Blog Archives
Voodoo and the Bayou
Once Upon a Time in the Big Easy follows a former hitman down to New Orleans as he tracks a kidnapped girl trapped in the underworld of human trafficking. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I wanted him to have a challenge of being a hero and not only saving a young woman but taking down a disgusting scoundrel.
Was there a reason why you chose this location as the backdrop for your story?
New Orleans is such a mysterious city, historically with voodoo and the bayou in its landscape. Made me think of intrigue for the readers.
Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Chubby Pone and the direction of the next book?
Consequences is the next adventure for Pone as he races against time to save his handler, who was poisoned by a bullet and is in a deep coma. He tries to find the culprit and a cure.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
For a young girl kidnapped by her father. The task gives him more than he bargain for as Theiler Lebeau throws him into a world of gambling, contraband, prostitution, and incest. The Troubleshooter puts his life on the line again to help those who can’t help themselves.
Ending Theiler’s bayou fabulous life of disgust is top priority, along with rescuing a young girl and others, while crumbling an evil empire.
Autobiography: Winner of the International Writers Inspiring Change: Most Inspiring Author Award in 2017 for the horror/thriller “Things That Go Bump in the Night: Here There Be Monsters,” “Crabbe H. Appleton: At your service” with Mercury Slim short stories and song lyrics.
The Nature of Our Existence
Have You Seen Him follows a weary public defender who discovers a missing-person ad bearing his childhood face and a stranger’s name, leading him to unravel a buried past, a vanished family, and secrets hidden by his adoptive father. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Soon after we meet the book’s main character, David, he’s sifting through his mail and sees a missing child ad with his own face. The inspiration for the book is a scenario somewhat similar to that—I was sorting my mail and saw an ad for a child who went missing when he was 10. The computer-progressed image showed him at 40 years old. I thought about how this boy’s family had been searching for three decades, never giving up trying to find him. The faces haunted me. I tore it out and carried it around in my bag for a while, then sat down to write a story about it.
Was the character’s backstory something you always had, or did it develop as you were writing?
When I first began this story, I was in the process of reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a nonfiction book that chronicles actual events in medical science. I took a few facts from that book and created a “what if” scenario—imagining what would have happened if a number of things had played out differently than what actually occurred in the true story. The backstory developed organically from there.
Do you think there’s a single moment in everyone’s life, maybe not as traumatic, that is life-changing?
I do think that at some point in life we each come to some wise realization—about ourselves, our purpose, the nature of our existence—that deeply impacts us and points the way forward. It could be as simple as a brief encounter with a wise stranger, an event that forces us to rise to the occasion, or even a long, winding journey to trusting in our own strength. I believe we each have key moments that, in retrospect, put us on a certain path to finding out who we really are. In his quest to find his true family, amidst all the action and adventure, David deals with all of the above.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
Have You Seen Him is the first in a trilogy, so it’s back to my notebook to work on the second installment. Readers say the ending is satisfying, but I also left a few questions open, so it’s pen to page to see what happens next with these characters! The goal for this new book is fall of 2026!
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
For David Byrdsong, life is a series of daily obligations. An attorney, he lacks both ambition and the ability to commit to a long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Gayle. Abandoned by his family at an airport when he was eleven, he learned to blunt his feelings, despite his subsequent adoption by a loving couple.
Until one day, when David discovers his own face in a missing child ad. Suddenly driven to uncover the truth about his past, he is forced to tap into his inner strength as he encounters corporate conspiracies, murdered bystanders, and distressing suspicions about the only family he’s ever really trusted. David enlists Gayle’s help—and the help of an unlikely stranger with secrets of his own—as he attempts to find his true family, whoever they are.
Thrilling, exploratory, and propulsive, Have You Seen Him is a story of lost identity, dangerous secrets, and a deeply personal pursuit of the truth.
An Entertaining Duo
Candace McFly: Undercover Spy Case #1 The Botched Beauty Pageant follows a sharp, puzzle-loving third grader who enters the town’s beauty pageant despite her fears to help her friends and solve a mystery. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
When I was a Writing Lab teacher about 4 years ago, I was beginning a fun Mystery Writing unit for my 3rd graders to start after just completing our state testing that spring. I was randomly brainstorming possible story ideas modeling what my students would soon be doing. Since I had a small background in pageants when I was in high school, I thought this would be a fun topic to write about. Originally, it was going to be a spoof on pageants, but it turned into something totally different.
