The Independent Author: Recent Episodes
Tom Kranz
Author Tom Kranz talks about writing, the creative process, books and audiobooks, with self-published and traditionally published authors.
Dr. Hankus Netsky has devoted his life to researching, documenting, and performing Klezmer music. It is traditional Jewish music with roots in Eastern Europe, introduced to the United States in the 20th century. Klezmer was a signature element of Yiddish theater in New York and Philadelphia and is a mainstay of many Jewish celebrations. Dr. Netsky talks about his own history as a kid in a predominantly black Philadelphia neighborhood, where he played in jazz and blues bands before beginning the search for his own musical roots. His book, Klezmer: Music and Community in 20th Century Jewish Philadelphia, is available on Amazon
Dan Parr's faith came to him early, but it took him a while to go with it. He became a believer in earnest after reading the Bible. Today, Dan is a successful voice artist who has gone through the Bible, line by line, and rewritten it in everyday, easier-to-read English. He hopes it'll bring more people to God, especially Gen Z-ers.
Author Susen Edwards wrote a memoir on behalf of a woman whose troubled life took her into and out of three bad marriages, addiction, a Kenyan prison, and the global drug trade. As an author, Susen was committed to writing a true account of the subject's life while being careful not to invade the privacy of some of the principals. A fascinating tale of a true story written by a skillful writer who endured the same emotional roller coaster as her subject.
Podcasts have come a long way since the early 2000s. There's a podcast for every interest and many come in video form. It's easier than ever to do your own podcast for very little money. Tom Kranz has it all in this episode celebrating International Podcast Day 2025.
Kim Curry spent 30 years as a Top 40 radio DJ in markets across America, mostly in Miami at Power 96 and Y100. His air persona, Kid Curry, was synonymous with radio stardom of the 70s, 80s and 90s. Then, things changed forever with a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis at age 50. But life goes on and the Kid is still in charge.
During his 25 years working for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Deric Gilliard dealt with a lot of change under five different presidents. But it was his four years with the first Trump administration that threw the most obstacles in the path of his agency's mission to promote the health and welfare of Americans. His book The Longest Four Years of My Life examines his career in detail.
Nu-Blu has been a bluegrass institution for 22 years. With Daniel and Carolyn Routh at the helm, the band has recorded seven albums and toured the world. The Rouths also have stakes in two iconic businesses in their hometown of Siler City, North Carolina. Thus, their music brings their hometown sensibilities to audiences everywhere. We hear music from their latest album, Where You've Been, and Carolyn's remarkable story of surviving two strokes and learning to play the bass as part of her recovery.
Percussionist Brad Dutz doesn't just play drums, marimba and vibraphone. He plays pots, pans, artillery shells, saw blades and cookie tins. Brad has collected hundreds or traditional and non-traditional instruments at his Percussion Ranch in Kelso, WA and he's busy playing and recording his work every day.
Cheri Carandanis's career as a nurse came to a screeching halt in 2019 after a car accident left her with a traumatic brain injury. The cognitive and physical disabilities that resulted left her unable to do her life's work.
"I could not trust my brain," she recalls. "And so I, I retired my license, and that was tough."
How would she recover? How would she move forward? During her rehab, one doctor suggested she get a coloring book.
"So I did, and I hated it. It was horrible. I ripped up the book. And I think I was just in that moment, like, you are handing me a coloring book and like, literally, you're telling me this is my life now?"
But then she watched a YouTube video of a woman painting on a large canvas. "I'm like, she's painting her feelings. She's not painting a house. She's not painting a bird. She's not painting the ocean. She's painting her feelings, and my intuition kicked in, and it was like, you need to do that."
Six years later, Cheri's paintings are magnificent and selling for thousands of dollars. She's living a life she never imagined. Check out our inspiring conversation!
carandanisfineart.com
Instagram and Facebook: @carandanisfineart
Watch the video
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A lifelong curiosity about how things work led John Kamal to earn a master's degree in mechanical engineering, which led to Career #1 as an aerospace engineer, Career #2 as a supply chain software innovator and Career #3 as a public school teacher. And then, there's the accordion.
John's creativity has been written in all these venues and it's still going strong. Hear about his invention that showed up in the movie The Martian and his thoughts on teaching STEM in American public schools at a time when homegrown talent in science and technology is sorely needed.
Watch the video
Science Leadership Academy, Philadelphia School District
The full Rube Goldberg project video
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As a young man in the east African nation of Rwanda, Cedric Muhikira was interested in construction and went to college to become a civil engineer. But he knew that to reach the pinnacle of success in that field, he had to study and practice in the United States. He emigrated in 2019, just in time for the COVID pandemic. And while his growth as an American was put on hold during that time, things blossomed for Cedric in 2021. He is now a civil engineer for a consulting firm supervising the proper use of construction materials. He is also back in school getting a degree in concete technology. As the number 2 building material in the world second only to water, concrete is a $600 billion industry. He hopes one day to take his expertise back to his home country.
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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Amobi Miracle Moses Eche wants to be an engineer when he grows up. But right now, he's a prolific author at age 13, having written his third novel, The Busted Tire. With the solid support of his mother, Moses is a middle school honor student with lots of ideas to write about. He's written two short children's books followed by The Busted Tire, a story about a man who loses his way in life, finds drugs and violence, then turns to God for redemption. Moses counts as his first inspiration his pastor. His church is a big part of his life.
I spoke with Moses and his mom in this episode of Type. Tune. Tint. because I admire his commitment to writing and self-publishing. Let's keep an eye on this young man!
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Forty years after the city of Philadelphia bombed a home in an eviction that went off the rails and killed all 11 people inside, there is still interest in the story as evidenced by a number of developments in 2025. Tom Kranz, who covered the story at the scene on May 13, 1985 and wrote a book about it, reports on another book in the works by a university professor, a middle-school project on the rights of the MOVE children and an adaptation of the MOVE story for an episode of a prime time TV series.
Tom's book, Liveshot: Journalistic Heroism in Philadelphia
Link to the episode of FBI: MOST WANTED on CBS/Paramount
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Jacob Moon spent 28 years as a corrections officer in one of Florida's huge county jails. Much of that time was spent supervising psychiatric inmates. So, it's not surprising that the villain of his latest novel, Letter 26, is a psychopathic serial killer who augments kidnapping and murder with mortuary skills.
Jake's love of writing came early in life and began with short stories about all kinds of subjects, some of which were published. Today, he is enjoying the freedom to write novels and has three to his name. Letter 26 is an engrossing crime story that just one a Maxy Award for suspense/horror, a contest for self-published authors named for a little girl who died of the rare congenital disease Lissencephaly.
Jake and I talk about writing, inspiration and mental illness in the prison system in this episode of Type. Tune. Tint.
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You have to remind yourself that Samantha Ulrich is only 20 years old. With more than 39,000 YouTube subscribers, a new book explaining how to score YouTube success and a nascent clothing line, she has achieved what other entrepreneurs work at for a lifetime. She is a 10-year veteran YouTuber since she started at age 10 posting videos featuring her Barbie dolls.
Now, as Samantha Zazz, her website, zazzifyit.com, promotes her books and her YouTube coaching business. For a monthly or yearly fee, you too can learn the basics of making viral videos that earn money. Her parents have been supportive since the beginning. Today, her mom helps her with photography and sewing. They are a tight family unit.
