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What Life Throws At Us
A.G. Flitcher Author Interview
Boone and Jacque: Saddleton Haunting follows three kids who set out on a perilous quest to restore order and peace to their haunted town. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
This installment of the series concludes the three characters youth. In which I explore their mental growth. As for inspiration, I thought about my own troubles as a teen and child. Feeling like I had to grow up by myself. My father and mother taught me a lot, but I learned a lot about myself through my own reflection.
Secondly, I wanted to show how a person can learn about themselves throughout life without the influence of peers and parents. Sure we take lessons from all people, strangers or those we know well, but ultimately, it’s what life throws at us that makes us grow.
Boone, Shammy, and Jacque are interesting characters that are fun to follow. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Boone’s development had to do with untethering himself from the bad memories of his parents. Specifically when they started drinking and becoming neglectful. In addition, he had to learn how to deal with grief even though no one taught him how to do it in a healthy way.
Luckily Shammy was there to help him. However, she had her doubts about him because he wasn’t really showing any emotion until he decided to put his guard down and let the grieving process take over him.
Because she wasn’t meant to be a central character, I kept her development a little more internal. That way the readers can still her growing without overshadowing Boone and Jacque. She was unsure of her sexuality due to feeling distant from Boone. But once he started opening up, she realised it wasn’t her sexuality she wasn’t sure of. It was her trust and bond to Boone.
Jacque was unsure of his sexuality because he, nor the others, was taught about sexuality. He could be seen as gay at first, but he’s actually pansexual.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Sexuality, Greed, Power, Grief, Love, Feminism, Trauma, and Fear.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m working on the fourth installment of Boone and Jacque.
The subtitle was originally The Arnaud Murder, but I decided to change the title.
The story focuses on a murder of Jacque’s uncle, but the story runs far deeper than the mystery of a murder.
It will be out late 2022.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
A strange being looms over Saddleton. Boone, Shammy, and Jacque must restore the balance in power and peace in this haunted town. However, just like in the beginning, there is no telling what will become of them in the end. Not even those in power and the sheep that follow them.
Boone and Jacque: Saddleton Haunting
![Boone and Jacque: Saddleton Haunting by [AG Flitcher, James Lillich, Holly Walrath]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41btn4JehiL.jpg)
Boone and Jacque: Saddleton Haunting by A.G. Flitcher is the third book in the Boone and Jacque series. There have been reports of a blood-sucking, red werewolf-like spirit appearing in the town of Saddleton, nightmarish to every being who encounters the ghastly living curse. Boone, Jacque, and Shammy, now orphans working under the rule of their new king, along with others, are sent on a journey aimed at retrieving that which will ensure the eradication of the town from this looming spirit. Hardly do they know their mission is more than simply a search for answers to an external cause, and they are constantly going to be accompanied by love, rifts, anger, and uncertainty along the way.
This engaging fantasy novel is replete with dreamlike elements. There is an eight-legged, four-eared, diamond-eyed, flying squirrel, and a house that is completely covered with tea cozy’s. Furthermore, there are flying rats, ink-black water, and bizarre rules and regulations at the Saddleton orphanage. The environment is surreal and amusing but also bizarre and amazing at the same time. The little details given to the habits and mannerisms of children in the orphanage are very well thought out. Whether it’s the girls giggling at the entrance of boys or the boys bickering and using rude language, the intrinsic traits of teenagers are evident. Ultimately, the relationship that develops between the ever-inquisitive Boone, reserved Jacque, and clever Shammy was something that was endearing to me. In addition, I enjoyed the author’s inclusion of modern-day topics in this urban fantasy novel, including feminism and homosexuality.
Some parts of this novel reminded me of Harry Potter and the mystique of the world is conveyed well. There are so many creative elements in this story that young adults fans will surely enjoy, such as the throbbing W mark on Boone’s chest, a half-alive demon feeding on an animal to gain strength, except in place of a wand we have a powder that is intriguing in itself. As a Potterhead, I find this link amusing, and I think young adult fans will enjoy the connection, but I would offer a word of caution; there are some gory scenes and rough language used. But if you are not bothered by that then you will certainly enjoy this story.
The novel stirs up many emotions. There is anxious anticipation of the cursed living spirit, pity for the helplessness and loneliness of the orphans, and regret for what they have endured. Additionally, the empathy extends to Boone and Jacque, the two orphans with a dark past, who face difficulty venting their feelings. Boone and Jacque: Saddleton Haunting is a thrilling paranormal adventure story that will appeal to readers looking for a dark but fun story.
