Blog Archives
Flight of a Prodigy
Flight of a Prodigy follows Remy, an eight-year-old street kid in ancient Rome who survives cruelty that feels almost unreal. The book opens with raw violence as Remy and his closest friend, Tacitus, are dragged from hiding under a tavern floor. What happens next shapes everything that follows. Remy loses the only person he loves, kills three men to escape, and stumbles into the hands of the Roman Guard. His survival throws him into political schemes, a new orphanage, long marches, and a journey that twists his life into something far larger than he understands. The story paints Rome as a place full of beauty and rot at the same time, and Remy is caught between both worlds.
Author Daniel P. McCallister’s writing grabbed me right away because it never tiptoes around horror. It jumps straight into it. The early chapters made me feel uneasy and angry for Remy, and I found myself rooting for him before I even realized it. The pacing kept pulling me forward. Sometimes the scenes felt sharp, like the violence was a little close to the surface, but that roughness made Remy’s world feel real. I liked how the author handled Remy’s shifting emotions. He swings between fear, rage, numbness, and stubborn grit, and those swings feel natural for a child pushed far beyond his limits. The quieter moments like Remy waking in a real bed for the first time gave me a breather and made the harsh parts hit even harder.
I also found myself surprised by how much the political side of the story pulled me in. The Governor, Urbain, is charming on the surface and rotten underneath, and he treats Remy like a tool for his own gain. The guard captain, Salvador, is caught between compassion and obligation, and that tension makes him stand out. The world feels lived in. Everyone has their own motives, and the book never lets me forget how easily a child can get crushed in the machinery of Rome. I wanted even more time in Remy’s head or more insight into the other kids, but the quick cuts gave the story a restless feeling that fit Remy’s constant danger.
Flight of a Prodigy shines brightest when it shows Remy fighting to hold on to the smallest scrap of hope. I would recommend Flight of a Prodigy to readers who like dark historical fantasy, character-driven stories about survival, or tales where a young hero claws his way through impossible odds. It is not light reading, but it is gripping and inspiring in its own way.
Pages: 237 | ASIN : B0FWJNYRLV
A Man Driven By Greed
The Kingdom Thief follows Princess Sitnalta as she races to undo a thief’s reality-warping wish, becoming the lone keeper of the truth in a world that no longer remembers who she really is. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The Sitnalta Series finds itself focusing a lot on this coin- its origin, its powers, and the power of wishes. Through the first book, with Sitnalta’s relationship with the troll, Najort, we look into the consequences of wishes done with the right motivation, and by good people. For the sequel, I wanted to look at the reverse. Wilhelm is not Najort. He is not Sitnalta. He is a man driven by greed, and what would that look like, if he were to acquire the coin and make a wish.
Sitnalta and Navor’s relationship holds so much emotional weight. How did you approach balancing romance with the fast-paced plot?
For someone their age, the idea of a budding romance can be what drives a person. In a way, it is the plot. Navor wants to help Sitnalta, and Sitnalta wants her home back. This should be in balance with what is happening outside of their little bubble. For them at least, their feelings are just as important as magic, and politics, and stopping the mad man who has stolen a kingdom. When you look at the world through the lens of two young people and their feelings, one thing is never more important than the other. As a parent of teenagers, I’m surrounded by that on a daily basis, and that was my approach.
If you could expand one section of the story, give readers more time in any particular place or emotional moment, what would it be and why?
I would love to spend a lot more time in Navor’s head. He has a lot on his plate right now. Writing his dreams, his fears, and his hope for the future was a lot of fun, and I would love to have done a lot more of that.
What can readers expect in book three of the Sitnalta Series?
Oh, without giving too much away, I can say that we have tragedy, a very different type of romance, and so many questions about the past get answered. In a way, this is almost a prequel, but still very much Book Three. Sitnalta would not have been ready for these answers before now. I hope that wasn’t too cryptic.
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Princess Sitnalta has been living happily ever after with Queen Aud and King Gerald as her adoptive parents, enjoying the peace in her world. Her growing friendship with the mysterious Prince Navor leads her on a journey to visit his island kingdom. While there she receives the horrible news that her kingdom has been conquered and cruel King Wilhelm is responsible.
With King Gerald and Queen Aud imprisoned, Prince Navor and a secretive network of spies as her only allies, Princess Sitnalta feels lost and adrift. Nothing about Colonodona’s takeover seems right, and Sitnalta suspects magic may be to blame.
