Blog Archives
Have You Heard This One Before
Have You Heard This One Before is a lively mix of short stories. Each tale jumps into a different mood, scene, or style, and the collection opens by proudly admitting that nothing links these stories except the author himself. You move from haunted lighthouses and eerie déjà vu to strange pumpkins with suspicious personalities and even a falling piano that changes a gambler’s life. The stories swing between mystery, humor, horror, sentiment, and quiet reflection, and they do it with a kind of carefree confidence that feels refreshing in a world obsessed with strict genres.
Reading it, I kept finding myself surprised at how quickly the tone could shift. One moment, I was following a family heading toward an old lighthouse in The Loop, and the next, I was inside a gambler’s mind as he dodged two thugs moments before a piano drops out of the sky in Surprise. The writing has a steady clarity, and the ideas land fast. Sometimes the twists feel sharp enough to make me sit back for a second. Other times, I felt a simple warmth, like the narrator in Surprise looking back on a messy young life with equal parts regret and humor.
I enjoyed the way the book leans into its own freedom. The author admits right in the foreword that he wasn’t sure who would read a genre-free collection, which almost made me root for the book before I even hit page one. That honesty softened me. Then the stories did the rest. Some ideas feel whimsical. Others dig into darker corners. A few made me laugh out loud because of how strange and blunt they were. I liked the looseness of it all. I liked that every story seemed to shrug at the idea of rules. Even when a moment made me uncomfortable or confused, I felt like the book wanted me to just ride the wave and trust it.
If you like stories that pick you up, spin you around, and drop you somewhere unexpected, this book will treat you well. Readers who crave strict genres might feel lost, yet readers who enjoy surprises, playful ideas, and quick bursts of emotion will have a good time. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys short stories that don’t mind being weird, heartfelt, eerie, or funny, sometimes all in the same breath.
Pages: 165 | ASIN : B0FXCKZB4W
Dirty South Haiku
Dirty South Haiku sketches a childhood and young life shaped by family legends, Southern landscapes, and the mix of sweetness and grit that sits in so many memories. The book moves through tiny scenes. Grandmas with sharp edges, gumbo secrets, cousins who grow strange, drums and guitars, pageants, honeysuckles, hot sauce, hoodoo, moonshine, and music that hums through it all. Each haiku captures one quick flash. Together, they paint a loose but vivid portrait of a Southern girl growing up around beauty, chaos, and deep roots.
While reading, I found myself smiling at the warmth tucked into these short lines. The poems feel plainspoken and familiar. I liked how the author keeps the tone light, even when hinting at hard things. Nothing gets weighed down. The rhythm stays airy. A poem might nod toward heartbreak or trouble, then slip into a memory of food or song. That contrast felt honest. Life in these pages is messy, yet the speaker holds it with affection. I felt that softness, and I enjoyed it.
Some scenes passed so fast that I wanted a fuller picture, but that is part of the charm. The book plays with nostalgia in a way that feels almost slippery. One moment, we are with a machete-wielding grandmother. Next, we are at a pageant. Then, suddenly, moonshine under a night sky. The jumpiness gave the book a dreamy, scrapbook vibe. I loved that loose flow.
I would recommend Dirty South Haiku for readers who enjoy poetry that is easy to slip into and full of mood and memory. It fits anyone who likes Southern culture, family stories, or short poems that carry a lot of heart.
Pages: 39 | ASIN : B0DXQG5C42
A Mix of Emotions
Is There Not a Cause? is a raw and unapologetic collection of poetry, songs, stories, personal reflections, and scenes of life that explore faith, pain, and personal development in a way that leaves the reader feeling raw and alive. What inspired you to write this particular collection of poems?
This collection was initially published in 2021. This re-release has over twenty-five new poems. My inspiration to write this collection came from time and experiences, loss, growth, pain, love, social climate around the world, faith, and more.
How do you approach writing about deeply personal or emotional topics?
I approach it the same way I do most of my pieces. I also do spoken word, so the majority of my poems are written from the perspective of me speaking to an audience or myself. For whatever reason, that makes it easy for me to share and or express deeply personal or emotional topics.
How did you go about organizing the poems in the book? Was there a specific flow or structure you were aiming for?
The beauty of the book is that there is no form or structure. The poems/stories/songs flow almost at its own pace, creating a mix of emotions, thoughts, concerns, and anthems.
