“In all my films, there is a suicide,” the French director Jean Eustache claimed upon discovering that his former girlfriend had killed herself shortly after attending a private screening of a rough cut of his film La Maman et la putain (The Mother and the Whore, 1973). Eustache had transposed some of their lovers’ conversations […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/09/21/jean-eustaches-vehement-realism/
On September 4, 1973, an enormous multitude of Chileans—I was one of them—poured into the streets of Santiago to back the besieged government of Salvador Allende. Ever since he had won the presidency three years earlier with 36.6 percent of the vote in a three-way race, forces from inside and outside the country had been […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/09/21/defending-allende-ariel-dorfman/
It would be easy, if you were a person who read women often but spoke to them rarely, to imagine that contemporary women hate men. Scholars write books and essays about how tragic heterosexuality is; queer writers in and out of the academy pity straight girls, who, in turn, bemoan their fate on social media […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/09/21/a-cockeyed-faith-in-better-men-rachel-ingalls/
Fifty years ago this month, Augusto Pinochet, the commander-in-chief of the Chilean army, led a US-backed military coup to overthrow Salvador Allende, the democratic socialist president of Chile who had been elected just three years earlier. Among Allende’s staffers who fled from La Moneda, the presidential palace in Santiago, was thirty-one-year-old Ariel Dorfman, a cultural […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/09/02/guardian-of-memory-ariel-dorfman/
“Soundies”—the three-minute musical films made for a bare six years in the 1940s and shown in bars, taverns, and bus stations—are relics of relics. On the one hand, they belong to the century-plus process by which motion pictures traveled from big to little screens and from theaters into life. On the other, they are social […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/09/02/jammin-in-the-panoram-soundies/
Armageddon: An Apache Story follows a demon who possesses humans and starts a reign of terror and destruction. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Bal’am, the demon, wants to redeem himself through a process by which he takes over the well of the soul of an innocent. I found the idea intriguing that a physical space in the human body houses the soul. Some believe the soul rests in the subject’s pole, the source of consciousness; others feel the soul is held in the interior body; while others place it in the heart chakra. The presence of the soul makes man a unique being. This is why man is a privileged creature who can seek forgiveness; all others of God’s creation cannot. Angels and demons cannot ask or seek forgiveness for actions that they have committed. Therefore, Armageddon is about a soulless creature’s misguided quest for redemption. It is a false quest because Bal’am does not regret his offenses. He wants revenge and not forgiveness.
The other part of my journey with this book is the cast of characters – Native American and not. The cultures of the Hopi and their religious beliefs and the reality of their Kachina spirits become true for our other protagonist Luis, a half-breed, the most dangerous of all creatures because his feet are in both worlds. That is why the Catholic faith and Southwestern Indian traditions collide. This collision of faiths, the dedication of the members of the Apache Medicine Society, and their Catholic counterparts helped me see that we can all work together to fight evil in whatever form it may take. True evil maintains a presence in our world, and we must constantly do battle with it.
Was it important for you to deliver a moral to readers, or was it circumstantial to delivering an effective novel?
Yes, one faith, one perspective does not monopolize the truth. We all hold truth in the way we look at the world. When we first meet Luis, he is a boy who has lived on a farm or really a plantation. When his stepfather dies, he has no reason to stay there. His arc from orphan to possessed televangelist to priest, and to warrior is much like the arcs of many of us. We start in one place, and by the end of our story, we are somewhere else, with many stops along the way. The same goes for Cecilia, a rough street-wise woman searching for her people, becoming a mother, serving as a slave to Bal’am, and escaping those chains to fight for her daughter and grandson. It was important for me to develop each character fully and to show how they manage under harsh, unforgiving circumstances. I wanted them to be real people, and that is why I projected each character through different life experiences.
With the rich history surrounding Apache and Hopi traditions, did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?
Yes, the diversity in the Hopi pantheon and how it mirrored the pantheon of angels and saints of the Catholic Church surprised me. Another one was how we place the label Apache on a people who are diverse in their makeup: Apache of Oklahoma, Fort Sill Apache, Oklahoma Jicarilla Apache, New Mexico Mescalero, New Mexico San Carlos Apache, Arizona Tonto Apache, Arizona White Mountain Apache of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona Yavapai-Apache, with each group have different traditions stories and beliefs. All of the different sects have similar yet different oral traditions. I wanted to paint the canvas not with just one tradition but with all of the oral traditions of this diverse group.
Where do you see your characters after the book ends?
