Memorable Reads of 2024

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” – Oscar Wilde A SIGNIFICANT milestone for me in 2024 was releasing my first Gay Paranormal Romance novel, The Night Belongs To Lovers, part of the ghost story-themed “Own-Voices” project: Haunted Hearts. This series features […]

The Trauma Narrative

  WHEN examining the concept of the “Trauma Narrative,” it’s evident that many literary works—spanning genres from horror to romance to dramatic fiction—adhere to a recognizable yet troubling pattern. At the center of these stories often lies a protagonist or antagonist ensnared by a singular, overpowering emotion that casts a shadow over their entire narrative […]

THE NIGHT BELONGS TO LOVERS: WHY A SPLIT-TIME NOVEL?

A BOOK with two time periods is called a split-time novel or a dual-timeline book. These books combine two stories into one cohesive narrative and often feature one storyline in the present day. The alternating timelines create a sense of mystery and suspense that keeps readers engaged and intrigued. The pacing of each timeline is […]

Book Review: Apparitions By Adam Pottle

  “Violence was his first language.” – Adam Pottle, Apparitions APPARITIONS, BY Canadian author Adam Pottle, is a novel about a nameless Deaf teen—a survivor of extreme child abuse—who befriends an emotionally troubled Deaf youth named Felix while in a psychiatric institution in Saskatchewan. Felix teaches “John Smith” Sign Language while they’re confined there, finally […]

INTERVIEW WITH URBAN THRILLER AUTHOR BRIAN B. EWING

Brian B. Ewing: “ When writing, whether it be a short story, a standalone novel, or a series, I tend to envision it in a movie or television format. ” I’d like to welcome Brian B. Ewing to the BLOG. A self-professed, “dark-humour, word-vomit enthusiast,” Brian is the author of The Reels series of Urban Thriller novels: […]

Review: Our Sweet Revenge: Unbreakable Ties Book 1 by A.V. Shener

AFTER READING Our Sweet Revenge: Unbreakable Ties Book 1, I had to take a moment before writing my thoughts down; I needed to process what I’d experienced. The author, A.V. Shener, has stated that if he manages to make his readers “both captivated and uncomfortable,” he’s done his job. Well, I was definitely both, so congratulations, […]

REVIEW: NOMAD: A STORY FROM THE REELS BY BRIAN B. EWING

NOMAD: A Story From The Reels by Brian B. Ewing is the second book in a series that focuses on Tom Sisto, an introvert with a tragic past gifted with a psychic power to experience first-person memories of both victims and killers. These visions come to him like an old-school projector, the back of his eyelids acting […]

INTERVIEW WITH QUEER FANTASY AUTHOR BENJAMIN KISSELL

Benjamin Kissell: “I have the standing rule that unless I, as the author, state in-text otherwise, assume ALL of my characters fall somewhere in the LGBTQIA+ rainbow.”   I’d like to welcome Benjamin Kissell to the BLOG. A native of Fredericksburg, VA, Benjamin is the author of the epic Queer Fantasy Novel, A Queen of Blood […]

Thoughts On My Author Journey

Toot your own horn! Be proud of what you’ve created, and never feel embarrassed to promote yourself. Excitement is contagious! IN MY twenties, I met my favourite author Anne Rice, creator of The Vampire Chronicles. Though our time together was brief, we chatted about several things, including her inspiring, descriptive writing style. It’s a memory […]

Do I Have A Favourite Scene in Vindictive Too?

OCCASIONALY I get asked, “What is your favourite scene in the book?” With Vindictive, I don’t believe I’ve ever answered that question, and I’m not sure I can or ever will. At least not to anyone’s satisfaction. When I think of a scene in my first novel that tickles me, another one that thrills me immediately comes […]