Podcasts about love american style

A Golden Age Hollywood star in every sense, at just 16 Ruta Lee was  cast in the all-time great movie musical, 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers', subsequently becoming the designated smoldering beauty, spicy sexpot and fiery vixen in  iconic TV Westerns, mysteries and dramas of  the '50s and '60s. She is celebrating her 90th birthday in classic Ruta fashion: with a one-woman show, fabulously titled 'Consider Your Ass Kissed! This week she brings her legendary inside showbiz lore and boundless energy to the Media Path studio!Ruta's story begins with her Lithuanian background and parents who escaped the oppression of the Communist regime to Montreal, Quebec, where Ruta was born, singing and dancing. Her mother reached out to a Lithuanian priest in Los Angeles and thus began the plan to head for Hollywood.Ruta's Hollywood High training prepared her to land roles on The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show, The Roy Rogers Show and then iconic films including Funny Face with Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn and Sergeants Three with The Rat Pack! Ruta recounts her heroic efforts to extract her Grandmother from a Siberian internment camp. She took her request straight to Khrushchev! She tells us about her work with The Thalians, an organization founded by Hollywood actors to help children receive mental health care. Also, what is Audrey Hepburn's keep-slim advice? And what job yielded Ruta the most lucrative income? And with public speaking being our number one fear, Rick Mitchell joins us to talk about his new book, one of the most crucial reference guides of all time, 'How to Write a Funny Speech for a Wedding, Bar Mitzvah, Graduation & Every Other Event You Didn't Want to Go to in the First Place'!In recommendations-- Weezy: "Reality Winner Noir" - Reality (2023) on Max and Winner (2024) on HuluFritz: 'Nickel Boys' now streaming on PrimePath Points of Interest:Ruta Lee Consider Your Ass Kissed by Ruta LeeRuta Lee in“CONSIDER YOUR ASS KISSED”At The Purple Room in Palm Springs, Saturday & Sunday, March 29th and 30that The El Portal Theatre, Friday, May 30th, 2025Ruta Lee on WikipediaRuta Lee on FacebookThe ThaliansRick MitchellHow to Write a Funny Speech Buy LinksNickel Boys (2024)Reality (2023) on MaxWinner (2024) on HuluMedia Path Podcast

We are in the Loving Generation and while it's accepted to, "love who you love," do folks in these relationships tend to miss out or lose parts of their culture? That's the question driving this week's episode. Big thank you to our guest, Antonia for joining us for our roundtable. Become a Habitual Ish Talker and follow us on The App Formally Known As Twitter: twitter.com/TalkinIsh_Pod Join in on the conversation! E-Mail us at ⁠talkinishpod@gmail.com⁠ 0:00​​​ - Intro 10:28 - MUSTAAAAAAARRRRD vs. Child Support 15:00 - Weekly Wellness Check (Ant's Week) 20:33​​​ - Weekly Wellness Check (Britt's Week) 25:50​​​ - Weekly Wellness Check (Raya's Week) 27:42 - Weekly Wellness Check (Helaine's Week) 45:18 - Weekly Wellness Check (Antonia's Week) 51:25 - Roundtable Discussion: Interracial Relationships 2:11:22 - Wrap It Up, YO!!! (Closing)

