Blog Archives
The Need to Take Risks
In Harm’s Way follows a Colonial sea captain returning home after a year-long voyage only to have his ship confiscated by the British Royal Navy and find more tragedy at home who outfits his own private ship-of-war to seek out enemy merchant ships to oppose their tyranny. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration was the many times I came home myself from six-month deployments aboard Navy ships. I then coupled it with the history of the Norfolk area, where I was at the time stationed. It was always heartwarming to see the new fathers meeting their children for the first time, and heart-wrenching to occasionally see a young sailor coming home after the death of a close relative. I knew I wanted to write a historically accurate novel set during the Revolution, and it was natural to begin it with a homecoming that turned sorrowful. It sets the mood for the story. The Revolution was not clean, it was not easy, nor was it a fight between “good” and “bad” guys.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
The struggle each of us has to rise above the events that shape our current circumstances. We can either sink under the weight of what’s happened or happening, or adapt and change. But we must choose; even deciding to do nothing is a choice. Every day, folks around us choose to rise above. Even if they fail, they try and often try again. We should honor that.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Loss, and dealing with it, and the need to take risks in life. Playing it safe is rarely, if ever, successful. Finally, that in every conflict, a person must choose a side, based on their values and principles. Neutrality only works for Switzerland, and only because they can defend themselves.
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
Jonas will return to sea in the next book, this time accompanied by his son, and with vengeance in his heart. But he’ll find that revenge is an insufficient reason to fight, and obtaining it is both unsatisfying and damaging. In the third book, he will again return to the fight, this time with a commission in the Continental Navy.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Colonial sea captain Jonas Hawke returns home to Norfolk after a year-long voyage only to have his ship and its valuable cargoseized by the British Royal Navy. As the royal governor further tightens the noose on trade, Jonas is thrust into the chaos of a growing rebellion. Desperate to support his family, he sets out to find work. When he is denied a commission with the newly formed Continental Navy, he outfits his own vessel as a private ship-of-war and voyages to the Caribbean in search of enemy merchant ships he can capture and friends he can trust.
But dangers multiply on the unforgiving sea. The Royal Navy reacts mercilessly to the threat posed by privateers like Jonas. How will Jonas fare now that he has boldly defied the king of Britain to preserve his family? And what will happen to his loved ones while he is away, engulfed in a war to oppose tyranny in the name of freedom?
Fundamental Questions
Tachyon Tunnel 2: The Daklin Empire follows two time-travelers who have returned to Earth and have to contend with an altered timeline and unexpected challenges. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I am a scientist, adventurer, and a storyteller. Combine those three elements and the result is fun!
I think science fiction gets time and interstellar travel wrong. A few years ago, I decided to write Tachyon Tunnel to fix that problem.
Tachyon Tunnel 2: the Daklin Empire goes a step further, answering more fundamental questions about time and space.
What things do you find interesting about the human condition that makes for great fiction?
I love bold persistence and imagination. I think those things can be taught and inspired. A big part of the book is about inspiration while wrapping it in some cool physics!
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?
As an entrepreneur, I have learned that simplicity is almost always the best path. Tell the story, efficiently. Like many, I had to read James Joyce – Ulysses. Enough said?
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
YES. There will be a part 3. The human drama of galactic war will wrap around time travel, inertia, and the fundamental question of whether plasma is a life form.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Tachyon Tunnel 2 explores how time travel might actually work within the laws of physics, and the implications of changing events in the past. The book combines science, adventure, romance and the complexities of human decision-making in high-stakes situations. Part two of bestselling author Michael Gorton’s award-winning Tachyon Tunnel series will keep readers on the edge of their seats and is sure to become one of the best science fiction works of the year!
The Fourth Industrial Revolution
The AI Revolution Will Not Be Televised follows a self-taught financial educator from Harlem, who uses his platform, ThePriceBandit.com, to teach women, especially Black women, how to navigate the stock market and build wealth through AI-driven investments. What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I want to encourage women, particularly Black women, to invest in AI stocks through do-it-yourself online stock trading as we navigate the fourth industrial revolution. This is a unique opportunity for marginalized groups to capitalize on the significant economic gains expected over the next decade during the AI revolution.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from The AI Revolution Will Not Be Televised?
