Blog Archives
A Goblin’s Mind
A Goblin’s Mind follows Doctor Harlow, a sharp-witted therapist living in a secluded forest who treats the most peculiar of clients. Through his sessions with a compulsive half-unicorn hoarder, an arrogant wizard, a lonely young goblin, and even royalty, Harlow navigates strange personalities, tangled problems, and his own isolation. Each chapter plays out like a self-contained therapy vignette, yet threads of mystery and personal reflection run underneath, hinting at Harlow’s own unfinished business and the curious island he inhabits. The tone swings between deadpan humor, gentle empathy, and surreal fantasy, making the reader feel both entertained and unsettled.
I enjoyed the way the writing marries dry wit with moments of quiet melancholy. Dresner has a gift for making absurd scenarios feel grounded. A unicorn discussing her belt-buckle attachment issues becomes, in his hands, both hilarious and strangely poignant. The banter between characters is crisp and revealing, with dialogue that often says as much in what is left unsaid as in what is spoken. At times, I laughed at Harlow’s sardonic observations. Other moments caught me off guard with their tenderness. There’s a rhythm to the prose that makes the conversations feel alive, and yet the pacing never lingers too long in one mood before shifting to another.
I also found myself appreciating the undercurrent of loneliness that runs through the book. Harlow may be the one guiding others, but Dresner never lets us forget he is just as mortal as his patients, grappling with uncertainty and longing. The island itself feels like a character, its stillness and strange boundaries adding to the sense that everyone here is a little trapped, including the good doctor. Some of the surreal touches, like the recurring dream imagery and the letter that keeps reappearing, worked beautifully to keep me curious, though a few left me wishing for more payoff. The blend of slice-of-life pacing with the quirks of high fantasy felt fresh.
I’d recommend A Goblin’s Mind to readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy with a strong conversational voice. If you like your worlds a bit odd, your humor a bit dry, and your moments of heart snuck in between the jokes, this is worth picking up. For anyone who enjoys the idea of a therapist’s couch deep in an enchanted forest, Dresner delivers something charming, sly, and quietly moving.
Pages: 176 | ISBN : 1989482082
The Eye of Ebon
The Eye of Ebon is a dark and sweeping fantasy tale that pulls you into a world of bitter winters, brutal enemies, and an undercurrent of ancient legend. At its heart is the harrowing survival of Samiare, a young girl torn from her family and brutalized by the monstrous Groll, only to be delivered a mysterious, almost divine sword that grants her both vengeance and solace. Parallel to her journey is Ruegette, a seasoned warrior from Tierinor, whose sense of duty and stubborn compassion push her to uncover the deeper plot behind the Groll’s presence in the frozen wastes of Norvaine. As the story winds through raids, rescues, and ruin-haunted mountain passes, the narrative threads begin to knot around an ancient key, the Eye of Ebon, and the shadowy forces moving to claim it.
The writing balances vivid brutality with strange beauty, and I felt the weight of every snow-laden step and every wound described. The prose has a rhythm that shifts between crisp action and almost lyrical inner monologue. There are moments of raw violence that left me tense, and others of quiet humanity that kept me thinking about them throughout the day. I found myself caring for Samiare in a way that made me want to step into the page and shield her from the world. Ruegette’s arc resonated differently, more as an exploration of loyalty and the uncomfortable truth that sometimes doing the right thing means walking straight into danger.
There are sections where the descriptions stretch on and slow the urgency, and times when dialogue feels formal. But then the story delivers these sudden jolts, like discoveries in ruined halls, treacherous turns in battle, confessions under the shadow of firelight, that pull you right back in. The mix of political intrigue, mythic history, and personal survival works because it keeps the stakes layered. It’s never just about the fight in front of you, it’s about the web it’s tangled in.
The Eye of Ebon left me with that rare mix of satisfaction and unease. It closes enough loops to feel whole, yet you can sense the larger saga looming beyond the final page. I’d recommend this to readers who like their fantasy sharp-edged and emotionally charged, and for readers who want not just the clash of swords, but the ache of the people wielding them.
Pages: 247 | ASIN : B0DB1F14HD
Elements of Life
Dominion follows a leader of the Dragon Guild, who discovers her brother is a primary target, putting him and his dragon in grave danger, and tries to protect him while preparing for battle. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The character, Gabri, inspired the adventures of her little brother, Alex. As a baby in an earlier series, Gabri had used one of her powers to save Terra from destruction. It made sense to me that her baby brother would be born with the same gifts. Alex’s intellect is far advanced for his age. Like a child, he’s headstrong and emotional. Because of his powers, he feels invincible and doesn’t believe he’s in any danger. He knows he can defeat the evil entity that is capturing and hurting dragons.
