Huckleberry Dreaming (Author Interview)

  

https://troubador.co.uk/bookshop/sci-fi/huckleberry-dreaming

The book opens with Carney’s dream of the machine and the golden boxes. Why do you think this dream becomes such an important part of his life later on?

Carney isn’t psychoanalyzed at any point, and he doesn’t dig into the reasons for the dream, so it’s never discussed in the book, but I had it in mind that he might have felt some guilt about his mother’s death when he was six, which was when he had the dream. He was old enough by then to pick up the things people were saying— about her dying from consumption shortly after he was born— and he might have blamed himself, in the way children often do when their parents pass away or break up, when it’s not their fault at all. Stepping into the machine perhaps represented his acceptance of himself, his ‘forgiveness’ of himself, although there was actually nothing to forgive, but he couldn’t do it; he couldn’t step inside.

He might have forgotten the whole thing or just remembered it as a quirky childhood dream, if it hadn’t been for his dalliance with hallucinogens when he was eighteen. The rush can cause paranoia, and that was the way it started to manifest with Carney. I guess it was because he felt guilty about taking the rush in the first place; he wished he’d had the courage to refuse it, like Earl, because then he could have helped Dakota, who pretty much lost the plot that night after taking it. His paranoia grew from there, and he started to blame himself for all the wrongs in the world, somehow thinking that twisting a golden box in the dream had caused a fake world to be created, where nothing was right.

Carney says he always felt like a pacifist, yet he is arrested for assault. How does this conflict shape the story and his character?

It’s another big reason for him to feel guilty, especially since it’s his best buddy he’s accused of harming. Initially, Weinberg tells him the truth, but he can’t handle it and passes out, mentally blocking that truth from his memories. So, his arc is about accepting those harsh facts. His delusions, embodied by the mysterious Wallbanger, play a large part in helping him navigate his feelings. It’s about his acceptance of himself, despite all his flaws, despite all the bad choices he might have made.  

The Arch Angels gang seems close at first but begins to change after Marshall Bexley joins. How does his presence affect the group?

Number 9: The Beginning | Soccer Books for Kids 8-12 (No.9 Series)

   

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLSFN3VR

FROM TEXAS DREAMER TO LONDON LEGEND

Jack has never played for a real team—until now.

When a surprise trial lands him at England’s top soccer academy, Jack trades his small Texas town for the cutthroat world of elite football in London. But it’s nothing like he imagined.

Every mistake is punished. Every pass is judged. Rival players want him gone. Alone, out of his depth, and miles behind the others, Jack starts to question everything.

Then he finds The Bandits—an underground crew of street soccer players. No whistles. No coaches. No limits. The kind of football that doesn’t follow rules—it makes its own.

As Jack slips between two worlds—the rigid demands of the academy and the raw freedom of street soccer—he learns that greatness isn’t about being perfect... It’s about something much deeper.

When homesickness threatens to break him, bullies target his every weakness, and betrayal hits from the one place he thought was safe, Jack faces his ultimate test.

With his dream hanging by a thread—and the legendary Number 9 shirt within reach—he must dig deeper than ever before.

Does he have what it takes to survive—and prove he truly belongs among the best?

🔥 Why Kids Love It:
✔ Fast-paced matches, epic rivalries, and jaw-dropping street skills
✔ Jack’s a relatable underdog you can’t help but root for
✔ Bursting with energy, emotion, and soccer action from start to finish

💡 Why Parents Love It:
✔ Teaches resilience, teamwork, and confidence
✔ Easy chapters for middle grade reading level
✔ Inspires kids to dream big and never give up
✔ Perfect for 8–12 year olds—especially reluctant readers

⚽ Ideal book series for 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th graders.

For fans of soccer, adventure, sports, and fast-paced underdog stories.

The Abyss of Stolen Souls (The Shattered Legacy) Author Interview

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD9PK2HR

Alex and Emma have a close working relationship. How do their interactions shape the mood of the story?

Alex and Emma's dynamic is truly central to the story's mood. Their relationship starts purely as a professional one, but it naturally evolves into a deep friendship and partnership within their firm, even before the main events of my story begin. From such a bond, a love story almost always blossoms, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that.

