Blog Archives
Darkness Is Her Greatest Fear
Annihilation is a gripping paranormal fantasy novel that explores good vs. evil and shows that things are not always split down the middle. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
There are grey areas when it comes to good verses bad and not everything is clear-cut or simple when it comes to making educated choices. Black and white lines are so much easier. Right or wrong, good or bad. Righteous verses evil. When you try to find a compromise between godliness and sin, it only results in waffling, vacillating, wishy-wash gray areas that cause a host of problems. This is the dilemma of many of my characters.
Your characters are very compelling. What were some driving ideals behind your main character’s development?
Samara is a Nephalem being and is struggling to find herself in Middle Earth and also in Hell. She is a strong, independent female who is slowly discovering her strengths and capabilities. As the story progresses, she grows as well in more ways than one. Although darkness is her greatest fear, her endurance, determination, and developing powers become her greatest strengths.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
As with every book I write, I like to express the importance of family and friends, loyalty and devotion, and the true meaning of unselfish love. I believe it’s also important to point out that people who just go with the flow – lacking feelings or any kind of commitment – often end up on a wide road that leads to disappointment, heartache, and sometimes destruction.
What can readers expect in book three in your Gehenna series?
Samara learns how to stand up for herself when pitted against Lucifer in the cruelest way possible and also finds herself betrayed by the love of her life.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Meanwhile, the Black Crows meet with the Knights of Darkness in their hidden headquarters, plotting against Lucinda in their efforts to maintain peace and the balance of power. Consumed by hatred over Crighton Daemonium’s unrequited love, Lucinda is unaware of the secret conspiracy brewing, or that Lucifer’s spirit has returned to Hell inside the body of a soul–trapped demon.
Reclaiming his throne, Lucifer punishes his daughter for her act of treason. However, his obsession with Samara, Crighton’s beautiful daughter, leaves him incapable of controlling his stolen body. After forcing her into submission, he names Samara the new Queen of Hell yet continues his authoritarian rule. When an insurgency breaks out on Earth, he becomes distracted long enough for her to be kidnapped by Nexus rebel forces, believing her to be the prophesied savior of their planet.
Is Samara the Phoenix, destined to destroy Lucifer? Or is she his soulmate and the true Queen of Hell?
Awards: 2021-2022 Reader View bronze medal winner in Erotica and Horror categories; 2022 Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite in the category of Horror; 2021 Incipere Awards silver medal winner in Romance category; 2021-2022 Global Library Award
ANNIHILATION
Annihilation by Kaylin McFarren is a story that explores the age-old issues surrounding light and dark or good versus evil, the balance between the two, and the blurred edges between distinguishing them. Following the central family of Ariel, once an angel now trapped in a demon’s body, her husband Crighton, a half-angel half-demon, and their children living between Heaven and Hell. As both realms are on the brink of the ‘Red War,’ it becomes clear that their family, especially their children, are going to be vital in the outcome, and Lucinda, the Queen of Hell, is not going to take any chances.
This novel is scattered with references to well-known myths, legends, and fables such as the ‘eternal fire from hell,’ angels, demons, and werewolves. These are all prominent symbols of the battle between good and evil, and they assist the reader in understanding some of the stories. However, throughout the story, things are not always so clear, which enables people to think more about their perception of where the line between the two would be.
McFarren has done an excellent job of telling the story from various perspectives through short chapters dedicated to specific characters’ points of view. It is easy to follow, ad each storyline overlaps. Imagery is another element that has been successfully used, for example, ‘belied by the unshed tears glistening in her eyes or ‘sheets of bubbling flesh.’ These are powerful images that allow you to see the story as you are reading it.
McFarren is imaginative and explores themes such as the power of women and how everyone is constantly battling internally with good versus evil. From the wonderful use of dialect to the flow of the story itself, this was an excellent read, one I would read again and recommend to others.
