Books and Brews Podcast

Theresa Halvorsen has a “don’t tell me I can’t do that,” attitude about life and is an author, publisher, editor, and YouTuber. She’s ‌overly-caffeinated and at times, wine-soaked. The author of multiple cross-genre works, including Warehouse Dreams, Lost Aboard and River City Widows, Theresa wonders what sleep is. She’s the owner of No Bad Books Press and one of the hosts of the popular YouTube channel, the Semi-Sages of the Pages.

In whatever free time is left, (ha!) Theresa enjoys board games, concerts, geeky conventions, and reading. Her life goal is to give "Oh-My-Gosh-This-Book-Is-So-Good!" happiness to her readers.

She lives in Temecula with her husband, her adult children, their partners (she has no idea who actually lives in her house and who’s just visiting) and many pets. Find her at  www.theresaHauthor.com and on Tiktok and Facebook. 

Theresa's Readings:

·       Wonderland's Mad Queen – 8:57

·       River City Widows, Chapter 1 – 23:52

·       Riding the El – 42:55

Chris's Cocktail Pairings: 

·       Queen of Hearts (paired to Wonderlands' Mad Queen) – 7:20

·       River City (paired to River City Widows, Chapter 1) – 21:41

·       The El (paired to Riding the El) – 40:21

Interview Highlights: 

·       Building a career as an indie author – 15:08

·       The Dad's Playbook to Labor and Delivery – 16:09

·       The ghost at Lochranza Castle – 31:36

·       PTSD: victimization, responsibility, blame and trauma – 36:07

·       Stories of portals: are we seeking escape? – 48:40

·       Houses as inspiration – 52:00

COMING NEXT MONTH: J.S. Absher is a poet, memoirist, and independent scholar. As a teetotaler—he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—he can’t add much insight into brews, but he can hold his own when it comes to books.

Stan’s first full-length book of poetry, Mouth Work (St. Andrews University Press) won the 2015 Lena Shull Award from the North Carolina Poetry Society. Stan’s second full-length book of poetry, Skating Rough Ground, was published in 2022 by Kelsay Press.

Poems have recently been published or accepted by The McNeese Review, Mormon Lit Blitz, Triggerfish Critical Review, Irreantum, and Tar River Review and have won awards from BYU Studies Quarterly and the journal Dialogue. His poems have been nominated four times for the Pushcart Prize and twice for Best of the Net. He has also published an annotated editions of two memoirs written in the late 19^th century by Ida Crumpler Beard. 

He currently has two more projects underway.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

·        Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: MUSIC; FAITH

·       Laura will be selling her books, premium rabbit fertilizer & more at the Morristown Farmer's Market, 130 W Morris Boulevar, Morristown, TN on April 13, June 7, and July 5

·       See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk

·       See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE

·       Theresa will be at Wondercon in Anaheim: March 29-31

·       LA Festival of Books: April 20-21

·       Comic-Con Revolution in Ontario: May 18-19

·       Comic-Con San Diego: July 25-28

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Peter is the Author of 30 books, fiction and non-fiction and published on 4 continents.
He is a resident expert and regular of Top 50 USA radio and TV markets including Fox, CBS, ABC, ESPN, Coast to Coast, iHeart and over 100 major radio and TV networks.

Peter is a multi-award-winning, director, cinematographer, actor and producer on 7 continents
Peter has written more than 800 articles (self-help and fiction) appearing in major news media world- wide
He has been a university professor for 28 years, as well as being a psychologist, specializing in criminal psychology, sports psychology and addiction studies.

www.peterandrewsacco.com

Peter's Readings:

·       Gummer, the World's Last Toothless Vampire – 8:20

·       Meeting a Vampire Actor – 27:43

·       A Haunted Air BnB – 42:33

Chris's Cocktail Pairings: 

·       Bloody Maru (paired to Gummer) – 5:57

·       Love Bite (paired to Meeting a Vampire Actor) – 26:00

·       The Haunted Mansion (paired to A Haunted Air BnB) – 39:45

Interview Highlights: 

·       Jack the Ripper/criminal profiling – 15:40

·       Music or criminal psychology? – 22:09

·       Adventuring in Antarctica!? – 31:53

·       Why are we drawn to vampires & zombies? – 34:03

·       From author to TV show host – 47:17

·       Scariest things seen--and why Peter quit the TV show – 48:29

COMING NEXT MONTH: Theresa Halvorsen is the author to the Dad’s Playbook to Labor and Delivery and Warehouse Dreams and countless articles on pregnancy, birth and parenting. But her true love is speculative fiction.

