Blog Archives
The Magical Farm Mysteries: Bubble Gum Rocks
Bubble Gum Rocks follows three sisters spending a summer at their grandparents’ Kansas farm, where they stumble into the long-forgotten magic of bubble gum rocks. A single wish tossed into the old oak tree sparks something wild, leading to glowing storms, piles of magical rocks spilling from the tree, and even a mysterious old key that hints at deeper secrets beneath the farm. It’s a cozy little adventure wrapped in family love, wide open fields, and just enough mystery to keep you flipping pages.
The writing is warm and sweet. The author leans into nostalgia, and that really resonated with me. I loved how the girls each had such different personalities, and the farm felt alive in a simple, magical way. Some moments made me grin like an absolute goof, especially Ainsley’s little kid comments. Other parts gave me that warm feeling, the kind you get from stories about believing in something even when it seems silly.
I also liked how the story didn’t try to be complicated. It felt honest and heartfelt, and that made the magic feel even more real. I caught myself slowing down just to soak in the little details, like the glowing storm, the cracked oak tree, and all the colorful rocks pouring out in the morning sun. And the ending with the key in Avianna’s pocket left me smiling and kind of excited for whatever comes next. It has that “there’s more out there” feeling, and I’m a total sucker for that.
The illustrations feel warm and homey. The soft, sketch–style lines and gentle shading give everything a nostalgic, storybook charm. The attention to detail makes the scenes feel lived-in and loved, adding to the book’s overall sense of family, comfort, and simple magic.
This children’s book would be perfect for kids who love gentle mysteries, magical adventures, and stories that celebrate family. It’s also great for adults who want a cozy read that makes them feel like a kid again. If you enjoy warmhearted magic with a whole lot of charm, this children’s chapter book is a sweet pick.
Pages: 76 | ASIN : B0FSQ7C34J
The Dangers of Time Travel
Furniture Sliders follows a former intelligence officer who is pulled back in to discover what has happened to a classified project and the people working on it, which controls time, memory, and identity, and is now missing. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I have always been a fan of both film noir and espionage novels plus I have a tech background and a fascination with quantum mechanics. I wanted to write a story that felt like a 1940s Cold War spy thriller written in noir style—then break it wide open with the addition of speculative science fiction. I had a question: what if you take the characteristics of quantum mechanics such as superposition and entanglement and instead of applying them to atomic particles, you applied them to human beings? To spies? Can you be in two places at once or two timelines at the same time? Firstly, apply the ability to manipulate space and time and then take it even further by playing in panpsychism – the concept that every inanimate object can be sentient. Of course, you would have to have some form of technology to do all of this – the Mirror is exactly that inspired by the one in my hall at home. The title literally came from a box of plastic furniture sliders that were on the table at home with the box looking like a paperback book – Furniture Sliders on the spine! Sliders was a perfect description for agents moving through space and time and their organization is called the Bureau, along with the Mirror, giving the initial tongue-in-cheek furniture connection.
I found Max Calder to be an intriguing character. What was your inspiration for this character?
Max Calder is the kind of character I love; deeply broken but still pushing forward through the fog. It isn’t about a single character or character flaw but about weaving influences together. I guess Max carries echoes of Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe and Graham Greene’s morally ambiguous operatives. He isn’t polished like Bond, but weary, suspicious, and prone to moral compromise – a man affected by the machine he serves. I tried to deliberately write against cliché by grounding him in history and psychology. His gaps, duplications, and doubts reflect not only the dangers of espionage but the fragility of identity itself. Unlike many spy archetypes, Calder isn’t defined by conquest or success, but by survival, mistrust, and fear of irrelevance — hopefully making him come across as human, flawed, and complex. In many espionage novels, agents and spies are unaffected by what they do and are amazing at executing their role. In the case of Max, I wanted him to be very affected. Remorse, regret, and inner demons.
What themes were particularly important for you to explore in this book?