Far from home and unsure of whom to trust, Sitnalta must find a way to save her kingdom, and return her beloved Aud and Gerald to their rightful thrones.
Claw & Ember
Claw & Ember follows Nyra, a young rider bound to her saber tooth, Sathra. The story moves through a world shaped by political pressure, old loyalties, and a city that feels like it is swallowing itself. Nyra trains, fights, and stumbles her way through shifting alliances while a strange heat thrumming under her skin hints that something inside her does not fit the rules everyone else seems to follow. The book mixes sharp fights, thick atmosphere, and tight emotional beats as Nyra tries to find her footing in a place that demands more from her than she expected.
Reading it pulled me in more than I thought it would. The writing hits with this raw, lived-in energy. The fights snap. Even the animals feel alive. I liked how the book lets small moments breathe, like a glance from someone who matters a bit too much or a sound in the fog that turns the whole mood. I got wrapped up in Nyra’s rough edges and her stubbornness. The world feels big and hungry, and the writing makes that weight real in a way that hit me in the gut.
I also found myself hooked on the relationships. They twist in these honest ways. Quiet jealousy slipping into the training yard. Old history tucked under a single line of dialogue. That stuff landed harder for me than some of the politics. Sometimes the pacing rushed when I wanted it to walk. Other times it lingered in a way that made the tension coil nicely. But the emotional beats always felt solid. I kept turning pages just to see how Nyra handled the next mess she got dragged into or the next truth she tried to swallow.
By the time I reached the end, I felt that warm spark of wanting the next book right away. I’d recommend Claw & Ember to readers who like gritty fantasy with strong character focus and a world that feels close enough to touch. If you want sharp claws, slow-burn tension, big cats that actually feel like big cats, and a heroine who keeps getting up even when the world leans on her hard, this one will be a great fit.
Pages: 379 | ASIN: B0FVRZ5LF3
Who Doesn’t Dream of Escape?
Sitnalta follows a young princess trapped in a kingdom ruled by cruelty and fear, who becomes restless, yearning for freedom, and escapes her captivity to embark on a journey of self-discovery. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Originally, Sitnalta began as a short story written for a school project. So, for all budding writers out there: don’t throw away old stories, and inspiration can strike in the most unlikely of places.
In grade seven, my English teacher put up a tic-tac-toe board on the chalkboard and said to make a line. In the line I chose were the words “coin, princess, escape”. From there, the story I was supposed to write should have been two pages. I handed in twelve. This short story just wouldn’t leave me alone. When I got into university, I pulled it out and reread it. Aside from the fact that I found the writing and some of the characterization a little juvenile (I was thirteen!), I felt that there was something there. I worked at it and eventually had a novel, and plans for five more.
Sitnalta was born at a time when most young people can feel trapped. I myself had issues with a bully at school, I didn’t know where I belonged. My friends and I were all figuring out who we were, who we wanted to be, and the character of Sitnalta was very much an extrapolation of that. Who doesn’t dream of escape?
In many contemporary coming-of-age fiction novels, authors often add their own life experiences to the story. Are there any bits of you in this story?
I am very much all over the story. The character of Aud is in many ways inspired by my grandmother who lived with me while I was growing up. Everyone used to say that she was a second mother to me. Aud’s nature, and her relationship with Sitnalta is very her. Sitnalta herself is an amalgamation of my childhood best friend, and characters from books I loved as a child. I used to say that she is my friend Marilyn superimposed on Anne Shirley. Sitnalta’s relationship with Najort, their time together, and how they speak with one another is something that came from every person’s desire to be seen, to be loved for who they are, and the need to be heard.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I wanted to convey the importance of choice. Sitnalta feels that she has hers taken from her continuously. She looks at the world from a place heavy with loss, however, when her back is to the wall, she finds that there is always a choice to be made. It may not always be the best one possible, but it always exists. Everyone has the ability to take their lives into their own hands and run with it. I found that to be an important theme, how even the smallest person can make a choice and better their world.
Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Sitnalta and the direction of the second book?
Well, I don’t want to give too much away, but that pesky coin still exists, and we see so much more of the world Sitnalta lives in, even beyond the shores of Colonodona. The next book is called The Kingdom Thief, and you can read into that title whatever you want to. It’s an adventure book, and may or may not have some hints at a burgeoning romance.
