to be transparent, genuine, and relatable 🙂
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Familial patterns, dysfunction, heritage/cultural norms, ancestral connections, and honest reactions.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Ongoing series based on each character. Working on book 2 now, plans to be ready to start the new year off RIGHT Jan 2023.
Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Website
What All Dogs Really Yearn For
Walter follows a dog who is neglected by his owner and embarks on a journey to find his forever home. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I believe that educating younger generations is the key to ensure more responsible and loving pet owners.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Edixon Rodriguez?
Working with Edixon was a great experience. I talked to him a couple of times about each chapter and what I wanted to be portrayed in each illustration.
I sent him pictures of Walter and in a few weeks sketches were ready.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Walter explores important themes like irresponsible ownership of a dog, mistreatment, abuse, and the suffering of animals who have no voice. At the same time, Walter reflects what all dogs really yearn for, that is to be close to humans, to be loved and cared for. The ancestral connection between dogs and humans is an unbreakable bond that some of us don’t even deserve. When you read the story, you realize that Walter is also a brave dog who dared to jump the fence to see the world beyond, a world he never had the chance to see before. Sometimes we, humans, like to live comfortably in our patios, and we never dare to see what is on the other side, beyond the fence.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m working on “The Mouse in the Pumpkin”. It is a chapter book for children 8 years and up. It is the story of a family who is suddenly forced to flee their beloved home. I found inspiration for this book on our own journey as immigrants to the US back in 2016. Hopefully available by summer 2023.
“Little mouse knew fear. He was always afraid of being separated from his parents, he was afraid of his parents getting imprisoned for speaking their minds, he was afraid of him and his family facing starvation and mistreatments. He learned how to live in fear, being afraid can turn a little mouse into an adult one quickly. Little mouse learned to be brave and responsible, so he could face the dangers of the forced exile journey with his mom and dad; still, under the pumpkins and under the yellowish leaves, he became a little mouse again, running and laughing, climbing the fruits, swaying in the vines with joy”.
The Mouse in the Pumpkin-Sara V. Robinson 2022
Author Links: Facebook | Instagram
Walter es un perro cuya curiosidad y valentía lo llevan a saltar la cerca de su patio trasero y abandonar el único mundo que ha conocido. Se embarca en una aventura que lo obliga a cuestionar su antigua vida mientras enfrenta el miedo y la incertidumbre tras ser llevado a la perrera. Walter es inocente e ingenuo, pero pronto descubre lo desafiante que puede ser la vida real. Su viaje lo ayuda a confiar y amar nuevamente cuando su conexión ancestral con los humanos sea revivida al conocer a su amada familia Esta historia es ideal para defensores de los animales de todas las edades, ya que explora los problemas como el abandono y rescate de mascotas.
A War Against My Pride And Envy
Heart of the Forest: Book 1 of the Cousin Friendship Series follows two cousins who, after being forced to spend time together, end up on an adventure in an enchanted world. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Every friend of mine knows about Heart of the Forest because it was my first endeavor at writing. I was ten when I started the first manuscript, then titled “Cousin Relationship”. However, I bagged the story after two months because ten-year-old me couldn’t stand my writing. (I still have that manuscript now, it’s very cringeworthy!) It was only two thousand words then, hardly a novel. But seven years later, after completing nine novels, I finally had the courage to face my first rotten attempt at writing. I retitled the book “Heart of the Forest”, made the plot much more interesting than what it had been, and dedicated it to my ten-year-old self. I think she would have liked that!
I don’t have any siblings. Only two cousins. That’s why the story is about two cousins and not siblings. In the book, Ilyria breaks the fourth wall by saying, “The rivalry between cousins might make more sense than siblings. We live under the same roof as our blood brothers and sisters, but not always with our cousins. That makes it more likely to develop misunderstandings about them.” This is the second reason I chose to write about two cousins. And by the way, breaking the fourth wall is one of my favorite literary techniques!
What were some of the emotional and moral guidelines you followed when developing your characters?
