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The Devil Pulls the Strings
![The Devil Pulls the Strings by [J.W. Zarek, Peter Johnston, Susanne Purvis]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/516XoH6zKuS.jpg)
Confusion is the name of the game for poor Boone. Most of the time, he doesn’t know where he is, who he is talking to, or why he is there. Boone’s life is one strange adventure after another, but none of these adventures are planned. Boone Daniels is a time traveler and an unwilling one at that. A tragic event involving his best friend, Flynn, has placed Boone in the very awkward and frightening position of finding someone called “the Professor.” Nothing about his task is appealing, but Boone is not in a position to argue. He’s on a mission to make things right.
The Devil Pulls the Strings is an imaginative science fiction tale by J.W. Zarek. Main character, Boone Daniels, has happened upon his time-traveling abilities quite by accident, and he remains in a perpetual state of overwhelming confusion when his travels take him to one century and one part of the globe after another. While he is not thrilled at the idea of going to New York to take Flynn’s place in a gig, he knows he owes Flynn and owes him big.
Boone’s travels from place to place and time to time happen quickly–very quickly. Zarek has the book’s main character moving rapidly through time to complete the mission he has been given. Readers are treated to numerous tidbits of history as Boone races through time to prevent events he knows will occur. There seems to be nothing left out when it comes to major historical events, famous names, and easily recognizable points of interest. The blend of present-day Boone and time-traveling Boone make for an engaging storyline.
The first-person point of view really makes Zarek’s book a truly engaging adventure novel. Hearing Boone describe his apprehension and his insecurities in his own voice really make the story all the more relatable. He struggles with his strange gift, and he is in a constant battle trying to figure out which way is up and how to solve the never-ending puzzle before him.
The Devil Pulls the Strings is a wildly thrilling time travel adventure. Readers who love a good underdog will find Boone Daniels the perfect main character–his constant trepidation is endearing. Zarek’s unlikely time-traveling hero, Boone, brings an element of humor and normalcy to an otherwise magnificently spun urban fantasy adventure tale.
Pages: 252 | ASIN: B09435JJ67
The Devil Pulls the Strings
Boone’s life has changed, and it changed in the time it takes to blow an air horn. What should have gone without a hitch turned into an event that could easily have taken his best friend’s life and left Boone standing as the guilty party. Boone, not exactly one for making a spectacle of himself, is now doing his best to pull it together and stand in for Flynn and take his place in the upcoming gig. Boone is prepared, but is he really ready for what lies ahead? There is something Flynn has been hiding from him, and he can’t quite put his finger on it.
The Devil Pulls the Strings, by J.W. Zarek, is the story of Boone, a young man left with a unique set of abilities following a freak accident. Boone now experiences panic attacks and is able to time travel–all out of his control. The big city seems like the worst possible place for Boone, but his debt to Flynn is a big one and must be paid. When he finds himself without the advantage of having a cell phone and being pushed around on the bustling streets of New York City, Boone realizes exactly how far out of his element he really is.
I really love Boone’s character. He’s confused. He’s genuine. And he’s one determined guy. His challenges are beyond those of most main characters you could name, yet he somehow persists. The fact that he is not quite at ease with his abilities makes him even more endearing. The vulnerability given him by the author makes him that much more relatable.
The world Zarek has created for readers is a wonderful blend of science fiction and present day reality. The contrast between the two is amazing and gives readers the best of both worlds. Science fiction fans will enjoy wonderful descriptions of the altered reality Boone is forced to face–vivid scenes, well-drawn characters, and enthralling plot lines. I was especially taken with the way Zarek incorporates the wendigo into Boone’s storyline.
The Devil Pulls the Strings is an enthralling epic fantasy novel. Readers looking for an exhilarating storyline steeped in fantasy and science fiction will become instant fans of Zarek’s work. The plot is involved but will have readers on the edge of their seats rooting for its main character, Boone.
Pages: 252 | ASIN: B09435JJ67
An Out of the Box Thinker
Rogue Moon Dreamer follows a renegade who’s navigating a carefully chosen life path because of what he knows about the future due to a lucid dreaming technique. This is a fictitious narrative based on true events. What events inspired this book?
This script was inspired in part from an experience that I had while I was on a climb and base jump in Montana. I met some old timer pot farmers from Humboldt County who were camping in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. We sat around a smokey campfire and shared an engaging all night conversation after the jump.
Ryker is an intriguing character that I enjoyed watching develop throughout the book. What were some sources that informed his character development?
The character Ryker is a blend of three people that I know. One is a wingsuit pilot, one is a medical cannabis researcher and the other is an off the grid astronomer and an out of the box thinker.
This book was thoughtful and seemed high in social commentary. Was this intentional or incidental to telling the story you wanted to tell?
