Speaking of Writers

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Welcome to Speaking of Writers. Veteran broadcaster Steve Richards interviews local, regional and best selling authors. You can hear Speaking of Writers every Sunday morning at 6am on these Townsquare Media radio stations in Albany NY. 107.7 WGNA-FM, Q103 @103.5 and 103.9, Hot 99.1, ALT 105.7 and 10…

Steve Richards


    • May 28, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 14m AVG DURATION
    • 541 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Speaking of Writers

    Jamie Ogle- As Sure As the Sea

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 14:42


    Once she denied everything she believed in.Now she'd give anything to choose differently. But in the shadow of the Roman Empire's persecution and the shame of her past, she fears that what she wants most will be forever out of reach. Jamie Ogle is a pre-dawn writer,homeschool mom by day, and a reader by night. Inspired by her fascination with the storied history of faith, she writes historical fiction infused with hope, adventure, and courageous rebels. A Minnesota native, she now lives in Iowa with her husband and their three children, and she can usually be found gardening, beekeeping, and tromping through the woods.For more info on the book click HERE

    Michael Vorenberg- Lincoln's Peace

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2025 29:12


    In the standard narrative, the Civil War ended atAppomattox Court House, with Robert E. Lee surrendering to Ulysses S. Grant. That surrender is an icon of American history and culture—a peaceful, conciliatory completion of a country's most brutal conflict. The Appomattox surrender was an ending, to be sure. But only one ending. The war continued in fits and stops and starts. Finding any single trueending of the war is impossible, or so Michael Vorenberg argues in LINCOLN'S PEACE. MICHAEL VORENBERG is the author of Final Freedom: The Civil War, the Abolition of Slavery, and the Thirteenth Amendment, which was a finalist for the Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize and was used as the basis for the screenplay of Stephen Spielberg's 2012 film, Lincoln. He is also the author of The Emancipation Proclamation: A Brief History with Documents, as well as a number of essays on legal and constitutional history. His writings have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, Politico, and the Washington Post. He teaches at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. For more info on the book click HERE

    Mark Stevens- No Lie Lasts Forever

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 21:17


    Zodiac with a terrifying twist, in a taut thriller from author Mark Stevens about a reformed serial killer and the disgraced journalist he coaxes into finding the imposter trading on his name.For more info on the book click HERE

    M.P. Woodward-TOM CLANCY LINE OF DEMARCATION

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 19:10


    TOM CLANCY LINE OF DEMARCATION starts with the destruction of a US Coast Guard cutter and the loss of her entire crew. But the USCG Claiborne was on an innocuous mission to open a sea lane between an oil field off the coast of South America and the refineries of southern Louisiana. The destruction of the ship—tragic as it is—won't stop that mission from continuing.  So, who would sacrifice twenty-two men and women just to slow down the plan? That's the question plaguing Jack, who is in Guyana working on a deal to get his company, Hendley Associates, in on the ground floor of this new discovery.  But Russia's Wagner Group and a pack of Venezuelan narco-terrorists have other ideas—and will risk war with the United States to see them through. It's up to Jack to identify the killers before they draw a bead on him . . . but how can he do that when the line of demarcation between friend and foe is constantly shifting? ABOUT THE AUTHORS:M.P. Woodward is the New York Times bestselling author of Tom Clancy Shadow State and The Handler CIA espionage series (The Handler and Dead Drop). Woodward served for a decade as a U.S. Naval intelligence officer before going on to an international career in tech and streaming media. He lives in the Pacific Northwest. Thirty-five years ago, Tom Clancy was a Maryland insurance broker with a passion for naval history. Years before, he had been an English major at Baltimore's Loyola College and had always dreamed of writing a novel. His first effort, The Hunt for Red October, sold briskly as a result of rave reviews, then catapulted onto the New York Times bestseller list after President Reagan pronounced it “the perfect yarn.” From that day forward, Clancy established himself as an undisputed master at blending exceptional realism and authenticity, intricate plotting, and razor-sharp suspense. He passed away in October 2013.For more info on the book click HERE

    Brian Feinblum- Book Marketing Buzz Blog

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 12:39


    Brian has worked in book publishing, public relations, and marketing for three decades, having helped thousands of authors, from first-time, self-published writers to New York Times best-selling authors, including Dr. Ruth, Stephen Covey, Ken Blanchard, Mark Victor Hansen, and Comedian George Wallace, . A published author and an award-winning blogger (http://www.bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com), Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he now resides in Westchester, NY.

    Art Shamsky-Mets Stories I Only Tell My Friends

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2025 32:46


    Art Shamsky, 1969 New York Met and noted author, shares with readers stories and anecdotes from his 50-year association with the New York Mets. Through stories of varying lengths, readers will be privy to behind-the-scenes and first-hand accounts of the New York Mets from lovable losers to impossible winners in 1969, and beyond, including stories about today's players. We witness the leadership of Tom Seaver, the steady hand of manager Gil Hodges, what it was like to share right field with charismatic Ron Swoboda, what it was like to grace a magazine cover with 1960s supermodel Lauren Hutton, in addition to a wealth of stories about the Mets, the organization, and its star players over the past half century.For more info on the book click HERE

    Prit Buttar-BAGRATION 1944 THE GREAT SOVIET OFFENSIVE

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2025 23:24


    Throughout the war on the Eastern Front, there were two consistent trends. The Red Army battled to learn how to fight and win, while involved in a struggle for its very survival. Butby 1944 it had a leadership that was able to wield it with lethal effect and with far more effective equipment than before. By contrast, the Wehrmacht had commenced a slow process of decline after the invasion of the Soviet Union.Hitler became increasingly unwilling to delegate decision-making to commanders in the field, which had been crucial to earlier success. The long years of fighting had also taken a heavy toll. Thousands of irreplaceable junior officers and NCOs were dead, wounded or prisoners.Renowned Eastern Front expert Prit Buttar expertly brings these contrasting fortunes to life, trends which culminated in the huge battles of Bagration. As this masterful study conclusively shows, in 1944 the Red Army finally puttogether a campaign that utterly destroyed the German Army Group Centre. The Wehrmacht suffered the loss of over 300,000 men killed, wounded or taken prisoner and the Red Army rolled forward across Belarus to the outskirts ofWarsaw. The end of the war was still many months away, and the Germans managed to reconstruct their line on the Eastern Front, but final victory for the Soviet Union was now only a matter of time as a direct consequence of Bagration. About the Author:Prit Buttar studied medicine at Oxford and Londonbefore joining the British Army as a doctor. After leaving the army, he worked as a general practitioner. An established expert on the Eastern Front in 20th-century military history, his most recent titles include the critically acclaimed new history of the siege of Leningrad: To Besiege A City:Leningrad 1941–42 and Hero City: Leningrad 1943–44. He lives in Kirkcudbright, Scotland.