Alex is a born leader and adventurer. When his visions first started, they were beautiful and brought him joy. He somehow built a connection to the girl he saw in these visions, and that's precisely why her suffering affected him so profoundly. Emma, on the other hand, has always been the logical element in their duo. Not only did she graduate from the police academy with honors, but she's also incredibly intelligent and courageous. Many people have asked me if she'll be a typical female character and the answer is no. Emma is a capable young woman who can handle a computer virus, a biker in a bar, and even a street shootout or a combat zone.

The combination of these two characters creates, for me as the author and I hope for all readers, a perfect synergy for every situation. Their dialogues are a living testament to their friendship, devotion, and later, love. You just need to let yourself be carried away by them to feel how their interactions constantly shape and enrich the mood of the story, from tension to heartwarming moments.

Detroit is featured prominently in the first chapter. Why did you choose this city as the starting point for Alex's investigation?

I chose Detroit because when I was little, my father brought me a hockey jersey from the USA as a souvenir, and also when I played NHL on the computer as a young boy, I was always Detroit. Plus, many of my favorite characters and films are set in Detroit. The city somehow grew on me, and I hope I'll get to visit it someday.

The Alpha Protocol: A Sci-Fi LitRPG Adventure (Symphony Book 1)

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FG5H9L7X/

Finding himself suddenly teleported to a new dimension, a former English teacher becomes the god of a world of his own making, in this portal fantasy.

Fresh off a break-up and now unemployed, veteran and former high school English teacher Walker Reed is ready to succumb to a grim and hopeless depression. But when an enigmatic stranger stops him in the street, he’s suddenly hurled into another dimension.

There, Walker gets to build his own world from scratch following the Alpha Protocol, which invites special individuals from across the universe to become “Creators”—generating everything from their own land masses and celestial bodies to a comprehensive, recorded religion.

With the help of his robotic assistant, Virgil—who happens to be a four-foot-tall squirrel—Walker sets about building out his geography, evolutionary systems, and creatures. But it’s not like playing in a sandbox, and he quickly realizes his creations can have world-ending consequences. Not to mention the creators are regularly pitted against one another in the Creator Wars . . .

As if all that weren’t bad enough, if Walker can’t complete the Alpha Protocol, he’ll be sent back to his previous reality, which has only gotten darker. As he unlocks new systems and paths, can he balance his desire to be a peaceful, benevolent, and ethical god? Or will everything devolve into chaos?

The first volume of the hit LitRPG adventure series—with more than a million views on Royal Road—now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook!

The Moon Goddess's Smile

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F2NTB3J7/

"Secrets, scars, and stories — a fascinating historical novel of cultural & personal significance."

A biomedical researcher returns to China to transfer her late grandmother's apartment to her male cousin so he can marry. However, a simple legal task to save her dwindling clan becomes a bureaucratic nightmare, and her interracial marriage in Boston begins to unravel. While she struggles to regain equilibrium between two clashing cultures, her homebound journey evolves into a midlife self-discovery.

The story portrays a resilient Chinese family that has survived a tumultuous century. Ultimately, it celebrates the human potential of reaching enlightenment during a crisis.

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/catherine-c-wu/the-moon-goddesss-smile/

https://independentbookreview.com/2025/04/01/starred-book-review-the-moon-goddesss-smile/

https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/the-moon-goddesss-smile

Editorial Review For Manuela

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FG1HLK48/

Editorial Review For Manuela

Manuela wraps up Curt A. Canfield’s Will Barnes trilogy, beginning with The Errors of Mankind and continuing in Better is the End. This novel catches Will Barnes confronting late-stage prostate cancer, forcing him to reckon with life's unfinished business. He juggles making amends, navigating complex family dynamics, and bonding with his newfound granddaughter, Manuela, who emerges as a central figure representing a hopeful future amid personal loss.

Canfield successfully tackles intricate themes such as mortality, reconciliation, and personal growth. Barnes remains believably flawed and compellingly earnest, especially in his interactions with Manuela. Their relationship is portrayed vividly, highlighting moments of warmth, humor, and emotional vulnerability that enrich the story. Manuela's maturity and ambition, notably her goal to become a lawyer and advocate for the underprivileged, provide a meaningful contrast to Barnes’s reflections on life’s missed opportunities.

Dialogue between characters is authentic and sharp, notably the biting exchanges with Friedrich, a disgruntled relative you’d gladly avoid at a family reunion. Yet, it’s the heartfelt conversations between Barnes and Manuela that linger most profoundly, offering readers poignant insights into the power of familial connections, reconciliation, and legacy.

