Blog Archives
Love and Laughter
NICK and CLANCY – A Tale of Nine Lives follows a gentle and wounded man recovering from severe heart trauma, who has a runaway dog turn up at his door, and gives him a new purpose in life. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
The character of Nick is inspired by the life and death of my younger brother, although I have fictionalized his personality and life course in ways he would never recognize! The character of Clancy was inspired by my good friend’s Sheltie collie, now deceased, who I swear was sentient. I wanted to give Clancy to Nick as a gift that I wish I could have given my brother.
I loved that Clancy is not just a sidekick in this story; she is just as active and engaging as Nick. Her character is funny, loyal, guilty, protective, and oddly wise. How did you decide what emotional range to give her?
Little spoiler warning: In the story, Clancy’s personality reflects her previous lifetime as a zany, devoted person. I’ve known several of those. So she was actually an easy character to imagine. Think of a zany, devoted person you’ve known – that’s Clancy.
Humor shows up amid fear and illness. How did you find the balance between laughter and emotions that overtake a person when facing an illness such as Nicks?
Life isn’t all one color, or even two (black and white). I wanted Nick’s story to be rich and full of love and laughter that often come hand-in-hand with loss and tragedy. We are multidimensional beings; if only we open our minds and hearts.
What do you hope readers feel when they close the book?
I hope they feel the love that permeated Nick and Clancy’s lives, and that it inspires them to reach out and share their own love with others, while we have the time and place. As Nick’s Aunt Nancy would say, “Micro-moments matter. Even the tiny ripples matter. Just ask the fish in the creek.’”
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
PHOENIXA: THE NEST, A Mystical Quest for the Cheng Legacy
J.J. Cheng’s Phoenixa: The Nest is an enchanting and emotionally rich journey through memory, heritage, and identity. It tells the story of Phoenixa, a spirited girl growing up in Beijing’s Cheng Courtyard during a turbulent time in China’s history. Blending myth with memory, Cheng ties the magical imagery of the Feng Huang, the Chinese phoenix, to the struggles and rebirth of her protagonist’s family. Through vivid storytelling, she bridges centuries of Chinese philosophy and Western narrative grace, crafting a novel that feels part myth, part memoir, and part historical reflection. It’s a lush, multi-layered story about roots, loss, and the unbreakable bond between generations.
Cheng’s writing is lyrical yet grounded, full of color and heart. The dialogue between Phoenixa and her grandfather glows with tenderness and wisdom, while the scenes of the Cultural Revolution sting with fear and sorrow. I found myself caught between awe and ache, drawn by the book’s rhythm like a song I didn’t want to end. Sometimes the prose wandered into philosophy, looping through abstract reflections, but even then, I stayed hooked. It wasn’t just about what happened, it was about what it meant. The ideas of reincarnation, ancestral duty, and peace after turmoil stayed with me long after I closed the last page.
There’s a personal courage in the way Cheng writes. You can feel the author wrestling with memory, with love for a homeland that both nurtured and wounded her. I admired how the author never rushed the emotions. It’s dense at times, poetic in a way that demands patience. But it rewards that patience with quiet beauty and truth. The illustrations throughout the book blend generational joy with cultural myth. The artist uses a loose, sketch-like style that is eye-catching.
I’d recommend Phoenixa: The Nest to readers who love lyrical storytelling and mythic realism. It’s perfect for those drawn to family sagas, Eastern philosophy, or stories that blur the line between dream and reality. If you enjoy books that make you feel something deep and unexpected, this one will stay with you. It’s not just a story about a girl, it’s a story about belonging, transformation, and the quiet magic of remembering who you are.
Pages: 538 | ISBN : 978-1956427059
Song of Hummingbird Highway
Song of Hummingbird Highway traces the tangled journey of Terri, a tender but wounded woman from Michigan who longs for love that actually sees her. Her world collides with Reynold, a Belizean musician with burning dreams and a storm inside him, and she follows him into unfamiliar cultures, humming forests, spiritual traditions, and painful truths. The story carries her from Laurel Canyon to Belize, through heartbreak, danger, betrayal, and a final push toward her own inner strength. By the end, Terri’s path is shaped as much by ancestors and myth as by the man who once dazzled her. The book blends romance, trauma, folklore, and self-rescue into something that feels bold and deeply human.
