Blog Archives
MINDBLOWN
MINDBLOWN, a novella written by Win$ome, is a story about a woman named Soule who discovers that everything she knows about her family is wrong. Readers follow her through her turmoil with her mother, A-lia, who is a pathological liar, and her father, who has not been present in Soule’s life. Out of curiosity, Soule takes an ancestry/DNA test so she can explain to her children where their family originated. Meant to be a wholesome endeavor, but this turned very sour. She finds out through the test that she is not related to anyone on her father’s side. Upon asking A-lia, Soule discovers that she is the product of adultery. She finds her biological father’s side of the family and subsequently becomes very close with them. This novella is about a lost family, and the relief one gets from discovering exactly where they came from.
MINDBLOWN is a short but powerful novella that will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions. The author perfectly captures Soule’s anger and disappointment, and I empathized with her. Soule is strong and full of personality, and I admired her for continuing to push forward to find her real father.
The author’s writing comes off like reading a diary, as I was able to clearly see what Soule was thinking. The reader gets an up-close look inside her intimate thoughts and emotions, allowing the reader to understand her motives. Soule’s uncle Ned is another character I liked because he was there for his niece no matter the outcome of the DNA test.
The story moved quickly, so I found that I would stop to reflect on what I had just read. Throughout the story, there is tension and anger, and the pace of my reading quickened because I wanted to know more about Soule and how she would handle her discovery. I was shocked by Soule’s mother’s lack of empathy for her daughter.
MINDBLOWN is an emotional novella about heritage, family, and self-discovery. I highly recommend this short thrilling read to those who enjoy a good drama.
Pages: 49 | ASIN : B09X9BKRP5
Gender
Gender is a thought-provoking pair of novellas that artfully convey profound ideas using a mix of free verse, form, and rhyme. In the first story, Martin/Martina, we follow Martina, who was born female, but when she comes of age she learns that her father plans to marry her off so he can join a monastery. Martina refuses to be married off and wants to live with her father so they begin to dress and act like a boy in order to stay in the monastery with their father. Martina enjoyed living in the monastery and remained there even after their father’s passing. An affair ensues and a child is born, but out of shame the family abandons the child and Martina raises the child as their own. Readers follow her path to becoming a Saint in an emotionally-resonant and intellectually-stimulating story that I enjoyed heartily.
The second story, Aftermath, is a post-apocalyptic tale that tells the story of three distinct groups that are working together in the aftermath. The language, I felt, is more colorful and works to create a vivid view of a stark future. The lines within a stanza rhyme nicely and evoke strong emotion and lend this otherwise bleak story a rhapsodic feel that is engrossing.
Author Anne Harding Woodworth writes beautiful and poetic stories. The intense and emotional journey that Martin/Martina embarks on takes readers through many different phases and perspectives in life. The author is able to tell a compelling story and capture the emotional weight of being a man, a woman, a mother, and a father all in one short story. The author switches perspectives throughout the story, switching between narration and Martina’s perspective. This allows the reader to hear Martina’s thoughts and understand their motives and connect with them on a deeper level.
Woodworth’s writing is simple in Martin/Martina, but this helps to keep the reader focused on the story, the characters, and the weighty emotions that affect them. The writing in Aftermath has a grand eloquence with a focus on imaginative descriptions. I enjoyed the setup of the book because it was similar to reading short stories that rhyme. It was sometimes hard for me to tell the timeframe of events in the stories. Martin/Martina jumps through time, which I felt was a little disorienting, but this doesn’t take away from the impact of the story.
Gender is a heartwarming pair of stories with a unique voice and a keen perspective on gender that is earnest and meaningful. These are stories that will stay with you long after you’ve put the book down.
Pages: 116 | ISBN: 1639882979
Promise Of The Visitor
A pair of police officers are called to the residence of Jacob, Amy, and their artificial intelligence alien that resides in a golden sphere called “Arcon.” They all have to muster up the courage to explain why Jack Markham is unconscious on their floor. They discover he is an international criminal. In a battle of self-defense, Jack was rendered unconscious.
After the ordeal, this novel skips ahead. Readers are taken to a cold night in November, where all three stand on the beach awaiting a space shuttle. The shuttle is operated by an alien woman who comes to them for rescue after her own home is destroyed by enemy forces. However, she didn’t just bring new technology to earth in her escape but also managed to get the enemy to their doorstep. So it is now their job to save their world from a similar fate to the alien woman’s home planet.
Author David Gittlin’s world-building skills are excellent and bring the readers right into the action, experiencing everything the characters do. With under 200 pages, this is a short quick read filled with thrilling action. Since this is book 3 of the series, I recommend readers have read books one and two as the author dives right into the action of book three, assuming that the reader knows of the character’s history. Gittlin expertly develops the characters in the story, and I grew fond of the AI that assists Jacob and Amy. The back and forth banter and the humor sprinkled into the dialogue made this book hard to put down.
Promise of the Visitor is a fast-paced, exciting novella that will have you hooked from the turn of the first page. I highly recommend this quick read to those who are looking to go on an entertaining journey through space.
Pages: 142 | ASIN : B09Y2FHL5R
Motherhood
A woman, estranged from her family, is living alone in a small, one-bedroom, apartment. Dr. Mitra Shahverdi has become numb to the fact that her work is an all-consuming addiction. Her non-existent social life has her spending the holidays alone. Until one warm night, Mitra wakes abruptly to a loud bang. A child, naked and scared, is huddled in her bathroom. With no memory of how he got there or who his parents are; and because it is the holidays, the police encourage Mitra to take the child in for a couple of days.
In Siamak Vakili’s novella, Motherhood, we follow the heartwarming journey of a mother who rekindles her love for her five-year-old son. The story is heartwarming and sweet, although the book’s description makes it seem misogynistic at first, once you dive into this heartfelt novella readers will find a beautiful story of a woman coming to terms with a desire for motherhood that was buried inside her.
In the beginning, it is touching to see Mitra warming up to the child so quickly and treating him so affectionately. The author depicts Mitra as someone who does not like children, but with how quickly she falls in love with the boy, it feels like she is lying to herself. I feel like she tries desperately to define herself as someone who hates children, because how else would she be able to justify leaving her child and husband in pursuit of her career. This makes the ending all the more sweeter, and the journey to get there is emotional and captivating.
There is definitely some interesting language used to describe the times when Mitra is coddling the boy, or discovering her passion for him. The description of motherly affection appeared sensual and intimate, “…his trembling body sent a shiver through her body which awakened a pleasant feeling in her … she felt warm inside, the sudden rush of blood turned her face crimson and her skin soaked in a joyful sweat.” The sensuous language is unique to a story about motherhood where I find it is normally found in more provocative novels. All of this presents this fascinating story in a writing style that I have yet to be introduced to.
Motherhood is an emotionally stimulating story that explores parenthood through a unique lens. Readers looking for a short story that feels very different, on a topic not often delved so deeply into, then this is definitely a must-read.
Pages: 72 | ISBN: 1639881891
Fireside Stories
Short stories are sometimes just what the doctor ordered. It is, however, difficult to find an author who can successfully convey an engaging plot, well-developed characters, and a neat and satisfying conclusion in a few short pages. Loyst R. Streeter has the remedy. In his Fireside Stories, Streeter delivers fifteen unique short stories, each complete with fantastically drawn characters and plots that move swiftly after grabbing readers’ attention within the first paragraphs. Streeter masterfully writes on a variety of topics and manages to effortlessly cover everything from the Bible to intrigue and mystery.
Fireside Stories, by Loyst R. Streeter, is a must-read–period and no questions asked. I found myself immediately lost in one story after another. Streeter simply has been gifted with the ability to capture readers’ attention, swiftly create an emotional bond between readers and main characters, and still manage to surprise readers every time. Each short story is the ideal length and somehow manages to leave readers both satisfied and wanting more.
I have to say, I was not expecting to become as invested in Streeter’s stories as I did. Right out of the gate, I read the first short tale, “The Thief,” believing I could see exactly where and how the story would end. The author, I feel, has a talent for predicting how readers will perceive his characters, and he takes them on a journey that ends with a sudden and much appreciated twist.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to choose a favorite among Streeter’s stories. While his stories are a wonderful mix of genres and each contains memorable and relatable characters, they are all fantastic reads in their own right. If I had to choose a standout among the fifteen shorts, I would have to say “The Stranger” resonated with me. In fact, as soon as I finished it, I reread it. Streeter is a real gem for fiction fans.
Readers will have a difficult time finding another short story writer who delivers so completely. Streeter’s stories stick with you long after reading and beg a reread. I highly recommend Fireside Stories to anyone looking to fill some rainy afternoons or those relaxing moments before bed. Streeter’s stories are amazingly satisfying and truly memorable.
Pages: 175 | ASIN : B09LJ4KPMP
The Curse of Clansmen and Kings
Two Faces of Janus follows a brash aristocrat as he navigates the perilous politics found in 2 B.C. Rome. What inspired you to write a story about Lucius Antonius?
I’ve always found the legacy of Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) to be one of the most compelling accounts about political corruption, betrayal, and family tragedy. Iullus Antonius was the only son of Mark Antony who Caesar Augustus spared and raised almost like a son in the imperial court. When it came to light in 2 BC that Augustus’s daughter, Julia, was having several affairs and that Iullus was her primary lover, the emperor demanded he commit suicide.
Very little is known about Lucius Antonius except that he had to conceal that he was exiled in Massilia (modern-day Marseille) for his father’s crime as a traitor. I often wondered how Lucius reacted to his father’s disgrace and how it impacted his life. Answering this question inspired me to write the historical fantasy series, The Curse of Clansmen and Kings, and Two Faces of Janus. Lucius is cast as a villain in the series, but his back-story propels what he does and hopefully makes him more relatable.
Why did you feel a short story format worked better for this story rather than a full length novel?
The short story allowed me the opportunity to explore the immediate impact that the death of Iullus Antonius had on his son, Lucius, and for rest of the immediate family. The revelation of how Lucius was devastatingly impacted will be unveiled in the fourth book (Skull’s Vengeance) of my historical fantasy series. Further, I’m also considering a standalone historical fiction novel about the earlier life of Lucius Antonius.
What surprised you the most about Lucius Antonius real life story?
Though Lucius had to conceal he was exiled in disgrace for his father’s crime, the senate decreed that all honor be paid to him at this death. His ashes were laid in the family sepulchre of the Octavvi. This suggests that he was able to restore his standing in Rome. There is conjecture that Lucius’s son/grandson was Marcus Antonius Primus, a general who secured Rome for Vespasian to be emperor after Nero’s downfall.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am completing Book 4 (Skull’s Vengeance) in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series which should be released later in 2022.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
A brash young aristocrat, Lucius Antonius anticipates Emperor Augustus Caesar will support his lofty ambitions to serve as a praetor in the Roman justice system in 2 BC Rome. As the son of the distinguished politician and poet, Iullus Antonius, Lucius prays to Janus, the two-faced god of beginnings, to open the door for him to rise politically. But he is unaware of the political firestorm ready to erupt in the imperial family.
Augustus must confront evidence that his daughter, Julia, has behaved scandalously in public and that Iullus is her lover. The prospect that Julia might want to marry Iullus—the only surviving son of Marcus Antonius—threatens to redirect the glory from Augustus to his most hated rival beyond the grave. Caught in the political crossfire, Lucius must demonstrate his loyalty to Augustus by meeting all of his demands or face the destruction of his family’s legacy and possibly his own life. Will Lucius ultimately choose to betray and abandon his disgraced father?
Mystical Force – Book Trailer
All beings radiate a life force, but some have an additional Mystical Force – a force that grants them special gifts, be it magical essence, demonic aura or spiritual power. While some consider these people to be gifted, there are others who feel these powers are unnatural. Mystical Force is a fantasy series, dealing with themes of prejudice and racism.
(Vol.1 Stranger in a Strange Land):
Shi-ria is brought to Earth by a sorceress named Zolida as part of a prophecy. There she meets Mystic, Noonien, Tokijin and Rose and must save a bunch of kidnapped demons from smugglers while the Order wants to destroy them. Meanwhile another sorceress named Scarlet Knightwalker wants to prevent this to ensure a dark future doesn’t come true.
(Vol.2 Angels and Demons):
Sister Rose and Tokijin are attacked by another demon (Jimomaru) and his sorceress ally (Aanjay) as revenge for them being persecuted by humans. Shi-ria, Mystic and Noonien are needed to help when Tokijin is placed under a spell and forced to attack Sister Rose.
(Vol.3 The Kolri and the Koldar):
Shi-ria, along with police detective Shinjo are transported back to Shi-ria’s planet, Thalia. Now Shi-ria must return Shinjo to Earth, while at the same time a dark cult (the Koldar Warriors) learn about this and want this power to magically teleport to any planet across the galaxy so they can spread their dark theocracy and destroy all “infidels”.
LITERARY TITAN 