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Grow, Evolve, and Blossom
Garden Quartz and Paper Flowers is a collection of stories and poems centered around a girl navigating the trauma of abuse and the healing process. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It was important for me to write, Garden Quartz and Paper Flowers as a way to finally close a chapter of my own life. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember: poetry, music, and short stories but I lost all my original works in a very traumatic incident. That use to haunt me, endlessly.
I don’t know of many stories that tell the tale of resilience, that transcends through time with authentic but healthy coping mechanisms. In this story, the main character Calla recognizes that self-work was required to set her free. For you never have to be your childhood or adulthood circumstances. Those moments will shape you but you should not allow them to break you.
My fondness for precious gemstones and flowers with inspirational meaning were the metaphorical tools necessary to breathe life into this piece. Stones are shaped by their environment. Flowers can weather the storm. Both survive under tough pressure.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in putting together this collection?
My biggest challenge was simply starting. For years, I dwelled on it subconsciously, should I pick up my pen again and recreate what was destroyed. Eventually, I got to a place where I said this is going to be therapeutic for you and it’s time to get it done. My second challenge was struggling with remembering much of what I originally wrote, but once I started to complete the individual pieces one by one, I was able to weave them together into one fluid story. You can delay the inevitable but it’s still has to get done, even when it’s overdue. I also needed to live a little bit longer, to complete this work of art in full circle.
Have you received any feedback from readers that surprised or moved you?
I’ve received a lot of positive feedback on this piece of art. I’m honestly VERY surprised. I didn’t think it would move so many people to connect with it so deeply, especially since it’s a fiction. I know Art imitates life, and I know that some of the things I wrote could align as a lived experience rather than a collection of different occurrences. I just didn’t know it would resonate with some many people.
“Not for the faint of heart,” was the common themed remark. Which to me, shows I planted a seed and I hope it grows. Uncomfort as it relates to knowledge, has always been a sign that I’m headed in the proper direction. I remind myself every day, learn something new, try something different and feel something real.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from Garden Quartz and Paper Flowers?
I want readers to know that it’s okay to feel every emotion in the moment—but it’s not okay to live in the negative ones. We have to find the strength to rise, overcome pain, and to keep pushing forward. It’s not easy, but NOTHING in life is simple. After the all hard work, aches and pains, I promise greatness is waiting on the other side, ready to greet you.
You’re not your past. You’re not even your present. And you’re not even alone. Continue to actively grow, evolve, and blossom into who you’re meant to be. It’s time to do your due diligence. It’s time to rediscover your resilience. It’s time to heal. Let’s do this!
Pain has Transformed me. . .
Step into this immersive garden of ruin and bloom— a memoir told in fragments of memory, poetry, and survival.
This is the story of a girl named Calla, rooted in silence, shaped by shadow, and determined to rise.
Because not all wounds bleed. Not all truths are spoken.
And you never have to become what tried to break you.
VALOR: A Magical Historical Romance (The Evensong Enchantments Book 2)
Valor continues the story of Ena, a young woman of Druidic blood who is swept into a dangerous world of prophecy, ancient magic, and political turmoil. The book follows her as she flees her old life, confronts both human threat and supernatural horror, and discovers the depth of her own power. We watch her wrestle with grief, her lineage, her unborn child, and the complicated web of loyalty and love surrounding her. The story gathers tightly around themes of sacrifice, rebirth, and the heavy cost of destiny, pulling together threads of family, faith, and the lingering shadow of Philip’s death.
I found myself unexpectedly swept up in the book’s emotional weight. The writing carries a kind of earnest intensity. Scenes of violence or magic arrive suddenly, hitting hard, and then soften into quiet reflections or tender moments. I felt especially moved by the contrast between Ena’s fragility and the raw force emerging within her. Author Helyn Dunn’s descriptions often lean mystical or dreamlike, and while that sometimes made me pause to catch my bearings, it also filled the story with a sense of secrecy and wonder. I kept feeling a tug in my chest during scenes where Ena faces danger she is not ready for, and again when she discovers just how much strength she truly has.
