Blog Archives
The Kindred Chronicles: Shifting Sands
Shifting Sands follows the survivors of Sol Thalen in the immediate aftermath of its fall. The story opens on a city crushed into ruins and a people clinging to hope by the thinnest threads. Chris, Grace, Elline, Raham, Camille, and the thalenar struggle through endless hours of digging through collapsed halls, pulling survivors from the rubble, mourning the dead, and trying to understand what comes next. Their grief shapes every choice. Their loyalty holds them upright. And the central tension of the book becomes clear early on. How do you rebuild a culture when the ground beneath it has literally vanished? The novel is driven by emotion and community and a sense that every character must decide who they are now that their world has been unmade.
I found myself slipping into the atmosphere without effort. The author leans into sensory details, and the rubble and smoke and sand build a world that is both beautiful and bruised. What struck me most was how the story rarely lets the characters breathe. Grief becomes a kind of weather. it’s constant, pressing, and shaping them in ways they cannot fully articulate. I enjoyed that the book doesn’t rush healing or transformation. It lets emotions sit heavy and raw, and that made the characters’ quieter victories hit harder. At times, the prose felt a little lofty for the scenes it described, but even then, it carried an emotional punch that kept me invested.
I kept thinking about what it means to lose not just people, but culture. identity. the songs and rituals that tie a community together. The thalenar blade lore and the meaning of song within their traditions stood out as some of the most compelling worldbuilding in the book. And I found Raham’s arc especially moving. the quiet strength, the slow cracking, the way he tries to hold others together while he’s barely holding himself. Grace’s exhaustion and determination also pulled me in. Her efforts to see the essence of life while losing pieces of herself felt intimate and aching. If anything, I wish the story had paused more often to let certain emotional beats land, but the constant urgency also felt true to the setting.
This book would resonate with readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy, stories about surviving loss, and worlds built through culture as much as magic. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes tales that sit with hard emotions and still reach for light. Fans of the series will find this entry in The Kindred Chronicles especially satisfying, since it deepens the world and the characters in ways that feel rewarding.
Pages: 488 | ASIN : B0G64WJHFQ
Handsome Dark Stranger
Handsome Dark Stranger tells the story of Beth, a young woman living with her grandfather in a quiet coastal village, where grief, devotion, and the supernatural wrap themselves around the rhythms of daily life. The book follows her encounters with a mysterious figure who moves between light and shadow, showing himself in dreams, graveyards, and even burned fields. The line between the ordinary and the otherworldly blurs as Beth navigates her family’s past, her grandfather’s fading strength, and the strange force that seems to answer her unspoken longing. The story folds together gothic atmosphere, spiritual imagery, and the steady beat of village life to build a world where presence and absence feel almost the same.
The descriptions pulled me in with their quiet intensity. Some scenes made me pause just to take in the mood. I found myself caught between wonder and unease, which I loved because it made the world feel alive, even when nothing dramatic was happening on the surface. The pacing moved gently, almost deliberately, and at times I wished it would hurry, but the slow burn worked for me. It let the emotions simmer. The supernatural figure felt both beautiful and unnerving, and I liked how the author never rushed to explain him.
There were moments when the emotional weight of the story was surprisingly deep. Beth’s memories of her parents and grandparents felt tender and raw. I could feel the love in them. I could also feel the exhaustion that comes from carrying someone else’s grief while trying not to lose yourself. The gothic elements added another layer. The dreams, the howling, the flicker of stained glass coming alive, all of it made the story feel thick with something hidden just under the surface. At times, I wanted clearer answers, but part of me enjoyed the uncertainty. It kept me reaching forward, curious and slightly on edge.
I think that this book would speak most deeply to readers who like stories filled with atmosphere and emotion rather than fast action. It suits anyone who enjoys quiet supernatural tales, introspective characters, and a slow, thoughtful unraveling of mystery. If you like your fiction moody, poetic, and touched with both comfort and fear, you’ll enjoy this book.
