BookSpeak Network: Recent Episodes
BookSpeak Network
Three different shows. One common theme: celebrating the world of books.
This podcast network is for readers and writers interested in hearing about awesome new books spanning a wide variety of different genres. Whether you’re hoping to get to know a new author or are in need of some practical writing tips, the BookSpeak Network has you covered.
~The first program in the BookSpeak Network is the Sunbury Press Books Show. Hosted by the CEO of indie publisher Sunbury Press Lawrence Knorr, this show consists largely of interviews between the publisher and the authors he takes on at Sunbury Press. Knorr interviews both fiction and nonfiction authors and covers a range of topics from history, sports, biography, and more. This show may air 1-4 times per month.
~The second program is called Milford House Mysteries, hosted by mystery and thriller authors Sherry Knowlton and JM (Jody) West. Sherry and JM often discuss the process of writing and publishing mysteries as well as doing interviews with some of the genre’s top authors. Milford House Mysteries hits the airwaves about two times per month.
~Finally, it’s the Brown Posey Press Show! Author Tory Gates interviews authors in the literary fiction and nonfiction genres, and he’s got a special connection with indie presses and indie authors. If you’re in the mood for a deep dive into art and uniqueness in literature, you’re going to find something to love in these conversations.
~Looking for author interviews and writing tips? Go ahead and hit that subscribe button. You’ve got some listening to do.
Author Robert John Andrews brings the 18th-century Susquehanna Valley to life in this Catamount Press novella, A Susquehanna Tale. This period of early American history is hard, where the rifle, tomahawk, and knife rule. It is a time of hope and loss, land-hungry settlers and the Iroquois; here, two men, frontier scout Alexander Tennant and pioneer Colonel William Montgomery discuss the stories of their lives and times.A Susquehanna Tale is discussed by Robert John Andrews and Sunbury Press Books founder Lawrence Knorr in this BookSpeak Network podcast. Retired after more than 40 years of pastoral work, including nearly three decades as head of the Grove Presbyterian Church in Danville, Pennsylvania, Andrews is a popular newspaper columnist, community and church leader, and public speaker on historical and spiritual topics. His first book, Nathaniel's Call won the First Book Award from the Presbyterian Writer's Guild, the first print-on-demand book so honored. Danville remains Andrews' home, and he says he's learned to cherish this region's rich history and love the tale of its river.
Horror author Stephen Paul Sayers comes to Hellbender Books with a new tale of suspense in The Carousel Man. Haunted by nightmares and visions, a desperate man returns to their source: a childhood carousel ride. There, he uncovers a shocking truth—and a long-forgotten promise that he is condemned to fulfill.Sayers is the author of the bestselling Caretakers horror trilogy, A Taker of Morrows, The Soul Dweller, and The Immortal Force. He appears on the Sunbury Press Show to discuss his love of old horror movies (watched with his ill-behaved dog, Ollie), how they influenced his writing, and his work as a college professor. He makes his home in Columbia, Missouri, and Plymouth, Massachusetts. You can find out more about him at his website.
"We are vessels...and sometimes we have to empty them."For years, Jhana has traveled the country as a National Public Radio reporter, looking for the stories of interesting people to tell. Now she has returned to her hometown of Sorel, to empty her vessel and tell listeners her own tale. As she navigates a hometown that has changed but still retains much of what it once was, Jhana reunites and remembers to see if one can go home again, in How the Story Ends.The seventh book by Tory Gates, How the Story Ends finds the author returning to commercial fiction. His works on Brown Posey Press include the Sweet Dreams Series, a young adult/time travel series with an emphasis on music. He is also the author of the award-winning A Moment in the Sun, Live from the Cafe, and the self-published Parasite Girls, which can be found on Amazon and Draft2Digital.For nearly 40 years, Tory has worked in broadcast radio, and is currently an anchor for NBC News Radio, but also provides news content for stations across Central Pennsylvania. He is also the host of "The Brown Posey Press Show" here on the BookSpeak Network. On this episode of The Sunbury Press Books Show, Tory discusses his career, his Vermont upbringing, and what inspires and drives his writing. You can find more on his website.A native of Cambridge, Vermont, Tory graduated from Saint Joseph's College of Maine. He lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with his cat, Kao. He can be found anywhere that good coffee is served.
Elbridge Corvallis finds himself in an unenviable position. About to start his professional hockey career, "Elby" is called home to Lowland, Pennsylvania, due to his mother's death. A car accident then keeps him home, and Elby has to somehow heal, and figure out how to get out of a gritty, dying steel town.Elby must also contend with his father's slide into madness, a pervy landlord, a revenge-minded physical therapist, and also the "Duke of Ash Avenue," a mysterious character who wants to secede and return the town to British rule. The darkly humorous situation and the strange characters that surround him leave Elby to consider his own place in the world, and whether Lowland really has anything for him?Garrett Stack brings his first novel, "The Duke of Ash Avenue" to the Catamount Press and the Sunbury Press Book Show. A poet and author of short fiction, Stack's work has appeared in several literary magazines. "Yeoman's Work," a collection of his poetry came out in 2020 on Bottom Dog Press. He holds degrees from Indiana University, the University of San Diego and Carnegie Mellon University. You can find out more about Garrett on his website.
Arcane Assassin: Path of Annihilation is the first of the Raven Naelo series, now available on the Hellbender Books imprint of Sunbury Press. The daughter of an elven king and human mother, Raven is a would-be rogue seeking to follow her father's path and become a realm guardian. After proving her worth against a gang of half-orcs, her father sends Raven to a training camp, where she meets fellow travelers, mages, nymphs, and archers. Their training is tested as they step into the world of advanced magic, but Raven finds her own power and danger at every turn.As the world plunges into war, Raven must fight to save her homeland from destruction, and the possibility that living and dead will never find peace.AnneMarie Knorr-Fischer is co-author of what promises to be an exciting quest, that she and her wife Rachel have set Raven upon. She discusses with host Lawrence Knorr how a love of Dungeons & Dragons and the discovery of old gaming documents and maps inspired Raven and the newly-released start of an exciting and captivating series. The authors live in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
R. Kane Maurer brings his love of fantasy and adventure tales to a trilogy of his own design, The Forbidden Powers. After agreeing to explore a local cave, Jonny is thrust into another world of magic, trolls, dragons, and legendary heroes only read about. Jonny quickly finds this is all too real and must learn to not only save himself but to defend the world he knows from a sinister force who seeks the power of a god."The Cup in the Shadows" is the first of Maurer's three-volume set, available through the Hellbender Books imprint of Sunbury Press. Inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and others, Maurer has brought his original storytelling to the printed word, and discusses the trilogy with host Lawrence Knorr.R. Kane Maurer lives with his family in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
The Deceived Ones is a tale of displacement, a stranger in a strange land, music, and a tale most familiar to fans of a certain bard. In her debut novel, Judith Krummeck brings real places, war, music, and identity to life. Vira is a talented, but introverted Ukrainian woman who is forced to flee her homeland as Russia invades. She lands in Baltimore with help from the Uniting for Ukraine program, carrying the clothes on her back and her viola da gamba. An assault and the loss of her passport drive Vira to assume the identity of her twin brother Sevastyan, who fights to avoid conscription and follow Vira to the US.Meanwhile, Orson is commissioned to write an opera for the Twelfth Night Festival, but cannot compose; his muse, the equally brilliant soprano Isabella refuses to sing again, for him or anyone else. Vira's musical talents come Orson's way, as she tries to remake herself and navigate a path to a new life. Based on Twelfth Night, Judith Krummeck discusses The Deceived Ones on the Brown Posey Press Show. A native of South Africa, Krummeck is an essayist, author, and playwright. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts from the University of Baltimore. She is the author of "Beyond the Baobab," an autobiographical series of essays, and "Old New Worlds," a work of historical non-fiction. Her writings have appeared in The Rumpus, Baltimore Fishbowl, and Past Ten. Judith is also the evening drive presenter on classical music radio station WBJC in Baltimore, where she lives with her husband. You can find more about Judith on her website.
The Pittsburgh Pirates were the doormat of the National League for much of the 1950s but began to turn things around late in the decade. Through changes in the front office and management, the Bucs had their first winning season in a decade in 1958 but slipped to fourth place the following year. 1960: When the Pittsburgh Pirates Had Them All the Way is the story of that magical run, from spring training to a wild World Series against the New York Yankees.Wayne Stewart brings his love of baseball, plus extensive research and player interviews to the table in this comprehensive look at a unique team that won 95 games and then took the Yankees the distance. Shortstop Dick Groat earned the NL MVP Award, 20-game winner Vernon Law took Cy Young honors, and an outfielder named Roberto Clemente hit .314 with a then career-high 16 home runs. Players such as Harvey "The Kitten" Haddix, Roy Face, Hal Smith, and Bill Mazeroski made their respective marks; the latter was mostly a defensive specialist who hit the series-clinching homer.A native of Pittsburgh, Wayne Stewart grew up in Donora, Pennsylvania. The town produced several athletes who made it in the pros, including Stan Musial and Ken Griffey, Senior, and Junior (Stewart in fact was a high school teammate of the elder Griffey). Stewart is the author of a string of books on baseball, football and basketball, and has interviewed some of the biggest names in professional sports."A must-read for every baseball fan." -- Vernon Law
Massachusetts was one of the states on the front line when it came to the Abolitionist Movement, but it also served as an early hub for the slave trade in New England. In his new book on Local History Press, Slavery and Abolitionism on Cape Cod, Dr. Michael Pregot looks into how both the pro and anti-slavery factions took hold. To understand the shift away from slavery, Dr. Pregot looks into the forces that caused this change, including the political and religious persuasions, economic factors, and social movements of the time.A resident of Brewster, Massachusetts, Michael Pregot's interest in the stories of the Cape and Islands led to his research into the sea captains who acquired wealth, fame, and prominence as they sailed the world, as chronicled in his first Local History release, Sea Captains of Cape Cod.
Justin Moore, the protagonist of Dennis Clausen's works, The Accountant's Apprentice and The Return of the Fifth Horseman is back with Apocalypse in Our Time. In Justin's time as the director of a homeless shelter, he's seen an awful lot. The latest residents of the shelter include Young Angelina, an artistic savant with an obsession with Shakespeare's plays and the paintings of Michaelangelo. When Justin later picks up a nameless, catatonic man from a bus depot, he wonders if the long-lost A.C. has indeed returned. Or is he an otherworldly figure whose mission is to convince Earth's inhabitants to destroy themselves?Dennis Clausen is a native of Minnesota and draws on his home state to inspire his numerous works. He is the author of books that include Prairie Son, My Christmas Attic, The Search for Judd McCarthy, and The Sins of Rachel Sims. A professor of American Literature and Creative Writing at the University of San Diego for over 40 years, Clausen has also written the instructional Storytelling as Art & Craftsmanship: Practical Strategies for Screenwriters and Creative Writers. Find out more at his website.
Altoona, Pennsylvania, 1966. Nineteen-year-old Frank Davis stands on the edge of adulthood in a tumultuous time of American history, brought to life in Fred J. Lauver's new novel, Heart in the Jungle - Mountain City. Frank's middle-class neighborhood has streets named after poets, in contrast to the reality of the city's industrial lands, the remains of the coal and railroad industries. Amid this, Frank dreams of rock stardom with his band, while living a somewhat-sheltered life that hearkens back to a decade before.The Vietnam War hangs heavy over the nation, and while patriotism remains strong, the feeling pervades many that this is a war we should not be fighting. Frank enlists in the Air Force, only to find he's been drafted, by the seemingly standard practice of the local board. Efforts of wealthier families, determined to keep their sons from this war resort to extreme measures and Frank is caught up in it.All the while, Frank tries to find love. His lifelong friend Jeannette Wiley is gone, the allure of Sarah Meade, the girl everyone wants, and the courtship of Brandi Jo Pulinni, guided by her Italian-American family's ever-changing perceptions. A native of Altoona, Fred is the author of works including Aziza, the Caves of Mars, and Olympus. His short stories have appeared in anthologies such as The Darkened Doorstep, and Bitter Sweet. He co-authored The Pennsylvania Trail of History cookbook and was assistant editor of Pennsylvania Heritage magazine. Find out more about Fred here.
A small-town murder in rural Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania is examined by author Taj Magruder in his Milford House Press debut, In the Day of Trouble.On March 17, 1934, a woman named Susan Mummey was shot and killed by a known assailant. Her murder was due to her being known as the Witch of Ringtown Valley, which Magruder covers in detail for the first time. For years Mummey was rumored to practice magic from her isolated farm home, and her battles with family, neighbors, and the law were known. When detectives extracted a confession from her assailant, the revelations that followed not only shocked the county, but far beyond. As quickly as the excitement and interest in Mummey's murder and what she was alleged to have done grew, it faded away.Magruder's research into the historical record, press reports, and insights from survivors of those involved has resulted in a fascinating look at a strange time in American history. Magruder examines Mummey's life, and her connections to "powwow," the Pennsylvania Dutch form of mysticism, faith healing, and spirituality. He also looks into how Mummey came to be misunderstood, the mental disturbance of her killer, which may make the reader examine their own selves.A Baltimore native, Taj Magruder has worked in state and local government. A graduate of Penn State University with a degree in political science, he lives in the Greater Philadephia area with his cats, Benji and Roxie.
Rita Wilson's debut novel, When the Only Light is the Moon tells the tale of four women, each with their own story, and a chance encounter in a foreign land that changes everything.Demi is a Greek-American banquet manager who is still recovering from a breakup. She joins her mother, aunt, and cousin for a trip to Greece. The plan for a relaxing holiday does not begin well as their rental car breaks down. Rescue by a villager and her grandson Stavros leads to an unexpected romance, with Charles, a British author who offers humor and sage advice. Demi must consider her feelings for Stavros, and with Charles' advice in mind, all four women face their issues in this work on the Milford House imprint.Rita Wilson is an award-winning artist, writer, and educator. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including the literary magazines Rune and Riverspeak, Voices from the Attic, and The 100 Lives Anthology. Her first book, Greek Lessons is a biography and memoir, and her many trips to Greece have informed the new novel she speaks of with host Lawrence Knorr.Wilson has an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Carlow University in Pittsburgh. A retired teacher, Wilson has held creative writing workshops in the US and Europe. She is also a Western Pennsylvania Writing Project fellow, a Non-Fiction Editor for the Northern Appalachia Review, and a Director of the Writing Conference of Northern Appalachia (WCONA). She lives near Pittsburgh.
Brian George has drawn on his experiences (both in and out of body) for his poetry and essays. A collection of the latter form his book, Masks of Origin: Regression in the Service of Omnipotence, on Untimely Books. Stories, examinations of faith and spirituality, philosophy, and visual works show a unique take on our world. George discusses the pushing of boundaries, including time and space, and how our experiences, though perhaps negative or even traumatic, may well open doors to discovery.As part of his appearance on The Brown Posey Press Show, George reads selections of his works, drawing the listener (as it has the reader) into a deeper look at the author, and perhaps ourselves.Brian George grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts. He is a Massachusetts College of Art graduate and is an exhibitor and educator. George has published works of poetry and essays (with more to come) and is editor of the Metapsychosis Journal. He lives in Boston.
The Young Frontiersman Series follows Barnabus Locke as he lives through a formative period in America. The son of a fur trader, Locke's odyssey from the Revolutionary Period through the time of the Louisiana Purchase. The volumes of his adventures, "Fidelity," "Allegiance," and "Alliance" are now joined by the latest in the series, "Identity." All come from the pen of Matthew Blaine and available through Milford House Press.Inspired by the works of Ernest Hemingway, Jack London, Louis L'Amour, and John Steinbeck, Blaine tells of his varied life: a steelworker, factory floor assembler, carpenter, and cab driver, he also managed trade shows across the East Coast. His interests included primitive archery, hiking, and canoeing. During the pandemic, Blaine wrote two self-published memoirs of his life. All of this spurred him to create Barnabus Locke, and live history through times of change in the colonies, the Spanish/French conflict over the Louisiana Territory, and the Ohio Country, which has its roots in Western Pennsylvania. Retired, Matthew Blaine lives in rural Pennsylvania. When not writing, he works in a shop in the woods, practicing the skills required for leather working, shaping and fletching primitive arrows and marrying old ax heads with newly fashioned handles.
The Holly Garner and Stephanie Miller team return to the Sunbury Press Books Show to discuss their new series of children's books, designed to help kids navigate difficult times. Best known for the engaging books "Letters to Leo" and "More Letters to Leo," they return with the Emotional Monster series on Speckled Egg Press.The first two of these, "Why is Frustrated so Frustrated?" and "Why is Sad so Sad?" are designed in words and pictures to help young people become aware of these emotions and how to deal with them. The pairing of Garner and Miller is natural, as they both work at the Grace B. Luhrs Elementary School in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. Holly Garner has been an educator for over 30 years, the principal of Luhrs, a teacher and reading specialist. Stephanie Miller has more than 25 years of experience, teaches third grade at Luhrs, and has brought her artistic skills to the team.Another new release is Stuck! A hilarious tale of a hockey goalie stuck in his net, this tale teaches the value of teamwork.
The fourth and final volume of the Anthems of al-Andalus series, John D. Cressler takes the reader to Spain and tells the tale of forbidden love during a bloody war that heralds the end of a golden age. As much a tale of fiction, it is also one of history, which most never learn about in the west.Most of modern Spain was under Muslim control from 711 to 1492 C.E. This time was one of deep influence in world events, including the rediscovery, translation and dissemination of the lost works of science, medicine, and philosophy of the ancient Greeks. The Umayyads were great lovers of books and learning, and the 10th and 11th centuries was a period of religious and spiritual acceptance, where Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities embraced one another. The three traditions sparked a cultural revolution. This discussion with host Lawrence Knorr provides insight into centuries past, and how faiths lived and grew together and inspired immense change, now seemingly lost.John D. Cressler is the Schlumberger Chair Professor in Electronics at Georgia Tech. His debut novel, "Emeralds of the Alhambra," was released by Sunbury Press in 2013, followed by "Shadows in the Shining City," and "Fortune's Lament." He is also the author of non-fiction works that include "Silicon-Germanium Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors," "Silicon Earth," and "Extreme Environment Electronics." You can find out more about him at his website.
Murial Robertson is a rebellious woman of the late 19th century but has to keep a fair amount of that under wraps. Attached to the security detail of her Senator father, Murial longs to break from his grip, yet must also protect him. When her father is threatened by an unknown stalker known as "The Serpent," it is up to Murial to discover his identity. Aided by her cousin Walter and a lawman named Jack, Murial begins an odyssey of intrigue, action and self-discovery in the novella "The Serpent's Star."Author and artist Sarah Ickes has brought Murial to life, spurred by her interest in art, history, westerns, Steampunk and suspense. She discusses these and future works on the Brown Posey Press Show. A graduate of Harrisburg Area Community College, Ickes can be found at area events, on social media and at her website. Sarah lives in Newville, Pennsylvania.
Baseball cards were collected, traded, and used in games we made up as kids. In recent decades, however, the collectibles market has turned these into a multi-million-dollar business. They are the stuff of memories, the object of historians, and an addition to some people's portfolios. A recent discovery of a rare set of T206 cards sold in cigarette packs in the early 20th century has become a book, "What's in Ted's Wallet?" The owner of these cards was Theodore "Ted" Edison, the youngest son of Thomas Alva Edison. In the summer of 1909, Ted began collecting these cards and soon amassed a collection of 61, including 58 players. Many of them ended up in the Baseball Hall of Fame, such as Ty Cobb, Frank Chance, Walter Johnson, and Christy Mathewson. He kept them in a wallet made that year, and they were found among Ted's donated papers in the 1990s. When J.B. Manheim and co-author Lawrence Knorr found these during archival research on Edison and baseball, they knew they had a book!J.B. Manheim is Professor Emeritus at The George Washington University, where he developed the world's first degree-granting program in political communication. He is also the founding director of the School of Media & Public Affairs. He is the author of "The Deadball Files," a five-volume series on the early years of professional baseball in the 20th century. He is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, and International Thriller Writers.
"Promised Rewards" is a tale that takes the reader through 9th Century England, and follows an aspiring Bard, who tells the tales of the axe-wielding hero Sigurd. They don't quite start out that way, but seeking adventure means conflict, friendship, and perhaps even love as the two make their way through uncertain times.The story is one of many from Clif Flynt, who joins the Brown Posey Press Show to discuss how Bard and Sigard came about. With a background in folk music, computer programming and as a technical author, Clif has turned his skills toward short stories and the soon-to-be ongoing epic of his heroes.Clif is also the author of "You're Not From Around Here, Are You?" These and other works can be found on his website. He lives Michigan.
The full, eventful, and rich life of Lew Wallace is examined in detail in "Lew: The Life and Times of the Author of Ben Hur." Biographer Michael E. Fox appears on the Sunbury Press Books Show to discuss Wallace's career, and how one of the most popular novels of the 19th century was not religious, but a semi-autobiographical account of his own times.Fox traces Wallace's early life in Indiana (Fox was raised in Crawfordsville, where Wallace was sent for schooling at the age of nine, and where he retired), his experience in the Mexican War, and his time serving as a field commander under General Ulysses S. Grant during the western campaigns of the American Civil War. Wallace also served as Governor of the New Mexico Territory, where he completed "Ben Hur," and as a US Minister to the Ottoman Empire.Wallace's greatest work, "Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ" is considered the most spiritually influential novel of the century. He also wrote several other novels and a biography of President Benjamin Harrison, a fellow Indianan and Civil War general. Michael E. Fox developed friendships during his childhood with men who knew Wallace. He is a graduate of Purdue University, an attorney, and with a Master of Law (LLM) with Honors. He has worked for Eastman Kodak and served as President of Screen GP Americas, a maker of high-speed, high-resolution printing equipment and is considered a pioneer in modern-day printing and publishing technology. Now retired, he lives in Southern California.
Book 3 of the Rian Krieger's Journey takes Roger A. Smith's tomboyish heroine to Russia in "The Blackmailer." Thirteen-year-old Rian (that's Ree-in) runs away to Russia in 1838 to assist her uncle and cousin as they build a railroad for Tsar Nicholas I. There's a problem, though perhaps not for Rian--she is masquerading as her uncle's coachman, a boy. Rian's bravery and resourcefulness are soon noted by the Tsar, and Rian finds herself assigned to his palace, companion to Grand Duke Konstantin, his young son. Across the ocean, an economic depression has struck the US, and in Philadelphia, where Rian's family is based. Jules Freeman, a man who fled slavery years before works as foreman of Krieger Coach, while his home serves as a stopover on the Underground Railroad. He is then tasked with a new project, one that intrigues and challenges him.Roger A. Smith continues to combine his love of history with a story that has been ignored for nearly two centuries. In his third appearance on the Sunbury Press Books Show, Smith discusses what brought Rian, her family, and friends to life, and how a girl who has already accomplished much in her life will live history. A teacher of mentally gifted students, a farmer, an entrepreneur, and director of a rural arts council, Smith lives on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Find out more about him at RogerASmith.com
Steven Grier Williams brings his latest work, "Skadi and the Geats," the third of the Prose Edda Series to the Sunbury Press Books Show. The heart of the mysterious Ironwood forest has been pillaged and turned into a mine. Hrothgar, the Earl of Lejre has staked his claim as ruler of Midgard, but with force and violence which leaves the kingdom in his grip. But there are those who will fight...Skadi has proven her worth as Viking warrior and now joins the wide and bodiless Mimir in search of his physical form. An invitation from Hrothgar draws Skadi into a conspiracy that involves the Aesir gods, and she realizes that relying on others may be the only way to oust the Earl and restore her home.Steven Grier Williams is a graduate of Northwestern University, and his interest in Iceland and Nordic myths has resulted in the series, which includes, "Skadi," and "Thyra." He lives with his wife Danielle in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Author Dan Van Tassel returns to the Sunbury Press Books Show to discuss his new travel memoir, "Beyond Barron." The sequel to the 2008 release, "Back to Barron," Van Tassel tells of he and his wife Rhoda's travels and career. The memoir focuses on schools and universities attended, taught and visited; homes built, bought and redecorated; vehicles and pets acquired, all done with humor and detail. Dan Van Tassel grew up in Barron, Wisconsin, about 80 miles northeast of Minneapolis, Minnesota and discusses his upbringing in a small town reminiscent of the life Garrison Keillor often wrote and told his own tales about. Van Tassel graduated from St. Olaf College, and earned graduate degrees from the University of Iowa. He taught literature at Muskingum College and Cal State-San Marcos, and now teaches courses for senior citizens. Dan is also the author of the 2022 Sunbury Press release, "Journey by the Book: A Guide to Tales of Travels."He lives in Northfield, Minnesota.
The life of Major William Trent is shrouded in relative obscurity, but his mark on the Colonial period of early US history cannot be taken from him. The son of a Philadelphia shipping merchant, and the namesake for the capitol of New Jersey, Trent served as the factor for one of the most powerful land speculation companies, known for his impeccable record-keeping and penmanship. By the eve of the American Revolution, Trent was the face of westward expansion. He was also purported to be the giver of smallpox-infected blankets to Natives at Fort Pitt in the summer of 1763.Author and historian Jason Cherry works to dispel that notion and to tell how Trent served alongside contemporaries such as Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. A research consultant for the 1719 William Trent House Museum and the author of "Pittsburgh's Lost Outpost: Captain Trent's Fort," Cherry brings the biography of Trent forward in this new book. He lives with his family in Butler, Pennsylvania.
In this second of two special episodes, the Sunbury Press Books Show hears from participating authors in the 2024 Writers Conference of Northern Appalachia, held at St. Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania. Producer and presenter Tory Gates interviews three of these authors:Hilary Hauck, author of From Ashes to Song, on our Milford House Press imprint, discusses the WCONA Conference experience, and her session on writing craft.L.E. DeLano, author of both young adult and romance works, including Traveler, and Dreamer. Her 2021 novel, Blue was named the SPARK Award winner by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and was the 2021-22 Teen/YA Book of the Year by Reader Views Kids. Stephen Sherrill is a Professor of Creative Writing at Penn State-Altoona. He is the author of works that include Motorcycles, Minotaurs and Banjos: A Midwest Odyssey, which documents a personal and musical journey, Joy, PA: A Novel, and Visits from the Drowned Girl. He is also the creator of Despondent Man, a character you must hear about in Sherrill's own words.Through our Northern Appalachia imprint, Catamount Press, Sunbury Press Books aims to highlight not only the past works of authors such as Herbert E. Stover but current works of fiction and non-fiction by authors of this region.
J.T. Kunkel brings his unique brand of writing, setting, description and action in a series of mystery works. We are introduced to Miranda Marquette, an ex-cop turned entrepreneur who cannot get crime-fighting out of her system. From the debut Blood on the Bayou, readers have followed the detective across the US in seven (so far) tales that include Murder in the Extreme, and A Death in Santa Clara.Not to be outdone, Cordelia Corbett makes her first appearance in Under the Influence. Kunkel discusses the mystery genre, the creative process and how Miranda and Cordelia have captured reader's imaginations on the Brown Posey Press Show. A longtime singer-songwriter, Kunkel did his time in Nashville before turning his skills to novels. He lives in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
Debuting in 2019, the Writers Conference of Northern Appalachia honors the authors, past and present who occupy a unique place in this part of the United States. The goals of the annual conference are to help writers continue to evolve, progress, and improve their work while highlighting the region, and its character.Sunbury Press is a sponsor and supporter of this event, held this year at St. Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania. Producer Tory Gates sat down with several participants in this conference, and in this first special episode, heard from three of the voices of the region.PJ Piccirillo is a founding father of the WCONA Festival. A two-time winner of the Appalachian Writers Award for Short Fiction, he is the author of the novels Heartwood and The Indigo Scarf. He is also an editor of the Northern Appalachia Review, available through Sunbury Press' imprint, Catamount Press.Ben Moyer is an outdoor writer and essayist, whose work appears in numerous publications. Smoke to See By is a new release on Catamount Press, a collection of 21 stories and essays, which won the WCONA Book of the Year Award.Paul T. Ricci is a statistician, author, blogger and educator, with a degree in biostatistics and research methodology from the University of Pittsburgh. The founder of Allegheny Independent Media, Ricci is the author of Wuthering Depths in Johnstown: By the Numbers, a look at the changes of his hometown, and he speaks of Johnstown's history, and what its future may hold.
Recently at Cleveland Concoction in Aurora, Ohio, BPP Host Tory Gates was joined by fellow authors for a Roundtable Discussion, "Structuring Your Story." He was joined in this shoot-style talk by:Addie King, an attorney by day and author by night, is the author of The Grimm Legacy and The Hochenwalt Files series, along with a collection of short stories, Demons and Heroes and Robots, Oh My!Geoffrey A. Landis is a NASA scientist who develops advanced technologies for spaceflight. He is a Hugo, Nebula, and Robert A. Heinlein Award winner for science fiction and author of Mars Crossing and the Impact Parameter Collection.Marie Vibbert is a Hugo and Nebula Award nominee. Her work includes The Gods Awoke and Galactic Hellcats, along with more than 90 published short stories.Weston Kincade is the author of character-driven fantasy, paranormal and horror works. These include the A Life of Death trilogy and The Priors. His short stories have appeared in Kevin J. Kennedy's best-selling collections, along with Alucard Press' 50 Shades of Slay. He is also a member of the Horror Writers Assocation and a founder of CleCon's Author's Alley.
Brown Posey Press Show host Tory Gates recently returned from Cleveland Concoction, an annual event in Aurora, Ohio which brings together authors, cosplayers, gamers, and creatives from across the artistic spectrum. As he did last year, Tory recorded a series of short interviews with many of his fellow authors, and these have been assembled to showcase independent authors who are writing and creating their way. Guests include Rami Ungar, author of novels and short stories, including works such as Rose. David F. Balog is a co-founder of Owl Talyn Press and author of tales that include The Necromancer's Sorrow. Becca Lynn Mathis bring us the Trials of the Blood series, while a previous guest, Marcus Cook discusses the continuing adventures of his heroic thief Ava Edison in a new adventure. S.A. Ferguson talks about her soon-to-be-released debut, The Leaders of Aluzamoak, Shannon Eichorn tells of her "Space Opera" writings, and Clif Flynt talks of his historic comedy writings, including Promised Rewards.
Jim, a brooding, self-absorbed hobo is traveling the country, obsessed with the belief that his father is the famous (and dead?) rock legend Jim Morrison. Sorrie is an intelligent, but non-streetwise teenage girl who is fleeing her controlling and abusive parents. The pair meet and in a cross-country odyssey overcome obstacles before them, and with one another, in "Travels with Jim," the debut novel by Jill Evans.Evans joins host Tory Gates to discuss the conditions that brought Jim and Sorrie about, and also her own upbringing and life, which played a part in this unique work. With roots firmly in Long Island, New York and Northeast Pennsylvania, Evans discusses her Polish and Italian backgrounds, the interactions with her family and the examples set for her as she pursued her own work.Jill Evans earned a bachelor's degree from Stony Brook University and an MFA with a concentration in writing from Lindenwood University. Her articles have appeared in publications that include Newsday and the East Hampton Star. She also teaches memoir and creative writing at Suffolk County Community College on Long Island.
Laura LaBrie is about living her best life. Having lived all over the world, Laura and her late husband Daryl had long promised they were going to run away to Mexico. Daryl's sudden passing led Laura back there with his ashes, and what followed was an ongoing journey of discovery, teaching, learning, and a spiritual sense of place. Laura is the author of a dozen books, including "I Ran Away to Mexico." Speaking to a former classmate on the Brown Posey Press Show, Laura discusses her travels, her many years among the Maya, and the ways we can simplify our lives. The lessons drawn from the people she has met and lived with over the past several years are the teachers. Through her website, MayaHarmony.com, Laura offers her books, lessons, and retreats, and shows us how to unlock our own inner magic. Laura is also the founder of Poverty Project International. She lives in Quintana Roo, Mexico.
The son of an Italian-American fisherman, Johnny Cavelli is destined for greater things past his home, Granite Island, Maine. When his father is injured during a storm on his high school graduation day, Johnny decides to stay and help in the family business. Acquiring a boat, Johnny assembles a crew of colorful Downeast Mainers and puts to sea. In a story of twists and turns, Johnny makes friends, acquires enemies, and his decisions culminate in "The Seiners."Cherryfield, Maine native Anastasia Marie Cassella brings to life a novel started by her father, which examines the gritty, even cutthroat business of fishing. Written with the flair of Downeast vernacular, "The Seiners" details the work lobster and fishermen face day to day along the coast, battling storms, factory boats, and the uncertainty of whether the catch of the day will get sold. As well, Cassella offers the history of immigrants who brought their skills and experiences to New England as they worked to build better lives for themselves and their families.Cassella is also the author of poetic and literary works, including "The Rogue Bear and Other Short Stories," and the dark "Letter to My Brother." She lives in Jefferson, Maine.
"Leave Everything You Know Behind" is the story of two women who meet by chance, and find how their lives intertwine around the ultimate end. Anne Canfield is a cranky, aging newspaper publisher who believes she will live forever, only to discover she doesn't have much time left. When she rescues a younger woman, teacher Indira Anand from drowning, Anne finds Indira is dying, too and wants to end her life. Anne has decisions to make--she must save her business, deal with a decision made long ago, and protect her family. Add to this, a vengeful relative discovers Anne's secret and tries to disrupt the family even more. "Leave..." is a story of an unlikely friendship, and reminds of what keeps people wanting to live.An award-winning journalist and writer, Ginny Fite has covered crime, politics, the arts, and healthcare. She has served as a spokesperson for a governor, a member of Congress, along with three colleges and universities, plus a robotics firm. Her books include "The Physics of Things, "Possession" and the Sam Lagarde series.
Author Jill Evans winds the tales of two young people from different worlds into a strange, gritty odyssey and search for self in "Travels with Jim." Jim is on a quest to find his father and is traveling the roads and rails in search of the man he believes to be his father, The Doors frontman, lyricist, and poet Jim Morrison. Sorrie is a girl from a family of means who has little interest or interaction with the world around her and is on the run from a suffocating family. Through her bookworm personality, she tries to draw Jim out, and along a path fraught with adverse circumstances and oft-unfriendly characters, the pair find something more than just their freedom.Jill Evans is a writer of fiction and memoir, and her works have appeared in several newspapers and magazines. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from Stony Brook University and an MFA from Lindeonwood Unviersity. She teaches creative writing at Suffolk County Community College, and lives on Long Island.
Josh Goldberg is an attorney who is faced with a dilemma. Stuck in Houston, his girlfriend Keisha is about to give birth to their child in a Cincinnati hospital. Standing between them is the worst storm in recorded history. Josh has a decision to make, especially when he finds that Keisha's obstetrician is her old flame: in a rented Lincoln Town Car, and accompanied by his alcoholic colleague Geoff and self-centered conniving boss Diane, Josh sets out on a dangerous odyssey to get to Keisha. Along the way, Josh and Keisha both consider what they really want in life and what will happen next, if the storm doesn't kill Josh first."Reap the Wind" is the latest novel from Joel Burcat, and he comes to the Brown Posey Press Show to discuss his stories, characters and how his many years as an environmental attorney shaped his second career. His previous works, "Drink to Every Beast," "Amid Rage" and "Strange Fire" bring courtroom drama and our current environmental crisis front and center. Now retired, Joel was selected as the 2019 Lawyer of the Year in Environmental Litigation for Central Pennsylvania by Best Lawyers in America. He has also edited non-fiction books on envirinmental and energy law and is the author of numerous professional articles on environmental law. He lives in Harrisburg, PA.
Joe Regenbogen's long career as a schoolteacher led to writing later in life, and has encompassed a series of thoughtful, researched and diverse works. Appearing on The Sunbury Press Books Show, Regenbogen discusses his experiences in the classroom, which led to his first two books: Questioning History and Relearning History were targeted at those bored with traditional methods of teaching.His following works were equally fulfilling: The Boys of Brookdale tells the stories of veterans of World War II, while Making a Difference details the work of Irl Solomon, who dedicated his career to teaching in the schools of East St. Louis. From here, Regenbogen stepped into fiction with his first novel, Longs Peak, and his latest, Dying of the Light, available on Sunbury's Ars Metaphysica imprint.When Ethan's wife of 40 years passes away, he realizes the guiding light of his life is now extinguished. Haunted as well by a decision made decades before, Ethan takes a road trip to rediscover himself, and find a way to make things right, after so many years.A native of New Orleans, Joe Regenbogen taught in the city's schools before moving to St. Louis, where he now resides. In addition to writing, he has hosted talks and penned op-ed pieces for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The history, the landmarks, the myths and tall tales of Pennsylvania are a mission for author Jeffrey Frazier, who makes his second appearance on The Sunbury Press Books Show. A Centre County native, Jeffrey grew up in a "Tom Sawyer sort of way," and his boyhood explorations have turned into a five-decades-long search. In "The Pennsylvania Mountain Landmarks" and "Pennsylvania Fireside Tales" series, Frazier uncovers legends and folk tales known and unknown. These stories are, as Frazier describes, them, "waves of time." He joins host Lawrence Knorr in reflections on those who have chronicled Pennsylvania's past tales, and what Frazier has learned. From the Blue Mountains of Berks and Lehigh Counties, the South Mountains of Adams County, the Black Forest area of Potter and Tioga Counties, to the Alleghenies and in between, there are tales you will remember and those which might have been forgotten.Jeffrey Frazier graduated from Penn State University in 1967, and earned an MBA from Rider University in New Jersey. He lives in Bellefonte, PA.