Theresa enjoys interacting with other writers and helps to produce a writing Podcast called the Semi Sages of the Pages She co-runs a writer’s group in Temecula that meets once a month, and belongs to various critique groups. 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

·        Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC

·       Laura will be selling her books, premium rabbit fertilizer & knit goods at Overhome Trading Post in ThornHill Tennessee, February 10, 2024

·       See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Stephanie Sanders-Jacob is an author and artist from Sandusky, Ohio. Her alien abduction novel, Singing All the Way Up, debuted with No Bad Books Press in July 2023. Her short fiction has been featured by Books of Horror, Hearth & Coffin, Mixer, Mosaic, and Ether Arts. You can find her online at www.sandersjacob.com and her artwork at www.rabbitandrain.com

 Stephanie's Readings:

• Things were better before I killed my dad – 8:28
• Airship, 1897 – 28:51
• Running from the fighting – 44:50  

Chris's Cocktail Pairings:

• Freak Show (paired to Things were better before I killed my dad)– 6:18
• Aviation (paired to Airship, 1897) – 25:35
• International Incident (paired to Running from the fighting) – 42:32

Interview Highlights:

• Was Laura really abducted? Seeking truth in our own lives – 14:19
• A story about UFOs — with universal themes – 15:36
• Watershed years: coincidence...or more? – 31:26
• Scientific theories on UFOs: Jung vs Vallee – 33:36
• Stephanie’s alien/UFO inspired jewelry – 39:25
• Family, relationships, kindness, truth – 49:31

COMING NEXT MONTH: Peter Sacco, award-winning film producer, director, writer on 7 continents!

UPCOMING EVENTS: 
Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC. See www.gabrielshornpress.com/poetry-anthology 

Laura — 

• Overhome Trading Post, February 10, 2024.
• See author page for details. www.facebook.com/laura.vosika.author 
  Books by multiple authors for sale

Stephanie — 

• Punk Rock Flea Market Lorain: 4/28 at the soccer sportsplex in North Olmsted
• Punk Rock Flea Market Akron: 5/4 at the summit county fairgrounds
• Norwalk Public Library: date to be announced

Find us at —

• www.booksandbrews.net
• www.lauravosika.com
• www.aperfectpint.net

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

M. B. (Michael) Zucker has been interested in storytelling for as long as he can remember. He devoted himself to historical fiction at fifteen and earned his B.A. at Occidental College and his J.D. at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He lives in Virginia with his family. He is the author of four novels: The Eisenhower Chronicles, A Great Soldier in the Last Great War, Theodore Roosevelt and the Hunt for the Liopleurodon, and The Middle Generation: A Novel of John Quincy Adams and the Monroe Doctrine. Among his honors is the Best Fictional Biography Award at the 2023 BookFest.

www.mbzucker.com

Michael's Readings:

• Meeting the Elder Adams – 8:53
• The Holy Alliance – 27:53
• JQA Helps an Enslaved Woman – 42:46

Chris's Cocktail Pairings:

• Old Gimlet Eye (paired to Meeting the Elder Adams)– 6:03
• Hot Ale Flip (paired to The Holy Alliance) – 23:56
• Mint Julep – 38:29

Interview Highlights:

• Parents and pressure to be president – 17:17
• Can our country unite? – 21:50
• Writing and publishing from age 14 – 20:05
• Summing up the Monroe Doctrine – 33:03
• Founding Fathers' intentions regarding slavery – 47:21
• How JQA spent a night in the snow to find his brilliant idea – 52:06

COMING NEXT MONTH: Theresa Halvorsen, paranormal and pregnancy!

UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

MJ Williams is the pen-name for the writing duo, Peggy Joque Williams and Mary Joy Johnson. Peggy is a freelance writer and book editor. 
 
A retired elementary school teacher, Peggy has taught creative writing classes and workshops for Madison College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Continuing Studies. She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Sisters in Crime, and the Wisconsin Writers Association.

