The Danny and Park Novels Good News Podcast

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. A few years ago, I joined NetGalley, a website that has a library of books that haven't been released yet. Some books are by well known authors and others are by new authors. I was looking through the titles and saw a book cover with the title Dead Safe and a really cool, eye-catching cover. I read the description of the novel and found that it was about an LAPD detective named Casey Stafford and the author was George Prior. I downloaded the book and finished it in three days. It was fantastic. A week or so after I finished it, I got an email from George reminding me to post a review. I replied and told him that I would, and also asked if he'd like to be a guest on an episode. He agreed and here he is. I hope you enjoy our conversation.After you listen, let me know what you think. Personally I truly enjoyed talking to him. He's so down to earth and on more than one occasion, he turned the tables and mentioned my website and my novels. I'm flattered when guests do that, but it makes me a little uncomfortable as well because my podcasts are about my guests and the impact that they have on my listeners, not necessarily me. That being said, after talking to George for less than two minutes, I felt as if I'd known him for years and the conversation was easy. That, I think, is the gift of a great person and a great writer. Make sure you check out both of George's books, 78 Degrees and Bloody, the debut novel, then Dead Safe. You can find his books on Amazon and on his website, which I'll link to below. Hopefully after he publishes his next book, he'll come on again and we can talk some more.So until next time, take care of one another, and as always, thanks for listening.Check out George's website here ⬇️⬇️⬇️ https://georgeprior.com/

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. For this episode I've brought back two of my favorite people, El-Amin and Johnnie Calloway, Sr. I wanted to get their take on what it means to be men in today's world. The point is not to say that men are better than women, nor is it to judge anyone. I wanted honest opinions from two people that I admire and respect and not surprisingly, that's exactly what I got from Johnnie and El-Amin. As you'll hear, they differ on some of their opinions, but they do so respectfully. Also, some listeners may get offended at the language, so listener discretion is advised. But enough of me describing what's to come. Let's jump right into, then let me know what you think. Do you agree or disagree with Johnnie's and El-Amin's opinions? Did the interview make you angry or make you think differently? The goal of this podcast is to increase positivity and to give people a place to express their opinions without any judgement or censorship. And I intend to keep doing this for as long as I can. Stay tuned for an episode with two women discussing their reaction to this episode and their opinions on what it means to be women in today's world. So, until next time, take care of one another and even if you don't agree with someone's opinion, treat them with the respect that they deserve and expect the same from them.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is my friend, former partner and current chief of the Richmond Police Department, Rick Edwards. I don't know why it's taken me so long to ask Rick to be a guest on the podcast. I probably assumed that he was busy running the Richmond Police Department and didn't have time to talk to me for a bit. I recently interviewed Deputy Chief Sybil El-Amin and sent the interview to Rick. I mentioned that I'd done other local police chiefs and alluded to the fact that I hadn't interviewed him yet. He replied, “Hey, you never asked. I just figured you knew everything you needed to know about your old partner.”  That was my mistake and here he is. I hope you enjoy our conversation.After you listen, let me know what you think.  Rick and I worked on the same homicide team for years. The first time we went to a house together, we rang the doorbell and the woman inside saw us and turned her dogs loose. From that day forward, I knew that it would be an adventure with Rick, and I wasn't wrong. Rick's come a long way since that day, but his love for the men and women of the Richmond Police Department hasn't changed, nor has his mission to serve and protect the citizens of Richmond. I'd like to thank Rick for taking the time to talk to me and I hope to have him on again. Until next time, take care of on another and as always, thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. This episode's guest is a woman that I've known for over twenty years, Richmond Police Department Deputy Chief Sybil El-Amin. Over the years, I've worked WITH Sybil and FOR Sybil and I always enjoy her outlook on police work and life in general. I decided to reach out to her and see if she'd be willing to come on the podcast and do an episode and she agreed, so here she is. I hope you enjoy our conversation.After you listen, tell me what you think of our interview. I wanted to emphasize Sybil's passion about educating officers on different ways to think about diversity. Too often, we tend to hear about how diversity classes, at least the ones that get attention in the media, seem to try and lay blame at the feet of one race, and make victims out of other races. In my opinion, classes like that aren't teaching diversity, they're driving a wedge between people of all cultures. That's not only not helpful, it's harmful. I think Sybil's method of teaching is so much better. Plus, she's funny as hell. Until next time, take care of one another and as always, thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. I've been doing this small podcast for a few years now and I enjoy finding guests to talk to. Recently, I've been lucky enough to have publicists reach out to me and ask if I'd be interested in interviewing authors that they promote. I always say yes and for this episode, I have the honor of speaking with Bryan Gruley, a retired journalist and current author. So sit back, relax and I hope you enjoy our conversation.Once you listen, let me know what you think of Bryan. I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again but I'm always surprised when someone as accomplished as Bryan, takes time out of their busy schedule to talk to a guy with a small podcast. And he's such a down to earth guy, too. I'd never spoken with him before our interview, but it was like we'd known each other for years and were just two guys hanging out, shooting the shit and having a great time discussing the world. That's the world needs, I think. People making connections with each other, talking to each other and listening to each other. I'd like to thank Bryan for coming on the podcast and make sure you check out ALL of his books, which are available at Amazon here:https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001JS1EOS?ccs_id=b7067ecd-199b-4244-b8de-ae9f2fb70ab2And visit his website here:https://bryangruley.com/And until next time, take care of one another and as always, thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. About a week ago, I got an email from a woman who said that she listened to a recent podcast of mine, El-Amin's first one, and she thought that Lt. Randy Sutton, a retired Lt. from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department would be a great guest for my podcast. I'm always looking for more guests, so I replied back and said sure. Then I paused and thought, “Randy Sutton from the Vegas PD?” Surely not THE Randy Sutton, one of the original cops who appeared on multiple episodes of the famous Fox show, COPS. Sure enough it was and here he is. I hope you enjoy our conversation.After you listen, let me know what you think. For me, the experience was surreal because I distinctly remember watching Randy on COPS before I became a cop. But beyond his work on television, in the movies and his books, what's truly amazing is how much he cares not only for cops, but for wounded cops who've been abandoned by their departments. I encourage everyone listening to check out Randy's organization, The Wounded Blue and listen to his podcast, A Cops Life.https://thewoundedblue.org/Until next time, take care of another and treat people the way we all want to be treated. Thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes.  Today I'm happy to welcome back two of my favorite people, Johnnie Calloway, Sr. and El-Amin. As I mentioned in a previous podcast, I'm excited to have these men on as regular guests because of their attitudes about the world in which we all live. I wanted to get their opinion on how it seems as if human beings, at least in the United Sates, don't seem capable of having civil debates, instead relying on slurs and insults to try and get their points across. A recent event that Johnnie attended, a celebration of Black History Month at The White House showcased the vitriol that abounds online. But Johnnie and El-Amin were quick to point out that online is not real. And that's where we'll continue the conversation. I hope you enjoy the episode.After you listen, what's your opinion on civil discourse in these troublesome, modern times? Do you get stressed out over all the ignorance and hatred that seems to bubble to the surface all over social media? Or, to quote Johnnie, are you too blessed to be stressed? Are you understanding of people who seem to want to cause strife and anger? I especially like El-Amin's quote, "Hurt people try to hurt people". What do you guys think? I'd like to thank Johnnie and El-Amin for coming on the show and I hope to have them both back soon. And thank you for listening.As always, take care of on another and do your best to make this world a better place.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. This episode, I'm honored to have two previous guests, Johnnie Calloway, Sr. and El-Amin. I've had Johnnie on twice and had El-Amin on a few weeks ago. After my interview with El-Amin, I knew that I had to have both of them on an episode and after we finished recording this one, I knew that I needed to have them on as regular guests. So here they are debuting together to talk about, well, why don't I stop talking and you just sit back, relax and enjoy. After you listen, tell me think about having them both on as regular guests. They bring so much knowledge and love to the table that I just have to keep them coming back. If you think of something that you want us to discuss, shoot me an email or if we know each other, send me a text. My hope is that through my guests, we create a more positive world. A world that's full of love and acceptance. A world that lacks negativity and hatred. I hope you join me in this continuing journey.As always, take care of one another and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. This episode's guest is someone that I've wanted to have on for quite awhile: RPD Officer Alexander El-Amin, or El-Amin for short. I've followed his Facebook page for years and every photo simply exudes positivity. So sit back, relax, and I hope you enjoy our conversation.After you listen, let me know what you think about El-Amin. I don't think that I've ever spoken with someone who is so passionate about what they do. His compassion and honesty are just so real, you can't help but wish more people would be the same way. He says that he's not a saint, but I think the kids that he helps would disagree. Head over to Facebook and look him up: Alexander El-Amin.So, until next time, take care of one another, and as always, thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. This episode's guest is bestselling author G.T. Karber. A publicist sent me an email asking if I'd like to interview an author who created murder mystery logic puzzles online, then put those puzzles in a series of bestselling novels. Well, anyone who knows me knows that I'll talk to anyone as long as they've got a positive message to share. And I especially like talking to authors, so the fix was in, so sit back, relax and I hope you enjoy our conversation.After you listen, tell me whAT you think of Greg. Isn't it amazing how an idea he had to share with a friend, turned into an online puzzle site,  which led to a literary agent reaching out to him and THAT led to him being a bestselling author? You just never know when success will come your way, but you should never stop trying. And you should never stop being positive. Do your best to not let the naysayers and bitter people get into your head. As I've said before, I think that most people in the world are good people and only want to live their best lives and help others when they can.  Make sure you check out Greg's books on Amazon and head over to his website to try his puzzles

