Misconceptions of an Introvert follows Sherry, a quiet sixth-grader who loves her own space, only to find herself misunderstood by classmates and even her teacher. After a rough experience with a superlative assignment that leaves her hurt and confused, she gathers courage and explains what it really means to be an introvert. By the end, she teaches her whole class something important about personality, kindness, and listening.
Reading this children’s book hit me in a soft spot. I kept thinking wow, I have felt that exact sting before. The writing is simple and warm, which makes the hard moments land even harder. I could almost feel Sherry’s chest tighten every time she worried about group work. The scenes with the superlatives made my stomach drop. Kids can be so blunt, and the book does not hide from that. It shows how quick people can be to judge someone. I liked that the author took her time letting Sherry figure out what to do instead of giving her an instant fix. It made the whole thing feel real.
I also enjoyed the focus on self-advocacy. It felt good watching Sherry speak up for herself, even though she was scared out of her mind. The book has this gentle way of saying hey, quiet kids are thinking deeply, and yeah, they deserve space without being labeled as strange or rude. I found myself rooting for her, and cheering when her class actually listened. The explanation of introverts was kid-friendly, and it felt smart without trying to sound fancy.
The art style in the book feels clean and clear in that classic Pixar kind of way, with a mix of lifelike moments and more playful animated ones that blend together. Some scenes look almost real, while others lean into softer shapes and bright colors that feel light and fun. No matter the style shift, every character’s face carries a ton of emotion, which makes the story hit even harder.
I think Misconceptions of an Introvert is the perfect picture book for kids who feel misunderstood, teachers who want to support all personality types, and parents who want to help their children open up or feel seen. It is kind, heartfelt, and full of truth. I would happily recommend it to any classroom or home where a quieter kid might be waiting for someone to understand them.
Surviving Cancer: Poetry and Prose is a blend of poems, short reflections, and spiritual notes that trace your journey through cancer, aging, gratitude, and faith. Your poetry shares a deeply personal experience and changes in your worldview. How hard was it to put this collection out in the world for people to read?
It was NOT difficult at all to write this book because it came from my heart, my experiences, and my mission or purpose to help others. Practically most or all of my writings are to create for good cause. Writing Surviving Cancer was really a “labor of love.” Upon publishing the book, many people were interested in reading it because they survived cancer, knew someone dear to them who had been diagnosed with cancer and either survived or died.
Do you have a favorite poem in the book, and if so, why does it hold special meaning for you?
The following poem from my book is my favorite and is meaningful for me because it explains my sweet-and-sour experience of cancer treatment in order that readers may understand and appreciate the cancer experience:
CANCER: A SWEET-AND-SOUR EXPERIENCE
In July 2020, I was diagnosed with cancer as a doctor said; Without my earthly and heavenly guardian angels and good healthcare, I certainly could be dead;
I suspected such diagnosis and thus had no fear; Neither did I breathe deeply or shed a tear;
I told a few among family and friends soon after one day, Because cancer is not something that I’m ashamed to say;
Yes, through the pain from surgery and chemo, I never lost sight— Of the joy and appreciation of my kind and competent healthcare workers both day and night;
Loving family and friends were there by my side, While impostors found a way to dodge and hide;
And, of course, I prayed for God to allow me to live to do His will— And not let microscopic cancer cells find a way to kill;
And now I’m cured and cancer-free; I’m ready to continue God’s work as usual and as you can now see.
Note. This poem was written during December, 2020 soon after my chemo treatment and cancer-free diagnosis.
How has this poetry book changed you as a writer, or what did you learn about yourself through writing it?
I never thought that I would die from cancer; however, I learned to be even more appreciative of my life and purpose after surviving and still remaining here among the living on Earth. Even more, I learned who among my friends and family, whom I told, were supportive and there for me during my treatment. My diagnosis and successful treatment of cancer convinced me more than ever that my life has been guided and protected by God and my ancestors. The writing of this book changed me by enhancing my humility and increasing my mission of helping others.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from Surviving Cancer: Poetry and Prose?
I contracted cancer of the colon because I refused to submit to a colonoscopy until symptoms suggested that I needed to see a gastroenterologist—symptoms that included significant loss of weight, loss of appetite, and iron-deficient anemia. I was blessed to survive cancer; therefore, I urge readers of my book to get a colonoscopy or screening for other types of cancers before it is possibly too late. Many cancers are preventable if diagnosed and treated in their early stages.