Pages: 301 | ASIN: B09BR2NZK4
The Broken Justice System
Villains For Justice tells the story of what happens when citizens take justice into their own hands. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
As a growing child of harsh inflicted abuse, I have always wished for a hero to come to my rescue to change and fix the broken justice system. Unfortunately, due to child protective services failure to aid me and my siblings, we kept on suffering constant daily abuse from our father. Child protective services has failed one too many times by not improving in their methods for the better, and that is the reason why many children have died while in their own watch. There are actually thousands of children nationwide who are subjects of child abuse cases. Based on these facts, I was inspired to write about fictional villains who aid the innocent young victims, finding some kind of solace. This book was also created to bring to light matters such as these by advocacy. This particular book is slightly different than other books because it positions the protagonists as villain’s who fight for better improving methods for both children and women and against a rash of injustices that need to be addressed by the proper channels.
Your characters were all creative and intriguing. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
All my characters were created with a specific purpose. My first character Nina Dansk was created to bring out the failures of the child protective system, therefore later taking actions against them in order to be heard. Nina had suffered the loss of her whole family including her beloved dog mainly due to her abusive step mother and her sister rapist. Nina’s father couldn’t handle the stress and pain of his daughter’s rape and death and passed away shortly thereafter. This drove a teen Nina to became distant and frigid with her step mother who she view as the cause of her families lost and pain. Nina avenged her families death with no regrets nor remorse. Once Nina got her psychologist degree she worked for a child protective agency and she began changing the way she saw the laws when it came to how children were being handled. Against all the odds against her, Nina continued with her quest to achieve justice and making an example out of her brutal attack on child abusers, pedophiles and rapist. The following character, Jerico Raven, he was taken about to a loss upon the death of child Blair, once he began his investigation into her death he discovers hidden secrets and agendas that lead back to law enforcement involvement. It was with the help of both his good friends Lieutenant Danny Rojas and Shadow Claw that Jerico was able to get his life back in track eventually but not before suffering a great deal. Character Cora Rollins was the worse and most difficult villain to bring down. Experiencing two prior rapes plus her own uncle’s rape as a child, Cora grew to dislike all men. Cora went more against pedophiles and rapist demanding changes or else. Cora had won the New York public over as she was cleaning house unlike the proper authorities were. In real life, some villain’s are like superhero’s because they fight for a good cause but their causes sometimes don’t align with the norms of life and that is what had caused so much division and perplexity with these characters development. This book is the first novel that begins with an effort to try and achieve rightful justice when the law isn’t upheld properly, and we’ve seen this happen time after time.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Well there are a few but the most important one to me really is the advocating the characters bring up about these issues regarding child abuse, pedophiles and rapes. Sometimes we often wonder why people go as far as to take the law into their own hands, well this fictional book provides the answers to that question. There are thousands who have suffered like me as my siblings out there who don’t know or realize that there exist and there is help out there. The main point of the book is not to keep silent, but to make a stand, and let yourself be heard. And even if that means that one has to go all the way to the supreme court to he heard and try to make some kind of improvement fair change. It is only through advocacy that one can be heard, noticed and succeed in accomplishing it’s goal.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
It is a book under the name “The Return Of The NY Villains For Justice” which is the second novel following this one. The book brings in and features a new villain who joins the team in his cause for justice against his own race. The book will also reveal shocking and unexpected discoveries about the villains themselves. Even though the book continues to highlight the story of each villain and their different struggles for rightful social justice, the book will also highlight the importance of not taking matters into ones own hands but instead go through the proper legal justice ways required by the law. Book has been out as of August 10, 2021.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Rise Above And Overcome
Three Days to Darkness follows a man that dies and is sent to Heaven but then is sent back to earth to save humanity from renegade angels. What was the inspiration for the setup in your story?
The novel started with two characters that popped into my head. They are almost direct opposites except for their shared ethnic background. Darius starts out as a straight arrow and Javon is a street thug. Their interaction has profound effects on both characters.
Darius is an intriguing character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
When I originally wrote this novel, I was feeling downtrodden by my circumstances and the people around me. I believe the driving force behind Darius arose from a need to rise above and overcome my limiting beliefs and outer circumstances.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Two major themes revolve around building self-confidence and mentoring. Like most heroes, Darius begins his journey concerned mostly with his small circle of relationships and his career goals. In his spare time, Darius helps out as a mentor to at-risk inner-city youths. I believe Darius’ community work is a major reason why he is chosen for the pivotal role he eventually plays in the course of human affairs. There are two other themes, but revealing them would be a spoiler.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’ve just completed a sequel to “The Silver Sphere–No Time to Waste.” The second novella in the series is titled “Cataclysm–End of Worlds.” The book is currently in production and I expect to release it in early October 2021.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
No one seems to care that Junior Operative Darius McPherson is woefully short of adequate training and skills for the difficult task ahead of him. The Archangel keeps assuring him he’s the man for the mission, while Darius wonders where the more experienced Senior Operatives have gone.