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. On this episode, I'm bringing back Keanna, the current esthetician and former Richmond Police dispatcher. I enjoyed talking to her so much, I asked if she could find any other people who wanted to come back with her.. In about two seconds, she shot me a text and said that Dria, a friend of hers, and a dispatcher wanted to come and do an episode. Two former Richmond police dispatchers in one episode? How could I turn that down? So sit back, relax and I hope you enjoy our conversation.And after you listen, tell me what  think of Keanna and Dria.There's just something about police dispatchers that amazes me. I've worked with them for over thirty years and can't imagine doing the job that they do. They have to stay calm when nearly everyone else is in the midst of a crisis, be it a caller or a police officer. I'm not sure that I could do it. And touching on something else that they, as well as another Richmond dispatcher that I've interviewed, Demetria Ross, mentioned was therapy and simply needing someone to talk to. Someone that you can trust. I think that that's so important in this crazy world that we live in and I sincerely hope that everyone has or can find, someone that they can talk to.As always, take care of one another, and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. On this episode, I'm honored to be speaking with bestselling author, poet, ecologist and journalist, Mike Bond. Mike has written thirteen fiction novels, though as you'll hear in our conversation, they're all true because they're based on his life. He's also written two tomes of poetry. To be honest, I was a little intimidated at the thought of interviewing Mike because of all his accomplishments and all the places that he's been and the experiences that he's had. However, within minutes of our conversation, he asked about my career in law enforcement and how important he thinks this podcast is.  I was truly flattered. I could probably talk and listen to Mike for hours. Like all great journalists, and anyone else for that matter, truth is what's most important to him. Because truth leads to awareness and we should all be aware of injustices that take place in our world. It's the only one that we've got and we've only got each other, so shouldn't we strive to make this the best planet that we can? I'd like to thank Mike for taking the time to talk to me and I hope to talk to him again soon. I'd also like to thank you for tuning in. This podcast wouldn't be what it is without my listeners and my guests and I'm grateful to you all.Check out Mike's website here ⬇️⬇️⬇️https://mikebondbooks.comUntil next time, take care of one another and treat others the way that you'd like to be treated.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. This episode's guest is Lela Tuhtan. Lela was an educator for over ten years, then decided to transition over to coaching adults. Lela's philosophy is that we're all raised with certain sociological stories that can limit us in our personal and professional lives. What Lela does as a coach is to dig up those embedded stories and, in her words, compost them in order for us to create new, better, healthier stories. So sit back, relax and I hope you enjoy our conversation. I need to add a program note, though. There was some static on the line that, unfortunately, transferred over to our interview. So it may not sound crisp, but, maybe that will just create a more old school, wax album kind of experience. Ya gotta think positive, right? Once you listen to the episode, let me know what you think.  As I mentioned in the interview, Lela and I have been trying to get our schedules to coincide for months and they finally did. Thank goodness. Lela was a joy to talk to and I love her outlook on life. I think we all need to remember that upheaval isn't necessarily a bad thing and more importantly, people are people and we all just want to live out lives the best way that we know how. You can visit Lela's website here ⬇️⬇️⬇️https://lelagrace.co/lela-tuhtanUntil next time, and as always, take care of one another, and thanks for listening. 

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. A few weeks ago, a good friend of mine, and past guest on the podcast, Shayna Perlstein, shot me a text and suggested that I bring on Henrico County Assistant Chief Lauren Edwards as a guest. Shayna said that Lauren was in the process of starting a podcast about women leaders in law enforcement and Shayna thought that Lauren would be a fantastic guest. Well, everyone who who knows me knows that in a addition to loving authors, I also have a soft spot in my heart for cops, so, obviously I'd love to have Lauren on as a guest. Plus, if you know Shayna, you know she makes offers that you can't refuse. After you listen to it, tell me what you think. It's always refreshing for me to talk to police officers who are still positive about the job and long to share that positivity with other officers, whether or not they're older officers or new recruits. I've been around cops for the past thirty years and never realized how few women there really are in the profession. That's crazy and I'm glad Lauren is working to try and correct those percentages. And not only to get more women interested in law enforcement, but once they're in, to get them to go further and take leadership positions. Make sure that you check out Lauren's Instagram, give her a follow, then tune in to her podcast. The more positivity out there the better.Here's her Instagram ⬇️⬇️⬇️@ladycoplaurenI want to thank Lauren for taking the time to come on the show and as always, I'd like to thank you for listening. Until next time, take care of one another and treat each other the way that you want to be treated. We're all on this planet together. 

