Blog Archives
What Happens When We Can’t Let Go
Snowlands follows a banished wolf on a dangerous quest to help a snow leopard find her missing cub. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The initial spark for the idea came while watching an episode of Planet Earth and learning about the life cycle of the snow leopard. I found them fascinating and saw a lot of story potential there. I also loved the setting of the snowy mountains of the Himalayas. After many iterations, that spark evolved into the story of the white wolf cub Feba, and her adventure with Usha, the snow leopard.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Collin Fogel and colorist Davi Comodo?
The collaboration with the art team was smooth and enjoyable. The artist received a detailed script to work from, but he certainly added his own angle to the direction of the piece and made it so much better than anything I could have thought of. I constantly encourage him to do what he feels worked best and trusted his skill. Not trying to micromanage the art was I think, the best thing I could have done since it make things move faster, but also let him express himself in the best way possible.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The theme that guided me through the writing was what happens when we can’t let go. That theme manifested in many of the characters, both the good ones and the bad ones. But I think the theme that might stand out the most for readers is the one of finding your own family, and what it means to belong. That is what Feba’s journey is all about.
What is the next book in the Snowlands series that you are working on about, and when will it be available?
There will be 2 more books in that particular series (with more different series in the Snowlands world to come after). The second book is currently in the writing stage and we have no date set for release, but I would estimate it will be ready sometime around 2024.
Author Links: Website | Facebook
An orphaned white wolf cub exiled from her pack.
A lone snow leopard searching for her missing cub.
A bumbling wild cat who can’t hold a tune.
In the midst of a brutal winter in the unforgiving Snowlands, famine plague the wolf pack. As the pack goes hungry, blame falls on Feba, an orphaned wolf cub whose white fur many elders believe is a bad omen. When the wolf pack’s cubs vanish into thin air, the pack leaders vote to banish Feba, and perhaps worse. She escapes her fate and runs off into the icy wilderness of the Snowlands.
Lost in the treacherous mountains, Feba stumbles upon Usha, a cold and unfriendly snow leopard mother on a personal quest. While Usha wants nothing more than to continue her journey alone, she grudgingly allows Feba and a skittish young mountain cat, Batu, to follow her.
With a snowy trail full of deadly obstacles ahead, the unlikely trio sets out to find the Seeress, a magical being Usha hopes can find her missing son. Each step takes Usha, Feba, and Batu deeper into danger where they encounter other creatures-some helpful, some deceitful-and uncover a widespread peril in the mountains, the fate of the missing cubs, and what having a family truly means.
Snowlands is an epic tale of survival and friendship full of wild creatures, magical mysteries, and dangerous terrain perfect for middle-grade fans of Erin Hunter’s Braveland and Warriors series.
Crude Awakenings
Crude Awakenings takes places in Tyler County, Texas, 1987. The story follows Cooper, a former high school football star who now works for a local oil company. As the story begins Cooper has had enough of working for other people and has grand plans to start his own company alongside his best friend, Lester. Cooper’s current boss, and father figure, My Hightower has agreed to bankroll the entire operation. Unfortunately for Cooper Mr. Hightower’s son, Chuck has other plans. Mr. Hightower passes away and Chuck seizes control of his father’s company. Chuck has always hated Cooper and he soon sets to work ruining Cooper’s life. Almost instantly Cooper finds himself jobless, single and with no investment.
Crude Awakenings is Cooper’s rags to riches story. Chuck makes sure Cooper starts with nothing and we watch his rise to glory, with the help of his friends. It’s not a pretty story, however. Cooper must put his morals aside and literally beg, steal, and borrow to make a comeback. What’s he stealing? Used cooking grease…
Cooper is an easy to root for hero, he’s an everyman who has fallen on hard times. Surrounding him are a host of eccentric side characters who help lift the mood of the novel and add delightful comic relief. Small town camaraderie is a major theme here. The artwork is minimalistic and for the most part it is easy to follow, although I feel like things can get a little messy in the action scenes. The artwork does a great job of conveying the story without distracting from it.
