Sinclair McKay writes at the start of his new book, Berlin, that the city displays its wounds openly, in walls pockmarked by bullets, in ruins and fragments, making no attempt to smooth “the jagged edges of history.” Kirsty Bell, in The Undercurrents, does not quite agree. She notes silences and gaps as well as visible […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/10/20/silences-and-scars-berlin-the-undercurrents/
“Hell,” wrote Percy Shelley in 1819, “is a city much like London.” A hundred and twenty years later Bertolt Brecht, who fled the Nazis for Santa Monica, volunteered a different perspective. “I,” he wrote, “who live not in London but in Los Angeles/Thinking about Hell, suppose it must be/Even more like Los Angeles.” In Hell, […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/10/20/la-elegies-discarded-life-adam-kirsch/
It always feels like an appropriate moment to talk about Buster Keaton, if only because talking about him leads naturally to watching his films and experiencing again the shades of awe and amazement they reliably awaken. The present occasion is the publication of James Curtis’s Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life, an encyclopedic biography that lays […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/10/20/keep-your-eye-on-the-kid-buster-keaton/
I have over the years met so many Italians who can’t abide The Betrothed (I promessi sposi). They were forced to read it in school, as a kind of national treasure to be admired rather than enjoyed—to memorize its set pieces, to regurgitate its messages. It had been mummified. By the time of Alessandro Manzoni’s […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/10/20/resurrecting-a-polyphonic-past-the-betrothed-manzoni/
A night match at Arthur Ashe: Septemberand it’s summer a little while longer so long as these breezes drift in,so long as Alcaraz at nineteen fucking unrealin Gerald Marzorati’s phrase returns most anything the veteranČilić sends his way and three hours fifty-three minutes go by—relentless shot-making, vicious, precise. My father says watching tennisfor hours is […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/10/20/alcaraz-vs-cilic-tomas-unger/
Lets talk! Learning to bowl follows two friends to the bowling alley where they learn about the importance of wearing a mask and how people with autism communicate differently. What inspired the idea to have this story take place in a bowling alley?
Each book has a different setting and activity that is near and dear to me. I grew up bowling and had even worked at the local bowling alley. In doing that I got to see a lot of children begin to bowl and fall in love with it. I thought it would be great to showcase that in a book. Not many books show bowling and I loved the idea of it being something different that can also inspire kids to want to try a bowling league too.
Was there anything that you pulled from your own experience and used in the book?
Oh absolutely I did! All of my books have things in them that are from my experience in the field. This book in particular though is special and near and dear to me because I did work at the local bowling alley and volunteer coached. In this book I bring back the idea of using the index cards for Emma to understand and communicate. That is a technique I use a lot in my current career in applied behavior analysis.
I modeled the bowling alley and coach after what I knew growing up. The bowling alley is similar to the one I worked in. I decided to use a coach because I had coached as a volunteer too. I had worked with children and seen little ones with disabilities try to bowl. I pulled from my own memories and experiences to shape the character of the coach. It also influenced the front desk and the types of shoes the characters are wearing. I made sure those were all authentic when I wrote out how I wanted the illustrations to look. I loved that I could put my experiences in and be super authentic when It came to the communication device and the activity this time.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
Most fun creating, I would have to say it was figuring out how to address Emma wanting to take the mask off and helping her to understand why it needs to stay on. Emma taking the mask off is very real and similar to experiences I had in my own career once we were able to go back to in person therapy. I think that was the most fun to actually write and pull from my own experiences. I really loved writing in the character of Coach Phil too. So many people do not realize how fun bowling is or that a little one with a disability can do it too. I loved that I was able to show people that with a little effort and a few questions, our teenage or adult coaches can understand how to work with our littles ones with disabilities too. Also, one last fun part, was making the character of Coach Phil Native American. Diversity is so important to me and being able to showcase that in a main character was really amazing.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Currently, I have a few things in the works. I have some books written that under contract. The first book in a new series with the illustrators being amazing individuals with autism. Then there is a third series that was actually picked up by a traditional publisher. That first book in the series is actually written from Emma’s point of view. There will be more information and teases coming up! Also, there is book 4 in the Lets Talk! series which is called Lets talk! celebrating the holidays. This will be available by April 2023. Lots to come! I am very excited for everything that is moving forward!
Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Website
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/02/near-and-dear-to-me/
If you are experiencing grief, heartbreak, or life-changing moments, then Dark Night of the Soul by Trinity Royal is the inspirational book to guide you through your strife. This educational book is the red pill to get out of a matrix of suffering and repetition of sabotage and terrible habits in life. The author takes readers into a rabbit hole of self-examination and querying their soul on what it requires and the reason behind any suffering. It goes through the stages of stage metamorphosis, which is quite a fascinating cycle.
One of the book’s most controversial topics is that there will be suffering during the darkest night of the soul. However, this suffering reshapes a person’s character into a shiny diamond. The book illustrates the reasons for soul searching, why we suffer from depression, what to do during this process, and the possible reason for any unexpected suffering. The book also demonstrates some practical and effective healing techniques.
This is a book I would recommend for anyone undergoing any soul searching, depression, or stuck in a ‘rut’ (which, given the last couple of years, I feel like we all are in some sort of trouble here). I feel that this book can be appreciated by people who are going through a tough time in life and are ready for a change. If one is not open to the ideas in the book, they may find it repetitive and a bit ‘new age’. If you are looking for your soul’s purpose, I will leave you with the words, “Diamond is a piece of coal that has been subjected to extreme pressure and temperature.” I hope you find the healing, love, and peace that this book desperately aims for.
Pages: 241 | ASIN : B0B1QQCH22
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/02/dark-night-of-the-soul/
The Prodigal Daughter follows a husband and wife who navigate the labyrinth of a society that doesn’t tolerate dissent in order to escape. What were some ideas that you wanted to explore in this book that were different from book one?
The Governor’s Daughter mainly focused on Emma and Declan’s relationship, and how two people from very different walks of life can fall in love despite potential grave consequences. I wanted to expand on that theme, and The Prodigal Daughter gave me a great opportunity to delve into how the fall of American Democracy affected more than those in the Premier City. We already saw in the first novel how women became the property of men, and minorities were forced to live outside the city walls in a constant state of semi-starvation and extreme poverty. Now we get to see how a city that refused to kowtow to the Committee was punished, and how the deadly rebel group, known as the BSB, came to be.
In this novel, I was able to get into the minds of characters of different races, sexual orientation, and beliefs. I also delve deep into the ideology of morality, especially when it involves doing one’s duty in their specific careers. Ranging from soldiers to a minister, we see how they balance their moral conscience during a time of war. I wanted to explore the idea of what is morally right or wrong during times of war and oppression.
What scene in the book was the most emotionally impactful for you to write?
I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone, but we lose some major characters in this novel. One scene in particular, when Declan euthanizes a dear friend who is beyond his ability to save, really got to me. The passage where he remembers a discussion about euthanasia with a veterinarian friend was a conversation I actually had when I was a veterinary technician with my boss. It was a major eye-opening moment when he called euthanasia “the final treatment option” because it’s the last medical treatment in their arsenol to treat pain and suffering. It’s something I’ll never forget.
What were some challenges you set for yourself as a writer with this book?
Overall, it was a tough novel to write, as there were a lot of questions that needed answering, and of course, I had to raise a bunch more for you to ponder over before book three comes out! I wanted this novel to be inclusive, to show how people can band together and fight for what’s right, and that all the things people let divide us really don’t matter. I wanted every reader to be able to see themselves in at least one of our heroes, and to hopefully get involved in a way that can hopefully prevent this saga from coming true. As bleak as much of the tale is, I wanted this part of the tale to end on a more hopeful note while still holding on to the gravity of the topics. I want people to understand there’s still time to get involved, and most importantly, to vote.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My Mother’s Daughter will be the third book in the Daughters of the New American Revolution series, and if the stars align, will be released next summer. This one is a particularly difficult novel to write, and I will give a lot of backstory about how women were a major part of the creation of this new government. We get to know Emma’s mother, the pitiable Louise, and of course her grandmother, the formidable Mother Barbara. The story continues with Emma and Declan and the BSB on the run, and by the end of the novel, I promise you will finally get to meet the infamous Trinity. It’s going to be a true whirlwind, so hang onto your hats!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Twitter | Website
Years of enduring their abuse have made Emma stronger, smarter, and more sure of herself. With a sharp mind and quick wit, she managed to get herself out of situations in the past that seemed impossible.
