June 16, 1948, was the beginning of the twelve-year conflict that would come to be called “the Malayan Emergency” by British colonial troops and “the Anti-British National Liberation War” by the predominantly ethnically Chinese Communist fighters seeking to overthrow them. Five thousand civilians died, and as much as 10 percent of the entire population of […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/05/13/writing-into-silence-tash-aw/

At the height of the shelter-in-place mandates in 2020, the Los Angeles–based artist Kelly Akashi began learning stone carving. It was partly a practical decision—she could carve outdoors and without assistance from others—and partly proof of her yen for centuries-old craft traditions, having already trained in glassblowing, lost-wax bronze casting, lacemaking, and rope making. One […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/05/13/kelly-akashi-ecology-of-craft/

The Dragons of Paragon, the eighth audiobook in the Treasure of Paragon by Genevieve Jack, brings us Colin’s story as the battle to save Paragon continues. Narrated by Holly Adams, the romance was served as a side-dish to the showdown between the witches and the queen.

The Dragons of Paragon
by Genevieve Jack
Series: The Treasure of Paragon #8
Narrator: Holly Adams
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchase
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate

Rating:
Narration: 5 cups Speed: 1.5x

A clash of kingdoms. A war of hearts. A final chance.

Colin’s dragon has its jeweled heart set on Leena, but she’s a distraction he doesn’t need. The stars have aligned and it’s time for the Defenders of the Goddess to take back the throne of Paragon or be crushed under the evil empress’s heel. Colin, along with his siblings, is at the center of it all, so why can’t he stop his dragon’s obsession with the elf scribe?

Leena made a vow to the goddess and her people—and she doesn’t intend to break it. Still, there’s only so much temptation any woman can bear. Things in Ouros are coming to a head. War has come, and as much as Leena would like to avoid her feelings for Colin, she’s key to helping the resistance defend her land against Paragon.

As the world unravels around them, Colin and Leena must come to terms with what’s truly important. How far will Colin go in his quest for the kingdom? And can Leena resist the comfort of his embrace in what could be their final days?

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While each novel in the Treasure of Paragon series features one couple’s romance, the overall ARC of the series demands that you listen to this series in the order of their release. Spoilers may be found in this review, regarding the series itself.

Things are escalating quickly now that the witches have the key. They just need to unlock it to get the book needed to end the queen’s reign. In the previous audiobook, Colin’s dragon reacted to Leena, the elf scribe, and she to him. But Leena has made an oath to record history and fears Colin will distract her. She demands that he take her home in order to avoid her growing feelings. Meanwhile, the Queen has attacked the five kingdoms of Paragon, forcing alliances.

The Dragons of Paragon was action packed from beginning to end. We saw tremendous movement in the overall ARC and got a few surprises along the way. In fact, I wasn’t sure if this was the last book until a twist developed.

The romance falls to the side because of the action and plot movement, but Jack manages time for swoons, heat, and more. I enjoyed both Leena and Colin’s story and was delighted at how things turned. Both have sacrificed much for their kingdoms and gods.

Fans of paranormal romance, dragons and witches, will love not only the world Jack has created, but the characters themselves. I love books featuring siblings. We get updates on all of them as they were there every step of the way in their effort to save Paragon.

Holly Adams continues her narration of the series and brings these characters and story to life. Her range of voices for both women and men makes her perfect for this large cast.

Amazon | Audible

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2023 Audiobook Challenge
• COYER 2023 Upside Down
• COYER Upside Down Chapter 1: It's a Cold Summer

Source

Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2023/05/the-dragons-of-paragon-by-genevieve-jack.html

A Question of Time follows an insightful detective Watson as he tries to piece together what happened to his partner Holmes. Where did the idea for this novel come from, and how did it develop over time?

It evolved from a fermentation of stories. I had just read an omnibus collection of Sherlock Holmes stories by various authors. This led me to reread all Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories along with a collection of his horror stories. In that frame of mind, I reread The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. All the stories shared the same period: the environs of late 1800s London. The ambiguity of what happened to the time traveler at the end of the Time Machine, sparked the idea of having him fall backwards through time and encounter Holmes.