She will be debuting her first solo historical novel, Courting the Sun: A Novel of Versailles, next May (2024), to be published by Black Rose Writing.

Mary Joy is a retired professor of writing. 

Together they co-wrote and independently published two mystery novels centering on Emily and Stan Remington who travel the country in their RV -- On the Road to Death’s Door, a Wisconsin Library Association award winner, and On the Road to Where the Bells Toll.

MJ's Readings:

• Surprise in the Rug – 11:29
• An Explosive Fourth of July – 27:26
• Calamity at Storrow Bridge – 43:10

Chris's Cocktail Pairings:

• When the Kids are Away (paired to Surprise in the Rug) – 8:39
• Blue Independence (paired to An Explosive Fourth of July) – 24:10
• The Boston (paired to Calamity at Storrow Bridge) – 39:43

Interview Highlights:

• How Non-RVers came to write about RVing – 16:45
• Writing as a team – 19:50
• Is Pelltier based on…? – 23:10
• Using a historic event in fiction – 34:02
• RV horror stories – 50:30
• Daughters of the King – 53:10

COMING NEXT MONTH: MB Zucker, author of political and historical fiction

UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

RALPH JARRELLS became an author after retirement from more than four decades in marketing, advertising, and publishing, much of it in senior executive positions. He writes mostly historical fiction with religious themes. His first book was published August 4, 2017 when he was 75—a great example that you’re never too old to start a new chapter in your life. 

His firth book, The Essential Last Supper debuted this month.

Ralph's Readings:

  ·       Three Kings – 11:55

  ·      A Lady and a Pirate – 41:05

  ·       Fighting Like a Little Girl – 46:55

Chris’s Pairings: 

  ·      Goliath (paired to Three Kings) – 9:06

  ·      Sweet Tea and Vodka (paired to A Lady and a Pirate) – 31:35

  ·       Rum and Grog (paired to Fighting Like a Little Girl) – 46:55

   Interview Highlights: 

  ·       Did Jesus & Judas know each other in Egypt? – 18:10

  ·       Did he really do it for the money? – 21:48

  ·       Lady vs Pirate – 41:05

  ·       From the Bible to piracy – 42:31

COMING NEXT MONTH: MJ Williams, the sister-in-law mystery-writing team

UPCOMING EVENTS:

  ·        Gabriel’s Horn is  accepting submissions for its anthology. This year’s theme is: MUSIC

 Our theme music is from www.bensound.com 

DAN COONAN has worn many hats through the years – Conference Commissioner, Athletic Director, CEO, Attorney, Novelist, Senior Congressional Campaign Advisor, Fundraiser, Nonprofit Chairman of the Board, College Adjunct Professor, Political Essayist, Youth Sports Coach, Bartender, Batting Practice Pitcher, Wedding Officiant, Dock Talk Facilitator, devoted husband and father.  

His books are Presidential Spirits: Part history lesson, part magical realism these well-researched books imagine conversations of all 45 presidents in a saloon stocked with any drink you want, located above the private quarters of the White House and accessible only to presidents - and a few colorful wait staff- through a secret portal.

Dan's Readings:

  ·       First Night in the Secret Saloon – 9:58

  ·      Teddy Roosevelt: a soft easy life is not worth living – 28:20

  ·       FDR on Churchill – 48:13

Chris’s Pairings: 

  ·      Manhattan (paired to First Night in the Secret Saloon) – 6:40

  ·      Old Fashioned (paired to Teddy Roosevelt) – 25:29

  ·       Bohemian (paired to FDR on Churchill) – 43:25

   Interview Highlights: 

  ·       Beyond the basic plots – 14:50

  ·       Author as main character – 21:49

  ·       What would you ask presidents? – 23:58

  ·       Carrie Nation axing the bars – 32:03

  ·       CAN we come together? – 34:35

  ·       Finding the positive in others – 53:07

COMING NEXT MONTH: Ralph Jarrels, religious-based fiction, Jesus and Judas, Best Friends Forever

 UPCOMING EVENTS:

  ·        Gabriel’s Horn is  accepting submissions for its anthology. This year’s theme is: MUSIC

 Our theme music is from www.bensound.com 

KAREN ESSEX is an award winning, bestselling author of six books including Leonardo’s Swans & Stealing Athena. She has recently co-written a pilot based on her two-volume novel, Kleopatra, for Netflix, which Lauren Hissrich, creator of The Witcher franchise, will executive produce. She adapted Anne Rice’s The Mummy for James Cameron and Fox Studios and collaborated on adapting her novel Dracula in Love as a series for A&E Studios & Lifetime.

