Blog Archives
The Dog Ladies
Julie Titterington’s The Dog Ladies is a genre-bending story that blends cozy mystery, small-town gossip, and quirky dark humor into a wild narrative full of twists and unexpected heart. The book follows a group of people—eccentric, nosy, and fiercely loyal—who orbit around a central murder mystery while diving into everything from call transcripts to livestreams, etiquette lessons, soap operas, and the existential dread of insomnia. It’s structured with sharp shifts in tone and form, creating a layered and chaotic tapestry of voices, moments, and digressions that somehow all loop back into the odd little universe of these unforgettable dog-loving people.
Reading this book was like falling down a rabbit hole laced with sarcasm and sentiment. Titterington’s writing is whip-smart, often hilarious, and occasionally moving in a way that catches you off guard. One moment I’d be laughing at a bizarre conversation between characters I wasn’t sure I trusted, and the next, I’d feel a sudden emotional punch, like I’d just been reminded of the ache of growing old or losing a friend. The experimental structure, scenes flip between transcripts, interviews, and dialogue-driven chaos, can be disorienting, but it adds to the charm. This book doesn’t spoon-feed you. You piece it together like you’re one of the nosy ladies yourself, eavesdropping and speculating.
Sometimes the plot meanders. Characters talk over each other. There’s a lot of inside-joke energy that made me feel like I missed a memo. But somewhere along the way, I realized that was the point. The Dog Ladies isn’t about clean resolutions or linear storytelling. It’s about the mess of community, the kind that gossips and schemes and watches out for each other, even when it’s wildly dysfunctional. It’s an ode to oddballs, to late-night phone calls, to memories that come back in snippets and smells and weird phrases.
I’d recommend The Dog Ladies to readers who enjoy voice-driven stories, especially fans of authors like Maria Semple, Shirley Jackson (on a whimsy bender), or even absurdist podcasts. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re the kind of reader who likes a challenge, laughs at dry wit, and doesn’t mind feeling a little lost now and then, this book will win you over. It’s a messy, funny, bittersweet ride—and I’m glad I stuck around until the end.
Pages: 403 | ASIN: B0F4L66CV5
Alternative Perspectives
Nanite Evolution follows a cutting-edge space yacht that collides with a freighter, leaving they are left stranded while experimental nanites with unknown capabilities begin causing problems; in order to survive, they must find a way to become allies with the nanites. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
First, I would like to thank Literary Titans for the opportunity to share my thoughts. The inspiration for Nanite Evolution stemmed from considering the pace of technological change and what slows that rate of progress. Many discoveries are not intended but occur as a result of accidents. In the natural world, evolution can sometimes experience significant jumps forward in a relatively short period.
Nanites and AI are in the news, and if we project into the future, it will eventually become natural to have a direct interface with nanites from the human brain. Except that such a level of change has numerous ethical and legal implications. You don’t just experiment on humans. That is our resistance. But what if the situation doesn’t have the safeguards? What if the nanites decide? What if the nanites evolve?
To make that situation happen, the setting and circumstances would need to be extreme, which would probably not be what anyone wanted.
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?
The setting of the future was the natural choice, which led to it being in space. To create the conditions for the story to play out, I thought, what would be a progression from today, and how bad could it be? What extreme would provide the best conditions for the nanites to evolve?
I thought about things like, in 3,000 years, what drives space colonization and what are the political and economic norms that could drive more systematic colonization. Drawing on what we see in society today, I positioned the ultra-rich as the primary drivers of colonization. They have the money. They have the desire. But what would that look like?
Several things changed during the writing. The biggest one was realizing I needed to make the Dunks and some of the others more disgusting to convey the extremes that could happen with unchecked power. I decided to scale back on some of the world building, following the writing advice of experienced authors, to keep what is essential to the story. When there are world details, I wanted them to have a basis in physics to be real.
The science inserted in the fiction, I felt, was well balanced. How did you manage to keep it grounded while still providing the fantastic edge science fiction stories usually provide?
I’m an engineer, and I love physics, but I know the average reader is not digging into how the universe works. I view explaining some of these concepts as having just enough so that the nerds will nod and say, It sounds plausible, and everyone else will read it and think it is interesting, but I don’t need all the details. I enjoy offering alternative perspectives on technology and its applications.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have two projects that are in active development. The first is the second book in the Pandemic Hacker series. It takes the protagonist from being hunted by bad guys to hunting them. It is set in 2021, immediately following the events of the first book. The first draft is complete, and I plan to release Pandemic Hacker 2 by fall.
