Blog Archives
Superhero’s In Their Homes
My Mom has Superpowers follows a young girl who believes her mom has superpowers; once she realizes her power is prayer, she too wants to become a superhero. What was the inspiration for your story?
The inspiration for writing this book was so many kids look for superstars (football players, rappers, singers, etc., etc.) as superhero’s and they have superhero’s in their homes. I wanted children to just look to their mom or dad or even older relatives and they will see that they can be inspired from people in their own personal lives.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Ishika Sharma?
My illustrator is very talented and she worked with me to bring my story to life with her awesome work. I have recommended her to other authors since our collaboration.
Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your characters?
I saw myself in the main characters because I always looked up to my own Mother because she was so awesome! And she had much faith and belief.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next book that I am currently working on is a Children’s Christmas book. This will be my first Christmas book. I have a great message to share in that book. I am working for its release in a couple of months. More to follow…
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Their Painful Experiences
When Life is Like A Dream is one of six plays that you have written on the difficult topic of apartheid in South Africa. Why was this an important book for you to write?
One of the things that struck me about the racial tensions in South Africa was the extent to which this is phenomenon is not simply a contemporary event, but has its long and ignominious genesis from past historical prejudices that have been passed from one generation to the next in our country. Even as the country has entered a new post-apartheid era, those negative forces have been left almost intact and are responsible for the current state of the country’s political tensions.
What were some key ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
To this day, South Africa remains as a deeply divided society along a lot of social lines like race, class, gender, ethnicity etc. The idea of my series of plays is to demonstrate how this trend managed to live through the past decades since 1910 under different white political leadership in the country. As time wore on, black people through their painful experiences under white minority, started to challenge the political status quo openly and this descended into a titanic, bloody conflict that left both sides of the racial divide badly scarred. This even led to further divisions within the same racial groups based on ideological outlooks. Aladam sees all this in his dream covering play 1 – 5 and in Play 6 he wakes up to go home as a free man with his fist punching the air.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in your work?
Racial prejudice and how it is reinforced by different outlooks of social groups in a country that lives apart from itself; being thrust in a social environment where forces promoting alienation reign supreme; innocence and betrayal as well repression of thoughts considered to be out of kilter with received ideas of group identity in society.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
When Life Is Like A Dream, historically speaking, starts from 1910 – 1924 when the country came under a single central government of white minority rule under what was considered to be a liberal leadership. The second play picks up the story from 1924 – 1948 when it gets subjected to the government of white conservative forces.
The title of the next book is: Things Are Not What They Seem. The idea is have the remaining five plays all published at the same time to complete the series. The subsequent titles are: When The Dream Is Broken; It Never Dies But Grows Swollen; When You Are Made A Walk To Take; It Shall A Walk Not Easy To Make.
I am working towards sending them off to publishers to test the waters by the end of the year. I am still editing them. The only snag is that I am doing this whilst holding down a full-time job and this is why it’s taking so long.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
The contours of his dream take us through the bewildered state of black people’s lives after the Act of Union in 1910.
We come across an ambitious white President, Nieman, who has been recalled from retirement to protect the country from falling into black hands; the fierce political conflict between the English and the Afrikaners; the sudden onset of the Spanish Influenza ; and the outbreak of a violent white miners’ strike.
An Intensely Personal Story
A Man For All Seasons follows a man who has dedicated his life to helping conserve and save nature and the animals of the world. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I was looking for a completely different way to present the conservation message. Instead of badgering people, I sought to create a story with warmth and humour – an intensely personal story with a main character readers would identify with. And of course, a very likeable character – Vidor’s flawed and has his share of problems, just as we all do, but he never gives up.
Vidor is a complex character that wants to be compassionate for those in need and also assassinate those that cause harm. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
As Vidor reminds Alban, “Compassion is the only fashion.” Although technically, Vidor is a monster in that he is a created being, he is not the true monster in the story. He is innocent although his creator may not have been. Vidor’s not sure. But he knows there comes a point when people become the REAL monsters. Vidor realises he must stop the monster in this story. Even so, he deals humanely.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Self-realisation as opposed to self-interest. Ignorance of the natural world and its consequence. The value of love, friendship, and redemption.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
An exploration of animal consciousness in fictional format. Should be ready for Christmas!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Added to this is an ever-increasing stream of animal refugees. With no idea how to feed them all, he decides to go into business to make ends meet.
Helped by his wise-talking raven Alban, Vidor must thwart a greedy development company from destroying the animals’ home. But is he already out of time?
Part tender romance, part cheeky comedy, A Man For All Seasons brings feel-good in spades, shines a light on life and death with dignity, and pays heart-lifting tribute to all eco warriors, wherever they may stand.
Do It With Passion
Sticks and Stones follow three people who are on a dangerous collision course that will test their skills and have them face their past. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Personally, I am involved with the Close Protection industry which has allowed me to travel to over 45 countries.
There have been instances that there have been some tense moments with those we offer services for. The team members I have worked with come from all walks of life and life experiences. As well we train hard in many disciplines so that we may provide the best version of ourselves when providing these services.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Whatever you decide to do in life, do it with passion, do it with purpose, and be optimistic about your outcome.
