Blog Archives
When You Go Through Dark Times
A Study in Terminal follows a young man who has faced many hardships and is forced to realize that life won’t always follow the path you laid. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
One inspiration was working with at-risk youth when I was just out of high school. I particularly remember watching this fifteen year old boy who was basically a father to his younger siblings. And it hit me that there weren’t many YA books for him — a boy who was forced to grow up early and was faced with adult situations at a young age.
Another inspiration was personal mental health battles in my own life and realizing how life is hard and dark and broken, but there is still light and the brokenness still has a chance to become beautiful.
Sean Brogan is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind his character’s
Development? First off, thank you for being so kind! I love Sean. He’s my baby. I wanted him to come to terms with facing his own humanity but realize he wasn’t alone in the first place. When you go through dark times you can be deceived into thinking you’re alone — which is so far from the truth. There’s a moment in ASIT when Sean is hit with the realization there was someone who was walking alongside him, and it was a very powerful moment for me personally. I’m always writing to answer my own questions, and that’s what happened with Sean’s character — to direct a broken character who has felt alone all his life to suddenly realize that there was someone who understood.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
You are never alone. That there is beauty in brokenness. That healing is possible. That sometimes you have to let people meet you in your darkness. Oftentimes we hide our brokenness out of shame or fear, and I wanted people to realize that to heal sometimes means admitting how human we are.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Haha, I wish I knew. Life has been insane for me, but I’m working on two different books — one being the second book following ASIT. So we shall see…
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
He plans to slip into the sleepy town of Lake Fort, West Virginia as quietly as he did ten years before, but his life has never gone as planned. Sean never expects to see Rina, the blue-haired sister of his childhood best friend who makes it her mission to rescue the lost things. A hopeful dreamer who sits on the roof and watches the sunset, she represents all the things that he has lost. As Sean spends time in the lakeside town that has haunted his dreams since he was a little boy, he has no choice but to face the pain that he buried from a life cut off too soon. In the blink of an eye, with a gun to his head, Sean is forced to confront what it means to fight for the will to live when your world has gone dark.
An anthem for those of us who have been left behind, A Study in Terminal is a vulnerable story about the human condition that reminds us that to beat your past, you first must turn around and face it.
Literary Titan Book Awards April 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 imagination of these talented authors.
Gold Award Winners
The Future is a Memory, C. Ross
Silver Award Winners
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Books Should Be Fun to Read
I Saw What I Saw follows a sharp crime reporter who finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery that the police don’t want to solve. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
First, my wife is Nigerian and we have two boys together. I was really impacted by the call for criminal justice reform in America, especially after the tragic death of George Floyd. I wanted to say something about this injustice without being preachy. I really feel like books should be fun to read, so I wanted to craft a tale that talked about a tough issue but injected a lot of over-the-top humor. Second, I am a journalist by trade that wrote creatively in High School and College. I needed to write creatively again and tap into that part of who I am again.
Sheila Sammartino is an interesting and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind her character’s development?
As I noted, I am a journalist, so I gave her my profession. I wanted to write about something I really know about. In terms of her character development and traits, I wanted her to be likeable and relatable and still have quirks. I hope the reader will leave the book both rooting for and laughing with Sheila. I wanted to create a group of unique people that you long to follow and see what mayhem they are getting themselves into next.
The mystery at the heart of this novel was intriguing. Did you plan it beforehand or did the mystery develop organically while writing?
Both actually. I had the murder clearly defined in my head and I knew who the murderer was going to be and how Sheila was going to figure it out in the end. Going into writing the book I had a sense of who the other suspects would be and who the supporting characters would be, but elements of the journey evolved organically as I fleshed out the full story. It was a truly creative process that I really enjoyed.
This is book one in A Harmony Neighborhood Cozy Mystery series. What can readers expect in book two?
