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Literary Titan Gold Book Award May 2023
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise, and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Award Recipients
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan Silver Book Award May 2023
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise, and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Award Recipients
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
resilient
Katherine Turner’s resilient memoir is a powerful and candid account of her journey through a childhood marked by abuse, neglect, mental illness, addiction, and poverty. Turner’s story begins with her parents’ struggles with addiction and her father’s frequent absence from her life due to work. Tragically, her childhood was plagued with sexual abuse and emotional trauma, and she did not receive the love and care that she needed. Following her parents’ separation and her mother’s rehab, Turner and her sister were placed in foster care, and at a young age, Turner had to become a parent to her little sister while navigating her own trauma. Though her new home provided a stable and caring environment, Turner continued to struggle with the traumas of her past, loneliness, and difficult choices. In her efforts to cope, she turned to self-harm and addiction, ultimately realizing she was following in her biological parents’ footsteps.
resilient is a profoundly moving and candid memoir that captivated me from beginning to end. Turner’s vivid descriptions and raw vulnerability took me through a range of emotions as I followed her story of struggle and shame. Turner’s storytelling is both heart-wrenching and inspiring, highlighting the immense strength required to overcome one’s past and build a better future. This book is not an easy read, but it is important. Turner’s experiences shed light on the need to listen to abuse victims and provide support during difficult times. Her honesty and bravery in sharing her story are commendable, and her resolve is genuinely inspiring. resilient offers an unflinching look at the effects of abuse, neglect, and addiction on a person’s life and touches on themes of trauma, healing, growth, and resilience.
The memoir, resilient, is a touching and inspirational story about survival and overcoming the obstacles that life hands you. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a poignant and thought-provoking read that showcases the strength of the human spirit in overcoming adversity.
Pages: 525 | ASIN : B09BBPKFFZ
Where Have I Been All My Life
A memoir offers a unique perspective on a particular time in one’s life from the author’s point of view. In Where Have I Been All My Life, Lisa Benson shares her personal journey of self-discovery and transformation. The author candidly reflects on her life, admitting to making mistakes, and shares the valuable lessons she learned through therapy. This inspirational book is organized into four sections and thirty-four chapters, each addressing a specific challenge that Benson faced and the decisions she made to create a more fulfilling life. While the book may seem like a lengthy read at 300 pages, the language is clear and accessible, making it a smooth ride for readers. Benson’s experiences are thoughtfully sorted, labeled, and organized into neat units that are easy to follow.
One of the notable aspects of the book is the author’s artful use of flashbacks to provide context and history to the next area to be addressed. As Benson shares her story, she encourages readers to look back and evaluate their own experiences to gain insights and grow. Benson’s memoir serves as a guidebook, offering introspection and evaluation without being prescriptive. She recommends readers, particularly women, free themselves from behavior patterns that proved damaging in her own experience. The author identifies ways in which even seemingly positive habits could prove to be based on or create insecurities and pain.
Where Have I Been All My Life is a cautionary tale that readers can learn from. However, Benson’s journey of self-discovery and transformation offers valuable lessons on how to turn roadblocks into doorways for growth. It’s an informative read that anyone can benefit from.
Pages: 239 | ASIN : B0BKQR4WD3
Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone
An Accidental Parisian is a memoir chronicling your journey from Toronto to navigating the challenges of being a French national and citizen of three countries while unraveling the forces and circumstances that brought you to where you are today. Why was this an important memoir for you to write?
In order to fully understand how and why I got here, I needed to reach back and trace the trajectory of my life from a happy child, rebellious teenager, and questing adult to the European citizen and resident of France that I am today. I needed to see how circumstances and family events dictated my choice to settle permanently in Europe (and not in my homeland of Canada). In this respect, I wrote the memoir for myself.
The second reason that motivated me to write the book was the other Parisian memoirs I had read, written by British, American, Canadian, and Australian women like me. While very good and hugely entertaining, I concluded that my personal story was just as interesting as theirs … even more so!
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
The death of my parents and the void it has left in my life. I miss their presence and integrity; their benevolence and emotional support. But writing about my mother and father brought them back to life (and evoked happier times), so it wasn’t entirely painful.
What is one thing about Paris that you feel is little-known or underrated?
The diversity and charm of the different neighborhoods and arrondissements of the city. Throw away your tourist map and get lost; there are hidden gems to discover when one dares to stray off the beaten track. Leafy parks, gardens, and squares; small museums; churches, canals, and quiet residential boulevards. Admire the elegant Haussmann architecture and pop into boutiques, bistros, and boulangeries frequented by the locals. Currently, my two favorite arrondissements for wandering are the 12th and the 14th.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
To be adventurous. To have faith in the universe. To step out of your comfort zone and open yourself up to new experiences; hopefully, you’ll be rewarded.
Also, to be your own best friend. Life is full of surprises, good and bad, and unexpected detours. You might lose friends and family along the way … people will betray you … and you’ll have only yourself to fall back on. So, self-reliance. You need to be there … for you. You need to be your own cheerleader and support system.
Author Website: https://julietinparis.net/
Chronicling her story from an idyllic childhood in a Toronto suburb to France where she lives and works today, we follow Juliet—first to Montpellier to study French at Paul Valéry University only to end up in the role of French housewife at the age of 24—and onwards to Paris where she discovers the city and its residents, hunts for a job and an apartment, works in an advertising agency and then at Reuters, all while rollicking adventures—romantic and otherwise—are thrust upon her.