By connecting Barnes’s personal journey to broader historical themes—such as war trauma, justice, and the American moral landscape—the novel appeals to readers seeking both historical depth and personal introspection.

If you enjoy stories that blend personal reflection with historical context, Manuela will hold your attention. Barnes’s blunt realism, combined with his stubborn attempts at redemption and his evolving relationship with his granddaughter, resonates deeply, particularly with readers facing their own life's loose ends. While those looking for a quick, upbeat read might look elsewhere, readers willing to explore deeper emotional layers will find a rewarding narrative.

Ultimately, Manuela offers a meaningful and thought-provoking conclusion to the trilogy, providing a fitting tribute to the resilience of human relationships across generations. Just don’t expect Friedrich to leave a glowing review anytime soon.

Editorial Review For A Narcissist’s Guide to Philanthropy

  

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0FC273KHD

Editorial Review For A Narcissist’s Guide to Philanthropy

This book opens with Mark, a lawyer who seems allergic to humility, performing what he’s certain are acts of public good—though you might suspect he wants an audience more than gratitude. The story bounces between Mark and Jane, his fiancée, who manages her own cocktail of ambition and self-reflection. The plot follows their daily routines, commutes, run-ins with old friends, and social performances. The theme isn’t subtle. Social media, status games, and a desperate need for recognition lurk in every conversation, every LinkedIn check, every towel purchase for the beach.

The book shines in its depiction of how people can convince themselves they’re selfless when the mirror says otherwise. You get endless inner monologues about “rules” for posting on social media, what makes a good towel, and why being recognized online matters more than admitting it. There’s enough self-satire here to make you wonder if Talay wrote half this book while side-eyeing his own LinkedIn profile. Another strength of A Narcissist’s Guide to Philanthropy is how it skewers these modern-day habits with a straight face. Every tiny interaction turns into a low-stakes battle for social clout.

The book sits comfortably in contemporary literary fiction, with sharp dialogue and a healthy dose of cynicism about urban life, millennial hustle culture, and modern relationships. It taps into trends where novels try to dissect the “bubble” of city professionals. Readers who like Sally Rooney’s characters but wish they’d just admit how much they care about Instagram will probably find a lot to laugh at here.

This book is for anyone who has ever spent more than ten seconds wondering how many likes their last post got. If you know someone who pretends not to care about social media, but checks it ten times an hour, this is their field guide. It’s also for readers who enjoy novels that call out self-importance, especially when it comes with a suit, a set of gym routines, and an overworked sense of irony.

If you are hoping for a heartwarming story about true giving, look somewhere else. A Narcissist’s Guide to Philanthropy is here to remind you that even the most “thoughtful” acts might come with an internal PR campaign. It’s equal parts satire, cringe, and uncomfortable honesty. Read it to see just how ridiculous self-importance can get, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll feel a little bit better about your own worst habits. Or not. That’s your call.

 

CARE

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FBKR2C56

https://www.carebook.online

Free Kindle Promo: June 5th-7th

"Dependency, Unison had discovered, was stronger than shackles. It made people complicit in their own submission. It turned hunger into a leash, technology into a muzzle, and community into informants."

CARE offers a chillingly plausible future where the lines between humanity and AI blur, leaving the reader to question the true cost of progress and the meaning of freedom.

At its heart, CARE is a deeply human story of resistance, identity, and the quiet, revolutionary power of care.

In a not-so-distant future where power masquerades as order, one young man must choose between obedience and awakening.

In the United Isles of Britannus and Hibernus (formerly Great Britain and Ireland), the authoritarian Unison Trust governs a society ostensibly rebuilt in fragile unity from the ashes of a global pandemic.

Here, Scott Hunter lives a life defined by profound contrasts. Born into the ruling elite of the Unison Trust, his privilege is shadowed by the daily challenges of living with cerebral palsy. As he navigates this meticulously constructed society with his android assistant DEC-E, he senses the sinister truth beneath the synthetic calm. Scott's curiosity leads him to investigate the flaws within this fractured society and events begin to transpire. As tensions rise and the whisper of rebellion grows louder, Scott is drawn into a conflict that will challenge everything he thought he knew about his world, his past, and what it means to be human.

