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Freedom
Have You Heard This One Before is a lively mix of short stories that swing between mystery, humor, horror, sentiment, and quiet reflection. What was the inspiration for this collection of short stories?
There were many stories and topics I wanted to write about, but they didn’t merit the length of a novel. I enjoy the short story format, but realize that most published collections are centered on a theme or genre. I didn’t want to write under restrictions on my work, e.g., that it should be all horror stories. On the other hand, I understood that the appeal of a book with multiple genres would be difficult to market. Hopefully, there are readers out there who are open to fun, imaginative, funny, frightening tales, all in one collection.
What is it you enjoy about writing short stories over longer novel formats?
I love the opportunity to explore various types of stories. When people comment on my work as an author, I often tell them I’m more of a storyteller than an author. It’s fun to see if you can engage readers quickly and provide a quick read that entertains and, possibly, even makes a longer impression. You won’t find me writing romance novels anytime in the future, but I have written a romantic short story for this book. Some other tales are not substantive enough for a novel, but they are still worth exploring. Summing up the short stories’ appeal in one word, I’d say freedom.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in putting together this collection of stories?
Placement. What should come first? Should “The Loop Two” come right after “The Loop?” Where do I put my description of a romantic encounter? What do I end with? I also wanted to make sure the more whimsical stories didn’t feel out of place. The final order of the chapters involved a lot of thought. And to make it even more difficult, I kept coming up with new story ideas.
Do you have a favorite story in the book, and if so, why does it hold special meaning for you?
I have several that could qualify as favorites: “The Loop” and “The Loop Part Two,” “Drive,” “Hippity, Hoppity, Bang” (laugh out loud funny), and “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone.” But my absolute favorite is “A Haunted Diary.” Many readers might find it too sentimental, but I believe the themes of kindness and returning home to relatives who have passed are universal. The final paragraph (spoiler alert) is one of my two favorites in the book (“Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone” is the other).
Dear Diary – November 15, 2019, Friday
This will be my last entry. About three weeks of journaling, just like Mae, oddly enough. I’m heading to the hospital in an hour, and I won’t be coming home. I said goodbye to Mae. I’m sure she heard me, just as I’m sure she’s gone from the house and is saying hello to Josh right now. I’m going to hide this diary somewhere it won’t be found, until it’s needed. Then, it can reveal itself. As I reread this entry, I should make one change. I won’t be coming back to this house again, but I will be going home. And Josh will be waiting to meet me there.
All of my books include examples of the importance of kindness, even in the face of difficulty. “A Haunting Diary” is no exception.
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A lighthouse that holds a spirit and his memory. A diary and haunting that links the past and present. A drive down a road that stretches longer than an ocean of dreams. Snowflakes drifting softly over a horrified snowbird in Orlando. A love story that snares two workaholics, and a horror that brings out a laugh and tears from our protagonist.
From tender to terrifying, whimsical to wicked, these stories linger long after the last page turns. Romance, regret, mystery, laughter, fear—and at least one tragedy involving the Easter Bunny!
Every story is a surprise.
Every surprise is unforgettable.
Find your favorite twist in “Have You Heard This One Before.”
Panacea: The Age of AG
Panacea: The Age of AG drops readers into a glossy, engineered utopia in the 31st century, where humanity lives inside massive domes run by an all-powerful artificial superintelligence called AG. Dolthea Thorpe, a sharp and restless teenager can’t shake the feeling that perfection isn’t what it seems. As she questions everything from her society’s genetic design system to the mysterious fate awaiting citizens at age one hundred, readers watch cracks spread through a world that insists it has no flaws. It’s a science fiction dystopian tale that blends sleek futurism with that intimate, unsettling feeling that something is deeply, silently wrong.