As we got further into our unit, I developed a character sketch on my two main characters- Candace and Arnold- before I even began writing the story. My students loved them right off the bat, saying they felt they’d be friends with Candace and Arnold if they were real kids! As I wrote the first two chapters, modeling how to incorporate various writing strategies, the students LOVED the storyline and proposed a challenge to me; to turn these ideas into a book. Having always wanted to write a book but thinking it wouldn’t happen until retirement and readily accepting a challenge because I constantly asked them to take risks as writers, I accepted! I wrote the entire summer and into September, submitted to a few publishers, and the rest is history! I loved the characters of Candace and Arnold; their personalities work well together, making for an entertaining duo.
What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
That makes me so happy that you loved Candace and Arnold! I love them, too, and enjoyed writing for both equally, but in different ways. Since Candace was telling the story through her eyes, she wasn’t that difficult to write for. She helped guide me through the storyline. However, the challenge with her was to show what a strong, smart girl she is, but not come across as a know-it-all. I wanted her to be likeable and relatable, yet vulnerable and humble at the same time. As a teacher, I see a lot of personalities come through my classroom. My goal with Candace was to show what a true friend is like and make her a role model to young girls who read this book (and future books to come), and that there’s nothing wrong with being smart or having fears. Be comfortable in your own skin.
And then there’s Arnold… I knew I wanted to have a partnership where one of the characters is quirky and fun. One that people will roll their eyes at from his outlandish ideas and actions. But also, a character who rises from vulnerability and being in the shadows, to one exhibiting leadership and caring about others. Most of the time, I’d be giggling writing Arnold’s parts, or they’d bring me to tears. Arnold is a hybrid of all the quirky boys I’ve taught throughout my past 30 years and sprinkled with my imagination.
How did the mystery develop for this story? Did you plan it before writing, or did it develop organically?
As I mentioned earlier, this idea originally came from a lesson in my Writing Lab. While modeling the writing process for my students, I did indeed create a skeletal plan (a story map) of how I envisioned the story developing. But as I completed writing the first few chapters and introducing new characters, the story morphed in a totally different direction than I ever imagined.
I once read how Michael Connelly, one of my favorite mystery writers, has an initial idea for the big idea of his novel, but he then lets the story take him where it’s supposed to go, and he won’t know what that is until he gets there. I feel that’s how I am as a writer as well. I had an initial plan, but certain events I created caused a chain reaction or led to another event I never saw coming. In fact, even as I got toward the end of writing The Botched Beauty Pageant, I had no clue as to how it would end. I didn’t want to make it too obvious with the clues I’d been leaving thus far, so I had to get creative. My initial plan was nowhere near where I landed in this Live Oak journey.
Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Candace McFly and the direction of the second book?
I would be delighted to! Actually, I’ve already written the next installment in the Candace McFly, Undercover Spy series: https://a.co/d/8npwOny (Case No. 2 The Phantom of Live Oak). Candace, Arnold, and all of their Live Oak friends are back with even more adventure and crazy shenanigans, with a touch of a kid-friendly ghost story.
Currently, I am working on Case No. 3, which isn’t titled yet- I don’t create the titles until I’ve finished writing the entire book- but it is a treasure-hunt themed adventure.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Amazon
Candace is not your typical third grader–or your typical girl for that matter. She’s not into her appearance or competing in the Li’l Miss Live Oak pageant like all her friends are or the ladies in her family were. Her mama was a Li’l Miss Live Oak, her grandmother was…her great-grandmother too. But she has no interest in competing even though it’s her year to. Plus, there’s that little stage fright issue she has.
But she does love to figure out puzzles and mysteries! Her best friend, Arnold, isn’t like other boys their age either, but his quirky ways make him the perfect sidekick who always keeps things interesting.
Normally, life in a small town can be dull. But not in Live Oak. School has just ended, and Live Oak’s pageant season has just begun, along with mysterious happenings to the contestants. Candace’s friend Anna Kate swims up to Candace and Arnold at the School’s Out for Summer Soiree, requesting Candace’s help. Telling her a tale so unbelievable, Candace can’t help but be reeled in as more bizarre events keep occurring to her friends.
To truly find the culprit, Candace must make one of the toughest choices of her life–go undercover, becoming a contestant in Li’l Miss Live Oak, overcome her stage fright phobia, and catch whoever is trying to botch the beauty pageant. With Arnold by her side, anything’s possible, but will they solve it in time to crown the next Li’l Miss Live Oak?
