Blog Archives
Perseverance: How It All Began
Epic love laced with epic pain…
Loving him was my secret. Mine alone. I never let anyone come remotely close to accessing that part of my heart. Not even myself, except on rare occasions. Trystan was simultaneously the source of my greatest love and the source of my greatest heartache.
He never knew how I felt about him. I’d never told him how deeply and profoundly in love with him I was…and still am. He had always considered me a friend so that was the position in his life that I desperately struggled to maintain. I couldn’t let him know, but I also couldn’t let him go.
I tried to put Trystan in my past. To some degree, I was able to achieve just that. He lived so far away and only came back to visit on occasion. But every time he returned, it was like reigniting a smoldering inferno within me.
Then I met Blake. Arguably the most eligible man in Hollywood. Wait, did I say Hollywood? I meant the world. He is the epitome of what every female dreams about.
Falling in love with Blake was seamless. Trystan was rarely around and after spending years feeling like I was suffocating, being with Blake was like breathing my first breath of fresh air. It was a much needed reprieve for a wounded and tattered heart like mine.
Then an ordinary trip leads to extraordinary events. Extreme circumstances usher in changes in me and in my life that I could never have dreamed were possible. And a love I thought was beyond my reach is suddenly right within my grasp.
Past love collides with future love and there is nothing I can do to escape either.
Follow Cadence as she begins her travel into the unknown.
A Light in the Darkness
Ascension of the Phoenix follows a detective seeking release in street fighting, but success leads her down a dark path toward revenge. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The major inspiration was Leila Wells, herself. I wanted to delve into the notion that everyone has a dark side and what would happen if someone who is an upright figure gives in and falls. Now for the street fighting and fighting tournament, Mortal Kombat and the Tekken video games were heavy influences. Being such a fan of Law and Order: SVU helped me make Leila a detective.
Leila is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind her character’s development?
She is who I wish I could be. An authoritative figure who is also fair and generous, and who uses her position for good. She doesn’t abuse her power. Doesn’t bow under pressure. Is physically and mentally strong. Someone who is in control of their emotions… well, sometimes.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Quite a few of them. One theme being the struggles against dark sides because Leila isn’t the only one. The different ways people deal with grief is another. Exploring how someone can lose who they think they are—their identity—and how they fight to come back, and how they sometimes change. And no matter how bleak or hopeless a situation, there is always hope/a light in the darkness—you just may have to wade through more darkness to reach it.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The Dragon of Russia is the next book in this trilogy and will be available August 2021. Like I did with Ascension of the Phoenix, a companion short story will also be released in the Fall. It will be called The Crane’s Dance, following a new character that Leila meets in Russia, like how The Panther’s Pride is in Jamaal Gordon’s POV.
Author Links:
Detective Leila Wells has apprehended every criminal to cross her path, except for one. And when Bryan Foster returns, he devastates her world. To cope, she finds release in street fighting. Successes with her fighting partner grant them an invitation to participate in the Rulers of the Realms Fighting Tag Tournament. But as she fights, a power begins to rise within her—a dark and angry blaze urging her toward revenge.
Ardent Grandeur
One bad work experience and a lay off is all it takes for Bryce’s life to change forever. Not only has the course of his life changed, but he has changed the direction of the lives of everyone around him. Those closest to him have no idea how much their lives will now be altered due to the decisions Bryce is making. When his rap career begins to take off, it doesn’t take long at all for the negative influences associated with that lifestyle to pull him in and ruin what he hoped would be a life of grandeur.
Ardent Grandeur, by Lynnette M. Clement, traces the career and unfortunate life choices of young Bryce. From the first moment in a recording studio to his last, Bryce is unable and, for the most part, unwilling to control his urges and say no to the many temptations around him. One by one, he brings pain and suffering to his family and the women in his life. Try as he might, Bryce falls time and time again.