Much wiser and having learned to live without her powers, Gabri rightly fears what the Shadow will do to Alex when he discovers the boy and his abilities. She’s torn between protecting him and fighting the enemy.
Their conflict developed organically. I had no idea the story would end the way it did until I got there.
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?
That’s a tough question. I would say it’s a combination of the two. The words flowed as the story unfolded in my mind. I became immersed in the scenes, invested in the characters, and intrigued by the emerging story.
My writing style may have developed because of the many books I’ve read and enjoyed in this genre. In short, I wrote a book I would like to read.
Friendship, love, sacrifice, and finding one’s place are virtues that are highlighted throughout the story. Why are these important to telling the story?
They’re elements of life. Both friendship and love involve some sacrifice. There is no love or friendship that doesn’t require giving up a bit of oneself. The journey is different for everyone, but it makes for some great stories.
Finding one’s place, one’s anchor, one’s tribe, has immeasurable rewards, but the process of getting there can be daunting and can make interesting reading. As an Army Brat, it took me years to realize my place, my home, was with my core family, no matter where we lived. The pain of saying goodbye to my friends as they left, or as I left them behind, was a sacrifice born of my love for them. As a parent, loving our children requires giving them up to live their own lives. No character-driven story would be complete without some such life elements.
After surviving so much, where do you see your characters after the book ends?
I don’t want to give away the ending! I will say that some of the characters might show up in other stories. They can become quite insistent, and I feel a plot or two percolating.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
As tensions rise, and Gabri, Elio, and their dragons prepare for battle, Alex and Tito embark on a daring mission to rescue Phoenix, a dragon caught in the crossfire of a sinister plot.
Treacherous challenges await the Dragon Guild as they harness their unique abilities and forge alliances to secure the safety of their loved ones and the future of their planet. Will courage and determination be enough to overcome the darkness threatening to engulf them? Will Gabri lose her little brother in their fight to regain dominion over their world?
The Broken Bridge
Mike Cleveland’s The Broken Bridge is a sweeping allegorical tale about unity lost and the sacrificial love that alone can restore it. The story begins in a vibrant and harmonious world where two communities are joined by the Great Bridge. More than just stone and mortar, it’s a living heart that binds people together. Fidel and Verita’s love is set to be sealed at the bridge’s center, but a sudden and catastrophic collapse shatters both the structure and the people’s trust. As the physical chasm grows, so does the spiritual and moral divide, giving way to fear, selfishness, and grief. Various figures, each embodying different philosophies and approaches, arrive to offer their versions of repair, but only one path leads toward true restoration. Through vivid scenes and a layered cast of characters, Cleveland builds an allegory of the human condition, the Fall, and the atonement.
The imagery is lush but never indulgent; the bridge itself is practically a character, breathing with history and meaning. Cleveland’s gift lies in his ability to make a symbolic world feel tangible. I could smell the bread from the communal kitchens, hear the lapping of the Vitae River, and feel the stone vibrate under the feet of a united people. When disaster struck, the grief was palpable. He writes loss in a way that made my chest ache. And yet, there’s a steady thread of hope woven in, even through the darker passages, that kept me turning pages long after midnight.
The book isn’t just a pleasant walk through metaphor. It has sharp edges. The portrayal of human frailty, how quickly love can curdle into self-preservation, hits uncomfortably close to home. I found myself frustrated with characters who gave up too soon, and pained by those who clung to impossible ideals, hurting others in the process. There were moments I wanted to shout advice into the pages. But that’s a credit to Cleveland’s storytelling; his people aren’t cardboard saints or villains. They’re complex, flawed, and deeply human. At times, the moral symbolism is overt, but it never feels like a sermon being read to you. It feels like a mirror being held up.
The Broken Bridge left me with that rare mix of satisfaction and longing. The sense that the story had resolved, but that its truths would keep echoing long afterward. It’s a tale for readers who enjoy their fiction with meaning baked into every scene, who don’t mind being made uncomfortable on the way to being inspired. I’d recommend it to fans of allegorical works like The Pilgrim’s Progress or Hinds’ Feet on High Places, as well as to anyone wrestling with themes of reconciliation, grace, and the cost of true unity.