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is Keanna, an esthetician  who was a Richmond Police dispatcher for over fifteen years. She and I follow each other on Instagram, but I never knew that she had been a dispatcher until just recently. Now, if you're a regular listener to the podcast, you know that police dispatchers are some of my favorite people and after you listen to our conversation, I think you'll see why. So sit back, relax and prepare to get it straight with no chaser. I hope you enjoy it.That's it guys. What'd you think of Keanna? I think she's hilarious, insightful and just an all around marvelous person. And that's the amazing thing about doing this podcast. I talk to so many people about so many things, many of whom I've never met before. But the main thing that they all have in common is their positivity. And my guests come from many different backgrounds, religions, etc. But here, in this place, what matters the most is what's inside of them. Shouldn't that be what's important to all of us? I think so. Until next time, take care of one another, give it to each other straight with no chaser, and most importantly, thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is author and Instagramer James Murray. I've followed James on Instagram for quite awhile. After all, his IG handle is the_80's_author and I love the 80's and I love authors, so me following him was a forgone conclusion. Well, recently James tried a social experiment about democracy on his account and my oh my, what an experiment it was. I'm not going to tell you what it is just yet. So why don't you sit back, relax and enjoy our conversation and then tell me.....What'd you think? Do you approve or disapprove of James putting a Trump 2024 post on his IG? I guess the more snarky question would be, do you approve or disapprove of free speech? James lost 3000(!!) followers because they couldn't see past their hatred and didn't hang around for his second post explaining the experiment. It just goes to show you how brainwashed people can be. Personally, I loved his experiment and thought that it was brilliant. Anytime someone can expose ignorance and spinelessness is a good thing. We're all on this planet together. Let's try to take care of one another, treat each other with respect and recognize that everyone is entitled to their own political opinion and regardless of that opinion, always, and I mean always, follow The Golden Rule.You can find James' book here ⬇️⬇️⬇️https://www.amazon.com/Town-Without-Name-James-Murray-ebook/dp/B09P2RZ946/ref=pd_ybh_a_d_sccl_1/136-1681419-4674432?pd_rd_w=nYmmk&content-id=amzn1.sym.67f8cf21-ade4-4299-b433-69e404eeecf1&pf_rd_p=67f8cf21-ade4-4299-b433-69e404eeecf1&pf_rd_r=FDTYGNJ1REVZ1KFZV45J&pd_rd_wg=Be9QG&pd_rd_r=8bcbc27a-a913-42ef-8a7e-5e0faba51ac4&pd_rd_i=B09P2RZ946&psc=1Until next time, respect and take care of one another. And thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. As many of you know, I'm a retired Homicide detective from Richmond, Virginia. Before becoming a Homicide detective, I was a Youth and Family Crimes detective, which meant that I often worked with Child Protective Services, also known as CPS, in the City of Richmond. Flash forward to my current position and I've been working with CPS again, which is where I met Abby. I thought that it would be great to have her on an episode to talk about the roles of CPS, so that's what the first half of this episode is about. As we were talking about CPS, she mentioned that she and her mother, Brigette  Combs, were involved in legislation to make child marriages illegal in the US. I had to stop her and ask her what she was talking about because I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She said that in 2024, there are only thirteen states and the Virgin Islands that have ENDED child marriage. I was and  am flabbergasted. So let's cut this intro short and get right to it, shall we? I hope you enjoy this episode and, like I did, learn something from it.Once you listen,  can you BELIEVE that child marriage is still LEGAL in so many states? I still can't wrap my head around it.  Here's a list of the ONLY states that have ENDED child marriage:DelawareNew JerseyVermontRhode IslandConnecticut New HampshireMassachusetts VirginiaPennsylvania New YorkWashington MinnesotaMichigan And the Virgin Islands.Check out the links below for more information:https://search.app/NHYwEEP9DmK9PfZd9https://search.app/Mc6zhDvnzAkVWkFq5https://search.app/PPXSMSe9cbYxdt5j6https://preventforcedmarriage.org/I'd like to thank Abby and her mom for coming on and educating me about this unbelievable situation, not to mention the incredible work that CPS workers do to protect the children.Please spread the word and get involved.And as always, take care of one another and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is, hold on and let me go down the list:Bestselling author Forensic Anthropologist certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology A producer of the Fox show Bones, a show I might add is based partly on her fictional character Temperance Brennan AND  the author herself.Mother of three kids......Kathy Reichs!!Kathy was kind enough to come on my small podcast and let me ask her a metric ton of questions. So sit back, relax and I hope you enjoy our conversation.Then after you listen, don't you think that It's absolutely staggering how much Kathy has done and still does. I can't imagine trying to maintain the schedule that she does, yet she still finds the time to get peppered with questions by a retired homicide detective.If you haven't already, and if you haven't, why not? Head over to her website or Amazon or anywhere else in the world and dig in to Kathy's novels. And while you're at it, check out Bones on Fox.Check out her website here: ⬇️⬇️⬇️https://kathyreichs.com/As usual, take care of one another, and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. I'm honored to have back on the show, one of my favorite authors and more importantly, one of my favorite people: Yasmin Angoe. Now full disclosure, when I introduce her in the episode, I pronounce her name, correctly, then put my foot in my mouth ad drop the “y” and begin to call her ‘Asmin'…….how embarrassing. For me. Luckily, Yasmin is such a fantastic person that she takes it in stride and doesn't hang up on me. Of course, when I told her about it, she said that it sounded like I was calling her an ass. Deep sigh. But I digress. So sit back, take a listen and I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did. Ans as I said after the first time that I spoke with her that it felt as if we'd known each other for years. And since it's been a year since we spoke last, I still feel the same way. But I've got a feeling that anyone who speaks to Yasmin feels the same way. She's just such a wonderful person, you can't help but think that you've known her just about forever. We absolutely need more people in this world like Yasmin and I feel lucky that she counts me as one of her friends. Make sure you check out her book over on Amazon or at her website:https://yasminangoe.comSo until next time, take care of each other, treat each other well and as always, thanks for listening.

What's the first thing you noticed in the photo associated with this episode? If I were to guess, I'd say that it was the lettering on the ball cap. In fact, those four words elicit strong feelings from the left and the right. Some people who saw the photo may have clicked off the site and won't be hearing these words or reading what I've written. That's fine. This podcast is all about positivity and if people don't want to hear about positivity, there are plenty of other podcasts that push hate and division. Along with the corporate media, local and national politicians and the entertainment industry. They make a lot of money off hate. I probably don't make a dime off of positivity. That's fine, too. What I do gain from this podcast is meeting and talking to fantastic people like Johnnie. So if you're still here, sit back, relax and enjoy our conversation.Then, after you listen....Are you still here or did you leave once Johnnie mentioned that scary, scary word: Trump? It constantly amazes me how stubborn and hardheaded even the most educated people can be when it comes to politics. Religion, abortion and gender as well. Luckily, despite what the corporate world tries to push, regular, everyday people, no matter the color of their skin, their religious faith or lack thereof, their gender, etc. get along with one another, converse with one another and live in relative harmony with one another. So as this contentious election draws closer and the corporate world goes into overdrive trying to get us to hate each other, remember that we're better than they are and that they need us. Not the other way around. And most importantly of all, take care of one another. No. Matter. What.Thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is Wes Hartkemeyer, a patrol officer in Wisconsin and co-founder of Ireport. Recently, I received an email from a listener of one of my recent episodes who introduced me to Wes. She said that Wes and his co-founder designed self-reporting software that allowed citizens to make police reports online, thereby freeing up patrol officers from lengthy report calls and instead letting them focus on establishing personal connections within the community they serve. Well, since I like cops as much as I like authors, I jumped at the chance to talk to him and here he is. I hope you enjoy our conversation.After you check out the episode, let me know what you think of Wes. I sure do enjoy talking to young police officers who, instead of being disenfranchised by the job, instead decide to make positive change. Change that not only affects the officers on the street, but the citizens that they serve. Because despite what many in the media want you to believe, police officers want to help people and make their lives better. Which is exactly what Wes and his co-founder want to do. If his creation sounds interesting to you, I suggest that you reach out to him to him at his website:http://www.ireport.usRemember, we're all in this together and together we can all make this world a better and safer place.Until next time, take care of one another and as always, thanks for listening. 