How has this poetry book changed you as a writer, or what did you learn about yourself through writing it?
I learned how to truly lock in. This past year was a challenge in many ways. All in all, it made me a better writer, speaker, and performer. Writing this book was a great challenge in not depending so much on rhyming and rhythm. Allowing me to put greater effort into storytelling and free verse.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | X (Twitter) | Website | Amazon
Published in numerous magazines and online, esteemed poet and wordsmith Nathaniel Terrell re-releases his first collection of unapologetically raw and honest reflections. If you are someone who prefers to experience life and savor its moments – sacred, painful, and true – you will find favorites in this collection that you will return to. The works will touch your soul in the way poetry should.
IS THERE NOT A CAUSE? by Nathaniel Terrell is a collection best taken one page at a time and is a collection worth savoring and rereading. Each poem is replete with the wisdom and enlightenment gained from someone who experiences life and savor its moments. His words are sacred, painful, and true, and his works will touch your emotions and will find their way into your soul, just as good poetry should.
This re-release is a powerful debut collection containing songs, stories, personal reflections, and scenes of life, with some new poems highlighting growth and maturity. Written from the perspective of a passionate, creative black man working hard to share his voice with the world, each poem paints a vivid picture of the soul of an artist. It grapples with topics such as life and death, racism, faith, anger, social injustice, division in the nation, and getting up after failure. These poems are meant to encourage and to provoke and desire, and will take you on a journey that starts fast and hard and dives deeply into the human condition.
Contemporary culture seeks to define us and forge our identities. Things are never that black and white. The real human condition is a personal journey through pain and ignorance as we seek hope, inspiration, and enlightenment. Each poem conveys important messages about the capacity to pry open our hearts and be connected with our true nature. His warm, inspirational words will encourage and provoke you to take a journey that will start fast and dive deeper. It’s an invitation to mindful presence where the words and artistic expressions compel you to find peace with yourself and the world.
For more on Nathaniel Terrell’s works, visit him on social media at natej.story or at http://www.natejstory.com.
Creciendo Juntas: Narrativas de Empoderamiento de las Mujeres
Leí Creciendo Juntas y me encontré con una antología que une las voces de quince mujeres que exploran sus luchas, sus pérdidas, sus revelaciones y la forma en que reconstruyen sus mundos. Desde duelos profundos hasta despertares personales, cada autora narra su vida con una honestidad que no se esconde y con una fuerza que se siente desde el prólogo, donde se plantea que estas historias son pequeñas revoluciones que parten de lo cotidiano y avanzan hasta el alma misma.
Mientras avanzaba, sentí que el libro me hablaba desde muchos lugares a la vez. Hay textos que duelen y otros que despiertan una chispa de esperanza que llega cuando menos lo esperas. Me sorprendió la forma tan sencilla en la que varias autoras expresan emociones complejas. Nada se siente disfrazado. Todo es directo y sin ruido. A veces la vulnerabilidad me golpeó de lleno y tuve que detenerme porque una idea se quedaba dando vueltas en mi mente. Otras veces solté una sonrisa porque reconocí en sus palabras la terquedad de seguir adelante a pesar de todo.
También me gustó cómo cambia el ritmo entre historias. Unas hablan con suavidad. Otras cortan como si todavía ardiera la herida que cuentan. Esa mezcla crea una lectura que no se puede vivir de forma plana. Me llevó de la mano por caminos inesperados y me hizo pensar en las veces que yo también he tenido que romper algo en mí para poder construir algo nuevo. No todo me identificó, claro, pero sí sentí respeto por cada historia que se compartió con tanta apertura. El libro no pretende complacer ni adornar. Más bien se siente como un espacio donde la verdad tiene permiso de ocupar todo el cuarto.
Al terminarlo pensé en quién podría disfrutarlo más. Creo que sería ideal para mujeres que atraviesan cambios grandes y buscan un espejo donde verse sin filtros. También para quienes disfrutan de historias reales que no siguen un molde y que nacen desde el deseo de entender la propia vida. Yo lo recomendaría sin dudarlo. Es un libro que acompaña, que sacude y que, de alguna forma, invita a crecer con calma y con valentía.
