Blog Archives
Adventures in Online Dating: True Stories from the Shallow End of the Dating Pool
Adventures in Online Dating is a hilarious and raw chronicle of one woman’s plunge into the unpredictable world of online dating. Through a series of short, punchy stories, S.E. Linn lays out the good, the bad, and the utterly bizarre encounters she’s had while swiping, matching, and meeting strangers. Each chapter reads like a cautionary tale, equal parts outrageous comedy and quiet confession, with lessons tacked on at the end that feel both tongue-in-cheek and hard-won. The tone is cheeky and confessional, and it never takes itself too seriously. Still, beneath all the cringe-worthy moments and wild characters, there’s a steady thread of resilience and humor that ties it together.
I found myself laughing in places, then wincing in secondhand embarrassment in others. The writing is sharp, conversational, and brutally honest. There’s no glossing over details, even when they make the storyteller look vulnerable or naïve, and that’s what makes it feel so real. Some stories had me howling, like the cat-hair-covered horror show, while others left me shaking my head at how bad people can be at basic decency. At times, it felt like swapping stories with a friend over wine, where the laughter helps mask the sting of frustration underneath. That intimacy pulled me in.
What I especially liked is how the author doesn’t play the victim. She frames these trainwrecks of dates as both ridiculous and educational, a way to laugh at what would otherwise be disheartening. That perspective made the book oddly uplifting. I’ll admit, though, there were moments where the humor veered into the absurd, and I had to pause to decide if I was amused or disturbed. That unpredictability is part of its charm. It’s messy and chaotic, just like dating itself, and it’s refreshing to see it told without the usual sugarcoating or cliché happy endings.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who has braved the trenches of online dating or is curious about what really happens when you dive into the apps. It’s perfect for readers who like their memoirs raw, funny, and a little outrageous. If you’ve ever needed reassurance that your own dating misadventures aren’t the worst ones out there, this book will make you feel seen and keep you laughing all the way through.
Pages: 105 | ASIN : B0FFNQ8NY9
Cats of Ulthar – A Tale Reimagined
The story in this riveting graphic novel follows a family of cats on the eve of returning home, where a father recounts to his children the tale of their grandfather. What begins as a bedtime story quickly becomes a dark memory of captivity, vengeance, and rebirth. Through a mix of folklore and horror, the grandfather’s story shifts from being a tale of survival to one of transformation, wrath, and liberation, ultimately leading to the cats’ uprising and the claiming of Ulthar as their own. It’s framed as a fable meant to soothe children, but the truth hidden beneath is haunting and violent.
I felt the writing carried a sharp edge. The narration had a mythic quality, but it didn’t feel distant. It gripped me with its bluntness, its willingness to hold nothing back. I found myself unsettled, yet strangely compelled. The pacing worked in waves. Quiet moments of family warmth gave way to gut-punch images of horror and then swelled into something almost triumphant. The ideas in the story were compelling. Comfort as a prison, freedom as something bought in blood, and vengeance as both a curse and a gift. Those thoughts stuck with me long after closing the book.
The art and writing played well together; each panel really captures the scene beautifully. I appreciated the artistic way it conveyed the sense of dread. What I really enjoyed about this book was the tone. It never preached, it never softened. Instead, it whispered through shadow and silence. The ideas about rage and justice made me uneasy, though in the best way. I felt torn, both rooting for the cats and recoiling at the brutality. The line between freedom and cruelty blurred, and that tension made the story more than just a horror tale. It made it human, even though it was about cats.
Cats of Ulthar left me shaken and thoughtful. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy dark fables, horror, and fans of H.P. Lovecraft. It’s for those who want a story that claws at them a little, one that scratches the surface and digs into the tender parts beneath. If you like tales that balance beauty with terror, this graphic novel is for you.
Pages: 26 | ASIN : B0FMC1X9J1
Well, Mama, This is It (it’s Now Or Never)
Well, Mama, This is It (it’s Now Or Never) is unlike anything I’ve read before. It’s part confession, part storytelling, and part letter-writing, all stitched together with raw honesty and a strong emotional pulse. The book moves between voices, sometimes it’s a teenage boy writing to his grandmother, other times it’s a young woman chasing a dream life, or even a haunting personal tale of loss and survival. At its heart, though, the book is a letter to her mother, a brave and vulnerable coming-out story wrapped in poetry, reflections on love, faith, and the messy business of being human.