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. This episode's guest is bestselling author and appellate judge David Ellis. A few months ago, I got an email from his publicist asking if I'd like to have him on as a guest. Now I've been before quite a few judges in my lifetime and interviewed quite a few authors so obviously it was a toss-up…….just kidding. I agreed immediately and here he is. I hope you enjoy our conversation.After you listen, let me know what you think. Prior to recording the episode, I asked him if he'd prefer that I call him ‘David' or ‘Judge'. He replied, “Well, do you want me to call you detective or Jamie?” We decided to go with first names and I can say without a doubt, he is the most down to earth, funny, intelligent and nicest judges and person that I've ever met. How funny? Just before we were set to start recording I got a text from him that read:Jefferson Starship and side of Cole slaw please.Turns out that was a dinner request text to his wife. Now it's none of my business how Jefferson Starship comes into play…. The imagination runs wild with innuendo, but it sure made for an awesome episode title.I truly hope that he comes back on the show, because as I think you can tell, it was an absolute pleasure to talk to him. I hope you enjoyed our conversation and I highly recommend that you check out his books here ⬇️⬇️⬇️                                        https://davidellis.com/Until next time, take care of on another, and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is journalist and author, Liz Collin. You may remember hearing about Liz and her husband back in 2020. Liz was an anchor on a Minneapolis television station and her husband was a Minneapolis Police Lt. who handled union matters. After the death of George Floyd, Liz and her husband, as well as the police officers and citizens of Minneapolis were put through hell during the protests and riots following Floyd's death. I watched the documentary, ‘The Fall of Minneapolis' on YouTube, which was based on Liz's Amazon book: They're lying: The Media, The Left, and The Death of George Floyd'. After reading the book, I reached out to her to see if she'd be a guest on an episode and she graciously agreed. I hope you enjoy our conversation. And after you listen, consider this: Many of you who know me, know that I was a Homicide detective in the City of Richmond in 2020. I was not on the front lines of Richmond's protests and riots; that was handled by the brave women and men in uniform. I was present on the roof of RPD HQ when the protests kicked off and saw people yell obscenities at me and other detectives watching the crowd simply because we were police officers. I was there when the RPD HQ was in danger of being overrun and the other HQ personnel and I were relocated to 2nd Precinct in case the HQ building was breached. I could go on and on about the betrayal of police officers in Richmond and nationwide, by not only some citizens, but by some of the city's leaders as well, but I won't. But I will also never forget, either.And I will always stay positive.Until next time, take care of one another and thanks for listening.You can find Liz's book here: ⬇️⬇️⬇️https://www.amazon.com/Theyre-Lying-Media-Death-George/dp/B0BJNG6N8D/ref=sr_1_1?crid=9E7JZ77X2660&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7eqoDauTAOeDcjHf1czz__Vsn1wfjl9oDCxxvtQeak_GjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.GgeFYznsBPwJvnbtYC9urMY-nuE1KTIuQPMK_UK2rcI&dib_tag=se&keywords=they%27re+lying+liz+collin&qid=1719529762&sprefix=liz+collin+they%2Caps%2C468&sr=8-1And the fantastic documentary, 'The Fall of Minneapolis' here: ⬇️⬇️⬇️https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFPi3EigjFA&t=26s

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. This episode's guest is Taqdees Razzaq, an entrepreneur, life coach and a firm believer in empowering women to be the best that they can be. A representative of Taqdees reached out to me and asked if I would like to have her on an episode. Well of course I would, so here she is. I hope you enjoy our conversation and after you listen to it, let me know what you think of Taqdees. Personally, I  loved what she said about negative energy versus positive energy, but what really moved me was her description of her gratitude journal. I think it's such an amazing idea to write down (10) positive things every DAY! Incredible. It's so simple, but makes so much sense. Give it a try.I'd like to thank Taqdees for coming on the podcast and hope she continues to spread joy and positivity wherever she goes.I hope you do, too.Until next time, take care of one another and thanks for listening.You can check out more of Taqdees at the links below:https://www.instagram.com/taqdeesrazzaq/https://www.instagram.com/wow.meem/https://www.instagram.com/letscomeforward/https://www.taqdeesrazzaq.com/

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's returning guest is bestselling author, Tim Hendricks. I had Tim on about a year ago to talk about his debut novel, The Instructor, which became a bestseller. Flash forward to April 2024, and he's released his second novel, The Infiltrator, which is predicted to be yet another bestseller. Once The Infiltrator dropped, I reached back out to Tim to see if he'd be willing to talk to me again and he replied, “Let's do it!”, so we did.  After you listen to it, see if you noticed that despite the title of this episode and the fact that I'd planned to ask Tim about The Infiltrator, we never actually got around to talking about the book itself. Suffice it say, one topic led to another and I was asking so many questions I never got around to asking him about his second book! Have no fear; if you liked The Instructor, you're going to love The Infiltrator! I'd like to thank Tim for taking the time to talk about his second novel to a guy with a small podcast who didn't even ask him much about the second novel he was supposed to ask about. Try saying five times fast. Make sure you head over to Amazon and grab a copy of The Infiltrator, then check out Tim's website for more information on this great guy.The links are below

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. I went to an officer safety and wellness conference in Louisville, Kentucky and sat in on about twenty lectures, given by professors, psychologists, social workers and my favorite group, police officers. Out of all the presentations, one stood out and moved me the most. It was given by Ashley Ferris, a police officer from Lakewood Colorado. What did she talk about that had such an impact on me? Listen to our conversation and find out.Once you listen, drop me a line and let me know what you think.  Are you as amazed at Ashley as much as I am? She is one of the bravest, courageous, humble, funny and honest person that I have ever had the pleasure to speak with. I truly feel honored that she took the time out of her schedule to share her experience with me and my listeners. Ashley helped so many people when she was a police officer and now she's extended her reach to help even more people.That's what life is all about. Helping each other and working toward the common goal of peace and respect for everyone.I'd like to thank Ashley again for coming on the podcast and continuing to do the good that she does.And thank you for listening. Take care of one another.If you'd like to see the Halo view of Ashley's shooting, you can view it here:https://www.police1.com/police-heroes/articles/new-video-shows-colo-officers-efforts-in-stopping-gunmans-shooting-spree-LmcKmomawZ09JfOC/