    Robert Bailey - THE BOOMERANG

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2025 18:30


    Wall Street Journal bestselling author and attorney Robert Bailey consistently delivers propulsive legal thrillers that have earned him a passionate and devoted following of readers worldwide and favorable comparisons to John Grisham. His ten previous books have received wide critical acclaim for the tight pacing and twisty plots, as well as for their complex, layered characters who often grapple with ethical dilemmas.   Bailey's eleventh thriller, THE BOOMERANG, is somewhatof a departure for the celebrated writer. It's a political, conspiracy thrillerfeaturing a breakneck road trip from the White House to the dusty plains of rural New Mexico. It's also his most deeply personal book to date, as the story was inspired by his experience having a ringside seat in 2017 to two battles against cancer—fought by his father, who passed away, and his wife, who survived, thankfully.    ABOUT ROBERT BAILEYRobert Bailey is the Wall Street Journal bestsellingauthor of the Jason Rich series, which includes Rich Justice, Rich Waters, and Rich Blood; the Bocephus Haynes series, which includes The Wrong Side and Legacy of Lies; and the award-winning McMurtrie and Drake legal thriller series, including The Final Reckoning, The Last Trial, Between Black and White, and The Professor. He also wrote the inspirational novel, The Golfer's Carol. The author lives in Huntsville, Alabama, with his wife, Dixie, and they are the proud parents of three children, two dogs, and two cats.  Website: www.robertbaileybooks.com Facebook:@RobertBaileyBooks Instagram: @rbailey32

    Adam Plantinga- Hard Town

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 16:27


    About the BookWhen a plea for help sends retired Detroit cop Kurt Argento to the small desert town of Fenton, Arizona things immediately don't appear to be as they seem, and he finds himself unraveling secrets that want to stay hidden and questioning his own moral compass.About the AuthorAdam Plantinga is a patrol sergeant with the San Francisco Police Department whose first two nonfiction books— 400 Things Cops Know and Police Craft— have become his calling cards to the world of thrillers. 400 Things was nominated for an Agatha, a Macavity, and was deemed “the new Bible for crime writers” by the Wall Street Journal. Adam's fiction debut, The Ascent, was published in 2024 and became a USA Today bestseller.

    Richard Bernstein- Only in America -Al Jolson and The Jazz Singer

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 24:51


    About Only in AmericaA probing biography of world-renowned Jewish singer and actor Al Jolson and the history of his performance in and the making of The Jazz Singer.About the AuthorRICHARD BERNSTEIN has been a reporter, culture critic, and commentator for more than thirty years. He was a foreign correspondent in Asia and Europe for Time and The New York Times, and was the first bureau chief in China for Time. He is the author of several books, among them China 1945; A Girl Named Faithful Plum; Ultimate Journey, a New York Times Best Book of the Year; and Out of the Blue, named one of the seven best books of the year by The Boston Globe. He lives in New York City.

    Richard Munson- INGENIOUS: A Biography of Benjamin Franklin, Scientist

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 16:39


    In INGENIOUS, Richard Munson provides an incisive and rich account of Benjamin Franklin's life and career, recovering this vital part of Franklin's story, revealing his modern relevance, and offering a compelling portrait of a shrewd experimenter,clever innovator, and visionary physicist whose fame opened doors to negotiate French support and funding for American independence. Munson's riveting narrative explores how science underpins Franklin's entire story— from tradesman to inventor to nation-founder—and argues that Franklin's political life cannot be understood without giving proper credit to his scientific accomplishments. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Richard Munson is an author and clean-energy advocate. His previous books include Tesla: Inventor of the Modern.  

    Alex Kenna- Burn This Night

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 18:30


    Alex Kenna is a mystery writer, prosecutor, and amateur painter. Her first novel, WHAT MEETS THE EYE, was a 2023 Shamus Award Finalist for best first P.I. novel. Her second novel, BURN THIS NIGHT, was released in November 2024. Alex lives in Los Angeles with her husband, sons, and giant schnauzer, Zelda.

    Will Bardenwerper - Homestand : Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 21:01


    In small towns throughout America, neighbors have gathered on summer evenings at Minor League stadiums, clambering into seats with popcorn and cheap beer in hand. Many of these Minor League towns were former textile and railroad hubs, hit hard in recent years by various economic forces, yet baseball persisted. That is, until 2020, when Major League Baseball (MLB) drastically contracted the minors, shutting down 42 teams. In HOMESTAND: Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America (Doubleday), journalist and veteran Will Bardenwerper looks at the impact of this decision and what it says about America's core values through the lens of one small town in upstate New York. This poignant memoir celebrates a working-class community that fought to keep their small baseball team alive. It's not just a story about America's pastime— it's a story about America, and where we go from here.WILL BARDENWERPER has contributed to The New York Times, The Washington Post, Harper's and other outlets and is the author The Prisoner in His Palace: Saddam Hussein, His American Guards, and What History Leaves Unsaid. He served as an Airborne Ranger–qualified infantry officer in Iraq and was awarded a Combat Infantryman Badge and Bronze Star. Before working in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, he received a B.A. from Princeton and M.A. from Johns Hopkins University. He will be available for interviews for pieces timed to publication, as would several of the memorable people who make up the Muckdog fanbase.For more info on the book click HERE

    David Leick-USS PRINCETON The Life and Loss of "Sweet P" World War 2 Series Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2025 17:03


    An in-depth history of the US Navy's light aircraft carrier the USS Princeton and its operational exploits in the Pacific Theater of World War II.About the Author:David R. Leick served in the US Marine Corpsfollowing High School before attending California State University, Chico, where he earned a master's degree and went into teaching. In 2005 he stepped away from the classroom to work as a security contractor in Afghanistan on the Ambassador's Protective Detail before working more generally for the Worldwide Protective Service as a training manager. David now writes full time and lives in Lincoln, California. 

    Thomas Cleaver- Turning The Tide- World War 2 Series Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2025 10:14


    Packed with personal accounts of the action, this is a vivid narrative history of the often-overlooked USAAF campaign in North Africa and Sicily in World War II.About the Author:Thomas McKelvey Cleaver has been a published writer for the past 40 years, with his work including the best-selling Osprey titles The Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club (2021), Going Downtown (2022), The Cactus Air Force (2022) alongside the late Eric Hammel, and most recently Clean Sweep (2023). Tom served in the US Navy in Vietnam.