Surviving Cancer: Poetry and Prose reflects the author’s recent experiences as a cancer survivor and how cancer changed his worldview as an aging elder. Dr. Harper’s poetry and prose address his cancer treatment experience and his even greater disposition of humility from and appreciation of blessings during his lifetime—a life of serving and creating for the good of others. Featured poems and prose in this book include “Cancer: A Sweet-and-Sour Experience,” “A Tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg” (who died from cancer), “Announcement of My Cancer to Friends and Family on Facebook,” “God Had My Back,” “A Hospital Visitor,” “Life with Healthcare,” “Trail of Tears: Forced Removal of Native Americans,” “A Child’s Nightly Prayer,” and “We Are All God’s Children.” The author’s purpose in all of his creative writings over the years has been to educate, therapize, enlighten, and inspire his readers.
The Athlete Whisperer is a vivid and unfiltered memoir that shares how you became the first woman in sports broadcasting, the discrimination and harassment, the hard-won successes, and the future you helped shape for women. Why was this an important book for you to write?
To uncover how I feel now about what I experienced and denied at the time.
What was the most challenging part of writing your memoir, and what was the most rewarding?The heartbreaking, personal stories were challenging to retell.
The most rewarding has been the connection with readers who see themselves in my story, and feel reconciled.
What advice do you have for other women who are fighting against gender discrimination in their own fields?
Read this book. The examples I faced will prepare you well. Find mentors and friends to support you.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
Most people are good. Find mentors. Respect yourself. Keep boundaries. Do what you love, and do it so well people can’t take their eyes off you! Pay it forward.
Andrea Kirby was not a former athlete and had no ties to television. Still, in 1971, this single mom talked her way onto a small television station as a sportscaster. A rare female in the all-male culture of her beloved sports, she was harassed and discriminated against, but she wasn’t deterred.
Kirby excelled at her first break and then moved to a bigger market in sports-rich Baltimore. Male colleagues said she didn’t belong, but fans loved her, teams respected her, and networks noticed her. In 1977, ABC Sports hired Andrea Kirby as its first full-time female announcer. Hosting the College Football Scoreboard and traveling the world for Wide World of Sports was her hard-fought dream come true.
Heartbreakingly, the dream ended. Kirby’s survival became another great adventure. Then, a chance interview with a famous basketball player changed everything, inspiring an idea so original that it appeared as a question in the board game Trivial Pursuit.
A rare, entertaining, and uplifting story, The Athlete Whisperer will inspire any reader with an improbable dream.
Felix is a playful, cheerful fox who enjoys a largely carefree life in the forest. Yet one peculiar trait sets him apart from the other animals. Whenever Felix tells a lie, his tail changes color. Unsure how to handle this embarrassing problem, he attempts to hide his tail from those around him. Over time, however, Felix comes to an important realization. When he chooses honesty, no matter how uncomfortable the truth may be, his tail remains unchanged, and the problem disappears entirely. Though the choice is not always easy, he commits himself to telling the truth for the rest of his life.
The Tail That Told the Truth by Jory Perry is a children’s book aimed at readers roughly ages four to eight. It’s clear moral places it alongside classic instructional stories such as The Berenstain Bears, in which each installment focuses on a specific behavioral lesson. Some readers may also be reminded of Pinocchio, with its memorable consequence for dishonesty, though Perry’s approach is gentler and more age-appropriate.
Honesty can be challenging at any stage of life. For children especially, a small lie can feel like the easiest solution in the moment, even if it leads to bigger problems later. This book acknowledges that struggle and presents truth-telling as a skill worth practicing, rather than a rule enforced through fear.
Perry delivers this message with warmth and restraint. There is no real danger here beyond the sting of embarrassment, making the story well suited for younger audiences. The charming illustrations further enhance its appeal and are likely to encourage repeated readings, whether at bedtime or during quiet moments throughout the day.
While older readers will likely outgrow the book as they move on to more complex stories, The Tail That Told the Truth is an excellent choice for early readers and children beginning to navigate social situations. Its message is simple but enduring. Learning to tell the truth is a lifelong skill, and this story offers a graceful and engaging place to begin.
