Blog Archives
When She Finally Took Flight
Gaining Her Strength follows a butterfly who learns that strength is more than just physical abilities, that everyone has different areas of strength to use. How did you come up with this idea and develop it into a story?
The first book in the series is about Laia’s birthmark. Laia, the Butterfly Princess, has a flame-like birth mark on her lavender wing. Her parents, King Papa and Queen Mama, were fearful that Swift Swallow would see her red birthmark and be tempted to gobble her up. So they pleaded with Laia to keep her wings shut tight. So for the first part of her life, Laia crawled along in the shadows, watching as all the other butterflies enjoyed flying in the meadow. Finally, one day, she decided that she did not want to hide in the forest anymore. She opened her wings and discovered that she rather liked her birthmark. When she finally took flight, Swift Swallow did not pursue her, for she was too quick for him. I, Alisa, have a red, flame-like birthmark on my right hand and arm. I used to be embarrassed by it, but I finally decided to see it in a different light. I realized that I, in fact, liked my birthmark because it made me unique. Once I wrote the story, I found out that my illustrator, Albert Morales, also has a dark birthmark on his right hand. It is interesting that the tools we use as creative people (our hands) have both been beautiful marked.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Albert Morales?
Albert Morales normally draws more masculine characters for comic books, like Wolverine, Spiderman, Venom, Fantastic Four, etc. However, we have known each other since we were kids, so I asked him if he could draw butterflies. Albert is an excellent artist who is always challenging his skills. He has illustrated numerous books for me, and he breathes life to my imagination with his art. I honestly think he can draw anything.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The first two books of the Butterfly Princess Series, Spreading Her Wings and Finding Her Friends, tackle topics on body differences, accepting others, and embracing how God designed each of us. In the third book, I wanted to show how being smart, innovative and fearless can be just as or even more powerful than physical strength. My hope is to illustrate to children that they can overcome great obstacles by working with others and thinking outside the box.
Will there be another book with Laia the Butterfly Princess, and if so, when will it be available?
Yes, I am writing the next one, Freeing Her Crown, which is slated for Winter/Spring 2023.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
The Bonds Between Women
Herencia Encantada follows a 17-year-old orphan girl who is stuck between the human and fairy world and struggles to avenge the death of her parents? What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Beyond the fantasy, adventure, and the dash of romance in “Herencia Encantada” you’ll find that it explores and highlights the bonds between women in a hybrid faery-human family, a clan very much like my own. And although this story is physically set in the western Pyrenees, on the border between France and Spain, the faerie realm depicted is inspired by scenery familiar to me, like the Andes mountains, in South America where I grew up, and beautiful Bear, Lake in Utah, where I lived for twenty years.
Celeste faces the challenges of being a teenager, an orphan and part of the fairy world. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
PB: Celeste’s character arc is a beautiful one because throughout her growing pains, she chooses to follow her heart. She has a stubborn streak, a competitive nature, and she can be impulsive and selfish at times, but as her story progressed, the negativity in those traits was flushed away, laying bare the fulfilled, loving, bright individual she became. I hope Celeste’s story and her choices inspire readers of “Herencia Encantada” to always follow their hearts.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this coming of age and fantasy book?
Two things for sure: believing in ourselves, and the importance of family.
As the foundation of her future self, family influence is a critical aspect of this philosophical fantasy in which confidence allows our heroine to acknowledge and appreciate her family ties, while improving them and moving forward. When Celeste’s dual familyship is threatened, and when, at seventeen, her future seems muddled, she counts on her heart (full of human-faery love and wisdom) not to lead her astray.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Although I’m not writing a new novel, I do have two ongoing projects: I’m translating book 2 of the Faerie Legacy Series, Cradle Gift, into Spanish, and publication is slated for Summer 2023.
I am also evaluating cover and interior art for a children’s picture book, also in Spanish. I’m hoping to release this stardusted little treasure, “Polvo de Estrellas,” in time for Christmas 2022.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Pero los hechos revelados por su madre antes de morir desvían sus ilusiones.
Huérfana y ansiosa por tomar las riendas de su destino, Celeste vacila entre sus certezas de antaño y las nuevas.
¿Es la princesa humana que su madre formó o es el hada-humana que anhela ser?
¿Va a vengar a sus padres y honrar el compromiso de matrimonio que la espera en el mundo mortal o debe obedecer a su corazón y permanecer junto al extraño que acaba de entrar en su vida?