    Cynthia Pelayo- Vanishing Daughters

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 15:01


    A haunted woman stalked by a serial killer confronts the horrors of fairy tales and the nightmares of real life in a breathtaking novel of psychological suspense by a Bram Stoker Award–winning author.About the Author Cynthia Pelayo is the Bram Stoker Award–winningauthor of Forgotten Sisters, Children of Chicago, and The Shoemaker's Magician. In addition to writing genre-blending novels that incorporate fairy-tale, mystery, detective,crime, and horror elements, Pelayo has written numerous short stories, including the collection Lotería, andthe poetry collection Crime Scene.The recipient of the 2021 International Latino Book Award, she holds a master of fine arts in writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She lives in Chicago with her family. For more information, visitwww.cinapelayo.com

    Julie Gilbert- Giant Love

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025 17:34


    The stupendous publication of Edna Ferber's Giant in 1952 set off a storm of protest over the novel's portrayal of Texas manners, money and mores with oil-rich Texans threatening to shoot, lynch or ban Ferber from ever entering the state again.In Giant Love, Julie Gilbert writes of the internationally best-selling Ferber, one of the most widely read writers in the first half of the 20th Century – her evolution from mid-west maverick girl-reporter to Pulitzer Prize winning, beloved American novelist, from her want-to-be actress days to becoming Broadway's acclaimed prize-winning playwright whose collaborators – George S. Kauffman and Moss Hart, among them, were, along with Ferber, herself, the most successful playwrights of their time.bout the AuthorJULIE GILBERT was born in New York City and was educated at Boston University. She is the author of four books, among them a biography of her great aunt, Edna Ferber, Edna Ferber and Her Circle and Opposite Attraction: The Lives of Erich Maria Remarque and Paulette Goddard, Gilbert is a member of The Dramatists Guild, The Writers Guild of America, East, The Authors Guild, Actors' Equity, and League of Professional Theater Women. She has taught Creative Writing at New York University's School of Continuing Education and currently heads The Writers Academy at The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida where she lives part time, as well as in New York City.For more info on the book click HERE

    John R. Maass -From Trenton to Yorktown Turning Points of the Revolutionary War

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 25:33


    Published to coincide with the 250th anniversary, this sweeping narrative is an astute exploration of thefive critical military events that changed the outcome of the Revolutionary War.About theAuthor:John R. Maass is a staff member of the NationalMuseum of the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir. He received a BA in history from Washington and Lee University and a PhD in early American history at The Ohio State University. He is the author of several books on U.S. military history, including North Carolina & the French and Indian War (2013); Defending a New Nation, 1783-1811 (2013); The Road to Yorktown (2015); George Washington's Virginia (2017); and The Battle of Guilford Courthouse (2020).For more info on the book click HERE

    Eloisa James- Hardly a Gentleman

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 16:06


    Eloisa has published over 30 historical romances, many of which have hit the bestseller lists. She also wrote a bestselling memoir, Paris in Love, as well as a contemporary novel, Lizzie and Dante. Her books are published in 28 languages and 30 countries, from Slovakia to Sweden. Worldwide, she has approximately 7 million books published in print or electronically. She lives in New York City and Florence, Italy. After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa earned a M.Phil. from Oxford University and a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Her "double life” as a professor and romance writer is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending the romance genre, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.

    John W Miller-The Last Manager: How Earl Weaver Tricked, Tormented, and Reinvented Baseball

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2025 14:57


    The Last Manger: How Earl Weaver Tricked, Tormented,and Reinvented Baseball by journalist John Millerpublished by Avid Reader Press, a division of Simon & Schuster . This is the first major biography of the legendary Baltimore Orioles manager —who has been described as “the Copernicus of baseball” and “the grandfather of the modern game.” John W. Miller is a writer, baseball coach, and contributing writer at America Magazine. He has reported from six continents and over forty countries for The Wall Street Journal and has also written for Time, NPR, and The Baltimore Sun. Miller is the codirector of the acclaimed 2020 PBS film Moundsville and the founder of Moundsville.org.

    Becca Kinzer- First Love, Second Draft

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2025 16:02


    She's a romance writer burned out on love. He's her famous baseball star ex-husband. The last man she wants to be forced to work with is the one who broke her heart. Becca Kinzer lives in Springfield, Illinois, where she works as a critical care nurse. When she's not busy taking care of sick patients or using up all the storage on her phone with pictures of her dog, she enjoys making up lighthearted stories with serious laughs. She is the author of multiple titles including Dear Henry, Love Edith, which won the 2024 Carol Award for debut novel. First Love, Second Draft is her third novel. Visit Becca online at www.beccakinzer.com

    Michael Kelly- Journey of Shadows

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 11:31


    About The BookThis book recounts the harrowing tale of Michael Kelly's journey to Africa, a desperate mission born from despair. Facing overwhelming brokenness, Michael traveled there, intending to end his life, believing that his children's future would be secured through a life insurance policy. Instead, he encountered unimaginable darkness, confronting evil and seemingly insurmountable odds that tested his will and faith. Through these trials, unexpected friendships blossomed-connections forged in the crucible of suffering, becoming lifelong bonds. These relationships became lifelines, pulling Michael through the depths of despair and offering glimpses of hope. By the grace of God, he survived, discovering a purpose greater than himself. Now, Michael uses the hard-earned lessons of his journey to inspire others, sharing a story of redemption, resilience, and unity. This book is a testament to the power of grace, the strength found in adversity, and the unyielding hope that emerges from even the darkest moments.About The AuthorMichael Kelly, thirty-eight, is a survivor whose life has been a remarkable journey of transformation. From a troubled teen to a soldier, criminal, and drug addict, his path was fraught with challenges and adversity. Later, as an undercover operator, Michael navigated the darkest corners of human experience. Yet, through the grace of God, he found redemption and a renewed sense of purpose. Today, Michael dedicates his life to making a difference, channeling his resilience and hard-earned wisdom into creating lasting change. He is passionately working to establish an NGO focused on building orphanages and schools worldwide, providing hope and opportunity to vulnerable children. Guided by faith and a profound love for humanity, Michael's mission is to bring light where there was once darkness, proving that no matter how broken a life may seem, redemption and purpose are always within reach.For more info on the book click HERE

    Clea Simon- The Butterfly Trap

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2025 18:27


    What happens when twin forces, obsession and capitulation, come together? And whose story do you believe in any lovestory gone wrong?They were an unlikely couple. Greg, a post doc medicalstudent, is a planner who wants to have his career, a wife, children, a home. Anya is a free spirit, an artist living hand to mouth but passionate about her art and living a life that matters. When Greg spots her at a party, a vision dancingin a diaphanous blue shirt, blue eyes and long black hair swaying, she is like a butterfly in motion.  He is captivated. She sees in him a safe harbor. Against the odds, they start to date, their differences like the jagged edges of a puzzle that fit. The seemingly golden couple were on their way.In her new stand-alone noir, THE BUTTERFLY TRAP, Clea Simon reveals the dark undertow lying beneath the surface of their connection and how despite the signs, both Greg and Anya are committed, if not to the marriage, then to their story of it.  Told in two parts, we see them first throughGreg's eyes and then through Anya's. We witness the subtle fissures as they move forward with friends, careers and what begins to feel like the inevitability of marriage and family. Within it all flows an increasingly toxic push-pull of identity confusions and gender misapprehension that feed andfuel shocking and irrevocable acts. About the Author: Simon is the Boston Globe-bestsellingauthor of three nonfiction books and more than thirty mysteries, including World Enough and Hold Me Down, both of which were named “Must Reads” by the Massachusetts Center for the Book.  A graduate of Harvard University and former journalist, she has contributed to publications rangingfrom Salon.com and Harvard Magazine to Yankee and TheNew York Times. For more info on the book click HERE