June 19-26, 1976 This week Ken welcomes Professor of Russian & Slavic Studies and Senior Academic Convenor for the Global Network at New York University and author of Marvel Comics in the 1970s: The World Inside Your Head (Cornell, 2022), Meanwhile, in Russia…: Russian Internet Memes and Viral Video (Bloomsbury, 2022),  Soviet-Self-Hatred: The Secret Identities of Postsocialism (Cornell, 2023), Elliot Borenstein. Ken and Elliot discuss Russian Pop Culture and Propaganda as a day job, The Cold War, anti-Soviet TV, Pussy Riot, Marvel Comics, the innovation of narrative present in 70s Marvel Comics, Howard the Duck, Mary Hartman Mary Hartman, getting paid to watch TV, redeemable trash, terrible awful garbage TV, Barney Miller, the weird state of mid-70s American TV, believing in your audience, Jimmy Carter's American Malaise, post-Watergate, the productive exploration of cynicism, CB Radio, when Columbus OH was the test market of the world, market research, mutli tasking, MTM, Rhoda, Phyllis, The Defenders, Planet of the Apes, spin offs, the horror of Eight is Enough, Maude, Love American Style, variable bed times, Martin Mull, Disco, Fernwood2Nite, Good Times, Jimmy Walker, the famous Heidi Dress, swingers, Barney Miller, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, premise creep, Phil Silvers, One Day at a Time, Goodnight Beantown, The Incredible Hulk, Misfits of Science, Blue Knight, Monty Python, Grease, being offended by Nostalgia, Hawaii Five-O, tumors, and Russian genre cinema. 

Jerry Rannow discusses his love of old-time comedy and book about Mabel Normand; his comedy writer detective series; his first book on how to write for TV; growing up in Wisconsin in the 50's; meeting the head of Love American Style at a party and pitching; dropping out of UW Milwaukee to be in Bye, Bye, Birdie; his TV debut on Channing; guesting on My 3 Sons and The Beverly Hillbillies; being a regular and writer on the Jonathan Winters Show; his current play in production; Wisconsin; writing an All in the Family about Mike donating his sperm that CBS would net let on; The Doors guesting on Jonathan Winters; working with Red Skelton; The Masters Club: Percy Helton; having lunch with John Wayne; his play has been compared to The Purple Rose of Cairo; losing laughter in life; Fatty Arbuckle; Room 222 and his favorite episodes; writing for Love, American Style; Welcome Back Kotter - favorite episode Hotsy Totsy gets pregnant; writing with his wife; real life entering episodes; Kotter's opening joke; Travolta ad libs; he and Robert Hegyes write a Marx Brothers movie; his Happy Days ep where Richie becomes a DJ mirrored his life; Harper Valley PTA; Barbara Eden; George Gobel; freelancing on The Love Boat, What a Country!. Throb, Small Wonder, Check it Out; working in Canada on Snow Job and The Baxters for Norman Lear; pitching to Norman Lear; writing for Head of the Class; not going to Moscow; too many kids in the cast; Dan Frischman and Charles Fleischer; Pat Morita; leaving Hollywood and going to Wisconsin and opening up an ad agency; continuing to write every weekday

We Americans have had Love American Style. We've had a Love Boat. We had a Love Story. And 24 years ago we got Love and Basketball. Now the boys see if it still works. Links You can rate and review us in these places (and more, probably) Does This Still Work? - TV Podcast https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/does-this-still-work-1088105 ‎Does This Still Work? on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/does-this-still-work/id1492570867 Los Angeles Lakers https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-signal/148957599/ Weddings https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=103506&page=1 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee/148960470/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/1083120.stm UK Wife Carrying Race https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tekg7RmymQ  

Get An Exclusive Look Behind Love American Style With Actress Barbara Minkus! Barbara chats with John about being picked for Love American Style because of Garry Marshall, the producer of Laverne and Shirley, how she and Stuart Margolin from Rockford Files created the six years of vignettes they did on Love American Style and her relationship with Stuart Margolin near the end of his life. Barbara also talks her wonderful experience working with Merv Griffin, her troubling experience with Danny Kaye and working with Tom Bosley from Happy Days. Barbara also tells the story of keeping Gary Burghoff of MASH in show business. Enjoy and thanks Barbara! Become a That's Classic! PATREON member including the opportunity to see Exclusive Bonus Footage: patreon.com/thatsclassic Subscribe for free to That's Classic YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBtpVKzLW389x6_nIVHpQcA?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: facebook.com/thatsclassictv Hosted by John Cato, actor, voiceover artist, and moderator for over 20 years for the television and movie industry. John's background brings a unique insight and passion to the podcast. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-cato/support

