Notes From After Dusk follows two people through their journal entries as they explore psychological and philosophical topics and how childhood experiences impacted their adult mental health and personality issues. What inspired the setup of your story?

I decided to write Notes From After Dusk during a particularly difficult time in my life. I had been reading books such as On the Heights of Despair, Nausea, and Lolita. I had been interested in experimenting with the epistolary format, and I wanted to write a novel about love, sadness, and philosophy. 

What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?

I believe in the existence of free will. Moreover, I believe that every human being is capable of vice and virtue alike. I believe that these aspects of human nature fuel literary fiction. 

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

I knew from the beginning that I wanted Notes From After Dusk to explore Existentialism, love, and depression. As the novel developed, I realized that I also wanted to explore Marxism and Liberalism as well. 

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

I’ve been working on some prose that I think is very promising. I want my next book to be more intensely philosophical than Notes From After Dusk. Hopefully, it’ll be published within the next two or three years.

Author Links: Website | Book Review

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/09/03/vice-and-virtue/

Can Babel work? An exhilarating new book about preserving the languages of the most linguistically diverse city in history believes it can.

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2024/09/19/can-we-talk-language-city-ross-perlin/

In her memoir 1974, Francine Prose recounts her brief, intense relationship with one of the men behind the leak of the Pentagon Papers.

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2024/09/19/culpability-and-the-culture-1974-francine-prose/

Throughout Rikki Ducornet’s prolific writing career, she has adhered to a Surrealist commitment to dream knowledge as well as a belief in literature’s ability to confront all of experience.

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2024/09/19/torrents-of-magpies-spheres-of-hope-the-plotinus-rikki-ducornet/

In April 2011 Mexican soldiers discovered mass graves in San Fernando, a city of some 30,000 people in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas. One hundred and ninety-three corpses were exhumed and moved to the border city of Matamoros. Soon the local morgue was swamped with people trying to discover whether their disappeared family members were […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2024/09/19/mexico-anatomy-of-a-mass-murder-marcela-turati/

I am excited to share the sign-up form for the 12th Annual Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon. This year’s event will take place on Thursday, November 21st through Monday, December 2nd, 2024. During the event, participants will read or listen to as many holiday or winter reads as they can, while taking part in challenges. Prizes, hot cocoa, bookish friends and more!

12th Annual Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon

This year the annual Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon will begin at 12:01 am Thursday November 21st and will end Monday, December 2nd at 11:59 pm in your time zone. Giving us twelve days of fun.

Get your holiday & winter setting books and be prepared to have fun! Audiobooks, library books, ebooks, old books or new books we don’t care. Don’t forget the hot chocolate!

Host A Challenge

BE AN ELF: We need Challenges hosts. Please email me, if you’d like to host a challenge for the event. You will need to provide a small international prize. Create a festive puzzle, exchange recipes, create a spine poem, make a bingo board, a scavenger hunt, holiday movie trivia, Instagram Challenge or come up with your own clever idea.

Link up and join the fun!

*linky will close November 29th at 8pm.

I signed up for the #2024HoHoHoRAT! Read holiday & winter books/audios. Take part in challenges, win prizes & make bookish friends! The magic happens November 21st -December 2nd #readathon #signup #bookevent
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2024/09/12th-annual-ho-ho-ho-readathon-sign-up-post.html

In Winston The Titan Terrier: The Cosmic Bone, authors Mia van Dongen and Colin van Dongen introduce readers to Winston, a clever Boston Terrier with a spy alias, Titan Terrier. Winston’s adventure begins when he loses his precious bone and embarks on a thrilling quest to recover it. Unknown to him, this is no ordinary lost item. Smokestrike, a ninja black cat, is behind the disappearance. Smokestrike wants to steal the secrets of Winston’s transformative backpack and sporting equipment. The result is an action-packed children’s book filled with clever twists and engaging challenges.

One aspect I loved about this picture book is Winston himself. He’s a charming character surrounded by a diverse group of dog friends, each with unique skills contributing to the story. This adds depth to the story and serves as an educational element that introduces young readers to various dog breeds and their characteristics. The authors enhance the reading experience by posing questions directly to the audience, encouraging them to spot hidden details or predict the next move in the mystery. This interactive approach keeps readers engaged and makes the story feel more dynamic.

The story is engaging and filled with unexpected details that take readers through various imaginative settings. The illustrations are another highlight. They are beautifully realistic and draw readers deeper into Winston’s adventurous world. The inclusion of photos of the real Winston at the beginning of the book is a delightful touch. It allows readers to connect even more with the character.

Winston The Titan Terrier: The Cosmic Bone is a fun, educational, and visually captivating picture book. The story’s interactive elements and vibrant artwork make it a worthwhile addition to any child’s bookshelf.

Pages: 32 | ASIN : B0CW1KLGM6

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/09/02/winston-titan-terrier-the-cosmic-bone-adventure-book-1/

Near the Danube Bridge introduces readers to the life of Kalman Hartig, a man of deep faith and conviction in Yugoslavia during World War II. What inspired you to tell his story?

Elisabeth Hartig Lentulo and I have been good friends for a long time. Before he died, her father asked her to write his story. A year after his passing, and the same year Russia invaded Ukraine, Elisabeth felt it was time to include her father’s experience with other stories of persecution. She’d read some of my academic writing and descriptive writing and asked me to write the story. The more information she gave me, the more inspired I became to also tell the world what had happened to him.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

Equally important to me were:
1. Including the effects of religious differences within families as well as countries.
2. How music calms the soul and provides peace and sustenance even in the direst of situations.
3. How one’s faith provides strength to endure.

