Blog Archives
We All Can Do What We Love
The Poetry Mouse follows a little mouse who daydreams of being more than a homemaker and baker; she wishes to write poetry instead. What was the inspiration for your story?
Inspiration for The Poetry Mouse is found in that part in all of us where we want to follow our dreams but may have instead listened to society, others, or our own internal voice telling us we can’t. This is about following your passion and doing what you love.
I also want to mention this is coauthored with Derek R. King, and is what we both believe to be us collaborating with our strengths. Derek wrote the poetry featured in Evie’s journal pages and I a wrote a story around his poems creating the tale.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
That it’s never too late to follow your dreams, or as my father always said to me, if you don’t try then the answer to whether you can achieve it is always going to be a ‘no.’
Derek and I are classic examples of this as we both took the opportunity to write and create together and the result is a magnificent magical synergy shared.
Is there any moral or idea that you hope readers take away from the story?
For me, the line in the movie The Edge says it all, and I’m sure I’m paraphrasing here, but I recall it as “what one man (or person) can do another can do.” This is a reminder we all can achieve anything and everything; whatever we set our minds to. For Evie this means she can be a poet. She can change careers. She can do what she loves. We all can do what we love.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Well, for me personally, I’m in the final editing stage of ‘We Three: Search for Source,’ a supernatural novel with paranormal romance elements which is slated for publication in spring 2023.
As for my collaborations with my writing partner, Derek R. King, we are wrapping up a sequel to The Enchanted Faerie Realm with a focus on the winter fae, and a couple of our art-inspirational books are nearing completion as well. We have a couple dozen books underway and hope to release them in 2023.
Derek has a poetry book, More Red Rose in Verse, slated for January 2023 publication and several more solo projects for himself as well in 2023.
We both are excited to share more of our creations.
Julie Kusma Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Amazon Author Page
Derek King Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website | Amazon Author Page
Being a mouse, she longs for the simplicity of nature. So, every day she sneaks past the woods and into the meadow where she writes her inspired words. She might even find encouragement from a friend to submit her poems.
This is Evie’s story of finding her authentic self, becoming brave enough to do what she loves, and ultimately sharing her gift with the world as The Poetry Mouse.
The Survival Series
Saved from the Flames follows a young girl and her family who have lost everything to a house fire. The little girl relies on the kindness of others to help her through this emotional time. What was the inspiration for your story?
I wrote “Saved from the Flames” and the other two books of my Survival Stories Series soon after the tragedies that Nepalese people faced in the massive 2015 earthquake. This dramatic period of challenges for the nation had immense consequences, causing emotional and material losses. A lot had to be built and repaired – and the work continues.
“Saved from the Flames” is a disaster on a family scale, and it could happen anywhere without a connection to any community scale event. In this story, I have also mixed elements from events I have heard about from acquaintances or experienced myself. For example, the detail about friends collecting a photo album of memories for the suffering family is influenced by a real-life situation. As a teen, I was once close to losing my home to a house fire.
Perhaps the most important general reason behind this story is that adults too often overlook children’s experiences in the middle of significant events. We focus on the practical arrangements of things, their monetary value, and their busy schedules. I am not underestimating the importance of these things, as they are often the basis of survival in the short term. But somehow, we must find the human touch, the ability to look at the situation through the children’s eyes and understand their feelings.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
When something shocking happens, the first attention is naturally paid to survival on the material level. At the level of urgent action, the mental state of the people involved in the event is often left behind. People don’t always recognize and acknowledge the challenges of the mental side at once, but they can only appear with a delay.
“Saved from the Flames” reveals these patterns, too. Initially, the characters turn their attention to the burnt house and the lost goods. People start to question if the fire was an accident or, instead, somebody’s fault in the first place. Hearing parents argue about this topic is challenging for the confused and insecure child. She would need an entirely different kind of support. The child’s position and experiences are the essential themes in this fairy tale. After all, my attempt is always to defend the weakest in every situation.
The importance of material frameworks of life – such as the house and belongings – is naturally needed for the family’s safety. However, the most crucial thing in a crisis is to act together with others and take and give help. In this book, the cooperation of the village community is in an important role. The actions of individual people can also be decisive. The teacher and the doctor in the story are a valuable help to a shaken child. Faith in the future is gradually built with the support of these understanding adults. Of course, the return of a pet dog is also a happy event with great significance, reminding us that there are many kinds of helpers!
What advice would you offer to families going through this kind of situation to help children cope?
Losing a physical home and all the dear belongings connected to it is a challenging experience for children. Their thoughts emphasize slightly different things than those troubling the adult minds. The little ones hardly think about the financial value of the losses. For them, losing their favorite toys can be a crushing thought that overshadows everything else. It helps if adults understand this and under no circumstances belittle the children’s feelings.
