Blog Archives
A Delicate Balance
In Shelter of the Monument, you share with readers the personal growth you experienced while in a relationship tainted by addiction. Why was it important for you to share your story?
When I was young, shy, and incredibly insecure, the man at the center of this story, gave me the courage to have my own voice, my own place in this world. I didn’t believe I was worthy of that and thus, his gift was huge. I have always credited him with the life I live now. I believe if not for him, I would be someone very different and someone not very happy. Despite this, his reputation didn’t align with what I knew him to be. I felt I owed it to him to share the incredible gift he gave me and to offer a much more positive spin on who he was at heart.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
Once I decided to tell this story, the memories came pouring out. I believe for a memoir to touch others, it must be completely honest. But stories cross into other lives. Thus the hardest part for me was how to tell this story in the way I remember it without hurting others, especially those closest to me. It was a delicate balance and ultimately I accomplished this by changing names and toning down some of my more emotionally charged reflections when possible so as not to hurt others.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about living with a partner battling addiction?
That the person struggling may not want sobriety enough or isn’t trying hard enough, or that the support of one person can fix it all. I learned those lessons the hard way and even though it was often painful, it was yet another gift. Recovery is complicated and for those who love someone battling addiction, the answers may not be as simple as trying harder or supporting more. But the world understands addiction better than when the events of this story took place and thankfully help is more widely available now.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your experience?
People are much more than their addictions.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Sometimes the wrong person says the right thing, and it makes all the difference.
In this coming-of-age memoir we meet Richard, a handsome, charming, mischievous, great guy with a fondness for the 1980s party drug of choice, cocaine. Yvonne is 11 years younger, awkward, terrified of her own shadow and even more frightened by the idea of disappointing anyone in her life.
Their attraction makes no sense.
Despite obstacles beyond their control, they are exactly what each other is drawn to as they set about doing the best they can, in all four seasons of their beautiful, one season town, Provincetown, MA. Their connection remains the one thing that can save Yvonne from herself, even while Richard struggles under the weight of his own self-imposed demons.
What they develop is a relationship that unbeknownst to both of them, would last a lifetime and change Yvonne in ways she never thought possible.
They were not supposed to be together.
Yet, they refused to stay apart.
Serenity and Freedom
Baby Darlin’ is an illustrated memoir that explores your life that has been shaped by addiction, abuse, and generational trauma. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It is important for me to tell my story to help other survivors by unveiling the shame and secrets and giving them hope. Writing it in first person allowed me to really identify with the pain from the trauma and work through it and in the end feeling an ultimate sense of serenity and freedom.
What was the most challenging part of writing your memoir and what was the most rewarding?
The rape scene in the chapter “Oleander” was the most challenging to relive for the sake of explaining disassociating from my body. I had to take a lot of gentleness breaks.
The most rewarding part of my book to write was the last chapter, “The Seaglass Story.” It’s a light-hearted, humorous piece. In recovery, I struggled with identifying with a higher power who I could trust. I questioned If I let go of my addiction would it be there to relieve the obsession, and guide me. Find out in “The Seaglass Story.”
How has writing your memoir impacted or changed your life?
It has changed my life by giving me a sense of freedom and self-love. It has opened the door to allow readers to share their experience with me which has been the most gratifying experience.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
I would like the reader to find their voice, speak their truth, and squash their shame.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Most of them are dead.
Silence is broken and the secret unearthed.
Surviving the Cajun Curse, her mentally ill momma calls her, Baby Darlin’. Pig calls her Brillo and takes away her innocence by using her to escape his own twisted mind. Her cousin Willy, calls her Snaggle but she doesn’t care, she thinks they will marry someday. Her Papa, a recovered alcoholic, her hero. Her Grandma, the ever present Shamer, is a dark shadow to remind her of her worth. Her drug & love addiction takes her through a series of abusive love stories and finally she proudly escapes into the loving arms of a higher power.
This illustrated memoir brutally rips off the bandaid and exposes the stigma around child sexual abuse, with compassion and insight through the eyes of a brave little girl, Baby Darlin’.
Literary Titan Gold Book Award: Nonfiction
The Literary Titan Book Award recognizes outstanding nonfiction books that demonstrate exceptional quality in writing, research, and presentation. This award is dedicated to authors who excel in creating informative, enlightening, and engaging works that offer valuable insights. Recipients of this award are commended for their ability to transform complex topics into accessible and compelling narratives that captivate readers and enhance our understanding.