The writing has this emotional pulse that surprised me. It swings from soft moments to sharp ones that made me squirm. I could feel Terri’s insecurity, her hunger to be loved, her fear of being forgotten. Some scenes lit up with color and rhythm, especially the early moments between her and Reynold, which felt intoxicating in the best and worst ways. Other scenes hurt to witness. They exposed the cracks in Terri’s self-worth with such blunt truth that I found myself pausing. The story wanders and circles at times, yet the heart of it stays steady. It is a story about the lies we believe about ourselves, and the long walk it takes to unlearn them.
What I liked most was the book’s mix of spiritual energy and raw interpersonal mess. I loved the mythic threads, the Mayan echoes, the ancestors whispering at the edges. I also loved how the Belizean setting opened up like a living thing. Still, I kept wishing Terri would trust herself sooner. Watching her cling to Reynold, even when he faltered and shattered, made me ache. The writing captures that pattern well, because it reminded me of people I have known who could not break free of a charm tied to harm. The scenes near the end felt surreal and heavy with symbolism, yet they worked. They gave Terri a moment of power that felt earned.
When I closed the book, I sat with a strange mix of sadness and relief. I admired Terri for surviving herself as much as she survived Reynold. I admired the author for weaving love, history, culture, music, and pain into a story that refuses to sit quietly. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy emotional journeys, spiritual themes, and strong cultural settings. It suits people who like romance, who like characters who stumble hard before they find the ground, and who crave stories that hum long after the last page is done.
Pages: 532 | ASIN : B0FZF1TN24
SHAMANESS – The Silent Seer
Shamaness: The Silent Seer is a spiritual coming-of-age fantasy that follows Kreya, a gifted but marginalized girl who grows into a powerful shamaness. The story moves between her sixtieth summer, when she is grieving her husband and preparing for a final journey, and her childhood at Sky Lake, where she faces cruelty, discovers her abilities, and learns the foundations of healing and mysticism. It feels part myth, part memoir, part adventure, all held together by a steady emotional core.
I found myself drawn in by Kreya’s honesty. Her voice is reflective and calm, even when she is recounting childhood humiliation or danger, like the moment she can’t warn a boy about the bobcat in clear speech or the time she senses Sholana’s peril before anyone else understands what is happening. Nothing feels rushed. I liked that she didn’t try to make Kreya flawless. Her frustration, her longing to communicate, and her flashes of humor make her feel real. The writing leans into sensory details in ways that feel earned; when Kreya describes Sky Lake or her grandmother’s “rainbow voice,” the images land gently instead of feeling decorative.
The deeper ideas of the book stayed with me. The fantasy elements feel rooted in emotional truth rather than spectacle. The shamanic teachings are presented slowly, almost like the author wants the reader to learn them alongside Kreya. I found myself curious and occasionally moved, especially by the repeated lesson that healing involves choice, not force. The scenes connecting past and present add a wistful tone. Watching Kreya train her great-grandson while carrying the weight of her promise to scatter her husband’s ashes, I kept thinking about how wisdom is passed forward and what it costs the person who carries it.
The tone of the book never turns grandiose; it stays grounded even when touching on visions, spirit companions, or the mysteries between worlds. This blend of accessibility and quiet wonder is what makes the fantasy genre work so well here. If you enjoy character-driven fantasy, spiritual journeys, or stories that move at the pace of memory rather than battle drums, this book will speak to you. Readers who like reflective narratives with a strong emotional core will probably appreciate it most.
Pages: 265 | ASIN : B0FZDB3RM9
NICK and CLANCY – A Tale of Nine Lives
NICK and CLANCY – A Tale of Nine Lives tells the story of Nick, a gentle and wounded man recovering from severe heart trauma, and Clancy, the sharp, funny, deeply devoted dog who enters his life at exactly the right moment. The narrative moves through years of shared life, illness, dreams, small victories, and fear, often told from Clancy’s point of view. At its core, the book is about survival, companionship, purpose, and the strange ways love shows up when life feels fragile and uncertain.
