Blog Archives
Literary Titan Book Awards May 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 Winners
Poems for the End of the Age by Hanz Peter Zell
Silver Award Winners
Bible, God and Free Will by Vasile Ghiuta
On a Fallen Wave by Benjamin Anderson
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Sword and Sorcery: Frostfire
Sword & Sorcery: Frostfire by Ethan Avery is an adventurous tale that follows Erevan, the son of a mercenary, on an unpredictable path where he meets Aireyal, who desperately needs their help. While Erevan is fixated on becoming like his father, which involves strategic planning and sword fighting, he becomes unexpectedly involved with Aireyal’s world of magic and romance. This intrepid story will take readers on a journey with dwarves, elves, and enchanted places.
One of the most impressive aspects of this book is the fantastic fantasy world that lures the reader in, one development at a time, with bold characters, beautiful imagery, and a genuinely magical connection between Erevan and Aireyal. Once you adjust to the changing scenery and plot, you’ll quickly come to appreciate this story’s exciting narration and emotional character involvement.
Readers will find themselves immersed in this fantastic realm of adventure and intrigue due to the authors vivid worldbuilding. I found the fantasy realms and worlds were well crafted and created a visual that kept me engaged with the characters and their challenges throughout the book. This is a riveting young adult novel that’s told in simple language and because of the easy storytelling this is a book that allows you to lose yourself in the fantasy, the characters’ inner battles, and the challenges they face individually and together. It’s a tale of hope and overcoming the impossible and how it changes you.
Ethan Avery’s Sword & Sorcery: Frostfire is a page-turning sword and sorcery novel that is full of incredible twists and fantastic characters. Between the darker side of this story’s developments and the lighthearted romance between Aireyal and Erevan, readers will find themselves easily enveloped in this novel’s lore. It’s an excellent read for anyone looking for a fantasy story that uses a diverse cast of characters to tell a compelling story, but doesn’t hit you over the head with the fact that they’re different. Frostfire has an intriguing approach to the teen fantasy genre that will ignite your sense of passion and adventure.
Pages: 436 | ASIN: B09T62HGFC
Totally Out Of My Genre
Young Davy Crockett: The Wild Frontier with Dinosaurs follows a young hunter that must find out what is happening to the missing hunters. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
A bunch of years ago, my mentor, Jonathan Maberry, sent me a message basically challenging me to write a middle grade horror book. This is something totally out of my genre. I normally write in epic fantasy, horror, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance. I was like…write something for kids? I don’t write for kids! Yet, at the same time, I’m not one to back down from a challenge.
I like history. So, I brainstormed historical figures. Who could I write about in their younger years? The answer came quick. After some research (I love research), I found my character: Young Davy Crockett.
How much research did you need to do for this book?
I did a lot of reading about Davy. Turns out he had a lot of adventures in his youth, so I was not stretching the facts. Most kids back then had to learn skills and put them to use in the towns and on the farms. Davy was a hard worker and being such a popular American historical figure, it was easy to find information about him.
What has helped or hindered you most when writing a book?
I had to remind myself…over and over…that I was writing for MG. I had to tone things down. Remember the language. And remember that, although brave and a skilled outdoorsman at a young age, Davy had to speak to adults like a kid. Not on par with them.
This was hard for me at times.
When my editor first read the book, she told me it read like YA writing. I tried my best to fix it to a MG style. Since then, I have had readers and reviewers come back saying it is MG and others saying it is YA. I’m proud of it regardless of which age range it lands more prominently in.
I found that trying to imagine the book as a cartoon helped. Like an 80’s cartoon. Remember the ABC WEEKEND SPECIALS? It was a series that featured a different kid’s books each week. I tried to paint it as one of those episodes back then. 🙂
Has writing and publishing so many books changed the way you see yourself?
I guess I look at myself as the grizzled old veteran now. I fought hard. I’ve had amazing victories and terrible losses. But I keep at it. My motto is: Write Makes Might! It means a lot of things to different people. Basically, to me, it means writing brings you strength. It can be helpful and cathartic. Do it for yourself above all others.
I have written nine books. Most of which are around 100,000 words or more. I am working on book ten and I recall, with great clarity, when I was on my first book and would see people on their tenth. I remember thinking, wow, I will never finish ten books.
Well, guess what? It turns out I will.
At one point or another, every book I have written has been, or is, published. But it was a struggle. It’s a battlefield out there. I have had deals with shady publishers, I have had publishers print and sell my books only to suddenly stop paying me. I have had books get published multiple times by different publishers. I have had an agent. I have had movie deals sent my way and offers to write TV shows. I have been nominated for huge awards and won smaller ones. It spins my head when I think about it all.