The struggle against evil is never-ending. Not only the evil that men do but the invisible hand that pushes us to do things that otherwise we’d never consider doing. I believe Luis, Cecilia, Ed Crow, and Marian will encounter pure evil again because Bal’am isn’t dead but waiting for his opportunity to lash out against the world. I believe that Bal’am will find allies in the underworld to help him break his chains and seek vengeance against Luis, his family, and his friends. Return to Armageddon has been written but is still in the pre-publishing stage, a work in progress, so I do not want to scoop the continuing story.
Author Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Website
Apache and Hopi traditions are woven artfully throughout this novel. Bal’am finally enters Luis and begins his reign of terror and destruction. Luis is incarcerated, and through Bal’am’s deceptions and brutality, he takes over the HAND (La Mano Negra), the Mexican Mafia. He also becomes Rev. Bronco, a televangelist who uses his position to give demons the opportunity to possess the innocent. Luis’s young daughter, Raven, becomes the object of Bal’am’s design. By impregnating her, he can dwell in the well of the soul. The possessed Luis thwarts that plan, however. The demon takes over Raven, finds a mate, conceives, and incarnates as Emmanuel, who leads a life of destruction as a child and young adult. With unwavering determination, a small band of believers use Apache and Christian traditions to hunt for the incarnation of evil. Time is running out. Will they defeat the Prince of Hell?
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/09/02/misguided-quest-for-redemption/
Night Princess is a gripping exploration of a fourteen-year-old girl’s entrapment in the world of prostitution, unveiling the dark and often unspoken reality of human trafficking. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
About eight or ten years ago I started learning about sex trafficking in other countries. Next, I learned that it happened in the U.S. Finally, I learned that it was happening very close to where I live in Minneapolis. Disturbed, I wanted to spread awareness about this bitter reality. At first, I wanted to make a documentary, but I have a job and a family, and a project like that would be difficult to manage with my schedule. Then I remembered (duh) that I’ve been writing my whole life, and resolved to write a non-fiction book about sex trafficking. After a year of doing research, I pivoted again, choosing to tell the story of a fictional character going through the realities I was learning about. I thought following a character through a real-time Hell would pack more emotional punch than non-fiction. When it came time to create a plot, it was easy – I just looked at patterns of things that happen and decided how I could tell a compelling story within the framework of realistic situations. The world I wrote about is full of drama.
On a personal level, I also went through an awful relationship when I was younger, and I drew on that emotional experience when I wrote about Persephone’s encounters with 8. People have told me that their relationship is believable, and that’s because there is some real-life experience undergirding the fiction.
Persephone Wolf is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
The fact that Persephone is fourteen is no accident because the average age of entry into prostitution is 12-14 years. Another source for Persephone was a group of “at risk” foster kids I used to work with. It was amazing to learn how vulnerable they are in spite of the tough veneers. In addition, I wanted Persephone to have a few “superpowers.” It was fun to give her the superpowers of escaping and figuring out how to get other people in trouble. Aren’t middle children good at that?
A final thing I wanted for Persephone was for her to be a survivor and not just a victim. In the first few drafts, she was too passive, and I really fought to give her agency in the rewrites. I was contacted by a reader who had experienced sexual assault and she actually found my novel healing because Persephone was so strong. The reader told me that Persephone’s story made her feel safe for the first time in years. That was immensely gratifying feedback.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
One theme is what love really is. I tried to set up a contrast between Persephone and 8’s relationship and Bruce and Adenike’s. Persephone and 8’s relationship is based on lies, delusion, desperation, greed, and lust. On the other hand, Bruce is attracted to Adenike, but he’s a better, more noble person because of her, whereas Persephone is much worse because of 8.
There are also the themes of vulnerability, strength, and courage, as well as freedom and bondage.
It was also important to have Persephone revisit her relationship with her mom at the end of the novel because her mom, in some ways, was the cause of Persephone’s suffering. The mother/daughter relationship is another theme.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’d love to pop out another book next month, but I’m sort of like an elephant in that I have a very long gestation period. All I know about my next book is that it might include chases in underground passages and a monster. Beyond that, I know nothing.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | TikTok | Website | Amazon
Author Lily B. White spent six years writing and researching this book, and it is based on the combined and imagined experiences of thousands of American sex trafficking victims who live largely invisible lives. This book was written to make the invisible visible.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/09/02/bitter-reality/
The Peruvian Book of the Dead follows four people as they seek to understand what has happened to a missing museum curator. I think this original idea is intriguing. How did you come up with this idea and develop it into a story?
I think it was Agatha Christie who marvelled that her ideas came from her deep subconscious. Like Brisdon, the protagonist in my book, I studied art at college and also travelled to Peru in the early 80s. At the beginning of the trip, the airline lost my luggage so all I carried with me was my blank journal. I wrote my journal as a long letter-diary of my adventures in Peru to my dear friend Karen who, a few years later, gave me back a copy saying, “You may need this one day.”