I also found myself reacting strongly to the characters orbiting Ena. The monks who help her after she fears losing her unborn child offer a warmth and gentleness I didn’t expect. Their presence creates an almost sacred pause in the narrative, and I felt grateful for it alongside her. Later, the emotional shift in her relationship with Bernard surprised me with its sincerity and ache. Their connection is written with a kind of quiet yearning that feels grounded and mature, especially in scenes where Bernard drops his usual stoicism and speaks from a wounded but hopeful heart . The book leans into love, romantic, familial, spiritual, in all the ways it can save or break a person.
By the time I reached the final chapters, I felt a sense of completion and forward motion. The story opens a door toward a larger quest, and I closed the book with the impression that Ena has stepped into a fuller version of herself. There is a feeling of promise, shaped not just by magic but by courage and heartbreak and the people who have stood by her, even after losing Philip. I would recommend Valor to readers who enjoy emotional fantasy, rich inner journeys, and stories rooted in mythic symbolism. Anyone drawn to mystical historical fiction or tales of spiritual transformation will likely find this book deeply rewarding.
Pages: 471 | ASIN: B0F7S8SZXC
Angus Sliders – A Max Calder Spy-Fi Mystery
Angus Sliders drops you straight into a foggy world of spies, memory loss, and shadowy doubles, and it wastes no time setting the stakes. Max Calder is living quietly in Lisbon when a strange broadcast pulls him back toward old secrets, and a long-buried threat named the Mirror starts to stir again. What follows is a chain of chases, coded messages, old flames returning at the wrong time, and a slow unravelling of Max’s own mind. The story moves from Lisbon’s rainy streets to steamers cutting through gray water to intelligence offices and old wartime wounds. It feels like a personal fight as much as a global one, and that tension powers the whole book.
I caught myself getting wrapped up in the atmosphere. The writing has this rich, moody quality that made me see the wet stones and dim cafes and flickering lamps. I had a real fondness for how the book blends real historical detail with fiction. It adds weight without dragging things down, and it gave the world a texture that felt lived in. I did feel a little overwhelmed during a couple of the denser spycraft moments. The pace surged forward anyway, so the confusion never lasted long. Even so, I kept reading because Max’s voice added so much color. His wit made even the bleak moments feel sharp instead of heavy.
The emotional core of the book worked for me more than I expected. Max’s slipping memory is more than a plot device. It hits like a crack that spreads through everything he touches. Every time he forgot something important, I felt a small sting as if the loss were personal. His scenes with Alicia had that same effect. Their dynamic has this messy, bittersweet edge that kept tugging at me. They know too much about each other and not enough at the same time, and their shared history hangs over every conversation. I liked that the book never tried to make their relationship tidy. It leaned into the chaos of it, and that honesty made it hit harder.
This book builds a world that kept pulling me forward, and I enjoyed being lost in it. If you like spy stories that mix real history with strange tech, or if you enjoy mysteries that twist around memory and identity, this one will be a great fit. Readers who want both grit and style in the same breath will probably have as much fun with it as I did.
Pages: 337 | ASIN : B0G26J24T2
The Broken Coil: Thomas Berenford Chronicles
The Broken Coil follows Thomas Berenford, a gruff wanderer who calls himself a humble agent of “pest control,” though his problems involve far more than vermin. The story opens with a brutal prison warden, a terrified magian girl, and the whispered threat of a man who once escaped her torment. From that point on, the novel winds through desert canyons, strange pilgrim camps, dangerous raiders, and the looming legends of the Noman. Thomas ends up pulled into rescuing a girl named Chloe, dealing with religious wanderers, and confronting echoes of his own past, all while dragging around a magical broadsword with a temper of its own.
Reading this book felt like sliding into a world that was equal parts dust, danger, and strange kindness. Schwartz writes in a way that hits the senses first. I could almost taste the grit and smell the smoke of campfires as Thomas trudged across the land. His voice is rough but warm, and I found myself trusting him even when he appeared one bad night of drinking away from total collapse. I liked how the dialogue crackled with personality. Chloe’s eerie calmness and odd humor weirded me out in the best way. Mother Endelyn’s scenes caught me off guard. They were tender and sad, and they made Thomas look smaller and more human than his reputation suggests.
At times, I caught myself grinning at the book’s stranger touches. Wilma, the sword with a pulse and an attitude, added charm to moments that could have slipped into gloom. The raiders, the relic, the pilgrims breaking branches, and the nightmarish memories of the rack created a mix of mystery and grit that kept my curiosity buzzing. I will admit I wanted a little more breathing room in some sections. The world bursts with ideas, and I sometimes had trouble keeping track of which belief or threat mattered most. Still, the ride stayed exciting and the characters carried the weight of the story with heart.
