Barry Eva's blog

A Book and a Chat with Kristina McMorris

 

The last time today’s guest Kristina McMorris was on the show we found out much about this talented author, how she had been host of weekly TV shows since age nine, including an Emmy® Award-winning program. We also learned the facts behind her debut novel “Letters from Home” which has since become a huge hit for her, bringing well deserved rave reviews.

We learned, how while interviewing her grandmother for a cookery book she was writing, she learned of her grandparents war time romance, sharing within “Letters From Home” not only some of what was in her Grandparents letters but also some of the recipes from war time America. The book was critically praised and was declared a must-read by Woman's Day magazine and achieved additional acclaim as a Reader's Digest Select Editions feature, a Doubleday/Literary Guild selection, and a 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist for Best Historical Fiction.

Kristina’s new "Bridge of Scarlet Leaves" (March 2012) has already received glowing reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews, among many others.

About “Bridge of Scarlet Leaves” (Taken from Celticlady’s blog)

Los Angeles, 1941. Violinist Maddie Kern's life seemed destined to unfold with the predictable elegance of a Bach concerto. Then she fell in love with Lane Moritomo. Her brother's best friend, Lane is the handsome, ambitious son of Japanese immigrants. Maddie was prepared for disapproval from their families, but when Pearl Harbor is bombed the day after she and Lane elope, the full force of their decision becomes apparent. In the eyes of a fearful nation, Lane is no longer just an outsider, but an enemy.

When her husband is interned at a war relocation camp, Maddie follows, sacrificing her Juilliard ambitions. Behind barbed wire, tension simmers and the line between patriot and traitor blurs. As Maddie strives for the hard-won acceptance of her new family, Lane risks everything to prove his allegiance to America, at tremendous cost.

During the show Krisitna shared how her research for the book included visiting Manzanar relocation camp, talking to several Japanese American WWII vets who bravely served in a secret branch of the U.S. Army and a flight on a B-17 bomber. Also that the book included some more culinary details this time about Asian Fusion cooking. Mix this together and you get a book I highly recommend.

With comments such as those listed below already received, I am sure that with “Bridge of Scarlet Leaves” Kristina has another huge hit on her hands.

"This gripping story...hits all the right chords."
-- Publishers Weekly
.
"A sweeping yet intimate novel that will please both romantics and lovers of American history."
-- Kirkus Reviews

"An unputdownable love story...[McMorris'] attention to detail is meticulous, the East meets West clash between cultures--revelatory."
-- Lesley Kagen, New York Times bestselling author of Good Graces

"Readers of World War II fiction will devour [this] poignant, authentic story..."
-- Jenna Blum, international bestselling author of Those Who Save Us
.
"Impeccably researched and beautifully written...I highly recommend this book!"
-- Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of The Beach Trees

"Fascinating and moving...an absolute pleasure to read."
-- Whitney Otto, author of How to Make an American Quilt

"A beautiful, timeless love story...McMorris' words reach right of the page and grab at your heart."
-- Sarah Jio, author of The Violets of March

"An epic romance...I followed Maddie and Lane's fast-paced journey to unexpected places with my breath held and fingers crossed."
-- Margaret Dilloway, author of How to Be an American Housewife

So listen now and share an interesting,and entertaining thirty minutes with my guest Kristina McMorris.

If you have enjoyed the blog or the radio show, why not become a follower?

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Kristina McMorris

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Kristina McMorris"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:"Kristina McMorris - Bridge of Scarlet Leaves"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Megan Bostic

 

My guest on today’s Book and a Chat is one of this year’s debut YA authors, a member of the Class of 2K12 Megan Bostic. Let’s first get the name right it’s Megan with a long “e” so it’s more like “Me gan”, now that’s out the way let’s chat about this great new author. Megan is the author of “Never 18” a YA book that has received great reviews from teens and adults alike.

Megan lives over on the west coast, but not the sunny climes location that one thinks of, the rainy and gray northwest weather that makes her extremely “angsty” (one of her favorite words). Megan loves the color black, monkeys (has a collection of sock monkeys), and is a notorious Facebook addict. She migrated from early writing of poems and songs, though the poetry is making somewhat of a comeback to writing her first novel which she completed in 2008. That novel still has to see the light of day and in 2009 she produced “Never 18”.

She writes in the “seat of your pants” style, typing away with reckless abandon to get, with the aid of numerous sticky notes, the story that is bursting out of her head typed out. Once written, then starts the editing and smoothing out process.

