Books and Brews Podcast

Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet! Clay Gilbert has always believed in the power of the imagination to dissolve differences and forge connections between people. Since 2013, he has published thirteen novels, from science-fiction and horror to YA dystopia and urban fantasy. His works include the science-fiction series Children of Evohe, which began in 2013 with Annah and the Children of Evohe, as well as the horror novel Dark Road to Paradise and the dark fantasy novel Pearl: A Monster Story. Clay lives and works in Knoxville, Tennessee, where his cat, Rosalind, insists on quality-checking each new book (and helped him with one of his readings on our show!) We talked about Appalachian legend & lore, making monsters sympathetic & more! Grab your favorite drink and join us! 00:00 START 07:33 Drink 1: Pearl Essence 10:29 Reading 1: Pearl in the Woods 16:55 Addressing Deeper Issues through Sci-fi & Fantasy 23:30 All About the Holler-Bairnies 27:03 Drink 2: Rabbit's Garden 29:53 Reading 2: Pearl Catches a Rabbit 33:44 Pearl's Wisdom: Seeing the Good Despite the Bad  35:34 The Monster Voice 37:55 Drink 3: The Appalachian Holler 41:18 Reading 3: Matt Reflects on Mama Leotie's Story of Holler-Bairnies 47:16 Why are we fascinated by the dark and mysterious?  51:29 Do You Believe….Sasquatch, the Flood    Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with Clay Gilbert www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.booksandbrews.net Find Clay at amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00BS1N1W4/about?ccs_id=35e83ccd-6d34-40d1-a6a0-52139f34823  ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT MONTH:  Bill McCormick, author of sci-fi, graphic novels, comic books, blogger & former radio host UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN  See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet! Michael Modzelewski (Mojo-less-key) grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of a famous NFL football player with the Cleveland Browns, Ed “Big Mo” Modzelewski. Michael graduated from Indiana University with a degree in English Literature. He is the author of five books, including INSIDE PASSAGE, about a two year stay on a wilderness island in the Inside Passage to Alaska. After living “date-less” on the wild island, Michael was chosen a “Bachelor of the Month” by Cosmopolitan Magazine. Mr. November received 5,000 letters from women around the world, dated many, and that's how he met an amazing wife. His resultant book: WILD LIFE: THE MISS—ADVENTURES OF A COSMO BACHELOR twice landed him as a featured guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show. “Mojo's” latest book, his first novel, A LONG WAY HOME, set in Namibia, southern Africa, is about a famous, lost Hollywood actor who learns the meaning of life from a native African girl.  00:00 START 11:55 Drink 1: Killer Whale 13:33 Reading 1: Encounter with an Orca 18:29 Senses in nature and blackberries with a black bear 25:52 We attract what we are 26:34 Drink 2: Cosmopolitan 30:00 Reading 2: Mr. November 36:40 Oprah and picking Paula out of thousands 39:26 The impact of a very successful father on kids 35:03 Philosophy and Sci-fi 46:24 Drink 3: Savannah Sunset 50:25 Reading 3: A Long Way Home 52:32 Africa and the Baobab tree 55:28 Why Alaska and Africa: using our instincts   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with Michael Modzewelski Https://www.michaelmodzelewski.com www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.booksandbrews.net  ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN  Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT MONTH:  Clay Gilbert, sci-fi and more UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE Our theme music is from www.bensound.com. BLURBS In our full podcast, Laura and Chris had a great talk with Michael Modzeweski about the wilds of Alaska and Africa, his life in the wilderness, becoming Mr. November and more.

Bestselling author Beth Duke's Anywhen is the ultimate outsider story—a young woman yearning to belong across time itself. With universal themes of love, jealousy, sacrifice, friendship, joy, loss, and forgiveness, this genre-defying novel is a story like no other...one that will stay with you long after the final page.  Beth read from her latest book, Anywhen, that combines sci-fi, time travel, and historical fiction. We talked about Woodstock, the central event of Anywhen, about southern fiction, stereotypes, the good and bad of AI, and Utopias. Is Baezy's world a Utopia? Did living in peace result in naivety or bring her great disillusionment? 00:00 START 04:59 Drink 1: Algorithmic Amaretto Sour 07:28 Reading 1: Letter to a Many-Greats Grandmother 11:38 Southern fiction and stereotypes 19:48 Did Baezy's time achieve Utopia? 22:30 AI: good or bad? 25:38 Drink 2: The Peace Love and Music Cocktail 30:25 Reading 2: Baisy Meets Her Many-Greats Grandmother 34:06 There's something about Woodstock…why was it so unique? 41:24 The power of art and music? 43:58 Drink 3: Pina Colada Pi 37:42 Reading 3: Trying to Tell the Truth 52:33 A blurb from Alabama's lead singer! 54:31 Keys to success as an author   Visit our PATREON for AFTER HOURS with many of our authors www.bethduke.com www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.booksandbrews.net  ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. *Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika * Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) * Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT MONTH:  Michael Modzelewski, author of fiction and non-fiction, outdoorsman and Mr. November! UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN. See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

A lifelong Sherlockian, Richard T. Ryan is the author of nine Sherlock Holmes novels and currently working on his tenth.  He's also written a well-received murder mystery “Deadly Relations which has been produced twice off-Broadway. He pursued graduate studies at Notre Dame where he majored in medieval literature. Our talk ranged from Knights Templar finding Minnesota in the 1300s to the reasons Arthur Conan Doyle killed Sherlock Holmes to the inefficient bombers of the 1880s and the Scarlet Pimpernel and Mark Wahlberg. 00:00 START 06:20 Drink 1: Watson's Delight 07:20 Reading 1: The Traitorous Templar 11:20 From medieval literature and old English to Sherlock Holmes 16:13 Pastiches, purity, and creative license 18:54 Drink 2: The Baker Street Bramble 20:07 Reading 2: Three May Keep a Secret 21:45 Masters of disguise   25:52 What makes Sherlock Holmes so enduring 30:21 Arthur Conan Doyle's feelings about Sherlock Holmes 35:55 Drink 3: The Moriarty Martini 37:42 Reading 3: The Devil's Disciples 39:24 The importance of getting the details right  43:20 News and fiction    Visit our PATREON for AFTER HOURS with Richard T. Ryan Find Richard at www.mxpublishing.com www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.booksandbrews.net   HELP US KEEP BRINGING YOU GREAT AUTHORS! If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN Books and Brews products:  (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT MONTH:  Beth Duke, amazon bestselling author of southern fiction and time travel UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN. See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet! Michael Colon is a novelist and freelance writer, born and raised in New York City. His author's story is about hard work, perseverance, and believing in the power of imagination. His inspiration comes from various societal abnormalities, the beauty in cultural differences, and his  own life experiences. His debut novel, The Gift from Aelius, is about an artificial intelligence's growing awareness of purpose and life. There is not a science fiction tale as poetic and thought-provoking.  In the not-too distant future, A191, a Codex with artificial intelligence, feels like a misfit in Paradise, a walled city in the middle of an endless desert where humans imprisoned his race long ago. He's not like the others of his kind; he longs to meet humans and make peace with them so man and Codexes can be reunited in the world. These thoughts and feelings are not allowed in Paradise; he risks banishment to the desert by the Overseer A. I. who rules by fear and force. The journey reveals the truth about his existence, the Overseer's lies, and the consequences of mankind's untethered technology.  00:00 START 05:31 Drink 1: The Singularity 08:13 Reading 1: Codex 12:53 Will AI begin to think for itself? 15:30 Did AI already try to destroy humanity? 21:21 Drink 2: Paradise 23:28 Reading 2: Starry Desert Night 29:02 Free will and choices 31:10 Numbers, names, and fear of losing our humanity 35:03 Philosophy and Sci-fi 45:12 Drink 3: Bingo 47:06 Reading 3: At the Haven 48:04 Political divide 48:59 Finding your purpose   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with Michael Colon https://www.clippings.me/users/michaelcolon www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.booksandbrews.net  ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT MONTH:  Richard T. Ryan, Sherlockian tales! UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN  See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

John Graham shipped out on a freighter when he was 16, hitchhiked through the Algerian Revolution at 19 and was on the team that made the first ascent of Denali's North Wall at 20, a climb so dangerous it's never been repeated. He hitchhiked around the world at 22, working as a correspondent in every war he came across. A US Foreign Service Officer for 15 years, he was in the middle of the 1969 revolution in Libya and the war in Vietnam. As a global peace builder, post Foreign Service, he contributed to peace efforts in Israel and Palestine. For the last 42 years he's been a leader of the Giraffe Heroes Project, a global movement inspiring people to stick their necks out to solve public problems and giving them tools to succeed (giraffe.org). His speeches, blogs, podcasts and interviews have a global audience.  In our interview, we talked about John's adventures around the globe, being a thrill seeker, his realization of his need to change, and more. 00:00 START 03:43 Drink 1: The Shipwreck 05:13 Reading 1: Cruise Ship Down! 11:25 The Coast Guard's most important rescue ever--and John was there! 14:35 From selfish to selfless 19:15 Helping to end apartheid 22:46 Castro's man and plans on a napkin 33:20 Drink 3: Honey Lemon Spritz 36:19 Reading 3: A Healing Miracle 48:22 "Most significant risks challenge the soul." 49:52 Seeking meaning in our lives   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with John Graham www.johngraham.org www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.booksandbrews.net SEE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR BOOKS AND BREWS LIGHT:  www.youtube.com/@booksandbrews   ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika  Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT MONTH:  We have a surprise gest for January 2025 UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: CHILDREN. See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk: https://youtu.be/ZKdeLPPgdys?si=wqPHZsAxYqgzjKcV Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

J.P. Reedman lives in Wiltshire near to Stonehenge. Born in Canada, she has had a lifelong interest in ancient and medieval history, and is often found lurking around prehistoric sites, ruined castles and abbeys, and interesting churches with camera in hand. She became a full-time writer in 2018.  Series include: I, Richard Plantagenet, 5 books chronicling Richard's life from childhood to Bosworth, and Medieval Babes, a set of standalone novels about lesser-known medieval queens and noblewomen. Her most recent release is Princess in the Police Station, the tale of little Anne Mowbray, wife of the younger ‘Prince in the Tower' whose grave was unexpectedly found in the 1960's. The next book to be released will be The Melancholy of Winter, which is about Edmund of Rutland, Richard's tragic elder brother. In our interview, we talked about JP reading Beowulf as a young child, historical foods and records of the menus of great feasts, whether being a noble is over-romanticized, historical hoaxes, and more. 00:00 START 05:54 Drink 1: Medicine for Melancholy 08:51 Reading 1: The Young Nobles Want to Skate 14:01 Using obscure historical terms 15:37 From fantasy to historical fiction 19:43 Drink 2: Dilly Bean Dirty Martini 22:55 Reading 2: Finding the Bean on Twelfth Night 25:41 The hideous Henry Holland of history  31:15 England and Canada: the story of a war bride 38:39 Drink 3: The Blackberry Raven 42:59 Reading 3: Fighting with Fish 45:53 Boys and mischief! 51:55 Most interesting and important things learned from history   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with JP Reedman www.x.com/@stonehenge2500 www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.booksandbrews.net SEE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR BOOKS AND BREWS LIGHT:  www.youtube.com/@booksandbrews   ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika  Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT MONTH:  John Graham, adventurer extraordinaire! UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: CHILDREN. See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk: https://youtu.be/ZKdeLPPgdys?si=wqPHZsAxYqgzjKcV Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.  