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is a #1  New York Times bestselling author, and TV producer, Lee Goldberg. Lee has written sixty novels, that's 6-0, so far and has produced multiple television shows which include Monk and Diagnosis Murder. I recently began reading an advanced copy of Ashes Never Lie, the second in the Sharpe & Walker series and decided that I'd like to interview him for an episode. I went to his website, found a contact form and sent him an email. He responded back within a day, told me that he'd asked one of my favorite people, Yasmin Angoe, if I was legit and she told him that I was. Thank goodness!I hope you enjoy our interview. After you listen, drop me a line and let me know what you think.  I'm always humbled when people take time out of their day to talk to me about their life, their work and their views on how to live a positive life. Lee sums it up nicely when he said that even in the darkest of times, there's always humor to be found, and I couldn't agree more. I think that the old adage that laughter is the best medicine still applies today and we should all take a daily dose of that medicine,I want to thank Lee again for the laughter and the wisdom, and I hope that many more books are on the way. And I also hope that he was joking about killing a hooker after he hung up with me. You can check out the website below to peruse Lee's large library of books, as well as more biographical information on this amazingly talented and funny man.http://www.leegoldberg.comUntil next time, take care of one another and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is actor and bestselling author, Jon Lindstrom. As you'll soon learn, Jon caught the acting bug when he woke up in the middle of a James Bond film and saw two guys on the screen, fighting to the death. With that goal in mind, he set a course for Hollywood and all the hard work and frustrations associated with the actor's life. Apparently feature films, various television shows, a regular stint on General Hospital and Port Charles and recording audiobooks weren't enough for him, so he decided to write a USA Today bestselling novel as well. With all of that going on, and fighting a cold, he graciously agreed to come on a small podcast from a guy that he's never heard of. Incredible.After you listen to it, let me know what you think about Jon.  It's easy to get a picture in your head of how you think a famous person is going to be. How they're going to talk. How they're going to interact with everyday people. How, how, how. I had no idea going into this interview how down to earth Jon was going to be. Talking to him was like taking to someone you'd meet in a coffeehouse, or bookstore or record shop. Just such a great guy and I truly enjoyed our conversation. Make sure that you check out his new novel, Hollywood Hustle and let's hope he's got more on the way.  Here's a link to his website:https://www.jonlindstrom.com/actorI want to thank Jon for taking the time to talk to me and I'd like to thank you for taking the time to listen. We're all in this together and together, we can make this world a better place. Until next time, take care of one another and thanks again for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. I'm honored to have Jeff Katz on as this episode's guest. Jeff has had a show on Richmond radio station WRVA for over thirteen years, and has been on air nationally too many times to count. Despite all of that fame, as you'll soon find out, Jeff is the most down to earth guy you'll ever meet. I've been a fan of his for years and I'm sure that that fandom will come through on the interview you're getting ready to listen to, but I can't help it. Jeff stands for so many things that I and  many other people stand for, that it truly is a pleasure talking to him. Once you listen to the episode, let me know what you think.  Is it just me or do you just feel better after talking to someone with his outlook on life? He summed it up nicely when he said that our time here on earth is short. So, why waste it on hate and division? Why let evil people get rich while they try to divide us? All the good people in this world, and I still believe that there are more good people than bad, need to stick together and treat each other with love and respect, despite our differences. In fact, it's our differences that make this world such a wonderful place in which to exist. So let's keep it up and ignore the wicked and embrace the wonderful.I'd like to thank Jeff for coming on the show and taking time out of his busy schedule to help spread the positive message. Make sure you check out his show on Richmond radio, WRVA. And until next time, take care of one another and thanks for listening.You can check out his website here

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. For this episode, we're flipping the script a bit, as the cool kids say. My dear friend, Dr. Richard Groover texted me with an idea. He said he thought that my listeners might enjoy hearing about me, so he suggested that he interview me. I thought, why not? I'm all about positivity, so I agreed to it. Actually, I don't like talking about myself and I specifically tailor my podcasts to be about my guests, not me. But I thought that it might be fun to turn the tables on myself and hop into the hot seat, so here it is. Once you listen to it, let me know what you think.  It seems odd to ask what you think of me, so I won't.  But I will speak to what Richard and I spoke about right after the interview was over. He mentioned that he's noticed that I don't show any bias toward anyone of a different race than I am. I replied that in a perfect world, cops should be the most non-prejudiced people in the world. Why? Because cops see good and bad in all people, regardless of race, sex, religion, etc. I know that evil exists and I know that good exists and it doesn't matter the physical body in which it resides. My goal with this podccast and with life is to showcase the positive in this world and ignore the negative. And I'll do it for as long as I can.I'd like to thank Richard for coming on and interviewing me, and I am definitely going to have him back on to talk more about him. So until next time, take care of one another and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is Devin, a former Richmond police officer. I was working on a case recently and was talking  on the phone with a detective from another jurisdiction. After we hung up, my phone rang again immediately and showed that detective's number. I answered and to my surprise it was Devin. He'd gone to work for another agency, was with the detective that I was talking to and recognized my name once that detective told him  he was talking to Investigator Baynes. After Devin and I caught up a bit, he asked when I was going to have him on my podcast. My answer? Anytime you're ready.  Once you finish listening. I won't even have to ask if you like Devin because I'll already know the answer. A resounding yes. He's such a down to earth guy, and his love for being a police officer and more importantly, the love he has for being a police officer in a city like Richmond speaks volumes about his personality and his character. And who could have predicted that my interaction with a detective from another jurisdiction would lead me to have such a fantastic conversation with Devin? I think that's the power of positivity. Even when you're not looking, it's everywhere. I'd like to thank Devin for coming on the podcast and hope that he comes back for a second conversation soon. And I hope you do, too.So until next time, take care of one another and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's returning guest is  the one and only, Johnnie Calloway.  The last time Johnnie and I talked was back in May, 2022. I've been following Johnnie on Instagram since then and always enjoy his posts. One of his recent posts was of him and three of his sons, standing outside in the snow, shirts off and flexing for the camera. I saw that and thought of one word: Fatherhood. So I reached out to him to see if he'd be willing to come on and do another episode and true to form, he agreed right away. Once you listen to the episode, let me know if you enjoyed Johnnie as much as I did the second time around. There's just something about Johnnie that's so darn likable. That is as long as you're the type of person who likes honest, non-political, highly intelligent, open people who aren't afraid to speak their mind, despite outside forces trying their hardest to divide us. I want to thank Johnnie for taking the time out of crazily hectic schedule to come back on the show and spread some wisdom and positivity.Below are some of the books Johnnie referenced in our conversation:Outwitting the Devil  - Napoleon HillOn Liberty - John Stuart MillTNT it Rocks the Earth- Claude BristolYour Faith is Your Fortune - Neville GoddardYou are the Placebo - Joe DispenzaThe Path to Prosperity - James AllenSupreme Power Course - Dr. Murdo MacDonald Bayne And check out Johnnie on Instagram:  @misunderstood_g3eniusSo, until next time, take care of one another and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is Julia Borcherts, publicity manager at Chicago based  Kaye Publicity. I met Julia because I was interested in interviewing one of the authors that Kaye Publicity represented. Since then, we've exchanged many emails and I decided that in addition to interviewing authors, I'd like to go behind the publicity curtain and talk to Julia about what she does and her outlook on life. So here she is. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.Once you listen to it, let me know what you think.I love that Julia closed an interview about the publicity business by speaking about community and positivity. That personal connection is so important, no matter what you do or who you are. Positivity is out there, and while it may not seem to be as prevalent as all the bad stuff, you don't have to look too hard to find it.I'd like to thank Julia for coming on the show, and if anyone has any questions for Julia, let me know and I'll bring her back for another episode.Until next time, take care of one another, and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is one of my favorite authors, and more importantly, one of my favorite people: Tracy Clark.Tracy is the author of not one, but two best selling book series, both set in Chicago and both with women of color as their protagonists. I had Tracy on as a guest back in March of 2023, and am thrilled that she came back for a second conversation and that I get the opportunity to talk to her again. I hope you enjoy the episode. And after you listen to it, answer a question for me.....Am I a lucky guy or what?I got to laugh and chat with Tracy Clark a second time and she's just as charming as she was the first time we spoke. I hope everyone listening takes Tracy's advice about reading authors from all backgrounds and walks of life. For that matter, that advice is good for just about anything in life, isn't it?I'd like to thank Tracy for coming back on and hopefully she'll come back for a 3rd go ‘round.And thank you all for listening. Together we can all make this world a better place. One interview at a time.Make sure you check out Tracy's newest book here