In “A Story of a Friend of a Friend,” when Adaina shares her journey from being a teacher to a stripper, the descriptions are almost cinematic. She writes about smoky eye makeup, French pedicures, and stepping into the strip club as if it were a Hollywood set. It’s dazzling, but then the tone flips as she describes the loneliness and danger behind the glamour, and suddenly I was pulled from the surface glitter into the heavy silence of regret. That swing between fantasy and reality is something the book does again and again, and it made me feel the same kind of emotional whiplash she must have lived through.
I also loved the way she mingles imagination with truth. Take “Secret Agent (Voodoo Princess),” where Rebecca Tanon, a demon-child-turned-undercover-agent, blurs the line between folklore and personal reflection. At first, I thought it was a sharp left turn into fiction, but it clicked for me as a metaphor for how heavy family expectations and inherited trauma can feel like being born with a mission you never asked for. The story gave me chills, not just because of the supernatural edge, but because of what it revealed about how powerless a child can feel in the hands of adults.
In “To My Newest Pen Pal, Jant Leaps,” Adaina writes a heartfelt letter that evolves into a romantic confession, blending vulnerability with defiance against judgment. In “Sexual Orientation,” she reflects on faith, family, and identity, ultimately affirming that love is sacred regardless of gender. She weaves in verses about love, love with a woman who makes her feel free, love that pulls her away from Hennessy and Ecstasy, love that feels holy even when the world insists it’s wrong. There’s vulnerability in her admission, “I never thought I could fall in love with Eve’s gender,” but also defiance when she insists, “Yes, I am a Christian, but my religion is kindness.” That blend of fear, yearning, and courageous self-acceptance struck me deeply. It’s not polished in the way mainstream memoirs often are, but that’s what makes it powerful. It feels like a real letter, one that trembles with truth.
In the end, I walked away from this book feeling like I had just sat across from someone who didn’t hold anything back. It’s raw. It’s uneven at times. But it’s alive with feeling, and that’s rare. I’d recommend this book to anyone who craves honesty in writing, teens struggling with self-expression, readers curious about queer coming-of-age stories, or anyone who wants to feel less alone in their own mess of faith, love, and identity. It’s not a book for someone looking for clean lines or tidy endings, but if you’re okay with sitting in the chaos of someone else’s truth, then Well, Mama, This is It (it’s Now Or Never) will move you the way it moved me.
Pages: 51 | ASIN : B0DT7FZS7Q
Compassion and Vulnerability
Dark District Primer: Duology on the Lore and Lure of the Dark District combines two novellas, Sojourn and Take Me Now, weaving personal identity with fantasy, Filipino folklore with urban life, and spiritual questions with surreal encounters. What was the inspiration for these stories?
For Sojourn, I wrote it in a time of grief when my father passed away. And so most of the things that I wanted to say and wanted to do were all poured into that novella as well as the emotions involved in such a given circumstance. Writing it was both an affirmation for me in being the son that I am and the son that he wanted. He was the first one to acknowledge my writing growing up. Perhaps he already knew something even before I knew who I was.
For Take Me Now, I wanted to incorporate the world that I have established and expound on it and give it more spice and relationship-driven. While Sojourn was written first, it was Take Me Now that was first published and I had to go back and tweak Sojourn in order that it would mirror the world that I wanted to establish.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
I love it when we show our humanity both through compassion and vulnerability. Compassion when we are able to put ourselves in the shoes of others to either feel their weakness in order to give them a little bit of our strength so that we help sustain them and what they need to do and vulnerability when it is our time to be on the receiving end of the help and empathy we give to others.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
As my father’s passing was the catalyst for me to be more introspective and re-examine my writing, it was both my feelings of grief, honesty and self-identity that I wanted to explore more in Sojourn while framing it within a created universe that has touchpoints in Philippine Folklore. In any relationship, being true and comfortable with oneself is one of the pillars in making it work. Lose that or postpone that form of self-affirmation then the foundation to establishing a relationship with another falls apart.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
My next book is the next installment of the Tales from the Dark District series, entitled Take My Heart, and is being targeted for a FALL 2026 release. Along with that I shall also resume work on my New Adult series, which will also be set within the Dark District Universe.
Author Links: GoodReads | X | Instagram | Facebook | Website
By C.J. Edmunds
Welcome to the Dark District. A place where magic hides in plain sight, and desire leads you deeper into the unknown.
In this atmospheric duology by C.J. Edmunds, two queer protagonists are drawn into the same hidden world—but under very different circumstances.
🌀 In Sojourn, David Lansing, a half-Filipino call center trainer, suddenly begins seeing visions and a mysterious spirit guide. Haunted by creatures from Philippine folklore—Tikbalang, Aswang, and the White Lady of Balete Drive—he embarks on a magical and existential journey that becomes one of purpose, ancestry, and an invitation to a place where people like him finally belong.