Decades later, I thought I recognized the real César from Lima pass by outside my bus window on my way to work. A story, long buried, began bubbling to the surface. That night I dug out my Peruvian journal, re-read it, and wondered: What if César suddenly returned? What would happen…? From it, the fictitious, but very personal The Peruvian Book of the Dead was born.
Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel?
Yes, I believe the four characters have come alive to tell their own unique stories so that they would lattice into one greater story of love and redemption. I read once that different characters can represent different parts of the author — so I am partly Brisdon, César, Margaret, and Imogen. There may be truth in that but mostly, I am Brisdon.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I was interested in exploring the effects of guilt and regret. The theme of a circle of fate and coincidence permeates my story. As my characters say, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” The world seems to be becoming less and less tolerant and accepting with respect to queer culture and many other cultures, races, and identities, so I hope my novel can be of some value.
What is the next novel you are working on, and when will that be available?
Actually, I have been busy promoting my debut book as an Indie publisher has no budget for promotion. As for future projects, I am looking to expand on a screenplay I wrote years ago but was never picked up for production; it takes place during the fall of the Berlin Wall where the Stasi police try to tear an East/West love apart. I grew up spending time in both East and West Germany, exposed to the Stasi and that horrible Wall, so I would like to explore this story further as a novel. It has a long way to go yet.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/09/02/a-circle-of-fate-and-coincidence/
At The Beginning Of Yesterday, by Tiffiny Rose Allen, is an evocative anthology of poetry, exquisitely capturing the nuances of day-to-day moments. Throughout her verse, Allen weaves beauty and elegance into every line, presenting the world in a poignant light. The collection delves into universal themes, ensuring that it resonates with a diverse audience.
From the pangs of heartbreak to the transformative powers of healing, Allen’s words serve as a balm to readers who have traveled similar paths. Her prose has the ability to stir empathy, fostering a shared sense of humanity and reminding us of the interconnected nature of our experiences. With a blend of ethereal and grounded narratives, Allen escorts her readers through the intricate dance of love, loss, self-awareness, and the vast array of emotions that define us.
Each piece is meticulously sculpted with vivid imagery, metaphors, and seemingly effortless phrasing that tugs at the reader’s heartstrings. I feel certain poems might benefit from a slightly more streamlined structure, but Allen’s writing talent remains evident. She possesses an innate talent to artistically render emotions, making them palpable to her audience.
At The Beginning Of Yesterday stands as a celebration of poetry’s timeless capacity to delve into the very core of human emotion. Allen’s anthology is essential for those who appreciate the artistry of language molded into verses that span the broad spectrum of human feelings. Ideal for readers yearning for deep, authentic connections through words and shared experiences, this collection promises solace and inspiration, making it an invaluable gem for any poetry lover’s library.
Pages: 74 | ASIN : B0CCT2JV1F
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/09/02/at-the-beginning-of-yesterday/
Among the children’s books that seek to teach invaluable life lessons, Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez’s The Love Tank emerges as a heartwarming and imaginative read. The author deftly navigates the landscape of essential human virtues – love, kindness, empathy, and compassion – delivering an experience that is both captivating and thought-provoking. Mendoza-Vasconez frames her narrative around the creative concept of the “love tank.” Within every child, this metaphorical vessel awaits to be filled with the essence of love, shaping their demeanor and interactions within society. The exploration of this metaphor is the focus of Mendoza-Vasconez’s compelling storyline.
The book effectively prompts young minds to picture their own love tank, fostering an appreciation for how its presence can shape both their own behavior as well as their interactions with others. The illustrations, vivid and inviting, convey the emotional experiences of the characters. This combination of words and images ensures that readers of all ages are enveloped in the story.
At the heart of The Love Tank lies the concept of extending kindness to fill the love tanks of others. This notion is more than a metaphor; it is an empowering call to action. The book gracefully reinforces the power young minds possess to effect positive change through their interactions. This concept is poised to cultivate a generation that understands its potential for fostering empathy and compassion. Mendoza-Vasconez’s prose is elegantly simple and leaves a deep impression on readers of all ages. The narrative’s pacing is comfortable and allows readers ample time to absorb the story.
The Love Tank is a wonderful addition to a children’s library focused on the teaching of values, and it is a poignant reminder that the smallest gestures of love can unleash waves of positivity and understanding across our world. Educators and parents alike will find this book a treasure trove to share with young minds, nurturing the growth of love, kindness, empathy, and compassion – the very building blocks of humanity itself.
Pages: 31 | ASIN : B0C7BVN1FZ
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/09/02/the-love-tank-a-book-about-empathy-kindness-and-self-awareness-for-children-ages-4-8/