Replay from 2022. Our Valentine's Day gift to our listeners. Ellie, Bernice and Thad attempt to peek under the skirt of America's most shameful, chronic behavior issue. How did a society founded by religious puritans 400 years ago become so – yuck - pervy?! Is every allegation automatically justified? How do we purge our wicked behavior and thoughts? Can we be redeemed or forgiven? Can we even have an intelligent conversation on this topic -- without erupting into angry shouting? That's what we hope to find out. Thumbnail photo courtesy Parker-Margolin Productions, Inc., Paramount Television,  CBS Television Distribution. If you like us, you can help us grow. We'd sooooo appreciate if you'd share with your friend network! Reach out to us at contact@scandalsheetpod.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on Twitter @scandal_sheet.

Replay from 2022. Our Valentine's Day gift to our listeners. Ellie, Bernice and Thad attempt to peek under the skirt of America's most shameful, chronic behavior issue. How did a society founded by religious puritans 400 years ago become so – yuck - pervy?! Is every allegation automatically justified? How do we purge our wicked behavior and thoughts? Can we be redeemed or forgiven? Can we even have an intelligent conversation on this topic -- without erupting into angry shouting? That's what we hope to find out. Thumbnail photo courtesy Parker-Margolin Productions, Inc., Paramount Television, CBS Television Distribution. If you like us, you can help us grow. We'd sooooo appreciate if you'd share with your friend network! Reach out to us at contact@scandalsheetpod.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on Twitter @scandal_sheet.

Crab Cake Row: The new Love American Style with Wendy Bronfein of Curio Wellness for Valentine's Day The post Crab Cake Row: The new Love American Style with Wendy Bronfein of Curio Wellness for Valentine's Day first appeared on Baltimore Positive WNST.

America loves its football, its awards, its movies and just being in love.  All of it comes together in one big ball of emotional bliss.  Travis and Taylor, the Superbowl, the Grammys and streaming shows.  Listen to us discuss on all podcast platforms and at DamnOpinion.com.The DAMN Opinion Podcast. Where the Big, the Bold and the Bald offer entertainment on the latest society news, strange topics, human behavior, interesting facts, social dilemmas and entertaining conversation. Listen to us discuss, and debate, what's hot and what's not on all podcast platforms and at DAMNopinion.com. Schedule: Weekly Website: www.DAMNopinion.comEmail: info@damopinion.comHosts: Mark Montgomery, James Smith and William Craig"Smarter Entertainment for a Distracted Audience"

In the late 80s and early 90s. Jenny Burton had four national number one R&B/Dance hits -- "One More Shot," rose to Billboard's number five slot and led to Burton's first major-label solo deal. Atlantic Records released her first LP, "In Black & White," which included the hit single, “I Remember What You Like". “Bad Habits,” off her second album was a #1 dance hit in America and rose to #12 on the R&B charts. Moving more into an Inspirational direction, she created with producer/composer Peter Link, The Jenny Burton Experience, an award winning Inspirational group ran for seven years to sold out standing room only audiences at New York City's "Don't Tell Mama". The Jenny Burton Experience also opened at Trump Marina for Al Green, performed with The Gap Band and Morris Day and The Times at The Indianapolis Black Expo for 80,000 people, opened for Stevie Wonder at Lincoln Center in NYC, and completed a one month run headlining at Resorts International in Atlantic City, the first Gospel group to ever headline in Atlantic City. Recently, Jenny joined the cast of Rosemary and Thyme, a Musical Podcast written and composed by Peter Link, which premiered Christmas of 2022 and is now running in 135 countries around the world. Presently, Jenny is working on a new CD with producer/composer Peter Link, due out in the fall of 2023. Barbara Minkus originally from Chicago began in NYC in Julius Monk's "Bit's and Pieces", was Lucy in the original "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown" album, toured as Fanny Brice in "Funny Girl", costarred on Broadway in "The Education Of Hyman Kaplan". Barbara was a regular on Love American Style for 6 season's and played Gittle The Witch on ABC's Curiosity Shop. 