Have a look/listen to my conversation with Samantha and maybe learn a thing or two about making your mark on YouTube!
- Website: zazzifyit.com
- YouTube: @samanthazazz
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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The 6,000 residents of the Moon habitat known as the Daedalus Dome are under attack by a mysterious hacker. Their waste management system has shut down, a ship has blown up killing a thousand citizens and the atmosphere processor is red-lining threatening the entire population with suffocation.
Once again, the Earth-based Planetary Commission turns to Enrico Janice Walton Stein, known globally as Chairman Rick, for his leadership and bravery that twice helped save them. This time, his partner is his 10-year-old daughter, an android named Peach, whose skills navigating the cyber cloud lead her to the hacker.
Rick, Peach and Moon cop Jenna McNamara embark on a three-thousand-mile trek to find the hacker and stop the AI that is carrying out a deadly mission of revenge.
Hack Rescue: Chasing a Cyber Killer, is the third and final book in the Earth-Moon Trilogy that began with Time Travel Rescue and followed by Moon Rescue.
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Lisa Michaud, an American expat now living in France, is enjoying the sweet spot where music and writing intersect. She has published her second novel, Somewhere in Hollywood, a semi-autobiographical story of a young woman navigating life and love in Los Angeles. Like her protagonist, Lisa marches to the tunes of many drummers, guitarists and singers with an eclectic taste in music and an insightful writing style. Music may well be in her genes as evidenced by a quirky 1968 album featuring her entire family and pianist Chick Corea before he became one of the most celebrated jazz musicians of our time. Lisa has engaging stories and gives a peek into the creativity that has defined her life. Listen or watch this episode of Type. Tune. Tint.
https://lisacmichaud.com
https://www.instagram.com/lisamichaudrocks/
We Are the Levitts (album referenced above)
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As a 6-year-old boy, Matt Campbell had a stuttering problem. His mom thought that the local community theater might give him more confidence. It did, and after just a few years his stutter was gone. He'd come out of his shell and he was acting in one local play after another. By age 14, he'd acted in 33 shows. Today, at age 30, Matt is a full-time actor who has appeared in many commercials, TV shows, movies and music videos. His dream was to create a movie based on a wild weekend he had in Las Vegas with several of his friends. He wrote a screenplay which he adapted to a novel, Sinister City. Now, it's being developed into a feature-length movie and Matt is on the brink of seeing his dream come true. Meanwhile, he's going on auditions, acting in web features and anything that comes along. Join me for our fascinating conversation about acting, movies and the craft of writing.
https://mattycampbellofficialcom
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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Jennifer Carr gave up her career as a family and marriage counselor to do something she loved more--writing. She is an author of several romance novels in both Christian and Clean Contemporary categories, a conscious choice based on her desire to create work accessible to wider audiences. Her latest book, Wrapped Up In You, follows two young people whose love of music brings them together in a sweet, country romance. As we await her next release in March of 2025, Jen and I talked about juggling the homeschooling of her daughter, with podcasting and writing. Give us a listen!
Video version
Jen's website and socials:
https://jcarrwrites.com
All socials @jcarrwrites
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Of the 23 episodes I produced for the Type. Tune. Tint. video and podcast in 2024, I came up with four that really amazed me because of the amazing people behind them. Any time you need a little inspiration, perhaps a reminder that your life isn't as crappy as you think, watch/listen to this episode to see how Zach redefined his life after an unsuccessful suicide attempt; how Allie dove into the world of wasps and created more than 800 illustrations of individual species; how Mary Beth survived a life of near-fatal addiction and abuse to become a federal administrative court judge; how Risa deals, every single day, with a tumor at the base of her brain that affects her energy, her joints but didn't stop her from an 18-hundred mile bike trek.
It's been a privilege meeting these and other guests on Type. Tune. Tint. I hope you'll visit the complete collection of videos and subscribe to the regular podcast at the link below.
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Jeffrey Ashkin's first novel, The Second Life of Jonathan Sendel, begins with a bewildered man who discovers he is a clone and is charged with finding the killer of his original self. As he and his assigned police officer dig into the case, he comes to a disturbing realization--the real Jonathan Sendel was not a solid citizen. The story begs the question, are we happy with the person we project to the world, or do we wish we could have a do-over?
My conversation with Jeffrey who, in addition to being an author, actor and film maker also teaches public school, explores the inspiration of writing sci fi and his interest in cloning as a possible way to live forever. Give this episode a listen!
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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As a Fullbright scholar, Kristen Van Nest lived and traveled across Europe for a year learning about marketing and branding. At the time, she was a young woman in her early 20s and considered it a gift.
"The great thing about travel is you meet these people who live these very different lives," he says. "And I think they saw that I was genuinely curious about them as people and understanding them, and so they invited me into their lives and that is such a gift."
Her travels continued to China where she lived for more than three years, working in the wine business and living with a host family. She finally came home to the U.S. at age 26 and settled in Los Angeles. Having had close encounters with acting, stand-up comedy and directing, she is now concentrating on writing. She's released her first book Where To Nest, a memoir of her global travels, and is working on new short stories she hopes can be adapted for TV or movies.
Kristen was a pleasure to meet and talk with. Her global experiences, her work ethic and sheer determination are inspirational. Give this episode a listen!
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Founded by Jae Logan of Edison, New Jersey in cooperation with the Woodbridge Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Woodbridge Public Library, the Central Jersey Book Festival will present holiday ideas for book gifts and an appearance by the legendary Brimstone. Brimstone is a professional wrestler, radio host/podcaster, actor, voice actor, author, musician, philanthropist, food critic, horror model, and comic book/animated/children's book/video game hero. He's also very modest.
Founder Jae Logan has written four children's books in both English and Spanish and has her horizons set on her brand Kids That Care Books. Learn more about Jae's project and purchase your holiday gift books at the festival. Hear more in this episode of Type. Tune. Tint.
https://jaelogan.com
https://www.facebook.com/jae.logan.33483
https://www.instagram.com/jaeloganauthor/
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Sue Steinhardt, a retired English teacher from Warren County, New Jersey, found her voice as a writer in an unexpected place. After adopting a St. Bernard/Mastiff mix named Phil, she discovered his personality and idiosyncrasies made him unsuitable as a therapy dog, but perfect as the imperfect subject for children's stories. Thus was born the Imperfect Phil series of children's books and a whole new career for Sue. Today, she and Phil travel to book fairs and school classrooms bringing their message of perfect imperfection to children and adults alike.
Websites:
Imperfect Phil
Amazon
Etsy (signed copies available)
Illustrator Jessica Murr
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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September 30, 2024, is International Podcast Day. Who says? I have no idea but I'm going with it. This episode contains random facts about podcast history, podcasts today and a blatant, shameless plead for more subscribers for Type. Tune. Tint.!
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Subscriber-only episode
A conversation with Marine veteran Zach Tidwell, survivor of a severe head injury following a motorcycle accident, a recovering alcoholic and an unsuccessful suicide attempt that left him totally blind. After all that, he's designed a iPhone app and is writing a book.
