At once famous and obscure, marginal and central, Harry Smith anticipated and even invented several important elements of Sixties counterculture.
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2024/03/21/outsiders-outsider-harry-smith/
The stated purpose of Jay Owens’s new book is to “think with dust,” specifically “human-made” dust and what it reveals—the forensic fingerprint, so to speak, that our species has left upon this planet.
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2024/03/21/the-cost-of-our-debris-dust-jay-owens/
What has happened to Britain?
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2024/03/21/small-island-gary-younge/
In our February 22 issue, Robyn Creswell writes about one of the most fabled episodes in Arab history in his review of Eric Calderwood’s On Earth or in Poems: The Many Lives of al-Andalus. Al-Andalus and its period of convivencia (coexistence) have been cast by great Arab writers, intellectuals, and political actors in seemingly infinite […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2024/03/02/a-permanent-elegy-creswell/
In the city of Rafah, at the southern edge of Gaza, people are consumed by terror and dread. Over the course of nearly five months, IDF airstrikes have funneled over half of the Strip’s population to this slim region within a few miles of the Egyptian border. Families are crammed into whatever buildings are still […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2024/03/02/unilateral-actions-gaza-rafah/
In The Limestone Manor, a retired police detective makes his way back to his hometown only to find himself sharing quarters with six other retirees amid a murder mystery. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Well, it was a handful of things that all came together at the right time. I had recently moved home for a bit and was spending time in St. Marys, and I’d been speaking to our local bookstore owner who had mentioned how fun it would be to have a story set in town. I’ve had the story of older residents all living together in a communal home in my back pocket for a long time. So it just became a matter of finding the right story to tell that would be fun to write. That’s when Clifford Shaw came into the mix, and I thought he was a perfect link for tying a fun story together.
I find all of the characters in your book to be incredibly engaging. Do you have a favourite character to write for?
Not really. I like them all, and I enjoy writing the different characters and understanding their dynamics. I have always been fascinated by how different people respond to different things. It’s what makes people unique. Though I will admit it was really fun to write Jan and Hans, since they are family and of different generations, and despite being very different people they share many similarities, and that family dynamic was really fun to play with.
What were some of your inspirations as a writer?
Obviously, my hometown was a big one here, it’s a special place for me for sure. I also find our relationship with aging to be an interesting concept. I don’t think it’s something that needs to be feared, since it is an inevitability, and fearing it can often stop us from living, which is a shame. I think the residents in The Limestone Manor embody these ideals to varying degrees and show that you can have fun at any age.
I find a problem in well-written stories, in that I always want there to be another book to keep the story going. Is there a second book planned?
Yes, absolutely! I want to continue to write these characters for as long as I can. I have outlines for at least the next two maybe three books, and I will be starting them soon.
Author Links: GoodReads | Threads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/03/02/what-makes-people-unique/
In The Captain of the Black Swan, a young orphan scrambles to prevent humans from discovering his magical treetop community as he comes face-to-face with an age-old legend following a devastating storm. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Diana: David and I are lucky enough to live in Dawlish, the small seaside town where The Captain of the Black Swan is set. The main railway line from London runs through the town and hugs the coast for several miles on either side.
The coastline is stunningly beautiful around Dawlish with high red cliffs edging the sea and local legends tell of elves and pixies who live among the wooded valleys and hidden coves.
One night, in February 2014, a vicious storm raged, bringing down trees and powerlines and tearing the roofs from buildings.
The next morning, David and I walked through the town and were shocked to see an enormous crater had appeared beneath the railway lines. Vast amount of rock had been pulverised and washed away.
By then, the sea had calmed and it seemed incredible that so much damage could have been done in a few hours when the railway had endured innumerable storms since it was built one hundred and sixty years earlier.
It took nearly a decade of work to stabilise the track. Sometimes, when David and I watched the engineers, we wondered if the storm alone could really have been the cause of so much devastation.