The experience of a severe accident, like a fire, shakes people’s sense of security. We can also keep thinking about what could have happened to our loved ones. This matter about losing family members or other dear persons may be so sensitive that we cannot talk about it. Whether this fear is said out loud or left unsaid, we must be able to deal with it with the child.
We need to remember that the child’s injuries are not always visible and on the surface. They may occur deep inside and take a long time to heal. The supporting adults must listen to even unsaid words – and be patient. Restoring a child’s sense of security may take longer than we adults can imagine.
Every family and every individual is different. That’s why the means to solve difficult situations are also individual. In addition to family members, you can also rely on relatives and friends who have the ability and desire to participate in helping. Professional help may also come into question. The most important thing is that the children can find a support network around them and be sure they are never left alone with their problems!
What is the next book in the Survival Stories series that you are working on, and when will it be available?
The Survival Series already has three books: Traveling Companions, Saved from the Flames, and The Owl and the Shepherd Boy. They are all available in several languages in international web bookstores.
There may be sequels to the series. The world is full of individual minor events or even disasters affecting the wider community, where people are trying to cope on various levels. It’s helpful to write about individuals’ difficulties and challenges and ponder how to tackle them. As the interaction between people in such situations is vital, it’s essential to point out possibilities for helping and cooperation.
My particular focus as a mother and author is on children’s experiences. How do they best survive and understand what is going on around them? And that’s not at all easy in this big and busy world. Sometimes I start to doubt my possibility to influence, especially in the most extensive scale events – such as natural disasters, accidents, or wars.
But then I return to this main thing: listening to the child and giving comfort and support in every possible way. I have chosen to write stories for the little ones, especially those in challenging situations. It’s all about the mental shelter and encouragement that children’s literature at its best can provide.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
Sunita’s parents are busy building their new home, and no one has time to listen to Sunita’s worries. But she is lucky enough to have an observant teacher, who comes to her aid. The teacher takes Sunita to meet her doctor friend and she teaches Sunita how to knit a new sleep toy to replace the missing one.
Sunita learns that you can be wounded not only on the outside but also beneath the surface. Fortunately, both can heal.
Caring For And Adopting A Pet
Beatific follows two young children who find a kitten all alone and learn about adopting and caring for a cat. What was the inspiration for your story?
I must say that what inspired me to write this story is the fact that I am extremely passionate about reading and writing, and I wanted to support creating this passion for reading and writing in students. I know that children love animals, a lot, and I figured that they could read these Beatific books—Realistic Fiction– and learn a bit, vicariously, about what is involved in caring for and adopting a pet.
When my oldest daughter was around 7 years old, she and her friend stumbled upon a stray cat. The cat fitted the description of the one in this story, and it was a very happy, friendly kitty. At that time, I did not know much about animals, so I demanded that she and her friend stay away from the stray. So, bits and pieces of the events that took place in this ‘stray cat’ endeavor were also a part of the inspiration to write this book.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I felt it important to share the monumental piece of finding out if the stray animal has an owner somewhere, because if a pet is lost, it can have anxiety and become very sad just like we can. We become attached to the animal and it becomes attached to us. It is also pertinent that children know to involve their parent(s) in the adoption process, and that they know what is involved in caring for a pet and the dedication necessary to endure through this “having a pet as my very own” process.
How has working as a reading specialist influenced your desire to write a children’s book?
Oh my goodness, immensely! I can’t even start to share how many short stories students wrote while I worked with them. I would stimulate their desire to write by writing along with them and creating an even deeper love for writing in the students. I was also able to reel in some who had no desire to write, and their stories were sometimes better than those who wanted to write.
I have always had this desire to write. When I retired, I had more time to focus, so I put to practice what I was teaching, and I finally got around to doing something else that I was quite passionate about.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
Quite frankly, I have already written and published a second book, entitled, Beatific Visits Doctor Mae, and I am working on the third Beatific book that will be published at some point in 2023. I will share the title upon publishing. A memoir is also in the making, and is roughly two-thirds completed. So I have a lot of work to do, and I am super excited about completing all of it!
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Stenetta Anthony Author Interview
Ella Learns to Dance follows a young elephant girl who dreams of being a ballet dancer even when others discourage her. What was the inspiration for your story?
After hearing a story about a professional ballet dancer and her challenges. She was told she did not have the proper body image to be a ballerina.
What educational aspects were important for you to include in this children’s book?
Some of the ideas suggested in the book are: (always be proud of yourself, teach them to deal with frustrations when learning a new skill and how some children can relate to Ella’s story when friends do not always support their dream).
Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your characters life?
One memory comes from learning modern dance in high school. Since I never considered myself as a graceful dancer. It was often difficult to learn the dance moves, sometimes not wanting to attend the class.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Ella Learns to Dance is the first book in her series, so I am currently working on the 2nd and 3rd books respectively.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Emma Just Medium
Being the middle child can be a tough spot to be in. Emma Just Medium: The Beach Dilemma by Laura Wiltse Prior is a young reader’s chapter book that follows Emma, the middle child of her siblings, on their family trip to the beach. This fun children’s book shows how being ‘medium’ isn’t such a bad thing.