A devastating earthquake strikes part of the United States where one should never, throwing sisters Quinn and Riley into a desperate struggle to merely get home. But Point A to B is hardly a straight line, as the sisters must overcome their own differences and mistakes. Along with those they meet along the way, the sisters make their way to a hopeful safety in "Darkness Falls," the first of the Nature's Fury Series.A.E. Faulkner brings the reader a dystopian world that appeals to more than the young adult audience. Her interest in the dark, and the creation of strong yet flawed characters makes its way through all five volumes of the series. Her writing brings out the concern of the repercussions we will face when nature no longer tolerates human destruction.A Pennsylvania native, Faulkner embeds us in a familiar atmosphere. A lover of the outdoors, Faulkner can be found hiking, biking and exploring nature with her husband and two sons. She lives in Harrisburg.
Bioterror, geopolitics, detective work and a virus with no cure collide in The Red Mutation, the latest work by Barry Libin. A Chinese-inspired virus could bring about world domination--Dr. Jeffrey Moss is assigned by the NYPD to find an antidote and destroy the virus, before it's too late.Barry Libin has brought to life writings that combine his experiences with a sense of history. A periodontist and medical researcher, Dr. Libin is a graduate of the University of Rochester, where he majored in History and Biochemistry. He studied writing ot Hofstra University and the University of Iowa. His work includes The Mystery of the Milton Manuscript, released on Urim Publications in 2014. Sunbury Press Books also has released the acclaimed The Vatican's Vault in 2018. In addition, Libin is a playwright, lyricist and composer. His play THE TRIANGLE tells the story of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory disaster. He lives in New York City.
The life (or perhaps lives) of a man who made a career change in mid-stride of life to serve his nation, and the struggle for validation and vindication are brought to life by Dr. Scott Zuckerman, in his second book for Sunbury Press. Nothing Left to Prove, Nothing Left to Hide: The Long and Winding Road to Redemption of Major Sebastian Thomas Tosto, Zuckerman tells the story of a man who grew up in the shadow of his father and other relatives, and his quest to get out from under it.The son of a World War II veteran, Tom Tosto was a successful physician, who at age 50 gave that up in the wake of September 11th, 2001. He joined the Army and served in the 82nd Airborne Division as a paratrooper and brigade surgeon. He saw action in Iraq and Afghanistan, where Tosto earned the Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medals. His story, however, leads Tosto to become a patient of Dr. Zuckerman's, and he tells of what has haunted him.A Brooklyn, New York native, Scott Zuckerman's four-decade career as a physician brought him back to the advice given him by his high school English teacher, Frank McCourt, who encouraged him to "cultivate" his gift as a writer. Dreams of My Comrades was released by Sunbury Press in 2017, and earned First Place in the Non-Fiction category of the 2015 Utah Original Writing Competition. Zuckerman also contributed two pieces to the Sunbury Press anthology, After the Pandemic: Visions of Life, Post COVID-19.
Linda Schifino's memoir, Neighborhood Girl: A Memoir of Loss, Longing, and Letting Go takes the reader back to her Italian-American roots, in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh. On this episode of the Sunbury Press Books Show, Schifino discusses a time when neighbors looked out for each other, trust was paramount, and the values of another place and time made their home in America.Most of what Schifino recalls is no longer there, but she brings the customs, traditions and memories back to life. Recollections of her confirmation, the neighborhood grocery, and her brief career as a numbers runner(!) collide with the now. When her son asks if it's all right to bring a ham to the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, there is a fear of dismantling these traditions further, but also there's the letting go.Linda Schifino holds a Ph.D in Rhetoric from Duquesne University, and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Carlow University. She writes with Madwomen in the Attic, and her essays have been published in Adelaide Magazine, Avalon Literary Journal, Northern Appalachia Review, and Brevity Blog. You can find more about her at her website.
Author, educator, and writer Dr. Catherine DePino discusses her second volume in the Help Yourself Every Day Series on the Sunbury Press Books Show. Thirty Magical Meditations to Boost Your Emotional Well-Being offers the reader practical ways to deal with stress, anxiety, loss and fear. Whether experienced or new to the spiritual journey, this book allows you to harness the power of your mind, and to heal by way of quick and simple meditations. Catherine DePino is the author of 22 books for parents, teachers and children on topics that include spirituality, mindfulness, bullying and women's issues. Her writings have also appeared in national magazines, and she served on the board of the Philadelphia Writers' Conference.Dr. DePino earned degrees in education plus a doctorate in Curriculum Theory and Development and Educational Administration from Temple University. She worked the Philadelphia School District as a teacher department head of English and world languages, disciplinarian and curriculum writer. She also returned to Temple as an adjunct assistant professor and student teaching supervisor. In addition, Dr. DePino is a professional tarot reader and Reiki Master. You can find out more about her writings and activities at her website.
At a time when political and social discourse is fractured, beyond repair some may say, Pennsylvania's former Lt. Governor, Mark Singel offers wit, wisdom and guidance regarding events on the state and national levels. Seeking Truth in America is Singel's third book with Sunbury Press, and he discusses this collection of articles with host and founder Lawrence Knorr. These selected pieces are meant to provoke thought, and perhaps action, and Singel's desire for these was to make Pennsylvania and the nation a better place, and to pursue what the Founding Fathers called, "a more perfect union."A native of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Mark Singel was elected to the state Senate in 1980, and won the Democratic nomination for Lt. Governor in 1986. He joined Governor Bob Casey, Sr. in Harrisburg and the pair won re-election in 1990.During their second term, Casey was diagnosed with a rare liver disorder, which forced Singel to step in and serve as Acting Governor between mid-June and mid-December, 1993. His experience was chronicled in A Year of Change and Consquences, his first book for Sunbury Press.Singel also discusses The Life and Loves of Thaddeus Stevens, a biography of the Pennsylvania Congressman who played a pivotal role in the Civil War period.
Following the First World War, conflict between the United States and Japan was considered an inevitability. In an effort to protect vast expanses of US shoreline on two coasts, the Navy needed craft that could conduct surveillance and cover a lot of ground. Borrowing from German technology and the zeppelin, the Navy turned to the airship. In Far Away Places: Vice Admiral Charles Emery Rosendahl and the Navy's Airship Program, Dr. M. Ernest Marshall documents the history of a time that saw great advances in aviation, but also the internal issues within the Navy Department. Using the unpublished, detailed memoir of Vice Admiral Rosendahl as a guide, Marshall brings this part of American history into focus.M. Ernest Marshall is an award-winning author and historian whose research examines the US Navy during the World Wars and the inter-war period. His book, Herbert V. Wiley, USN: A Career in Airships and Battleships has won the Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison Award for naval literature. He is also the author of That Night at Surigao: Life on a Battleship at War.
Legend, fiction, and reality collide in the Dead Man Who Walks Away series, brought to the Milford House imprint of Sunbury Press Books. Author Herbert Dean Ely tells of the Peralta Mining Expedition in the mid-19th century and its annihilation, verified by the bones of men, horses, and mules in a place called "Massacre Ground." The story goes, however, that there was one survivor, who was assisted in a bar fight by Jacob Waltz. In gratitude, Waltz is shown what became known as the "Lost Dutchman Mine." While fiction, Ely follows the trail and has determined that the above legend is the only one that makes sense, regarding the origin of the gold that came out of the mine. Ely examines the Peralta expedition, as well as the point of view of the Yavapai and Apache tribes. Ely served in the US Air Force, including time within the Strategic Air Command--Underground. He later worked in management and executive positions in the cement and armored car/ATM industries. For the past 40 years, he has lived in Arizona near Superstition Mountain. This has resulted in his keen interest in legends of the Southwest US, and he is also one of the few who has located and indeed seen the Lost Dutchman Mine.
The topic of gun violence in the United States is a highly-charged and emotional issue. As part of an effort to discuss the issue, an eclectic group of award-winning authors come together to craft American Roulette, a novel that brings eight people to a mall food court, on a day they think will be like any other. The collaborative efforts of these writers takes a different tack to examine the tension, dread and action of a novel with the real-life question for all readers: could this happen to me or someone I love?Two Sunbury Press authors involved in the project join Sunbury Press founder and publisher Lawrence Knorr on this podcast to talk about the subject of gun violence, what brought them all together, and what they hope to accomplish with a book that garnered rave reviews from the outset. Sherry Knowlton is no stranger to the BookSpeak Network, as host of the Milford House mystery podcast, and the author of several mystery works, including the Alexa Williams series. Pat LaMarche is an author, political activist, historian and homeless shelter director. They are joined by Matthew Best, Robert Bradshaw, Andy Carey, James Dodds, Cheryl Dunn Bychek, Phyllis Orenyo, J.M. West and Cheryl Woodruff Brooks.All proceeds from this book will go to gun violence prevention, by way of the non-profit Charles Bruce Foundation. Find out more about the book and its authors here.
Artist Brandon Colyer joins the Brown Posey Press Show to discuss his work, including his debut children's story, "Ferdinand, the Gnome Knight." Ferdinand is a fearless and standout knight, who seeks adventure and will charm readers of any age with what he gets up to!Colyer discusses growing up in a family of gamers, and how comics and video games were a part of his early life. He tells of his inspirations, and what drew him to create and write. This program also deals with the art of the sale at conventions, engaging one's audience, and tackles the question of Artificial Intelligence.Brandon Colyer lives with his family in York Haven, Pennsylvania. He can be found at conventions and shows, as well as offering art tutorials on Twitch and other sites. You can catch up with all of his activities here.
Shawn McLain creates characters that are not always all-powerful, nor are they perfect. He works toward the relatable, even when delving into fantasy, horror and his other interests. In "Thorn," McLains kicks off a new series in which a young elf seeks adventure, but also, freedom in a world where elves and men are segregated due to prejudice. A chance meeting with a half-elf girl leads to a quest to stop an evil witch from world destruction.Through their interactions, acceptance is learned, as well as Magic, they must also consider a dark secret. McLain draws on zombies, elves, trolls and a love for both Tolkien and Dungeons & Dragons for the worlds he has created. He joins Lawrence Knorr on the Sunbury Press Books Show to tell of "Thorn" and his other books, including "Respect the Dead" and the "Grey Girl" Trilogy. He writes promotional copy and materials for the Pennsylvania Cable Network.
All Josh wants is to have one final weekend getaway with his high school buddies before they have to get serious about life. A spooky October camping trip in rural Appalachia fits the bill...what could possibly go wrong?Kyle Alexander Romines returns with the latest of his thriller series, "The Vengence of the Crows" on the Sunbury Press Books Show. Dr. Romines, we should say--a physician, winemaker and prolific author, Romines joins host Lawrence Knorr to discuss his series, which can be found on the Hellbender Books imprint. "The Keeper of the Crows" and "The Whispers of the Crows," like this new release tap into different elements of horror and suspense. Kyle is the author of 15 books, which also include the western novel "Atonement," the "Tales of Fál" fantasy series, and standalone works that include "Thrall" and "Seeking to Devour."A practicioner of family medicine, he lives in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
Author Ronald T. Waldo returns to the Sunbury Press Books Show with the latest in a series of detailed looks back at the "Deadball Era" of baseball, in Days of Reckoning: Players Punching Their Ticket Out of Pittsburgh During the Barney Dreyfuss Era. The book focuses on the Pittsburgh Pirates and the years 1900 to 1932, during the ownership of Barney Dreyfuss.A powerhouse of the National League in the early 20th century, the Bucs were home to numerous players who would go on to the Baseball Hall of Fame, or at least became household names. Players such as Rube Waddell, "Happy Jack" Chesbro, Honus Wagner, "Rabbit" Maranville, Dick Bartell and many more are recalled in Waldo's work. Despite Dreyfuss being one of the more generous owners, many players found their way out of Pittsburgh, often due to issues with their boss. Waldo also talks about the early structure of Major League Baseball, and how the upstart American League made its own way to prominence.Waldo's first book, Fred Clarke: A Biography of the Baseball Hall of Fame Player/Manager was published in 2010. He also the author of Deadball Trailblazers: Single-Season Records of the Modern Era, which was a Modern Era finalist for the Larry Ritter Book Award. That work is talked about in length on a previous episode of this program. Fans of baseball, history and especially the Pirates will most certainly enjoy Waldo's new book, available at Sunbury Press dot com.
Philadelphia, 1837. Twelve-year-old tomboy heroine Rian Krieger has successfully escorted "self-emancipated" slaves from Philadelphia to their next station on the Underground Railroad. When her father, Otto finds out, he renews his plans to send Rian off to a finishing school in Switzerland. This, however, Rian will not have--she would have to wear dresses all the time!For Rian, the Philadelphia of this time is one of industrialization and change. Increased prosperity and commerce lead factory owner Otto to make decisions that come back to haunt him. The Panic of 1837 has threatened the social and economic fabric of the city, and the Krieger business and home face foreclosure.When two visitors from Tsarist Russia present themselves at the factory, Rian believes their mission may save her father's business, and solve her own problems as well.The fantastic journey of Rian Krieger continues in "The Coachman," book two of the series from the pen of Roger A. Smith. He returns to the Sunbury Press Books Show to speak with host Lawrence Knorr about not only Rian's growth, but provides a historical background to the US in pre-Civil War days.Smith is a former high school history teacher who has had many careers: farmer, summer camp and wilderness expedition program operator, cofounder of a participatory science museum, and woodworker. With "The Conductor" and "The Coachman," Smith may with all justification add "author" to his resume. He lives on Cape Cod, Massachusetts; find out more about Roger here.
A teacher's quest to investigate a horrific murder leads Hannah Stein and her students into an adventure and shadows of her past in "The Class Assignment is Murder." Author Carolyn Kleinman draws on her own life and experiences as a teacher to bring this, her second novel for Sunbury Press Books. Hannah discovers her move to Parkerville, a small town in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is not the idyllic place everyone says it is. She discovers that in 2005, a teenage boy named Matthew Baker murdered his family and raped his cousin.Fifteen years later, Matthew now says he is innocent. Hannah enlists the aid of three of her students to investigate the Baker case and dredges up a past that some do not want disturbed. For Hannah, the assignment brings up her own past, having witnessed her mother's murder at the age of five (but did not see her attacker's) face.Carolyn Kleinman grew up in the Twin Cities and earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Minnesota. She has taught English and English as a Second Language, and is also the author of "Love, Faith and the Dented Bullet." She discusses with host Lawrence Knorr what drew her to create her own stories, and how drew upon true crime and incidents for her works. She lives with her husband Steven in Lancaster, PA.
The life of Francis Kalnay is deconstructed by Katherine Fennelly in her new Sunbury Press work, "Family Declassified--Uncovering My Grandfather's Journey from Spy to Children's Book Author."Kalnay's tale sounds like something out of a John LeCarre or Ian Fleming novel--a Jewish Hungarian immigrant who arrived in the United States more than a century ago, he rose to become a top-level spy for the Allies during World War II. The charismatic, multilingual Kalnay led an elite espionage unit, had numerous affairs, and suffered the muder of his sister and nephew by Hungarian fascists (a matter he never spoke of).In 1954, Kalnay abandoned his family and fled to Mexico where he remade himself, as a designer of homes and an award-winning children's author. He is perhaps best known for the Newbery-Award-winning "Chucaro: Wild Pony of the Pampa" in 1959. The details of his secret life were buried in Office of Strategic Services (OSS) files, and unearthed by his granddaughter.Katherine Fennelly is Professor Emerita at the University of Minnesota. She has also served as dean of the University of Minnesota Extension Service, a faculty member and department head at Penn State University, and a faculty member of the Columbia University School of Public Health. Her research and outreach interests include the human rights of immigrants and refugees in the US, and the preparedness of communities and institutions to adapt to demographic changes. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Inspired by real events, author and educator Jon Volkmer takes readers back to his native Nebraska for his new novel, "Brave in Season." What happens when an African-American railroad crew is dropped off in a tiny, close-knit rural farm community? Will friction build up to an all-familiar tragedy, or will a game of baseball possibly inspire hope and understanding?On this episode of the Sunbury Press Books Show, Volkmer discusses his upbringing in Nebraska City, the changing of American railroads and the need to prepare them for the new diesel engines. He recounts how the small town of Julien was the backdrop for a fast-pitch softball game, and inspired his new work.Jon Volkmer is a professor of English at Ursinus College; his chance reading of Jack Kerouac sent him off on a hitch-hiking tour of the nation. He earned his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Colorado, an MA in Creative Writing from Denver University and his PhD in Literature from the University of Nebraska. His works include a Young Adult biography of baseball great Roberto Clemente, a collection of poetry involving grain elevators, and a travel work, "Eating Europe." His work has appeared in Commonweal, Cimarron Review, Maine Review and Prairie Schooner. "Brave in Season" is available through Sunbury's Milford House Press imprint.
"Shadow Lands" is a collection of black and white photos taken over a five-year period through the lens of photographer Gabriel Spangler. Self-taught, but with influences that included his creative parents and film, Spangler turned to cinematography and later stills. This collection of candid/documentary street photos shows what has been described as Spangler's film noir style. Spangler discusses his travels, placing himself in the right spot and taking shots that seem posed or staged but are not. In an age of digital and disposable cameras, the lost art of photography, the use of film, and development are seeing a rebirth. Spangler continues to push the boundaries of his gear, film, and technique in "Shadow Lands," and future projects.Gabriel Spangler lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Find out more about him at his website.
The groundbreaking, and controversial work of educator Jane Elliott is one that continues to draw attention today. For more than five decades, Elliott put forth the question: What if, by eight years old, children could possess the mechanism to disrupt prejudicial tendencies? In "Shades of Brown: The Official Biography of Jane Elliott and the Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes Exercise," Todd Mealy examines the origins, use, and implications of her eye color exercise.Following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968, Elliott set out to prove or disprove her case, first with elementary school students in her hometown of Riceville, Iowa, and later with adults in seminars of corporate, correctional, educational, and military personnel. The Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes role-playing concept was the way, Elliott discovered to mitigate inclinations of racism and prejudice and to teach the central lesson that we are one race.Todd Mealy is an adjunct professor of History at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and is also a teacher at McCaskey High School in Lancaster, PA. He has spent two decades teaching both History and Writing at schools in the Keystone State. He is also the founder and director of the National Institute for Customizing Education, and has written several books on education, race and history, including "Equity in the Classroom," "Legendary Locals of Harrisburg," and "Glenn Killinger, All-American.""Shades of Brown" is available through Sunbury's Oxford Southern Press imprint.
"Life in Appalachia is like a kid standing in the center of a seesaw. It’s a fragile balance, somewhere between the old world and the new, flat-broke or getting by, rooted in place or getting out. Sometimes, folks here lose footing, lean too far one way or another. If one end of the seesaw comes down hard, it knocks them right off. "
This is a description of "In The Cut," Michael Lockett's new collection of tales released on Catamount Press. Stories of hardscrabble, everyday Appalachians are brought to life, as they struggle with rural life, its constrictions by place, religion, and a changing world. In this discussion with Lawrence Knorr, Lockett tells of the origins of these characters, sheds light on his Central Pennsylvania roots, and secures his spot as a storyteller from a unique section of the country.
Michael Lockett graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication from Clarion University and has an MFA in Creative Writing from Carlow University. His stories have been published in the "Northern Appalachian Review," "Twisted Vine," "Matthew's Place" and "Quarter Press." He is also a 2022 nominee for the James Baldwin Literary Award. He lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Find out more about Michael at michaellockett-author.com
One of the most talked about serial killers was the infamous Jack the Ripper, who terrorized the Whitechapel section of London from 1888 to 1891. At least eleven murders were attributed to the Ripper, who did not merely kill his victims, but mutilated and tortured them. The Ripper's identity has been the subject of speculation for over a century, and author Michael L. Hawley believes Scotland Yard had the suspect in their sights.
Jack the Ripper Suspect Dr. Francis Tumblety is the result of Hawley's examination of more than 700 pages of never-before-seen sworn testimonies. The picture of Tumblety is one of an antisocial narcissist with a desire for exploitation, and within, evidence that he may well have been the killer.
Michael L. Hawley is a retired aviator who achieved the rank of Commander in the US Navy. He holds a Masters degree in science from the State University of New York, College of Buffalo, a Bachelor's in geology and geophysics from Michigan State University and teaches secondary science education. His books include The Ripper's Haunts, Jack's Lantern and The Ripper's Hellbroth. He has appeared on the History Channel, the Travel Channel and NBC Radio's "House of Mystery" program.
A collection in seven parts, "The Deepest Park of Dark" is an exploration by Dr. Anne Elezabeth Pluto, which taps into themes of family, love, death, and spirituality. Written in a sparse, yet direct style, these poems have been gathered together to make a redolent experience for the reader. They delve into aspects of human nature and emotions and find hope even in the darkest areas.
Anne Elezabeth Pluto is a Professor of Literature and Theatre at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She also serves as the Artistic Director and one of the founders of the Oxford Street Players. Anne is an alumna of Shakespeare & Company, a member of the Worcester Shakespeare Company, and a founder of Nixes Mate Review. Her writings have appeared in the Buffalo Evening News, Mat Hat Lit, Yellow Chair Review, and the Muddy River Review, among others. Her books of poetry include "The Frog Princess" and "Lubbock Electric."
Anne lives in Boston.
The coming of age of Annie Shea is documented in two novels by Caitlin Hicks. Set in 1963 California, "A Theory of Expanded Love" finds a young Annie, desperate for attention in a family of 13 kids, a military father and a strong Catholic faith. With the passing of Pope John XXIII, a family friend stands to be the first American to be his successor. Annie seizes the moment to create a web of lies, but then discovers a family's hidden secret, which they will keep at all costs.
Annie's life takes a turn in "Kennedy Girl." Now seventeen, Annie stands to further break the mores of her family, through her crush with a black fellow student, Lucas Jones and her volunteering for the campaign of Robert F. Kennedy. The world comes crashing down for both Annie and Lucas with Kennedy's assassination--later joined by Annie's brother, the three head for the Canadian border, where the latter's own secrets are uncovered, and Annie must sort out a changing world and what it all means for her.
An author and actress, Caitlin Hicks drew on her own upbringing for Annie and the cast of characters in these two works. First released in 2015, "A Theory..." won awards from the likes of Forward Indies and iTunes for Best New Fiction. Her writing has appeared in newspapers such as the Vancouver Sun, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Milwaukee Journal Sentiel, plus Atlantic Canada's International literary journal, The Fiddlehead. She lives in British Columbia.
Circumstances cannot be contrived. While researching the long-closed Irving College, Sunbury Press founder and presenter Lawrence Knorr discovered the master's thesis of Chad Leinaweaver, which for the first time is in book form, with "That Our Daughters May Be As Cornerstones."
Founded in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania in 1856, Irving Female College was created at a time when educational opportunities were opening up for women. Leinaweaver takes us through the history of the college, its founder, Solomon Gorgas, and the naming of the school after George Washington Irving. He details how these institutions, also referred to by some as "Women's Colleges," gave them instruction in liberal arts. The curriculum also provided more choices for women of the time, including a Conservatory of Music.
Leinaweaver also discusses the closure of the school in 1883 and its rebirth in 1888 under the leadership of Dr. E.E. Campbell. A businessman and instructor, Campbell's acumen and charismatic style brought him to both the presidency and eventual ownership, as he led Irving College into the twentieth century. The school, however, could not withstand competition and a lack of endowment, with the final class graduating in 1929.
A Mechanicsburg native and Northeastern University graduate, Chad Leinaweaver is the Director of the Morristown & Morris Township Library in New Jersey. He has authored sections of the Dictionary of New Jersey History (New Library Press), and Preserving Local Writers, Geneology, Photographs, Newspapers, and Related Materials (Scarecrow Press).
The career of Scottie Miller is one that cannot be confined...the Minneapolis, Minnesota native is a three-time inductee of the state's Blues Hall of Fame. He has toured the world with a long list of famous artists, including the likes of Bo Diddley, and currently with multiple Grammy nominee Ruthie Foster. His songs have been recorded by Foster and the Blind Boys of Alabama. In addition, Miller has recorded nearly a dozen albums of his own music, largely self-produced.
"Carnival Cocoon" started as a collection of poems Miller wrote throughout his career; out of more than a hundred ideas, he chose the best, and put 23 of these to music. The collection is the subject of this edition of the Brown Posey Press Show.
Miller discusses his upbringing, and the encouragement and inspiration music gave him in this program. He attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where matriculation ended when the money did the same. Miller also has stories to tell about those he has performed and written with, audiences in different places and his unique, ongoing journey.
His book, music, and history can be found at scottiemiller.com.
The term "Renaissance Man" is used far too often today, but if anyone is a contender to hold the title, John LaCasse could be one. A 25-year career as a Seattle yacht broker brought him in contact (and in business) with money people, magnates, politicians, actors, members of royalty, and a certain organized crime boss, but that was not all for LaCasse.
Years of good living, fine homes, sports cars, motorcycles, and partying (wait till you hear what happened to former Sec. of State George Schultz!) led LaCasse to a moment of clarity that made him ask himself, Why? This leads us to "Deals, Danger, Destiny," the memoir of John LaCasse's life, well, lived. (Thanks to Ray Wylie Hubbard)
LaCasse spares no detail in how his life led him to not only the highs of such a lifestyle but indeed its lows. Along the way, he speaks for his love of Paris, and how while hanging out at his favorite bookshop, he entered into discussions with a 13th-century theologian,...in real time.
A native of Missoula, Montana, LaCasse was kicked out of three universities, but returned as a middle-aged student of Transcendental Studies, earning an MBA and a Doctorate. He still lives in Seattle.
As Alzheimer's Disease robs Elizabeth Bodien's brother Pete of his ability to speak, she finds she can still communicate with him, even after he has passed on. How is this possible?
Elizabeth Bodien appears on the Sunbury Press Books Show to discuss her relationship with her brother, which travels beyond the physical plane in "Bigger Pete: Conversations Between Life and Afterlife," released on the Ars Metaphysica imprint. She talks of how her brother dealt with Down Syndrome and did not allow this to dictate his life. In his later years as his health failed, Elizabeth was able to communicate with Pete while he slept through a process known as "automatic writing." Bigger Pete became his higher self, and these talks continued for another eight years after he passed. Their story resonates with those who have family that suffered from Alzheimer's, and especially caregivers in the final years of life.
Elizabeth grew up in the "burned-over" district of Western New York. Her education and travels took her around the world with the International School of America, and she earned a degree in cultural anthropology from the University of California. Her graduate work brought degrees in consciousness studies from John F. Kennedy University and phenomenology of religion from the Graduate Theological Union. She also taught English in Japan, was a childbirth instructor in West Africa, an organic farmer in Oregon, and a Montessori teacher. Post-retirement, she earned an MFA in poetry from Western Colorado State.
Elizabeth is also the author of two books of poetry, "Blood, Metal, Fiber, Rock" and "Oblique Music: A Book of Hours" plus other works. She lives near Hawk Mountain, Pennsylvania.
John "Doc" Holliday was many things in his short life. It may surprise readers to learn that Holliday graduated from The Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery in Philadelphia, with his doctoral thesis on Diseases of the Teeth. While he practiced in various locations, Holliday was also a keeper of gaming tables and was involved in the events that surrounded the famous 1882 shootout at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona (in which Holliday was wounded).
Hard-drinking and suffering from tuberculosis, author Matt Di Paoli brings "Holliday" to life in his new novel. Drawing on Val Kilmer's performance in Tombstone, Di Paoli shows Doc in a charismatic light, seeking to outrun his illness by moving to dryer climes, but also in search of a spring that could well cure him. Along the way, he helps his old friend Wyatt Earp in his ongoing feud with the Clanton/McLaury gang, is followed by paparazzi, and indulges in his fascinations for alcohol, gambling, women, and death.
Matt Di Paoli earned his MFA in Fiction at Columbia University. He has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize three times, and "Holliday" brought him the Wilbur & Niso Smith Adventure Writing Prize. His works include "Killstanbul" (El Balazo Press), and his stories have appeared in "Boulevard," "Fjords," "Post Road," and "Cleaver." He currently teaches writing in New York City.
Jeffrey Frazier has made it his life's work to collect accounts, legends and tales of Keystone State history and culture. "Pennsylvania Mountain Landmarks, Volume 1" offers an armchair journey to some of the most unusual and inaccessible landmarks in the state. These include treks to the Devil's Dining Room, Indian Steps and Umbrella Rock, among others, in this book, released on the Catamount Press imprint of Sunbury Press Books.
A Central PA native, Frazier discusses with Lawrence Knorr his Tom Sawyer-like upbringing and how a case of homesickness led him to search out for himself the unique, the unusual and the strange of Pennsylvania. Sunbury Press will be re-releasing his "Fireside Tales" series in the near-future.
Nancy Hayes Kilgore brings to life a small town in Vermont at a time of great change, and the fears of what this may bring in her third novel, "Wild Mountain." Mona Duval runs the local general store, and when the nearby covered bridge is destroyed in a flood it is just one more matter that weighs on her.
It is 2008, and Vermont is facing the potential shift to permitting gay marriage, a subject the locals have opinions on, and some will do whatever they can to stop it. While Mona weighs her relationship with her dear friend Roz, there is the question of Frank, a seasonal cabin-dweller whose own style makes itself known. Atop this, Mona's abusive ex-husband Johnny is back, and what purpose does he have in mind? Then, too a mysterious watcher believed part of Green Mountain folklore, the changing times and lives of all are examined in "Wild Mountain."
A winner of the Vermont Writers Prize, Nancy's works include "Bitter Magic," released by Sunbury Press in 2021, and "Sea Level," released in 2012. Sunbury Press is proud to bring "Wild Mountain" to its shelf as well. A parish pastor, psychotherapist and teacher of unique creative writing classes, Nancy discusses her spiritual and literary journey with Tory Gates on this program. Her stories have appeared in Vermont Magazine, Bloodroot Literary Magazine, the Bottle Imp and on Vermont Public Radio. She lives in Burlington, VT with her husband and pets.
In a tale of love and marriage looked down upon by early 20th century mores, Anna, a middle class English girl elopes with Charles, a Greek immigrant as they set off to build a life together. Making their way to Boston, their lives are pulled apart in 1913. Stricken with tuberculosis, Charles is sent off to a sanitarium, leaving Anna and their child to fend for themselves.
Anna must face being ostracized from the Greek community and keeping herself alive, while Charles considers his predicament and his efforts to get back to Anna. Can they get get back together? Are they still a family, and is all they've sacrificed been worth it?
"The Immigrant's Wife" is J.B. Harris' debut novel; her short ficton has appeared in the Boston Literary Journal, the Beacon Street Review and Puckerbrush Review. Harris was a finalist for the 2022 Hal Prize in Fiction and the WOW Spring 22 Flash Fiction Contest. She lives in Massachusetts with her family.
The sister of author Nathaniel Hawthorne drowns in 1852...but was it an accident?Hawthorne's cousin, John Stephens Dike has left Massachusetts for Ohio and is a successful businessman. A traumatic past long behind him is brought back in 1883, when through a bequest from his cousin, Elizabeth Hawthorne.Within this, a collection of papers reveals a love affair between his father, the late John Dike and Hawthorne's younger sister, Louisa. They also raise disturbing questions surrounding Louisa's death by drowning in the 1852 Henry Clay steamship disaster, all of which point to something more sinister.Dike's own recollections of Louisa, the woman's diaries, and letters to a clergyman detailing revenge send John Stephen on a quest to find out what happened, and to attain some justice. On the way, he must come to terms with his past, his wicked stepmother, and what more he may find in "The Hawthorne Inheritance."Kate Dike Blair goes into the history of her Hawthorne cousins and pays tribute in her new novel, which she discusses with Lawrence Knorr. A cousin by marriage to Nathaniel Hawthrone, she discovered her late father's reserach on their ancestors, which led to this novel.Kate grew up in Middlebury, Vermont. Her father was owner of the Vermont Book Shop (among his best customers was a fellow named Robert Frost), and she clerked there wil earning a Diploma in Theater Arts from the Wykeham Rise School, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Boston University. She has also a certificate in Medical assisting, and helped found the consulting firm, Health Resarch Associates in 1983.An actor who has appeared in theater, film and television, Kate lives in Concord, Massachusetts.
The story of four brothers, bound for America from Sicily in the early 1900s is told through the eyes of one, and in a series of short stories, poetry and prose in "Final Touchstones."In her Sunbury Press debut, author Linda Romanowski tells of her maternal grandfather and his journey, from the age of three onward, about his experiences in the New World and the decision he took that would shape his life and that of his family. Those formative years are told in three parts, and dicuss what Italian (and other) immigrants faced as the 20th century began and that search for a better life.A graduate of the 2021 Rosemont College MFA Program with a Graduate in Creative Writing (Non-Fiction), Romanowski is also a winner of the college President's Medal and served a term aspresident of the institution's Alumni Board. She is a contributing feature writer for The City Key, sumibssion reader for Philadelphia Stories, and a former assistant editor of Rathalla. She lives in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
Leo is a dog full of kindness, wisdom and helpful advice. "Letters from Leo" is a series of friendly letters between Leo and kids who are dealing with difficult situations, such as loss, divorce and the issues that are sometimes very hard for children to process. Leo's responses involve practical strategies to help children thrive and cope with the numerous challenges involved in growing up.Leo's work comes through his human, Author Holly Garner, who has worked as an educator for more than 30 years. Her work as a teacher, reading specialist and elementary school principal (not to mention the mother of three sons) all helped develop her desire to implement social-emotional learning in schools. She is the Director of the Grace B. Luhrs Elementary Lab School in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, as well as an Assistant Professor at Shippensburg University. Illustrator Steph Miller teaches 3rd grade at the Luhrs School; she has a degree in Elementary Education from "The Ship." "Letters from Leo" is published through the Speckled Egg imprint of Sunbury Press Books. Any teacher, counselor, administrator or family member looking to help kids through life's trials will find this book a meaningful and valuable resource.
A recent acquisition by our Milford House Press imprint, J.B. Manheim brings the murky past of old-time baseball to life in "The Federal Case," the latest release in The Deadball Files series.Over a century ago, Major League Baseball and the upstart Federal League were embroiled in a legal dispute. An ancient legal document falls into the hands of night-schooled lawyer Andy Dennum, which pits him against baseball's establishment, the firm that hired him, and a mystery out of his own past. At state is the viability of baseball's business model, and Andy's career. "You win some, you lose some. Some get rained out."Sunbury Press Books welcomes J.B. Manheim to the program, and Milford House will re-release his previous series of works, "This Never Happened," "Doubleday Doubletake," and "The Gamekeepers."Professor Emeritus at George Washington University, J.B. Manheim developed the world's first degree-granting program in Political Communication, and was founding director of the School of Media & Public Affairs. His love of baseball began watching Dizzy Dean on the Game of the Week, and watching games at Cleveland Municipal Stadium with his grandfather. Manheim is also a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, the Internet Baseball Writers Assocation of America and the Authors Guild.
The independent Peschel Press is the work of the husband-and-wife team Bill and Teresa Peschel, who provide familiar tales of mystery, updates, reviews and examinations of our most iconic mystery authors. Combining a love of mystery, editing and research skills, the Peschels offer annotated, researched and in-depth examinations of the works of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. A further tack taken: "Agatha Christie, She Watched" covers more than 200 Christie films, reviewed by the Peschels, the good, the bad, and the terrible. When you see one pop up on TV, this book is a go-to resource.In addition, the most recognized detective in the world, Sherlock Holmes, as seen through the eyes of other authors. Fan fiction that doesn't always paint Holmes as the great detective comes to life in "Pastches," articles and short stories by fans (and detractors) of Arthur Conan Doyle. These tales are carefully collected, edited and translated for a series of works that grants Holmes fans something they may never have known about.Bill Peschel has also brought us "Writers Gone Wild," a chronicle of the real-life escapades of famous authors! Familiar names abound--what did Dashiell Hammett do to break up a relationship? Why did Sylvia Plath bite Ted Hughes' ear at their first meeting? What other japes, legal and otherwise took place?Under her pen name Odessa Moon, Teresa takes us to the Red Planet for the Steppes of Mars Series. The planet is not what it seems, and the series tracks life in the wasteland, those of privilege, and the decisions made that put our principals here.Meeting in the underground lair in Chocolatetown, PA, Tory Gates takes us on a fun, informative and personal look. Find out more at PeschelPress.com
Nancy Rhodes has served the Arts as an administrator, director, educator and writer. The founding director of Encompass New Opera Theatre, she has staged plays, musicals and operas across the US, Europe and Asia, with performances that include the world premiere of "Tartuffe" for San Francisco Opera, and Virgil Thomson's "Lord Byron" at Alice Tully Hall. Rhodes has also served as Vice President/US Delegate to the International Theatre Institute, and taught Acting for Singer at Manhattan School of Music.A trip to Ephesus led today's guest on the Sunbury Press Books Show into a metaphysical experience: the mother of Jesus is said to have lived in what is now Turkey after her son's death. While visiting Mary's home, Rhodes was asked by Mary to tell her story.Over a ten-year period, Mary told Rhodes her own story, of a lonely childhood, violence against her at the hands of her father, Joseph's devotion and how he saved his family. This interview with Lawrence Knorr discusses Rhodes' ongoing career, and the experience and process that led to the telling of "Mary's Story."
The Connor Stark novel series continues with "The Philippine Pact." Stark's private security firm is training elements of the Philippine Navy on a remote island, when terrorists take control to help China establish a foothold inth Western Pacific. Their only obstacle: Stark and his team.In a tale that reflects current events, Dr. Claude Berube brings his hero back for the third novel of the series, and discusses "The Philippine Pact" on the Sunbury Press Books Show. His work as a Naval historian informs the series. Berube has also written "On Wide Seas: The US Navy in the Jacksonian Era" and is the author of dozens of articles.Berube has held the rank of Commander in the Navy Reserve, worked at the Office of Naval Intelligence, the US Senate and served as an instructor at the US Naval Academy, where his courses included Naval History, American Government, Intelligence & National Security and Terrorism. In addition, Berube served as a LEGIS fellow with the Brookings Institution and a Maritime Security Studies fellow with the Heritage Foundation.