Primarily the consequences of messing with time and how doing so can also mess with you physically, potentially drive you insane and affect your memory while creating echoes or even doppelgangers as time threads overlap. All caused by, or underpinned by, the human-applied characteristics of quantum mechanics. It was important to explore relationships especially between protagonists and antagonists and between espionage agents and technology pitching various spy agencies against each other – even if they are supposed to have great relationships. I also wanted to introduce fictionalized real-life characters to the storyline which in this book includes Alan Turing, Hugh Sinclair and William Stephenson.
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
There are two more books coming in the series. Angus Sliders and Cuban Sliders. Angus Sliders is planned to publish on the 15th December. One of the challenges with quantum-based technology like the Mirror is that many want to get their hands on it in many cases for various nefarious reasons. In Furniture Sliders it was the Russians and ex Nazis. In Angus Sliders, Max Calder discovers that some major occurrences in Furniture Sliders didn’t really happen and that MI6 is very involved. Even a fictionalized Kim Philby is involved as is Charles Fraser-Smith who was the inspiration for James Bond’s Q. Max Calder is more and more affected by what the Mirror can do to you. In Cuban Sliders the Russians are back in the game and so is the CIA. Through all of this the Mirror becomes even more difficult to control or destroy. The big question is – can it be destroyed at all or even stopped and who gets to control it? Are there more storylines past the initial trilogy? Yes indeed!
Author Links: Facebook | Blog | Website | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
The Bureau is chasing a secret called the Mirror—a project so classified that even its architects have vanished or been silenced. It’s said to control time, memory, even identity itself. As Calder tracks the Mirror’s echoes across empty safehouses and wartime graveyards, the lines between hunter and hunted begin to blur.
Artemis may be an ally. Or she may be a weapon. And Calder? He may not even be who he thinks he is.
As bodies pile up and truths unravel, Calder must navigate a world where nothing stays still—where every room slides just a few inches sideways when you’re not looking. In the end, he’ll face one impossible choice:
Burn the truth… or become it.
Assassin Royale
Assassin Royale sweeps readers into a world of intrigue, blood, and shadowed loyalty. The book follows Killian Lord, an assassin bound to King Ember, as he navigates political schemes, supernatural weapons, and his own sense of duty. It blends classic fantasy tropes like warring kingdoms, orcs, and noble houses, with the sharper edges of espionage and assassination. The opening threads with Tom, a boy orphaned by cruelty and thrust into a violent fate, layer the tale with tragedy and innocence lost. As plots twist around Maximilian Durandal’s obsession with power and the mysterious Moonlight Shard, the narrative grows into a tale of personal vendetta, war, and the unshakable ties between assassin and king.
I found the writing both sharp and indulgent. Sometimes it lingers over food, scars, or clothing in a way that paints the world richly, almost cinematically, though it sometimes slows the pace. What really pulled me in was the texture of Killian Lord himself. He’s scarred, bitter, but strangely noble. I enjoyed the banter, the gallows humor, and the way his cynicism bumps up against moments of raw loyalty or unexpected tenderness. Durandal, in contrast, is the kind of villain I love to hate. He’s flamboyant, predatory, a man whose charm makes his cruelty sting all the more. There’s an energy to these characters that kept me turning pages even when the plot meandered. I’ll admit, sometimes the political intrigue felt familiar, but the smaller character moments gave it fresh life.
What surprised me most was the emotional punch. Tom’s chapters nearly broke me. His fear, his resilience, his desperate need for safety, those parts had me tense and aching. And then there’s the king. Ember is drawn with such warmth and dignity that I felt Lord’s loyalty as my own. The book thrives on drama, spectacle, and old-fashioned stakes.
I’d recommend Assassin Royale to readers who like their fantasy with grit but also a strong sense of heart. If you enjoy assassins who brood yet bleed with conviction, kings who inspire, and villains who make your skin crawl, this will hit the mark. It’s entertaining, vivid, and full of moments that you’ll remember. Fans of political fantasy like Game of Thrones or assassin-driven sagas like The Night Angel Trilogy will devour this book.