    James Bradley-Martin Van Buren America's First Politician

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 15:55


    Some say that Martin Van Buren was one of themost remarkable politicians—not only of his time, but in American presidential history. Co-editor of the Martin Van Buren Papers, James M. Bradley writes this new biography of the 8th president of the United States . Van Buren was the first chief executive not born a British citizen, and the first to use the party system to chart his way from tavern-keeper's son to the pinnacle of power. Additionally, he was the principal architect of the party system and one of the founders of the Democratic Party, he came to dominate New York-then the most influential state in the Union-and was instrumental in electing Andrew Jackson president. Van Buren's skills as a political strategist were unparalleled—and was coined the "Little Magician"—winning him a series of high-profile offices: US senator, New York's governor, US secretary of state, US vice president, and finally theWhite House. In his rise to power, Van Buren sought consensus and conciliation, bending to the wishes of slave interests and complicit in the dispossession of America's Indigenous population, two of the darkest chapters in American history. This first full-scale portrait charts Van Buren's ascent from a tavern in the Hudson Valley to the presidency, concluding with his late-career involvement in an antislavery movement. Offering vivid profiles of the day's leading figures including Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, John Calhoun, John Quincy Adams, DeWitt Clinton, and James Polk, Bradley's book depicts the struggle for power in the tumultuous decadesleading up to the Civil War.About the AuthorJames M. Bradley is co-editor of the Martin Van Buren Papers, based at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee. He is an Adjunct Instructor in the public history program at State University of New York at Albany and was the Senior Project Editor of Encyclopedia of New York City,published by Yale University Press.          For more info on the book click HERE

    Monique Angel- Asperia, First Light

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2025 13:28


    About The BookFollowing an apocalyptic disaster that has divided communities into distinct territories, Sovereignties and Bound Cities: Humankind has evolved the ability to ascend into a fifth dimension whereby they can communicate with their ancestors for guidance. This is the First Light principle.As long as equilibrium is maintained among all living things, between earth air, fire and water then the First Light will hold Earth's ancestors in ascension, and they may be reached for guidance and will be in turn be rebirthed. This process of rebirth adds wisdom and beauty in a constant cycle of growth and change.Our heroes we meet initially are: Eva Ventura, head Apothecarist. Terry Ranger (animals love him) and chief nurturer, Hannah Woodhead. Together they run the Apothecary in the town of Dustin. A place where animals come to be healed and the herbal arts are used to promote the welfare of the peoples of Destin.I grew up in New Zealand and became a journalist in 2001. I had a lot of fun doing community journalism over the next decade with a young family. I wrote children's books and poetry in my spare time of which there wasn't very much of as a young Mom. Our family of seven (five children) emigrated to the USA in 2012. I was still recovering from a hemorrhagic stroke I had in 2006 while pregnant with my second child. It completely disabled me for some years. It turned out the change of scene would be good for both my recovery, my writing and my creative visualization process. Not long after we moved to the U.S. I started being visited by images of characters and started developing a storyline for a fantasy book aimed at teenagers and their parents. I hope you enjoy reading Asperia, First Light as much as I did writing it.About The AuthorMonique grew up in New Zealand and became a journalist in 2001. She had a lot of fun doing community journalism over the next decade with a young family. She wrote children's books and poetry in her spare time of which there wasn't very much of as a young Mom. Her family of seven (five children) emigrated to the USA in 2012. She was still recovering from a hemorrhagic stroke I had in 2006 while pregnant with her second child. It completely disabled her for some years. It turned out the change of scene would be good for both her recovery, her writing and her creative visualization process. Not long after they moved to the U.S. she started being visited by images of characters and started developing a storyline for a fantasy book aimed at teenagers and their parents. For more info on the book click HERE

    Barbara de la Cuesta - The Spanish Teacher

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 12:13


    About the authorBarbara de la Cuesta has taught English literature and Spanish on the secondary and college levels. She is currently teaching English as a Second Language. She has a Master's Degree in Creative Non Fiction from Lesley College in Massachusetts, 1989.She has published stories in the California Quarterly, the Texas Review, and The New Ohio Review,. Her first novel, The Spanish Teacher, was winner of the Gival Press Fiction Prize in 2007. Rosa, a novel about a Honduran immigrant, was winner of the Driftless Series award from Brain Mill Press, The Mists, set in Central America, and My Name is Henrietta Rose, set in the basements of AA, were published by Finishing Line Press. Her latest works, published this year, are Adams Chair, a novel in verse about the City of Waltham, Massachusetts, site of historic immigration, as well as Life Drawing, a collection of stories about art and artists, published by Austin MacCauly. She has received fiction fellowships from the Massachusetts Artists Foundation, and, more recently, from The New Jersey Council on the Arts. She has also received a Geraldine Dodge fellowship to the Virginia Center, and to the Millay Colony.For more info on the book click HERE

    Michael Cannell-BLOOD AND THE BADGE The Mafia, Two Killer Cops, and a Scandal That Shocked the Nation

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 13:14


    Through the 1970s and 1980s Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa served in the NYPD, rising through the ranks, each becoming decorated detectives. They are also responsible for what may qualify as the department's darkest chapter. For years the two cops operated not only as paid informantsfor the Lucchese organized crime family, but served as mob henchmen, committed a multitude of crimes and were involved in at least twelve murders.  And they came remarkably close to getting away with all of it. MichaelCannell, a former editor at the New York Times andauthor of the critically acclaimed A Brotherhood Betrayed, now has written the definitive account of the crooked cops' escapades and the trail of terror they left—which included the deaths and wrongful imprisonment ofwholly innocent people.