Clement’s book, Ardent Grandeur, reads like a soap opera. Moving very quickly through the years, the author takes readers on a ride from the beginning of Bryce’s rap career to the tragic events that change his life forever. Written in the present tense, Clement’s work pulls readers into the lives of the characters and, at times, makes the story even more personal by turning to the reader with what feels like a second-person point of view. Bryce’s story is one readers will find fascinating and tragic and simultaneously horrifying.
While Ardent Grandeur has the makings of a wonderful realistic fiction story with a main character readers will find enthralling, there are some writing choices I could not move past. Long stretches of dialogue read more like a screenplay with little variety in sentence structure.
I found myself hoping with each subsequent chapter that Bryce would learn from his mistakes, make things right with his loved ones and stop repeating the same painful and damaging mistakes. He is one of those main characters I find exhausting because I was so emotionally invested in his character that I felt all the pain and suffering. Bryce was so authentically tragic. Ardent Grandeur is an absorbing urban fiction novel that will be hard to put down.
Pages: 242 | BN ID: 2940162735069
Hollyweird Needs
![Hollyweird Needs: when monsters fell from a hole in the sky by [Michael Greco]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41K1ithchfL.jpg)
Michael A. Greco’s Hollyweird Needs is one of the most unique books I have ever read. The first word that came to mind as I read it was “peculiar”. From the characters to the storylines, there seems to be an eerie vibe to this book.
It follows the life of Chester, Smegman, Wordsworth, and other autistic teenagers living in a Los Angeles special need school dubbed “Special Kneads”. Although most of these teens don’t have any other caregivers, the school staff and neighbors play a huge role in their everyday lives, some even taking the place of family.
Havoc ensues in the shopping center that houses the school (Butts Plaza) when a new arcade claw game mysteriously shows up. Although the game seems harmless at first, it begins sending those who play it to the past, something that eventually results in devastating consequences. It is ultimately up to the teens to save the adults and restore order.
Not only is this book’s storyline unique but it also goes to great lengths to explain what goes on in an autistic person’s mind. I particularly appreciate the author’s efforts to not paint any of the teenagers as victims but rather as masters of their own destiny. Their individuality really did shine throughout the book.
The use of wordplay throughout the narrative is also a nice touch. For instance, the fact that that Wordsworth doesn’t speak and the claw game is called Dimensional Needs is quite a treat. But while the plot of the story is quite solid, but the execution is wanting, some dialogue seems out of place, and there seems to be a large cast of characters to keep track of. Apart from brief family history and information about their journey with autism, we didn’t get much about who the main characters were, and I really wanted to know because I found the characters interesting and wanted to know more.
With a solid concept and a large dose of creativity, Michael A. Greco’s Hollyweird Needs is an interesting science fiction story that will appeal to readers who like a little dark comedy in their urban fiction novel.
Pages: 264 | ASIN: B08SJ2XGMS
Forging Ahead and Letting Go
Love and Other Moods follows a young woman who has to start life over in a foreign country where she learns a lot more about life than she expected. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Much like Naomi, I left the U.S. in my early twenties and moved to China, a country I had never stepped foot in. The move was initiated by a job, but later was motivated by romance. Both would go up in smoke after a short while. Although the novel is very much fictional, there are some elements that are inspired by real-life events.
Naomi is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
We meet Naomi when she is in her early twenties, having just left New York and is embarking on a new chapter of her life in an entirely foreign country. But the adventure is off to a rocky start when things don’t pan out as planned.
I think personal growth happens most often when we’re thrown out of our comfort zones and into unchartered waters. That’s what happens to Naomi. At the same time she’s adapting to her new environment, issues from her past continue to confront and haunt her. She struggles with juggling the balance between forging ahead and letting go of regrets. I think that’s something most of us can relate to.
The story explores the city of Shanghai as well as the different people and relationships Naomi has. Was there anything you pulled from your own life and put into the story?
Yes. This is very much an “own voices” story. After I moved to Shanghai, my grandfather revealed that his father had once lived in Shanghai as well, during the World War Two era. I myself had lived in China for nearly a decade, and had worked on projects for the 2007 Special Olympics in Shanghai, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
Shanghai is one of the most fascinating cities I’ve ever been to, and I’ve traveled to over thirty countries. There are contrasts abound in every corner—east and west, old versus new, modern meets tradition. Every day I was meeting somebody interesting, from all walks of life, all corners of the globe. There was endless inspiration from the streets of Shanghai, from its inhabitants, architecture, cuisine, history, etc.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next book is a children’s book, and will be published sometime in 2021. My kids are very excited about this!