Crude Awakenings takes a story about the second-hand grease market in a small town and turns it into a fascinating graphic novel. This lively story has a host of intriguing and well defined characters on a path that was unpredictable but a blast to follow. Crude Awakenings is a quirky but entertaining story that I highly recommended for a quick, feel-good read.
Pages: 151 | ASIN: B089G71TY8
VALOR TALE: DISENTHRALL
![VALOR TALE: DISENTHRALL, VOLUME I by [David Earl Williams III, Marcell James, Michel Hillebrand, Ramon Manuel Ochoa Lopez, Azkaryu D., Michael Nguyen]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41vhln5fYvL.jpg)
Valor Tale Disenthrall (Volume I) by David Earl Williams III, is an enthralling and action-packed LitRPG novel, where we find ourselves in a parallel Earth, in the city of Mesovilla, Capital of the Helix Province. It is not your typical book, this reminds me of a Dungeons and Dragons game with detailed and intriguing characters and a wildly imaginative story. This book was able to transport me back to the days when I used to play D&D and the wild fantasy stories that developed organically.
Author David Earl Williams captures the readers attention from the first introduction of his main character, Dew Wilder, leader of the modern Robinhood rag tags, called Aurora Blade. Dew, a former Elite warrior who served in the Great civil war the country went through, has now taken up arms against the government who oppresses civilians for their own greed.
While reading the story, I went through so many emotions. I laughed, I was saddened at the tragic tales of our characters and how they work hard to stand against the government. They have the essence of true freedom fighters. I love a story with rebels who take up arms, who choose the right side, and therefore, I found Valor Tale very enjoyable.
One of the best aspects of this story is the great art depictions. Right from the start, we are introduced to the main cast of the story, each of them has their own personality, background likes and dislikes. As we move along the story, the chapters are filled with beautiful panels of art, from places, robots to monsters, each panel is very detailed and I actually spent a lot of time studying them. As an avid manga reader I really appreciated the art. The story telling is really great and the panels tie everything up in a neat package.
While I enjoyed the story, I’m a reader who enjoys the gritty details and I would have liked more time spent in the middle of the fight scenes and action, where now I feel like we skip the juiciest pieces of the action.
My favorite character is Lorenzo, who is amazing and obsessed with his stamp collection. Every time he came into the scene I laughed. Moreover, I really want to know what is the deal with the government’s cheese!
This is a thrilling graphic novel with a unique story and an entertaining execution that makes this young adult fantasy novel fun to read from beginning to end.
Pages: 168 | ASIN: B08GHQR6KY
PHANTOM BULLET’S
![PHANTOM BULLET'S by [Andrew Avra]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/513nfBksKpL.jpg)
Phantom Bullets by Andrew Avra is a collection of paintings and journal extracts depicting the mental health issues faced by Lilly. Through the visual representations of her internal battle as well as images showing parts of her past, the reader is able to follow along and get an intimate understanding of Lilly’s mind. Interspersed throughout are short extracts from her journal which further helps the reader to keep track of how Lilly is feeling and follow the flow of the artwork.
Going through each stage of her life and her struggles, you can clearly see the changes that take place. One aspect which varies drastically is the colors used to paint the watercolor images, in the beginning, although you can tell there is a lot going through her mind, the colors used are quite vivid shades of pink, purple and blue. As you move through her life the colors gradually become duller and there are much darker shades used which may represent the different mental health problems she is dealing with. It is also done well as you get to see both her external reality beside what is happening internally.
Phantom Bullets is a fantastic representation of the wide variety of mental health problems a person can experience, and in many paintings, demons are depicted which makes it clear the journey you are following. I think it would work better as an art collection, both as a way of telling the story or as one-off pieces of work. I would’ve liked a little dialogue to get a better sense as to what Lilly was feeling in the moment. The images can be interpreted a different way then what the author intended. But I suppose this is also the point of art isn’t it? The reader does get a more in-depth insight into how someone can be struggling internally and the different ways they try to express their emotions.
Phantom Bullets is a unique graphic novel with interesting art pieces all throughout the book that tell a thought-provoking and impassioned story in vivid color.