Pages: 183 | ASIN : B0FH365HJT
The Power of Imagination
Luella’s Library follows a young book-lover who invites her tech-obsessed best friend to her home library, where they wind up on an unexpected journey when a book opens a magical portal to enchanted worlds. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Getting lost in a book gives kids the opportunity to connect with characters, go on wild adventures, and make choices and opinions based on the plot. So, I decided to write Luella’s Library to show kids the magic of reading a book. Children will be able to follow Luella and Lino on the many adventures their book takes them on. Lino is inspired by one of my own cousins who loves to spend time playing games on his iPad, and Luella has traits of my sister, who has a library of books in her bedroom. Together, Luella and Lino travel through many enchanted lands, all of which have been inspired by my favorite Barbie and Disney movies growing up. As a child, I fell in love with the magical settings in Barbie and Disney; they were places that I wished to visit, which is why I chose to make the settings of my story have a similar vibe. I want kids to be able to feel like they’ve been sucked into these vibrant worlds along with my main characters. My goal is to show children in a fun, interactive, and relatable way that picking up a book can be more of an exciting experience than picking up an iPad.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
In the past few years, I’ve seen a major shift in how young kids spend their free time. Rather than using their imaginations to play games, read a book, or enjoy the outdoors, I’ve noticed that their playtime is heavily spent on their iPads and phones. It’s become less reading and more tapping. If this trend continues, kids won’t know the experience of getting lost in a book anymore and expanding their imagination. Will kids even be creative if they’re always told what to believe through their iPads and never form opinions of their own? This question inspired me to write Luella’s Library. I believe kids should learn at a young age the power of imagination and creativity in this digital world we live in today.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
My favorite scene to write was the scene where Luella, Lino, and their newfound leprechaun friend ride Pegasuses into the sky in a land filled with fairies, mermaids, and mystical forests. My favorite movies growing up were always the ones that included fairies or mermaids, so I felt like I was tapping back into my childhood dreams of living in a land with magical creatures.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
As of right now, I haven’t decided if I will make this into a series. Yet, I loved writing it and bringing the world of Luella’s Library to life, so there is definitely a possibility!
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Amazon
Luella loves to read books, but her best friend, Lino, doesn’t.
What Lino soon discovers is that the books in Luella’s library are magical! When one of her books transports them to an enchanted land, they have to face unexpected obstacles and help new friends.
Will Luella and Lino complete their journeys along the way? Will they be able to help their new friend find his way back home? Or will Lino choose his phone over the adventures Luella’s library has in store?
Mood and Mystique
Midnights in October is a collection of thirty-one fifty-five-word tales offering glimpses into the supernatural, giving readers an eerie story to cherish each night in October. What was the inspiration for this unique collection?
October is my favorite month of the year. I love the changing light, the temperature cooling, and the overall anticipation of All Hallows Eve. It occurred to me that having a nightly morsel to read would be a great way to add to the mood and mystique of such a month while enticing us, every night, to spend an hour or two by candlelight making up our own fables on the spot.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in putting together this book?
As Angel Numbers go, five is an intriguing one, and so are double fives. Infected by the notion of combining powerful numbers and words into a spellcasting fest, I committed to keeping my micro-fictions within a 55-word limit. I won’t lie, the revisions were numerous, at least five for each one, and word placement was maddening, but after extensive beta-reading, editing, and proofing, each micro fiction felt just right. It helped that there are specific observances in the month of October, which gave me a ready topic to explore. The other 13 days became a mixture of supernatural slices, wishful thinking, or expressed views.
Do you have a favorite selection from Midnights in October? One that was especially fun to write.
My favorite is October 31, “Halloween.” Every time I read it, I pat myself on the back because it paints such a dreamlike picture. As far as fun ones to write, I’d have to say October 2nd, “The Sky is Falling,” and October 17th, “¡Salud!”
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
My Faerie Legacy series, chronicling the lives of 3 matriarchs in hybrid faery-human family, is currently a trilogy (now available in Spanish), and I’m contemplating writing a 4th book. I’ve barely started the outline process, so it won’t be a 2026 publication— 2027 might be more on the mark.
Author Links: GoodReads | BlueSky | Facebook | Website | Amazon
But words said in October will inevitably conjure a spellcasting fest.
‘Tis the season for lit-tricky-treats, so dive in, make a ritual of it and, on the fly, compose your own nightly fable in fifty-five words or less.
Why fifty-five?
It’s all about the energy double fives lend to the moment or task.
When casting in October, let your words, or the components of your spell, be 55 in number. Its power will infuse your intention with signature energies like adventure, change, development, opportunity, and transformation, all vital when seeking to begin afresh.