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TK Books LLC
Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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Subscriber-only episode
The Dinicola family of Scotch Plains, New Jersey is used to having lots of dogs around. They provide a foster home for dogs awaiting adoption, a specialized commitment that requires patience and a love of animals. One particular dog was a hard sell because of his skittish personality. So, they got special permission to adopt Jordan and he's now a family member. Their story is immortalized in the children's book Jordan and the Fosters, written and published by dad Joe Dinicola and illustrated with the help of AI. Joe, a software tester who works from home, juggled his full-time job, his three kids and four dogs and somehow found time to write the story and create the illustrations with the help of the Midjourney platform. The result is a sweet story with beautiful illustrations. Our conversation digs into the process of fostering pets, writing and using AI as a tool of story telling.
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A cocaine addiction, two burglaries that cleaned him out and a fraught recovery have shaped Sam Gladu's music. Performing as Djretsam, Sam has been sober for ten years and only a few months into his new career as a rap artist. But he has attracted the attention of Busta Rhymes and a streaming audience that has grown to thousands. His music is raw and real with messages of recovery, loss and optimism. He also hates to see used books go to waste, so for the last three years he's been gathering used books and stuffing them into sidewalk kiosks in the suburbs of Montreal to bring the gift of reading to people who might not have access to books. Listen to this unique artist and his story of survival and success.
DJretsam's socials:
YouTube
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
DJretsam's podcast:
Rumbling Facts
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TK Books LLC
Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Subscribe to the Type. Tune. Tint. podcast today. Cheap. Right here.
Subscriber-only episode
Your support of Type. Tune. Tint. for a few bucks a month is highly appreciated!
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TK Books LLC
Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
A near-death experience inspired professional musician Andrew Schulman to create the Medical Musician Initiative, teaching musicians to become part of the care of critically ill patients in ICUs. Having benefitted himself from the healing power of music, Andrew is on a mission to bring a dose of medical music to every ICU around the world. The autobiographical account of his life, death and rebirth Waking the Spirit has attracted attention globally and remains a compelling story of survival and inspiration.
Music selections performed by Andrew Schulman:
Here Comes the Sun by George Harrison
Little Theme in D by Peter Williams
Websites:
Andrew Schulman
Medical Musician Initiative
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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Wasps are not our friends, usually. However, Chris Alice Kratzer has found redeeming qualities in wasps, dedicating an entire book to them called The Social Wasps of North America. She was also inspired by a specific type of wasp to design a new kind of home insulation that could go into production sometime in 2024. We'll find out when Yellowjacket Insulation will be coming to a Home Depot near you. Alie's fascination with nature informs her creativity and a moral imperative to find solutions to some of the problems created by humans.
Alie's website: https://owlflyllc.com
Video episodes:
Youtube
Vimeo
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TK Books LLC
Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
TK Books LLC
Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Support the Show.
Three authors, three books, three ways to enjoy your summer reading!
I invited three of my returning authors to tell us about their new books, all coming out during June, 2024. There’s something for everyone here, to wit:
- Fork Social Media! (And the algorithm it rode in on). Sudi “Rick” Karatas returns for his third visit to Type. Tune. Tint. with stories of social media users who ended up booted, suspended, tossed because the algorithms can’t take a joke. We agree that it’s necessary to guard against hate speech and posts/comments that advocate violence and crime. Bravo! Unfortunate, the policing is done by little pieces of AI programming, algorithms, that don’t know that misinterpret you and a friend “shooting the breeze” as advocating violence. Or the guy who needed to “bomb” his basement for fleas. Or the Dolly Parton impersonator, legit and approved by Dolly herself, who is frequently banned for impersonating someone. Maybe you have a story of being tossed into Facebook jail!
- I Like Black People...The Good Ones! Author Marklyn “Mr. Direct” Johnson prides himself of speaking plainly and honestly about everything from gender to race. As a 50-ish Black man, he’s lived a life of well-meaning and not-so-well-meaning people saying things he calls “microagressions,” little things that marginalize or insult people of color. “You’re one of the good ones,” is a classic, along with “You’re a credit to your race,” and “You speak so well” are just a few. He also has a modern and sobering take on Black history.
- Island Serenade. Charles Wiedenmann’s first foray into fiction is a light and airy romance novel that pairs a sweet hotel housekeeper with a high-powered rock star at a luxury resort on a tropical island. The story has no sharp edges, a perfect beach read designed to be pure escapist fare for summer. Charles unleashes his imagination to all of our benefit resulting in an easy story to fall in love with.
I brought all three authors on board for this special summer episod
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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Dr. David Weill spent 20 years as one of the world's pre-eminent heart and lung transplant surgeons. Some of his exploits are detailed in his memoir, Exhale: Hope, Healing and A Life in Transplant, which he wrote to preserve the amazing nature of transplant surgery, its successes and failures.
But as many authors have found, writing fiction from fact is incredibly freeing. Thus, his first novel, All That Really Matters, is a fictional account of Dr. Joe Bosco, a transplant surgeon based broadly on himself with clear differences--Dr. Bosco loses himself in his own arrogance fueled by alcohol and self-destructive behaviors. A disastrous operating room mistake almost ends his career but forces him to confront the question facing so many of us: What really matters in our lives?
This was a rare opportunity for a chat with a doctor who has seen the extreme highs and extreme lows of one of the most demanding and rewarding areas of medicine. Listen up!
Watch the video
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidweillmd/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidweillmd/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/David-Weill-MD/author/B08MQTR645?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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Australia’s pre-eminent recovery guru brings his positive energy to the world. It took sheer exhaustion from a 17-year heroin addiction to simply stop the madness. And in 2009, he cleared his head and began living a life devoted to better health and commitment to helping other addicts.
"I'm incredibly blessed to be where I am today,” he says.
At age 48, Danny Shannon is a college graduate, an expert on helping addicts get and stay sober and the developer of an online program and mobile app designed to allow addicts to create video journals to help chart their progress. And thus was born Encapsulator, an easy way to record a video journal, born of his early use of video during sessions with other recovering addicts.
This is Danny’s remarkable story of recovery and rebirth.
https://encapsulator.io
http://dannyshannon.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/sobersquaddannyshannon
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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I lost a friend of mine recently. I was fortunate to reconnect with Rob Feldman after going our separate ways for several decades. I was even more fortunate to be able to speak with him at length during this podcast episode in January of 2023. I learned so much about this individual whom I only knew dribs and drabs about even while working with him for a couple of years in the mid 1980s. He lived a remarkable life and I thought you might share my remembrance of him here for a couple of minutes. You may also be moved to listen to the entire episode linked above.
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Of all the author stories I’ve encountered in five years, this is probably the most amazing of all. Mary Beth O’Connor is a retired federal administrative law judge who survived a childhood rife with physical, sexual and emotional abuse followed by 20 years of hard core alcohol and drug addiction. Faced with never-ending feelings of abandonment, danger and marginalization, she persevered through high school and college, made it into law school, dropped out, then rejoined finally tackling her addiction in her 30’s to become a judge. She writes about it in stark terms in her memoir From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction. Now 30 years sober and living a stable life in the San Francisco Bay area, Mary Beth tells her story with candor and self-deprecation that will hook you and reel you in. She is also an advocate or hope and recovery and offers several resources, listed below, to help those trying to overcome addiction and other trauma.