As his mission briefing draws to a close, the Archangel calmly announces that Darius has three days to defuse what his superiors refer to as “The Big Emergency,” a budding cataclysm that threatens the orderly evolution of consciousness itself.
Reluctantly, Darius accepts his assignment. Immediately after the Hyperspace Conveyor Tube deposits Darius in a run down section of Miami, Florida, Darius meets the first member of his mortal task force: seventeen-year-old Javon Quincy, a street hustler on the run from a botched robbery attempt.
Scarlet Ambrosia
![Scarlet Ambrosia: Blood Is The Nectar Of Life by [David Gittlin]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51dtno7XsKL.jpg)
Scarlet Ambrosia by David Gittlin is a gritty and steamy vampire novel laced with an air of criminal mystery that follows Devon Furst as he meets the enigmatic Mathilde de Roche. Devon is a sleek businessman used to expensive taste and a successful routine. His connection with Mathilde occurs in the middle of several disappearances happening around downtown Miami, claiming the lives of many who look just like Devon.
While it seems that there is a mysterious threat on the Miami streets, Devon finds himself intimidated by the power that Mathilde herself holds. She seems to know more about him than he thought possible as they’ve only just met and spent time engaging in a casual relationship. But Mathilde has seen Devon for some time, and kept her sights trained on getting him. He’s suspicious of her allure and her cunning words, until he finally learns her devious secret: Mathilde is a vampire.
I enjoyed this new take on the typical vampire genre. The story itself was seductive and pulled me in, with Mathilde being such an enigmatic character. I liked the fact that the female character in this story had power in creating other vampires around her, while trying to escape the hold of her cruel companion. Her relationship with Devon was steamy and exciting and gave us an opportunity to learn about this vampire realm with unique clarity. As a reader, we got to discover so much about the world just through Devon’s growth as a new vampire, the villains he met, and the hardships the people around him went through under vampire influence.
While I enjoyed the story, I felt that it was a bit rushed at the beginning, pulling us right into the world of Mathilde with little information about Devon. I would have liked to see a regular day in his life before he met Mathilde to give more context to what his life was like. However, I thought that once the story kicked into Devon’s life as a vampire and the loss he faced through this change, the fast pace helped keep the story exciting and lively.
If you want to read something fast-paced, intense, and dark, Scarlet Ambrosia is an amazing novel for you. The vampire underworld explored in this story is alluring and sexy and will draw in any reader. This book is perfect for someone looking for their next exciting read.
Pages: 355 | ASIN: B00PBCA0HU
Consumed My Every Waking Thought
In the Name of the Otherworld follows a young orphaned girl into a magical land where she learns her true identity and must come to terms with who and what she is. What were some sources that informed this novel’s development?
I’d say that Alexandria’s struggles and inner demons parallels that of my own. Before I became an author, I had a strong lack of confidence. I didn’t like being me at all, no matter how much I achieved. For some reason there was this little part of me that kept discrediting and doubting myself. But then all changed since the idea of writing In the Name of the Otherworld entered my mind. Finally, I had a goal to strive for, a dream worth fighting; something that consumed my every waking thought and absorbed my energy like a huge magnet. The notion of penning a novel kept me excited, and I was so focused on my book that I didn’t even have the time to feel insecure or question my abilities. But along the way, few people were willing to support a young author like me. My enthusiasm won me many perfunctory compliments, yet almost nobody was truly interested in what I was doing. In the Name of the Otherworld would never have been born had my will been just an ounce weaker. I felt that, like Alexandria, I was proving my worth to not only myself but also the others during my journey.
Alexandria was a character I enjoyed following. What were some obstacles in the story that you felt were important in defining her character?
Her Cover of Courage
First of all, she was mistreated as a child. This made her independent and fierce yet terrified inside. She performed magic without herself being aware, hurt people, and inflicted damage without meaning to. She was scared of herself. But as a victim of bullying, she donned a mask of bravado to conceal the many insecurities that dwelled underneath.