Annihilation is a gripping paranormal fantasy novel that explores good vs. evil and shows that things are not always split down the middle. Readers of occult horror will find this book thrilling and different from your usual dark fantasy novels.
Pages: 428 | ASIN : B09KMNBNQG
A Villain’s Point Of View
Ascension follows the leaders of the different races of Midstad, who are fighting to free their homeland from the evil that is taking over. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I tried writing a short story from a villain’s point of view a few years before I started writing Ascension and I liked it so much that I just kept expanding the story and the world until I had this massive playground to pick where I wanted to play. Ascension was where I chose the story to start.
Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing or did it come out organically as you were writing?
Some of the story was planned, I’d say the main plot lines at least. A couple things changed and a lot was added but I would say the tone and direction were fairly planned out before I started writing.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
A big theme that I tend to go to with all my stories is mental health and the realistic effects it has on a character. I also really enjoyed showing how a villain thinks, and how different villains can be villainous for different reasons. Some may not even really be evil at heart, it’s just the cards they were dealt. Character development is a big theme with my writing as well, and I like to think that every character moves in a direction throughout the story. No character remains fully the same. That goes for the world too! I count my world as a character, making sure it changes along with the characters.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Well, right now I’m working on a collection of short stories as a small project before getting to work on the third and final book in this series! Vengeance, book two, is already available on Amazon. The goal for book 3 is fall of 2023!
Author Links: Twitter | | Website
Many years ago, every race in Midstad came together to imprison a dangerous foe; however not everyone supported this decision and some swore in secret to set Him free one day.
Now, nearly two hundred years later the world is prospering during its longest age of peace. Elves are hidden away in their forests, dwarves live deep within their mountains, and humans have come together in a way which has never been done before. Life for every race is peaceful, until a mythical cult, The Black Light, makes their name heard in every corner of Midstad.
One violent day of assassinations sends elves, dwarves, and humans alike into a panic. The Black Light has shown themselves to be more real than many would have wished them to be, and they have named their leader; Iver, an heir to one of the human kingdoms.
Einar, son of the King of Hestferd, and his allies scramble to devise a proper response to this act of war. Their biggest worry? A name shouted by the assassins; Kemryr, the great foe who was imprisoned centuries ago. Many believe him to be nothing more than a myth nowadays, but myths seem to be becoming very real as of late. Einar’s father wishes to learn more, and so he turns to a secret friend for help. Together, Einar and his father seek out answers while Iver and his followers continue to carry out their plan in the hopes to reach their ultimate goal.
Literary Titan Gold Book Award September 2022
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Gold Award Recipients
INFINITY: Book of Matthew II by Catalina DuBois
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan Silver Book Award September 2022
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Silver Award Recipients
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
The Infinydon: God Slayer
Dr. Evelyn Humboldt, a professor and researcher, has been studying a new specimen of jellyfish that are said to be immortal. After a day’s work, and a fall that resulted in her cutting her hand open, she was about to leave with her colleague when something strange happened. With one drop of blood going into the tank, the jellyfish morphed to have beast-like features before returning to its natural state in the blink of an eye. In another place, Delsin Buck is forcefully given premonitions of an ominous threat to humanity, and at sea, an ancient leviathan creature is hungry for blood and will stop at nothing until all living things are dead. In a last-ditch effort, a research team is rallied to try and find a way to save life as we know it from total extinction.
The Infinydon is a campy science fiction thriller that is fun and intriguing in equal measure. I enjoyed how succinct the storytelling was and I also enjoyed how methodical the forward momentum of the plot was. These two things come together to create an absorbing story with clear descriptions that keep you engaged throughout the novel.
This is a suspenseful novel that immerses you in the plot thanks to the detailed descriptions of scenes that would be perfect for a Hollywood movie, à la The Meg or Deep Blue Sea. The premise of the story is interesting and the characters are well developed. There are a plethora of characters in this sci-fi story, which is sometimes hard to keep track of, but this also gives the story an epic feel where things feel like they are happening on a larger scale, rather than one incident like in the movie Jaws. Even though the story starts out describing each character and their background, their storylines seamlessly connect and lead them to the Infinydon.
