Blog Archives
An Eye for Vengeance
An Eye for Vengeance follows Jedidiah McAllister, a humble rancher turned relentless avenger after his wife and daughters are brutally murdered. What begins as a Western quickly spirals into something far more haunting, a supernatural revenge saga soaked in grief, rage, and a strange kind of spiritual corruption. Through a curse known as “the Eye,” Jed is given the terrible gift of seeing into men’s souls and sending them to Hell. The story unfolds as a mix of gritty frontier realism and mythic horror, blurring the line between man and monster.
The writing style has this cinematic edge, like an old Western painted in blood and dust. Every description feels tactile: the sting of the ropes, the dry wind over the prairie, the glow of the campfire. But what really sells it is the voice. Jed narrates in a tone that’s equal parts grit and poetry, like a man talking to ghosts. There’s a moment when he visits the graves of his wife and daughters and whispers, “I’ll make it right.” I actually had to pause there. You feel his exhaustion, that single thread of purpose keeping him alive. At times, the prose gets heavy, repetitive even, but it fits the story. Vengeance isn’t clean or quick; it’s a slow, choking fire.
What surprised me most was how spiritual the story becomes. The Crow medicine man and Windsong aren’t just background characters; they’re the moral counterweight to Jed’s descent. Their words about balance and the danger of letting vengeance consume you echo through the entire book. There’s a moment when the medicine man tells Jed, “ vengeance is like fire. It burn bright, but if you not careful, it consume everything. Even you,” That line stuck with me. It’s as if the author wanted to remind us that vengeance isn’t justice, it’s rot disguised as purpose. Yet, the author never makes Jed’s rage feel unjustified. He lets us walk that knife’s edge with him.
By the end, I found myself both rooting for Jed and fearing what he’d become. The “Eye” isn’t just a power, it’s a metaphor for how trauma rewires a person, how obsession takes hold and won’t let go. The book doesn’t let you look away from that. It’s violent, yes, but also deeply human in its depiction of love turned to wrath. I finished it feeling shaken and oddly hollow, which I think is exactly what the author intended.
I’d recommend An Eye for Vengeance to readers who love dark Westerns with a supernatural twist, think The Revenant meets The Crow. It’s not an easy read; it’s harsh, bloody, and emotional. But if you like stories that make you feel something raw, something uncomfortable yet real, this one delivers in spades. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your head long after you close it, like the echo of a gunshot across an empty plain.
Pages: 227 | ASIN : B0FRJJLHD3
Commi Kitchen
Commi Kitchen drops you into the chaotic, greasy, hilarious, and sometimes heartbreaking world of underground chefs hustling through shared commissary kitchens. The story follows Brand, a wide-eyed chef trying to get his catering business off the ground while working in a rundown kitchen filled with misfits, burnouts, and culinary dreamers. What starts as a slice-of-life about kitchen culture quickly turns into something deeper, a gritty, honest look at ambition, failure, and the strange family you find in unlikely places.
The opening chapter immediately drew me in, especially when Brand nervously declares, “My name is Brand, and I like to eat,” only to be roasted by high school kids. Ten pages later, he’s sweating in a chaotic commissary, dodging insults and grease splatter. Crocker’s writing feels raw and unfiltered, like the kitchen itself, grimy, hot, alive. The dialogue pops with realism; Abe, with his cigarette and cane, might be one of the most vividly drawn “managers” I’ve ever read. You can smell the burnt toast and old socks in every scene. The book has a way of making even the worst kitchen nightmare feel strangely poetic.
But what really got me was the way Crocker captures the rhythm of a cook’s life, the stress, the exhaustion, the twisted sense of pride. When Brand and his buddy Jim pull off their first catering event, it’s chaos and comedy rolled into one: sauce buckets spilling, a fuming bride, a furious wife, and then pure joy when the guests rave about the food. That moment when the salsa explodes across the floor had me laughing out loud and wincing at the same time. Crocker nails that emotional whiplash between triumph and disaster that anyone in the service industry knows too well. It’s not glamorous, but it’s real.
By the second half, the story shifts from kitchen antics to something darker and more introspective. Brand’s encounters with bizarre characters, like Oliver and Bob, the creepy old caterers who might be accidentally poisoning funeral guests, add this weird, almost dystopian layer to the story. The “Commi” itself starts to feel alive, like a haunted maze of ambition and decay. There’s this eerie moment when Brand finds Abe literally rehydrating a brick of weed over a stock pot, and I thought, “Okay, this kitchen’s officially gone to hell.” Yet even then, Brand keeps showing up, keeps cooking, keeps trying. It’s absurdly human.
What surprised me most was how emotional the book became without ever turning sentimental. Beneath all the grime and absurdity, there’s this quiet current of hope. Brand isn’t chasing fame, he’s chasing purpose. He wants to feed people, to prove that what he does matters, even when no one else seems to care. Crocker’s writing style mirrors that grind; it’s quick, punchy, and never overpolished. Sometimes the sentences hit like kitchen clangs; other times, they slow down just long enough for you to feel the heat, the loneliness, the small victories that make it all worth it.