Michael C. Keith is the author of an acclaimed memoir––The Next Better Place–a young adult novel––Life is Falling Sideways––and 20 story collections, including, Of Night and Light, Everything is Epic, Sad Boy, And Through the Trembling Air, Hoag's Object, The Collector of Tears, If Things Were Made To Last Forever, Caricatures, The Near Enough, Bits, Specks, Crumbs, Flecks, Slow Transit, Perspective Drifts Like a Log on a River, Let Us Now Speak of Extinction, Stories in the Key of Me, Insomnia 11, Pieces of Bones and Rags, Quiet Geography, The Late Epiphany of a Low-Key Oracle, and Bodies in Recline, Euphony, The Loneliness Channel, and Pings.” He was nominated for a Pushcart Prize several times, a PEN/O'Henry Award, a PEN/Faulkner Award, an IPPY Award and was a finalist for the National Indie Excellence Award for short fiction anthology and a finalist for the 2013 International Book Award in the “Fiction Visionary” category. In our interview, we talked about how Michael came to be on the road with his father from the age of 8, the places he saw, the kindnesses he remembers, how he got from no school on the road to a Ph.D. and much more! 00:00 START 05:59 Drink 1: On the Road Again 08:45 Reading 1: On the Road 20:15 From years without school to a Ph.D. 24:05 Growing up Nomad: How much of the country did you see? 29:34 Drink 2: Tick of the Clock 34:10 Reading 2: Insomnia 36:34 All about insomnia, causes and cures  44:01 Tales of Larry King  44:48 Drink 3: Love and Fear 48:49 Reading 3: 11:11 51:28 Seeing the same number over and over again 54:33 Pings and the reasons for shorter fiction   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with Michael C. Keith https://michaelckeith.com www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.booksandbrews.net  ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika  Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT MONTH:  JP Reedman, historical novelist UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: MUSIC; FAITH. Laura will be at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, TN on October 26 and 27  See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Steve Downes is a contemporary Irish poet and novelist, currently living and working in Ireland. Educated in N.U.I. Maynooth, he holds a Degree in Classical History and a Masters in Cultural Anthropology. Steve has published poetry; science fiction, including Cosmogonic Marbles, Temporal Tome, Gadzooks Armageddon  and Botolf Tales (the Botolf Chronicles), Warworld: Shadows & Dominions (part 1), Murder on the Alpha Centauri Express and The Deaths of Guner Zoon; and four children's Books: The Upstairs Cat Series (3 books) & An Apprenticeship to Doctor Vantastic.  Steve continues to write and publish work in many genres. In 2017 & 2018 Steve exhibited from his collections of historical photographs, Lost Graveyards of Ireland (2017) and A Landscape For Yourself (2018). Among other things, we talked about his painting, the IRA, angsty poetry, and...the world's oldest maternity hospital! 00:00 START 05:26 Drink 1: Irish Coffee 12:28 Reading 1: chase & fight in Dublin 17:53 The Rotunda, world's oldest maternity hospital 23:55 Why the Irish give Dublin's statues...interesting...names 25:52 Tales of the IRA 33:01 Drink 2: The Love and Murder 38:21 Reading 2: Murder on the Alpha Centauri Express 42:07 On marketing 43:07 From high school dropout to a masters in classical history to sci-fi! 48:28 Drink 3: The Mission Impossible 51:57 Reading 3: Dr. Vantastic 55:43 Steve's many genres   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with Stephen Downes https://writerstevedownes.wordpress.com www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.booksandbrews.net  ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika  Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT MONTH:  Michael C. Keith, author of poetry, memoir, short stories, and novels UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: MUSIC; FAITH. Laura will be at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, TN on October 26 and 27  See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.            

Kathy Murray is a certified personal trainer with over thirty years' experience in the fitness industry. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she was a member of the 1983 National Cheerleading Championship Team. After college she competed in and won the United States Aerobic Championship in 1986 and spent the year traveling the world as a Fitness Ambassador and worked as a free-lance educator to teach fitness to European Instructors. While in Munich, she coached the Munich Cowboys (American Football) Cheerleaders to six national titles in cheerleading and was head trainer/translator for the German Gladiators during a pilot TV show for the International Gladiators. Kathy has owned her personal training business Fit Bodies for 25 years and in 2022 co-authored the Audible book, The Munich Cowboy Cheerleaders based upon her true story of her time coaching the squad. She has recently released it in both paperback and ebook formats.  In her spare time she is a competitive triathlete which she has been enjoying for 20 plus years now.  She lives in Atlanta with her husband Lutalo, dog Mingus and cat Sassy. We talked a lot about the impact of travel, experiencing other cultures, and learning languages, in addition to cheerleading and Kathy's time as a coach. Kathy's Readings:   00:00 Start 08:40 The Competition Starts! 29:40 Speeding Ticket--AGAIN! 48:45 Conflict with Dad (or...Following Our Dreams)   Chris's Cocktail Pairings:    06:35 The Cheerleader 26:35 The Speeding Ticket 46:12 Grumpy Old man   Interview Highlights:    20:15 Life Lessons from Cheerleading and Band 22:00 The Importance of Fitness and Other Thoughts on Exercise 35:50 Other Countries' Attitudes Toward Foreigners and Americans 41:11 Overcoming the Language Barrier 54:20 Doing What You Love 55:54 Friendship with a Celebrity and Traveling the World   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with KATHY MURRAY   COMING NEXT MONTH:    Steve Downes, Irish author, poet, and children's writer   UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: MUSIC; FAITH. Laura will be at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, TN on October 26 and 27  See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.  

Like any good soldier's son, Frank Warner moved with his family from fort to fort, accepted each change, and was ready to move again. Then, in 1960, Frank's father was ordered to Fort Huachuca (WahCHOOka), Arizona. This was the fifth Army post of Frank's childhood, the first place he never wanted to leave. So when his father was ordered to Vietnam in 1963, sending Frank and the rest of the family to Pennsylvania, the uprooting wasn't easy. Frank's book, “Tumbleeweed Forts: Adventures of an Army Brat,” describes the joys of living in Fort Huachuca, and the heartache of leaving it behind.  Tune in for a fun conversation and great cocktails, including in red, white, and blue for July! Frank's Readings: 00:00 Start 10:02 A Bike Race on Base! 30:57 Atomic Dollars 47:01 Leaving Huachuca Chris's Cocktail Pairings:  06:11 Red, White, and Blue 25:40 The Atomic Cocktail 44:09 Goodbye Sunshine Interview Highlights:  19:10 This plane is on fii--ire! 23:29 Why Huachuaca? Why it was magical 35:02 Silver Dollars and Stories on Atomic Testing 38:34 Private Jones' Buried Treasure & the Scientist with Alien Technology 43:31 How Tombstone got its Name 50:15 Finding Old Friends 52:12 Dad going to Vietnam, Saving the Ashes Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with FRANK WARNER COMING NEXT MONTH:  Devrie Donalson, comedian and author UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: MUSIC; FAITH Laura will be selling her books, premium rabbit fertilizer, herbs & more at the Morristown Farmer's Market, 130 W Morris Boulevard, Morristown, TN on July 5, starting at 5 pm. Laura will be at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, TN on October 26 and 27  See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Sharon Bennett Connolly is the best-selling British author of several non-fiction history books. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Sharon has studied history academically and just for fun – and has even worked as a tour guide at a castle. She also writes the popular history blog, www.historytheinteresngbits.com and co-hosts the podcast A Slice of Medieval, alongside historical novelist Derek Birks.  Sharon regularly gives talks on women's history, for historical groups, fesvals and in schools; her book Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest, is a recommended text for teaching the Norman Conquest in the Naonal Curriculum. She is a feature writer for All About History and Living Medieval magazines and her TV work includes Australian Television's Who Do You Think You Are? Tune in for a fun conversation and great beer!   Sharon's Readings: 00:00 Start 11:16 The Young Bride's First Duties 29:12 Stephen's Coronation 46:43 Matilda at the Helm   Chris's Cocktail Pairings:  08:01 The Nikolaschka from Germany 26: The Mourning Cocktail 43:39 Belgian Brownie   Interview Highlights:  15:21 The Wreck of the White Ship: a king's tragedy 21:33 How oppressed were women in medieval times? 24:06 How a British author ended up on Australian TV 31:33 Widows and abbeys: the real reason 38:17 Why history is important (and a real-life vampire!) 51:50 Women, Leadership, and Leading Warriors 54:43 Do we ever learn from history?   COMING NEXT MONTH:  Like any good soldier's son, Frank Warner moved with his family from fort to fort, accepted each change, and was ready to move again. Then, in 1960, Frank's father was ordered to Fort Huachuca (WahCHOOka), Arizona. This was the fifth Army post of Frank's childhood, the first place he never wanted to leave. So when his father was ordered to Vietnam in 1963, sending Frank and the rest of the family to Pennsylvania, the uprooting wasn't easy. Frank's book, “Tumbleeweed Forts: Adventures of an Army Brat,” describes the joys of living in Fort Huachuca, and the heartache of leaving it behind.  UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: MUSIC; FAITH Laura will be selling her books, premium rabbit fertilizer & more at the Morristown Farmer's Market, 130 W Morris Boulevar, Morristown, TN on July 5. Laura will be at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, TN on October 26 and 27  See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE   Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Robert Heath grew up in different places around the world, beginning in Japan in the late ‘40s. Robert and his eight siblings followed the assignments of their father, a sergeant in the U.S. Army.  He ultimately became an educator for 37 years, serving all grade levels from Pre-K through doctoral programs in South and North Carolina.  He now lives in the mountains of NC, where he loves writing and hiking. You can find him at face book at BratBob3of9 We talk about Bob's adventures growing up in Taiwan, Japan, Germany and the United States, with one sister and seven brothers, life as a military brat, the fun of large families and lots of boys and the antics kids get up to behind mom's back, U.S. history, bullying...and the day Bob was captured by Chiang Kai-Shek's soldiers and brought face with the military leader himself! Tune in for a fun conversation and great beer!   Bob's Readings: 00:00 Start 08:56 How About a Date? 25:54 Swinging 43:03 Captured by Enemy Soldiers!   Chris's Beer Pairings:  07:52 Bell's Smitten 23:29 Masthead's Tire Swing 39:54 Great Leap's The Hidden General   Interview Highlights:  12:36 How Bob's mother asked out his future mother-in-law 14:47 The stories mom never knew about--and how they led to a book 18:49 US history through personal experience 33:27 Americans in Japan two years after Hiroshima 36:26 Culture shock on returning to your own country 48:40 Do military parents make a point of not talking politics with brats? 51:16 Wild and free: military life or the times?   COMING NEXT MONTH:  Sharon Bennett Connolly has been fascinated by history for over 40 years and was recently elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, ‘in recognition of your contribution to historical scholarship.' She's studied history academically and just for fun and even worked as a tour guide at historical sites.  One Christmas her husband gave her…a blog – and she hasn't looked back. The blog has given her the chance to share the history she loves – the stories themselves, and the places they happened. And in 2017 she completed her first non-fiction book, Heroines of the Medieval World. UPCOMING EVENTS: ·        Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: MUSIC; FAITH ·       Laura will be selling her books, premium rabbit fertilizer & more at the Morristown Farmer's Market, 130 W Morris Boulevar, Morristown, TN on May 10, June 7, and July 5. ·       See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk ·       See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE   Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