Pages: 298 | ASIN : B0FHTMGWVN
Timeless
Anne Hart’s Timeless is a sweeping time-travel spy novel that blends espionage, politics, and personal struggle with a sharp eye for historical detail. At its heart is Anne, a seasoned field agent who slips between eras to manipulate history in ways that serve shadowy powers. The story unfolds across Geneva, Eastern Europe, and shifting political landscapes on the brink of war. Hart threads in rich settings, complex moral dilemmas, and characters caught between loyalty, survival, and personal desire. It is both a taut spy thriller and a meditation on the costs of living outside the normal flow of time.
Hart’s prose is crisp, direct, and atmospheric. I admired the way she captures small gestures and passing moments, the flick of a lighter, the hush of a closing vault door, a careless smile at the wrong time. These details made the story vivid. At times, the dialogue felt a little formal, as if it was doing double duty to explain the world as well as move the story forward. Still, the pacing carried me along. I wanted to know not just what would happen to Anne and Markus, but how Hart would weave together the politics of nations with the intimacy of two people’s lives.
What struck me most was the emotional undercurrent. Anne is a fascinating lead: hard-edged, sharp-tongued, cynical, yet deeply human in her weariness and longing for peace. Her smoking habit, her resistance to being told what to do, her flashes of humor, all of it made her feel alive. There were moments when I felt a kind of ache for her, as if she carried the weight of too many lives, too many timelines, too many compromises. The novel’s treatment of history, like how fragile and malleable it can be, left me unsettled, in the best way. It made me think about power, morality, and the human cost of decisions made in shadows.
Timeless is a book I would recommend to readers who enjoy spy fiction, political thrillers, or alternate history with a touch of melancholy. It will speak most to those who like their stories gritty yet reflective, where action and atmosphere go hand in hand.
Pages: 257 | ASIN : B0FQ1KJB66
Furniture Sliders – A Max Calder Mystery
Furniture Sliders is a post-war spy-fi romp that kicks off The Bureau Archives Trilogy with a smoky, rain-slicked bang. Set in 1947, it follows Max Calder, a former intelligence officer with holes in his memory, who is pulled back into the shadows by a mysterious woman named Artemis. A cryptic file, a vanished scientist, and a strange device known only as “the Mirror” set the stage for a chase that spans seedy New York bars, crowded transatlantic ships, and the broken glamour of Vienna. The novel threads together espionage, noir atmosphere, and science-fiction intrigue, with time manipulation simmering under its cloak-and-dagger surface.
I loved how this book felt. The writing drips with mood. Fog curling down city streets, cigarette smoke blurring the edges of a room, the distant hum of jazz over clinking glasses. The pacing dances between languid observation and sudden bursts of violence. Bentley’s style pulls you into Max’s fractured mind. We’re not just following a spy, we’re feeling the tug of his half-buried memories and the unease of not knowing which shadows to trust. Sometimes the dialogue leans into pulp, almost like a wink to the genre’s roots, and it works. It kept me grinning even when the stakes turned deadly.
The ideas themselves are a bold mix. The “Mirror” concept, which is a device that remembers rather than reflects, opens the door for paranoia, philosophical tangents, and deliciously weird possibilities. Bentley resists over-explaining it, letting the mystery breathe. The interplay between Artemis and Max is sharp, edged with mutual suspicion and unspoken history. There’s a lot of world-building baked into their exchanges, which I appreciated, though now and then I wanted the plot to lunge forward faster. Still, I was hooked. Even the side characters, like the poison-bead-wielding Bishop, feel like they’ve stepped out of their own fully formed novellas.
Furniture Sliders is a strong start to what promises to be a stylish, time-twisting spy trilogy. It’s a book for readers who love their thrillers with a noir heartbeat, for fans of John le Carré who won’t mind a dash of science fiction, and for anyone who likes peeling back the layers of a protagonist who isn’t even sure of himself. It’s atmospheric, it’s clever, and it leaves you wanting the next mission right away.