With the eyes of the nation on her and the consequences for her actions greater than ever, can Emma find a way to save herself again?
After sacrificing herself to save her brother and husband, Emma finds herself surrounded by bloodthirsty bounty hunters eager to claim their reward. Knowing her crimes are more than enough to get her executed, she has but one chance at freedom before being returned to the Premier City and her furious father, the newly-promoted Interim Supreme Archon.
While Emma fights for her life, her husband, Declan, is dying. Knowing Declan doesn’t have long to live, his loyal friend, Adam, takes him to the one place with people who can save him, but doing so is practically suicide. The ruined city “that no longer has a name” may have been walled in and destroyed, but an active patrol, ready to kill on sight, combs the rubble for the remaining elusive members of the resistance group known only as the BSB.The members of the resistance are not the only ones whose lives hang precariously, as those in the Premier City are also on edge. Edward James Bellamy has no intention of giving back the throne should Ryan Gregory recover from injuries incurred the night the National theater collapsed.
At first, everyone in the nation believes Bellamy to be a safer, saner choice, but then, he sets into motion a series of events that will make him the most feared leader yet. With the threat of an upcoming rebellion knocking on his door, Bellamy’s determination to stay on the throne will leave everyone in the nation in grave danger, but none so much as his prodigal daughter.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/02/something-ill-never-forget/
Zipline follows a group of friends on a camping trip that goes awry when they realize the haunting stories they were told might be true. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
This started out as a short story about a camping trip that went terribly awry. I had some of the elements for the story but had to ask questions like – why would they go up the mountain? I kept asking questions till I had a novella.
Your characters are interesting and well-developed. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Gail is the one who wants to face her fears. Danny just wanted to ride the zip line. Neal went because Gail was his girlfriend. Paula went to keep an eye on Danny because she was jealous of Danny’s and Gail’s relationship. Sam is Neal’s best friend who is along for the ride. All the characters just graduated from college and have employment waiting for them to start in two weeks. I needed each one to have a different motivation for being there which really melded the personalities perfectly. Each one is distinct and has a purpose being there. And yet, you can feel the love between each one, including Sam. Everybody loves Sam.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The main theme is going from adolescence to adulthood. From being reckless to responsible. I think everyone who reads this will admit that they grew up really fast and had those adult conversations by the end of the story. Another is Love and Trust which were tested by the decisions that were being made along the journey. Lastly, looking at the future juxtaposed against the reality of the situation they were in. I think the reader will enjoy this spirited trip to the very end.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Since this is the start of a series, the other four books are in various editing, the next one is called AFTERMATH. Murphy Napier has a series on YouTube called Dear Author. This is where her following tells us, the authors, what they want in a sequel. So the next book takes place two years after this one and is from the point of view of Neal. Yes, the gang’s back together to solve another mystery that will have you at the edge of your seat biting your nails. It was supposed to come out next month, but I’m making some additions to and editing it right now, so look for it next year and stop by my website panothonymichael.com to get any updates. And when you finish reading it, leave a review on Amazon, please. That really helps.
Author Links: Amazon | Website
The plan was simple. Hike, camp, and ride the zipline back down the mountain. But Uncle Perkins’ stories are true, and the horrors are real. Now the simple plan is the only plan they have to get off that mountain or disappear, remaining there forever.
Zipline is an immediately gripping, fast-paced, unique story that will keep you entertained until the last sentence.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/02/this-spirited-trip-to-the-very-end/
, is as funny and poignant as its predecessor. But comedy also arises out of pain and Greer smoothly transitions into the profound.
Original source: https://www.npr.org/2022/09/26/1124704474/less-is-lost-review-andrew-sean-greer-pulitzer-novel-sequel