- Website: https://junkietojudge.com
- LifeRing: https://lifering.org
- SheRecovers Foundation: https://sherecovers.org
TK Books LLC
Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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The combination of musical talent and digital technology has created a new breed of artists who can create amazing music at home using a computer and a keyboard. It’s one thing to create tunes as a hobby. It’s quite another to identify a market for that music and sell it. In this episode, we meet Evan Oxhorn who has done just that. He’s recorded hundreds of songs and stock music tracks that have earned him thousands of dollars from video producers, YouTube posters and commercial television programs such as 90 Day Fiancé and The Real Housewives of Potomac. Moreover, Evan is teaching nascent home-studio musicians how to do it all, from purchasing the right gear to creating a library of music, licensing and selling it.
Evan’s website: https://www.stockmusicmusician.com
TK Books LLC
Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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Can one devastating mistake erase 20 years of good?
The road to redemption for volunteer EMT Griffin Ambrose is dark, indeed--a crashed ambulance, a dead patient, an injured partner, then testing legally drunk. After going to jail, losing his EMT card and getting fired from his paid job, he contemplates a new life in exile.
But some of his former patients haven't forgotten the good he did, the lives he saved. Will their support be enough to allow him to rise from oblivion?
Read Wreck and Return, the new novel by Tom Kranz, available on Amazon. Wreck and Return, in e-book and paperback.
Video links
YouTube: https://youtu.be/C17lH1M8l5g
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user191707102/wreckandreturn?share=copy
TK Books LLC
Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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As recently as the 1980s, women firefighters were rare, especially in light of the tough road a group of New York women had in achieving their dream of becoming members of the FDNY. But they did it and around the same time a young woman in Florida named Cindie Schooler-Ball embarked on a career in the fire service there. A product of poverty in Ohio, then jumping from job to job as a teen and young woman in Florida, Cindie was encouraged to become a firefighter by some of the men in her local firehouse. The rest is history as she completed a successful career as a firefighter, EMT and paramedic in several Florida communities, retiring in 2015 at the rank of Captain. She documents her story in Sister In A Brotherhood, her book that is the subject of our conversation on Type. Tune. Tint.
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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Sal Panicci wasn’t looking to work retail in his youth in New Jersey, but the blind ad in the Newark Star Ledger was inviting. Seeking to get out of jobs that were unstable, he went for the interview and discovered the job was for a management trainee at Toys R Us, the nationwide chain of toy stores that dominated the market for a generation. His short book In the Toy Box is a recollection of his almost 30 years working for the pre-eminent toy chain in America. Remember the Cabbage Patch Kid craze? Sal’s stories recall extreme customers and some extreme employees who made working in retail a job to remember.
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After surviving a transient childhood, a knife fight, brain cancer and the death of his wife, Dan Henk’s survival is a story in itself. But he’s not dwelling on the tragic tales. He is a successful tattoo artist who was in the right place at the right time to benefit from the resurgent popularity of body art. He has been around the world, done illustrations for magazines and bands and is a self proclaimed “Master of Horror,” a prince of tattoo darkness. He has also found a voice in fantasy/sci-fi novels and a recent book of short stories. He is an upbeat and energetic man whose art has propelled him and whose resilience is inspirational.
Website: danhenk.com
Podcast: Skull Sessions with Dan Henk
Books: On Amazon
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The Type Tune. Tint. podcast is about to launch its 5th season thanks to all of you who have become loyal listeners. Thank you. Here’s a look at some of the highlights of the 2023 season.
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The title is a tad snarky but it’s all in good fun as we hear from writer/singer/producer/actor Sudi “Rick” Karatas about his newest song and music video. The title is a play on the famous Mariah Carey song, but the words and concept bear no resemblance. It’s a lighthearted tune about holiday betrayal. It’s played for laughs with slapstick and humor. And in an unusual twist, there are two versions of the music video, one in which the male protagonist is betrayed by his girlfriend, the other in which he is betrayed by his boyfriend, or as Sudi calls it an LGBTQ version.
I’m always about getting as many of you to listen to these podcast episodes. But this time, I urge you to watch the video which includes both versions of the music video plus a holiday song about recovery from addiction.
Video version
Rick’s website and socials:
- Website: sudirick.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rick.karatas
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sudirick/
- Threads: https://www.threads.net/@sudirick
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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Elementary school teacher Sabine Posy did her share of virtual teaching during COVID while her two young children learned virtually in the next room. Her daughter Nora was a social butterfly who got antsy sitting in front of a monitor. Her son Nate, younger and already a shy boy, worried her. When the lockdowns were lifted and it was time to go back to school, would Nate’s socialization be harder?
She was pleasantly surprised when Nate made a friend in preschool, another boy named Harry.
“Their friendship was very inspiring. He made friends with Harry. They helped each other.”
That inspiration moved Sabine to write and illustrate her first children’s book, Nate and Harry Are Great Friends, a story emphasizing the simple concept of friendship.
“The pureness on their friendship, the pureness of their love, it’s like no matter where they were in the building, after dismissal when they’re going home or during drop off, you know, they would greet each other with the biggest heartwarming hug.”
Sabine, an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher, still sees some kids catching up from social and academic deficits caused by the isolation of virtual learning. Listen to our conversation or watch our video.
Nate and Harry Are Great Friends is available at:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Archway Books
- sabineposy.com
Video version of this episode
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In less than 48 hours, Jae Logan went from having a stomach ache to learning she might die. A wife and mother of two young children, her mind raced to cope with the possibility of an early death and how she could possibly tell her kids. Miraculously, her prognosis wasn’t so dire after all, but she was left with the same question: What’s the best way for a parent to talk to young children about a serious illness, especially one that doesn’t show obvious symptoms? Thus came the inspiration for Mommy Doesn’t Look Sick, her first published children’s book that seeks to answer that very question. Listen as Jae retells the story of her frightening illness and how she, her husband and the kids came through it OK.
Websites:
www.JaeLogan.com
www.kidsthatcarebooks.com
Socials:
- https://www.instagram.com/jaeloganauthor/
- https://www.facebook.com/jae.logan.3348
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/melinda-miller-17445758/
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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A lifetime of fishing presented a challenge to Bob Gonzalez in writing his book A Flicker In The Water. Was it possible to capture the visceral sensations of being on a boat miles from shore in the Gulf of Mexico, breathing the salt air, feeling the ocean spray and getting the adrenaline rush that ensues when a big fish bites and takes you for an hours-long battle? I submit that he met the challenge. His book of fish tales is based on his experiences deep sea fishing. Bob’s passion for the sport shines through in his vivid descriptions of high-seas exploits accompanied by his 82-year old father and trusted companions aboard a boat called Twister. Give yourself a 20-minute break from your day-to-day and join me for this transporting episode of Type. Tune. Tint.
Video version is available here
Bob’s website: https://flickerinthewater.com
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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For the 10th year in a row, the Independent Authors Book Experience hosts an expo of independent authors and their work, free and open to the public. This year's event takes place Saturday, September 30th, 12noon-6pm at Kean University's Downs Hall, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ. The mastermind behind the book expo ant the IABX is Renaee Smith, founder and CEO, an independent author with a series of children's books and several cook books. Renaee's energy is contagious as you'll see in this episode of Type. Tune. Tint. I hope you'll plan on coming to the expo, meet me, buy a book, spend some time browsing and meet some fabulous people!
