Blog Archives
The Universe’s Playground
Talisman: Subterfuge follows a shattered war hero who becomes a secret superpowered vigilante after a cosmic force offers to resurrect his wife, if he can save one thousand lives before his darker self destroys him. What inspired the moral dilemma at the heart of Liam’s deal with the Aeterium Axis?
My first thought was that there’s something or someone that just won’t leave Planet Earth alone. Either we’re the universe’s playground, or we just haven’t learned from previous lessons, and now we must do so again. Liam “Foxy” Mayfield happens to get caught up in this conundrum, just as Jet and others were in the “Dissonance” saga. I thought, wouldn’t it be interesting if there were someone sentient out there, far more galactically nefarious than the gorgons, who come with a seemingly innocent demand of restoring the balance?
The Zorander is terrifying. How did you approach crafting a villain who is essentially the hero’s twisted reflection?
There’s always a backstory. It’s a bit of “been there, done that.” The Zorander used to be, for all intents and purposes, the Iskander / Talisman. But he was betrayed, and you’re beginning to learn that the Aeterium Axis might not in fact be all that they claim to be; they certainly didn’t do the Zorander any favors, and that’s why he has become bitter and hardened.
Liam’s grief feels incredibly real on the page. Did you draw from any personal experiences or research when writing his emotional arc?
Anyone who has been bereaved can relate to Liam. However, beyond that there is the earnest hope that he can essentially become UN-bereaved, and, taxing though his charge may be, he follows through on it and delivers the goods, pursuing that hope to its end. I’ve been there…kind of a sunk-cost fallacy mindset: he’s too far in now to reverse course. He’s too committed and has come too far now to abandon hope, even though on paper it seems that this pursuit is nothing more than a vain one. Hope always pushes us on. The question now is, is this hope tangible? Trustworthy? Or…even likely?
Are there hints about the larger universe or future installments hidden in the reporter’s storyline or the nature of the Aeterium Axis?
Perhaps? 😊 That’s all I’ll say for now. I will say that Liam Mayfield is a direct pull from the ‘Dissonanceverse,’ as Rosie Campion is – she has appeared in several of my other novels. Liam seemed a natural fit for this spinoff series, but I’m not convinced there is another storyline for him or Onyx beyond this. I’m a pantser, an organic writer, so I have to write it and see how it all plays out before I commit to anything additional beyond the end of this trilogy.
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Fail, and another soul he cherishes will be lost forever.
Armed with supernatural abilities and a relentless drive, The Talisman operates in the shadows, leaving only golden talismans as proof of his existence. But as a determined journalist closes in on his secrets and a vengeful former talisman hunts him across worlds, The Talisman’s quest for redemption becomes a desperate race against time—and fate.
Talisman: Subterfuge is a pulse-pounding blend of sci-fi intrigue and raw human emotion, where every rescue comes at a devastating cost and every choice could tip the balance between hope and oblivion. Will The Talisman’s sacrifice be enough to save those he loves, or will the darkness claim him first? For fans of high-stakes thrillers and cosmic mysteries, Talisman: Subterfuge is an unforgettable journey into the heart of loss, loyalty, and the price of second chances.
The Empowerment Revolution
The Empowerment Revolution is a personal-development book that blends memoir, psychology, spirituality, and practical coaching into a clear roadmap for moving from fear and survival into confidence and self-authorship. Dr. Stacey Kevin Frick opens with his own early story of trauma and learned fear, then expands outward into ideas about subconscious programming, emotional survival states, energetic narratives, accountability, and redefining success on your own terms. The book reads like a mix of self-help and narrative psychology, anchored by the author’s belief that empowerment is both a mindset and a lifelong practice of reclaiming your personal agency.