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But Sitnalta has other ideas. Before her father can come for her, she sneaks out of her bedroom window, scales the castle walls, and enters the magical forest that surrounds her kingdom. There she meets Najort, a kind-hearted troll, who was tasked by a wizard decades earlier to protect a valuable secret—with his life, if necessary.
But King Supmylo has vowed that nothing will stop him from returning his daughter to Colonodona, and forcing her to go through with the royal wedding. With the help of friends from both kingdoms, Sitnalta and Najort flee ahead of the rabid king. For if they are captured, Supmylo will become so invincible, no one could stand against him
Code Quest: The Ethics Engine
If you’re a parent, you already know it’s only a matter of time before your children venture into the digital world. Unless your family is entirely off the grid, your kids will soon be online, learning, exploring, and connecting through technology. And with that new freedom comes risk. Code Quest: The Ethics Engine dives straight into this reality, following four children as they navigate a vibrant online universe that mirrors the challenges of our own connected world. Each digital trial they face unfolds as an entertaining game, yet every victory carries a lesson in awareness, responsibility, and integrity.
Teri Green’s book blends education with adventure, offering something reminiscent of Dora the Explorer or Blue’s Clues, yet more intellectually stimulating. The premise is simple: four young friends must rescue their school’s malfunctioning artificial intelligence. Along the way, they encounter ethical dilemmas drawn from real-life decisions about honesty, empathy, privacy, and online safety. Readers aren’t just spectators; they learn right alongside the characters.
While topics like data protection and misinformation may sound heavy for grade-school readers, Green’s lively storytelling and bright, engaging illustrations make the material accessible and fun. The challenges are designed with common-sense solutions, helping young readers internalize values such as empathy, digital responsibility, and critical thinking.
In an age where technology shapes nearly every aspect of childhood, Green’s message feels both timely and essential. Many parents try to shield their children from digital dangers for as long as possible, but such protection has limits in a world that moves at the speed of innovation. Green wisely acknowledges this tension, offering an approachable tool to bridge the gap between curiosity and caution.
Not enough educators or parents are having these conversations with children, and the absence of guidance leaves a critical gap. Code Quest: The Ethics Engine fills that void beautifully. It’s an imaginative, meaningful read that empowers kids to think ethically and act wisely in a digital landscape that’s here to stay.
Pages: 47 | ASIN : B0FKWV6JXB
The Tralls of Colum
The Tralls of Colum is a heartfelt portal fantasy tale that carries young readers back to the mystical world of tralls, small magical beings living among the wild beauty of the Australian coast. The story follows Jai and Emi, siblings from the Tralldom of Colum, who face challenges tied to environmental changes, friendship, courage, and discovery. It’s a story of family, community, and the tension between nature and human greed, woven through vivid scenes of ocean life, lush forests, and fantastical creatures. Torrens’ world feels lived in, her writing is inspired by Australia’s land and sea. The book blends environmental awareness with adventure, never feeling preachy yet leaving a strong impression about the delicate balance of ecosystems.
Reading this, I felt both wonder and warmth. Torrens writes with sincerity, and her affection for the natural world comes through on every page. At times, I caught myself smiling at the innocence of Jai and Emi, then holding my breath when danger crept in. Her language is simple but rich with imagery. The ocean scenes shimmer, and the tension between the tralls’ traditions and the creeping modern threat of “Mr. Handley” feels hauntingly familiar. I did think the pacing slows in the middle, where dialogue stretches long, but the heart of the book kept me hooked. It reminded me of those childhood stories that stay in your bones, not because of big twists, but because of how honestly they treat bravery and loss.
What really moved me was Torrens’ sense of place. Her Australian voice is clear, proud, and authentic. I also liked how she wrote about courage, not as grand heroism, but as persistence, kindness, and faith in one another. Even the fantasy elements carry a quiet realism that makes the magic feel possible. I found myself thinking about climate change and how stories like this can plant seeds of care in younger readers without lecturing them. That, I think, is where Torrens succeeds most: she teaches through wonder.
The Tralls of Colum is a gentle yet stirring read. It’s perfect for children who love adventure, families who enjoy reading together, or anyone who still believes that nature holds secrets worth protecting. It has heart, honesty, and a deep respect for the world it comes from. I’d recommend it to readers who appreciate fantasy that feels close to home, and to anyone who’s ever stood on a beach and felt that the waves were whispering a story just for them.