That was when we first thought about the Dittos and imagined how they may have been responsible for what happened without humans ever realising.
Which character in the novel do you feel you relate to more and why?
David: Burt, the owner of the recycling factory, has always been a favourite of mine. He is a bit of a hoarder, like me, and he spends a lot of time in his workshop making things out of other people’s rubbish. Again, like me.
When we started writing the story, it seemed Burt was so obsessed with running the factory, he didn’t care about Tom at all. But as we learned more about the characters, we realised Burt has many hidden qualities. Beneath his gruff exterior, he has a kind heart and there are reasons why he behaves the way he does.
It’s always good when characters develop as you write about them. It’s one of the things I like most about writing. Sometimes they surprise you!
I find that, while writing, you sometimes ask questions and have the characters answer them. Do you find that to be true? What questions did you ask yourself while writing this story?
Diana: I love questions! When I was at school one of my teachers told me it was impossible to get the right answers until we learned how to ask the right questions. I didn’t understand what he meant at the time, but I do now.
We certainly asked lots of questions while we were planning the story. The obvious question, was how the Dittos could have caused the damage to the railway line, but the more interesting question was why.
In the end, it was the characters of the individual Dittos that gave us our answers. The selfish characters, who only consider themselves, are the ones who cause the most damage. The kind-hearted Dittos, who value their community and the natural world, are the ones who keep asking questions until they discover the answers they need.
Can you give fans a peek into where Book 2 will take their favorite characters?
The Devil’s Footprints is the second book in The Dittos of Dawlish series. It takes the reader back in time to the 1860s when the railway line was first built through Dawlish by the great engineer, Isambard Brunel.
Only one character from the first book was alive then, and readers may find it hard to recognise him at first, as he is just a young boy when the story begins.
However, there are many new Dittos to meet, and even a few elves, who think themselves very superior because their wings allow them to fly wherever they choose.
Combining history and folklore, The Devil’s Footprints explores the importance of friends, family and honesty. With plenty of twists and unexpected echoes from the first book in the series, it explains how the Granite Gobblers first escaped from the dark regions far below the earth.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Amazon
When Tom, an orphan Ditto, shelters from a fierce storm in a rabbit burrow, he emerges to find Dawlish has been wrecked. Many Ditto houses have been blown down from the trees and their owners race to salvage their homes before they are discovered by humans.
Hearing the storm has also washed away the railway line, Tom hurries to view the damage. Swooping low on his flying scooter, he spots a huge crater below the twisted rails with strange tracks leading away from it. Could the old legends be true? Has the storm released monsters from below the earth? Or are other forces at work?
Calling on his friends, Tom sets out to find the truth before humans discover what has happened and the very existence of Dittos and other magical creatures is put at risk.
The Captain of the Black Swan is the first in the Dittos of Dawlish trilogy. Its lovable characters, engaging storylines and magical world will captivate young readers.
Order a copy today and explore a new world of magic.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/03/02/history-and-folklore/
Nightwalker (The Demonic War Book 1) follows an apparent 18-year-old high schooler who is actually a 300-year-old Vampire prince on a mission to find two missing stones to save his people. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The truth behind the age of the main character represents not only a feeling of youthfullism but also kicks back against the negative views people have of ageism. Having a character that’s centuries older than livable for a human but looks young grants the reader a different perspective from that of the typical teenage main character.
What were some of the emotional and moral guidelines you followed when developing your characters?
When dealing with non-humans, it gets a little tricky, but that was the best part. Nightwalker was created to send a message about not judging others before getting to know them. There is a very dependent light vs dark/good vs evil in most fiction stories, not just fantasy.
While Nightwalker embraces this, the sources behind that good and evil are reversed, as the characters most often perceived as evil are not so, and those typically recognized as good are also not so. This is emphasized with the recognition of monsters and humans, and what actually makes someone a monster, seen through the human qualities the monsters all display. It really makes the reader question who really is good and evil, and most importantly, where we draw the line between the two. Unfortunately, that line is flexible and blurred in reality.