BLOOD OF YARUMAYA
Blood of Yarumaya by Kevin D. Miller follows Isabella Delgado. She’s a wealthy botany student from Malibu who travels to the Amazon rainforest for an internship. Her mentor is Dr. Dominic Quinn. He’s a brilliant but secretive scientist who appears much younger than he is. They discover a complex biological secret to anti-aging that involves rare tree resin and special bees. A corrupt politician named Julio Ortega wants this secret for his own gain. He hires mercenaries to attack the indigenous Kawirén tribe to get it. Izzy must use her newfound survival skills to save Quinn and protect the forest from destruction.
I found the character arc of Isabella surprisingly engaging. She starts the story as a somewhat entitled gymnast. She quickly transforms into a capable survivor. Her growth felt earned rather than just given to her. The romance between her and Quinn is sweet. It also carries a unique tension due to his actual age versus his appearance. I felt genuine anxiety during the raid on the village. Miller does a wonderful job of making you care about the Kawirén people. You desperately want them to survive the encroaching threats of the modern world.
The book tackles heavy themes like deforestation and corporate greed head-on. I appreciated this direct approach because it did not feel overly preachy. The science behind the longevity serum was fascinating to me. I loved the twist with the “rapid aging” weapon used against Ortega near the end. It was a satisfying bit of poetic justice.
I enjoyed this thrilling adventure. It carries a real emotional punch that stuck with me. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy fast-paced eco-thrillers. Fans of adventure stories with a strong romantic subplot will also like it. It is a perfect read for anyone who has ever dreamed of escaping civilization to find something deeper in the wild.
Pages: 310 | ASIN : B0FTMC4WGN
Fear Struck
Fear Struck was intense and emotionally powerful, and also kind of creepy. It starts with Orson Kutter, a crime writer whose imagination bleeds a little too close to real life. One minute he’s hammering away on his keyboard, writing about murder and mystery, and the next, the cops are breaking down his door and slapping cuffs on him for killings that look suspiciously like scenes from his books. It’s one of those stories where reality and fiction twist around each other until you’re not sure which one’s real anymore. The whole setup feels like watching someone slowly wake up inside their own nightmare. It’s dark, smart, and honestly a little creepy in that “am I next?” kind of way.
I’ll be honest, this book made me anxious in the best way. I love a good murder mystery, and Fear Struck doesn’t just give you one, it gives you layers of them. I kept trying to guess if Kutter was guilty, if he was being framed, or if he was losing his mind. The writing pulls you into his paranoia so deeply that you start feeling trapped with him. The scenes in the jail, the smell of sweat and fear, the endless echoes, I could almost hear it. The story moves fast, but not in a shallow way. Every chapter left me thinking, “Okay, just one more,” until it was 2 a.m. and I was questioning my life choices. What really hooked me, though, was how Oliver plays with the line between author and character, fiction and truth. It’s almost meta, but not in a pretentious way.
The writing is really sharp. I like how Oliver doesn’t waste time with fancy words or filler. It’s cinematic, full of tension, and just messy enough to feel real. There were moments where I felt sick for Kutter, moments where I didn’t trust him at all, and moments where I wanted to scream at everyone around him for being blind. That’s good storytelling. Some parts slowed a little, sure, and a few twists I saw coming, but the emotion stayed raw. There’s this heavy mix of guilt, fear, and desperation that makes the book feel alive.
If you like stories that make your heart race and your brain spin, this one’s for you. Fear Struck is perfect for murder mystery junkies who like their thrillers dark, psychological, and just a little too close to home. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys Gone Girl or Misery but wants something with its own strange heartbeat.
Pages: 392 | ASIN : B0FRRK8HGX
Dark, Cold Eyes
Kay A. Oliver’s Dark, Cold Eyes pulls you straight into a world of sharp tension, mystery, and the unnerving weight of human motives. The story follows Keri and Jade Shaw, private investigators drawn into a string of murders in the otherwise quiet, upper-crust neighborhood of Grosse Pointe. When a couple is found brutally murdered, what begins as a simple research assignment turns into a web of deceit, hidden identities, and moral gray zones. Each chapter builds on suspense while peeling back layers of both the crimes and the people entangled in them. It’s a dark, atmospheric dive into what happens when ordinary lives hide extraordinary secrets.