Celeste elige vengar la muerte de sus padres, incluso si eso significa reconocer el lugar que le corresponde en la dimensión humana.
Motivada por la princesa de las hadas, Nahia, y amparada por la Corte Luminosa y por su verdadero amor, Celeste se propone desenmascarar a la insidiosa hechicera Arantxa.
Confía en que nada impedirá su regreso triunfal a la Soberanía de las Hadas… Nada hasta que la identidad de su prometido es revelada.
My Own Experiences
Above Us: Cuando Miramos Hacia Arriba teaches children to look at the world around them and observe everything they can. What was the inspiration for your story?
My inspiration comes from different sources. First, I got inspired by my own experiences; as a child, I used to see the world through my dad’s car window. Then, one day, I realized how far everything looked, how big the buildings were, the trees, and even how far the sky was. Moreover, I have two super active daughters who like to play in the swing, reach the ceiling, and look at the sky at night. Finally, five years ago, I moved to Florida, and the beauty of his sky spires me to talk about nature and its interaction in our lives.
What inspired you to write a bilingual children’s book?
My family is bilingual. We speak Spanish and English all day at my house, so I thought why not? to write a book for other families like mine. We also read bilingual books to my daughters. I believe that reading is a very important skill that kids need to achieve at a young age, the development of the language and the connection with the parents during reading time is essential, so I wanted to present a book that invites families to read together.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Alvaro Agurto?
The illustration process was a little long but excited. Once I contacted Alvaro, he started working on the sketch. In the beginning, I shared with him some ideas I had, like simple illustrations or images for some pages while he was creating new scenarios, characters, and places. He had a clear idea about the perspective and angle of some images that had to look from above. Alvaro is very professional, patient and understanding. We were a good team because our communication was always respectful and positive.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working on the opposite notion of “Above U” s; I am not sure about the title yet, and I hope to publish it next year.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
2022 Literary Titan Book Award Winner
Have you ever asked yourself how children see the world above them?
What do they see, how do they feel, or what do they like that is above them?
From a high five to a look up to the sky, this story narrates a particular view of the world and what surrounds us. In this book, you will find beautiful descriptions of common situations that will allow children to learn and improve in language proficiency.
Ganador del premio del libro 2022 Firebird – Bilingüe/Idioma Dual (para niños)
¿Alguna vez te has preguntado cómo ven los niños el mundo que está sobre ellos?, ¿qué es lo que pueden ver en él?, ¿cómo se sienten al mirarlo?, o ¿qué les gusta más sobre lo que pueden encontrar al mirar hacia arriba?
Actividades tan simples como chocar los cinco hasta ponerse a contemplar el cielo. Esta historia narra un punto de vista particular del mundo y de todo lo que nos rodea. En este libro podrás encontrar cómo situaciones de la vida diaria son descritas de una manera hermosa, lo que permitirá que los niños puedan aprender y desarrollar el dominio del idioma.
You Can Feel The Love
Johari The Great follows a fifth-grade boy who discovers the power of his imagination and enters the school writing contest; he uses his story to inspire his classmates and friends. What was the inspiration for your story?
My grandson, whose name is actually Johari, was the initial inspiration for this story. He was always so smart and curious about learning. I wanted to write a story that clearly dealt with a boy whose gift was within him – he could feel it – and how he was able to bring it out with the support of the adults in his life.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Megan White?
Megan White, now Megan Rizzo, is such a gifted artist. She used to be an art therapist, so she brings this sensitivity to her art. We worked so well together. She really listens to what my vision is, and there’s never a lot of back and forth with her. She understood this was a fun story, an adventure, but she also picked up on the emotional nuances too, like the relationships. For example, I love the illustration of Johari hugging his dad. You can feel the love there.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
It was important for me to have this story about an African American boy. Research shows that at the 3rd-4th grade level, there is a high risk of boys, and African American boys in particular, slipping in their reading skills. This is a critical time when students go from learning to read to now reading to learn. If those skills are missed, it’s an uphill struggle. So, I wanted to engage these boys and use an adventure that included school, teachers, families, friends, but most of all, how their imagination and effort could make them successful. Their imagination could help them discover just how great they really are, and what wonderful gifts already lie inside of them.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m very excited to share that my next book will be the second in the Johari The Great series. Johari will be off on a new exciting adventure, so there will definitely be another story he has to share. I can’t divulge the title yet, but I will say, the setting is quite unique! This story promises to be very appealing to almost anyone – young readers and adults too! Megan Rizzo and I are anticipating a Spring, 2023 release.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Adventures, Monsters and Magic
The Emerald Lake follows an orphaned alien living on Earth as he sets off to save an underwater race from flesh eating, fire breathing serpenta and save his first love. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The original story arose from a need to keep a small group of youngsters (newfound friends of my five-year-old son) occupied (quiet) as they sheltered in our crowded beach tent during a holiday shower. Within the group was one ginger-headed boy, the smallest in the group, who was being ordered around (bullied) by the bigger boys. My story was intended to show that bullying is bad but can be overcome. I needed him to overcome the challenges. The story needed adventures, monsters and magic. And so Jimmy Crikey was born and among his friends were the four witch guardians of Earth’s realms.