Novel Guys Brian Koscienski and Jeff Young, joined by Brian's wife, Christine Czachur gather at the hidden spot somewhere in Central Pennsylvania for the third installment of Random Randomness! In this episode the gang discuss "Nor Shapes of Men," a new release on the Hellbender Books imprint of Sunbury Press. The random number of 1,977 soon makes sense as Star Wars is recalled by the hosts. Then the tradition of Random Beer tasting continues as the critical taste test and review is offered of Safe Word Beer, a Triple IPA from Free Will Brewing (NOT a sponsor of this program, by the way). The reactions must be heard to be believed.We are introduced to Australia's contribution to the Random Animal segment: the Quokka is discussed, including its habits and behaviors, which undoubtedly will shock you. The debate of the efficacy of Artificial Intelligence is also examined, as the producer must decide whether the Random Haiku is human, or AI, along with a reading from "Mayhem Menagerie."The zaniest episode yet of Random Randomness is here, on the BookSpeak Network.
Sal Maggio brings his many years of service in law enforcement to life in his autobiography, "The Life of a New Jersey Road Trooper," on the Sunbury Press Books Show. Told in an understated yet forthright manner, Maggio discusses his 19 years as a Trooper and Road Sergeant with Lawrence Knorr, along with his years as a supervisor and manager. In this book, Maggio brings to life many of his experiences on the road, including a car chase, and a cross-border run into Pennsylvania to get back a stolen ring. Maggio also provides insight into how troopers approached their job, how to handle traffic stops, and when to use "discretion" in certain cases. He further informs us on the differences between being a law enforcement officer then and now. Equally interesting: certain speeding vehicles were not always captured on radar, and (whether fair or not) how some cars just stood out for troopers.Praised by peers as a "Trooper's Trooper," Sal Maggio dropped out of college to join the New Jersey Army National Guard. He later graduated from the NJ State Police Academy and rose to the rank of captain, commanding Troop B, in charge of eight stations and 350 troopers. He also worked for several years as a private investigator. Now retired, he still lives in New Jersey.
Lana Shay is on a mission, to shed light on the perceived dark underworld of the sex industry. From five years in France where she learned French through an immersion program, the Wisconsin native worked as a stripper, webcam artist, a practitioner of sensual massage and a dominatrix for nearly ten years. Lana has also worked as a Transformational Coach, a Yoga instructor, Sensual Foodist, and Psychotherapy & Cognitive Liberty advocate. Available on the imprint Verboten Books, "Erotic Hustle" enlightens the reader to the therapeutic uses of psychedelics and the tantric approach to conscious sexual exchange.A self-described "Citizen of the World," Lana is also co-founder of Entheo Ventures and The Sensual Collective. She lives in Los Angeles.
Audrey Markum is facing two conflicts at once: facing a violent attacker in court, just as her friend's baby has been kidnapped. With help from Detective Rodriguez, Audrey wants justice for herself, but also to find the child; all the same, Audrey realizes she may not be able to have both.A Carlisle, PA native, Linda Cotton Jeffries is the author of "Picturing the Dark," the second of a series of Sunbury Press Releases. "Seeing in the Quiet" is the first of these, and Jeffries has also publicsed "We Thought We Knew You" and "Who We Might Be," on Fifth Avenue Press. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and taught special education for more than thirty years. She lives in Michigan.
Conventions, large and small bring together creatives and fans like nothing else. Returning to Aurora, Ohio after a two-year absence due to the pandemic, Cleveland Concoction, aka CleCon, assembled authors, creators, cosplayers, gamers, and performers that crossed all boundaries and provided three days of entertainment, education, and fun.BPP Show host Tory Gates made his second appearance at CleCon, and while promoting his books, including all three volumes of the Sweet Dreams Series, was able to speak with many of his fellows about their work, their influences and inspirations, and just why they do it.These brief, shoot-style interviews include former guests such as Olivia Berrier, Jason Lady and Marcus Cook. We also hear from Vik K. Walker, Weston Kincade, Marcus Calvert, and musical guests Camille and Kennerly, also known as The Harp Twins.The purpose of this program is to take you inside the convention, give you an idea of the activity, and also show that no matter what an artist practices, the ways and means are different for each person. We hope you will find a new friend to read or listen to through this program, and as we all hope, you come along on our journey.Check out www.clevelandconcoction.org for updates, and what's coming in 2024!
From its inception as a board game in 1987, the Arkham Horror franchise has continued to grow. Inspired by the works of J.P. Lovecraft, players are taken to Arkham, Massachusetts in the 1920s, where thieves, rare items, secret societies, and a drive and lust for power lead to adventures beyond imagination. That beginning has seen multiple versions of the board game, video games, and several literary works that draw on Lovecraft and others for the strange, macabre, and terrifying.On this special episode of the Brown Posey Press Show, Tory Gates speaks with three of the authors who have offered tales that pull in their experience, and connections to the game and serve to expand possibilities in Arkham Horror: Secrets in Scarlet. MJ Newman, one of the founders of the card game, a second-generation game designer and author in her own right, brings us "Crossing Stars," a tale told from two points of view, as Haresah, her lover Razim and their cohorts travel the Sahara Desert in search of the "Kisra," while the mysterious Amaranth involves the academic Luciana in a quest of her own.Carrie Harris, a self-described "geek of all trades" and author of numerous works, offers "Honor Among Thieves." Set in Buenos Aires, professional thief Rosa and her sister Milagros infiltrate high society to steal a wanted item, where they run into the somewhat-ubiquitous Red-Gloved Man and others. James Fadeley is one of the co-founders of Thunderbird Studios (which includes the San Cicaro series), and he provides, "In Truth, Art." As Turkey begins the transition to a secular world, art historian Ece Sahin (and member of a certain Coterie) discovers someone has taken a suspicious interest in her research.Arkham Horror: Secrets in Scarlet is available through Aconyte Books.
The story of Madame Sara Spencer-Washington would be lost to not only African-American history, but US history as a whole, were it not for her descendants and the work of author Cheryl Woodruff-Brooks. With a goal of introducing a new generation of children, "The Story of Madame Sara Spencer-Washington and the Apex Empire" is one of an entrepreneur who broke boundaries.In 1911, Spencer-Washington moved from Virginia to Atlantic City, New Jersey and started the Apex News and Hair Company, a door-to-door cosmetics business and hair salon, which she transformed to an international empire. With hundreds of products, and 45-thousand agents around the world, Spencer-Washington opened beauty schools and expanded to Haiti and South Africa. She was honored at the New York World's Trade Fair in 1939 for her endeavors, and also served as a philanthropist and civic leader.Cheryl Woodruff-Brooks had a passion for writing from childhood, and won awards for her essays. A graduate of Case Western Reserve University, she wrote for the school newspaper The Weathervane; her works have also appeared in Bronze Magazine, among other publications. Her first book for Sunbury Press was the 2017 release, "Chicken Bone Beach: A Pictorial History of Atlantic City's Missouri Avenue Beach," which was nominated for a literary award by the Schomburg Center in New York City.Cheryl is also an accomplished singer-songwriter; she lives with her family in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania.
Sunbury Press author Sherry Knowlton has won awards for her Alexa Williams series of mystery works, "Dead of Autumn," "Dead of Summer," "Dead of Spring," "Dead of Winter" and "Dead on the Delta." Combining her love of travel with her literary skills, Knowlton joins Lawrence Knorr to discuss her two-volume series, "Beyond the Sunset."Written in a series of stories, essays and anecdotes, Knowlton tells of how she went from a small-town upbringing in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, to Woodstock, and to more than fifty nations on six continents. She tells of encounters with wild animals, Indiana Jones moments, transportation difficulties and intriguing cuisine, along with some practical travel tips for those who plan to venture on their own.Knowlton spent much of her working life in state government, primarily in human and social services. She served also served the Commonwealth as Deputy Secretary for Medical Assistance, and now operates her own health care consulting business. A host of the Milford House Press podcast, Sherry is also a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime and Pennwriters. She lives with her husband Mike in the mountains of South-Central PA.
The Pinchot Family's places in American history is a long and at times complicated one. David S. Patterson brings an examination of three generations in his new book, "The Pinchots: A Family Saga" to the Sunbury Press Books Show.The Pinchot name is one that winds its way through Pennsylvania and US history, dating back to the American Civil War. Gifford Pinchot is noted for his work in conservation as head of the then Division of Forestry under President William McKinley, and served as head of the re-named US Forest Service through the administrations of Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. His early relationship with Roosevelt kept him involved in political circles with connections through the time of the Kennedy Administration. Pinchot's forays into politics included two terms as Governor of Pennsylvania, and three unsuccessful campaigns for the US Senate.Other members of the Pinchot family are featured, all of whom espoused values of public service, as well as activism in the arts, culture and politics, with their own personal stories, triumphs and tragedies.David S. Patterson earned his Ph.D. in history from the University of California, Berkeley, has taught deplomatic and peace history. His other works include "Toward a Warless World" and "The Search for Negotiated Peace." In addition, Patterson has served as chief editor of the "Foreign Relations of the United States."
...In my society there’s choices of destruction—In variety, I always felt like the rules never applied to me.Harrisburg, PA native Juelz Davenport brings his life story and that of his peers to a series of poetic works, "In My Eyes," Volumes 1 and 2, "In My Little Eyes," and "Penned in Pennsylvania."Juelz, as his friends know him, speaks frankly about life on the street, behind bars, and about making a difference today. His forthcoming novel, "Who is Shawn?" details the life of a young man struggling to find his way on Harrisburg's toughest streets.Not only a poet and author, Juelz brings his story and unique teaching methods to schools and universities. He works with children and young people of all ages, to introduce them to creative possibilities for now, and for their lives.Juelz Davenport's works, his programs and booking information can be found at www.iamjuelz.com
Hidden in a French cellar, a Roman Legion awakens from a self-imposed hibernation. Seeking revenge for the massacre of their fellows in the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD, the legion emerges to exact revenge on their hated Germanic enemies.But they have overslept by nearly two thousand years--the world has changed, but the legion presses on. A NATO investigator has learned of their presence, and while inconceivable, he realizes time is running out.Mark Carlson brings "Out of the Darkness: Vengeance of the Last Roman Legion" to the Sunbury Press Books Show. The first of a four volume series, Carlson brings history to life in a unique way. He has more than 200 public articles in national magazines, and is a popular public speaker. A student of classical history, Carlson has worked on the series for nearly ten years. His other works include, "When Yamamoto Ran Wild," the essay collection "War at Sea," and "When Galleys Ruled the Sea."He lives in San Diego, California.
Scotland, 1662. A young girl named Margaret meets Isobel, a teller of tales, of faeries and magic, which sweeps Margaret away from her devout Protestant family to learn of charms and the Otherworld. When Isobel is arrested and accused of practicing witchcraft, Margaret becomes a suspect. It remains for Katharine, Margaret's tutor and a Christian Mystic to potentially save them.Nancy Hayes Kilgore brings her third novel, "Bitter Magic" to Milford House Press. She is a winner of the Vermont Writers Prize, and a ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Award. Her writings have appeared in the anthology She Writes Press, Vermont Magazine, Bloodroot Literary Magazine and on Vermont Public Radio. Her previous works are "Wild Mountain" and "Sea Level."A Western Pennsylvania native, Nancy is a graduate of the Radcliffe Writing Seminars with a Master of Divinity degree and a Doctorate in Pastoral Counseling, She is a psychotherapist, former parish pastor and a conductor of worshops on creative writing and spirituality. Nancy lives in Vermont with her husband and pets.
Jim is a guy who spends a fair amount of time at farmers markets, and in a series of stories spanning two decades pursues "complete unfetteredness" in his search for love in "Confessions of a Farmers Market Romeo."James R. Dubbs has lived in South Central Pennsylvania all his life. In addition to writing, he's been a factory workers, realtor, liquor store clerk, groundskeeper and baker. A veteran of farmers markets, Dubbs has found this unlikely place a ground for stories, such as these. His debut work, "Life in the Lion's Mouth" was published in 2016; his other works include "Christmas 1974," and "The Mortician's Daughter & Other Short Stories."When not writing, Dubbs can be found playing his beloved Taylor six-string, listening to Led Zeppelin or practicing Tae Kwon Do.
Charles Kniffen served in the US Marines, was wounded in Vietnam, and has used writing and communion with nature as a mean to cope with Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome. In his second Sunbury Press work, Kniffen takes the reader through a world very different from the camaraderie of a military unit. Speaking with host Lawrence Knorr, Kniffen pulls no punches about his experiences, social concerns and fear of betrayal, which lead to his getting in touch with himself, with the help of the animal world.Kniffen's recollections of contact with animals, wild and domestic bring the reader closer in "Rude Awakenings: Making Peace with the Beast Machine."Self-described as a lifelong blue-collar essential worker, Charles Kniffen lists authors such as William Meredith, Jon Anderson and Michael R. Brown as his influences. He is also the author of "50 Years in a Foxhole." He lives in Lubec, Maine.
After a trapping sojourn to Alaska, Brander Matthews returns to Illinois to find his mother dead and his boyhood home on the auction block. He enouncters a mysterious man named Richter, who turns him toward the Seldom Seen Mine in Pennsylvania. Brander's efforts to recocile his past and build a new life seem doomed to fail, and the mine itself appears to have a hand in it all.Mitch James' debut novel "Seldom Seen..." is available on the Catamount Press imprint. Appearing on the Sunbury Press Books Show with Lawrence Knorr, James discusses the book, with a dive into Appalachia, fellow authors and the deeper story to be told of this part of the nation.A Professor of Composition and Literature at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio, James is also the Managing Editor of the publication Great Lakes Review. His website is mitchjamesauthor.com, and he can be followed on Twitter @mrjames5527. is discussed with Lawrence Knorr on the
Kalyna Miletic is an international career and leadership coach and entrepreneur, whose mission is to help women build meaningful legacies. With clients from over 50 nations, she has helped others find meaning in their careers. "Memorable: Lessons to Leave a Legacy" re-examines the nature of work, and offers 22 vital ponts to take life from obligation to one of contribution and making of a difference.Kalyna joins Sunbury Press founder and host Lawrence Knorr on a discussion of her book, the circumstances that led her to this path and her other works. She is the founder of Kickstart Your Work and Be Chiefly, host of the podcast Lead Today and the charitable clothing line, Lead Ware. A native to Toronto, Canada, she now lives in Texas. Her website is kalynamiletic.com
If life imitates art, it can also run parallel--Dr. Mike and Isabelle Nelson drew on years of "adventures" as father and daughter to create the first of a young adult fantasy series, "Annie Abbott & the Druid Stones."13-year-old Annie is an energetic, thoughtful and forward girl, encouraged by her father Mike. The discovery of a letter from 1911 propels them on a journey to the Great Lakes and through the Midwest. Before she knows it, Annie discovers her dad is one of The Three, joined by Rafer and Gabriel. Annie and the gang thrust into a world of Druids, Witches, Faeries and fascinating creatures, some friends, others foes. Annie soon discovers who she is really, and what she is destined to be...A retired physician, Dr. Mike Nelson is the author of three books, and is joined by his daughter, Isabelle a middle school teacher on the Brown Posey Press Show. They discuss these adventures and their influences. The sequel, "Annie Abbott & the Red Queen" is due this summer.
Former Major League Pitcher Ken Brett is quoted as saying, "The worst curse in life is unlimited potential." After the rise to stardom of New York Yankees great Mickey Mantle, the expectations that come with being "the next" are high, and in some cases, crushing. Barry Sparks joins Lawrence Knorr to talk baseball, and share stories of players who were touted as that guy in "Finding the Next Mickey Mantle." Among these chronicled by Sparks are some familiar names. We hear the stories of Bill Robinson, Clint Hurdle and Tom Tresh, and how and why they fared as they did. Some, like Joe Pepitone were considered to have burned up their best years and potential, while others, such as Ruben Rivera never quite panned out to their (at times unfair) top billing. We also hear why Sparks considers Mike Trout to be one of the best players of his generation, and how Bryce Harper handles these pressures better than most. Sparks has written about baseball for more than 50 years. His first article appears in the July 1970 Baseball Digest. His work has appeared in more than 70 national and regional publications, including National Pastime, Sports Parade and Sports Collectors Digest. He is also the author of a biography of Frank "Home Run" Baker, and is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. He lives in York, Pennsylvania.
The first book to tell the story of Pennsylvania's anthracite coal industry in the post-industrial age comes to us through the work of Dr. Philip Mosley. This examination of regional history takes a post-historic view, and explores how its representation and remembrance. The broader themes of environmental and socioeconomic change are taken up; recollections of the Knox Mine Disaster in Luzerne County in 1959 and the start of the infamous Centralia mine fire which began in 1962 and still burns to this day.Dr. Mosley is a native of England who came to the US in 1988; he is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English and Comparative Literature at Penn State University. His works include books on literature and cinema, including "Anthracite!" (2006) and the 2019 release "Resuming Maurice." Dr. Mosley is also a translator of works by Belgian francophone authors and received the Prix de la Traduction in 2008.
“I like to entertain readers, while making them think. I believe that is the unifying vision in everything I have written.”Dennis Clausen makes his second appearance on the Brown Posey Press Show, to discuss his most recent works. "The Accountant's Apprentice" is a tale of mystery and intrigue, and one that has its main character (and perhaps the readers) search within themselves. Justin Moore has witnessed a murder and has retreated into his own world in the hopes that the universe will sort itself out. Taking a job as a driver for a mysterious, wheelchair-bound "accountant" named A.C., Moore sees his city with the background of its homeless population. He wonders what A.C.'s mission is, and is the man even real?This accliamed novel has been followed by the sequel, "The Return of the Fifth Horseman," in which Justin tries to make sense of the threats to Planet Earth. A.C. has vanished, but when his wheelchair turns up empty in a shelter's parking lot, Justin wonders what the next chapter will be.A professor of American Literature at University of San Diego for more than four decades, Dennis Clausen grew up in western Minnesota at a time when television was a distant novelty and reading filled the hours during long winters. He is the author of several books, including "The Search for Judd McCarthy," "The Sins of Rachel Sims" and the seasonal tale, "My Christmas Attic." He has also written a guidebook, "Storytelling as Art and Craftsmanship."
The author of the multi-volume "Beagle Tales" series, Bob Ford returns with a new collection, "Bramble Rambles." Reflections made while exercising his hounds in the fields of Northern Pennsylvania, Pastor Ford has put these into a form of conversation starters for faith-based dialogue, but are not meant to achieve dogmatic answers. These rambles originally appeared in social media posts to provide a positive message in a medium that is often negative. The popularity of these posts has brought them into book form.An avid outdoorsman, Bob and his wife Renee both serve as pastors. Bob has been in parish ministry since 1996 in Ohio and Tioga and Clearfield Counties in Pennsylvania, the latter of which he currently serves. Bob is also the author of "Rabbit Stew for Your Soul," a collection of original recipes. You can find out more about Bob at beaglebard.com
Irene Fermi was a very different child, all her life. Her quest for normalcy involves a somewhat-dysfunctional family, in which each moment of calm appears to be a victory. Now facing down death, Irene's re-examination of her relationship with her mother shows she might well have been wrong about everything. "In a world impossible to navigate, the true north of The Physics of Things is the triumph of love and the resilience of the human spirit."Ginny Fite is an award-winning journalist, and the author of novels, poetry collection and short stories. Her works includes "No Good Deed Left Undone," part of the Detective Sam Lagarde series, "Thoughts and Prayers" and "Blue Girl on a Dream Sea." Her collections of poetry include "I Should Be Dead By Now (And Other Post-Menopausal Lamentations)." Stories from "The Physics of Things" appeared in publications that include The Delmarva Review, Women Arts Quarterly Journal. Ginny lives in West Virginia--her website can be found at ginnyfite.com
Dorothea is an ordinary girl from the land of Iammarus whose life and destiny are upended in "Dragon's Pick." The annual hunt for dragon eggs brings residents from all over to Thea's hometown of Villa Ovo--the hatchlings choose their riders, and of the four, a rare male picks Thea!Whisked away to Castle Draco, Thea and her fellow trainees, Colt, Tye and Thomas undergo rigorous training. The ride, however, is not guaranteed; furthermore, those who are chosen as Dragon Riders rarely (if ever) return.Under the watchful eye of Adgar, the four learn to fight and ride, but why does this all not seem what it is? In addition to her relationship with her dragon (named Browen), Thea must grow up fast, as do her fellows. Discoveries precede betrayal, violence and a do-or-die quest in which Thea slowly discovers who she really is..."Dragon's Pick" is the first of the Dorothea and Browen trilogy, brought to us by J.K. Weyant. With her first novel self-published at age thirteen, J.K. has since produced more than a dozen novels of fantasy and fiction. "Dragon's Loss" and "Dragon's Fall" round out the series, available through Amazon. She joins BPP host Tory Gates to discuss the series, her roots and the writing process. She lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband Dan and their Pit Bull, Tango.
For their second foray into "Random Randomness," Novel Guys Brian Koscienski, Jeff Young and Brian's wife Christine Czachur delve into still more random (natch) themes and subjects. The gang discuss Fortress Publishing's latest creation, "Mayhem Menagerie," Book 2 of the Satan's Petting Zoo series. Then for the first time on the BookSpeak Network--a beer tasting! Brian, Jeff and Christine try out Sugar Coated Pony Kisses Beer, from Stable 12 Brewing Company (NOT a sponsor of this program, by the way), and we learn about the serious business of flavor, head and "mouth feel."The metric system is examined, and the fascinating world of the wombat is also brought to light. Random Haiku is shared, and a reading of "The Devil's Grasp."This slightly-scripted podcast comes to you from The Novel Guys' super-secret location from somewhere in the mid-state of Pennsylvania...
A question: "What if an author of graphically violent horror stories also drew cartoons?"
That is answered by Thomas Malafarina, who has created Yes, I Smelled it, Too, a series of single panel cartoons that would make The Far Side and Bizarro appear sane! Thomas' drawings are influenced by Peanuts, but also the artists of MAD Magazine and others, and, like in his other works, he pushes the envelope with a unique sense of humor.
One of the most prolific authors on the Sunbury Press roster, Thomas Malafarina joins host Lawrence Knorr to discuss his new series, but also his lengthy works of horror and suspense. Among these, What Waits Beneath, Burner, From the Dark, as well as the Dead Kill series. Malafarina's work has also appeared in more than 200 anthologies and e-magazines. He also tells of the origins of unique characters, such as Janitor Joe, Jimmy & Squish, and Buttonface.
Much of his work is set and influenced by his upbrining in northeast Pennsylvania, especially his hometown of Ashland. In addition to writing, Thomas Malafarina is also a blues musician; he currently resides in Berks County.
Author Juliette Godot debuts on Sunbury Press Books with From the Drop of Heaven, an historical work of love, books, faith and survival.
In 1582, an accused seditionist named Martin escapes execution, and finds refuge with the family of Nicolas. Despite the ban on his books, Nicolas is fascinated by them, and later reads them to Catherine, a young woman he is teaching and later falls for. When caught with one of the books, they soon find their true enemy is the man charged with saving their souls.
A former software engineer at Carnegie Mellon University, Juliette Godot's passion for geneology has found more than 40-thousand ancestors. Down the backroads of France, Godot found the setting of Salm in Alsace-Lorraine along with her lineage.
From the Drop of Heaven is a winner of the 2021 Royal Palm Literary Award for historical fiction.
Thrice Burned. Thrice Reborn.
The dark elven families of Svartalfheim were butchered by a mysterious, powerful creature long ago. Of the few survivors, one family escapes to Midgard. Thyra is one who lives with her adopted human father on and island; in hand is her Bifrost key, left by her relatives. Following a battle against Valkyries, Thyra must go on a journey to save Svartalfheim, and in so doing confront her past, present and future.
Thyra's unique ancestry appears to be the focus of her problems, but they could also hold the answer.
Steven Grier Williams brings Norse Mythology to life in the second of the Prose Edda Series, "Thyra." This is the second of the ongoing collection, which includes "Skadi." An author, avid traveler and amateur cook, Williams is a graduate of Northwestern University, and lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He sits on the city's School Board, and is an Associate Director for the Pennsylvaia Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network.
Catherine Jordan joins Lawrence Knorr on the Sunbury Press Books Show to discuss her writing, and a new anthology she has edited, That Darkened Doorstep. What lies behind that unopened door? Several authors imagine the answer, including Jacque Day, Carol and Fred Lauver, Amanda Headlee, Thomas Malafarina, and Jordan herself!
A native of the Pocono in Northeast Pennsylvania, Jordan has appeared in several anthologies, along with her own tales, including her 2012 debut, Seeking Samiel, along with Bitter Sweet, The Book Seller's Secret and Strange Magic.
In addition, Jordan is an editor with Fortress Publishing, the review coordinator for horrortree.com, teaches and facilitates creative writing courses. You can find out more at her website, catherinejordan.com.
"Don't Play with Dead Things."
When Anna Dingel finds a boyfriend in her classmate Timmy, their summer after high school is anything but fun. Attacked by those unimpressed, Anna and her best friend Naomi resort to an ancient Abrhamic ritual in revenge, but the eldritch power goes out of control. Anna must decide who she really is.
John James Minster's love of horror goes back to his childhood, and is expressed in his new work, "The Undertaker's Daughter." A native of Norristown, Pennsylvania, Minster forged a successful international business career, while publishing short stories in major magazines and horror anthologies since 1990. His first full-length novel, Dreamjacker was published in 2018, and he has also contributed to the Kids Are Hell! anthology.
When Vivien Kindler answers an ad to take over the midday talk show spot on WNWT Radio, an AM station in Frost Pond, Maine, she finds out how much there is to learn about this little town, the people in it, and herself.
Considered "From Away" by most natives, Vivien has lost her husband, and without realizing it, has found a new vocation. In today's corporate radio world, it would be unheard of for a person right off the street to get a job like this, but Vivien takes it on. Despite not knowing a thing about the business, Vivien learns the ropes quickly and how to handle callers who have much to say about local affairs, the world around them, and life in general.
From the cranky Bob the Welder, the elderly "JJ's Mom," Paul the Piano Tuner, Brownie the Poet and the former teacher Miss Scanlon (among others), Vivien finds a purpose, and brings the quirky denizens of Frost Pond into a daily feed of concerns, complaints and insights. This is not today's "Talk Radio," but one of a time where the hosts didn't insist on doing all the talking!
Ham Martin hosted a show just like this one--living in Woodstock, Connecticut for 40 years, Martin made his career as a woodcarver, furniture maker and oil painter. "Talk Radio" is his debut work on Black Rose Writing, and was nominated as a Finalist in the Fiction category by the Maine Writers and Publisher's Alliance. Martin's latest work, "Tiezzi's Board" is also available. He lives with his wife, Mary on the Pemaquid Peninsula in Maine.
For years, the little seaside town of San Cicaro has held its secrets, but with time, those secrets, and the stories behind them tend to get out. "Decades of San Cicaro," the fourth volume in the series by Thunderbird Studios, follows the path of a young researcher, Olivia who is gathering information on the town. Her innocent search, however, begins to dredge up yet more mysterious, macabre and strange tales...and the Watchers...all brought to life through the pens of contributing authors.
The Brown Posey Press Show brings together three of these contributors: Adrianna Valencia, author of "Echoes in the Bath House," is an artist and writer who lives in Sacramento, California. Ian Ableson, an ecologist from Michigan who brings us "Garibaldi Pearls" and a look at the underwater world just off San Cicaro's lands, and J. Rohr, author of "Animal Control," about a man seeking his place once more in a world that somehow leads him here. J. is a native of Chicago, whose work appears in "Horror Obsessive," his blog "Honesty is Not Contagious" and whose musical expressions can be heard in the band Beerfinger.
All four works of the San Cicaro series, and other works can be found at tbirdstudios.com
Dan Van Tassel joins Lawrence Knorr on the Sunbury Press Books Show, to discuss travel from a unique perspective: by examination of classic narratives, stories and road trips in "Journey by the Book - A Guide to Tales of Travel."
Journeys, real and imagined are looked upon here, including Homer's "Odyssey," "Gulliver's Travels," and "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." The tours of Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, Jack Kerouac and Bill Bryson are also here, the overland travels of Marco Polo, and the seafaring adventures of Captain James Cook among others take the reader inside the accounts. The journey itself becomes the destination.
Dan Van Tassel is a graduate of St. Olaf College, and earned his Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Literature from the University of Iowa. A professor at Pacific Lutheran and California State University San Marcos, Van Tassel served as academic dean and professor of English at Muskingum College for more than twenty years. He is also the author of "Back to Barron," a chronicle of early life in smalltown, rural America.
Now retired, he lives in Northfield, Minnesota.
Baseball's "Deadball Era" lasted from 1900 to 1919, so noted as Major League Baseball used a softer ball. In addition, the teams often played in stadiums with larger field surfaces, so games were won by timely hitting, bunting and strategy. Home runs were a rarity.
During that period, a number of individual, single-season records were established, that are unlikely to be broken as the game has evolved. Ronald Waldo, author of eight books on baseball history, especially of the early 20th Century, highlights some of these in his new book for Sunbury Press, "Deadball Trailblazers: Single-Season Records of the Modern Era."
Many of these names will be known to baseball fans, if at least in passing: Napolean Lajoie's standout 1901 season, "Happy Jack" Chesbro's 41 wins, Ty Cobb's (then) record-breaking 96 stolen bases, and John "Chief" Wilson's 36 triples.
The tales and personalities are brought back to life by Waldo, which include Rube Waddell's brilliant 1904 season, along with instances of his erratic behavior. Then there were exercises in futility: Jack Nabors' 19 consecutive losses for a terrible Philadelphia A's team in 1916, and perhaps the most perplexing, John Gochnaur's 1903 record of 98 errors.
Ronald Waldo joins Lawrence Knorr on today's Sunbury Press Books Show to tell some of these stories, and look back at a different time in baseball, and American History. His other works include, "The 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates: Tragedy and Triumph," "The Battling Bucs of 1925," and biographies of old-time players Fred Clarke and Kiki Cuyler. Each of Waldo's preceding books on the Deadball Era has receive nominations for the Larry Ritter Book Award. He lives in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The second annual Books Books Books event comes to Lancaster, Pennsylvania on Saturday, September 17th. Organizers Mary Walsh and Amy Garnet join Tory Gates on the BPP Show to discuss the wherefor and why--Mary and Amy discuss their love of books and writing, and what inspired them to do their own.
Mary Walsh is the author of twelve books (working on number thirteen) in various genres. Her works include "Once Upon a Time in Chicago," set in Prohibition-era Chicago, "Fine Spirits Served Here," which takes the readers to New Orleans, and "American Posse," based on the infamous art heist at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
Amy Garnet is a self-described reader, who goes through several books a week! She is also the operator of the 6 Feet Under Books Blog, and she provides services that include Beta Reading, reviews and promotions.
Charles Lindbergh was not the first to fly across the Atlantic, non-stop--two British officers, largely lost to history did it eight years before.
Robert Harder tells the story of Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown, who made it from St. Johns, Newfoundland to Cliveden, Ireland on June 14-15, 1919. At a time when aviation was beginning to capture the public's imagination, and technological advances allowed for records to be broken in quick succession, Alcock and Brown undertook the dangerous passage. Flying a wood and fabric Vickers Vimy, with minimal instruments and difficult to control, Harder chronicles the adventure, and gives Alcock and Brown their place in history back with "First Crossing."
A freelance writer, Robert O. Harder served in the US Air Force Strategic Air Command during the Cold War years, a B-52D air crewman who flew 145 combat missions during the Vietnam War. Rated as a Navigator and Radar Bombardier, Harder flew nuclear training sorties and also stood Pad Alert. He later became a commercial pilot and flight instructor. His other books include "Flying from the Black Hole: The B-52 Navigator Bombardiers of Vietnam" and "The Three Musketeers of the Army Air Forces." He lives in Chicago.
Rule #1 of the Underground Railroad: If someone doesn’t need to know something, don’t tell them.
Rian Krieger is an 11-year-old girl living in a time and place of great change, Philadelphia, 1835. Kicked out of three schools for fighting, the tomboy Rian is brought into her father Otto's carraige-making business, Around Rian, the city is a hotbed of industrialization, and the winds of change are at times violent. Established whites, German artisans, Irish immigrants and free Blacks are in a struggle with one another and themselves.
The anti-slavery movement is just beginning, and Rian makes friends with those on the cusp of the abolitionist movement, such as Lucretia Mott. Befriending Olivia Tucker, a slave owner's daughter, the two seek to rescue a house servant from slavery.
Rian's living of history is penned by Roger Smith, and is the first of series. A high school history teacher, farmer, woodworker, businessman and science museum founder, Smith spent 41 years of his life in Central Pennsylvania and drew on his many experiences to create Rian and bring what aims to be a long and exciting series to life. He and his wife currently live in Brewster, Massachusetts.
Francesco Da Vinci's life and activities have spanned the most turbulent times of US history. A journalist, nonviolent activist, public speaker and documentary filmmaker, DaVinci is the author of "I Refuse to Kill: My Path to Nonviolent Action in the 1960s," on Sunbury Press Books.
Speaking with Lawrence Knorr, Da Vinci discusses his transition from bystander to activist in the Sixties, his decision to be recognized as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War, his formation of Nonviolent Action, a peace movement in San Diego, and his contact with political and social figures of the era.
Da Vinci was for 20 years a celebrity portrait photographer for Getty Images; his work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, Time and LIFE Magazine. He lives in Los Angeles, California, and is currently developing a documentary film based on this book.
Reginald F. Davis is a pastor, scholar and author of several books in the fields of theology and religion. "God's Truth to Youth in a World Full of Lies and Deception" is the title of his latest work, and he sits down with Sunbury Press Books founder and host, Lawrence Knorr.
Davis says this book is like a GPS, or spiritual atlas to help navigate life and be successful, but also joyful, peaceful and serve as an example to others.
A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Davis holds a Bachelor of Arts from Incarnate Word College, a M-DIV from Colgate Rochester Divinity School, and a Ph.D. from Florida State University. He lives with his family in Williamsburg, Virginia.
A prolific author of short stories and poetry, Joseph ("Joe") Farley brings gritty, rough-hewn and intriguing characters to life in "Farts and Daydreams," his latest collection of tales, courtesy of Dumpster Fire Press. Drawing on elements of his personal life and native Philadelphia. At times humorous, also dark, spiritual and strange, Farley brings the reader along on a series original works.
Joining Tory Gates on the Brown Posey Press Show, Farley discusses "For the Birds," his first collection of short stories produced through Cynic Press, and "Labor Day," a futuristic novel where humans enhanced with the DNA of cockroaches rule the planet, the elites get richer, the rest get poorer, and one man, Tom Fried is forced to choose between a stable existance and a chance to change the status quo. "Labor Day" is available through Peasantry Press.
Joseph Farley has a Bachelor's Degree in English from St. Joseph's University and a Masters in English from Temple. He served as the editor of the literary journal Axe Factory from 1986 to 2010. His poetry and chapbooks include "Suckers," "Her Eyes" and "Longing for the Mother Tongue," and his works have appeared in numerous publications. He lives in Philadelphia.
American history is full of larger-than-life characters, many of whom made a difference that went unnoticed and unrecognized. One of those was William Gould (W.G.) Raymond. His descendants, brother and sister William and Donna Burtch have rectified this, in "W.G. - The Opium-Addicted, Pistol-Toting Preacher Who Raised the First Federal African-American Union Troops," on Sunbury Press Books.
Joining host Lawrence Knorr, the Burtches tell of Raymond's early life in the Finger Lakes Region New York State, his later move to Pennsylvania, and how he went from a Baptist minister to enlisting in the Union forces. Appointed by President Abraham Lincoln, Raymond served as a hospital chaplain in Washington, DC, and was the first commanding officer responsible for raising what became the 1st United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) of the District of Columbia.
While poiltical infighting pushed Raymond's role out of the history books, he could not be fully erased. Drawing from his autobiography, "Life Sketches and Faith Work," plus that of Civil War scholars, the life of Raymond is examined during tulmultuous professional and personal times, including an addiction to opium, and how his spirituality, Raymond found, surpassed any denomination.
An author and essayist, William Burtch has written for several publications and anthologies. Donna Burtch has published a biography of their late father's life, "In the Key of the Sea: the Life and Times of William A. Burtch. They both live in Columbus, Ohio.
What happens when three authors, of like (and unlike) minds come together? For years, Brian Koscienski, Chris Pisano and Jeff Young have written separately and collaborated on projects that take readers inside their imaginations. The results of this remain debateable, but they are worth visiting time and again.
The BookSpeak Network has placed microphones inside the secret lair of the trio, odd family and friends for the first of (hopefully) a series of off-the-cuff, random talks about literature, poetry, but also pop culture as a whole. In this premier episode, Jeff discusses how he fell for "Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy," Brian discusses the art of haiku, and his wife Christina sits in to provide a voice of reason.
A reading of "Satan's Petting Zoo," available on the Sunbury Press imprint Verboten Books is introduced, and we learn about the alter egos of our hosts, including the Drunken Comic Book Monkeys.
A lo-fi, rollicking series begins, with "Random Randomness!"
Kasey and Kevin Coolidge, owners of From My Shelf Books & Gifts in Wellsboro, PA sit down with Brown Posey Press Show author and host Tory Gates for a completely unscripted, "shoot-style" interview.
