In the realm where dragons are often relegated to the realm of fiction or ancient history, the enigmatic dragon, Kahnilla, exists shrouded in the obscurity of shadows. As she embarks on tireless journeys from one location to another, Kahnilla’s ultimate quest is to reunite with her long-lost kin. Amidst one of these poignant expeditions, she serendipitously crosses paths with Rory, a man characterized by his rigid thinking and unyielding convictions. A surprising friendship blossoms despite their stark differences, with both Kahnilla and Rory learning invaluable lessons from each other.
Kahnilla the Dragon: A Tale of Darkness and Light by Karina McRoberts is an enchanting tale serving as a transformative self-exploration odyssey. Each interaction between the characters provides a platform for challenging entrenched beliefs and the development of a more open perspective toward the encompassing world. As their narratives intertwine and evolve, both characters begin to understand the profound influence of empathy, compassion, and the potency that arises from embracing diversity.
The embodiment of the extraordinary and the unconventional, Kahnilla’s character unfolds as a delightful surprise, demonstrating a level of humanity that surpasses her draconian nature. Moreover, she has witnessed the best and worst of human history during her time in the world, which makes her character even more compelling. Meanwhile, Rory is an intriguing study of personal evolution; his staunch beliefs are tested, and his character is reshaped through shared experiences.
The book’s title and brevity might suggest that it is primarily intended for a younger audience, but this notion should not be misleading. Despite its modest length, the narrative is brimming with profound lessons that provoke introspection about our own beliefs and behaviors.
Kahnilla the Dragon: A Tale of Darkness and Light is a compelling tale that is recommended for those seeking a swift yet meaningful read or for budding bibliophiles embarking on their literary journey. The universally relatable themes are accessible to beginners and likely to stoke their passion for further reading and exploration of diverse narratives.
In Haunting Pasts, Trevor Wiltzen crafts an engaging tale of mystery, courage, and resilience. The protagonist, Mabel Davison, is a multifaceted character with roles as diverse as motherhood, entrepreneurship, and amateur detective work. Her acute intellect, indomitable resolve, and astute intuition characterize her. Unpopular among the townsfolk due to an inadvertent bust of a local drug ring, Mabel nonetheless perseveres in her pursuit of justice. Unfazed by the societal backlash, she relentlessly delves into a troubling situation of disappearances afflicting young women in her town.
The storyline propels forward on the strength of a primary lead, a gang member Mabel had previously helped incarcerate. As Mabel uncovers a trail littered with deception and tantalizing hints of the truth, she finds herself on a chilling collision course with a serial killer.
Haunting Pasts offers a riveting experience, masterfully challenging the reader’s perception of time, trust, and reality. Wiltzen’s prose exudes magnetism, effortlessly drawing readers into an immersive narrative environment. His adept manipulation of time, seamlessly entwining past and present, breathes life into the characters, making their tribulations tangible and their residual trauma palpable.
The plot’s architecture is meticulous and true to the essence of detective fiction. Wiltzen has the ability to create an intricate jigsaw puzzle, each piece slotting into place as the narrative unfolds. As a result, observing the broader picture materialize is a uniquely satisfying experience, despite some periods of slower pacing as the narrative meticulously lays down plot details. These lulls are swiftly eclipsed by the mounting suspense and intrigue that ratchet up as the plot advances.
The exploration of the central theme of ‘haunting pasts’ offers a compelling, if straightforward, examination of psychological trauma and its aftermath. Wiltzen’s approach is accessible, potentially inviting a broader audience to engage with these complex themes. For connoisseurs of the psychological thriller genre, the familiarity of certain plot elements may offer a comforting echo of classic narratives, providing a sense of nostalgia and grounding in well-trodden thematic terrain.
Haunting Pasts comes highly recommended for those looking to dip their toes into the genre or enthusiasts of 80s investigative dramas. Trevor Wiltzen’s novel is a thrilling and immersive journey into the heart of a small town riddled with dark secrets.
Karma Two follows a boy born into poverty who, while living on the streets, gets a chance to change his life for the better and help others in the same situation. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The setup for the story was that I wanted to find a way to keep true to the storyline from the first novel, while giving a voice to many abuse victims I have encountered throughout my actual life. Having lived a life where I endured my own share of abuse, I met many that had even worse abuse than me. I wanted to loosely incorporate scenarios where I had either experienced or witnessed the horrible treatment myself or tell the stories of those I encountered in nursing school on a psychiatric ward or the abused women and addicts I’ve helped along the way. As difficult as the material may be to read, the unfortunate part is that some of these situations have people with real names behind the made-up characters. When I read this book I remember my friends and family and our fight to make a better life from the little we were given to work with. While not everyone made it out, I am honored to tell their stories for them.
AJ was dealt a hard hand in life and he turns it around before setting out to help others do the same. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Coming from a life of poverty and abuse it wasn’t a far stretch to imagine a character who, like me, just knew there must be more to life than what he was born into. I knew if I wanted to see change that it would have to start in me. I would need to find a way to forgive my betrayers to push forward on my own new path with a lighter heart. Having been from the scenario I was raised in, I found compassion for those who by choice or the luck of the draw are in less-than-optimal circumstances in life. I wanted to create a character that showed even the harshest of lives don’t have to break you. Within my own healing journey I have found ways to give back to those who are still struggling in aspects of their lives and through this I’ve further continued to heal myself. I wanted to incorporate those traits into my character as well, to give him relatability and compassion for others that the reader would feel is always present.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Some of the most important themes I wanted to incorporate within my storyline were: to keep a stark contrast between the two AJ characters, to incorporate spiritual concepts that would intrigue the reader to get them thinking, and bring awareness to several key causes that are dear to my heart as well. I wanted to highlight certain important character traits in my characters such as determination, perseverance, loyalty, generosity, accountability, integrity, hard work, and honesty, to name just a few.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently working on a Hospice Children’s Line of sorts that should be starting to be published and ready for purchase by the end of the year. Colleen’s Bereavement Line will be ready before you know it so keep an eye out.
Despite the optimism of his name, Arizona Sunshine Jacksyn, or AJ, was not born into a life of sunshine and roses, nor with a silver spoon in his mouth (this time). His mother, Ember Elizabeth, struggles to provide for her two sons while dealing with addiction and trauma. As a result, AJ is forced to fend for himself at a young age. He endures abuse in foster care and is later forced into prostitution. Despite these challenges, AJ is determined to succeed. He works hard to rise out of poverty and create a better life for himself.
In Karma Two, the conclusion to the story begun in Karma One, AJ is given the chance to right past wrongs and find the happiness that has eluded him in previous lifetimes. With the help of spiritual guides, AJ tries to break free from the cycle of greed and power that has haunted his family. Will he be able to overcome his past and create a brighter future?
Underneath the Fireflies follows a woman with supernatural abilities who tries to take a relaxing vacation only to have a disturbing vision that puts her in danger. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Inspiration is an illusive thing. You can’t just find it when you want it. When I’m writing a novel, a premise isn’t necessarily the inspiration that makes my story unfold. Generally speaking, I think authors find inspiration from people they meet and events that happen around them. For me, inspiration, such that it is, usually comes from a place, particularly a location. There is substance in scenery. It is tangible and affects many of your senses, sight, sound, and smell, in particular. Unlike an idea for a story, I find I’m influenced by experiences, the things I’ve done, and the places I’ve been. Underneath the Fireflies was inspired by a visit to a west coast island located between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia. The mountains, the ocean, and the old growth forest there are mesmerizing. The nature there washed over me in an almost spiritual way. I felt connected to nature and to the land in a way I normally don’t feel. It infused my whole being with a sense of awe. Situations like that are what truly inspire me to write. Then to add to the magic, when I learned about the west coast sea wolves, I was hooked and knew they had to be part of my story. But in a larger way than a land mammal, which is why I created a wolf spirit, whom I named Scout, and broadened his being to a greater connection to his Indigenous Ancestors. All that was left was to introduce a protagonist with unusual abilities, who was called upon, in that same spiritual sort of way through nature and environment, to avenge a terrible wrongdoing that had taken place there and to balance the forces of nature by bringing a killer to justice.
I had a family connection to the island as well. My sister lived there with her second husband in a timber-frame home that overlooked the ocean. It was truly a piece of heaven. It seemed fitting to create a protagonist with a similar familial connection. It gave her a place to go to regain her equilibrium as she healed from a traumatic incident that caused her to have a mental breakdown. My sister and her husband call their property “Abalone Hideaway,” a name I found so perfect I used it exactly as-is in the novel.
Location was also the inspiration for my first three novels, spy thrillers in which the characters’ safehouse is located in St. Jean Cap Ferat in Southern France. In real life, the house is known as the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild estate. It is now owned by the state. I visited there in 2015 and was captivated by its grandeur and immediately knew it had to be part of my story. The third book in the series, a prequel entitled Reinhardt explains how the main character acquires the place and all the wealth associated with it. Finding Ruby Draker starts off the series in New York, where a psychopath on a killing rampage targets her family. Shadows in the Aftermath, the second book, continues the saga with more locational anchors as the pseudo family, made up of the psychopath’s victims, tries to stop the killer.
