Books and Brews Podcast
The Books and Brews Podcast is the place where literature and beer meet. Each month we welcome a new guest author to read and discuss their work. Author Laura Vosika leads in-depth interviews to delve into the motivations, inspirations and preoccupations of each guest. Certified Cicerone® Michael Agnew pours beers specifically selected to pair with the writer’s work. It’s an hour of entertaining erudition that hits your mind and your mouth.
info_outline
Books and Brews #70: Sherlock Holmes Alive Again! with Richard T. Ryan
02/27/2025
Books and Brews #70: Sherlock Holmes Alive Again! with Richard T. Ryan
A lifelong Sherlockian, Richard T. Ryan is the author of nine Sherlock Holmes novels and currently working on his tenth. He’s also written a well-received murder mystery “Deadly Relations which has been produced twice off-Broadway. He pursued graduate studies at Notre Dame where he majored in medieval literature. Our talk ranged from Knights Templar finding Minnesota in the 1300s to the reasons Arthur Conan Doyle killed Sherlock Holmes to the inefficient bombers of the 1880s and the Scarlet Pimpernel and Mark Wahlberg. 00:00 START 06:20 Drink 1: Watson’s Delight 07:20 Reading 1: The Traitorous Templar 11:20 From medieval literature and old English to Sherlock Holmes 16:13 Pastiches, purity, and creative license 18:54 Drink 2: The Baker Street Bramble 20:07 Reading 2: Three May Keep a Secret 21:45 Masters of disguise 25:52 What makes Sherlock Holmes so enduring 30:21 Arthur Conan Doyle’s feelings about Sherlock Holmes 35:55 Drink 3: The Moriarty Martini 37:42 Reading 3: The Devil’s Disciples 39:24 The importance of getting the details right 43:20 News and fiction Visit our for AFTER HOURS with Richard T. Ryan Find Richard at HELP US KEEP BRINGING YOU GREAT AUTHORS! If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We’ve been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: Tip Jar: (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us COMING NEXT MONTH: Beth Duke, amazon bestselling author of southern fiction and time travel UPCOMING EVENTS: is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN. See Laura's interview at See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/35462790
info_outline
Books and Brews #69: AI and Aliens with Michael Colon
01/25/2025
Books and Brews #69: AI and Aliens with Michael Colon
Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet! Michael Colon is a novelist and freelance writer, born and raised in New York City. His author's story is about hard work, perseverance, and believing in the power of imagination. His inspiration comes from various societal abnormalities, the beauty in cultural differences, and his own life experiences. His debut novel, The Gift from Aelius, is about an artificial intelligence’s growing awareness of purpose and life. There is not a science fiction tale as poetic and thought-provoking. In the not-too distant future, A191, a Codex with artificial intelligence, feels like a misfit in Paradise, a walled city in the middle of an endless desert where humans imprisoned his race long ago. He’s not like the others of his kind; he longs to meet humans and make peace with them so man and Codexes can be reunited in the world. These thoughts and feelings are not allowed in Paradise; he risks banishment to the desert by the Overseer A. I. who rules by fear and force. The journey reveals the truth about his existence, the Overseer’s lies, and the consequences of mankind’s untethered technology. 00:00 START 05:31 Drink 1: The Singularity 08:13 Reading 1: Codex 12:53 Will AI begin to think for itself? 15:30 Did AI already try to destroy humanity? 21:21 Drink 2: Paradise 23:28 Reading 2: Starry Desert Night 29:02 Free will and choices 31:10 Numbers, names, and fear of losing our humanity 35:03 Philosophy and Sci-fi 45:12 Drink 3: Bingo 47:06 Reading 3: At the Haven 48:04 Political divide 48:59 Finding your purpose Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with Michael Colon https://www.clippings.me/users/michaelcolon www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.booksandbrews.net ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We’ve been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us COMING NEXT MONTH: Richard T. Ryan, Sherlockian tales! UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at INDIE NOVEL SOURCE Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/35009390
info_outline
Books and Brews #68: High Adventure with John Graham
12/29/2024
Books and Brews #68: High Adventure with John Graham
