A. J. Alexander

Today we’re digging into one of the most relatable—yet notoriously tricky—emotions to write: Disappointment. We’ve all been there. It’s that sinking feeling that turns your internal monologue from a soaring symphony into a flat, out-of-tune kazoo. But as authors, how do we translate that heavy, hollow, “how-did-I-deserve-this” ache onto the page without boring our readers to tears? Let’s face…

The life on the road seemed to be easier for Theodor, than the life he was used to around the duke’s castle. On the way across the mountains, they had to fight off a bear once, when they used the honey of a wild beehive to cook. Thankfully the bear was intimidated by the loud clatter of weapons and steel and decided it might be healthier to leave. They found wolf traces too, but the packs kept…

When the Council of Twelve is planning a relaxing family meeting, the consorts often experiment with different finger foods, lights snacks and easuly meals… until Simin brought a recipe back, that nobody could resist. They all agree it’s probably the best ever salad! There is only one thing… the dressing. It exists, perfectly created, and can be bought. Archangel Tsechirel loves it so much, he…

What started as a routine drive turned into an urgent rescue. I spotted a turtle crossing the road near a school and carefully steered around it to ensure its safety. Heartbreakingly, the van behind me struck it, sending it spiraling to the side of the road.

​I pulled over immediately and found it on its back with an injury to its carapace. Despite the trauma, I saw movement in its legs and knew I couldn't leave it behind. Using a washcloth and a paper bag, I carefully transported it to the nearest animal hospital.

Middle Europe 1285   … The little boy was almost invisible. His family didn’t understand him, and neither did his neighbors. To his parents, it was easiest to let their youngest son follow his own trails and interests than trying to educate him.   His mother, Lady Patrizia Bauerling, Duchess of Glohtal, a family branch of the Danubian Monarchy, and Duke Siegfried of Glohtal were already…

While the first criminal story I ever wrote flowed like a creek, the second one flows like a swamp… I can’t get out of the character problem. I tend to prepare very well, even more since I found out I cannot write a crime story without very, very careful planning, including the characters. In the first book, that worked quite well. The second book has a major flaw: the characters. I can’t get…

The Grand Illusion: Arrival at Versailles, 1682 We are in the month of May in the year 1682, a moment of absolute historical rupture. Your physical presence is crossing for the first time the threshold of those massive entrance gates, decorated with a thick layer of gold leaf, of the gigantic complex called Versailles. Your field of vision is immediately occupied by a monumental building front,…

Clothes might make the man, but expensive cars don’t necessarily make fantastic drivers. A few days ago I was driving across the ‘pampa’, fields, woods, some ponds, lakes, deer, ducks, geese, raptors, groundhogs, squirrels, chipmunks, and more… it was beautiful, sunny, and a bit dangerous with all the animal activity, so I slowed down and took it easy. The guy behind me in a blue sports…

Author Name: D. M. Kannapan Release Date: Saturday, January 03 2026 Tour Type: 7-Day Blog Tour Tour Start Date: Wednesday, May 20 2026 Publishing Company: D. M. Kannapan Cover Artist: D. M. Kannapan Primary Plot Arc: Speculative Fiction Main Genre(s): Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult Sub-Genres: climate fiction, cozy-adjacent fantasy Story Type: Novel (>50k) Word Count:…

Picture courtesy of Google.com Picture courtesy of daysname.com _______________________________________________ The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home Tour was up, middle of JuneShe was plannin’ a welcome home barbecueGreen bean casserole, Grandma’s recipeThere was a knock on her door ’round two o’clockTwo uniforms and her heart stoppedYellow ribbon ’round an oak treeBlowing in the…

We’ve all heard it used to shut down an argument or demand absolute loyalty: “Blood is thicker than water.” In modern conversations, it’s the ultimate family-first mantra. The general consensus is that the “blood” of biological family creates a bond far more binding than the “water” of friendships, marriages, or choice alliances. It implies that DNA trumps everything else, obligating you to…

This post was published first here on ‘Writer’s Treasure Chest’ September 17, 2020, and belongs to the most successful posts! A Man’s Facial Hair And How To Decode His Personality Today I found an amusing article on the HuffPost blog that decodes a man’s personality according to his beard fashion. I have moved the biggest part of the blog post here, but to finish reading the entire post, I…

HA!! A Coupon!!! As of TODAY 3 Books In The Council of Twelve Series Will Be 50% Off On Smashwords! Until May 31, 2026 Bounty Hunter Check out the Trailer Dream Walker Check out the Trailer River Guardian Check out the Trailer To order the ebooks, go to the respective links on the left side in the Smashwords Shop, and add the Coupon Code UWEFW on the way out to get your 50% off!

I have been reading several books lately, which I had to frown. I wasn’t exactly sure how realistic their ‘natural’ causes of death were, and I wanted to check that. Since I put some time into this matter and wanted it researched, I decided I could as well share the outcome with fellow authors and readers. Heart Attack One of the most difficult to ‘prove’ is the Heart Attack. ‘CardaHealth.com‘…