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is Faye Knightly of The Sisterhood of the Black Pen. I met Faye through one of this podcasts favorite people, Gloria Lucas. Faye sent me a message through Instagram and said that she'd like to talk about her writer's group, The Sisterhood of the Black Pen. Obviously I said yes because everyone knows that writers are some of my favorite people, so here she is. So, sit back, relax and let me know what you think of our conversation .After you give it a listen, tell me what you think of Faye. I'll be the first to admit that I've never read an anthology, nor have I read much horror. Recently, that is. When I started reading fiction novels, I was devouring King, Koontz and other horrior-ish authors. As I got older, I started reading more in the thriller genre and historical  non-fiction. But after chatting with Faye, I'm going to pick up the first anthology and see how her contributing authors handle some horror around the holidays.Check out Faye's link tree here

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Back in May, I got an email from a publisher asking me if I'd feature an author in an upcoming podcast. Of course I sald yes because I'm a huge fan of authors. So the publisher said, “Great, we'll do it in August.”  August?? That was three months away. Nevertheless, we set it up and that author is Yasmin Angoe. Have you ever talked to someone for the first time and felt like you just clicked? Well, that's the feeling I got when Yasmin answered the phone and we started chatting. The questions and answers seemed seamless. Check out our interview, then let me know what you think of Yasmin. I'd bet that you'd agree with me when I say that she's awesome.  Who out there remembers going to the bookstore and seeing the books sectioned off by the race or nationality of the author? Now, as I say in our conversation, maybe it's not sinister, but it sure does seem odd today. Especially when we're living a world where so many forces are trying to drive us apart for their own gain. Shouldn't we all strive for togetherness and unity? I think you all know where I stand on the matter. The world in which we live can become pretty overwhelming, so I'm glad there are people like Yasmin out there who can give us great advice on how to stay positive. Make sure you check out her Nena Knight series and anything else that she writes. Until next time, take care of one another, and thanks for listening.Check out Yasmin through her social media:X (Formerly Twitter): yasawriterInstagram: author_yasFacebook: Yasmin AngoeOR....head over to her website:http://www.yasminangoe.com

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is David Kamwana, the creator of a new portable fitness device called The Calf Buster. Are you thinking, “Why on earth is Jamie talking to the inventor of a fitness product? Is this a sponsorship or something?” Have no fear, I'm still not sponsored by anyone, though I do enjoy fitness products, which is probably why David's Calf Buster showed up in my Facebook feed. I checked out the product, then watched the video of David talking about it. I was curious about how a regular person like David creates a product and brings it to market, so I figured I'd drop him a line and see if he'd come on the show and talk about it. He replied quickly and said that he'd be happy to come on the show, so here he is. I hope you enjoy our conversation, because I know I did.Once you finish listening, let me know what you thought of David. Did you think that he was open, honest and just an all around nice guy? So did I. I liked the fact that David had the courage to just go for it and create a product that he wanted to create. But I also like the fact that he said that he was in a position in his life to take a chance and make his vision a reality, with the understanding that if he had a wife and kids, The Calf Buster might not exist. The world needs more people like David. Inventors and creators, yes, but also people who are funny, kind, outgoing and naive. I think people like David help to combat all the negativity that seems to exist everywhere you look.If you want to check out David and The Calf Buster, check out the links below:http://www.thecalfbuster.comhttp://www.OneCrate.comHe's also on Facebook and Instagram: @calfbusterSo until next time, make absolutely sure that you take care of one another, avoid the negative and embrace the positive. Thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is Jen Satterly; photographer, author and co-founder of the US Special Forces support group, the All Secure Foundation. I spoke to Jen and her husband Tom, in a podcast back in February of this year. That podcast focused on Tom's book, All Secure: A Special Operations Soldier's Fight to Survive on the Battlefield and the Homefront, which I had just read. I wanted to talk to Jen more about her experiences with the Special Forces community, so I reached out to her to see if she'd make another appearance on the podcast. She graciously accepted the offer and here she is. Once you listen, let me know what you think of Jen.  She and Tom have done so much for our Special Forces veterans and their families and there's so much more that they want to do. I'm currently reading a book entitled 'With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa' written by World War 2 veteran Eugene Sledge. His book discusses the horrors that he and other young Marines faced in the Pacific theater of the war and the trauma that the survivors had to deal with when they returned home. Trauma that they had to try and cope with alone. Jen and Tom want to make sure that today's Special Forces soldiers and their families aren't alone when they come back home. If you want to help with their mission, check out their website in the link below:             https://www.allsecurefoundation.org/And until next time, take care of one another and take care of yourself. Until next time, thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is Maria Cramer, the NYPD Bureau Chief/reporter for the New York Times. A good friend of mine in the NYPD forwarded me a New York Times article about a neighborhood in Brooklyn that was policing itself. I thought the article was fascinating and saw that it was written by Maria. Her email address was at the bottom of the article, so I decided to write her and see if she'd be willing to come on the episode. To my pleasant surprise, she agreed and we set it up. On the day we were supposed to record it, she'd gotten a cold and was so hoarse that she could barely speak and had to cancel the interview. Within a few days she was better and here she is. After you listen to our conversation, let me know what you think of Maria. Prior to our discussion , I had never considered that being a reporter was a craft. And I'd assumed that since she was a reporter for the New York Times, she would have certainly gone to journalism school. That's what I get for making assumptions. And that's why I like to interview people from all different walks of life, all different professions, all different……well, you get the idea. I think that if we all just talk to people and then listen to those same people, the world would be a better place. What do you think? I'd like to thank Maria for taking time out of her hectic schedule to talk to me for a half hour before she had to head uptown to another appointment. She was an absolute joy to talk to. And to listen to.Until next time, take care of one another and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is Jon Barr, creator of the fantastic YouTube channel ‘Here Be Barr'. Jon's channel showed up in one of my suggested channel selections a couple years ago and I clicked on one of his videos about tourist traps in New York City. Like many people, I've always been fascinated about New York and have been a few times, so I watched the video, then clicked on another. Then another. And another. You get the point. To me, and several hundred thousand other people, Jon's videos are like potato chips; you can't stop with just one. So I sent Jon a message and asked him if he'd like to do an episode with me. He sent me a thumbs up emoji followed by a text that said, “Let's do it.” So we did it. Once you listen to it, tell me what you think about Jon. I'm constantly amazed at the willingness of very popular people to agree to be interviewed by a guy with a small podcast, yet great folks like Jon continue to come on the show and talk about their work and their outlook on life. I think it's an indication that even though bad news and conflict get clicks, people still like to talk about the good things in life and pass on to others their recipe for positivity. Jon and his obvious love for New York City are a fantastic example. If you just watched the news about New York, you'd think that it's going back to the crime -riddled bad old days. Yet, all you need to do is watch just one of Jon's videos about small delis and bodegas in the outer borroughs of the city and you'll want to book a flight into JFK and go exploring. That's what this podcast is all about.Make sure you check out Jon's YouTube channel here:https://www.youtube.com/@HereBeBarrHe's on Instagram too:@here.be.barrI'd like to thank Jon again for taking time out of his busy schedule to come on the show.Until next time, take care of on another and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is Jenna Weinstein and I decided to do something a little different for this episode. A good friend of mine, and previous podcast guest, Ben Toderico, suggested that I interview Jenna for an episode. All he said about her was that she was an amazing person. Jenna and I have never talked before this episode was recorded, so I had no idea what made Jenna so special, but figured you'd find out when I did as we talked. So, what makes her so special? Listen to the episode and find out. Once you've heard it,  do you agree with Ben's recommendation for Jenna as a podcast guest? Of course you do! Jenna's a blast and I enjoyed talking to her. From Brooklyn, to Boston, then to Texas, North Carolina and landing in Georgia. Working with veterans, getting her doctorate and writing a novel on the side. Simply amazing. I'm hoping Jenna comes back on the show soon and updates us on her life, job and writing career. Speaking of her writing career, check out Book 1 in her Stone Sister Series, Fearing Fate, at the link below:https://m.goodnovel.com/book/Fearing-Fate_31000442102And in case you follow that link and see the author as J.N. Stein, have no fear, that's Jenna's pen name!So until next time, take care of one another, seek out the goodness in people and as always, thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is James White, host of the absolutely fantastic YouTube channel, Freakin Reviews. James' channel popped up in my Youtube suggestions and looked interesting. I clicked on one of his videos. And then another. And then another. In the blink of an eye, an hour was gone and I was searching through his channel for my next fix! Hoping against all hope, I sent him an email inviting him to do a podcast episode and he accepted! So here he is. A quick note on the audio quality; it's not as good as I'd prefer because of some feedback noise. Hopefully it won't take anything away from the interview.  As always, I hope you enjoy the episode, and once you listen to it tell me what you think of James. As you'll be able to  clearly tell, I'm a huge fan of James and his channel. I bet that if you look him up on Youtube, you'll agree. Not just for the product reviews, which are extremely helpful and right on point, but for the entertainment value of James just being James. And while you're hunting around the internets for his videos, make sure you check out what started it all: his website....http://www.freakinreviews.comThen, go get your Freakin' video fix on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTCpOFIu6dHgOjNJ0rTymkQSo until next time, take care of one another, abide by the Golden rule and last but certainly not least, thanks for listening.