As I moved through the book, I found myself reacting as if in conversation with someone who’s lived the work they’re teaching. Frick’s stories of childhood fear and misaligned beliefs aren’t told for shock value. They serve as the emotional doorway into his central point: most of us inherit limiting stories long before we know we’re allowed to question them. His description of being suffocated as a toddler by his father hit me hard, not because of the event itself, but because of how clearly he connects it to the beliefs he carried into adulthood, beliefs about danger, abandonment, and worthiness. The writing is plainspoken at times, but the honesty gives it weight. I liked that he doesn’t try to sound like a guru. Instead, he sounds like someone who’s been in the dark and is willing to say exactly what it took to find the light.
What surprised me most was how often the book invited me to slow down and check in with myself. There’s a whole section about “old energetic narratives” that blend scientific and spiritual language, but the core idea is relatable: your environment shapes you, and if you’re not careful, it keeps shaping you long after you’ve outgrown it. The story of the CEO who still carried his father’s “you’re not good enough” energy despite having every external marker of success made the point better than any metaphor could. Moments like that made me pause and take stock of which beliefs in my own life were inherited rather than chosen. And even when the book leaned a bit mystical, the practical reminders, like checking where your feet are to remind yourself you’re safe, brought everything back down to earth.
By the time Frick gets to empowerment itself, the tone shifts in a good way. It becomes less about uncovering wounds and more about building something new. The chapter on accountability frames it not as a burden but as a reclaiming of your strength, almost like choosing your life rather than reacting to it. I appreciated that. It felt grounded, not preachy. And the distinction he draws between “proving” and “improving” landed with me. One drains you because you’re performing for someone else. The other fills you because you’re growing for yourself.
The Empowerment Revolution feels best suited for readers who enjoy personal-development books that mix introspection with practical coaching. If you like memoir-styled self-help or transformational psychology, you’ll probably connect with it. The book encourages you to look honestly at the beliefs that built your identity, question the ones that hurt more than they help, and choose new ones with intention.
Pages: 130 | ASIN : B0FNY5VM47
In Spectacular and Memorable Fashion
In the Wrath of Legends follows a Nez Perce woman torn between two worlds, as she confronts military secrets, supernatural horrors, and her own haunted past in a battle where myth and history collide. What inspired you to blend indigenous spirituality and supernatural elements in a historical setting?
This similar genre mishmash was previously utilized in my first novel (“In the Lair of Legends”) in spectacular and memorable fashion, but for the sequel I wanted to delve deeper into those unique facets of the story by exploring even more of the culture and history pertaining to the Nez Perce and the historical context in which these exciting stories take place. For me, the supernatural elements have allowed me to highlight some very difficult and challenging (and hugely important) political and racial themes by allowing the reader to experience them through the lens of spirituality, legends, and incredible action. I tend to think of these stories as character-driven adventure tales anchored by a foundation of history and faith.
Chenoa Winterhawk is such a layered, resilient protagonist. Was she inspired by a specific person or story?
Chenoa is absolutely my favorite character that I’ve ever written! (And I actually felt that way about her in the previous book when we meet her as a 6 year-old girl who becomes Chief Jolon Winterhawk’s motivation to not only survive, but to completely alter his perception of what duty and fatherhood truly means.) In this book, Chenoa is dealing with the loss of hope, struggling with the concept of fading honor, and feeling betrayed by the very ideals that her father fought for. In these types of action/adventure stories, it’s customary to launch the story with physical threats. But here, I wanted to introduce Chenoa to gigantic emotional obstacles before having her face those monsters of legends and monsters of men. She’s very different from her father, so I wanted to approach her character atypically for the genre. She’s a warrior, certainly, but her motivations and actions are driven by something much more deeply-rooted than what uniform she wears, or what enemy she’s facing. She sees everything from the inside-out, which is a unique perspective for an action hero. Her resiliency stems from faith which allowed me to richly layer and explore her character in fascinating and unforgettable ways.
I felt that some scenes explore the cost of survival and the moral weight of violence. What truths were you hoping readers would wrestle with?