Pages: 104 | ASIN : B0FTGFVZBB
Olympus or Oblivion
Reading Chrissy Dargue’s Olympus or Oblivion feels like being dropped into a wild, bawdy, self-aware pantheon where celebrity fantasy, personal philosophy, and unapologetic filth collide in the most chaotic way possible. The book introduces itself as an erotic satirical anthology, then immediately proves it can deliver on all three fronts. Each chapter follows a fictional sexual encounter with a different Hollywood icon, framed as both myth and judgment, and the voice that guides it is loud, human, furious, sentimental, and very funny. It moves fast, plays hard, and somehow manages to build a whole moral framework while describing sexually explicit escapades. The tone is intimate and irreverent and completely in control of its own madness.
As I read, I kept feeling a blend of admiration and “what the hell just happened” amazement. The writing is quick, chatty, and sharply observant. It has that feeling of sitting with a friend who tells a story so confidently that you follow, even when it plunges off a cliff into a disaster of sex toys, tree frog cigarettes, emotional vulnerability, or misplaced anatomy lessons. I loved the honesty here. The narrator is flawed and hilarious and often furious at the world, yet there is so much heart behind the jokes. The Henry Cavill chapter swings between worship, frustration, and affection with an almost musical rhythm. Depp’s chapter, on the other hand, crashes into surreal farce, tenderness, and genuine madness, and the contrast really shows off what the author can do. I laughed a lot. I winced a lot. More than once, I was slightly horrified, then impressed by how quickly the story made that horror feel warm. There is something bold about how the book refuses to hide the narrator’s desires or insecurities. It made the comedy sharper and the emotional punches landed harder.
What surprised me most was the philosophical streak running under the chaos. For all the sex and satire, the book is also a meditation on power, desire, loneliness, and the strange ways we try to judge the people we want. The Olympian framing is funny but also revealing. Every encounter becomes a test, not for the celebrity but for the narrator’s own values, boundaries, and hunger for connection. Even the absurd moments, like fainting from frog toxins or sketching a diagram of a vulva to keep a confused man on track, carry a sort of emotional grit. The narrator wants to understand people. She wants to be understood in return. I found myself weirdly moved between the jokes. Sometimes the writing gets messy on purpose. Sometimes it hits a poetic rhythm that blindsided me. The mix works because the voice stays genuine.
I’d recommend Olympus or Oblivion to readers who enjoy sharp humour, chaotic storytelling, sex-positive honesty, and big, unstoppable personality. If you like fearless writing, emotional whiplash, and stories that show both the ridiculous and the tender parts of being human, this book will hit the spot. It’s funny and vivid and unexpectedly sincere, and it left me feeling like I had just witnessed someone telling the truth in the most unhinged and heartfelt way possible.
Pages: 401 | ASIN : B0FLQL7VHN
The Manglers of Carraig
The Manglers of Carraig drops readers straight into a city split by wealth, fear, and the eerie green glow of warding gems. It follows Conell Byrne, a boy fighting to keep his family alive in a world where monsters stalk the night and the rich hoard their safety behind iron fences. His desperate attempts to protect his sister and his mother collide with the power games of men like Garban the loan shark, and the story pulls that thread tighter as the dangers grow. Alongside this grim struggle is Riona, a jeweler whose bold designs using mangler claws spark outrage among the elite. Their stories move on separate tracks at first, one soaked in survival and the other in ambition, yet both expose the city’s deep fractures and the unseen costs of living in Carraig.
I found the writing fast and punchy. Scenes land quickly and hard. I especially liked how the book lets moments breathe right before everything goes sideways. Conell racing through dark streets with only gemlight to save him had me clenching my jaw. The author leans into sensory details that linger and refuses to clean things up for comfort. I felt the grit of the lower districts and the cold shine of North Hill. I felt Conell’s panic when he returned home and found the door broken open and the ominous quiet inside. The emotional hits come simply and directly, which makes them incredibly impactful.
The worldbuilding grabbed me, too. I appreciated how the author mixes small human choices with the big looming terror of the manglers. It all feels grounded even when the story dips into the grotesque. Riona’s chapters were a surprise. They twist into subtle power struggles and hidden desire. Her jewelry made of claws could have been a cheap gimmick, but it ends up saying something about the people of Carraig and what they choose to look away from. I enjoyed how these two storylines sit far apart but rhyme in the way everyone is just trying to survive something, even if the monsters look different.