J.S. Absher is a poet, memoirist, and independent scholar. As a teetotaler—he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—he can't add much insight into brews, but he can hold his own when it comes to books. Stan's first full-length book of poetry, Mouth Work (St. Andrews University Press) won the 2015 Lena Shull Award from the North Carolina Poetry Society. Stan's second full-length book of poetry, Skating Rough Ground, was published in 2022 by Kelsay Press. Poems have recently been published or accepted by The McNeese Review, Mormon Lit Blitz, Triggerfish Critical Review, Irreantum, and Tar River Review and have won awards from BYU Studies Quarterly and the journal Dialogue. His poems have been nominated four times for the Pushcart Prize and twice for Best of the Net. He has also published an annotated editions of two memoirs written in the late 19th century by Ida Crumpler Beard. Stan has two prose projects under way. His father killed himself in December 1977. Earlier that year he was a whistleblower in a government investigation of the bank where he worked. The confidential information he handed on widened the scope of the investigation and led to the arrest and conviction of the bank's CEO and two other executives and the firing of several other employees. This turmoil, on top of his already unstable mental state, contributed to his death. Stan's account of these events is based on his father's memoirs and letters, more than a hundred newspaper articles, his own journal, and the memoirs of another participant. Outside those directly concerned, it is now a minor story, but it connects in interesting ways with the Watergate scandal and other major events. Stan's memoir of these events will include poems he's written and published over many years. Stan is also currently researching and writing about the history of North Carolina immediately before the imposition of Jim Crow, focusing on fifty African American men who were arrested in 1895 for their efforts to stop a lynching in Winston-Salem, a lynching that thankfully did not occur. Stan is trying to understand who they were—their jobs and professions, their backgrounds, their kinship and social networks (to the extent they can be determined), and what happened to them afterwards. Stan's interest in this event was sparked by the one-sided account in Ida Beard's memoir mentioned above.   Absher lives in Raleigh, NC, with his wife Patti. His work in poetry and prose can be followed on www.jsabsherpoetry.com.   Stan's Readings: 00:00 Start 08:12 The Pear Tree and Remembering Clara 23:06 What I Knew and When 43:09 Building a Wall   Chris's Cocktail Pairings:  04:21 Brazilian Lime Aid 20:53 The Marigold 40:40 White Peach Interview Highlights:  16:35 The business of being a poet 19:07 Travels to France, Belize, and Taiwan 30:36 Blowing the Whistle: family issues and corporate greed 35:11 Links to the Nixon scandal 40:46 How ancient Rome influenced a poem 50:01 From The Deserted Wife to a thwarted lynching and Jim Crow   COMING NEXT MONTH: Manswell T. Peterson has endured many challenges in his life. He decided to put those experiences to good use by writing novels as an adult. He is founder of OmegaMan Publishing & Manswell Peterson Studios. He has written at least fourteen books since 2012. Escape to the Locrottum Universe – a modern fantasy world where royal drama, tyranny, and misunderstandings run rampant! www.locrottumuniverse.com    UPCOMING EVENTS: ·        Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: MUSIC; FAITH ·       Laura will be selling her books, premium rabbit fertilizer & more at the Morristown Farmer's Market, 130 W Morris Boulevar, Morristown, TN on April 13, June 7, and July 5, noon to 5 pm ·       See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk ·       See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE   Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Theresa Halvorsen has a “don't tell me I can't do that,” attitude about life and is an author, publisher, editor, and YouTuber. She's ‌overly-caffeinated and at times, wine-soaked. The author of multiple cross-genre works, including Warehouse Dreams, Lost Aboard and River City Widows, Theresa wonders what sleep is. She's the owner of No Bad Books Press and one of the hosts of the popular YouTube channel, the Semi-Sages of the Pages. In whatever free time is left, (ha!) Theresa enjoys board games, concerts, geeky conventions, and reading. Her life goal is to give "Oh-My-Gosh-This-Book-Is-So-Good!" happiness to her readers. She lives in Temecula with her husband, her adult children, their partners (she has no idea who actually lives in her house and who's just visiting) and many pets. Find her at  www.theresaHauthor.com and on Tiktok and Facebook.  Theresa's Readings: ·       Wonderland's Mad Queen – 8:57 ·       River City Widows, Chapter 1 – 23:52 ·       Riding the El – 42:55 Chris's Cocktail Pairings:  ·       Queen of Hearts (paired to Wonderlands' Mad Queen) – 7:20 ·       River City (paired to River City Widows, Chapter 1) – 21:41 ·       The El (paired to Riding the El) – 40:21 Interview Highlights:  ·       Building a career as an indie author – 15:08 ·       The Dad's Playbook to Labor and Delivery – 16:09 ·       The ghost at Lochranza Castle – 31:36 ·       PTSD: victimization, responsibility, blame and trauma – 36:07 ·       Stories of portals: are we seeking escape? – 48:40 ·       Houses as inspiration – 52:00   COMING NEXT MONTH: J.S. Absher is a poet, memoirist, and independent scholar. As a teetotaler—he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—he can't add much insight into brews, but he can hold his own when it comes to books. Stan's first full-length book of poetry, Mouth Work (St. Andrews University Press) won the 2015 Lena Shull Award from the North Carolina Poetry Society. Stan's second full-length book of poetry, Skating Rough Ground, was published in 2022 by Kelsay Press. Poems have recently been published or accepted by The McNeese Review, Mormon Lit Blitz, Triggerfish Critical Review, Irreantum, and Tar River Review and have won awards from BYU Studies Quarterly and the journal Dialogue. His poems have been nominated four times for the Pushcart Prize and twice for Best of the Net. He has also published an annotated editions of two memoirs written in the late 19th century by Ida Crumpler Beard.  He currently has two more projects underway. UPCOMING EVENTS: ·        Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: MUSIC; FAITH ·       Laura will be selling her books, premium rabbit fertilizer & more at the Morristown Farmer's Market, 130 W Morris Boulevar, Morristown, TN on April 13, June 7, and July 5 ·       See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk ·       See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE ·       Theresa will be at Wondercon in Anaheim: March 29-31 ·       LA Festival of Books: April 20-21 ·       Comic-Con Revolution in Ontario: May 18-19 ·       Comic-Con San Diego: July 25-28   Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Peter is the Author of 30 books, fiction and non-fiction and published on 4 continents. He is a resident expert and regular of Top 50 USA radio and TV markets including Fox, CBS, ABC, ESPN, Coast to Coast, iHeart and over 100 major radio and TV networks. Peter is a multi-award-winning, director, cinematographer, actor and producer on 7 continents Peter has written more than 800 articles (self-help and fiction) appearing in major news media world- wide He has been a university professor for 28 years, as well as being a psychologist, specializing in criminal psychology, sports psychology and addiction studies. www.peterandrewsacco.com Peter's Readings: ·       Gummer, the World's Last Toothless Vampire – 8:20 ·       Meeting a Vampire Actor – 27:43 ·       A Haunted Air BnB – 42:33 Chris's Cocktail Pairings:  ·       Bloody Maru (paired to Gummer) – 5:57 ·       Love Bite (paired to Meeting a Vampire Actor) – 26:00 ·       The Haunted Mansion (paired to A Haunted Air BnB) – 39:45 Interview Highlights:  ·       Jack the Ripper/criminal profiling – 15:40 ·       Music or criminal psychology? – 22:09 ·       Adventuring in Antarctica!? – 31:53 ·       Why are we drawn to vampires & zombies? – 34:03 ·       From author to TV show host – 47:17 ·       Scariest things seen--and why Peter quit the TV show – 48:29   COMING NEXT MONTH: Theresa Halvorsen is the author to the Dad's Playbook to Labor and Delivery and Warehouse Dreams and countless articles on pregnancy, birth and parenting. But her true love is speculative fiction. Theresa enjoys interacting with other writers and helps to produce a writing Podcast called the Semi Sages of the Pages She co-runs a writer's group in Temecula that meets once a month, and belongs to various critique groups.  UPCOMING EVENTS: ·        Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC ·       Laura will be selling her books, premium rabbit fertilizer & knit goods at Overhome Trading Post in ThornHill Tennessee, February 10, 2024 ·       See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Stephanie Sanders-Jacob is an author and artist from Sandusky, Ohio. Her alien abduction novel, Singing All the Way Up, debuted with No Bad Books Press in July 2023. Her short fiction has been featured by Books of Horror, Hearth & Coffin, Mixer, Mosaic, and Ether Arts. You can find her online at www.sandersjacob.com and her artwork at www.rabbitandrain.com  Stephanie's Readings: Things were better before I killed my dad – 8:28 Airship, 1897 – 28:51 Running from the fighting – 44:50   Chris's Cocktail Pairings: Freak Show (paired to Things were better before I killed my dad)– 6:18 Aviation (paired to Airship, 1897) – 25:35 International Incident (paired to Running from the fighting) – 42:32 Interview Highlights: Was Laura really abducted? Seeking truth in our own lives – 14:19 A story about UFOs — with universal themes – 15:36 Watershed years: coincidence...or more? – 31:26 Scientific theories on UFOs: Jung vs Vallee – 33:36 Stephanie's alien/UFO inspired jewelry – 39:25 Family, relationships, kindness, truth – 49:31 COMING NEXT MONTH: Peter Sacco, award-winning film producer, director, writer on 7 continents! UPCOMING EVENTS:  Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC. See www.gabrielshornpress.com/poetry-anthology  Laura —  Overhome Trading Post, February 10, 2024. See author page for details. www.facebook.com/laura.vosika.author  Books by multiple authors for sale Stephanie —  Punk Rock Flea Market Lorain: 4/28 at the soccer sportsplex in North Olmsted Punk Rock Flea Market Akron: 5/4 at the summit county fairgrounds Norwalk Public Library: date to be announced Find us at — www.booksandbrews.net www.lauravosika.com www.aperfectpint.net Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