    Samuel Ashworth- The Death and Life of August Sweeney

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 23:13


    Legendary chef August Sweeney has servedhis final meal, collapsing in the middle of service in the very restaurant he built to secure his legacy. When Dr. Maya Zhu, a guarded, intense autopsist, is summoned to investigate, she discovers she must operate under strict conditions Sweeney himself dictated before he died. As she digs deeper into his immense body, everything that can go wrong does, because August Sweeney isn't about to let a little thing like death stop him from raisinghell. August was a man whose glorious appetite for excess led him from the bowels of greasy spoons to the towering heights ofculinary stardom, before bringing him crashing back down to earth. Maya is a doctor who has always believed that her success—even her survival—required her to become a human scalpel: sharp and solitary. The moment Maya meets August,dead on her dissection table, it sets off a chain reaction that will change her life—and his death—forever.SAMUEL ASHWORTH is a professor of creative writing at George Washington University and a former columnist at The Rumpus. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in the Washington Post Magazine, Longreads, Eater, and Gawker. Anative New Yorker, he now lives with his wife and two sons in Washington, DC. A two-time ghostwriter, this is his first novel.  For more info on the book click HERE

    Steve Berry- The Medici Return

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 19:34


    The Medici Return takes Cotton to Italy to solve a five hundred year-old mystery.  Cotton Malone is on the hunt for a forgotten 16th century Pledge of Christ—a sworn promise made by Pope Julius II that evidences a monetary debt owed by the Vatican, still valid after five centuries—now worth in the trillions of dollars.  But collecting that debt centers around what happened to the famed Medici of Florence—a family that history says died out, without heirs, centuries ago. Who will become the next prime minister of Italy, and who will be the next pope? Finding answers proves difficult until Cotton realizes that everything hinges on when, and if, the Medici return.Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of nineteen Cotton Malone novels, five stand-alone thrillers, two Luke Daniels adventures, and several works of short fiction. He has over twenty-six million books in print, translated into forty-one languages. With his wife, Elizabeth, he is the founder of History Matters, an organization dedicated to historical preservation. He serves as an emeritus member of the Smithsonian Libraries Advisory Board and was a founding member of International Thriller Writers, formerly serving as its co-president.https://www.facebook.com/SteveBerryWriter/ or https://steveberry.org/For more info on the book click HERE  

    Joshua David- The Power of Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2025 13:43


    About The BookWe are living in times of many societal problems that are said to be impossible to solve. The Power of Us changes this paradigm with the power of "us"-thinking. When we reframe our viewpoint from "me," to "we," to "us," miraculous things start to become possible much more easily. The Power of Us is an overview of these problems, how they are interlinked, and it is also a game plan for us to start "us" movements for each of these social problems, starting within ourselves. It accomplishes this by touching on the current biological science of consciousness, clinical psychology techniques for better thinking, and by offering out-of-the-box solutions to these various societal problems utilizing the power of "us"-thinking. When "we" join "them" and work in our own best interest, amazing things are possible. Welcome to The Power of Us! About The AuthorJoshua David is a versatile writer of many genres, including scientific non-fiction, self-help, spirituality, and fiction. It is his aim to entertain, inspire, and instruct with his unique writing style, insightful consideration, humanistic mindset, and deep-field knowledge in a variety of disciplines. As well as a prolific writer, Joshua is also a multilingual singer-songwriter, writing songs in English, Japanese, and Spanish, and he also enjoys photography, video editing, cooking, and going to the gym. Joshua's upcoming works will deal with life skills, God and theodicy, thriving in mental illness, and others. Joshua aims to be a writer that while unique and bold in statement, is responsive to his readers and is always welcome to feedback and ideas. Joshua wholeheartedly thanks you for your continued readership.About The Author

    Sofia Canaday- How Tall Will I Be

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 5:05


    Author Sofia Canaday is a vibrant and imaginativeseven-year-old with a deep passion for reading and writing. Her love for stories inspired her to create her very first book, a project that holds a special place in her heart. Sofia's enthusiasm for storytelling shines through in every page, capturing her unique perspective and creativity.She hopes her debut book brings joy and excitement tofamilies, just as she experienced while crafting it. With this milestone, Sofia is eager to share her love of words and inspire other young readers and writers to follow their dreams. This delightful young author is proof that it's nevertoo early to turn a passion into a reality, and her story is a testament to the power of imagination and determination.For more info on the book click HERE

    Terry Roberts- The Devil Hath A Pleasing Shape

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 21:18


    Walk the dark halls and threatening streets of 1920s Asheville in this thrilling third installment of The Stephen Robbins Chronicles, as fan-favorite Robbins confronts the dangerous contrast between appearance and reality at the exclusive Grove Park Inn.Terry Roberts is the author of six celebrated novels: A Short Time to Stay Here (winner of the Willie Morris Prize for Southern Fiction and the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction); That Bright Land (winner of the Thomas Wolfe Literary Award, the James Still Award for Writing About the Appalachian South and the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction); The Holy Ghost Speakeasy and Revival (Finalist for the 2019 Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction); My Mistress' Eyes are Raven Black (Finalist for the 2022 Best Paperback Original Novel by the International Thriller Writers Organization); and most recently, The Sky Club (Finalist for the 2023 Thomas Wolfe Literary Award). The Devil Hath a Pleasing Shape was released in October of 2024.Roberts is a lifelong teacher and educational reformer as well as an award-winning novelist. He is a native of the mountains of Western North Carolina—born and bred. His ancestors include six generations of mountain farmers, as well as the bootleggers and preachers who appear in his novels. He was raised close by his grandmother, Belva Anderson Roberts, who was born in 1888 and passed to him the magic of the past along with the grit and humor of mountain story telling.Roberts is the Director of the National Paideia Center and lives in Asheville, North Carolina with his wife, Lynn.For more info on the book and Terry click HERE

    Victoria Guzman-Read Me

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2025 10:31


    Victoria Guzman, best known by those closes to her as Tori, is a poet and an artist. She was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. Just like everyone else, she has been finding her way through life. Creating has been the best way for her to do that. Now here she, is almost 21, and a thought came across her mind: why not share a few words or write a book?For more info on the book click HERE

    C. J. Box - Battle Mountain

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 12:13


    From #1 New York Times bestselling author C.J. Box comes the 25th Joe Pickett novel with a mixture of suspense, the outdoors, and family relationships at its core.BATTLE MOUNTAIN (Putnam) delivers the riveting Nate Romanowski story that fans have been clamoring for. Things didn't end well for the outlaw falconer and his family at the end of Three-Inch Teeth. In BATTLE MOUNTAIN, Nate is broken and fueled by revenge —and things are about to get a whole lot worse for everyone else.ABOUT THE AUTHORC. J. Box is the author of twenty-five Joe Pickett novels, eight stand-alone novels, and a story collection. He has won the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, Gumshoe, and two Barry awards, as well as the French Prix Calibre .38, the Western Heritage Award for Literature, and two Spur Awards. An avid outdoorsman, Box has hunted, fished, hiked, ridden, and skied throughout Wyoming and the Mountain West. He has been executive producer on shows based on his books, including ABC TV's Big Sky and Joe Pickett on Paramount+.For more info on the book click HERE