Life is not always easy, you pick yourself up and begin again. Life is an adventure, dig deep instead of being all you can be, be more than you can be. I think the characters in the story embodied all of these traits.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next book, Book #2 Is called “Stone Cold” I have a good start to it and look forward to a spring/summer release in 2023.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook
Cameron Stone, also a protector, finds himself called away on protection assignments. Although his security details grow more complex and deadly, he’s not the kind to back down from a challenge, and failure isn’t an option.
Leaving his girlfriend, Sara behind isn’t easy. She, in turn, trains in Martial Arts and Parkour and stands behind her love.
Three very different people on very similar paths discover that life has winners and life has losers; sometimes, we lose everything in the blink of an eye only to spend eternity thinking about that one moment…
Loves Knows No Gender
Grayality follows two friends who set off to try and restart their life in a small town, only to be faced with hate and judgment while trying to find love. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I transitioned in a tiny rural town in Montana. I haven’t faced anything as direct as Pate and Oakley encounter, but I have experienced subtle issues. For the few other transgender people I know here, they have encountered pretty nasty prejudices. Personally, I have found it hard to be open with who I am since there is little support here. I also feel lucky, however, because as someone who transitioned later in life, I have more financial resources and independence than many college students undergoing these changes. I wanted to share both the internal and external struggles that sometimes exist. A great deal of my own personal challenges is portrayed through Pate, but as I reread it now, I know that I have grown. I embrace myself a lot more.
My husband inspired Oakley. He married me when I presented as a woman with neither of us knowing at the time that I was transgender. I know that sounds strange, but I had assumed that I had to live my life presenting as a woman for a long time. He adamantly believed that he could not be romantically or sexually involved with a man. However, he came to realize that it’s the person that counts. I will proudly say that his attraction for me has not faltered. I wanted to convey his internal struggles with sexuality that stopped him from supporting me for nearly three years. However, in the end, he showed me that love knows no gender.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
My inspiration for this entire book comes directly from my life, but I will add some more to the first question in this regard. I struggle with social anxiety and have experienced some bad bouts of depression. As a mental health counselor, it is important to me to share these experiences without shame. I did reveal a lot of them through Pate. Sometimes it is difficult for me to even read those parts of the book, but they are a part of my journey. Also, it is hard for me as a transgender person to share my own internalized transphobias that were present when I first transitioned, which is also portrayed through Pate. I am in a better place now with my identity and even see it as a gift rather than a tragedy. I wasn’t always there, so I am happy with my progress.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
This novel has some very heavy themes to it. Identity is a major theme in several ways. Foremost, Pate is coming into his identity as a man while Oakley is discovering his bisexuality. However, both characters are young and are still figuring out what direction they want to take in life, making this a coming-of-age novel.
I would also say that prejudice is a theme. While there is obvious prejudice against LGBTQIA people, readers could also say that Pate and Oakley show some prejudices against rural communities. Stormy was created as a character who shatters these preconceived notions about ranchers. Lastly, I would say acceptance is a theme. The characters learn to accept themselves while also discovering that others will accept them, too.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next novel is Acing the Game, which is getting published through Extasy Books and will hopefully get released either later this year or the beginning of 2023. This novel is a contemporary LGBTQIA+ romance about two married bisexual men – a popular small-town chef (trans and ace) and a shy and reserved high school principal (cis and allo) — who are thrown for a loop when the latter finds himself yearning for more sexual discovery. Through a surprising dive into polyamory, they explore every side of their compatibility. . . and just might learn how strong their romantic bond can be.
Shep Lee thought he had it all. A successful restaurant, a loving husband who understood his asexuality and, most of all, the ability to be himself, a popular chef in the small town of Cloverleaf, Montana. That is, until his husband Elmer Eshler began pushing Shep more on sex. Elmer doesn’t understand why he can’t turn his partner on – aren’t they perfect for each other? And Shep loves him, right? Shep, meanwhile (while confident with his body) is and always will be sex indifferent. Why has Elmer suddenly changed his tune? But he doesn’t want to lose the man he loves so much. What can they do?
Shep convinces Elmer to try a polyamorous relationship. Elmer gets to have Shep and the sex life he has always wanted. Shep gets a cooking buddy and a chance to experience a relationship, and even try sex, with a woman, as his authentic gender. Shep isn’t sure at first but finds himself coming around – this feels safer than opening up the relationship. All three of them will be romantically involved, so that should ease any jealousy, right? But when Willow Saint, a free-spirited, boisterous and saucy young woman, comes into their lives, neither are prepared for the emotional and sexual rollercoaster that follows. Enthralled by Willow’s charm and kindness, Elmer and Shep struggle to understand what this means for their own bond.
Can they become one happy family? Or will this ruin everything?
Acing the Game is a novel about loving others, loving oneself and the intricate nuances of asexuality, sexual insecurity, polyamory and relationships. Starring three memorable characters who find each other in completely different but wholly satisfying and sexy ways, (and with plenty of emotionally erotic scenes and a lot of heart), Acing the Game shows that there are many dimensions and paths to satisfaction and love.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Love knows no gender.