A wise man once said, “Life is like a hurricane…” This is very true for authors and artists. 🙂
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
In YOUNG DAVY CROCKETT: THE WILD FRONTIER WITH DINOSAURS, a nearly fourteen-year-old Davy Crockett is tested by his angry and often drunk father, his brothers, the wilds, and some mysterious goings-on. Somehow, prehistoric beasts are appearing in the forests of Holston Valley, threatening Davy’s family and his way of life. Curious to a fault, Davy seeks answers and attempts to hunt them…a creature no hunter has ever faced before.
This Divide In Our World
Mystical Force: Volume 2 Angels and Demons follows the story of a human and a demon that fall in love and must figure out how to survive in a world where their love is forbidden. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
There wasn’t so much a specific incident or event that inspired me, it was more the general idea of prejudice. I’ve always like works such as “Star Trek” or “X-men” which used aliens, mutants or other species as a metaphor for our relations with each other, be it race, gender or sexual orientation. It always amazes me that even in this day and age there still seems to be this divide in our world, this attitude of “our kind against their kind”. Many people are beginning to realize that we are all one, that race, religion, gender, sexual orientation ultimately don’t matter. Unfortunately there are still those out there who still see those who don’t conform to their rigid, dogmatic views on such matter as enemies. It’s especially hypocritical when religion preaches such intolerance. It’s amazing (and frankly sad) how much shame we as a society, have created around love, yet we have no problems with violence and hatred. As the character Jimomaru says in the book, “[People] claim to value freedom of speech yet when someone says something they don’t agree with, they’re quick to do everything they can to silence them! They claim to value the right to choose, yet are intolerant of those who make different choices than them!”
What were the morals you were trying to capture while creating your characters?
- That we are all one and that by teaching people to fear and hate those who are different we are essentially teaching people to fear and hate ourselves. We’re only giving others more reasons to fear and hate us.
- That we were given free will to use it, not to blindly follow the teachings of others. That’s the main thing about the series. You’ve got characters like Shi-ria, Mystic and Noonien who make their own choices in life, they decide for themselves what’s right and what’s wrong. By contrast you’ve got the Order of the Cross which teaches blind dogmatism, “This is the way God wants it! Don’t question it, just accept it!” This is essentially the inner conflict that Sister Rose has to deal with throughout the series. The Order continually tells her one thing while her heart, her conscience tells her something else.
Can you tell us where the next book goes and where we’ll see the characters in the next book?
Volume 3: The Kolri and the Koldar, was actually published before I found out about Literary Titan, so it’s already available. That one specifically focuses on Shi-ria and the Taman Knights. We get to see her home world of Thalia and learn more about the Taman Knights as well as their dark counterparts the Koldar Warriors. It shows more about Shi-ria’s religion and the contrast between it and Sister Rose’s. It’s like comparing Catholic nuns to Shaolin monks. Also, Volume 4: Many are 1, 1 is 0 has just recently come out. Which introduces a new character called 0 (Zero), a mad god with omnipotent powers who loves causing chaos for his own amusement.
Hollywood is knocking and they want to make your book into a TV series. Who do you cast as the leads?
To be perfectly honest I’ve never really given it much thought. Personally I’ve always wanted to do it as an animated adaption, in a Japanese anime style. I know that many people in America (and my country Canada) are still stuck in this idea that animation = children’s program, thus many would insist that Mystical Force is inappropriate for children, no matter how many times you tell them it’s not targeted for kids. I’ve always been concerned about letting the Hollywood studio system get their hands on my work. It’s the same old story, “We love your series, but we feel the only way to make it a hit is to change everything about it.” The last thing I want is a bunch of suits changing Mystical Force to the point where the only thing the TV series and the books have in common are the title. As far as who should play the main characters, I’ve never really thought about, “Oh [celebrity X] would be perfect for Shi-ria. Oh [actress Y] would make a great Sister Rose.” Maybe I’m the exception instead of the rule, but I watch movies and TV shows because I’m a fan of the work itself, not because it stars [insert celebrity name here].
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | LinkedIn | Instagram
While out on a date, Tokijin and Valerie Rose are
ambushed by a demon from Tokijin’s past: Jimomaru,
an old friend turned enemy, one who hates humans as
much as the Order of the Cross hates his kind, and he’s
determined to show Tokijin why humans and demons
can never live in peace. Meanwhile, Mystic, Noonien and
Shi-ria run into a sorceress named Aanjay, Noonien’s ex-fiance, who also harbours a deep grudge against humanity. Together, Aanjay and Jimomaru mean to show Tokijin why humans are the ones that should be hated and destroyed, by whatever means necessary.
Now, in order to save Tokijin, Sister Rose must team up with Mystic, Noonien and Shi-ria before it’s too late, before Aanjay and Jimomaru escalate the anger, hatred, fear and violence, and before Valerie looses Tokijin forever . . .