The reader can expect a lot more romance and humor. The romance between Reggie and Sheila is just getting started and there are a lot more twists and turns to come. The reader can also expect more social commentary combined with the comic hijinks. These characters are going to grow and evolve in fun ways that hopefully keep the reader engaged and wondering what happens next.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
The small town of Harmony’s number one Internet sensation is crime reporter turned blogger, Sheila Sammartino. Inquisitive, self-conscious and often clumsy in an oddly endearing way, everything is going great for Sheila until she stumbles into a murder mystery, and not as a reporter!
She witnesses a newcomer to the neighborhood, Arthur Jones, murdered in the alley next to Harry’s Bagel Shop. The police are quick to call it a mugging gone wrong, but Sheila saw what she saw. With the help of her outspoken former college roommate and her classically handsome new next-door neighbor, this trio take it upon themselves to get all the answers the police refuse to look for. Who was Arthur Jones after all? And who would want to kill him?
Young Davy Crockett
Davy Crockett is a young boy in 1798 growing up in Tennessee with his family. He and his brothers are in the middle of a hunt when they learn a hunter in town has gone missing while hunting. Davy and his brothers take it upon themselves to find out what happened and come face to face with something prehistoric for the first time. When Davy’s brother William is injured, it is up to Davy and an unlikely accomplice to find the dangerous “horned turtle monster”. Readers will be catapulted right into the action from the start.
Young Davy Crockett: The Wild Frontier with Dinosaurs is a fast-paced book with a unique and exciting spin-off of the traditional Davy Crockett storyline. This captivating book is the first in the History vs. Pre-history Series by author Kevin James Breaux. The writing style is perfect for younger adult readers that want a lot of action that starts from the first page and carries through the whole book. Breaux has taken the traditional character of Davy Crockett and gave him a new adventure to entice a new generation of readers. The author takes the readers on an unforgettable adventure blending prehistoric times with the days of the wild frontier.
Readers will find Davy to be a brave and fearless character that is capable of battling the unknown and solving the mystery of the missing hunters. Breaux effortlessly weaves an engaging story based on fact, fiction, science, and history. The author leaves readers eagerly looking forward to book two to discover what happens next.
Young Davy Crockett: The Wild Frontier with Dinosaurs is a riveting novel for middle-grade students and younger teens that have a passion for history and dinosaurs. Add in the exciting action and adventures that come with the frontier expansion, and readers will have a thrilling coming-of-age young adult novel that will keep them on edge till the end.
Pages: 138 | ASIN : B09S4QK5KZ
Mystical Force: Volume 2: Angels and Demons
In Mystical Force: Volume 2 Angels and Demons by Craig Weidhuner, Humans do not believe Earth is the only inhabited planet. Sister Rose is one of five nuns who hunt and kill demons. They are called upon by God to destroy the demons using their magical bullets which are specially designed to kill demons. Sister Rose’s parents passed away long ago, leaving her to become a young orphan raised in the church. Her roots are from the church, and their beliefs are deeply embedded in her mind. However, she meets a demon called Tokijin, who can transform into a human form. They fall in love, and Rose is caught between the beliefs she was raised with and her love for Tokijin.
Long ago, it was common for humans to destroy villages they thought were inhabited by demons and to murder any demon that was found. This created a war between demons and humans that has lasted centuries. However, not everyone in the universe feels demons are evil. For example, there is a planet called Orathos. The beings that reside there are determined to bring peace to the races of demons and humans.
Mystical Force: Volume 2 Angels and Demons is told from several viewpoints and at different locations in the universe. Weidhuner has fantastic character development. Each character is well thought out and brings a unique feel to the story. I found getting to know the characters, seeing their development and growth to be one of the most enjoyable parts of this novel.
The author’s writing style is spellbinding, drawing readers into the plot with strong emotional conflicts. However, the book primarily focuses on the romantic relationship between Rose and Tokijin. A demon and a demon hunting nun are two people who should despise one another because of how they have been raised. Yet, despite being taught from a young age to hate, they see the good in one another.
Mystical Force: Volume 2 Angels and Demons is a thrilling young adult fantasy novel. Combining science fiction elements and paranormal activity, the author creates action and suspense that will captivate teen readers.