I encourage everyone reading this book to start online stock trading as soon as possible. This is a unique opportunity to grow your wealth during a time when the stock market is poised to deliver significant returns. This situation is reminiscent of the wealth generated when Apple went public at $22.00 per share in 1980 and when Google went public at $85.00 in 2004. Those investors who recognized this transformative shift in how individuals interact with technology became very wealthy.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I am currently working on a book about infidelity, specifically focusing on men who cheat on their wives. Throughout my life, I have observed how this topic can turn casual conversations among family and friends into heated arguments and debates. When I told my older sister that I was writing a book on cheating, she exclaimed, “True ‘dat,” which was her blunt way of saying, “Yes, baby brother, write what you know.”
Infidelity is also a prevalent theme in many previously published books and movies available on streaming services. As authors, we are artists first, but we also need to consider the business side of things and pay attention to the bottom line. I anticipate that this book will be published on Juneteenth 2026.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
David’s relationship with Onyx, a professional Black woman seeking comfort in an older partner, adds depth to his journey. As his influence grows, he launches an online trading platform, transforming lives nationwide for women facing financial struggles.
While Wall Street resists change, love and tragedy shape the conclusion of this fictional tale inspired by real events. David’s followers carry his legacy forward, advocating financial independence as a universal right and striving for global economic equality.
The Oberon Stone
In this second installment of the Conjurers’ Prophecy series, the stakes are higher, the darkness is deeper, and the emotional gut-punches come harder. The Oberon Stone dives right back into the chaos where book one left off, with Liam’s powers growing out of control, old enemies regrouping, and new villains entering the game. We get a peek behind enemy lines—into the twisted mind of Montgomery and the broken-but-desperate heart of his daughter, Rachael. The story stretches across magical dimensions, haunting memories, and existential questions about fate, free will, and what it really means to be “good” or “chosen.”
The book kicks off with a literal storm of dark energy, grief, and desperation. Montgomery flying through chaos, clutching a dying Rachael is intense. And weirdly emotional. He’s awful—seriously, he’s terrifying—but seeing his panic over his daughter gives you this whiplash moment of almost-feeling sorry for him. The writing here is theatrical, like a twisted fairytale. The fairies trapped in a dark cave scrubbing stone for eternity is both horrifying and weirdly beautiful.
Then we’ve got the heart of the book—Chiara. Watching her spiral, question everything, and fall for Rachael’s manipulation felt like watching someone you love walk straight off a cliff while you’re screaming at them to stop. In the scene where she spies on Liam and Ada through water pipes I could feel her guilt like it was my own. But what really broke me was the final confrontation with Rachael. The choking spell, the pain, Chiara trying to survive and not wanting to hurt anyone was brutal. Rachael’s cruelty felt personal. The moment Chiara dies (or seems to—Franco loves to keep us guessing) was so vivid, so devastating, that I actually had to stop reading for a minute.
And Liam… poor Liam. He’s unraveling in real-time. One of my favorite moments is when he looks at Ada and says, “I’m tired.” It’s not dramatic. It’s raw. He’s lost so much—his mom, Chiara, maybe even Ada—and he’s still standing, still chasing birds and cryptic notes like his life depends on it. That moment when Titan (his maybe-dead, maybe-magical bird) leads him through the portal into a new world was actually kind of magical. For a second, there’s peace. Wonder. Then everything falls apart again, but that pause? That pink-sky, giant-mushroom pause? It gave the book a necessary breath before plunging us back into the deep.
I absolutely recommend The Oberon Stone. But be warned—it’s darker than book one. It’s emotionally heavier. It’s also bolder, messier, and richer. If you loved the first book, this one will break your heart and make you thank it for doing so. It’s for fans of character-driven fantasy who aren’t afraid to feel a little wrecked. Anyone into morally gray characters, epic stakes, and stories that feel like myths and memories wrapped into one—this is for you.
Pages: 277 | ASIN : B0CLDCT9D7
Fulfilment City
Fulfillment City is about collapse—the slow, sticky unraveling of a woman, a city, an industry, and, in a broader sense, American identity. The story kicks off with Lydia Calligan, once a powerhouse in San Francisco’s boutique advertising world, and follows her as her crown jewel campaign. A wholesome berry ad featuring a lisping Black child implodes spectacularly in a culture-shifting scandal. What follows is a ghost story, but not the kind with cobwebs and creaky doors. Lydia becomes a living specter, wandering the city in a trench coat, haunted by both personal and public failure, as her former colleague Paul, sharp-tongued, prickly, and strangely endearing, tries to drag her back from oblivion. From its hip urban core to a strangely eerie prefab town in rural Colorado, the novel explores guilt, reinvention, and the absurdities of a country selling itself one delivery box at a time.
