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Connection vs Performance
The Influencer’s Canvas follows an elite nail artist from London who is invited to an exclusive Maldives retreat for elite creators, where, while she does their nails, she documents their hidden lives. I think this original idea is intriguing. How did you come up with this idea and develop it into a story?
The idea came directly from my work. I’ve been doing nails for influencers and celebrities in London for years, and there’s something about the intimacy of that process: having someone’s hands in yours for an hour whilst they’re away from their cameras. That’s when people drop their guards completely. I started noticing this pattern. Their online personas were completely different from who they became during our sessions.
X, my nail artist character, first appeared in Polished Edges as someone who collects these unguarded moments. When I was developing her story arc, the Maldives retreat setting felt natural because I’d heard about these exclusive influencer events where the performance pressure is even more intense. The isolation, the competition, the need to create content even whilst supposedly relaxing: it creates the perfect pressure cooker for masks to slip.
The lives of social media content creators are intriguing, as is their die-hard followers’ obsession. What aspects of the human condition do you find particularly interesting that could make for great fiction?
The performance of authenticity fascinates me. We’re living through this moment where being ‘authentic’ has become a brand strategy, where people curate their vulnerability for maximum engagement. There’s something deeply human about our need to be seen and loved, but social media has commodified that need.
I’m drawn to characters caught between who they are and who they think they need to be to survive. The influencers in my book aren’t villains; they’re people trapped in a system that rewards them for turning their lives into content. That tension between genuine connection and strategic self-presentation feels universal now.
I found this novel to be a cutting piece of satire. What is one thing that you hope readers take away from your book?
I hope they start questioning the difference between connection and performance in their own lives. The book is satirical, but the real target isn’t individual influencers: it’s the systems that turn human relationships into metrics.
If readers think more critically about what they consume online and what they share themselves, that’s success. We’re all performing to some degree now. The question is whether we can still recognise ourselves underneath the performance.
What is the next book you are working on, and when can fans expect it to be released?
I’m working on Project Mirror, which takes these themes into speculative territory. It’s about a world where beauty becomes algorithmic: people subscribe to facial features and get software updates for their appearance. My protagonist is a technician who fixes glitches in people’s neural aesthetic systems.
What unsettles me is how plausible it feels when you look at where beauty technology is heading. We’re already filtering ourselves in real-time during video calls. Neural implants for aesthetic modification seem like the logical next step.
No firm publication date yet, but I’m deep into the writing process. The research keeps making my fictional dystopia look conservative.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
What you’ll find insideConfessions at the manicure table
Each chapter is a fresh set of nails and a fresh secret, from burnout hidden beneath flawless French tips to crypto fraud masked by liquid-gold chrome.
High-gloss social satire with a beating heart
Picture White Lotus colliding with The Devil Wears Prada, written in micro-cinematic detail and edged with sly wit.
A thriller of algorithms and aesthetics
Beneath the sunsets and “sustainable luxury” hashtags lurks Project Chimera, an AI experiment that scores every guest’s malleability. Recommendation: neutralize or recruit.
Sensory prose that sparks the feed
Sharp dialogue, vivid color palettes, and scroll-stopping quotes perfect for BookTok or Instagram.
Perfect for readers whoScroll Instagram before they blink and wonder what is real
Devour sharp, contemporary fiction like Crazy Rich Asians and Such a Fun Age
Love luxury-world settings, moral gray areas, and plot twists that sting like acetone on a paper cut
Will the polish crack, or will the algorithm win?
The Influencer’s Canvas peels back the gel-coat glam to expose the messy, human nailbed beneath, then asks whether authenticity can survive once the cameras stop rolling.
One retreat. Two weeks. A million followers waiting.
Swipe in if you dare.
Painting Zebras
Finding Sarah follows a young woman who navigates the complexities of her life after the traumatic loss of her mother and subsequent abandonment by her father. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Sarah Wilkinson appeared in the first book of the series when she met Annie while she was painting her zebras, living in a tent in East Africa. I actually met a woman in Tanzania doing exactly that! I was on a safari with my family and our guide introduced us to her and her sculptor companion who became the inspiration for the character Sam Bartow.
At the end of Book 2, with the emergence of Hans Schuman as a past love interest of Sarah’s, I was intrigued with what their back story might be.
So far, it is the only book I have written first person. I tried to have her write it, tell it, remember it…but somehow the only way it worked was her feeling the pain and the loss and the hurt.
I have a 10-year-old granddaughter and I found myself stepping into her shoes to experience things I hope she never has to in real life. When she put the paint set in the back of the closet after the birthday gift, I wasn’t sure how it would play into it. But it felt so natural with the young social worker asked her to find something from a happier time with her parents.
The entire art process Sarah went through was an inspiration to research and write. Finding two authentic women painters who played right into the story for real gave Sarah an authenticity and I let her lead me as she faced challenges, disappointments, confusion, and success.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
Certainly, the artist I met in Tanzania and my granddaughter had a significant impact on the character of Sarah. I am fortunate to have had creative success over the year, but I have also had my share of hard knocks. Sarah has to pick herself up again and again, but there were always angels close by with Camille, Tara, and Patrice. I believe that there are people in our lives that can provide that support when needed if you just allow yourself to let them in.
I tried to convey that when Sarah was heart broken and hiding away at Yvette’s family home in the south of France. When she made that conscious decision to buy dinner and open up to Patrice, she allowed that support that was right there in to help her.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Angels Among Us, Resilience, Women’s Empowerment, Artistic Discipline and Road to Success, Second Chances
What is the next story that you’re writing and when will it be published?
I have just published Moroccan Sunset: Dawn of a New Beginning in which Sarah is a key character. It is her perseverance and sense of adventure, as well as her romantic relationship with Hans, that gives our new character, Elena Al Farooq, inspiration to find what Sarah has in her own life.