What was the inspiration for the culture of your characters? Is it modeled after any particular society?
The inspiration was an idealistic concept of a race of people living together democratically in a caring environment with a minimum of antagonism.
What was one scene in the novel that you felt captured the morals and message you were trying to deliver to readers?
The way a small group of beings, the Aquamites, banded together in the Emerald Lake, to overcome a stronger, dangerous foe. The young Aquamites placed their own lives in danger for the benefit of their own peoples. There was no magic to help them. They had to act using their own skills before Jimmy and the witches could act.
Will there be another book in the Jimmy Crikey series, and when will it be available?
The Story continues. One of the characters, Jade, the young apprentice witch, pleaded with me to write her story. She was convinced that if I didn’t she would die if readers did not know about her.
Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Website
The underground Emerald Lake, the home of the Aquamites, is invaded by a flesh-eating, fire-breathing serpent, which is impervious to the magic of the four guardian witches. Matilda, the chief witch, asks for Jimmy’s assistance.
Jimmy accompanies Elwinn, witch guardian of everything associated with water, to visit the Emerald Lake. They arrive at a plausible plan to capture the serpents in a spider’s web net.
Their strategy is complicated because Jimmy cannot breathe underwater unless included in Elwinn’s bubble. Several of the strongest young Aquamites agree to act as live bait to entice the serpents into a lake in an extinct volcano’s caldera.
Once the serpents are lured into the volcano’s lake Jimmy, with the help of his starship SR3 and XRU, the intelligent computer/navigator, the reptiles are ensnared in a Golden Orb spiders’ web net, ready to drag the creatures into the cold depths of deep space. During the operation to rid the Aquamite’s world of serpents, Annison is seriously injured when one serpent takes a big bite out of her lower tail. She is dying from the loss of blood. The witches do not have the power to help. There is no time to get her to Jimmy’s home plane of Attalia for advanced surgery.
All appears lost until Lord Oron reveals his true identity. Lord Oron is one of the Lords who serve the all-powerful Master. The Master could save Annison, but he refuses to bring a subject back to life from the dead. Can Lord Oron persuade the Master to intervene and save the life of Jimmy’s first love, Annison?
Literary Titan Book Awards August 2022
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.
Silver Award Recipients
Calm Before the Storm by Steven Paul Germanè
The Sting
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Marty and Lenny
Marty is a well-behaved and polite monkey; he has excellent manners. One of Marty’s traits is he tries to be a good friend to all around him. That also includes Lenny the Lion. Lenny is rude, crude, and has a terrible attitude. He has no manners and does not care who he upsets as long as he gets his way. One day at lunch, he let off a fart that was loud and stinky, and Marty knew something had to change. So that night, Marty came up with a plan. He was going to be nice to Lenny. Marty was going to see if being friends with Lenny would help him be a better Lion that people actually liked and wanted to be around. Would his plan work?
Marty and Lenny by Tania Woznicki is a heartwarming picture book about friendship. The school bully really just wants to be noticed, and when Marty approaches him with kindness, he is thrown off and takes him up on his offer to play. Marty teaches Lenny how to have good manners and be a good friend, not by lecturing or telling him everything he does wrong, but instead by showing him how a good person and friend acts.
The artwork in this children’s book is fantastic, there are layers of details, and everything is so vibrant. The characters come to life and will draw children in as they read the story and see Lenny learning how to have good manners.
Marty and Lenny is a delightful way to introduce good manners to children and teach them how to be a good friend to others. Children and adults will find this book well-written and inspirational. This would be an excellent book for preschool and kindergarten classrooms to help kids understand how to make new friends.
Pages: 24 | ASIN : B09VD63H9V
LITERARY TITAN 