John Graham shipped out on a freighter when he was 16, hitchhiked through the Algerian Revolution at 19 and was on the team that made the first ascent of Denali’s North Wall at 20, a climb so dangerous it’s never been repeated. He hitchhiked around the world at 22, working as a correspondent in every war he came across. A US Foreign Service Officer for 15 years, he was in the middle of the 1969 revolution in Libya and the war in Vietnam. As a global peace builder, post Foreign Service, he contributed to peace efforts in Israel and Palestine. For the last 42 years he’s been a leader of the Giraffe Heroes Project, a global movement inspiring people to stick their necks out to solve public problems and giving them tools to succeed (giraffe.org). His speeches, blogs, podcasts and interviews have a global audience. In our interview, we talked about John's adventures around the globe, being a thrill seeker, his realization of his need to change, and more. 00:00 START 03:43 Drink 1: The Shipwreck 05:13 Reading 1: Cruise Ship Down! 11:25 The Coast Guard's most important rescue ever--and John was there! 14:35 From selfish to selfless 19:15 Helping to end apartheid 22:46 Castro's man and plans on a napkin 33:20 Drink 3: Honey Lemon Spritz 36:19 Reading 3: A Healing Miracle 48:22 "Most significant risks challenge the soul." 49:52 Seeking meaning in our lives Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with John Graham SEE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR BOOKS AND BREWS LIGHT: ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We’ve been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us COMING NEXT MONTH: We have a surprise gest for January 2025 UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: CHILDREN. See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk: Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/34641670
info_outline
Books and Brews #67: Back to Merry Olde England with JP Reedman
11/26/2024
Books and Brews #67: Back to Merry Olde England with JP Reedman
J.P. Reedman lives in Wiltshire near to Stonehenge. Born in Canada, she has had a lifelong interest in ancient and medieval history, and is often found lurking around prehistoric sites, ruined castles and abbeys, and interesting churches with camera in hand. She became a full-time writer in 2018. Series include: I, Richard Plantagenet, 5 books chronicling Richard’s life from childhood to Bosworth, and Medieval Babes, a set of standalone novels about lesser-known medieval queens and noblewomen. Her most recent release is Princess in the Police Station, the tale of little Anne Mowbray, wife of the younger ‘Prince in the Tower’ whose grave was unexpectedly found in the 1960’s. The next book to be released will be The Melancholy of Winter, which is about Edmund of Rutland, Richard’s tragic elder brother. In our interview, we talked about JP reading Beowulf as a young child, historical foods and records of the menus of great feasts, whether being a noble is over-romanticized, historical hoaxes, and more. 00:00 START 05:54 Drink 1: Medicine for Melancholy 08:51 Reading 1: The Young Nobles Want to Skate 14:01 Using obscure historical terms 15:37 From fantasy to historical fiction 19:43 Drink 2: Dilly Bean Dirty Martini 22:55 Reading 2: Finding the Bean on Twelfth Night 25:41 The hideous Henry Holland of history 31:15 England and Canada: the story of a war bride 38:39 Drink 3: The Blackberry Raven 42:59 Reading 3: Fighting with Fish 45:53 Boys and mischief! 51:55 Most interesting and important things learned from history Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with JP Reedman SEE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR BOOKS AND BREWS LIGHT: ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We’ve been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us COMING NEXT MONTH: John Graham, adventurer extraordinaire! UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: CHILDREN. See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk: Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/34149685
info_outline
Episode #66 From Nomad to Ph.D. with Michael C. Keith
10/22/2024
Episode #66 From Nomad to Ph.D. with Michael C. Keith
Michael C. Keith is the author of an acclaimed memoir––The Next Better Place–a young adult novel––Life is Falling Sideways––and 20 story collections, including, Of Night and Light, Everything is Epic, Sad Boy, And Through the Trembling Air, Hoag’s Object, The Collector of Tears, If Things Were Made To Last Forever, Caricatures, The Near Enough, Bits, Specks, Crumbs, Flecks, Slow Transit, Perspective Drifts Like a Log on a River, Let Us Now Speak of Extinction, Stories in the Key of Me, Insomnia 11, Pieces of Bones and Rags, Quiet Geography, The Late Epiphany of a Low-Key Oracle, and Bodies in Recline, Euphony, The Loneliness Channel, and Pings.” He was nominated for a Pushcart Prize several times, a PEN/O’Henry Award, a PEN/Faulkner Award, an IPPY Award and was a finalist for the National Indie Excellence Award for short fiction anthology and a finalist for the 2013 International Book Award in the “Fiction Visionary” category. In