Blog Archives
Life Beyond My Own
Sunrise in Saigon follows a man in an unhappy marriage who meets a woman in Vietnam and together they find a moment of joy. What was the inspiration for the relationship that developed between the characters?
Both have similar lives and shared a common desire to feel loved and cherished, even if they would not together for only a short time.
What themes were important for you to explore in this book?
The main theme is not to live our lives with any regret. Many people similar to Jack and Linh choose not to the journey. The story talks about making the journey knowing they’re always consequences to every decision. Linh and Jack knew they still wanted to be together.
What experience has had the most significant impact on your writing?
Traveling the world and cycle gave me a perspective of life beyond my own. Cycling in Vietnam, China, Portugal, Spain, and Japan, I witnessed many things that compelled me to write my novels. “Sunrise in Saigon” is part of the Jack Kendell series. I am currently writing the other six.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
“The scent of the Lotus” – Preamble to “Sunrise Saigon.” The book will focus on where Forest Adams and Bui came from.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Sunrise in Saigon is a historical romance novel about Jack Kendall and Linh Ngo, two individuals struggling with unhappy marriages and poor health. After connecting online, Jack sets out on a cycling tour of Vietnam to meet Linh while keeping his intentions hidden. They both choose to leave their current relationships and share an unforgettable romance. But like all good things, their time together is limited, and the sunrise in Saigon symbolizes their love that lasts a lifetime.
Intrigued by the country of Vietnam since 11, Jack Kendall long remembered the fall of Saigon in 1975 and its painful aftermath. Jack learns from eyewitnesses about the long shadow of the Vietnam war, its atrocities, and its aftermath.
After years of chatting online, Jack desires to follow his heart to meet Linh in person. Linh, wanting to feel Jack’s love, wanted nothing more than to be held by him.
Trapped in a loveless marriage, Linh agrees to meet Jack in Saigon. They both know they have found something special when they set eyes on each other. Despite their obstacles, they leap a faith and give their love a chance, even if it means giving up their current relationships.
Experience the passion and romance that ignites between Jack and Linh as they explore Vietnam and each other. Follow their journey as they discover the true meaning of love and the courage it takes to pursue it.
But like all good things, their time together is not forever. The sunrise in Saigon that brought them together becomes the emotional connection between them for the rest of their lives.
Pedaling West
It’s no exaggeration that life can change in the blink of an eye, and no one knows that better than Carrie Brinkley. IT Manager of Pilgrim Burgers, LLC, Carrie, is shocked to find her position is being eliminated. Doubtful as to her boss’s real intentions, she heads home only to receive a citation for an expired inspection sticker on her way. But, unfortunately, her string of bad luck doesn’t end there. Her boyfriend Trey is waiting in her driveway to announce that he is leaving town to return to Alabama and consequently breaking up with her. All Carrie wants at this point is to run away from it all, and when her bike calls, she answers.
Pedaling West, by E.A. Coe, follows the journey of one woman impacted in multiple ways by the 2020 pandemic. The face of the world, as Carrie Brinkley knows it, has changed, and she wants more than anything to run away from it all. So she concocts a plan to bike across the country, and even her parents’ words of wisdom can’t stop her from setting out to cover the nation from coast to coast between June and October.
Carrie’s story is unique in many ways yet typical of far too many others since 2020. Coe does a fantastic job of covering the mania that ensued when COVID-19 hit the United States. From misused funds to the countless ways our day-to-day lives changed at the drop of a hat, Coe covers it all in a short amount of time.
Carrie is a true force. She represents strength and determination on an entirely different level. Coe’s depiction of a woman on a mission is one to behold. As Carrie encounters one roadblock after another on her journey west, she meets each head-on and with renewed confidence. Her character development is unmatched. Though Coe’s story is fiction, I can easily picture this as a true story and one that would definitely inspire much-need confidence during the pandemic.
There exists within Coe’s writing an ideal amount of intrigue and mystery. It is difficult to peg Pedaling West as part of any one genre–it contains all the best parts of several. I enjoyed the blend of current events, action sequences, and the focus on Carrie’s character development throughout the book.
We won’t soon tire of reading about the many ways COVID has impacted our world, and E.A. Coe has gifted readers with a fantastic version of events in one neat package. I highly recommend Coe’s work to any mystery fan who appreciates a novel grounded in current events and is driven by a strong female main character.
