Blog Archives
Encouraging Emotional Openness
Anxious Amy: Calming the Worries Within follows an anxious young teen who appears cheerful but feels overwhelmed inside, and how her mom and counselor help her learn to manage these feelings.
The book emphasizes that asking for help is a sign of strength. Why do you think that message is especially important for young readers today?
Strength is especially important for young readers today because many children struggle with self-doubt and a lack of confidence when it comes to expressing their thoughts and feelings. Young people often feel pressure to handle challenges on their own or worry about being judged if they speak up. By emphasizing communication and the importance of asking for help, the book encourages emotional openness, builds confidence, and helps children develop healthy coping skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. By reinforcing this idea early on in youth, the book aims to strengthen a quality in them that may have been lost along the way—the understanding that vulnerability and communication can be powerful, not weaknesses.
The use of color plays a powerful role in Amy’s emotional journey. How did that concept develop?
Color is used to visually reflect Amy’s emotional journey and make her feelings easy for young readers to understand. Amy’s character begins in black and white to represent confusion, isolation, and the heaviness of anxiety. As Amy learns to understand her feelings, communicate, and receive support to manage her anxiety, color gradually fills the pages as Amy becomes more visible, symbolizing growing confidence, healing, and hope. This shift shows children that progress takes time and doesn’t happen all at once and that brighter moments are possible, even after feeling overwhelmed.
How can adults use this story as a conversation starter with children or teens?
This story offers a gentle, non-threatening way for adults to start meaningful conversations with children or teens about emotions. Its short, visually inviting format makes it easy to read together at home, in classrooms, or in therapeutic settings. By discussing the character’s feelings first, adults can ask open-ended questions that encourage children to reflect without feeling pressured or singled out.
Focusing on the story helps normalize conversations about anxiety, emotions, and asking for help. This indirect approach encourages open meaningful dialogue amongst young readers, at their own pace while fostering understanding, emotional awareness, and connection.
Author links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website
Messy and Imperfect is Still Meaningful
In Rainbow Gold, you share your losses, lessons learned, and the long-term effects of making meaningful choices as you transitioned from struggling restaurant owner to building a thriving aviation insurance group. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Rainbow Gold was important for me to write because it captures the philosophy that has shaped every stage of my life, that you can build something valuable and meaningful at the same time. During my early struggles owning a restaurant and retail business in South Africa, I made many missteps and got some hard lessons in business and leadership, and success seemed elusive and distant. Over time, I realized the real reward isn’t at the end of the road; it’s woven into the journey; the relationships, resilience, impact, and identity you build along the way.
When my teams surprised me one holiday season with deeply personal notes about why they loved working at our company, it crystallized what I now call Rainbow Gold: the belief that fulfillment doesn’t need to be deferred. You can build it into your business and your life right now.
I wrote this book to show entrepreneurs and leaders that the process of building something, or learning how to build something, even in its messy, imperfect stages, can be just as meaningful as the outcome.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
The hardest parts to write were the chapters where I had to revisit failures, missteps, and emotionally heavy moments, both from my early ventures in South Africa and later, from navigating sensitive family partnership dynamics in our current business. Those years were formative, but they also involved painful mistakes and setbacks that I hadn’t revisited in a long time.
As a leader who values responsibility and clarity, admitting where I fell short required vulnerability. But leaving those moments out would have made the lessons less authentic. Readers don’t benefit from a polished highlight reel; they benefit from the full picture, including the chapters where the stakes were high and things didn’t go right.
Those candid moments ended up being some of the most resonant for readers, which affirmed why they needed to be in the book.
Did you learn anything about yourself as you wrote this book?
Absolutely. Writing Rainbow Gold reaffirmed that resilience is built in the small, daily choices you make when no one is watching, those “butterfly effect” moments, not in dramatic turning points. As I revisited years of experiences, I saw that it wasn’t one brilliant strategy or one lucky break that moved me forward; it was consistency, perseverance, and staying anchored to my values even in uncertainty.