our interview, we talked about how Michael came to be on the road with his father from the age of 8, the places he saw, the kindnesses he remembers, how he got from no school on the road to a Ph.D. and much more! 00:00 START 05:59 Drink 1: On the Road Again 08:45 Reading 1: On the Road 20:15 From years without school to a Ph.D. 24:05 Growing up Nomad: How much of the country did you see? 29:34 Drink 2: Tick of the Clock 34:10 Reading 2: Insomnia 36:34 All about insomnia, causes and cures 44:01 Tales of Larry King 44:48 Drink 3: Love and Fear 48:49 Reading 3: 11:11 51:28 Seeing the same number over and over again 54:33 Pings and the reasons for shorter fiction Visit our for our extended AFTER HOURS with Michael C. Keith ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We’ve been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us [email protected] COMING NEXT MONTH: JP Reedman, historical novelist UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is . Laura will be at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, TN on October 26 and 27 See Laura's interview at See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/33570847
info_outline
Books and Brews Episode #65: Stephen Downes
09/18/2024
Books and Brews Episode #65: Stephen Downes
Steve Downes is a contemporary Irish poet and novelist, currently living and working in Ireland. Educated in N.U.I. Maynooth, he holds a Degree in Classical History and a Masters in Cultural Anthropology. Steve has published poetry; science fiction, including Cosmogonic Marbles, Temporal Tome, Gadzooks Armageddon and Botolf Tales (the Botolf Chronicles), Warworld: Shadows & Dominions (part 1), Murder on the Alpha Centauri Express and The Deaths of Guner Zoon; and four children’s Books: The Upstairs Cat Series (3 books) & An Apprenticeship to Doctor Vantastic. Steve continues to write and publish work in many genres. In 2017 & 2018 Steve exhibited from his collections of historical photographs, Lost Graveyards of Ireland (2017) and A Landscape For Yourself (2018). Among other things, we talked about his painting, the IRA, angsty poetry, and...the world's oldest maternity hospital! 00:00 START 05:26 Drink 1: Irish Coffee 12:28 Reading 1: chase & fight in Dublin 17:53 The Rotunda, world's oldest maternity hospital 23:55 Why the Irish give Dublin's statues...interesting...names 25:52 Tales of the IRA 33:01 Drink 2: The Love and Murder 38:21 Reading 2: Murder on the Alpha Centauri Express 42:07 On marketing 43:07 From high school dropout to a masters in classical history to sci-fi! 48:28 Drink 3: The Mission Impossible 51:57 Reading 3: Dr. Vantastic 55:43 Steve's many genres Visit our for our extended AFTER HOURS with Stephen Downes ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefitted from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We’ve been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us [email protected] COMING NEXT MONTH: Michael C. Keith, author of poetry, memoir, short stories, and novels UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is . Laura will be at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, TN on October 26 and 27 See Laura's interview at See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/33114177
info_outline
Books and Brews Episode #64: Kathy Murray
08/20/2024
Books and Brews Episode #64: Kathy Murray
Kathy Murray is a certified personal trainer with over thirty years’ experience in the fitness industry. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she was a member of the 1983 National Cheerleading Championship Team. After college she competed in and won the United States Aerobic Championship in 1986 and spent the year traveling the world as a Fitness Ambassador and worked as a free-lance educator to teach fitness to European Instructors. While in Munich, she coached the Munich Cowboys (American Football) Cheerleaders to six national titles in cheerleading and was head trainer/translator for the German Gladiators during a pilot TV show for the International Gladiators. Kathy has owned her personal training business Fit Bodies for 25 years and in 2022 co-authored the Audible book, The Munich Cowboy Cheerleaders based upon her true story of her time coaching the squad. She has recently released it in both paperback and ebook formats. In her spare time she is a competitive triathlete which she has been enjoying for 20 plus years now. She lives in Atlanta with her husband Lutalo, dog Mingus and cat Sassy. We talked a lot about the impact of travel, experiencing other cultures, and learning languages, in addition to cheerleading and Kathy's time as a coach. Kathy's Readings: 00:00 Start 08:40 The Competition Starts! 29:40 Speeding Ticket--AGAIN! 48:45 Conflict with Dad (or...Following Our Dreams) Chris's Cocktail Pairings: 06:35 The Cheerleader 26:35 The Speeding Ticket 46:12 Grumpy Old man Interview Highlights: 20:15 Life Lessons from Cheerleading and Band 22:00 The Importance of Fitness and Other Thoughts on Exercise 35:50 Other Countries' Attitudes Toward Foreigners and Americans 41:11 Overcoming the Language Barrier 54:20 Doing What You Love 55:54 Friendship with a Celebrity and Traveling the World Visit our for our extended AFTER HOURS with KATHY MURRAY COMING NEXT MONTH: Steve Downes, Irish author, poet, and children's writer UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is . Laura will be at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, TN on October 26 and 27 See Laura's interview at See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/32647487