The weaving of social commentary for the purpose of engaging the thoughtful reader is intentional in all of my scripts.
What were some things you learned as a writer while writing this book?
What I learned from writing ROGUE MOON DREAMER, my second effort, was that I could write a better book. And I believe that I did with my third script, THE CLAVIGER. And the next script, FORCE QUIT will be even better.
Author Links: Website | Amazon
Into a Dystopian Universe
Fallen Gods follows a young man that suddenly discovers he has powers and sets out on journey that reveals much more about himself and the world then he had imagined. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I began writing this story, albeit it very differently at the time, as a teenager in school. I actually had a tough time in school, was bullied quite badly, but at the same time I didn’t want to just give up. Instead I focused on my fantasies, essentially what if? Over the years, my ideas developed but I didn’t really have the drive I needed to write the book properly. Then I told the story to my wife and she pushed me to get it done.
The idea of the witches was inspired by a group of girls I knew at school. They were essentially “IT” girls, not bullies of other girls, but they were the ones who every girl wanted to be. Completely by chance, my older brother was friends with the brother of one of the girls, and for some reason, that meant that I became a friend to the girls. It felt special to me and really put me in a different place; but then the more I got to know them personally, the more I felt that they were not the nicest people to be around.
Adam is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind his character’s development?
That comes from my experiences growing up on the Isle of Man, and then being forced to move to Lincolnshire, which was hell on Earth for me. I was always an emotional person but after my set of misfortunes over the years, I grew a thick-skin, which led into the position I am in today at work, done all through determination and fight. I wanted Adam to go through the same thing, just much faster, obviously. I wanted to character to actually be a beacon for all those who struggle to recognise their own potential, to be able to understand that we are all capable of more, to beat our demons; we just need time and support. But it’s okay to be emotional. It’s okay to cry and get scared.
The psychology of the main characters is extremely important for me, because this is essentially the introductory book to a string of follow-ups. It will lead into a dystopian universe which will twist a little bit. I know one of my concerns were on the character development at the beginning, that I did not develop the connection to the characters until later in the book, and for some that maybe a problem, but it’s important to understand that none of the characters have fully developed into what they will become, and we still do not know if what happened throughout the book was the correct thing for the world.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
It’s a tough pill to swallow, but for me religion has always played a negative element in my life. It never had good experiences with religion and it has left a bitter taste in my mouth. As an atheist, I wanted to provide an alternative angle to religion, to allow us to question why Abrahamic religions play so heavily on the idea of masculinity, and why women were second class in the bible etc. What if all of this was a cover for something much deeper and darker?
I also wanted to address the idea of gender and sexuality. If we were to look at the world as the witches did, then there is a fluidity to their sexuality, but their own take on religion takes away the idea of multiple genders. In some ways, we could suggest that the fight against the witches could be mistakenly viewed as misogyny, right up until you realise that the witches care less about women and men but really their own selfish gains.
Finally, there are hints in the book of Adam’s sexuality too, but given how confused he is by his own situation, I did not want to address it too deeply. Really, I wanted to leave it to the reader for them to make their own judgment of who or what Adam really is.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m actually working on the next books for the Fallen Gods series. One will be the direct sequel, taking place a decade and a half after the events in Fallen Gods, and will be a decidedly darker and longer novel than the first. Then the other is a shorter novella that I will be giving away online free, and will be about a different character not in the first book, and will be a join between book 1 and 2, but can also be read as a standalone novella; in other words, the idea is that you can read the novella and then go and read the first or second book and still know what is going on.
I also have a couple of other ideas in the works, but they are in the skeleton phase right now. One is about a part-time government assassin who accidentally kicks off a revolution. Another is a dark thriller about husband who discovers a dark secret about his Czech wife and her childhood at time when she escaped from communist Czechoslovakia.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website
In 1984, eight year old Adam and his friends discover an abandoned car near a large creepy work shed. Kids being kids, they decide to search, only to find the car belongs to a missing MI5 agent named Hendley. In the car, Adam finds an old leather-bound book written in a language, the likes of which he had never seen before; whilst Adam’s friend Ian enters the shed, only to suddenly vanish, never to be seen again.
All of this kicks off events which will change Adam’s life forever. On his eighteenth birthday, everything changes in an instant. Suddenly, he is strong, powerful, and can do things which should have been impossible.
Determined to understand who, or what he is, Adam begins to investigate, discovering an alien race of women, trapped on Earth for millennia, known as Witches, who shaped modern-day religion. He also discovers that the MI5 agent’s wife, Carol, is not who she appears.
