Blog Archives
The Most Magical of Worlds
The Floating Lake of Dressa Moore follows two university professors who embark on a scientific expedition to a mysterious floating lake where they encounter pirates, cursed crew members, ancient magical sources, and an empire that doesn’t like being questioned. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I always loved the idea of science and magic blending together in a logical way. Jonathan’s drive to understand magic at the most basic level is fascinating to me. I always felt that science would have a place in the most magical of worlds.
I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you were writing?
I wanted to write a magical fantasy novel, but have it border on the absurd, but still make some logical sense. What better way to start than a lake floating above the world? As I wrote the novel, I had to remind myself to ground every detail, no matter how nonsensical, in some way that made that detail believable.
In fantasy novels, it’s easy to get carried away with the magical powers characters have. How did you balance the use of supernatural powers?
That’s always difficult. Magical beings can do amazing and wonderful things. No one in Dressa Moore really understands magic. They just know how to cast a few spells here and there, and a lot of the time, they don’t cast them correctly. So, even though lots of characters can cast spells, no one is very good at it. Of course, that might change in future books.
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
There are a lot of places to go for sure. There’s Marta’s story, and finding her way back home. Jonathan will continue to research magic, and who knows what he may find. William is on the brink of uncovering forgotten truths that could be both fantastic and cataclysmic, and there’s always Commodore Wilkes and the empire. Now that they are in Dressa Moore, I don’t think they are leaving.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
In an effort to unravel the mysteries of magic, and save their dying relationship, Jonathan Braxton and William Watts Worthwaddle have embarked on a journey to investigate the source of sorcery.
Their pursuit leads them to the skybound lands of Dressa Moore where a magical battle between a wizard and dragon sent the lake soaring into the sky. But the professors are soon entangled in a deadly game of global politics—pawns in a struggle between empires, gods, magi, constables, religious zealots, and anti-zealots.
Hunted from all sides, the professors race to conduct their scientific research. But they soon learn that science alone is no match for mysteries of sorcery and their research just might create a magical tsunami that could destroy the world.
The one question they never considered asking—should magic be researched at all?
A Magical and Vast Universe
Beast of Phe’lak follows a woman trapped on an alien planet, under the control of a powerful beast who spots a delegation on the beach that triggers century-old memories, and a chance to regain her freedom. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration began in Queen of Highwings, the first book in my Chronicles of Phe’lak Trilogy—of which Beast is the third book. Phe’laki General George muses about the beast with regard to the palace’s understructure, which once served as another dragon’s lair. He thinks that the underpass was sealed to prevent attracting the Beast of Phe’lak to such a luxurious dwelling because, unlike the original resident, the Dragon of Yand, the beast is not benevolent. I received many questions, including: ‘What happened to the beast?’ and ‘Is it related to the beloved Yandar dragon?’ The character Hele’ne lived in my head for a long time. I always knew who she was and how she ended up on the alien planet. I naturally wove her in.
Hele’ne is a fascinating character. What scene was the most interesting to write for that character?
I must say, I love all her scenes. My top favorites include her introduction scene, her interaction with the beast and then with Wolfpack at the beginning of the story. I also love her exchanges with Rel and Drace, as well as her final scene in the last chapter. This last scene is very powerful.
For readers who have not yet read the rest of the Worldmaker® series, what do you want them to know about the world you have created?
It is a magical and vast universe, spanning galaxies and constellations. Each new world—whether a star system, planet, or moon—comes to life in vivid detail. The people who populate these worlds, whether they are queens and kings, scientists, military archers, or regular people, are just as authentic and lifelike. There are four humanoid species introduced so far: the empathic, winged Yandar; their slightly smaller telepathic cousins, the non-winged Yendai; the benevolent, non-meta giants known as the Phe’laki; and the malevolent K’tul. The main characters are complex and richly developed, and their extensive dialogues throughout the stories enhances the immersive quality. The illustrations are glorious. If you purchase the PDF, please read in full-screen, two-page format to get the full benefit of the artwork.
The primary genre is Sci-Fi/Fantasy, but with elements of the paranormal, a touch of horror, and unconventional romance, always with a hint of humor. LGBTQ+ and polyamorous marriages are part of the norm alongside exclusive and binary ones.
The storylines follow the saga of Worldmaker Yanara’s family, whose children have evocative names: Snowfox, Hawklord, Asimia, Dragonlord, Wolfpack, Sunstorm. Can you guess the kings among them? The Worldmaker and Dragoon? The Pathfinder?
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
I received requests to write more about the Dragon of Yand and his wife, Yira, and also of Drace and his husband, Rel. I can’t stop writing about these two. I could serialize their adventures. However, I meant to write the third trilogy in my series, the one that brings the war to the K’tul homeworld. We’ll see. For the next couple of months, I’ll be taking a breather and focusing on earning a few accolades for Beast to adorn its cover, just like my other books. It has already received a few awards, the most prominent among them being the No. 1 Book/Manuscript on Coverfly’s Red List this month (out of 57,000 scripts).
