Furtive Activity: Faith, Family, and Thrills with Author Michael Ignatius
Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast
In this episode of the Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast, Jed welcomes Michael Ignatius, Connecticut-based author of the new thriller Furtive Activity. Set in Bolton, Putnam, and the Boston College area, the novel follows Mickey Ryback, a respected Catholic elementary school principal, devoted husband and father of seven, and former Navy cyber intelligence specialist who secretly works as an analyst for the CIA. Michael shares how Mickey juggles his double life—school leader and covert operative—while quietly battling alcoholism and overwhelming guilt. As Mickey navigates cartel threats,...
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From Greenhaven to Jordan’s Bitter Pill: The Evolving Worlds of Luca Di Matteo
Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast
Luca Di Matteo returns to the Connecticut Book Festivals podcast to celebrate his new novel, Jordan’s Bitter Pill, and to share the inspiring story behind the fast-growing Connecticut Book Festivals community. Luca introduces Jordan’s Bitter Pill as a contemporary novel about Jordan, a young doctor from a sheltered, middle-class background who chooses an inner-city residency. There, she meets patients forced to choose between healthcare and basic needs, a reality that reshapes her values and career path. Instead of taking a lucrative job, Jordan opens a practice in the neighborhood—but...
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A Saga of Bad Choices and Big Hearts: Lis Blanchard’s Sutton’s Home
Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast
In this warm and engaging episode, Jed welcomes debut novelist Lis Blanchard to celebrate her first book, “Sutton’s Home.” Lis introduces listeners to Sutton, a deeply flawed but lovable young woman who seems destined to make every wrong choice—and yet, readers can’t help but root for her as tragedy follows tragedy. Lis shares how she came to writing just five years ago, not through a lifelong dream of being an author, but as a way to cope with the emotional weight she carries from the people around her. After losing a dear friend to suicide during the pandemic, Lis discovered that...
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Storytelling, Folklore, and the Power of Place with Kelly Jarvis
Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast
In this warm and engaging episode of the Connecticut Book Festivals podcast, Jed Doherty welcomes back author and folklorist Kelly Jarvis to celebrate her new gothic historical romance, Sea and Stars. Kelly begins by sharing the real-life “fairy tale” behind her own Belle-inspired library, a promise made by her high school boyfriend—now husband—that beautifully echoes the romance at the heart of her work. From there, the conversation flows into the power of books in our lives. Jed recalls a Reading With Your Kids conversation about how books in the home are a top predictor of a...
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The Eternality Of Love
Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast
In this warm episode of The Ct Book Festivals Podcast Jed welcomes Dr. Dale Atkins. Dr Dale joins us to celebrate her touching picture book The Turquoise Butterfly. Inspired by her late mother Sylvia, whose favorite color was turquoise and who was fondly associated with butterflies, the story explores what Dr. Dale calls the “eternality of love.” Through the relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter, the book shows how memories, stories, and shared experiences help children carry a loved one’s spirit forward, even after death. Dr. Dale and Jed talk about the profound benefits...
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What Makes a Human Human: Understanding That Everyone Belongs
Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast
In this powerful episode of the Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast, Jed welcomes back Mary Keating, lawyer, poet, and author of Recalibrating Gravity, to celebrate Disability Pride Month and reflect on the legacy—and limits—of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mary shares the story of the car accident at age 15 that left her a paraplegic and completely changed her life in a single moment. With warmth and candor, she recalls how her “can‑do” family refused to sideline her, including her mom’s memorable insistence that she still come downstairs and set the table—an early lesson...
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Angels, Demons and Detectives
Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast
Lee Driftwood joins the Connecticut Book Festivals podcast to talk about his dark urban fantasy series, Forgotten Flame, and the unforgettable city that shapes it—New York. Lee shares how, as a third-generation former New Yorker, he couldn’t imagine setting his fantasy anywhere else. For him, the city is more than a backdrop; it’s a living, listening character that’s always present in the story. We learn about the first two books in the series, When She Walked In and What Was Lost, and meet the central duo: Michael, a private investigator, and Gabby, an NYPD detective who shows up at...
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Middle Grade Meets Mental Health: K G Mach’s Powerful WWII Story
Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast
In this moving episode of the Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast, Jed sits down with K.G. Mach (pen name of author Kimberly Mach), creator of the middle grade novel Present, Still Missing, to talk about war’s invisible wounds and the power of stories to open hard conversations at home. K.G. Mach introduces us to Irene, a baseball‑and‑football loving girl growing up just after World War II. Irene’s dad returns from the war physically safe but emotionally distant, living with what we now call PTSD. K.G. explains that while PTSD wasn’t officially recognized until 1980, its impact on...
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Book Party over Comedy Clubs: Fatherhood, Reading, and Andrew Ginsburg
Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast
In this episode of the Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast, host Jed Doherty welcomes author, stand-up comedian, and personal trainer Andrew Ginsburg to celebrate his powerful picture book, The Colors of My Sky. Andrew shares the story of Lester, a blue butterfly whose mother only lets him play with other blue butterflies. At school, Lester wants to be friends with butterflies of many colors, but his mother keeps insisting that “blue is the finest butterfly.” Finally, Lester invites her to a party and gently shows her that the sky isn’t just blue—it can be gray, pink, orange, and...
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Resilience, Faith, and Soul Care: AndreYah Maria Hernandez Black’s Devotional Journey
Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast
In this inspiring episode of the Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast, Jed Doherty welcomes AndreYah Maria Hernandez Black, author of the 30-day devotional Revelations for Resilience: Whispers from the Divine for Soul Care. Andrea shares the deeply personal story behind the book—her journey through a devastating season of spousal abandonment in 2015–2016, which led to post-traumatic stress disorder, and how faith, wellness practices, and writing became her lifeline. AndreYah explains that the devotional is autobiographical and prophetic, born from hundreds of journal entries in which she...
info_outlinen this captivating episode of the CT Book Festivals podcast, host Jed Doherty sits down with Lisa Franco, the author of the acclaimed book "My Dearest Darling: Letters of Love in Wartime." Lisa's journey to uncover this remarkable piece of history is nothing short of extraordinary.
It all began when Lisa, a self-proclaimed "naturally curious journalist," stumbled upon a treasure trove of World War II-era letters in the basement of an antique store on Cape Cod. As she delved into the beautifully written correspondence between a young naval officer, Donald, and his sweetheart, Marjorie, she was immediately drawn into their timeless love story.
"The letters were so amazingly, beautifully written, full of love and longing," Lisa recounts, her voice brimming with emotion. "I couldn't stop thinking about them." Determined to preserve this piece of history, Lisa embarked on an 11-year odyssey to track down the family and bring their story to life.
Through her meticulous research, Lisa not only uncovered the historical context of the letters but also the profound sacrifices made by the Greatest Generation. "You can't let it go away," she emphasizes, "This generation is dying, and we need to remember their legacy."
As Jed and Lisa discuss the book's impact, it becomes clear that "My Dearest Darling" is more than just a romance – it's a testament to the power of communication, the resilience of the human spirit, and the enduring strength of true love, even in the face of war.
Whether you're a history buff, a hopeless romantic, or simply someone who appreciates the lost art of letter writing, this episode of the CT Book Festivals podcast is a must-listen. Prepare to be captivated by the extraordinary tale of "My Dearest Darling" and the remarkable woman who brought it to life