✅ Recommended for ages 16+ due to complex parental and identity themes and supernatural tension.
🔥 In Take Me Now, Alvin is tired of the wrong men, wrong choices, and wrong timing. Until the Dark District opens its doors and gives him more than he bargained for. Steamy encounters, eerie magic, and dark truths collide in this sensual tale of love and self-worth.
⚠️ Recommended for ages 17+ for sensual scenes and mature emotional content.
Whether you crave introspection or intensity, Dark District Primer invites you to step through the veil—and explore what’s waiting on the other side.
This lush and haunting collection explores:
Filipino urban legends reimagined
Queer identity and transformation
Steamy encounters and emotional awakenings
A universe where fantasy, myth, and reality blur
Welcome to the Dark District. You might not want to leave.
Perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, Philippine mythology, and magical realism with queer narratives.
📘 Includes the complete novellas “Sojourn” and “Take Me Now.”
The Meteor Symphony: Stories and Poems
The Meteor Symphony is a colorful mix of short stories, poems, and microfiction, stitched together with music, humor, grief, and hope. It moves from tales of jazz musicians and stolen saxophones to intimate portraits of aging, love, heartbreak, and resilience. Some pieces lean into whimsy, others lean into sorrow, and many hover in the strange, honest space in between. The title story ties it all together with an imaginative search for a lost symphony, but the book itself feels like a symphony of voices, moods, and rhythms.
I enjoyed the range in this book. One page had me laughing at the absurdity of a sax heist, and the next had me sitting with the weight of a widow’s quiet grief. Burke writes with sharp clarity, yet there’s also a looseness in her storytelling that feels natural, like listening to a friend talk late into the night. I loved that she didn’t try to polish away the odd details. People misstep, conversations derail, feelings clash, and it all feels real. At times, the jumps between stories and poems felt a little jarring, but in a way, that’s what made it lively. The collection refuses to settle into one mood.
I also found myself connecting with her fascination with ordinary people. She doesn’t write grand heroes or villains, but flawed, funny, messy people. That resonated with me. Her style is direct but not cold, and she doesn’t shy away from emotions. Some of the poems hit me harder than the stories, brief as they were, because they carried that distilled punch of truth.
I’d say this book is best for readers who like variety, who don’t mind skipping from lighthearted banter to heavier reflections, and who enjoy the intimacy of short-form writing. If you’re open to being surprised, amused, and sometimes gutted all in one sitting, Burke’s collection is worth your time. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves music, who has wrestled with family, or who has ever paused at sunset and felt the ache of beauty and loss in the same breath.
Pages: 114 | ASIN : B0DTJ37FVK
Mood and Mystique
Midnights in October is a collection of thirty-one fifty-five-word tales offering glimpses into the supernatural, giving readers an eerie story to cherish each night in October. What was the inspiration for this unique collection?
October is my favorite month of the year. I love the changing light, the temperature cooling, and the overall anticipation of All Hallows Eve. It occurred to me that having a nightly morsel to read would be a great way to add to the mood and mystique of such a month while enticing us, every night, to spend an hour or two by candlelight making up our own fables on the spot.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in putting together this book?
As Angel Numbers go, five is an intriguing one, and so are double fives. Infected by the notion of combining powerful numbers and words into a spellcasting fest, I committed to keeping my micro-fictions within a 55-word limit. I won’t lie, the revisions were numerous, at least five for each one, and word placement was maddening, but after extensive beta-reading, editing, and proofing, each micro fiction felt just right. It helped that there are specific observances in the month of October, which gave me a ready topic to explore. The other 13 days became a mixture of supernatural slices, wishful thinking, or expressed views.
Do you have a favorite selection from Midnights in October? One that was especially fun to write.
My favorite is October 31, “Halloween.” Every time I read it, I pat myself on the back because it paints such a dreamlike picture. As far as fun ones to write, I’d have to say October 2nd, “The Sky is Falling,” and October 17th, “¡Salud!”
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
My Faerie Legacy series, chronicling the lives of 3 matriarchs in hybrid faery-human family, is currently a trilogy (now available in Spanish), and I’m contemplating writing a 4th book. I’ve barely started the outline process, so it won’t be a 2026 publication— 2027 might be more on the mark.
Author Links: GoodReads | BlueSky | Facebook | Website | Amazon
But words said in October will inevitably conjure a spellcasting fest.
‘Tis the season for lit-tricky-treats, so dive in, make a ritual of it and, on the fly, compose your own nightly fable in fifty-five words or less.