I would recommend The Broken Coil to readers who enjoy fantasy with a rough edge and a good sense of humor. Anyone who likes wandering heroes, dusty landscapes, and stories that blend heart with hard choices will find plenty to enjoy here. It is a book for folks who want adventure that refuses to sit still, and for readers who like characters who are wounded yet stubborn enough to keep walking.
Pages: 181 | ASIN: B0DVQFDW5S
Polar Deception
Polar Deception is a tense eco-thriller set in a future shaped by environmental collapse, geopolitical fractures, and the discovery of powerful red crystals hidden beneath the Antarctic ice. The story weaves together the ruthless ambitions of Dr. Carlos Perez, the quiet moral struggle of Dr. Omar Hasson, the grief-stricken journey of Diana Harris, and the covert operations of CIA agents racing to keep the crystals from falling into the wrong hands. What begins as a scientific mystery quickly turns into a globe-spanning battle over technology, survival, and the fragile state of a warming world.
This book never quite let me catch my breath. The writing hit me with sharp images and simple but striking language, and I found myself leaning in, eager for the next twist. I liked how the tension inside the Antarctic station simmered from the first pages. Perez’s obsession unsettled me, and the cold brutality of his choices made my stomach tighten. Then the narrative shifted to Diana, and the tone softened. Her grief carried real weight. I felt that heaviness in her cramped apartment, in the unopened boxes, in the way she talked to her dog like he was holding her together. That contrast between danger and vulnerability gave the whole story a pulse that grabbed me.
There were moments when the ideas themselves hit harder than the plot. The book dives into rare earth scarcity, global power struggles, broken technology, and the desperation that follows. I found myself thinking about how easily science can become a bargaining chip when the world gets shaky. Some scenes made me angry as characters manipulated research for profit or control. Other scenes made me hopeful when people showed loyalty and courage despite everything falling apart around them. I liked how the author slipped in social commentary without making it feel preachy. It felt real. Messy. Relatable.
The story delivered high stakes, a fast pace, and characters who stayed in my head. I’d recommend Polar Deception to readers who enjoy eco-thrillers, survival stories, and science-driven mysteries. It felt like a blend of the high-stakes environmental urgency of The Day After Tomorrow and the globe-spanning intrigue of The Da Vinci Code while carrying the character-driven emotional weight you’d find in The Martian.
Pages: 506 | ASIN : B0FRB6XPYV
Heritage Mountain
Heritage Mountain is a heartwarming blend of cozy fantasy and wilderness adventure, following botanist Anita and survivalist Marco as they reunite for an archaeological expedition in the Adirondacks. Alongside their close-knit friends, Maria and Chase, and a delightful cast of supernatural beings like pixies, elves, and a telepathic cat, the group embarks on a journey that’s as much about discovery as it is about connection, both with nature and each other. The story gently weaves folklore, love, mystery, and magic into the everyday, creating a world where firepits reveal ancient tools, and a simple forest walk may bring you face-to-face with stargazers or nymphs.
I genuinely enjoyed reading this. There’s a quiet, comforting kind of magic in the way author Karen Black writes. She gives the characters space to breathe, laugh, stumble, and grow close. I loved the humor between Chase and Maria. It felt like watching old friends tease and support each other without missing a beat. Marco’s protective, grounded energy made him instantly likable. And Anita. I loved Anita. Her blend of practicality and wonder, her quiet strength and openness to magic, made her feel real and relatable. And the worldbuilding? It’s so gentle and subtle, the supernatural just slips in like a whisper. Nothing is overexplained or flashy. And that makes it feel real.
Everything feels safe, and sometimes I find myself wishing for a little more tension or stakes. But then again, that’s probably the point. Heritage Mountain tells a different kind of story. One about trust, connection, and ancient magic hidden in plain sight. It’s quiet but rich, like the kind of story you’d tell around a fire under the stars. It made me want to go hiking. Or at least take a walk and keep an eye out for little footprints in the moss.
