Blog Archives
A Quest For Love and Acceptance
Inspirational Love is a collection of raw emotional poetry that offers readers a heartfelt, unvarnished glimpse into the complexities of love, loss, and longing. What inspired you to write this collection of poetry?
I started writing in a creative writing course in high school where I tied for the highest mark in the class. It was there I wrote my first love poems about Heather. Poetry proved to be a way to express my emotions. Writing poetry proved to be cathartic. That was why I continued to write poems. My first published work was the poem “Cindy” which appeared in the Calgary Sun Newspaper article “Readers Sweet-Talk Cindy” which garnered me a poster. That poem exhibited my creative imagination.
What was the most challenging part of writing this collection and what was the most rewarding?
Writing these poems came easily to me. I was putting my life experiences down on paper. The words just seemed to flow naturally whenever I was feeling emotional.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
I finally decided to publish these poems to let others know they are not alone. The quest for love and acceptance is in all of us. Regardless of how we feel, we should never lose hope. We all have people who love us. I learned we are all capable of giving and receiving love. We don’t all love each other equally or as passionately. The expectations we have are not always met but that doesn’t mean we aren’t loved. We should never give up hope. I want others to realize that.
What is the next book that you are working on and when can your fans expect it to be out?
I don’t have another book in the works.
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Time is of the Essence
Time is of the Essence by Phoebe Wilby presents a captivating collection of short stories, weaving together both fiction and nonfiction narratives that explore a range of human experiences. Each story offers a unique perspective, drawing readers into different worlds where characters confront love, fear, identity, and the unexpected twists life can throw at them. Among the standout stories is A Modern Fairy Tale, which kicks off the collection by posing the timeless question: can love truly conquer all? In A Moment in Time, the reader is taken on a suspenseful journey as a date teeters between promising and terrifying. Then there’s Blood Ties, where a character’s life is upended upon discovering the existence of a long-lost sibling. Lastly, Chemical Imbalance delves into the dark mind of Nigel, a chilling and delusional character who leaves an unforgettable mark on the reader.
Each story in Wilby’s collection is distinct, but they all share a common thread—uncertainty about whether a happy-ever-after is possible. The characters are rich and diverse, brimming with life and complexity. Nigel from Chemical Imbalance stands out as a particularly well-crafted villain, his darkness and delusion adding an eerie tension to the story. The settings, too, are meticulously chosen, each perfectly tailored to the tone of its respective narrative. Whether it’s the magical appearance of fairies in A Modern Fairy Tale, the tension of a disastrous date in A Moment in Time, or the life-altering revelations of Blood Ties, Wilby’s stories offer moments that both delight and surprise. The collection is well-curated, with many of the stories delivering fascinating plots and unexpected, yet satisfying, endings. One of the strengths of Time is of the Essence lies in its ability to keep readers guessing, never quite sure how things will resolve. Wilby’s storytelling creates just the right balance of suspense and emotion, making the journey through each tale both engaging and entertaining. The pacing can feel slow at times, and while the inclusion of nonfiction stories adds depth, they seem slightly out of place in a collection so dominated by fiction. Despite this, the book remains an enjoyable read overall, showcasing Wilby’s talent for storytelling.
For fans of short stories, Time is of the Essence is a stunning collection that promises to entertain and surprise. Phoebe Wilby’s skill in crafting compelling narratives makes this an enjoyable experience, and readers will undoubtedly look forward to seeing more from this author in the future.
Pages: 202 | ASIN : B075VXG637
Bachelor Holiday
Bachelor Holiday is a collection of poetry by William Huhn that pulls you into a world of fragmented beauty, intimate reflections, and quiet explorations of life’s often overlooked moments. The poems are divided into four parts, each delving into themes of love, loss, time, and nature, with subtle shifts in tone and focus. Huhn’s writing feels personal yet universal, as he captures fleeting emotions and images with a sense of gentle nostalgia and raw realism.
The writing is unpretentious yet rich in emotion. Huhn’s imagery is vivid but often minimal, as seen in “Bye Love You” from Part One, where he depicts a simple yet powerful moment: “You will have all/ the leaves from her hair/ falling—to catch.” The balance between the tangible and the abstract is striking throughout the collection. I found myself swept up in the small, delicate observations, yet always aware of a deeper, more elusive meaning lurking just beneath the surface.
Huhn’s style is refreshingly conversational at times, even playful. “Dry Spell” captures the absurdity of trying to enjoy a beach day amidst a raw sewage spill: “No Swimming/ said the sign/ the fish and gulls/ couldn’t read.” His humor feels natural, a way of grounding the reader in everyday life while still playing with larger ideas. Yet, when he wants to, he turns effortlessly towards the profound, as in “Expedition,” where he reflects on friendship and perseverance in an almost haunting way.
Bachelor Holiday is an impressive debut that will speak to readers who appreciate poetry that intertwines the beauty of small moments with broader reflections on life and human experience. I think it’s for anyone who enjoys a bit of mystery in their poetry, a mix of playfulness and introspection. Fans of poets like Mary Oliver or Billy Collins, who balance light and dark, personal and universal, will find Huhn’s work a satisfying read.
