An empty bucket, a Zappos shoebox, potting soil, a collapsed dog crate, a dog bed, a broken lamp wrapped in duct tape, some synthetic firewood—the flotsam and jetsam of the half-forgotten years. These leftovers from past lives accumulate in suburban garages as the people who once wanted them get older and older. Useless and unnoticed, […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2024/02/11/the-memory-hole-biden/
The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme
Our weather warmed up and it has rained off and on all week which means the snow is finally gone. I started to feel better this week and then had a setback when the sinus infection flared up on Thursday/Friday. Another 10 days of antibiotics for me. I am over winter. Since my Eagles aren’t playing I will be rooting for the Chiefs. Are you watching the game? Stay Caffeinated.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2024/02/sunday-post-614.html
From industrious ants to mischievous whales, sensing, understanding, and responding appropriately to the world is an essential life function. Throughout millions of years, the nervous system has evolved to perform the crucial function of interpreting the world in various animal species based on the unique challenges they faced in different environments. Drawing simultaneously from contemporary research on sensory and perceptual mechanisms as well as historical documentation of the anatomy of sensory systems, Baby Senses, by author Dr. Jaya Viswanathan, provides a unique window into the marvels of sensory perceptions that is appealing to children and curious adults. Baby Senses highlights sixteen systems that span the traditional five human senses, internal sensory systems that help animals maintain internal stability, and exotic systems like those that enable animals to sense electrical and magnetic fields or see polarized light. The neuroscience paintings included illustrate a world normally only accessible through a microscope to scientists or in technical scientific articles and textbooks.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/02/11/baby-senses-a-sensory-neuroscience-primer-for-all-ages-2/
The Auction follows an FBI Special Agent morning at the loss of his wife, who is drawn into a web of treachery headed by supernatural beings. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The genesis of The Auction began when I conducted a summer Tae Kwon Do camp. I am a Master level TKD Instructor and a recording artist. Every Friday would be music and storytelling day. I would bring my guitar and sing for the students. Then, I would tell them a story with no forethought of what the story would be. I started this story with the line: Tick Tock, Tick Tock, I am the eternal clock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock, I am the eternal clock. I told them the story of an evil man in a massive house in North Chicago. I knew Chicago well after spending a lot of holidays there with a former girlfriend. The students were screaming as I told the story. Later, I wrote a more adult version of my tale as a short story. When a friend of mine read it, she insisted this should be a book. So, I started writing!
How do you balance story development with shocking plot twists? Or can they be the same thing?
In my writing, they are the same thing. I look for a balance between good and evil. Good readers ask questions as they read, and I write with that in mind. I want them to ask what that means. It helps with plot twists. A Clinical psychologist who read my book wrote: “Your characters of good shine like beacons of light in the troubled world in which they live.”
What is the next book you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
The Auction has not been published yet. My Music Agent, Dr. Gene Foley, believes the book is too good to self-publish, and I agree. We are looking for an excellent literary agent to handle the book. I am working on the second book in the series, The Betrayal.
Author Links: David Alderman Music
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/02/11/balance-between-good-and-evil/
Land of the Dragon follows two siblings navigating the aftermath of their father’s assassination after he assisted Jews in Nazi Germany. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I have been writing this book for half of my lifetime; I started at the age of 12 years old, and I had next-door neighbours growing up who were from Nazi Germany. My neighbours told me so many stories from their experience in Nazi Germany that really piqued my interest as a child and got me researching and studying more about World War II in Nazi Germany. That is where my inspiration started to develop this narrative for the start of Land of the Dragon.
I have studied and interviewed a lot of people who lived in Nazi Germany during that time, and I have really grown to believe this is an important time that we should not forget because we don’t want to repeat history. If we are not to repeat history, we really need to recognize what happened. It’s easier to repeat history if we do not remember and recognize patterns that happened in history.
Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel?
You know, I have been writing this novel and going over it for just about 20 years, and I took my time because I really wanted to feel satisfied with Land of the Dragon when it was published. I have finally reached a point with it that I feel no regrets with the characters and the development of the characters.
I have based each of my characters on a personality from the 16 Personalities test. I studied those personalities because I wanted to make sure that the choices my characters made were not just convenient for the story but would be an actual choice the character would make. Just to name a few characters, Andrew’s character would be INFJ, Eleanor is ENFP, and Tara is ESTJ, all personalities from the 16 Personalities test.
What was one scene in the novel that you felt captured the morals and message you were trying to deliver to readers?
I believe the scene that really sets the stage and moral of the story for Land of the Dragon is when Israel speaks to Eleanor and Thomas and says, “Let me tell you both something, you can spend all your life living just for yourself or you can sacrifice everything you hold dear in order to stand for the truth that everyone ignores.”