Please join Emmy-winner Beth Maitland in The Locher Room to celebrate the 40th anniversary of her debut as Traci Abbott on CBS's The Young and the Restless.Beth made her debut in 1982 and in 1985 she was awarded a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She received a second nomination for her work in 2019.Beth recently appeared in the film, Number Two. She appeared in an Emmy-nominated episode of Criminal Minds, and she portrayed the deaf school principal both signing and speaking her role in Mr. Holland's Opus with Richard Dreyfuss and Glenne Headly.Another highlight of her career was appearing with Carol Burnett and Hal Holbrook in an ABC production of Plaza Suite, and an opera singing episode of the Love American Style reboot with Tony Dow.This June, The Young and the Restless marked the 40th anniversary since Y&R fans were first introduced to Traci and her sister Ashley Abbott (Eileen Davidson). Don't miss the chance to catch up with Beth Maitland!Original Airdate: 7/14/2022

Today, let's go back to a No. 1 comedy variety show, “Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.” Jo Anne Worley was one of the stars of “Laugh-In.” She has worked in TV, films, game shows, cartoons, and theater. Jo Anne was in Milwaukee, appearing at the Melody Top Theater in “Gypsy.” She was in the original production of “Hello Dolly.” She played the Wicked Witch of the West in the musical production the “Wizard of Oz.” Her many television appearances included “The Many Lives of Dobie Gillis” and “Love American Style.”

In the spotlight is Ainslie Hogarth, the author of three novels, including “Motherthing," her latest, which has been named by Cosmopolitan as the best horror novel of all time, and the best book of the year by the New York Times, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and KOBO. The New York Times Book Review called it “a quirky, gruesome, utterly original feminist horror experience.” Publishers Weekly wrote that Motherthing is a “masterfully crafted horror novel that's by turns humorous and deeply unsettling … this dark domestic drama packs a punch.” Learn more about Ainslie Hogarth at: https://www.ainsliehogarth.com Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

Ever since I read White Noise, the 1985 National Book Award winner written by Don DeLillo, I've been expecting some Hollywood movie director would recognize its brilliance and bring it to the Silver Screen in some limited fashion. Finally, it happened, aided by the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown, thanks to movie director Noah Baumbach and his wife, actress Greta Gerwig. Here is my take on the resulting product, which I liken to the Talking Heads meets Don DeLillo.Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

If you're over 50, you know John Davidson. Actor, singer, broadway star, and TV host, John was working everywhere in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. He guest hosted "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" more than 80 times! He was the host of "The Hollywood Squares" and "That's Incredible," had his own talk show, and headlined in Las Vegas. He was a guest star in innumerable TV shows including "The Love Boat," "Love American Style," and "The Streets of San Francisco," and he had his own show with Sally Field called "The Girl With Something Extra!" He also starred in several Disney movies and had roles in "Edward Scissorhands" and "Airport '79." Larry and Mike caught up with John Davidson, now a youthful 81, to talk about his career, his continued passion for entertaining, and his intimate new venue, Club Sandwich, near his home in New Hampshire. And stay tuned--he sings us out with a classic tune from "The Fantastiks."

Kat Rosenfield is a culture writer and author of five novels, including the Edgar-nominated No One Will Miss Her. In 2018, she partnered with the late, great Stan Lee to co-author A Trick of Light, a new superhero story set in the digital age.  We discuss:  >> The impulse and rewards of writing >> The World According to Garp >> The Feminine Chaos podcast >> Sexual famine >> Social media >> A perfect writing day >> Etc.  Learn more about Kat Rosenfield here: https://katrosenfield.com  Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program. 