Pages: 314 | ASIN : B0FF6RD921
Reassurance and Belonging
The Backyard Detectives: Operation Family Mystery follows a brother and sister who overhear a secret phone call, and become detectives to uncover what divorce means while holding each other up as their world feels like it is falling apart. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
For this book, I drew deeply from my own childhood. While there are pieces I changed or left out, the heart of the story comes from my personal experiences growing up. I wanted to create the kind of book my younger self desperately needed, something that would have helped me feel seen and less alone.
Divorce can feel like the end of the world for a child, and in the moment, it truly does feel that way. But looking back, I can see that even though it was hard, things did work out, and in some cases, it was even the best thing that could have happened for the kids involved. I wanted to capture that balance of honesty and hope. The story includes not only what I went through but also the words and reassurance I wish someone had given me at the time. My hope is that kids reading it today will feel supported and maybe find a little bit of comfort in knowing they’ll be okay, too.
One thing that stands out in your children’s book is the relationship between siblings Rose and Jacob, not just with each other, but also with their mom and their desire to protect one another. What was your process in writing the characters’ interactions to develop the bond they have?
Even though I grew up as an only child, I knew I wanted this story to highlight the importance of leaning on someone when life feels overwhelming. For some kids, that’s a sibling; for others, it might be a best friend who feels just like family. Either way, having that bond can make a world of difference.
When writing Rose and Jacob, I imagined what my younger self would have needed to hear or say if I’d had a sibling by my side. That made their protectiveness and closeness come naturally in the story. Their bond doesn’t just help them through the divorce, it shapes who they’ll become, making them extra protective of their mom and strengthening their family unit in a new way. In the end, I wanted their relationship to show kids that it’s okay to rely on the people who love you, and that sometimes tough moments can create unbreakable connections.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
Mental health has always been very important to me, and the older I get, the more I realize how early those struggles can begin. One of the most important lessons I wanted to weave into this book is the message that you are not alone, and there is nothing wrong with you.
So often, kids going through big changes like divorce feel isolated or even blame themselves. I wanted The Backyard Detectives to be a safe place where a child could see their own feelings reflected and know it’s okay to have those emotions. If even one child reads this book and finds comfort in knowing they aren’t the only one, then to me, this story has done its job. That sense of reassurance and belonging is the true educational takeaway I hope every reader carries with them.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
Yes, Operation Family Mystery is the very first book in The Backyard Detectives series. The second book will follow Rose and Jacob as they face another difficult chapter in life, learning about cancer and coping with grief when their grandfather becomes ill.
While it’s a heavier topic, the story is told with the same mix of heart, hope, and detective fun, giving kids tools to process big feelings while still feeling safe and supported. My goal is to help young readers see that even in sad or scary moments, there can be love, connection, and resilience. This next installment is set to release before the holidays this year, and I can’t wait to share it with families.
For the latest updates on release dates and new projects, you can always visit www.christalmajestic.com.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
In this heartfelt early chapter book for ages 7–10, siblings Rose and Jacob find themselves caught in a mystery they didn’t ask for—but can’t ignore.
After overhearing a late-night phone call, the pair stumbles into a web of hidden photos, whispered secrets, and quiet sadness. Armed with a notebook and their best detective skills, they launch a secret mission to uncover the truth behind the word that turned their world upside down.
Set in a cozy southern town, The Backyard Detectives: Operation Family Mystery is a gentle, emotionally rich story about family change, resilience, and the unshakable bond between siblings. Perfect for children’s bookshelves at home, in the classroom, or in counseling offices.
A comforting story for kids experiencing family change or divorce
Great for fans of sibling adventures, secret missions, and detective tales
Ideal for parents, educators, and therapists helping children process emotions
This realistic fiction chapter book is perfect for:
• Early readers transitioning from picture books
• Families looking for age-appropriate books about divorce
• Kids who love solving mysteries and uncovering clues
• Adults seeking tools to help children navigate big emotions and life transitions
Whether read independently or shared aloud, this moving story reminds young readers that even when families shift, love stays—and courage grows.
