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Beautiful, Complex, and Transformative
Scribblings of my Soul is a unique collection of poetry focused around the number nine. What was the inspiration for this concept?
I write poetry on my Instagram poetry page. Over a year there were about 90 poems, so I decided to make them into a book. Just like I did in 2011 with my first poetry book, and in 2017 with my second poetry ebook. Back then, I used to write on writing.com website. Once I had about 150 poems I compiled them.
When I had decided to compile Scribblings Of My Soul, I knew I would have few sections and I would have a certain number of poem under each of them. When I thought of 5 it seemed too less because I had too many poems. Then I found the significance of number 9 and decided to go with that number. My poems have a similar feel and style throughout, as I read through thinking about sections I saw recurring words that popped up. I wrote down the words and selected the most relevant ones. Also, I knew I would have an art as a section header. Then approached the artist and got the 9 artworks done. I was clear about the book cover as well, I asked for a rainbow peacock. In all, the compilation process happened in a couple of days and within a few weeks the book was ready to be uploaded.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
This is an interesting question. As soon as I decided to compile the book, the first thing was the title that I had to think of. It wasn’t hard, my first book is Words From Heart. So I thought I could use “soul”. When I was thinking about the possibilities I got this title, Scribblings Of My Soul. It felt very apt!
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Juliana Duclos?
Thank you for asking this question! Juliana is amazingly talented. I found her on an artist platform. I told her about the concept and gave her 9 section titles with the micro-poem headers for each section. I also gave her the manuscript to read, I wanted Juliana to know the book before working. She quickly understood my requirements. After exchanging a few reference pictures we decided we would do dreamy style artworks. The first artwork she gave, instantly won my heart! I loved how the artwork had a Sunflower. Sunflower to me, is happiness, brightness and hope. I told her to use sunflowers in all the artworks to tie everything together. She loved the idea too. After finishing 9 artworks, we decided on a cover. Like I told I asked for a rainbow peacock. Why peacock? Because peacock is beautiful, complex and transformative! Much like the number nine and the poetry book. This book might affect every individual in different levels. The words may seem simple to some, or complex to some. It would resonate with each one differently. Like when we see a peacock, the first thing anyone would see is it’s beauty. Though the peacock has such complex and intricate designs or layers!
Juliana is a very professional artist, she knows to get what the client wants. She delivers great work that exceeds all expectations! I loved working with her. She has illustrated my Children’s Picture book in the past. She is designing my forthcoming book’s cover art as well.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently working on a nonfiction book, Pearls Of My Mind. The book would take the readers on a self-reflective journey. It’s a book that houses my opinions and thoughts. Readers may or may not agree with all of them, but the book would definitely make them think and revisit their life’s actions and beliefs. Pearls of My Mind, is a positive book that shares perspectives.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
The Boy Who Loved Boxes
The Boy Who Loved Boxes: A Children’s Book for Adults tells the story of a boy who stores everything he owns in nice organized boxes. As he grows, he learns to sort all the parts of his life into compartmentalized boxes like work, emotions, faith, money, and relationships. Then one day, all the boxes fall apart and he is unable to repair them or replace them. All of his things are a mess, broken, or lost. He doesn’t know what to do as his stuff sits in a pile. He is too overwhelmed to sort through or try to fix. Will he ever be able to find a box to hold everything he cherishes?
Author Michael Albanese has written a heartfelt picture book for adults. Choosing to use this format to get his message across adds weight to what he says. This modern-day allegory about trying to control your life and keep everything organized and running smoothly is a common mindset for adults these days. When the pandemic hit, all our boxes fell apart, school, work, relationships, everything around the world changed fast.
The simple verbiage combined with Tod Wilkerson’s artwork really brought the message home. Seeing The Man’s expressions as everything of his falls apart and sits in a pile reminds me of how I felt in those first few weeks that stretched into months. The hopelessness and the joy and acceptance that followed. All the emotions that people worldwide felt can be seen in the pages of this thought-provoking children’s book.
The Boy Who Loved Boxes: A Children’s Book for Adults explores the illusion of control and helps readers gain peace by finding it within themselves. This captivating and poignant book can be shared with children and adults. Adults will understand what The Man was going through, and children can learn that controlling every part of their life and separating it all out will only end with a mess.
Pages: 36 | ISBN : 1732898731
The Winds of Change: Making Peace with Asperger’s
There comes a period in every person’s life when things just fall into place– quite surprisingly. All the hard work and struggles culminate, resulting in nothing but pure life-changing events. And that’s what this novel is about. In Winds of Change: Making Peace with Aspergers, author Keiron Austwick creates an imaginary persona to reflect his own life story, narrating how one year significantly turned the direction of his life.
Written in a diary format, this novel is a beautiful read. The author documents each month of the year 2018, recording the important life events that took place during this time. As the reader progresses through the novel, they come to realize that the year has been nothing less than ‘revolutionary’ in Rhys’ life.