Pages: 366 | ASIN: B0BTM1KRWF
The Adventure We Felt As Children
Traveling Tootsie follows a cute teddy bear to Washington, DC where readers learn about different landmarks in a fun traveling adventure. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Traveling Tootsie is based on a childhood memory, and we thought it would make a great children’s book. When we were kids, we had a “Traveling Tootsie” that we used to hide in our dad’s suitcase when he traveled for work. We were fortunate to travel throughout our childhood, so when our dad would leave for a business trip, we always wished we could go somewhere fun too! Hiding Tootsie in his shoe was a fun game we played to not be so sad about staying home. When our dad came back from his trip, he would share all about where he had been and tell us all about his adventures.
Our dad also loved photography so after the trip, we would set up the slide projector to look at the pictures that went along with his stories. It was like “Movie Night” at our house!
We wanted to capture the adventure we felt as children. We want this book to inspire a love of learning and experiencing different places through stories and pictures and we hope children and families will want to travel and explore different places.
We chose Washington, DC for the setting because we currently live outside the city in the Virginia suburbs. Our dream is to write more Traveling Tootsie books, so what better place to start than the Nation’s Capital!
What was the collaboration process like between the two of you as coauthors?
The collaboration process went well. We are twin sisters who grew up with many of the same memories, so we had fun remembering different parts of the narrative and putting it together to make the whole story come to life. We tend to finish each other’s sentences at times, so writing together was relatively easy! When one of us was trying to get a thought out, the other one could jump in and help.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
We definitely had the most fun once we started working with our talented illustrator, Chiara Civati. Seeing our vision brought to life with her talent was amazing. We had specific ideas about how we wanted the pictures to look so we enjoyed getting those just right. We could have added so many more, but we had to narrow down our choices. One of our favorite pictures is the beautiful cherry blossoms surrounding the Tidal Basin with the Jefferson Memorial in the background.
How do you see your book fitting into parents ‘ or teachers’ lesson plans?
We can see Traveling Tootsie as part of many lessons! We have had one author visit at a local elementary school with the kindergarten classes. They had been working on creating their own stories by drawing pictures first and then putting words down on paper.
It could easily coincide with a history lesson of Washington DC with younger children. It mentions and describes many monuments and special landmarks in the Nation’s Capital.
It has also been used as part of an art lesson. The students drew their very own shoes with Tootsie in it along with pictures of where Tootsie went on an adventure.
We have also thought it would be a good book for a counselor to use for a guidance lesson to suggest a child have their own Tootsie to deal with a parent that travels a lot or is deployed or a split family where they are away from their family for extended periods of time.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Have you ever wished you could go away on your parent’s business trip or hide in their suitcase to explore a new city all on your own?
Well, Katie and Steven sure have! They wonder why they always have to stay home when Mommy or Daddy travel for work. Once their favorite yellow teddy, Tootsie, comes up with the idea to stow himself away for Daddy’s trip to Washington, DC, Katie and Steven realize that they’ll be able to travel along, too―but just not in the way they first imagine!
Traveling Tootsie is an adorable children’s book which perfectly captures the authors’ passion for―and love of―travel. Come along on an exciting adventure with Katie and Steven’s beloved teddy bear in the Nation’s Capital! After you’ve traveled with Tootsie, we hope you’ll begin to explore the enchanting world around YOU!
The Buddha and the Bee
Cory Mortensen’s The Buddha and the Bee is the epic chronicling of his thirty-four day ride from Minnesota to California on his bicycle in hopes of escaping his mundane life for a little while. On the journey, he finds small towns and the people who inhabit them, along with some shady motels. While many of us were dealing with the heartache of 9/11, Cory was seeing a world many don’t see on the interstates and planes. Often he finds himself questioning this not so planned out journey as unforeseen obstacles like numerous flats, broken spokes, and dogs plague him. Along the way, he discovers himself in the simplicity of America’s highways and finds enjoyment in just existing.
Mortensen is kind enough to take us with him each day of his journey, with some extra adventures after the initial ride. We get to really be part of his struggles and triumphs, down to the search for what to eat. He lays his route out so well one could follow it if one should wish. He even alerts the potential traveler to the trouble spots. He flavors the journey with tidbits and facts about places and things he comes across on the journey. I gained so many new wrinkles in my brain on this journey. I also loved the humorous tone the book had, which set it apart from other nonfiction pieces. Mortensen keeps readers riveted with his wit and observations. Included in this book are several lists that those looking to take a journey like this will find helpful.