The second project is my first book in the fantasy genre. The working title is “The Last Dwarf”. If we don’t have the legendary dwarfs today, there was a point where there was only one left. What was their adventure? I’m also exploring old ideas from traditional fantasy. Things like, why do dragons love gold if they never need to buy things?
I’m always exploring story ideas and constantly making notes to revisit in the future. This constant stream of ideas that may never be finished is why I have “No limit for your mind” on my website.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Blayden Dunk, the heir apparent of the Dunk family dynasty, is launching his cutting-edge space yacht—a fusion of luxury and nerd gaming showpiece—and finds himself in a dangerous situation. The yacht, plagued by malfunctioning systems, collides with a freighter and performs an emergency jump, leaving both vessels stranded amidst the stars. The crash releases experimental nanites—tiny machines with unforeseen capabilities. Instead of behaving in expected ways, the nanites suddenly make a dangerous situation even worse. Suddenly, Blayden and his guests are stranded, and the group’s survival hinges on turning the nanites into allies.
Cher is a spy for her independent colony, searching for details of the Dunk plan. Working to protect her planet and learn the Dunk secrets, Cher discovers someone else is also trying to track down the details of the Dunks’ plan, which makes her wonder whether they’re a friend or enemy and how the missing yacht factors in.
When Blayden returns in a freighter instead of his yacht and the nanites are revealed, Cher and other interested parties must alter their plans and improvise quickly.
But who controls these powerful constructs, and what was their intent? Are the nanites the ultimate tools for construction, salvation for humanity, or an unstoppable weapon poised to alter the balance of power?
Nanite Evolution
Nanite Evolution is a gritty and high-octane sci-fi novel that drops readers into a corrupt and hyper-commercialized galaxy where power, technology, and greed intersect with deadly consequences. The story revolves around the Dunk family empire, their ruthless expansionist goals, and the chaotic chain of events triggered by an advanced jump-drive yacht, corporate infighting, and a botched space collision. Through layered plots involving bodyguards, covert agents, advanced nanotechnology, and a bleakly humorous take on corporate culture, the novel unfolds with tension, dark satire, and surprising depth.
The writing grabbed me right from the start with its snappy dialogue and unexpected Australian lingo—Captain Nguyen’s “koala on a pogo stick” quips gave me a chuckle in a bleak universe. The pacing can be wild—one moment you’re neck-deep in political posturing, the next you’re in zero-g blood and guts. But that’s also part of the book’s charm. The characters, especially Oscar and Shamika, stand out against a sea of egotistical executives and sociopaths. Oscar, the underestimated tech guy, feels like the moral heart in a world devoid of one. The writing has a raw and unfiltered edge that adds flavor. It’s not polished in a classic literary sense, but it has a pulse. And I appreciate that.
Some parts left me feeling twisted up inside. The dehumanizing way the Dunks talk about women—and people in general—is unsettling. It’s effective, yes, but it made me loathe these characters with a real gut-level reaction. Blayden is one of the most despicable characters I’ve read in a while, and that’s saying something. The darkness in this story is brutal, but it feels earned. Murphy doesn’t shy away from exploring how unchecked power warps people. I found myself needing breaks just to breathe. But then again, isn’t that the mark of a powerful story?
Nanite Evolution is sharp, intense, and totally uncompromising. It’s a bold take on futuristic dystopia with a biting sense of humor and a grim view of what humanity could become when profit trumps decency. I’d recommend this to fans of The Expanse, cyberpunk thrillers, or anyone who loves character-driven sci-fi with a heavy dose of social commentary. If you like your sci-fi raw, real, and a little bit savage, this one’s worth the ride.
Pages: 400 | ASIN : B0DXTJGV5B
Their Will To Survive
The Kiss of Night follows a newspaper editor who retraces a decades-old secret, unraveling into an exploration of a shared past, violence, ethical compromise, and justice. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My novel is based on my experience as a City News Bureau reporter. It is not autobiographical, but I did see almost everything that I describe.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
Given all the adversity in the world, I am always amazed by the resourcefulness and resilience of people. How people transform, how they become themselves—or not—always intrigues me. I read newspaper stories and wonder how people got to where they are in the headlines, just as I’d look out at my students and wonder where they’d be in five 10 or 20 years.
How do you balance story development with shocking plot twists? Or can they be the same thing?