I’d recommend Heritage Mountain to anyone who loves stories about found family, soft magic, and wilderness tales that feel like a warm blanket on a chilly morning. If you liked Practical Magic or The Bear and the Nightingale, or just need a break from the world, this book will meet you gently and invite you in. Fans of cozy fantasy, magical realism, and wilderness adventure will find Heritage Mountain a gentle, enchanting read full of heart, hidden magic, and unforgettable charm.
Pages: 264 | ASIN : B0FGVT464K
Heirs of Empire
S A Melia’s Heirs to Empire is a sprawling space opera of loyalty, survival, and rebirth. The story sweeps through twelve human worlds known as the Dodecahedral Empire, where young King Teodor, once presumed dead, claws his way from slavery on a plague-ridden world to reclaim his crown. Alongside him are soldiers, nomads, and lovers bound by webs of duty and betrayal. Melia threads political intrigue, biological warfare, and deep personal transformation into a story that feels both intimate and epic. It’s part military science fiction, part mythic hero’s journey, and part meditation on power and belonging.
Reading this book, I felt pulled between admiration and awe. Melia’s world-building is stunning, dense, and alive with detail. Her writing has a cinematic rhythm, with scenes that pulse between horror and beauty. There’s a strange poetry in how she describes destruction, especially the plague-ravaged London and the living forests of Sas Darona. The characters feel raw and human, even when they’re riding giant spiders or waging interplanetary wars. I loved the contrast between Teodor’s noble stoicism and Guy Erma’s rough-edged loyalty.
What struck me most was how personal the story feels beneath all the spectacle. This isn’t just about empires rising and falling, it’s about what happens to people when the idea of “home” burns down. Melia writes grief and hope side by side. Her characters are always torn, always trying to choose between love, survival, and duty. I found myself angry with them one moment and rooting for them the next. That unpredictability kept me turning pages, even when the politics grew thick. There’s a pulse of emotion here that feels tender, painful, and real.
Heirs to Empire is a bold, emotional ride. It’s perfect for readers who love the grand scope of Dune but crave the grit and heart of Battlestar Galactica. If you enjoy stories that blend science fiction with myth, politics with passion, and chaos with redemption, this book will grab you and not let go. It’s ambitious, heartfelt, and riveting.
Pages: 466 | ASIN : B0FCCX2672
The Small Hours
The Small Hours follows Michael Virtue, a psychologist whose life starts to unravel after the death of his closest friend and the slow collapse of his marriage. While he tries to keep himself afloat, he becomes drawn back into the long unresolved mystery of his uncle Robert, who vanished during the Spanish Civil War. The story moves between letters from the 1930s, Michael’s midlife turmoil in the late 1980s, and the old scars still lingering in Andalusian towns. The more he digs, the more he learns that war does not end when the guns go quiet. It stays in the people who survived it and in the families who never got answers.
The writing feels calm on the surface, but underneath it hums with grief and regret. I kept noticing how the author lets moments stretch out. A small gesture becomes heavy, and a stray memory turns sharp. It feels real. Michael is not a tidy hero. He stumbles. He doubts himself. He drinks too much. He tries to fix things he does not know how to fix. I found myself both frustrated with him and rooting for him. The letters from Robert were my favorite part. They carry this sweet mix of hope, fear, and youthful bravado. They made me ache because I already knew what Michael didn’t. The tone of the book is warm. It held me in a quiet sadness that felt honest rather than forced.
There were places where the story surprised me. Some characters walk in with very jagged edges. Delia, especially, knocked me off balance. She is blunt and unpredictable and sometimes a little wild, and she shakes Michael awake even when he doesn’t want to be awake. The Spanish sections were the most vivid. The villages feel sun-bleached and haunted. Every old stone seems to carry a memory. I could almost smell the dust and the sea air fighting each other. The pacing sometimes meanders, but I didn’t mind. It felt like wandering through someone’s emotional attic, bumping into things they forgot they had stored away. The author lets sorrow echo, and for me, that made the book feel relatable.
By the time I reached the end, I felt like I had sat with a friend who finally said something they had needed to say for twenty years. This book would be perfect for readers who like stories about family secrets, grief that does not behave, and the strange ways the past keeps tugging at the present. It is also a good fit for anyone who likes slow-burning emotional journeys and stories that blend personal history with real historical wounds.
Pages: 463 | ASIN : B0FH7CLCDH
LITERARY TITAN 