While “Never 18” is only 200 pages long it is filled with emotional scenes, though some the language and topics are perhaps not for the younger end of the YA market, “Never 18” is a book for all ages, and can and should be shared by adults as well as children as it relates to real life situations.

About “Never 18”

Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life.

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go.

But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.

While Never 18 is Megan’s debut novel there are already several others either completed or in the pipeline, including another contemporary YA tentatively titled, Sad. I call it a story of loss, loathing and lacerations. It’s about a girl suffering from depression who ends up being a cutter, and her healing process.

As one reviewer put it…

New author Megan Bostic makes writing look easy. Her new novel, NEVER EIGHTEEN, is so clear, so smooth, so effortless, that the reader is completely immersed in the story, living it along with the characters. This story is so moving, so touching that I could not put it down. I read NEVER EIGHTEEN from cover to cover in a matter of hours. And normally, I would never look at this kind of book. It just isn't my normal genre. But I knew of Ms Bostic, and I had heard a lot about this book, so I leaped at the chance to give it a try. And, OH MY, I feel honored and privileged to have read NEVER EIGHTEEN. Megan Bostic it a true talent, and NEVER EIGHTEEN is a brilliant debut.

I for one, totally agree with that!

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining sixty minutes with my guest Megan Bostic

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Megan Bostic

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Megan Bostic"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Megan Bostic - Never 18"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book andf a Chat with Debra Winegarten

 

You can always tell how good and interesting a show is, by how quickly the time goes by when your hosting one, normally I am fairly lucky and the thirty minutes just seems to fly by, today was one of those shows. It seems I had just started chatting with my guest Debra Winegarten, when I checked the clock to find there were just a few minutes left.

Debra is one of those writers who was creating written work almost as soon as she could hold a crayon, the fact that her mother Ruthe Winegarten was a writer of note in Texas, meant that instead of Debra been put to sleep buy the noise of their mother's sewing machine, Debra was often comforted by the sound of her mother typing on her IBM Selectric.

Debra’s first completed book was a memoir she was ked to write "Strong Family Ties: The Tiny Hawkins Story", however this was not the first book she had started and after a break of some years that first book saw the light of day when she published “ an S inspiring biography about female aviator Katherine Stinson in her book , Katherine Stinson : The Flying Schoolgirl.

As I have said in the past one of the things I love about hosting my radio show is that you never stop learning, and today was no exception.

Debra shares in her book that Katherine Stinson was the fourth woman in the United States to receive her pilot’s license in July 1912. Besides that, she was the first pilot in the U. S. to carry pioneer airmail, the first woman to fly alone at night, the first woman in the world to perform the loop-the-loop, and the first pilot to perform skywriting in 1915. Add to that the story Debra shared with us about how she ended up flying in the first place and how she was credited with instituting pre-flight checks you know this is a book about one great lady.

Now Debra has returned to her roots as a young Jewish girl being raised in Texas with her award winning book “There’s Jews in Texas?” a small, but packed book of poems that was winner of the Poetica Magazine, Contemporary Jewish Writing 2011 Chapbook Contest.

Winning that award is of no surprise when you read the book, as the title would indicate, there is some humor in Debra’s poetry. And coming out of Texas one would expect to find some anti-Semitism as well and the author does not let the reader down, often combining humor and anti-Semitism appropriately in a manner that Jews and non-Jews can both appreciate. An example is from when she was in second grade…

A grown man stops me on the sidewalk
Eyeing my Star of David necklace and asking if I’m Jewish.

When I nod yes, (I’m not supposed to talk to strangers),
He tells me that’s really too bad for me,
Because didn’t I know that
Jews burn in Hell when they die?

Tears falling so hard I could barely see,
I dropped my weekly treasure and ran home
To Mom so fast I thought
I might keel over before I got to her
And be snatched right down to Hell.

When I told Mom what happened,
She put both hands on my shoulders,
Knelt to my height where she could look square in my eyes,
And in that Dallas drawl of hers, said,

“That’s okay, honey, don’t worry.
We’re Jewish.
We don’t believe in hell.”

As one reviewer put it…

"Debra L. Winegarten writes frank, funny, poignant, punchy poems. This collection shines with radiant spirit."