The Buddha and the Bee is an entertaining memoir and dramatically different from what readers typically find. Mortensen gives us an in-depth and funny look into his journey through America’s roads. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a not-so-average travel read. With his wit and facts, he gives us a superb read that you don’t want to put down.
Pages: 350 | ASIN : B08FLLBBP9
The Possibility of Everywhere
Beth Harkins’s, The Possibility of Everywhere, is a must-read for every traveler or for anyone who one-day dreams of traveling. If you’re a seasoned traveler, you’ll find that this book will evoke memories and rekindle a sense of wanderlust. For those who dream of adventurous travel, this book will carry them on their journey to the places of their imagination and destinations they wish to visit.
Cindy Hollingsworth, the protagonist, brings readers on her travel chronicle across various countries, continents, and landscapes, documenting the stories of women along the way. The book is captivating, not just because of its vivid descriptions but the insightful characters within her journey. One of the key themes of this book is the protagonist’s journey to self-discovery and finding acceptance.
Cindy transforms from a self-doubting person who relies on others to build confidence to an empowered woman who embraces her feminine power. This transformation is a remarkable portrayal of personal growth and self-awareness as she gets in touch with the possibilities and capabilities within. The author wrote this book carefully, with each page marking a new chapter or adventure in Cindy’s life.
The Possibility of Everywhere: Casablanca to Oklahoma City, Kathmandu to Timbuktu represents a desire for new experiences and a search for one’s purpose. This book is a statement, or metaphor, for Cindy’s journey, as she experiences a range of emotions from bliss to loss and thrill to uncertainty. It’s an excellent book about those who seek the courage to find themselves and their purpose in life.
ASIN 1639887024 | Pages 318
Metal Mermaid
Metal Mermaid by Kez Wickham St George is a beautifully written memoir that takes readers on a spiritual and physical adventure. Tara and her husband Russ set off on a journey to explore Western Australia, but unexpected events quickly change their plans. Tara’s journey of self-discovery takes her on a new path, one that challenges her both physically and emotionally. She meets fellow travelers and experiences the joys of the caravaning world, making her way from Australia’s upper coast to New Zealand’s northern island.
In this thought-provoking book, Wickham St George skillfully weaves a tale of courage, resilience, and determination that is both inspiring and captivating. The author’s descriptive writing style transports readers to the various locations Tara visits, allowing them to feel the change of seasons and experience the heat and cold of the land. The side characters in the book are equally intriguing, with rich backstories and tales of their own.
Metal Mermaid is an immersive memoir that provides readers with clear insight into the caravaning world and introduces them to various cultures. Wickham St George’s straightforward writing style makes the book an easy and engaging read. The book is infused with culture and worldly sights, and readers will feel like they are part of Tara’s journey.
Metal Mermaid is an outstanding book that I highly recommend to readers looking for an inspirational book that showcases the beauty of life’s journey. The author’s ability to tell a captivating story that takes readers on a spiritual adventure is nothing short of impressive.
Pages: 406 | ASIN: B08GFZ1DQL
Traveling Tootsie
Katie and Steven’s parents travel a lot, and they wish they could travel too. While playing pretend, their teddy bear, Tootsie, comes up with a great idea. They should hide him in their father’s suitcase so he can see Washington, DC, and then come home and tell them all about the trip. After secretly being stowed away in their father’s suitcase, Tootsie makes it to Washington, DC and sees all the amazing sights. But will Tootsie make it back in time to tell the kids about all the awesome things he saw?
Author’s Karen and Kathy Honaker have created a beautifully illustrated children’s book that showcases the magic of a child’s imagination and the wonders of traveling. Each page of this adorable children’s book is illustrated with cute artwork. I loved seeing Tootie at different landmarks across Washington, DC! The sketch artwork will be relatable to children and capture their attention. I also enjoyed how the character’s faces conveyed their emotions well and how there were many little details to pick up on in the artwork.
This is a fantastically educational book that will be perfect for any child that wishes to travel, especially to Washington, DC. It shows readers all the different landmarks around the city, along with some sights and sounds.
Traveling Tootsie is a fun and educational picture book that will inspire kids to travel. This will be an excellent book to gift to children with parents that travel a lot as it will show them a different way to cope with the separation. I also think this will make a great bedtime story as young children have plenty to look at on the page as their parent reads the story.
Pages: 38 | ASIN: B0BT1V88FL
LITERARY TITAN 