Pages: 131 | ASIN: B09CN45D8N
Just as Unforgiving
J.R. Dunbar Author Interview
Saint follows a man who’s given his wish to be a superhero but finds that the super hero life is not what he expected. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
To be honest, part of my inspiration comes from a fleeting, and perhaps juvenile, frustration. Every so often I find myself pondering the fact that superheroes don’t exist, yet super villains kind of do, you know? As soon I have this notion of a hero coming out of the woodworks to save humanity, it is quickly checked by the reality that it just wouldn’t work that way in real life. That is where Saint’s flaws come from; he played hero out of passion and it killed him, then he came back as what he had dreamed of, yet life was just as unforgiving.
Jake is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind his character development?
Thank you! I liked the idea of a truly altruistic protagonist, yet wanted a character who wasn’t afraid to kill when it was necessary. I enjoyed exploring this concept because it initially seems contradictory, and is intended to make the reader question their assessment of ethics. His journey from a rock-solid, “perfect” character into a flawed, heavily emotional character is also derived from contradiction: “How can I make this character get better in some ways, yet worse in others?” was my mindset. I find it can be boring if characters go in one direction or have too much linear development.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this graphic novel?
An important theme in Saint is self growth while staying true to yourself. Jake stumbles upon his new life as Saint, but ultimately has to revert back to his roots when his back is against the wall. Another theme readers will find is vengeance. I really tried to layer the vengeance and feuds to create a classic cat-and-mouse feel.
Do you have plans to continue this comic series or develop it in other types of media?
Yes! I have plans for two more volumes of equal length, as well as two short novels that will fill in the gaps between. I may explore other media in the future, but for now I am just writing away!
Author Links: Instagram | Website
Jake Barker always wanted to be a superhero. Acting as a vigilante for years, one day he finally got his wish…too bad he had to die for it. As the world’s first superhero, he’s finding that his new life is not all that it’s cracked up to be. Now out for vengeance, will his abilities be enough, or will vengeance find him first?
This contains the full compilation of all 5 chapters, plus an epilogue and bonus art!
Saint: A Graphic Novel
![Saint: Full by [J.R. Dunbar]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51AZVWzzl-L.jpg)
Saint a graphic novel by J.R. Dunbar is a compelling and kinetic action adventure comic that is a strong addition to anyone’s graphic novel collection. At its heart, Saint is the story of a child who is consumed by the superhero genre. He dreams of the day that he’ll become a crime fighter like his favorite characters. This becomes an obsession that sets his his life on a singular course.
Unlike many reluctant heroes, he undertakes the hero’s journey out of the desire to do good. To make a difference. Helping others is a principle factor in his development, which is refreshing to see in an overcrowded superhero market where so many main characters have tragic backstories, or are conceited, self-centered people forced to change, even Clark Kent in the new Superman movies is being bent in this new direction of dark hero’s. J.R. Dunbar has created a hero who aspires to do good, reminiscent of the classic comics of the genre, but he’s able to do it with a gritty contemporary feel that never feels out of place with today’s comics.
The artwork has a unique sketched art style with lots of bright colors that contrasts with the darker shading throughout the story. Some scenes are very detailed, even gory, but other scenes have a flat color that I would have liked to have seen given some texture. One scene I really enjoyed is the one where one character is crushed and the blood spatter comes out of the cell; very fun, unique and vivid.
Saint has plenty of profanity and graphic violence, if that’s what you’re into, but we’re also given a great action packed story that puts our hero to the tests in some very creative ways against some bad guys that are interesting and well crafted. This is a graphic novel, as it combines several of J.R. Dunbar’s comics, so readers get a more well rounded story arc then what’s found in a regular comic. If you enjoy a backstory that’s detailed and provides ample time in fleshing it out then you will definitely like this graphic novel. This is all the character development we get as we’re only given a bit more pieces throughout the novel as Saint fights crime in a uniquely Saint type of way.
Saint is an interesting take on the super hero genre. A great addition to anyone’s graphic novel collection. This is an imaginative story that will hook readers with a well-conceived story line and a likeable hero.