Violence casts a shadow in our lives and in our world; sometimes, it follows behind us for the rest of our lives. In this particular story, characters use violence as both a means of survival and of opportunity; selfish as well as selfless. The human antagonist in the book experienced a great violent injustice, so his retribution was to inflict that same pain and suffering tenfold. He took everything bad he’d experienced and made it worse because he felt that blood (innocent or otherwise) was the only way through his own suffering. Chenoa Winterhawk is a warrior and her own father was a decorated Civil War soldier. Her dichotomy is that she recognized violence as being the answer but wrestled with it as the only solution. Our actions have consequences, and the book deals with how they impact us through generations and into eternity.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
My next novel is called “Suspension.” It’s a standalone adventure/thriller set in 1990 that’s a literary homage to some of my favorite action movies like “Die Hard 2” and “Sudden Death.” It will be published by Black Rose Writing on November 19, 2026.
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Chenoa Winterhawk is a battle-hardened member of Oregon’s elite U.S. Army Indian Scouts, sworn to protect travelers across treacherous mountain terrain and dark forests whispering of ancient terrors. As the daughter of legendary Civil War hero Chief Jolon Winterhawk, Chenoa is also a warrior bound by duty, struggling with injustices brought upon the Nez Perce amidst the broken promises that have forced another relocation of her tribe.
While escorting a military leader carrying a mining map of an underground river hidden deep inside the Blue Mountains, Chenoa is ambushed by a rogue Army unit in a deadly dirigible assault. Their sadistic leader is a traitor from her past, driven by revenge to destroy her family’s legacy. The diabolical plan-destroy the mine and unleash the underground river, bringing a destructive flood onto sacred tribal lands to avenge personal betrayals.
Engaging ruthless military forces throughout unforgiving mountain wilderness and abandoned mines, Winterhawk wages the fiercest battle of her life. But she soon discovers that a much darker terror is also stalking her. Monstrous legends, roused from their ancient lair. These enormous creatures of myth were once faced by her father in an epic battle to the death. And now, it’s her turn…
Our Beloved Futures
Our Beloved Futures unfolds as a sweeping spiritual reflection on collapse, rebirth, and our tangled relationship with Earth. The book blends myth, ecology, futurism, and deeply personal experience into a poetic call for awakening. It moves from the author’s own encounters with grief and wonder to a larger vision of humanity rising through crisis into a renewed sense of interbeing. The early chapters weave Venus, Inanna, banyan trees, and butterfly metamorphosis into a single thread about losing the self we cling to and returning to a more ancient, peaceful way of being. It is a book about remembering who we are beneath the noise.
The writing is lush and vivid. Sometimes it feels like prayer, sometimes like myth retold in the glow of a campfire. I loved that softness. It slowed me down and opened space for feelings I usually push aside. The author writes about grief, collapse, and accountability with a kind of tender boldness that made me stop and breathe. I found myself nodding along when she described anxiety as an “animal” roaming at night that looks for a mind to inhabit. I’ve felt exactly that, and seeing it named so plainly surprised and comforted me.
The language can get mystical. I would catch myself wanting something firmer to grab onto. Still, the sincerity kept pulling me back. The book’s belief in our ability to change is infectious. I appreciated how the author doesn’t dodge the hard stuff. She talks about complicity, privilege, and the uncomfortable work of reckoning with modernity’s harms. She calls it the “age of consequence,” and it resonated with me because it feels exactly like where we are. Even when I didn’t fully track every metaphor, I never doubted the heart behind it.
The book invites you to see yourself as part of a larger unfolding, and even if you don’t share every spiritual frame in its pages, the emotional truth still lands. I’d recommend Our Beloved Futures for readers who enjoy poetic nonfiction, mythic storytelling, and spiritually grounded reflections on climate, culture, and personal transformation. It’s especially suited for people who like to sit with big feelings and big ideas at the same time.