Pages: 211 | ASIN : B0DHV7MT4L
Celebrating Small Victories
Lalibela is a book of poetry that wanders through memory, love, pain, Blackness, faith, and survival, shared through snapshots of memories filled with real emotions that hit the reader hard, and amplify the realities of Black life. What inspired you to write this particular collection of poems?
I am so grateful for the opportunity to talk about this collection.
This work was part of an intended series, picking up from where a previous work, Black Architects, left off. There was this and a prequel to Black Architects called Dearest. Unfortunately, the latter was stolen from my storage unit, but Lalibela survived. I was very much moved by my community and the struggles that I witnessed/experienced. When I look around me, there are people living unglorified lives, battling day in and day out to survive. I also see triumph, I see joy, I see grit, I see humor, I see love. The scene of backs breaking under hard work, celebrating on Sundays in church and lending a hand, set a very heartfelt rhythm in my mind. This was the rhythm to which my hands went to work to capture the sanctity of what we lived. The pieces, in turn, celebrate simply getting through the day and all other seemingly small victories.
I was also partly inspired by “Of the Coming of John” by W.E.B DuBois as well as the Allegory of the Cave by Plato. Being in the motions of experience sometimes means that the very thing that is taking place is lost on your eyes precisely because of its proximity to you. The burden, weariness, revelations and love carried by the protagonists in these two stories felt familiar to me. Having experienced the world outside of my neighborhood and family inspired an awakening of sorts that stirred a deeper love and admiration for the persons around me.
I love my community and I wanted to do justice to show just what made it so special to me. I was inspired by the coming architects of our tomorrow, (specifically my niece who was around 1 at the time and my nephew who was just a fetus), that will inherit and take charge of the world that I must one day forfeit. It was important to me to pass down my own legacy within the greater legacy of this community. I wanted to explore the nuances of ‘home’ and in a lot of ways this is my letting go of what I think ‘home’ should look like. The neighborhood is in the hands of a different young now; that narrative of its character no longer belongs to me, it belongs to the coming generation of architects that must rise to the task of defining and defending it.
Were there any poems that were particularly difficult to write? If so, why?
Most of the poems were difficult to write. The time they were written, in 2018, was turbulent for me. There was a death in my community, one that I managed to blame myself for and I was battling a number of things personally. Among these battles were crippling panic attacks. I would become completely incapacitated for any number of hours and then once I was functional again, I would hit the page. During this time, I thought a lot about mortality and I wondered about the things that really mattered in life. I found myself in this picture of the universe, small and mighty and I was thus able to blend easier into the flow of things on a larger scale. I realized how my life meant more when spent in communion with the Most High and in service of those around me. Being a vessel for Christ in this way meant that I had to be pure, so the task was to confront the world in me in writing and to speak truth to power as an honest and accurate witness to all that occurred within my realm. This made it difficult to write because I would have to face those lives and those faces who were written into the lines of each of the pieces. I had to live the baring of soul that made me feel naked – in the eyes of the Lord and the eyes of the people on whom I depended on and whom depended upon me. I felt so exposed. The lesson was this: there really is no hiding place in all of Creation.
How did you go about organizing the poems in the book? Was there a specific flow or structure you were aiming for?
I wanted the poems to speak to one another, so I arranged them in a way that they kind of flow into each other. Here’s a fun fact: you know how most movies have a love scene or a romantic storyline? I wanted to integrate that into the pulse and beat of the collection so I wrote “And When On Days” to give the collection that added bit of romance. The collection creates a certain type of world, like a mini neighborhood, and I wanted every representation and expression of love present in it.
Have you received any feedback from readers that surprised or moved you?
I think that when the Most High puts it in the hearts of man to be moved by these words from my soul, then there will be more readers. As of now, any feedback is welcomed and the invitation is extended to chance upon these waters in time.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Lalibela holds within its reams the fatigue and redemption of a working class family of the African Diaspora in the West. The lively avenues, bus routes, love lives and cultures preserved in memory and in real-time as if frozen in place from another, happier time. Retaining a legacy of teaching its young hard truths about survival, identity, achievement, failure, faith, death, resilience, life, love and hate.
As concepts evolve, facts change and truth disrobes, Lalibela is an expression and legacy of survival. Within this small community with limited resources people ponder existentially, pray colossal prayers, and resuscitate grit mouth-to-mouth. Named after a town in Ethiopia that is home to the legendary rock hewn churches, Lalibela is the sanctuary for a piece of mind and a direction to that inner place of belonging that travels with us all as we navigate our various and difficult realities. Simply, Lalibela is home.