Author Links: Website | X | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok
Beast of Phe’lak
This book throws you headfirst into a world of magic, pain, and tangled emotions. Hele’ne has spent centuries trapped on an alien planet, isolated and broken, under the control of a powerful beast who both saved her life and stole her freedom. When a group of new arrivals shows up on the beach near her prison, something stirs—faint memories, a flicker of purpose, a chance at freedom. What follows is a story that twists through identity, power, and survival, where every choice carries a cost, and every shadow hides something sharp.
What I loved most was how deeply personal it all felt. Beneath the dragons and battles and cosmic stakes, this is a story about trauma, real, raw, and relentless. Hele’ne’s connection to the beast is terrifying in how familiar it feels. It’s a portrait of control disguised as care, and it chilled me. And yet, there are soft moments too, brief flickers of tenderness, humor, even love, that make the heavy parts hit even harder. Elia dives into the darker emotions, showing what it means to fight for your own mind, your own body, your own name.
The writing is lush and dreamlike. The lore runs deep, the world is massive, and if you haven’t read the other books, you’ll probably spend a few pages catching up. But there’s something wild and beautiful about that, too. It feels alive. The characters are vivid, passionate, and impossible to ignore. Some are haunted, some are healing, all are trying to hold onto something in the chaos.
In the end, Beast of Phe’lak is for readers who want their fantasy to cut deep. It’s messy and magical, yes, but it’s also full of heart. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt lost, controlled, or broken and dared to imagine something more. If you want to be shaken, moved, and maybe even changed a little, give this one a shot.
Pages: 309 | ASIN : B0F7FD49NL
Building the Mysteries
In Imperatora, a forester, a priestess, and an enchantress fight to find their way home from the uncharted realm into which they have been forced. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Keeping in mind it took me a few years to figure out exactly how to start this story and which point of views to give it, I actually found my inspiration in tabletop roleplaying games. The whole “you’re stolen away to this crazy new place” trope was so effective at creating immediate tension, I was compelled to use it. The funnest part was figuring out the why, and building the mysteries and events that would lead up to that answer.
Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing, or did it come out organically as you were writing?
I needed a plan. I wanted pieces of a puzzle that would come together and lead to some “aha” moments, and I didn’t trust I myself to achieve that effectively without thinking it through ahead of time. That said, you get a lot of ideas as you write, and things can definitely change, which I love. So, I’m an architect who also likes to garden, if we go with GRR Martin’s analogies about the types of writers.
Tone was a different beast. As a new writer, I had some insecurities about whether the tone I intended and what was actually on the page were the same. I worked closely with an experienced editor to reassure me.
What were some challenges you felt were important to defining your characters in this story?
I was writing the answer to this question and had to backtrack because their challenges also unveil their arcs if I want to fully explain their importance. I’ll try again, but more vague, haha.
Hellion, a priestess of battle, losing touch with her god once she’s in Al’idris is a double-whammy of loss for her, but while something is lost, something new is gained. The growth will be found in how she handles it.
Desde’s challenge is that she is not suited to the world she now finds herself trapped in. She’s never used her magic for violence, she’s lived a comfortable life where little else mattered to her but rubbing elbows with high society and indulging herself. Growing deep bonds, being tested over and over again, these things have a profound effect on her.
Ell having drawn the attention of an unsavory creature is unfortunate for her, but provides her with opportunities for change and growth. Oh boy, non-spoiler-y writing is hard.
Can you give us a peek inside Book 2 in this series? Where will it take your characters?
To the southwest of Al’idris is the kingdom of Laith, a place ruled by the tyrannical lich king, Stryge. He is uniquely capable of aiding our protagonists in achieving their ultimate goal of returning home, but what he takes in return is difficult to accept. I bring in a cast of his children— vampires and abominations, each with their individual personalities—to welcome Desde, Hellion, Ell, and Axel into this lovely new land.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Strangers on the same desolate road, they quickly realize their only hope of survival—and finding their way home—is each other.
Ell, a young forester, is haunted by an injury that won’t heal and whispers she can’t ignore. Hellion, a priestess, has lost her god’s voice, leaving her to face the clash between her faith and the kingdom’s worship of the Lady of Life and Death. And Desde, a refined enchantress, must reckon with a harsh truth: every spell she casts drains her life away.
Bound together by fate, the women strike a dangerous deal with the queen of Al’idris. In return for their help uncovering a secret that threatens the kingdom, they may find the answers they seek. But as they navigate clashing personalities, magical dangers, a growing affection and a frightful transformation, each must confront the limits of their strength—and the terrifying truth behind their forced exile.