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining thrity minutes with my guest Debra Winegarten

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Debra Winegarten

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Debra Winegarten"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Debra Winegarten - There's Jews in Texas?"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Deby Eisenberg

 

Deby Eisenberg, is my guest on today’s “A Book and a Chat”. She is the leader of an established Chicago area Book Club, a former English teacher and journalist, loves literary research, art, architecture, Jewish history, and travel in the United States and Europe. You mix all of those together and you can why her debut book “Pictures of the Past” is such a formidable and “must read” novel.

Using her vision of a multi-generational love story that would inform as well as entertain, that would broaden the mind and open the heart. And with many authors, lead by her characters, Deby has with this book created something that will touch the hearts and keep the pages turning for many a reader.

About ”Pictures of the Past”
(Taken from “The Girl Who Stole the Eifel Towwer” Blog)

The novel takes us through generations of hardships, each unique to their era, beginning in modern-day Chicago where an Impressionist painting on display at the Art Institute, a treasure donated by celebrated philanthropist Taylor Woodmere, is charged as a Nazi theft. The claim takes us back to 1930s Paris, where the story of Taylor Woodmere truly begins. As he journeys to Europe on his first independent venture for the business of his forefathers we learn of the would-be fiancé he left behind, of his instantaneous connection with the city of Paris, of the Impressionist painting that captivates him and finally of his meeting with the German Sarah Berger.

Their blissful romance is beautifully depicted amid the simple treasures of the German country whilst the shroud of the Nazi regime lingers threateningly in the background, inevitably proceeding to wreak havoc on Taylor and Sarah’s dream world. Together – and apart – they face the garish realities of an unjust war and Sarah takes a centric role in the center of her terrorizing quandary as a Jewish woman alone in a perilous place. Woven betwixt their tale is the story of Rachel Gold, a young girl left pregnant and abandoned by Taylor’s son, Court, in the 1960s. In her quest to secure a better life for herself and her son, Jason (aka Rusty), she travels from Chicago to New York where she pursues a life of normalcy with Aunt Ida, a Holocaust survivor and great friend.

Through Ida’s connection to the life and times of Sarah Berger, and Rachel’s connection to the heroic Taylor Woodmere a bond is forged through the eras, weaving the history of one family and illuminating the tragedy of the Holocaust, a tragedy that still resonates through time and space to our world today.

As one reviewer put it…

Deby Eisenberg has combined a compelling story of love and loss during the Holocaust with a modern love story that is a must read for anyone who enjoys well-written fiction. Her command of the subject matter brings believability to her characters & makes you want to keep reading.

To me this is a must read, it covers all your emotions and wants in a good book. Deby’s challenge to herself was to write a novel that her avid readers could not put down and would love to discuss. With “Pictures of the Past” she has done that and so much more.

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Deby Eisenberg

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Deby Eisenberg

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Deby Eisenberg"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Deby Eisenberg - Pictures Off The Past"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Rick Lenz

 

Rick Lenz is a star of stage, and screen from his staring roll in “Cactus Flower” along sides the likes of Goldie Hawn and Walter Matthau, to appearing in John Wayne’s last file “The Shootist” He has played rolls ranging from gunslingers to patient husbands, intellectuals, to a wimpy murder-mystery fanatic. Along the road he has rubbed shoulders with the likes of Al Pacino to Peter Sellers and Ingrid Bergman to Lucille Ball. However Rick Lenz is not just an actor/director, he is also a talented artist and now author of a great book “North of Hollywood”

While “North of Hollywood” is full of anecdotes about many of the people Rick has come into contact with along his career, it also shares with the reader some of the darker moments in his family and life, touching on drug addiction and cancer.His book reveals real-life experiences of heartbreak, suspense, discovery and joy.

As Writer/editor Kevin Cook said…

“North of Hollywood is “fall-on-the floor funny and graveyard-serious, a page-turner with a brain. This is an excitingly original book overflowing with lyrical power that I can’t compare to anything else I’ve ever read.”


About North of Hollywood (taken from Goodreads)

Take a roller coaster ride through the life of a real Hollywood actor.

Rick Lenz is an actor who has made it in New York and Hollywood. You have seen him countless times on TV and in the movies. He has been a popular leading man as well as a character actor, consistently avoiding repetition in the roles he chooses. Lenz has played leads opposite some of entertainment’s biggest names, and has had recurring or guest starring roles on many of your favorite TV shows.