I also learned that people, my teams, clients, mentors, and family, have always been my true driving force. I learned from my father and I’ve said for years that relationships matter more than anything in business, but writing the book helped me understand how deeply this principle has shaped my identity and my approach to leadership.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from Rainbow Gold?
If readers take only one idea away, I hope it’s this: You don’t have to choose between building a successful business and building a meaningful life.
When you invest in people, relationships, and values-driven decisions, financial success will follow organically and it will be financial success that is sustainable and legacy building.
Rainbow Gold is about rejecting the idea that fulfillment comes only at the end of the journey. Instead, it shows that the “pot of gold” is much broader than profit alone. Making money and being financially successful is certainly an important part of it, but equally important is the legacy you create, the people you grow, the impact you make, and the pride you can take in the work you do every day. When you get your business to the point where you can both fill your wallet and fill your soul, you’ve struck Rainbow Gold!
If this book encourages someone to build a business with purpose instead of pressure, with sustainability instead of scale, and to enjoy the journey instead of waiting for one perfect moment, then it will have been a success from my perspective.
Author Website
“David Hampson has written the antidote to startup culture’s obsession with quick exits and venture capital. Rainbow Gold presents a compelling case for building businesses that become life’s work-sustainable, profitable enterprises that provide both financial rewards and deep personal fulfillment. Through his journey from restaurant owner in South Africa to aviation insurance entrepreneur, Hampson demonstrates that the real treasure isn’t reaching the end of the rainbow, but enjoying every step of the journey while building something lasting for your family and community.”-J.J. Hebert, Founder & CEO, MindStir Media; USA Today, WSJ, and #1 Amazon Bestselling Author
In Rainbow Gold, David Hampsonshares his journey from a college student immersed in science courses—with no formal business education—to becoming a successful acquisition entrepreneur and recognized industry thought leader. This book is for aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs alike, offering a candid look at the challenges, triumphs, and transformative lessons of finding and building a business that is not just a stepping stone but the ultimate destination. Central to the narrative is the “butterfly effect”; the idea that small, decisive actions can create monumental shifts in your life and business. Through David’s story, readers will learn how embracing opportunities and acting decisively can lead to extraordinary outcomes, often in unexpected ways. Rainbow Gold shows what the real “end game” looks like: not an exit strategy, but a deeply fulfilling business that doesn’t need to be sold because its value goes far beyond dollars. It’s about creating a business that represents the pot of gold at the end of your rainbow, one that provides both tangible and intangible rewards. And once obtained, rainbow gold doesn’t trade in fiat currency! With humor, honesty, and practical advice, Rainbow Gold inspires readers to see entrepreneurship not just as a career path, but as a calling that can transform their lives and the lives of those around them.
Armando and Maisie
Armando and Maisie is a tender collection of poems that tells the story of a man who lives mostly in the woods of Central Park and the dog who adores him. The book moves through small encounters between the narrator, his dog Maisie, and Armando. Each poem gives another glimpse of Armando’s gentle philosophy, his odd wit, his hardships, and his unwavering affection for animals. The story grows quietly and steadily. It becomes a portrait of friendship, aging, loss, and the strange joy of showing up for another creature again and again.
As I read the book, I kept stopping to feel the weight of its simple lines. The poet uses plain talk, almost casual, yet the emotion sneaks up on you. I felt pulled in by the mix of sweetness and ache. The writing is warm and steady. It never tries to impress. It just speaks. I liked that. I liked how the poems let small moments breathe. A dog leaning her weight on a man. A red cap in the rain. A squirrel sitting like a regular at a bar. These little things hit harder than I expected. They felt honest and felt close to life.
Armando’s thoughts on time, change, or space might sound whimsical at first, but they left me thinking long after. I could feel the poet wrestling with affection for a man who is both joyful and worn down. I could feel his fear as Maisie ages. I could feel that sinking sense when someone doesn’t show up to their usual bench. The poems made me laugh at one moment and swallow hard the next. That swing in feeling gave the book a raw, authentic quality.