In a world where nothing is as it seems, answers are only found if one survives its perils.
For readers who love unique epic fantasy stories with unraveling mysteries, a quick pace and an all female-main cast. Imperatora will appeal to fans of Dungeons and Dragons, The Witcher, and Gideon the Ninth.
Imperatora
Mia Zbikowski’s Imperatora launches an ambitious fantasy epic that stands confidently alongside the works of George R. R. Martin and Patrick Rothfuss. The story centers on three compelling heroines: Ell, a resourceful forester; Hellion, a devout priestess; and Desde, an enigmatic enchantress. They are torn from their respective worlds and thrust, without explanation, into the uncharted realm of Al’idris. Their desperate search for answers—and a way home—drives a journey brimming with danger, wonder, and unexpected truths.
The novel’s most striking innovation lies in its protagonists. Unlike many modern fantasy tales, Zbikowski’s narrative is driven entirely by a cast of formidable women, each written with depth and nuance. The alternating point-of-view structure allows readers to truly inhabit their minds, uncovering not just how they act, but why. Desde, for example, displays a confident exterior that masks deep uncertainty, a clever inversion of her magical prowess. Each heroine brings a unique voice to the narrative, creating a dynamic ensemble that feels real and relatable, even amidst the extraordinary. The world of Al’idris is vast, intricate, and alive with culture and history.
Zbikowski’s attention to detail makes every setting—from desolate landscapes to bustling cities—feel vivid and immersive. As Ell, Hellion, and Desde traverse this strange new world, their quest unfolds with breathtaking scope. The pacing never lags, blending the personal struggles of the protagonists with the epic stakes of their journey. Each discovery adds layers to both the characters and the setting, making it impossible to put the book down.
This is the first installment in what promises to be a monumental series. Zbikowski openly acknowledges her inspiration from Martin and Rothfuss, even referencing the long waits between releases in her dedication. Given the richness of Imperatora, readers should prepare for a similar investment of patience. The sheer craftsmanship of this opening volume, however, makes the potential wait worthwhile. It’s rare to find a debut that feels so polished, so assured.
Imperatora is a triumph for fans of epic fantasy. Zbikowski’s masterful world-building, complex characters, and spellbinding prose mark her as a rising star in the genre. For those who savor richly imagined tales of adventure and self-discovery, this book is essential reading. While the journey ahead may take time, the rewards will undoubtedly be worth it.
Pages: 394 | ASIN : B0DP1Q8K8J
Witches and Warlocks
In The Bedfordshire Warlock, a warlock gifted with powers he doesn’t utilize begins to question his fate when he discovers the dark secrets surrounding the new town where he and his mother have settled. Where did the idea for this book come from?
I have always been fascinated by the dark history of The Salem Witch Trials. What if there were actual witches and warlocks with supernatural powers in colonial America who were the initial cause of the hysteria and became victims themselves in the execution of the innocents? In addition, when I was a little boy, the thought of having powers like those of witches and warlocks I saw on television and movies was an obsession of mine. So, in a sense, Dorian’s story is the story I wish had happened to me (the powers, not the Ascension plot line) when I was a kid.
What was the inspiration for Dorian’s traits and dialogue?
In my mind’s eye, Dorian Leeves physical description matches what I imagined Dorian Gray looked like in Oscar Wilde’s masterpiece (the inspiration for Dorian’s name in the novel as he points out). My protagonists are amalgams of my personal traits and characters I admire from literature and media. For example, I’m a scientist and an educator so there is at least one scientific teacher in the mix for every novel I pen. As for the active dialogue, Dorian reflects my thoughts on the issues facing young gay men in the early 1990s during the gay liberation movement when I was also a graduate student in the biological sciences.
What draws you to the paranormal genre, and makes it ripe for you to write such a great mystery story in it?
First, thank you for saying it is a great mystery. Second, I have always been drawn to mysteries involving the supernatural, especially those falling into the horror genre. Because I was in higher education for 25 years, I was expected to write and publish research-based articles for scientific journals. So, the last thing I want to write for pleasure is a strictly factual-based story. The flexibility I have when writing about a world outside the natural laws is freeing. Adding a mystery to the storyline makes it more interesting.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can we expect to see it released?
My publisher bought the rights to my first self-published novel The Malevolent, a graphic ghost story set in Maine in the early 1980’s. The coast of Maine was a favorite family vacation state when I was a teenager in the 1980s. It is written under my nom de plume, P.F. Roquelaure, because I was still a professor at the time and the last thing I needed was for my students to do an internet search and have this disturbing novel pop up! It will be out in 2025. My literary agency is also shopping my latest novel Bloodstone, set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, which involves pirates and blood magic. Like all of my novels, the setting is a place where I have lived. In this case, it is a love letter to a beach town where my family vacationed for 45 summers in a row!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Three hundred years later, the force from the well, Beladon, contacts Dorian Leeves, a young man with supernatural abilities, and informs him that he possesses the same powers as Elias Doever. Dorian will accomplish his ascension into powers beyond his belief if he can re-unite the “three bloods” of Elias Doever, himself, and Beladon. However, the body was buried in secret unconsecrated ground. Dorian’s new love interest, Toby Blessing, creates complications for his quest to find the skeletal remains of Elias Doever for his ascension.