Pages: 155 | ASIN: B08P3NS2F8
Blind Patriotism
Joshua Landeros Author Interview
Voice of the Crimson Angel Part II: Poison finds Julissa ready to take on Chancellor Venloran while the United Nation Republic is gearing up to take over Mexico. Was this book an easy continuation of part I or did you have to plan and develop the story before writing?
VOCA Part II took quite a bit of planning, up there with End of Knighthood Part III: Ballad of Demise. I knew telling the entire story of The Expansion from start to finish wasn’t really possible (outside of a very, very, long novel), so I isolated the events that seemed most important and then tied the main characters to them. VOCA Part II, I think more than any other of my previous work, challenged my use of setting. Writing tests an author in odd ways, and one of those ways for me was geography. The setting in question, of course, Mexico. How big is this city? Is it dry or wet this time of year? Is it a metropolis or a small town? Luckily, my story takes place in the future, so I can tweak things, but I prefer going off reality. The first round of writing left VOCA Part II shorter than I wanted, but the final product I’m most pleased with.
Weird thing is at first, I was paying very little attention to the current situation. When I conceived of The Expansion, I was looking at it as a continuation of Manifest Destiny, where Americans expanded westward. The more I examined the history of expanded empires, The Expansion became more and more interesting to write. It went from being a small part of the original book to an integral backdrop for the Iranian characters. Now it’s the main focus in the VOCA trilogy. In future stories, I hope to explore neocolonialism more. Since 2016, immigration has become one of the most decisive topics in the American politics. It influenced me as I watched debates and heard different arguments, but it’s a bit different in VOCA Part II. In the book, the focus is more about imperialism reborn than the push for isolation that we’re experiencing now. What the book does do, I hope, is paint a picture of the circumstances that I feel are similar to current events. For example, I think no matter what side of the political spectrum you’re on, people accept that we live in an era where patriotism is a very touchy issue. Even critique from a person within the system can lead to harsh cries of them being “unamerican.” Blind patriotism, more than anything, fuels a beast like Venloran and his UNR. What I also wanted to focus on was displacement. Civilians can be turned into dissidents when pushed. People have forgotten that the Mujahideen that battled the Soviet Union was propped up by the United States. This same organization became Al-Qaeda, and in the age of the “War on Terror”, we’ve seen an upsurge in the formation of radical groups. I would argue that intervention, this need to intervene and ‘democratize’ other areas around the globe, fuels fundamentalists. Former New York Times writer Chris Hedges (who was fired around the start of the Iraq War) called the usage of violence a disease. Therefore “Poison” was the proper title for this installment. What I wanted to do with the book was take the “War on Terror” and move it closer to home. Instead of across the Atlantic in countries most Americans have never been to, I wanted to imagine it happening right next door.
Have you tried exploring other mediums for your series; games, comic books, etc? I ask because you have developed such a rich backstory already.
I’m not much of a gamer, so I’ve never really considered that route. Comics, however, have always intrigued me. I’ve always been obsessed with visuals (one of my worst habits was the tendency to doodle during class). Comics, namely graphic novels, have always been a favorite medium of mine. You can say a whole lot with just a single frame, and not to mention a good use of color goes a long a way in establishing the mood. The look of the cyborg uniforms, namely the overcoat, was inspired by the Blade design from Marvel comics, while the armor itself is actually manga-based. As a child, I’ve read my share of manga, including Dragon Ball. Unfortunately, I can’t draw all that well. If I could meet a comic book artist who wanted to tell a story from Reverence, I’d be honored to be a part of such a project.
