Blog Archives
Good Morning Mr. Death – Book Trailer
What is it that we never think of when we’re young, but is constantly on our mind when we get old? A 16-year-old wannabe thug meets Mr. Death, who takes him on a tour of his world. He shows him the souls he has collected and the souls he will collect. If Wendell Tate can solve Mr. Death’s riddle, his soul will not be the next one collected.
Lives That Are Gradually Destroyed
Where I am Standing is a thoughtful collection of short stories that provide subtle but potent commentary on life. What inspired you to write this collection of stories?
The book is about a hometown which, little by little, witnesses ruins in all aspects there. It is a narrative of valuable spiritual and worldly lives that are gradually destroyed and turned into ashes. The name of the book “Where I am standing” illustrates the place a human is born and stands on his root, hometown. This can be interpreted as every human being’s life status encompassing all sorrows, joys, struggles and desires.
Did you write these stories specifically for this book or did you write these stories over time?
I have written the stories over time since each story was an inspiration through gradual degradation of human’s life around me.
My favorite story from the collection is ‘Human Being’. Do you have a favorite story from this book?
As you know generally it is almost impossible to choose one of them, but I can tell you some of them are different; Scarecrow-The Alley- Titanic, War, Lost, and My Shadow.
What are some themes you wanted to explore in this book?
The themes mostly deal with the human values which are about to vanish as well as all symbols of life in every individual’s life span.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Dark and Emotional
Left for Death follows a seasoned detective on his last case that turns out to be connected to a child trafficking with connections to the police department. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I wanted to create a story that was dark and emotional. I’ve read many cozy light-hearted Murder She Wrote kind of mysteries, but that’s not my writing style. I wanted it to be something that would hit the reader hard and make them wince a bit. Some reviewers have stated they felt the story was a bit too dark, and too much like real life, but that’s exactly what I was aiming for.
Detective John Sandes is an intriguing character. What were some driving ideals behind his character’s development?
He is loosely based on my late father Joseph D’Aquisto Sr. who died in 2002. Much of his back story is similar minus his career as a police detective. Both of their personal experiences with family members draw certain parallels. He had always talked about moving to Seattle when he was alive. That never happened for him. Funny enough, it was actually me who ended up living in the Pacific Northwest for several years in Vancouver, B.C. and spending lots of time in Seattle as well.
I kind of created this character using my father as a base. As I write a follow-up to Left For Death, I have to remind myself that John Sandes is not my father, and there are differences between the two. Sometimes I think to myself “Would my father really do something like this?”, well maybe not, but that’s okay because this character isn’t actually my father. I’m become more accepting of the fact that the characters are splitting a bit. The character of John Sandes will become more of his own in future books.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I think child trafficking is a huge problem today, and has been for a very long time. It was important for me to look at a serious crime. I didn’t want a reader to pick up my story to read about something petty.
Another theme that was important to me was family issues. I think many people assume that people have relatively normal upbringings. One of the most important lessons is not assuming everyone has similar upbringings and home-life situations
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working on a sequel to this book. John Sandes will once again be the main character. It takes place a few years after.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Sandes receives a missing person report for Leo Johnson. He finds Johnson dead in the bathtub from a gunshot wound to the head. While investigating the scene, Sandes discovers a photo of an eleven-year-old girl on Johnson’s bed. Sandes’ investigation finds him butting heads with a child sex trafficking ring. Sandes knows it is his very last case and that he must do whatever it takes to solve it before his retirement which is soon approaching.
The Omicron Six
![The Omicron Six by [Endy Wright]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41wydyGg5nL.jpg)
The plot of The Omicron Six by Endy Wright revolves around two young boys, Cooper Callister and Coupe Daschelete, who had vastly different upbringings. While one of them was raised in the midst of abuse, another one had a healthy and protected environment while growing up. The teens discover that they might possess some special powers after Coupe protects Cooper from a bully. Their lives then become intricately intertwined.
Things take a dark turn when people all over the country start disappearing in a mysterious way. The boys end up at a place where they meet four others with similar superhuman abilities, and an impending doom awaits them. In the face of imminent danger and difficulty, the boys have to stick by each other’s side to protect the world around them.
To find out the source of their powers, and why they have been bestowed with them, you have to delve deep into this riveting novel. The author puts forward significant intriguing questions about the nature of scientific experiments and compels us to consider their ethical validity. The book toys with the idea that by tweaking the genetic components of humans, we can make them even more powerful, so much that they can possess superhuman powers. Readers are left asking the question, where should we draw the line when it comes to scientific advancements?
Even though the book is quite a long read, its fast-paced nature makes it thoroughly enjoyable. In fact, at certain times the reader is left craving for more. An unusual amalgamation of suspense, science fiction, and endless adventure, this is a book that you would want to read multiple times, to fully grasp its essence.
I was surprised to find out that this thrilling science fiction story was 300 pages because it doesn’t feel that long. Once you get to know the characters it’s easy to get wrapped up in the story. The easy flowing dialogue and sharp prose are always moving the story forward. I was enthralled with the story, even though it contains some graphic descriptions of abuse and violence, it never seems out of place.
The Omicron Six has a gripping storyline with brilliant character development that take a thought-provoking dive into the ethical dilemma of scientific experiments. This is a provocative and relentlessly entertaining science fiction novel that was hard to put down.
Pages: 304 | ASIN: B0916FH9YH
Hijacked My Life
Earth 101: Time to Run Jayne as she unravels the mystery behind people that have been erased and finds something sinister behind it. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Jayne came to me during a trip from home to London. I travel a lot for work and on this particular day, I was sad about leaving home. As I sat watching out of the carriage window, I visualised a girl doing the same, but she was travelling away from Earth. But why was she leaving? And why was she so sad to leave? This should be a great adventure, but it wasn’t. So, she told me her story and has hijacked my life ever since.