Yet his book is more than just an ordinary Hollywood insider story. Lenz is a terrific writer with a wicked sense of humor. Also a gifted artist and widely produced playwright, he uses his extraordinary storytelling skills to take you into his personal experiences with actors and entertainers we normally only hear about through the rumor mills, and to reveal real-life experiences of heartbreak, suspense, discovery and joy.

His memoir is fascinating. He doesn’t pull any punches. Along with plenty of showbiz anecdotes, he tells us about his marriages (especially his “final” one) and his journey from summer stock through New York, then to Hollywood. He offers us deep insights into an actor’s life and living in general. Feeling the shock waves of his stormy family background, including the emotional tremors of nearly losing his daughter who struggled for years with drugs, Rick Lenz is a real life husband and dad—and the absorbing reality of that shines through his words.

Spending time with Rick Lenz is fun, enlightening and authentic. If this weren’t a true story it would make a mesmerizing fictional adventure.
Bottom line: North of Hollywood is edgy, way out of the ordinary, and, as a bonus, funny.

It is a book that all will enjoy, one I highly recommend, it is due for release on February 15th, and if I were you I’d get my order in now for “North of Hollywood” as I’m sure it will be a very popular read.

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Rick Lenz

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Rick Lenz

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Rick Lenz"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Rick Lenz - North of Holywood"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

My guest today is Stephanie Osborn, former rocket scientist, payload flight controller and a veteran of over twenty years of working in the civilian space program, as well as various military space defense programs.

She has always enjoyed writing, and as we heard during the program actually wrote Sherlock Holmes story when she was in fourth grade that was rejected because the teacher thought it was a copy of an actual Conan Doyle story, it is a shame that story no longer exists as I’m sure it would be amongst the other wonderful novels created by Stephanie since her retirement from the space race.

Her first book “Burnout” was so close to home and actual incidents that subsequently happened. Along the way she has worked with both Darrel Bain and Travis S Taylor on further Science Fiction series “The Cresperian Series” and “Extraction Point”.

In her latest production “The Displaced Detective Series” Stephanie has come full circle as it brings back her love for Sherlock Holmes. The first two books in the series “The Arrival” and “At Speed” are already out and receiving great reviews.

About “The Displaced Detective Series”

This is a science fiction mystery in which the brilliant hyperspatial physicist, Dr. Skye Chadwick, discovers that there are alternate realities, and said alternates
are often populated by those we consider only literary characters. Her pet research, Project:

Tesseract, hidden deep under Schriever AFB, is her means of looking in on these continua. In one particular reality, continuum 114, a certain Victorian detective (who, in fact, exists in several continua) was to have died along with his arch-nemesis at the Reichenbach Falls. Knee-jerking, Skye intervenes, rescuing her hero, who inadvertently flies through the tesseract wormhole connecting his universe with ours, while his enemy plunges to his death. Unable to send Holmes
back without causing devastating continuum collapse due to non-uniqueness, he must stay in our world and learn to adapt to the 21st century.

Meanwhile, the Schriever AFB Dept of Security discovers a spy ring working to dig out the details of - and possibly sabotage - Project: Tesseract. Can Chadwick help Holmes come up to speed in modern investigative techniques in time to
stop the spies? Will Holmes be able to thrive in our modern world? Is Chadwick now Holmes' new "Watson" - or more?

And what happens next?

Well we will find out, as this series promises to run and run as Stephanie has the next two in the editing/publishing stages, book 5 is being written, book 6 is planned, and book 7 is actually finished but needs beefing up. As we heard this prolific author is also producing and co-producing further nvels in her other series as well.

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Stephanie Osborn

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Stephanie Osborn

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Stephanie Osborn"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Stephanie Osborn"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Lynne Kelly

 

I have one of the debut authors from the Class of 2K12 on my show today. Lynne Kelly was born in Galesburg, Illinois, grew up in Houston, lived in some much colder places, then found her way back to the Houston area, where she works as a sign language interpreter. For a few years she also taught special education, a good career for someone with excellent organizational and planning skills. Lacking those skills, she quit teaching in 2006 and thankfully has more time for writing. But it was during those teaching years that she worked with some great kids and became interested in writing, so that all worked out.

After giving up her main teaching role, she started writing her book “Chained” which though going through many edits and re-writes has been well worth waiting for.