What I really loved was how quietly funny the book is, even when it’s steeped in grief and disappointment. The writing is whip-smart but never showy. The scene where Lydia, now adrift, sits in silence at a café while Paul performs his one-man comedy routine, trying to draw a single flicker of recognition from her, is painfully hilarious. I could practically hear the espresso machine hissing in the background as he babbled nonsense, and she stared through him like he was just another ghost. The comedy sneaks up on you, poking at the tragic bits without letting you sink. And Lydia’s fall from grace was Brutal, but also believable. The way the berry campaign spirals into controversy, starting with a lisp and ending in a death, is satire so sharp it practically bleeds.
Paul, for me, stole the show. He’s this oddball mix of charming, petty, broken, and brilliant. I didn’t expect to feel for him so much, but watching him scramble for relevance while his world shrinks to the size of a secondhand teacup was quietly devastating. His dry midwestern sass and resentment give the novel its bite and his weird antique obsession is oddly grounding.
The section set in the artificial town of Saltair Springs was deliciously eerie. The contrast between Lydia’s haunted sophistication and the soulless sheen of a fulfillment-center utopia gave me chills. You can feel Lydia’s unease seep through the page and yet, the town isn’t just a prop. There’s real life and love there, like with Cherise and Darnell, a couple that somehow blooms in the middle of all this engineered happiness. That sweetness tucked between cynicism and corporate doom felt like a little glimmer of hope.
Fulfillment City doesn’t wrap itself up in neat bows. But its honest about loss, about compromise, about how easily people and institutions get swallowed whole. I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes their fiction with bite and wit, who’s curious about what happens when the culture machine eats itself alive. If you liked Mad Men, White Noise, or just want to read something that feels both current and weirdly timeless, this one’s for you.
Pages: 245 | ASIN : B0DZ3RWF83
The Pandora’s Box
L.S. Franco’s The Pandora’s Box is a coming-of-age fantasy that throws you into the chaotic, heart-wrenching, and ultimately magical life of 14-year-old Liam Hale. After the sudden loss of his mother, Liam stumbles upon a hidden world full of demigods, cosmic wonders, and parallel universes. What starts off as a rough summer in Florida quickly morphs into an urgent quest involving magical schools, mysterious holograms, ancient mythologies, and a ticking clock to save the world from spiraling evil. Franco balances it all with humor, emotion, and a relatable teen protagonist.
What really stood out to me was the emotional depth in the opening chapters. Liam’s grief over his mom’s death felt raw and authentic. That moment where he holds the green hurricane-patterned mug she gave him was emotional. The mug becomes more than a memory. It’s almost like a stand-in for his mom, a symbol of comfort and loss, and the way Franco uses it later (as a literal gateway to magic) was both clever and poetic. I felt like I was right there with him—awkward, overwhelmed, and trying not to fall apart. Even when things got fantastical, the emotional throughline grounded the story.
The writing is fast-paced and dialogue-heavy, which made it really easy to get into, even during more expository moments. I especially liked the dynamic between Liam and his best friend Ada—her personality bursts off the page. She’s loud, bold, slightly chaotic, and totally loyal. Their banter adds so much charm. When she gifts him the matching LA pendant and calls him “bestie,” you can practically see Liam’s heart crack just a little. He’s totally smitten, and it’s adorably painful. Franco nailed that awkward, hopeful teen crush energy without being corny.
Then there’s the twist: Liam is a second-generation demigod and heir to the “Keeper of the Seven Wonders” throne. His mother’s hologram spills the beans in what might be the most emotionally charged info-dump I’ve ever read. It was wild, but also kind of epic. The idea of seven parallel universes, a magical school hidden within a regular university, and secret codes inside mugs and journals gave it this mash-up vibe—like Percy Jackson meets Spy Kids with a sprinkle of Inception. The dream sequence with the unicorn and the mermaid was unsettling and beautiful. I wasn’t always sure what was real, but I didn’t mind. That’s part of the charm.
The Pandora’s Box is an emotional rollercoaster wrapped in magic and teenage angst. It’s for anyone who ever felt like they didn’t belong or wanted to escape their reality just for a little while. It’s especially great for young teens who love fantasy but want stories with heart—and some very real-world grief. That said, even as an adult, I found it moving and imaginative.