In fantasy novels, it’s easy to get carried away with the magical powers characters have. How did you balance the use of supernatural powers?
I really had to think hard about this one. There are so many methods of delivering magic, and the stronger your character, the more difficult it becomes. I especially didn’t want magic to overpower the natural abilities of the characters as they’re essential to each of them and their growth.
I actually wrote down very meticulously the style of magic, how it’s used, and how their abilities develop for each book, from the start to the end of the series, so as to properly balance the magic with the supernatural.
When will Book 2 be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
Book 2’s expected release date is November 1st. This one will be particularly exciting as it transitions off-world. Unlike Book 1 which takes place in the human world, the near entirety of Book 2 takes place in Nexus, the homeworld of monsters. Officially titled, The Seer, the readers will get to experience how living in that world shapes the main characters, and most importantly, the struggle of a failing relationship between two of the characters.
The Seer really dives into the person rather than the magical, though, not lacking in either. I’m not going to reveal it here, but there’s actually a significant reason behind their next quest in Nexus as it heavily impacts the plot not just of the book, but of the entire series.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Amazon
In his world, they fight for a future. One against a monster with the power of resurrection, one who controls the dead; a necromancer. In the human world, monsters are hunted by a powerful organization comprised of believers from religions across the world.
When Ren learns that both of their enemies have teamed up to take them down, their only chance to win the war comes in the form of two stones, thought to be merely a myth, the Sun and Moon Stone. Apart, the stones are already powerful. Together, they have the power to turn the tide. This quest of a lifetime will take Ren and his companions all over the world, and force them to encounter more than one enemy.
To make things worse, Ren has a secret that no one knows. His refusal to drink blood is literally killing him, and if he doesn’t find an alternative, Ren will die long before they can win the war. His only hope is that they find the stones before that.
Can Ren find the stones while fighting two enemies at once and hopefully turn the tide in the war? And can they do it before he meets his eventual demise?
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/03/02/good-and-evil-are-reversed/
The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo and the Yeti follows a polar bear on an adventure who is captured and in danger of being sold to a zoo if he cannot escape and continue his journey. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
This is the second book of a trilogy that was originally published as a single title. When I decided to split this story into three separate books, I knew I had to find a cliffhanger on which to end the first book, and the perfect scene was when Polo is captured at sea. This is what inspired the setup in Book 2 starting with Polo escaping in the port of Shanghai, and it was a good way to simultaneously continue the main character’s travelogue into a key geography for topics relating to climate change (both in terms of issues and solutions) whilst maintaining the vital element of fast-paced entertainment required to carry the story along.
Many of the scenes in this part of the book are inspired by Tintin comics, both graphically and in terms of the plot.
Captain Polo may be a polar bear, but he has human characteristics and encounters problems because he is seen as just an animal. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
A fundamental driving characteristic of character development in this first trilogy that carries through all three books is that the initial reaction of most human characters to Polo is surprise or even fear. This is a rational argument denoting the most probable reaction any human would have to suddenly encountering a bipedal polar bear in the most unexpected places. The pattern that immediately unfolds is that those same people quickly realise this is not an ordinary wild animal; Polo’s human traits quickly break through people’s fear and surprise to the point where they see him on their level as a conversant and highly intelligent being. This then allows Polo to interact in a meaningful way to carry the non-fiction elements of the book.
The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo and the Yeti, I felt, did a good job explaining climate change and global warming to young readers. What is one thing that you hope readers take away from the story?
The main thing I wanted this particular book to communicate to readers is that two of the countries in the world that rank among the highest offenders in terms of causing global warming (China and India) are actually also among the most innovative for climate solutions, whether through public policy, technology, or both. Polo and the Yeti fulfills this purpose and the geography involved also provided me with an opportunity to throw in some messages of wisdom from Eastern religions and spiritual sources, many of which explicitly allude to humans’ responsibility as stewards of a healthy planet.