Pages: 69 | ASIN : B0921PPSGC
A Person Can Choose to be Good or Bad
Stone Dragons Kingdom follows a city of people that are dragon riders as they try and protect their city and world from destruction. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The inspiration for this story was to create a situation where a villain can have a change of heart. It shows, I think in a dramatic way, how allowing other people to help you can lead down a wrong path, as indicated by the Stone Dragons Kingdom, but also on a human level, we have Belinda who focuses on all she doesn’t have, rather than what she does have. If she could only reach that light inside her, what would change?
Learning she has strong and deep powers changes Belinda. What were some driving ideals behind Belinda’s character’s development?
Belinda is a very interesting character. She stems from a person consumed with being the best, but when she isn’t, she’ll go to the extreme to show that she is the best. In her development, I wanted to show, no matter what, a person has a choice of what they want to be, either for bad or good. With Belinda, I chose to show that she was only one choice away from changing her life.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Yes, but as always, they only come to light after I’ve written a story. I think the main theme of this one is redemption. The story starts out harshly for Belinda, even though others believed her to have changed, it took her a long time before she could shake her demons to find the person she wanted so much to become.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Thank you for asking! Well, The Stone Dragons Kingdom was supposed to be the last for this series, but… one of my characters had something else in mind! I’m currently writing The Spires of Dasny: 5 ~ The Northern Kingdom. It’s on pre-order now and will be released by Fall 2022.
It may not be the last of the series, either ~ the same character has been given knowledge of how their current kingdom will undergo change, and he’ll be instrumental to this change.
Author Links: GoodReads
It’s only after Seyra hears from the Truth Speaker, that she learns the truth behind Belinda. What she learns could not only destroy the Spires, but every other kingdom in their world. Belinda holds a magic so powerful, so destructive, there may be no way of stopping her.
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Belinda
Returning to Sezalor’s lair, I pause to connect to the Rocks. Splaying my hand open, I lay my palm flat against the wall immediately feeling the surge of power enter me.
“Time is short. As promised, you will have your own kingdom as long as you carry the Rock and Water energy for us to expand. We have been locked in one place for too long. Agola grew old and set in his ways, this is why you have this opportunity to expand with us. Use the energy we absorbed by the stone-encased Xi to bring our Stone dragons under control.”
A blinding flash cracks through the wall. I feel like I’m hit by lightning, my head screams in pain with an ache like it’s being crushed by an enormous hand. Behind me, the roar of Sezalor adds to the unbearable pain. Clasping both hands over my head, I beg for it to stop. Anything, please take this pain from me! Briefly, I smell burning. In my horror I look down to find myself being burnt alive before I’m hit by a wall of Water. Darkness.
Rebirth. I suck in First Breath. Expelled from the womb of Rock and Water, I stand on shaky legs and return to my chamber to dry. As my hands move the drying cloth over my body, I discover more scales covering me from my shoulders to the biceps. I grin. Large, stone scales. Who needs armor when I have these?
Supernaturals Coming Together
The Younglings Shadows & Magic follows a teenage boy as he comes to terms with his supernatural powers and hunts a killer. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I’ve always been a lover of fantasy & the supernatural. The concept of a diverse range of supernaturals coming together to fight for good, has been an idea of mine for quite a long time. I wanted this concept to be a coming of age type story—teenagers dealing with teenage life, and being thrown into a supernatural world, whilst discovering who they are, forming the bonds of friendship, and falling in love, as well as all the usual teen-angst.
Quinn has a few shocking revelations in this novel on top of being a teenager figuring out who they are. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
As a mother, I have, in the not too distant past, had a house full of teenagers. The joie de vivre that they have is inspiring. But most teens can experience all sorts of difficulties in their day to day lives—from bullying, to gossip, to drugs, to deep depression, isolation, and so on. Subsequently, overly polished plots and people won’t resonate. They want to see themselves in your characters—they want the messy, real deal.