I’ve actually given some thought to this! After all, as I write I often listen to my favorite movie soundtracks. This helps me set the mood and envision a scene: scary might be Ennio Morricone, action-oriented Hans Zimmer, and somber along the lines of Michael Giacchino. Naturally, sometimes I envision certain faces of certain characters. The big one is Will, and for him I could see Will Smith or Denzel Washington taking the role. They are both older and can play action heroes, but all while still giving them emotional resonance. Another instacast for me is Liam Neeson as Chancellor Venloran. This is largely due to his portrayal of Ra’s al Ghul in Batman Begins (2005). He’s calm yet menacing, all without being over-the-top. One of my favorites to envision would be Jessica Chastain as Gabriella Neeson. After seeing her in Interstellar(2014), I was thoroughly convinced. She’s both gorgeous, tough as nails, and can portray a character who is anything but a damsel in distress (no thanks Cameron Diaz). Others are mind boggling. In the case of Marisol Leone, for example, it’s really hard to pin down. One of these days, I’ll sit down and sort them all out.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
![Voice of a Crimson Angel Part II: Poison (Reverence Book 6) by [Landeros, Joshua]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51hg8WE3vZL.jpg)
Julissa Marconi is finally ready to be a soldier again, and now it’s time to take on the tyrannical Chancellor Venloran. With Captain Halsey and her daughter Zaneta by her side, the resistance is the last line of defense preventing the United Nation Republic from seizing the country of Mexico. The combat will prove bloody as Venloran sends his cyborg warriors to squash all opposition. As bullets fly and bodies pile up, Julissa will be forced to consider what she’s capable of. To defeat the enemy, she may just have to become the enemy.
Welcome back to the world of the Reverence series with Voice of a Crimson Angel Part II: Poison. Witness the spark that lit the fire.
Keep My Mind Active
Jerry J.C. Veit Author Interview
Apocalypsia details a post-apocalyptic Earth. Demons comb the land and what is left of humanity struggles to survive and trust one another. What was the inspiration that made you want to write such an immersive story?
I had a lot of time on my hands (haha). I was in my early twenties, worked two days a week, living in my parents’ basement, and was addicted to video games. Writing was my way to keep my mind active and a way to escape my uneventful reality. It started out as some dark and depressing poetry (some of which appears in the book). I felt like the only way I could find meaning in this world is if it ended. That was the idea that sparked Apocalypsia. I wanted to go on an adventure, and if I couldn’t live it, I could at least create it. I also drew inspiration from authors like Edgar Allen Poe, and Charles Dickens, and stories like Beowulf and Lord of the Rings.
This story is a fun blend of science fiction, fantasy and post-apocalyptic. Did you plan the novel before you wrote or did this happen organically?
I was told to always know the ending of your story before you begin. Apocalypsia was the exception. I had no idea where this story was going to go. At times I felt the story was telling itself and I was just the messenger. I never thought about what will come next only what was happening now.
In its infancy I wanted to make Apocalypsia a graphic novel. I wrote it into twenty-five separate books in a little over a year and a half. Since I cannot draw or know an artist that could take on this huge project I rewrote it to read more like a manga, but without the art; since I was into Japanese anime at that time. About a year later I developed a love of screenplays and the desire to write them. Apocalypsia was rewritten again into three different scripts due to its length and the 80-120 page constraint of a normal screenplay. When I discovered self-publishing the book that exists today got another overhaul. The book gained new content and became a little darker too. I was older so everyone in the story had to grow up also. Overall it took seven years and several rewrites before Apocalypsia appeared in our hands.
What is your writing experience and how has that helped you write Apocalypsia?
I actually wrote all of my books as screenplays first until I learned about self-publishing. I reformatted my screenplays into novelized script versions by taking away all the screenplay lingo, headers and directions, but kept the name of the speaker before my dialogue to cut down on “he said” “she said” throughout the entire story. Screenplays taught me about plot points and showing not telling. I learned to write a good ending and a good beginning and then finding out how to link the two. I learned how to write books by thinking about them as movies. Usually screenplays are the product of books. My books are products of screenplays.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have started writing a steampunk story. I think that will be a cool genre to explore. I have the beginning written and several notes about the world, technology and devices that exist, and character backgrounds and personalities, but I’m still working on the plot so no release date in sight yet.
Author Interview: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Much of civilization lies in ruins after the mysterious happenings of a demonic uprising. In this post-apocalyptic world survivors must scavenge for supplies while taking up arms against demons, goblins, and even each other.
When an ally’s fort is attacked; a small group of survivors take it upon themselves to unite and stand against the further spread of demons. Along the way new allies agree to stand with them. Encountering stronger demonic threats and the discovery of an ancient artifact, which could destroy the boundaries between Hell and Earth, causes a collision of the human resistance into an epic final battle with the demonic forces.
LITERARY TITAN 