My research into the period filled in the color, but the real challenge was developing the multi-layered perspective used to tell the story. It is essentially a story about a story about a story.

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?

Keeping the pace without jumping ahead.

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

There are several themes I consider important.

The perceived nature of time.

Is there really any difference between experiencing a vivid memory where taste, smell, sound, and feeling are all here and now, or physically traveling to a different point in time?

Time travel without reference points is an unrelated set of events that could just as well be in the past as in the future.

I wanted Watson to be a man of his time and it is the strong bond of friendship between Holmes and Watson that makes Holmes confront Watson’s sense of shame over his wartime PTSD. (In the Victorian period of this story, a soldier, ex or otherwise, complaining of traumatic stress from battle was considered cowardly and deranged. Not to mention the social shame of being considered ‘not in one’s right mind’ and hence, untrustworthy. Not too different than how some are perceived today.) It is this wall that Holmes efforts at breaking down.

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

I haven’t decided. There are several possibilities for a series.

But I have begun another Sherlock Holmes book. The working title is ‘The Arsenic Waltz’ and it is the backwards investigation of a possible murder due to poisoned clothing. Paris Green and Scheel’s Green dyes from that period were set with arsenic compounds that actually killed people.

Another book I am working on is ‘Medea: A Prayer for Hecate’. I hope to portray Medea as a strong, capable woman not dominated by Jason or those around her. In Greek myth any woman with those qualities was often presented as a sorceress, conniving and malicious. In the archeology and the writing from the time, I believe there is sufficient evidence to indicate she was badly maligned.

Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/13/the-perceived-nature-of-time/

Madly Deeply Wildly follows an aspiring writer who has left an abusive relationship in order to start life over in her hometown. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

This story, as every fiction I write, had a number of autobiographical elements. Because of abuse in my own life, I also for many years struggled to write until I made some progress on healing from the abuse, and while not quite as severe as Renata’s experience, I have also been an abusive romantic relationship (both physically and sexually) and wanted to tell the story of how we can become trapped in relationships like that, and how difficult it can be to leave. There is still a persisting stigma in our society against victims of abuse, a belief that they are somehow at fault for not having left any sooner, and I wanted to help people to understand what it’s like in the mind of an abuse survivor to foster compassion in our real-life relationships. Of course, as with everything I write, I also wanted other survivors to see themselves in the story so they wouldn’t feel so alone, and so they would have hope of finding healing and happiness.

Renata leaves an abusive partner and has to rediscover herself and learn to trust in love again. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

In part because of psychological abuse and in part because it’s human nature to kind of beat ourselves up when we think we’ve done something wrong or stupid, I wanted to show how that can play out in this kind of a scenario. Renata has very real, very human emotions about her ex, a mixture of the love she had for him at one point, fear, loathing, and even hatred. It’s not unrealistic to have all those emotions, even at the exact same time; in fact, it’s common, and it’s normal, and that’s something Renata had to learn for herself. She had to learn to forgive herself, to trust herself, and to trust those around her. She had to learn to undo the conditioning she experienced while she was in a relationship with Damien. And ultimately, she had to learn that she could stand up for herself, which is what she does when she leaves Chad after he becomes overprotective of her. If she had stayed, even though Chad was not abusive and would have eventually learned to temper his overprotective tendencies, Renata would not have known she had the strength and self-love to put herself first. Her decision can be easily viewed by an outsider as an overreaction to what occurred, but you have to remember that with her history with Damien, there was very little difference between Chad’s behavior and Damien’s. When she first experienced that “control” with Damien, she dismissed it and justified it as Damien caring about her. She needed to break that pattern by doing something different when confronted with a similar situation. That was the key turning point in her emotional development.

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

I truly believe that love—all forms of it—is what gives meaning to our existence and is what we need to heal the world today. All around us there is suffering and pain that isn’t necessary, that can be avoided. People are hurting each other out of fear and judgment, out of a lack of understanding and compassion and love for humanity. With this book, as every other book I write, I want to show how we can heal those things, how we can change things for the better. In order to do that, you have to foster understanding, both for those who don’t have any and for those who feel alone and isolated, so I explore along themes of healing from trauma and differing types of abuse. I want to show how easy it can be to show love to those around us, whether that’s your partner or a friend or even a stranger you meet in a coffee shop. It actually doesn’t require as much effort as many think to be kind, and that’s something I want to show. Of course, I also tackle specific themes in varying degrees in every book aside from trauma, including prejudice against the LGBTQ community, racism, sexism and misogyny, misconceptions about different careers, respecting the environment, and more. These are more subtle themes you could say, but no less important, so I weave as many as make sense into every book I write.

