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SMALL SAMPLE OF OUR DIVERSE LIST OF AWARD-WINNING PUBLISHERS
FEATURED PUBLISHER: VP PUBLISHING
THREE STORIES. ONE FORGOTTEN TRUTH.
A powerful historical fiction collection tracing the untold journey from Africa to the Caribbean—through prophecy, survival, and resistance.
Step into the erased history of the Americas: a haunting saga of Indigenous survival, African resilience, and the violent birth of a colonial empire.
In MOUSSANE – The River’s Daughter, a sacred healer along the Gambia River is tormented by visions of distant ships, unable to shake the sense that her world is about to break. In BEYOND – The Door of No Return, her worst fears become real as slave raiders descend—tearing Dembe, her beloved husband, from her arms and dragging him across the Middle Passage in chains. Their stories converge in Blood for Pearls, set on Cubagua, where the first African slaves and Caribbean natives are forced into the deadly pearl trade under the rule of the Spanish Crown. There, Dembe and Charaima unite to defy an empire built on blood and greed.
These are the stories they never taught — the first genocide, the first enslavement, and the voices that refused to be silenced.
AUTHOR PROFILE
Peter Von Perle is an American researcher and writer who was born and raised in Venezuela, where he developed a lifelong passion for saltwater pearls and the history that accompanies them.
Peter found his way into the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS© when he was involved with the largest concentration of pearls, and his subsequent trailer and screenplay BLOOD FOR PEARLS won him numerous awards at Film Festivals around the world.
Since 2011, Peter has been traveling the world, interviewing a myriad of experts, and unearthing new and important facts surrounding this controversial period of world history.
FEATURED AUTHOR: DAVID THOMAS
FEATURED ARTICLE/INTERVIEW
We Don’t Postpone Life Anymore
A Ukrainian Woman on War, Resilience, and Hope
Interview by David Thomas, Journalist
This interview marks the beginning of a new series highlighting women who have survived war and conflict. In this first installment, journalist David Thomas speaks one-on-one with “S.,” a young Ukrainian woman living through the war in Ukraine.
Content Warning:
This article contains descriptions of war, violence, trauma, and civilian suffering that may be distressing to some readers.
Living Through War: Everyday Life in Ukraine
Q: How has the war changed your daily life in ways people outside Ukraine might not fully understand?
S.:
Honestly, the war has completely changed the everyday life of Ukrainians. But probably the strangest part of all this — and something very hard for people abroad to understand — is how it has become normal for us, how we’ve adapted to it.
For example, I live in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and here it’s absolutely routine to hear air-raid sirens every single day, sometimes several times a day. Sometimes you fall asleep to the sound of explosions. I often joke and call them our “fireworks.”
And that’s another strange part of it — how we can joke about such terrifying things. What once felt absolutely unimaginable has become ordinary.
I travel a lot and talk with foreigners about the war very often. It gets weird when I joke about something calmly, and the other person doesn’t know how to react and just says, “I’m sorry,” because for them it sounds like hell. For us, it’s just part of life now.
As for the situation in Kyiv right now, we have huge problems with electricity and heating. Russians constantly target energy infrastructure, and during the coldest winter in many years we can spend days without power or heat.
But again, what’s surprising is how fast we adapt. Almost every tiny café now has its own generator, so you can come in while your home has no electricity, eat, warm up, and work a bit.
All over the city the authorities have created so-called “Points of Resilience,” where people can charge phones, get free tea, and simply stay warm.
Even in the hardest times, we manage to hold on, adapt, and keep going.
The World Must Not Forget
Q: What do you most want the international community to understand about what Ukrainians are experiencing right now?
S.:
First of all, I want people to remember that there is still a war in Ukraine. And unfortunately, no — it’s not getting better. Sometimes it’s the opposite: it’s getting worse.
But what I love about my country is our unity and strength of spirit. Almost every day we wake up after night shelling and still go to work, to university, or wherever life takes us.