Commi Kitchen is a love letter to the misfits who make magic in broken spaces, the cooks who burn themselves out chasing perfection on a dented prep table. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s ever worked in a kitchen, loved a dreamer, or just enjoys stories that don’t clean up the mess before serving it. This book isn’t fancy cuisine, it’s a wild, honest plate of real life, served hot and a little smoky around the edges. And I couldn’t get enough.
Pages: 445 | ASIN : B0FNQ6QT6P
WHISPERING SHADOWS: A Search for Redemption
Whispering Shadows begins on a snowy London afternoon with Ethan Turing, a man lost in thought and regret. After a freak accident, he wakes in a candlelit world between life and death, guided by two mysterious figures named Bartholomew and Augustus. From there, the story drifts between the physical and spiritual, weaving together Ethan’s memories, his marriage, and his search for redemption. What starts as tragedy becomes an exploration of love, loss, and what might wait beyond.
The opening café scene in the snow is vivid; I could hear the wind and feel the cold sting of the air. When Ethan’s photo slips from his hand and fate takes over, the shift from realism to mystery is seamless. Flintham’s pacing is confident; he lets the tension breathe before pulling the floor out from under you. The candlelit awakening that follows feels eerie and tender at once, almost like a ghost story that doesn’t know it’s one.
The heart of the novel, though, lies in Ethan’s relationship with his wife, Gen. Their easy banter about “saudade,” a word for the love that remains after loss, is beautiful and bittersweet. When Ethan learns his diagnosis, the story slows down and deepens. His silence, his attempt to protect Gen from his illness, feels painfully human. The scene with Dr. Fabrice is brutal in its quiet honesty; you can almost hear the clock ticking in that room.
Flintham blends realism and spirituality with surprising grace. The otherworldly setting never feels far from home, more like an extension of Ethan’s conscience. Bartholomew and Augustus aren’t saints or angels so much as echoes of moral reckoning. The dialogue sometimes flirts with the abstract, but it stays grounded in emotion. By the final chapters, I wasn’t reading for answers; I just wanted Ethan to find peace.
By the end, Whispering Shadows left me heavy-hearted but oddly comforted. The prose lingers on small details, snowflakes, candlelight, fleeting glances, and somehow turns grief into something luminous. It’s not a flawless book, but it’s an honest one. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys emotional, reflective fiction, stories that ask life’s biggest questions without pretending to have the answers.
Pages: 349 | ASIN : B0F8XWP4F9
Omega Deception
Mike Howard’s Omega Deception opens with a punch and doesn’t slow down. It’s the kind of thriller that drops you straight into the action and then keeps twisting until you’re dizzy from the pace. The story follows Jack Trench, a former Marine turned CIA operative, whose stolen Omega watch becomes the thread that unravels an international conspiracy. The novel leaps between continents and decades, weaving tales of espionage, betrayal, and revenge. From the narrow alleys of Milan to the heat of African battlegrounds, it’s part spy story, part revenge tale, and part emotional reckoning for a man whose past refuses to stay buried.
Howard’s writing has grit and authenticity. The dialogue snaps, the military detail feels earned, and the characters, especially Trench, have that rough-edged humanity that makes them believable. I found myself grinning at the old-school spycraft and then wincing at the violence that comes with it. At times, the pacing gallops so fast that I had to catch my breath, but I kind of loved that. It reminded me why I read thrillers in the first place, to feel the pulse of danger, the smell of sweat, and the uncertainty of who’s really the good guy.
What stood out most wasn’t just the gunfights or the secret missions. It was the emotion underneath it all. Howard gives Jack Trench moments of reflection and regret that hit harder than any bullet. There’s loss here, and a kind of moral exhaustion that seeps through the pages. Some parts hit like a gut punch, especially when the past comes back around to demand its due. I could tell the author respects the people who live in the shadows, the operatives who do the dirty work no one ever hears about. That respect shows up in every sentence, and it’s what lifts the story beyond a standard shoot-’em-up spy novel.
Omega Deception is a fast, lean, no-nonsense thriller that would appeal to anyone who loves stories about spies, soldiers, and secrets. It’s perfect for readers who like Clancy’s precision but want something grittier and more relatable. If you want action that feels real, characters with scars that matter, and writing that moves like a heartbeat, then this book will hook you hard and keep you turning the pages until late at night.
Pages: 325 | ASIN : B0DTVWPTZQ
Honoring the Clubmobile Women
Forged in Fire tells the true story about the women who joined the American Red Cross’s Clubmobile program during World War II, sharing what life was like for the courageous young women who served in war zones to bring some humanity to the soldiers. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Because my mother was in the clubmobile program and the program served as the perfect way for her to get past a personal tragedy, and assist American GIs directly. Her World War II experiences helped shape the person she was to become.
How much research did you undertake for this book, and how much time did it take to put it all together?
