Blog Archives
Intricate Mysteries
Stolen Secrets follows a determined ranch manager with a deep-seated distrust of oil companies who reluctantly forms a partnership with a former special ops man when vandalism and murder show up on her doorstep. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The book is a fictionalized mash-up of three separate situations that occurred in different parts of the state in different decades.
Down in South Texas in the late 1990s, I had the privilege of taking a lease from a severed mineral owner (only in this case, a very nice person). The surface owner and ranch manager was a super- smart, capable woman who was an ardent environmentalist and totally hated oil companies. She was not a happy rancher when I came along. She has since passed away, but I was lucky to have known both her and the person I took the lease from.
I spent a lot of time in West Texas in Menard County, Texas, where the annual festival is Jim Bowie Days. Everyone in the two counties in every direction has heard about the lost silver mine. I loved the story.
The terrible corruption comes from Duval County in deep South Texas, where George Parr, and later his son, Archer Parr, and Archer’s one-time henchman, Clinton Manges, ruled the county with horrendous corruption from the 1940s through the 1980s. George and, later, Archer were called the Dukes of Duval. Archer went to prison and then committed suicide. Clinton died penniless in a nursing home in San Antonio. One of my closest colleagues worked for the Trustee as the land manager for the Manges Liquidating Trust when the ranch was forced into bankruptcy and liquidated to pay Manges’s creditors.
I enjoyed the romantic enemies-to-lovers relationship between Sarah and Ethan. How did their relationship develop while you were writing it? Did you have an idea of where you wanted to take it, or was it organic?
I am not a pantser. I can’t imagine how mysteries can be written without clue maps, chapter outlines, scene details, etc. Every aspect of the story is planned to the nth detail before I ever start writing. I have a fantastic editor who helps me box the entire outline into shape, scene by scene, before I even write the first sentence.
How did you balance the action scenes with the story elements and still keep a fast pace in the story?
Pacing is not my strong suit. I rely on my editor, Laura Barth, to crack the whip on me for pacing. She’s a task master on story structure and keeping things moving. I tend to meandering wordiness without adult supervision.
When will Book Two be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
The whole trilogy is out. All three books are standalones featuring women in science, heroes who think they’re cool, and intricate mysteries inspired by events in my career or experiences of my colleagues. They can be read in any order. They are all enemies-to-lovers stories.
Book 2, Burning Secrets, is the story of a chemical engineer working to shut down a polluting paper mill in East Texas. To save the town, she is forced into an uneasy alliance with the undercover PI hired by the mill’s lawyer to stop her.
Book 3, Buried Secrets, is set in my hometown of San Antonio. It is the story of a straight- laced architect/city historic preservationist dealing with the discovery of old (and new) skeletons during excavation for new construction in the historic King William area of town. To identify the victims, she is forced to work with a disgraced homicide detective whose career is hanging on by a thread.
All three books are available individually on Amazon and as a box set.
The hero and the Deputy Chief of Police in Buried Secrets carry over to the new Iris Raines mystery series, and both appear in the series debut novel, Hell to Pay.
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Her brother is missing. Her ranch is burning.
And the only man who can save her…is the one she swore she’d never trust.
🔥 Enemies-to-Lovers
🔥 Forced Trust
🔥 Romantic Suspense
When West Texas rancher Sarah Chandler finds herself battling an oilfield fire and the sudden disappearance of her brother, the last person she wants by her side is Ethan Tanner—a former special ops soldier turned oil company man with secrets of his own.
But when a murderer strikes on her land, Sarah and Ethan are forced into a dangerous partnership. Every step closer to the truth puts them deeper in the killer’s crosshairs—and every stolen glance ignites a passion neither can resist.
As the fires close in and the killer circles closer, will Sarah and Ethan uncover the truth before it consumes them both?
Love edge-of-your-seat suspense, enemies-to-lovers tension, and the rugged grit of Texas? Stolen Secrets delivers heart-pounding danger, fiery romance, and a story you won’t forget.
Dive into Stolen Secrets, Book 1 of the Deadly Secrets Texas Trilogy today—and discover a complete, standalone romantic suspense series you won’t want to put down.
🏆Award-Winning Finalist — Next Best Read Writing Contest, June 2025
🏆Gold Book Award — Literary Titan Book Award for Fiction, December 2025
Born Again American Megan
Born Again American: Megan is one of those books that sneaks up on you. At first, it feels like a quiet, character-driven story about reconnecting with someone from your past, but it quickly turns into something much deeper and more emotional. The opening chapters set a vivid scene in Alaska and immediately pull you into Isaac and Megan’s shared history, making their unfinished high school bond feel authentic and unresolved. The writing is straightforward and easy to sink into, which makes the emotional moments hit harder because they don’t feel forced or over-polished.
Megan, in particular, is a raw and painfully honest character. Her struggles with grief, addiction, depression, and self-worth are portrayed in a way that feels uncomfortable at times, but that’s kind of the point. She isn’t written as a “fixed” or sanitized version of someone going through trauma. Instead, she’s messy, sarcastic, defensive, and deeply human. Isaac works well as a counterbalance to her chaos, bringing steadiness and patience without coming across as some unrealistic savior figure.