In the spotlight is author of THE CLOISTERS, northern California novelist Katy Hays. We discuss: >> Tarot cards>> The Zodiac>> Believing the unbelievable>> Origins of The Cloisters>> The Harmonic Convergence>> Art history>> Teaching>> Cake baking>> Etc. Learn more about Katy Hays here: https://www.katyhays.com To subscribe to her June Gloom blog, go to Substack.com and search Katy Hays. Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is professional therapist and author Anna Hogeland whose debut novel, THE LONG ANSWER, takes on pregnancy, motherhood and the nature of female relationships. The Sunday Times called the book “a triumph of human portraiture, as subtle as it is seething” and “fascinating both on its surface and in its depths.”  We discuss:  >> Being sentence-focused vs. momentum-focused >> Unpublished novels >> Auto-fiction >> Miscarriage >> The Dobbs decision >> Psychology >> Motherhood >> Etc.  Learn more about Anna Hogeland here: https://www.annahogeland.com/  Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.   

Jemima Kelly, Financial Times columnist, writes: “There is nothing cozier than curling up on the sofa, tucking oneself into bed, or — my particular favorite — sinking into a deep, steaming-hot bath with a good novel, to be transported to lands far away, times long gone or the minds of characters strange, sex-obsessed and sadistic. (Or perhaps that's just me; I am currently reading Philip Roth.)” She goes on to cite studies that explain what fiction reading contributes to our mental and emotional acuity.  Read Jemima Kelly's column at this link: https://www.ft.com/content/ac4a0ede-f0e1-4ff6-b1bf-c99f09947b69  Write to Jemima Kelly at Jemima.Kelly@ft.com  Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.  

Get in the holiday spirit as the boys spread their love and affection...though not towards the TV show Love, American Style. But it's an episode of that anthology comedy show that they wind up watching. Discussion points include: Pamela Anderson, ASMR, choice beef, American Horror Story, Google McMoogle, chastity belts, Burt Reynolds' body hair, high school virgins, swingers, and skin diving.

In just 15 months the Novelist Spotlight podcast has accumulated 100 episodes. Here is a look back and forward.Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Jess Lourey, author of crime fiction, nonfiction, children's books, YA adventure and magical realism. She is a retired professor of creative writing and sociology, and blogger for Psychology Today.  We discuss:  >> The one sentence per scene outline >> Writing 2,000 words per day >> First efforts, first novels >> Characteristics of the best crime fiction >> How to find an agent >> What makes a good publicist >> Dream journal on the nightstand >> The TEDx Talk >> Etc.  Learn more about Jess Lourey on her website: https://jessicalourey.com/welcome  Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program. 

In the spotlight is the bestselling author of Jane Austen-influenced titles such as “Incense and Sensibility” and “Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors.” Her latest novel, “The Vibrant Years,” is the first book published with the new Mindy Kaling (“The Office,” “The Mindy Project”) imprint Mindy's Book Studio, created in collaboration with Amazon.  We discuss:  >> Romance >> Indian culture >> Actress and writer Mindy Kaling >> Storytelling >> The writing regimen >> Exercising the brain >> Etc. Learn more about Sonali Dev and her books here: https://sonalidev.com/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Toronto-based novelist and cinephile Heather Babcock, whose debut novel “Filthy Sugar” features a libertine lesbian protagonist who models at Blondell's department store by day and dances at the Apple Bottom burlesque theater by night — all the while obsessing over the mysterious Apple Bottom proprietor who trades under the name Mr. Manchester.  We discuss:  >> 1930s street slang >> Silent and classic films >> Hollywood sirens >> Literary influences and aspirations >> Social media strategy >> Etc.  Learn more about Heather Babcock at: https://heatherrosebabcock.tumblr.com  Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program. 