Pages: 256 | ASIN : B0DKMVCVNS
I Am A Dreamer
Dreams and Illusions follows a grieving boutique owner who is both guided and tormented by vivid dreams. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I wanted a main character with the gift of prophetic dreams, but I had to give her an obstacle to create conflict. Gabrielle had been told all her life that her gift came from God, so when her dreams failed to save those closest to her, God must have turned on her. This sets up conflict with her belief system and internally as she searches for someone to blame for her circumstances. Did she fail, or has God failed her?
Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing, or did it come out organically as you were writing?
My main character, Gabrielle, set the tone with her personality and determination to find normalcy, which is why she needed a friend like Kate, to lighten the mood on occasion. I think they create a nice balance.
Is there anything from your own life included in your characters?
I am a dreamer, which is what gave me the idea for the series, and Gabrielle certainly shares my sarcasm. But beyond that I’ve given her many attributes that I would like to have myself, such as her boldness and courage. I think many authors do that with their characters to explore other realities and live vicariously through our characters.
Can you give us a glimpse inside the second book in the Gabrielle Dorian Mystery series? Where will it take readers?
Dreams and Deceptions, the second book in the series stays in Whitman, Washington, where Gabrielle finds she has become a local celebrity, thanks to her best friend Kate. As a result, the two are drawn into a missing person case. In the midst of that, evidence emerges suggesting that Gabrielle’s husband’s death was not an accident, but homicide, and Gabrielle quickly becomes the main suspect. She and Kate will have to decipher Gabrielle’s cryptic dreams to find a lost son and uncover her husband’s real killer.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram | Website
Gabrielle Dorian believes God has turned against her. Despite prophetic dreams, the grieving boutique owner resents that her alleged gift didn’t prevent her parents’ accidental deaths or protect her husband from a fatal worksite accident. So after receiving a panicked call from the last of her family, the distraught woman shelves her own sorrow and rushes to Seattle to rescue her estranged sister.
Discovering her sibling has been charged with murder, Gabrielle begins to fear the worst when her brother-in-law is missing and his best friend mysteriously comes up with bail money. Battling a hated former classmate in charge of the case, she fights through the murk of suspicious clues that all point to a guilty verdict.
With her last loved one’s life on the line, can she uncover the truth before it’s too late?
Dreams and Illusions is the riveting first book in the Gabrielle Dorian Mysteries Series. If you like headstrong heroines, fast-paced drama, and dark twists, you’ll love Rebecca Olmstead’s tale of doubt and redemption.
Buy Dreams and Illusions to unmask a killer today!
The Fullness of Time
Do you have a favorite book or story that you read repeatedly until you know it by heart, making the characters feel real? Have you ever wished you could dive into a book and become part of the adventure, perhaps even change a few things and leave your mark on the storyline? This is exactly what happens to a twelve-year-old boy named Finn. He spends most of his time with his nose in a book, shutting out the outside world. His reading companion is his grandmother, who currently lives in a nursing home and is thought to be rapidly declining. However, what no one knows is that she holds a secret—one that Finn literally falls into. They are Storytellers: individuals who can enter books, participate in the stories, and even alter the plotlines, sometimes permanently.
Aurora Hatchel’s novel, The Fullness of Time, is the first book in her series titled The Storytellers. In this story, Finn finds himself transported into his favorite Arthurian novel, where he befriends a young Arthur and Lancelot, before Arthur pulls Excalibur from the stone. While there are many books about the legend of Excalibur, Hatchel’s novel stands out due to its human portrayal of Arthur and Lancelot as teenagers, living their lives without any knowledge of their future destinies. In contrast, Finn believes he already knows how the story will end.
The conversations among the three young men, as well as with Zoe and Merlin, are particularly engaging. The personal connections that bridge the worlds of the book and Finn’s real life highlight the universality of themes such as fear and self-doubt. Additionally, the world-building is more complex than one might initially expect. The sky shifts in colors of black and red, serving as a physical representation of Finn’s realization that the story is in flux and that the “Heart of the story” is i jeopardy. This changing sky mirrors Finn’s own emotions and uncertainty about how to navigate the unfolding situation around him
The Fullness of Time offers a fresh perspective on the teen and young adult Fantasy genres by taking a classic story and giving it a unique twist that appeals to readers of all ages. Who wouldn’t want to be there when Arthur discovers his destiny and pulls Excalibur from the stone? This book is perfect for anyone who sees reading as an escape and hopes to leave their mark on a story. I can’t wait to see what adventures Aurora Hatchel will create in this series; it will undoubtedly be an experience readers won’t soon forget.
Pages: 233 | ASIN : B0CV4MRJKV
LITERARY TITAN 