Embarking on a journey of self-discovery, surrounded by his best friends, Adam travels across Europe, visiting historical sites and investigating Greek mythology, to find out why he has powers. Joining them are four beautiful girls; girls the boys never dreamed of talking to before. But these are no ordinary girls; rather they are witches who may not have Adam’s best interests at heart. Adam soon discovers that not all is as it seems, and their journey will not be a fun-filled relaxing adventure, but rather a trail of death and destruction, leading to the revelation that the world is in grave danger and Adam may be the only person capable of saving humanity.
Standing in the way will be the witches and the threat of a bounty hunter goddess named Venus. What begins as an epic adventure amongst friends, descends into a battle of epic proportions, and a race against time to stop an evil goddess from restoring her powers and destroying the Earth once and for all.
Adam has to grow from weak wimpy kid, to confident, strong adult; and fast. In order to do that, he needs to discover who he is and why, and he may not like the answer. The truth could ruin him. Getting the answer may kill him, and everyone he holds close. One thing is for certain, the world will never be the same again.
Her Crushing Addiction
Chrysalis follows a drug dealer/addict as she discovers she has special abilities and discovers a secret society where people with abilities jockey for power. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
It’s a story that was brewing in my mind for years. I myself used to be a drug addict (I’ve been clean now for two years), and by being one, I knew plenty of others as well. Nearly all of them were “normal” people who could be described as “high-functioning” addicts. They’d hold down jobs, pay taxes, try their best with their family life, had hobbies and other interests, and so on. I felt that all mediums of entertainment damn near always showed an addict as some cretin in a filthy back alley. An instant villain. For me, this would completely shatter my immersion, because that’s simply not how most of “us” operated. Most addicts are trying to escape pain. Pain from life’s traumas, as well as literal physical pain. To immediately consider someone less than human because they have an addiction is the complete opposite of how we should be approaching the matter.
I wanted to write a story where the concept of addiction is portrayed accurately. I thought it would be a cool idea to take a “troubled” individual and then grant them supernatural power. As you can see in Chrysalis, Juniper’s powers are practically an afterthought for her when contrasted with her crushing addiction to heroin and other opiates. It was important to me to show that she is a fully realized human being. Meaning, human beings are creatures full of nuance and drives, and it’s important to keep a sense of humor, even when going through hard times and life’s challenges.
-Juniper is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
That’s a great question. I felt it was important to relay the idea that these “Enlightened” are normal people who just happen to be capable of exceptional things. Just because you can conjure a fireball from thin air doesn’t mean that gives you a license to be an asshole. As far as Juniper’s ideals go, I’d summarize her like this: At her core, Juniper is a good human being. She has a quicksilver mind and sharp wit. She’s damaged, quick to laugh & smile, HATES authority, bucks at traditional establishments, and has zero patience for bigotry, racism, and xenophobia. Although she tries her best to stay as a lone wolf, whenever she is in a situation that calls for leadership; somehow, someway, people insist on throwing her into that role.
Leadership to her is something she balks at, because she recognizes the enormous responsibility of being in that role. She feels that if she’s the one other people are looking to for guidance, then everyone must be in a terrible position (Hah!). But she’s good at it. She radiates a natural charisma that people around her are drawn to. She IS leadership material, but the role of leader is one that makes her quite uncomfortable.
-What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Embrace the role of the outsider. Don’t be afraid to be the one to speak up differently from the rest of the crowd. Sometimes, that is an extremely difficult thing to do, but in doing so, you’ll attract others that think like yourself, and before you know it, you’ll have a special group of your own. Your own crowd. The loyalty that comes from alienated people who finally find their “tribe” is on a whole other level.
Here, I’ll finish this part up with this. Technically, I wrote this dialogue thinking it was going to go in book one, but it’s slated for two. So, a tiny sneak-peek, if you will.
“It’s not how deep you were buried, Juniper. It’s how far you have risen that truly matters. It’s not the goals that you set, but the challenges you faced. It’s not the hardship you endured, it’s the pain you overcame. You are more important now than ever. You have the ability to change the world. You, and you alone get to decide how to live. You are a woman, not just a being. Not just a Primeval. Don’t ever forget that.” – Dr. Tuppence Buckingham
-What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m currently hard at work on Book Two of “A Perfect Order.” It’s called “Almagest.” It’ll be out this summer!
Author Links: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
In a matter of days, Juniper discovers that demons, spirits, and witches are all very real, and a 187-year-old French man tells her she is supposed to be mankind’s latest budding savior. Even though her powers develop faster than anyone else who has come before, Juniper is more concerned with getting her next fix.
She’ll have to bring together clashing lifestyles if she has any hope at tackling her first supernatural threat. A local Arkansan Cherokee tribe has a wendigo problem, and she’s the only one who can stop it.