Located in Tioga County in Northern Pennsylvania, Wellsboro is like any small town, and for many years, From My Shelf has been part of that community. The Coolidges talk about their love of books, reading, writing and how the local bookshop remains as important a place today as it did in decades past.
Despite growing pains and the trials of any business owner, not to mention the pandemic, Kasey and Kevin (accompanied by their intrepid staff and store cats, Huckleberry and Finn) talk of the changes in the book industry, adapting, and keeping on in times like these.
Kevin writes "The Blue Collar Bookseller" column for northcentralpa.com, and is the author of children's books, including "Huck & Finn -- Bookstore Cats," the "Totally Ninja Raccoon" series, and "Operation Ragnarok," about a group of forty-something Dungeons & Dragons fans who decide to go on a quest, for real.
From My Shelf Books can be found on East Avenue in Wellsboro, and at https://wellsborobookstore.indielite.org/
Pennsylvania's historical record does not include merely the likes of William Penn and the Founding Fathers. It is also home to folk tales and lore, of ghosts, strange disappearances, dreadful crimes and things that just cannot be explained. Marlin Bressi has chronicled many of these in "Pennsylvania Oddities," Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Among the stories elaborated on with host Lawrence Knorr, The Lykens Triple Axe Murder of 1932, The Connellsville Explosion of 1911, The Clearfield UFO Sightings of 1950, and the mysterious John Wilkes Booth Doppelganger of Northumberland County.
Bressi also discusses another Sunbury Press work, "Hairy Men in Caves: True Stories of America's Most Colorful Hermits," a look at the lives of dozens of men (and some women) who opted out of life from the 18th through the 20th century.
Marlin Bressi is the creator of the Pennsylvania Oddities blog, plus the paranormal website Journal of the Bizarre. His short stories have appeared in publications such as The Gallery of Curiosities, Weird Darkness and The Storyhouse Weekly Reader.
A self-described "genre-promiscuous" author, Ichabod Ebenezer does just that, with short stories and novels of suspense, mystery and horror, and these appear in standalone works and collections.
Joining Tory Gates on the Brown Posey Press Show, Ebenezer discusses the stories in his collection, "Beyond the Rail and Other Nightmares." Among these, "Singalong" tells of the theft of a classic car, and the curse that befalls any who steal it. "Fertile Minds" brings steampunk adventure alive in Victorian England, while "The Raven" delves into crimes in the cyberworld, crytpocurrency and what happens to people's souls.
Ebenezer's works include the novels "Bloom and Decay" and "A Shadow Stained in Blood," the latter of which takes the reader to 1930s Seattle and a time with characters both rich and real.
A native of Southern California, Ichabod Ebenezer has spent the past two-plus decades in the Pacific Northwest. He currently lives in Redmond, Washington with his family, two cats, a chameleon, and some skeletons in his closet.
Author Merrill Shaffer joins SPB host Lawrence Knorr to discuss his sports-related works. "Roaring Tigers: The History of Southern Columbia Football" chronicles one of the most successful high school football programs in the nation, and its enduring influence on Northern Pennsylvania. Shaffer talks about the coaches, players and the special fondness the people of the region have for the Tigers.
While an early New York Jets fan, Shaffer transferred his admiration to a certain team in his home state. The Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s were considered by man to be "The Team of the Decade" while reeling off four Super Bowl championships under Head Coach Chuck Noll and a cast of players, and unheard-of (today) 24 who played on all four of those teams. Shaffer tells of the quest to have all those players, plus Noll sign a helmet, and how it took 17 years for one certain player to finally put his name on it!
Merrill Shaffer earned a Associate in Arts Degree in Business Management from Harrisburg Area Community College, and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Penn State University, with several years in law enforcement as a probation officer. He lives in Palmyra, PA with his wife and daughter.
Ronald Rand has performed among, but was also trained by giants of the theatre. An actor known around the world for his portrayal of Harold Clurman in the one-man show "Let It Be Art!" Rand outlines not only his own life and career, but that of many of his peers in "Solo Transformation On Stage: A Journey into the Organic Process of the Art of Transformation," his latest release on Brown Posey Press.
Rand provides anecdotes of being trained by the likes of Clurman and Stella Adler (whose students included Marlon Brando, Robert DeNiro and many more), and insights from contemporaries into how they create the space necessary to become whom they portray onstage. Contemporaries such as Angelica Page, Christopher Plummer and Ben Vereen share these, and Rand includes photographs of his own transformation, plus Constantin Stanislavski's famous "Method of Physical Actions."
In addtion to performing, Rand is a playright, educator and librettist. He is publisher of "The Soul of the American Actor" periodical, and the books, "Acting Teachers of America" and "Create! How Extraordinary People Live to Create and Create to Live."
Sunbury Press Founder Lawrence Knorr sits down with "Keystone Tombstones" authors Joe Farrell and Joe Farley for a "History Through Biography" discussion on three pivotal figures of the American Revolution.
Charles Thomson served as Secretary of the Continental Congress during its existance from 1774 to 1789. The Irish-born native was an early leader in the American Revolution, a key member of the Philadelphia-based Sons of Liberty and credited with co-designing the Great Seal of the United States.
Another of the Founding Fathers, Gouvernor Morris was a signatory of the Articles of Confederation, the author of the Preamble to the US Constitution and represented Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. He also served as a Senator for New York State and a Minister to France, where he was highly critical of that nation's revolution.
While it would appear there could be nothing new to tell about Benjamin Franklin, Lawrence and the Joes go into not only his many accomplishments during America's early years and his contributions to science, they also discuss his estrangement with his son, William and aspects of his personal life. The recent Ken Burns Biography of Franklin also comes under review.
When considering the body of work and legacy of Ernest Hemingway, one might ask, what has not been written? Author Wylie McLallen draws on family connections and insights for his two-volume biography, available on the Oxford Southern imprint of Sunbury Press Books.
"Unbridled Dreamer: Hemingway and the Rise of Modern Literature" looks at Hemingway's early life, his relationship with his family (partially through the eyes of McLallen's grandparents), and the influence Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound would have on Hemingway. In Volume Two, "A Man of Modern Letters," McLallen continues with Hemingway's role in the Modern Movement of literature.
Growing up in Memphis, Wylie McLallen degreed in History and English at the University of Tennesse, and studied under renowned professor, Dr. Robert Drake. In addition to his works on Hemingway, McLallen is the author of "Tigers By the River," about the early years of professional football and one of the first professional super-teams. He lives with his wife, Nickey Bayne in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Hundreds, if not thousands of books, films, investigations and documents have tried to shed light into not only who assassinated President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, but why. The truth lies in ground laid in decades past, and is examined through Walter Herbst's two-volume series, "It Did Not Start With JFK."
Lawrence Knorr interviews Herbst on the Sunbury Press Books Show, and we learn about his four-decade investigation into the Kennedy assassination. The history involves elements of the American military-industrial complex and intelligence communities' involvement with assassinations and overthrow of governments. Fears of communism and racial desegregation stoked a radical right that was determined to preserve the American way of life as it saw it, and violence was not off the table.
Herbst looks into the roles of characters known and unknown: Lee Harvey Oswald's connections to the group, Jack Ruby's deep involvement with organized crime and why he got the job to kill Oswald, and how figures from adventures in the past and future all had a hand in Kennedy's assassination.
Walter Herbst is a retired engineer and entrepreneur, who debuts with the two-volume collection, "It Did Not Start With JFK," on Sunbury Press Books. He lives in Mahwah, New Jersey.
The story of the path Harry Deitz, Senior walked remains a remarkable one, out of the Pennsylvania coal mines, to the US Army and to a long and distinguished career as a photographer and journalist. His son, Harry, Jr. followed in some of his father's footsteps, and has chronicled the man's life and times in "Our Father's Journey: A Path Out of Poverty."
In this conversation with Sunbury Press Books Show host Lawrence Knorr, the younger Deitz talks of how his father's passing interest in photography became his ticket out of a hard life. Learning the craft in postwar Japan, Deitz began working in Shamokin, Pennsylvania as a photographer, reporter and editor. He also authored a history of the Knoebels amusement park for its 75th anniversary.
Harry Deitz, Jr. also has his own impressive resume, with a 45-year career as an award-winning photographer, sportswriter and editor, and ten years as editor-in-chief of the "Reading Eagle" newspaper before his reitrement in 2018. He is known for his weekly "Editor's Notebook" column, which included many stories about his family, including his three children and six grandchildren, plus the personal tale of serving as his late wife's primary caregiver during her battle with Parkinson's Disease and cancer.
Deitz has also served as president and board member of the Pennsylvania Newsmedia Assocation and the Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors.
The famous Chincoteague and Assateague Islands are known the world over. For many, the children's classics "Misty of Chincoteague" and "Stormy: Misty's Foal" brought this part of Virginia's Eastern Shore to mind. Tourists flock to this region annually, not only for the horses, but for the points of interest, the art galleries, and the local cuisine.
David Parmelee's latest release for Sunbury Press is "The Traveler's Guide to Chincoteague and Assateague: A Shortcut to the Magic" provides history, insight and stories of the islands, which will prepare the reader for their first visit, or new places repeat visitors might not know about. In this program, Parmelee tells of how the horses (might have) arrived here and includes interviews with local residents and others that tell of the allure of this undeveloped paradise.
"The Traveler's Guide..." is Parmelee's latest release for Sunbury Press Books. "The Sea is a Thief," an historical romance set during the American Civil War was released in 2013; Parmelee is also the author of the hilarious middle grade books, "Miss Feesenschneesen is Ill" and "Miss Feesenschneesen is Fit." An actor, director and playwright, Parmelee's one-act plays "TOAST," "The Comment Section" and "Three Romances about Macbeth" have been produced by community theaters across Northeast Pennsylvania, where he lives with his wife and four children.
Dustin Nispel is a poet, an artist, and a thinker. "The Road Home: A Collection of Poems" takes the reader on Nispel's personal journey. Themes of life, death, and all in between, with examinations of spirituality, religion and those who have left us, Nispel has granted a deep look into not only his own life, but the process of dealing with it. The collection is self-published through D. E. N. Poetry Publishing.
A York, Pennsylvania native, Nispel began writing poetry at age thirteen, and has never stopped. His first collection, "The Tower" was released in 2014 with Community Arts Ink. Nispel is a fixture at poetry slam events, and he represented the US in an international poetry festival in Macedonia. An artist as well, Nispel describes himself as a surrealist painter. He lives in Gardners, PA with his wife Jessica and their three children.
Eugene Procknow brings to life the tale of one man's remarkable journey through the Revolutionary War and the early years of our nation. William Hunter: Finding Free Speech, A British Soldier's Son Who Became an Early American is the story of a child who accompanied his father during the fight against American rebels. Captured twice, and an eyewitness to war and its carnage, Hunter is the only known author of a survivor's account from the British perspective. Later a newspaper founder and editor, Hunter drew the ire of government lawyers for his denouncing of efforts to stifle freedom of the press, and became an early supporter of Andrew Jackson's political aspirations.
Procknow examines Hunter's document, his life, how he overcame personal setbacks which damaged his character and left him bankrupt, and his contributions to American civic institutions.
A former management consultant with the firm Brillient, Procknow is also an historian and author of the American Revolution and the early US Republic. He has written several scholarly articles for the pretigious, peer-reviewed Journal of the American Revolution. He lives in Washington, DC.
The Battle of Gettysburg, July 1 to 3, 1863, was a key turning point in the Civil War. Covered in this episode are Major General John Fulton Reynolds, Gettysburg citizen John Burns, and Colonel John White Geary.
The guys discuss why Reynolds declined President Lincoln's invitation to command the Army of the Potomac, only to fall on the first day of battle. Would he have trapped Lee? Would Grant have become the leader of all Union forces? Who would have become president?
Regarding Burns, his prior exploits and age are discussed as well as his appearance on the battlefield. At one point, he was a national hero, only to be a derelict near the end of his life.
John White Geary was the first Post Master of San Francisco during the Gold Rush, the mayor of that city, the governor of the territory of Kansas during "Bleeding Kansas," and twice the governor of Pennsylvania in addition to his military service.
Mickey Maguire saw, and did a great deal in the first quarter century of his life, as detailed in "Feather White". This memoir of Maguire's turbulent upbringing and a search for direction and purpose led this Atlantic City, New Jersey native to working scallop boats on the always-dangerous North Atlantic, to finding peace living "off the grid" before anyone knew the term in 1970s Nova Scotia.
Maguire takes us through his early life in dealing with an alcoholic father and trouble, to Provincetown, Massachusetts and the Maritimes. He tells of the characters he met, and how through love, marriage, music and relationships, on the way to peace long sought.
Mickey Maguire joins Lawrence Knorr on the Sunbury Press Books Show to tell his story, in the book "Feather White."
A teenage gamer from Estonia named Artjom...Delfin, a young man on a perilous journey from Latin America to the United States...three Japanese sisters in LA, and a hijacked cruise ship. Worlds collide in the new novel by Patricio X. Maya, "Reggaeton Cruise." The lives of each character, from different walks of life are drawn into a changing world. Artjom has jumped from the game world to the real one as a drone pilot for the US Army, Delfin has gone from rags to riches, and the Coalition of the Eager have taken over a cruise ship to draw attention to their cause. Questions of change, how each views the world around them, and how globalization has connected an entire planet, but at what cost?
Author, essayist and educator Patricio X. Maya joins Tory Gates on the Brown Posey Press Show to talk about "Reggaeton Cruise," plus the collection "Walking Around with Fante and Bukowski," available on Grady Miller Books. A native of Quito, Ecuador, Maya came to the US at age twelve and grew up in Los Angeles, where he resides. His other writings include "80 Mph" and the "New Democracy Struggle."
Former police officer, armed encounters expert and trainer Brian McKenna recounts a dozen real-life shootouts involving law enforcement in his new book, "Cops Under Fire!" available through the Oxford Southern imprint of Sunbury Press Books. In addition to the life-threatening events these officers survived, McKenna provides expert analysis, plus insight into these encounters. In addition, McKenna discusses use of force, self-defense and how police are trained to deal with such incidents.
Speaking with Sunbury Press Book Show host Lawrence Knorr, McKenna discusses his career, his work as an educator and instructor, the strengths of law enforcement training, and where that is lacking.
Brian McKenna resides in Hazelwood, Missouri, where he served as a police officer for most of his 33-year career. He is a state certified police instructor and has a Masters degree in Human Resource Development from National Lewis University. He has written widely on officer safety, notably the "Officer Down" column for Police Marksman Magazine.
Rock journalist and music critic Maxim Furek examines the Northeast Pennsylvania music scene in "Somebody Else's Dream: Dakota, the Buoys, & Timothy," available on Sunbury Press Books. Lawrence Knorr is your host for this informative and intriguing look at a section of the US that offered great music. The Buoys hit over 50 years ago with "Timothy," often referred to as one of the worst songs ever to chart, with images of coal mines and cannibalism, the song nevertheless made it to #17 in 1971, and #9 in Canada.
Furek follows the Buoys' members Bill Kelly and Jerry Hludzik as they became the Jerry-Kelly Band, then were renamed Dakota, and went on to open for Queen. The circles the band traveled in, stories from the road and cautionary tales abound in this book.
A former psychologist and addictions counselor, Furek has also authored "Sheppton: The Myth, Miracle & Music," and "The Death Proclamation of Generation X." Find out more about him at https://www.maximfurek.com/
On this episode of the Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and J.M. West interview fellow author, Linda Cotton Jefferies. We discuss Jeffries’ recently published novel, Seeing in the Quiet, as well as her earlier work. We’ll also chat about Jeffries’ journey to becoming a suspense novelist, her work as a teacher, and a stint in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Tune in for a wide-ranging interview with an up and coming author.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter. and Dead on the Delta. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled. West recently released her first historical work, Madame Bessie Jones: Her Life and Times.
Science, soldiers, and potentially humanity are pitted against a biological killer in "Sudden Onset." A brilliant scientist, Mira Wallace is paired with Sgt. Rain Somerdale in a quest to find the destroyer. Along the way, joined by colleagues (some with ulterior motives), questions of science, morality, and ethics come into play, as all may end up questioning the meaning of it all.
The first volume of The Seed Series, "Sudden Onset" comes from the minds of Tom and Chris Dardick. A graduate of Tufts University, Tom operates consulting and R&D businesses and is a forever student of the human condition. Chris has a doctorate in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Maryland. He has published over one hundred scientific papers on various topics and is a Lead Scientist for the US Department of Agriculture.
"Sudden Onset" is available through Immortal Works.
Today on Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and JM West talk about “Book Event Etiquette” – some tips for authors about how to best prepare for book events and some of the etiquette involved in a typical event. Book events offer a great way for authors to connect with readers – potential readers, longtime fans of their work, and everyone in between. Movies and TV shows about writers almost always depict author events as book signings – usually with long lines of fans queued up to get their copy of a book signed by the author. And, in real life, book signings often work just like that. But some are multi-author book signings. Some events are built around a speech or informal talk by the author. And many other opportunities for events abound depending upon your book. Sherry and Joan discuss the ins and outs of such events and how to prepare for your next event.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter. and Dead on the Delta. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled. West recently released her first historical work, Madame Bessie Jones: Her Life and Times.
The time is 1911, in Piedmont, Italy. A budding young musician, Pietro thinks nothing but of music and working in the family vineyard with his grandfather, Nonno. Circumstance takes a tragic turn, as Pietro must pull up stakes, and armed with only his clarinet, emigrate to America.
Also on a voyage of her own is Assunta, a woman who also seeks a new life. Settling in Pennsylvania, the two watch family and friends grow, change, and fall around them.
Music, and a will to survive and live drive Pietro and Assunta, as they seek to turn their worlds "From Ashes to Song."
Hilary Hauck is a native of Great Britain, and spent formative years in Italy. Inspirations of her second home, and Pennsylvania Coal Country are here in "From Ashes to Song." Hilary is a past president of Pennwriters, and Chair of the Festival of Books in the Alleghenies. She lives in rural Pennsylvania.
On this episode of The Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts JM West and Sherry Knowlton interview author Bruce J. Berger. Following a 40-year career as a trial attorney in Washington, DC, Berger turned fulltime to writing, earned a M.F.A. in Creative Writing from American University, and now teaches there. Berger's latest novel, The Music Stalker, was released in October by Black Rose Writing. Kirkus Reviews says that The Music Stalker is "A tale that shines a light on the redemptive power of religion and relationships." Berger’s previous novel, The Flight of the Veil, has achieved critical success, recently winning an award in General Fiction from Illumination Book Awards Berger has also published more than 50 stories and poems in a wide variety of literary journals.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter. and Dead on the Delta. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled. West recently released her first historical work, Madame Bessie Jones: Her Life and Times.
William (W.P.) Rigler has made his creative way through the written word as the author of "Certain Shadows I Have Known," "Stranger Thoughts," "Terror's Taste," and other works. With an eye for the paranormal, horror and fantasy, he is also known as Adam Dust in the science fiction world with "Masters of the Alpha Crystals."
A graduate of the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland and the New York Film Academy, Rigler is also an actor and serves as a tour guide of select haunts in his hometown of Havre de Grace, Maryland.
On this episode of The Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts Joan West and Sherry Knowlton interview author, C. Lee Ryder about her new book, Black Clover. InBlack Clover Ryder tells the true story of the heart-wrenching small town murder of her brother in the Amberson Valley of Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She also details the lengths to "which the legal system can be manipulated if the family doesn’t fight back." Tune in to hear Ryder discuss Black Clover and her family's fight to obtain justice for her brother's murder.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter, and Dead on the Delta. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall, and Things Strangled. West recently released her first historical work, Madame Bessie Jones: Her Life and Times.
An author, journalist, and educator, David Healey has proven himself prolific, in both the fiction and non-fiction worlds. "Pacific Sniper" is the latest in a series of novels that looks down the sight of that particular specialist, both from the American and Japanese perspectives, in an island battle.
Healey's writings take us through world and civil wars, step into the Young Adult vein with the Sea Lord books, and history of the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva Peninsula.
A newspaper reporter and editor, Healey's articles have appeared in "The Washington Times," "American History," "Chesapeake Bay Magazine" and "Running Times." He is also a speaker on numerous historical and writing topics.
Mike Jacobs is a young, idealistic environmental lawyer working for the Department of Environmental Protection, and he is thrown into a case of intrigue, violence, and courtroom drama in "Amid Rage." A Western Pennsylvania strip mine is the battleground as its owner will do whatever it takes to get every bit of coal from the ground, and if it means buying off landowners (or stronger tactics), then so be it. In the middle is Jacobs, up against the owner, his high-powered Philadelphia lawyer, and a system and state government that seems unwilling and disinterested in doing the right thing.
Joel Burcat returns to the Brown Posey Press Show with "Amid Rage," available on Headline Books. An environmental attorney, Burcat has written five novels, and has edited two eminent books on environmental and oil and gas law, and co-edited seven editions of "Pennsylvania Environmental Law and Practice."
A Philadelphia native, Burcat now lives with his wife in Harrisburg, PA.
Lee Anne Post is the pen name for co-authors Catherine Baldau, Tara Bell, Ginny Fite, and K.P. Robbins. Stories by these award-winning authors have appeared in numerous journals and individually they have published nine novels. They have worked as reporters and editors, in politics and philanthropy, and in advertising and educational institutions. Having met in a writer’s critique group for over five years, they were spurred by their collective grief and then admiration as they watched Parkland students deal with the aftermath of that shooting.
Pushcart nominated, Ginny Fite is the author of six traditionally published novels: Cromwell’s Folly; No Good Deed Left Undone; Lying, Cheating, and Occasionally Murder; No End of Bad; Blue Girl on a Night Dream Sea, and Possession. Her collection of linked short stories, Stronger in Heaven, was shortlisted for the 2019 SFWP prize and a finalist for the 2020 Bakwin Prize. Her short stories have been published in numerous journals such as The Delmarva Review, SFWP Quarterly, and the Anthology of Appalachian Writers. A graduate of Rutgers University and Johns Hopkins University, her communications career included posts in journalism, higher education, government, and industry. She also studied at the School for Women Healers and the Maryland Poetry Therapy Institute. www.ginnyfite.com
On this episode of The Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts Joan West and Sherry Knowlton give a nod to the season with Halloween Haunts and Horrors in Books & Movies. Joan and Sherry talk about the origins of Halloween and the various traditions and creatures associated with the holiday. They spend most of the podcast talking about the many books, movies and television shows that have grown out of Halloween's spooky roots and created a flourishing horror genre. They also talk about some of their favorite books which share some of the spine-tingling aspects one associates with Halloween even though they're not typically placed in the Halloween or horror categories. Tune in for some terrifying suggestions about what to read or watch to put you in a Halloween mood.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter. and Dead on the Delta. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled. West recently released her first historical work, Madame Bessie Jones: Her Life and Times.
Displaced is Linda Schwab’s Holocaust memoir, a retelling of her experience surviving 18 months in a man-made cave, another year as an exile in Poland and Germany, and three years as a refugee in a displaced persons camp. Just six years old when a band of Nazi soldiers arrived in her tiny shtetl in Myadel, Poland, Linda observed atrocities no child ever needs to witness.
Written with historian Todd M. Mealy during a time when Holocaust deniers aim to rehabilitate the Nazi ideology and as roughly 400,000 survivors remain with us, Displaced presents Schwab’s singular voice. Her narrative will help maintain—if not bolster—Holocaust knowledge, as her story of surviving the Polish wilderness during WWII and in a Displaced Persons Camp after the war is unique from most accounts. Displaced will inspire the rest of us to confront hatred in its many forms.
Todd Mealy is a 20-year public school educator and an adjunct professor in the History Department at Dickinson College. He works primarily in the areas of education, civil rights, and sports culture. Mealy received his Ph.D. in American Studies, with a focus on race and society from Penn State University. He is the author, co-author, and co-editor of seven books, including Linda Schwab’s Displaced: A Holocaust Memoir and the Road to a New Beginning. His next book, a history of racial slurs in music, will be published in 2022. Todd is currently working on the authorized biography of Jane Elliott, educator and creator of the Blue Eye, Brown Eye Exercise.
On this episode of The MIlford House Mysteries, co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and J.M. West welcome fellow Sunbury Press author, Carolyn Kleinman. Kleinman will talk to us about her debut novel, Love, Faith, and the Dented Bullet. A retired English and English as a Second Language teacher, Kleinman has always been a reader and a storyteller and enjoys writing books that explore how people respond to life changing events. Love, Faith, and the Dented Bullet is her first published novel blends historical fiction with a sweet, unlikely romance between a Holocaust survivor and a Mennonite farm girl in Lancaster PA.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter. and Dead on the Delta. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled. West recently released her first historical work, Madame Bessie Jones: Her Life and Times.
Hope in Hell: How We Can Confront the Climate Crisis & Save the Earth (Earth Aware Editions, April 2021). It's no longer a Climate Crisis. It has become a Climate Emergency.
Ultimately optimistic despite the dire challenge presented to the world, Porritt explores current science and new technologies, mobilization of younger people and political action, and encouraging intergenerational solidarity as older generations learn their own responsibilities in creating a better world for their successors. To face a challenge greater than humanity has ever seen before, we must also accelerate ourselves, by summoning a sense of urgency, courage, and shared effort to match it.
Jonathon Porritt, Co-Founder of Forum for the Future, is an eminent writer, broadcaster and campaigner on sustainable development. Established in 1996, Forum for the Future is now the UK’s leading sustainable development charity, with 70 staff and over 100 partner organisations, including some of the world’s leading companies.
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Van Carter is a retired broadcast journalist. "I was never a war correspondent, yet we're now in a war and I feel like I'm reporting from the front lines." Since 2008, he has published the Only Green List. To see previous and upcoming episodes, go here.
Music credit: David Nevue, While the Trees Sleep
Kudos to Sunbury Press for hosting this interview series on its BookSpeak Network
Henry enjoys going to visit his grandfather in Athens, Ohio. One day, they discover a pawpaw tree; Henry doesn't know what it is, but Grandpa sure knows about it. In learning about pawpaw, Henry learns about doing something new and different and has fun in the process.
Kaitlin Kuliich is a journalist, a reporter for WTAP Television, the former editor of The Avenue News, and a realtor. Her first book, "Pawpaw is My Favorite Flavor" is available on Monday Creek Publishing. She lives in Marietta, Ohio.
Losing Earth: A Recent History by Nathaniel Rich (MCD, April 2019)
By 1979, we knew nearly everything we understand today about climate change―including how to stop it. Over the next decade, a handful of scientists, politicians, and strategists, led by two unlikely heroes, risked their careers in a desperate, escalating campaign to convince the world to act before it was too late. Losing Earth is their story, and ours.
It reveals the birth of climate denialism and the genesis of the fossil fuel industry's coordinated effort to thwart climate policy through misinformation propaganda and political influence. The book carries the story into the present day, wrestling with the long shadow of our past failures and asking crucial questions about how we make sense of our past, our future, and ourselves.
PEN/E.O. WILSON LITERARY SCIENCE WRITING AWARD FINALIST THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS' SCIENCE COMMUNICATION AWARD WINNER *SOCIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISTS AWARD WINNER
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Van Carter is a retired broadcast journalist. "I was never a war correspondent, yet we're now in a war and I feel like I'm reporting from the front lines." Since 2008, he has published the Only Green List. To see previous and upcoming episodes, go here.
Music credit: David Nevue, While the Trees Sleep
Kudos to Sunbury Press for hosting this interview series on its BookSpeak Network
Hope Matters: Why Changing the Way We think is Critical to Solving the Environmental Crisis (Greystone Books, Oct 2020) by Elin Kelsey.
Fears about climate change are fueling an epidemic of despair across the world: adults worry about their children’s future; thirty-somethings question whether they should have kids or not; and many young people honestly believe they have no future at all.
In the face of extreme eco-anxiety, scholar and award-winning author Elin Kelsey argues that our hopelessness—while an understandable reaction—is hampering our ability to address the very real problems we face. Kelsey offers a powerful solution: hope itself.
Hope Matters boldly breaks through the narrative of doom and gloom to show why evidence-based hope, not fear, is our most powerful tool for change. Kelsey shares real-life examples of positive climate news that reveal the power of our mindsets to shape reality, the resilience of nature, and the transformative possibilities of individual and collective action.
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Van Carter is a retired broadcast journalist. "I was never a war correspondent, yet we're now in a war and I feel like I'm reporting from the front lines." Since 2008, he has published the Only Green List. To see previous and upcoming episodes, go here.
Music credit: Chumbawamba, Tubthumper (I Get Knocked Down)
Kudos to Sunbury Press for hosting this interview series on its BookSpeak Network
On this episode of Milford House Mysteries, we feature co-host JM West and her new book of historical nonfiction, Madam Bessie Jones: Her Life and Times. Co-host Sherry Knowlton will interview West about her decision to take on a scandalous southcentral Pennsylvania figure and an unsolved murder for her first foray into historical non-fiction. We’ll also talk about West’s Carlisle Crime Cases series and more.
In Madam Bessie Jones, Her Life and Times, Jones emerges from the shadows of Carlisle (PA) history, first turning tricks in her mother Cora Andrews’ “bawdy house” and then running her brothel from the Roaring Twenties through the chaotic sixties until her murder on October 1, 1972. For fifty years, she catered to the area’s elite white clientele—lawyers, judges, businessmen and senators. This historic book traces the struggles of Jones’s operating a successful--if illegal--business through actual anecdotes despite running afoul of the law, including her murder and the sensational trial.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams suspense series including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter, and Dead on the Delta. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall, and Things Strangled. West has just released her first historical work, Madam Bessie Jones: Her Life and Times.
(A highly prescient fiction account that helps all of us see the bleak future we are creating.)
Blue Karma (Mar 2019, Spaekona Press) by J.K. Ullrich. Came out digitally in 2015. In the near dystopian future, water is the coin of the realm. People steal it. People die for it. Empires depend on it. Water. It covers almost three quarters of the planet, comprises more than half the human body, and has become the most coveted resource on Earth. And because of its sudden scarcity, humans around the world have been displaced.
J.K. Ullrich investigates the future as a technology analyst by day and a science fiction writer by night. She published her award-winning debut novel Blue Karma in 2015, followed by the Syzygy novella series. “In Blue Karma I envisioned a near future where this plight was so common, people had developed a vocabulary shortcut for the issue. Thus I coined the term “engee”, a portmanteau of “environmental refugee”. I never imagined applying the term in a real-life context so soon after dreaming it up, but that’s exactly what’s happening.”
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Van Carter is a retired broadcast journalist. "I was never a war correspondent, yet we're now in a war and I feel like I'm reporting from the front lines." Since 2008, he has published the Only Green list. To see previous and upcoming episodes, go here.
Music Credit: David Nevue: While the Trees Sleep
Kudos to Sunbury Press for hosting this interview series on its BookSpeak Network
The Pulaski Saga takes readers back in time, to the Antebellum Period of the American South, through the Civil War, and years beyond.
Havre de Grace, Maryland, 1841 is the backdrop for Ben Pulaski, a sailor who returns home to find his house gone to a flood, and his family in disarray. Determined to remake himself, and get back on the good side of his long-suffering wife Sonja, Pulaski takes on an "Ugly Boat" to work in on the canalling trade.
An unscrupulous banker, strange characters, and old friends set the stage for a world that is changing. Ben finds himself traveling between the slave state of Maryland the free state of Pennsylvania, as slaves seek freedom, and the nation fractures.
"Pulaski's Canal" begins a long-running series, from the pen of author Robert Lackey. A writer, soldier, photographer and administrator, Lackey has studied the canal, its past life and the unique place occupied by Maryland in American History.
In addition to the Pulaski Saga, Lackey is the author of flash fiction, including the award-winning "A Tub in Memphis." A novel of "Havre de Grace" and "The Graw" are planned releases from Lackey in 2022 and 2023.
The Good Ancestor, A Radical Prescription for Long-Term Thinking (Nov 2020, The Experiment) is by leading public philosopher Roman Krznaric. A timely perspective for this moment in history.
Businesses eschew civic responsibility for immediate gains, politicians throw their support behind whatever will win the next election, and we all struggle to focus our attention beyond the next alert from our phones. The result?
An inexcusable chasm between the haves and have-nots--and mounting existential threats--have brought our species to the precipice of disaster. Yet Krznaric sees reason to hope... if we can trade short-sightedness with long-term thinking. In The Good Ancestor, Krznaric reveals six practical ways we can retrain our brains to think of the long view, including Deep Humility (recognizing our lives as a cosmic eyeblink) and Cathedral Thinking (starting projects that will take more than one lifetime to complete). His aim is to inspire more "time rebels" like Greta Thunberg--to shift our allegiance from this generation to all of humanity--in short, to save our planet and our future.
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Van Carter is a retired broadcast journalist. "I was never a war correspondent, yet we're now in a war and I feel like I'm reporting from the front lines." Since 2008, he has published the Only Green List. To see previous and upcoming episodes, go here.
Music credit: David Nevue, While the Trees Sleep
Kudos to Sunbury Press for hosting this interview series on its BookSpeak Network
Chris Fenwick has been a visionary and entrepreneur throughout her career in a variety of roles. She is the author of the visionary fiction novel "the 100th Human", nearing its 15th anniversary since release. She is also the author of the State Changers fantasy series.
The End of Ice: Bearing Witness and Finding Meaning in the Path of Climate Destruction (The New Press, Jan 2019)
After nearly a decade overseas as a war reporter, the acclaimed journalist Dahr Jamail returned to America to renew his passion for mountaineering, only to find that the slopes he had once climbed have been irrevocably changed by climate disruption. In response, Jamail embarks on a journey to the geographical front lines of this crisis―from Alaska to Australia's Great Barrier Reef, via the Amazon rainforest―in order to discover the consequences to nature and to humans of the loss of ice.
In The End of Ice, we follow Jamail as he scales Denali, the highest peak in North America, dives in the warm crystal waters of the Pacific only to find ghostly coral reefs, and explores the tundra of St. Paul Island where he meets the last subsistence seal hunters of the Bering Sea and witnesses its melting glaciers. Accompanied by climate scientists and people whose families have fished, farmed, and lived in the areas he visits for centuries, Jamail begins to accept the fact that Earth, most likely, is in a hospice situation.
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Van Carter is a retired broadcast journalist. "I was never a war correspondent, yet we're now in a war and I feel like I'm reporting from the front lines." Since 2008, he has published the Only Green List. To see previous and upcoming episodes, go here.
Music credit: David Nevue, While the Trees Sleep
Kudos to Sunbury Press for hosting this interview series on its BookSpeak Network
Lawrence Knorr and the members of BANG, a hard rock trio from South Philadelphia, recounted the band's meteoric rise to fame during the early 1970s in their book The BANG Story: From the Basement to the Bright Lights. In this episode, host Lawrence Knorr delves into the business side of drummer Tony Diorio, who is a natural entrepreneur. Tony's family owned several five and dime retail outlets in the Philadelphia area as Tony was growing up. This provided him with a career path before he got interested in music. Tony then led BANG on a mercurial ride to Florida and fame as Columbia recording artists. Following the flame-out of the band, Tony pursued other opportunities, starting a very different business from anything he had done before.
Sunbury Press miraculously brought together the daughters of Valentyn Koval and Julian Wojtowych by publishing Oxana Koval Lapchuk’s, book, “The Journalist, A Holocaust Story.” Tanya Wojtowych, daughter of Julian, found the book and then its author on the internet and realized that the man named “Stefan” on page 66 was her father. Both women were filled with gratitude to discover they were not alone in the lifelong quest to understand and preserve the intricate, complex, and little-known journeys of their fathers.
Join their conversation as they discuss their research into their fathers' combined paths during WWII and how those paths diverged.
In The 100% Solution: A Plan for Solving Climate Change (Melville House, Mar 2020), Solomon Goldstein-Rose, a leading millennial climate activist, makes clear what needs to happen to hit the 2050 target: the manufacturing booms we must spur, the moonshot projects we must fund, the amount of CO2 we’ll have to sequester from the atmosphere, and much more.
Written because the author couldn’t find a comprehensive analysis that actually added up to a full solution, this fully-illustrated and accessible book takes readers through high-level logic about what approaches can solve climate change, and presents a brief analysis of physical options for clean equipment and the role various governments, companies, and activists can play.
This book arms activists with specific demands, sets the stakes for what our leaders must achieve, and proves that with comprehensive thinking we can still take back our future.
Solomon Goldstein-Rose was elected to the Massachusetts legislature on a climate change-focused platform at age 22.
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Van Carter is a retired broadcast journalist. "I was never a war correspondent, yet we're now in a war and I feel like I'm reporting from the front lines." Since 2008, he has published the Only Green list. To see previous and upcoming episodes, go here.
Music Credit: David Nevue: While the Trees Sleep
Kudos to Sunbury Press for hosting this interview series on its BookSpeak Network
On this episode of Milford House Mysteries, Joan and Sherry interview author Children and Young Adult book author Joe Harvey. Harvey’s books focus on the lives, concerns and frustrations of pre-teens and teens. We'll talk about Harvey's latest elementary-school age volume, If We’re Really Quiet , It Won’tFind Us that features a creature called The Howler rumored to be roaming the woods near Camp Calamity. Harvey will also talk about his newest Young Adult novel, Summer Changes Everything, a coming-of-age novel that explores the struggles that many teens face such as addiction, family crisis, and identity. We'll also hear from Harvey on how his teaching background helps him understand his young reading audience.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter. and Dead on the Delta. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled. West has just released her first historical work, Madame Bessie Jones: Her Life and Times.