Pages: 238 | ASIN : B0FV4NWFGB
The Good News Novel, A True Story
The Good News Novel tells the story of Jesus in a vivid, chronological narrative that blends Scripture with dramatized scenes. It opens with creation, sweeps through prophecy and silence, and then plunges into the lives of Mary, Joseph, Zechariah, shepherds, and scholars as the long-promised Messiah arrives. The book moves from Bethlehem to Nazareth to Jerusalem with cinematic detail, giving familiar events fresh warmth and emotional clarity. It reads like a historical novel, but it stays rooted in biblical text, weaving theology into a story that feels immediate and alive.
As I read it, I kept noticing how the writing leans into sensory moments. The author pauses for dust in the air, trembling hands, cold nights, whispered prayers, and raw human fear. I felt pulled into the tender confusion of Mary as she fled to Elizabeth’s home. I felt Joseph’s heartbreak when he tried to make sense of what looked like betrayal. And the shepherds’ shock under that sky of blazing angels brought a real lump to my throat. The author’s style is simple and direct, but it carries an emotional honesty that surprised me. It avoids heavy theology in favor of scenes that let truth land in its own time, and I found myself reacting to these familiar stories with fresh awe.
The scenes in Heaven before the incarnation felt striking and almost intimate. The kitchen-table moments in Nazareth gave the holy family a warmth that felt gentle and real. And the conversations between young Yeshua and the rabbis made me grin because they captured both innocence and impossible wisdom. The book does lean into dramatic embellishment, which some readers might question, yet I felt those additions stayed respectful and added texture without losing the heart of Scripture. At times the tone becomes earnest to the point of intensity, but I didn’t mind it. It felt like the writer was trying to honor something sacred, and that sincerity came through.
I’d recommend The Good News Novel to readers who want a fresh and heartfelt retelling of the life of Jesus, especially those who enjoy biblical fiction or devotional storytelling. It’s great for people who want to feel the story rather than just study it. And it’s a lovely fit for anyone longing for a reminder that hope still breaks into ordinary places, sometimes in ways small enough to fit in a manger.
Pages: 319 | ASIN: B0FVVGQVP2
Stikki the Squirrel
Stikki the Squirrel follows a young grey squirrel who tumbles his way through one adventure after another. The story starts with his birth and early life high in the sycamore tree, then quickly spins into a mix of funny accidents, curious discoveries, close calls, family trouble, and moments of surprising bravery. Stikki explores gardens, meets odd critters, picks fights with birds, gets stuck in nearly everything, battles winter storms, saves his sisters, confronts dangerous cats, and even wanders far past home, where he meets new friends and learns how big and strange the world can be. It’s a lively travelogue of a squirrel who never stops bouncing from one situation to the next.
I found myself laughing when Stikki blundered into those slugs, toppled into the pond, or freaked out over his sisters building that giant snow creature. The writing feels soft and warm at times, especially when the family snuggles together for winter, and then suddenly it turns chaotic with chases and scuffles. I loved how the author gave the animals such strong personalities. Mollie’s bossy. Tia’s sweet. Stikki’s curious to the point of being ridiculous. The mix made the whole story feel alive and, honestly, pretty cute.
Some parts pulled me in more than I expected. When the cats attacked, I got tense and sat there rooting for this tiny squirrel who thinks he’s invincible. And when Stikki got lost, the mood hit differently. I felt a little knot of worry, like oh no, this goofy fluffball has really messed up this time. The book swings between silly and heartfelt, and I enjoyed that balance. It kept me flipping pages because I genuinely wanted to know what trouble he’d get into next. Also, the world feels cozy even when it’s dangerous. The writing paints the gardens, trees, snow, and forest in a way that makes me want to sit outside and watch real squirrels do their thing.
I’d say this children’s book is great for younger readers who like animal stories filled with adventure and gentle humor. It also works for adults who enjoy a light, warmhearted tale that doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you want something sweet, lively, and packed with small emotional moments, Stikki the Squirrel hits that spot nicely.