What really stands out is how the book handles healing. There’s no overnight transformation or miracle cure. Progress comes in small, uneven steps, going to the gym, sharing meals, and talking instead of running away. The relationship builds slowly, grounded in friendship and trust before anything romantic takes center stage. Even when the story leans into intimacy, it feels like an extension of emotional connection rather than the main attraction.
Born Again American: Megan is a heartfelt, sometimes heavy read that rewards patience. It’s not just a romance, and it’s not just a redemption story, it’s a mix of both, anchored by believable characters and emotional honesty. If you enjoy stories about second chances, personal rebuilding, and relationships that grow through shared struggle rather than perfection, this book is worth your time.
Pages: 145 | ASIN: B0G75T3YLD
Literary Titan Book Award: Fiction
The Literary Titan Book Award honors books that exhibit exceptional storytelling and creativity. This award celebrates novelists who craft compelling narratives, create memorable characters, and weave stories that captivate readers. The recipients are writers who excel in their ability to blend imagination with literary skill, creating worlds that enchant and narratives that linger long after the final page is turned.
Award Recipients
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan Silver Book Awards
Celebrating the brilliance of outstanding authors who have captivated us with their skillful prose, engaging narratives, and compelling real and imagined characters. We recognize books that stand out for their innovative storytelling and insightful exploration of truth and fiction. Join us in honoring the dedication and skill of these remarkable authors as we celebrate the diverse and rich worlds they’ve brought to life, whether through the realm of imagination or the lens of reality.
Award Recipients
Losing Mom by Peggy Ottman
This Is For MY Glory: A Story of Fatherlessness, Failure, Grace, and Redemption
Toil and Trouble by Brian Starr
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Blue Jeans and Lavender Gowns
A. W. Anthony’s Blue Jeans and Lavender Gowns follows Terry Deitz as he grows up in small–town Illinois during the 70s and 80s. The story tracks his friendships, his awkward steps toward romance, and his slow discovery of who he wants to be. The heart of the book sits in his connection with Debbie Douglas, a quiet farm girl who surprises him again and again. Much of the book lives inside everyday moments. School hallways. Study hall banter. Football games. Long drives on dark country roads. It all builds a picture of simple places where small choices shape a whole life.
I felt myself leaning in as I read because the writing has this easy, steady flow that feels honest. Sometimes it rambles the way teenagers talk, and sometimes it snaps into sharp little moments that hit harder than expected. The author keeps the language simple, but the emotions run deep. I appreciated how Anthony lets Terry speak for himself without polishing his thoughts. He admits fear. He overthinks things. He wants to do the right thing, then stumbles. That made him feel real to me. Debbie felt real, too. She works hard. She hides her nerves. She wants kindness more than anything. Watching them circle closer together gave me a warm, hopeful feeling.
The book looks at family pressure, faith, and the everyday pain that people try to hide. Some of the scenes surprised me with how tense or tender they got. I liked how the author handles faith with a light touch. The characters lean on God without turning the story into a sermon. It shows how young people try to make sense of love, fear, failure, and forgiveness. The dialogue sometimes made me laugh, and the charm of the book carried me through.
By the time I finished, I felt like I had spent time with people I might actually know. That is what made the story work for me. I would recommend Blue Jeans and Lavender Gowns to readers who enjoy wholesome romance, small–town nostalgia, and stories that unfold gently. Teens and adults who like clean Christian fiction would enjoy it most. If you want a book that feels warm and sincere, with characters that you’ll keep thinking about, this one is worth reading.
Pages: 271 | ASIN : B0FZ2V62J7
The Sound of Violet, 10th Anniversary Edition
Allen Wolf’s The Sound of Violet follows Shawn, a young autistic programmer who longs for connection, and Violet, a woman trapped in exploitation who hides behind a practiced charm. Their worlds collide in ways that neither one expects, and the story weaves romance with themes of trauma, hope, misunderstanding, and the hard work of seeing someone for who they truly are. It moves between humor and heartbreak with surprising ease, and the plot leans into both the sweetness and the messiness of love.
I found myself rooting for Shawn almost immediately. His inner life felt vivid. His sensitivity to color and sound created moments that were oddly beautiful, and I kept pausing to imagine how overwhelming the world must feel to him. I liked how the writing didn’t try to polish his edges. It let him be blunt and awkward and sincere. Those traits gave the story its emotional heartbeat. Violet’s chapters hit me differently. I felt the tension behind her confidence. I felt the fear tucked between her jokes. The writing made her pain feel present even when she tried to hide it, and that contrast kept me pulled in. I caught myself more than once whispering, “Please get out of there” as her world closed in on her.
What surprised me most was how simple the prose often felt while carrying so much weight. Scenes slid quickly from funny to tense, and I liked that the book didn’t pretend those shifts were unusual. Life works like that sometimes. A moment is warm, then it isn’t. A date feels hopeful, then it falls apart. The story’s rhythm captured that truth, and it kept me leaning forward. I also found myself getting irritated with certain characters, which I count as a success. The book wanted me to feel the discomfort of exploitation and the sting of people who misunderstand others. It worked. I felt it.