Lou Gehrig Day is on June 2. This annual, league-wide celebration will be a time to not only honor the legacy of this Hall of Fame first baseman but to also raise awareness and funds to fight ALS.
Dan Joseph is a Washington-based journalist, editor and writer, and a senior editor in the Voice of America's central newsroom. He is the author of "Last Ride of the Iron Horse," the first book to examine Lou Gehrig's 1938 season, Gehrig's last full year in the Yankee lineup as he began to battle symptoms of the fatal disease ALS. Dan is also a baseball historian and discovered the audio clip of Gehrig saying that yes, Babe Ruth DID hit a "called shot" home run in the 1932 World Series. Dan has run the Africa desk in the VOA newsroom for more than 15 years, and he previously co-authored (with Harun Maruf) "Inside Al-Shabaab: The Secret History of Al-Qaeda's Most Powerful Ally," a study of the Somalia-based Islamist militant group.
Another example of serious fiction trying to fight ignorance.
The Heatstroke Line (Sunbury Press, 2015) depicts a United State with its coastal cities flooded and its remaining land sweltering under debilitating heat. It has broken into smaller units that are in conflict with each other and it's dominated by more northerly nations, like Canada, that now have temperate climates. It shows an imaginable future, not very distant from the present when there are still modern houses, cars, governments, schools and political conflicts. The purpose is to bring home to Americans the devastating effects that climate change might have on our nation.
Ed Rubin is a law professor. He's never written a book like this. "I wrote The Heatstroke Line as a warning. It emerged from my sense of frustration and dismay about the refusal of so many people, and so many political leaders to confront the reality of human-induced climate change."
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Van Carter is a retired broadcast journalist. "I was never a war correspondent, yet we're now in a war and I feel like I'm reporting from the front lines." Since 2008, he has published the Only Green List. To see previous and upcoming episodes, go here.
Music credit: David Nevue, While the Trees Sleep
Kudos to Sunbury Press for hosting this interview series on its BookSpeak Network
On this episode, Sherry Knowlton and J.M West interview Laury Egan, a versatile and prolific writer, back for a second visit to Milford House Mysteries to talk about her new work of literary fiction, The Swimmer. Reviewer Lori Ostlund describes “The Swimmer in this words: "a psychotherapist with end-stage cancer contemplates the end of her life and marriage and her failures as a mother, while saving the life of a beautiful swimmer grieving over the death of his husband. Egan’s story is for anyone contemplating the meaning of death, life, and everything in between: fear, regret, desire, hope, acceptance. A novel written with deep compassion and beautiful storytelling.”
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring,, Dead of Winter. and Dead on the Delta Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled. West has just released her first historical work, Madame Bessie Jones: Her Life and Times.
(Fiction novels, too, play an important role in garnering public attention of the Climate Crisis)
The Weathermaker (Milford House Press, Jan 2020) is a “cli-fi” genre-bending thriller, with the action aspects of Twister. It shows the tragic aspects of climate change (like The Day After Tomorrow) and “the cure is worse than the disease” (Snowpiercer). There is also evidence that controlling nature can lead to disaster (Jurassic Park). The added bonus is that the author is a meteorologist, and the science is accurate. Plus, 40 years on TV has given him lots of “inside TV news” stories.
Glenn (Hurricane) Schwartz was the first “storm chaser” for the Weather Channel in 1985. He received his nickname, “Hurricane,” after a colleague saw footage of him being blown around in a storm. The nickname stuck. He graduated from Penn State in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology. On his first day of work, he covered Hurricane Andrew from Fort Myers, Florida. He lives in the Philadelphia suburbs with his wife, Sherry, and is a lifelong Philadelphia sports fanatic.
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Van Carter is a retired broadcast journalist. “I’ve never been a genre reporter until now, but the Climate Crisis deserves everyone’s full attention.” Since 2008, he has published the Only Green list. To see previous and upcoming episodes, go here.
Music Credit: David Nevue, While the Trees Sleep
Kudos to Sunbury Press for hosting this interview series on its BookSpeak Network
Charles Miller is a thirteen-year-old who is looking forward to a lazy Florida summer with his friends. That all changes when a strange-looking raft rolls up, led by a certain "Captain Kid."
The captain enlists Charles and the gang to aid him in a mission to rescue a princess known as the Patch Fairy. What follows is a wild ride through space, bringing them in contact with mysterious and dangerous characters, gangs, and out-of-this-world beings.
The Reality Deck is anything but, or so it seems, as Charles and his friends join the captain and go "Into the Attic of the World."
Author Joseph Mazerac grew up with a father in the US Army. His first job was as an Unexploded Ordnance Technician, but he also pursued drawing and illustration before turning to writing. He has won the Royal Palm Literary Award, hosted his own podcast and continues to love travel. He lives with his family in Jacksonville, Florida.
How to Prepare for Climate Change: A Practical Guide to Surviving the Chaos (Jan 2021, Simon & Schuster) is by David Pogue, a science and technology writer best known for his work on CBS News Sunday Morning.
Pogue cuts straight to the chase when it comes to climate change. “The world is getting hotter, natural systems are going haywire, and you should begin to prepare,”
He lays out the harsh reality of record heat and droughts and details innovations in agriculture. He also offers practical advice on talking to those who reject climate science and on finding the right insurance policy. Pogue describes the impact of climate change in various locations, climate mitigation efforts by individuals and businesses, and practical topics such as the business and insurance aspects of climate resilience, personal disaster preparedness, and political and social participation in climate action.
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Van Carter is a retired broadcast newsman. "I was never a war correspondent, yet we're now in a war and I feel like I'm reporting from the front lines." Since 2008, he has published the Only Green list. To see previous and upcoming episodes, go here.
Music Credit: David Nevue: While the Trees Sleep
Kudos to Sunbury Press for hosting this interview series on its BookSpeak Network
Join Author Sherry Knowlton for the sixth and final episode of her limited podcast series, DEAD on the DELTA: An African Adventure. On today’s Episode, Africa Anecdotes, Writing What You Know, Sherry is joined by her husband and travel companion, Mike Knowlton. Together they’ll share a few anecdotes from their many safaris. Some of the stories are amusing. Some might make you gulp. Keep in mind, they’re both here to tell the tale. Please tune in and accompany Sherry and Mike on this latest African adventure..
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of suspense novels including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter and Dead on the Delta. Passionate about books at an early age, she was that kid who would sneak a flashlight to bed at night so she could read beneath the covers. All the local librarians knew her by name. When not writing the next Alexa Williams thriller, Knowlton works with her health care consulting business or travels around the world. She and her husband live in the mountains of South Central Pennsylvania. Knowlton is embarking on this series of podcasts to celebrate the release of her latest Alexa Williams novel, DEAD on the DELTA, and to talk about its setting, the African wild. www.sherryknowlton.com
In To Know the World: A New Vision for Environmental Learning (MIT Press, Nov 2020), Mitchell Thomashow proposes that we revitalize, revisit, and reinvigorate how we think about our residency on Earth. First, we must understand that the major challenges of our time--migration, race, inequity, climate justice, and democracy--connect to the biosphere. Traditional environmental education has accomplished much, but it has not been able to stem the inexorable decline of global ecosystems. Thomashow, the former president of a college dedicated to sustainability, describes instead environmental learning, a term signifying that our relationship to the biosphere must be front and center in all aspects of our daily lives. In this illuminating book, he provides rationales, narratives, and approaches for doing just that.
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Van Carter is a retired broadcast newsman. "I've never been a genre reporter until now, but the Climate Crisis deserves everyone's full attention." Since 2008, he has published the Only Green list. To see previous and upcoming episodes, go here.
Music Credit: David Nevue, While the Trees Sleep
Kudos to Sunbury Press for hosting this interview series on its BookSpeak Network
Aspen and Lori Wolfe are a pair of not-so-genteel young ladies, inventive, adventurous, and deadly. Like their father, Aspen and Lori build and operate machines that do wondrous things that should just not be in Victorian-era England, but then, things are never what they seem.
Taking lodging at the home of a friend of sorts, Keagen Myrack, the Wolfe sisters embark on a quest to free "Dimies," a unique, enslaved race. The epic adventure steps off in "Gear Heart: Freedom is Worth the Risk."
Michelle Young is an author, artist, painter and creator, who lives in Texas--she joins Tory Gates to discuss "Gear Heart," her career and life on the Brown Posey Press Show.
The Population Bomb (Ballantine Books) is a best-selling book written by Stanford University Professor Paul R. Ehrlich and his wife, Anne Ehrlich, (who was uncredited), in 1968. It predicted worldwide famine in the 1970s and 1980s due to overpopulation, as well as other major societal upheavals, and advocated immediate action to limit population growth. Fears of a "population explosion" existed in the 1950s and 1960s, but the book and its author brought the idea to an even wider audience.
The book has been criticized since its publication for its alarmist tone, but the Ehrlichs stand by the book despite its flaws stating in 2009 that "perhaps the most serious flaw in The Bomb was that it was much too optimistic about the future" and believe that it achieved their goals because "it alerted people to the importance of environmental issues and brought human numbers into the debate on the human future." See mahb.stanford.edu
Van Carter is a retired broadcast newsman. "I've never been a genre reporter until now, but the Climate Crisis deserves everyone's full attention." Since 2008, he has published the Only Green list. To find all subsequent episodes, go here.
Music credit: David Nevue, While the Trees Sleep
Kudos to Sunbury Press for hosting this interview series on its BookSpeak Network
Join Author Sherry Knowlton for the fifth episode of her limited podcast series, DEAD on the DELTA: An African Adventure. On today’s Episode, Tips for Taking a Safari Knowlton is joined by travel expert, Donald Roebuck from AAA Central Penn Travel. Roebuck has been a travel agent for 14 years and specializes in adventure and luxury travel. One of his key focus areas is Africa, which he’s visited multiple times. Roebuck will talk about the options travelers have when considering an African safari, such as countries, budget, accommodations, transportation and more. Knowlton will share some of her go-to tips for planning and packing for an adventure in Africa, developed over the course of many safaris. They’ll also address some common questions people have about safaris and their own experiences in the African wild. Please tune in.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of suspense novels including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter and Dead on the Delta. Passionate about books at an early age, she was that kid who would sneak a flashlight to bed at night so she could read beneath the covers. All the local librarians knew her by name. When not writing the next Alexa Williams thriller, Knowlton works with her health care consulting business or travels around the world. She and her husband live in the mountains of South Central Pennsylvania. Knowlton is embarking on this series of podcasts to celebrate the release of her latest Alexa Williams novel, DEAD on the DELTA, and to talk about its setting, the African wild. www.sherryknowlton.com
Join Author Sherry Knowlton for the fourth episode of her limited podcast series, DEAD on the DELTA: An African Adventure. Today’s Episode, Wildlife Poaching: A Dirty Business focuses on Knowlton’s research trip to Botswana before she wrote DEAD on the DELTA and some of the important information she learned while there. Knowlton also provides a high-level overview of some of the damage illegal poaching is doing to critical African wildlife species such as lions, elephants, rhinos and pangolins. Please tune in.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of suspense novels including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter and Dead on the Delta. Passionate about books at an early age, she was that kid who would sneak a flashlight to bed at night so she could read beneath the covers. All the local librarians knew her by name. When not writing the next Alexa Williams thriller, Knowlton works with her health care consulting business or travels around the world. She and her husband live in the mountains of South Central Pennsylvania. Knowlton is embarking on this series of podcasts to celebrate the release of her latest Alexa Williams novel, DEAD on the DELTA, and to talk about its setting, the African wild. www.sherryknowlton.com
In Thomas Jefferson: A Modern Prometheus, Wilson Jeremiah Moses provides a critical assessment of Thomas Jefferson and the Jeffersonian influence. Scholars of American history have long debated the legacy of Thomas Jefferson. However, Moses deviates from other interpretations by positioning himself within an older, 'Federalist' historiographic tradition, offering vigorous and insightful commentary on Jefferson, the man and the myth. Moses specifically focuses on Jefferson's complexities and contradictions. Measuring Jefferson's political accomplishments, intellectual contributions, moral character, and other distinguishing traits against contemporaries like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin but also figures like Machiavelli and Frederick the Great, Moses contends that Jefferson fell short of the greatness of others. Yet amid his criticism of Jefferson, Moses paints him as a cunning strategist, an impressive intellectual, and a consummate pragmatist who continually reformulated his ideas in a universe that he accurately recognized to be unstable, capricious, and treacherous.
On this episode of The Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts JM West and Sherry Knowlton interview Anthony Award-nominated E.A. Aymar. We'll be talking to Aymar about his most recent thriller, They’re Gone, which was published in 2020 under his pseudonym E.A. Barres. We'll also discuss Aymar's busy writing life including his past thrillers such as the celebrated novel, The Unrepentant, his monthly column in the Washington Independent Review of Books, and his work with writing organizations such as International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. Plus after years of active involvement, he's now taken on the positition of Bookstore Liaison for Crime Writers of Color. Aymar also runs the Noir at the Bar series for Washington, D.C., and has hosted and spoken at a variety of crime fiction, writing, and publishing events nationwide. Tune in for an interesting conversation.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring,Dead of Winter, and Dead on the Delta. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
Join Author Sherry Knowlton for the third episode of her limited podcast series, DEAD on the DELTA: An African Adventure. Today’s Episode, Life as a Lion Researcher, features An Interview with Robynne Kotze. Robynne works with WildCRU’s Trans-Kalahari Predator Programme where her research includes camera trap surveys of the Okavango Delta and other protected areas in Botswana and completing field work to examine connectivity between the western Okavango Delta and Namibia, aligning with the program’s goals to establish secure corridors for lion movement.
If you are interested in supporting WildCRU’s lion research and conservation efforts, they welcome donations at www.oxfordna.org/donate (a 501c3 registered charity). Select WildCRU under the I would like my gift to be used for tab and specify Trans-Kalahari Predator Programme, Botswana in the Further Information box.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of suspense novels including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter and Dead on the Delta. Passionate about books at an early age, she was that kid who would sneak a flashlight to bed at night so she could read beneath the covers. All the local librarians knew her by name. When not writing the next Alexa Williams thriller, Knowlton works with her health care consulting business or travels around the world. She and her husband live in the mountains of South Central Pennsylvania. Knowlton is embarking on this series of podcasts to celebrate the release of her latest Alexa Williams novel, DEAD on the DELTA, and to talk about its setting, the African wild. www.sherryknowlton.com
Join suspense author Sherry Knowlton for the second episode in a limited podcast series, DEAD on the DELTA: An African Adventure. Today’s show focuses on Knowlton’s experiences on safari and doing research for the book on Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Knowlton will introduce listeners to Botswana and the Okavango Delta and the wildlife she’s seen there. She’ll also discuss a typical day on safari, why she’s drawn to the Okavango, and her month spent in Botswana doing research for DEAD on the DELTA.
Stay Tuned: If you want to hear more about how to take your own safari, a later episode of the podcast will return to the topic of safari when Knowlton and a guest from AAA Central Penn Travel offer tips for taking a safari.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of suspense novels including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter and Dead on the Delta. Passionate about books at an early age, she was that kid who would sneak a flashlight to bed at night so she could read beneath the covers. All the local librarians knew her by name. When not writing the next Alexa Williams thriller, Knowlton works with her health care consulting business or travels around the world. She and her husband live in the mountains of South Central Pennsylvania.Knowlton is embarking on this series of podcasts to celebrate the release of her latest Alexa Williams novel, DEAD on the DELTA, and to talk about its setting, the African Wild. www.sherryknowlton.com
Join suspense author Sherry Knowlton for the first episode in a limited podcast series, DEAD on the DELTA, An African Adventure. She is embarking on this series of podcasts to celebrate the release of her latest Alexa Williams novel, DEAD on the DELTA, and to talk about its setting, the African Wild. The six-segment podcast will air weekly and focus on topics like Knowlton’s own adventures on safari in East and Southern Africa, lion and other wildlife research, poaching and its impact on shrinking wildlife populations, and tips on taking your own safari. On some episodes, Knowlton will invite guests to help her address the topics and add their expertise to the discussion.
This initial episode will focus on the book, DEAD on the DELTA, with publicist Kim Lehman interviewing Knowlton about the novel, its themes, and its relationship to earlier books in the Alexa Williams suspense series. Lehman is the president of K.A.L. Public Relations. For the past five years, she has been an integral part of Knowlton’s PR | marketing team, helping promote the Alexa Williams suspense series and now the latest novel, DEAD on the DELTA.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of suspense novels including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter and Dead on the Delta. Passionate about books at an early age, she was that kid who would sneak a flashlight to bed at night so she could read beneath the covers. All the local librarians knew her by name. When not writing the next Alexa Williams thriller, Knowlton works with her health care consulting business or travels around the world. She and her husband live in the mountains of South Central Pennsylvania www.sherryknowlton.com
Join cohosts Sherry Knowlton and JM West as they interview author Elena Taylor about his latest novel, All We Buried, and her Eddie Shoes series written under the pen name of Elena Hartwell. We talk to Taylor about her shift from writing the lighthearted Eddie Shoes mysteries to taking on the challenge of the more serious and literary mystery All We Buried. Called "atmospheric" in its tone, this new Taylor novel places the reader in the dark forest, the deep lakes, and the craggy cliffs of Washington's highest mountain range with
a cast of off-beat characters, any of whom could be capable of murder. We also hear about Taylor’s writing journey and her work with writers as a developmental editor at Allegory editing.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Deadof Winter, and Dead on the Delta). Joan (JM) West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
Alan Mindell has owned and bred racehorses for many years. His horses have raced at many tracks, including Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, Del Mar, Golden Gate Fields, Emerald Downs, Turf Paradise, Arlington Park, Tampa Bay Downs and Canterbury Park. A former standout baseball player at the University of California, Berkeley, he won four gold medals as a sprinter in the 2012 San Diego Senior Olympics and is a world-class 400 meter runner in his age group.
Alan discusses his new novel San Francisco Story.
An environmental attorney, Bob Carey is transplanted to Florida, where he replaces a sleazy colleague who has died under myterious circumstances. Bob must get used to life in the state, as he joins a scientist and a surf shop manager in the investigation of a strange contamination. Along the way, he deals with redneck millionaires, a third-world revolutionary, a spy within his office, and...Itori.
Paul Lubaczewski is an author who mixes horror and gritty adventure with dark comedy in "Cult of the Gator God." In addition, Lubaczewski is a caver, a photographer, former member of the punk band The Repressed, music critic, and an author that digs into some of the hidden sides of people.
His other writings include 'I Never Eat...Cheesesteak" and "A New Life."
A Philadelphia native, Lubaczewski now lives somewhere in Appalachia.
The peaceful farm life of a teenage girl in Germany is abruptly upended when WWII comes knocking at her family’s door. One month before her sixteenth birthday, Mildred “Mickchen” Schindler and her family are captured by Russian Soldiers. Having already survived life in Hitler’s Nazi Germany, they now face the terror of a new enemy—Stalin’s Red Army. Driven from their home, Mildred and her family become refugees along with a sad, slow-moving caravan of other families who have suffered the same fate. Cleverly disguised by her mother, Mildred avoids being taken to a work camp until one morning when authorities arrive unexpectedly. Her father has already been taken by Russian soldiers, and now she is taken from her mother and brother. Mildred recounts, in meticulous detail, her treacherous journey and the roller coaster of raw emotions she experiences —fear, regret, loneliness, humility, perseverance, and defiance. Mildred’s odyssey of making her way home and finding her family in a war-torn countryside takes many riveting twists and turns. The discovery of a secret, hidden document offers hope for a brighter future. From harrowing to heartwarming, this memoir provides a unique perspective of a Gentile girl’s road to resilience and her fortitude against all odds to forge a life filled with love and laughter.
On today's episode of The Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and JM West keep it "all in the family" as Joan interviews Sherry about her upcoming new book release, Dead on the Delta. The book, the fifth in Sherry's Alexa Williams suspense series, is a departure from the earlier books in that it takes place in Botswana. When Alexa Williams agrees to spend four months doing lion research with boyfriend Reese, she looks forward to witnessing the elemental life and death struggle of the African wild. But she never imagines she’ll become one of the hunted on the famed Okavango Delta. In the latest Alexa Williams novel, the kick-ass lawyer tangles with elephant poachers and conservation politics on the African continent. Join Sherry and Joan to hear about this new book and Sherry's research on the ground in Botswana.
Milford House Mysteries Co-hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring and Dead of Winter Joan West (JM West) is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall, and Things Strangled.
Mr. Kelly G. Park is a retired sandlot athlete, never having the skills to “take it to the next level,” but enjoying every moment of those pick-up games. Since 1988 Mr. Kelly has worked as a safety and risk manager in the insurance industry. Just Like Me: When the Pros Played on the Sandlot is the author’s debut book.
Mr. Kelly lives in Benton, Ky. with his wife, Mrs. Kelly (yes, that’s right, they have the same name) and dogs Griffin and Rufus. Sons and daughters-in-law Nolan, Marissa, Grant, and Alli still have their rooms when they visit.
Joan West and Sherry Knowlton begin the new year on The MIlford House Mysteries by taking a look back at 2020. On this episode, the co-hosts reflect on some of the books we that they read and enjoyed most during the past year. Note that these books may not have been published in 2020. The list includes brand new books by well-known and not-so-well known authors, some oldies but goodies, and some books that have been out for a while which they finally got a chance to read. The authors range from Della Owens to Robert Crais and include literary fiction, suspense, and true crime. Tune in to hear Sherry and Joan's take on ten fascinating books.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter, and Dead on the Delta (releasing February 2021). Joan (JM) West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
The Fae Awakening Series begins with Fury, as Hunter, a gritty, no-nonsense detective investigates crimes committed by Faeries in the mundane world. Hunter has his own deals going on (legal and otherwise), when he is called to track down a violent killer. Even for Hunter, this one is beyond the realm of possibility: a flaming unicorn...
Joined and beset by the creatures of a mad world, partners, friends, enemies, a double-dealing leprechaun and a woodland monster with a love for a certain chocolately confection, Hunter seeks something that just should not exist. Oh, and there's two mundane kids along for the ride who have seen too much for their own good.
Fury is just one of many tales of mind-bending fiction, fantasy and horror from the pen of Will O'Shire. A self-published creator, Will can be found at events, online, and in the wild, searching for the beings that have inspired him. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Will now lives with his partner in Central Pennsylvania.
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On this episode of The Milford House Mysteries, Sherry Knowlton speaks with mystery author Michelle Cox. We’ll discuss her latest mystery, A Child Lostas well as the rest of her unique, multiple award-winning Henrietta and Inspector Howard series. I’ll also ask Cox about Novel Notes of Local Lore, her weekly blog dedicated to Chicago’s forgotten residents, and why she’s such a fan of thirties-era Chicago. Cox suspects she may have once lived in the 1930s and, having yet to discover a handy time machine lying around, has resorted to writing about the era as a way of getting herself back there.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, Dead of Winter, and Dead on the Delta (releasing February 2021). Joan (JM) West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
Paula Stone Tucker was a witness to the May 4, 1970 shootings at Kent State University. A retired clinical psychologist, she worked with families, couples, and survivors of trauma and abuse. In her younger days she was a reporter for the Akron Beacon Journal and the Daily Kent Stater. She grew up in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and graduated from Kent State University. She splits her time between northeast Ohio and The Villages, Florida where she writes, plays the flute and is learning to play golf. Her first book, Surviving: A Kent State Memoir, is a finalist in the Florida Writers Association Royal Palm Literary Award Competition. She is available for interviews. You can contact her at paulastonetucker.com or on Facebook at Paula Stone Tucker, Author. She looks forward to hearing from you and reading your reviews.
Donald Dewey has written some 40 books of fiction and nonfiction, as well as contributed scores of stories to magazines and other periodicals. He has also had some 30 plays staged in Europe and the United States. Donald's awards include those named after Nelson Algren and the Actors Studio. Dewey is a widower with one son and lives in Jamaica, New York. At one point he lived in Europe for 14 years, writing screenplays and working for the Italian news agency ANSA. Dewey was editor of the ASME-award winning magazine Attenzione and was editorial director of the East-West Network, overseeing a dozen in-flight magazines and the PBS organ Dial. He has also been a theater critic for WNYC in New York and spends far too much time for his health watching the Mets.
The two volumes of "The Godseed Saga" introduce us to a land of fantasy, science fiction and dystopia. In Books 1, 'Ran Mar: The First Seed' a lawyer, Edward Warren finds himself transported to a strange place where he faces death, joins with cat-like creatures and battles not only warring factions and dread enemies, but comes to terms with his own self.
"Chianta: The Second Seed" brings us Jane, a woman taken from an abusive life on Earth to a 'World of Dragons,' who also must take her own journey.
These come from the pen of author MJ Souder. In addition to writing, Souder is a musician in groups such as Wendigo Project, a craftsman and a Pagan minister. He lives with his family in Boyertown, Pennsylvania.
Penny Fletcher won more than 30 press awards while working for Media General Communications Inc. and Sunbelt Newspapers in Tampa Bay, Florida. She has edited more than 300 books while working for Amazon’s initial publishing company, BookSurge, Guru.com, and her own editing and coaching business at www.writeyourheartout.biz. The author of both traditionally and self-published previous books, she has also taught fiction classes locally. She counts her biggest accomplishments as having helped start two shelters for abused women and working in organizations for justice and equality, while her main interest has always been the study of world religions and the miracle workings of God. A widow, she is the mother of seven, counting two stepchildren and an adopted biological granddaughter. Learn more at www.pennyfletcher.com.
Virginia Soenksen has always enjoyed creating new worlds and characters, and at some point started writing her ideas down. An art historian and museum director, she also writes about Japanese textiles. She lives in the Shenandoah Valley and enjoys finding inspiration through travel. Follow her on social media for more information on the Genetics Chronicles and exciting new projects. www.virginiasoenksen.com
On this episode of Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and J.M. West interview author Margaret Meacham about her book The Ghosts of Laurelford. The mystery, set in 1919, features a teenage heroine and a story that intertwines the women's suffrage movement with a mysterious mansion, a ghostly legend, a family tragedy, and séances with unexpected results. Meacham will talk to us not only about this suspenseful novel but her other mysteries for children, young adults and grown-ups. We'll also hear about her prolific writing and teaching career. Join us for a spooky episode.
Milford House Mysteries Co-hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring and Dead of Winter Joan West (JM West) is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall, and Things Strangled.
When Penny McAllister returns to her New Hampshire hometown to settle the family estate, memories, good, bad and terrible flood back. In the small town of Walton, everyone knows everyone, and the adult "PJ" captures the attention of her former best friend, Ethan Dunford. That, however, means going over the past, one that Penny must come to terms with.
Letters from a box are signposts for Penny to follow, and an icon of New England culture, a sugar house, becomes the focal point as she tries to lay those smalltown memories to rest.
Kat Szmit grew up in New Hampshire and is a graduate of the Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. She lives in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts, where she works as a journalist, book editor, and is a "stand-up paddleboarder, lover of life, badass."
Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist, doing the weather on TV for 40 years of his 47-year career. His specialty has been in forecasting and severe weather, especially hurricanes. He co-authored the award-winning “Philadelphia Area Weather Book” in 2002 and was inducted into the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2010.
He graduated from Penn State University with a B.S. in Meteorology in 1972. His first forecasting job was at AccuWeather. From there, he went to the National Weather Service at the National Hurricane Center, working with many internationally-recognized authorities. After transferring to the NWS office in Atlanta, his title became “Disaster Preparedness Meteorologist” for the state of Georgia.
Glenn was recruited into TV in 1979 after doing a live interview on WAGA-TV in Atlanta as Hurricane Frederick approached. He has also worked in several other TV stations around the country. He covered Hurricane Andrew on his first day at WINK-TV in Ft. Myers and returned to his hometown of Philadelphia in 1995 where he has been a widely-recognized on-air presence in commercial television for the past 24 years.
In 1985-86 he became the first “storm chaser” at The Weather Channel and was one of their designated “Hurricane Specialists.” He got his nickname in New York City after an anchor saw video of him being blown around during one of his hurricane chases. He lives in the Philadelphia suburbs with his wife, Sherry, and is a lifelong Philadelphia sports fanatic.
Louis Greenstein is the author of the 2014 novel Mr. Boardwalk (New Door Books) and the co-writer of One Child Born: The Music of Laura Nyro, a one-woman cabaret featuring collaborator Kate Ferber that had critically acclaimed productions at the New York Musical Festival, A.R.T.'s second stage Oberon Theater, and Joe's Pub at the Public Theatre as well as a successful east coast tour.
Louis has written for Nickelodeon's EMMY-winning show Rugrats and he was commissioned to write two children’s plays for New Jersey’s Stageworks touring company. A recipient of a Pennsylvania Council of the Arts playwriting fellowship, Louis’s one-act plays, Smoke, Interview with a Scapegoat, and The Convert were commissioned by Theatre Ariel, published by Dramatic Publishing and produced many times in the U.S. and abroad. He is the co-author of the critically acclaimed With Albert Einstein, a one-man show about the great scientist that featured Don Auspitz and has been performed at the Walnut Street Theater, Princeton University, and in schools and science museums around the nation. His short stories have been included in Margins Magazine and Philadelphia Stories and presented by the award-winning performance series, Writing Aloud.
Louis is also a freelance magazine writer whose articles about popular culture, history, public health, medicine, nursing, business, and technology have appeared in publications including Philadelphia Magazine, Wharton Magazine, the University of Miami Medicine Magazine, and Penn Nursing. He lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Author Marcus Cook has crafted a series of compelling, thoughtful, and downright funny stories. A fan of sci-fi and thrillers, Cooks was inspired by the likes of Dean Koontz, Kevin Smith and Elmore Leonard. His works include "Ava Edison and the Burning Man" (Burning Chair Press), "Not My Vessel" (Deep Space Anthology, Black Hare Press), and such tales as "A Fool's Moon" and "How to Make Slime."
Marcus lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
On this episode of Milford House Mysteries co-hosts Joan West and Sherry Knowlton interview author Tara Lush. Lush a Florida-based author and journalist. She's an RWA Rita finalist, an Amtrak writing fellow and the winner of the George C. Polk award for environmental journalism. Since 2008, she's been a reporter with The Associated Press in Florida, covering crime, alligators, natural disasters and politics. She also writes contemporary romance set in tropical locations under the name Tamara Lush. We'll talk with Lush about her leap from Romance to Mystery and what's in the Sunshine State's air that creates so many Florida-based writers.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
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On this episode of Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and J.M. West talk to Joe Walters, editor, marketer, publishing entrepreneur, and writer about the marketing aspect of book publishing. Walters will share his expertise on book marketing in general as well as some specific thoughts about the challenges of getting books noticed during the pandemic. Founder of Independent Book Review, he manages the acquisitions, services, and publication departments there. In addition to his work at IBR, he is a book marketing specialist for both Sunbury Press and Paper Raven Books. When he's not doing publishing work, he's working on his novella and trusting the process.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled
On this episode of The Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and J.M. West share their “Tips on Editing Your Manuscript.” Although this podcast is primarily targeted to authors, these tips could be useful to anyone who does a lot of writing, whether for publication or for their job. Most of these tips are geared to authors preparing to submit a manuscript to an agent, a publisher, or to the self-publishing process. Sherry and Joan discuss topics like: ideal word count; the basics of grammar, spelling and punctuation; style manuals; hidden pitfalls like wordiness, repetition, unnecessary words; and techniques to help the writers with the editing process. Please tune in.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
"Bountiful Calling" is the third book by Fred Burton, who paints a tale of environmental fiction, based in his hometown of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Joe is an assistant to a powerful senator, as the question of natural gas drilling and "fracking" are a hot topic.
While assured of his call to public service is a noble one, he begins to have second thoughts, as he meets Nicole, whose father owns pristine land wanted by the gas companies for exploration.
The worlds of industry and activism collide in "Bountiful Calling."
Joseph A. Rosen is a freelance photogapher, who has taken pictures all over the world. His work has appeared in the pages of The New York Times, Newsweek, Time, Sports Illustrated and many other pubications. Among his clients are the biggest names in the world of music, but many would not be known to mainstream fans.
Rosen's love of music, particularly blues has led him to festivals and events all over the world, and some of his finest work has made to "Blues Hands."
Joseph A. Rosen joins Tory Gates on the Brown Posey Press Show to talk about his career, his love of music, and why the hands of those who make it are so important, and also, so fascinating.
Timothy Jay Smith makes a return visit to the Milford House Mysteries to talk with co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and J.M. West about his new book, Fire on the Island. The novel is a playful, romantic thriller set in contemporary Greece, featuring Nick Damigos, a gay Greek-American undercover FBI agent, who is on the island to investigate a series of mysterious fires. Set against the real refugee crisis on the sun-drenched Greek islands, this novel portrays a community in crisis. Fire on the Island won the Gold Medal in the 2017 Faulkner-Wisdom Competition for the Novel, and his screenplay adaptation of it was named Best Indie Script by WriteMovies. Join us to hear more about this latest Timothy Jay Smith thriller as well as his fascinating life, much of it spent traveling the world.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
San Cicaro is a coastal California town that's fallen on hard times. Those who dare to come here find themselves wrapped up in its past, with experiences of the paranormal, the macabre, and the downright terrifying. "Welcome to San Cicaro" is a creation of Thunderbird Studios, from numerous authors, each of whom add a dimension to a strange land. Thunderbird co-founder James Fadeley and contributing authors Ichabod Ebenezer and Ali Habashi join Tory Gates, to discuss a town that captures imaginations, and much more. The studio's vision, and the work of the authors will also be examined, on the Brown Posey Press Show.
John B. Kachuba is the award-winning author of over a dozen books. Many are nonfiction about paranormal and metaphysical topics. With Sunbury Press, he has two novels: The Savage Apostle and Dark Entry, both set in New England. He also is a contributor to the new Hellbender Books short story compilation: Hellbent Volume 1. John is a regular speaker at universities, libraries, and conferences, and has made numerous appearances on TV, radio, and podcasts.
On this episode of Milford House Mysteries, Sherry and Joan interview fellow Milford House Press author about his debut novel Chestnut Street. This suspense novel involves a dangerous plot spanning five decades which looms over Philadelphia. Powerful men are willing to do anything to keep the truth from coming out. But when they make the mistake of framing Sam Brighton for a crime he didn’t commit and take away everything he holds dear, they unknowingly unleash a dangerous enemy who will do anything to bring them down.
Readers' Favorite says, "Simon Landry's first novel, a fiction thriller, and it ticks the boxes when it comes to a unique plot, an engaging main character,good use of dialogue throughout, reasonable pace, unexpectedtwists and a satisfying ending...if ever there was a story that exemplifies how a person's life can suddenly spiral out of controlwhen bad things happen to a good person, Chestnut Street is it." Join us for a conversation with Landry about this book, his other work, and his journey to become an author.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
Keeping up appearances is paramount in Vintage Woods. In his fiction debut, Josh Penzone tells eleven tales of the dysfunctional, the strange, and the outragous in the characters of a suburban housing development.
People struggling with their past, those seeking some kind of future, and others who realize the life they thought they wanted is not all they hoped for.
A Pushcart Prize nominee, Josh Penzone's stories have appeared in Eunoia Review, Junto Magazine, Five on the Fifth, Blue Lake Review, and other publications. A public educator for two decades, he lives in Ohio with his family.
Dead Letters: Delivering Unopened Mail from a Pennsylvania Ghost Town
On assignment for a small-town newspaper in rural Pennsylvania, rookie reporter, Jessica Weible, meets Joan Swigart, a creative fireball and “pioneer in print.” As the two women forge a relationship based on their passion for storytelling, Joan reveals a mystery that she had discovered years ago, but had never solved—a pile of dead letters found in an abandoned general store, just before it was torn down. Joan gives Jessica the letters, each stamped and dated over a hundred years ago, and encourages Jessica to investigate the untold stories of the people and places contained in each one.
What begins as yet another assignment for the reporter, a young millennial who relies happily on email and texting as the primary means of communication, develops into a heartfelt mission to tell the story of the people and places in the letters. The young reporter’s journey takes unexpected twists and turns through the quiet lumber towns of Pennsylvania, the early American settlements in Massachusetts, the bustling crowds at Ellis Island, the violent strikes at the Passaic textile mills, and beyond. Dead Letters is an intimate portrait of small town America and the people who, at times, risked everything in pursuit of economic prosperity, religious freedom, and social equity.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jess Weible is a freelance writer and reporter. She is also a founding editor for The Watershed Journal, an inclusive, regional literary magazine for the western Pennsylvania wilds. Jess leads two writing groups, the Writer’s Block Party and the Rebecca M. Arthur’s Young Writers. She lives with her husband and two boys in Brookville, Pennsylvania.
A special Milford House Mysteries for authors. During this COVID-19 crisis, many of us have been quarantined at home. For some authors, it's been a great opportunity to buckle down and finish that short story or novel they've been working on. Others might be working their day jobs from home, helping their kids with schoolwork, or dealing with the illness for themselves or family. As a result, finding the time or will to write might be a struggle. Especially when you add the stress caused by the pandemic and the precautions we must take to protect ourselves. In this episode, co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and J.M. West offer some thoughts on how to deal with the challenge of writing in this new environment.
Milford House Mysteries Co-hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring and Dead of Winter Joan West (JM West) is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall, and Things Strangled.
Performance comes easily for Megan O'Russell--an author, playwright, actress and singer, Megan is most prolific with the former. Her string of Young Adult series delve into adventure, vampires, magic and dystopia, including "The Tethering," "When Worlds Began," and "Girl of Glass." She has also written "How I Magically Messed Up My Life in Four Freakin' Days."