By the end, I cared about these two figures in the woods. I cared about the man who feeds the birds and the dog who looks for him, whether he’s there or not. I’d recommend this book to readers who like quiet stories with a lot of heart. Dog lovers will melt. City walkers will recognize the strange intimacy of passing friendships. Anyone who has lost someone, waited for someone, or loved someone in a simple daily way will find something here that settles in and stays awhile.
Pages: 67 | ASIN : B0FPDP4PKL
Within The Hearts And Minds
Morning of a Crescent Moon follows a young nurse-turned-teacher who arrives in an Illinois mining town on the brink of violence and discovers how ordinary lives, relationships, and quiet courage shape history. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for the very beginning and for the aeronaut descending into the town of Virden was to bring the reader down from the twenty-first century into this town in 1898. It’s my metaphor for bridging the distance between what we know from the academic articles and newspaper accounts to what was really going on within the hearts and minds of the people who lived through this event. I recently posted a blog that explains why I chose to write the Battle of Virden as historical fiction. https://njschrock.com/2026/01/13/why-historical-fiction/
The reason I chose the character of Cate Merry and her arrival as the setup is that the reader learns about the town through her experiences rather than me, the author, adding exposition. As Cate learns about the brewing trouble and becomes emotionally entangled with the people and events, so does the reader.
At least a couple of the characters were inspired by my family members. Cate’s Aunt Alice had qualities of my grandmother Mary, a coal miner’s wife, and Harry was based on my father as a young boy.
Why was it important to tell the labor struggle through relationships and daily routines rather than focusing on the events themselves?
The events themselves can be understood by reading summaries and academic articles. But I wanted readers to really care about this event and these people. I wanted them to become invested in a labor struggle so that they might then empathize with the ongoing labor struggles today. I wanted this event to be experienced by readers.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The power of individuals is magnified by unity. If there is an injustice, the way for the populace to bring about change is to unify. Unity is the main way people who are not billionaires can bring about change. One way we do this is to vote. Other ways are to protest, to strike, to communicate. But all of these require people in numbers to be effective.
The interests of capital often are in conflict with the interests of its laborers. Businesses are under constant pressure to maximize profits, and if publicly held, maximize the return to shareholders. They are not obligated to maximize returns to stakeholders, such as employees, the communities in which they operate, or even the United States. I know this firsthand. I worked for twenty-five years at a large corporation and held a management role, serving on business and product development teams. The push by high-level management to acquire cheaper labor in China and India has parallels with the Virden mine operator’s plans to bring in Black workers from Alabama. I could see history repeating, and I felt there were lessons to be learned from the Battle of Virden. I wanted to broaden the public awareness of this historic event.
What do you hope modern readers take away from this period of labor history and its relevance today?
In Chapter 22, a coal miner and a leader in the 1897 strike, Alexander Bradley, gives a speech that I wrote based on the newspaper accounts of what he told the miners during the 1897 strike and what he says in his memoir. He clarifies for a Virden crowd what the stakes are in their fight: “The battle for workers’ rights, the right to exercise the only power we have, which is the right to organize, will be under threat—again—and again—and again. It’ll be fought in a thousand places: in coal fields, in factories, in railways, in dockyards, and anywhere workers are not paid the living wages they deserve for pouring the hours of their lives into their labors….”
I hope that readers will come to appreciate the sacrifices made by those who came before us and that in some industries, we still face many of the same challenges they faced in 1898. So, we have to “carry the torch,” and work to make this country a place where we want to live. That’s what these miners were fighting for.
Change can be brought about if enough people stand up for what they believe.
Author Links: GoodReads | Threads | Facebook | Website | X | Blue Sky
In Morning of a Crescent Moon, N. J. Schrock renders the tumult of the 1898 Battle of Virden with a storyteller’s grace, fusing historical truth with imagined lives.