By the end, I felt a strange mix of sadness and curiosity about where the story might go next. I would recommend The Manglers of Carraig to readers who enjoy dark fantasy with heart, quick pacing, and a world that feels alive even in its ugliness. If you like stories about people pushed to the edge and forced to make impossible choices, this one will stick with you.
Pages: 188 | ASIN : B0FX3WVJ1C
The Elephant in the Ivy
The Elephant in the Ivy by Alexander Greengaard is a playful campus spy story that blends secret games, academic life, and personal loss. The book follows Alison Ashe, a theater student at an Ivy League school, who plays a hidden espionage game between departments. What starts as lighthearted intrigue grows into something darker. Stakes rise. Friendships strain. Death becomes real. The story moves through classrooms, quads, dorms, and late-night walks while asking how much performance and pretense shape real life.
I enjoyed the writing style a lot. It felt loose and confident. The voice has humor and warmth. I laughed often. I also felt a pit in my stomach more than once. The dialogue snaps. The inner thoughts feel honest and messy. I liked how the book never tried to sound smart for the sake of it. It trusted the reader. The pacing worked for me. Some scenes flew by. Others lingered in a good way. I felt close to Alison.
I kept thinking about performance and identity when reading this book. Everyone in the story plays a role. Students act like spies. Professors play at authority. Institutions play at fairness. The game mirrors real power structures and privilege. That resonated with me. The book talks about gender and class without lecturing. It just shows you. I felt anger at times. I felt joy too. I liked that the book respected fun and silliness while still taking emotions seriously. That balance is hard, and the author pulled it off.
I would recommend The Elephant in the Ivy to readers who want something smart. It is great for people easing back into reading. It is also good for students and educators who enjoy stories about school life with a twist. If you like humor, secret worlds, and characters who feel real and flawed, this book is worth your time.
Pages: 167 | ASIN: B0FXS7BVPK
Life, Love, and Happiness
Stikki the Squirrel follows a young grey squirrel who tumbles his way through one adventure after another and, along the way, makes some new friends. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Some ideas for a book can come quite quickly, while at other times it can be a hard slog even to get going. But it was on this one rather memorable occasion, when I was standing beside my window gazing into our back garden, that I saw a family of squirrels climb tentatively over the wooden fence. A moment later, they were on the ground, moving slowly across our lawn, pausing to sniff and dig randomly in the grass. I watched their playful interactions quickly turn into a full-blown display of speed and agility as the youngsters abandoned the protection of their mother’s side to dart among our shrubs and trees with growing confidence, and of course, mischief. I smiled, then gasped, as a host of possibilities set my mind buzzing.
And so, Stikki the Squirrel was born – well, in my head to start with. I wanted to make the story light-hearted and entertaining for young children to read, and for them to imagine my little characters and the urban setting in which they live.
We, as a family, enjoy encouraging squirrels into our garden, filling their squirrel feeder daily with nuts and seeds for them to eat. We have witnessed several generations grow up and leave to find their way in the world. Ever since that day, we have been entertained by these intelligent, charming, furry little animals.
Although not every day, watching our squirrels is a happy, entertaining experience, because on occasion, urban foxes enter our garden on the hunt for an easy meal. Domesticated cats like to lie in wait among the shrubs, hoping to ambush a squirrel foraging on the ground. The squirrels’ acute senses warn them of danger, and they quickly climb over the fence or scale up the side wall of our house to escape. But when the three species meet, there is usually trouble. We have witnessed scuffles and near misses that have made us gasp in fear for the squirrels’ survival. But squirrels are quick and clever, usually evading these predators with ease.
We have grown very fond of our rodent visitors. Noting their athletic behaviour and individual personalities. They are adorable little animals that inspired me to write about a family of cheeky grey squirrels and the discoveries, dangers, lucky escapes, and the good friends they make along the way.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
Each of my characters in Stikki the Squirrel represents a unique glimpse into the world of nature from an individual animal’s perspective. I have combined a light-hearted tale with humour, interspersed with facts about squirrels’ lives, and their interactions with predators, including the natural habitat in which they thrive.