The writing is vivid and cinematic, almost like watching a detective drama late at night when the rest of the house is quiet. Oliver’s style has a rhythm, it’s crisp when it needs to be and haunting when it lingers. I loved how she gave space for silence, for tension to breathe, for you to feel the pulse of fear. The dialogue between Keri and Jade feels real and warm, the kind of married banter that makes you believe in their partnership even as danger closes in. But sometimes the pace moves so fast that I wished for more time to sit with the emotions of the moment. The action carries you forward, but the emotional aftermath sometimes fades quickly.
What really struck me was how the story blurs the line between justice and obsession. Keri’s drive to solve the case starts to feel personal, like she’s chasing ghosts as much as answers. The way Oliver uses setting, quiet kitchens, dark streets, cluttered evidence boards, to mirror the unraveling of her characters hit me hard. You can sense the exhaustion, the moral weight pressing on everyone. Yet despite all the darkness, there’s a heartbeat of hope running through the pages. It’s not loud, but it’s there, stubborn and relatable.
If you like thrillers that mix grit with empathy, this book’s for you. It’s perfect for readers who love crime stories with layered characters and clever plotting rather than simple chases or explosions. Dark, Cold Eyes is tense, intelligent, and full of heart. A story that keeps your mind racing long after you close the book.
Pages: 395 | ASIN : B0FGWH27M7
A Mother’s Determination
Born in Space: Unlocking Destiny follows a mother who donated her eggs to science, only to discover that they were used to conceive seven infants in space, who were raised in isolation and destined to define the next stage of our evolution. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I wanted to explore what happens when the most intimate human act–creation–becomes an instrument of science and survival. The idea came from real debates about fertility research, genetic engineering, and the ethics of creating life beyond Earth. I asked myself: what if the first humans truly born in space were not astronauts’ children, but part of a scientific project designed to save humanity? From that spark came Teagan Ward, a mother who gave something of herself to science, only to find herself blocked from contact with the babies she loved by the doctor who incubated them.
Your novel explores the morality and the cost of continuing the human race. What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
I’m fascinated by the contradictions within us-our capacity for love and empathy alongside our drive for power and control. When survival is at stake, morality becomes fluid, and that’s where stories come alive. Science fiction allows us to push those questions to their limits: What does it mean to be human when birth, love, and even consciousness are engineered? I think great fiction mirrors that tension between our ideals and our instincts, between the need to preserve what makes us human and the temptation to perfect it.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
At its heart, Born in Space is about motherhood, identity, and the ownership of life. I wanted to examine who controls our future-corporations, governments, or the individuals who dare to resist them. There’s also an environmental undercurrent: as Earth falters, humanity’s reach for survival shifts outward, to space, but our flaws follow us. And beneath the science and technology, there’s a deeply emotional core: a mother’s determination to reunite with her children, no matter how far apart they are.
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
Yes. Born in Space is the first in the Sci-Fi Galaxy series. The follow-up, Space Vault: The Seed Eclipse, takes place years later on the Moon, where humanity’s survival depends on a genetic seed vault built into the regolith. Teagan’s story continues through her naturally born daughter Diana, who becomes a symbol of both hope and fear, a genetically engineered child hunted by those who believe they can control evolution itself. The moral and emotional questions deepen as the struggle shifts from reproduction to survival: who decides which forms of life deserve to endure?
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CAN TEAGAN WIN THE COSMIC CUSTODY BATTLE OF A LIFETIME?
When Teagan Ward donates her eggs to science, she never imagines that the consequences will ripple across the cosmos. As Earth crumbles under the weight of conflict and climate disaster, Teagan discovers that seven children, born from her donated eggs, are the centerpieces of a daring experiment to populate the stars. Determined to reunite with her children, she finds herself entangled in a web of greed, betrayal, and cosmic ambition.
In the year 2068, humanity’s hope for survival lies beyond the confines of Earth. Orbiting space habitats offer sanctuary to the privileged, while the rest fight for survival on a deteriorating planet. Teagan’s journey to reclaim her children pits her against powerful adversaries: a ruthless mining magnate obsessed with the treasures of the universe, a morally ambiguous doctor bent on creating life in space at any cost, and a disgraced general seeking redemption and control.
As Teagan navigates the treacherous shoals of interstellar politics and corporate greed, she uncovers secrets that could change the fate of worlds. Her children, each with unique abilities and destinies, hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of the universe and possibly saving humanity from itself.
LITERARY TITAN 