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The Handmaid's Tale, the dystopian vision of women as fertile slaves to a ruling elite, describes the Unwoman as the lowest class of woman who is shunned because she protests, thinks for herself, expresses independence and follows her own path. It's no wonder, then, that musician Erica Mulkey chose Unwoman as her stage name, a performance persona dedicated to being her own advocate. This independent songwriter, singer, musician and performer, who's elevated DIY music to a new level, is about to release her ninth original album. With a degree in music and her trusty electric cello, Unwoman has traveled around the country bringing live performances that are nuanced shades of electronic music with lyrical and sometimes dark messages. Along the way, she's made no compromises. Listen to one of her studio recordings and you have to remind yourself it's all one person doing the multiple vocals, instruments and electronic sounds. Hear more in this episode which features music from her latest album, Desire Paths, due to be released on September 22, 2023.
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Children's books are harder to write than one might think, according to Yona Diamond Dansky whose new book, Wishes and Knishes, elevates the Jewish pastry called a knish to a place of importance for young Kaley and her grandmother whom she calls Bubby. The author's story contains a number of simple lessons parents or teachers can impart on their kids including the joy of cooking, responsibility and the importance of passing on family traditions. The author, a Bubby herself, is a life-long educator who gave herself permission later in life to sit down and write children's books. She also illustrates them herself, tapping into a talent she developed in a past life of teaching.
Author's website: yonadiamonddansky.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ydansky
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A kid from Jersey makes good. Twice. That's Joe Sernio's story. He's a successful entrepreneur with a digital marketing company going strong after fourteen years. But he's always dabbled in the acting trade starting after high school and all during his tenure as a CEO. Now, after 20 years of passing out headshots and resumes, 2023 is Joe's breakthrough year. He's received rave reviews for his tour de force role in the short film Loved. He's got a feature film coming out in the summer of 2023 and a TV pilot in the works. Listen in on this conversation with one of the hardest working people in New Jersey, Joe Sernio, coming soon to a screen near you!
Loved: https://watchloved.com/
Horsepower: https://www.watchhorsepower.com/
The Bastard Sons: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15665448/
Shoreline Media Marketing: https://www.shorelinemediamarketing.com/
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There are a lot of people worldwide who are into Steampunk, and almost as many ways of describing it. Wikipedia says Steampunk is "a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. " As we find out in this episode, Steampunk is a form of creative expression among people who enjoy crafting, sculpting, painting, dressing and otherwise expressing themselves creatively. Its 19-century themes are enhanced by 21st-century sensibilities. And there's no one who knows more about the history, practice and sheer fun of Steampunk than Stephen Beale, a career journalist whose authoritative website https://steampunk-explorer.com/ is the first and last word on the subject. Join us for a fascinating chat!
Video version
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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What are your favorite summertime memories? For Philly kids like Charles Wiedenmann and me, it's going down the shore, the Jersey Shore, home of beach resorts like Ocean City, Atlantic City and of course, Wildwood. Chaz's new book, Down the Shore, is an affectionate memoir of days of youth in Wildwood, the quintessential Jersey Shore resort. It has everything--cool rides, infinite food choices, wide beaches and a family-friendly feeling. Chaz and I have a great conversation about our days as kids at the shore and you're invited to listen in!
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Contemporary fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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Author Jennifer M. Lane turned her passion for an old Jeep into inspiration for her novel Of Metal and Earth. It's the story of a Jeep and the seven people who own it over its lifetime. The trials and tribulations of those humans form the heart and soul of the book and it may appeal to anyone who's had a soft spot in his/her heart for a car. But as you might imagine, it is Jeep owners who have launched Of Metal and Earth into Amazon's Best Seller ranks. They are loyal and passionate and can't get enough about their Jeeps, other people's Jeeps and fictitious Jeeps. Jenn's book is by one measure an homage to one of America's storied motor vehicle brands and by another measure a look into the emotional ties people have with cars. Give a listen! Buy the book!
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From the moment she takes the stage, Big Momma is in charge. After 11 years of performing as a standup comic, Big Momma is now in demand. From comedy clubs to weddings, churches to cruise ships, this Jersey girl gets around and leaves them laughing each time.
Big Momma's real name, Tia Williams (she says that's just for the tax man) graces her social media and web pages. But her Big Momma persona is her money maker, even though she has a regular 9-to-5 job, the details of which she'd rather keep to herself (she assured me she's not a stripper). She's also a mom to her 27-year-old daughter and helps to take care of her grandson. All that and comedy, too.
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Audiobooks are here to stay, thanks to easy downloads, wide availability and the flexibility of listening devices. You can listen on your smartphone, in your car, the possibilities are endless. My audiobooks haves been reduced in price and are a great venue for entertainment whenever you have the time. Stop and start at will. Pick the time and place. Earbuds, headphones, or blast it through your TV. Have a listen as I do my best softsell with a couple samples of my best audiobooks.
Video version of this episode
TK Books audiobook collection
TK Books website and book collection
Time Travel Rescue and Moon Rescue, a 2-part sci-fi series speculating on climate change and environmental apathy and their effects on the Earth and Moon
TK Books LLC
Adult fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
TK Books LLC
Adult fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
Support the showSee the blog story at tomkranzbooks.com
The Seattle music scene is as eclectic and diverse as you can possibly imagine. There's all kinds of music for all kinds of people and the musicians making it own it to the max. Don Berman and Dick Valentine both settled in Seattle more than 30 years ago. They found each other more than a decade ago and realized that they shared a common sensibility--breaking out of the traditional musical boundaries they grew up with and venturing into the art of free improvisation. While it's not understood by all, those musicians who express it are fully committed to telling stories through motifs and sketches. They leave it up to listeners to feel the sound and draw their own conclusions. In this conversation, we explore Don and Dick's brand of free improv and hear some of their successful performances.
See the video version of this episode!
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Adult fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
Support the showSee the blog story at tomkranzbooks.com
More than three decades of rock and roll have left Chris Wall more determined than ever to live his rock and roll dream. An editor/director at CBS News by day, Chris has been playing guitar and writing songs since his college days. A close encounter with rock stardom in the early 90s left him bruised and disappointed. Depression, addiction and anxiety pulled him away from music for years, but he came back, stronger than ever. Today, he is Recwall, a prolific rocker creating compelling music with the skill of a pro and the determination of an artist. You'll hear his current songs including a soaring version of Alanis Morrisette's Uninvited and his story of inspiration, music-as-therapy and the sheer joy of creation.
See the video version of this episode!
Recwall on the web: https://www.recwallmusic.com/home
TK Books LLC
Adult fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
Support the showSee the blog story at tomkranzbooks.com
A unique skill set and some good fortune took Rob Feldman around the world, producing television and, along the way, taking remarkable photographs. A native Philadelphian, Rob spent a number of years as a news producer in Philadelphia, New York and Miami before embarking on a career as a vice president for Sony International. His job--to bring hit American sitcoms like The Nanny, Everybody Loves Raymond, Seinfeld and more to international markets complete with adapted scripts, local actors and the proper cultural sensibilities. And every step along the way, Rob brought his camera. Today, Rob roams the farmlands of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, capturing the natural beauty therein and preserving its rural heritage through the lens of his Fujifilm X100F. Join us for a fascinating look at how he made Everybody Loves Raymond into a hit series in Russian while capturing some of that nation's history years before Vladimir Putin decided to attack Ukraine.