Today's guest is a good friend of mine and an overall great guy: the one and only, Dr. Richard Groover. Richard has been an educator  for decades and was a reserve deputy with the Hanover County Sheriff's Office for twenty years. Richard has been a fan of my books and podcasts, and I'm a fan of his, so it seemed like it was time to bring him on an episode and pick his brain on a variety of topics. Give it a listen and then let me know what you think of Richard.I bet like me, you find him instantly likeable. Notice that when I asked him what his daughter thought about the way police officers were treated in 2020, he told me to ask her...... That's Richard and I love it. Richard and I don't always see eye to eye on some political issues, but we always, and I mean always, respect each other. That's the way it should be, regardless of where you stand politically, socially, etc.Mutual respect. Richard is one of my favorite people on this planet, and I'm lucky to have him as a friend.Don't forget about the centennial of the Virginia Academy of Science; you can check out their website here

I've been following multiple news stories in the press recently, and have been posting about them as well. Well, I decided to do a short, solo podcast about my thoughts. In it, I told about the superintendent of Richmond Public Schools, the Interim Chief of Police, and a few other things that are on my mind. No script, no outline, no guests. Just me talking. Let me know what you think. Do you agree or disagree?  Do you think I'm off base? Do you think I'm racist? I'll answer that last question: I'm not. If you think I am, who cares? You're wrong. Let me know what you think.As always, thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is New York Times Bestselling author Don Bentley. Now I have to say something first about the audio of the episode. Number one, I stutter my words when I introduce Don a bit because I was discombobulated. I usually call my guests, but this time, Don called me. Unfortunately I had my phone set to ignore unknown numbers, so I totally missed answering his call. Not a good idea when you're getting ready to interview anyone, much less a bestselling author. But Don was a good sport and answered when I called him back. Secondly, there are a few times when Don's line cuts out during our call, so bear with that as well. It doesn't happen often during our discussion, but it does happen and I apologize in advance. Once you listen to the episode, let me know what you think of Don. From piloting an Apache helicopter in the Army, to FBI Agent, to a successful writer who writes three different series, Don is nothing short of amazing. Add to that amazingness that he took the time out of his incredibly busy schedule to call me when has another book due so soon and I'm absolutely blown away. If thrillers are your thing, and why wouldn't  they be, check him out through his website:http://donbentleybooks.com And until next time, take care of on another and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is Jack Roney, author of the crime novels The Angels Wept, The Demons Woke and The Shadows Watch. Jack got on my radar because of the marketing for his first book, The Angels Wept. To say that the book was everywhere be an understatement. Every time I'd open Facebook or Instagram I'd either see the fantastic cover of the book,  a post about Jack doing a speaking engagement or teaching an aspiring group of writers. I did some research on Jack and found that he'd recently retired as a police detective after over thirty years of service. So, he's an author and a retired police officer; I wanted him on the show. I sent him a message and despite the time difference between Virginia and Australia, got to interview him.  I know that I repeat myself when I mention how fascinated I am when I talk to people from other countries and learn about the similarities and differences between the US and where they're from, but it's still true. Before talking to Jack, I had no idea that there were only a handful of police agencies responsible for law enforcement in Australia.And, in writing the description for this episode, I found that Jack has another novel out, The Ghost Train & The Scarlet Moon. I think the beauty of current technology and social media is that they open up the world and allows us to explore a region outside of our own and we're able to talk to people that we ordinarily wouldn't be able to talk to. So even though it's easy to condemn social media for people who misuse it, there's always the opportunity to take advantage of the education it offers. I'd like to thank Jack for coming on the podcast and for being patient with me when I brought up Crocodile Dundee. I hate using the term, but that was truly a cringe question.Also stay tuned for additional episodes with Jack because we're discussing doing other interviews to talk about the realism of first responder writers versus what civilian writers think passes as real.Until next time, take care of one another, and thanks for listening.Check out Jack's website: https://www.jackroney.com.au/#/