We Are All Travelers
The Hundred Lives of Ashfern the Fox follows the journey of a wise fox from an enchanted forest who, from the moment of his birth, is marked by innate wisdom and an awareness of the past lives he has lived.
The writing in your story is very artful and creative. Was it a conscious effort to create a story in this fashion, or is this style of writing reflective of your writing style in general?
Though The Hundred Lives of Ashfern the Fox is only my twelfth publication, my path has already wandered through many genres. For years I have been drawn toward a more lyrical, breath-like style of writing—words that move with the quiet rhythm of wind through leaves. This book felt like a natural deepening of that evolution.
So yes, the artistry was intentional, but it was also instinctive—my prose simply following the currents it was always meant to follow.
Was it important for you to deliver a moral to readers, or was it circumstantial to deliver an effective novel?
My intention was to illuminate the gentle spirit of animism—the understanding that every stone, river, creature, and tree carries its own life and dignity. I hoped readers might feel a tender reverence for the world around them.
Additionally, the deeper messaging of The Hundred Lives of Ashfern the Fox rose from a very personal place: I wanted to write the book I have needed to read my entire life. I have died a thousand deaths in my own ego, heart, and mind to bring this story into the world, fully illustrated and fully alive.
Beyond its lessons, the book is meant as a lantern for the wandering heart: a source of quiet comfort, a glimmer of hope, and a reminder that we are all travelers in this strange, marvelous, ever-unfolding world.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
My next children’s book, Delilah’s Dreamlight Candles, will arrive on December 1st—a small offering of light for the winter season. Alongside it, I am shaping Books Two and Three of my Godslayer Trilogy, both set to be released in 2026.
The first book, The Infinydon, was my debut novel and was honored with the Literary Titan Silver Award in 2022, a milestone that still fills me with quiet gratitude.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
“IN A FOREST older than thunder and younger than sleep, where moss whispered secrets and the stars forgot to wink, a silver-furred fox was born beneath a lunar eclipse…”
So begins the unforgettable journey of Ashfern the Fox, a creature both wild and wise, born of starlight in a lush, enchanted forest. In this luminous, thought-provoking tale, award-winning author and artist MC Lorbiecke invites readers of all ages into a world where every river stone, fern, and fallen feather holds a spirit of its own.
Told in lyrical, poetic prose and brought to life with rich, fantastical illustrations, The Hundred Lives of Ashfern the Fox gently explores the beauty of impermanence and the eternal rhythm of life, death, and renewal. Rooted in the indigenous concept of animism, the story reminds us that nature is not a backdrop but a living, breathing presence, one that sees, remembers, and loves.
As Ashfern moves through a hundred quiet lifetimes , forgetting, remembering, and becoming, readers are offered a comforting vision of a world where loss is not an ending, but a transformation. This book speaks softly to those carrying grief, reminding them that nothing is ever truly lost; it is only changed.
A perfect companion for quiet moments, thoughtful hearts, and curious minds, The Hundred Lives of Ashfern the Fox is a timeless fable for anyone learning how to let go while holding on to wonder.
Is There Not A Cause? (2014-2025)
Reading Is There Not a Cause? felt like diving into eleven years of someone’s life all at once. The book moves through storms, heartbreak, faith, rage, pride, fear, temptation, joy, reflection, and rebirth. The poems hit like quick flashes of memory, then long moments of confession, then hard truths about a broken world. The author brings God, struggle, trauma, race, desire, loyalty, and self-accountability into view and spins them around until they blur into something raw and human. I finished it feeling like I had witnessed someone fight through their own darkness and keep getting back up, no matter how messy the fall.
As I worked through the poems, I kept feeling this heat in my chest. The writing is straight from the gut, no filter at all, and sometimes it shook me because the voice is so exposed. There are moments when the author talks about faith with steady hope, then in the next breath, he crumbles under frustration. That mix felt real to me. Life flips like that. I appreciated how he never pretended to be perfect and never tried to make his pain sound pretty. Some poems burned hot with anger. Others were soft in a way that caught me off guard. I liked that unpredictability. It made the book feel alive.