Against the backdrop of labor unrest and the gathering storm of violence, Cate Merry-a young woman scarred by war and seeking renewal-steps into a town divided by strikes and shadows. There she encounters Noah McCall, a miner bound by duty to his siblings and by circumstance to the perils of the pit.
As Virden braces for conflict, their stories entwine with the fates of families, workers, and townsfolk caught in the crosscurrents of justice, sacrifice, and survival.
Both elegy and love story, the novel gives voice to the ordinary people whose courage and longing shaped one of America’s fiercest struggles for dignity.
I had time. I had anger. And I was bored.
Mortal Vengeance follows a group of wayward teens who come face-to-face with a horrifying reaper-like being while seeking revenge on a cruel teacher. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
It actually started in a very petty way. During my first month of ninth grade, I came home with a D+ in Spanish on my first report card. It was the first time I had ever received a grade like that, and my parents decided I was too distracted. Their solution was simple and brutal: they removed everything from my bedroom except the lightbulbs.
No TV. No Nintendo 64. No dial-up internet.
I had time. I had anger. And I was bored.
That frustration bled directly into the story. Mortal Vengeance opens with Marcos saying, “That old hag is going to pay,” which perfectly captured my headspace at the time. I was steeped in teenage resentment and heavily influenced by the slasher films of the late ’90s—Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer. With nothing else to do at night, writing became the only way to channel that anger somewhere safe.
What began as a rough slasher script was chaotic, but something interesting happened: people wanted more. I showed a few pages to a friend, and suddenly, classmates were demanding new chapters, threatening me if I showed up empty-handed. I didn’t know it then, but writing helped me process emotions I didn’t yet have the tools to understand. Over time, that raw revenge fantasy evolved into something intentional—a story about how small injustices spiral into something monstrous. What started as anger became craft.
Do you find yourself relating to your characters as you write?
Absolutely—but not in a one-to-one way.
In Mortal Vengeance, the boys were modeled after my friends, with some liberties taken. Alex, in particular, began as a partial self-portrait. His emotional intensity, his insecurity, and the way he uses humor or singing as a coping mechanism—that’s very much me.
Beyond that, I relate to my characters the way a parent relates to their children. You create them, but they are not you. They have their own histories and blind spots. My priority is to give them a reason to be flawed and human. Sometimes I’ll lend them one of my own experiences to ground them emotionally, but ultimately, they have to stand on their own.
What is the challenging aspect of writing a thriller? The most rewarding?
The biggest challenge is pacing—especially in a genre where suspension of disbelief is fragile. I love films like Scream, but I’ve always struggled with how quickly logic collapses once a killer is established. Why aren’t they hiding? Why are they splitting up? In Mortal Vengeance, once the Grim Cojuelo appears, the escalation is relentless by design so the characters don’t have time to question the logic.
The most rewarding part is earning the reader’s trust. When readers are willing to come along for the ride—through fear, grief, and chaos—you know the emotional connection is working. I find the “B-Roll” sections of my book especially meaningful because they offer a quiet intimacy. They give readers space to bond with the characters, so when the danger finally comes, it hits much harder.
Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?
Yes—very much so. And sooner than you think.
Mortal Vengeance throws readers straight into action, but it only hints at how things reached that breaking point. Mortal Vengeance: A Grim Tale explores what came before: the systems, institutions, and personal failures that normalized cruelty long before the first act of revenge. It’s a different kind of horror—less spectacle, more psychological reckoning.
At the center of the prequel is Julián, a character briefly referenced in the main novel, here brought fully into focus. Through his perspective, the story examines how institutional pressure, moral compromise, and silence converge around a single student. Alongside him is Lucía, his closest friend and emotional anchor, whose loyalty is tested as the darkness deepens. Readers also meet younger versions of Marcos, Fernando, Alex, Enrique, Melissa, and Mónika—before identities harden and choices become irreversible.