Pages: 306 | ASIN : B08WYDVN7C
A Hero to Admire and Inspire
The Eye of Ebon follows a young girl who is brutalized and left to die in the snow, who is delivered a mysterious sword that has the power to change the course of her world, if she can survive. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
First of all, thank you for having me, and for your interest in my story, The Eye of Ebon. I greatly appreciate this opportunity to talk about my work, and to be showcased on the Literary Titan website. It is an honor.
The inspiration for the Eye of Ebon came from things I was witnessing in our culture and in the entertainment world around me. I saw strong trends towards glorifying villains, and bad things, and a falling away from valuing heroes in our daily lives. Gone was Adam West’s Batman, and Shatner’s Kirk, and here was Darth Vader and Prince Zuko. The conversation changed. People were more interested in villains, and heroes were cast aside as dull, or boring, or too ‘good’ to be interesting. The questions that floated around in the writer’s circles were no longer about the virtues of heroes, but instead about the complexity of villains, and many times it was just, ‘Is my villain cool enough?’ I wanted a story that brought the focus back to heroes, and one in which the villains were reacting to them. I wanted heroes that were admired and were inspiring to people, and I wanted villains that had no redeeming or likable qualities.
But there was more. I am a believer that for light to shine brightest, it must be pitted against the greatest dark. Samiare is in a dark world, and suffers a terrible ordeal. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to write a female character. I wanted the greater difficulty that comes with that territory. I wanted the female aspects of her character to matter, to not have her just be a man in female trappings, hitting things with her sword in a male, swashbuckling way. I wanted her to have terrible things to overcome. Samiare wrestles with anger and hate and pain through much of the story. She is physically and spiritually damaged, and has a lot to contend with. The opening scene and the ordeals she suffers carry with her throughout all the books, but are strongest in the Eye of Ebon.
Ruegette also has many things to overcome as well, there is a great sadness and regret in her, and her devotion to duty has cost her much, and may cost her more again. She is more mature than Samiare, but her journey is equally as real. My first concept of her was that she needed to be a role model that could make Samiare confident that she could follow in the ways of warriors as well. She needed to be a friend and mentor. In a world where women do not play the role of warrior, one who was living that life, and being highly successful at it, might give the spark that others could do it too. Ruegette is highly competent, and knows when to take risks. And she is just as driven as any to achieve her aims. But to make the choice that has set her on this path has come with a great cost. While it is not as front and center as Samiare and her issues, there is still much pain in Ruegette, and there is no way for her to set it right. She too takes risks of life and limb and does her duty for Tierinor, but is it what she truly wants? Or does it just end in more heartache? There is no going back for her. There is only braving the way ahead.
What were the driving ideals behind Samiare and Ruegette’s character development throughout the story?
For Samiare, I wanted her to wrestle with her feelings of anger and hate, both at her ordeal, but also at the monstrous Groll who did it. Samiare has to come to terms with a lot of change right away. And she is wielding the White Sword. It connects her to powers above—powers unlike those following the Seven Gods have ever known. Her faith and her belief carry a lot of importance, and few in the story share it with her. Samiare is asked to trust, but given little as to why she should. Yet she cannot just ignore the powers that work through her. She does believe, but can she bear it when she hates so much?
With Ruegette, I wanted to pit her devotion to duty, against that of finding love. The daring Captain Darimus travels with her, and she must work with him even though he is an agent from a foreign power—one that is supposed to be an ally to Tierinor, but is seemingly working with the Groll instead. Ruegette cannot wholly trust him, and yet…in their quest together, their feelings for each other grow. It isn’t all just foolish banter, there is something genuine behind it as well.
Ruegette is a Tagore, duty before all else is in her blood. How can she walk the line of duty to her own nation while contenting with her growing feelings towards the Marish captain? Can she survive if she must deny love to keep the Eye of Ebon safe? And what is the cost of duty when the stakes are so high?
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
There are many themes explored in the book, and in the series.
In the Eye of Ebon we see strong themes of duty and faith, as well as many others, such as overcoming, persevering, loyalty, trust, love, honor, and sacrifice. And many more themes as well. But for me, personally, I wanted the story to reflect that faith matters, and that trust in things greater than oneself is something that even the most faithful wrestle with. Samiare has a lot of faith. Some of it is just hard wired into who she is, and much more of it comes from the act to save her, and her connection to the One Who Watches Over. But she wrestles with that connection throughout the story, growing in faith and questioning trust. This is a theme the spans all five books and lives with the character for the entirety of the tale. Samiare gains somewhat of the warrior ethos over the span of the five books and that too plays a role in who she is.