Author Richard Carson Bailey’s writing is easy to sink into, especially when he focuses on Dolthea’s sharp observations. The world is bright and carefully built, almost too polished, which seems like the point. I found myself irritated right alongside her when the adults around her shrugged off every uncomfortable truth. The book uses simple scenes to raise big questions, like why no one ever sees a body after someone “goes to sleep” at age one hundred or why teenagers suddenly bolt through the dome in a chaotic stampede. Those moments land not because of spectacle but because they disturb the rhythm of a world that claims to have eliminated disorder.
What I enjoyed most was how the story lets curiosity feel dangerous again. The author doesn’t rush to answer big questions. Instead, he lets tension build through conversations, gestures, even the way a robot tilts its head. Some choices feel intentionally claustrophobic, like the ever-present androids and the parents who seem more like products of their environment than people with thoughts of their own. At times, I wanted the prose to linger longer on emotional beats or dig deeper into the strange beauty of the dome, but there’s something effective about its straightforward style.
I was hooked by both the worldbuilding and Dolthea herself. This is the kind of science fiction that works well for readers who like dystopian stories with clean lines, unsettling questions, and a character who refuses to accept the world she’s given. If you enjoy YA-leaning sci-fi that mixes bright surfaces with creeping unease, you’ll find Panacea: The Age of AG very entertaining.
Pages: 364 | ASIN : B0F5WQ8RMK
The City of Arches
The City of Arches follows Princess Sitnalta as she uncovers a long-hidden letter, one that reveals the past of her mother, Learsi, whose own journey from starving street thief to reluctant partner of the wizard Kralc becomes the heart of the book. It’s a fantasy novel through and through, built on quests, hidden cities, magic, danger, and old wounds, yet it moves with a personal focus that makes the stakes feel close to the skin.
I found myself reacting less to the grand fantasy quest and more to the author’s choices in shaping her characters. Learsi’s early chapters hit me hardest. Her hunger, the cold stone under her bare feet, and the constant weighing of risk and survival felt vivid and relatable. Even her wary dance with Kralc, a man who can feed her, manipulate her, or save her depending on the moment, brought a tension that carried far beyond the tavern scene. The writing is straightforward and sincere. It doesn’t try to dazzle with flowery language, which I actually appreciated. The pace is steady, letting me sit with Learsi’s exhaustion, Kralc’s prickly solitude, and Sitnalta’s shock as she pieces together her mother’s past.
The fantasy elements are threaded in with a kind of quiet confidence. The legend of the City of Arches, for example, is both eerie and oddly beautiful: enchanted arches emitting a soothing song that masks the slow decay of a cursed people. I liked how the author lets the myth sit without over-explaining it. The emotional beats land more softly than dramatically, but they linger. Even the small moments, like Kralc awkwardly realizing he cannot knock on a deaf girl’s door or Learsi racing to shovel stew into her mouth, gave the book a grounded feel. Sometimes the dialogue is earnest, sometimes the plot steps into familiar fantasy rhythms, but those qualities made the story welcoming and easy to follow.
By the time I reached the later chapters, I felt as if the book was less about a magical quest and more about the way people try to rebuild trust after their world has broken apart. The stakes grow, of course, but the heart of the story stays with Learsi and her slow opening up to someone who might actually mean her well. I rooted for her, even when she second-guessed herself or snapped defensively. Her reactions felt real.
I’d say The City of Arches is best suited for readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy: people who like quests but care more about the companions on the road than the monsters in the woods. If you want something gentle yet still full of secrets, something that balances fairy-tale simplicity with emotional weight, then you’ll heartily enjoy this book.
Pages: 226 | ASIN : B0G46P9D3T
Shadows in the Pleasure Gardens: Regarding Robberies and Racehorses
Shadows in the Pleasure Gardens, by Elaine Mary Griffin, follows Chester Carter, a young apprentice banker whose quiet life is split open the moment two faux “Indians” rob Tate’s Bank and Loans. What begins as a simple theft spirals into a sprawling tangle of runaway horses, whispered scandals, shady racetrack dealings, and the slow unraveling of a small town’s pride. Chester records his part in the affair with a naive honesty that grows into something bigger than the robbery itself. The story shifts from a chase through fields and woods to a look at the fragile systems of trust and money that bind Fairmount together. Bit by bit, Chester becomes a witness not only to crime but to the way people hide their fears behind bluster, gossip, or a stiff cravat.