She just completed a historical novel about the fabulous Gabor sisters, the first global fashion and glamour influencers, and she's determined to enjoy her summer.

Karen's Readings:

  ·       The Great Egyptian Parade –

  ·       Seeking the Cat Killer –

  ·       The Gabors in Desperate Times –

Chris’s Pairings: 

  ·      Winter Wine (paired to The Great Egyptian Parade) –

  ·       Honey Mint Whiskey Smash (paired to Seeking the Cat Killer) –

  ·       Forget Me Not (paired to The Gabors in Desperate Times) –

   Interview Highlights: 

  ·       The importance of research –

  ·       Cleopatra (Kleopatra) vs Liz Taylor –

  ·       From costume design to VP of production! –

  ·       Evil in the world–or evil in us? –

  ·       The many marriages of the Gabor sisters –

  ·       Alexandria in the Bay –

COMING NEXT MONTH: Dan Coonan, Presidential Spirits in which our 45th president

 UPCOMING EVENTS:

  ·        Gabriel's Horn is  accepting submissions for its anthology. This year's theme is: MUSIC

  ·       Check out Karen's upcoming trip with readers to the Italian sites in Leonardo's Swans

 Our theme music is from www.bensound.com 

Military brat, voracious reader, and now writing books in her favorite genre, Patty Perrin who writes as PTL Perrin grew up in Europe and speaks several languages. A misfit by any account, Patty shares her love for people, Native cultures, our amazing world, alien encounters, astounding mysteries, and the Creator of it all in her writing.

Author of Reflections of a Misfit, an inspirational collection of faith journey snippets, and the four-book TetraPhere series, Patty is working on another YA Scifi/Fantasy series. She enjoys living in Florida and loves her husband and her large and diverse family.

Patty’s Readings:

  ·       The Warning – 9:30

  ·       Terra’s Call: Jewel – 25:10

  ·       Reflections of a Misfit – 39:56

Chris’s Pairings: 

  ·      Mind Eraser (paired to The Warning) – 6:49

  ·       Chocolate Raspberry Martini (paired to Terra’s Call: Jewel) – 22:20

  ·       Summer on Corfu (paired to Reflections of a Misfit) – 38:18

   Interview Highlights: 

  ·       Tetrachromats – 12:00

  ·       Atlantis – 15:13

  ·       A Night at Frankenstein's Castle – 31:46

  ·       Best Marketing Practices – 34:35

  ·       Mutli-lingual and...a new island? – 44:45

  ·       Advice to Misfits – 48:19

COMING NEXT MONTH: Karen Essex, international best-selling author of historical fiction and more

 UPCOMING EVENTS:

  ·        Gabriel's Horn is  accepting submissions for its anthology. This year's theme is: MUSIC

  ·       Laura will be giving a Pub Talk at the Kitchi-Gammi Club in Duluth

 Our theme music is from www.bensound.com 

This month at Books & Brews, with Michael on sabbatical, Laura and Dr. Chris Powell visit Hoops Brewery in Duluth, MN. We talked with Bjorn Erickson, one of the brewers about brewing...and books. Bjorn had a great story about how he got from earning a degree in German to brewing beer. We talked about the blending of science and artistry, the hard parts of being a brewer, and the reasons Bjorn loves his job, and the numerous books and genres Bjorn reads.

If you're in Duluth, we highly recommend stopping at Hoops Brewery, a family friendly place with lots of games for families and kids. You can bring your own food or get pretzels from Hoops with lots of great sauces.
Hoops Brewery

The Beer We Drank: 

• Laura -- 88 Stout
• Chris -- 5050 Hefeweizen
• Bjorn -- 889 Cream Ale

Interview Highlights:

• Lake Superior, granite, and brewing -- 4:07
• The road from a degree in German to brewing -- 8:45
• On becoming a brewer -- 10:00
• Telling a story with beer -- 14:08
• Reading in High Middle German -- 27:34
• The tour begins -- 41:42

COMING NEXT MONTH: 

PTL Perrin is a military brat, voracious reader, and now writes books under the name PTL Perrin in her favorite genre, YA sci-fi/ fantasy. P.T.L. Perrin, grew up in Europe and speaks several languages.