Crazy, Insane, And Out Of The Ordinary
Marvels of the Underworld follows four teenage girls who possess magical powers and set off to uncover a threat to their world. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Marvels of the Underworld is the sequel to In the Name of the Otherworld, my debut novel. I came up with the idea of writing a sequel to my first book 3 years ago, in December, 2019. I was 15 then, and I was very busy preparing for the national high school entrance exam. Driven nuts by the never-ending tests, I wanted to do something crazy, insane, and out of the ordinary. Writing a unique story sounded like the perfect escape. I decided to make In the Name of the Otherworld a trilogy, and immediately started planning the outlines of books 2 and 3. I wanted to venture into genres I’d never tried before, which is why you’ll see a blend of fantasy, sci-fi, romance, horror, mystery, action, and adventure in Marvels of the Underworld. It was my way of exiting my comfort zone and seeking a brand-new adventure in a bland, mundane life of tests, routines, and conformity.
I must add that my wise parents removed me from school a year later, which turned out to be the best twist in my life. I started working on the prose of Marvels of the Underworld on October 9th, 2020, and finished the first draft after four months.
What was your approach to writing the interactions between characters?
There wasn’t really an approach. I imagine my characters as sentient beings swimming in my head. They talk to me and ask me to write what they say. I often think of them as my little munchkins, baby ducks, and actors and actresses all at the same time. Each of them is a part of my character, and I think of them as the people who understand me the most in the world. To me, they’re real. (Or to them, I’m fictional. Who knows?)
Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel?
Yes, definitely. I picture myself as a director of a film (book) and my characters as my actors and actresses. My words are the camera that brings out each scene, setting, and chapter.
Each character grows in Marvels of the Underworld. We see Alexandria, Eric, Eileen, Helen, and Zack (to name a few) demonstrate courage, wisdom, and kindness in their own ways, acknowledging not only the similarities they share but also their uniqueness and distinctiveness in personality. I also used the plot as a fable to reflect the corruption that is common in many governments in history, and how important it is to not follow the crowd and blindly conform to the majority.
Loads of prejudiced people believe fantasy fiction is of no value, for they are all conjured from the authors’ imagination, yet I disagree. There is fact in fiction, and there is fiction in fact. The traits my characters display may mirror those of people in real life. Queen Marianne, for instance, is an example of a corrupt leader who chooses to believe in what she wants, resulting in a catastrophe that befalls the Otherworld. In short, stories, especially allegorical ones like mine, do parallel reality.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am not working on “the” next book. Marvels of the Underworld is succeeded by War of the Chaotic Worlds I and II, which will be released by World Castle Publishing this summer, I hope. I completed them last August, finished a standalone fantasy comedy about a protagonist based on my 8th grade English teacher (Once Upon an Enchantress), a prequel for the Otherworld trilogy (Helen’s Tale), a YA fantasy romance novel (The First Buds of Spring), a companion novel for the Otherworld trilogy (Eric’s Tale), and recently finished another prequel for the Otherworld trilogy (Zack’s Tale). I might start a middle grade fantasy novel about a brother-and-sister duo who must overcome their sibling rivalry, but am also considering to write more companion novels for the Otherworld trilogy. My Otherworldian characters love me! They want to consume my attention and make me focus on them only, no matter how much I torture them.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
A determined Alexandria decides to put an end to all this. Together, she and her friends embark on an adventure to the Underworld and navigate it to steel themselves against the future battles. Impeded by the peculiar terrains and unprecedented challenges, they discover, however, that the real monsters dwell not in the sinister Underworld but rather in the hearts of their fellow Otherworldians. Hiding among them is an unnamed traitor. Will they discover the identity of the fraternizer before another misfortune befalls upon their beloved realm? Or will the dark side prevail again?
Origins
Dragons are creatures of magic and might, and they have long been charged with protecting mortals. As part of their birthright that goes back thousands of years, dragons intervene when mortals are in danger and often use their powers to keep the peace.
In Origins: The Blue Dragon Society, Owen is on his first mission (a rite of passage) with his brother, Lann, as his mentor. They are dragons who are sent to investigate strange occurrences in the mortal world and determine if the mortals involved are being attacked by the plague or something more nefarious.
With the help of their new friends, Helen and Riva, Origins offers an enchanting and action-packed story that will leave readers racing to find out what happens next. The world is in a state of chaos with the outbreak of the plague. Demons and vampires have taken advantage of the situation, breaking into homes and abducting humans for their dark rituals. This has left humankind vulnerable and fearful for their lives. Owen and Lann are determined to restore order to the world and protect those who cannot defend themselves. Though they face many challenges, the dragons are determined to succeed in their mission.