I suppose that a writer always has a story on their mind. I found that as I dwelled on these exotic places, the perfect characters emerged, finding their way into a story filled with conflict and characters who found refuge in the peace and beauty of these very special places while a villain tries to destroy them and all they hold dear.
Grace is an empath in need of a mental health break but must struggle through challenges to stop a killer. What was the inspiration for the main character’s traits and dialogue?
A story isn’t a story unless your main character has a problem. It’s easy and typical to have a protagonist who has an enemy trying to kill them. But, given that we all have problems that interfere with our lives, I wanted my main character to have a unique problem not only resulting from outside forces but with special inherited personal traits that no one would believe even if she disclosed them. Grace is conflicted because she has to keep her ability (her visions) a secret or be considered unstable if she reveals that she discovers a two-year-old murder in this bizarre way. This power she has has been with her all her life. In Toronto, Grace has a vision of a sinister technology that enslaves the minds of the Danton International workers, a place where she is employed as a public relations executive. When she tries to stop an evil plan perpetrated by the CEO of the company, Evelyn, the CEO tries to kill her instead. But the forces of good are on Grace’s side, and Evelyn meets her own death in a terrible accident at the plant.
Yet Grace’s ability of visions that reveal bad actions isn’t actually that far-fetched. I think we all have a bit of empathic ability. Haven’t you ever felt that something was amiss, but you couldn’t point to exactly what? I get that feeling in churches, especially the old European churches that inter their dead in crypts below the church floors. So creepy, it makes my skin crawl. That sense of the dead lurking underfoot overpowers my awe of the beautiful sculptures and mosaics that adorn the incredible architecture of these magnificent buildings. I think that’s what makes Grace’s powers believable. A reader can relate to the feeling of “something isn’t right” or something is about to happen.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The universal theme of good verses evil is always present in a thriller. But, because the murder is of an Indigenous woman, and the island is the home of the Island Nation Band (a fictitious Indigenous tribe), it allowed me to explore very important themes of gross injustices that have been happening in Canada regarding murdered and missing Indigenous women. The story also explores the racism Indigenous people continue to experience through the white inhabitants’ treatment and resentment of the island’s original inhabitants, many of whom still live on the island. Tying these themes together is also the theme of bridging the generational gap with understanding and compassion as the younger characters Elias, Holly, and Hugo struggle to find their place in a world that at times can seem filled with senseless hatred.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out and what can your fans expect in the next story?
I find it interesting that some readers wonder if there was a story that takes place before the opening scene of Underneath the Fireflies. Maybe they intuited it! The truth is, I had started a novel, entitled The Walker Trait, which focuses on a woman with extra sensory ability, an ability to pick up on residual energy resulting from violent or evil actions. This woman, whom I named Grace, struggles with her empathic powers. After all, who would believe someone has visions of past crimes? Grace’s power is engaged because illegal activities take place at the Danton Electronics company in Toronto, where she works. The backstory reveals that Grace is adopted but has biological parents who are also empaths. They gave her up at birth to protect her from opportunistic individuals who learned about their exceptional abilities and wanted to exploit them. Grace’s adoptive mother, Maria, is actually her aunt, who, together with her husband Leo, rescue the infant Grace immediately after birth. I liked the story, but something about it led me to writing Fireflies rather than it being ready to be a story on its own, and I abandoned it 100 pages in. I believe a story has its time and its place to come into the world. Perhaps when the time is right, I will finish it as a prequel.
Now, I am working on a sci-fi thriller. The working title is Unseemly Visitors. It involves an interstellar portal where two other-worldly humanoids find themselves transported to Earth. It’s new territory for me as I explore the concept of a universal overlord, referred to as The Council, a restrictive Directive forbidding interplanetary contact, and cosmic bounty hunters exterminating those who engage in such transgressions. Most importantly, I’m having fun!
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No matter where Grace Walker goes, her extra sensory power goes with her. She’s an empath and sees things—terrible things. After a tragic accident at the place where she works, she decides to take a mental-health break on a remote West Coast island. But she no sooner gets to Galliano Island when a vision of the murder of an Indigenous woman draws her into a disturbing and threatening dilemma.
How does she tell the authorities she witnessed a murder—in a vision? As Grace, her parents, and her want-to-be boyfriend investigate, trying to find evidence, the killer becomes aware that Grace is about to expose him. Now Grace has become the victim, but her gift of sight compels her to solve the crime and bring the killer to justice.
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