The book hits you with one emotion after another. I admired that intensity. It felt like the writer refused to hold anything back. The honesty gave the work its power. I also enjoyed the wide swing between personal reflection and social commentary. One page dives into relationships that fell apart. Another page calls out violence, corruption, and spiritual decay. It is chaotic at times, but the chaos felt intentional. It mirrors the world we live in.
I walked away feeling like this book is for readers who want truth more than comfort. It is for anyone who has battled themselves, prayed for change, fallen hard, gotten back up, and kept moving even when life hit them from every angle. If you like poetry that talks plain and feels heavy and relatable, this book will speak to you. And if you are in a season where you need to feel seen, this collection has plenty to offer.
Pages: 128 | ASIN : B0FP76VCCM
A Call to Repentance and Renewal
Words for a Wounded World is a striking collection of scriptural poetry that bridges devotion and art, journeying from the foundations of faith to the trials of endurance, calling readers to reflection, repentance, and renewal. What inspired you to write this particular collection of poems?
It all began with a young husband and father named Tucker. He was quietly losing a war few could see—caught in the grip of pornography and desperate for freedom but unsure how to reach it. As I walked with him through this struggle, the Holy Spirit stirred something unexpected in my heart: Write him a poem.
That poem became “Lured: The War for Your Soul.” It wasn’t meant to be creative expression—it was spiritual warfare. Every line was grounded in Scripture, confronting the enemy’s lies, exposing the spiritual battle, and calling Tucker back to the Truth of God’s Word. With the poem, I included companion Scriptures, reflection questions, and a call to repentance and renewal.
Weeks later, Tucker shared that the poem became his lifeline. He carried it with him. He turned to it in moments of temptation. And God used it to remind him that he wasn’t alone—and that freedom is possible through Christ.
After Tucker, the Lord continued placing people on my heart, along with specific burdens and Scriptures for each one. One poem became two, then three… until I realized the Lord wasn’t giving me isolated pieces—He was forming a collection. These became Words for a Wounded World, a book written for every soul wrestling with sin, sorrow, confusion, or spiritual longing, pointing them back to the healing power of God’s Word.
Do you have a favorite poem in the book, and if so, why does it hold special meaning for you?
That’s a tough question and a bit like asking which of your children you love most, (Lol) Each of the sixteen poems carries its own story, its own ministry moment, and its own spiritual burden. They were all born out of real conversations, real struggles, and real breakthroughs.
What makes them especially meaningful to me is how each poem teaches the Word of God in a reverent, compassionate, poetic, and even prophetic way. They are not just poems—they are invitations to encounter Scripture, to hear God’s heart, and to respond to His truth.
How has this poetry book changed you as a writer, or what did you learn about yourself through writing it?
I never set out to write a poetry book, and I certainly never saw myself as a poet. But when you follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit and immerse yourself deeply in God’s Word, you discover that God can do far more through you than you ever imagined.
The process was remarkable. For each poem, the Lord impressed a subject on my heart. I would turn to Scripture—searching, collecting, studying, meditating, wrestling, and praying—until the lines and stanzas began to take shape. After each poem came the reflection questions, journaling prompts, and the prayer prompts.
I didn’t know where any of it was heading until the twelfth poem. That’s when the vision of a full collection began to emerge. By the time the sixteenth poem was written, a four-part structure had taken shape—a structure I didn’t plan, but that God did.
Writing Words for a Wounded World has taught me that God delights in using imperfect people with imperfect words to point others to His perfect Word.
Have you received any feedback from readers that surprised or moved you?
The most meaningful feedback has been how readers are drawn from the poems directly into Scripture. Hearing that a line, a question, or a prayer prompt sent someone diving deeper into God’s Word—that’s the highest encouragement I could receive. The poems were never meant to stand alone; they were meant to be bridges leading people straight to the heart of God.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
In this Spirit-led collection, author and Biblical teacher Mark Richard weaves together sixteen Scripture-inspired poems that speak life into dark places. Each poem is grounded in the timeless truth of God’s Word, accompanied by full biblical references, and deep devotional reflection questions-creating a rich three-part encounter with God’s truth.
These “hymn-like” poems were born in real moments of ministry-written for people facing doubt, anxiety, sickness, and sorrow. Now, they are offered to you-to awaken your soul, convict your heart, and strengthen your faith.
LITERARY TITAN 