Pate Boone, a twenty-six-year-old transgender man, embarks on a new adventure when his childhood best friend, and yes, ex-lover, Oakley Ogden, convinces him to escape their hometown in hopes for something new.
They land in Cloverleaf, a tiny rural town in Montana, so that Oakley can care for his granny who is battling breast cancer. She pressures the two young men to enroll in a nearby college. Pate immediately becomes enthralled with Maybelle, a young, vivacious freshman to whom he fears revealing his transgender identity. Still, he finds it impossible to resist Maybelle, even after he meets her ex, Bullet, a large, violent man determined to keep Pate away from “his girl.”
But there are others who accept Pate immediately, like Stormy. An outdoorsy, rugged freshman, Stormy warns Pate away from Maybelle and Bullet, but Pate’s too infatuated to heed these warnings.
Oakley tries to support his friend’s new love but finds himself entangled in his own emotional calamity when he unintentionally falls for Jody, a gay and ostentatiously confident drag queen. This new relationship awakens deep internal conflicts in Oakley as he struggles to accept his bisexuality, lashing out at Pate and causing friction between him and Jody.
Oakley must decide if he can overcome his insecurities so he doesn’t lose the love of his life. And Pate must discover if the love between him and Maybelle is strong enough for her to accept him as a transgender man, or if she will break his heart.
You Are Not To Blame
Under the Fig Tree shares your personal story of loss and helps others cope with and prevent suicide. Why was this an important book for you to write?
The book was important to write for several reasons. Firstly, the book was written to give Anna’s art a voice. Many people, who find sharing their feelings challenging, describe their inner self by mediums such as art, writing, music and other creative avenues.
Although Anna has shown fashion designs and illustrations via BBC world service and fashion houses, her graphite work, which speaks of her emotional turmoil, is yet to be exhibited – but can now be seen in this book as an introduction into the complexities of her troubled inner world.
What is one piece of advice that has helped you the most after losing your daughter?
One piece of advice that helped me was to find an outlet for my grief was by speaking with others who had lost a child to suicide. Being alone with your grief is dangerous. You must interact with others and realise you are now part of a bigger picture.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about suicide?
A common misconception – three words – blame shame and Stigma (BSS).
These perilous internal messages that are prevalent in suicide.
You are not to blame. There is nothing shameful about your loved one taking their life.
The Stigma needs to be erased globally.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
I hope the reader will take away the above and find meaningful ways of coping via communication whether they are suicidal thoughts or post suicide survival.
Author Links: Website | Facebook
Unsung Heroes
Sea Pay is a memoir of life in the US Navy in the late 70s and early 80s aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Many men and women of our armed forces depart on deployment, work hard, do their jobs, and complete their missions. They are the “unsung heroes” who are never recognized for the price they have paid to protect our great nation.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Most jobs in the military are not glamorous but, they must be performed in order to complete the mission. Somebody must scrub the pots and pans.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger?
“Plan for the future”, . . . It will be here before you know it.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
Military service is tough in many ways. Many keep their tragic and strain-full experiences compartmentalized to keep moving forward. Never underestimate what a veteran has lived through.
Author Links: GoodReads | Linkdin | Facebook | Website
Dorgan quickly turns his job into an adventure that pays very well. With a general court-martial looming, he and his shipmates continue to add adventure and excitement to their “tour of duty,” both on and off the boat-until one night, when an unexpected turn puts an end to it all.
Being An Outsider
The Ghost Comes Out follows the residents of a small town who experience a summer of events that change the residents for life. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Throughout our childhood summers, Stacy and I would spend some time in a small town very much like Grayton in the 1960’s and 70’s with our grandmother. The people were always very nice to us however as we grew older, we wondered what they did for fun since there were no movie theaters or restaurants in the area. They seemed very content to go to church and walk around the town. Being an outsider ( from the city) we began to create scenarios that helped us as we created the characters in our story.
What is the collaboration process of working together to write such an in-depth story with complex plot twists?
My sister Stacy did all of the story telling. She was retired and I wasn’t. So to get the book written, she would write a couple of pages and send them to me to read and then we would discuss how we wanted to move forward. I collaborated with her on certain topics but she was the master story teller.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
We really felt impelled to explore: strong women, sisterly love, domestic abuse, and racism which seem to be as pertinent then as it is today.
What is the next book in the series about, and when will it be available?
The next book is the second book in this trilogy series. It will take the reader to a more present time( 1990’s) and follow the same main characters in depth. As of this writing, we are still working on the second book- now that we are BOTH retired- and so our hope is to have it available by the summer of 2023.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook
Situated in a time shortly after the JFK assassination, the residents of this community–with all their secrets and mysteries to hide–come alive and reveal themselves when the Ghost Comes Out is played. The town is left questioning who in their close-knit community could the “ghost” be as neighbors lock their never-latched doors and question each other with distrust and fear. After the summer of ’64, no citizen in that town is ever quite the same.
This is a moral tale in its way in which the good get their reward and the bad their punishment, but it also recognizes that good people can get caught in the cross fire and that no one is perfect.
LITERARY TITAN 