Jayne is an interesting character that was fun to follow. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Jayne has been with me for many years now; she feels real inside my head. When I run, she partners along and I mull over ideas of the story. I will often scan the web for inspirational images, which remind me of her. I love the goth scene and I see her as a “gentle” goth. The music by my favourite band, Evanescence, is the soundtrack to Jayne’s world, especially the Open Door album.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I love space and time travel. The thought of the endless possibilities of the undiscovered universe holds great wonder to me. I believe we have a lot to learn about black holes and I would have loved to meet Stephen Hawking to discuss this particular subject in detail. As far as Jayne’s personal life goes, it was important to me she has a loving and supportive family, with older and younger siblings. I feel too many young adult stories feature the lonesome orphan. That would not have worked here. Jayne needs a close and personal reason to sacrifice so much. Yes, you can want to save the population of a planet, but you will want to save your close, loved ones more so.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working on “Earth 201 – The Time to Stay” which is the conclusion to Earth 101. I have also completed the first draft of a middle-grade contemporary fantasy novel, “Grandpa’s Book” which requires careful attention from both myself and my amazing editor.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website
Jayne knows they’re gone, but no one else will acknowledge what’s happening.
One by one, they’re systematically erased from existence. No explanations. No missing person’s reports. No search parties.
Something sinister is afoot. Jayne can feel it in her bones. But uncovering the truth will prove difficult, especially when she discovers who and what is behind the devious plot.
As she searches for answers, she grapples with the lingering effects of a head injury, an unexpected forbidden romance, and a strange new reality that changes everything.
Will she uncover the truth, or will she be the next innocent victim?
Juanita Chase FBI: The Rainbow Killer
Someone is stalking the LGBTQ community of Long Island, New York. When the drowning death of a federal agent’s daughter connects to the serial killings, Special Agent Chase joins the investigation. Is the killer a jilted lover? Is the father taking revenge on the women he suspected of drowning his daughter? When the fourth victim turns up butchered, Juanita must race against time to save the remaining women on the monster’s death list.
Discovering Twins: no secret is safe forever
![Discovering Twins: no secret is safe forever by [Stella ter Hart]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51xydVGJVKS.jpg)
Discovering Twins by Stella ter Hart is a memoir, a biography and a short fictional stories all-in-one. It blurs the line between memory and imagination, and that’s what sets it apart. It takes us through the life of ter Hart’s family. With more than 20 short stories exploring different characters and their lives, Discovering Twins is a magnificent debut by Stella ter Hart. It talks about the life of a Jewish family under an oppressive regime; it celebrates life and explores motherhood, childhood, and families in fascinating ways.
The book explores various themes and has something to interest everyone. It talks about the small celebrations of life, taking us through incidents like childbirth, the discomforts and joys of pregnancies, a girl becoming a woman and the fear of the unknown that strikes when you menstruate for the first time. It later talks about Stella’s ageing mother, who suffers from mental illness in the later stages of life. It truly represents life and its various color and shades.
Divided into unconnected short stories about several people in no particular order, one would expect the book to be rather chaotic. However, the author surprises us by making the book feel coherent and rather beautifully connected from one story to another. The stories themselves do not follow the standard format of a story with an introduction, climax or ending. Instead, they narrate instances, some monumental, some mundane, but each brilliantly described. It feels like a window into Stella’s family that we peak into from time to time.
The book also gives us rare insight into the Holocaust and its horrors. How sometimes, parents were even forced to choose between their children. It talks about how her mother and their generation were forced to lie because the truth could get them killed. Stella brings out the horrors of war and genocide without letting the story become a book about the Holocaust, but rather how the scars have a ripple effect.
Discovering Twins is a must-read for anyone looking to get an intriguing and insightful look into the life and struggles of Jews during times of war contrasted with the warm, happy, bright life of ter Hart’s family.
Pages: 256 | ASIN: B094F8WYDT
The Correction
The Correction, by John Hazen, is the fascinating tale of a supernatural gift passed on from generation to generation, following the course of history and the characters’ life up to the narrator’s life. Joseph Vance, the narrator’s voice, leads us through his ancestors’ good and bad corrections and takes us through his life, where many obstacles will be placed on his way, but he’s not completely alone in overcoming them.
Hazen writes beautifully with vivid descriptions and insights on the characters’ feelings and thoughts. He manages to keep a fast pace all the way through the story. While time travel stories can get fanciful, I appreciated how grounded this supernatural thriller was which ensures that the story, and the characters, are relatable.
If you’re a reader that appreciates the details in a story, then you can certainly appreciate all the effort put in to fully flesh out these complex characters. Each has an important role to play in the story, and the dialogue and interactions with each one or subtle yet compelling. I was surprised to find to some impassioned commentary on social issues woven throughout the story. Issues like racism are addressed and provide an opportunity to really understand who are characters are and test them in some morally intriguing ways.
While I heartily enjoyed this science fiction drama, I had to get a few chapters into the novel before I felt I was sure I knew where this story was going. But diving into Joseph Vance’s life felt authentic and compelling and was something I eventually looked forward to.
The Correction, by John Hazen is a supernatural thriller that feels like it was written by Stephen King. With fully realized characters and a well-conceived and engaging plot, this was a historical thriller that kept surprising me. If you enjoy a good dramatic thriller, then I highly recommend this stimulating book.
Pages: 254 | ASIN: B094SRYXMV
LITERARY TITAN 