Why fifty-five?
It’s all about the energy double fives lend to the moment or task.
When casting in October, let your words, or the components of your spell, be 55 in number. Its power will infuse your intention with signature energies like adventure, change, development, opportunity, and transformation, all vital when seeking to begin afresh.
The Dark District Primer: Duology on the Lore and Lure of the Dark District
C.J. Edmunds’ Dark District Primer is a strange, soulful, and genre-bending exploration of myth, memory, and magic rooted in the Philippines. It combines two novellas, Sojourn and Take Me Now, weaving personal identity with fantasy, Filipino folklore with urban life, and spiritual questions with surreal encounters. The main narrator, David Lansing, acts as our curious guide, relaying his disorienting journey through magical encounters, visions of cultural archetypes, and confrontations with hidden truths. These experiences are framed through a personal, at times confessional, lens as he is summoned by a supernatural Council to explain his strange awakening in the Dark District.
Reading this felt like peeling through layers of memory, myth, and grief. The writing style is introspective and poetic at times, with bursts of long, flowing paragraphs that spill over with emotion and insight. Edmunds has a real knack for setting scenes that feel alive. The haunting streets of Manila, the hidden halls of the Council, even the surreal blankness of the otherworldly realms. At its heart, though, what struck me most was how much Dark District Primer is about identity, especially queer identity, cultural identity, and spiritual reckoning. I could feel the author writing through pain and purpose, and while some parts meandered or repeated themselves, the raw honesty kept me hooked. The lore is fascinating, especially the blending of Filipino myths like the Tikbalang and Manananggal with modern, urban queer life.
The ending of Take Me Now leaves just enough unanswered that I found myself eager to dive into the next chapter of the story. That brings me to Take My Hand, the upcoming installment teased at the end of the book. The preview promises bigger stakes and deeper dives into the lore. Take My Hand promises to have more world-building and capitalize on the lore in the introspective tone that I enjoyed.
There were times when whole pages spiraled into inner monologue, and the pacing slowed in the second half of Sojourn, where narrative momentum gave way to philosophical reflection. Edmunds isn’t just telling a story, he’s sharing something personal and vulnerable. You can feel the care and love he has for the lore, the community, and the craft.
I’d recommend this book to readers who want something different. If you like urban fantasy with depth, or if you’re curious about queer stories grounded in Southeast Asian myth, this will hit home. It’s not a quick read, but it rewards with a haunting and heartfelt experience. Especially for queer readers, Filipino readers, or anyone feeling caught between two worlds.
Pages: 298 | ASIN : B0FDGS86JT
Side Quest: Stories
Jalyn Renae Fiske’s Side Quest is a spellbinding short story collection that threads together the fantastical, the bizarre, the sorrowful, and the hopeful into a vivid tapestry of speculative fiction. Each tale feels like its own little world, yet they all orbit the same sun. Stories about transformation, identity, and the human ache to find meaning in magic, or at least something just beyond reach. From haunted boxes that hold hearts to candy that can bend reality, Fiske’s writing thrives in liminal spaces where myth rubs up against memory and childhood wonder is soaked through with grown-up grief.
Fiske writes like she’s pulling you by the hand into each scene, whispering truths you’re not sure you’re supposed to know. The imagery is lush and often strange in the best way. Raw, dreamlike, sometimes grotesque, but always beautiful. Her story “Soul Candy” was one of my favorites. It dances between sci-fi satire and horror with a slow burn that leaves a pit in your stomach. It’s not just about mood-altering sweets; it’s about how easy it is to surrender yourself to illusion when reality offers so little warmth. And then there are stories like “Heart Box” that broke me open quietly, like a poem with a knife tucked between the lines. Fiske writes grief with a tenderness that hurts. She captures children in these moments of impossible emotion and makes them feel completely real. And she never talks down to her characters or her readers.
A couple of the stories leaned into allegory or felt like exercises in style rather than fully lived-in worlds. But even then, the writing kept me in it. Fiske knows her craft. She’s playful, she’s weird, and she’s sharp. I also loved the way she framed the whole collection as her “side quests,” which made me think differently about short stories, not as detours but as power-ups, each one leveling up the voice of a writer who’s still growing and pushing herself.
I’d recommend Side Quest to anyone who loves speculative fiction with a soft heart and a sharp edge. Fans of Kelly Link or Carmen Maria Machado stories will feel right at home here. If you’ve ever wanted to disappear into a story that feels like it a dream, this collection is a must.
Pages: 227 | ASIN : B0DKCYY7LG
LITERARY TITAN 