M. B. (Michael) Zucker has been interested in storytelling for as long as he can remember. He devoted himself to historical fiction at fifteen and earned his B.A. at Occidental College and his J.D. at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He lives in Virginia with his family. He is the author of four novels: The Eisenhower Chronicles, A Great Soldier in the Last Great War, Theodore Roosevelt and the Hunt for the Liopleurodon, and The Middle Generation: A Novel of John Quincy Adams and the Monroe Doctrine. Among his honors is the Best Fictional Biography Award at the 2023 BookFest. www.mbzucker.com Michael's Readings: Meeting the Elder Adams – 8:53 The Holy Alliance – 27:53 JQA Helps an Enslaved Woman – 42:46 Chris's Cocktail Pairings: Old Gimlet Eye (paired to Meeting the Elder Adams)– 6:03 Hot Ale Flip (paired to The Holy Alliance) – 23:56 Mint Julep – 38:29 Interview Highlights: Parents and pressure to be president – 17:17 Can our country unite? – 21:50 Writing and publishing from age 14 – 20:05 Summing up the Monroe Doctrine – 33:03 Founding Fathers' intentions regarding slavery – 47:21 How JQA spent a night in the snow to find his brilliant idea – 52:06 COMING NEXT MONTH: Theresa Halvorsen, paranormal and pregnancy! UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

MJ Williams is the pen-name for the writing duo, Peggy Joque Williams and Mary Joy Johnson. Peggy is a freelance writer and book editor.    A retired elementary school teacher, Peggy has taught creative writing classes and workshops for Madison College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Continuing Studies. She is a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association, Sisters in Crime, and the Wisconsin Writers Association. She will be debuting her first solo historical novel, Courting the Sun: A Novel of Versailles, next May (2024), to be published by Black Rose Writing. Mary Joy is a retired professor of writing.  Together they co-wrote and independently published two mystery novels centering on Emily and Stan Remington who travel the country in their RV -- On the Road to Death's Door, a Wisconsin Library Association award winner, and On the Road to Where the Bells Toll. MJ's Readings: Surprise in the Rug – 11:29 An Explosive Fourth of July – 27:26 Calamity at Storrow Bridge – 43:10 Chris's Cocktail Pairings: When the Kids are Away (paired to Surprise in the Rug) – 8:39 Blue Independence (paired to An Explosive Fourth of July) – 24:10 The Boston (paired to Calamity at Storrow Bridge) – 39:43 Interview Highlights: How Non-RVers came to write about RVing – 16:45 Writing as a team – 19:50 Is Pelltier based on…? – 23:10 Using a historic event in fiction – 34:02 RV horror stories – 50:30 Daughters of the King – 53:10 COMING NEXT MONTH: MB Zucker, author of political and historical fiction UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

RALPH JARRELLS became an author after retirement from more than four decades in marketing, advertising, and publishing, much of it in senior executive positions. He writes mostly historical fiction with religious themes. His first book was published August 4, 2017 when he was 75—a great example that you're never too old to start a new chapter in your life.  His firth book, The Essential Last Supper debuted this month. Ralph's Readings:   ·       Three Kings – 11:55   ·      A Lady and a Pirate – 41:05   ·       Fighting Like a Little Girl – 46:55 Chris's Pairings:    ·      Goliath (paired to Three Kings) – 9:06   ·      Sweet Tea and Vodka (paired to A Lady and a Pirate) – 31:35   ·       Rum and Grog (paired to Fighting Like a Little Girl) – 46:55    Interview Highlights:    ·       Did Jesus & Judas know each other in Egypt? – 18:10   ·       Did he really do it for the money? – 21:48   ·       Lady vs Pirate – 41:05   ·       From the Bible to piracy – 42:31 COMING NEXT MONTH: MJ Williams, the sister-in-law mystery-writing team UPCOMING EVENTS:   ·        Gabriel's Horn is  accepting submissions for its anthology. This year's theme is: MUSIC  Our theme music is from www.bensound.com 

DAN COONAN has worn many hats through the years – Conference Commissioner, Athletic Director, CEO, Attorney, Novelist, Senior Congressional Campaign Advisor, Fundraiser, Nonprofit Chairman of the Board, College Adjunct Professor, Political Essayist, Youth Sports Coach, Bartender, Batting Practice Pitcher, Wedding Officiant, Dock Talk Facilitator, devoted husband and father.   His books are Presidential Spirits: Part history lesson, part magical realism these well-researched books imagine conversations of all 45 presidents in a saloon stocked with any drink you want, located above the private quarters of the White House and accessible only to presidents - and a few colorful wait staff- through a secret portal. Dan's Readings:   ·       First Night in the Secret Saloon – 9:58   ·      Teddy Roosevelt: a soft easy life is not worth living – 28:20   ·       FDR on Churchill – 48:13 Chris's Pairings:    ·      Manhattan (paired to First Night in the Secret Saloon) – 6:40   ·      Old Fashioned (paired to Teddy Roosevelt) – 25:29   ·       Bohemian (paired to FDR on Churchill) – 43:25    Interview Highlights:    ·       Beyond the basic plots – 14:50   ·       Author as main character – 21:49   ·       What would you ask presidents? – 23:58   ·       Carrie Nation axing the bars – 32:03   ·       CAN we come together? – 34:35   ·       Finding the positive in others – 53:07 COMING NEXT MONTH: Ralph Jarrels, religious-based fiction, Jesus and Judas, Best Friends Forever  UPCOMING EVENTS:   ·        Gabriel's Horn is  accepting submissions for its anthology. This year's theme is: MUSIC  Our theme music is from www.bensound.com 

KAREN ESSEX is an award winning, bestselling author of six books including Leonardo's Swans & Stealing Athena. She has recently co-written a pilot based on her two-volume novel, Kleopatra, for Netflix, which Lauren Hissrich, creator of The Witcher franchise, will executive produce. She adapted Anne Rice's The Mummy for James Cameron and Fox Studios and collaborated on adapting her novel Dracula in Love as a series for A&E Studios & Lifetime. She just completed a historical novel about the fabulous Gabor sisters, the first global fashion and glamour influencers, and she's determined to enjoy her summer. Karen's Readings:   ·       The Great Egyptian Parade –   ·       Seeking the Cat Killer –   ·       The Gabors in Desperate Times – Chris's Pairings:    ·      Winter Wine (paired to The Great Egyptian Parade) –   ·       Honey Mint Whiskey Smash (paired to Seeking the Cat Killer) –   ·       Forget Me Not (paired to The Gabors in Desperate Times) –    Interview Highlights:    ·       The importance of research –   ·       Cleopatra (Kleopatra) vs Liz Taylor –   ·       From costume design to VP of production! –   ·       Evil in the world–or evil in us? –   ·       The many marriages of the Gabor sisters –   ·       Alexandria in the Bay – COMING NEXT MONTH: Dan Coonan, Presidential Spirits in which our 45th president  UPCOMING EVENTS:   ·        Gabriel's Horn is  accepting submissions for its anthology. This year's theme is: MUSIC   ·       Check out Karen's upcoming trip with readers to the Italian sites in Leonardo's Swans  Our theme music is from www.bensound.com 

Military brat, voracious reader, and now writing books in her favorite genre, Patty Perrin who writes as PTL Perrin grew up in Europe and speaks several languages. A misfit by any account, Patty shares her love for people, Native cultures, our amazing world, alien encounters, astounding mysteries, and the Creator of it all in her writing. Author of Reflections of a Misfit, an inspirational collection of faith journey snippets, and the four-book TetraPhere series, Patty is working on another YA Scifi/Fantasy series. She enjoys living in Florida and loves her husband and her large and diverse family. Patty's Readings:   ·       The Warning – 9:30   ·       Terra's Call: Jewel – 25:10   ·       Reflections of a Misfit – 39:56 Chris's Pairings:    ·      Mind Eraser (paired to The Warning) – 6:49   ·       Chocolate Raspberry Martini (paired to Terra's Call: Jewel) – 22:20   ·       Summer on Corfu (paired to Reflections of a Misfit) – 38:18    Interview Highlights:    ·       Tetrachromats – 12:00   ·       Atlantis – 15:13   ·       A Night at Frankenstein's Castle – 31:46   ·       Best Marketing Practices – 34:35   ·       Mutli-lingual and...a new island? – 44:45   ·       Advice to Misfits – 48:19 COMING NEXT MONTH: Karen Essex, international best-selling author of historical fiction and more  UPCOMING EVENTS:   ·        Gabriel's Horn is  accepting submissions for its anthology. This year's theme is: MUSIC   ·       Laura will be giving a Pub Talk at the Kitchi-Gammi Club in Duluth  Our theme music is from www.bensound.com 