As someone living with Asperger’s, he has faced multiple challenges in life, which he managed to handle bravely. With every month unfolding before the reader’s eyes, it’s not difficult to realize that Rhys is slowly making peace with Asperger’s. He lands a new job, makes smart investments, and gets a new car– happily embracing the winds of change, or in other words, positive beginnings that are about to transform his life. The book brings along a feel-good ray of hope.
The language is straightforward, easy to read, and flows smoothly. The monthly records help the reader keep track of the series of incidents. Asperger’s is a condition that affects one out of a hundred people, and this book is a brilliant example that it’s possible to accept and overcome the hardships it brings with it and live a good life. This inspirational account compels readers to find the light at the end of the tunnel– something that’s perhaps going to come in their life like the refreshing winds of change.
Winds of Change: Making Peace with Aspergers is the fictional biography of the author. The story itself, the flow of language, and the message it carries are all simple yet vital to living a happy and fulfilled life, especially when you’re struggling with a condition such as Asperger’s.
Pages: 176 | ASIN : B08L6Y1536
Authentic Power
Authentic Power: Give Yourself Permission to Feel, is a thought-provoking self-help book by author Ashley Bernardi. This inspirational collection of anecdotes and affirmations is compiled in a book that is part journal and part self-help, providing information on how to handle trauma and the overwhelming emotions that go with it.
The author draws on her hurtful past experiences of witnessing her father lose his life to a fulminating heart attack when she was nine years old. She also opens up about the long process of searching for a diagnosis for a mysterious chronic illness that left her severely debilitated. Bernardi offers readers different insights and strategies that they can use to navigate stress and trauma in their lives.
This helpful book is a unique work that is different from traditional self-help books. The layout is in the form of a journal, where each chapter begins with a small introductory text and includes a paragraph with a positive affirmation to be said aloud, a quote, and a blank space where the reader is encouraged to put into practice the proposed exercise. Some examples of the exercises included are to make a list of objects for a self-care kit or to express their thoughts after their first attempts at meditation. This organization and structure makes for a safe environment where anyone can express their emotions freely, away from third-party judgments.
It should be noted that the author’s strategies and tips are validated with evidence-based data, and she makes sure to cite the sources in between pages. This makes her work stand out from other self-help books that might rely more on religious doctrine and be as adamant about following scientific guidelines.
The book includes approaches to challenges that have arisen amidst COVID-19. This updated work is another differential that will lend a hand to those struggling with social distancing and losing loved ones during the pandemic.
Authentic Power: Give Yourself Permission to Feel is a secular, science-based self-help book for those that are looking for a fresh approach to dealing with grief and trauma. Readers will learn how to build emotional wellness through the steps set forth in this well-researched book.
Pages: 195 | ASIN : B09FTLLSLM
The Covenant Names of God
In The Covenant Names of God, Richard Sones shares scriptures and tales from the Bible that show how God reveals himself to human beings. I highly recommend this book to readers trying to find God and those new to Christianity. Richard Sones writes in-depth, discussing various aspects of the Bible, religion, and human beings. The author lists the many covenant names God is known as. They are Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Ropheka, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Shamah, Jehovah Zidqenu, Jehovah Mqaddishcem, Jehovah Ro-ih, and Jehovah Shalom. Richard Sones introduces readers to names they may never have heard before and discussed the significance of these covenant names.
As a reader, you experience a new wave of biblical knowledge. Richard Sones writes as an expert and gives the reader a clear view of God. I enjoyed reading the content in this book as it strengthens one’s faith as a believer. In addition, there are different examples the author uses to show the reader how beautiful life can be when you trust in God.
There are many reasons that made the reading experience a delight. I like how the author uses different characters in the Bible, makes comparisons with the modern man, and expounds on how living during the Bible’s time was different from life today. The author is patient with his readers and explains even the most basic concepts. Richard Sones will get you to understand the Bible in the simplest way ever. I applaud the author for focusing on uplifting, enlightening content and nourishing the soul of the average believer. Reading about the covenant names of God exposes you to a diverse side of religion.
This book is spiritual, and the language used is inviting. The tone in the book is convincing, and one is assured that the words they are consuming will help them in the future. There is no better way of understanding our creator than reading this amazing book. You get to learn about covenants and are taught the various covenants of agreements human beings made between themselves and God.
The biggest lesson in this influential book is love and kindness. The love of God is more significant than all. The lessons shared in this book will enable you to become a better person and better understand faith. Richard Sones’s style of writing is distinct. The author infuses rare elements in his writing that make the book more striking. Richard Sones made me more aware of who I am and allowed me to learn about Jesus on a broader scale.
The Covenant Names of God is a fantastic supplement to the Bible. It is something to be read and give deep thought to. The encouraging words in this divine book will push readers to pursue things that will help them on their physical and spiritual journey.