    Brian Freeman- Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Vendetta

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2025 15:14


    Jason Bourne is back in ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE BOURNE VENDETTA by Brian Freeman (G.P. Putnam's Sons) the 20th book in this bestselling iconic series. A hacked database known as the Files has upended the intelligence community. Careers are being destroyed. Dirty deals are showing up on the front page.  Assassinations are spreading from Europe to the U.S. The new head of Treadstone sends Jason Bourne on a mission to find out who has the Files and get them back – or destroy them.  Bourne has a rule for friends and enemiesalike: Trust no one.  That rule may be the only thing keeping him alive, because the hunt for the Files soon takesBourne inside a twisted labyrinth of murder and betrayal, where everyone has a hidden agenda…Including Bourne himself.  ABOUT THE AUTHORS:Brian Freeman is the bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the Jonathan Stride series and several popular stand-alones. His novel The Deep, Deep Snow wasan Edgar Award finalist, and his thriller Spilled Blood won theInternational Thriller Writers Award for Best Hardcover Novel.  His books have been sold in twenty-fourlanguages. Robert Ludlum was the author of twenty-seven novels, each one a New York Times bestseller. There are more than 300 million of his books in print, and they have beentranslated into thirty-two languages. He was the author of The Scarlatti Inheritance, The Chancellor Manuscript, and the Jason Bourne series—among other novels. Ludlum passed away in March 2001.

    Jeff Apter- Carl Perkins

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 27:11


    Long Live Rockabilly! New fans all over the world are discovering this uniquely American genre, from weekend bashes to festivals to musicals to rockabilly lookalike contests. Rockabilly– that perfect blend “rock and roll” and “hillbilly,” plus a dash of country and R&B – was officially kicked off by guitarist and songwriter Carl Perkins. His iconic song “Blue Suede Shoes” launched a sound so sensational it paved the way for timeless artists like Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and countless others. CARL PERKINS: The King of Rockabilly is the first updated biography of Perkins in decades. As Paul McCartney said, “If there were no Carl Perkins, there would be no Beatles.” Acclaimed music writer Jeff Apter recounts Carl Perkins's remarkable life story—the triumphs, tragedies, and career highlights that include some of the most pivotal moments in music history. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jeff Apter has written more than thirty books about music and musicians, and his work has been published all around the world. His subjects include Keith Urban, AC/DC's Bon Scott and the Young brothers, the Bee Gees, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Cure, and Dave Grohl. For a time he was a staff writer at Australian Rolling Stone. He lives near Sydney in Australia. Learn more HERE

    Aggeliki Pelekidis -Unlucky Mel

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 20:30


    In Unlucky Mel, PhD candidate Melody Hollings is in the final year of her creative writing program in upstate New York. Her dream life of landing the perfect academic job somewhere far away from her small hometown and publishing her first novel is so close to becoming a reality. But first she has to finish writing that book. Oh, and graduate. To do both, she needs her good friend Ben to reciprocate all the help she's given him over the years on his writing. But when Mel's widowed father starts acting strangely, she is thrown. After chalking it up to a dramatic attempt to manipulate her into moving back in with him, she discovers that he really is suffering from dementia. Now she'll need to stay local to care for him. Her dream is dying and her best option is to win a postgraduation fellowship through her alma mater.Despite all the upheaval in Mel's life, rather than helping her, Ben turns on her in a shocking betrayal. For the first time, Mel has a nemesis! The stress of caring for her father, teaching too many students, and living with so much uncertainty over her future escalates Mel's desire for retribution—until one night, she discovers an opportunity to ruin Ben's reputation.Unlucky Mel is a smart, funny debut in which Pelekidis explores the lengths we're willing to go to in order to even the score and the ways in which women are often expected to sacrifice their professional ambitions for the men in their lives. Aggeliki Pelekidis holds a PhD in English Literature and Creative Writing from Binghamton University. Her writing has appeared in many literary journals. She used to work as a public relations executive in New York City.For more info on the book click HERE 

    Joseph Wheelan- The Farthest Valley

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2025 24:15


    A history of the legendary extraction of the Fifth and Seventh Marines from a Chinese trap, told for the first time using Chinese sources.About the Author: Joseph Wheelan is the author of ten books about 19th- and 20th-century American history including Midnight in the Pacific (2017), Bloody Okinawa (2020) and Bitter Peleliu (2022). Previously, he was an editor and reporter forThe Associated Press for 24 years. He lives in Cary, North Carolina.

    Robert Crais- The Big Empty

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 18:18


    Traci Beller was thirteen when her father disappeared in the sleepy town of Rancha, not far from Los Angeles. The evidence says Tommy Beller abandoned his family, but Traci never believed it. The police couldn't find her dad and neither could the detectives hired by her mother, but now, ten years later, Traci is a super-popular influencer with millions of followers and the money to hire the best detective she can find: Elvis Cole.   A ten-years-cold missing person case is almost always a loser, but Elvis heads to Rancha where an ex-con named Sadie Givens and her daughter, Anya, might have a line on the missing man.  But when Elvis finds himself shadowed by a gang of brutal criminals, what began as a simple missing persons case becomes far more sinister, and Elvis calls in his ex-Marine, ex-cop friend, Joe Pike, to even the odds.   As Elvis and Joe follow Tommy Beller's trail into the depths of a monstrous, hidden evil, the case flips on its head.  Victims become predators, predators become prey, and when everyone is a victim, can Elvis Cole save them all?  The truth must come out no matter the cost, so Elvis must face the big empty to see justice done.   ABOUT THE AUTHOR Robert Crais is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-four novels, twenty of them featuring private investigator Elvis Cole and his enigmatic partner, Joe Pike. Crais was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America  and has received numerous awards, among them an Anthony Award from the World Mystery Convention, multiple Shamus and Barry Awards, and a Falcon Award from the Maltese Falcon Society of Japan. His novels have been translated around the world. A native of Louisiana, he lives in Los Angeles. For more info on the book click HERE  

    Melissa Serigne-The Daughter of a Pedophile

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 12:05


    Melissa Serigne considers herself a dynamic and resilient individual who has turned some of life's most challenging moments into steppingstones toward success. As a paralegal, author, humanitarian, and coach, her life's journey has been shaped by a deep commitment to healing herself, helping others and giving back to her community. Her passion for making a difference is exemplified by her role as the Secretary for the Kenilworth Knights Booster Club, where she dedicates her time to enhancing local spaces and fostering community engagement. She is also a dedicated coach, guiding and mentoring the next generation of young ladies while helping them find their own paths to success and confidence through sports. Before pursuing her career in law and community work, her journey included a diverse range of experiences, including her time as a bartender, where she learned invaluable lessons about people, resilience, and perseverance. These experiences helped her become the compassionate and hardworking individual she is today. A proud sister, she cherishes her role in caring for and supporting her younger sibling. Her love for children and nurturing spirit have been central to her personal and professional life. Through it all, she has faced some of life's darkest days, yet emerged stronger, more determined, and ready to inspire others. Her story is one of overcoming adversity and shining through the toughest of times, embodying the power of hope, strength, and resilience.