info_outline
Books and Brews Episode #63: Frank Warner
07/01/2024
Books and Brews Episode #63: Frank Warner
Like any good soldier’s son, Frank Warner moved with his family from fort to fort, accepted each change, and was ready to move again. Then, in 1960, Frank’s father was ordered to Fort Huachuca (WahCHOOka), Arizona. This was the fifth Army post of Frank’s childhood, the first place he never wanted to leave. So when his father was ordered to Vietnam in 1963, sending Frank and the rest of the family to Pennsylvania, the uprooting wasn’t easy. Frank’s book, “Tumbleeweed Forts: Adventures of an Army Brat,” describes the joys of living in Fort Huachuca, and the heartache of leaving it behind. Tune in for a fun conversation and great cocktails, including in red, white, and blue for July! Frank's Readings: 00:00 Start 10:02 A Bike Race on Base! 30:57 Atomic Dollars 47:01 Leaving Huachuca Chris's Cocktail Pairings: 06:11 Red, White, and Blue 25:40 The Atomic Cocktail 44:09 Goodbye Sunshine Interview Highlights: 19:10 This plane is on fii--ire! 23:29 Why Huachuaca? Why it was magical 35:02 Silver Dollars and Stories on Atomic Testing 38:34 Private Jones' Buried Treasure & the Scientist with Alien Technology 43:31 How Tombstone got its Name 50:15 Finding Old Friends 52:12 Dad going to Vietnam, Saving the Ashes Visit our for our extended AFTER HOURS with FRANK WARNER COMING NEXT MONTH: Devrie Donalson, comedian and author UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is Laura will be selling her books, premium rabbit fertilizer, herbs & more at the Morristown Farmer's Market, 130 W Morris Boulevard, Morristown, TN on July 5, starting at 5 pm. Laura will be at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, TN on October 26 and 27 See Laura's interview at See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/31965212
info_outline
Books and Brews Episode #62: Sharon Bennett Connolly
06/13/2024
Books and Brews Episode #62: Sharon Bennett Connolly
Sharon Bennett Connolly is the best-selling British author of several non-fiction history books. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Sharon has studied history academically and just for fun – and has even worked as a tour guide at a castle. She also writes the popular history blog, www.historytheinteresngbits.com and co-hosts the podcast A Slice of Medieval, alongside historical novelist Derek Birks. Sharon regularly gives talks on women's history, for historical groups, fesvals and in schools; her book Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest, is a recommended text for teaching the Norman Conquest in the Naonal Curriculum. She is a feature writer for All About History and Living Medieval magazines and her TV work includes Australian Television's Who Do You Think You Are? Tune in for a fun conversation and great beer! Sharon's Readings: 00:00 Start 11:16 The Young Bride's First Duties 29:12 Stephen's Coronation 46:43 Matilda at the Helm Chris's Cocktail Pairings: 08:01 The Nikolaschka from Germany 26: The Mourning Cocktail 43:39 Belgian Brownie Interview Highlights: 15:21 The Wreck of the White Ship: a king's tragedy 21:33 How oppressed were women in medieval times? 24:06 How a British author ended up on Australian TV 31:33 Widows and abbeys: the real reason 38:17 Why history is important (and a real-life vampire!) 51:50 Women, Leadership, and Leading Warriors 54:43 Do we ever learn from history? COMING NEXT MONTH: Like any good soldier’s son, Frank Warner moved with his family from fort to fort, accepted each change, and was ready to move again. Then, in 1960, Frank’s father was ordered to Fort Huachuca (WahCHOOka), Arizona. This was the fifth Army post of Frank’s childhood, the first place he never wanted to leave. So when his father was ordered to Vietnam in 1963, sending Frank and the rest of the family to Pennsylvania, the uprooting wasn’t easy. Frank’s book, “Tumbleeweed Forts: Adventures of an Army Brat,” describes the joys of living in Fort Huachuca, and the heartache of leaving it behind. UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is Laura will be selling her books, premium rabbit fertilizer & more at the Morristown Farmer's Market, 130 W Morris Boulevar, Morristown, TN on July 5. Laura will be at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, TN on October 26 and 27 See Laura's interview at See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/31726642