As we discussed during the show doing research Lynn found out many things about elephants that she did not know before writing her novel, the research also included a personal “get to know” with one of these might beasts.Did you know…

Sscientists recently discovered that there are three species of elephants, not just two. (One in Asia, two in Africa.) African forest elephants are much smaller than their neighbors in the savannah, and the two African species are as different as tigers and lions.

Or that…

A long-distance call: some sounds elephants make are too low for you to hear even if you're standing nearby, but an elephant two miles away will hear them

The resulting book “Chained” has been worth all the research, receiving some great reviews..

“…a story that unwraps the heart and asks it to be brave, loyal, and above all, kind.”
~ Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor winner and New York Times bestselling author of The Underneath and Keeper.

“…It doesn’t matter if Kelly is writing about about gentle giants, adults who have made mistakes, people left without choices or boys who rise to their own occasion, she has a talent for making the characters feel real and for making readers feel.”

About “ Chained”

The touching story of a boy and an elephant who have a friendship stronger than any lock, shackle, or chain.

Ten-year-old Hastin’s sister has fallen ill, and his family must borrow money to pay for her care in the hospital. To work off the debt, Hastin leaves his village in northern India to work in a faraway jungle as an elephant keeper. He thinks it will be an adventure, but he isn’t prepared for the cruel circus owner. The crowds that come to the circus see a lively animal who plays soccer and balances on milk bottles, but Hastin sees Nandita, a sweet elephant and his best friend, who is chained when she’s not performing and punished until she learns her tricks perfectly. With the help of Ne Min, a wise old man who seems to know all about elephants, Hastin protects Nandita as best as he can. Still he wonders–will they both survive long enough to escape?

As we learned during the show, Lynne is already hard at work on her next book a YA novel, with a more humorous touch “Reasons for Leaving” about a hitting the road to find a long lost friend, when all you want to be is safe at home.

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Lynne Kelly

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Lynne Kelly

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Lynne Kelly"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Lynne Kelly - Chained"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Caroline Starr Rose

 

My guest on today’s “A Book and a Chat” is Caroline Starr Rose, teacher poet, member of the Class of 2K12 and now author. Caroline was an avid reader while young, and as we heard, also put on “magic shows” as “Caroline the Great”. She spent her childhood in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and New Mexico, camping at the Red Sea in one and eating red chili in the other.

She’s taught both social studies and English in New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, and Louisiana. In her classroom she worked to instill in her students a passion for books, the freedom to experiment with words, and a curiosity about the past.

She also spent some time in her teens in Australia as an exchange student, camping in the Outback, climbing Ayers Rock, holding a koala, and getting bitten by an emu. Of course from her stay in Australia, we could also discuss the virtue of Marmite over Vegemite.

Along the way Caroline has shared her love for poetry with many students in many forms, including dressing up as a character from the planet Zircon.
She started writing seriously about ten years ago, at first trying her hand on an historical novel about the Oregon trail, which though something that might never see the light of day, she found to be a good learning curve that has eventually lead to her debut YA novel “May B”.

About "May B"

Mavis Elizabeth Betterly, or May B. as she is known, is helping out on a neighbor's Kansas prairie homestead, “Just until Christmas,” says her Pa. Twelve-year-old May wants to contribute, but it's hard to be separated from her family by fifteen long, unfamiliar miles.

Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned to the oncoming winter, trapped all alone in a tiny snow-covered sod house without any way to let her family know and no neighbors to turn to. In her solitude, she wavers between relishing her freedom and succumbing to utter despair, while trying to survive in the harshest conditions. Her physical struggles to at first withstand, and then to escape her prison is matched by tormenting memories of her failures at school. Only a very strong girl will be able to stand up to both and emerge alive and well.

In this debut novel written in gripping verse, Caroline Starr Rose has given readers a new heroine to root for, one who never, ever gives up.

The book is written in verse a form that helps move the story along as well as making the reader feel even more part of the reading, as one reviewer put it, “It made me feel as if I was in the snow storm.”

Caroline’s journey to publication from a start where she had several offers for her book, was not a smooth one, when her first publisher closed just as her book was planning to be launched, however lucky enough another publisher picked up “May B”, though this did mean several more rounds of editing. The result however is well worth waiting for, “May B” which is officially released on January 10th 2012.