Dorian must decide whether to abandon his ascension and power or embrace a life with Toby in the present day.
Demon’s Faith
Demon’s Faith, by Jasmine Wallace, is a gripping supernatural romance that revolves around Cyrus, a demon bound to his sister Lena and dealing with deep insecurities, and Marcus, a cambion demon struggling with his own feelings of betrayal and protectiveness. Together, their story navigates the realms of Hell, complex emotions, and personal redemption. Throughout the novel, we see them caught between past traumas, present responsibilities, and the ever-growing intensity of their feelings for one another. Their journey is not only about finding love but also about battling inner demons, quite literally and figuratively, as they try to prove their worth in the tumultuous setting of Hell.
One thing I loved about the book is its raw emotion. Wallace doesn’t shy away from delving into dark, heavy themes like worthlessness, betrayal, and abuse, especially in the character of Cyrus. You can feel his pain, and when he speaks, it’s so revealing of his struggles with self-worth. It’s heart-wrenching to see a character so consumed by these feelings, and Wallace does a fantastic job of making you feel every bit of it. This vulnerability is one of the core strengths of the book. Another standout element is the intensity of the romance between Marcus and Cyrus. Their relationship is far from perfect; it’s tangled in both past wounds and present obligations, but it’s incredibly real. The moments where Marcus battles his own desires, especially when reflecting on the temptation Cyrus presents, are written with such passion that you can’t help but get sucked into their whirlwind. While I appreciated the deep dive into character development, there were moments when I feel the plot’s pace seemed to slow a bit, especially when the focus shifted away from the primary tension between Marcus and Cyrus to other demonic politics.
Demon’s Faith is an intense and emotional ride. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy complex, flawed characters and don’t mind darker themes in their romance. This book would appeal especially to fans of supernatural romance who want a story that goes beyond just love and dives into the messy, painful journey of healing and self-acceptance. If you’re into a story that hits hard emotionally but also delivers on steamy, passionate scenes, then this is the book for you.
Pages: 417 | ASIN : B0CK9MHHCS
Worldmaker of Yand-Yildun
Worldmaker of Yand-Yildun by Andri E. Elia takes us to the planet Yand, orbiting the star Yildun, where Yanara, a powerful spellcaster known as the Worldmaker, must defend her world from the menacing K’tul, an intergalactic invader. The story intricately weaves themes of love, loss, and the responsibilities that come with immense power, all while introducing a rich cast of characters, including Yanara’s daughter, who is just beginning to manifest her own inherited abilities. As threats loom, Yanara is not only challenged by external forces but also by the complexities of her personal life, especially her relationships and her desire to protect her family.
From the start, I was struck by the depth of Yanara’s character and her multifaceted nature. She is powerful, yet vulnerable, particularly when it comes to her family. The narrative begins with a rich backstory, laying a solid foundation for the events that unfold. I found the early exploration of Yanara’s internal struggles compelling, especially her reflections on her marriages and her longing to start a family. These personal conflicts made Yanara relatable despite her extraordinary abilities, and they added a layer of emotional depth to the story. The planet Yand, with its empathic, winged humanoids and their intricate societal norms, is vividly depicted. I particularly enjoyed the scenes that highlighted the contrast between Yanara’s immense power and the everyday struggles of life on Yand. The descriptions of the landscape, the technology, and the unique cultural elements of the Yandar people were immersive, drawing me deeper into this fantastical world. The illustrations, particularly those by Lily Dormishev, beautifully complement the narrative, capturing the essence of Yand’s unique environment and its inhabitants.
Elia’s writing is both evocative and engaging. It has moments of intense action balanced by introspective passages. I appreciated the seamless blend of science fiction and fantasy elements which kept the story unpredictable and fresh. The inclusion of LGBTQIA+ themes, particularly in the depiction of Yanara’s relationships, felt natural and added a contemporary touch to the classic hero’s journey.
Worldmaker of Yand-Yildun is a captivating start to a trilogy that will appeal to fans of both sci-fi and fantasy. It is a book for those who enjoy stories rich in character development, world-building and complex themes. I recommend it to readers who appreciate layered narratives and aren’t afraid to dive into a world as complex as the characters that inhabit it.
Pages: 308 | ASIN : B0BJRMM3T6
LITERARY TITAN 