A native of Upstate New York, Megan hosts the podcast, "A Book and a Dream," and can be found touring and traveling the world, as well as trodding the boards onstage alongside her husband, Christopher.
The storied career of Janiva Magness is ongoing. The award-winning singer has a string of blues and like-influenced recordings behind her. Now, Magness tells her life story in "Weeds Like Us."
Not for the faint of heart, Magness pulls no punches about growing up in an abusive, dysfunctional family, marked by physical and sexual abuse, suicide and drug use. Magness spares no words of criticism, especially on herself as she tells of a wild, dissolute life, but one which turns to the thing that becomes her saving grace: music.
Names, many names are familiar here--Magness sang, played and toured with legends in both the blues and rock worlds. Her own journey as a recording artist is detailed here, and Magness turns aside critics and her own personal demons in an empowering story.
Twenty-five Sunbury Press authors contributed twenty-seven chapters about the possible impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on society. Based on their experiences in a variety of fields, they provide their projections about the changes facing us, many of which have already been underway for some time. On this show:
Cheryl Brooks -- How Museums and Galleries Will Adapt to the Coronavirus
Marianne Bickett -- Coronavirus, Instrument of Change: How the Arts Will Usher in a New Era
Merrill Shaffer -- The Effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Sports
Twenty-five Sunbury Press authors contributed twenty-seven chapters about the possible impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on society. Based on their experiences in a variety of fields, they provide their projections about the changes facing us, many of which have already been underway for some time. On this episode:
Tory Gates -- Change and Embracing It
Penny Fletcher -- Materialism vs. Spirituality
Chris Fenwick -- Creativity—Necessity is a Mother
In this episode of Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and J.M. West interview Lawrence Knorr, Publisher of Sunbury Press, Inc. and editor of the new release, After the Pandemic: Visions of Life after COVID-19. The book, a collection of forward-looking essays by 25 Sunbury Press authors, just hit number one in it's category on Amazon. We ask Knorr to tell us about the evolution of the idea for the anthology, the collaborative process in getting such a timely collection of essays to press, and his own piece in the book about the Economic Impacts of COVID-19. Please join us.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
Twenty-five Sunbury Press authors contributed twenty-seven chapters about the possible impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on society. Based on their experiences in a variety of fields, they provide their projections about the changes facing us, many of which have already been underway for some time. On this show:
Scott Zuckerman MD - Public Health, Civil Liberties, and Life After the Pandemic
- Medicine in the Post-Coronapocalypse Era
Will Delavan PhD - Looming Health Insurance Problem
Pat LaMarche - Politics Makes No Bedfellows
Twenty-five Sunbury Press authors contributed twenty-seven chapters about the possible impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on society. Based on their experiences in a variety of fields, they provide their projections about the changes facing us, many of which have already been underway for some time. On this show:
Maia Williamson -- Tourism in the Post-Pandemic World
Jack Adler -- The Brave New World of Travel
Twenty-five Sunbury Press authors contributed twenty-seven chapters about the possible impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on society. Based on their experiences in a variety of fields, they provide their projections about the changes facing us, many of which have already been underway for some time. On this episode:
Brook Lenker -- Conservation in the Midst
Simon Landry -- On the Economic Front
Lawrence Knorr -- The Various Economic Impacts of COVID-19
Twenty-five Sunbury Press authors contributed twenty-seven chapters about the possible impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on society. Based on their experiences in a variety of fields, they provide their projections about the changes facing us, many of which have already been underway for some time. On this show:
Mark Carlson - The Role of Plagues in Human Enlightenment
Wylie McLallen - The Pandemic of 1918
Thomas Malafarina - How Are Future Pandemics Likely to Be Different?
Twenty-five Sunbury Press authors contributed twenty-seven chapters about the possible impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on society. Based on their experiences in a variety of fields, they provide their projections about the changes facing us, many of which have already been underway for some time. On today's show:
Barbara Matthews - COVID-19: Through the Eyes of a Grandmother
Bridget Smith, Bridget - Dreams Deferred
Iris Dorbian - The Great Equalizer
H.A.Callum - Fighting Solo: Covid-19 and the Single Parent
Joseph Mazerac - An Essential Optimist
She is known by many names, but Little Alice is as an author, artist, model and performer. "Geisha Hands" is one of Alice's recent works, which follows a young woman's rise in that segment of Japanese society. Alice is also the author of the teen romance novel, "Freja's Baby."
The Co-Editor and Chief Writer of Cloud Orchid Publishing, Alice is a blogger for High Level Games, and is a performer in the Harem of Oddities. She lives in Chicago.
Two authors from different genres appear on the Brown Posey Press Show to talk about their varied, and unique works.
Faryl is author of "Mothmaw," a fantasy novel set in a world where humans and insects forge an uneasy alliance, around the bethrohal of Eron, a childlike young prince, and the creature that will become his wife.
Her husband, S.T. Hoover is the writer of "Siron: A Kaiju Thriller," set in a dystopian world at risk of destruction from three-story-tall monsters, and its creator. Only a YouTuber and a collection of characters stand in their way.
Faryl and S.T. live in Canton, Ohio.
Join co-hosts J.M. West and Sherry Knowlton in today’s Milford House Mysteries as we interview the talented Laury Egan about her latest novel, A Bittersweet Tale. We’ll also talk to Egan about her entire body of literary work, which includes a wide range of genre and literary fiction in novel and short story form. Egan is also a poet and fine art photographer. In addition to A Bittersweet Tale, Egan has written these books: The Ungodly Hour, the Outcast Oracle, Fog and Other Stories, Jenny Kidd, and Fabulous! An Opera Buffa; Beyond and many short stories. Her poetry has been published in four limited-edition collections: Snow, Shadows, a Stranger; Beneath the Lion’s Paw; The Sea & Beyond; and Presence & Absence. Her fiction and poetry have won a number of accolades, including nominations for two Pushcart Prizes. One of her books,The Outcast Oracle, was named a "Best of 2013" book by Kirkus Reviews.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan (J.M.) West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
Brad is a sixth-grader with his head in the clouds, and his mind more on creating drawings than his studies. Banned from his favorite pasttime until his grades improve, Brad is visited by a mysterious raven...the raven gives him a magic pen, which Brad uses to create a monster...and you-know-what breaks loose!
Jason Lady's debut novel "Monster Problems" takes us back to middle school, where uptight parents, nasty little brothers, slacker buddies and quirky classmates (not to mention crazy teachers!) abound. And then there's the monster...sorry, no spoilers.
An Army brat, Jason now lives in Cleveland, Ohio. He works in Training and Talent Management, and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Jason is also a fan of the Indians, Marvel Movies and music of the 80s.
On this episode of Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and J.M. West explore the importance of settings, especially in suspense fiction. For some books, setting is critical to the story. For, others, less so. When you read reviews, books that offer a distinct connection to the setting are often heralded as having a well-developed “sense of place.” We discuss some authors and books which fall into these two categories when it comes to setting -- those where sense of place is critical and those where it is less important to the story. And, then Joan and Sherry discuss their own use of a place that exists in the real world as a setting for fiction, offering some tips for consideration if authors go that route.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
A work of historical fiction, "The Indigo Scarf" follows the lives of two slaves in a quest for freedom and identity. PJ Piccirillo brings the 18th and 19th Centuries to life, and looks at the "peculiar institution" of slavery in an at times harsh, gritty and unforgiving tone. He chronicles the lives of these men, the women who followed them, and those who attempted to free slaves and give some sense of dignity in the pre-Civil War years.
An award-winning author, Piccirillo received his Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from St. Francis University, and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine. He hosts residencies for writers, and conducts programs for the Pennsylvania Humanities Council.
Mavericks, Mystics, and Misfits: Americans Against the Grain takes the reader on a journey across American history through the lives of exemplary men and women whose stories capture the spirit of their time and place and reveal the American character.
Arthur Hoyle is a writer, educator, and independent filmmaker. His documentary films have won numerous awards and have aired on PBS, and he received a media grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Before becoming an author, he produced corporate communications materials in print and video for a broad array of clients. He received Bachelors and Masters Degrees in English from the University of California, Los Angeles, and taught English, coached tennis, and served as an administrator in independent schools. He currently volunteers as a naturalist in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, leading interpretive walks on Chumash Indian culture. His biography of Henry Miller, The Unknown Henry Miller: A Seeker in Big Sur, was published in March 2014 by Skyhorse/Arcade. He has also published essays in Huffington Post, Empty Mirror, Across the Margin, Counterpunch, and AIOTB: As It Ought To Be. He lives in Pacific Palisades, California.
Love Is the Seed Three Supreme Gifts
Lisa Hromada is the author of two books: Three Supreme Gifts: A Practical Approach to Self-Mastery and to Transforming Your Life Here and Now and LOVE IS THE SEED: TEACHINGS FROM THE SPIRIT WORLD: One Woman. One Man. Over 150 Sessions with Souls and Wise Ones
LISA HROMADA is an author and speaker of timeless spiritual teachings. She shares a simple, yet profound message: You have all that you need to create a life of your choosing. She brings a practical approach to understanding the truth of love and how we can live a more fulfilling, purposeful life. www.LoveIsTheSeed.com https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaBd5RZ0SAc_BQCkH-SuAqw
On this episode of The Milford House Mysteries, cohosts JM West and Sherry Knowlton interview author Sharon Marchisello. We'll be talking to Marchisello about her latest novel, Secrets of theGalapagos, as well as her first novel Going Home and her other writing, including travel articles, short stories, corporate training manuals, screenplays, book reviews, a nonfiction book, and a personal financial blog. Secrets of theGalapagos is a suspense novel set in, you guessed it, the Galapagos and involves a luxury cruise, a missing passenger,and a heroine in danger. Susan Crawford, Bestselling author of The Pocket Wife and The Other Widow calls Secrets of the Galapagos: "A compelling mystery filled with intrigue, vivid scenery, and a kaleidoscope of quirky characters, as their cruise ship wends its way through troubled waters. I was on board from the first page to the last. Marchisello is a master storyteller!"
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
A New York native, Tom Wells graduated from Bates College in Maine in 1976, and landed a job teaching English in the Augusta School System the very same day. Forty-one years later, some of Wells' Cony High School students presented him with a handmade book: students, present and past, told him what a positive influence he'd been to them.
"Dear Mr. Wells" is an examination of his growing up in a small town, his education in Maine, and stories of the unique kids who passed through his classroom. Wells examines the changes in the teaching profession, and its vital role in shaping young people to become confident difference-makers in society.
Tom Wells brings us "Dear Mr. Wells: His Students Speak," his first book, by Maine Authors Publishing.
Entering the growing genre of Climate Fiction is "Rainwalkers," a novel set in the near-distant future. With a failing environment, a deconstructed United States and endless war against indistinct enemies, a once-thiriving agricultural region is now "The Valley," a dying land overseen by dictators. A desperate attempt to bring back the rain has made it toxic to all but a handful of children, called Rainwalkers.
A former soldier, Willie Taft is in a race to find his daughter, while staying one step ahead of a law that is discretionary. A scientist with a moral conscience considers what he has done, and others merely fight to stay alive.
Matt Ritter is a professor of biology in San Luis Obispo, California. He writes of the state's natural history, including the award-winning "California Plants."
A stolen guitar, an insurance investigator, her wisecracking tomboy driver and a lot of shady, sometimes dangerous characters make up "Special Risk," the first of a new series by author Sandy Nork. Set in the Philadelphia area, Valerie Sloan must track down a museum-piece axe, deal with her twisted family history and come face to face with foreign organized crime.
Sandy is a former librarian, fabric inspector and clerk, among many careers. Her musician husband Bill inspired the heroine of the series. A member of Pennwriters, Sandy was published in the Sunbury Press Books collection of short stories, "Strange Magic."
Sandy considers herself a musical tourist, coffee drinking, baking devotee, a lover of tiny toys and "most dogs." You can find Sandy posting #todayscoffee on social media, as well as exploits with her various gadgets!
IN THE COMPANY OF PATRIOTS
Virginia Brackett seeks the truth about patriotism and loss as embodied by her father, WWII and Korean Conflict veteran Captain Edmund C. Roberts, from many historic sources – journalism, history texts, and military communiques, as well as personal documents. Her memoir details her journey to come to know a father lost to an ideal of service.
Over ten years of research, she learns about her family’s slave-owning history and attempts to escape personal tragedy by moving from Kentucky to Missouri and into Illinois, of her parents’ romance through aging scrapbooks, discovers a letter written by her father among a rare documents collection, and hears her mother’s words read on a national broadcast. However, she discovers the real truth exists in the personal stories of those on the front, including her father, their lives permanently changed through service. Their voices educate her about Captain Roberts, an inspiration to troops, a war prisoner and an escapee, a decorated hero who met with General Patton, a ferocious infantryman. Killed by a sniper in the Korean Conflict, he would come to symbolize the shared values of his military community that became lifelong bonds for those who survived.
As Brackett will learn, memories of her father run deep, and the extraordinary loyalty and devotion of those who remember Captain Roberts move her beyond feelings of betrayal that haunted her for decades. The crucial truth she discovers is that we must keep alive those lost by telling their stories. That is because their stories belong to everyone.
Virginia Brackett, Professor Emeritus of English, retired in 2016 from Park University where she received varied teaching and service awards, including Faculty of the Year, 2013, Exceptional Services to Student Veterans.
Denis Akinmolasire is the author of "Love, War and Glory," a series of poems and short pieces about these emotional subjects, and more. In 2019, Denis released "The Mission to End Slavery: What if Slavery Never Existed?" The first of a time travel series, racism and prejudice are examined in a cautionary tale. Both are available on Akinster Books.
Denis is a native of London, England. A graduate of Loughborough University, Denis describes himself as "friendly, likeable, nuts at times." A keen football fan, Denis is a supporter of Manchester United, and says there are four cardinal sins of football...Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City.
CRUEL DEATH, HEARTLESS AFTERMATH: My Family's End-of-Life Nightmare and How To Avoid It
Ninety-three-year-old Joseph Yourshaw knew his end was near and had carefully planned so that he would have a peaceful and dignified death. He completed an advance directive, appointed his daughter, Barbara Mancini, as his health care proxy, and enrolled in home hospice care. He made it clear -- he wanted to die at home, not at a hospital. But it was not to be. A simple act of compassion on Barbara’s part led her father to a medically intensive, horribly painful death in the hospital – and left her an accused felon, facing 10 years in prison for allegedly assisting a suicide. Barbara fought back, in a case that consumed a year, cost over $100,000, and drew national media attention. Cruel Death, Heartless Aftermath is a compelling memoir about this injustice.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Barbara Mancini graduated from Penn State University and Widener University with degrees in nursing. She has worked in emergency nursing for over three decades. In 2013, she was arrested and prosecuted in Pennsylvania on the charge of aiding the attempted suicide of her dying 93-year old father after handing him his prescribed morphine five days before his death. A hospice nurse and police ignored his written advanced directives, and he was then hospitalized and treated in defiance of his end-of-life wishes. Barbara’s prosecution lasted a year, during which time it garnered national and global attention, and it was roundly criticized throughout the media. Barbara is now an advocate for end-of-life care and works as a paralegal in the Montgomery County Public Defender’s Office. She lives in Philadelphia.
RABBIT STEW FOR YOUR SOUL: 20 Recipes with a Dash of Storytelling
Bob Ford has been hunting rabbits since he was a kid and has traveled the country with hunting beagles. Over the years, Ford has developed many recipes for rabbit, and you will find just a few of them here. He developed these recipes over more than three decades. Some go back to meals that the author’s mother made. Visits to restaurants inspired others. An abundance of harvested rabbits inspired some of the recipes, while others were created for those hunts where just one rabbit is brought to the game vest. Rabbit meat (domesticated) is now very popular, and while Bob created these recipes with wild game, they certainly would work well with domesticated rabbits as well, making adjustments for the increased size of domesticated rabbits. Rabbits are a sustainable source of protein and very low in fat. The contents of this book are recipes developed by a good hunter, who is a good home cook.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bob Ford is a United Methodist pastor who has lived most of his life in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania, except three years at seminary in Ohio. He has spent 23 years in the pulpit and 34 years following beagles in the same Alleghenies where he was born, raised, and worked. Ford is an award-winning magazine columnist, blogger, and author. His work has appeared in The American Beagler, Better Beagling, Hounds & Hunting, HARK-N, Sporting Classics Daily, and Fur-Fish-Game. He is also the author of the Beagle Tales series of books. He lives in the hills with his wife, Renee, and a pack of hunting house beagles, where he serves as a pastor.
GODS, PHILOSOPHERS, AND SCIENTISTS: Religion and Science in the West
According to Pew Research studies, most Americans think religion always conflicts with science. The popular writings of scientists such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Lawrence Krauss reinforce this idea, as do books by writers such as Christopher Hitchens and Daniel Dennet. Furthermore, the two versions of the enormously popular television show Cosmos, hosted by Carl Sagan in 1980 and Neil deGrasse Tyson in 2014, present a history of science in which religion has always acted as a barrier to scientific development.
Gods, Philosophers, and Scientists shows that just because an idea is popular, doesn’t mean it’s correct. By examining the historical record from the time of the Ancient Greeks to today, readers are able to see that religion and science have been allies more often than enemies, and when conflict does occur it’s too simplistic to view it as coming from something inherent to either science or religion. Anyone interested in the history of science or religion, who is curious about how science works, or who wants to have a better understanding of the world should read this book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Scott E. Hendrix earned his Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in 2007, specializing in the history of science. Scott started teaching at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin, upon graduation, and over the years has taught classes about world, medieval, and early modern history, as well as the history and philosophy of science. Scott has maintained an active research agenda, publishing numerous books, articles, book chapters, and even an encyclopedia on The World’s Greatest Religious Leaders.
WHERE THE TREE FROGS TOOK ME: How encounters with strangers shaped a life of travel and beyond
We are all looking for ways to make our lives meaningful and often turn to those in our inner circles and communities for the direction. But what if that sense of meaning and perspective comes from complete strangers? And what if those random encounters were not so random after all? This book shows us how to embrace the messages and subsequent lessons we receive from the different people – often complete strangers – that we meet while out there in the world.
This collection of stories from over twenty years of travel shows what we can learn about the world we live in through greater empathy and understanding of the people we share it with. Each encounter we have, however, sad, humorous, strange or seemingly insignificant is part of the journey we are all on.
Where the Tree Frogs Took Me is for anyone who appreciates the diversity of the human experience and our reaction to it in all of its different forms. This book will resonate with people who are open to the notion of synchronicity and the significance of each encounter as meant to happen in order to create a change or shift in our lives.
About the Author:
Maia has been an avid solo traveller for over twenty years and is interested in people as much as the places they inhabit. She prefers a backpack for all her adventures and loves to climb mountains, despite a crippling fear of heights. She teaches ESL in Ontario, Canada where she lives with her young son. She is hoping he will inherit the same passion for adventure so that travelling the globe becomes a family affair. Her writing and contact information can be found at maiawilliamson.ca
THE RELUCTANT RV WIFE
Follow a reluctant wife and her excited husband through two humorously-conflicted years of RV travel. He wanted to go; she wanted to stay. They both learn, grow, and change as a new level of freedom evolves.
This book is light-hearted and humorous but at the same time serious. While not a How-To book, it gives lots of basic information about RVing. And while not a travelogue, it touches upon many travel destinations in the United States and Canada. On deeper levels, the book is about marital relationships, retiring and getting old, and finding a new kind of freedom through a minimalistic lifestyle.
After reading this book, you’ll never again look at one of those huge monstrosities driving down the road in quite the same way. The book answers questions for non-RVers and triggers chuckles of recognition from experienced RVers.
What Others Are Saying:
When his RV dream rear-ends her perfectly mapped-out retirement, navigating through their travails and travels - in life and on the road - spins a romantic and humorous adventure. - Doreen Orion, author of Queen of the Road
About the Author:
Gerri is a retired social worker turned writer, storyteller, and speaker. Her husband’s retirement crisis, which included buying an RV and declaring they should see the world, has given her untold ammunition for writing material. With a permanent home address in Tampa, Florida, Gerri and her husband Michael Hamlin now switch off their reluctancies. She continues to feel quasi-reluctant on the road and he feels acutely-reluctant during their periods at home.
Sunbury Press Founder Lawrence Knorr joins Tory Gates to discuss the history of Sunbury Press, and the future of its varied imprints, and a look at independent publishing...
On this episode of The Milford House Mysteries, cohosts JM West and Sherry Knowlton interview author Pat LaMarche. LaMarche, who was a guest on a previous podcast, is back to talk about her first novel, Magic Diary, and her soon-to-be-released children's book, Princess of the Park.
An award-winning broadcaster and journalist, LaMarche has spent a lifetime traveling around the world and across the nation telling the tales of ordinary folks living through unimaginable hardship. Her two non-fiction books, Left Out in America andDaddy, What's the Middle Class?, exposed the harsh realities of life for the impoverished American and their ongoing struggle to survive. Frustrated by a lack of change, this social justice warrior stepped out in front of the pen and microphone to run for office and change things herself. In 2004, LaMarche took on both Dick Cheney and John Edwards as the Green Party's vice-presidential candidate. Now, she's a novelist.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
The book's title is derived from an episode that occurred during George Washington's visit to the region in 1770. While attending a frontier social event at a locale in the upper Youghiogheny, he was challenged by a local rowdy to a wrestling match. Upon enduring this verbal abuse for over an hour, Washington finally obliged him. with devastating results. This story is among Washington's various adventures around the Monongahela and Youghiogheny Rivers. that are recounted in this book.Those two rivers are among the few natural waterways in the world which flow northward. Washington, though, was not the only notable figure to visit this area during the period between 1700 to 1900. For instance, Nicholas Roosevelt was the first scion of that notable family who became well-known in western Pennsylvania when steering one of the earliest steamboats upon the Monongahela. Moreover, the first British settlements west of the Allegheny Mountains were located along these rivers. Various of the essays within the work trace the evolution of the economy of these valleys from being an agricultural "breadbasket" to a heavy industrial powerhouse, specializing in basic steel production.The list of notable local personages appearing in these pages range from the legendary "Queen"Allaquippa of the Seneca to Philander Knox, a Brownsville native, who had become a prominent corporate attorney, as well as a prominent national Republican politician by 1900.
https://www.sunburypressstore.com/Wrestling-with-George-and-Other-Tales-of-Western-Pennsylvania-9781620063026.htm
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Miles S. RIchards is a retired history educator currently residing in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.
Whether it’s to finish college or muster up the courage to talk to the cute girl in his class, Jonathan Barnes wants nothing more than to make something of himself. To be a man and make it on his own. That is, if his constantly questioning and racing mind lets him.
After a sudden, bloodied brawl on campus that leaves over half of White Haven College dead, Jon finds himself thrust into a world turned completely upside down by violence. The news is overwhelmed with reports of rioting across the country, plane crashes, and countless innocent lives lost. They say it is going global.
With no explanation as to the cause of the nationwide catastrophes and a cryptic phone message from his parents, Jon has no choice but to traverse into the horror to find his loved ones. His family may be dead or worse, turned into rage-filled maniacs that pay no mercy to anyone or anything when night falls.
Nothing is certain except for one thing: Jon wants to be inside when the sky goes dark.
About the Author:
Oliver C. Seneca was born and raised in the suburbs of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His first foray into storytelling came in high school when he was accepted to attend the Capital Area School for the Arts where he focused on filmmaking. Oliver became passionate about writing after reading The Long Walk by Stephen King. Oliver is a graduate of Penn State and, in addition to writing, he works at his family’s law practice.
www.olivercseneca.com
https://www.sunburypressstore.com/When-the-Sky-Goes-Dark-9781620062241.htm
Ronald A. Mayer is the author of a number of baseball books: The 1932 Yankees, 1937 Newark Bears: A Baseball Legend, Perfect! 14 Pitchers of Perfect Games, Christy Mathewson: A Game-by-Game Profile of a Legendary Pitcher, The 1923 New York Yankees, and The New Jersey Book of Lists.
His latest book, Baseball Memories, is a collection of 101 poems celebrating America’s national pastime - - baseball. It recalls a number of outstanding players and their achievements. For example, Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak, Ted Williams .406 batting title in 1941 and the magical pitching of Orel Hershiser just to mention a few. It also highlights some of the wild and zany events Major League Baseball would love to forget. The night in Cleveland when the club ran a promotion selling 12 ounces of beer at the ridiculously low price of 10 cents or at Dodger Stadium when someone had the bright but eventual disastrous idea to hold Ball Night. And then there are the classic games that are simply fun to recall and relive. In 1993 when the Toronto Blue Jays won their second consecutive World Series in dramatic fashion or the more recent 2016 World Series when every baseball fan was watching two teams, the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians, both having failed to win a Fall Classic in many, many years. The last World Series championship for Chicago was 1908 and for the Indians 1948.
Entrance and exit music courtesy of Capital recording artists BANG.
As the New Year begins, Sherry Knowlton and J.M. West devote this first podcast of 2020 to take a look back at 2019. In this episode of the Milford House Mysteries, they each pick five of the favorite books they read in 2019. Not all of these books were published in 2019. They are simply some of the top books that Sherry and Joan enjoyed reading during the past year. They include brand new books by well-known and not-so-well-known authors, some oldies but goodies that we reread during the year, and some books that have been out for a while but we finally got a chance to read them. Tune in to hear our lists and a little about each book. You may just find some books to add to your own To Read pile.
Milford House Mysteries Co-hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring and Dead of Winter Joan West (JW West) is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall, and Things Strangled.
On this episode of The Milford House Mysteries, cohosts JM West and Sherry Knowlton interview mystery-suspense author JC Gatlin. Gatlin is the author of the new Amateur Sleuth murder mystery, H_NGM_N. Set in Florida, the book features heroine, Tori Younger, a journalist who is investigating the death of her childhood friend. The book features elements of suspense, humor, and a touch of paranormal. Gatlin's earlier mystery-suspense novels are also set in Florida. 21 Dares, the most recent book before H_NGM_N, went to Number One on Amazon’s Top Mystery Suspense and Top Young Adult charts and was a Semi-Finalist in the Royal Palm Awards. Join us to discuss Gatlin's books, why Florida is such a great setting for mystery novels and more.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall and Things Strangled.
On this episode of the Hellbender Radio Show, host Kyle Romines and cohosts Joe Mills and Jacob Romines interview author Travis Liebert about his new bestselling horror anthology, Things Undone.
From John's bio: Travis Liebert is a 20 year old Louisville native and member of the widely invasive species "Homo sapiens sapiens." His hobbies include reading, writing, and anything else that indicates he's intelligent and literate. He went to Trinity High School where he openly brandished his repertoire of useless knowledge as captain of the quiz bowl team. He is now a perpetually absent student at the University of Louisville. You can find him on instagram as @travisliebert.
His email is travismliebert@gmail.com. Please refrain from sending him hate mail, as he would prefer to just meet you in person and get punched in the face. If you would like to kick his teeth in, please contact his agent to arrange a meeting.
Sherlock Holmes has Dr. Watson. Mulder has Scully. Spenser has Hawk. What your favorite mystery or suspense series in which the main character has a trusted sidekick? Join co-hosts Joan West and Sherry Knowlton for this episode of Milford House Mysteries on November 14th at 2:30 pm when they'll discuss role of Sidekicks in Detective Fiction and beyond? They'll talk about beloved detective-sidekick duos and some of the functions the role of sidekick fulfills in this genre, both from the perspective of literary device, enhancing character, and solving the fictional crime.
In books, films, television, plays, comics and cartoons, we are drawn to a main character who has a close companion who helps solve the crime, take on the bad guys, or helps the protagonist be "smarter than the average bear." Tune in to hear Joan and Sherry discuss the enduring concept of sidekicks in fiction.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams suspense series, including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series, including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, Had a Dying Fall, and Things Strangled.
In this episode of the Milford House Mysteries, Sherry Knowlton interviews her podcast co-host JM West about her new release, Things Strangled. The police procedural is the latest in West's Carlisle Crime Cases series, the fifth mystery featuring police detectives Christopher Snow and Erin McCoy. Tune in to hear about West's new book, her earlier novels, and where her writing is headed next.
Things Strangled: Dispatched to a possible kidnapping site,Carlisle Homicide Detective Erin McCoy, her K-9 Officer Shadow, and other K-9 units are beating the bushes behind the warehouse where the star of the Frank W. Woolworth documentary film crew was last seen. The dogs soon locate a body dressed in period costume lashed and nailed to a tree. Extracting the nail, Mac sees fresh blood. Quickly, the men free him and laid him down. Shadow jumps on his chest. The mystery begins when he opens his eyes.
Tension mounts as the detectives dig into the murky business of murder—into the depths of the actors, cast, crew, and childhood of the suspects until they reveal the evil hearts of the killers.
On this episode of The Milford House Mysteries, cohosts JM West and Sherry Knowlton interview Patty Bialak. Bialak is the author of the new thriller, When the Numbers Don’t Add Up. The new novel follows Pasha Stern, a successful accountant with an uncanny talent for forensics. When she uncovers a multi-million-dollar international crime during a routine corporate audit, Pasha is drawn into the world of terrorists, extremists and traitors. The book takes the reader on a roller coaster ride up and down the west coast of California, across the globe to Israel and back again. Join us to discuss the book and Bialak’s own adventurous life.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Baseball Under the Palms: A History of Miami Minor League Baseball - The Early Years (1892-1960), tells the fascinating story of the growth of hardball from its humble beginnings, to organized play, and team participation in “outlaw leagues. This led to the eventual acceptance of a minor league baseball team in Miami by the National Association. This sometimes included affiliations with major leagues teams. Along the way, some of baseball’s most legendary names including the likes of Chico Fernandez, Pepper Martin, Satchel Paige, and Woody Smith passed through Miami, either on their way to illustrious minor or major league careers or finishing out their celebrated moments in the sun.
This work is the first of its kind that brings to light the full spectrum of the history of minor league baseball in Miami. The inspiration for us writing Baseball Under the Palms, emanated from, The Forgotten Marlins: A Tribute to the 1956-1960 Original Miami Marlins. For lovers of our national pastime, we bring to light the richly varied and illustrious history of teams and leagues; once at the forefront of local baseball.
Sam Zygner is the author of The Forgotten Marlins: A Tribute to the 1956-1960 Original Miami Marlins. He has served as the Chairperson for the South Florida Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) since 2006 and been a member since 1997. He is a lifelong Pittsburgh Pirates fan.
Barbra Cabrera was born into the baseball world. Her father, Emilio, played professional baseball in Cuba and the United States. As a print journalist, she covered the gamut from interviewing Hollywood movie and television stars to securing exclusive interviews when covering true crime stories. On Spanish-language radio, she found her calling as an investigative reporter. Barbra is a life-long Miamian and baseball devotee.
Lawrence Knorr, President/CEO of Sunbury Press, has been involved with book publishing since 2000. He holds an MBA from Penn State University, and is a Project Management Professional (PMP), and Certified Scrum Master (CSM). Lawrence’s 30+ year career in information technology, as a programmer, analyst, project manager, CEO, and Chief Information Officer has prepared him well for the “Age of Content” – the era of eBooks, data integration, eCommerce, and networks. Lawrence has taught business and economics courses for over fifteen years at local colleges and is the author or co-author over twenty books. He is also an award-winning digital artist. Lawrence often speaks or is a panelist at numerous writers conferences and book fairs.
Chris Fenwick, Director of Fiction Imprints, is a writer, project manager, and e-commerce professional. She returns to Sunbury Press, having spent the last ten years as E-commerce director in both for-profit and non-profit businesses. Her first novel, the 100th human, remains one of Sunbury Press’ all-time best sellers.
Music clips were from Capitol recording artists BANG (c) 1973
Scott grew up in New York and is an avid sports fan. He was a sportscaster and then a sportswriter for many years. He also contributed more than one hundred #1 most viewed articles for several online magazines. His work for those was enjoyed by more than 125 million readers. He started writing novels when an editor he worked for suggested that he give it a try.
Scott is the author of:
On the Run
Twister Town
On Ice
C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity is the obvious inspiration for the title of this book. In that book, Lewis uses the example of a person standing in a hall that is lined on both sides by rooms: Each room represents a different Christian tradition. He wanted to get readers into the hallway and let them choose for themselves whether to enter Christianity by the door of Anglicanism, Catholicism, and so forth.
Mere Christianity brilliantly focuses on what essentially all Christians agree upon; namely the Creed, the canon of the New Testament, etc. However, many of the great controversies between Protestants and Catholics are purposely not discussed. There were ecumenical reasons for avoiding topics like papal primacy, purgatory, Marian devotions, and so forth. But, by avoiding these sorts of topics, Mere Christianity can be read as Mere Protestantism.
I wrote Mere Catholicism to address some of those missing topics. Even though I am both intellectually and emotionally convinced of the truth of Catholic Christianity, I am indebted to C. S. Lewis (an Anglican) for helping me better understand how Christianity offers the most compelling raison d’être. His work and I hope my own is an exploration of “faith seeking understanding,” to quote St. Anselm of Canterbury.
Brian Koscienski & Chris Pisano skulk the realms of south-central Pennsylvania. Brian developed a love of writing from countless hours of reading comic books and losing himself in the worlds and adventures found within their colorful pages. In tenth grade, Chris was discouraged by his English teacher from reading H.P. Lovecraft, and being a naturally disobedient youth he has been a fan ever since. They have logged many hours writing novels, stories, articles, comic books, reviews, and on occasion a bawdy haiku. During their tenure as a writing duo, they even started their own micro-press publishing company, Fortress Publishing, Inc.
The Vengeful Prince Saga is now a trilogy:
The Devil's Grasp
The Devil's Influence
The Devil's Judgment
On this episode of Milford House Mysteries, hosts Joan West and Sherry Knowlton offer Writing Tips for Aspiring Writers. We discuss the writing process, character development, dialogue, and how to build suspense among other topics. And we finish the podcast with a lightning round of things to avoid when writing. Join us with this light, refreshing summer dip into the pool of writing tips.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
The Last Ride of the Iron Horse: How Lou Gehrig Fought ALS to Play One Final Championship Season
Last Ride of the Iron Horse tells the tale of Lou Gehrig's final year in the Yankee lineup, as he dealt with early effects of the paralytic disease ALS. For much of the 1938 season, the legendary Gehrig -- dubbed the Iron Horse for his strength and reliability -- struggled with slumps and a mystifying loss of power that shook his confidence. Fans booed and sportswriters called for him to be benched. Then, as the Yankees battled for the pennant in August, Lou began pounding home runs like his old self -- a turnaround that in retrospect looks truly miraculous. It may have been a rare case of temporary ALS reversal.
About the Author:
Dan Joseph is a journalist and author living in the Washington, D.C. area. He is a graduate of Indiana University and has spent nearly 20 years working for the Voice of America, most as an editor in VOA’s central newsroom. He previously co-authored “Inside Al-Shabaab,” a study of the East African terrorist organization. A member of SABR (Society for American Baseball Research), he is also a lifelong baseball fan and one of the few living people under 50 to have attended a Pittsburgh Pirates World Series game.
JOEL BURCAT
Joel Burcat is the author of environmental legal thrillers, speculative thrillers, and imaginative stories about everything from beer to murder.
As a practicing environmental lawyer, Joel Burcat writes environmental legal thrillers that are both electrifying and accurate. His published shorter works range from thrillers about “the best beer I’ve ever had” to a middle-aged lawyer running off to Italy, jeopardizing the lives and careers of his young associates.
Burcat’s writings explore many facets of life, although he has a true fascination with unexpected twists. His characters’ reasons for doing things are as important as their actions. From the person lying in bed next to you to psychopathic strip mine operators, each has an underlying motive to be explored and revealed.
Burcat has completed five novels. Three of them are environmental legal thrillers, DRINK TO EVERY BEAST, AMID RAGE, and STRANGE FIRE. Watch for DRINK TO EVERY BEAST, published by Headline Books and available at bookstores, Amazon, and Kindle in May 2019. Watch for AMID RAGE coming soon!
Burcat grew up in Philadelphia. He now has two grown daughters, and lives with his wife in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the place that provides the setting for many of his stories.
PRAISE for Drink to Every Beast
“…A fast-paced and compelling story.”
– DP Lyle, MD, award-winning author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series
“…a fast-paced environmental legal thriller with smart, engaging characters and a level of complexity that serious readers of the genre will undoubtedly enjoy.”
– Jeff Gunhus, USA TODAY bestselling author
“…a spine-tingling thriller that will make you want more.”
– Don Helin, award-winning author of Devil’s Den and Secret Assault
“In a world haunted by aggression, violence, and betrayal, ‘You Are Not Alone’ serves as a campfire around which we can gather, united in our commitment to alter the trajectory of sexual violence and reclaim the dignity of our lives. It illuminates the resilience of the human beings who've lived through the trauma of sexual violence and inspires all of us to become more evolved and compassionate in our intimate connections.” -- Dr. Paul L. Hokemeyer, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, New York, NY www.drhokemeyer.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jyssica Schwartz is a thirty-something writer, editor, and book coach living in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and a very fluffy cat. She has 10 years of corporate sales and business development experience before she quit her job in early 2017 to pursue being a full-time writer. Building and refining her business has been a challenge and a joy. Jyssica is often found curled up with a cat and a book, posting pictures of food and cats on Instagram, pithy notes on Twitter, or discussing random thoughts on her Medium blog when she probably should be working. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and has always been a writer, even before she was getting paid. Jyssica loves music, traveling, rollercoasters, the Yankees, and the Offspring. Check out her website at www.jyssicaschwartz.com, blog at medium.com/@jyssicaschwartz, and join her mailing list for rare notes on writer-y things.