Story development is key; plot twists usually are cheap tricks. I care about characters on their journeys, especially their will to survive. My novel portrays a lot of people who lose their will and give up, and it’s always a tragedy.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out.
I have started a second novel, but don’t look for it anytime soon.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook
–Vergil, Aeneid
The death of a retired Chicago homicide detective forces Will Moore, an assistant city editor for the Chicago Tribune, to revisit life-and-death events from his first days as a police reporter for City News Bureau. As he becomes immersed in the dark river of despair coursing through the streets at night, Will comes to understand the humanity lying beneath Chicago crime statistics. Will himself becomes part of the story when his next-door neighbor, a young Latino gang member is murdered, and Will is asked to help take revenge. The Kiss of Night will keep you turning page after page before reaching its affecting conclusion.
Unwritten Fate
Unwritten Fate follows the haunting journey of Elara, a gifted archivist in Boston whose accidental visions of the future begin to unravel her meticulously ordered world. Her life is upended when she meets Liam, a stranger with no visible future—a void where her prophetic glimpses usually bloom. What begins as a story of strange coincidences rapidly evolves into a deeper, darker mystery rooted in forgotten legacies, ancient curses, and a looming supernatural threat. Together, Elara and Liam race against time, shadowed by premonitions and cosmic forces, in a desperate bid to confront a fate that seems unwritten—and dangerously mutable.
Reading Unwritten Fate was like plunging into cold water—startling, slow-moving at first, then suddenly pulling you into unseen depths. The writing is rich, soaked in atmosphere and introspection. The author has a gift for sensory detail. Rain-slicked cobblestones, the ticking of a grandfather clock, the strange hush of forgotten libraries—it all paints a moody, gothic Boston that felt both grounded and mythic. Elara’s fear is visceral. Her isolation creeps under your skin. And Liam? He’s that strange, impossible quiet you feel before a thunderstorm. But sometimes, the prose leans heavily on its own gravity. I craved moments of brevity, some air between the shadows.
What really got me, though, was the intimacy between the characters. Their connection doesn’t just serve the plot—it’s the heart of the story. The romance isn’t rushed. It builds in glances, in tremors, in shared danger. That said, the mythology occasionally overwhelmed the emotional core. The pacing slows, especially when diving into ancestral histories and obscure prophecies. I found myself flipping back, trying to piece together who was who in the past, and why it mattered in the now. Still, those moments when Elara touches Liam and sees (or doesn’t see) something—that blank, that mystery—those were electric. The book knows how to land a moment.
This is a story for readers who love slow-burning, emotionally charged tales of love and destiny. If you enjoy gothic romance with a supernatural twist, or if you’ve ever gotten lost in a time-slip novel or a dusty archive of secrets, this one’s for you. It’s a melancholic, magic-laced journey that left me feeling both full and aching.
Pages: 233 | ASIN: B0F4PSX3MZ
Obligation To The Family
The short mystery thriller novels in this series can be read as stand-alone books but we would recommend following the sequence and feeling the intense build-up as each of the murderers are introduced in Mr Davies, 1A Penn Road and Jay Deux. They all then meet up in the final book, The Gentleman.
The three murderers are tasked with an assassination and must work together to kill the target for the good of the family. But things do not go as planned. The target reveals a secret about the family and as a result… one of them ends up dead!
Flush Royale
1862, Switzerland. The steamship Hirondelle sinks in Lac Leman, claiming the lives of most of its passengers. Louis Von Büren, the aide to one of the most prominent figures of the Greek Philhellenic community in Geneva, is traveling with the Hirondelle on that fateful night. He is on a mission that could forever change the fate of Greece’s first Royal Monarchy.
Coming up on the anniversary of Hirondelle’s sinking, marine investigator Nick Diamantis is paired up with a Swiss maritime archaeologist. Their goal is to uncover any secrets this shipwreck could hide. What seems like a routine dive will end up taking Nick and his team on a globetrotting adventure through Europe, where he will be pitted against his biggest challenge yet. Soon, Nick will find himself wrapped up in a treacherous hunt as he races to find some long-lost Greek riches before they fall into the wrong hands.
“Flush Royale” is an action-adventure novel with glitzy action, high stakes, twists around every corner, and grandiose villains. Buckle up for a rollicking ride that will let you travel through the scenic vistas around Geneva, explore the picturesque canals of Venice, and take a plunge into the crystal-clear waters of Greece.
LITERARY TITAN 