Blog Archives
Journey With Grief and Healing
Invisible Sun follows a man grappling with painful memories as he reels from grief following his brother’s suicide. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I lost a brother to suicide many years ago and was intrigued by the way everyone, including myself, who was impacted by his death, managed the incident differently. Often, it’s only when we are confronted with death that we stop to consider life. Invisible Sun is a conversation about the perspective of what life is and less about death.
I enjoyed the depth of the main character, Ian. What was your process to bring that character to life?
While this story is NOT autobiographical, I did reach into my own history for inspiration. I needed Ian to be a flawed but curious human who digs deep to ask difficult questions about his existence. I jokingly told a friend that Ian was my whipping boy. I constructed a dark, heavy, almost impossible world with extreme situations for him to explore in this novel. I asked him to make hard decisions and choices that were the opposite of what I would choose in my life. In the process of writing Invisible Sun, I learned a lot about my own journey with grief and healing.
Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your characters’ lives?
Vulnerability. While this is not an emotion per se, it is a state of emotional exposure that involves a willingness to accept the risk that comes from being open and willing to give and accept love.
What is one thing you hope readers can take away from Invisible Sun?
In the novel, a homeless man on the bike tells Ian, “Don’t waste your life! It’s a gift.” Life is not complete without its ups and downs, but learning to find contentment in this life is the most important thing we can do.
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In Invisible Sun, Andrew H. Housley probes mental illness and the painful consequences of choice. He questions brotherly bonds, belief systems, and interconnectedness with profound intricacy, immersing readers in a world where reality blurs. Housley’s storytelling peels back the human psyche, exposing raw emotions. This haunting tale captivates as a broken soul seeks solace and understanding, diving deep into a reflection on resilience and choices.
Will Ian find the truth he seeks, or will he be consumed by the shadows that threaten to swallow him whole?
Be Your Own Hero
Can You Be follows a woman living a self-imposed, sheltered life who, after receiving a mysterious box, starts to open up and discover who she is and starts to heal from her past. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I like to write stories of self-development and self-discovery, focusing on the pivotal moments of a character’s life. This is what I did with Naina in Can You Be, and was the inspiration for this novel. Naina is about to turn thirty and receiving the box sets her on a path where she chooses to face herself, her fears and insecurities, and explore who she wants to be. Naina is an underdog and learns to become her own hero. I want to showcase that anyone can change their life and bring their dreams to reality. It can be as simple as making a choice, which Naina did. She chose to be different, heal, forgive, take a chance, and go on a life-changing trip. She learns and grows tremendously through the course of the book.
What was one scene in the novel that you felt captured the morals and message you were trying to deliver to readers?
The best scene to capture the morals of the story is one towards the end where Naina and Holy Man are sitting on a towel at the beach on Sullivan’s Island. The location is special to Naina, and she regularly goes there when she needs solace, but she usually does it alone. This time, Holy Man joins her. She has already grown a great deal through the journey she’s been on but needs a final push, if you can call it that, to get out of her own way. The conversation she has with Holy Man helps her.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I have already shared the theme of self-discovery and self-development, which are tied into the topic of exploring who we can be. There is the theme of “being” in discovering who Naina is as a person, but also not having the pressure to “do,” which comes up for her a lot, and rather to “be,” which she struggles with. Food and travel are featured in the book as an avenue to showcase diversity and multicultural elements. Naina is born in America but of Indian descent, Raiya is Indian, and there are other characters from other countries. Naina travels to Stockholm, the Baltics, and Helsinki, yet most of the book takes place in Charleston, South Carolina. I also explore spirituality in a grounded way through crystals, mindfulness and meditation, Angel Oak, and a mysterious Holy Man. All of them help Naina on her journey.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I have a few projects I am working on. I have a daily reflections deck of cards that I am collaborating on with Jess Fowler, an artist based in Australia. It will be a deck of 77 cards that encourage daily self-reflection. I also am working on another poetry collection called “Journeys.” It’s a collection of books that explores journeys through various facets of life such as travel, health, relationships, love, faith, and so much more. The cards and the first book of poetry in the Journeys collection should be available in 2024. I am also working on my third novel, which is a story about a woman who leaves everything behind to become a tarot card reader. It follows her struggles and how she overcomes them to evolve into taking on her dream career. This should be available in 2025.
