Frans Hals clearly had an eye for faces, but he doesn’t seem to have been very interested in turning it on himself. Unlike his great contemporary Rembrandt van Rijn, whose some eighty self-portraits comprise a richly inventive visual memoir extending from his young manhood to the year of his death, Hals is generally credited with […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/03/23/laughs-and-smiles-the-portraitist-frans-hals-nadler/

On July 16, 1975, Jamaica’s conservative newspaper, The Daily Gleaner, published an ominous headline paraphrasing Prime Minister Michael Manley, the leader of the leftist People’s National Party: “No One Can Become a Millionaire Here—PM.” In an ill-tempered story, the paper fizzed with fury at the heresy of the prime minister’s anti-individualistic and anticapitalist vision for […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/03/23/far-from-jamaica-if-i-survive-you-jonathan-escoffery/

Martin Riker’s The Guest Lecture begins with a paragraph of stage direction, establishing the scene that will make up the entirety of the novel. The story takes place in a hotel room “somewhere in middle America.” The room is dark, and its king-size bed holds three bodies: On the left lies a man, in the […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/03/23/the-life-of-the-mind-the-guest-lecture-martin-riker/

The Wire was between its fourth and fifth seasons. Mad Men had just premiered. The Sopranos was approaching its finale. Rome had just ended after twenty-two episodes. Viewers were still mourning Six Feet Under and the western series Deadwood. If you attended a dinner party sometime in 2007, you might find yourself involved in a […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/03/23/bigger-deeper-and-more-fucked-up-hbo/

In John J. Lennon’s latest essay for the Review, he reads Sarah Weinman’s book Scoundrel,an account of the saga of the writer and convicted murderer Edgar Smith, who had once been championed by William F. Buckley. “As a journalist who covers criminal justice while living in prison,” writes Lennon, “I’ve been thinking a lot about […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/03/04/the-right-to-be-artful-john-j-lennon/

Jerry F. Westinger’s A Bad Time To Meet The Family is a beautiful mix of mystery and fantasy. It follows the story of two friends, Corlis and Thessa. Corlis was left in an orphanage as a baby and stayed there until he was adopted at ten. On the other hand, Thessa was born into wealth but recently ran away from her home. However, the book mainly focuses on the months after the death of Corlis’ adoptive mother and how he stumbles upon a man who claims to be his biological father. The author takes us through the awkwardness of their meeting and the attempted integration of Corlis into the man’s family. Beyond that, it explores how Thessa’s mystical abilities affect this process.

What starts off as a charming “finding your family” story eventually turns into a thrilling mystery. While the author doesn’t hesitate to shock us with a couple of twists, he still keeps things realistic. In many ways, this book is a slow burn. As if this isn’t enough, the book also has light sentences, excellent formatting, and perfect flow. The dialogue is realistic, and the characters’ decisions make much sense. But if there’s one thing that the book deserves praise for, it’s seamlessly integrating real-life themes like elitism, class, poverty, and contentment. Even though it is set in a fantasy world, it’s interesting how the characters of this book grapple with these themes just as we are in 2023. I liked how the author explored the theme of poverty, mainly how it puts you in an endless cycle of only focusing on survival. The author shows us how this denies you the opportunity to figure out what you want out of life and, in many ways, makes you afraid of doing so. On the flip side, he also shows us how wealth makes you keenly aware that there’s more to life than survival. Ultimately, he shows us how both wealth and poverty can breed discontentment and treachery.

A Bad Time To Meet The Family is a gripping mystery and shifter novel with a solid plot and is extremely well-written. This thrilling story is addictive enough to have readers hooked and unable to put the book down till they finish.

Pages: 304 | ASIN : B0BTZRW5F9

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/03/04/a-bad-time-to-meet-the-family/

Elaina Williams is off to Brisbane. Any other time, she would look forward to this trip–relaxation, time away with Ric Peters, and a little reprieve from her job as a yoga instructor. This, however, is not her ideal vacation. Elaina’s father is missing. It’s been a week since she last spoke to him, and the last message from him is cryptic and filled with clues that something is very wrong. Elaina’s fears are confirmed when she asks Ric to listen to the message and use his skill to analyze her father’s voice. One quick listen is all it takes for Ric to realize that things are definitely not what they seem, and their mission begins.

