Episode #27: Ernie Brill

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Ernie Brill writes fiction and poetry about everyday people. His I Looked Over Jordan and Other Stories explores race and class among hospital workers. The actress Ruby Dee purchased, adapted, and performed the story Crazy Hattie Enters Ice Age for her and her husband’s PBS TV series “With Ruby and Ossie.” Brill won a New York State Council for The Arts Fiction Grant. He received his BA and MA in English from San Francisco State College. Brill has published widely fiction, poetry and essays in the US and Canada (River Styx, Other Voices, Z, U. of Minnesota, Prentice Hall Ontario Canada. Favorite writers include Virginia Woolf, Richard Wright, Mahmoud Darwish, Hyseoon Kim, Gwendolyn Brooks, Sterling A. Brown, Pedro Pietri, Pablo Neruda.
Active Muse

Ernie’s Readings:

  • Intake – 9:55
  • End of Faculty Meeting – 27:13
  • Longshore – 42:31

Michael’s Beer Pairings: 

Interview Highlights: 

  • How a chapbook about hospitals came to be – 12:30
  • A short story on PBS “With Ossie and Ruby” – 17:50
  • Buzz words at Meetings – 29:38
  • Early advocacy for multicultural literature – 30:37
  • The value of art to society – 46:56
  • How our life’s work may hurt us – 49:20

COMING NEXT MONTH: Jeff LaFerney, YA author of time travel and sci-fi

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

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #26: Eugenia Fain

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Eugenia Fain is an author of poetry and prose.  She is also a songwriter and available on Amazon and Spotify.  Eugenia has forty years of experience in writing.  She is a preschool teacher and tutor.

She is published here and abroad; she is considered an international author.  Eugenia is featured in several anthologies.  She is published online, in print, ebook, and audiobook form.  She has no children of her own; but she resides in Columbia, SC with her husband, Ivan, and tabby cat, Buddy. 
Allpoetry.com  

Eugenia’s Readings:

  • Immortality, a glose poem – 13:12
  • A Song of Despair, a viator poem – 29:29
  • Dancing, a masnavi poem – 43:22

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

Interview Highlights:

  • Glose poems: which comes first, the poem or the idea? – 17:35
  • Published in Norton’s Anthology at 11 – 24:17
  • Being positive vs admitting difficulty – 33:09
  • The complexity of forms – 36:56
  • Why love? – 45:05
  • Where do you hope your work is 100 years from now? – 50:29

COMING NEXT MONTH: Ernie Brill, poet

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

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #25: Melonie Johnson

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USA Today bestselling author Melonie Johnson―aka #thewritinglush―enjoys cheap wine, expensive beer, and sipping cocktails that start with the letter m. Declared a “writer to watch” by Kirkus and a “fizzy, engrossing new voice” by Entertainment Weekly, her smart funny contemporary romances include Too Good to Be Real and her award-winning Sometimes in Love debut series: Getting Hot with the Scot, Smitten by the Brit, and Once Upon a Bad Boy. A former high school English and Theatre teacher, she spends her days in her Star Wars office, dreaming up meet-cutes. She lives in Chicagoland with her husband, their two redhead daughters, and one very large dog.
Meloniejohnson.com

Melonie’s Readings:

  • Too Good to be Real – 13:52
  • Getting Hot with the Scot – 27:05
  • Smitten by the Brit – 44:44

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

Beer Americano Recipe

  • 1.5 oz. Campari
  • 1.5 oz. Sweet Vermouth
  • 3 oz. Lager Beer

Fill a collins glass with ice. Add the Campari and vermouth. Froth the beer using an Aerolatteor immersion blender and pour into the glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

Interview Highlights:

  • Easter Eggs vs Tropes – 21:20
  • Boozy Book Broads – 22:42
  • Winks & Nods – 36:34
  • The author in the characters – 52:54

COMING NEXT MONTH: Eugenia Fain, poet

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

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #24: Philip Watling

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Philip Watling lives in Milton Keynes, England with his American wife and their amazing cats, Spirit and Shadow. Unable to work, he still manages to do some… a zero-hour contract job that he can dip in and out of when he feels up to it! When not doing that, much of his week is spent at the gym, swimming and talking to everyone – socializing with people in the city center, seeing friends at various church-sponsored lunch clubs and chatting to lots of people – on line and off – trying to help as many as he can. His remaining time is spent playing with the cats, caring for his wife and volunteering at a local community fridge.
philipwatling
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Philip’s Readings (Read by Chris Powel):

  • Intro – 11:55
  • Hit by a Bus – 24:52
  • Falling out of bed – 43:25

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

Interview Highlights:

  • The coincidence that saved a life – 13:29
  • The dream job with horses – 16:05
  • How long can a person be dead? – 18:37
  • Reassessing values – 30:11
  • Goal in writing this book – 54:37

COMING NEXT MONTH: Freida Kilmari, fantasy author

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

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #23: Cynthia Kraack and Joseph Tachovsky

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Cynthia Kraack is an author of fiction, short stories and nonfiction. 40 Thieves on Saipan was released by Regnery History in 2020 and received Best Book in Military History from the American Book Festival. The High Cost of Flowers won two 2014 Midwest Book Awards taking first in Literary Fiction and Contemporary Fiction. Her debut work, Minnesota Cold, won the 2009 Northeastern Minnesota Book Award for Fiction. She also wrote the Ashwood trilogy, a speculative fiction family saga. The Saturday Evening Post, Glimmer Train, Big Muddy Literary Journal and the Hal Prize competition have published or recognized her short stories. She has an MFA from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast Program in Creative Writing. She is a founding board member of Write On, Door County.
Cynthiakraack.com
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Joseph Tachovsky is the son of Lieutenant Frank Tachovsky, commanding officer of the 40 Thieves. Tachovsky knew nothing of his father’s heroic past beyond that he was a Marine in the Pacific until his father’s funeral in 2011. A eulogy was given in which a man recounted a story a wherein Lieutenant Tachovsky “saved every man in our unit” from a Japanese tank. This set him on a journey to discover everything he could about his father and the 40 Thieves. Tachovsky is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and currently resides in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
40thievessaipan.com
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Cynthia and Joseph’s Readings:

  • Four Woodpeckers – 13:48
  • Arello and Duley – 29:48
  • Pacts & Premonitions – 41:59

Michael’s Beer Pairings: 

Interview Highlights: 

  • The hardest part of writing such a book – 23:09
  • Why does it matter to tell the story of the 40 Thieves? – 24:52
  • Origins of the name “40 Thieves” – 35:18
  • Rivalry and stereotypes among the branches – 36:30
  • The Thieves as old men – 38:00
  • Do you believe in premonitions? – 47:42
  • What gives a 21-year-old the courage to face death? – 50:27
  • Lingering impacts of war – 52:58

COMING NEXT MONTH: Philip Watling: The car hit me….I died….

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

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #22: Dr. Chris Powell

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Dr. Chris Powell is an author, poet, musician, engineering and management consultant and aspiring polymath with his fingers on everything from fretboards and ivories to the pulse of post-modernism, surrealism, and nihilism’s impact on the destruction of morality and sanity.  His work takes him from the Internet of Things to Cyberspace, and from Supercomputers to AI.  More down to earth, he putters in his labs with birdhouses and cameras, servomotors and drones.  At the range he’s comfortable with AR’s and lasers, in a kilt with trombones and guitars, on a kneeler with his Rosary, and in the kitchen making omelets and Long Island Iced Teas for his love. 

Dr. Powell’s book has been described by Kirkus Reviews as having certain similarities to Joan Didion’s 2005 book The Year of Magical Thinking, which investigated the nature of grief, but Dr. Powell’s book investigates the nature of illness itself.  He meticulously details his late wife Bonnie’s every procedure and symptom, and every failure of modern medicine to provide her with relief.  He also applies the same method to his own emotions and spirituality, presenting engaging, admirably honest deductions regarding sacrifice and dedication in this powerful, heartbreaking memoir.
chrisandlaurapowell.com

Chris’s Readings:

  • Caring for Bonnie – 12:09
  • From Love to Shame – 25:07
  • Psalm of Winged Transcendence – 41:51

Michael’s Beer Pairings: 

  • Manhattan Social Club, Boulevard Brewing Company (paired to Caring for Bonnie) – 9:13
  • Belgian Iambic (paired to From Love to Shame) – 22:55
  • Chardonnale, Brewery Ommegong (paired to Psalm of Winged Transcendence) – 38:13

Interview Highlights: 

  • Sacrifice and service–the hard parts of love – 17:10
  • Writing for healing – 20:30
  • Love that destroys – 30:02
  • Narcissism – 32:39
  • A poem as psalm – 45:24
  • Dr. Powell as musician – 46:56
  • The Hurdy-Gurdy – 54:48

COMING NEXT MONTH:  Cynthia Kraak and Joseph Tochovsky, Forty Thieves on Saipan

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

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode 21: Lauretta and Michael Kehoe