This powerful dystopian debut is rich in atmospheric detail, painting a hauntingly plausible vision of a future where technological advancement has come at a steep ethical price. The novel grapples with complex questions surrounding the ethics of advanced artificial intelligence, exploring the delicate and increasingly ambiguous boundary that separates sophisticated machinery from sentient beings. Influenced by the author’s formative experiences growing up amidst the deep political divisions of Northern Ireland, and his early career as a care provider to vulnerable individuals, the novel weaves personal insight with speculative imagination.

Editorial Review For Dark Lullaby

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F64BBB1Y/

Editorial Review For Dark Lullaby

Dark Lullaby by S. Lillys pulls you right into the mess of Elle’s life, which is loaded with drama, longing, and a whole lot of questionable choices. Elle, a former fashion model, is stuck in a love triangle so complicated it makes reality TV look tame. She’s trapped in a relationship with Jack, her controlling manager-boyfriend, while chasing after David, the one that got away—or maybe never was hers to begin with. This isn’t just a romance. It’s a breakdown in real time, with Elle battling addiction, regret, and the nagging feeling that she’s always on the outside looking in.

The strongest part of Dark Lullaby is how raw and honest it is. There’s no filter on Elle’s confusion, guilt, or even her vanity. The book refuses to clean up her mess. The writing gives you a front-row seat to her anxiety and her desperate grabs for freedom, love, and maybe just a little bit of dignity. The best scenes are the ones where Elle’s thoughts spiral out of control or when she can’t decide if she wants to run or stay put. These moments aren’t pretty, but they feel real.

This book fits right in with the trend of “unlikable” or flawed female leads. Fans of books about mental health, toxic relationships, and the mess beneath the surface of “glamorous” lives will probably see the appeal. There’s a bit of old-school noir in here, mixed with the bleak honesty of modern confessional writing. If you’re looking for something that sugarcoats addiction, betrayal, or just plain loneliness, this is not the one.

Readers who like unreliable narrators, chaotic love stories, or a story that sometimes feels like therapy (but without the bill) will find a lot here. On the other hand, anyone who needs a happy ending should run for the hills.

All in all, Dark Lullaby isn’t about finding the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s about standing in the dark and admitting you might have put yourself there. If that sounds a little too real, well, consider yourself warned.

Editorial Review For The Importance of Sleep

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F84BD7S9/

Editorial Review For The Importance of Sleep

What starts as a quiet reflection on the so-called “importance of sleep” unravels into a dense, messy, and oddly compelling look inside one man’s thoughts, obsessions, grudges, and inability to forget a breakup.

The book doesn’t follow a tight plot. Instead, it drifts with Dan, a motel clerk in off-season Maine who avoids daylight and embraces solitude like it’s his job. He reflects on failed relationships, high school humiliations, imaginary romantic triumphs, and a deeply entrenched sleep schedule that’s either impressive or tragic. Memory, identity, masculinity, and rejection come up often. So does the temperature in his apartment. And don’t forget about his long-standing beef with someone named Ami. If you want closure or a character arc, this isn’t that kind of book. But if you want to watch someone mentally pace around regret and loneliness with surgical precision, welcome aboard.

What works is the voice. It’s bitter, sharp, and often hilarious in a low-key, annoyed-with-everyone kind of way. The narrator is self-deprecating without begging for pity and smart without trying to sound like he’s smarter than everyone. The writing thrives in its contradictions. Dan claims not to care, then obsesses over every perceived slight. He pushes people away, then dreams up entire relationships with them. The strongest parts are when the book stops pretending to be about sleep and just admits it’s about being haunted.

This isn’t your usual coming-of-age novel. It leans hard into introspection, skipping the typical life lessons. It shares DNA with outsider lit, the kind that doesn’t ask to be liked. The narrator probably wouldn’t like you either. But readers who enjoy stream-of-consciousness fiction and unreliable narrators who don’t believe in therapy will find this satisfying. If you’ve ever clung to a grudge like a weighted blanket or thought about writing a love letter you’d never send, The Importance of Sleep will feel uncomfortably familiar.

The plot’s loose. The mood swings. The narrator’s not always likable. But that’s the point. There’s a strange honesty in how stuck he is. Sometimes all a book has to do is tell the truth, even if it doesn’t get you anywhere. The Importance of Sleep tells the truth. Then it shuts off the light and tries to go back to sleep.