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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
A Clean Slate
A Mother’s Promise follows a fed-up thirteen-year-old boy who runs away after his mom’s partner starts drinking again, and witnesses a brutal attack on a helpless stranger, where he steps in to help. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I always wanted to write a story that combined both magical, fantastical elements with real-life, everyday occurrences that a lot of families experience around Christmas. I wanted to show the harsh truth that leaving a volatile relationship like that is extremely difficult for some people, but with enough courage, it can be done.
Grace and Dylan are both looking for a Christmas miracle and find it in different ways. What were some of the emotional and moral guidelines you followed when developing your characters?
Throughout my life, I grew up knowing friends who are in the same position as Grace and Dylan. There are female friends of mine who wanted to remain loyal to a very flawed partner who, only when circumstances become dire, they see as very selfish. I wanted to keep the story grounded within reason and make the fantastical scenes feel a bit more real.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Hmm…that’s a tough one to answer because there were a lot. I guess if I were to narrow it down, the main themes were: the courage to do what’s right and knowing when to leave a bad situation. So courage, forgiveness, and redemption. Forgiveness is very important around Christmas time because nobody knows how much time we have left on Earth. So the one question I always ask is: do you want to leave here bearing a grudge and have others hating you? Or do you want to leave here with a clean slate and a clear conscience?
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
The next book I’m getting ready is the final, action-packed book in the YA horror series, The Hopps Town Quadrilogy. That will be released in April 2026. Then I’m finishing, When Worlds Collide, the third book in my YA epic fantasy series, The Zargothian Saga. There are a number of screenplay scripts I’m working on, as well as making AI movies. So 2026 will be pretty busy, but I’m very grateful to be able to do all these wonderful things.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Dylan Sanchez used to love Christmas. But for the last three years, the holidays have been anything but festive. Like clockwork, Greg – his mother’s partner – gets intoxicated and spirals from awkward jokes to tense, needling arguments that drain the joy from the season. Every year, his mother says it’ll be different. Every year it isn’t. When Greg slips back into old habits just days before yet another Christmas, Dylan can’t take it anymore. He grabs his coat and walks out, leaving behind the wreckage of promises too thin to stand on.
But when he witnesses a brutal attack on a helpless stranger out in the dark streets, his split-second choice to intervene sets off a chain of events unlike anything he could have imagined — something that’s nothing short of a Christmas miracle.
Sometimes, a thirteen-year-old boy’s fierce heart is exactly what the world needs to remember the true meaning of Christmas.
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.
The World Is Full Of Magic
Goldfield Forest follows a mystical lioness who needs help to prevent a supernatural war, and she turns to the guardian of the Fae to help battle a warlock. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I see magic in rainforests, have a passion for animals, and find the idea of little people and mystical creatures almost believable, so creating Goldfield Forest made sense.
What were the morals you were trying to capture while creating your characters?
I’m not sure I tried to capture the morals. Rather, the characters created them as they developed. Loyalty is a common thread. Maria has a sense of duty and will risk her life to protect those she loves. Ross, Maria’s father, is honest when he answers his granddaughter’s sometimes controversial questions about life and all things magical.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The world is full of magic, though maybe not as apparent as in Goldfield Forest, and it’s important to believe in miracles. Like family, true friends are sacred. Animals are more perceptive than most people realize. Good almost always triumphs over evil.
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
Yes. A follow-up novel, Dancing Valley, is under construction. Like Goldfield Forest, Dancing Valley is an estate inhabited by little people. Some of the same history connects the properties and the guardians who care for them are friends. People and fae learn more about each other as relationships expand, adventures continue, and danger is faced head-on.
Author Links: X | Facebook | Website
To prevent the 21st-century extermination of a mystical clan of lion people and the supernatural residents of the Amazon jungle, Lena, the clan’s queen, needs a guardian to accompany her to the Amazon. She seeks the help of a contemporary archaeologist, Maria, who is a guardian of the fae in Goldfield Forest.
Despite a warlock’s threats to destroy Maria, her family, and the little people who live with her, she agrees to accompany Lena to the Amazon. As the magical inhabitants of Goldfield prepare to defend their home, Maria and Lena travel to the jungle to confront Bagrim in the jungles of the Amazon, where the one who prevails will dictate the future of the rainforest and the lives of the supernatural creatures who depend on the magic found nowhere else.
Goldfield Forest
In Goldfield Forest, we follow Maria, Marco, and Chase into the humid and dense Brazilian Amazon forest to unravel the magic in certain objects. Their expedition reveals much more than they anticipated. Simultaneously, we are introduced to August Alexander, a scholar of ancient Andean civilization, whose story unfolds in the same locations but in 1783. This dual timeline adds depth and intrigue to this already intriguing fantasy novel.
Author Karen Black demonstrates a deep respect for the Amazonian culture and the Indigenous peoples, seamlessly blending Brazilian and American elements by using terms like “fae” to describe the magical beings of the rainforest. This fusion of folklore is refreshing and engaging, offering readers a novel take on familiar themes.
This book is a must-read if you enjoy stories filled with adventure, mystery, magic, cultural exploration, and friendship. Black’s writing is engaging, and you’ll find yourself turning pages effortlessly. The vibrant and charismatic characters bring the lush world around them to life. The transitions between different points of view are handled with finesse, making each perspective interesting and authentic. The author maintains a well-balanced pace throughout the story.
Goldfield Forest is a blend of fantasy, adventure, and cultural respect that offers a refreshing and engaging reading experience. The novel’s compelling narrative, well-developed characters, and seamless transitions between timelines make it stand out in the fantasy genre. Karen Black’s sensitive portrayal of Amazonian culture and her innovative fusion of folklore create a story that is both enlightening and captivating. Goldfield Forest is a great read for readers who crave adventure, mystery, and a touch of magic.
Pages: 255 | ASIN : B0D1NPMNJJ
LITERARY TITAN 