The characters in my series are real teenagers, from the decisions they make, to their reactions to certain situations, and the confusion of falling in love—like real teens. Their heightened sense of emotion (and hormones) can cause immaturity and self-doubt issues. We see The Younglings grow and mature throughout the series. For Quinn, though, it was a matter of integrity—finding out your father is not human but a demon king—would it break him or make him stronger?
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
As a writer, I wanted to be edgy, to write like young adults would think and speak, and really get into their mindset. The theme of self-belief, family bonds and friendship are important to me—but all in all, I felt that my characters needed to be portrayed honestly.
Another thing I needed to remember, was that my book would need to exclude any insight a typical teen would not yet have—for the characters integrity. As teenagers, The Younglings wouldn’t have the wisdom of a forty-year-old, would they? And we have to remember, teens don’t want to be treated like kids. Teens read to understand friends, frenemies, but mostly themselves. I feel the goal should be to empower teen readers.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The sequel—The Younglings: Fire & Magic is out early June 2022. I’m hoping the third in the series—The Younglings: Starlight & Magic will be out December 2022, or early 2023.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
“This is such a hilarious and well-paced YA read that introduces us beautifully into a new series. It is absolutely packed with demons, angels, ghosts, witches, and more, all wrapped up in teen angst, misfits and unwitting heroes.”
Supernaturals are fantasy, right?
Wrong … so very wrong.
When Quinn Carter finds out his dad is a demon king, his life spirals to Crazyville.
As if being secretly in love with his best friend, Eve, isn’t bad enough, he also starts to develop freaky powers, then finds out Eve and his grandma aren’t all they seem.
His new friends have secrets too. Apparently, demons aren’t the only paranormals out there.
Throw in a few spirits, stab-worthy demons and black witchcraft, and life becomes messy for Quinn and his team of supernaturals.
On top of it all, the vampire ministry covet Eve’s angelic blood. Will the team rescue her before it’s too late for Quinn to admit his feelings?
“If you’re a Twilight or City of Bones fan, this is for you.”
“I also loved the grannies! What a fabulous team of guardians they had watching over them!”
“If you are a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Supernatural this is perfect reading material to satisfy your paranormal obsession.”
“Quinn is so well written, funny, frustrating and loveable.”
“I simply loved the world building, the characters that are diverse in their supernatural abilities, gender and sexuality which is fantastic to see.”
The Impossible Girl
Ava Marie Jones doesn’t know anything about her past. That is until she falls through a tree. Ava finds herself in a whole new world with creatures from all types of fairytales. She soon realizes that she belongs here. She fits in! Or so she thought. She is soon dubbed The Impossible Girl because she was never registered at birth. Author Ashley White has us follow Ava as she navigates through this new realm and school. Will she learn more about her family? Will she test the limits of her powers?
The Impossible Girl will have readers enchanted! It has a feel to it similar to books by J.K. Rowling and Rick Riordan. The story pulls readers in from the very beginning and keeps them engaged throughout the whole novel.
This magical novel starts with a long prologue, readers will find this information imperative as they start reading chapter one. The story has a great flow to it, combining action and dialogue seamlessly. The author has a way with descriptive language. The details that went into her world building will have readers envisioning the city under the tree as clearly as if they were walking there themselves.
Ava’s character is well thought out. She is taking everything she learns in stride. Ashley White has given her a strong and distinct personality that readers will be able to relate to. Ava is shy, but she is starting to come out of her shell. Her friend Duncan is an interesting character. He seems very nice and caring. However, he is a pleaser. Duncan wants to please and impress his father. He follows the rules. Can he be trusted in the future? We shall see. Ava’s friend Tara seems to be an open book and is filled with all kinds of useful knowledge. She is also a very caring friend. Always aware of her friend’s feelings. Colin is another friend of Ava’s. He is shy in the beginning but is very brave by the end. I look forward to seeing his character progress in future novels.
The Impossible Girl is a children’s and teen fantasy novel that will take readers on an adventure as a young girl discovers her true identity. With magic and mystery readers of all ages will want to follow along as Ava discovers what makes her unique.
Pages: 314 | ASIN : B09SNG2MJB
LITERARY TITAN 