info_outline
Books and Brews Episode #61: Robert R. Heath
05/04/2024
Books and Brews Episode #61: Robert R. Heath
Robert Heath grew up in different places around the world, beginning in Japan in the late ‘40s. Robert and his eight siblings followed the assignments of their father, a sergeant in the U.S. Army. He ultimately became an educator for 37 years, serving all grade levels from Pre-K through doctoral programs in South and North Carolina. He now lives in the mountains of NC, where he loves writing and hiking. You can find him at face book at We talk about Bob's adventures growing up in Taiwan, Japan, Germany and the United States, with one sister and seven brothers, life as a military brat, the fun of large families and lots of boys and the antics kids get up to behind mom's back, U.S. history, bullying...and the day Bob was captured by Chiang Kai-Shek's soldiers and brought face with the military leader himself! Tune in for a fun conversation and great beer! Bob's Readings: 00:00 Start 08:56 How About a Date? 25:54 Swinging 43:03 Captured by Enemy Soldiers! Chris's Beer Pairings: 07:52 23:29 39:54 Interview Highlights: 12:36 How Bob's mother asked out his future mother-in-law 14:47 The stories mom never knew about--and how they led to a book 18:49 US history through personal experience 33:27 Americans in Japan two years after Hiroshima 36:26 Culture shock on returning to your own country 48:40 Do military parents make a point of not talking politics with brats? 51:16 Wild and free: military life or the times? COMING NEXT MONTH: Sharon Bennett Connolly has been fascinated by history for over 40 years and was recently elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, ‘in recognition of your contribution to historical scholarship.’ She’s studied history academically and just for fun and even worked as a tour guide at historical sites. One Christmas her husband gave her…a blog – and she hasn’t looked back. The blog has given her the chance to share the history she loves – the stories themselves, and the places they happened. And in 2017 she completed her first non-fiction book, Heroines of the Medieval World. UPCOMING EVENTS: · Gabriel's Horn is · Laura will be selling her books, premium rabbit fertilizer & more at the Morristown Farmer's Market, 130 W Morris Boulevar, Morristown, TN on May 10, June 7, and July 5. · See Laura's interview at · See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/31125913
info_outline
Books and Brews Episode #60: JS Absher
04/09/2024
Books and Brews Episode #60: JS Absher
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 19th century by Ida Crumpler Beard. Stan has two prose projects under way. His father killed himself in December 1977. Earlier that year he was a whistleblower in a government investigation of the bank where he worked. The confidential information he handed on widened the scope of the investigation and led to the arrest and conviction of the bank’s CEO and two other executives and the firing of several other employees. This turmoil, on top of his already unstable mental state, contributed to his death. Stan’s account of these events is based on his father’s memoirs and letters, more than a hundred newspaper articles, his own journal, and the memoirs of another participant. Outside those directly concerned, it is now a minor story, but it connects in interesting ways with the Watergate scandal and other major events. Stan’s memoir of these events will include poems he’s written and published over many years. Stan is also currently researching and writing about the history of North Carolina immediately before the imposition of Jim Crow, focusing on fifty African American men who were arrested in 1895 for their efforts to stop a lynching in Winston-Salem, a lynching that thankfully did not occur. Stan is trying to understand who they were—their jobs and professions, their backgrounds, their kinship and social networks (to the extent they can be determined), and what happened to them afterwards. Stan’s interest in this event was sparked by the one-sided account in Ida Beard’s memoir mentioned above. Absher lives in Raleigh, NC, with his wife Patti. His work in poetry and prose can be followed on . Stan's Readings: 00:00 Start 08:12 The Pear Tree and Remembering Clara 23:06 What I Knew and When 43:09 Building a Wall Chris's Cocktail Pairings: 04:21 Brazilian Lime Aid 20:53 The Marigold 40:40 White Peach Interview Highlights: 16:35 The business of being a poet 19:07 Travels to France, Belize, and Taiwan 30:36 Blowing the Whistle: family issues and corporate greed 35:11 Links to the Nixon scandal 40:46 How ancient Rome influenced a poem 50:01 From The Deserted Wife to a thwarted lynching and Jim Crow COMING NEXT MONTH: Manswell T. Peterson has endured many challenges in his life. He decided to put those experiences to good use by writing novels as an adult. He is founder of OmegaMan Publishing & Manswell Peterson Studios. He has written at least fourteen books since 2012. Escape to the Locrottum Universe – a modern fantasy world where royal drama, tyranny, and misunderstandings run rampant! UPCOMING EVENTS: · Gabriel's Horn is · 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, noon to 5 pm · See Laura's interview at · See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/30758448