My research for this book stretched over four decades, including extensive interviews, and the actual writing of the book took seven years.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I wanted to underscore and highlight how unique and brave the women of the Red Cross clubmobile program were, and the substantial contribution they made to the war effort. But I didn’t want to sugarcoat the story or ignore the real issues they all faced with sexism, sexual assault, racism, and people undervaluing their efforts.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Forged in Fire?
Although the sexism of the 1940s severely limited what American women were allowed to contribute to the war effort, millions of women found a way to get involved at home and abroad. The women of the clubmobile program left home and family for years at a time and risked their lives simply to bring a little taste of home to millions of GIs and to help their morale. In that effort they were highly successful. And it should not be forgotten that at least eleven clubmobile volunteers were killed and never returned home.
Author Website
They weren’t soldiers, but they served in war zones. They didn’t carry weapons, but they fought every day—to lift morale, restore humanity, and bring a taste of home to battle-weary troops.
Forged in Fire tells the true story of the Red Cross Clubmobile Department—an innovative wartime effort that deployed courageous American women on a remarkable mission across Europe during WWII. Driving 2½-ton trucks loaded with coffee and doughnuts, these women braved bombings, buzz bombs, and battlefield trauma to serve those risking their lives.
Through the eyes of Blanche Barnes, a shy Midwestern woman transformed by tragedy and service, we follow the clubmobilers from England’s foggy airfields to the ruined cities of France and Germany. They flew in B-17s, danced with spies, and crossed paths with generals and journalists—showing resilience and humor in the face of war.
More than just a support operation, the clubmobiles became a lifeline to thousands of soldiers—and a proving ground for a generation of strong, capable women.
For readers of World War II history and biographies, this is an unforgettable, true account of grit, compassion, and an untold story on the front lines of World War II.
An Indoctrinated Horror Enthusiast
Witches and Pumpkins, Fur and Fangs is a collection of twenty short stories surrounding Halloween, bringing together tales of monsters, goblins, ghosts, witches, and everything scary. What was the inspiration for creating this collection of stories?
I got the idea for this collection after I saw the movie Trick ‘r Treat. I first watched that movie in 2009, which also happened to be the year I started writing for the first time. I remember thinking how amazing it was that the movie (almost) had a little bit of everything in it, and how it all took place in the same town on the same night. I thought to myself how cool it would be if a book or movie literally had EVERYTHING in it. Something like that movie, but on a grander scale. A year later, I wrote Jack of the Lantern. After that, I kept adding stories, always making sure they stood alone on their own, but secretly including Easter eggs that connected them to the others. I took the secondary characters from previous stories and threw them into the spotlight for their own stories. I made sure each one either addressed a different type of monster, or revolved around a different Halloween tradition or legend. Almost every character in the book appears multiple times. ‘Science Make Me Mad’ and ‘Can You See Me’ feature the same mad scientist antagonist. The librarian from ‘Hob Gob’ is a main character in ‘Incorporeal Beings’. Things like that. I encourage anybody reading to try to pay attention to the characters and all the connections, because there’s a lot of them.
What intrigues you about the horror and paranormal genres that led you to write this book?
I became an indoctrinated horror enthusiast since I was eleven. I was a child of the 90’s and grew up on late night television specials like Joe Bob Brigg’s Monstervision every Friday and Saturday night. I would catch Sunday afternoon showings of American Werewolf in London and Children of the Corn, complete with commercial breaks, just to find out later that the only parts they really cut out when editing for television was the nudity and cursing. All the scary parts were mostly still intact. I became fascinated with all things scary, and as a teenager I began reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I write other stories in the realm of science fiction or fantasy, but I always end up leaning towards the darker sides of things.
Do you have a favorite story in this collection, and if so, what makes it so appealing to you?
I have a couple. ‘Jack of the Lantern’ has always held a special place in my heart. Not only was it my first to write, it was also my first short story to ever get published. When I was reading these stories again for this collection, I stopped at ‘Incorporeal Beings’. I remember telling myself, “Wow I actually wrote this. This is pretty damn good.” I like a good ghost story, especially when it becomes clear that the ghosts are a real threat and can actually kill you. That story was a lot of fun to write.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
I am actively working on a novel entitled I Don’t Want to be a Monster. Imagine if Dexter was the Wolfman; that’s the basic concept. It’s about a werewolf who targets serial killers, rapists, child molesters, etc. I currently have several interested parties requesting the manuscript, and I’ve been given an early December deadline to complete (it’s almost done!). Hopefully you’ll be seeing that one soon.
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The Gifted Series
When Serenity begins to suffer vivid hallucinations, she thinks that she is having a meltdown—until she begins to notice a recurring theme that hints at her destiny.
With no family to turn to, she searches everywhere for answers to no avail. Then, she meets Kendrick. Mysterious and protective, Kendrick reveals the truth: Serenity is the youngest heir of the Salem witch legacy.
With Kendrick’s help, Serenity must learn to control the dangerous power awakening inside her. As she navigates new abilities, she also develops dark connections that are drawing terrifying and strong forces closer to her.
With a story that captures the imagination, this spellbinding novel takes you on a ride of magic, romance, and relatable self-discovery as Serenity finally finds her true power.
LITERARY TITAN 