Readers are thrust into this charming adolescent world with the collision of ‘Little’ and “Big’, Emma’s youngest and oldest brother. Both brother’s pick on Emma and know just what to do and say to get her worked up, as siblings do best. There is a constant back and forth of the unfairness of Emma being the middle child or ‘medium’, as she calls it, that I soon began to empathize with her and see her point of view. We see her life through her lens and work out with her the best way to cope with her situation, but also watch as she loses herself when trying to not being ‘medium’. I felt triumphant with her when she regained her true self and stayed true to who she is. This is all conveyed in an easy to follow and engaging story that is all due to the exceptional writing.
This is one of the best children’s chapter books I have read in a long time. Not only as an adult, but from what I can remember reading as a child as well. Each character is incredibly relatable and the real-life scenarios they find themselves in are relevant to kids today. I can see this book being part of a Scholastic book fair or one of those books children often checkout from the school library.
The illustrations perfectly fit the story. They allowed me to place scenes in my head and keep it continuing in a cinematic way as I read the story. This could be an entire book, T.V., or movie series that I would enjoy as an adult as well as share with my children. Emma Just Medium: The Beach Dilemma is a fun children’s book with charismatic characters that kids will enjoy following.
ISBN: 1947159607 | Pages: 72
Literary Titan Gold Book Award January 2023
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Award Recipients
A Body Hair Experiment by Eli Cohen
Sonnets of Love and Joy
Literary Titan Silver Book Award January 2023
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Award Recipients
Murder at Amapas Beach (An Amanda Pennyworth Mystery) by James Gilbert
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Enjoyment Out Of Everyday Things
Lilah Loves Life follows a young girl through a typical day where she enjoys life and does a variety of fun activities. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My inspiration was my 3-year-old granddaughter, Lilah. Ever since she was a baby she almost always had a smile on her face, and when she learned to talk she enjoyed saying hi to her friends and neighbors, and even to complete strangers. As she got older and went to pre-school she quickly made friends and got involved in numerous activities. It just made me realize that she’s a child who loves to embrace the moment and get maximum enjoyment out of everyday things that kids do.
The art in the book is wonderful. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Laura Watson?
Laura is just so great to work with. She also did the illustrations for my first book, Beau Wants to Know, which was inspired by Lilah’s older brother, Beau. For that book we had to create a character from scratch, with me giving her some general guidelines of how I saw the character. She took those guidelines and came up with about a half-dozen prototypes that we continued to tweak until we had the character that I had imagined. Fortunately, creating the Lilah character was quite a bit simpler because we had already done all the heavy lifting with Beau. We used the same basic character design because we knew we needed them to have a family resemblance, so Laura created several female prototypes with different clothing and we whittled them down to the final Lilah character. As far as her illustrations in general, I would give her a scenario for each spread, along with one or two elements that I felt were necessary to include. From there, Laura would create these wonderful, whimsical scenes that always included bright colors and extra touches, such as insects in the garden, a rabbit hopping in the background, different plants and flowers popping up all over, etc. All of those extra touches make the illustrations come alive and make the story more enjoyable. I can only hope that Laura will be the illustrator for any future projects that I undertake.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I had several ideas that I wanted to share. First and foremost, I think, was that it is very good for our spiritual and mental health to be able to find joy in life, even in the little things. My granddaughter is able to do that, and that made a big impression on me early on in her development. So I wanted the Lilah character to be able to look forward to all the ways she might find to enjoy her day. Another idea I wanted to share is that it’s never too early to think about what inspires you and makes you happy, and what you might like to do with your life. Lilah in the book dreams of being a chef, a baseball player and a ballerina while she’s doing various things throughout her day. I think it’s healthy for kids to have dreams about what their lives might be like when they’re adults. The other thing I wanted to do with this book was to encourage kids to look for fun activities that don’t require electronic devices and don’t require them to be looking at screens. Most of us who are adults remember our childhoods and the way we would spend hours playing catch and riding our bikes, and doing many of the things that Lilah does in the book. In my opinion, those are the most rewarding types of activities for kids because they don’t need money or devices or passwords. They just need to be able to enjoy the simple pleasures that life has to offer.
Do you have more stories planned featuring Lilah?
Well, I now have a third grandchild, Dylan, so it looks like this series of books is going to be at least a trilogy. But as for Lilah and Beau, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of them. In fact, there might be an installment featuring all three of them someday. That’s my hope, anyway. In regard to Lilah specifically, her message of joy and positivity has resonated with readers and reviewers, so I’m very interested in seeing her adventures continue, most likely with a friend.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Join Lilah as she joyfully makes her way through a typical day and inspires youngsters to think positive and dream big.
LITERARY TITAN 