Blog Archives
Everyone! In the Dream! Is You!
Adam Dove’s Everyone! In the Dream! Is You! is a sharp and intimate collection of interconnected short stories that grapple with identity, masculinity, memory, and the messiness of love. Told in a poetic yet plainly honest style, the book moves between dreamlike surrealism and raw psychological insight. From sculptors binding lovers in clay to children descending into the earth searching for their lost fathers, Dove’s stories weave together fragile characters trying to anchor themselves in shifting emotional terrain. The title story is both a literal and metaphorical encapsulation of the collection; everyone, in every dream, might be a projection of the self.
What struck me most about Dove’s writing is how intimately he writes about emotional discomfort. The dialogue has the cadence of real relationships, awkward, evasive, and occasionally brutal. The prose feels lived-in, worn at the edges like a favorite coat, which makes the moments of beauty hit even harder. There’s an undercurrent of melancholy in every story, but it’s not melodramatic. It’s quiet. It creeps in during a pause between conversations or in the way a character stops mid-sentence. I found myself rereading passages just to sit in the strange sadness of them.
Dove doesn’t shy away from power imbalances, codependency, or emotional manipulation, especially between men and women. At times, I questioned whether the intimacy bordered on claustrophobia. But that discomfort seems intentional. Dove isn’t trying to offer easy takeaways or comforting conclusions; he’s holding up a mirror, and not everything in it is pretty. And that honesty, to me, is what makes the book worth reading.
I’d recommend Everyone! In the Dream! Is You! to readers who appreciate literary fiction that takes emotional risks. It’s perfect for fans of Raymond Carver or Carmen Maria Machado. If you’ve ever loved someone too hard or felt yourself coming undone trying to be who someone else needed, these stories will resonate. They left me feeling unsettled and weirdly grateful. And that, I think, is the mark of something good.
Pages: 208 | ASIN : B0DY69TB2M
Three Encounters of the Romantic Kind
In Three Encounters of a Romantic Kind, TG Gore takes us on a deeply personal journey through the three major romantic relationships of his life. The narrative captures moments of serendipity, heartbreak, and enduring connection, spanning decades. From a youthful love in 1962 to a middle-aged partnership that ends tragically, and finally, an unexpected May-December romance later in life, Gore reflects on love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit.
What struck me first about this book is the candidness with the recounting of his relationships. The first encounter, with Emily, is bittersweet, young love blooming amid professional aspirations, only to unravel under the weight of time and circumstance. The descriptions of their beachside meeting are vivid, almost cinematic. He captures the giddy optimism of new love, tempered by the knowledge of its eventual collapse. His honesty about their troubled marriage, culminating in divorce, is refreshing and painfully human.
The second encounter, with Elaine, is my favorite part of the book. It’s a testament to second chances and the transformative power of love. The portrayal of Elaine is tender and heartfelt, and their meeting through a personal ad feels almost like fate. He shares moments of profound connection, from their first date’s shared love of music to Elaine’s unyielding support of his career. The emotional weight of this section deepens when Elaine falls ill. The anguish is palpable, and his profession’s inability to save her is a cruel irony that lingers long after the final page of their story.
The third encounter is where the tone of the book shifts dramatically. Gore’s openness about seeking physical connection on a dating website is bold, though at times bordering on indulgent. His romance with Veronica, a much younger woman, challenges societal norms and raises questions about compatibility, power dynamics, and the nature of desire. While the age gap is stark, his affection for Veronica feels genuine. However, the details of their intimacy may feel excessive to some readers, detracting from the emotional core of their relationship. The writing is straightforward and conversational, which makes the book an easy read. It oscillates between heartfelt introspection and overly detailed anecdotes that might not resonate with everyone. I feel the medical jargon sprinkled throughout seems somewhat out of place in what is primarily a romantic memoir.
Three Encounters of a Romantic Kind is a heartfelt exploration of love in its many forms: youthful infatuation, enduring partnership, and passionate reinvention. Gore’s reflections will resonate with readers who have experienced the highs and lows of love. The book is a touching reminder that love, in all its imperfections, is worth pursuing.
Pages: 28
Vivid Visions: Tales Woven from the Threads of Diverse Imaginations: A Short Story Collection
Vivid Visions by Seyed Mosayeb Alam is a vibrant anthology of short stories that dives deep into the complexities of the human experience. From supernatural mysteries to poignant reflections on love and loss, each tale is a mosaic of emotions and ideas. The collection thrives on its ability to unsettle and provoke thought, leaving readers with lingering questions about their own memories, regrets, and fears.