This month at Books & Brews, with Michael on sabbatical, Laura and Dr. Chris Powell visit Hoops Brewery in Duluth, MN. We talked with Bjorn Erickson, one of the brewers about brewing...and books. Bjorn had a great story about how he got from earning a degree in German to brewing beer. We talked about the blending of science and artistry, the hard parts of being a brewer, and the reasons Bjorn loves his job, and the numerous books and genres Bjorn reads. If you're in Duluth, we highly recommend stopping at Hoops Brewery, a family friendly place with lots of games for families and kids. You can bring your own food or get pretzels from Hoops with lots of great sauces. Hoops Brewery The Beer We Drank:  Laura -- 88 Stout Chris -- 5050 Hefeweizen Bjorn -- 889 Cream Ale Interview Highlights: Lake Superior, granite, and brewing -- 4:07 The road from a degree in German to brewing -- 8:45 On becoming a brewer -- 10:00 Telling a story with beer -- 14:08 Reading in High Middle German -- 27:34 The tour begins -- 41:42   COMING NEXT MONTH:  PTL Perrin is a military brat, voracious reader, and now writes books under the name PTL Perrin in her favorite genre, YA sci-fi/ fantasy. P.T.L. Perrin, grew up in Europe and speaks several languages.   UPCOMING EVENTS:  Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC DTBD: Laura will be giving a Pub Talk at the Kitchi-Gami Club in Duluth, MN Kitchi Gammi Club | Duluth's Premier Social Club Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

I grew up in Scotland, graduating from Edinburgh University with a degree in genetics. Back then, genetics was all about statistics and probability. So, I became a statistician until I took up the more chancy career of writing children's books. Exploring the Insect World was published nearly 50 years ago. I then switched to time-slip fantasies and historical fiction. I've written nature-activity books, biographies, and more books about insects, which I now look on as my true calling. I married an entomologist. When you share your home, and sometimes your refrigerator, with insects you realize they need an advocate in our world!  Margaret J. Anderson - Homepage (peak.org)  Margaret's Readings: ·        Dung Beetle/Scarab Beetle – 12:16 ·        Ollie Falls into Another Time – 26:52 ·        Saving the Duck or Destroying Books? – 42:12 Michael's Beer Pairings:  ·        Egyptian Process Brew, British Museum and Alpha Beta Brewery ([paired to Dung Beetle] – 8:27 ·        Belhaven Scottish Ale, Belhaven Brewery Company Ltd. (paired to Ollie Falls into Another Time) – 24:42 ·        Skull Splitter, Orkney Brewery (paired to Saving the Duck) – 40:37 Interview Highlights:  ·        Making the study of dung beetles INTERESTING! – 15:48 ·        Where did those character's names come from!? – 20:20 ·        Thoughts on Smailholm being restored since In the Keep of Time was written. – 31:07 ·        Why are we drawn to switching identities? – 35:21 ·        What really happened to Danny Duck? – 45:35 ·        Taking things in stride as an adult...good or bad? – 47:17 COMING NEXT MONTH: While Michael takes a hiatus, Laura and Chris will visit a local brewery. UPCOMING EVENTS:  ·        Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC ·        DTBD: Laura will be giving a Pub Talk at the Kitchi-Gami Club in Duluth, MN Kitchi Gammi Club | Duluth's Premier Social Club Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.  

Born and raised in west Michigan, Sharlene MacLaren attended Spring Arbor University. Upon graduating with an education degree, she taught second grade for two years then accepted an invitation to travel internationally for a year with a singing ensemble. In1975, she returned to teaching and married her childhood sweetheart. They've raised two lovely daughters, both of whom are now happily married and enjoying their own families. Retired since 2003 after 31 years of teaching, “Shar” loves to read, sing, travel, and spend time with her family, in particular her wonderful, adorable grandchildren.sharlenecaclaren.com Sharlene's Readings: ·       Dear Mr. Griffin – 9:30 ·       Calm Down! – 25:10 ·       Vandalism at the Church – 39:56 Michael's Beer Pairings:  ·       Sapporo Black Beer, Sapporo Breweries Ltd. (paired to Dear Mr. Griffin) – 6:49 ·       Hitachino Nest White Ale, Kiuchi Brewery (paired to Calm Down!) – 22:20 ·       Graffiti IPA, Dry County Brewing Company (paired to Vandalism at the Church) – 38:18 Interview Highlights:  ·       Can secrets ever really be kept? – 15:46 ·       The decision never to write historical fiction--how did it go! – 17:40 ·       From passing stories in high school to writing professionally. – 19:27 ·       Differing experiences with anti-Japanese prejudice after WWII – 30:39 ·       International singing tour! – 36:22 ·       Do we step down for all our mistakes? – 44:30 COMING NEXT MONTH: Margaret J. Anderson author of children's novels, the time travel that inspired Laura's own books, and non-fiction about bugs  UPCOMING EVENTS: ·        Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC ·       Laura will be selling her books AND chicken eggs (some so big the cartons can't shut) at Hoops Brewing for the first four Saturdays of April.  ·       Laura will be giving a Pub Talk at the Kitchi-Gammi Club in Duluth Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Elizabeth Tucker is a Distinguished Service Professor of English at Binghamton University who specializes in children's and adolescents' folklore, folklore of the supernatural, and legends. Her books include Campus Legends: A Handbook, Haunted Halls: Ghostlore of American College Campuses, Children's Folklore: A Handbook; Haunted Southern Tier; and New York State Folklife Reader: Diverse Voices, co-edited with Ellen McHale (2013). She is co-author of Legend Trips: A Contemporary Legend Handbook (2018). She has edited Children's Folklore Review and served as president of the International Society for Contemporary Legend Research and the Children's Folklore Section of the American Folklore Society; she is also a Fellow of the American Folklore Society. For several years she has written a column on play for the International Journal of Play. She loves to travel and go on legend trips. https://tinyurl.com/LibbyTucker   Elizabeth's Readings: ·        The Wedding Cake House – 11:14 ·        Minnehaha's Ghost – 25:49 ·        The Ghost in the Machine – 42:13 Michael's Beer Pairings: ·        Phantom Bride, Belching Beaver Brewery – 9:53 ·        Minnehaha, Iron Goat Brewing Company – 24:12 ·        Ghost in the Machine Double IPA, Parish Brewing Company – 40:39 Interview Highlights: ·        Suzie the ghostly bride—benevolent or malicious? – 14:00 ·        Why are stories of shadow creatures increasing? – 16:45 ·        Do campus ghost stories serve a function? ·        College increases belief in ghosts?! – 38:00 ·        Why call for the ghost of an angry woman? – 30:11 ·        Tina...the mischievous doll joins the program! – 49:03 COMING NEXT MONTH: Sharlene MacLaren UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.  