Real Life is the Inspiration
Rough Diamond, Rough Justice follows a former professional photographer turned MI5 surveillance agent who winds up in the diamond trade, where killing is not optional; it is the only way to survive. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Real life experiences was the inspiration. As it says at the beginning of Rough Diamond, Rough Justice: This book is a work of fiction, inspired by several real-life events and real people. Names, characters, incidents, and places are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
There was a lot of time spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?
Reality was the most important factor. As it says in Rough Diamond, Rough Justice when Cain was talking to his best friend:
‘We will have to write that book when we retire,’ Cain suggested.
‘All those secrets,’ said Detective Sergeant Jerry Davis (a member of The Royal Protection Team). ‘Perhaps we will.’
In real life, my best friend unexpectedly died, so I wrote our book alone.
I felt that the action scenes were expertly crafted. I find that this is an area that can be overdone in novels. How did you approach this subject to make sure it flowed evenly?
In real life action can only go so far. Seeing too much in movies, TV series – and having a karate black belt – plus a couple of personal experiences helped me craft the action.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out and what can your fans expect in the next story?
This is my first book. I have written an initial 40,000 words of a sequel about Cain, set in South Africa & England. Will I finish it? Time will tell.
Recovering from injuries sustained protecting the Royal Family, Cain embraces a new life and romance in sun-drenched Australia, leaving his past life behind.
But when tragedy strikes, he is on the move again. This time to a new career in the world of diamond dealings in Florida.
Curiosity takes Cain to the diamond world in South Africa, where his past finally catches up with him, the criminal world allies against him and he becomes a killer again.
In Cain’s action-packed escapades, a spectacular betrayal takes him into the rigours of a Chinese prison where the truth about his past begins to unravel.
Aided by a loyal band of friends from the shadowy world of intelligence, he delivers his own particular brand of rough justice.
However, with enemies closing in on all sides, will Cain prevail?
The Legend of the Silver Star
The Legend of the Silver Star is a thrilling children’s adventure that follows siblings Gabby and Anthony as they journey through time via a magical pine box in their Aunt Sophie’s attic. Transported to the Old West, they meet legendary U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves and find themselves embroiled in a mission to deliver a dangerous outlaw to justice. Along the way, they encounter blacksmiths, bandits, cattle rustlers, and a caring Chickasaw community, learning valuable lessons about bravery, honesty, and the power of standing up for what’s right. Full of charm, danger, and heart, the story weaves together history and fantasy into a compelling ride.
The book is written with such energy and warmth, and the pacing is spot-on. The dialogue feels real, the characters are instantly likable, and there’s a lot of clever humor woven in. Gabby, with her sharp wit and fearless spirit, is an absolute standout. And Bass Reeves? What a figure. He’s cool, wise, and full of grit. The writing isn’t flowery or complex, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s punchy and clear, the kind that makes young readers sit up and hang on every word. The story moves quickly but never feels rushed. It’s adventurous without being scary, smart without being preachy.
I enjoyed the depth packed into this short book. It introduces big ideas like racism, justice, and courage, without ever feeling heavy. There’s a real tenderness in how the story handles fear, responsibility, and teamwork. I found myself grinning at the kids’ antics one moment and getting choked up the next. The way the book highlights Bass Reeves, a historical figure often overlooked, is powerful. I felt genuinely moved by the ending, especially the moment with the silver stars. That got me.
This book is a gem. I’d recommend it to kids in upper elementary grades, especially those who love action, history, or stories with gutsy young heroes. It’s also a great read-aloud for classrooms or families. There’s something magical about how it mixes real history with fantasy. I walked away from it not just entertained, but inspired. If you’re looking for a story that makes kids feel brave and seen, this one’s for you.
Pages: 101 | ISBN : 1959110136
LITERARY TITAN 