The writing in this book is fantastic, blending vivid imagery with an emotional depth that hits home. For instance, in “The Memory Auction,” Alam crafts a haunting narrative about Elara, whose purchase of a memory sparks a desperate quest for meaning. The scene where Elara holds a memory of a child calling her “Mom” is heartbreakingly evocative and sets the tone for the collection’s exploration of identity and loss. The way Alam interweaves personal grief with speculative elements feels raw and authentic.
The ideas behind the stories often resonate more than the execution. In “Unseen Bruises,” the metaphor of physical marks appearing from emotional wounds is compelling and the story’s twist—revealing the protagonist’s connection to her own imagined tormentor—was intriguing. But I found myself torn between admiration for the story’s ambition and a desire for tighter pacing. Alam seems most at ease when leaning into psychological unease, but occasionally the plots meander, diluting their emotional punch.
One of my favorite stories, “Love’s Last Dance,” is where the collection truly shines. Michael’s tender final moments with his wife, who mistakes him for her first love, is very moving. The emotional complexity is staggering, as he chooses to accept her fading memories rather than shatter her joy. This story encapsulates the theme of selflessness in love and left me teary-eyed, reflecting on the nature of relationships and identity.
Vivid Visions is a book for anyone who enjoys fiction that blends speculative and emotional elements. It’s perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman or Ray Bradbury—authors who similarly explore the strange and beautiful intersections of reality and imagination. The collection as a whole succeeds in painting a rich tapestry of human vulnerability. Alam’s writing is heartfelt, his imagination vivid, and his ability to stir reflection is undeniable.
Pages: 171 | ASIN: B0DRGJHT55
Happiness Isn’t a Destination
I Just Want to Be Happy is a Self-Help guide that offers readers practical, fun & relatable strategies to boost mental well-being based on the latest information in neuroscience. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I wrote I Just Want to Be Happy because as a psychologist, I’ve seen firsthand how many people struggle with the belief that happiness is always just out of reach—something they’ll achieve once they get the promotion, find the right relationship, or check off the next big goal. But the truth is, happiness isn’t a destination; it’s something we can cultivate, notice and experience right now.
Most self-help books are not based on any research or evidence at all, so it felt very important to create something that bridged the gap between science and everyday life in a practical and hopefully engaging way.
This book isn’t about vague positivity or unrealistic promises, it’s about real, actionable strategies that anyone can use to shift their mindset, build resilience, and start feeling happier right away. Most importantly, I wanted to create something doable—because improving our mental well-being shouldn’t feel like another overwhelming task on a never-ending to-do list.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
One of the biggest ideas in I Just Want to Be Happy is that happiness isn’t something we passively wait for—it’s something we create through small, intentional choices. Many people believe they’ll be happy when certain external conditions are met, but research shows that our habits, thoughts, and daily actions have a much greater impact on our well-being than we realize.
I also wanted to challenge some common misconceptions about happiness. For example, a lot of people think they have to eliminate all negative emotions to be happy, but that’s simply not true. Happiness and struggle can coexist, and learning how to navigate challenges with resilience and self-compassion is a crucial part of emotional well-being.
Another key idea is that happiness isn’t just a mindset—it’s a whole-body experience influenced by neuroscience. Our brains are wired to focus on threats and negativity, but we can train ourselves to shift our attention and build mental habits that support a more positive, fulfilling life. That’s why I included simple, science-backed strategies that help readers rewire their thinking patterns in a way that feels natural and doable.
Finally, I wanted to make sure this book was practical. The strategies in the book are designed to be fun, flexible, and easy to incorporate into everyday life, so readers can start seeing real changes without feeling like they have to overhaul everything at once. Each chapter is a standalone so that a reader can just pick the book up and start reading wherever they are drawn to at that point in time. Each chapter is divided into action steps of varying levels of difficulty so that wherever you find yourself on a given day in terms of your mood or your motivation, there will be something there for you to incorporate into your day to begin to feel better.
How much research did you undertake for this book, and how much time did it take to put it all together?