Eva Glyn writes emotional women's fiction inspired by beautiful places and the stories they hide. She loves to travel and her last trip before the covid lockdowns was to Croatia, where she met a man with an incredible story of growing up during the country's Homeland War in in 1990s. It inspired The Olive Grove, set on the island of Korcula. Two more Croatian novels have followed, both taking their inspiration from the Second World War. An Island of Secrets was published in 2022 and The Collaborator's Daughter will follow in 2023. Her books are published by Harper Collins imprint One More Chapter. Eva lives in Cornwall, although she considers herself Welsh, and has been lucky enough to have been married to the love of her life for more than twenty-five years. She also writes as Jane Cable www.janecable.com Jane's Readings: The Olive Grove – 14:24 An Island of Secrets – 27:51 The Collaborator's Daughter – 42:10 Michael's Beer Pairings: Saison Dekot, Vunetovo Craft Beer – 12:52 The Abyss, Deschutes Brewery – 25:59 Dark to the Core Imperial Stout, Collaboration of Abyss Brewery and Burning Sky Brewery – 40:46 Interview Highlights: How a tour guide led to a book – 21:32 Why use two author names? – 24:53 Tito and alliances in WWII – 33:37 Why some eras draw us more than others – 37:08 "The past isn't always what it seems." – 50:05 "Men are not one thing; they are many things." – 52:43 COMING NEXT MONTH: Elizabeth 'Libby' Tucker, folklore UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Jen Gilroy writes women's fiction for Orion Dash and sweet western romance for Harlequin Heartwarming—uplifting stories about women finding home, family and new beginnings–and finding themselves too. She's a Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist and was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Joan Hessayon award. A dual British-Canadian citizen, Jen lived in England for many years and earned a doctorate in geography, focusing on British cultural studies and social history, from University College London. She worked in higher education and marketing before becoming a full-time writer. She now lives in small-town Ontario, Canada with her husband, teenage daughter and floppy-eared rescue hound. When not writing, she enjoys reading, ballet and paddling her purple kayak. www.jengilroy.com Jen's Readings: Tearing up the Ticket – 12:53 ..Surprise! – 27:11 From Canadian Schoolgirl to French spy – 42:07 Michael's Beer Pairings: Ominous, Bad Weather Brewing Company (paired to Tearing up the Ticket) – 11:03 Fuller's London Pride, Fuller, Smith & Turner (paired to DNA…Surprise!) – 25:02 KEREL Bière de Garde, Verbeeck-Back-De Cock Brewery (paired to From Canadian Schoolgirl to French Spy) – 39:01 Interview Highlights: How an elderly aunt's “What if?” led to a book – 19:03 RAF 'Sweetheart Jewelry' – 22:56 How often do DNA tests shock people? – 31:18 Ballet! -- Does Jen dance or watch? – 37:23 Researching the French Resistance – 47:01 Coming back to writing – 51:15 COMING NEXT MONTH: Eva Glyn, romance and relationships UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Christina Courtenay writes historical romance, time slip and time travel stories, and lives in Herefordshire (near the Welsh border) in the UK. Although born in England, she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden – hence her abiding interest in the Vikings. Christina is a former chairman of the UK's Romantic Novelists' Association and has won several awards, including the RoNA for Best Historical Romantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan (2014) and the RNA Fantasy Romantic Novel of the year 2021 with Echoes of the Runes.  Hidden in the Mists (timeslip/dual time romance published by Headline Review 18th August 2022) is her latest novel. Christina is a keen amateur genealogist and loves history and archaeology (the armchair variety). Christina Courtenay Christina's Readings: Battle at Orkneyjar, 883 AD – 15:04 Skye Sees a Ghost, present day – 28:40 Ottarr Catches Asta Burying Treasures, 880 AD – 45:10 Michael's Beer Pairings:  Camelot Mead, Oliver Winery & Vineyards (paired to Battle at Orkneyjar) – 11:52 First Call, Modist Brewing Company (paired to Skye Sees a Ghost) – 25:29 Empty Rowboat, Lake Monster Brewing Company (paired to Ottarr Catches Asta Burying Treasures) – 41:47 Interview Highlights:  Genealogy and wonky family lines! – 9:55 The appeal of time travel and dual time stories – 21:17 Vikings and Old Norse – 24:30 Life on a farm – 32:32 Sheep and trombones?! – 33:47 Our judgments on others – 49:17 COMING NEXT MONTH: Jen Gilroy, author of romance and women's fiction UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Connie Kinsey is a former military brat who has put down deep roots in a converted barn on a dirt road at the top of a hill in West Virginia. She lives with two dogs and a cat, and is pursuing happiness, one cup of coffee at a time. Primarily a memoirist, the events of her life permeate her work. Her fiction is sometimes described as autofiction because it incorporates autobiography in a fictionalized form with endings far from the truth of what really happened. In January of 2021, Connie was thrilled to be selected as one of two Writers-in-Residence for the Museum of the American Military Family & Learning Center. She works full-time with a children's nonprofit.  wvfurandroot.com Facebook wvfurandroot.com Connie's Readings: Redemption – 13:05 Being a Brat – 28:30 Chapter 5 from Black Fishnets and Combat Boots – 43:36 Michael's Beer Pairings: Grapefruit Supreme, Surly Brewing Company (paired to Redemption) – 10:38 Crunkle Sam Barleywine, Clown Shoes (paired to Being a Brat) – 25:32 Budweiser, ABInBev (paired to Chapter 5 from Black Fishnets and Combat Boots) – 40:55 Interview Highlights: Faulkner chicks and Tennessee Williams chicks! – 16:52 And what about Appalachian chicks? – 19:11 Why West Virginia? – 23:17 The effects of growing up military – 36:08 The Museum of the American Military Family – 36:48 The story behind Black Fishnets – 48:24 Writing dark comedy—humor with a serious message – 53:55 COMING NEXT MONTH:  Christina Courtenay, author of historical fiction, time slip, and time travel UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Robert Bidinotto is author of the bestselling Dylan Hunter vigilante thriller series. Robert's debut novel, HUNTER, soared to the top of the Kindle bestseller list and was a Wall Street Journal “Top 10 Fiction Ebook.” Its sequel, BAD DEEDS, became a #1 Audible thriller. The third installment in the series is the gripping political suspense novel WINNER TAKES ALL. Before turning to fiction, Robert produced decades of award-winning nonfiction journalism. He earned a national reputation as an authority on crime while writing investigative articles for Reader's Digest. One of those was named a finalist for a National Magazine Award, by the American Society of Magazine Editors. Robert also wrote two acclaimed nonfiction books about criminal justice. As editor of The New Individualist magazine, he won the prestigious Folio gold “Eddie” Award, for editorial excellence. Robert lives on the Chesapeake Bay, where he is writing the further adventures of Dylan Hunter. www.bidinotto.com Robert's Readings: The Funeral – 12:02 from Bad Deeds – 29:05 from Winner Takes All – 46:08 Michael's Beer Pairings: Dead Guy Ale, Rogue Ales (paired to The Funeral) – 9:47 A Little Crazy, Revolution Brewing (paired to Bad Deeds) – 26:14 Bomb!, Prairie Artisan Ales (paired to Winner Takes All) – 42:48 Interview Highlights: Why Robert didn't narrate! – 16:33 Good people, bad deeds, and enablers – 18:48 The vigilante character in history – 35:02 Dylan Hunter--a different sort of vigilante – 37:30 The genesis of Dylan Hunter – 50:09 On justice – 54:13 COMING NEXT MONTH:  Connie Kinsey, memoirist and Writers-in-Residence for the Museum of the American Military Family & Learning Center. UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Nancie Laird Young grew up as an Army BRAT and traveled with her family across the United States, Europe and the Far East. Eventually she grew up, married (twice), had three great daughters, and various careers in human services, academic administration, advocacy for people with disabilities. These led to contributions to books and magazine articles about the Internet, which eventually led to positions in Community/Social Media Management, Content Development, and Strategy at WashingtonPost.com, Edmunds.com, LifetimeTV.com, and AOL/Time Warner among others. After leaving the corporate world she moved to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, presumably to care for her aging father. The story of how she reconnected with her father and rediscovered herself is the topic of her memoir Tea with Dad, Finding Myself in My Father's Life (Green Writers Press/Green Place Books, June 2021). Young is principle among others in the formation of a new small, independent press expected to open for submissions in late 2023. www.nancielairdyoung.com Nancie's Readings: Moving Home from the Prologue – 11:54 No More Baseball – 27:37 About the Heart – 42:01 Michael's Beer Pairings: Free the Bib, Lift Bridge Brewery (paired to Moving Home) – 9:22 Twins Pils, Summit Brewing Company (paired to No More Baseball) – 25:16 Shock Top, ABInBev, (Paired to About the Heat) – 40:47 Interview Highlights: Compromising—again – 18:35 Thinking about death – 33:05 A good life--being satisfied – 47:05 Getting to know our parents – 51:08 COMING NEXT MONTH: Robert Bidinotto, Vigilante Author UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Release of Saint in the Cellar by Laura Vosika and Chris R. Powell, available in print, ebook, and hard cover. Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Meet award-winning author Janet Raye Stevens – mom, reader, tea-drinker (okay, tea guzzler), and weaver of smart, stealthily romantic tales. A Derringer Award finalist, Janet's work has been recognized multiple times, including winning the Daphne du Maurier award for the WWII-set paranormal A Moment After Dark and RWA's Golden Heart® award for the fun and flirty holiday romance Cole for Christmas. Janet writes mystery, time travel, paranormal, and the occasional Christmas romance with humor, heart, and a dash of suspense. She lives in New England with her husband, who's practically perfect in every way, and their various family members, all geniuses and good-looking to boot. janetrayestevens.com Readings: To the Rooming House from Beryl Blue, Time Cop – 14:04 At the Nightclub with the Soldiers from Beryl Blue, Time Cop – 27:18 A Moment After Dark – 44:18 Michael's Beer Pairings: Northern Standard, Fulton Beer (paired to To the Rooming House) – 11:41 Coors Banquet, Coors Brewing Company (paired to At the Nightclub with the Soldiers) – 24:40 Saporro Premium Beer, Sapporo (paired to A Moment After Dark) – 41:30 Interview Highlights: A childhood immersed in WWII – 18:52 What was good about the 1940s? – 19:39 The Day My Teacher Wore a Miniskirt to School – 32:18 Why do some wars get more fictional attention than others? – 38:22 Why a mortician with paranormal gifts? – 49:43 Getting into the minds of others – 53:35 COMING NEXT MONTH: Nancie Laird Young, Author of Tea with Dad: Finding Myself in My Father's Life UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Release of Saint in the Cellar by Laura Vosika and Chris R. Powell, available in print, ebook, and hard cover. Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Janelle Molony, M.S.L. is a family historian, an award-winning non-fiction author, and news journalist. Jodi Nasch Decker, Ed.D. is a college professor and freelance writer. Together, they provide interpretation and context for the poet Martha Nasch's alleged seven year fast and 1920's insane asylum stay. SevenYearsInsane   Readings: News Reports on Martha Nasch's Seven Year Fast – 13:59 Force Feeding in the Asylum – 24:56 The Asylum, a poem by Martha Nasch – 40:09 Michael's Beer Pairings: Celebrator Doppelbock, Privatbrauerei Ayinger (paired to News Reports) – 11:02 CPB, Lupulin Brewing Company (paird to Force Feeding in the Asylum) – 23:32 The Abyss, Deschutes Brewing Company (paired to The Asylum) – 39:23 Interview Highlights: How Jodi and Janelle came to write about poems from an asylum – 15:37 How Martha ended up in the Asylum – 18:23 Going viral, 1934-style – 21:33 Martha not eating – 28:23 The husband who committed her: villain or victim? – 33:10 Life after an asylum – 41:47 Happy times in an asylum – 48:20 Crossing war-torn country in a wheelchair with Wyatt Earp's father – 53:20 COMING NEXT MONTH: Janet Raye Stevens, time travel UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Release of Saint in the Cellar by Laura Vosika and Chris R. Powell, available in print, ebook, and hard cover. Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Linda C. Wisniewski is a former librarian who shares an empty nest with her retired scientist husband in Doylestown, PA. Linda teaches memoir workshops and produces webinars for the Pearl S. Buck Writing Center.  She was born in Amsterdam, New York and is a graduate of SUNY at Buffalo and the library school at Villanova University. Her work includes fiction, memoir and personal essays and has been published in numerous literary magazines and anthologies both print and online. Her credits include publications as diverse as the Philadelphia Inquirer, Massage, The Quilter, the Christian Science Monitor, gravel and Foliate Oak. Linda worked as a reporter and columnist for the Bucks County Women's Journal and the Bucks County Herald. She has won fiction and essay contests from the Wild River Review, the Pearl S. Buck Writing Center, Mom Writers Literary Magazine, and the Story Circle Network and her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Linda's memoir, Off Kilter: A Woman's Journey to Peace with Scoliosis, Her Mother and Her Polish Heritage was published in 2008 by Pearlsong Press. Her novel, Where the Stork Flies, was published in 2021 by Sand Hill Review Press.  www.lindawis.com. Linda's Readings: Meeting Regina – 16:11 Seeking a Way Back Through Time – 29:27 Kat in Regina's Time – 42:59 Michael's Beer Pairings: My. Grodz., Fair State Brewing Cooperative (paired to Meeting Regina) – 10:53 Mysterious Black Madonna, Ambrose Cellars (paired to Seeking a Way Back Through Time) – 24:57 Saison d'Epeautre, La Brasserie de Blaugies (paired to Kat in Regina's Time) – 40:35 Interview Highlights: How Polish ancestry and the family tree led to a book different from expected – 22:15 The stork in Polish folklore – 27:21 The significance of the Mermaid – 34:04 Women then and now: Whose life was harder? – 35:39 Putting our lives into fiction--deliberate or not? – 47:48 Seeing our lives through an image as metaphor – 53:22 COMING NEXT MONTH: Loretta Livingstone, time travel author UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Release of Saint in the Cellar by Laura Vosika and Chris R. Powell Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Ilona Parunakova is an author, diversity and inclusion speaker, and founder and CEO of IP Resilience Global and Identity Guru. She penned the best-selling books Opium of the Almond Tree, Am I Godfident, Unfiltered, Unleashed, Unapologetic, Royal Grand Berries, Success without Apology, and In the Front Line with Royal Warriors. Additionally, she has published the International Project book Godfident Voices and the children's book Bella's Butterfly. Parunakova is a TEDx international speaker who brings encouragement to audiences whenever she walks on stage. Parunakova is a direct descendant of survivors of the Armenian Genocide during World War I. She herself survived wartime in the Republic of Georgia after the collapse of the USSR. Parunakova also endured ethnic discrimination, experiencing mocking and rejection by family members, and denied admission to universities.  