Pages: 200 | ASIN : B0C69J8CR8
Jeanne The Woman In Red
Jeanne The Woman in Red is a literary historical novel that follows the life of Jeanne Tunica Y Casas, a fiery, uncompromising political activist whose story unfolds across New Caledonia, the New Hebrides, France, and beyond. The book moves between her final years in a nursing home in the late 1960s and vivid recollections of her political battles, her marriage to Paco, and the people and places she loved. It’s a portrait of a woman who refuses to soften or apologize, even as age and loss begin to close in around her.
This book feels intimate. As if Jeanne were sitting across from me, telling stories that run on nerves and conviction rather than nostalgia. The writing has a rawness I didn’t expect. Scenes of the nursing home feel almost claustrophobic with their vinyl chairs, faint smells, and the slow drip of Jeanne’s frustration. Then the narrative swings wide open into her past, where she teaches children under mango trees, writes furious letters, argues politics with anyone brave enough, and paints scenes that reveal more about her spirit than any speech could. The author’s choice to weave Jeanne’s inner voice with historical detail gives the story both grit and tenderness. It is a quiet kind of political novel, but political all the same, carried by the force of one woman who refuses to be small.
What struck me most was how unapologetically the book stays with Jeanne’s contradictions. She is compassionate one moment and sharp enough to cut the next. She is grieving but stubborn. She is certain of her beliefs, sometimes to the point of alienating those who might have helped her. And yet the book never asks me to judge her. It just lets her be. Some passages read like memories folded in warm light, while others hit like sudden blows. The sensory details work best when they’re simple: a wooden floorboard Paco never fixed, a pot of chrysanthemums at a grave, the sound of children giggling through a vocabulary lesson. The author trusts these small images to carry weight, and they do.
This isn’t a sweeping epic or a fast-moving plot. It’s more like sitting with someone who has lived too intensely to fade gently. The genre sits somewhere between literary fiction and biographical historical fiction, and it will appeal most to readers who like character-driven stories, real history woven with imagination, and portraits of complicated women who challenge the world rather than charm it.
Pages: 213 | ASIN : B08CPNPNDV
Falcon of the Faroe Islands
Falcon of the Faroe Islands sweeps through a world filled with northern lights, ancient magic, Viking rage, and quiet wonder. The story follows Skjöld, the prophesied Son of the Dragon, as he earns his place as a noaidi and sets off on a destiny shaped by gods, ancestors, and a prophecy that ties him to dwarven treasure, dangerous raiders, and a future crown. His journey intertwines with that of Haldor Falk, a falcon-shifting vitki whose past is as heavy as his magic is strong. Together, they navigate fjords, visions, and battles while the story spins between spirit realms and rugged northern shores.
I was pulled into the author’s rhythm. The writing feels lush and earnest, almost mythic at times, and it leans hard into atmosphere. At moments, the prose slows down and swells with detail, which sometimes made me pause, but I liked how it wrapped me up. It felt like the story didn’t rush me. Instead it asked me to settle in and breathe with the land, the gods, and the characters. That kind of pacing made the emotional beats hit harder for me, especially when the story dug into the grief these characters carry.
I also loved how the book blends cultures and mythologies. Norse, Sámi, and Celtic traditions fuse in ways that feel warm and purposeful. I found myself rooting for Skjöld as he wrestled with the weight of prophecy. Haldor’s backstory surprised me with how tender and raw it felt, especially the parts about his bond with Úlvhild. The magic itself, whether tied to water or wings or visions, is written with a sense of reverence that made even quiet scenes feel charged. The mix of spirituality and brutal Viking life gave the book a tone I honestly didn’t expect. It felt both fierce and soft at the same time.
This is the third book in the Valiant Vikings series and is a great pick for readers who enjoy Viking worlds filled with mysticism, lush sensory writing, and emotional weight. If you’re into character-driven fantasy with romance, grief, prophecy, and a whole lot of heart, this one will definitely hit the mark.
Pages: 462 | ASIN : B0FXT8KJCB
LITERARY TITAN 