My little characters have hopes and dreams, which is quite normal as squirrels, like all animals, are intelligent, caring, and resourceful. Squirrels are good at problem-solving; we have all seen a squirrel navigate a maze, or climb a vertical pole, or scoot across a tightrope with ease in its determination to claim the food at the end of the man-made obstacle course. Squirrels show affection and anger, too. Squirrels are territorial and will respond to family members, warning each other of any approaching danger by issuing a rasping, throaty call that carries on the air.
Stikki the Squirrel carries a message about protecting endangered species to the detriment of others. A tale of adventure, learning about life, its pleasures, and its hazards. Whilst making wonderous discoveries, and friends who help and support each other on the road through life, love, and happiness.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
This is a hard question to answer because the entire book was such an enjoyable experience to write and illustrate. Without giving away any spoilers, I think one particular scene comes to mind that had me chuckling – it was when Stikki first met Rella. He was so awkward and unsure of himself. A typical teenager.
There were many other scenes in Stikki the Squirrel that end in a hilarious, eye-watering way. Read the book yourselves and see what happens to Stikki and his woodland friends.
What story are you currently in the middle of writing?
I am taking a break from writing at present, because I am busy finalising my new book. Title: Stikki the Squirrel: Tree Spirits, book two, publication date, February 28th, 2026. It is a very busy, exciting time, working with my publisher to get my new book and my illustrations ready for the printing press, plus tinkering with some weird and wild ideas for another book.
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Readers’ Favorite – 5 Star Review.
“We must always be wary of the longlegs for they are unpredictable and puzzling.”
Join Stikki the Squirrel on his madcap adventures as he leaves his nest and sets off to explore the world around him. Mischievous and a little reckless, Stikki manages to get himself into scrapes at almost every turn.
When Stikki and his sisters, Mollie and Tia, venture out of their familiar surroundings for the first time, life changes dramatically for our little explorers.
Danger and peril lay on their chosen path – and, as with every exciting adventure, there are spills and thrills and good friends to be made along the way.
A whimsical, heartfelt story of friendship, bravery and love for each other.
The Communist Question
Jeanne The Woman in Red is a work of biographical fiction based on the life of Jeanne Tunica Y Casas, a fiery, uncompromising political activist, feminist, communist, and a woman of courage. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
If I had written a non-fiction account of Jeanne’s life and work, it would have sounded robotic and lacking in truth. Fiction was the only way to delve deep into her life and times. Many people she knew and worked with had passed away or were reluctant to speak or give any information. I understand and respect that, but facts, figures, and exact dates would have been missing. There is not much out there in English, and the work done, predominantly by a New Caledonian historian, provided a solid foundation from which to write. I had access to her articles, tracts, and speeches, and I was able to integrate this into the story as they had been written—typos and all.
I have always been inspired by strong characters in fiction and non-fiction. I was drawn to Jeanne straightaway. I had just arrived in New Caledonia for three years, and I was browsing its history, and I came across Jeanne. I wanted to visit her at the cemetery, pay my respects, but I discovered she had been buried in a common grave. I could not believe it. Disheartened but determined, I contacted the administration and decided that writing the book is only half of it. I wanted her recognised with a plaque. She fought for the rights of exploited peoples, and I wanted to fight for her legacy. Her remains were located, and a plaque now recognises her at a local cemetery. It has been a hard but satisfying journey.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Her relationship with her lover turned husband, Paco. The communist question. How much or how little did she know about Stalin’s atrocities? The right of women to vote. I wanted back-and-forth chapters where her life in the nursing home meets the past.
Did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?
I was surprised that she had lived in Australia for a while and opened up a restaurant in Sydney. Her continual battle with the authorities. She never gave up. I was also disappointed with a few reactions as if writing about a communist makes the writer a communist. This is not the case, and I could never have placed 2020 eyes on Jeanne’s life and get away with writing her story.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Jeanne The Woman in Red?
That she, like many others, must be remembered for inspiring and encouraging change without violence, and that history, far from being cancelled, should be remembered and studied – the good and the bad and learn the lessons on how to move forward. I am not just talking about feminists and politicians, but people who did not have a public role but were instrumental in shaping future generations.
The book has been translated into French and will soon be released.