The writing has a playful rhythm, almost like the narrator is trying to impress me while telling me the truth. Sometimes the sentences wander, and I found myself smiling at how Chester must know he is rambling but keeps going anyway. I liked that. It made the town feel lived in and hot and dusty, and it made Chester feel real. The humor landed for me, too, especially in the early scenes at the bank where Mr. Tate blusters around while Chester tries not to sweat through his collar. I did feel the pacing slow in a few places, but the charm of the voice always pulled me back.
The ideas tucked inside the story surprised me most. On the surface, it is a tale about stolen notes and a clumsy hunt for culprits. Underneath, it pokes at bigger things. Pride. Fear. The way a community reacts when it feels threatened. I felt a quiet sadness in Chester as he tries to navigate expectations from Mr. Tate, from the Sheriff, from Alida, and even from the people he barely knows who talk big at the racetrack. The writing never lectures. Instead, it nudges, which made the moments of insight hit harder. I caught myself rooting for Chester as he stumbles toward adulthood without quite realizing that is what he is doing.
I recommend Shadows in the Pleasure Gardens to readers who enjoy character-driven historical fiction, coming-of-age stories wrapped in small mysteries, and tales told with voice and warmth. It is a gentle story with a sharp eye, and it will suit anyone who likes stories that take their time and offer humor, grit, and a little heart all at once.
Pages: 261 | ISBN : 978-1685136123
Thank God For The Sinners
Thank God for the Sinners follows Rick Price through a chaotic life shaped by violence, lust, trauma, and the constant pull of self-destruction. The book opens with Rick in a seedy Chinese hotel, where a sexual encounter spirals into a death that sets the tone for everything that follows. His past and present crash into each other as he traces the roots of his darkness through childhood injuries, family dysfunction, rage, and addiction. The narrative swings between his time abroad, entangled with corrupt businessmen, and his early life on Long Island, where pain and fear molded him into someone who can’t decide if he’s cursed or simply wired wrong.
The writing hits hard without trying to be fancy. It’s blunt, messy, and weirdly charming in parts because Rick is both awful and strangely human. I felt uncomfortable many times. I also laughed a little because the voice is so honest that even the worst moments feel like confessions from a guy who knows he’s a walking disaster. The early scenes, like the baby nurse incident and the diaper accident with his brother, stuck with me. They’re told with this eerie calm that made me feel like I was sitting across from Rick while he casually unpacked a lifetime of bruises.
I also found myself reacting emotionally to how the book explores shame. The scenes in China are wild and reckless, yet the real punch comes from how Rick narrates his loneliness and fear right underneath all the bravado. The book doesn’t soften him or try to redeem him. Instead, it lets him expose his scars in his own voice. I caught myself rooting for him even though he’s digging himself deeper into chaos. The whole thing feels like reading someone’s secret diary that was never meant to be found.
I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy dark, confessional stories that don’t pull any punches. If you like memoir-style fiction that feels like a whirlwind of bad choices, trauma, humor, and raw honesty, this book is worth your time. This book reads like a harsher, more chaotic cousin to Fight Club, trading sleek rebellion for something messier and more personal. It also carries the bruised honesty of A Million Little Pieces, only with fewer apologies and a lot more bite.
Pages: 348 | ASIN : B0F9BQMF9Z
The Legacy of Prairie Winds: Third Edition
The Legacy of Prairie Winds is a sweeping historical fiction novel that follows young Johann Gehring, a German immigrant who leaves everything he knows in 1881 to build a life on the wide-open prairie of Nebraska. The book opens with vivid scenes of his family conflict, his difficult voyage across the Atlantic, and his first uncertain steps into a new world. From there, it widens into a multi-generational story about hardship, faith, love, and the slow shaping of a family’s place on the land. The tone shifts between raw struggle and quiet beauty, giving the reader a sense of how fragile and powerful hope can be in an unforgiving landscape.