Author S. Faxon’s writing hooks you from the first page, where you meet Anton. Someone I thought might be the protagonist in this story but turns out to be quite the opposite. The characters were highly engaging, and I enjoyed the characters’ growth, notably Owen, who I was not so much a fan of at first. He’s strong and determined but also grieving and vulnerable. I thought the author did a great job exploring his character, and I was surprised at how much I connected with his character. With the vivid imagery, the reader feels like they are on an epic journey alongside Owen, seeing what he sees. Just under 200 pages, this is a fast-paced and action-packed story that will have your imagination running wild.
Origins: The Blue Dragon Society is a riveting coming-of-age fantasy novel filled with personal growth and struggles, both internal and external. Those who enjoy reading about fantasy creatures such as dragons, vampires, demons, and lovable (and sometimes not-so-lovable) characters will find this exciting dark fantasy novel hard to put down.
Pages: 158 | ASIN : B09T8YBFRD
Bringing Dark History Into the Light
Hanging Cloud follows a PI that tries to find a missing man and ends up uncovering a multigenerational conspiracy that leads to threats on his own life. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
In the past I had read about the government’s attempt at assimilating Native Americans into a lot of the urban areas in the United States. When I did the research I found out what their real intent was and felt that it needed to be shared, so I created a way to use it as part of the plot in the story. Many people have no idea that this even took place back in the 1950s. As it states in the book the whole intent was to get the Native Americans off their reservations so they could sell the land and also the hope of having them intermarry so they could just eliminate all Native Americans. It’s a part of our history that is kind of kept in the dark.
Tom Sipowicz is a great detective that captures the interest of readers. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I wanted someone who had grown up with adversity in school but had a wonderful family life. He found his calling by being a Military Policeman and later a Cleveland Police Officer and then a detective. His martial arts training keeps him in shape and the character building that comes along with that training is invaluable to him both as a police detective and a private investigator. He’s the type of person that would give you the shirt off his back but not someone you would want to cross.
How did you decide on using the Native American Community as a focus for your novel?
A while back I had read an article about a man who grew up in a very loving family, had a great education and career. He later found out that he was adopted and that he was a Native American. For some reason, the article had popped into my head when I was looking to start another book and I thought that would be a great plot for a story.
What kind of research did you have to do to make sure you were accurately portraying the Native American culture?
My research involved checking out various websites and double-checking everything that I found to make sure it was as accurate as possible. A few years back I had met some Native Americans through another person and learned quite a bit from them as well. That helped me in writing the book and trying to keep it as close to reality as possible. The Native American Community has a lot to offer if people would just listen to them when they speak about their lives and what goes on in their communities. Their way of looking at the world makes sense.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Twitter | Website
Drummond
Drummond is just trying to figure it all out: school, girls, whatever is going on with his parents. It has the potential to be overwhelming, but luckily most of his time is taken up thinking about his current transformation into a percussionist. He was already a drummer, but private lessons quickly pushed him toward something more serious and more dedicated, like the high school drumline. Even though he’s unsure if that’s really where he wants to be, Drummond finds himself immersed in a whole new world that he’s quickly enamored by, complete with a sense of community and new friends that quickly become like family.
Drummond: Learning to Find Himself in the Music is an insightful novel by Patrick R.F. Blakley that draws heavily on his own experiences in high school band. Throughout the story, we see how Drummond’s confidence in himself grows proportionally to his confidence as a drummer as his inner monologue maps out the workings of the teenage mind. The crux of the action falls on the shoulders of the drumline, both in lessons to prepare and the actual practices. Many of the musical details are explained in highly technical terms, although Blakley mentions that he wrote it while keeping non-musical people in mind.
The inner monologue mentioned earlier is one of the book’s highlights moves the plot along in a natural and endlessly entertaining way. Drummond’s mind is well acclimated to the musical world he is immersed in and moves with a rhythm that suits his talents well.
Blakley’s book also includes a variety of appendices and author’s notes that expand on his own personal experiences in the band, and the record of the drumline. At the same time, he was involved with and inspired by some of the characters. While this portion is written in a distinctly different tone, it’s an exceedingly interesting addition that provides a little more depth and humanity to the events. Blakley’s testimonial solidified the overarching theme of finding yourself and creating your own identity.
While I did find myself lost through some of the very technical musical lingo, I thought Drummond was a fantastic character and enjoyed every bit of growth he experienced. The awkwardness, the uncertainty, and the grounding nature of finding something you love are everyday encounters for a 13-year-old, and that relatability made the book that much more enjoyable.
Drummond: Learning to Find Himself in the Music is a beautifully written coming-of-age novel for teens and young adults. Teens looking for inspiration or anyone with a love or nostalgia for the marching band will find this book a welcome addition to their collection.
Pages: 322 | ASIN : B09TSKZJ6S
LITERARY TITAN 