Pages: 86 | ISBN : 1609644689
Many Shades of Life
Whispers of a Logophile is a tender and evocative collection of free-verse poems that masterfully explores the intricate connection between words and emotions. What was the inspiration for this collection of poetry?
My inspiration is my deep experience of life blended with emotions and feelings confronted at different stages of life. In the journey of life, we pass through many phases some painted in colours, and some in black and white. The birth of my poetry is from the womb of many shades of life.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
As such no deliberations were made to infuse ideas into my book, I only picked from writings of a period like a mosaic and shared it in a book form.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your poetry?
My aspiration for my readers to get from my book is that they can feel somewhere their life has been touched.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next book will be a collection of short stories, that too will be inspirational mostly to women folks. The book will be available June 2025.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Amazon
The People of the Mid-Ohio Valley
Town and Country: Voices from the Mid-Ohio Valley is a collection of short stories centered around life in a Midwestern small town. What inspired you to write this collection?
The ten stories in Town and Country were written and published in various journals over a number of years starting in 2019. So the collection developed gradually, but the stories were inspired by the locale and people where I grew up. I’ve turned the town of Parkersburg, WV, and the nearby rural communities of Lubeck, Washington, and New England Ridge into the fictional Parkeston and Locust Hill, respectively. Faulkner had his Yoknapatawpha County; Thomas Hardy had Wessex; I have Locust Hill.
Is there anything from your own life included in your stories?
Very much so. In addition to the locale, the character of Livia in “The Postmistress” is based on one of my aunts—my father’s sister. She did indeed operate the local post office from her parlor and was famous for her feisty personality. Also, the general store featured in the companion stories “Disorder” and “Penny Candy” was real, with cats in the front window and penny candy in jars. Along with my schoolmates, I waited there for the school bus to come and take us to the high school on the far side of Parkersburg.
Is there one story that stands out for you? One that was especially enjoyable to craft?
Oh yes, that would be “Penny Candy.” I intended it to contain a tribute to the people of the Mid-Ohio Valley—actually the entire collection is that. But I put the words of the tribute in the mouth of Pastor Beattie as he tries to comfort the distraught Lorna Crandall, who continues to be haunted by the ghost of her son killed in Vietnam. Pastor Beattie tells her, “There’s good people here in Locust Hill, as you yourself just said. So many angels, all in their own way. As good as any I’ve seen in this world. I can say that for certain.” And I hope the people who read Town and Country will see that too.
Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?
You can, but I’m not so certain about the “soon” part. I’m working on a sci-fi-paranormal-inspirational story that requires quite a lot of research. The protagonist is a chemical engineer who replaces the deceased head of research in a chemical laboratory. The deceased chemist, famous for his invention of rejuvenating tires (i.e. regrown their treads), urges his successor from the Afterlife to turn his talents to medical discoveries rather than industrial ones. To complete the novel, I just need to come up with a plausible explanation of the Afterlife and a plausible cure for cancer. No problem! The working title is The Covalence of Love.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
In this collection of short stories, the reader encounters ordinary people struggling with a variety of extraordinary problems that threaten to change their lives: an elderly widower confronting a life of regrets, precocious children threatened with separation, a middle-aged couple facing the loss of their generations-old general store, and many others. Read Town and Country and meet the people of the Mid-Ohio Valley—people you may very well recognize from your own hometown.
Grief is a Teacher
On the Ever-Lovely Morrow is an introspective poetry collection that explores themes of love, freedom, self-discovery, and personal transformation through honest reflections on life’s challenges and societal norms. Why was this an important book for you to publish?
I felt like I had more that I needed to say, and I needed to share it in a sense and a space that was new. On the Ever-Lovely Morrow is actually the companion to its predecessor At the Beginning of Yesterday, which was published under a different name, that being Tiffiny Rose Allen.
Sometimes, you take a look at your life and see how much you’ve changed, and in the process, you realize how much you need to reinvent yourself, how much you have reinvented yourself, and what image you want to share with the world. I believe as humans we are ever-evolving, and it’s important to show that change is just a staple of life and an important one at that.
In several poems, grief seems to act as a catalyst for transformation. How do you view the relationship between loss and personal growth in your writing?
My relationship with grief has been something that has at times felt like a constant, but I have always found ways to transmute it and make it into something beautiful. Grief is, in and of itself, a beautiful thing, which demands we look at ourselves and our lives and the parts that we are playing in it. Grief is a teacher. I try my best to translate that into my work when I write.
Your reflections on societal norms and expectations are powerful. What inspired you to address these topics so openly in your poetry?
I felt the need to express these topics because they were things that had affected me personally, things that had made an impact on how I held myself, how I viewed myself, and how people viewed me and treated me. I don’t think anyone is limited to being just one thing, and it was important to me to show how multifaceted I am as a person, and hopefully in sharing that, someone could see themselves within those views as well.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I currently have an anthology in the works, it being Volume II of the Dreams In Hiding anthology. The title is After Words We Go From Here and it is centered on After pieces and prose. For those unfamiliar, After pieces are pieces of writing that are inspired by other forms of art or artists. This should be published in the late fall or early winter of 2024.
