“The Bridegrooms,” a prose poem by Daria Serenko from our last issue, imagines what happens when a whole country, having invaded another, remains in denial: its dead soldiers come home only to be treated as though they weren’t dead. Their sweethearts are obliged to go on living with them. The corpses receive funerals but the […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2022/10/22/fighting-words-daria-serenko/

Baker Street Irregular follows an intelligence agent that in the course of an investigation, becomes a murder suspect, now, he has to clear his name and find the killer. What was your inspiration for the mystery that must be unraveled?

I have always loved a good mystery story. So I had the idea of taking the best elements of the classic noir detective and applying them to my main character in the historical setting of a spy novel. A good mystery, of course, also needs a crime. So, with a backdrop of war and in the bloody shadow of the Nazis, I set this novel’s stage to play out amid the worst crimes in history. I have spent my life intrigued by that dark period, and as a keen historian, I wanted to try to do at least some justice to the sacrifices service personnel and civilians made. The story is very much centred around the events and predicaments Bill, the main character, finds himself in, but the related real-life history is always present.

What kind of research did you do for this novel to ensure you captured the essence of the stories theme?

I seemed to spend more time with my head in reference books than I did writing! I did my best to get the details correct, as I feel it’s necessary when writing historical fiction. I’m sure some minor errors slipped through, and I consciously made some changes in the interests of narrative interest, but on the whole, I aimed for accuracy. My idea for the Berlin scenes was to make the city come alive, almost as a character in its own right, with all its post-war destruction and underlying political and social decay becoming almost palpable.

What was the hardest part about writing a mystery story; where you constantly have to give just enough to keep the mystery alive until the big reveal?

I struggled to see the complete picture in the early stages of writing. I don’t think planning and structure work well for my creative flow, and I preferred to start getting scenes written and see where the narrative took me next. Ending the chapters with a revelation that kept the story pushing forward to the next stage was an organic way of leading the reader onward, keeping them connected with the investigation Bill was undertaking. Other than the main protagonists, the other characters appeared and evolved naturally, as required by the developing story. I really did fly by the seat of my pants, going as far as drafting a few different endings on paper, involving different characters each time. I figured if even I didn’t know who the culprit was, the reader would struggle to guess too!

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

I have already started writing the next adventure for Bill. By the time I have finished with the final draft, and it has been edited and proofread, I anticipate it will be published sometime in the latter half of next year. It will once again involve political intrigue and will jump ahead to later in Bill’s career with British Intelligence. He will again find himself involved with difficult situations and characters inspired by history, and do his utmost to annoy his superiors and adversaries with his usual sardonic wit.

Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/21/amid-the-worst-crimes-in-history/

Marco, Pablo, & Olivia Volume One follows the Costa sibling’s as they work together to help Marco complete tryouts and make it onto the team. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

When brainstorming the idea for Marco, Pablo, & Olivia, I took a lot of inspiration from my trips to Ecuador as a kid. Before we went into lockdown from COVID-19, I used to fly to Ecuador every other year to visit my grandparents and relatives from my dad’s side of the family. I once went to secondary school as a foreign exchange student for a month. Everything in Ecuador is different than what I grew up with in America, but I was fascinated by Ecuador’s beautiful culture. Being there made me realize, “how come no one has made a movie or written a book about Ecuador? There’s so much about Ecuador that’s worth sharing!” That’s when I knew I wanted to write a middle-grade graphic novel series set in Ecuador. Representation matters!

I enjoyed the vibrant art in this book. What was the art illustration process like in bringing this story to life?

After I finished writing the script in 2019, the first thing that came to mind was drawing the illustrations on my computer. I didn’t want to make the comic book using the traditional method of drawing and ink on physical paper. I wanted to make my comic pages on my Huion tablet because it would save me a lot of paper and art supplies, and I always loved digital art. I drew the rough sketches on the tablet, inked the pages, and hired a freelance artist to handle the coloring process. It was challenging to direct a person because I had never hired someone, and I was trying to figure out how I wanted the coloring to look. Plus, I was only 20 years old at that time. Despite the challenging process, I learned that making a comic book requires hard work, effort, and good teamwork. All the diligence was worth bringing my book to life!

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book series?

When writing the script for the first book, I didn’t think much about the story’s theme. I had so much fun writing it; I didn’t think about what was missing from my book. Once I learned about writing a theme from a creative writing course, I knew I had to think about the message for Futbol Tryouts, even if it’s only 41 pages long. I reread the script and couldn’t figure out the theme, so I gave the script to my dad and aunt for feedback. My aunt explained that the book already had a clear theme about perseverance and that I was overthinking it. Since Fútbol tryouts was the first book, I knew I had to write about universal themes in each book, but I also wanted the central theme for the entire series, which was the love and support between siblings.

What can readers expect in volume two of your children’s book series?

In Fútbol Tryouts, the readers learn that the Costa siblings moved to Guayaquil from Loja. The readers get to see the Costa’s new life on the coast, but they haven’t seen their previous life in the mountains of Ecuador. The next book for Marco, Pablo, & Olivia will feature the Costa siblings again, but the readers will look into their past life in Loja. It will also feature a new character, and I hope she will warm the reader’s hearts.

Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/22/the-love-and-support-between-siblings/

Embrace your enemies. When their bodies are found, you won’t be a suspect.

How would you like to hire the services of an elite group of professional assassins who will accept the assignment of deleting your most horrific adversary, performing the perfect murder without a trace?

Chicago Sun-Times Reporter Paul Crawford is asked to investigate a series of recent murders he eventually calls the ‘Houdini Victims.’ He begins with the investigation of a corporate executive who vanishes from a parking garage in the Chicago Loop without a trace. The most unusual fact about this crime is that there is no body, no DNA evidence, no surveillance cameras, and no fingerprints. This murder was done by a professional, and neither Crawford nor his Channel Eight reporter buddy, Chaz Rizzo, can figure out who it is.

Mark Stelter, CEO of Eradication, Inc., has found a niche and a marketable demand for those who wish to eliminate their worst enemies. For the price of $99,900, he has a stable of professional killers who can abduct any victim and make them disappear. With the help of his affiliate company, Eco-Green Environmental Consultants, he has the chemicals, the facilities, and the personnel to make any murder victim vanish without a trace. He conducts his covert corporation like any other corporate entity, with a board of directors meeting monthly and dividend declarations to his shareholders.

But when one of the directors attempts to resign, things get complicated. Stelter sends his killers to track down and assassinate the former shareholder. They use a unique apparatus called a ‘bolito,’ instantaneously killing their victims. With a section in the director’s contracts barring them from resigning and signing their death warrants, the shareholders of Eradication Inc. are now getting nervous. Although they are making millions, the shareholders now realize they are risking their lives and can only escape their deaths.

As the victims vanish, Paul Crawford continues to investigate the environmental company and how they are connected to the recent Chicago murders. With the shareholders of Eradication Inc. wishing to resign and make a deal with the Chicago P.D., Mark Stelter struggles to keep his Board of Directors unified with an iron fist.

It is now only a question of time before either the reporters or the shareholders become the next vanishing victims of Eradication, Inc.

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/22/contracts-for-sale-book-trailer/

Our picks for the best romances of October

Original source: https://www.amazon.com/amazonbookreview/editorspicks.html?ref_=abr_widget_nav&theme=light

Our picks for the best debuts of October

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Dr. John Gottman shares No. 1 relationship hack, two words every couple should say

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