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Amazon
Naomi Kita-Fan uproots her life from New York to China when her fiancé’s company transfers him to Shanghai. After a disastrous turn of events, Naomi finds herself with no job, no boyfriend, and nowhere to live in a foreign country.
Amidst the backdrop of Shanghai welcoming millions of workers and visitors to the 2010 World Expo, we meet a tapestry of characters through Naomi: Joss Kong, a Shanghai socialite who leads an enviable life, but must harbor the secrets of her husband, Tay Kai Tang. Logan Hayden, a womanizing restaurateur looking for love in all the wrong places. Pan Jinsung and Ouyang Zhangjie, a silver-aged couple struggling with adapting to the ever-changing faces of their city. Dante Ouyang, who had just returned to China after spending years overseas, must choose between being filial and being in love. All their dreams and aspirations interweave within the sprawling web of Shanghai.
This multilayered novel explores a kaleidoscope of shifting relationships——familial friction, amorous entanglements, volatile friendships——in one of the most dynamic metropolises of the twenty-first century.
“either locked up or dead”
The Prodigal Dream follows two kids on different paths out of a troubled neighborhood and explores how their choices affect their lives. What was the inspiration for the setup to this riveting story?
The “almost made it”, “If I had it all to do over again” and “either locked up or dead” stories that permeate communities throughout the US were a catalyst. As a child the reality of hearing adults lament these narratives was hard to digest.
The Prodigal Dream became a creative way to provide an educational perspective of what can happen over a young adult’s lifetime based off their aspirations, choices, and actions.
Joe and Marlon are intriguing and well developed characters. What were some driving ideals behind their character development?
Like many youth today, both of these want to attain a great lifestyle, yet the were both also missing the presence of their Fathers. Since both characters felt the pain of poverty and this heightened their desire for a better life. Their bond of friendship was solidified by the harsh reality of their environment.
The individual paradigms and accountability-or lack there of- for their actions were two major factors. Also both the levels of high school matriculation and incarceration rates for their specific demographic provided context for character development. The other characters that they encounter on their journeys also influence their life’s trajectory.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The power of a Dream. Setting goals. Working hard. Walking by faith. Spoken Word. True friendship. Growth. Overcoming adversity. Forgiveness. Self-actualization. Letting your mistakes become your lessons. Never giving up-In a lot of ways Life really is what you make it.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The Prodigal Dream Sequel. It will be available contingent on The Prodigal Dream‘s success.
Author Links: Twitter | Facebook
Those Characters Are Alive
Being Brothers is a compelling coming of age story following two brothers growing up in the Bronx during the 70’s. What were some sources that informed this novels development?
I grew up in the Bronx during that time period, played in the Little League, and had an older brother, and so I enjoyed writing this book because I was able to revisit those times. I didn’t know it, but they were the best of times and with the birth of cell phones, became extinct.
I enjoyed the story within a story idea and felt like it really drew me in. What was the inspiration behind this idea?
I write all of my stories as screenplays first and then I create the novel and since I loved the idea of Jack narrating about his younger self, Jackie, I didn’t want to lose that voice. No matter how many ways I thought of it, it would have ruined the ending and that narration if I turned it into a novel. I got the idea of having Mark Marino, a screenwriter, looking over his screenplay so the reader would be following the journey with him. It worked.
Mark and Jackie were characters that felt authentic and relatable. Did you plan their character development before writing or did it develop organically while writing?