Her Personality
Alexandria didn’t have many people to love. Her parents were believed to be long dead (or at least at the beginning of the story). She had very few friends, while most of her peers either bullied or shunned her. Because of this, she is fierce, loyal, and will do everything to protect the few ones she loves.
Her Ambition
She endured years of bullying in the orphanage and school. Plus, she was often defined as a “freak” and a “witch”, labeled different in a negative sense. This made her rather ambitious. As an underdog, Alexandria was eager to prove the people who despised her wrong. She did her best in every battle, fighting not only for the people she loved but also to prove herself worthy.
This seemed like a fun book to write. What scene did you have the most fun writing?
This is no easy question to answer. As the author of this book, every scene has a significant meaning to me. To a writer, a scene is never just a scene. Memories, those of where I wrote it and how I got the inspiration of creating it, are linked with the scene itself. In other words, every scene is memorable in its own way. I can name a few that stand out in particular, though— the scene which the protagonists had to cross the bridge (in chapter five), Clarissa’s first time flying on a cloud, the part where they all had to jump into a waterfall for dear life, the chase in the desert, the final battle…. Oops! Did I give away too much?!
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I finished the sequel of In the Name of the Otherworld six months ago. It’s titled Marvels of the Underworld, and hopefully it’ll be published next spring. I haven’t signed the contract yet, so no promises, but I try to look on the positive side and cross my fingers for the best. Two weeks ago, I completed the third book of the Otherworld trilogy, War of the Chaotic Worlds. I can’t give too much away, but there will be a great many twists and turns in both the second and third book. They’re much darker compared to In the Name of the Otherworld. I’m busy editing the third book now, but as soon as I finish, I plan to start a young adult novel without speculative elements. It’s going to be very different from what I have written in the past. As an author, I always enjoy challenging myself to new heights.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
It’s not just an adventure. It’s a journey of growth and redemption.
Real Magic Isn’t That Simple
A Spell of Rowans follows a family who must deal with the dangerous aftermath of their mother’s death while carrying the scars of their childhood. What were some sources that informed this novel’s development?
Unfortunately, I grew up in a home where physical abuse of my brothers by my father was the norm. While none of my experiences are to the extreme seen in this story, I think the scenes in the book feel very real because of drawing upon that background. I also come from a large family with three brothers and a sister, so writing about sibling experiences, the guilt and shame (“survivor guilt”) is something I know firsthand.
The character of Liam, who presents as learning disabled in the story, is from my experiences of having two grown sons, both with ADHD. My oldest had many problems in public school because of the administration not understanding how to handle his learning disability. I’ve worked with doctors, teachers, principals, and counselors to get my kids’ help, and have experienced the frustration of trying to navigate a system that is simply out-of-date with what we know now about how kids learn.
I’ve also donated my time to several non-profits that are about early childhood development and working towards child abuse prevention.
On a completely different note, I’ve worked as a reporter covering government meetings, schools, and crime, so have lived in a lot of small towns, exactly like Grimsby. The streets, the police force, and the history of Grimsby are pulled from these life experiences.
What were some ideas that were important for you to personify in your characters?
It was really important to me for the sibling connection between Phillipa (the oldest), Victoria (our protagonist), and Liam (the youngest “baby” of the family) to feel real. I wanted their interaction to be something the reader would go “oh yeah, that’s exactly how my siblings would act.” Their connection to each other, almost knowing what the other needs, but also being defensive about past events, was really important to me to get right.
Phillipa, as the oldest, was the one who broke away first, and is successful, but at what cost to herself? Victoria, perhaps has the most realistic perspective of both parents. She is caught between guilt for leaving, but also knowing that she had no other choice but to save herself. Liam, the one left behind, is the least functional adult (as we classify it), and has his lack of self-worth and self-destructive traits to deal with.
Despite all of their differences, all three still feel a strong family bond.
How did you balance magic and its use throughout the story to keep it believable?
A Spell of Rowans is in a contemporary setting and I knew I wanted the magic to be something they could use every day, but not be a cure-all, miracle worker.
I did not want the magic to be something you would see in a television series like Charmed or Sabrina. As I keep telling my husband, there will be no “wave the magic wand and the cupcakes dance.” Magic was going to be gritty and problematic, but for the characters who had it and the ones who loved them.
Phillipa has a talent for making people immediately like her – charisma. Something you see in some television and movie star actors. She has leveraged this to make a successful career as a realtor.