A Shroud Of Sorcery
A Shroud of Sorcery plunges the reader into first-century Romano-British Britain, where the fragile balance between tribal independence and Roman occupation teeters on the edge of war. We follow Alba, a mystic of the Cornovii tribe, and his companions as they navigate mounting Roman incursions, tribal politics, and the unsettling emergence of a cunning and ritualistic killer whose methods suggest dark, supernatural forces at work. Griffiths weaves a tale that shifts between tense skirmishes, eerie encounters, and moments of quiet reflection, building a world steeped in ancient magick, folklore, and the gritty realities of survival in a land caught between cultures.
This book was an immersive experience. Griffiths has a knack for painting landscapes that feel both tangible and ominous, from the shadowy forests of Wyre to the fortified hilltops of tribal strongholds. The opening scenes grip you with breathless pursuit and never quite let go. I found the interplay between historical detail and mystical elements especially engaging. Neither overwhelms the other, and both work in tandem to keep the stakes high. The pacing occasionally lingers in dialogue-heavy sections where tempers flare and egos spar. Still, those moments reveal the personal grudges, fragile alliances, and shifting loyalties that underpin the plot, giving weight to every confrontation.
The characters are the heart of the story, and they’re written with a mix of grit, stubborn pride, and surprising vulnerability. Alba’s blend of mystical insight and pragmatic warrior sense kept me invested, while Argyll’s sardonic humor balanced the darker beats. Even minor characters, like the prickly and insecure Duro or the calculating Roman officers, feel distinct. The antagonist’s presence, both human and possibly otherworldly, hangs over the story like a cold mist, and while not all mysteries are resolved, the sense of dread they bring is palpable. There’s a grounded cruelty here, both in Roman tactics and in the killer’s methods, that makes the moments of trust and camaraderie stand out all the more.
This book will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction laced with dark fantasy, as well as anyone drawn to stories where political maneuvering, ancient beliefs, and personal vendettas collide. If you like your battles visceral, your landscapes vivid, and your mysteries threaded with the supernatural, A Shroud of Sorcery is worth your time.
Pages: 324 | ASIN : B0F6KLHYQP
The UFO Gambit
The UFO Gambit, by T.E. MacArthur, opens with a chilling prologue set in 1977, when a determined twelve-year-old, Rita, sets out to document mysterious lights near a rural airstrip only to encounter something far stranger and more dangerous than she imagined. Decades later, the story shifts to Tessa Wells-Lancing and Jack de Sombras, partners in a private security and investigative agency that specializes in unusual cases. When a neighbor shows up with a bizarre complaint followed by news of two bodies on her land, one of them possibly extraterrestrial, the pair is drawn into a case that blends small-town drama, murder mystery, paranormal investigation, and flashes of government conspiracy. What follows is a lively mix of eerie encounters, sharp banter, suspicious reporters, reluctant law enforcement, and a deepening tangle of secrets that may be stranger than either of them is ready to admit.
I had a blast reading this story. The dialogue pops. Sometimes it’s sarcastic, sometimes warm, and the chemistry between Tessa and Jack makes the book feel alive. The humor comes in quick, dry bursts, cutting through the tension in a way that feels authentic. The pacing moves at a comfortable clip, mixing moments of investigation with vivid character beats. The small-town setting, with its mix of quirky locals and tense undercurrents, adds a rich backdrop. What I especially enjoyed was how the author balances the mystery of the aliens with grounded details, whether it’s the cold damp of a Northern California morning or the awkward silence of a too-long stare from a deadpan coroner.
On the ideas side, the book toys with belief and skepticism in an interesting way. Tessa is open to the supernatural but keeps her feet on the ground, while Jack wears his disbelief like armor, though cracks appear when the evidence pushes too far. The paranormal isn’t just a gimmick here. It’s part of how characters test each other’s trust and boundaries. There’s also a sly thread about privacy, paranoia, and how information gets twisted in the hands of the wrong people, something that feels pointed without being preachy. A few scenes lean into banter when I was itching for more direct answers, but that’s also part of the book’s charm: you get pulled into the rhythm of these characters’ lives rather than just chasing the plot.
The UFO Gambit is a smart, funny, and surprisingly layered mix of mystery, paranormal thriller, and relationship drama. It’s perfect for readers who like their strange tales grounded in believable characters, with a side of dry humor and a touch of danger. If you enjoy shows like The X-Files but wish Mulder and Scully argued more like an old married couple, this is your jam. It’s not just about whether aliens are real; it’s about what you believe, who you trust, and how far you’ll go when the truth lands right in your lap.
Pages: 220
LITERARY TITAN 