This episode is available as a video with additional content including many of Rob's photographs. View it here!
See more of Rob's work at:
robfeldmanphotos.com
Instagram: @rob.feldman
Support the showSee the blog story at tomkranzbooks.com
A lifelong love of art led Bob Budiansky to Marvel Comics where he spent 20 years drawing, writing and editing fantastic superheroes and supervillains. The Transformers, Spiderman, Sleep Walker and Ghost Rider comics have all been touched by Bob's imagination and creative sensibilities. Today, Bob still draws, designs and teaches when he's not creating and supervising recreation programs for the Borough of Fanwood, New Jersey. But it's his legacy as one of the creators of the Transformers that commands the attention at the many comic conventions he attends.
View the video version with vivid examples of Bob's art!
Singles Only Podcast
Comedian Paul Farahvar celebrates single-hood with other singles and co-host Patti Vasquez (the Voic
Support the showSee the blog story at tomkranzbooks.com
The Type. Tune. Tint. podcast shined a light on some amazing creators during 2022. This episode reviews the top four downloaded episodes. Hopefully, it'll whet your appetite to become a subscriber in 2023!
VIDEO VERSIONÂ
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Adult fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
Support the showSee the blog story at tomkranzbooks.com
For a life so packed with creative ventures, work, music and acting, it's hard to know where to begin telling Steve Gabe's story. So, I started out with music and his colorful past as a singer, songwriter, drummer and guitarist. Life as a blues and rock musician was his passion. Along the way, there was acting school, a stint as a stand-up at Gotham Comedy Club and Caroline's and, oh yes, his career as an attorney. He had to make a living, right?
The acting bug got its due when he studied at HB Studio in New York, then again just as COVID was ebbing when he auditioned and was chosen for the role of Daddy Murphy in the Summit Playhouse production of Bright Star. That led to other opportunities including a significant role in an industrial film. He's hoping more acting comes his way. Meanwhile, he's still a practicing entertainment attorney and has a podcast called Live from the Vault where he tells stories of his brushes with greatness and plays music he wrote, performed or just plain loves.
Join us for a fast 30 minutes with Steve Gabe who at age 65 is re-re-relaunching himself one more time!
Steve's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevegabe
Steve's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stevegabe
Time Travel Rescue and Moon Rescue, a 2-part sci-fi series speculating on climate change and environmental apathy and their effects on the Earth and Moon
TK Books LLC
Adult fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
Support the showSee the blog story at tomkranzbooks.com
Join songwriter Sudi Karatas and me for an informal conversation about our Christmas memories and Sudi's original Christmas songs. He's got five of them, funny and poignant.
We met Sudi earlier in 2022 when he brought us his books How Catering Sucked the Life Right Out of Me--behind the scenes tales of the catering world on the left coast-- and Rainbow Relatives, useful stories and advice on talking to kids about LGBTQ family members.
Please spend this half-hour with us as an alternative to your usual, humdrum Christmas shows!
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Singles Only Podcast
Comedian Paul Farahvar celebrates single-hood with other singles and co-host Patti Vasquez (the Voic
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How many of us have found ourselves living someone else's life? It's a reality that dawns on many of us too late. But for Jazmine Stevenson, a woman in her 20's who has already experienced enough pain and mental anguish for a lifetime, the discovery came just in time. With the help of a strong family support system, her faith and a good helping of determination, she found the strength to look at herself the way she really was and make positive changes. Her book Getting To Know Yourself: Do You Know You? is a perfect starting point for anyone seeking to do the same. We talk about fearlessly examining the person in the mirror, speaking out loud the unspoken, and how it opens the door to self-realization, self-confidence and personal honesty.
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The title alone is smile-worthy: How Catering Sucked the Life Right Out of Me. And the author, Sudi Karatas (pronounced kara-tosh), brings humor to everything he does. And man, he has done a lot.
From humble beginnings in upstate New York and Long Island, Sudi, who also goes by Rick, had dreams of acting, took classes and finally moved to the west coast. Now, 20 years later, his credits fill an entire website--sudirick.com--and make it hard for a podcast interviewer to know where to begin. So, this episode begins with an upbeat song that Karatas co-wrote, and it turns out he's written a lot of songs, many of which he sings himself. You'll hear one in this episode. But that's only the beginning. Rick wrote, produced and acted in the film Walk A Mile In My Pradas, currently available on Amazon, and has two books out based on subjects he knows very well--catering and the LGBTQ community. We spend the first half of the episode discussing some of his hilarious experiences working in the catering industry, which he still does from time to time. The second half we spend talking about his book Rainbow Relatives, a sort of how-to on speaking to children about gay and lesbian family members, why some families have two dads or two moms and the whole spectrum of LGBTQ topics that children are exposed to.
Somehow, we crammed all these topics into an episode less than 30 minutes long, so your short attention span is no excuse not to listen!
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Adult fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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Charles Wiedenmann grew up in a neighborhood remarkable for its unremarkableness. Lawndale was a neat, working-class section of northeast Philadelphia during the 1960s and 70s. He spent his youth without video games, the internet or a smartphone. Chaz and his pals played outside with whatever was around yelling "Car!" to get out of the way of a car coming down the street. They walked to school and rode their bikes miles from home and it was OK as long as they were home by dinner time. Bored by school, Chaz made music, played in a band and moved to LA for a time. After a decade in the corporate world, he did what so many of us did later in life--sat down to feel it and write it. Now he's a prolific writer and blogger. His new book Lawndale is filled with nostalgic anecdotes about life in the neighborhood during simpler times and affords a peek into how creativity sparks while the world chugs on around you.
"Best Song About Philadelphia" used with permission from Matt Farley/Motern Media
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Of the 6,000 recorded shipwrecks in the history of the Great Lakes, perhaps none is as unusual as the wreck of the City of Bangor. It carried more than 200 brand new Chryslers, hot off the assembly line and destined for car dealers in Minnesota when it wrecked on a reef on Michigan's Upper Peninsula in a horrendous winter storm that clobbered Lake Superior. The year was 1926. The weather was unforgiving. Ice eight inches thick encrusted the ship and the cars. The crew made it off but their nightmare had only just begun as they trudged through a blizzard for two days to find shelter. They were ultimately rescued, several suffering from severe frostbite. And then came the salvage of the cars. Walter Chrysler wanted them back and the mission to recover them is an incredible story of human achievement that comes alive in the new book Shipwrecked and Rescued by journalist and historian Larry Jorgensen, who chats with me about this incredible story in this episode of Type. Tune. Tint.