Award Recipients
World War III by Kenneth Hamer-Hodges
We All want to be Happy by Ann Mullen-Martin
It’s TIME TO GROW: How Focusing On Spiritual Growth Can Transform Your Life and Relationships
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan Silver Book Award October 2024
Celebrating the brilliance of outstanding authors who have captivated us with their skillful prose, engaging narratives, and compelling real and imagined characters. We recognize books that stand out for their innovative storytelling and insightful exploration of truth and fiction. Join us in honoring the dedication and skill of these remarkable authors as we celebrate the diverse and rich worlds they’ve brought to life, whether through the realm of imagination or the lens of reality.
Award Recipients
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Our Spiritual Selves
In We All Want To Be Happy, you share with readers the wisdom you have gained throughout your life and personal experiences with love, loss, and resilience. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I have been blessed in that I have been surrounded by people who support me. I’ve learned a great deal from them about how best to truly enjoy life with all of its ups and downs. Also, at 80, I want to leave some thoughts and some hints of who I am for my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. My kids might even get a greater understanding of where they came from.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
I truly do not find it difficult to write about any part of my life from the early death of my mom through the sudden deaths of my two husbands. I rather find it cathartic and an opportunity to remind myself of how fortunate I was to have them.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger?
Slow down and enjoy each day a bit more. I’m not sure I would have taken it and I’m not sure it wasn’t offered. I do know I didn’t hear it. I was always eager for the next chapter; I have since learned to live in the now and anticipate the future as a probability, but not a promise.
What is one thing you hope your readers take away from We All Want To Be Happy?
Life is to be enjoyed every day and learned from in every circumstance. There is no up without a down – a bland life teaches nothing. I believe our purpose here is to learn and to grow our spiritual selves toward peace and love.
The Fight Against Terrorism
Agent Without a Name, A True Story of an Exceptional Life as a Private Security Consultant and Undercover Agent, offers readers a captivating glimpse into your extraordinary life as a lifelong spy and double agent and the lessons you learned over the years. What inspired you to share your story?
I know that not many people are afforded the opportunity to do what I’ve done in my life for so many different countries over a relatively long period of time. As long as I’ve been working with intelligence, I’ve never met anyone else quite like me: a “freelance” agent for five, six, (or more) countries simultaneously. I humbly believe that I have some unique insights into some of the major challenges of our times, such as terrorism, from an international perspective. My hope is that people can learn from my experiences and hard-earned lessons and also enjoy a surprising, true-life story about espionage.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
There are a few important ideas that I hope readers take away from the book. I’ll name a few.
First, the fight against terrorism cannot be constrained by borders. Terrorists don’t respect borders, and to win against them, there needs to be close cooperation between law enforcement, military, and intelligence between allies.
Second, the more the media covers terrorist acts, the more likely copycat crimes will occur. The public needs to be informed about terrorism, but the coverage should not glorify the terrorists, which it sometimes seems to do.
Third, the “West,” or the free world, needs to stick together to defend our freedoms and our security.
Fourth, I’m fluent in four and a half languages – Italian, French, German, English, and Russian, my mother tongue, is the half, I joke (because I rarely use it anymore). I believe language is important and should be taught from a young age.
Fifth, I hope the book is a message to people in the future who find themselves in similar situations.
And finally, there’s no better time to act to fix a problem than right now!
How did you balance the need to be honest and authentic with the need to protect your privacy and that of others in your memoir?
First, let me say that the book is all truthful. While we’ve changed the names of (most) people and organizations, the story is faithful to reality. While this made writing the book a bit more challenging, it does not detract from the reader’s ability to follow the story. Changing someone’s name doesn’t alter the impact or authenticity. What’s important is how I worked with my colleagues, how they collaborated with me, how we trusted each other, and how we all reacted to the circumstances that we found ourselves in – many unpredictable and potentially deadly. I believe that the themes and lessons should resonate just as well 100 years from now because they’re stories about real people.
What is one thing that people point out after reading your book that surprises you?
I’ve known many of my colleagues for nearly 50 years. I consider some of them to be my closest friends. But part of the nature of this business (intelligence and espionage) is that you know when you shouldn’t ask too many questions. So many of my friends and colleagues did not know my full life story and how I got started in this business. After my friends finished the book, many of them said, “Now I know who you are, really!” For most people, it probably seems funny that people you’ve known for five decades would have this reaction. However, when your “business” is secrecy, maybe it shouldn’t be so surprising!
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
“You never really retire from a life of counterterrorism, international counterfeit rings, and haute cuisine,” says Serge Smith.