Since this is a middle-grade novel, both Ilyria and Jerry demonstrate moral attributes such as courage, kindness, and wisdom, while learning to discover the positive character traits the other possesses. Yet at the same time, both of them must overcome a significant flaw. For Ilyria, it is envy. She envies Jerry, whose glamorous life as a straight-A student incites her jealousy and hatred. For Jerry, he must overcome his pride, which prevents him from befriending Ilyria in the first place. Interestingly, Jerry is painted as a villain in the first chapter, but then readers will grow to realize that he is “the lesser of two evils”, and in fact, Ilyria is more flawed as a character. It’s also worth mentioning that I once waged a war against my pride and envy, and that’s why I made my characters battle them, too.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Heart of the Forest deals with many themes—parent-children relationships, childhood innocence, sibling rivalry, and criticism regarding the educational system. I’ll share a couple of my favorite sentences from the book:
．Hurrying. Adults were always hurrying in their lives, fast-forwarding their clocks and running from place to place in a rush to get their tasks done, their duties fulfilled. Seldom did they stop to appreciate the little charms and marvels in life.
．Magic did not discriminate with age; as long as one believed, as long as one kept their heart open and welcomed miracles with wide arms, they’d find the world a much better place than they did in the first place.
．”Stories are like bridges that connect people with each other. C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Lewis Carroll, they’ve been dead for decades. But when I pick up their books and read their stories, it’s like they’re talking to me. It’s like I’m getting a glimpse into their brilliant minds and communicating with them in a spiritual way. And I’m not talking about fictional stories, either. Real stories have that same power. If two strangers share an experience and they tell each other about it, bingo—a connection formed.”
．”Not everything has to be important or unimportant. It all lies in the people who define and determine them. And who’s to judge? That’s a question with no answer. It varies, you see.”
．Only by setting our prejudices aside and focusing on what we have in common can we reach and achieve true harmony, for too often do we judge instead of understand, criticize instead of feel for another person.
．”I just like to think everything’s possible. It’s nice to believe the world has magic before growing up and getting accustomed to plainness.”
What is the next book in the series that you are working on, and when will it be available?
The Cousin Friendship Series consists of four books—Heart of the Forest, Magic of the Clearing, Rhythm of the River, and Soul of the Wind. I haven’t started writing Magic of the Clearing yet. Maybe it’ll be available next year. I’m kind of skipping around with various novel projects at this moment. Last week, I just finished a YA fantasy romance called The Lost Siren. And now, I might start a novel about a mortal boarding school with teachers who are in fact wizards and witches. It will be my first attempt at the paranormal genre.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Mystical Force: Vol. 4
Mystical Force Volume 4: Many are 1, 1 is 0, by Craig Weidhuner, is the next installment in the series following a Taman Knight from the planet Thalia. An evil sorceress, Zolida, is trying to find an ancient scroll. Unfortunately, the scroll releases an omnipotent being named 0, whom she wants to control and use against her enemies.
The story begins with Zolida hiring a mercenary to steal the scroll. Shi-ria, a Taman Knight from the previous volume, tries to prevent Zolida from obtaining the scroll. Shi-ria does not know what power the scroll has but knows Zolida will use it to try and change the future for the worse. Zolida ends up with the scroll and releases 0 from its world. 0 is an almost God-like being that can change matter, time, and space. He becomes an important character and alters the reality that humans, mages, and demons know.
The writing in this book unveils a lot at a fast pace. There are many different characters involved in the plot, which gives the book depth. However, there is still minor individual character development. Nevertheless, the pace and tone of the book are well written and easy to read.
Although this is another installment in the series, this book focuses on a different character. The main characters from volume 3 were involved, but I don’t think you need to read the previous book to understand this one. I would’ve liked to see more depth in the characters between volumes and a better continuation of the plot overall. This volume reads as a stand-alone that could potentially have a sequel.
Mystical Force Volume 4: Many are 1, 1 is 0, by Craig Weidhuner, is a continuation that focuses on the evil mage Zolida. If you like action, adventure, magic, and triumph over evil, this book is for you.
Pages: 72 | ASIN : B09VY2KVRZ
LITERARY TITAN 