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

I have two more books coming out this year that are in varying stages of final pre-publication activities.

The End of Interludes will be available for pre-order soon and will be publishing in September. In this story, Nina is in her late twenties, has a lucrative career, a convenient high-profile relationship, and is content with the life she’s built for herself. That is until she runs into Myles, and the life she’s been running from her seven years will not longer remain hidden. Her once promising relationship with him had come crashing down when she was assaulted in college, an event she has all but pushed from her memory. Myles, however, remembers a very different version of Nina, and his return makes her question the reality she’s currently living. The façade of Nina’s perfect life crumbles and she’s forced to make a decision: face the music and the past she’s been running from, or continue living the lie she’s been keeping afloat for nearly a decade.

Believing in Never will be publishing in December and is the story of Drew and Tasha, who have been friends since they were fourteen and bonded over both having abusive families. Sixteen years later, however, finds them living in different parts of the country and missing the closeness they once had. When Drew comes for a visit, the first time they’ve seen each other in over four years, their relationship falls right into place, with one notable exception: they both realize they have deep, serious, romantic feelings for each other. This realization, and Drew impulsively kissing Tasha as he’s leaving town, stirs up a deep confusion in Tasha, who had been floating through life searching for someone who would love her in every guy who would look at her. Her current boyfriend, Duncan, is mad with jealousy over Tasha’s relationship with Drew and his pushy controlling tendencies intensify until he pressures Tasha into eloping with him and severing all ties with Drew. While Tasha doesn’t want to marry Duncan, she’s afraid of being alone and ultimately gives in to his refusal to accept no for an answer. What follows is a controlling, abusive marriage that Tasha immediately regrets having entered into, but is unable to escape. It isn’t until Duncan hospitalizes Tasha and she reconnects Drew that she finds the courage to leave him. But the difficulty of doing that nearly pales in comparison to the challenge ahead of her when she realizes just how much healing she needs to do if she wants a future that is different from her past.

Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Instagram

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/13/finding-healing-and-happiness/

Life Lessons from a UFO Catcher is a collection of stories and life lessons that you gained from your days in the local arcade and the people you met. What inspired you to write this book?

There were several inspirations for writing this book. First and foremost is my mother who once told me: “Your life is weird. You should write a book.” As the old saying goes, mother knows best. So I ended up writing a book. Whether it’s a good book or not, I’ll leave that to the readers to decide.

Second, the process of writing my doctoral dissertation was an indirect inspiration for me to write this book. My final year of grad school was spent either couped up in my room or in the library plugging away at my dissertation. The writing process was obviously not a 24/7 affair and I did take breaks every now and again. During those breaks from dissertation writing or number crunching my research data, I found myself typing, handwriting, and even doodling random stories and anecdotes from my life. Some of those random stories eventually became the basis for Life Lessons from a UFO Catcher. Random fun fact: The original working title for the book was Weird Things, echoing my mom’s comment that my life is “weird.”

Third, while I was living in Japan and South Korea, my favorite pastime was hanging out in arcades, mostly playing retro video games and of course, crane games—or as they’re referred to in Japan, “UFO catchers.” I actually got pretty good at them, and soon my newfound hobby became an obsession and life mission of sorts: To rescue all the plushies! This is a major reason why the setting of the story is an arcade.

Fourth, being an otaku—and proud of it!—and having grown up an avid viewer of Japanese anime and manga, I knew I wanted to take more of a creative approach to my memoir. So instead of just writing words on a page, I reached out to a friend of mine whose artistic skills far surpass mine, and we partnered up to create an autobiographical manga… although this book is only the first part of a multi-volume series that I have planned. There are more stories and life lessons to come!

Lastly, I had a desire to share with others some of the important lessons I learned in life, while encouraging others to reflect on the lessons learned from their own life experiences.