Life On Her Own Terms
Sweet Dreams at The Palace Hotel follows a woman who leaves her dreams behind to run a historic hotel and finds the live-in ghost a welcome presence in her life. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The women in my family have embraced reinventing themselves when life knocked them down. Knowing their stories helped me regroup and reinvent myself when I felt beaten. In creating Nikki, who needed a fresh start, I wanted to give her a model, Victoria Wyatt, of someone who started over, created a life on her own terms and loved without restriction. Making Victoria a resident ghost “reliving” life’s important moments was inspired by my interest in ghost stories from Arizona towns.
Nikki is an interesting and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind her character’s development?
Nikki holds herself accountable for her own happiness. She accepts responsibility for choosing a life that will make her happy and investing herself in making it happen. She invites others into her world, celebrates their success and commiserates with their grief. Nikki is the friend or relative we all wish for, the one who provides emotional support without providing unasked for advice. She’s imperfect enough to be approachable and she believes in the power of friendship and love to change the world.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The everlasting quality of love. The value of friendship. The quality of family, either by blood or choice.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The third book in the Creekside Dreams series was just submitted to my publisher. Promise in a Dream, the second book in the series was released November 2020.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
From the Casebook of Robert Lee Dean
A Paranormal Casebook tells a supernatural tale from the perspective of a pragmatic cop that gets into some eerie situations. What were some driving ideals behind the development of your story?
The primary driving force was simply that I wanted people to see and understand that “Cops”, due to the very nature of their jobs seldom, if ever, get to express the true feelings of supernatural events.
I enjoyed the consistent ‘seasoned officer’ tone of Bob’s character throughout the story. Was this intentional or something that developed organically while writing?
Seasoned Officer implying was very much intentional. It’s what I am. Forty years of LE.
What inspired the different paranormal occurrences throughout the story?
Inspiration was 90% of what really happened. Very little “fiction” was intoned.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Next book will depend a lot on my readers response to my current book, which has been good. I still have “events” that I can write about.
Author Links: Website | Facebook
Take someone who has seen and heard ghosts and add to it a lifetime career in Law Enforcement you get some interesting tales with an otherworldly twist. Get ready for a roller-coaster ride of ghosts, werewolves, and banshee, to voodoo dolls and Indian death horses, all told from the perspective of a West Texas cop “lucky enough” to have gotten the call.
Bob’s ability to relay his experiences with the skill of a seasoned author gives us a chance to tag along on his cases into paranormal gold. From start to finish it’s a non-stop exhilaration told from the front seat of a patrol car and over a campfire leaving you wanting more.
Chrysalis (A Perfect Order)
![Chrysalis (A Perfect Order Series Book 1) by [Drew Kientz]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51L4QdRgaLL.jpg)
Chrysalis, from the A Perfect Order book series by Drew Kientz, presents an incredible, immersive and exciting storyline. Juniper Minerva Appleblossom is far from being what you would call a normal girl. Working as a drug seller and with a serious addiction on the line, she discovers that she’s special as she goes through her Awakening. The Enlightened have been living in secret around the world, grouping themselves in different tribes and using their special powers to fight against evil forces. Through Juniper’s experience, we get to meet many of these Enlightened people, as they teach her and help her get her powers in control, finding out alongside her the different types of powers that are out there, and how this new hidden world works.
The entire story is a thrilling ride comprised of adventurous scenes, compelling characters and a powerful world. The world building was great, the idea of it is intriguing and exciting. However, the best part of the story is probably the characters and their abilities. Juniper is not your usual main character, she deals with lots of problems, one of them being her addiction to drugs, and is probably a person that has been around the wrong type of people for a long time. With a distinctive and intense personality, she meets a group of Enlightened girls that throughout the progression of the story get closer to Juniper, help her out and accompany her as a friend. All of the characters feel different and unique, they have their own styles and are definitely intriguing in their own way. It was great meeting them and learning about the different abilities that each of them displayed. There is fire control, healing abilities, telekinesis, contacting the dead, teleportation and even some darker, sinister powers.
It was hard getting gripped by the story and the characters during the first couple of chapters, since the pacing was considerably slower here. However, with time everything started to move faster, the action started to build up and the characters felt more natural and familiar, so it’s definitely worth sticking around to find out what the plot and the intrigue is. The writing style is excellent, very descriptive and with a decent pace. The world is rich and leaves the reader wanting to learn and find out more about it, which is ideal because by the end there is a little sneak peek of the first chapter of the second book of the series, so I’m definitely eager to know what’s going to happen next to the characters we get to meet and to discover where Juniper’s journey is going to lead to.
The fascinating world of the Enlightened has a lot to offer and I can’t wait to find out more about it. Chrysalis by Drew Kientz is a fun book with a complex world, a gripping storyline and unique, all around fierce characters. The A Perfect Order book series has lots of potential, Juniper has still got many things to learn and overcome, so readers will have to keep an eye open for the next one.
Pages: 374 | ASIN: B0916GGM8R
LITERARY TITAN 