About the Book:
Set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Only You . . . relates Eileen Obser’s personal experience growing up in Queens, New York—her doomed-to-fail marriage at eighteen to a nineteen-year-old boy from their candy store crowd. Eileen shows how two naïve, uninformed teenagers were influenced by social and religious pressures, to disastrous consequences.
About the Author:
EILEEN OBSER holds am MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from Stony Brook University. She also has a BA in Writing and Literature from SUNY Empire State College. Eileen has written many free-lance articles, short stories, and essays published in The Washington Post Magazine, New York Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine, Newsday, The Village Voice, The East Hampton Star, Proteus, The Southampton Review, Coast Lines anthology, Love Alters (anthology) and other publications.
Obser was born and raised in Glendale, Queens, New York and has resided in East Hampton, New York since 1975.
BANDSTANDLAND: HOW DANCING TEENAGERS TOOK OVER AMERICA AND DICK CLARK TOOK OVER ROCK & ROLL by Larry Lehmer*
American Bandstand, one of the longest running shows in television history, spotlighted well-scrubbed, properly dressed, mostly all-white dancing teenagers on every show. They mirrored the show's perpetually youthful host, Dick Clark, who spun the music Clark often described as "the soundtrack to our lives."
These are the memories Clark carefully nurtured as he crafted the alternate teen universe of Bandstandland during the formative years of American Bandstand from 1952 to 1964. Bandstandland was a mythical creation by Clark, who saw the show as a springboard to immense wealth rather than a tribute to teen culture.
Clark was a relentless businessman who once had ownership stakes in 33 corporations, most created by him. He created rules to keep black teens off the show, promoted the teens that danced on the show when it served his purposes and banned them when it didn't and effectively turned American Bandstand into his own personal infomercial.
Bandstandland sheds light on the little-known backstory of the TV program that was America's top-rated daytime television show in its heyday and enjoyed a 37 year run from 1952 to 1989.
****Larry Lehmer is also the author of The Day the Music Died: The Last Tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens
In this episode, co-hosts Jody West and Sherry Knowlton interview Timothy Jay Smith, author of literary thrillers with a focus on social justice and foreign settings. Jody and Sherry will talk to Smith about his writing journey, his experiences aroung the globe and his latest novel, The Fourth Courier. Smith's earlier, critically acclaimed novels include A Vision of Angels, Fire on the Island and Cooper's Promise. He also has written a number of award-winning screenplays and plays. Tune in to hear Smith's perspective on literary thrillers, screenwriting and writing for the stage as well as his adventures abroad.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Back in the 1970s, a series of bizarre incidents occurred at what has since been known as "The Devil Tree." Beneath this ancient denizen, evil was wrought by a sick serial killer, calling upon forces most evil and dark. People were hung there ... and bodies buried there ... exhumed by the police. Overcome by superstition, some tried to cut down the tree, to no avail. Since then, it has stood in a remote section of a local park --- left to its own devices --- quiet in its eerie repose -- until now!
Best-selling psychological-thriller author Keith Rommel has imagined the whole tale anew. He's brought the tree to life and retold the tale with gory detail only possible in a fiction novel. Action-packed, with spine-tingling detail, this thriller is beyond parallel in the ground it uncovers ... one author's explanation of what may have really been said -- what may have really happened -- under Port St. Lucie's "Devil Tree."
http://www.keithrommel.com/
Music by Capitol recording artists BANG. Copyright 1972/1973 by Bang Music, Inc.
Robert Friedman was born in the Bronx and lived in Puerto Rico for over 20 years, working as a reporter, editor, and columnist for the San Juan Star. He covered politics as the Star's Washington Correspondent until the paper folded in 2008. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe and the Miami Herald among other publications. He reported from Puerto Rico for the NY Daily News as a special correspondent in the 1980s and 1990s. He is the author of four novels. Friedman lives in Silver Spring, Maryland. He has two grown daughters who were born in Puerto Rico.
In this episode, co-hosts Jody West and Sherry Knowlton interview Dr. Barry Libin, author of two thrillers about weighty subjects, the Catholic Church and Milton's Paradise Lost. Jody and Sherry will talk to Dr. Libin about his writing journey, his affinity for religious history, and the inevitable comparisons of his books to those of Dan Brown. Dr. Libin's novels are Mystery of the Milton Manuscript and his recent release, The Vatican's Vault.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
On Thursday, March 14 join co-hosts J.M. West and Sherry Knowlton on Milford House Mysteries when we interview author April Knight. Knight’s newest book, Nobody Dies in Kansas, is a psychological thriller mystery set in 1950s – you guessed it – Kansas. The interview will also explore Knight’s prolific multi-form, multi-genre writing career, including some of her most recent novels: Dig the Grave First (mystery), Sweet Dreams (Romance), Stars in the Desert (Romance); her many short stories and magazine articles; her newspaper column; and her regular contributions to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams suspense series, including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series, including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
The students of Brenda Hall's 7th and 8th grade reading class at Green County Middle School interview regular host Kyle Alexander Romines about his book, The Keeper of the Crows.
From Kyle's bio:
Kyle Alexander Romines is a teller of tales from the hills of Kentucky. He enjoys good reads, thunderstorms, and anything edible. His writing interests include fantasy, science fiction, horror, and western.
Kyle's debut horror novel, The Keeper of the Crows, appeared on the Preliminary Ballot of the 2015 Bram Stoker Awards in the category of Superior Achievement in a First Novel. He obtained his M.D. from the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
You can contact Kyle at thekylealexander@hotmail.com. You can also subscribe to his author newsletter to receive email updates and FREE electronic copies of his Warden of Fál prequel short, The Path of Vengeance, AND his horror/science fiction novella, The Chrononaut, at http://eepurl.com/bsvhYP.
On this episode of the Hellbender Radio Show, host Kyle Romines and cohost Joe Mills interview author John Kachuba about his book, DARK ENTRY.
From John's bio: I am the author of “Ghosthunting Ohio: On the Road Again," "Ghosthunting Ohio," "Ghosthunting Illinois," and "Ghosthunters," as well as six other books unrelated to the paranormal. I am a frequent speaker on radio, TV, and podcasts and at conferences, universities, and libraries. To learn more, and to see my author tour schedule, visit my Website at www.JohnKachuba.com
On this episode of the Hellbender Radio Show, Audio Narrator Joe Mills weaves tales of horror, and host Kyle Romines is joined by a special guest.
Join co-hosts Joan West and Sherry Knowlton for this episode of Milford House Mysteries on March 14th at 2:00 pm when they'll discuss the topic: Do Clothes Make the Character? In our own lives, we often draw conclusions about other people based on how they are dressed. From the instant identification a uniform provides to tell us that he is a policeman or she is a Marine. To the more subtle indicators of social and economic status that a designer dress or a worn and mismatched outfit can convey. Or the traditional tropes that permeate our culture: i.e., good guys always wear whte and bad guys wear black. A fiction author can use these and other aspects of clothing to help paint their characters personalities, backgrounds, and more.
In Hamlet, Polonius says, "For the apparel oft proclaims the man." Tune in to hear what Joan and Sherry think about this enduring bit of Shakespearean wisdom.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams suspense series, including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series, including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
In this episode of the Hellbender Radio Show, host Kyle Alexander Romines (the author of The Keeper of the Crows) and co-host audio narrator Joe Mills interview author Stephen Paul Sayers, the author of A Taker of Morrows.
From Stephen's bio:
Stephen Paul Sayers is a college professor and international bestselling author of supernatural thriller and horror fiction. His debut novel, A Taker of Morrows, was published by Hydra Publications in June 2018, followed by the second book in the Caretakers series, The Soul Dweller, in November 2018. His short fiction has appeared in Unfading Daydream and Well-Versed.
As a research scientist, Stephen yields to the left-brain world of data analysis and statistics by day, but releases the demons in his slightly twisted right-brain by night. It gets strange around dusk when neither side is fully in control. He makes his home in Columbia, MO and Plymouth, MA--not far from the Cape Cod locations he writes about in the Caretakers novels. Throughout his journey, he has accumulated five guitars, four herniated discs, three academic degrees, two dogs, and one wife, son, and daughter. But not in that order.
Captain Hooter's Connoisseur's Guide to Amsterdam Coffeeshops
One man… on a mission… Go to every single coffee shop in Amsterdam in search of the “best of the best.” Multi-year Cannabis Cup judge and Worldwide Herbal Connoisseur, “Captain Hooter” has meticulously researched this Connoisseur’s Guide to Amsterdam Coffeeshops – First Edition. The Captain went to every coffeeshop in the Centrum, the north, south, east, and west suburbs. He tried and tested them all and picked out the “best of the best.” Captain Hooter did all the work for you!
Keeping the Lights on for Ike
Most people don’t realize that during the war in Europe in the 1940s, it took an average of six support soldiers to make the work of four combat soldiers possible. Most of what’s available in the literature tends toward combat narratives, and yet the support soldiers had complex and unique experiences as well. This book is based on personal correspondence, and it is primarily a memoir that creates a picture of the day-to-day realities of an individual soldier told in his own words [as much as he could tell under the wartime rules of censorship, that is] as well as giving insight into what it was actually like to be an American soldier during WWII. It explores the experiences of a non-combat Army utilities engineer working in a combat zone during the war in Europe and takes the protagonist from basic training through various overseas assignments—in this case to England, North Africa, and Italy as a support soldier under Eisenhower and his successors at Allied Force Headquarters. It also includes some reflections about his life after returning to Oregon when the war was over.
The soldier involved is Captain Harold Alec Daniels [OSU, Class of 1939, ROTC] and most of the letters were written to his wife, Mary Daniels [attended U of O in the late 1930s]. They were the author's parents, and she inherited the letter collection, photos, and all other primary source materials.
About the Author: Rebecca Daniels has been a university professor for many years who has also simultaneously had a vital creative career in the theatre. After her retirement in the summer of 2015, she was finally able to focus all her energies on this book.
Intro and exit music: BANG! Slow Down and BANG! Questions copyright 1971 by BANG Music (Capitol Records)
Hear the Whistle Blowing:Railroading in the Coal Region
Historian John Lindermuth surveys the history of railroading in the Coal Region of Pennsylvania from its earliest days to the introduction of diesel engines. Lindermuth covers railroad towns, daily life, working on the railroad, accidents, labor woes, innovations, and other topics.
About the Author:
A native of Shamokin, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, J. R. Lindermuth worked as a newspaper reporter and editor for nearly 40 years. Since retiring, he has served as librarian of the Northumberland County Historical Society where he assists patrons with genealogy and research.
He is the author of 12 novels and his short stories and articles have been published in a variety of magazines. He is a member of International Thriller Writers, EPIC, and the Short Mystery Society.
He is the father of two grown children and has four grandsons. To learn more about the author, visit his website at http://www.jrlindermuth.net
Intro and exit music: BANG! Slow Down and BANG! Questions copyright 1971 by BANG Music (Capitol Records)
The 1932 Yankees: The Story of a Legendary Team, a Remarkable Season, and a Wild World Series
At the outset of the Great Depression, as FDR campaigned to replace Herbert Hoover, a baseball season was played across America. In the National League, the Chicago Cubs narrowly won the pennant thanks to the likes of Gabby Hartnett, Charlie Grimm, Billy Herman, Riggs Stephenson, Kiki Cuyler, Johnny Moore, Lon Warneke, and Guy Bush. In the American League, former Cub manager Joe McCarthy's New York Yankees ran away with the pennant, leaving Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics in the dust. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Bill Dickey, Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri, Ben Chapman, Frankie Crosetti, Joe Sewell, Lefty Gomez, Red Ruffing, George Pipgras, and Johnny Allen led the way to one of the winningest teams in the early American League, overshadowed only by the 1927 Yankees. Chicago and New York then clashed in one of the most lop-sided and talked-about World Series in baseball history.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ronald A. Mayer is the author of a number of baseball books: 1937 Newark Bears: A Baseball Legend, Perfect! 14 Pitchers of Perfect Games,Christy Mathewson: A Game-by-Game Profile of a Legendary Pitcher, The 1923 New York Yankees, and The New Jersey Book of Lists.
Researcher and author Marlin Bressi has compiled a panoply of unsolved mysteries and unusual happenings throughout the history of the Keystone State. From unsolved mysteries, headless corpses, missing persons, to ghosts and missing treasure, Bressi's compilation is sure to entertain:
PART I: UNSOLVED MYSTERIES
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The Lamb's Gap Murder Mystery
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Berks County's Missing Skeleton
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Who Buried the Babies in the Church Cellar?
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A Cat's Funeral and a Philadelphia Mystery
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Allison Hill's House of Mystery
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The Broad Mountain Mystery
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The Kulpmont Mob Murders of 1939
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The True Story of Shamokin's Famous Missing Head
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The Mystery of the Murder Marsh
PART II: STRANGE PLACES AND PEOPLE
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The Cripple's Curse and the Kings of Pittsburgh
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The Aeronaut's Fate: The Story of Wash Donaldson
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Witchcraft in Stony Creek Valley
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The Strange Connection Between Bucknell University and the RMS Titanic
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The Tragic Fate of Homer Swaney
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Simeon Pfoutz: Lord of the Manor
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The Headless Horseman of Lawrence County
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Mount Carmel's Mysterious Suicide Cell
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A Tragedy in Ghost Hollow
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The Loomis Street Affair: Haunting or Hoax?
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The Ticking Tombstone
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A Ghost in the Furnace
PART III: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
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Dynamite and Diphtheria: The Strange Trial of Lloyd Wintersteen
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The Hanging of Charles Chase
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The Lutz Axe Murder
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The Ghost of Adam Volkovitch
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Mount Carmel's Night of Terror: The Strantz & Yorkavage Crime Spree of 1937
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The Murder of Daisy Smith
PART IV: ODDS AND ENDS
(A collection of interesting newspaper clippings)
In this episode of the Hellbender Radio Show, host Kyle Alexander Romines (the author of The Keeper of the Crows) and co-host audio narrator Joe Mills interview author Thomas Malafarina, the author of Malformed Realties.
From Tom's bio:
Thomas M. Malafarina (www.ThomasMMalafarina.com) is an author of horror fiction from Berks County, Pennsylvania. To date he has published seven horror novels "What Waits Beneath", "Burner", "From The Dark" , "Circle Of Blood", "Dead Kill Book 1: The Ridge of Death","Dead Kill Book 2: The Ridge Of Change" and "Dead Kill Book 3: The Ridge Of War". He has published six collections of horror short stories; "Thirteen Deadly Endings", "Ghost Shadows", "Undead Living" and most recently "Malaformed Realities Vol. 1, Vol. 2 and Vol. 3". He has also published a book of often-strange single panel cartoons called "Yes I Smelled It Too; Cartoons For The Slightly Off Center". All of his books are published through Hellbender Books, an imprint of Sunbury Press.(www.Sunburypress.com).
In addition, many of Thomas' stories have appeared in anthologies and e-magazines. Some have been produced and presented for internet podcasts and radio plays as well. Thomas is best known for the twists and surprises in his stories as well as his descriptive, often gory passages. Thomas is also an artist, musician, singer and songwriter. A native of Ashland, PA he now lives in Western Berks County, Pennsylvania along with his wife JoAnne.
In this epsiode of the Hellbender Radio Show, host Kyle Alexander Romines (author of The Keeper of the Crows) interviews Robb Hoff, author of the new book, Contract with the Lycanthrope.
From Robb's bio:
Robb Hoff claims the Ohio River Valley as home - from Maysville, Kentucky to Cincinnati and Louisville to Evansville, Indiana - but also resided for a decade in the lush Northern Neck Peninsula of Chesapeake Bay Virginia.
His writing career spans more than a decade of coverage for newspaper/magazine groups. His published novels include COSMIC EGG RAPTURE, the first of his EGGSQUISITE CORPSE THRILLER series (now available on Amazon) and CRACKERS FOR A LYCANTHROPE (1995).
His occult horror novel CONTRACT WITH THE LYCANTHROPE is now available on Kindle with a trade paperback version due for release early in 2019. The second novel in his EGGSQUISITE CORPSE THRILLER series of paranormal suspense is also planned for publication in 2019.
Want to stay current with all the latest Robb Hoff author news? Check out www.robbhoffauthor.com and sign up for his EGGSQUISITE CORPSE newsletter to never miss a beat!
In this episode of the Hellbender Radio Show, a special mystery cohost interviews regular host Kyle Alexander Romines about his new superhero book DRONE (currently at a special price of 99 cents) and his upcoming Hellbender projects.
From Kyle's Bio:
Kyle Alexander Romines is a teller of tales from the hills of Kentucky. He enjoys good reads, thunderstorms, and anything edible. His writing interests include fantasy, science fiction, horror, and western.
Kyle's debut horror novel, The Keeper of the Crows, appeared on the Preliminary Ballot of the 2015 Bram Stoker Awards in the category of Superior Achievement in a First Novel. He obtained his M.D. from the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
You can contact Kyle at thekylealexander@hotmail.com. You can also subscribe to his author newsletter to receive email updates and FREE electronic copies of his Warden of Fál prequel short, The Path of Vengeance, AND his horror/science fiction novella, The Chrononaut, at http://eepurl.com/bsvhYP.
On this episode of Milford House Mysteries, we switch up our usual format with one of our hosts becoming a guest. Co-host Joan West will be interviewing co-host Sherry Knowlton about her new release Dead of Winter. Knowlton's newest book in her Alexa Williams suspense series released on February 19, 2019.
A lighthearted trip to test a new drone turns deadly for attorney Alexa Williams and two close friends when they find a stranger’s bullet-riddled body in a remote field in rural Pennsylvania. Next to the dead man is a note that declares: Allahu Akbar.
When a second man is executed near Harpers Ferry, Alexa’s old flame, Reese, becomes a suspect, leading her to question just how much he changed while working in Africa. Fear of Islamic terrorism spreads like wildfire through Alexa’s small town after a third murder. When police arrest the oldest son of her Syrian refugee clients, the family becomes the focus of mounting anti-Muslim rage, and a dangerous militia group turns its sights on Alexa.
One dark night in the dead of winter, Alexa discovers the shocking truth and must race to stop an attack that could kill everyone she loves.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring and Dead of Winter. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall
In this episode of the Hellbender Radio Show, Host Kyle Alexander Romines (the author of The Keeper of the Crows) interviews author Michael Hawley, the author of several books on Jack the Ripper.
From Michael's bio:
Michael Hawley has published over a dozen research articles in journals dedicated to the Whitechapel Murders/Jack the Ripper mystery, namely Ripperologist, Whitechapel Society Journal, Casebook Examiner, and The Dagger, and published online articles for numerous websites. He was awarded Article of the Year for 2016 for the number one Jack the Ripper website. Hawley is the author of The Ripper's Haunts (Nonfiction, 2016) with the top book reviewer and author, Paul Begg, stating that "Hawley's Magnum Opus" is "head and shoulders above the new Ripper offerings in 2016," and "for that matter, 2015." He is also the author of The Watchmaker Revelations, a mystery/thriller fiction trilogy with the first, The Ripper's Hellbroth being published in 2017. Jack's Lantern and Curse of the Bayou Beast are slated to be published soon after. He is also the author of Searching for Truth with a Broken Flashlight (Nonfiction, 2010), which was awarded June 2011 Book of the Month for the mega-website, ReligiousTolerance.org. Hawley holds a Master's degree in science (invertebrate paleontology) and secondary science education at State University of New York, College of Buffalo, and a Bachelor's degree in geology and geophysics at Michigan State University. He is a commander and naval aviator in the U.S. Navy (retired), and is currently enjoying a career as a secondary earth science and chemistry teacher. He resides with his wife and six children in Greater Buffalo, New York. Visit him at: Website: http://www.MichaelLHawley.com, FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.hawley.739
The BANG Story: From the Basement to the Bright Lights... an autobiography written by Lawrence Knorr with the band
In the summer of 1971, BANG, a trio from the Philadelphia area decided to take a road trip to Florida to try their fortune. While buying some rolling papers in the Sunshine State, they learned about a Small Faces and Deep Purple concert nearby in Orlando. They showed up at the venue and brazenly declared they were ready to go on stage. They were right. The concert organizer asked them to set and play for him. After only a couple of songs, he told them they were opening for Rod Stewart and Small Faces. Before they knew it, BANG was opening for Bachman Turner Overdrive, Deep Purple, Three Dog Night, Fleetwood Mac, Ike and Tina Turner, the Doobie Brothers and even Black Sabbath. Capitol Records signed them and three albums were released.
Put in your earbuds and listen as Van Carter interviews band members and plays their music from the 70's and from more recent albums they've produced. And author Lawrence Knorr will also be on hand.
http://www.bangmusic.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Bang-Story-Basement-Bright-Lights/dp/1620065827/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
In this episode of the Hellbender Radio Show, host Kyle Alexander Romines (author of The Keeper of the Crows) and cohost Joe Mills interview Jacob Romines, the author of the bestselling horror anthology Something Other: A Collection of Horror Stories.
From Jacob's Bio:
Jacob Romines is a cynical philosophy nerd from Louisville, Kentucky. He’s constantly torn between multiple ambitious projects, making it hard for him to finish even one. He enjoys reading, writing, and doing both on the internet. He plans to one day live in a cabin in the mountains, with many pets and a huge personal library.
His website, which his perfectionism always tells him is incomplete, is jacobromines.com. His email is jacob.romines.writer@gmail.com. Feel free to fire questions, inquiries, or anything else his way.
Find him on instagram:@jacob.romines.writer, and on reddit at u/jacobromineswriter.
Illegal Among Us: A Stateless Woman's Quest for Citizenship
Martine Kalaw has to make a hard choice in an immigration courtroom. Her decision catapults her into a tumultuous and seven-year battle with immigration and a personal struggle to discover her identity. Ten years later, at age 33, a social media message reconnects Martine with the father she thought dead for 20 years. Here begins the story of a prep school illegal immigrant's return to her birthland of Zambia. She travels to Africa to unlock the key to her past but what she discovers is unimaginable and will never leave her the same.
It takes seven years, six different lawyers, numerous Master Calendar hearings, motions, rejections, appeals and testimony before the U.S. Congress (on behalf of the Dream Act), but in 2012 Martine becomes a U.S. citizen. Her later trip to Zambia discovers a truth about her mother and father which ultimately brings her resolve and an identity.
Olivia Berrier is often clueless and always shoeless. She left behind many footprints at Hollins University in Virginia, where she studied Creative Writing and Mathematics. After college, her bare feet have carried her through many experiences, but her life remains anchored by writing. Olivia writes fantasy fiction, sometimes with a mathematical inclination, and has been dropping stories like breadcrumbs across the Internet since 2007. When she is not writing (and sometimes also when she is writing) Olivia is in love with candles, tea, yoga, running, snail-mail correspondence, napping, and memorizing the decimals of Pi. She also loves connecting with people who share her love for the written word and the singular magic that it creates.
On this episode of the Milford House Mysteries, co-hosts Joan West and Sherry Knowlton interview suspense author JJ Hensley. As a former police officer and former Secret Service Agent, Hensley brings hands-on law enforcement experience to his novels that feature flawed heroes and gripping suspense. We'll talk to JJ about his newest Trevor Galloway novel Record Scratch as well as his other books: Resolve, Measure Twice, Chalk's Outline, and Bolt Action Remedy. JJ has also published short stories in magazines and participated in two anthologies.
Milford House Mysteries Co-hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, Dead of Spring, and the upcoming release, Dead of Winter. Joan West (JM West) is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Joe Farrell, Joe Farley, and Lawrence Knorr have traveled across the eastern USA to the graves of over 200 founding fathers (and mothers) responsible for the birth of the United States of America. Included in this first volume are biographies and grave information for 51 of these luminaries who made significant contributions to the Revolutionary cause.
In this volume: George WashingtonAbigail AdamsJohn AdamsWilliam BlountAaron BurrDaniel CarrollSamuel ChaseGeorge ClymerJohn CollinsFrancis DanaWilliam Richardson DavieWilliam Henry DraytonWilliam ElleryDeborah Sampson GarrettHoratio GatesElbridge GerryNicholas GilmanNathaniel GreeneButton GwinnettAlexander HamiltonElizabeth Schuyler HamiltonCornelius HarnettJohn HartJoseph HewesJared IngersollDaniel of St. Thomas JeniferFrancis Lightfoot LeeHenry Lee IIIRichard Henry LeePhilip LivingstonArthur MiddletonHenry MiddletonThomas MifflinRobert MorrisJohn MortonWilliam PacaJohn PennCharles PinckneyCaesar RodneyBenjamin RushRoger ShermanRichard SmithRichard StocktonThomas StoneGeorge TaylorNicholas Van DykeJoseph WarrenAnthony WayneNoah WebsterHenry WisnerGeorge Wythe
In this episode co-hosts Jody West and Sherry Knowlton interview Pat LaMarche, an author who could easily be described as a Renaissance woman, given her interesting and eclectic background. We’re going to chat with Pat about her upcoming book, The Magic Diary. But we’ll also be discussing her work as a journalist, homeless advocate, non-fiction author, politician and philanthropist. Pat has run for pubic office several times, including twice as the Green Party candidate for Vice President of the United States. Her first foray into fiction, The Magic Diary, is expected to be released this spring.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
When Bhante Sujatha was 10 years old, he told his parents he would throw himself off the bridge into the river below his childhood home in Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, if they did not let him become a monk. Since that time, he’s remained just as certain and determined to live a life dedicated to adding more love to the world and helping people heal their wounded minds.
Bhante has always known he was born to serve humanity and he wakes up everyday committed to this noble cause, teaching meditation and helping people access the deeper parts of themselves so they can feel radiant joy and peaceful happiness. With a single robe and some leftover food, Bhante left his home country and eventually found his way to America, where he learned a new language and culture and discovered the aching desire people have for a more meaningful life.
In a old leaky church basement, Bhante was given a small room to teach meditation. The first night, two people showed up. A decade later, The Blue Lotus Temple is a world-renowned Buddhist temple and meditation center that serves thousands of people locally and even more all over the world, under Bhante’s leadership as abbot and spiritual director.
Bhante leads more than 380 meditations a year, for which he travels hundreds of thousands of miles, often walking off a plane and onto a podium within minutes. He speaks to colleges and universities across the world, leads small group retreats, and consults with corporate giants, teaching them all that love is the way and peace is a constant practice.
On this episode of The Milford House Mysteries, hosts Joan West and Sherry Knowlton get into the holiday mood with a discussion of holiday and winter mysteries. They'll talk about Christmas-themed mysteries, suspense and thrillers. They'll mention some favorite books that use a holiday backdrop to increase the suspense or ramp up the emotion. Plus, they'll discuss some new novels, which may not focus on the holidays but would be excellent presents for your favorite readers. Or to buy for yourself. Join us for Booked for the Holidays!!
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Stories and Poems of a Strange but Beautiful Life
This collection of poems and short stories by Melanie Simms (all previously published in magazines, newspapers, and poetry journals) related to personal situations and experiences throughout her life. Included in this volume: The Fortune CookieLife Signs and Fortune CookiesIsaiahThe Snow ManWaiting for JackOnline LoversThe VisitorLittle Green MenOne More HeroThe Recipe Box
Spiritual Counselor, Annemarie Heckert, joins me again for this holiday special. Annemarie will be available to answer your calls live. Our loved ones are always with us, angels guiding us, we are always loved and held. Perhaps there are "Messages from the Other Side" waiting for you.
Guy Graybill blasts the liquor industry and its detrimental effects on society, covering topics past and present similar to T. S. Arthur's 19th-century classic Ten Nights in a Barroom. The book covers a broad sweep required to address today's great social challenge from the intemperate use of alcohol. This book takes a very fresh, modern approach, separating the drunken/alcoholic segment of America from the young non-drinkers and the exemplary drinkers, putting the intemperate drinkers in a smaller niche. Graybill argues society is ripe for condemnation and legislation.
Ultimately, Graybill's goal is to push for the deglamorization of alcohol and the effort to reduce the danger of that 17% of the American population who create the danger and mayhem. Each chapter slams a different aspect of the problem: The ever-present danger of drunken individuals, the negative effect of alcohol on every system of the body and on the unborn, the glamorization of alcohol where it is utterly inappropriate, and the legislators' disregard for every American's right to "domestic tranquillity."
Sought after by clients from around the world, Dr. Shari Auth, has been a leading holistic health practitioner in New York City for over two decades. Her signature treatments combine ancient wisdom from global traditions with scientific knowledge and deep intuition to treat a wide range of conditions including chronic and acute pain, mental health, women's health, insomnia, digestion, and postural issues, among others.?
Dr. Auth has studied the healing arts globally from China to India, Peru, Thailand and beyond – becoming steeped in ancient healing practices that have woven the rich tapestry of her healing practices today. She is a licensed and NCCAOM certified Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. She has a Master’s in Herbology and is a Board Certified Chinese Herbalist also with extensive training in Vedic and Western herbs. Among her many other accreditations, she is a licensed massage therapist, guild-certified in the Rolf Method of Structural Integration and a Faculty Member of the Swedish Institute, NYC. She founded The Auth Method of Therapeutic Massage and has trained thousands of practitioners on this method.
From her work at Deepak Chopra’s Center in Southern California to her own wellness practice in New York City, Shari has attracted celebrity clientele with her signature blend of acupuncture, herbs and bodywork. Fo more information, visit https://www.shariauth.com
Finally, there is a book that reveals the truth about the worst air disaster to strike a Marine Corps fighter squadron during the Second World War. Marine Fighter Squadron 422 was a group of twenty-four typical young Americans trained to fly the famous F4U Corsair into combat with the legendary Japanese Zero. When they arrived in the Pacific, they suddenly found that not all their enemies carried guns in savage Banzai charges. Their two most dangerous and merciless adversaries were the fury of a tropical typhoon and the cold heartless whims of a Marine Corps general. Together, these two foes seal the fate of VMF-422 and cause the greatest disaster ever to strike a Marine squadron.
Aviation historian Mark Carlson has written the first full account of a group of ordinary young men who were suddenly challenged beyond their experience and which forever changed the lives of the survivors. The Marines’ Lost Squadron is the dramatic true story of a desperate and courageous fight for survival against the forces of nature and a conspiracy of silence. The Marines’ Lost Squadron is a saga of courage and conspiracy, patriotism and pride, fate and futility in a struggle to survive the ferocity of a huge typhoon in the midst of the Second World War. ex communi periculo fraternitas
Rachel Grundon is a clairvoyant Medium who has been pursuing her desire to help others using her healing gifts as a creative and psychic channel.
Developing a deep, intuitive connection with her clients, Rachel works directly with individuals to facilitate a deep-healing process through self-actualization and self-empowerment. She fully acknowledges the lack of personal fulfillment in those entangled in the “daily grind”, and works with individuals to uncover their true life’s purpose.
For more information, visit http://www.rachelgrundon.com/lux-convergence
What would a mystery or suspense novel be without a villain? The villain is one of the most important characters in this genre and is usually a driving force for the plot, even though he or she may not be fully revealed until the end of the book. In developing the villain for their stories, authors consider a wide range of characteristics and rely on a combination of research and imagination. In this podcast, Joan and Sherry discuss the types of violence that villains -- both fictional and real -- may commit and the challenge of writing a believable bad guy/girl.
Join Joan and Sherry for this episode of the Milford House Mysteries Violence in Villains.
Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall. Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring.
Jack the Ripper Suspect Dr. Francis Tumblety highlights the most recent groundbreaking discoveries concerning one of Scotland Yard's top Jack the Ripper suspects in the 1888 Whitechapel murders investigation, Dr. Francis Tumblety. Among the discoveries is over 700 pages of never-seen-before sworn testimonies revealing not only a picture of an antisocial narcissist with a single-minded lifelong drive for exploitation but also damning evidence that he may indeed have been the Whitechapel fiend.
Michael Hawley has published over a dozen research articles in journals dedicated to the Whitechapel murders/Jack the Ripper mystery and published online articles for numerous websites. He was awarded Article of the Year for 2016 for the most popular Jack the Ripper website, which is based out of London, England. He was honored to lecture at the Jack the Ripper Conference (RipperCon) in Baltimore, Maryland, in April 2016, and the Jack the Ripper Conference in Liverpool, England, in September 2017. Hawley is also the author of The Ripper's Haunts (Non-fiction, 2016) with the top book reviewer and author, Paul Begg, stating "Hawley's Magnum Opus" is "head and shoulders above the new Ripper offerings in 2016," and "for that matter, 2015," He was a commander and naval aviator in the U.S. Navy (retired) and resides in Greater Buffalo, New York. Find him at http://www.MichaelLHawley.com
Sherry Knowlton goes it alone without co-host Joan West in this episode called One Writer's Journey. Knowlton will talk about her journey to becoming a suspense author. She'll talk about her life-long love of books, her background in various types of writing, and her later-in-life leap to suspense novelist. She'll also talk about some of her literary influences and favorite authors.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
"Whispers in the Alders...is one of the best books I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing this year. H.A. Callum's novel redefines the concept of love and friendship...told in an engrossing first-person narrative, the plot is swift, and the pacing is excellent. I couldn't put this one down." ---Arya Fomonyuy for Readers' Favorite
"...elements of classics like To Kill a Mockingbird, The Thorn Birds, and The Fall of the Year, written with the skill of Howard Frank Mosher, Truman Capote, or Harper Lee." ---The Publisher
About the Author:
H. A. Callum is a poet and writer hailing from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The rolling hills, weathered stone walls, and meandering woodland streams interspersed with quaint farm-lots serve as the inspiration to his writing and to his eye as a naturalist and wildlife proponent. Having crossed the United States several times over, and after calling the American West home for several years, Mr. Callum's understanding of America serves as his eyepiece to a culture that is constantly changing, like the landscape defining the continent. The ever-evolving definition of what it means to be American can be reflected in his writing and love of the written word. Stop by and strike up a conversation at his blog (www.hacallum.com) as Mr. Callum always looks forward to engaging with his readers. When not writing, Mr. Callum can be found with his wife and two daughters - his greatest sources of inspiration.
Taylor is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner who is passionate about helping clients improve digestive health, prioritize stress relief, and create a positive relationship with food.
For many years, Taylor struggled to find a 'diet' that worked but realized that health is not about finding a label or diet and sticking to it. Health and wellness is about listening to your body to find out what it needs every day in regards to nutrition, sleep, relaxation, lowering stress, relationships and more. It is her mission to help her clients find balance and healing while empowering them to create sustainable nutrition and lifestyle changes that will help them reach their goals.
Taylor founded Arrow Nutritional Therapy in Linglestown, Pennsylvania where she works with clients 1:1 (online and in-person) and will soon be offering group sessions. She also puts on workshops in the community and speaks with local athletic organizations on the importance of food as fuel and the benefits of proper digestion.
Learn more at arrownutritionaltherapy.com
Shortly before he passed away from the effects of Parkinson's disease, master chef Paul Boucuse was interviewed by his good friend, Giulio Alberoni, a writer of gastronomy books and biographies. It was the last interview the French chef gave and he related the story of the beginning and rise of Nouvelle Cuisine, his modern style of French cooking.
Boucuse credits the contributions of many others including his great friend and colleague Gualtiero Marchesi. Rather than focusing on himself, Boucuse tells the tale of the evolution of a cultural phenomenon, born from the union of different lives, different experiences, and the realization of their dreams.
The result is a fitting portrait of the great chef and the modern French cooking that he popularized.
Giulio Alberoni is a food writer, professional gastronome, culinary historian, biographer, and author of novels. He lives in Milan, Italy.
Our guest, author Wendy Tyson, likes to write about "determined, gutsy women. Women who aren’t afraid to go after what they want. Women who aren’t afraid to speak up, to laugh, to fight for the underdog, to fall in love. Women who aren’t afraid to live." The heroines of her two mystery series fit that bill: Megan Sawyer of the Greenhouse Mysteries and Alison Campbell of her eponymous series are both memorable characters. In this episode of Milford House Mysteries Co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and Joan West talk to Wendy about her new novel Rooted in Deceit and her other books. We also discuss her move to rural Vermont and whether it's as an idyllic spot for an author as it seems. Wendy Tyson's mystery novels include Killer Image, Deadly Assets, Dying Brand, Fatal Facade, A Muddied Murder, Bitter Harvest, Seeds of Revenge and Rooted in Deceit. Wendy's short stories have appeared in literary journals, and she has short fiction in two anthologies.
Milford House Mysteries Co-hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West (JW West) is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Susan explores the ancient spiritual path, Buddhism, and its role in today's modern age. Guest: Zen Buddhist Nun, Kelsang Chondzin.
Kelsang Chondzin has been practicing Kadampa Buddhism for 14 years under the guidance of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and his senior Teachers. She has been ordained for 12 years. In 2013 she was selected to study on the Special Teachers Training Program held at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Center taught by Gen-la Dekyong, the General Spiritual Director of the New Kadampa Tradition. She is known for her kindness, humor and practical presentation of Buddha’s teachings that are easy to apply in modern daily life.
Karen Severson, M.D., has spent the last twenty years as a Geriatric Psychiatrist wandering the halls of those dreaded destinations called nursing homes. She became mentally exhausted from watching people with Alzheimer's disease decline and suffer. She wrote about the unnecessary suffering caused by doctors, nurses, and families who are on totally different pages regarding end-of-life issues. She realized doctors tend to avoid these conversations and families can remain in extended denial of dementia. This book is intended to help families understand dementia and its associated behaviors in a down to earth manner. Dr. Severson uses a great deal of humor as not to scare people from the subject. She also discusses several other important issues, but mainly how we can better allow families to learn to let go of those with end-stage illness. Dr. Severson hopes to prevent unnecessary and potentially harmful medical interventions as well as allow more geriatric patients to die in peace.