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

• Gabriel’s Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC
• DTBD: Laura will be giving a Pub Talk at the Kitchi-Gami Club in Duluth, MN Kitchi Gammi Club | Duluth’s Premier Social Club

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

I grew up in Scotland, graduating from Edinburgh University with a degree in genetics. Back then, genetics was all about statistics and probability. So, I became a statistician until I took up the more chancy career of writing children’s books. Exploring the Insect World was published nearly 50 years ago. I then switched to time-slip fantasies and historical fiction. I’ve written nature-activity books, biographies, and more books about insects, which I now look on as my true calling. I married an entomologist. When you share your home, and sometimes your refrigerator, with insects you realize they need an advocate in our world! 
Margaret J. Anderson - Homepage (peak.org) 

Margaret’s Readings:

·        Dung Beetle/Scarab Beetle – 12:16

·        Ollie Falls into Another Time – 26:52

·        Saving the Duck or Destroying Books? – 42:12

Michael’s Beer Pairings: 

·        Egyptian Process Brew, British Museum and Alpha Beta Brewery ([paired to Dung Beetle] – 8:27

·        Belhaven Scottish Ale, Belhaven Brewery Company Ltd. (paired to Ollie Falls into Another Time) – 24:42

·        Skull Splitter, Orkney Brewery (paired to Saving the Duck) – 40:37

Interview Highlights: 

·        Making the study of dung beetles INTERESTING! – 15:48

·        Where did those character's names come from!? – 20:20

·        Thoughts on Smailholm being restored since In the Keep of Time was written. – 31:07

·        Why are we drawn to switching identities? – 35:21

·        What really happened to Danny Duck? – 45:35

·        Taking things in stride as an adult...good or bad? – 47:17

COMING NEXT MONTH: While Michael takes a hiatus, Laura and Chris will visit a local brewery.

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

·        Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC

·        DTBD: Laura will be giving a Pub Talk at the Kitchi-Gami Club in Duluth, MN Kitchi Gammi Club | Duluth’s Premier Social Club

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Born and raised in west Michigan, Sharlene MacLaren attended Spring Arbor University. Upon graduating with an education degree, she taught second grade for two years then accepted an invitation to travel internationally for a year with a singing ensemble. In1975, she returned to teaching and married her childhood sweetheart. They’ve raised two lovely daughters, both of whom are now happily married and enjoying their own families. Retired since 2003 after 31 years of teaching, “Shar” loves to read, sing, travel, and spend time with her family, in particular her wonderful, adorable grandchildren.
sharlenecaclaren.com

Sharlene's Readings:

·       Dear Mr. Griffin – 9:30

·       Calm Down! – 25:10

·       Vandalism at the Church – 39:56

Michael’s Beer Pairings: 

·       Sapporo Black Beer, Sapporo Breweries Ltd. (paired to Dear Mr. Griffin) – 6:49

·       Hitachino Nest White Ale, Kiuchi Brewery (paired to Calm Down!) – 22:20

·       Graffiti IPA, Dry County Brewing Company (paired to Vandalism at the Church) – 38:18

Interview Highlights: 

·       Can secrets ever really be kept? – 15:46

·       The decision never to write historical fiction--how did it go! – 17:40

·       From passing stories in high school to writing professionally. – 19:27

·       Differing experiences with anti-Japanese prejudice after WWII – 30:39

·       International singing tour! – 36:22

·       Do we step down for all our mistakes? – 44:30

COMING NEXT MONTH: Margaret J. Anderson author of children's novels, the time travel that inspired Laura's own books, and non-fiction about bugs 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

·        Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC

·       Laura will be selling her books AND chicken eggs (some so big the cartons can't shut) at Hoops Brewing for the first four Saturdays of April. 