In the spotlight are the dozen novels every man should read. Why? Because each of these novels contain elements that particularly speak to men, novels from which men can derive some important messages from that maybe can help them fulfill their destiny. Maybe that's an overstatement. Maybe not. You be the judges. Those novels — in no special order, and each of which host Mike Consol will elaborate on — are: “White Noise” by Don DeLillo“American Tabloid” by James Ellroy“Villages” by John Updike“The Human Stain” by Philip Roth“East of Eden” by John Steinbeck“The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway“The Bonfire of the Vanities” by Tom Wolfe“The End of the Affair” by Graham Greene“The Wife” by Meg Wolitzer“Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency” by Douglas Adams“Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas” by Tom Robbins“Bright Lights, Big City” by Jay McInerney Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Alena Dillon, author of “My Body Is a Big Fat Temple,” “The Happiest Girl in the World,” “Mercy House” and “Eyes Turned Skyward.” Her work has also appeared in publications including The Daily Beast, LitHub, River Teeth, Slice Magazine, The Rumpus, and Bustle. We discuss: >> Going from nonfiction to fiction>> Writing fiction rooted in true events>> Amy Schumer on “Mercy House”>> Pregnancy>> Motherhood>> The rationale for writing>> Etc. Learn more about Alena Dillon at this site: https://www.alenadillon.com/home Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is the author of “Sugar Street,” “The Privileges,” “A Thousand Pardons” and five other novels. Jonathan Dee is also a former contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine and a former senior editor of The Paris Review. He has also received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim Foundation.We discuss: >> First person vs. third person narration>> Creative writing>> Teaching the craft>> Syracuse University colleagues>> The gender ratio among fiction readers>> Etc. Learn more about Jonathan Dee at this site: https://thecollege.syr.edu/people/faculty/dee-jonathan/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Lisa Unger, who has sold millions of copies of her suspense novels, had several of her books optioned by Hollywood interests, and has a Jessica Alba project (“Confessions on the 7:45”) in the works for Netflix.  We discuss: >> Her latest novel: “Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six” >> Writing without an outline >> Character-driven novels >> The fine line between literary and commercial fiction >> Edgar Award nominations >> The short story form >> The author's promotional platform >> Dinner with the Bronte sisters >> Etc.  Learn more about Lisa Unger here: https://lisaunger.com  Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Melanie Benjamin, author of New York Times and USA Today bestselling historical novels such as “The Aviator's Wife,” “Mistress of the Ritz” and “The Swans of Fifth Avenue.”  We discuss:  >> Biographical historical fiction >> Her favorite era >> Dalliances with Hollywood >> Never writing the same book twice >> Her pursuit of theater >> Literary ADHD >> The upcoming novel >> Etc.  Learn more about Melanie Benjamin here: https://melaniebenjamin.com/  Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program. 

Sue William Silverman is the author of four memoirs and winner of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Award Series in Creative Nonfiction. Her memoir “Love Sick: One Woman's Journey through Sexual Addiction” was made into a Lifetime TV movie. She teaches in the MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. We discuss:>> The distinction between memoirs and autobiographies>> Reading with intent>> The value of independent publishing houses>> Auto-fiction>> Sensory writing>> Russell Baker and Patti Smith>> Incest and sex addition>> Etc.Learn more about Sue William Silverman here: https://www.suewilliamsilverman.com/index.htmNovelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Russell James, who was raised on Long Island, N.Y., and spent his evenings watching“Chiller,” “The Night Stalker”and“Dark Shadows,” among other horror shows, while also reading the likes of Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe. Today, James' byline appears on more than 20 horror novels of his own. We discuss: >> His beginnings >> Piloting U.S. Army helicopters >> Horror conventions >> Rod Serling >> How geography and climate influence story >> Greatest horror movies >> His novel in the works >> Etc. Learn more about Russell James and his work here:https://www.russellrjames.com/  Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program. 

In the spotlight is Jennifer Estep, a fantasy author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea. She has written more than 40 novels, along with numerous novellas and stories. We discuss: >> Being a “slush pile baby” >> Worldbuilding >> The “vomit draft” >> The perfect writing day >> Newspaper days >> Ian Fleming and James Bond >> Using social media >> Etc. Learn more about Jennifer Estep on her website: https://www.jenniferestep.com/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

With almost 60 novels and more than 1 million in unit sales to her credit, Amish and Christian author Amy Clipston would no doubt call herself “blessed.” During a nearly hour-long conversation, we discussed:   >> The Amish sub-genre>> What it means to be a Christian fiction writer>> Writing as ministry>> Her bestselling novel  >> Declining church participation  >> NASCAR >> Favorite Bible quote  >> Biggest challenge as a writer  >> Etc.   Learn more about Amy Clipston here: https://amyclipston.com/   Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program. 