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As a little girl with polio, Adele Kenny learned to read at age four, then grew up to teach, write, survive cancer, live with MS and fuss over the cutest dog in New Jersey. Today, Adele has published her 1,000th work and dozens of books and is a cultural icon of the New Jersey town where she is the Poet Laureate.
adelekenny.com
Exit 13 Magazine
Poetry Rap by Jedd Bloom
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Independent authors from around the U.S. gather in Linden, New Jersey in August, 2022 for the 9th annual Independent Authors Book Expo. The event is the brainchild of Renaee Smith, a busy woman with a full-time job and family who somehow has time to write and manage a non-profit that supports independent authors. Today we have a preview of the book expo and some useful advice for first-time authors who might feel reluctant or even scared to sit down and write their story. You can do it. For some inspiration, listen to today's episode.
https://iabx.org
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Writing and food might just be the most heavenly combination a blogger could concoct. That's exactly what Adam Horvath does in his blog, website and social media pages called Foodigenous (food-IDGE-enous), a culinary adventure to foreign lands like Philadelphia, Elmira, East Hampton and even Newark. With a background in the food industry and a day job as a CFO, Adam's blog is a passion project. His experiences not only recount amazing food but the amazing places where the food lives. And there are the people, the inventors of things like a pizza made with American cheese and a clam chowder pie to make you weep. Take a break for 20 minutes and enjoy our conversation.
Foodigenous website
Foodigenous Facebook
Foodigenous Instagram
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At a time when local newspapers across America are struggling, Fred Rossi has worked for the same central New Jersey newspaper for 23 years. He's a lifelong New Jersey resident and student of its history. So, it's no surprise that his book, Jersey Stories: Stories You May Not Have Heard About People and Places in New Jersey, is rich in the history that helped forge New Jersey and the America we live in today. Even if you're not a New Jerseyan, you'll learn a lot from Fred's book. In the meantime, join us for a little chat about the Garden State, past and present. It won't hurt, really.
Fred's book is available by emailing him directly at jerseystoriesnj@gmail.com.
Thanks to John Pizzarelli and Joseph Cosgriff for their permission to use the song, "I Like Jersey Best."
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After a 30-year career as a television news reporter and anchor, Kasey Kaufman picked up a paintbrush and discovered her new passion in life. With no formal training, her use of color in her preferred medium of acrylics has resulted in thoughtful and inspiring work. Now, she paints every day in her home studio. Her work is in demand and she has adopted what she calls a creative life. How did she adapt storytelling in television to storytelling on canvas? Find out in this fascinating episode of Type. Tune. Tint.
kaseykaufmanart.com
@365Pears
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Finding your voice can be a lifelong journey. This is the story of a young woman who found hers in an unusual place in her early 20s, embraced it and is taking it to the next level. Devon Alana is the lead singer, lead composer and guitarist for the New Jersey indie band Fake Pockets. In this episode, she talks about her journey of self-discovery, her inspirations and her songwriting process. With creativity rooted in real life, Devon and Fake Pockets are destined to make it big, and this is your front-row seat!
Magnolia Street album
Mint 400 Records
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Writing science fiction requires attention to science while retaining the sense of wonder and imagination that makes it fiction. In writing my new sci-fi novel Moon Rescue: Escape from the Dome, I went to a great source for advice and guidance--engineering students and their teacher at a Philadelphia public high school that nurtures young people's interest in STEM. Teacher John Kamal, with degrees in mechanical engineering and a passion for teaching young people, brought two of his students into my research process and the three of them kept me on the right track as I made stuff up about how 5,000 people might live under a giant dome on the Moon. My interview with John reveals a man who left a successful career in developing power sources for spacecraft and supply chain software to teach in one of the most financially challenged school districts in America. I was inspired and you will be, too!
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In this episode, I'm announcing the change in our name to Type Tune Tint, a podcast about independent authors, musicians and artists. There's a whole world of people with talent who practice their craft in their basement or with friends, but who deserve a wider audience. This podcast will focus on their inspirations, their personal stories and their paths to creativity. The first episode under the new brand will be coming your way soon.
Thanks to Jamie Coston at JCO Designs LLC for the lovely logo design.Â
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Ruppert Jones was a star player for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees and four other teams during his 11-years in Major League Baseball. But his love for shagging fly balls almost cost him his career and his life in 1980 when he crashed into the unpadded center field wall at the Oakland Coliseum. His injured shoulder was the big concern at first, and it took a long time to recover from that. But when he finally got back onto the ballfield, he knew something else wasn't right. He was having trouble sleeping. He couldn't concentrate. He had flashes of anger. He wasn't as sharp as before. He turned to alcohol and cocaine to self-medicate his depression. He lost his family, his money and almost his career. It took another decade to realize he was suffering from a traumatic brain injury, and even more years with psychiatrists to get a definitive diagnosis of mental illness as a result of the injury. Today, he is an advocate for mental health and TBI awareness and tells his incredible story of survival in his book Never Give Up: A Memoir of Baseball and Traumatic Brain Injury. We talk about his book, which he wrote by hand, and his long and slow process of recovery with the help of good friends, his wife and his faith.
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Adult fiction and science fiction; ebooks, softcover, hardcover and audiobooks.
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Ramadan in 2022 is not only a time of fasting, prayer and reflection. Today's generation of Muslims decorate for Ramadan, put up Ramadan trees and exchange presents. It's a joyous time of family togetherness and celebration. Talha and Rahama Alvi have created a children's book, The Ramadan Tree, that demystifies Ramadan and Islamic culture for kids, with adults along for the ride. Talha did most of the writing while Rahama, a graphic artist, did the many gorgeous illustrations. She's also a public school art teacher and encountered questions about Ramadan from her students. Both are passionate about spreading the word that Muslim families are part of our community and their cultural and religious traditions are part of what Jimmy Breslin called "the great melting pot."
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Facebook, the greatest double-edged sword of 21st-century communication, brings people together and divides them all at the same time. For author and comedian Marklyn Johnson, Facebook is a vehicle for honest discussion. But it turns out "real talk" has real consequences. His new book, Facebook Conversations: The Good, The Funny, The Ugly, is a collection of discussions on every current issue we care about. Marklyn navigates the topics, some of which meander from thoughtful discourse to sheer verbal abuse. It's a high-energy read and in this episode, I talk to him about why he does it, his opinion on why people post on social media and his plan to bring veterans along for the comedy ride.
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Frank Lyman has spent his life teaching children, adults and other teachers. It turns out that many of those lessons can apply to non-teachers. How do our kids learn to read and what's our role as parents in that effort? What parallels are there between teaching children in school and on-boarding a new employee, teaching adults EMT skills or how to navigate a database? Frank's book, 100 Teaching Ideas That Transfer and Transform Learning, is a starting point to answer these and other questions about teaching and communication.
Music: Tom Kranz
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Debby Handrich is known to her fans in Seattle as Coach Debby, radio host, podcaster and life coach specializing in helping aspiring writers bring their passion from their hearts to the written page. Her story begins as many writers' stories do, with a lonely childhood brought on by a condition over which she had no control, leading her to create her own world by writing stories. Today, she is a successful writing coach whose clients seek her out for help writing something as simple as a letter to a full-blown book. Her humanity and optimism make her a joy to listen to in this episode. Debby has a weekly radio show on 1150 KKNW, Seattle, and a website filled with inspiration.Â
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Is it possible to save a life with music? It is not only possible but a medical reality as we hear from Andrew Schulman, a professional musician whose near-death experience and miraculous recovery is the subject of his first book, Waking the Spirit. Hear about his harrowing surgical experience during which his vital signs bottomed out causing clinical death, the frantic resuscitation effort and the medically induced coma. As his doctors and nurses agreed he would most likely not survive, his desperate wife found his iPod, placed the earphones on him and hit "PLAY". Within 30 minutes, the St. Matthew Passion by Bach stabilized Andrew's vital signs, reignited his will to live and, with intensive and remarkable care by the doctors and staff at New York's Beth Israel Hospital, slowly brought him back. Thus, he found a new calling--bringing his guitar and musical passion to the bedside of other critically ill patients. Today he is a Certified Medical Musician and a recognized expert on the healing power of music.