Meanwhile, Victoria, as an empath, can sense other people’s emotions. As a character, I wanted to showcase someone who could know another person from the inside-out, but was also rather oblivious to her own emotions. I wanted to write about an empath that, maybe because of her knowledge, had to fight against getting involved with people in order to save her own sanity.
Liam’s psychometry, the ability to read objects, not only makes him appear strange to outsiders, but was the talent most twisted to evil purposes by his mother.
I wanted the magic to be something that was used every day and was an essential part of the personality of each character.
Magic also had to have strict limits and not be something that solved the character’s problems or revealed the mystery.
This is a pet peeve of mine, when magic acts as the deux de machina. I also call this issue the K-9 problem from the robotic dog in Doctor Who that always came in at the last minute to save everyone from the corner the writer had painted them into.
At one point in the story (no spoiler!), a spell to reveal their mother’s killer doesn’t go as expected. Real magic isn’t that simple and never will be.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’ve got several projects in the works right now. One is the last book in my College Fae series called Storm of Songs. This will wrap up the story about my fae dryad attending an European university alongside human students. I hope to have that out in 2022, but it is still very much in the first draft stage.
I’m also working on a new series about a lady detective where the heroine is a Ghost-Talker, someone who can speak with the dead. It will be high fantasy, set in a mythical land similar to the early 1900’s Europe.
The best way to know about my projects is to join my newsletter https://byrdnash.com/wp_quiz/what-reader/ (you also get a free book!). Or join the private Fan group I have on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/261465228565349/ as I announce a lot of projects under development and time schedules there. Also, those followers get the first chance to be a Beta readers or ARCS of my books.
Free books, behind-the-scenes, and new reads at ByrdNash.com
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Victoria, whose empathic talent reads hidden feelings. Phillipa, with a glamour that bewitches. Liam, who can touch an object to reveal its past.
All are in danger.
Their narcissistic mother, Rachel Rowan, sniffed out secrets and she used her antique shop, Rosemary Thyme, to torment the residents of Grimsby.
But with her death and the murder of her assistant, Vic must discover the truth before the past destroys what remains of her family.
And that hometown boy she dumped way back? He’s in Grimsby and knows the truth about her.
With their magical talents twisted by a traumatic past, the Rowan siblings must face the deadly fallout of blackmail, murder, and magic in this emotional page-turner.
NOTE Trigger warnings for discussion of child abuse and trauma, with one assault scene, and some cursing.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
I Wanted to Create A New Villain
Sins of Chaos finds the Breedline species safe from Breedline hybrids but now they face something far more deadly. What were some new ideas you wanted to explore in this book that were different from The Immortal?
For Sins of Chaos, I wanted to create a new villain, or rather a trio of villains, who are far more powerful than the Breedline or any other species in their Covenant. Bringing forth this type of supernatural villains would give me the opportunity to introduce some new “winged” characters to the story who will play a crucial role in my Breedline adventures in the future.
I loved all the new exciting characters included in this story. What were some sources of inspiration that informed their character development?
Everyone wants a hero, especially in a world filled with evil and destruction. That’s when my heroes started to develop. And why not five battle angels. Of course, they are not your typical white winged angels with halos hovering their heads. I wanted my new heroic characters to be larger than life with personalities and special powers to match. Their purpose is vital to the story and will continue on in the future.
How did you come up with the idea for the antagonist in this story and how did it change as you wrote?
Crazy as it sounds, my idea for the antagonist in Sins of Chaos, came from a dream. I knew I needed new exciting villains for my story, but I struggled with the idea. One night I dreamed of three fraternal siblings with supernatural powers. They all had specific characteristics and unique powers. As time passed, they became more vivid and believable in my own mind. Although they are the “bad guys,” their story will shift toward the end.
What can readers expect in the next book in your Breedline Series?
Next in line for my Novels of the Breedline series follows:
- The Curse
- Living Nightmares
- Vampires in Manhattan
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Abbey, desperate to keep her she-wolf at bay, has been on the run from ruthless scientists—backed by wealthy and dangerous prospects dealing in drug and human sex trafficking—who will stop at nothing to use her to locate her beloved Steven for his unique abilities of healing.
With the help of the Breedline species and a group of highly trained soldiers, whose special skills go beyond the norm, the human race finds hope of surviving the dangers that are fast closing in. But will the combined efforts be powerful enough to save them?
While war wages on, Sebastian Crow continues to suffer Lucifer’s curse—trapped in a coma and forced to face the forgotten trauma of his childhood. And the only way to awaken from his hellish nightmare, Sebastian must hand over his son Arius to the dark side.
LITERARY TITAN 