    Richard Miller- Fred Snufflenose and the Baby Ducks

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2025 9:33


    When Fred Snufflenose finds the empty eggs from a duck's nest, he goes in search of the mother and her babies. His search turns into a bit of an adventure. Will he ever find the ducklings? The events in this story all take place in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on the grounds of Central Moravian Church, and in and around the Monocacy Creek, as well as Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites' Colonial Industrial quarter. You can still visit these sites today and take a tour. Go to www.centralmoravianchurch.org, www.historicbethlehem.org/ and www.moravianchurchsettlements.org (information on the World Heritage designation) for more information. Retired from full time work, Richard Miller resides in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with his spouse and their four cats. He is the organist in the Old Chapel of Central Moravian Church, where he also leads the Chapel Choir and composes music for them. This is Richard's first book. For more info on the book click HERE

    Lindsay Chervinsky-MAKING THE PRESIDENCY John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2025 24:17


    In the fall of 1796, George Washington announced his retirement, sparking terror and excitement across the country. Could the new nation survive without Washington at the healm? John Adams, one of the most qualified statesman in American history, emerged victorious after a nail-biting election. Unfortunately for Adams, the problems that plagued the fledging United States were greater than he first feared. With virtually no guidance from Washington, Adams faced seemingly insurmountable odds as he was forced to navigate pandemics, political violence, attacks from foreign powers, threats to freedom of speech and the press, and a hostile cabinet that betrayed him time and time again. About the Author: DR. LINDSAY M. CHERVINSKY is a presidential historian and Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. Previously, she was a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University, a historian at the White House Historical Association, and a fellow at the Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. Lindsay is the author of the award winning book The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution and co-editor of Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture. Dr. Chervinsky has been published in the Washington Post, TIME, USA Today, CNN.com, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Monthly, The Daily Beast, and many others; she is a regular resource for outlets like CBS News, Face the Nation, CNN, The BBC, New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, and CBC News. #johnadams #lindsaychervinsky

    Scott Turow-Presumed Guilty

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2025 20:14


    In a sequel to Presumed Innocent, the book that redefined the legal thriller and served as the basis for Apple TV+'s most-watched drama series ever, judge and lawyer Rusty Sabich returns to the courtroom to defend his step-son against a murder indictment as the boy's life—and perhaps Rusty's last chance at happiness—hang in the balance.    ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Scott Turow, a writer and former practicing lawyer, is the author of thirteen bestselling works of fiction, including Presumed Innocent and most recently, Suspect. Mr. Turow has also published two nonfiction books, including One L, about his experience as a law student. His books have been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than thirty million copies worldwide, and have been adapted into movies and television projects. He has frequently contributed essays and op-ed pieces to publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Vanity Fair, the New Yorker, and the Atlantic. 

    Bennett Parten- Somewhere Toward Freedom : Sherman's March and the Story of America's Largest Emancipation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2025 21:11


    A groundbreaking account of Sherman's March to the Sea—the critical Civil War campaign that destroyed the Confederacy—told for the first time from the perspective of the tens of thousands of enslaved people who fled to the Union lines and transformed Sherman's march into the biggest liberation event in American history. Bennett Parten is an assistant professor of history at Georgia Southern University whose area of expertise is the Civil War period. He is a native of Royston, Georgia, and completed his PhD in history at Yale University. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Los Angeles Review of Books, Zocalo Public Square, and The Civil War Monitor, among others. He currently lives in Savannah, Georgia. For more info on this book click HERE

    Marsha E. Barrett-Nelson Rockefeller's Dilemma

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 16:04


    Nelson Rockefeller's Dilemma reveals the fascinating and influential political career of the four-time New York State governor and US vice president. Marsha E. Barrett's portrayal of this multi-faceted political player focuses on the eclipse of moderate Republicanism and the betrayal of deeply held principles for political power. Although never able to win his party's presidential nomination, Rockefeller's tenure as governor was notable for typically liberal policies: infrastructure projects, expanding the state's university system, and investing in local services and the social safety net. As the Civil Rights movement intensified in the early 1960s, Rockefeller envisioned a Republican Party recommitted to its Lincolnian heritage as a defender of Black equality. But the party's extreme right wing, encouraged by its successful outreach to segregationists before and after the nomination of Barry Goldwater, pushed the party to the right. With his national political ambitions fading by the late 1960s, Rockefeller began to tack right himself on social and racial issues, refusing to endorse efforts to address police brutality, accusing, without proof, Black welfare mothers of cheating the system, or introducing harsh drug laws that disproportionately incarcerated people of color. These betrayals of his own ideals did little to win him the support of the party faithful, and his vice presidency ended in humiliation, rather than the validation of moderate ideals. An in-depth, insightful, and timely political history, Nelson Rockefeller's Dilemma details how the standard-bearer of moderate Republicanism lost the battle for the soul of the Party of Lincoln, leading to mainlining of white-grievance populism for the post-civil rights era. Marsha E. Barrett is Assistant Professor of History at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her articles have appeared in such publications as the Journal of Policy History, New York History, and Politico. For more info on the book click HERE  

    Christopher McKittrick -Gimme All Your Lovin': The Blues, Boogie & Beard of ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2025 16:32


    Before launching the iconic Texas blues-rock trio ZZ Top, a young Billy F. Gibbons was hustling through the Lone Star State with a band named the Moving Sidewalks. The small-time band had the chance of a lifetime when they opened for legendary rock guitar maestro Jimi Hendrix. Over 50 years later, Gibbons is one of the most recognizable rock musicians in American history. From ZZ Top's early work in creating classic rock radio staples like “La Grange” and “Tush” in the 1970s to becoming a global phenomenon with innovative music videos in the early years of MTV, Gibbons has been the guiding hand behind ZZ Top's evolution from the “Little Ol' Band from Texas” to pop culture behemoth with the 1983 album Eliminator, which has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. As the guitarist and main singer of ZZ Top, Gibbons has gained immense respect among other music luminaries with guest appearances and collaborations with legends like B.B. King, Les Paul, Jeff Beck, John Mayall, and Sammy Hagar before releasing solo albums like The Big Bad Blues (2018), which was named Blues Rock Album of the Year by the Blues Music Awards. He has continued to lead ZZ Top in the aftermath of the death of longtime bandmate Dusty Hill in 2021 and shows no signs of slowing down from bringing his unique brand of Texas blues to the world. Featuring new interviews with Gibbons' collaborators, including producers Terry Manning (Tres Hombres, Eliminator) and Robin Hood Brians (ZZ Top's First Album, Rio Grande Mud) and Ministry's Al Jourgensen and more, Gimme All Your Lovin': The Blues, Boogie, and Beard of ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons is a celebration of a true rock and roll original. The Author: Christopher McKittrick is the author of the books Howling to the Moonlight on a Hot Summer Night: The Tale of the Stray Cats (Backbeat Books, 2024), Can't Give It Away on Seventh Avenue: The Rolling Stones and New York City (Post Hill Press, 2019), and Somewhere You Feel Free: Tom Petty and Los Angeles (Post Hill Press, 2020). For more info on the book click HERE