Pages: 126 | ASIN : B09FFW3S5G
The Wings of Adversity
The Wings of Adversity by Vanessa Caraveo is a collection of poems with the general theme of learning from one’s adversities and hurdles that life throws at you. It is an inspiring and powerful work that pushes you to break the shackles designed to hold you down and use them as a boost instead to propel yourself into greatness.
This inspirational collection of poetry is divided into three different sections: “Illness and Disability”, “Cultural Adversity”, “Heroes of Adversity”, “Empowerment through adversity”. Each section focuses on specific themes while following the book’s broader theme. Each poem is unique and follows varied rhyming schemes and structures. This is visible while reading the poems and in the visual layout with center/left alignment, the spacing between the sentences, and the length of the sentences. The visual appearance is just as important as the words in these poems.
The collection covers a wide variety of topics and experiences to ensure that people can find something for themselves, something that speaks uniquely to them. Some of the themes are heavy and moving, while others are motivating and inspirational. It tries to cover the diverse experiences that people from various backgrounds face in the world. Rather than trying to fit it all into one mold, the collection celebrates this uniqueness and tries to cover and honor this diversity.
The best part about this book is that it ends every poem positively. It doesn’t shun out the negatives; instead, it embraces them. It tries to overcome adversity not by avoiding it but by embracing it and coming out of it flying.
The Wings of Adversity is an uplifting collection of poetry for the worn-out souls battered by life’s challenges. If you are looking for something inspirational and motivational, this is the book for you. Readers can keep this book at hand and come back to it again and again or even share it with others in need of a few words of inspiration.
Pages: 115 | ASIN : B08PG286QQ
The Maestro Monologue
The Maestro Monologue is a loud optimistic call to your true self to awaken and remove the layers and layers of “myths, superstitions, misconceptions, and negative opinions” that hold you back from realizing your true potential. This inspiring book is divided into four parts, each part successively building on to the next, ultimately evicting this intruder in your life that pretends to be you and making space for your true, authentic self.
This introspective book takes a very conversational and optimistic tone, and it feels as if the author, Rob White, is talking to you directly. However, that doesn’t mean that the book doesn’t motivate you to change. It does. It challenges your complacency to this intruder. The first part deals with self-awareness. “There is no better way to mark the end of an era and initiate a new beginning than by studying how you understand yourself to be.”
This intellectually invigorating book is interspersed with a few prompts and probes and is not just meant to be read but to be followed along. And with the findings of these moments of self-introspection, the book moves on to the next part. It is a perfect mix of inspiring quotes, stories that resonate, words that incite change and challenge inertia and complacency, tips that guide, and prompts that reveal. Although nothing can replace talking to another person who helps you through, White indeed has managed to come as close as possible with this powerful book.
The Maestro Monologue: Discover Your Genius. Defeat Your Intruder. Design Your Destiny is recommended for anyone who feels stuck in life and needs a little guidance. More than a self-help book, rather a guide and a helping hand that helps readers navigate through life towards mastery. It’s perfectly acceptable, in fact, expected even, to reread the book several times and keep on coming back to it in times of need.
Pages: 271 | ASIN : B098J78GD2
Based on a True (Traumatic) Brain History
In the blunt and honest book, Mark Allen narrates his life story Based on A True (Traumatic) Brain History: A Short Memoir. Covering topics like his struggle of living with a brain injury, addiction to drugs and alcohol, and some deep reflections about his ways of coping with difficult circumstances, Allen gives readers a look into his world with the hope that his story will help others.
The book is divided into multiple short chapters, but you can trace a clear pattern between the first and second half. The first part deals with his early life, college, experiences as a professional MMA fighter, while the second part deals with the challenges that come with TBI, feeling suicidal and mental health struggles. In the course of the memoir, you’ll learn that the author struggled with substance addictions, but he overcame them and went on to donate a kidney to his ailing mother. Likewise, the author felt heartbroken after the traumatic brain injury (TBI) because it took away his passion, but he managed to sail on.
The best part of this book is that the author never dwells on self-pity. It’s more about the journey and process, how an individual deals with unforeseen circumstances with a practical approach, and how to find a purpose in life. His positive outlook towards life gives the readers hope, rendering a universal appeal to the story. The book starts off candidly as if the author is sitting right in front of you in a coffee shop and having a casual chit-chat. He keeps this conversational tone alive throughout the book, occasionally tinged with his refreshing humor.
The storytelling is honest and easy-flowing. The language is lucid. It gives the readers a glimpse into the author’s life so far, his battles, his practical approach to move ahead in dark times, and his realizations. There is no preaching, only heartfelt expressions and actual incidents recollected from the author’s memory.
Based on A True (Traumatic) Brain History: A Short Memoir is more than just the story of Mark Allen’s life. This through-provoking book is an excellent read for those struggling with addiction, medical injuries, TBI, or anyone that just needs a quick motivational read.
Pages: 242 | ASIN : B08TQNXDPF
LITERARY TITAN 