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is bestselling author and native Chicagoian, Tracy Clark. Tracy's book, Hide, popped up in my suggested reading page on Amazon, so I read the description of the book and immediately hit ‘buy now'.  As I say to her in our conversation, once I started reading it, bam! It was off to the races. After I finished it, I reached out to her to see if she'd be interested in being a guest on the podcast, and she graciously agreed. After you listen to it, let me know what you think  of Tracy. Personally, I liked her about two seconds after she started talking. Authors always fascinate me, especially when they mention The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie, though to be honest, I never read Christie. Regardless, I truly enjoyed talking to Tracy and enjoy her outlook on writing in particular and life in general. The world always needs more authors and we especially need more authors like Tracy. I hope she keeps writing for a long, long time.Check out some of Tracy's links below:http://www.tracyclarkbooks.comhttps://twitter.com/tracypc6161https://www.facebook.com/tclarkbookshttps://www.instagram.com/tpclark2000/And.........I asked Tracy to recommend some of the authors that she reads. Per her, these are her 'automatic buys'.......Rachel Howzell HallLaurie R. KingS.A. CosbyIsabella MaldonadoWalter MosleySara ParetskyCheryl HeadDelia PittsAnn CleevesUntil next time, take care of one another, and thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is Tim Hendricks, author of the debut novel, The Instructor. Tim's book showed up in a NetGalley email and I clicked on the link to check out the book's description. It looked like a winner, so I requested it and got approved to read it. From page one on it was a scorcher!  So, naturally, after I finished it I searched for his website hoping to find an email address. I did, shot him an email invitation to see if he'd come on the podcast and he agreed. So here he is!Now, I realize that a lot of my listeners may not have had a chance to read The Instructor yet, since its not due to be released until April, but I strongly recommend that you do once it's released. If you're a fan of action books like I am, you'll love it. In my interviews I normally ask how my guests stay positive in life, but Tim hits the point a number of times; not delving into politics, not trying to force his views on his readers and just wanting everyone to enjoy his books and be proud of America. I couldn't have said it better myself.I'm looking forward to Tim's next book and I hope that he keeps writing them and comes back on the show after each book.Here's a link to The Instructor on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Instructor-Derek-Harrington-Novel-ebook/dp/B09XL9GRJB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=653GDIWDQZJO&keywords=the+instructor+t.r.+hendricks&qid=1676971347&sprefix=t.r.+hendricks%2Caps%2C405&sr=8-1Check out Tim's social media down below:http://trhendricksauthor.comTwitter: @TR_HendricksIG: @readtrhendricksTikTok: @readtrhendricksWant to check out some of the authors Tim mentioned? Don Bentley: The Matt Drake seriesJack Carr: The James Reece series (The Terminal List on Amazon Prime Video)Simon Gervais: Three series- Mike Walton, Pierce Hunt and Clayton White. Plus a new Robert Ludlum Bourne universe novel).Mark Greaney: The Gray Man series (also The Gray Man movie on Netflix).Nick Petrie: The Peter Ash seriesConnor Sullivan: The thrillers, Sleeping Bear and Wolf Trap.Until next time, take care of one another and as always, thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guests are Tom and Jen Satterly, a husband and wife team who are also authors and the founders of the All Secure Foundation, and VIRAGO, a division of the All Secure Foundation that empowers women to help their combat warrior heal from post traumatic stress. I came across Tom and Jen when I picked up the book that he co-authored with Steve Jackson, All Secure, A Special Operations Soldier's Fight to Survive the Battlefield and the Homefront. I'm a big fan of fiction and non-fiction military books, so this one seemed right up my alley. Like many people, I'm fascinated by the Special Operations warriors and have always liked learning more about them. This book was different, though. Yes, there are great stories in there about Tom's training and service, but there's a darker side to Tom that he readily admits and writes about. I finished the book in days and reached out to see if he and Jen would like to be guests on the podcast and they agreed. I think most people idolize our Special Operations warriors and rightly so. They're out on the front lines and beyond keeping not only Americans safe, but people from other countries as well. But what most of us don't think about is the effect that their service has on their mental and physical well-being, not to mention the physical and mental well-being of their spouses. I strongly recommend reading All Secure and Jen's book, Arsenal of Hope: Tactics for Taking on PTSD together. You can find Tom and Jen at the links below and I hope you take some time to do so. We're all in this world together, so let's take care of one another.Until next time, thanks for listening.Tom and Jen's social media:Instagram:  @allsecurefoundation                          @virago_allsecurefoundationhomefrontFacebook: @AllSecureFoundationOnline: AllSecureFoundation.orgTom and Steve's book:All Secure: A Special Operations Soldier's Fight to Survive on the Battlefield and the Homefronthttps://www.amazon.com/All-Secure-Operators-Battlefield-Homefront-ebook/dp/B07H2D6B4K/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=all+secure+tom+satterly&qid=1674298531&sr=8-1Jen's book:Arsenal of Hope: Tactics for Taking on PTSD, Togetherhttps://www.amazon.com/Arsenal-Hope-Tactics-Taking-Together-ebook/dp/B08R6NJJMH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3LIBOFKXJPRRA&keywords=jennifer+satterly&qid=1674298664&sprefix=jennifer+satterly%2Caps%2C342&sr=8-1

Welcome back to the podcast, I'm Jamie Baynes. Today's guest is Tyler Lane, an investigative reporter for WTVR, a local CBS affiliate here in Richmond, Virginia. I've been following Tyler's reporting for awhile and like his style. It seems as if the country's attention span for news stories that matter is short, compared to obsessions with other stories that are much more  frivolous. Tyler breaks that cycle and once he gets a hold of a story, to use his terminology, he peels back the layers like an onion. From making his own YouTube videos, to getting called to work at a radio station, to VCU and then to WTVR, Tyler's truly making a name for himself as a journalist. To me, Tyler represents what true journalism is; fair and balanced reporting. I think it's the media's responsibility to dig deep and ask the hard questions, regardless of any political affiliation the person being questioned has. I think we as a country deserve to know as much as we can about events that shape our lives, and Tyler is doing exactly that. I wish Tyler the best of luck in his career and hope he stays in the Richmond area for years to come.Until next time, take care of one another, and thanks for listening.

Today's guest is Sam Allebaugh. If you listened to my interview with Meredith Spies, you know that Sam was the driver of the single axle dump truck that struck and killed Meredith's mother, Karen Giles. After I interviewed Meredith, she asked if I'd like to interview Sam as well. She thought that he'd be willing to talk to me about what happened and its impact on him. I told her that if he was willing, I'd absolutely want to talk to him. Within minutes, she'd made it happen and Sam and I were setting up this interview.  As I mentioned in Meredith's interview, for years I've been of the opinion that forgiveness was something that was overrated at best, and forgiving someone who had killed someone else was absolutely not going to happen. But then I read about Karen Giles, Meredith Spies and Sam Allebaugh, and I changed my mind. I've had people in my life die, but, as of yet, have not killed anyone. I  know the grief and sadness that goes with losing someone, but I can't imagine the overwhelming guilt that comes with the knowledge of unintentionally killing someone in an accident that could have been prevented. I think that the courage exhibited by Meredith and Sam speaks volumes about their characters, and also perfectly showcases the power of forgiveness.Until next time, take care of one another and thanks for listening.