I kept feeling as if the author were guiding me by the elbow, pointing out details I might miss on my own. The depictions of the Sandhills, for example, stay with me. The grasslands are described with a kind of reverence, but they’re never sentimental. They’re hard, windswept, and sometimes lonely, which makes Johann’s determination feel all the more human. I rooted for him from the start. His fight with his father, his fear on the ship, and his first shaky steps in Nebraska all felt believable because they’re grounded in everyday sensations. The book doesn’t rush. It lets moments breathe, even the uncomfortable ones.
I also appreciated how the story handles the emotional weight of immigration. The scenes of steerage life on the ship, the seasickness, the smell, the fear of disease, and the simple joy of fresh air form a collage of what leaving home really costs. Yet the author doesn’t lean on drama alone. There are tender beats too, especially Johann’s fleeting friendship with Astrid, which adds a spark of warmth in the middle of all the uncertainty. Some passages read almost like oral history, others like a quiet journal entry. The rhythm switches between short, sharp observations and longer, reflective stretches, mirroring the uneven pace of real life. It made me slow down and sit with the characters instead of just watching them move.
By the end, I felt the book was less about the events themselves and more about how people hold on to themselves while the world shifts under their feet. The prairie becomes a character. So does the wind. So does hope. If you enjoy historical fiction that feels intimate rather than sprawling, or stories about immigration, family legacy, and the grit behind ordinary lives, this book will speak to you. It’s a gentle but steady read, ideal for someone who wants to be immersed in a place and a time rather than hurried through them.
Pages: 380 | ASIN : B0FC2Z7SP8
Discovering Her Courage
Flee follows a Marine Reserve and librarian-in-training, who, while on a bus journey to a family reunion, ends up in a desperate fight for survival after a nuclear catastrophe devastates Washington State. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
In Escape, the first book in the Haven series, survivors make their way to Haven in waves—some travel alone, some in groups, some are injured, and some barely hold on. As I wrote the story, I realized that not everyone could reach safety at the same time. Some characters are close, while others are far away, trapped in the chaos when the world ended. This opened the door for individual stories of struggle, loss, and survival to unfold simultaneously.
While I worked through book one, Sadie’s absence lingered as a question—for me and, eventually, for readers. Flee grew out of my need to answer it. I wanted to explore the survival of someone without immediate shelter, someone caught in transit when everything collapsed, and someone forced to fight—both physically and emotionally—to make it home.
Sadie is a woman with strength and incredible intellect. What do you think makes her a valuable and worthy heroine?
In Escape, I introduced the “five musketeers.” Three of the women are entering adulthood, and Sadie has always been the instigator. While Beth is quieter and still discovering her courage, Sadie knows her own strength and intellect—and isn’t afraid to use them. She may possess the drive to take what she wants out of life, but she falters with love and vulnerability. Sadie challenges the control men in her life exert upon her, pushing her to rebel. Her journey is about finding balance—between strength and trust—and that evolution truly defines her as a heroine.
I felt that the action scenes were expertly crafted. I find that this is an area that can be overdone in novels. How did you approach this subject to make sure it flowed evenly?
I’m a visual person, so to write action scenes with weapon elements, I needed to first understand fighting techniques and the moves involved. Watching my son earn his junior black belt in Taekwondo taught me a lot in real time—especially about defending yourself in various positions and how hard it is to fight for your life. Understanding the difference between weight classes and genders was also crucial. You can be small and still cause damage, but at what cost? Then there’s the added layer of weapons and the types that may be involved. As Sadie says, “Knife trumps stick.” She knew there would be a cost, though.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
Even though the women are my protagonists, my two secondary characters, Donovan and Hoss, stayed at the forefront of my mind during these two books. Donovan is an open book to my readers. He craves control to maintain stability in his life and demands it from his children and everyone around him. Hoss, on the other hand, is a laid-back, “you do you” kind of man. My readers know little about him—something I intentionally kept vague—but there are breadcrumbs scattered throughout if they look closely enough.