The writing feels intimate and conversational, almost like someone sitting across from you and telling you a story late at night. I laughed more than I expected. I also felt a quiet ache settle in as the pages went on. The dog’s perspective could have felt gimmicky, but it does not. It feels earnest and oddly wise. Clancy’s humor, guilt, loyalty, and protectiveness landed hard for me. I felt protective of Nick, too, even frustrated with him at times. The writing is messy in a relatable way. It rambles. It lingers. That worked for me. Life rarely moves in neat arcs, and this book does not pretend otherwise.
The theme of borrowed time runs through everything. Illness hangs over each chapter like background noise that never fully shuts off. I felt the anxiety of waiting for the next medical crisis. I also felt the stubborn hope that keeps Nick moving forward anyway. The story made me think about purpose in small terms. Not destiny. Not grand success. Just showing up for someone else. Just staying. There is a tenderness here that caught me off guard. Some sections felt repetitive, and a tighter edit could help in places, but I did not mind lingering with these characters. I cared about them. That matters more to me than polish.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy character-driven stories and emotional honesty. It is especially well-suited for animal lovers, people who have faced serious illness, or anyone who has felt unmoored and searching for meaning. This book is reflective and heartfelt and sometimes sad. If you like books that feel personal and lived in, and you do not mind getting a little misty-eyed along the way, this one is worth your time.
Pages: 288 | ASIN : B0FMTS6KZK
The Atlas of Elsewhere
The Atlas of Elsewhere follows Elsie Vine, a quiet librarian whose life has grown too small for her spirit, even if she has not admitted that to herself yet. When a mysterious atlas appears in her library, filled with living maps and impossible worlds, it pulls her into a journey that is as much inward as outward. Each realm she enters reflects a part of her identity. Scale, emotion, memory, choice. All of it blends into a story that feels half fantasy and half self-examination. It is a tale about possibility, courage, and the stubborn tenderness of becoming someone new.
I loved how the story plays with imagination in a practical world. The magical pieces feel warm and handmade. Nothing grand in a showy way. More like pockets of wonder stitched into the edges. I kept getting caught on the gentle humor, too. The philosophical beetle made me grin, and the Cartographer made me feel oddly comforted. I kept thinking about all the places in my own life where I have chosen the chair instead of the door.
The emotional honesty kept pulling me back to this book again and again. The fragility in Elsie’s choices felt real. The regret, the soft longing, the almost childlike ache to believe that something impossible might still be waiting. I got swept up in it. I found myself rooting for her, not in a heroic way, but in a human way. I wanted her to remember her own size. I wanted her to walk through every door, even when it scared her. The writing made me feel that, and it has been a while since a book did that so simply and directly.
The Atlas of Elsewhere reminded me a bit of The Night Circus in the way quiet magic slips into ordinary life and stirs something deep and unexpected. I would recommend The Atlas of Elsewhere to anyone who loves quiet fantasy, reflective journeys, or soft magic that grows out of everyday life. It is perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven tales and for anyone who has ever felt stuck in their own routine and wondered what might happen if they finally picked the door instead of the chair.
Pages: 198 | ASIN : B0FRC44BRZ
The Dragon Moonstone
The Dragon Moonstone follows the chaotic, funny, and often heartfelt journey of Noah Farmer, a young man who discovers he’s inherited wizard blood and must learn to control his unstable magic before it consumes him. What starts as an odd encounter with a mysterious enforcer quickly spirals into a whirlwind adventure full of enchanted forests, eccentric mentors, and mischievous magic gone wrong. At its heart, it’s a story about self-discovery, friendship, and finding courage when the world turns upside down. It’s got the charm of a coming-of-age tale with the wild unpredictability of a modern fantasy romp.
Reading this book felt like riding shotgun on a road trip through chaos and wonder. Garske’s writing is lively, cinematic, and easy to slip into. The banter between characters kept me smiling, especially the snarky exchanges between Noah and the exasperated Erik Guyguyum. I liked how the humor softened the heavier themes about loss and growing up. The energy of the story carried me forward. It reminded me of the kind of fantasy I read as a kid, where everything feels possible and slightly dangerous.