Through it all, she has succeeded in transforming the obstacles of war, loss, and the struggle to fit in into her superpowers. Parunakova's Christian faith has been instrumental to her survival. It allowed her to see things from a positive perspective—that no matter what happens, God will always be in control of her destiny. She introduces herself unapologetically as God's Masterpiece and puts God as a CEO of her life. IP Resilience Ilona's Readings: Not Naturally Ambitious – 10:50 Beauty of the Woman – 29:02 Identity and Society – 45:29 Michael's Beer Pairings:  90 Shilling, Odell Brewing Company (paired to Not Naturally Ambitious) – 7:34 Pilsner Urquell, Plzeňský Prazdroj (paired to Beauty of the Woman) – 25:55 Chimay Grande Réserve, Abbaye de Scourmont (paired to Identity and Society) – 41:10 Interview Highlights:  Optimism after war, earthquake, cold, hunger, and discrimination – 20:22 Beauty pageant won and yet there are obstacles! – 30:41 What is inner beauty? – 35:35 A mother's influence – 38:56 Identity and Legacy – 47:20 Keys to Success/Building a strong identity – 51:04 COMING NEXT MONTH: Marian McCarthy, novelist, memoirist, short story writer. UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Award-winning contemporary romance author Sadira Stone spins steamy, smoochy tales set in small businesses—a quirky bookstore, a neighborhood bar, a vintage boutique… Her stories highlight found family, friendship, and the sizzling chemistry that pulls unlikely partners together. When she emerges from her writing cave in Las Vegas, Nevada (which she seldom does), she can be found in belly dance class, or strumming her ukulele, perhaps exploring the West with her charming husband, or cooking up a storm, and always gobbling all the romance books. Sadira's promise to readers: a guaranteed HEA and no cliffhangers! www.sadirastone.com   Sadira's Readings: Christmas Re-Kindled, Bangers Tavern Romance #1 – 16:03 Opposites Ignite, Bangers Tavern Romance #2 – 32:42 Delicious Heat, Bangers Tavern Romance #3 – 41:22 Michael's Beer Pairings: Bell's Amber, Bell's Brewery (paired to Christmas Re-Kindled) – 12:55 Grainbelt Nordeast, August Schell Brewing Company (paired to Opposites Ignite) – 30:35 Dale's Pale Ale, Oskar Blues Brewery (paired to Delicous Heat) – 39:26 Interview Highlights: From Cozy Mystery to Romance – 27:45 Most romantic date ever? – 29:09 On using pseudonyms – 37:44 How writers get started – 38:40 Do you believe in love at first sight? – 46:16 Influences and inspirations – 47:19 Best thing about writing/hitting the zone – 50:03 Advice to aspiring writers – 51:00 COMING NEXT MONTH: Motivational speaker Ilona Parunakova. UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Sloane Steele is the pen name for Shannyn Schroeder. As Sloane, her Counterfeit Capers series of heist romances are her love letter to the TV show Leverage. As Shannyn, she writes contemporary romances about big families, both those created by blood and by choice. Her books are set in the city of Chicago because having grown up there and lived near the city her whole life, she writes what she knows. Shannyn is a part-time English teacher, part-time curriculum editor, and full-time mom, even though her kids are pretty self-sufficient teens. In her down time, she bakes cookies, reads romance, and watches far too much TV. shannynschroeder.com Shannyn's Readings: It Takes a Thief – 13:53 Catch Your Breath, O' Leary Family #4 – 25:37 My Forever Plus-One, Daring Divorcees – 42:08 Michael's Beer Pairings: Grain Belt Premium, August Schell Brewing Company (paired to It Takes a Thief) – 9:12 Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale, Lagunitas Brewing Company (paired to Catch Your Breath) – 23:26 Family Drama, Flying Dog Brewery (paired to My Forever Plus-One) – 40:15 Interview Highlights: The good thieves – 18:44 The name behind the beer (or What goes on in breweries?) – 23:52 Finding time to write with kids – 38:00 What is the attraction of reading about big families? – 32:14 Conflict in romance--when you're with your best friend? – 48:24 Using two author names – 51:37 COMING NEXT MONTH: Sadira Stone, Romance Author. UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Christine Madline Ellsworth, has just released her first book of poetry, published by Potter's Wheel Publishing. Here is a collection of poems tracing the arc of transition in a contemporary woman's life. From childhood fascinations to adult issues such as domestic violence, marriage and divorce, Ellsworth shares many relatable experiences. Ellsworth holds BA and MA degrees in English literature from Moorhead State University Moorhead and Marquette University, respectively. She is a member of the Jackpine Writer's Bloc and her poetry has appeared in issues of The Talking Stick. Her work has also appeared in Moorhead State University's Red Weather, and the South Dakota State Poetry Society's Pasque Petals. She is currently working toward certification as a certified applied poetry therapy facilitator through the International Federation of Biblio-Poetry Therapy (ifbt.org). Ellsworth was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and currently lives in Wyndmere, North Dakota with her Blue Heeler and two cats. This book is available in print and Kindle versions on Amazon. The author is available for book signings and poetry events both electronic and in person. christinemadlineellsworth.com Christine's Readings: What to Wear While Saving France – 13:01 Kitchen Table – 30:21 Rembrandt's Light – 43:40 Michael's Beer Pairings: Bubble Daze IPA, Urban Growler Brewing Company (paired to What to Wear While Saving France) – 9:58 Saison Dupont, Brasserie Dupont (paired to Kitchen Table) – 25:21 Weihenstephaner Korbinian, Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan (paired to Rembrandt's Light) – 40:02 Interview Highlights: How reading poetry can save the world – 16:34 Importance of poetry for mental development – 17:42 Transformation as the residual effect of poetry – 23:32 What makes a good poem? – 32:26 How to draw in a reader through poetry – 36:26 The fascinating life of Rembrandt – 47:58 Transformation of a person or the transformative power of art? – 50:54 COMING NEXT MONTH: Shannyn Schroeder UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Sandy Hanna is an award-winning author for her memoir “The Ignorance of Bliss: An American Kid in Saigon,” a true coming-of-age story about growing up in Vietnam in the early 60s. She current resides in Lambertville, New Jersey. As a military BRAT (British Regiment Attached Transfer) her story reveals a turbulent time where politics and intrigue resided between plot and counterplot and where, as children, she and her siblings lived in the continuous present - perhaps the only way children can live. Ms. Hanna graduated from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois with a BA in Interdisciplinary Programs in Science and Literature and University of Massachusetts with a MED in the Biology of Cognition. Her background is one of working with children and designing learning environment for museums, theme parks, and communities. However, she sees herself as a life-time storyteller and artist. Sandyhanna.net Sandy Readings: Witnessing the Coup – 9:35 Baby Powder & Hershey Bars – 28:27 Brink's Bomb – 43:44 Michael's Beer Pairings: Maximus Colossal IPA, Lagunitas Brewing Company (paired to Witnessing the Coup) – 7:34 Young's Double Chocolate Stout, Eagle Brewery (paired to Baby Powder & Hershey Bars) – 25:46 Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier, Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan (paired to Brink's Bomb) – 40:24 Harvey Weissbanger Recipe 1 oz. Galliano 2 oz. Orange Juice 6 oz. Weissbier Fill a collins glass with ice. Add the Galliano and orange juice. Top with Weissbier. Garnish with orange peel. Interview Highlights: Did you take it for granted you survived a shooting spree? – 15:34 The Dragon Lady and Colonel Sam's Expose – 19:12 Did your brother's basketball start the Vietnam War? – 23:26 Everything in life lies in acceptance – 35:26 Military kids taking control in an out-of-control world – 36:58 Military transport to Saigon – 51:05 COMING NEXT MONTH: Christine Madline Ellsworth, poet and 1st time novelist UPCOMING EVENTS:  Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Laura will be signing books Sunday, November 7, 2 to 5 pm at Maple Grove Lutheran Church, 9251 Elm Creek Blvd N, Maple Grove, MN. Several other authors from Night Writers will also be signing books. Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Christine Husom is a national best-selling author from Minnesota. She pens the suspenseful Winnebago County Mysteries and the cozy, but not too cozy, Snow Globe Shop Mysteries where bad guys demonstrate not everyone is “Minnesota Nice.” She also has stories in many anthologies. Husom served with the Wright County Sheriff, is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime and is active with the Twin Cities chapter. She loves meeting readers at a variety of venues and events. www.christinehusom.com Christine's Readings: Death in Lionel's Woods – 33:47 Secret in Whitetail Lake – 26:11 Frosty the Dead Man – 41:36 Michael's Beer Pairings: Oktoberfest, Indeed Brewing Company (paired to Death in Lionel's Woods) – 5:37 Helles Schlenkerla Lagerbier, HellerBräu Trum KG (paired to Secret in Whitetail Lake) – 24:20 Bourbon Barrel Quad, Boulevard Brewing Company (paired to Frosty the Dead Man) – 39:16 Interview Highlights: From Sheriff's Office to Author – 16:21 Writing from things seen at the sheriff's office – 18:23 Researching for a crime novel – 19:35 Character-driven vs plot driven – 34:29 Readers' views of Minnesota – 36:12 Writing mysteries vs writing other fiction – 50:18 COMING NEXT MONTH: Sandy Hanna, Memoirs of military life UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Nicole Burnham is the RITA Award-winning author of over twenty romance novels, including the popular Royal Scandals series. As an army brat, Nicole was raised moving around the world. She still travels abroad whenever she can score cheap airfare and loves that it feeds her writing. If Nicole isn't at her keyboard, she is happiest spending time at Fenway Park or trail running. www.nicoleburnham.com   Nicole's Readings (read by Hollis McCarthy): Scandal with a Prince (Megan Hears a Voice) – 12:32 Slow Tango with a Prince (Emily Finds Vittorio) – 26:02 To Kiss a King (Expert Advice) – 45:31 Michael's Beer Pairings:  Sofie, Goose Island Beer Company (paired to Scandal with a Prince) – 10:33 Tango, Wyerbacher Brewing Company (paired to Emily Finds Vittorio) – 23:28 Ola Dub Special Reserve 40, Harviestoun Brewery Ltd. (paired to Expert Advice) – 42:45 Interview Highlights:  Struck by a voice – 14:10 What drew you to royalty? – 18:48 A man's point of view vs. a woman's point of view in romance – 30:04 Identical twins – 33:28 Law degree and writing romance – 35:35 Emotional focus of romance novels – 50:25 Fictional kingdom vs. a real kingdom – 53:02 Growing up military and writing – 54:58 COMING NEXT MONTH: Christine Husom, mystery author UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Jeff LaFerney was a full-time language arts teacher in Davison, Michigan, for 30 years. After coaching basketball for most of his career, he decided to write books instead and took on his new hobby. Now he spends his free time reading, writing, and editing books. He and his beautiful wife have two adult children. His Clay and Tanner Thomas series focuses on a father and son team who use parapsychological abilities to solve mysteries. Jumper is a time-travel science fiction adventure. Lost and Found, is a unique mystery/treasure hunt with ties to World War II history. His latest, Planer, is the sequel to Jumper, his best-selling novel. He has a blog called The Red Pen where he usually infuses humor to share about himself or to give inspiration or writing tips. jefflaferney.blogspot.com Jeff's Readings: Loving the Rain – 13:28 Lost and Found – 30:22 Jumper – 43:35 Michael's Beer Pairings:  Union Jack IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Company (paired to Loving the Rain) – 10:50 Foggy Geezer, War Pigs Brewing & 3 Floyds Brewing (paired to Lost and Found) – 27:22 Wonderstuff, Bauhaus Brew Labs (paired to Jumper) – 40:55 Interview Highlights:  What led to the very strong disclaimer that your work is fiction! – 22:15 Mixing secular and faith – 23:52 What's historical, what's not – 38:19 Research on time travel – 49:11 Dropping crumbs that readers want to follow – 51:54 How to hook the reader – 54:30 COMING NEXT MONTH: Nicole Burnham, romance author UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Ernie Brill writes fiction and poetry about everyday people. His I Looked Over Jordan and Other Stories explores race and class among hospital workers. The actress Ruby Dee purchased, adapted, and performed the story Crazy Hattie Enters Ice Age for her and her husband's PBS TV series “With Ruby and Ossie.” Brill won a New York State Council for The Arts Fiction Grant. He received his BA and MA in English from San Francisco State College. Brill has published widely fiction, poetry and essays in the US and Canada (River Styx, Other Voices, Z, U. of Minnesota, Prentice Hall Ontario Canada. Favorite writers include Virginia Woolf, Richard Wright, Mahmoud Darwish, Hyseoon Kim, Gwendolyn Brooks, Sterling A. Brown, Pedro Pietri, Pablo Neruda. Active Muse Ernie's Readings: Intake – 9:55 End of Faculty Meeting – 27:13 Longshore – 42:31 Michael's Beer Pairings:  Commander 2018, Lift Bridge Brewery (paired to Intake) – 6:33 Caked and Layered, Pipeworks Brewing (paired to End of Faculty Meeting) – 24:22 Arbeiter Bier, Arbeiter Brewing Company (paired to Longshore) – 38:51 Interview Highlights:  How a chapbook about hospitals came to be – 12:30 A short story on PBS "With Ossie and Ruby" – 17:50 Buzz words at Meetings – 29:38 Early advocacy for multicultural literature – 30:37 The value of art to society – 46:56 How our life's work may hurt us – 49:20 COMING NEXT MONTH: Jeff LaFerney, YA author of time travel and sci-fi UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Eugenia Fain is an author of poetry and prose.  She is also a songwriter and available on Amazon and Spotify.  Eugenia has forty years of experience in writing.  She is a preschool teacher and tutor. She is published here and abroad; she is considered an international author.  Eugenia is featured in several anthologies.  She is published online, in print, ebook, and audiobook form.  She has no children of her own; but she resides in Columbia, SC with her husband, Ivan, and tabby cat, Buddy.  Allpoetry.com   Eugenia's Readings: Immortality, a glose poem – 13:12 A Song of Despair, a viator poem – 29:29 Dancing, a masnavi poem – 43:22 Michael's Beer Pairings: Course Correct, Pryes Brewing Company (paired to Immortality) – 11:45 Dark Truth Imperial Stout, Boulevard Brewing Company (paired to A Song of Despair) – 26:51 Black Ale, Bent Paddle Brewing Company (paired to Dancing) – 39:41 Interview Highlights: Glose poems: which comes first, the poem or the idea? – 17:35 Published in Norton's Anthology at 11 – 24:17 Being positive vs admitting difficulty – 33:09 The complexity of forms – 36:56 Why love? – 45:05 Where do you hope your work is 100 years from now? – 50:29 COMING NEXT MONTH: Ernie Brill, poet UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology. Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