Since I lived those days and absolutely loved growing up in The Bronx, those characters are alive inside of me. I didn’t plan them out, it was an organic approach. I also went to Catholic school and endured that brutal educational style. I only scratched the surface of that reality. If I wrote the darker side of that it would have added a color to the book that would have been a distraction to the mood I was trying to establish.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently rewriting the film version of Being Brothers, as it was picked up by a production company and is in development, but what I stopped working on is a new baseball story that’s been in my head for roughly 40 years. It has really interesting characters with back stories so it can easily become a trilogy. I’m creating a thorough outline with the important dialog included and I am halfway through. Like I said, I write the film first, so once I write the film, I will start on the novel and it will be the same story, but very different. I hope that I’ll have the novel out within the next 18 months.
Author Links: Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Our first friends. Our first enemies.
Our past. Our present.
From the multi-award-winning author of MADNESS:The Man Who Changed Basketball comes another inspiring novel about Friends, Family… and Baseball.
The Bronx, New York, 1972
BEING BROTHERS is a story, within a story, within a story, sparked by the fortuitous, life-changing epiphany of Mark Marino, a content middle-aged man who discovers an untapped well of repressed, unrealized dreams.
Another character, Jack Amato, frequently revisits the Neighborhood to ground himself by the sights, smells and memories of the past, through the coming-of-age experiences of Jackie, the spacey, slightly awkward, yet lovable version of his younger self who grew up in the Bronx in the 1970s — a time of street games, young love, best friends, little league, mean teachers, and the love/hate, friend/enemy dynamics of sibling rivalry.
While Mark, Jack, and Jackie exist in separate worlds, they are all connected by the outcome of Mark’s serendipitous moment.
BEING BROTHERS takes the reader on a journey back in time, to a much simpler era, and examines the experiences of family, friendship, life lessons, and the profound impact of our past.
For those who lived it, enjoy the story of your past, and for those who didn’t, sit down, get comfortable, and enjoy the ride.
The Chronicles of the Virago
The Chronicles of the Virago: The Novus by Michael Bialys is a thrilling paranormal fantasy novel about a twelve-year-old girl named Makenna Grace Gold who lives in Southern California. She becomes a big sister when her twin brother and sister, Noah and Emilyne, are born. But these babies are special–they are The Gift that can save humanity. Makenna learns she is The Protector, tasked with guarding her newborn brother and sister and their parents from harm. But even with the help of the Ancient Weapon and three fairies guiding her, she doubts herself. How can a twelve-year-old girl protect her family from Evil and his minions?
Author Michael Bialys has written a spellbinding action adventure story that’s filled with middle school drama, but remains deeply compelling. One thing that strikes me about this novel is how fun it was to read. It was an adventure novel following an underdog that you liked to root for. I liked the main Protagonist, Makenna. She was spunky, and I loved that she was a skateboarder, which is much more commonly seen for male characters in stories. As Makenna tried to take on this huge responsibility of keeping her family safe, she makes mistakes, but it was believable because she’s still just a kid herself. I really felt like her character was authentic, although she rarely used words I thought were outside a kids vocabulary. I liked the three fairies in the story, cousins Bree and Dee, and Marigold, who worked together to mentor and train Makenna, and I liked the form that the Ancient Weapon took for Makenna, it was all imaginative and entertaining. I also enjoyed the addition of Makenna’s new friend at school, Stephen, who jumped in to help her despite the danger. Readers will be excited to discover Makenna’s continuing adventures to protect Noah and Emi in Book Two of The Chronicles of the Virgao: The Apprentus.
While I loved the overall story and arc of the novel, I didn’t think the inclusion of the Bible story about David and Goliath fit in a children’s fantasy novel with fairies and a talking earthworm. There was so much fantastic imagination that went into developing this world and I didn’t think that religion fit with the mythology in the book. Also I would have liked to see Makenna involved in more physical training before she was able to go head to head with such powerful adversaries and succeed against them. But this desire comes from the story being so grounded to begin with, and author Michael Bialys does a great job of providing good reasoning for things happening already.
The Chronicles of the Virago: The Novus is an urban fantasy novel that I would heartily recommend to young readers, and even adults, who are looking for a fun fantasy adventure that is easy to follow and is thoroughly entertaining.
Pages: 126 | ASIN: B07BN5T8CY
LITERARY TITAN 