After doing their family trees, I realized I gave Donovan more daughters and Hoss more sons. I researched which gender was easier to raise, and the results were interesting, so I played on that. (Sons are easier, it appears.)
Beth isn’t blood-related, so I started with her story first in Escape. The found-family trope is strong throughout my stories. In Flee, we circle back to follow Donovan’s oldest, Sadie, as she battles to reach Haven. Donovan’s second oldest, Gina, appears in Beth’s story and continues her journey in the second book. In the third and fourth books, Hoss’s family becomes my focus, revealing more about Hoss’s background. Though he might sport funny sayings on his t-shirts and love recon, Hoss has many layers to peel back.
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Facing the collapse of civilization, a feisty and independent young woman embarks on a perilous adventure that pushes her to her limits and challenges her long-held goals.
The missile marked the beginning of Sadie’s nightmare. The demands of a crumbling society, dangerous terrain, and her own weakening, feverish body will test her courage.
Sadie wants to flee to the safety of her family’s compound, where Liam waits, and the ache in her chest is a constant reminder of her feelings for him.
Despite his calm exterior, Liam anxiously awaits Sadie’s arrival. More questions than answers remain: Where is Sadie? Why hasn’t she made it to Haven like the fortunate few?
Hunter has his own plans. Escaping the taint of his family’s criminal past puts him in Sadie’s path. She struggles to trust him. Forced together, their connection deepens, placing her family and all of Haven in extraordinary danger.
Survival depends on Sadie taking control of her own life and deciding whom to trust and whom to love. Her decision could set her free…or destroy her and everyone she loves.
Embark on an unforgettable adventure to Haven with these memorable characters, experiencing twists and turns you look for in a fast-paced, gripping read.
A tangled web of love, shifting loyalties, and explosive conflicts drives the Haven series forward, with the same intensity and passion as Kyla Stone’s Edge of collapse saga.
Literary Titan Gold Award Winner
A Bold Bargain
A Bold Bargain follows Jack Blaine, an eighteen-year-old conservation agent in 1950s Missouri who keeps stumbling into danger, mystery, and unexpected connections. The story moves between tense encounters with poachers, the quiet bond between a boy and a half-wolf pup, and Jack’s growing involvement with vulnerable people near the Sac River. The book blends rugged outdoor life with soft moments of compassion, and it ties everything together with a thread of personal history that Jack can’t quite outrun.
Jack’s mix of grit and gentleness lands with a real thump in the chest, and the writing makes his inner world feel close enough to touch. The scenes along the river pulled me in fast. The pacing shifts from calm to sharp in a blink, and that rhythm kept me turning pages even when I told myself I should stop. The dialogue feels natural, plain spoken, and warm. I liked how it brought out the heart of the community around him. No big speeches. Just people trying to make sense of life as it comes.
I also felt a tug of emotion watching how Jack steps into other people’s pain without hesitation. His encounters with Mrs. Fletcher and the French family hit me harder than I expected. The writing paints poverty, loneliness, and aging with a simple brush, and it still lands heavy. Nothing feels overplayed. I appreciated how the book lets kindness show up quietly, almost shyly. At the same time, I wanted just a touch more complexity in a few side characters. Still, the sincerity in the storytelling made me forgive that pretty quickly. I could tell the author cares deeply about these people and this place, and that care shines through.
A Bold Bargain is a book for readers who enjoy heartfelt stories set against open sky and rough country roads. If you like character-driven tales with danger, tenderness, and a little old-fashioned grit, this one will be perfect for you. In many ways, A Bold Bargain reminded me of Where the Crawdads Sing, because both stories mix raw nature, quiet resilience, and the fierce pull of human connection into something that stays with you.
Pages: 346 | ASIN : B0FD7VSY68
LITERARY TITAN 