Born in Italy shortly before the start of WW2 to a Russian-Jewish mother, Serge spoke Russian at home, Italia on the streets, and learned German at school. Later, he learned French and English. That set him up for a double life: as a private security consultant and an intelligence asset for select countries around the world.From humble beginnings as a Russian émigré, Serge went from working in secure computer centers to living a high life of danger and intrigue as an undercover agent. Working with Italian, German, British, and other intelligence services in counterterrorism and breaking counterfeit rings across the globe, he became “the guy to call” whenever something needed fixing. In a time when terrorism and organized crime dominated the headlines, Serge forged a life full of sting operations, travel, and fast cars.Agent Without a Name chronicles the life of an international man of mystery. Full of historical intrigue, breakthrough business deals, high-stakes counterterrorism, and international crime-busting during the Cold war era, this memoir, coauthored by William Michael, is Serge Smith’s true life story.
The Importance of Perspectives
You Are Allowed: A Story of Finding Where You Belong, Not Where You Began shares your story of searching for your birth mom while exploring your own emotions and memories of growing up and how it has impacted your personal identity. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It was an incredibly important book to write because I was feeling lost and without a true sense of belonging. Living that way, without roots or a solid foundation, is incredibly difficult. Writing this book helped me process those feelings and begin to find my own place in the world. Ultimately, I found my sense of belonging within the pages of my memoir—within myself.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
I think the whole book was difficult to write. Initially, I started writing from the perspective of a victim—being adopted made me feel like I had been abandoned. But as I wrote, the manuscript led me to face some of the hardest stories of my life. When I began, I never imagined I would share such intimate parts of my journey, but doing so allowed me to forgive and release. By the time I finished, I was grateful for my adoption. I let go of judgment and found internal peace and freedom.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
One of the most important ideas I wanted to share is the importance of perspectives. We all see things differently, and I believe this is an opportunity for connection between people. I’m sure my parents, my birth mom, and my sister all have very different views of what really happened with my adoption. But that’s the beauty and freedom that writing gives us—space to explore our own perspectives. Another key theme for me was the complexity of the relationship between a mother and her daughter, particularly being both a daughter and a mother myself. That dual experience really shaped my writing.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
I hope readers understand that they have the power to reflect on their own lives, release past hurts, and experience rebirth. But most importantly, I want them to take away that it’s essential to forgive themselves first, love themselves first, and respect themselves first.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Freegiftfromodelia | Amazon
Esther, a young woman living in a kibbutz in the south of Israel, undertakes a journey to find her biological mother who abandoned her at birth in Paris. She is fueled with the belief that reuniting with her birth mother will provide the answers she’s been searching for and will fill the void she’s been feeling her entire life.
In careful and precise writing, You ARE Allowed takes the reader through turbulent pieces of Esther’s life journey: her childhood in France, a relationship with an Israeli woman that exposes her to a world of crime and danger, an unplanned pregnancy, and a seemingly routine life in Israel filled with secrets and old wounds.
Landed: A Yogi’s Memoir In Pieces & Poses
Landed: A Yogi’s Memoir in Pieces and Poses, by Jennifer Lang, is a deeply personal exploration of identity, culture, and the search for belonging. Lang, torn between the United States and Israel, grapples with feeling like an outsider in both places, constantly navigating the expectations of each. Her struggle is mirrored within her family, where two opposing approaches to their Jewish heritage—one modern and flexible, the other more traditional and rigid—create an ongoing internal tug-of-war.
This memoir traces Lang’s journey as she seeks to find herself in the space between these conflicting worlds. Drawing on both her writing and yoga practice, she embarks on a quest to discover which culture and location she can truly call home. Lang delves into her personal history and the challenges of being caught between two distinct yet intertwined identities through a series of essays and reflections. Lang’s writing shines in its portrayal of the complexities faced by Jewish women—whether in their connection to Israel, to their families, or to their own sense of self. Her storytelling is both witty and introspective, weaving in moments of self-discovery alongside the backdrop of yoga poses that serve as metaphors for her emotional journey. She offers readers a poignant look at life in Israel, vividly depicting both the beauty and the turmoil that coexist there. Her compassion for the land and its people is evident, as is her keen awareness of the personal and political struggles that shape daily life. Throughout the memoir, Lang’s internal conflict is palpable, inviting readers to reflect on their own definitions of home and belonging. The raw honesty with which she portrays her emotional and spiritual battles allows the reader to connect with her on a deeply personal level. Her reflections serve as an inspiration to anyone navigating the difficult balance between familial obligations and self-discovery, encouraging others to look inward and consider what truly feels like home.
While Landed will likely resonate most with women both younger and older, it offers valuable insights for anyone striving to find peace within themselves amid external pressures. In a world where societal and familial expectations often overshadow personal growth, Lang’s memoir paves the way for self-exploration and empowerment, making it a must-read for those seeking to prioritize their own journeys of self-discovery, regardless of age or circumstance.
Pages: 267 | ASIN: B0DB97P6FP
LITERARY TITAN 