Our lives don’t stop because of the war. We still celebrate holidays, visit Christmas markets, and spend time with friends — not because the war is over, but because we’ve learned not to postpone life anymore.
Of course, everyone dreams about the day the war ends. But that doesn’t mean we are ready to accept just any “peace deal” or surrender our freedom.
Because the only thing worse than what we’re living through now would be losing our independence and agency.
What Peace Really Means
Q: When you think about peace or a resolution today, what does that actually look like to you—not in political terms, but in human ones?
S.:
Real peace means being able to plan your future in Ukraine again.
It means Ukrainians who were forced to leave can finally return home without fearing a drone attack in the middle of the night.
It means prisoners of war come home alive. It means children illegally taken to Russia are returned to their families.
Peace is not only the absence of missiles or sirens. It’s the ability to live freely, securely, and independently without fear of another invasion.
It’s not just a temporary pause. It’s real protection and real guarantees that this will never happen again.
Finding Hope in Darkness
Q: What gives you hope right now, even in the middle of uncertainty and loss?
S.:
What gives me hope is Ukrainians themselves — their strength, resilience, and unity.
Our society has changed so much. People are more politically aware, more civic-minded, and more willing to support one another.
Even during power outages, communities organize free public spaces and support centers. Donations to help the army and humanitarian causes have become part of everyday life.
Hope also comes from culture. Ukraine’s music, art, and creativity continue to thrive even during war.
On a personal level, hope comes from continuing to dream, travel, and pursue the things you love.
I’ve visited many countries, but Ukraine remains one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. I dream that after the war ends, the world will know Ukraine not only as a country at war, but as an incredible destination full of culture, history, and beauty.
Fear, Survival, and the Future
Q: What are your greatest fears if the war continues, and what are your greatest hopes if it ends?
S.:
Honestly, my biggest fear is not even that the war will continue. My biggest fear is that it could end with a forced peace — not on our terms.
That the world will move on while Ukraine continues living under constant threat.
It’s frightening to think Russia may never face real responsibility for the damage, crimes, and suffering inflicted on the Ukrainian people.
Because if history is ignored, it can happen again.
My greatest hope is simple: that Ukrainians will finally be free on our own land and able to build our future independently.
I hope for a future where people are healing, not just surviving. Where veterans receive support, families are reunited, and young people no longer have to choose between safety and home.
I hope Ukraine can invest its energy not into defense, but into culture, education, travel, and community.
And I hope that someday, “normal life” will truly become normal again.
About This Series
This interview is part of an ongoing series exploring the voices, resilience, and experiences of women affected by war and conflict around the world.
AUTHOR PROFILE
David Thomas – Journalist, Author, and Advocate
David Thomas is an award-winning journalist, author, poet, and autism advocate whose work explores social issues, resilience, faith, and the human experience. A lifelong writer, David began earning recognition for his writing at the age of seven after winning his first literary award for a collection of poems while attending Turie T. Small Elementary School in Florida. Since then, writing has remained at the center of both his personal and professional life.
David studied psychology, social work, and journalism at Malone University, where he began developing his voice as a journalist while writing for the university newspaper, The Aviso. Inspired by legendary journalists such as Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather, Thomas approaches journalism as a platform for truth, compassion, and social awareness.
Over the years, he has written and published multiple books spanning poetry, journalism, and social commentary. His poetry collection Women was selected as a finalist in the poetry category of the 2025 American Writing Awards, and his work has also received recognition through the Hermes Creative Awards. His writing often highlights marginalized voices, emotional resilience, mental health, and the pursuit of hope in difficult times.
Professionally, David has spent more than 25 years working in social services and mental health advocacy. As a case manager with Renewing Hope LLC, he works closely with children, families, and individuals on the autism spectrum, combining advocacy, outreach, and creative engagement to support those in need. His work is deeply influenced by his belief that storytelling can create understanding, empathy, and meaningful change.
As both a journalist and author, David has interviewed community leaders, pastors, politicians, social service organizations, and individuals experiencing homelessness, using storytelling to bring awareness to critical social issues and inspire act