Apart from that, I have a few different projects that are in the very early stages of development, and we’ll see how they progress, but I am very very excited to share them one day.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
What comes after Yesterday? There is the present, then tomorrow, what happens on the Ever-Lovely Morrow?
In this companion to the poetry collection At The Beginning Of Yesterday, the ship of the author’s emotions will navigate you through reinvention, resurfacing, and feeling out the waves of healing.
Everything, in some form or another, comes in waves. This is a collection that celebrates being a writer, acknowledges the non-linearity of emotions, and dives into the themes of what it means to step into one’s own definition of living.
Laugh Like A Mother
Laugh Like A Mother by Kathryn Sprandio Ells is a wonderfully engaging blend of humor, chaos, and heartfelt emotion, capturing the rollercoaster ride of parenthood. What sets this book apart is Ells’ knack for portraying the madness of raising small children in a way that feels intensely personal yet universally relatable. Through witty illustrations and short, vibrant stories, she offers a candid glimpse into the joys and frustrations of parenting, all while keeping readers laughing from start to finish.
Ells writes as if she’s sitting across from you, coffee in hand, recounting her latest parenting disaster. Her voice is real and conversational, making the reader feel like they’re swapping stories with an old friend. She doesn’t sugarcoat the struggles, but she also doesn’t dwell on them. Instead, she finds humor in the chaos, whether it’s wrestling with an umbrella stroller in a crowded parking lot or accidentally setting herself on fire while cooking. Her ability to make you laugh out loud while still recognizing the underlying challenges of parenthood is what makes her stories so compelling. What truly sets Laugh Like A Mother apart is its balance between humor and sentiment. While the stories are quick and light, they’re layered with moments that catch you off guard. Ells reflects on her children’s growth, her own insecurities as a mother, and the small victories that come with parenting, adding depth to what initially seems like a breezy read. The mix of light-hearted anecdotes with deeper reflections turns this book into something much more meaningful than just another funny parenting book. The inclusion of poetry adds an unexpected and thought-provoking touch. These poetic interludes offer a reflective pause between the more humorous tales, allowing Ells to explore the quieter, more introspective moments of motherhood. Simple yet evocative, these poems capture the tenderness and emotional complexity of being a parent, lingering in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page.
Laugh Like A Mother is a book that will strike a chord with anyone who has ever found themselves laughing and crying at the same time. It’s not just a funny take on motherhood; it’s an honest one, and that’s what makes it a must-read for parents everywhere.
Pages: 119 | ASIN : B0D3T5YXS8
A Concerto for an Empty Frame
Elizabeth Kirkpatrick-Vrenios’ A Concerto for an Empty Frame is a mesmerizing collection of poetry that explores loss, grief, and survival through an intricately structured lyrical journey. The haunting title alone beckons readers into a world where language and emotion intertwine, offering both aesthetic pleasure and deep introspection. Comprising 34 poems, the collection is artfully organized in the form of a concerto, divided into three movements and a cadenza. The first movement begins with the blooming of love and the tentative steps of a new relationship. It delicately portrays the adjustments and joys of coming together, only to shift dramatically into the dissonance of loss, most notably with the strikingly evocative ‘Out of Tune,’ where a “field laid bare to scavenging crows” paints a vivid image of grief and devastation. This tragic arc escalates with the heart-wrenching loss of a beloved life in a sudden, tragic accident.
Kirkpatrick-Vrenios deftly manipulates language, structure, and form, creating a symphony of words that both captivates and resonates long after reading. Poems such as ‘Yesterday’s Sand’ and ‘The Rag Lady Casts a Spell (Cadenza)’ stand out for their inventive forms, each one crafted with care to engage both the visual and auditory senses. The inclusion of Italian musical notations throughout the collection enhances its auditory richness, as if the poems themselves were notes on a score, meant to be heard as well as read. One of the most striking elements is the way silence and absence are rendered palpable through subtle details, such as the grey font in pieces like ‘Unbuttoned Blues,’ ‘I Moved Out,’ and ‘Blue Tarp.’ These unspoken moments deepen the emotional impact, allowing the unsaid to linger in the mind. Moreover, the use of dictionary definitions for musical terms like concerto and recapitulation lends a delicate, intellectual layer to the collection, intertwining poetic musings with technical precision. The title itself, A Concerto for an Empty Frame, alongside its subtitle Music for Survival, encapsulates the dual themes of loss and the possibility of renewal. The “empty frame” suggests both a life shattered by tragedy and a space waiting to be filled once more, while the music serves as a vehicle for endurance, echoing the human capacity to heal and continue.
This is a collection to be savored. Its emotional depth and linguistic craftsmanship invite readers to immerse themselves fully in a single sitting, then return to explore its nuanced layers of meaning and form. A Concerto for an Empty Frame is a moving and skillfully composed work that will linger in both the heart and mind.
Pages: 90 | ISBN : 1639804315
LITERARY TITAN 