·       Laura will be giving a Pub Talk at the Kitchi-Gammi Club in Duluth

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Elizabeth Tucker is a Distinguished Service Professor of English at Binghamton University who specializes in children’s and adolescents’ folklore, folklore of the supernatural, and legends. Her books include Campus Legends: A Handbook, Haunted Halls: Ghostlore of American College Campuses, Children’s Folklore: A Handbook; Haunted Southern Tier; and New York State Folklife Reader: Diverse Voices, co-edited with Ellen McHale (2013). She is co-author of Legend Trips: A Contemporary Legend Handbook (2018). She has edited Children’s Folklore Review and served as president of the International Society for Contemporary Legend Research and the Children’s Folklore Section of the American Folklore Society; she is also a Fellow of the American Folklore Society. For several years she has written a column on play for the International Journal of Play. She loves to travel and go on legend trips.
https://tinyurl.com/LibbyTucker  

Elizabeth's Readings:

·        The Wedding Cake House – 11:14

·        Minnehaha's Ghost – 25:49

·        The Ghost in the Machine – 42:13

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

·        Phantom Bride, Belching Beaver Brewery – 9:53

·        Minnehaha, Iron Goat Brewing Company – 24:12

·        Ghost in the Machine Double IPA, Parish Brewing Company – 40:39

Interview Highlights:

·        Suzie the ghostly bride—benevolent or malicious? – 14:00

·        Why are stories of shadow creatures increasing? – 16:45

·        Do campus ghost stories serve a function?

·        College increases belief in ghosts?! – 38:00

·        Why call for the ghost of an angry woman? – 30:11

·        Tina...the mischievous doll joins the program! – 49:03

COMING NEXT MONTH: Sharlene MacLaren

UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Eva Glyn writes emotional women’s fiction inspired by beautiful places and the stories they hide. She loves to travel and her last trip before the covid lockdowns was to Croatia, where she met a man with an incredible story of growing up during the country’s Homeland War in in 1990s. It inspired The Olive Grove, set on the island of Korcula. Two more Croatian novels have followed, both taking their inspiration from the Second World War. An Island of Secrets was published in 2022 and The Collaborator’s Daughter will follow in 2023. Her books are published by Harper Collins imprint One More Chapter. Eva lives in Cornwall, although she considers herself Welsh, and has been lucky enough to have been married to the love of her life for more than twenty-five years. She also writes as Jane Cable
www.janecable.com

Jane's Readings:

• The Olive Grove – 14:24
• An Island of Secrets – 27:51
• The Collaborator's Daughter – 42:10

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

• Saison Dekot, Vunetovo Craft Beer – 12:52
• The Abyss, Deschutes Brewery – 25:59
• Dark to the Core Imperial Stout, Collaboration of Abyss Brewery and Burning Sky Brewery – 40:46

Interview Highlights:

• How a tour guide led to a book – 21:32
• Why use two author names? – 24:53
• Tito and alliances in WWII – 33:37
• Why some eras draw us more than others – 37:08
• "The past isn't always what it seems." – 50:05
• "Men are not one thing; they are many things." – 52:43

COMING NEXT MONTH: Elizabeth 'Libby' Tucker, folklore

UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Jen Gilroy writes women’s fiction for Orion Dash and sweet western romance for Harlequin Heartwarming—uplifting stories about women finding home, family and new beginnings–and finding themselves too. She’s a Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist and was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Joan Hessayon award. A dual British-Canadian citizen, Jen lived in England for many years and earned a doctorate in geography, focusing on British cultural studies and social history, from University College London. She worked in higher education and marketing before becoming a full-time writer. She now lives in small-town Ontario, Canada with her husband, teenage daughter and floppy-eared rescue hound. When not writing, she enjoys reading, ballet and paddling her purple kayak.
www.jengilroy.com

Jen's Readings:

• Tearing up the Ticket – 12:53
• ..Surprise! – 27:11
• From Canadian Schoolgirl to French spy – 42:07

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

• Ominous, Bad Weather Brewing Company (paired to Tearing up the Ticket) – 11:03
• Fuller's London Pride, Fuller, Smith & Turner (paired to DNA…Surprise!) – 25:02
• KEREL Bière de Garde, Verbeeck-Back-De Cock Brewery (paired to From Canadian Schoolgirl to French Spy) – 39:01

Interview Highlights:

• How an elderly aunt's “What if?” led to a book – 19:03
• RAF 'Sweetheart Jewelry' – 22:56
• How often do DNA tests shock people? – 31:18
• Ballet! -- Does Jen dance or watch? – 37:23
• Researching the French Resistance – 47:01
• Coming back to writing – 51:15

COMING NEXT MONTH: Eva Glyn, romance and relationships

UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Christina Courtenay writes historical romance, time slip and time travel stories, and lives in Herefordshire (near the Welsh border) in the UK. Although born in England, she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden – hence her abiding interest in the Vikings. Christina is a former chairman of the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association and has won several awards, including the RoNA for Best Historical Romantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan (2014) and the RNA Fantasy Romantic Novel of the year 2021 with Echoes of the Runes.  Hidden in the Mists (timeslip/dual time romance published by Headline Review 18th August 2022) is her latest novel. Christina is a keen amateur genealogist and loves history and archaeology (the armchair variety).
Christina Courtenay

Christina's Readings:

• Battle at Orkneyjar, 883 AD – 15:04
• Skye Sees a Ghost, present day – 28:40
• Ottarr Catches Asta Burying Treasures, 880 AD – 45:10

Michael’s Beer Pairings: 

• Camelot Mead, Oliver Winery & Vineyards (paired to Battle at Orkneyjar) – 11:52
• First Call, Modist Brewing Company (paired to Skye Sees a Ghost) – 25:29
• Empty Rowboat, Lake Monster Brewing Company (paired to Ottarr Catches Asta Burying Treasures) – 41:47

Interview Highlights: 

• Genealogy and wonky family lines! – 9:55
• The appeal of time travel and dual time stories – 21:17
• Vikings and Old Norse – 24:30
• Life on a farm – 32:32
• Sheep and trombones?! – 33:47
• Our judgments on others – 49:17

COMING NEXT MONTH: Jen Gilroy, author of romance and women's fiction

UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Connie Kinsey is a former military brat who has put down deep roots in a converted barn on a dirt road at the top of a hill in West Virginia. She lives with two dogs and a cat, and is pursuing happiness, one cup of coffee at a time. Primarily a memoirist, the events of her life permeate her work. Her fiction is sometimes described as autofiction because it incorporates autobiography in a fictionalized form with endings far from the truth of what really happened. In January of 2021, Connie was thrilled to be selected as one of two Writers-in-Residence for the Museum of the American Military Family & Learning Center. She works full-time with a children’s nonprofit. 
wvfurandroot.com
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wvfurandroot.com

Connie's Readings:

• Redemption – 13:05
• Being a Brat – 28:30
• Chapter 5 from Black Fishnets and Combat Boots – 43:36

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

• Grapefruit Supreme, Surly Brewing Company (paired to Redemption) – 10:38
• Crunkle Sam Barleywine, Clown Shoes (paired to Being a Brat) – 25:32
• Budweiser, ABInBev (paired to Chapter 5 from Black Fishnets and Combat Boots) – 40:55

Interview Highlights:

• Faulkner chicks and Tennessee Williams chicks! – 16:52
• And what about Appalachian chicks? – 19:11
• Why West Virginia? – 23:17
• The effects of growing up military – 36:08
• The Museum of the American Military Family – 36:48
• The story behind Black Fishnets – 48:24
• Writing dark comedy—humor with a serious message – 53:55

COMING NEXT MONTH:  Christina Courtenay, author of historical fiction, time slip, and time travel

UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Robert Bidinotto is author of the bestselling Dylan Hunter vigilante thriller series. Robert’s debut novel, HUNTER, soared to the top of the Kindle bestseller list and was a Wall Street Journal “Top 10 Fiction Ebook.” Its sequel, BAD DEEDS, became a #1 Audible thriller. The third installment in the series is the gripping political suspense novel WINNER TAKES ALL. Before turning to fiction, Robert produced decades of award-winning nonfiction journalism. He earned a national reputation as an authority on crime while writing investigative articles for Reader’s Digest. One of those was named a finalist for a National Magazine Award, by the American Society of Magazine Editors. Robert also wrote two acclaimed nonfiction books about criminal justice. As editor of The New Individualist magazine, he won the prestigious Folio gold “Eddie” Award, for editorial excellence. Robert lives on the Chesapeake Bay, where he is writing the further adventures of Dylan Hunter.
www.bidinotto.com