Cobra Pose, by Susan Rogers and John Roosen, is the second installment in the thrilling Yoga Mat Mysteries series and centers around Elaina’s fight to find her father and bring him to safety. Ric Peters, her love interest and partner in all things mysterious, is by her side throughout her search, lending her his skills and support. The two make a phenomenal team, and their energy and rapport are unbeatable.

This is the second book by Rogers and Roosen I have read, and I found myself fully invested in the storyline each time. This writing duo knows how to hook readers in the first chapter. One of the things I love most about their writing is the intriguing cast of characters present throughout their works. It goes without saying that Elaina and Ric are standouts, but the secondary characters who appear throughout the book are equally as fascinating and give their books a well-rounded feel. From homeless Broady to Priya, ever sassy and in charge, Rogers and Roosen know how to add fabulous layers to their cast of characters.

I enjoy a well-planned mystery and often have a difficult time finding one that is not steeped in narrative and lacks rich dialogue. That is never an issue with Rogers and Roosen’s work. The banter between Elaina and Ric continues in this second book in the series and expands upon the relationship that began in book one. These authors have hit upon the ideal mix of action, romance, and comedy.

I highly recommend mystery fans give Cobra Pose a try. Nowhere else will you find a better-developed cast of characters and a more engaging plot. Fans who appreciate a blend of genres in their mysteries will become instant fans of Rogers and Roosen.

Pages: 343 | ASIN: B0BTJV4V1H

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/03/04/cobra-pose/

Firefly: Let There Be Light follows a young firefly who performs a daredevil stunt and has it go horribly wrong. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

One of the many reasons I love writing fiction is that, once a character is established in my mind, the character takes the story from there. Of course, I plan parts of the plot, and the characters comply, but often, they act in my imagination and I just write it all down, especially when it comes to dialogue. In the case of the inciting incident of the story, I knew that it was protagonist Flash’s reckless nature that should be the cause of the shakeup of his (and his friend’s) world. And from there, I just thought, what would a wily firefly do when he’s out on an errand for his father? I won’t spoil the story with the details, but the Flash in my imagination was eager to be especially irresponsible in his pursuit of thrills and to impress his friends. Also, one of my favorite books is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, in which a boy and his friend travel far from their home. I thought it would be interesting to do the opposite in Firefly—take the characters far away and then follow them on their adventure home. 

Flash thinks he knows it all but quickly learns there is much about life he doesn’t know. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

If Flash was a human, he’d be a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, and that is the time of life when boys and girls start thinking more like an adult than like a child. When we’re that age, we start to “feel” that we understand life, and our knowledge of life is indeed growing rapidly at that time, but it turns out that we all still have much to learn—especially when it comes to self-restraint and responsibility. Flash is that character—he thinks he’s ready to take on the world. He can fly. He can emit flight. He is, in fact, quite clever. But a cocky firefly, much like an over-confident human, will find that the world is a little more complicated, and less forgiving, than he expected.

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

I think there is a tendency today to downplay courage as a virtue because that quality is often found in people who are like Flash—those who are unafraid to speak their mind, those who are risk-taking adventurers whose behavior sometimes crosses over into recklessness. This story proposes the idea that courage is indeed a virtue, and people should not abandon their courageous spirit to rid themselves of their risk-taking or reckless nature—instead, they should learn to harness their power, use their boldness responsibly, and be courageous, not in reckless abandon but to serve and help others in need. The overarching theme of the book is that the deepest love is not an emotional reaction that gives a person a sense of excitement, but it is sacrificial service of others—our family, friends, and community.

Will this novel be the start of a series or are you working on a different story?

I wrote Firefly: Let There Be Light to be a standalone story, but also to be an origin story for Flash and his band of misfits. I do plan to use this origin story as a launching point for a more episodic series called The Misadventures of Flash and the Misfits. These will be shorter books with a feel similar to episodes of a TV show, as opposed to the more feature film-feel of Firefly: Let There Be Light. Each book will have Flash and his friends encountering a mystery or challenge in Temple Hollow and using their unusual collection of talents (and quirks) to comically approach the problem. Book 1 is underway with a seven book series being the ultimate plan.

Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/03/04/on-their-adventure-home/

The Vision Prelude follows a young warrior who sets out to gain a different life than the one of war and strife he was raised in. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

This story was inspired by my obsession with the Vinland Saga. In that story, Thorfinn strives to find what his father called “Vinland”, a mystical and untouched land where there is no slavery or war. On top of that, he wants to get to these lands without using coercion, war, or duplicity. In much the same way, this is Sir Longavian’s mission when arriving on the shores of Sebel. Jingseh, the continent in the east, has been plagued with war since before he was born. It is the time of peace that the noble knight tries his best to go further out into the world than his father ever did. Pinus is also not a conqueror by any means. Even though he has his darker moments, at his core he strives to never trample upon the weak.

Pinus wants more than the world he grew up in and sets out to sea in hopes of finding a better life. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

For me this felt personal. It’s the simple idea of expanding your worldview and experiences beyond what your parents did. I think many parents would agree the whole goal of their guidance is to ultimately give their children a better life and even greater opportunities than they had for themselves. Pinus was given that gift at a terrible price, and now he is trying to fulfill that dream one step at a time. The problems arise when he runs into obstacles like lack of funds, the wrath of mother nature, and of course the very people of Sebel themselves. 

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

For one thing, I really wanted to explore Jingseh, the land of the Forest People. Their culture is an odd blend of nature-oriented mindfulness while at the same time focusing on European-style medieval caste systems. Pinus finds himself at the top of that system, and must accept both its gifts and its curses. At the same time, I also wanted to explore the horror of wars and close mindedness. As the Asum of Allusea said quite poignantly, when the elite of Jingseh weren’t fighting the Ankar people, they were fighting amongst themselves. Part of her reason to accept Pinus was an effort to not follow the isolationist mentality of her forebears. 

Where does the next book in the series take the characters?

The next book, The Demon Seed, will be quite a ride for readers. A hundred cycles later, Pinus has not only established a thriving trade-based relationship with Sebel, but he’s also come to rear a family of his own. Despite the joy, there is smoke on the horizon. Old hates never die, and worse still, certain individuals from within and outside threaten to tear apart the amity between the world’s nations. Greed and war rear their ugly heads and Pinus must do everything in his power to stop it. The story will be available first on Kindle Vella before being released as a paperback and ebook in December of this year. Readers should prepare for a wild ride with any new characters, breathtaking new worlds, and exhilarating action! 

Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/03/04/this-felt-personal/

Lethal Connections follows a homicide detective who is investigating a series of deaths with the only connection being money and power. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

One of our authors, Erik Shein, is a herpetologist and has always been fascinated with poisonous reptiles. He has his own snake collection. Melissa Davis and I both enjoy writing dark paranormal, tinged with a little humor. We thought it would be fun to team up and put together a crime thriller with a dark, paranormal feel. We chose the New Orleans area for the backdrop because let’s face it, everyone is fascinated with New Orleans with its dark history, myths and legends. What better backdrop for a crime novel?

What was the collaborative process of working with the other authors on this novel?

We’ve been doing this for a while. We’ve been writing as a team since 2016. We started the process by first throwing ideas back and forth at each other. Once we decided where the story would take us, we did a lot of research to ensure our facts were right, and the writing process began. As I said before, we’ve been doing this for a while now. With a writing team, it keeps writer’s block at bay.

Crime fiction is a new genre for us and presented a few new challenges to us as writers. You would be surprised at what you could do when you challenge yourself. I have to say that it was a fun collaboration, and we plan to do more. 

How did the mystery develop for this story? Did you plan it before writing or did it develop organically?

The mystery of the story was developed by a lot of plotting! Most of the stories I personally write myself usually develop organically. I let the muse guide me. However, with this one, we plotted it step by step and scene by scene. Since this was a new genre for us, we wanted to make sure that the story flowed and that no steps were missed in solving this mystery.

Will this novel be the start of a series or are you working on a different story?

Yes, this novel is the start of a series. We’ve already been discussing how the next story will begin. The only thing left to do is to pick our poison. LOL Seriously, though, we have about ten different ideas percolating. Not sure right now if it’ll be ten more books, but two or three more books for sure.

Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/03/04/what-better-backdrop-for-a-crime/