The two books can be read in either order. Starting with Mortal Vengeance emphasizes mystery and shock; the prequel becomes an excavation. Starting with A Grim Tale emphasizes dread and inevitability; the main novel then lands as a consequence rather than a surprise.
I’m also finishing the first draft of the sequel, Mortal Vengeance II: To Reel or Not Too Real? It’s a major narrative risk and a necessary evolution for the series. If all goes well, readers can expect it toward the end of the year or early next. I’m excited—and a little terrified—which usually means I’m doing something right.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
In the sun-drenched courtyards of a school in Santo Domingo, a group of friends seals an unbreakable promise: “One for all, and all for one.” With the innocence of youth, they swear to protect each other and stay united, no matter what. But life plays by its own rules, and an act of revenge—fueled by jealousy and old wounds—is about to shatter their world.
What starts as a plan to teach a feared teacher a lesson quickly spirals into uncontrollable terror. Unexplained deaths and brutal attacks begin to haunt their circle, while a shadowy figure known only as El Grim Cojuelo seems to claim victims one by one. Guilt eats away at the friends, paranoia takes hold, and loyalties blur, forcing them to face a reality warped by fear.
Trapped in a nightmare with no way out, the survivors are pushed to confront their own secrets—and the deadly consequences of their actions. With time running out and help far away, will they uncover the truth behind the hooded figure hunting them? Or will their childhood promise be the final thing to break, dragging them all into one last, bloody reckoning?
Mortal Vengeance is a dark, psychological thriller that explores the limits of friendship, the fallout of betrayal, and the razor-thin line between justice and madness. Prepare for a gripping journey packed with tension, shocking revelations, and unexpected twists that will keep you turning pages until the very last chilling breath.
Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers and dark dramas with a Caribbean twist.
If you like:
Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Euphoria, Elite —
you’ll love Mortal Vengeance.
On the Brink—Chaos and Mayhem at the Office
On the Brink is a coming-of-age business novel that follows Dave Powers from a sharp, restless childhood into the pressure cooker of adult ambition. The book traces how early trauma, raw intelligence, and a hunger to succeed push Dave toward entrepreneurship, first in scrappy childhood schemes and later into the unforgiving world of advertising and office politics. It is a story about momentum. How one choice leads to another. How talent can open doors, but character decides what happens once you step through them.
What struck me first was how readable this novel is. Sisti’s writing moves fast and clean, especially in the early chapters. Scenes from Dave’s youth feel grounded and vivid without trying too hard to impress. The fireworks episode, in particular, does a lot of heavy lifting. It is funny, tense, and quietly revealing. You see Dave’s instincts for business forming alongside his blind spots. Sisti has a knack for showing lessons instead of announcing them. When authority figures step in, especially Dave’s father, the moments feel earned rather than preachy. That balance is not easy to pull off.
As the book shifts into adulthood, the tone darkens in a natural way. The office becomes its own kind of wilderness. Less predictable than the woods and far more punishing. I appreciated how author Michael Sisti portrays work culture as something that can shape you or slowly grind you down, depending on how aware you are. There is humor here, but it is the kind that comes from recognition rather than jokes. If you have ever watched a smart person underestimate the emotional cost of ambition, this will feel familiar.
On the Brink feels like a blend of business fiction and a classic coming-of-age story, with a strong autobiographical pulse running underneath. I closed the book feeling like I had spent time with someone who wanted to tell the truth about success, not just celebrate it. I would recommend this novel to readers who enjoy character-driven stories about work, ambition, and personal growth. I think it is especially well-suited for aspiring entrepreneurs, young professionals, or anyone curious about how early life shapes the way we move through the adult world.
Pages: 307 | ASIN : B0DM2V1WBD
Going to Live with Auntie
Andria Williams’ Going to Live with Auntie centers on a young girl facing a profound transition. She leaves the familiar comfort of her home to live with her aunt. The story traces her early days in this new space, shaped by unfamiliar routines and surroundings. Emotions surface quickly. Sadness. Uncertainty. A quiet longing for her parents. Over time, small moments of comfort begin to emerge. The new home slowly feels less distant, offering reassurance as she learns how to live with separation.