I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?

I identify as both a Christian and as a Buddhist, and as my pastor once told me, the two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. That being said, I obviously don’t know with 100% certainty if God is out there and what happens after we reach our end of days. Do we reincarnate? Do we become ghosts? Do we become star stuff? Do we go to heaven or hell… or somewhere else? Or do we simply cease to be? What I do believe in though is that things do happen for a reason, and that there are signs and omens in our lives that attempt to push us in the right direction or detour us from going the wrong way. The question is: Do we notice those signs, and if we do, do we follow them or ignore them?

To get to the point, the hardest thing for me to write about in this first volume of Life Lessons from a UFO Catcher wasn’t any particular story or lesson, but how to portray the signs in my life. In the end, I took some creative license for this memoir and chose to personify those signs and portents in the form of a guardian spirit named Somi who attempts to guide the main character in the right direction and steer him away from taking a course of action that he’d regret. However, as we can see in the story, Somi often fails in her mission… mostly in part to Kenny ignoring her.

Whether my guardian spirit is actually out there and if her name is indeed Somi, I don’t know. But I like to think that there’s someone or something watching over me.

What is one piece of advice someone gave you that changed your life?

I’ve received a lot of valuable advice from many different people when I was growing up. One that still sticks with me today is the focus of the lesson featured in the final story of the book, a Chinese proverb that my grandfather often told me: 忍得一时之氣，免得百日之忧, or in English, “If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape one-hundred days of sorrow.”

Needless to say, my hothead got me into a lot of trouble and regrettable situations in my younger days. The climax of Life Lessons from a UFO Catcher is a perfect example of that. Although there are still times when my blood will boil in certain situations, I do my best to remember my grandpa’s words and to remain calm and collected, using my logic and my heart, instead of my rage and my fists, to resolve conflicts.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?

The entirety of the story, with the exception of the epilogue, takes place entirely in an arcade, and the lessons the protagonist learns come about from him playing those arcade crane games and his interactions with others in the arcade. It’s a fairly simplistic story, but with what I believe are some valuable life lessons that the protagonist shares through his inner monologue that can be attributable to various situations and circumstances, and that people from all walks of life can appreciate and connect with. I hope that readers will be able to connect with the life lessons I’ve learned—and I have many more to share in the next volume of Life Lessons from a UFO Catcher—while reflecting on the important lessons in their own lives.

Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/13/to-rescue-all-the-plushies/

The Bishop’s Palace follows a woman journalist in the 1890s who investigates a mysterious story surrounding the Bishop’s Palace and missing children. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The inspiration for this book comes from my home in Galveston. There is a very interesting place on Broadway that was given to the Catholic church. The Gothic stone building has a commanding presence you cannot ignore. At night it draws you to stop and wonder at its magnificence when built over a six-year time period between 1886-1892. A Bishop did reside there at one time, and it is open for the public to view. It is a very dark place inside and left me with an uncomfortable feeling when touring. I discovered even though something can be beautiful, it can also be disturbing and possibly hold a secret. What a wonderful setting and plot for my story.

Morlanna is strong, intelligent, and a fighter. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

Morlanna, my strong New Woman, for that time period. I built her on the ideas of women such as Marie Curie, and Nellie Bly. She could be friends with Caleb Carr’s character Sara Howard from THE ALIENIST. I looked back through history and discovered many women stepped forward to break the rules of a somewhat stiff society. We are better for their refusal to be ignored or frowned upon because they broke away from the norm of that time.

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

The main theme of the book is obvious…greed. I mean who wouldn’t want to find a palace full of gold and jewels? I tried to show how greed can blind an individual to the truth standing before them. I wanted my readers to understand even a Holy Man could be persuaded away from his faith for such treasure. Strength and determination are admirable qualities, but it sometimes takes friendship and a group working together to find a solution.

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

My next novel will be published by Black Rose Writing coming out on December 14th. A CHANGE IN DESTINY, DARK CHOICES is a thriller/suspense giving you a wild ride on how love can turn dark.

Author Links: Twitter | GoodReads | Instagram | Website

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/13/a-very-dark-place-inside/