What really struck me was the emotional thread running beneath all the spells and mayhem. Noah’s grief, his uncertainty, his stubborn will to find where he belongs, all of it felt real. The story doesn’t just play with wands and wizardry; it digs into what it means to grow into yourself when you don’t fit neatly anywhere. I found myself laughing one page and unexpectedly touched the next. Garske’s characters are flawed in the best way. They make bad choices, say dumb things, and still keep trying. That’s what made them feel human, even when surrounded by magic frogs and talking raccoons.
I’d recommend The Dragon Moonstone to anyone who loves lighthearted fantasy with a dose of heart. Teen readers, fans of quirky wizard tales, or anyone needing an escape into a fun, fast-moving adventure will enjoy it. It’s about friendship, family, and finding magic in the mess.
Pages: 301 | ASIN : B0CK6G9V11
Compassion and Vulnerability
Dark District Primer: Duology on the Lore and Lure of the Dark District combines two novellas, Sojourn and Take Me Now, weaving personal identity with fantasy, Filipino folklore with urban life, and spiritual questions with surreal encounters. What was the inspiration for these stories?
For Sojourn, I wrote it in a time of grief when my father passed away. And so most of the things that I wanted to say and wanted to do were all poured into that novella as well as the emotions involved in such a given circumstance. Writing it was both an affirmation for me in being the son that I am and the son that he wanted. He was the first one to acknowledge my writing growing up. Perhaps he already knew something even before I knew who I was.
For Take Me Now, I wanted to incorporate the world that I have established and expound on it and give it more spice and relationship-driven. While Sojourn was written first, it was Take Me Now that was first published and I had to go back and tweak Sojourn in order that it would mirror the world that I wanted to establish.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
I love it when we show our humanity both through compassion and vulnerability. Compassion when we are able to put ourselves in the shoes of others to either feel their weakness in order to give them a little bit of our strength so that we help sustain them and what they need to do and vulnerability when it is our time to be on the receiving end of the help and empathy we give to others.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
As my father’s passing was the catalyst for me to be more introspective and re-examine my writing, it was both my feelings of grief, honesty and self-identity that I wanted to explore more in Sojourn while framing it within a created universe that has touchpoints in Philippine Folklore. In any relationship, being true and comfortable with oneself is one of the pillars in making it work. Lose that or postpone that form of self-affirmation then the foundation to establishing a relationship with another falls apart.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
My next book is the next installment of the Tales from the Dark District series, entitled Take My Heart, and is being targeted for a FALL 2026 release. Along with that I shall also resume work on my New Adult series, which will also be set within the Dark District Universe.
Author Links: GoodReads | X | Instagram | Facebook | Website
By C.J. Edmunds
Welcome to the Dark District. A place where magic hides in plain sight, and desire leads you deeper into the unknown.
In this atmospheric duology by C.J. Edmunds, two queer protagonists are drawn into the same hidden world—but under very different circumstances.
🌀 In Sojourn, David Lansing, a half-Filipino call center trainer, suddenly begins seeing visions and a mysterious spirit guide. Haunted by creatures from Philippine folklore—Tikbalang, Aswang, and the White Lady of Balete Drive—he embarks on a magical and existential journey that becomes one of purpose, ancestry, and an invitation to a place where people like him finally belong.
✅ Recommended for ages 16+ due to complex parental and identity themes and supernatural tension.
🔥 In Take Me Now, Alvin is tired of the wrong men, wrong choices, and wrong timing. Until the Dark District opens its doors and gives him more than he bargained for. Steamy encounters, eerie magic, and dark truths collide in this sensual tale of love and self-worth.
⚠️ Recommended for ages 17+ for sensual scenes and mature emotional content.
Whether you crave introspection or intensity, Dark District Primer invites you to step through the veil—and explore what’s waiting on the other side.
This lush and haunting collection explores:
Filipino urban legends reimagined
Queer identity and transformation
Steamy encounters and emotional awakenings
A universe where fantasy, myth, and reality blur
Welcome to the Dark District. You might not want to leave.
Perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, Philippine mythology, and magical realism with queer narratives.
📘 Includes the complete novellas “Sojourn” and “Take Me Now.”