    Larry McClure- Godward The Wilderness Steps, Godward: The Prodigal Steps

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2025 14:45


    From a very young age Larry McClure's life was rife with tragedy following the deaths of his cousins, neighbors, his twin brother as well as his father all before the age of 12.  This series of events led him on quest to find answers to help him explain all this distress and suffering that had been laid upon him and his family.  So, he turned to the church for answers. His years of going to church not only didn't answer his questions it just added to them.  So, he left the church and began searching for answers on his own.  After over 40 years of research, and study he finally found the answers he was searching for. He had spent many hours recording and documenting his research and felt that spiritually he was in a good place.  But life had other intentions.  In February of 2017 he was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer that had spread to his liver. Without treatment he had only six months to live, and with treatment maybe only two years.  He was ready to accept the six months when a miracle happened in his life, so he decided to take the treatments. During the time he had left he decided to turn his spiritual journey into a book. With only two years to go he hurriedly self-published the first book Godward | The Prodigal Steps. After living past the two years, he was able to self-publish his second book, Godward | The Wilderness Steps.  And that leads us to today, eight years later, which he is in the middle of writing his third book, Godward | The Promised Land Steps. For more info on the book click HERE

    Seth Leitman- The Green Living Guy

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 23:42


    Seth Leitman, known as "The Green Living Guy," is a prolific author, blogger, and sustainable living expert. With 10 books to his name, including the Green Guru Guides series published by McGraw-Hill, Seth has established himself as a leading voice in eco-friendly practices and electric vehicle technology. His expertise stems from years of experience, including managing over $100 million in alternative fueled vehicle programs for New York State and spearheading the NYPA/TH!NK Clean Commute Program. As president of the Greater Hudson River Electric Vehicle Association and a consultant for green companies, Seth brings a wealth of knowledge to his work in sustainable transportation, energy-efficient solutions, and renewable energy microgrids. His engaging approach combines expertise with humor, making complex eco-concepts accessible to a wide audience through his books, blog posts, and podcasts. What many don't know about Seth is his lifelong love for Superman. As a child, when Christopher Reeve's Superman movie was released, Seth donned the iconic costume, creating a cherished memory for his mother. This early fascination with a larger-than-life hero perhaps foreshadowed Seth's future role as a champion for the environment. In part, his latest book is dedicated to his mother, honoring that special moment and the support she's given him throughout his journey to become a real-life superhero for our planet.   Through his website, greenlivingguy.com, Seth continues to educate and inspire, offering a treasure trove of information on electric vehicles, energy-efficient home solutions, and the latest in clean tech. His mission is clear: to paint the world green, one eco-friendly choice at a time, proving that sustainable living can be both impactful and enjoyable. For more info on the book click HERE  

    Robert J. Rubinetti-Shadows of the Future Episode III - Dawn of the Changelings

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2024 33:21


    Amanda Stevenson is still in the dark as to which of her twins is an alien prince prophesied to save the Almec and human races from genocidal eradication by the malevolent forces of the Vladock Empire.In an effort to preserve a possible future where both races might survive, this information, and more, was purposely kept from Amanda by the Almec. Inevitably Amanda will discover the truth, forever changing her reality and with it how events foretold in the ancient Almec prophecy unfold. Meanwhile, Collins persuades Amanda to decrypt the Vladock language from records discovered in the crashed alien ship frozen in the arctic. Collins, however, has his own agenda which not only requires this information but other things he suspects only Amanda can deliver and he will allow nothing to stand in his way of getting them. Fifty thousand light years away, the Vladock are massing a galactic search for the remnants of their old enemy. Their emperor, driven by hatred and rage, seeks the complete extinction of the Almec and anyone protecting them to prevent the ancient Almec prophecy from coming true. A prophecy which ends with the defeat of his race at the hands of an Almec Warrior and King. It's a race against time. Who will live and who will die as the Vladock seek to complete their genocidal mission. Will the prophesized Warrior and King emerge from childhood to fulfill the ancient prophecy?How far will Amanda Stevenson and Queen Ekora go to protect their children and their people from extinction? The answers and much more remain shrouded in the Shadows of the Future. Rob Rubinetti is no stranger to science or SCI FI. He has lived life as a lover of both. As ayoung boy growing up in an age of space exploration unparalleled in human history, he wrote SCI FI adventures stories and performed plays in Miniature Theater of these stories in his hometown community center. As a young man in school, he developed conceptual space flight science which only today we are beginning to explore. He went on to obtain degrees in Mechanical and Nuclear Propulsion Engineering, but always retained his passion for great storytelling. Now returning to his passion he brings us the story of what is to come for the human race through the lives of four generations of a family whose past, present and future are woven into the inevitable tapestry of humanity's future and its survival. The three story arcs of the Stevenson family explores the unknown mysteries of our universe, our insipid journey into interstellar space, contact with alien races both benign and hostile, the lengths we will go to as a species not just to survive, but to understand who we are, and what we are capable of doing to protect that we hold most dear to us. This is not a story of some long distant future or in a galaxy far far away. This story has already begun in the here and now in our human existence and is only waiting to unfold in Shadows of the Future. For more info on the book click HERE  

    Mark Galeotti-Forged in War: A Military History of Russia from its Beginnings to Today

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2024 17:19


    Forged in War: A Military History of Russia from its Beginnings to Today  by Mark Galeotti answers the questions of how and why Putin retains his stranglehold on his position in Russia despite an almost ruinous invasion of Ukraine.  

    Craig Johnson- Tooth and Claw

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2024 25:59


    Craig Johnson's New York Times bestselling Longmire Mysteries have captivated fans for years with their vivid portrayal of the American West—a place where the landscape itself is a character. His work takes us far beyond the chaos of modern life and into a world where the action is swift, the justice is great, and vastness of the landscape invites reflection, resilience, and a deeper connection to something timeless. TOOTH AND CLAW: A Longmire Story. Craig Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Longmire mysteries, the basis for the hit Netflix original series Longmire. He is the recipient of the Western Writers of America Spur Award for fiction and the Mountain & Plains Independent Booksellers Association's Reading the West Book Award for fiction. His novella Spirit of Steamboat was the first One Book Wyoming selection. He lives in Ucross, Wyoming, population 26. #craigjohnson #longmire

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