I envision two more books in this series and have just begun to write the story of Mara, the Balinese artist who was also introduced in the first book. She has become a highly successful fashion designer in Milan, Italy, caught up in the glitz and glamour of the high fashion world of fashionistas and celebrities around the world. However, she can’t shake the fear of losing touch with her humble Balinese roots and values that defined her upbringing.
These characters that represent such different cultures and traditions are fascinating to me and give me so many possibilities to explore. I am hoping to have Mara’s book released in late Spring 2025.
Author Links: GoodReads | TikTok | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Book Trailer | Book Review
Sarah Wilkinson has found passion as a painter whose skillful talent was shaped and influenced by many, including two past female artists who came from different worlds and different centuries, yet both defied the odds against women becoming successful artists.
Evolved from the Annie’s Journey series, Sarah was living in a tent painting the wild animals of the Serengeti in East Africa when Annie met her. They quickly became close friends, but what Annie was unaware of is the heartbreaking childhood Sarah experienced before she struggled to find her way into the competitive art world. As a result, it was Annie who would force Sarah to confront her destiny and make a choice that would forever change her life.
Her father, in a letter written just before his death, referred to Sarah as a phoenix that rises from the ashes to new heights. Follow along as Sarah surpasses one pitfall after the other, painstakingly getting closer to finding her sense of purpose.
Can artistic success help Sarah escape the ashes of her childhood to believe in second chances and allow her inner phoenix to soar?
Moroccan Sunset: Dawn of a New Beginning
Moroccan Sunset: Dawn of a New Beginning is the fourth installment in Nina Purtee’s Annie’s Journey Series. At its heart, this romance novel follows El Amir Al-Mansoor, a Moroccan businessman who once shared a deep connection with Annie Harrison. However, their cultural differences ultimately drove him to step aside, encouraging her to rekindle her relationship with Ramone. Now, Annie and Ramone are happily married and expecting their first child, while El Amir embarks on a new romantic journey with Elena Al-Farouq. Elena, an Arab heiress, shares El Amir’s cultural background but yearns to break free from those traditions to seek a life filled with adventure.
While the book showcases many strengths, the numerous intertwined storylines at times presented a challenge. Alongside the central narrative of El Amir and Elena, the novel also revisits characters from earlier installments, such as Annie and Ramone and Sarah and Hans, as well as introduces additional secondary characters. This rich array of subplots adds depth to the world, though the frequent shifts between these arcs occasionally made it hard to maintain focus on the main storyline. At times, the number of secondary characters felt a bit overwhelming, drawing attention away from the central themes. That said, Elena’s character development stood out. Her headstrong nature and refusal to let others dictate her path were compelling, making her journey one of the highlights of the novel. The romance between El Amir and Elena culminated in a dramatic, heartwarming conclusion. The resolution of the novel felt satisfying, and the various storylines found closure. Yet, Purtee left just enough intrigue to suggest the possibility of another chapter in the series.
Moroccan Sunset would appeal to readers who enjoy richly detailed settings and character-driven stories. The novel delves into deep cultural themes and offers a window into Moroccan life, making it a good choice for fans of romance with a strong international backdrop. The emotional weight and cultural richness make it a rewarding read. If you enjoy stories about love, tradition, and the push and pull of cultural expectations, this book will be right up your alley.
Pages: 333 | ASIN : B0D9SVZQ5P
Finding Sarah: A Phoenix to Behold
Finding Sarah follows the journey of Sarah, a young woman who navigates the complexities of her life after the traumatic loss of her mother and subsequent abandonment by her father. The novel paints an intimate portrait of Sarah’s inner turmoil, her artistic evolution, and her personal relationships as she grows from a shy, uncertain girl into a woman ready to embrace her talents and dreams. Set against the backdrop of Sarah’s passion for painting and her love for animals, the story weaves in themes of resilience, grief, and finding one’s place in the world.
What struck me immediately about Finding Sarah was how vividly Sarah’s emotional journey is portrayed. Her struggle with grief and abandonment felt so real and relatable. From the early chapters, we see her turning to art as a way to process her pain, especially after her mother’s tragic death. The scene where she shares her first painting with her grandmother felt particularly poignant, as it not only reveals Sarah’s growing talent but also shows the quiet way she and her grandmother bonded over their shared grief. Author Nina Purtee does a beautiful job of giving these moments emotional weight without over-explaining.
The plot itself is strong, and Sarah’s growth from the shy girl hiding behind her art to the confident artist ready to take on the world kept me invested throughout. One of my favorite parts of the book was the detailed depiction of Sarah’s artistic process. There is this wonderful scene where she becomes inspired by a book on falconry, visualizing the majestic flight of falcons and translating it onto canvas. This moment highlights her creativity and her ability to draw meaning from unexpected sources, which I found inspiring. The way Purtee ties in the idea of the phoenix symbolizing Sarah’s rebirth and growth was a clever touch that added a layer of symbolism to the story.
I’d recommend Finding Sarah to anyone who enjoys women’s fiction with strong emotional depth and a focus on personal growth. It’s a story for anyone who has ever felt lost or unsure of their place in the world but found solace in their passions.
Pages: 300 | ASIN : B0CTJ8FH5S
Literary Titan Silver Book Award December 2022
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Silver Award Recipients
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan Gold Book Awards November 2022
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Gold Award Recipients
Bugles In The Dust – Civil War Veterans On The Chicago Fire Department by George Levy
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan Gold Book Award September 2022
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Gold Award Recipients
INFINITY: Book of Matthew II by Catalina DuBois
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan Gold Book Award August 2022
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Gold Award Recipients
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
LITERARY TITAN 