As Newbery winner, Karen Cushman wrote…

“Heroes come in all sizes; my newest hero is a pint-sized girl named May B. Caroline Starr Rose tells May's story in simple, moving verse that captures the joy of family, the gloomy isolation of a dirt soddy, and the determination of one scared but indomitable young person. May B. is a girl you'll be proud to know. “

In “May B” we have Laura Ingalls Wilder–inspired ode to the human spirit who is a brave, stubborn fighter, written in beautiful and riveting verse.

This book is book for all, and certainly one to use those to add to your reading wish list for 2012.

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Caroline Starr Rose

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Caroline Starr Rose

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Caroline Starr Rose"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Caroline Starr Rose - May B"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

The 400th "A Book and a Chat" with Cheryl Malandrinos

 

Back in February 2009, after appearing on a few radio shows, and with experience of running a couple of local TV shows narrating stories from my romance book as well as filming local karaoke, I thought… why not try your own radio show. Loving a good old “chin wag” as we say in England I thought it might be good fun, little did I know just how much.

After a couple of practice runs the first “A Book and a Chat” was aired on March 7th, with my first guest being a fellow radio show starter and author Kim Smith.

Now a couple of years or so later here I am hosting my 400th radio show.

For this special 400th addition of “A Book and a Chat” I am very pleased to say I have Cheryl Malandrinos as my guest. Cheryl is freelance writer and editor, a founding member of Musing Our Children; she is also a Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book. Her first children’s book, Little Shepherd, was released in August 2010 by Guardian Angel Publishing.

Cheryl has been working on blogs, reviews and virtual book tours for more years than the show has been running, and was one of the first people, along with Dorothy Thomson who I met when my own book “Across the Pond” was published.

During an entertaining and I hope informative show, we discussed how things have changed in the world of publishing and promotion since the show has been running.
Cheryl herself has had success with her book “Little Shepherd” which as we learned during the show will be followed by “A Christmas Kindness” next year. About “Little Shepherd”

Obed is in the hills outside Bethlehem when the angels appear to announce the Savior’s birth. Can he trust that the miracle of the first Christmas will keep his flock safe while he visits the newborn King?

With Christmas just around the corner, I can highly recommend her book for those young readers in your family.

Over the last 400 shows, I am very proud of the many, many comments I have received from guests, nearly all love the style and many have come back for a second third, fourth or even fifth time.

I have had some very famous guests on the show during these last two years from Emmy award winners such as Louise Shaffer, to authors such as Steve Berry who have 72 million copies in print throughout the world. I love to involve the YA Bloggers, as I call them the “Sham Wow” of YA literature as they soak everything up. I have made it a point to include bloggers as guests on the show as well as many debut authors. After all they might be debut authors today but they could be the stars of tomorrow. Class of 2K10, 2K11 YA debut authors were great and I already have several from Class of 2k12 signed up for the show.

There are a few drawbacks in having what sometimes has been five shows a week, the jokes and anecdotes tend to repeat themselves, but I always try and make the chat flow and love to laugh as anybody who has listened will tell you. Many guests are what can only be described as “scared” when they first call in and we chat before the show starts, but as I say to them, it’s honestly just a chat over a cup of tea (in my case English PG Tips), and so many have told me afterwards how much they enjoyed the easy going format and style, that they were completely at ease.

One good sign as to how the show is being enjoyed is the way the time seems to rush by for all over them, this I very soon realized and started running some 1hr specials, which again people have enjoyed.

I have in the last 400 shows I have covered subjects from abuse to life coaching, from Picture books to historical fiction. I have within three days covered a multi-million selling author such as Steve Berry, to William Link whose name might not be one you remember straight away until you realize he and his late writing partner wrote all the Colombo series, Murder She wrote and so much more. To be followed by a local author who had written some small books of stories about famous horses which were being sold on local “tack” shops
.

I love the various styles that can appear on the show, learning about people’s fights over illness and abuse, historical novels about periods in history, Leaning about floods, disasters, love and laughter, the eclectic mix of shows not only keeps me looking forward each week to the next show but I hope my listeners as well. I have made many friends along the way learned many things, about the art of writing as well as telling a good story.

Along the way I have come up with this parallel universe theory, which has become a pet theory of mine.

I think there is this parallel universe where all these stories are situated, all us writers are is the conduit that allows the stories to be share din our world. Ask almost any author and they will tell you that no matter how much you outline or plan the story, the characters come along that were not even thought of, and take over the story, you get led down different paths not even thought about as the story develops. When you have completed the novel, and look back on it, often you can’t even remember writing some of it, let alone using some of the language and words which you’d never use. Yes... the parallel universe writes story for you… well that’s my slightly tongue in cheek theory.