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Fulfilling Relationships
Moving Maggie follows a sixty-year-old woman going through a divorce, losing her job, and having to move all at once, who tries to build a new life in a new town and rediscover herself. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I’ve been doing a lot of book signings since Reinventing Rita, my first Midlife Moxie novel, came out in 2023, and I have had the most fascinating conversations with women 50 and older. They tell me about their lives—the good parts and the bad—and the challenges they have had to overcome. So I’m sure that some of the characters in Moving Maggie came out of those interactions.
As for the inciting event, well, while I have never had to move from my home, I have had relationships end unexpectedly and career choices that didn’t quite go the way I anticipated. That meant I had to discard the idea I had formed of what the next 10 or 20 years were going to look like and come up with a new vision and goal.
Being a planner and a bit of a control freak like Maggie, those early stages of transition and reinvention weren’t very much fun! But looking back, I see that it all turned out for the best and gave me an opportunity to develop new skills and strengths—just like Maggie.
Maggie is a fascinating character with a lot of depth. What scene was the most interesting to write for that character?
I think it was Chapter 26, when Maggie and the teenage girl, Janna, have a verbal altercation. Until that point, the two of them had a good relationship, which, given Maggie’s childless state, was unusual for her. But when Janna expressed her frustration after the hospital refused to consider her as a kidney donor for her brother, Maggie responded in “hospital administrator speak.” That generated an angry retort from the young girl that surprised and dismayed Maggie, who had prided herself on knowing how to handle problems in the work environment.
Maggie’s sense of guilt that she had failed to give the right response made her think of other times in her past when she didn’t recognize what the other person needed from her but was instead “all business.” It’s one of the times in the story when she begins to understand that she had to develop a sense of empathy if she wanted to have fulfilling relationships with other people.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Always central to the Midlife Moxie novel series is the idea that we are stronger than we think and that we can handle the changes that come unexpectedly—regardless of our age or perhaps, because of our age, and the wisdom and experience we have gained through the years. And also, that reinvention is not something to be avoided or rejected but is instead a positive activity that can open new doors.
A theme specific to this book is the willingness to be vulnerable and take risks, personally and professionally. As Maggie gradually opened her heart to those around her, she saw that her self-protectiveness had isolated her in the past and resulted in a lonely existence. By allowing herself to care about those she met, even at the risk of being hurt or rejected, she realized her life was becoming much more fulfilling.
And when she found herself taking on responsibilities at her new job (that itself came with no small learning curve), she recognized that making mistakes is part of the process and there is no shame in doing something wrong the first time, if subsequently she did it right.
A second theme is the importance of learning from past missteps and bad choices. Maggie was very driven when it came to her life, and her primary commitment was to her career and professional future. While initially it worked out to her benefit, her tendency to ignore warning signs that developed over time, both at work and at home, ultimately resulted in the end of her marriage and the loss of her job. Now she not only had to create a new future but also make time in her life for other people and experiences without repeating those same errors in judgment and negative tendencies.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
Because each novel in the Midlife Moxie novel series is a standalone, I will have to leave it to the reader’s imagination to envision what happens next to Maggie and the rest of the Eden community!
However, Maggie’s boss, Sheila Jones, also appears in With Any Luck—one of the stories that’s part of my short story collection, The Language of Love, which was also released in 2025. Sheila handled the sale of a home in Eden to Amy, a newcomer to the town, and, in true Sheila fashion, provides more than just a real estate service.
I hadn’t originally planned for that to happen, but as I was writing that short story, I needed to have someone who would arrange the house sale. I liked the character of Sheila from Moving Maggie so much that I couldn’t help making her part of it!
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The year Maggie Cartwright turned 60, she is hit with a triple whammy of unpleasant and definitely unwanted events: the loss of her job, the ending of her marriage, and the need to find a new place to live. The impact of all these undesirable occurrences is that the woman once known as “Move-Ahead Maggie” has lost her moxie and can’t figure out where she can go or what she can do with the rest of her life.
Maggie’s move to a small rural community sparks a series of unexpected opportunities and new friendships, and she realizes that making a life change can bring unexpected benefits. But as she begins to reclaim her “Move-Ahead Maggie” identity, can she let go of her career-driven focus to take advantage of them?
MOVING MAGGIE is a double winner in the 2025 Firebird Book Awards Competition: Summer Beach Read and Women’s Fiction categories!
LITERARY TITAN 