In the spotlight, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner Cormac McCarthy, who is releasing two new novels, his first since “The Road” 16 years ago. The new novels, which will be released one month apart, are titled “The Passenger” and “Stella Maris” and tell the story of siblings Bobby and Alicia Western, who are tormented by the legacy of their father, a physicist who helped develop the atom bomb, and by their love for and obsession with one another.More to the point, this episode speaks to McCarthy longtime aversion to being interviewed, though several old newspaper articles from his early career have been unearthed and offer some insights into his writing process.Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Regency romance novelist Anne Gracie. Regency romances are a sub-genre of romance novels set during the period of the British Regency or early 19th century. Rather than versions of contemporary romance stories transported to a historical setting, Regency romances are a distinct genre with their own plot and stylistic conventions, according to an account from Wikipedia. Ms. Gracie's work in the sub-genre has been translated into more than 20 languages. We discuss:>> Myths about romance novels>> Formula and nonformula plots>> The power of handwriting>> Sex scenes>> Micro-tension>> Donald Maass>> Using a pseudonym>> Etc. Learn more about Anne Gracie here: https://www.annegracie.com/ Read Anne Gracie's blog post about the 10 myths about romance writing here: https://www.annegracie.com/writer-resources/myths-of-romance/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is William Kenower, author of “Fearless Writing,” “Write Within Yourself” and “Everyone Has What It Takes,” in addition to being the editor-in-chief of Author magazine. We discuss: >> Writing as a spiritual practice>> Ending self-doubt>> Writing within yourself>> Finding your writing channel>> The flow state>> Dealing with emotions>> Etc. Learn more about Bill Kenower here: https://www.williamkenower.com/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Lorraine Duffy Merkl, author of the novels “The Last Single Woman in New York City,” “Back to Work She Goes” and “Fat Chick.”We discuss:>> Autobiographical novels>> Using pop culture as a jumping off point>> Weight issues and dieting>> How to pull off a 40-plus-year marriage>> Advertising copywriting>> Writing for immediate gratification>> The rewards of fiction writing>> Etc.Learn more about Lorraine Duffy Merkl here: http://www.lorraineduffymerkl.com/Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Rosalind Helfand, co-founder of the West Hollywood Book Fair, which she co-directed for 10 years. During that time she championed programming for science fiction, fantasy and graphic novels, and went on to co-found Lit Crawl L.A. and directed Pasadena's literary festival, LitFest Pasadena.We discuss:>> Essential elements for a successful book festival>> The keys to drawing an audience>> The constituencies represented>> The underwriters>> Festival success stories>> Independent publishing houses>> Clive Barker, Ray Bradbury and Pamela Anderson>> How book festivals have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic>> Etc.Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