Writing I Just Want to Be Happy was a blend of years of professional experience, deep research, and a passion for making science-backed strategies accessible. I’ve spent my career studying and applying concepts from neuroscience, positive psychology, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), so in many ways, this book is a culmination of knowledge I’ve been gathering for a long time.
For this book specifically, I dove into the latest research on happiness, mindset shifts, and mental well-being—pulling from studies in neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral science. I wanted to make sure that everything I shared was not only backed by evidence but also practical and relatable for everyday life.
As for how long it took, from the initial idea to a finished manuscript, the process spanned several years. Writing, refining, and making sure the book was engaging and actionable took time, but I wanted to create something that felt both research-based and easy to apply—so readers wouldn’t just learn about happiness but actually start experiencing more of it.
What is one thing you hope that readers take away from I Just Want to Be Happy?
If there’s one thing I hope readers take away from I Just Want to Be Happy, it’s that happiness isn’t something you have to wait for—it’s something you can start cultivating right now, exactly where you are. You don’t need a perfect life, a perfect mindset, or perfect circumstances to feel happier. Small shifts in how you think, what you focus on, and how you show up for yourself each day can make a real difference.
I want readers to feel empowered, knowing that they have more control over their happiness than they might have believed. It’s not about chasing some future moment when everything falls into place, it’s about learning how to create joy, meaning, and fulfillment in the present, no matter what challenges life throws your way.
Author Links: Facebook
Organized into a series of engaging, standalone chapters, psychologist Dr. Heidi McKenzie provides a range of techniques suitable for beginning, intermediate, and advanced happiness seekers. Whether it is practicing gratitude, incorporating mindfulness, or fostering social connections, you’ll find immediately actionable steps tailored to your needs. Embrace these science-backed methods to cultivate more joy, reduce stress, and create a life filled with more of what you love and less of what you don’t. Your journey to more happiness starts here.
Be a Great and Unique Person
Adventures Are Everywhere is a collection of short stories that celebrate the spirit of exploration, weaving together humor, introspection, and the unexpected twists of human nature. How did you balance humor and emotional depth across such diverse stories?
When I write, I just produce whatever comes naturally, so I would say that the balance within these stories is just characteristic of who I am — humorous and emotionally deep! For all of the authors I have dealt with, whether by reading their books or coaching them, my favorites are all those who are completely honest with themselves and their subject matter. So, my lesson to myself and others is simply this — Want to write great stories that a wide assortment of people love? Start by being that great unique person that people naturally love!
Which story in Adventures Are Everywhere was the most challenging to write, and why?
The most challenging story to write was “We’re All Going to Die,” which was inspired by a dream and didn’t have much context for me to explore in greater depth. I wrote it shortly after graduating from college while going through mental withdrawal from a very intense year of work and studies, and it was one of my first serious attempts at writing short stories. I especially struggled to figure out whether it had enough of a complete scene as a short story or if it was lacking in any way. Many years later, when I was putting together the collection, I debated whether or not to include this story, and whether or not I should heavily edit it, but in the end I decided to simply celebrate it for what it was — an early piece that I had successfully completed.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The majority of my stories explore the themes of friendship and relationship in one way or another, because I’m not exactly sure how to tell a meaningful story that is absent multiple characters who are learning to relate to one another. I also like to more or less gently poke fun at people who rely upon certain establishments without realizing why they do so or without questioning their own motives, whether those establishments be as large as government or are more fluid like family and religion. In many ways, writing stories is my own way of processing and understanding life, so in the adventure of my own life, I write about the things that help me be a better person in my own friendships and relationships with others.
Are there any particular authors or works that influenced the adventurous spirit of this book?
I like a wide variety of stories — C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia series, Mark Twain’s Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes collection and other novels, and more. If any of them have influenced my writing, including this collection of shorts, I would be honored to say so. Unfortunately, I am too firmly entrenched in my own style that I have a hard time analyzing it objectively.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Who saves the day when robbers raid Doonesville?
What happens to the treasure in the Gold Maps?
Where do the Wildwood tram cars go at night?
When does Shelby’s Christmas gift finally arrive?
How do Dani and Jess get out of a pickle?
Here are thirteen stories filled with mystery, mayhem, and merriment from around the globe! We’ll travel from ancient years through the Wild West to our modern days, joining characters from various times and cultures as they explore, discover, and learn. It’s an amazing collection of heartfelt adventures you won’t soon forget!
LITERARY TITAN 