A feminist, Juliet finds France to be a deeply patriarchal and sexist society, and the women acquiescent.
At the book’s core are Juliet’s loving and successful parents. She plans to return home and to them, and settle permanently. But when her father suddenly dies, and her mother six years later, her world comes crashing down.
The book is called An Accidental Parisian because it was never the author’s intention to live abroad for so long. In an endeavor to understand how this happened, she must cast back to her beginnings—and her parents’ beginnings—and piece together the forces, choices and circumstances that brought her to where she is today: a French national and citizen of three countries, still living and working in Paris.
Instant Parenthood
What to Expect When You Weren’t Expecting is a heartwarming memoir sharing your challenges and experiences marrying a man with two children and navigating the role of a stepparent. Why was this an important book for you to write?
When I was thrown into instant parenthood, I went to the bookstore and library assuming that I’d easily find a “Stepparenting for Dummies” type resource. This was not the case. When I spoke to a few counselors, the advice always leaned towards being the silent parenting partner. For years, I thought perhaps stepmothers were rare.
The further I got into my role, the more I realized that step parenting was not rare at all, that blended families were everywhere, and that we were all being given advice that was not realistic or useful.
As my family began to turn the corner from struggling to surviving to succeeding, I knew that my story would help others. It is not a blended marriage “saver,” but it does touch on many topics that I hope will make those struggling understand why they are struggling. I wanted to give those brave enough to take on this role an ally. I wanted to offer a voice that matched theirs and one that could verify a light at the end of a long tunnel.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
Any time the word “fail” appears (or “tears” or “frustration” or “arguments”), you must know that I was likely writing with a pit in my stomach and minutes away from forgoing this project. Sharing that I used to hide in the shower sobbing feels like the most blatant admittance of failure, something I was not accustomed to. I have never failed over and over and over in anything – yet there I was, trapped with three people who could not handle another lost parent or wife. And later, there I was, preparing to expose all of my shortcomings to the world.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were a new stepmom?
It’s funny, as I’m currently recording the audiobook I’ve just narrowed down that one piece of advice: Honor History.
Honor who you are and who you were before coming into this parenting role. Make space to enjoy hobbies or activities that are truly just for you.
Honor your children’s past. Ask them about the happy times, ask about their favorite vacations or what they love the most about their biological mother. Display photos from that previous live, even if only in their bedroom.
Honor your partner’s road. Divorcing is not a happy time, often full of trauma that lasts for years (if not decades). Give your husband the space to grieve and be willing to walk him through that process.
What is one thing readers take away from your story?
Hopefully, that it will be okay in the end. And, I suppose, that the road is longer than they are anticipating. Success takes time and patience and endless do-overs. Success may look different for others than it did for me – but it will come, eventually. It will be okay in the end and when it is, much of the tumultuous times will become moments that bring the most pride.
Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Website
What to Expect When You Weren’t Expecting is a memoir chronicling Jyl Barlow’s bumpy road to success as a (step)mother. Shared are the struggles of being inserted into an existing family that has yet to fully emerge from the emotional woodchipper of divorce. Jyl shares real-world lessons, not the mumbo-jumbo one can receive for the low price of a co-pay. If you are a (step)mom or on the path to becoming a (step)mom, or if you know a (step)mom, this book will serve as a sanity saver, offering endless reassurance in knowing that you are not alone in your struggle to find stability.
This memoir is for the whole family, meant to be shared among husbands and mothers-in-law and (step)children and, well, maybe ex-wives. What to Expect When You Weren’t Expecting offers readers a greater understanding of just how difficult it is for (step)mothers to dive headfirst into a role in which they are typically not welcome.
The Fifth Wife
The Fifth Wife by Soua Lee is a compelling and inspirational tale that follows the journey of Mai Cee, a Hmong woman who faces numerous challenges in her pursuit of independence and self-improvement. Upon arriving in America as a child, Mai Cee grapples with language barriers and cultural differences while attending school. Despite these difficulties, she excels as a student, and her family recognizes her potential.
Throughout the narrative, Mai Cee’s steadfast determination to better herself and support her family is commendable. Despite growing up in a troubled household, she sought to understand the meaning of love and to feel worthy of it. However, when she meets James, her life takes a dramatic turn, as her relationship with him is met with prejudice from her family. Despite her desire to be with James, she is constantly tormented by unfounded opinions and the lies of the past, leading her to question her emotions. Mai Cee shares numerous life lessons learned through pain and struggle, providing readers with insight into the complexities of the human experience. The detailed narration is a testament to the fact that no one is entirely good or bad, and everyone does the best they can from their perspective. Despite the arguments and challenges Mai Cee faces, her parents always had her best interests at heart. Moreover, The Fifth Wife explores how social influences can impact one’s dreams and aspirations. However, it also emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and the ability to overcome obstacles to move forward.
The Fifth Wife is a remarkable story, and while some of the explanations may appear repetitive, they are essential to understanding the intricacies of Hmong culture. The book will resonate with readers who value the significance of family and love, regardless of their customs. Mai Cee’s journey serves as an inspiration for anyone struggling to find their true self in challenging times, demonstrating the importance of not letting the past dictate one’s future. This engaging and thought-provoking memoir encourages readers to strive for a better future.
Pages: 353 | ASIN : B0BNCJZBLY
LITERARY TITAN 