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In the first episode of 2022, Tom Kranz gives a preview of his next book currently underway, a sequel to his successful, five-star sci-fi novel Time Travel Rescue. The new book is called Moon Rescue and should be out in the spring. Tom also recently attended a percussion convention and found some inspiring words about writing from a drummer. How did that happen? Give a listen!
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Dr. Tonya Nagle worked hard to get her PhD in Higher Education Administration, then decided it wasn't for her. She preferred teaching, interacting with students and writing creatively. So, that's what she did. Today, the Marine Corps veteran is a curriculum instructor for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and uses her weekends to write. She has a lengthy collection of books under the pen name Cara North and currently is part of a new anthology of stories for young adults called Written In The Stars. Tonya talks about her writing process, her roots as a writer, and juggling a full-time job with her passion for writing.
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Steven A. Falco's novel Mickey Mantle's Last Home Run is about the friendship between two boys, TJ who is black and Jonathan who is white, and their common love for baseball which helped bridge their differences during 1968, a year of racial and political polarization. Baseball fans will be attracted to Steve's affinity for the sport, the stats and the heroes of the game, especially Mickey Mantle whose star began to fade at about this same time. TJ and Jonathan's honest talks about race are refreshing and as relevant today as they were in 1968. Steve is retired from government service but remains active as chairman of his local Shade Tree Commission which preserves and plants trees in his community. Listen as he talks about his inspiration, his writing process and his volunteer work.
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By day, Cassandra Morphy is a business data analyst, working from home in front of her computer. By night, she delves into alternative realities, creating fantasy worlds and writing about them in 25 self-published books.
By her own admission, Cassandra grew up escaping the real world into the other realities of books, TV shows, and movies, and now she writes about those worlds.
"I have social anxiety disorder. I've dealt with it for most of my life. It started developing about when I was 10 or so. And basically, like middle school, high school, I basically had no friends. And I spent all the time in school, just reading books. So, like that's always been this aspect of my life, just reading the books, imagining myself in those worlds."
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At age 23, Pavlina Osta has accomplished more than many people have accomplished in a lifetime. She got a running start at a career in her early teens when she showed a talent for interviewing people for a local radio station in Daytona Beach, FL. One thing led to another and at age 17, she was asked by an executive at iHeartRadio to do a syndicated interview segment. In the ensuing couple of years, she interviewed celebrities including Ed Sheeran, Katie Couric, athletes, NASCAR figures and more. Her drive for success took a significant turn at age 18 when she left home and went to live and work in New York, a prescient move that opened the door to a career as a media personality, blogger, podcaster, guest commentator and now, author of 20 Things Every Motivated 20-Something Should Know.
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Robert E. Constant's children's book, Hey Tuskegee! provides a guided tour of one of America's hotbeds of Black History, Tuskegee University and the Alabama city that surrounds it. But here's a secret: it's not just for children. Robert's straightforward narrative, through the eyes of a young brother and sister, provides a clear review of some key chapters in the history of African-Americans that the rest of us may not know, but should. Robert's family history reads like a chapter in the Tuskegee alumni journal and informs this interesting and articulate author's story.
Music: Tom Kranz
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Larry Jorgensen follows America's most famous soft drink brand from its first bottling in Mississippi to its growth across America in his two books of memorabilia, anecdotes and photographs. It's not a history of the Coke corporation, but a history of the grass-roots bottlers and communities that were at the heart of the product's growth. Larry has sold 9,000 copies of his books as a one-man operation, packing and shipping books from his back bedroom.
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Jim Sweeney is a member of a growing federation of basketball players in their 60's, 70's, even 80's, who travel, compete and continue playing their favorite sport without regard to their age. Maxi Basketball is a worldwide phenomenon with its own organization and a passionate following that Sweeney has tapped into with personal relationships and friendships that span the globe. His book Old School Hoops is a close look at Maxi Basketball, the people he's met and the places he's been. Join us for a fascinating look at these colorful athletes through the experiences of a lifelong basketballer.
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A preview of the upcoming Independent Authors Book Expo on August 7, 2021, in Roselle, NJ. Organizer Renaee Smith, founder of the Independent Author Book Experience, talks about her non-profit support activities for self-published authors and gives a preview of the expo for those who'd like to just show up and those who would like to exhibit.
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Career news photographer Brian Horton turns his camera to the beauty of the Jersey Shore, making a bookful of scenic and nature photos as a tribute to his late wife and a fundraiser for the center that helped her cope with multiple sclerosis. Info on obtaining the book is included.
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Marklyn Johnson, stage host, comedian, podcaster and author may not have invented the phrase tell it like it is, but he certainly lives by it. His new book, Lessons from a Shit Talker, tells his story of a life journey fraught with other peoples' ideas of what he should have done with himself. His lessons are surprisingly relevant to the rest of us and told in a funny, memorable way.
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Author Calvin Fisher's first novel, Northfield, takes place in a post-apocalyptic world shrouded in poisonous gas and day-to-day survival that depends on wearing a gas mask and earning "credit cards" instead of currency. Why do so many sci-fi stories take place on an Earth that is dying? Calvin talks about that and gives us a preview of his book.
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Kevin D. Miller's family tree provided inspiration for his two historical fiction novels, one of which details a real-life murder in his family and is soon to become a feature film. His latest book is inspired by his great great grandparents' interracial marriage during the Civil War era. Kevin, a web developer and part-time actor with a silky voice, is a totally delightful and informative guest.
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Author Mike Archer talks about revealing personal secrets in his new collection of short stories, Living With Humans: Stories of Each Other. A lifelong TV journalist, Mike also talks about the challenge of learning to write expansively after decades of writing news stories that are only a few sentences long.
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One novel became three and now I'm on the third and final installment of the exploits of my favorite fictional married couple, Bud and Maggie Remmick. Also, I'm looking for other independent and/or self published authors to join me for occasional interviews or even seamless self-promotion.
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The writing process is different for everyone, from those who like to storyboard and outline every chapter to those who start with an idea and let the story wander along its rightful path. I found a short excerpt from a Stephen King interview from a few years ago in which he talks about the idea of letting a story find its own way. This formula makes for more of an adventure in writing, but it has its downsides.
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You can convert your prized written work into an audiobook. It's all online, free if you narrate it yourself but most of us are better off using a paid narrator, and there's the rub.
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Writing science fiction is fun and challenging. Engaging sci-fi fans requires your science at least SOUNDS feasible.Â
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There's a whole industry that wants you to self publish your book but do your research and be patient. They ALL want your money.
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Tom Kranz, former TV news producer and author, wrote his first-person account of the 1985 MOVE confrontation in Philadelphia at a time before digital media, online resources or even decent desktop computers.Â
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Former TV news executive Mike Archer, now a blog writer and contributor to Smerconish.com, provides an interesting perspective on the inspiration and process in writing and publishing his first collection of stories.
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