Ruegette has duty first on her heart. It was bred into her by the importance of being a Tagore, and plays out over the many books as well, as she tries to come to terms with her father’s love, and his effort to do his duties as well. It shapes who she is. Ruegette wants to overcome the grip that duty has on her, but knows the gravity of events means she cannot just put it aside. She must find her own way, and make her own amends. Ruegette has great loyalty to her house and to her nation, but the lone act of rejecting her father’s plans has had a cost on both herself, and on others she loves. It cannot be so easily forgotten or forgiven. Ruegette must find some way to make peace with her demons as well.
When will book two be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
Book 2, The Promise of Eternity, is delayed in becoming available. I am currently working with an editor to help me provide a high quality work, and fix some of the problems it may have. And I am also waiting on the cover artist to make some changes I had asked for in the cover design. Teresa Jenellen is a wonderful artist, and I love her work. She is worth waiting for.
I am looking to have these out early in 2026, if not earlier.
Books 1-4 are all written, and book 5 is in progress. When Book 2 is released, and the rough for book 5 is written, I will be putting all my energy into getting book 3 released. Unfortunately, I have been wrestling with cancer for the last year, and I now feel it is more important to get the whole story written than to meet release date deadlines. It is important to me to complete the tale whether my cancer is cured or not. Hopefully, I can meet a schedule of one a year, or one every 18 months. The editing does take a lot of effort, and the latter books have much higher word counts.
It is my great hope that readers will enjoy them all, and stick with my tale through its darkness and grit to see its beauty as a whole.
My story has been described as, ‘What if Joan of Arc had used her sword and not her banner?’ Well, Sami is not quite Joan, but I’d like to think Joan would have admired her.
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Pulled into a conflict greater than nations and Gods, both Ruegette, and the girl she rescues, try to survive in a land full of threats against brutal foes that will show them no mercy. Can Samiare find the strength to overcome her torments, and can the White Sword be enough to push back the dark? –Or will a sinister creature reclaim its prize…
The Shadow is rising…
…It seeks back its eye…
…It won’t be stopped.
Creative Non-Fiction
Leftwich Blues/Elfwitch Rules follows twin twelve-year-olds from a broken home who are abducted by the Elfwitch and taken to another world, where they must now find a way to get back home and heal their broken home. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The idea started with the title. I like to make lists of titles from time to time. The title made me think who is Leftwich? Why does he have the blues? Who is the Elfwitch and why is she trying to rule? This image came to mind: a witch travelling through the air with twins she had kidnapped. One twin gets away, but the Elfwitch tricks the other twin into serving her. The escaped twin finds an oppressed people who need encouragement in fighting against the Elfwitch. So, the twin has to lead an uprising against the Elfwitch and try to free the other twin who turned against their original selves.
The idea reminds me of the many Saturday morning TV shows by Sid and Marty Krofft: H.R. PufnStuff or Lidsville plus other portal fantasies or science fiction movies like Alice in Wonderland or Planet of the Apes (the original from 1968, not the watered down remakes/reboots) where a stranger ends up in a strange land and has to keep their identity intact while turning from fugitive to hero/heroine to survive in a harsh new reality.
Your characters are wonderfully emotive and relatable. Were you able to use anything from your own life to inform their character development?
The twins’ first names I borrowed from my cousins. Their last name also belongs to distant cousins. I find that the more real or personal I can make the character or backstory, the more I can dig into it to adapt and change it according to how the story dictates. I was a mental health paraprofessional for a few years (so I have been to family court a few times) and worked at a charitable thrift store as well as conducting a twelve-step program and now I am a public educator. I have had ex-clients as my students and have come to know the families. I understand better the dynamic in households and the problems children bring to the classroom.
My writing has been called “creative non-fiction.” I never thought of it like that, but it’s true as I need a heavy dose of realism in my fiction before I introduce the weird and fantastical.
What themes were particularly important for you to explore in this book?
The idea of twins separated and working against each other and having to reconcile was the starting point. Then it became a study of duality: two sides or polar opposites that feed or synergize entities or issues: tyranny and freedom, good and evil, lies and truth, night and day, family/friends and foes, forgiveness and unforgiving.
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 was written as a stand-alone. However, I am brewing ideas for a sequel (which I would make into a cliffhanger for a duology). That project will have to wait as I have two other current projects I am working on plus I am currently promoting my first collection of short stories: ghostly shudder tales.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Substack
LITERARY TITAN 