How much research did you undertake for this book, and how much time did it take to put it all together?

Elisabeth provided the information obtained from her father’s recorded talks, diaries, and letters. She also interviewed cousins and shared her own memories.

I listened to two DVDs of her father speaking to an audience about his incarceration, torture, and two years of hard labor. I organized the stories Elisabeth provided. I did my own research on the history behind the entire life of Kalman Hartig and his wife Hermina Kirchner. I also researched the countries’ customs to make sure all information was included correctly within the story.

It took me 14 months to complete.

What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Near the Danube Bridge?

I want lovers of biographies and memoirs, historians, and scholars to gain a greater understanding of what occurred in the Balkan area before and after WWI and II. By including the horror of the Pancevo Massacre, I hope to help awaken a desire to learn more.

Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Instagram | Book Review

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/09/02/it-was-time-to-tell-his-story/

Sammy’s Voyage to a New Home by Debra Siraco and Zareen Wilhelm delivers a message of hope, illustrating how it sustains us through life’s challenges. Sammy, a special-needs cat born on a reservation in the harsh deserts of the American Southwest, faces difficulties from the start. Without a tail and with hind legs slightly longer than his front ones, Sammy is made to feel different by his siblings’ unkindness. His life takes an unexpected turn when he is taken far from his family and home to an unfamiliar animal shelter. Initially frightened, Sammy soon meets Tangerine, a compassionate woman dedicated to finding better homes for all the animals. This encounter marks the beginning of Sammy’s transformative journey, where he ultimately forms a large and loving family with a diverse group of animals.

The plot of Sammy’s Voyage to a New Home is rich in detail and emotional depth, offering readers a glimpse into the challenges a cat like Sammy might face. The narration, while straightforward and composed of short, accessible sentences, effectively conveys the nuances of Sammy’s emotions. Sammy emerges as a unique and endearing character, demonstrating that what truly matters is not physical appearance but the kindness and love within one’s heart. The book imparts valuable life lessons, emphasizing the importance of compassion, kindness, and love. The vibrant illustrations add a touch of fantasy to the story, bringing to life the varied settings, from the vast expanse of White Sands National Park to the gentle prairies of Oklahoma. The story’s first half is notably somber, with Sammy’s distress portrayed in a way that is deeply felt. While the authors’ intent to reflect realism is evident, the intensity of these emotions may be overwhelming for some young readers. A stronger focus on Sammy’s journey or his life with his new family might have better highlighted the story’s positive aspects. Despite this, Debra Siraco and Zareen Wilhelm succeed in teaching empathy and compassion for animals. Their story has the potential to help children better understand social interactions and foster a sense of respect and care for others.

Sammy’s Voyage to a New Home by Debra Siraco and Zareen Wilhelm is a poignant and heartwarming tale that teaches invaluable lessons about hope, kindness, and empathy. While the story delves into some intense emotions, particularly in its early stages, it ultimately uplifts with its message of love and acceptance.

Pages: | ASIN : B0DFVY58VZ

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/09/02/sammys-voyage-to-a-new-home/

Do You Believe in Miracles? follows a once shy teenage boy who discovers a hidden realm where he is a powerful wizard and now must decide to remain in that world or return to his mortal life.What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Two things stand out. My previous epic fantasy saga is titled The Death Wizard Chronicles, and it contains adult content that makes it appropriate for 18 and older. But I have five daughters, and the youngest one — who is a voracious reader — couldn’t bring herself to read DW. The ol’ you can’t picture one of your parents even thinking such things. So she asked me if I could write something appropriate for the 13+ age group. Hence, my teen fantasy adventure series Dark Circles was born. Do You Believe in Miracles? is book 3. The second thing that stands out is that the setting for Dark Circles is based on a small town in rural Upstate South Carolina that is near to where I currently live. 

Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel?

The short answer is yes. The long answer would go on forever. So I’ll give you the middle-length answer.  I went to great effort to give each of my major characters real and recognizable traits such as their physical appearances, emotional responses, personality quirks, and their values, beliefs, and morals. For example, Charlie’s growth from a timid teen to a powerful wizard built slowly throughout the narrative. If you read carefully, you’ll be able to see this growth step by step, almost like walking up a long set of stairs.

What was the initial idea behind the Dark Circles Trilogy, and how did that transform as you were writing the series?

The initial idea came from the title. The trilogy is called Dark Circles for a specific reason. When teens from the real world enter the fantasy world, they are unable to sleep because an evil being haunts their dreams and is intent on killing them. Therefore, when they return to the real world, they have dark circles beneath their eyes from lack of sleep. I carried this theme throughout the series, though it became less important as the story picked up speed.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?

I’m working on two books: a novel and a memoir. The novel is titled Bhayatupa the Great: The Dragon Wars and is a prequel to my six-book adult epic fantasy titled The Death Wizard Chronicles. It should be available by June 2025. The memoir is titled The Adventures of a Florida boy and it chronicles what it was like to grow up in the 1960s on the west coast of Florida, a time when kids roamed wild and free. I’ll be shopping this to publishers and agents soon, so I’m at their mercy as to when it will be available.

Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website | Newsletter | Book Review

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/09/02/107781/