Is there a novel that represented a turning point for your writing efforts? Maybe there were two or three. For me it was "The World According to Garp" by John Irving. Here is a brief explanation how that book and author changed my horizons.Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Alexander Blevens, author of his debut novel “Bycatch,” a story soaked with greed and forgiveness while Southern and Vietnamese cultures tangle on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Blevens is currently working on his second novel, “Arkansas Black,” about two brothers who are losing their orchard to bankruptcy during the collapse of the apple industry in northwest Arkansas in 1927. (Think prequel to “Grapes of Wrath.”)We discuss:>> Starting a book with a “what if” idea>> Being a seat-of-the-pants writer>> Profanity in prose>> Writing groups>> Ocean Springs and Biloxi, Mississippi>> Hiking in Spain and Patagonia>> Traveling the U.S. in an Airstream trailer>> Etc.Lean more about Alexander Blevens here: https://alexanderblevens.comNovelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Dallas Woodburn, award-winning writer of fiction, nonfiction and plays. She is also a writing coach and in-demand book coach.We discuss:>> Self-characterization>> Writing for the YA audience>> The story behind her book title “3 a.m.”>> The 2022 Thriving Authors Summit>> Coaching aspiring authors>> The founding of Write On! Books>> The biggest writing problem dogging students>> Her authorial epitaph>> Etc.To learn more about Dallas Woodburn, go here: https://www.dallaswoodburn.com/Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Francesca Lia Block, author of more than 25 books of fiction, nonfiction, short stories and poetry. Her award-winning work has been translated into Italian, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese and other languages. We discuss: >> Los Angeles sensibilities >> Fiction versus nonfiction writing >> Sylvia Path, Shirley Jackson and Patti Smith >> Autofiction >> The author as character >> Obsession and anxiety >> Her writing and teaching methods >> Etc.  Our guest also reads an excerpt from one of her novels. To learn more about Francesca Lia Block, go here: https://www.francescaliablock.com/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Julia Crouch, author of crime novels such as “The Daughters,” “Every Vow You Break,” “Her Husband's Lover” and “The New Mother.” She and her actor husband are residents of Brighton, England. We discuss: >> Her career around the stage>> Cinematic writing>> Novels under consideration for the Silver Screen and streaming channels>> The adapt-and-survive approach to life>> The morality of crime writing>> Etc. Learn more about Julia Crouch here: http://juliacrouch.co.uk Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is historical novelist Joy Callaway, author of the historical novels that include “The Fifth Avenue Artists Society,” “Secret Sisters,” and “The Grand Design.”We discuss:>> Raising the stakes with your characters >> Limiting TV watching >> Getting her first agent >> Book tours >> Writing routines with children >> Family storytelling and ancestors' lives >> Etc.To learn more about Joy Callaway, go to this link: https://www.joycallaway.comNovelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight are writing routines and Nancy Stohlman, a proponent of flash fiction and good writing practices. In a recent newsletter, Stohlman reasoned that writing routines eventually stop working and need to be refreshed. This episode gives voice to her perspectives on the subject.Learn more about Nancy Stohlman at: www.nancystohlman.comNovelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Northwestern University literature professor Gary Morson, an expert in Russian novelists and their novels. His also the author of a forthcoming book titled “Wonder Confronts Certainty: Russian Writers on the Timeless Questions and Why Their Answers Matter” (Harvard Press). We discuss: >> Why Russia produced so many great novelists>> The place the novel occupies in modern day Russia and America>> Is “Anna Karenina” or “War and Peace” the greatest novel ever?>> Is Leo Tolstoy the greatest of all novelists?>> Why are names such as Chekhov, Dostoevsky and Pushkin still present?>> What do their great novels say about Russian history and its people?>> Etc. To learn more about professor Gary Morson, go here: https://slavic.northwestern.edu/people/faculty/morson-gary-saul.html Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

In the spotlight is Susan Shapiro, author of “The Book Bible: Sell Your Manuscript — No Matter What Genre — Without Going Broke or Insane.” She is also an award-winning writer and professor, authoring 17 best-selling books such as “Five Men Who Broke My Heart,” and her recent memoir “The Forgiveness Tour.” She lives with her scriptwriter husband in Manhattan and uses her writing and publishing guides “The Book Bible” and “The Byline Bible” to teach her popular “instant gratification takes too long” courses at The New School at NYU and Columbia University.  We discuss:  >> Confessional writing >> Why her family “hates” her writing >> The five men who broke her heart >> What authors do right and wrong in their query letters to agents >> What Arthur Miller, Williams Faulker said about the subject matter worth writing about >> What she tells her student about approaching writing >> Why she sees a “shrink” >> Etc.  Learn more about Susan Shapiro here: https://www.susanshapiro.net/index.html You can follow her postings at Twitter at @susanshapironet, Instagram at @Profsue123, and write to her at: ProfSue123@gmail.com  Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century,” “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play,” and two yet-to-be-published manuscripts, “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” and the short story collection “Love American Style.” Write to him at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program. 

The Alan Cox Show

The Alan Cox Show