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Everything begins to change after the arrival of the box, and Naina is presented with a chance to change her life and explore compassion, forgiveness, and believing in herself. She struggles to understand the power of connections and the potential of expanding her horizons. Naina’s journey is mystical and, in portions, it takes her through Stockholm, Helsinki, and the Baltics. Will this quest lead her to discover who she can be?
Can You Be
Navigating the subtle threshold between solitude and self-imposed isolation, Can You Be by Sonee Singh explores the theme of self-reflection through the lens of a young woman’s life. The narrative delves into the starkness that can arise from an over-simplified existence, probing the depths of the void left by routine’s meager offerings. The protagonist, Naina, finds herself at a pivotal point when an enigmatic parcel triggers a cascade of incremental shifts, suggesting that embracing minor alterations can pave the way for monumental growth.
In this contemporary fiction piece, Singh crafts a tale that threads through the intricate tapestry of Naina’s reclusive existence, marred by childhood wounds, an emotionally distant caregiver, and the resulting social invisibility. Her retreat into the realms of fantasy is a poignant coping mechanism for her solitude. The arrival of a cryptic stone becomes the fulcrum upon which she begins to reassess her life. Naina’s physical and metaphorical odyssey unfolds at the intersection of the mystical and the tangible, leading her toward self-realization, healing, and a transformative personal evolution.
The prose is articulate and captivating, ideal for mature audiences who are drawn to narratives that unravel the complexities of a character’s history and aspirations. The novel touches on historical and socio-political topics as part of Naina’s exploration into who she is. These sections enhance her journey, tying it to the real world and giving readers an inclination for rich, contextual backdrops that touch upon broader societal themes; these forays add a layer of depth to the narrative.
Can You Be is crafted to inspire readers to venture beyond the confines of their comfort zones, reclaiming the reins of their destinies from the clutches of their past. This thought-provoking and accessible work poses a dual proposition: it is both a challenge and a solution, resonating with those who seek a narrative of authentic and relatable metamorphosis.
Pages: 325 | ASIN : B0CG8ZBFXH
Death Spoon
In the atmospheric realm of suspense and enigma, Death Spoon, by Bob Oedy, ensnares readers into the tumultuous life of Ted, forever changed by calamitous events linked to a clandestine cult named MyCult. Ted’s ensuing struggle with guilt and sorrow intertwines with the malevolent presence of the ‘Death Spoon’—a foreboding emblem of a concealed truth. Loyalties waver, allegiances evolve, and the characters find themselves ensnared amidst ominous forces, with the relentless murmur of the ocean bearing witness to their dilemmas.
Oedy crafts a narrative oscillating between the shadows of menace and poignant emotionality, providing readers with a riveting literary journey. His prose is richly evocative, delineating both the lavish and the lugubrious with finesse. The dialogue, marked by its authenticity, propels the narrative with earnest exchanges. The emblematic ‘Death Spoon’ anchors the narrative, drawing readers into its swirling vortex of mystery.
While Oedy offers a promising foundation, there are moments when I feel the pacing falters. Some sequences are opulently detailed, momentarily stalling the story’s momentum. While the novel teases various mysteries tied to MyCult and other clandestine organizations, it occasionally leaves the reader yearning for answers, craving a more definitive resolution.
In their complexity and imperfection, the characters evoke a spectrum of emotions, from empathy to intrigue. While Ted and the primary characters are meticulously sculpted, a few supporting roles beckon for deeper exploration.
Death Spoon is a labyrinthine narrative that immerses readers in a realm rife with secrecy, cult dynamics, and profound ethical quandaries. Despite its minor imperfections, the novel shines in its nuanced portrayal of cult organizations and the shadowy depths they conceal, culminating in a climax that provokes contemplation about the essence of faith and sacrifice.
Pages: 206 | ASIN : B0C5G4FJ19
LITERARY TITAN 