info_outline
Books and Brews Episode #59: Theresa Halvorsen
03/10/2024
Books and Brews Episode #59: Theresa Halvorsen
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 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 19th century by Ida Crumpler Beard. He currently has two more projects underway. UPCOMING EVENTS: · Gabriel's Horn is · 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 · See Laura's interview with Rob & Joan Carter at · 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 .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/30311008
info_outline
Books and Brews Episode # 58: Peter Andrew Sacco
02/06/2024
Books and Brews Episode # 58: Peter Andrew Sacco
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. 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 · Laura will be selling her books, premium rabbit fertilizer & knit goods at in ThornHill Tennessee, February 10, 2024 · See Laura's interview at Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/29832268
info_outline
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #57: Stephanie Sanders-Jacob
01/06/2024
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #57: Stephanie Sanders-Jacob
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 Laura — Overhome Trading Post, February 10, 2024. See author page for details. 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 — Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/29369408
info_outline
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #56: M.B. Zucker
12/04/2023
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #56: M.B. Zucker
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. 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: , paranormal and pregnancy! UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/28927803
info_outline
Books and Brew Episode #55: MJ Williams
11/07/2023
Books and Brew Episode #55: MJ Williams
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: , author of political and historical fiction UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/28547762
info_outline
Books and Brews Episode # 54: Ralph E. Jarrells
10/14/2023
Books and Brews Episode # 54: Ralph E. Jarrells
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: , the sister-in-law mystery-writing team UPCOMING EVENTS: · . This year’s theme is: MUSIC Our theme music is from
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/28317086
info_outline
Books and Brews Episode # 53: Dan Coonan
09/08/2023
Books and Brews Episode # 53: Dan Coonan
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: , religious-based fiction, Jesus and Judas, Best Friends Forever UPCOMING EVENTS: · . This year’s theme is: MUSIC Our theme music is from
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/27980832
info_outline
Books and Brews Episode # 52: Karen Essex
08/19/2023
Books and Brews Episode # 52: Karen Essex
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: , Presidential Spirits in which our 45th president UPCOMING EVENTS: · . This year's theme is: MUSIC · Check out Karen's with readers to the Italian sites in Leonardo's Swans Our theme music is from
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/27781176
info_outline
Books and Brews Episode # 51: PTL Perrin
07/07/2023
Books and Brews Episode # 51: PTL Perrin
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
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/27403452
info_outline
Books and Brews Podcast Episode # 50: Bjorn Erickson, Brewer
06/07/2023
Books and Brews Podcast Episode # 50: Bjorn Erickson, Brewer
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. 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: 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 NEW THEME: MUSIC DTBD: Laura will be giving a Pub Talk at the Kitchi-Gami Club in Duluth, MN Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/27066546
info_outline
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #49: Margaret J. Anderson
05/08/2023
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #49: Margaret J. Anderson