It is so easy to paint reality to our feelings in the moment that the actual truth behind a situation can be easily lost. So that scene captures the message to Land of the Dragon that to be able to recognize the actual truth behind a situation sometimes you need to sacrifice your own beliefs and feelings to be able to see the situation as a whole.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
So as a writer, I have a lot of stories being worked on but to focus it back to Land of the Dragon, this book is meant to be a series, and I have already planned out 5 books for Land of the Dragon. Land of the Dragon 2: The Return of Kiki is what I am working on. The book is already written out, and I am just taking my time to rewrite it and improve it before publishing. A rough estimate of Land of the Dragon 2 being published would be two years from now. I believe strongly in taking the necessary time to really develop the book and layer it out with details and symbolism. Like that quote says “You can’t rush art.”
Author Links: Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Reading Dream Press | Website | Amazon
I am a traitor, victim, fighter, survivor, sister, and daughter of a Nazi. I am Eleanor Kuhn. I will not be indoctrinated by Hitler. I fight for the truth my world has forgotten and ignored, but upon escaping the country. I stumbled into a whole new world, and I soon realized that war is everywhere you look.
With nothing but the clothes on my back and five siblings in tow, I wash up on the coast of a world I’d only glimpsed in books and the clouds of dreams: Land of the Dragon. But there’s something about this new world that rings with familiarity. Or perhaps someone . . .
Land of the Dragon is a historic fantasy layered with details and rich symbolism. If you like details in stories, magic, adventure, romance, and dragons this book is a read you will enjoy time and time again. With each read, you may uncover more details layered throughout the book that you didn’t originally recognize. This book is brought to you from Reading Dream Press where stories come alive.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/02/11/stand-for-the-truth/
The Maidservant in Cabin Number One, by Chrysteen Braun, the fourth installment in The Guest Book series, is a poignant narrative set in the 1920s. It chronicles the journey of Ruth Ann Landry, a young maid in Seattle, who, upon turning sixteen, faces distressing circumstances in her workplace. Seeking a fresh start, she relocates to a Californian hotel, only to confront further challenges, including an unexpected pregnancy and subsequent job loss. Her path leads her to the tranquility of the mountains, where she takes up part-time work cleaning rental cabins for Jack Maynard. Here, the story teases the possibility of a new chapter in Ruth Ann’s life.
Unique in its structure, this book serves as a prequel to the series but is strong as a standalone story. It spans several decades, immersing the reader in the atmospheric details of life from the 1920s through the 1950s. The narrative deftly weaves through historical milestones like the Great Depression and World War II, offering a glimpse into Ruth Ann’s resilience and growth amidst these events. Her evolution is compelling and heartening from a frightened teenager to a flourishing businesswoman and mother.
The author’s addition of historical notes at the book’s conclusion enriches the reader’s understanding of the era. The pacing of the story offers a varied reading experience. The initial chapters, which focus on Ruth Ann’s early years, unfold with a deliberate, contemplative pace that allows for a deep dive into her character. As the story covers four decades in less than two hundred pages, it adopts a brisk tempo, efficiently traversing months and years. I feel this approach keeps the narrative dynamic but may leave readers eager for further exploration of certain moments. The conclusion of the story, while concise, invites readers to reflect on the potential for further development, adding an element of intrigue to Ruth Ann’s journey.
The Maidservant in Cabin Number One offers a rich historical tapestry interlaced with the personal growth and perseverance of its protagonist. While its pacing fluctuates, the novel remains an engaging exploration of a woman’s journey through several pivotal decades of American history.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/02/11/the-maidservant-in-cabin-number-one/
Happiness has never knocked on Bailey’s door. When her fiancé betrays her, just four days before their wedding, she vows to turn her luck around once and for all. With a vision of an improved future, free of abusive, cheating boyfriends, she sets off on a journey of self-discovery with hope in her heart and a pocketful of her ex’s money. Totally unprepared for the tidal wave of emotions plaguing her along the way, she settles in Jackson Hole, Wyoming where repeated encounters with a mysterious man make her shiver and not in a bad way. Maybe someday she’ll stop looking over her shoulder. Maybe someday she’ll find her happily ever after.
Content to be left alone after a devastating loss that irrevocably changed his life, Colton is perplexed by the explosion of attraction he experiences every time he crosses paths with the gorgeous and intriguing new girl in town. Her allure and naivete arouse his curiosity but he remains steadfast in his conviction that women are only interested in him for his money. But . . . if he could find the perfect life partner, he just might take a chance even if it means risking everything.
Can two lonely souls, betrayed by the people they loved and trusted the most, learn to love again? Find out in Broken Ties, the sequel to award-winning The Ties That Bind, the second installment of the Family Ties series heralding the power of the human spirit and love’s ability to heal all wounds.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/02/11/broken-ties-book-two-in-the-family-ties-series/