Robert's Readings:

• The Funeral – 12:02
• from Bad Deeds – 29:05
• from Winner Takes All – 46:08

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

• Dead Guy Ale, Rogue Ales (paired to The Funeral) – 9:47
• A Little Crazy, Revolution Brewing (paired to Bad Deeds) – 26:14
• Bomb!, Prairie Artisan Ales (paired to Winner Takes All) – 42:48

Interview Highlights:

• Why Robert didn't narrate! – 16:33
• Good people, bad deeds, and enablers – 18:48
• The vigilante character in history – 35:02
• Dylan Hunter--a different sort of vigilante – 37:30
• The genesis of Dylan Hunter – 50:09
• On justice – 54:13

COMING NEXT MONTH:  Connie Kinsey, memoirist and Writers-in-Residence for the Museum of the American Military Family & Learning Center.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Nancie Laird Young grew up as an Army BRAT and traveled with her family across the United States, Europe and the Far East. Eventually she grew up, married (twice), had three great daughters, and various careers in human services, academic administration, advocacy for people with disabilities. These led to contributions to books and magazine articles about the Internet, which eventually led to positions in Community/Social Media Management, Content Development, and Strategy at WashingtonPost.com, Edmunds.com, LifetimeTV.com, and AOL/Time Warner among others. After leaving the corporate world she moved to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, presumably to care for her aging father. The story of how she reconnected with her father and rediscovered herself is the topic of her memoir Tea with Dad, Finding Myself in My Father’s Life (Green Writers Press/Green Place Books, June 2021). Young is principle among others in the formation of a new small, independent press expected to open for submissions in late 2023.
www.nancielairdyoung.com

Nancie’s Readings:

• Moving Home from the Prologue – 11:54
• No More Baseball – 27:37
• About the Heart – 42:01

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

• Free the Bib, Lift Bridge Brewery (paired to Moving Home) – 9:22
• Twins Pils, Summit Brewing Company (paired to No More Baseball) – 25:16
• Shock Top, ABInBev, (Paired to About the Heat) – 40:47

Interview Highlights:

• Compromising—again – 18:35
• Thinking about death – 33:05
• A good life--being satisfied – 47:05
• Getting to know our parents – 51:08

COMING NEXT MONTH: Robert Bidinotto, Vigilante Author

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology
• Release of Saint in the Cellar by Laura Vosika and Chris R. Powell, available in print, ebook, and hard cover.

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Meet award-winning author Janet Raye Stevens – mom, reader, tea-drinker (okay, tea guzzler), and weaver of smart, stealthily romantic tales. A Derringer Award finalist, Janet’s work has been recognized multiple times, including winning the Daphne du Maurier award for the WWII-set paranormal A Moment After Dark and RWA’s Golden Heart® award for the fun and flirty holiday romance Cole for Christmas. Janet writes mystery, time travel, paranormal, and the occasional Christmas romance with humor, heart, and a dash of suspense. She lives in New England with her husband, who’s practically perfect in every way, and their various family members, all geniuses and good-looking to boot.
janetrayestevens.com

Readings:

• To the Rooming House from Beryl Blue, Time Cop – 14:04
• At the Nightclub with the Soldiers from Beryl Blue, Time Cop – 27:18
• A Moment After Dark – 44:18

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

• Northern Standard, Fulton Beer (paired to To the Rooming House) – 11:41
• Coors Banquet, Coors Brewing Company (paired to At the Nightclub with the Soldiers) – 24:40
• Saporro Premium Beer, Sapporo (paired to A Moment After Dark) – 41:30

Interview Highlights:

• A childhood immersed in WWII – 18:52
• What was good about the 1940s? – 19:39
• The Day My Teacher Wore a Miniskirt to School – 32:18
• Why do some wars get more fictional attention than others? – 38:22
• Why a mortician with paranormal gifts? – 49:43
• Getting into the minds of others – 53:35

COMING NEXT MONTH: Nancie Laird Young, Author of Tea with Dad: Finding Myself in My Father's Life

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology
• Release of Saint in the Cellar by Laura Vosika and Chris R. Powell, available in print, ebook, and hard cover.

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.