By the end, I was glad I stayed with the story. It made me think about how people judge each other, and how much quieter the world becomes when someone finally listens. I would recommend The Sound of Violet to readers who enjoy heartfelt romances, stories about neurodivergent characters, or narratives that explore heavy themes with gentleness. It would also appeal to book clubs that like talking about big emotions and complicated choices.
Pages: 319 | ASIN : B0FMP438MV
Engineering the Puzzle
The Asset Within follows a CIA case officer who receives life-altering intelligence from an Iranian defector during a routine debrief, resulting in her alignment with a team that includes the man who once broke her heart. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I’m a Black woman and a former CIA officer, and I wanted to write a thriller that felt emotionally true to that world. The seed of the story came from what it felt like to be the only Black graduate in my training class. I carried both pride and pressure at the same time, and constantly navigated the unspoken dynamics that come with being “the only.”
From there, I wanted to explore a kind of love story I don’t see often enough: the complicated patriotism many Black Americans live with—serving a country you believe in, even when you’ve also been asked to endure its blind spots. The Iranian defector and the intelligence drop are the spark, but the heart of the setup is what happens when duty collides with history…and Andy is forced back into close orbit with the man who once broke her heart.
What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing a thriller? The most rewarding?
The hardest part is engineering the puzzle aspect of a thriller. I’m not a natural outliner, so I draft by instinct first, and then I have to go back and make sure every twist is earned, the clues are seeded, and the pacing stays tight without cheating the reader. Continuity is the invisible work in thrillers.
The most rewarding part is immersing myself in the story. When it’s clicking, I feel like I’m inside the scene with the characters. My heart races, I feel what it’s like to make impossible decisions, and when readers tell me they couldn’t put it down or were shocked about twists and turns they didn’t see coming – that is the best feeling.
What was the inspiration for the love story and the connection the characters have?
The love story came from watching what this kind of work does to people. Espionage isn’t just dangerous—it’s isolating. It demands secrecy, long absences, and a level of emotional compartmentalization that can strain even the strongest relationships. And yet I’ve seen couples make it, but the bond has to be more than chemistry. It has to be trust under pressure.
Andy and Cameron’s connection is rooted in history and in shared understanding: they both know what it costs to serve, and they both carry scars from how that service shaped them. Their story is also personal for me. It’s inspired by a relationship from my own life—one that didn’t last—but I used that emotional truth to write the version of the love story that could survive in this world.
I find a problem in well-written stories, in that I always want there to be another book to keep the story going. Is there a second book planned?
Absolutely. Book Two in the Global Security Series is planned for Spring 2026, and it takes Andy and Cameron into an even bigger operation—higher stakes, deeper consequences, and a relationship that has to hold under real pressure. They’ll get one more book to complete their arc, and then Theo gets his moment. His story kicks off with a teaser at the end of Book Two, and I can’t wait for readers to meet him in a bigger way.
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CIA Officer Andy Lynam returns home after an intelligence operation goes horribly wrong. When she becomes the target of the insidious international terrorist network Solaris, one with the power to manipulate fractures within her own agency, she realizes her badge alone can’t protect her.
To survive, Andy aligns herself with a covert team of global security officers to expose corruption at the highest levels and bring the terrorist organization down.
But when that team includes her ex-boyfriend, GSO Cameron Landry, old flames reignite. This romantic spy thriller is packed with second chances, forced proximity, workplace tension, and soul-deep romance.
Let the Story Unfold
Forbidden Runes follows a girl stolen from her royal past and raised in hiding, who grows into a bold young woman using forbidden rune magic to save others, till she is faced with the man she both fears and loves. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My inspiration for this novel was a combination of a couple of TV shows that I was watching at the time, along with a few novels that I was reading or had read. Your review seemed to pick up a couple of those inspirational items, which surprised me. I did not believe that I was successful in adding those elements into the story, but I am happy to see that I did.
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?
I don’t want to give too much away, but the setting came from the thought of what happens to magical places when the magic starts dying out. I set this on a ‘small island’ in this world. The magic is dying, although the characters don’t know it. The thing I love about science fiction and fantasy is that I can make anything happen. I hope the changes that take place in the next book will surprise the readers.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I don’t write like other authors. Most authors begin with an outline, with themes, etc. When I write, I base my story on a character and how that character shows me events unfolding. In this book, I didn’t start with a main theme. I knew I wanted it to be on the love story for Anna and Ben, and I knew I wanted the Rune powers to be prevalent. After that, I let the story unfold as I wrote.
When will Book Two be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
I am working on book two now and hope to have it ready by September 2026 (if my day job doesn’t get too busy). Book Two will bring to light that the magic was slowly dying off and how they can bring it back to life. It will also expand the setting greatly. More information on the Rune powers will be brought to light along with a few new characters.
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Ben has been hoping that one day he will find his missing childhood love. He never dreamed that they would find her smuggling a caster child out of his kingdom. Now his struggle is to get her to remember her past, avoid a marriage to the new princess of the bordering kingdom, solve the blight issue with his crops, and reunite the two kingdoms. Can his love for Anna be enough to solve all these problems?
LITERARY TITAN 