USA Today bestselling author Melonie Johnson―aka #thewritinglush―enjoys cheap wine, expensive beer, and sipping cocktails that start with the letter m. Declared a “writer to watch” by Kirkus and a “fizzy, engrossing new voice” by Entertainment Weekly, her smart funny contemporary romances include Too Good to Be Real and her award-winning Sometimes in Love debut series: Getting Hot with the Scot, Smitten by the Brit, and Once Upon a Bad Boy. A former high school English and Theatre teacher, she spends her days in her Star Wars office, dreaming up meet-cutes. She lives in Chicagoland with her husband, their two redhead daughters, and one very large dog. Meloniejohnson.com Melonie's Readings: Too Good to be Real – 13:52 Getting Hot with the Scot – 27:05 Smitten by the Brit – 44:44 Michael’s Beer Pairings: Sea Quench Ale, Dogfish Head Brewery (paired to Too Good to be Real) – 11:05 Old Chub, Oskar Blues Brewery (paired to Getting Hot with the Scot) – 24:53 Lager, Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Beer Americano Cocktail (paired to Smitten by the Brit) – 39:23 Beer Americano Recipe 5 oz. Campari 5 oz. Sweet Vermouth 3 oz. Lager Beer Fill a collins glass with ice. Add the Campari and vermouth. Froth the beer using an Aerolatteor immersion blender and pour into the glass. Garnish with an orange peel. Interview Highlights: Easter Eggs vs Tropes – 21:20 Boozy Book Broads – 22:42 Winks & Nods – 36:34 The author in the characters – 52:54 COMING NEXT MONTH: Eugenia Fain, poet UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology. Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Philip Watling lives in Milton Keynes, England with his American wife and their amazing cats, Spirit and Shadow. Unable to work, he still manages to do some… a zero-hour contract job that he can dip in and out of when he feels up to it! When not doing that, much of his week is spent at the gym, swimming and talking to everyone – socializing with people in the city center, seeing friends at various church-sponsored lunch clubs and chatting to lots of people - on line and off - trying to help as many as he can. His remaining time is spent playing with the cats, caring for his wife and volunteering at a local community fridge. philipwatling Amazon Mardibooks Facebook    Philip's Readings (Read by Chris Powel): Intro – 11:55 Hit by a Bus – 24:52 Falling out of bed – 43:25 Michael’s Beer Pairings: Fuller’s London Porter, Fuller’s Brewery (paired to Intro) – 8:09 Fuller’s London Pride, Fuller’s Brewery (paired to Hit by a Bus) – 21:45 Provider, Steel Toe Brewing (paired to Falling out of Bed) – 36:46 Interview Highlights: The coincidence that saved a life – 13:29 The dream job with horses – 16:05 How long can a person be dead? – 18:37 Reassessing values – 30:11 Goal in writing this book – 54:37 COMING NEXT MONTH: Freida Kilmari, fantasy author UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology. Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Cynthia Kraack is an author of fiction, short stories and nonfiction. 40 Thieves on Saipan was released by Regnery History in 2020 and received Best Book in Military History from the American Book Festival. The High Cost of Flowers won two 2014 Midwest Book Awards taking first in Literary Fiction and Contemporary Fiction. Her debut work, Minnesota Cold, won the 2009 Northeastern Minnesota Book Award for Fiction. She also wrote the Ashwood trilogy, a speculative fiction family saga. The Saturday Evening Post, Glimmer Train, Big Muddy Literary Journal and the Hal Prize competition have published or recognized her short stories. She has an MFA from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast Program in Creative Writing. She is a founding board member of Write On, Door County. Cynthiakraack.com Facebook Joseph Tachovsky is the son of Lieutenant Frank Tachovsky, commanding officer of the 40 Thieves. Tachovsky knew nothing of his father’s heroic past beyond that he was a Marine in the Pacific until his father’s funeral in 2011. A eulogy was given in which a man recounted a story a wherein Lieutenant Tachovsky “saved every man in our unit” from a Japanese tank. This set him on a journey to discover everything he could about his father and the 40 Thieves. Tachovsky is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and currently resides in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. 40thievessaipan.com Facebook Cynthia and Joseph's Readings: Four Woodpeckers – 13:48 Arello and Duley – 29:48 Pacts & Premonitions – 41:59 Michael’s Beer Pairings:  Coastal Sunshine Fruited Sour, Humble Forager Brewery (paired to Four Woodpeckers) – 10:00 Budweiser, Anheuser-Busch InBev (paired to Arello and Duley) – 25:56 Old Rasputin, North Coast Brewing Company (paired to Pacts & Premonitions) – 40:31 Interview Highlights:  The hardest part of writing such a book – 23:09 Why does it matter to tell the story of the 40 Thieves? – 24:52 Origins of the name “40 Thieves” – 35:18 Rivalry and stereotypes among the branches – 36:30 The Thieves as old men – 38:00 Do you believe in premonitions? – 47:42 What gives a 21-year-old the courage to face death? – 50:27 Lingering impacts of war – 52:58 COMING NEXT MONTH: Philip Watling: The car hit me....I died.... UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.