One of the book’s greatest strengths lies in its gentle treatment of a delicate subject. Difficult feelings are never dismissed. Sadness, confusion, and yearning are presented honestly and with care. The emotional tone feels sincere and accessible, making the story easy for children to recognize themselves within it. Williams reinforces an important message throughout. Big changes bring big emotions. Those emotions are valid. Sharing them matters.
A particularly thoughtful element appears at the end of the book. A series of conversation prompts invites children and caregivers to reflect together. These questions open space for dialogue. They encourage emotional expression and mutual understanding. What could feel overwhelming becomes manageable. The story extends beyond the page, offering adults practical support as children navigate unfamiliar experiences.
Ponyo Nguyen’s illustrations complement the narrative beautifully. Soft color palettes create a calm atmosphere. Expressive characters communicate feeling without excess. Each image adds emotional clarity, helping young readers grasp the girl’s internal journey. Subtle details reward close observation and deepen engagement. The visuals gently mirror her growing sense of acceptance and safety.
Going to Live with Auntie is a comforting and purposeful book. It suits classrooms, homes, and caregiving spaces alike. For children facing relocation or any meaningful life change, this story provides reassurance. Change can be difficult. It can also bring care, connection, and hope.
Pages: 29 | ASIN : B0DYBNSVMP
Two Connected Souls
Two Connected Souls follows Derrick, his wife Susan, and their young son Ricky as their cozy New England life shatters when a tragedy occurs that leaves Derrick unresponsive and left in a coma. While his body lies in the hospital, his consciousness slips into a bright, unknown dimension where a silent robed figure guides him through scenes from his life and towards a final destination. Back on earth, Ricky feels every shift in his father’s condition and starts to sense that their connection runs deeper than ordinary love. They realized his cell phone that father and son once used as a simple safety net turn into a strange bridge between worlds, allowing Derrick to call home from that other plane and later letting Ricky call his father back from the edge of a darker place. Their bond solidifies into something almost physical, a shared soul connection that lets them touch, travel, and finally find their way back to the family, with the promise of another soul waiting to join them in the future.
Reading it, I felt like I was inside a heartfelt family story first and a spiritual thriller second. The writing leans warm and earnest, full of sensory detail about seasons, snow, and the quiet routines that makes life feel safe. Sometimes the prose stretches a scene, yet that same intensity gives the big emotional beats real weight. I liked how the cell phone, a very ordinary object, becomes a lifeline across dimensions, even if the device occasionally feels a little on the nose. The dialogue often spells things out in plain terms. Sometimes I wanted more subtext, but the hospital scenes, the accident, and Ricky’s panic and hope held my attention and felt vivid.
What stayed with me most was the way the book talks about love, faith, and choice in very simple language. The story treats the bond between parent and child as something literally cosmic, not just emotional, and I found that oddly comforting. I liked the idea that even “bad” or empty souls still crave warmth and that Derrick’s refusal to give in matters, not just his beliefs or his prayers. The visits to the misty realm, the angels, the hint of hell, and the robed creator figure are pretty straightforward. For me, it felt like listening to someone tell a very personal near-death story. I could feel the wish behind it. The wish that love really does reach across every barrier, and that a child’s trust and a parent’s promise are stronger than fear.
Two Connected Souls is heartfelt, clear, and determined to reassure you that death is a doorway, not a wall. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy inspirational or spiritual fiction, to parents who like stories about fierce parent–child bonds, and to anyone who finds comfort in vivid pictures of heaven, angels, and divine presence. If you want a straight-from-the-heart story about love that refuses to let go, I think this book will be very enjoyable for you.
Pages: 91 | ASIN: B0GDVLW9GG
LITERARY TITAN 