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’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, and ([paired to Dung Beetle] – 8:27 · Belhaven Scottish Ale, (paired to Ollie Falls into Another Time) – 24:42 · Skull Splitter, (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 NEW THEME: MUSIC · DTBD: Laura will be giving a Pub Talk at the Kitchi-Gami Club in Duluth, MN Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/26775906
info_outline
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #48: Sharlene MacLaren
04/10/2023
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #48: Sharlene MacLaren
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. 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, . (paired to Dear Mr. Griffin) – 6:49 · Hitachino Nest White Ale, (paired to Calm Down!) – 22:20 · Graffiti IPA, (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: 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 · Laura will be selling her books AND chicken eggs (some so big the cartons can't shut) at for the first four Saturdays of April. · Laura will be giving a Pub Talk at the in Duluth Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/26495193
info_outline
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #47: Elizabeth Tucker
03/13/2023
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #47: Elizabeth Tucker
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. 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, – 9:53 · Minnehaha, – 24:12 · Ghost in the Machine Double IPA, – 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: UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/26211240
info_outline
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #46: Jane Cable
02/01/2023
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #46: Jane Cable
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 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, – 12:52 The Abyss, – 25:59 Dark to the Core Imperial Stout, Collaboration of and – 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 Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/25797270
info_outline
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #45: Jen Gilroy
01/03/2023
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #45: Jen Gilroy
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. 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, (paired to Tearing up the Ticket) – 11:03 Fuller's London Pride, (paired to DNA…Surprise!) – 25:02 KEREL Bière de Garde, (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: , romance and relationships UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/25493007
info_outline
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #44: Christina Courtenay
12/07/2022
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #44: Christina Courtenay
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'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, (paired to Battle at Orkneyjar) – 11:52 First Call, (paired to Skye Sees a Ghost) – 25:29 Empty Rowboat, (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: , author of romance and women's fiction UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/25250802
info_outline
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #43: Connie Kinsey
11/01/2022
Books and Brews Podcast Episode #43: Connie Kinsey
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. 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, (paired to Redemption) – 10:38 Crunkle Sam Barleywine, (paired to Being a Brat) – 25:32 Budweiser, (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: , author of historical fiction, time slip, and time travel UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/24867795
info_outline
Books and Brews Podcasts Episode #42: Robert Bindinotto
10/05/2022
Books and Brews Podcasts Episode #42: Robert Bindinotto
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. 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, (paired to The Funeral) – 9:47 A Little Crazy, (paired to Bad Deeds) – 26:14 Bomb!, (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: , memoirist and Writers-in-Residence for the Museum of the American Military Family & Learning Center. UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/24593478
info_outline
Books and Brews Podcasts Episode #41: Nancie Laird Young
09/16/2022
Books and Brews Podcasts Episode #41: Nancie Laird Young
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. 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, (paired to Moving Home) – 9:22 Twins Pils, (paired to No More Baseball) – 25:16 Shock Top, , (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: , Vigilante Author UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is Release of by Laura Vosika and Chris R. Powell, available in print, ebook, and hard cover. Our theme music is from .
/episode/index/show/booksandbrews/id/24398277