Dr. Michael Barton is Professor Emeritus of American Studies and Social Science at Penn State Harrisburg, where he was also Director of the Center for Pennsylvania Culture Studies. He received his Ph.D. in American Civilization at the University of Pennsylvania in 1974. Barton is known for his writings, both popular and scholarly, on Harrisburg history. His local histories include Life by the Moving Road: An Illustrated History of Greater Harrisburg (American Historical Press, 2009), now in its third edition; Harrisburg’s Old Eighth Ward (Arcadia, 2002), which became the basis for “The Bloody 8th,” an original musical theater production; To a Harmony with Our Souls: A History of Jazz in Central Pennsylvania (Benchmark, 2005), a team project for which he was editor-in-chief; Citizen Extraordinaire: The Diplomatic Diaries of Vance McCormick in London and Paris, 1917-1919 (Stackpole, 2004), which involved over fifty student co-editors; Steelton, a photographic history co-authored with Prof. Simon Bronner; and Bellevue Park: The First Hundred Years, co-edited with Judge Jeannine Turgeon and other residents of that neighborhood. Most recently he and his students have edited Paul Beers’ writings, published as City Contented, City Discontented: A History of Modern Harrisburg. He has recently co-edited As the Paint Dries: The History of the Art Association of Harrisburg, and Along the Bethel Trail: The Journey of an African American Faith Community—Bethel AME Church of Harrisburg, 1835-2015. The digital local history research of Barton and his students can be seen at and . The latter site, an on-going project, shows selections from the multi-volume diary kept from 1830 to 1865 by Charles Rawn, a Harrisburg defense attorney and anti-slavery activist. While in college, Barton won a prize for his stand-up comedy.
Everyone knows the story of Jerry Sandusky, the serial pedophile, the Monster. But what if that story is wrong? What if the former Penn State football coach and founder of the Second Mile is an innocent man convicted in the midst of a moral panic fed by the sensationalistic media, police trawling, and memory-warping psychotherapy? The Most Hated Man in America reads like a true crime psychological thriller and is required reading for everyone from criminologists to sports fans.
“If potential readers are convinced that Jerry Sandusky is guilty, they need to read The Most Hated Man in America. This meticulously researched, provocative, and wonderfully written book by Mark Pendergrast, an enormously important contributor to the repressed memory debate, will certainly make them see another side. Maybe they will think twice.”
-- Elizabeth Loftus, Distinguished Professor of Psychology & Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, author, The Myth of Repressed Memory and other books.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Independent scholar and science writer Mark Pendergrast is the author of many critically acclaimed, deeply researched works of non-fiction, including Memory Warp, The Repressed Memory Epidemic, Victims of Memory, Uncommon Grounds, Inside the Outbreaks, Mirror Mirror, and For God, Country and Coca-Cola, among others. He lives in Vermont and can be reached through his website, www.markpendergrast.com
David Harshada Wagner has been teaching meditation and self-empowerment to people all over the world in all kinds of venues for more than 20 years. Classically trained in the Indian wisdom traditions of Yoga, Bhakti, Vedanta, and Tantric Shaivism, his teachings come from his decades of personal transformation and his experience serving others to find their authentic path to deep happiness.
David serves on the faculties of YogaGlo, Kripalu, and Omega Institutes, and travels widely training teachers and working with people from all walks of life. He is a proponent of “Inner Yoga” and is deeply dedicated to teaching the consciousness expanding, heart-healing practices and teachings of the Indian mystical traditions. His teaching style is bold, dynamic, and unique, approachable to students from all walks of life. He is the author of BACKBONE – the Modern Man’s Ultimate Guide to Purpose Passion and Power, and is currently authoring a book based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. David currently splits his time between his home in Ojai, California and New York City. For more, visit http://davidhwagner.com
Susan continues the conversation about how our loved ones are always with us, angels guiding us, and how we are never alone in the second part of "Messages from the Other Side" with returning guest, Spiritual Counselor, Annemarie Heckert.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
In today's podcast, Joan and Sherry interview Robert Walton about the latest in his Harry Thursday series, Wish to Die. When Robert appeared on the Milford House Mysteries podcast a few months ago, he told us about his upcoming new release. Now that Wish to Die has hit the bookshelves, we asked him back to tell us about this new thriller. Set partly in modern-day Greece, with a rollicking plot that involves World War II, Nazis and the famous Amber Room of Russia, we can't wait to hear more about Walton's new thriller. Please join us for the podcast.
The Final Years of Hazelton Saint Gabriel's Basketball
In the spirit of the movie Hoosiers, Trumpet Call to Victorytells the story of a small parochial high school located in the Pennsylvania coalfields that reached the summit of basketball glory in the late 1960s. Glorious victories and heartbreaking defeats are chronicled on Saint Gabriel’s path to capturing multiple state championships. Unsung heroes and scholastic superstars take center stage during what, in the last five years of the school’s existence, can only be described as a ‘golden age.' The feats of the greatest player in the region’s history are chronicled as is the beginning of a career for a coach who arranged to have a young Bobby Knight address his state championship team at the school’s sports banquet. That coach, Richard “Digger” Phelps, recently recalled his first head coaching job in a tweet which read, “St. Gabes was my first step to ND. They made it happen.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JOE FARLEY was born and raised in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the last class to graduate from Hazleton Saint Gabriel’s High School where he demonstrated his academic prowess by graduating thirty-seventh in his class of forty. While attending Saint Gabriel’s, Mr. Farley was the starting point guard on the school’s 1970 state championship basketball team. He then attended Bloomsburg State University where, after four dimly remembered years, he graduated with a degree in education.
Dennis M. Clausen was born and raised in a Minnesota small town near the South Dakota border. His early years on the prairie provided the inspiration for his novels and other literary works that chronicle the struggles of these small towns to survive in modern America. In addition to writing and publishing since the early 1980s, he has been a professor of American literature and screenwriting at the University of San Diego for forty-six years. Currently, he is working with Sunbury Press on several literary projects. The Search for Judd McCarthy and The Sins of Rachel Sims, novels that feature the fictional character Ned Finley’s research into early-life and other human memories, are scheduled for publication in early summer of 2018. The Accountant’s Apprentice, a novel set in San Diego at a time when the homeless population was increasing dramatically, is scheduled for publication in October of 2018. My Christmas Attic, the story of a young boy struggling with dyslexia and the loss of his father in the Korean War, will be published in late November of 2018.
Chicken Bone Beach: A Pictorial History of Atlantic City's Missouri Avenue Beach
Cheryl Woodruff-Brooks has compiled this history of Atlantic City's racially segregated beach during its heyday from the 1920s through the 1960s and the residents who lived on the Northside near the established Missouri Avenue Beach. Included are images, research, and oral interviews of Atlantic City residents. Despite racial division in America, Chicken Bone Beach functioned as an African-American resort attracting celebrities, civic leaders, and other races.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cheryl Woodruff-Brooks is a legislative assistant with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives who recently completed her Masters of Arts in American Studies at Pennsylvania State University. Cheryl’s passion for writing began as a child and won her a Martha Holden Jennings Essay Scholarship in high school and another essay scholarship from the National Black MBA Association while pursuing her Masters from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Cheryl is also a professional vocalist, writing songs for her own music projects as well as other artists. Cheryl was featured in Currents Magazine (PSU Alumni Magazine). Spring/Summer 2016 issue, discussing the exhibit of Chicken Bone Beach photographs.and the history of the beach.Cheryl resides in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania with her husband and son.
Have you ever thought about the critical role of an editor when you're reading a book? Podcast hosts Joan West and Sherry Knowlton both like to think that they write the perfect manuscript for each of their novels. But, truth be told, our editors not only dot the I's and cross the T's but make sure the story works in so many other ways. In this episode we're going to look behind the curtain at how an editor helps authors polish and perfect their novels with guest, Jennifer Cappello, Managing Editor at Sunbury Press. Tune in to hear Jen give us the inside scoop on what it's like to be a book editor -- and manage a staff of other editors - at a publishing house.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
When a ninety-five-year-old World War II veteran from Utah agrees to reveal the untold details of his wartime experiences to a pediatrician from Brooklyn, an intense bond is formed between the two men, each of whom is taken on an unexpected journey in search of the truth.
Dreams of My Comrades chronicles the life of Murray Jacobs, a former Navy Seabee, who served in the Pacific Theater and was treated for PTSD until his death at the age of ninety-eight. He agreed to a series of interviews, under the strict conditions that his real name could not be used, and the details of the conversations could not be disclosed to anyone until after he was dead.
Murray’s story is not one of heroism, nor does he portray himself as heroic in his narrative. In the course of his dialogue with the author, Murray confesses to wartime atrocities the likes of which have never before been heard. Despite his advanced age, his recollections are entirely lucid, and he describes the events of his life in vivid detail. As the conversations progress, however, the author comes to recognize the challenges involved in trying to depict history based on the account of a single elderly man. Discrepancies lead to doubts, doubts lead to disbelief, disbelief leads to investigation, and after exhausting all possible avenues of research, unanswered questions linger and tantalize. This is a unique story, one that will not only appeal to connoisseurs of history but to anyone interested in the psychology of the human condition. It is unlike any narrative ever told about a veteran of the Second World War.
In this episode of Milford House Mysteries, Joan and Sherry will discuss some of the key elements of a mystery or suspense novel. Plot, character, red herrings, plot twists and more. Join us to hear our view of important components of mystery and suspense that grab readers and keep them on the edge of their seats. J. M. West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series at CarlisleCrimesCases.com. Sherry Knowlton writes the Alexa Williams suspense series -- www.sherryknowlton.com
The Sunbury Press Author's Interview with Van Carter
Van Carter interviews author Lawrence Knorr about Gettysburg Eddie: The Story of Eddie Plank.
Who is the winningest left-handed pitcher in Philadelphia baseball history? Who is the winningest left-handed pitcher in American League history? Who is third in wins all-time among left-handed starters? Who threw more shutouts than any left-handed pitcher in baseball history? Few know the answer is Edward Stewart Plank, also known as "Gettysburg" Eddie.
Born in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, only a dozen years after the bloody Civil War battle, Eddie grew up on a farm and was a late-bloomer. By his early twenties, he was a local star on the town ball team and enrolled in the Gettysburg Academy in order to pitch for the Gettysburg College team. Soon after, Connie Mack from the Philadelphia Athletics in the newly-formed American League came calling and the rest is history.
Eddie Plank was the mainstay of Connie Mack's early success from 1901 through 1914. Plank's unorthodox delivery and pinpoint control brought him consistent results. While others out-pitched him during individual seasons, "Steady-Eddie" provided Mack excellence year after year while others came and went.
Gettysburg Eddie chronicles the life of this clean-living baseball superstar who worked hard, saved his money, and was always the perfect gentleman. Said Mack upon hearing of Eddie's premature death in 1926, "I feel like a father must feel who has lost a son."
Brown Posey Press Show
Robert Eggleton is Tory's guest.
Robert Eggleton has served as a children's advocate in an impoverished state for over forty years. He is best known for his investigative reports about children's programs, most of which were published by the West Virginia Supreme Court where he worked from 1982 through 1997, and which also included publication of models of serving disadvantaged and homeless children in the community instead of in large institutions, research into foster care drift involving children bouncing from one home to the next -- never finding a permanent loving family, and statistical reports on the occurrence and correlates of child abuse and delinquency. Today, he is a recently retired children's psychotherapist from the mental health center in Charleston, West Virginia, where he specialized in helping victims cope with and overcome physical and sexual abuse, and other mental health concerns. Rarity from the Hollow is his debut novel and its release followed publication of three short Lacy Dawn Adventures in magazines: Wingspan Quarterly, Beyond Centauri, and Atomjack Science Fiction. Author proceeds have been donated to a child abuse prevention program operated by Children's Home Society of West Virginia. http://www.childhswv.org/ Robert continues to write fiction with new adventures based on a protagonist that is a composite character of children that he met when delivering group therapy services. The overall theme of his stories remains victimization to empowerment.
This episode's guest, Matty Dalrymple bills her novels as suspense with a hint of the supernatural. She has just released the latest in her Lizzy Ballard thriller series, Snakes and Ladders. and the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers Rock Paper Scissors and Snakes and Ladders. The first in that series is Rock Paper Scissors. Dalrymple also writes the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels The Sense of Death and The Sense of Reckoning, the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts, including Close These Eyes and May Violets Spring. discussShe's a strong advocate for independent publishing and has established her own imprint to publish her work.
Milford House Mysteries Hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Milford House Mysteries Show
Mystery authors Sherry Knowlton and Joan West talk about an aspect of the art of writing mysteries in this episode called Detective Fiction.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Detective Fiction is one of the most widely-read types of popular fiction. From its beginnings in the stories of Edgar Allen Poe and Agatha Christie, the art of the mystery novel has evolved to encompass a wide range of genres and subgenres. What's the difference between a cozy and noir? What makes a thriller a thriller?
Join Joan and Sherry for this episode of the Milford House Mystery Show, Detective Fiction.
The Brown Posey Press Show hosted by Tory Gates
Tory talks to author Catherine Jordan about her literary fiction activities with PCCA and her other projects.
Susan uncovers the process of "finding yourself" and how that can lead to personal liberation and joy. Guest: Sarah Bamford Seidelmann.
Sarah Bamford Seidelmann is the author of Swimming with Elephants and Born to FREAK: a Salty Primer for Irrepressible Humans. She was a physician living a nature-starved, hectic lifestyle until a walrus entered her life and changed everything. She has trained at the Martha Beck Institute and Michael Harner’s Foundation for Shamanic Studies. She lives in northern Minnesota. For more, visit followyourfeelgood.com.
Jerry Dorsman is coauthor How to Achieve Peace of Mind: A Practical Guide. Before retiring in 2017, he worked at a mental health clinic for 28 years counseling clients with mental health and addiction disorders. His first book, How to Quit Drinking Without AA, became a recovery bestseller which has sold more than 125,000 copies to date. Jerry is also the author of How to Quit Drugs for Good and a contributing author of Live Longer while Feeling Younger: A Guide to Health and Happiness as We Age.
An expert on addiction treatment and stress-management techniques, Jerry has appeared on more than 140 radio and TV shows in the U.S. and Canada. He has written numerous articles on stress management, addiction treatment, and mental health topics that have appeared in local newspapers and various magazines with national circulations.
Bob Davis, M.A., is coauthor How to Achieve Peace of Mind: A Practical Guide. He has taught yoga in north Delaware since 1971. He has also worked as a stress management therapist with chronically mentally ill adults and sexually abused teenagers.
Bob has been nominated for two Pushcart Prizes, and received three Delaware Division of the Arts grants for his writing. He was a fiction semifinalist in the William Faulkner Creative Writing Contest in 2002 and 2012, and a creative nonfiction winner in 2013. His writing has appeared in Yoga Journal, The Sun, Santa Monica Review, and elsewhere. Bob helps direct the Delaware Literary Connection, a nonprofit serving writers in Delaware and surrounding areas. He is a member of the Delaware Artist Roster, and has given writing workshops and readings in the Mid-Atlantic States. Bob was editor of the first edition of How to Quit Drinking Without AA.
Milford House Mysteries Show
Mystery authors Sherry Knowlton and Joan West talk about an aspect of the art of writing mysteries in this episode called Detective Fiction.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Detective Fiction is one of the most widely-read types of popular fiction. From its beginnings in the stories of Edgar Allen Poe and Agatha Christie, the art of the mystery novel has evolved to encompass a wide range of genres and subgenres. What's the difference between a cozy and noir? What makes a thriller a thriller?
Join Joan and Sherry for this episode of the Milford House Mystery Show, Detective Fiction.
The Brown Posey Press Show hosted by Tory Gates
Tory talks to poet Stefan May about his book "Roadman" and his new upcoming work.
Jose Johnson has been described as a modern-day renaissance man. Jose is an internationally recognized martial and energy arts master, as well as a musician, teacher, entrepreneur, speaker, composer and change merchant. Jose’s passion is to empower others to create the transformation that they seek in their lives through an innovative and integrated approach that he calls “Tai Chi for Transformation.” This unique approach combines the yin and yang natures of the ancient and the modern; the intellectual and physical; the spiritual and scientific into a unified method for self-development.
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Jose currently owns and operates Jose Johnson’s Chinese Martial Arts & Wellness Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He is also the founder of Integrated Wellness Consultants and in 2017 established the Personal Mastery and Growth online academy.
GENETICS CHRONICLES - I
The city of London is beginning to rebuild from the ashes of the Third World War. Ruled by the fascist Libertas Party, the city is a desolate landscape of crime, corruption, and illegal genetic modification that turn humans into animalistic mods. Ineffectually policed, mods blend into normal society by day and rule the ruins beyond the city limits at night. People frequently go missing in this world, and those who want to survive must close their eyes to the crimes committed on their streets.
Within the city lives Liane, a girl trained since childhood to be an unfeeling, unthinking killing machine known as an Agent. Beautiful and deadly, Liane exists in a world of constant surveillance and brutality, living only to carry out the orders of the all-powerful Agency. This secret government organization enforces the laws of Libertas, killing anyone who threatens the tenuous peace within the country. Liane’s only human contact comes in the form of her Handler, Damian, who demands perfect obedience from her and desires for them to be far more than Agent and Handler. Chafing under the rules of the Agency, Liane secretly longs for a normal life and steals away to the ruins to spend time with the mods.
But when mods begin to turn up murdered and mutilated around the city, Liane finds herself wanting to help protect the people who have been her only friends. Working alongside Seth, a young police officer on the Genetic Modification Task Force, Liane defies her Handler in an effort to find the killers. Together, Liane and Seth weave their way through the dark world of cyberpunk London, following whispers of the next genetic advancement known as the Titan Strain.
After living and working in New York for six years, in 2001 Georgia returned to Europe and settled in Barcelona. There she started editing commercials for clients such as Citroen, Audi and Nescafe. Later she started to commute between Barcelona, Zurich and Berlin where she has been editing features and documentaries. The most recent works include a family feature film “Ozzie” and the swiss TV documentary “Sixtina” directed by Andres Brütsch. In 2005 the opportunity arose to work with Isabel Coixet editing promotional pieces for Woman’secret and later that year edited the trailer and did additional editing on her feature “The Secret Life of Words”.
In 2006 she edited the feature documentary “A crude Awakening, the Oil Crash” directed by Ray McCormack and Basil Gelpke which has been shown in over 35 film festivals around the world and has won 5 in the best documentary category. In 2008 Georgia was accepted by the European Film Academy to take part in the Master Class “The Cutting Edge” held in Beriln and led by Editor, Hervé Schneid.
Her newest film, Mantra - Sounds into Silence, is a documentary that explores the new music and social phenomenon of chanting.
Born Tsiphuneah M. Becker, her friends and family call her "Steph." Always a fan of second breakfasts, hobbits, and Grimm’s fairy tales, she spent her childhood afternoons buried in a book or acting out scenes from her imagination in the woods beside her house.
?In high school, she discovered theater and began a recording of The Hobbit for her younger siblings, complete with different voices for each character.
Today, T.M. Becker lives in South Central Pennsylvania with her husband and nine children "in a log house full of books, soccer gear, and perpetually mismatched socks."
BookSpeak Network
Milford House Mysteries Show
Mystery authors Sherry Knowlton and Joan West interview mystery author Beverly Connor.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Their guest, Beverly Connor, an archeologist and author of six mysteries in each of two different series: the Lindsay Chamberlain mysteries (A Rumor of Bones, Skeleton Crew,Questionable Remains, etc.) and the more recent Diane Fallon Investigations (One Grave Less: a Forensic Investigation). Connor also published The Poplar Creek Murders in collaboration with her husband, Charles.
Blending Southern culture and a quick wit with her knowledge of bones, Connor weaves stories about buried history. Her novels unearth tales of dark deeds her heroines bring to light and expose the criminals who would keep those secrets hidden.
Author Jess Steven Hughes of the Britannia Romanus series of novels is interviewed.
Jess Steven Hughes brought his lifetime's fascination with ancient Roman history into his debut novel, THE SIGN OF THE EAGLE. The fascination continues as this has become part of a chain of books called, The Britannia Romanus series. This includes: The Wolf of Britannia, Part I and Part II. Another historical novel, The Broken Lance, set in Roman Britain and Imperial Rome, which debuted July 2017, is the first book of a duo-logy that will include The Peace Keeper, scheduled for release in 2018.
Jess is a retired a police detective sergeant, Long Beach Police Dept, Long Beach, CA. He holds a Masters Degree from the University of Southern California in Public Administration with a minor (my first academic love) in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations. He also served four years United States Marine Corps (1962/66).
Susan explores the process of conscious dreaming. Guest: Sunbury Press author, Anna-Karin Bjorlund.
Anna-Karin Bjorklund is a freelance writer, storyteller, dream teacher, author, and inspirational speaker. She holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology, a bachelor’s degree in tourism management, and has an extensive international background in business, mindfulness, and personal growth. Anna-Karin is an active member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams where she serves as Board Director, Secretary of the Board and Executive Officer. She is also a visiting specialist with Miraval Life in Balance Spa at Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point.
An internationally renowned expert in the field of dream psychology, she is the author of two books: The Dream Alchemist; and Dream Guidance. With appearances on the Steve Harvey TV Show, NBC, and Fox News, and media interviews in magazines, such as Orange Coast Magazine, Marie Claire UK, Women’s Running Magazine, and Money Magazine, she loves sharing her passion for soul growth and connection – with ourselves, and people around us.
To learn more about Anna-Karin, click here.
BookSpeak Network
Milford House Mysteries Show
Mystery authors Sherry Knowlton and Joan West kick interview mystery author Donald Deqey.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Their guest, Donald Dewey, has written some 40 books of fiction and nonfiction, as well as contributed scores of stories to magazines and other periodicals. He has also had some 30 plays staged in Europe and the United States. Donald's awards include those named after Nelson Algren and the Actors Studio. Dewey is a widower with one son and lives in Jamaica, New York. At one point he lived in Europe for 14 years, writing screenplays and working for the Italian news agency ANSA. Dewey was editor of the ASME-award winning magazine Attenzione and was editorial director of the East-West Network, overseeing a dozen in-flight magazines and the PBS organ Dial. He has also been a theater critic for WNYC in New York and spends far too much time for his health watching the Mets.
Susan delves into communication with those who have passed on. Guest: Annemarie Heckert, Spiritual Counselor.
?To learn more about Annemarie, visit her website.
A well-respected chef in New York City has decided to fulfill a lifelong dream, to open a restaurant that is devoted entirely to "eggy" creations in the smart Wall Street area of the City. Working with an inspired architect, John erects his restaurant in the shape of a Fabergé egg, modeled after those remarkable masterpieces that were offered each year by the Czar to his beloved wife in the years leading up to the Russian Revolution. Fabergé Restaurant becomes 'the' destination for the wealthiest of NYC clients, but it's also the place where a plan is Hatched by three former college roommates to counterfeit billions of dollars and shake the United States economy to its very yolk. A rollicking novel filled with intrigue, passion and voluptuous egg recipes, Hatched is a sumptuous treat.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Robert Barsky paid some of his college bills by working in restaurants in Cape Cod and Montreal, and after graduating he moved to Switzerland to pursue a career in skiing, supporting himself by working in an upscale hotel bar. He now enjoys cooking for his wife and his college-aged children, and writing about language, literature and revolution. He is the author of eight books, including biographies of Noam Chomsky and Zellig Harris. This is his first novel, and he is excited (egg-cited?) to work on the next one.
David Newman is a renowned sacred chant master, recording artist, singer/songwriter, best-selling author, and inspirational teacher. David, also known as Durga Das, travels extensively sharing his music, and teachings on the path of love as a vehicle for spiritual awakening. He has released numerous CDs, and is the author of The Timebound Traveler. David is also the founder of the Stay Strong Project and Yoga On Main. He has been featured on NPR, and in The Washington Post and Yoga Journal among many others. David lives with his family just outside of Philadelphia. To learn more about David, visit his website.
Milford House Mysteries Show
Mystery authors Sherry Knowlton and Joan West talk about an aspect of the art of writing mysteries in this episode called Grounding Fiction in Fact.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Readers may not always appreciate the amount of research that mystery novelists often have to do for their books. After all, it’s fiction, right?
In reality, a lot of fiction must be grounded in fact. Many mystery novels require a significant amount of research to make the story as accurate as possible and credible to readers. This type of research can span a gamut of sources from books, newspaper articles, and internet sources to interviews with experts in various fields to hands-on author experience.
In this episode of the Milford House Mystery Show, Sherry and Joan discuss their own research techniques and how they’ve tackled accuracy in topics as varied as police crime scene procedures, sex trafficking, Revolutionary War battles, Woodstock, and fracking.
BookSpeak Network
Milford House Mysteries Show
Mystery authors Sherry Knowlton and Joan West kick interview mystery author Robert Walton.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Their guest, Robert Walton, grew up in the small multi-cultural village of Narberth in the Main Line region of Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Armed with a degree in Archaeology from Penn State University, Bob has worked tirelessly over the years to live up to his father’s expectations. Having failed at that, he has traveled the world in search of the true meaning of life. Still, this has not stopped him from pursuing a career in writing that began in 2007 when he joined Pennwriters and The International Thriller Writers.
Robert's first novel, Fatal Snow, initiated his Harry Thursday archaeological detective series. His second novel The Mask of Minos /Bruno's Inferno, extends the story of Harry Thursday in a quest to solve the riddle of the Mask of Minos. Still more Harry Thursday stories are forthcoming. He is also working on a science fiction novel that more directly questions the meaning of life.
BookSpeak Network
Brown Posey Press Show
Host Tory Gates interviews author Sharon Marchisello, the author of the novel "Going Home."
Michelle DePalma expected to jet into Two Wells, Texas, check on her elderly mother, and hurry back to her orderly life in Atlanta, where she has a happy marriage and satisfying career. Instead, she finds her mother, Lola Hanson, hovered over the bludgeoned body of her caregiver, Brittany Landers.
Since the events of 9/11, one month earlier, Lola's memory loss has amplified, and the family suspects Alzheimer's. Now Lola can’t tell anyone what happened to Brittany.
The agency that provides home care for Lola promptly withdraws its services. Michelle is stuck in her home town longer than planned as she cares for a mother with whom she has never been close and tries to prove her innocence. The police officers who investigate the crime are old antagonists from grade school. A secret thought to be long buried—that Michelle bore a son out of wedlock and gave him up for adoption—surfaces when a surprise daughter-in-law and granddaughter show up, distracting Michelle from her quest to solve the murder. And then she stumbles upon a motive which makes Lola look even more guilty.
Going Home was inspired by the author's mother's battle with Alzheimer's and explores the challenge of solving a murder mystery when a potential witness cannot rely on her memory. Written from the perspective of a baby boomer forced to reverse roles with her parents, it crosses into the mainstream genre of women's fiction and touches increasingly common issues such as elder abuse and end-of-life decisions.
BookSpeak Network
Sunbury Press Books Show
Lawrence Knorr hosts author Mike Campbell about his book Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last.
About the Book:
Nearly everything the American public has seen, read and heard in the media for nearly eighty years about the so-called Amelia Earhart mystery is intentionally false or inadvertently misleading. The widely accepted myth that the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan during their ill-fated world-flight attempt in July 1937 is among the greatest aviation mysteries of the 20th century is an abject lie, the result of decades of government propaganda that continues unabated to this day.
The Second Edition of Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last adds two chapters, a new foreword, rarely seen photos, and the most recent discoveries and analysis to the mountain of overwhelming witness testimony and documentation presented in the first edition of Truth at Last. The result is the most compelling, comprehensive presentation of the indisputable facts that reveal the stark truth about the Marshall Islands and Saipan presence and deaths of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan – a tragic story that American’s ruling class still doesn’t want the public to know, for reasons revealed in Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last.
Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last dismantles and debunks the popular theories that Amelia Earhart's Electra crashed and sank off Howland Island on July 2, 1937, or landed at Gardner Island, now Nikumaroro, where the suddenly helpless fliers died of starvation on an island teeming with food sources.
BookSpeak Network
Sunbury Press Books Show
Lawrence Knorr hosts JIm Remsen author of the Civil War-era history Embattled Freedom.
About the Book:
Chronicle of a Fugitive-Slave Haven in the Wary North
Rural Northeastern Pennsylvania was a bucolic farming region in the 1800s—but political tensions churned below the surface. When a group of fugitive slaves dared to settle in the Underground Railroad village of Waverly, near Scranton, before the Civil War, they encountered a mix of support from abolitionists and animosity from white supremacists. Once the war came, 13 of Waverly’s black fathers and sons returned south, into the bowels of slavery, to fight for the Union. Their valor under fire helped to change many minds about blacks. Embattled Freedom lifts these 13 remarkable lives out of the shadows, while also shedding light on the racial politics and social codes they and their people endured in the divided North. The men had found a safe haven in Waverly, but like other people of color in the 1800s and early 1900s, their freedom was uneasy, their battle for respect never-ending.
Please visit the author’s website, www.jimremsen.com.
BookSpeak Network
Sunbury Press Books Show
Lawrence Knorr hosts author and Vietnam veteran Van Carter whose memoir R.E.M.F. has been released.
About the Book:
Nine out of ten of all US military personnel who served the Vietnam War did not fight. Instead, they served in support of those who did. They were postal workers, military police, guards, office clerks, mechanics, cooks, and drivers. Very few of their stories have ever been told. Van Carter was an Iowa boy who was sent to Vietnam as an infantry lieutenant, but who instead served as one of these rear echelon personnel. He discovered the other side of Vietnam, the side where all these people lived who worked in support of the soldiers in the field. He saw rampant drug use, prostitution and a huge racial divide between black and white American soldiers. He saw the absurdity of poor leadership, bad planning and even worse implementation of America’s war effort. He saw how everything and everyone became corrupted in Vietnam. And he, himself, succumbed to this all-pervasive corruption. He smoked dope, visited an authentic opium den, enabled some of the prostitution, openly defied authority, and made new rules he still hopes saved many from life-long addictions to heroin. And he fell in love. These are his recollections.
BookSpeak Network
Sunbury Press Books Show
Lawrence Knorr hosts author and Vietnam veteran Charles Kniffen whoseFifty Years in a Foxhole has been released.
About the Book:
Fifty Years in a Foxhole is an episodic account of the author's seven months in combat in Vietnam. He and his platoon were in several major engagements including the Battle of the Hills and Operation Utah. The main focus of these operations are the lives of the marines and attrition through action and "friendly fire" as they endure these pointless dangers.
Each chapter contains two parts, and the second part is about the author's fifty years of living with undiagnosed PTSD. He struggled to find a way to live in the thrall of the existential elan he developed in combat while insisting that this edgy verve could be enjoyed without the constant threat of fear, violence, and death. It explores PTSD from a new perspective, more as a shared betrayal with many other people in our society.
Charles Kniffen is a combat wounded veteran of the Vietnam war.
BookSpeak Network
Milford House Mysteries Show
Mystery authors Sherry Knowlton and Joan West kick interview mystery author Alma Bond.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Their guest, Dr. Alma H. Bond is the author of twenty-one published books, including, most recently, Marilyn Monroe: On the Couch, Jackie: On the Couch, Lady Macbeth: On the Couch; Michelle Obama: A Biography; The Autobiography of Maria Callas; Margaret Mahler: A Biography of the Psychoanalyst; Camille Claude: A Novel; America’s First Woman Warrior: The Story of Deborah Sampson; and Who Killed Virginia Woolf? A Psychobiography. With Milford House Press, she has published Three Mary Wells Psychiatrist Mysteries: The Deadly Jigsaw Puzzle, Murder on the Streetcar, and Who Killed Marcia Maynard?
A longtime resident of New York City, she lived for nearly a dozen years in south Florida, and now resides in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Kyle Alexander Romines is a teller of tales from the hills of Kentucky. Kyle discovered a passion for writing after graduating high school, which resulted in the completion of three novel length manuscripts before The Keeper of the Crows. These fledgling attempts at writing taught him a great deal, and since writing Keeper he has worked to continue honing his skills. He hopes to continue writing as long as he has stories to tell. His titles include:
The Keeper of the Crows
The Whispers of the Crows (coming soon)
The Vengeance of the Crows (coming soon)
Salvation
The Chrononaut
A Sound in the Dark
Bride
BookSpeak Network
Milford House Mysteries Show
Mystery authors Sherry Knowlton and Joan West kick off their show with an interview of publisher Lawrence Knorr.
Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.
Their guest, Lawrence Knorr, is the owner of Sunbury Press, Inc. which publishes under six imprints including Milford House Press.
BookSpeak Network
Sunbury Press Books Show
Lawrence Knorr hosts authors Jake Gronsky and David Bohner whose "A Short Season" has been released and has climbed to #1 in its category on Amazon.
About the Book:
A Short Season: Faith, Family, and a Boy's Love for Baseball
In A Short Season: Faith, Family, and a Boy's Love for Baseball, Dave Bohner, the story’s narrator and Grandfather to Josiah, and Jake Gronsky, former professional baseball player with the St. Louis Cardinals organization, tell the powerful story of Josiah Viera’s fight for life that not only sparked a family's journey towards healing but inspired a generation of baseball players from one of the most historic organizations in Major League Baseball.
A Short Season is a story of hope; a story of acceptance; and a story of faith based on the idea that sometimes a person’s only journey to peace is first trekked through pain. A Short Season is a family’s journey through sorrow and joy, it is a baseball team’s inspiration, and it is the story of one exceptional child’s ray of hope that changed all of their lives forever.
BookSpeak Network
Hellbender Books Show
Keith Rommel hosts legendary author Brahm Stroker who hasn't been in the public eye in decades. His new novel Rated Z, a new series, is scheduled to hit shelves April 1, 2018. Book One: Money Shot will be followed quickly by Book Two: Roadkill Jesus summer 2018.
About Money Shot:
Stars Dick Shooter and Bunny Hole are in the midst of making their latest film when everyone starts getting sick and the world goes to hell. Join these anti-heroes as they set out to save those they love, only to face one trial after another. Ultimately, their trail leads them to the biggest church in Oklahoma for an unforgettable climax.
Amazon: https://goo.gl/N6iksb
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
"Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton meet Beavis and Butthead in this ridiculous raucous romp -- totally politically incorrect dark humor," -- A Literary Critic
"So this is what you really get when you drag a hundred dollar bill through a trailer park!" -- A Political Commentator
"I laughed my ass off!" -- Enna Ma
"I nearly pissed my pants!" -- I P Dailey
"Is the author any relation to Bram Stoker?" -- nitwit social media post
"Required reading in all of my prison camps!" -- Rocket Man
"Clearly the coda of the zombie craze - thank the Lord and pass me my Kindle!" -- Another Literary Critic
BookSpeak Network
Hellbender Books Show
Lawrence Knorr hosts author and screenwriter Keith Rommel. Keith is best known for his Thanatology series of Psychological Thrillers including The Cursed Man, The Lurking Man, The Sinful Man, and the Silent Woman. He is also the author of the supernatural thrillers The Devil Tree and The Devil Tree II. The Cursed Man and The Lurking Man have already been filmed by movie production companies and are awaiting release.
BookSpeak Network
Sunbury Press Books Show
Lawrence Knorr hosts authors Joe Farrell and Joe Farley -- "The Joes" -- who are best-known for their Keystone Tombstones and Gotham Graves series of books about famous people and their grave locations. Today, the Joes discuss their upcoming book Murders, Massacres, and Mayhem in the Mid-Atlantic as well as their Graves of Our Founders project.
The authors have combed the Mid-Atlantic region, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, and Washington, DC, to write about and visit the graves of some of the most horrendous murders, massacres, and calamities in our nation's history. Included in the volume: Mollie MaguiresLattimer MassacreHerman MudgettJohnstown FloodPhiladelphia SinnersHarry ThawBabes in the WoodsFlight 93Kelayres MassacreMary MeyerTitanicMalcolm XMary MallonNY MobTriangle Factory FireAlexander Hamilton & BurrJoe PetrosinoAnthony WayneJack JablonskiMenendez MurdersLincoln AssassinsRhoads Opera House FireGeneral Slocum Disaster
BookSpeak Network
Sunbury Press Books Show
Lawrence Knorr hosts author and Vietnam veteran Joe Fair. Joe's best-selling book Call Sign Dracula has just been released on audio and has sold well in paperback and ebook formats. Joe was a member of the Black Scarves of the Big Red One.
Call Sign Dracula provides an outstanding, valuable and worthy in-depth look into the life of a US Army Infantry soldier serving with the famed 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One) in Vietnam. It is a genuine, firsthand account of a one-year tour that shows how a soldier grew and matured from an awkward, bewildered, inexperienced, eighteen-year-old country “bumpkin” from Kentucky to a tough, battle-hardened, fighting soldier.
You will laugh, cry and stand in awe at the true life experiences shared in this memoir. The awfulness of battle, fear beyond description, the sorrow and anguish of losing friends, extreme weariness, the dealing with the scalding sun, torrential rain, cold, heat, humidity, insects and the daily effort just to maintain sanity were struggles faced virtually every day. And yet, there were the good times. There was the coming together to laugh, joke, and share stories from home. There were the warmth and compassion shown by men to each other in such an unreal environment. You will see where color, race or where you were from had no bearing on the tight-knit group of young men that was formed from the necessity to survive. What a “bunch” they were!
... then the return to home and all the adjustments and struggles to once again fit into a world that was now strange and uncomfortable.
Call Sign Dracula is an excellent and genuine memoir of an infantry soldier in the Vietnam War.