Breaking Barriers gives readers an in-depth look at the troubled history, bureaucracy, and politics of Pakistan as well as the hope for future reform. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Many books have been written about the problems Pakistan faces, often focusing on a single issue—politics, corruption, religion, or governance. What I found missing in much of that literature was a serious effort to connect those problems into a coherent diagnosis and, more importantly, to speak openly about solutions.
Having been raised in Pakistan, I experienced inequality not as an abstract concept but as a daily reality embedded in institutions and social structures. Later, living and working in the United States allowed me to see what equality before the law, functional governance, and individual rights can look like in practice. That contrast shaped the way I think about reform.
My love for Pakistan has always been unconditional, but it is not uncritical. I believe that caring deeply about a country also means being willing to question it honestly. I wrote this book because I felt a responsibility to share a vision with the younger generation—one that moves beyond personalities and slogans and instead focuses on rebuilding institutions, expanding opportunity, and restoring fairness.
Breaking Barriers is not just a message of concern; it is a call to recognize Pakistan’s untapped potential and to illuminate paths forward that are often hidden beneath politics, inertia, and fear of change.
How long did it take for you to research and put this book together?
Between research and writing, the ideas behind Breaking Barriers developed over eight to ten years. Some of that time was dedicated to formal research—reading, studying institutions, and following policy debates—but much of it came from long-term observation, lived experience, and reflection. The book itself took shape gradually, as I tried to move beyond reacting to events and instead understand deeper patterns that unfold over time.
Did you learn anything while writing Breaking Barriers that surprised you?
What surprised me most was how deeply interconnected the problems are. I initially thought of corruption, education, justice, and economic inequality as separate failures. While writing, it became clear that they reinforce one another in ways that are difficult to untangle, creating cycles that repeat across generations.
Another surprise was how much resilience exists alongside dysfunction. Even within systems that feel deeply broken, there are individuals—teachers, judges, civil servants, parents—who continue to do their work with quiet integrity. That realization shaped the tone of the book. It reinforced my belief that reform is difficult and slow, but not impossible, if enough people decide to move in the same direction.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from this book?
I hope readers take away a sense of grounded hope — not the kind that ignores reality, but the kind that insists change is still possible. Pakistan’s challenges are real and deeply rooted, but they are not permanent.
I want readers, especially young people, to believe in their own agency: to value honesty, integrity, transparency, and dignity in their daily lives, even when systems discourage those qualities. Meaningful change rarely arrives overnight or from a single leader; it emerges when enough individuals commit to doing the right thing consistently. If this book helps readers see light beyond the current darkness and recognize their role in shaping that future, then it has done its job.
Heat of Paris is a historical fiction novel that follows two Americans in 1951 France: Franz Stromeyer, a young journalist and WWII veteran searching for purpose, and Christie Mathews, a Harlem graduate student determined to carve out her own future. Their separate journeys through postwar Paris and the French countryside eventually cross, pulling them into a world of art, politics, race, class, love, and self-reinvention. The book moves between their perspectives, letting you feel the tension in their inner lives as they navigate a new country that is both freeing and fraught.
As I read, I kept feeling like the book was pulling me in. The writing has a steady rhythm. Franz’s chapters have this restless, searching energy. He wants adventure, but he also wants to outrun the secrets he carries. Christie’s chapters feel more interior. You watch her peel away years of caution, step by step, as Paris challenges the rules she grew up with. I liked how the author let their insecurities sit in the open. Nothing is rushed. Even small scenes, like Christie’s first dinner in Paris or Franz sharing drinks with farmers in Normandy, feel textured and honest.
What I enjoyed most was the way the novel handles race and identity. The author doesn’t shy away from the sharp edges. Christie’s experience as a Black woman abroad is full of contrasts. She’s stared at, underestimated, sometimes romanticized, sometimes pushed aside, yet often unexpectedly welcomed. Franz is dealing with ghosts of his own, especially those tied to the war and his family. They’re both pretending in different ways. Watching them shed those pretenses, slowly and sometimes painfully, gave the book its emotional weight. And Paris itself feels like a character, sometimes warm, sometimes unforgiving, always alive.
Heat of Paris feels a bit like The Paris Wife in the way it blends personal longing with the pulse of a changing city, though its focus on race, identity, and cross-cultural tension gives it a sharper and more contemporary emotional edge.