The plot moves quickly, keeping readers on their toes and ensuring we’re consistently learning or seeing something new in the story. This is perfect because I wanted to know more about the characters and how they would approach Infinydon. The action scenes involving the Infinydon are intense, and I found myself reading quickly through these scenes because of how vivid and tense the descriptions were.
The Infinydon: God Slayer is an exciting science fiction thriller that will appeal to readers looking for a book that moves quickly and never forgets to entertain the reader.
Pages: 460 | ASIN: B0B5HCN9BW
Ghost Mark
Jane Walker is a tough yet gentle woman trying to live an everyday life despite her paranormal ability. Ethan Bryce is a bartender with a chip on his shoulder that loves his girlfriend, Jane Walker, and is coming to terms with Jane’s ability. Sadie Prescott is Jane Walker’s best friend and might or might not be missing her former hooker life. Jane runs into an old friend, Dylan O’Brien, but he claims to not know her. Jane is surprised by the brush-off but lets it go. However, it’s not long before Dylan becomes an integral part of Riptide, a club Ethan works at, but Dylan is not the sweet and bright friend Jane remembers.
Ghost Mark by JP McLean is a gripping story many urban fantasy lovers will enjoy. The lead character Jane is tenacious and kind, and her dilemma is fascinating and never boring. Ethan, Jane’s boyfriend, is tough, too, but his kindness and compassion are apparent throughout the story. Sadie, Jane’s friend, has a narrative that is interesting and compelling to read about. The character’s development throughout the story is beautifully crafted and well thought out. The way the characters interact with one another is realistic, allowing readers to be drawn into the world created by JP McLean. This makes for excellent reading.
Ghost Mark by JP McLean is a thrilling occult horror story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The crime constructed throughout the novel is fundamental to the plot and is setup in such a manner that you feel compelled to see where things end up. The action is set at a pace that never lets up. The world-building is expertly done and is commendable. Many moments in the story have you wondering what could possibly happen next, and it delivers at a satisfying pace. The author has provided an intense, riveting, and fast-paced novel.
ASIN : B0B5LK8GZL
The Curse
The Curse is another outstanding novel in Shana Congrove’s Breedline Series. This rousing dark fantasy novel follows the Breedline Covenant as well as Joseph Parker, who is possessed by a demonic spirit called the Shadow. We also follow Carrie Randall, an unlucky-in-love counselor who’s world collides with Joseph’s. While trying to track down Joseph, the Breedline Covenant finds out about illegal experiments being done on humans and about vampires.
The world in the Breedline series is well established at this point but if you haven’t read the other books in the series then the author provides plenty of backstory at the beginning of this book to bring you up to speed. The book focuses on setting up the world and the characters first before launching into the heart of the story, and the action.
The story also takes time to describe what the character looks like, so they are clear in the mind of readers before the story moves on. Readers are also reintroduced to Breedline characters as well. Each character is described so that we understand who they are, what they do, and what their power/ability is. This provides a lot of information that new readers will find helpful in understanding the world that has been built in the Breedline series, but longtime fans of the series will find information they’ve picked up in previous books.
I enjoyed getting into Jena’s head. I was pulled into the story during this section, which made it extremely enjoyable to read. I also found the vampires interesting, although I would have liked more information about them so that I could understand them better. The ‘biters’ are the evil ones, and we also have the good ones that are ‘Daywalkers’ or hybrids. I found this division interesting, but I would have liked to have seen their roles more clearly defined in the story.
I enjoyed the premise of this paranormal romance novel. I loved the werewolves, vampires, battle angels, shapeshifting, and the fight against evil. I enjoyed that this is set in the modern world as well. The Curse takes a slow-burn approach to story telling that utilizes most of the pages to build character and the world before jumping into the action.
Pages: 447 | ASIN: B0B5B6DGQK
LITERARY TITAN 