As you can imagine I’ve had some shows that have ended up more like a comedy show, while others have brought tears to many a listener.

One show that will always stand out for me was back in November of 2009. My guest was M.M Anderson and we were talking about her book “Werewolf Dreams”. There is an option and for people to dial into the show to chat to my guest themselves, and on this day a call came in to my switchboard, that as a show host you are able to control. I opened the phone connection and asked who wanted to talk to M.M. Anderson. All I got in response was some growling a cross between a dog and Chewbacca; yes a werewolf had dialed in to the show.

My guest thought it might be one of her children and threats were made, but on checking the number it was from a totally different state.

So from Werewolf’s to film stars, multi selling authors to ones with their first book, abuse to humor, peoples to pets, tears to laugher I’ve seen had them all on A Book and a Chat” 400 show downs, and hope to have many more to share with you.

I guess a few new one liners are required, and you never know, perhaps I’ll even have another call from a werewolf.

So listen now and share an interesting and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today Chat with Cheryl Malandrinos

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Cheryl Malandrinos

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Cheryl Malandrinos"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Cheryl Malandrinos - Little Shepherd"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Kathi Macias

 

With almost 400 shows under the “Book and a Chat” belt we’ve had many guests appearing several times on shows, today I am very pleased to have one of our most popular and prolific authors back on the show, the one and only Kathi Macias.

Always an interesting and entertaining guest, Kathi shared with us about a new series of three books she has written, once again touching on something that will not only make the reader will enjoy reading about but also make them think.

The first book in the new series is called “Deliver Me From Evil” the start of a series which goes into the world of slavery, or human trafficking. As Kathi shared with us during the show, there are estimated to the 27 million people around the world involved in human trafficking, with upwards of 300,000 in the USA.

In “Deliver Me From Evil” we meet Maria who has been taken by her Uncle to be sold at sixteen she is one of the oldest - she has seen many children die in the conditions Readers will also meet 18-year-old, Bible-college-bound Jonathan and his 16-year-old sister, Leah, whose paths cross Mara’s and who become involved in her dramatic rescue.

Interwoven between the stories of Mara, Jonathan, and Leah is the heartbreaking story of another young woman in captivity in the Golden Triangle of Thailand, whose past life mysteriously connects to the young people in San Diego.
As one reviewer put it…

Growing up in New Zealand , we don't at times realise how blessed and safe though of course we are not short of the horrific crimes that occur but compared to America and other countries we are quite lucky.

Deliver Me From Evil touches base on a topic that scarily enough does happen and more often than not , the number of victims are higher in statistics than the number of survivors and escapees. Overseas, we read that Human Trafficking is one of the biggest crimes - Children mainly from countries like Mexico, South American Countries are taken or sold from their homes by their families with hope that they can get a better life over in America - across the borders. However , more often than not the families of the children who are used for Human Trafficking aren't aware of the consequences as they believe their child is better off when in fact -they are worst off as they are beaten, sold, kept in captivity and not nurtured for.

These children are sold to the highest bidder and used for Prostitution etc. It is a game to many people, but for the girls -they have to learn to stay strong as only the strong will survive. .. (The Phantom Paragrapher)

Kathi told us how she struggled with writing this book series, as even for her the subject and just what she found out from her investigation went to some very dark areas.

I am sure this will be yet another “smash hit” of a series for Kathi.

On a lighter note, Kathi also has he first but by no means the last “Christmas Book” coming out.

“A Christmas Journey Home” tells of two widowed woman, one driven by fear and a promise, the other by bitterness and revenge who must make their journeys along different pathways, but with the same destination: a barn full of animals that stands waiting for them on Christmas Eve.

Forced to face their personal demons, Isabella and Miriam soon discover a common yearning that will bind them together in a most miraculous way.

As always Kathi left us with a snippet of her up and coming work, with a second Christmas book already penciled in for 2012, and the release of the further novel in the “Deliver Me From Evil” series, she will be working with other authors on a book series about a fictitious town. I’m sure we will hear more about that during a show next year.

So listen now and share an interesting and entertaining show as I spend thirty minutes sharing "A Book and a Chat with Kathi Macias

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Kathi Macias

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Kathi Macias"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Kathi Macias - Deliver Me From Evil"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry