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Literary Titan Book Award – Dec 2023
With innovative themes and a knack for turning words into elegant prose, these stunning books effortlessly elevate the art of storytelling. Here’s to the brilliant authors who’ve turned fresh ideas and heartfelt narratives into beautifully written journeys. Your remarkable talent deserves every bit of this recognition.
Award Recipients
FastFlight 540: In Search of Xander by M.M. Mesldorf
Thrive: Ghosts in the Glades by Staci Andrea
The Miracle that made us a United Nation by Betty Lou Rogers
Power by Chuck Fair
The Wood Sprite by James Dobie
Soar a Burning Sky: Echoes of EonThera: Book One
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan Book Award – Dec 2023
The Literary Titan Book Award proudly celebrates enchanting children’s books that captivate hearts with fantastic storytelling, radiant illustrations, delightful characters, and innovative concepts. Bestowing well-deserved recognition, we honor their boundless creativity and remarkable talent in crafting stories that ignite imaginations and bring joy to young readers.
Award Recipients
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan Book Awards – Dec 2023
Honoring the talent of brilliant authors who captivated us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, and compelling characters. Delve into a universe of original ideas, celebrating books that stand out with their innovative concepts and extraordinary narratives. Join us in applauding the dedication and hard work of these exemplary authors as we spotlight and praise the magnificent realms they’ve brought to life.
Award Recipients
Shipwreck in Paradise by Konstantinos Gustad C
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
It’s Never JUST a Dog
In Sir Dee-O-Gee, readers follow an elderly widow as her life is transformed by the introduction of a pit bull into her otherwise mundane life. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
To put it simply, I, myself, am a disabled senior. (Though I’ve always been disabled, my disability is not in my hands.)
How do you capture the thoughts and emotions of a character like Anna Saint Anne?
To make her truly understood, I had to “learn hands.” I would attempt to notice every day whenever I used my hands and then turn whatever I was doing backwards. In as much as asking, “What if my hands didn’t work? How would I achieve this small goal?” After a few weeks of this mental exercise, she just flowed from the pen.
I wrote the mourning parts quite raw. I was in mourning when I wrote this book. I was literally mourning our pit bull, Sir. He lived to be eighteen years old. It seems such a long life, until they’re gone.
My best advice to anyone who knows someone who is mourning a pet, it’s never JUST a dog. Any pet is cherished like one’s own flesh. To speak it fairly, nothing transforms a broken heart like a dog.
If I am to be remembered fondly, I pray let it be by a dog.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
I tried to show support for the Seniors for Seniors program at the pounds. It allows seniors to adopt senior dogs with no fee. I also wanted to show how important this “unconditional love”, the company, and meaningful expansion of everyday life is. In truth, even if the only change to one’s life is walking the dog, it still serves to create a new experience and a new freedom. It is also an excellent chance to speak to neighbors and to literally, “Get out of your own head.”
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m working on a comedy series for tweens and up. I’ve nearly finished the second book in the series. However, these are still in edits, so there is no way to release a publication date. The first in the series is titled, The Knight, The Pig- wizard And The Dragon. If you like clean comedy, look for it in 2024.
Author Links: Goodreads | Amazon
Award-wining poet and artist, Angel Dunworth, writes on aging, disability, mourning and a return to society in this quirky thought-provoking book. She openly advocates the Animal Defense Leagues’ Seniors for Seniors program, saying, “It is very important to be able to adopt a dog, especially if you’ve become a shut-in. It’s a simple way to provide not only well-needed company but also perfect love. An animal’s reliance on us can quickly go from mandatory to miraculous.”
Dunworth lives in San Antonio, with her husband, who she is quoted as saying, “Is the love of my life.”
Dedication: This book is dedicated to the grandchild who cares. You who listen to the stories of the elderly, looks at pictures, play cards. You who gift your time to help another, and truly cares about quality of life, this book is for you.
You make all of the difference in the world.
Enjoyable for the Whole Family
Nurse Florence®, Why and How Do We Breathe? teaches children how the body performs the function of breathing and how proper breathing impacts their health. Why was this an important topic to write about?
I mainly chose this topic because I thought it would be fun to cover for kids. It’s something we all do all day long and thought that some things could be presented that even parents could learn. We try to make every Nurse Florence book enjoyable for the whole family, not just the kids. We want everyone to walk away from each book thinking, “Cool, I didn’t know that.”
I have seen that you have coloring books to go along with the Nurse Florence series for some of the books. Do you have plans to add other learning materials to this series to help children retain the information?
We plan to do a word search book in the future.
What is the hardest part for you about writing the books in this series?
It is starting to be time. We have started creating Nurse Florence for Beginning Readers books to help 4 and 5 year old access very basic health information. We are converting all of our general science books into this series. Visit www.nurseflorence.org for the latest info.
What topics can readers expect to see in the future from Nurse Florence? How do you decide what the next book will be about?
We are about to publish a book on pneumonia. We have started discussing the need to eat a balanced diet to eat the numerous essential vitamins our body needs. People can check out Nurse Florence, Why Do I Need to Eat Vitamin C? at www.lulu.com. Many of the upcoming Nurse Florence titles were picked because the disease affects the assigned illustrators’ families. We are not only discussing common diseases like Type 2 Diabetes, but also rare diseases like Polymicrogyria.
Author Links: Goodreads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
The Magic of Christmas
In Santa’s Magical Reindeer: Becoming Pen Pals, when Santa’s reindeer search for pen pals, they find three young girls with whom they form lasting friendships. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for my first Christmas book has been my 3 beautiful daughters, Corryn, Kylie, and McKenna. I have always loved the magic of Christmas, and I wanted to amplify that with my girls. I wanted them to feel the magical power and imagination that brings Christmas to life. My kids were always inquisitive. We had woods in our backyard, and deer would calmly walk around late at night and early morning. That inspired me to the concept of Santa’s reindeer doing check-ins for Santa and engaging with my kids by becoming their pen pals. My kids dove into letter writing, drawing check-ins, and asking such fascinating questions to Dasher, Prancer, and Vixen. I so enjoyed writing back to them, and I saw their magical creativity blossom into this beautiful Christmas tradition.
The art in this book is fantastic it reminded me of my own childhood and eagerly watching the old classic animated Christmas stories. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Prabir Sarkar?
For the artwork, I had a vision of the creative works for the story. Prabir was able to take my descriptors and bring them to animated life. He listened to what I wanted the see and feel and was able to translate it magically onto the page. We enjoyed working together and sharing our passion for storytelling and Christmas. We had so much fun making this story translate through the artwork.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
I so admire the innocent, vulnerable creativity children have.
Having a pen pal can be a great way for young kids to develop their creativity, as well as other skills and values. I wanted the kids to always tap into their creativity, imagination, writing, and drawing. You are never too young or old to ask questions and create dialogue.
I see a portion of the sales from this book is being donated to Kids in Crisis. Can you tell readers more about this organization and why it is an important group for you to support?
Kids are amazing human beings that have the right to be safe and thrive. Unfortunately, so many kids are facing adversity, and when kids are homeless they lack the physical, mental, medical, and educational support they need. Kids in Crisis is there 24 hours a day to help kids in any form of crisis. This can range from homelessness and domestic and emotional abuse to hunger. I want kids to have housing, medical and therapeutic support, to be kids, to live, dream, explore, learn, build positive relationships, and live in a safe world. I want to be part of the solution to making their lives better.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Amazon
sleighbellcity.com
Facebook: Sleigh Bell City
Instagram: sleighbellcity
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to Kids in Crisis.
kidsincrisis.org
Bullet’s Adventure: Chasing Sobekneferu
Victoria Ray’s Bullet’s Adventure: Chasing Sobekneferu weaves an unconventional narrative, blending elements of mystery and fantasy with an eccentric cast of characters. The story follows Bullet Harmless, a man whose mundane life is upended when he is unexpectedly employed as a private investigator by a prominent figure in his city. Tasked with unraveling the mystery behind a murdered rare insect and missing diamonds, Bullet finds himself entangled in a web of chaos and danger involving a vast criminal network.
The novel begins with limited context, focusing initially on Bullet’s everyday life, hinting at a conventional plotline. However, Ray rapidly diverges from this path, introducing a surreal world inhabited by uniquely named characters, anthropomorphic insects, and references to Egyptian mythology. The settings and events change rapidly, challenging the reader to keep pace with the evolving narrative.
Ray’s writing style is vibrant and imaginative, though at times, the plot’s complexity and the multitude of characters introduced can feel overwhelming. The central theme of Bullet seeking his ideal companion is a consistent thread, but the continual introduction of new characters and subplots adds layers of complexity to the story. This richness of ideas is ambitious and requires a reader’s full attention.
The book’s distinct style is a departure from conventional storytelling, offering a unique experience. It’s a crime fiction novel that will resonate with readers looking for something out of the ordinary. Ray’s novel has the potential to captivate those who appreciate unconventional and imaginative storytelling.
Pages: 193 | ASIN: B0CJP8BL9H
Capable of Big Dreams
In T-Rex and Tuck Explore Outer Space, a young boy and his pet dinosaur teach readers about celestial bodies while embarking on an imaginary journey into outer space. What inspired you to write this children’s book?
The inspiration for the entire T-Rex and Tuck Explore series comes from my son, Tucker. He has always been fascinated with outer space and the moon. He received a telescope for his birthday last year which inspired this particular story.
Imagination is such an integral part of childhood. Are any of your own childhood imaginings part of T-Rex and Tuck’s story?
I remember having a love for outer space facts when I was a child. There was one book in particular that was a favorite of mine because of the sheer size of the book. It was approximately 20×16 and with the pictures of different types of galaxies and planets, I have always found it all awe-inspiring. I would use that book and pretend to teach my students (at the time that meant my baby dolls) about the universe. So, I guess with those childhood memories along with my son’s interest, this book was destined to exist.
What is one thing you would like young readers to take away from this book?
I hope this story inspires young readers to use their imagination. Pretend play is such an important part of childhood. I hope every reader takes away the belief in themselves at the end of the story as well. I end all of my books and my in-person readings with positive affirmations. “I am brave. I am strong. I am smart. I am kind.” I truly hope as my author journey continues that one of the biggest takeaways for all readers is a belief that they are capable of big dreams.
Can we expect to see more from T-Rex and Tuck soon? When will your next book be available?
I am very excited about the next T-Rex and Tuck book that will be available in time for the holidays. T-Rex and Tuck Explore the Kitchen is the title of book 3. T-Rex and Tuck bake a cake with Tuck’s mom. They not only make a delicious cake but quite a mess as well. This particular story will help young readers understand the importance of patience and how much fun baking can be especially when you do it with people you love.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Amazon
LITERARY TITAN 