By the time I reached the final chapters, I felt like I had lived alongside these two. The tone stays true all the way through: thoughtful, curious, and candid. Nothing too polished. Nothing too sentimental. Just two people trying to figure out who they are when the world finally gives them a chance to choose. I’d recommend Heat of Paris to readers who love character-driven historical fiction, especially stories set in mid-century Europe. If you enjoy novels that explore race, culture, love, and ambition without heavy jargon or overly neat conclusions, this one will speak to you. It’s a warm, grounded book that I heartily enjoyed.
Peaches and the 19 Cobras follows two little rescue dogs who set out to protect their mom after they misunderstand COVID 19 as 19 Cobras. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
When the Pandemic of 2020 and Covid-19 occurred, it was a very serious and scary time for everyone. All you heard on TV, radio and in the media was how serious, deadly and dangerous it was for everyone, and people needed to be very cautious if and when they went anywhere.
They recommended that everyone stay home, but if they needed to go outside the safety of their home, there were certain precautions everyone needed to take. For example, staying at least 6ft from other people, wearing a mask and not touching anything or anyone, and that everyone should wash their hands frequently. After several days of hearing this information over and over, I decided that this was HISTORY and I needed to document this for myself and others for future reference. Everything was changing in our lives… everything… what we did at home and when we went anywhere outside our home and how we were reacting to things that were happening around us. I had two rescue dogs at the time and I was sure that they were wondering what was happening to make things so different. But they couldn’t ask questions about what was causing everything to be different. So, I decided to put myself in their place and start thinking like I was one of them. That’s when I decided to write a book and tell about our life from my dog’s point of view.
What was your favorite scene in this story?
My favorite part of the book is the mask sequence, where I was trying to take a picture of my dogs in the fancy masks that I had made for us. It took me a couple of hours to get the picture because they didn’t want the mask over their nose and mouth and as soon as I put the mask on them, they would have it off before I could get a picture. It was very frustrating for me but funny at the same time.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
My next book will be about my newest rescue from China. Her name is Molly and she is a Golden Retriever. She is very smart, cute and sweet, and I’m just gathering information new for a book about her, but I don’t have enough material on her right now to complete her book.. but one is “in the works”.
THE “FINAL STRAW” It got to be pretty comical, but I think the “final straw” was when we had the masks on top of our heads! That’s when Mommy gave us “THE LOOK”, and Jake said, “Uh-Oh, I think she means business now! We’d better shape up and do what she wants us to do, or we might get “SPANKED”! (I still don’t know what “spanked” is, but I don’t think it’s good).
Arid follows Joshua and a dwindling band of survivors who struggle to stay alive in a scorched wasteland where water is nearly gone, and hope feels just as scarce. The story opens with violence and fear and then tumbles into a tense rhythm of hunger, grief, and desperate choices. What begins as simple survival slowly grows into a harsh portrait of a world ruined by greed and war. The plot moves fast. The danger grows even faster. Every chapter places the characters on thinner ice, or really, thinner sand.
I was pulled into the raw emotion of the group. The writing surprised me with how blunt it was. It hits hard without dressing anything up, and it carries this grim honesty that kept me hooked. The world feels brutal and close. I caught myself clenching my jaw as the characters scraped by on scraps and bad luck. The book plays with fear and loyalty in a way that feels relatable. Even when the dialogue gets sharp or rough, it has this realness that fits people who have nothing left to lose.
I had mixed feelings about the pacing at times. Moments of danger slammed into moments of tenderness so fast that I felt a little off balance, but in a strange way, it worked. Life in a dying world would probably feel exactly like that. What I appreciated most was how the story leaned into relationships. Watching Joshua push himself past exhaustion made me feel for him in a deep way. The book never lets you forget how fragile everyone is. It never lets you relax, either. I liked that, even though it made me anxious along the way.
Arid feels like a story for readers who enjoy emotional survival tales that stay raw and gritty. It suits anyone who wants characters who fight with heart, make mistakes, and keep going even when the world seems determined to crush them. Arid reminded me a bit of The Road because both stories paint survival as a harsh grind, yet Arid feels more like watching a tight-knit group unravel, while The Road follows a quieter and more intimate struggle. If you like dystopian fiction that leans into both hope and heartbreak, this book will be a good fit.
LITERARY TITAN 