This is important to me because my readers so far at least tend to be mostly from the Western world, and I want my books to present the reality of climate change while also taking into account the perspective of other parts of the world, particularly in terms of social and technological innovation to mitigate and adapt to climate change. It is important that young readers appreciate they are part of a single world, and not as isolated as they might think from kids their age who live very far away.
When will Book 3 be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
Book 3 is already available! The final installment of the trilogy takes Captain Polo across the Arabian Sea into East Africa, down the River Nile, and on into Western Europe. Polo has many adventures along the way and learns about even more subtle and unexpected facets of climate change, such as the combined impact of global warming and tourism on Masai populations in Kenya and how climate change is, at least in part, at the root of the problematic immigration of desperate refugees from North Africa and the Middle East seeking asylum in Europe. At the end of Book 3 Polo is guest of honor of former President Obama, befriends Leonardo DiCaprio and Edward Norton, and makes a new friend in London Zoo…
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Captain Polo and the Yeti is an exciting graphic novel in the tradition of the legendary Tintin and Asterix series. If you like stories of adventure and humour with accurate geographical and cultural settings, then you’ll love this fast-paced, educational and entertaining tale.
Captain Polo is devastated: his precious boat is in pieces, lying at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, and he is locked in the hold of a fishing vessel, destined to be sold to a zoo in a foreign land.
In Book 2 of the series, Polo faces countless dangers and obstacles on a path that will take him across China, up the mighty Himalaya mountains into the forbidden monasteries of Tibet, through the swampy delta of Bangladesh, and into India. On his voyage Polo meets many colourful, informative, heroic, kind, mischievous and also dangerous characters, ranging from an enlightened Chinese farmer to a jealous Fakir, a disgruntled Bengal Tiger to the Dalai Lama himself. On his way Polo also meets and learns from a character drawn from legend…
Every step of the way the bear who has become Captain Polo hones his understanding of the causes and effects of climate change, the true meaning of global warming and how it is affecting all living creatures and human societies. Polo also witnesses the heroic efforts of individuals, human groups and governments who are learning to adapt to a changing world, reduce their carbon footprints by innovating in the use of cutting edge technology and becoming leaders in the adoption of clean energy.
Captain Polo is half way around the world and a long way from home. On his travels he has picked up new understanding and knowledge about how global warming is affecting people across the world.
Get Book 2 in the series to share in his learning, and have fun while doing so!
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/03/02/stewards-of-a-healthy-planet/
Flight Songs, by Stacey C. Johnson, is an evocative anthology of poems that offers an insightful portrayal of human emotions and experiences amidst life’s uncertainties. The anthology thoughtfully engages with themes such as survival, resilience, and loss, presenting these complex emotions in a manner that deeply resonates with the reader. The poet’s use of rich, haunting imagery and expressive language captures the essence of human struggle, emphasizing the constant pursuit of hope and humanity even in dire circumstances.
Johnson effectively draws upon motifs such as the reverberations of war and the ephemeral beauty of forgotten melodies, weaving together a tapestry that illustrates the multifaceted nature of existence and the indomitable strength of the human spirit. It is a reflective journey that delves into both individual introspection and the shared experiences of collective memory, revealing the fragile yet resilient nature of life.
Reading Flight Songs is an immersive experience; the anthology is filled with profound insights and raw emotional depth. Each poem is a meticulous exploration of themes that are both personal and universal, crafted with a careful choice of words and structured in a way that adds significant depth to the narrative. While I feel that the complexity of some poems may pose somewhat of a challenge in understanding, this aspect enriches the anthology, inviting the reader to engage in a more profound reflection and introspection.
Flight Songs stands out for its genuine and emotionally rich content. Stacey C. Johnson’s collection comes highly recommended for readers who appreciate poetry that not only reflects on life’s realities but also has the power to stir the soul and leave a lasting impact.
Pages: 44 | ASIN : B0CW83DY8H
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/03/02/flight-songs/