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Lauretta Kehoe is an avid reader of all types of books, but mostly science fiction and fantasy, seeking in these stories reflections of her Christian faith. Not finding many, she decided to write what she wanted to read. Michael Kehoe is a professional comedian, actor and screenwriter, who has appeared in several movies, including the latest Jason Bourne film, the upcoming Godzilla sequel, two television shows and two commercials.  Michael has also appeared as his Geriatric Elvis persona at five casinos in the Las Vegas area.
A Dream of Dragons is their debut urban fantasy novel, first published by Tate Enterprises in 2016.  They have also published stories in several anthologies, including Creative Writing Institute’s 2017 anthology Lost, Enchanted Anthologies: Once Upon a Cursed Time, Christmas Nightmares and Fractured Fairytales Volume II, and Black, Blue and Purple Pain.  In addition to writing their own books, they work with other authors to publish theirs, such as turning movie scripts into novellas for producer, director and actor, Ron Becks. They are members of the Jerry Jenkins Writer’s Guild.
laurettakehoe.com
mikekentertainment.com

Laurie’s Readings:

  • I am flying! – 13:02
  • Shopping with Anne – 26:10
  • Henry with the Bad Guys – 43:15

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

  • Dragon’s milk, New Holland Brewing – 10:37
  • Gray Duck Spirited Seltzer, Gray Duck Spirits – 23:01
  • Chaos Monger, Warpigs Brewing USA – 38:18

Interview Highlights:

  • Dreams in story-telling – 16:10
  • Mixing light and dark story elements – 19:22
  • Elvis impressions – 20:33
  • Pollyanna vs likable characters – 32:14
  • Saving Anne vs Saving Henry – 35:45
  • Fiction: Faith, Secular or 3-dimensional? – 53:48

COMING NEXT MONTH: Dr. Chris R. Powell, readings on love for February

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

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #20: Shawn D Brink

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Shawn D. Brink is currently building a following with four novels to his name, the latest being MY GYPSY WAR DIARY (Gabriel’s Horn Publishing). He has also had numerous shorter works in various publications and anthologies. Shawn is represented by Liverman Literary Agency.
shawnbrinkauthor.wordpress.com
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Shawn’s Readings:

  • Ghosts – 9:05
  • Post-Game Events – 27:45
  • Haunted Memories – 44:55

Michael’s Beer Pairings: 

  • Winter Welcome, Samuel Smith Old Brewery – 6:49
  • Windvane, Bad Weather Brewing Company – 25:02
  • Dead Guy Ale, Rogue Ales – 41:32

Interview Highlights: 

  • Norfolk, Norfolk, and Norfork – 13:21
  • Memories of growing up in Norfolk, Nebraska – 15:32
  • Wearing bolo ties in Clovis, New Mexico – 18:29
  • From end times thriller to a boy in the Midwest in the 70s – 20:03
  • Tornado! The craft of vivid writing – 34:37
  • Why the D. in Shawn D. Brink? – 38:33
  • Using flashbacks – 47:46
  • Jumping back to the 1800s – 51:49

COMING NEXT MONTH: Lauretta and Michael Kehoe, A Dream of Dragons

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

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #19: Sandra Lynne Reed

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Born and raised in Alaska, Sandra graduated from University of Alaska and became a travel agent. After marriage, she helped run her husband’s real estate appraisal business until their children were grown, while doing freelance writing. She and her family left Alaska in 1988 and has lived in Western Washington since 1991.
A lifelong fascination with the Middle Ages stoked her interest in historical fiction, and she traveled to Italy to research a novel set in the thirteenth century Kingdom of Naples. Her passion for family history keeps the drama of the past alive for her and sometimes inspires story ideas for novels or non-fiction.
sandralynnereed.com

Sandy’s Readings:

  • Earthquake! – 10:44
  • Fireflies in New York – 26:19
  • The Northwoods Axe Murderer – 41:38

Michael’s Beer Pairings: 

  • Earthquake High Gravity Lager, City Brewing Company (paired to Earthquake!) – 8:58
  • Éphémère (Apple), Unibroue (paired to Fireflies in New York) – 24:05
  • Bomb!, Prairie Artisan Ales (paired to The Northwoods Axe Murderer) – 39:46

Interview Highlights: 

  • Deciding to write the book. The origins of the story – 17:01
  • What inspired 3 women to go on a 22,000-mile road trip with five kids in 1965?! – 20:30
  • Overcoming doubt and scoffing – 21:40
  • Showing the route around the country – 31:30
  • People’s perceptions of each other – 35:30
  • Travel and writing – 48:53
  • Why is it important to tell our stories? – 52:15

COMING NEXT MONTH: Shawn D. Brink, author of My Gypsy War Diary and the Christian apocalyptic trilogy The Space Between

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

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #18: Lisa Gurine

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Lisa Gurine has written newsletters and business communications professionally for more than twenty years. She comes from a long line of storytellers and for most of her life has channeled her creative energy into re-telling and embellishing her family’s history. Without Words grew from the seeds of her own ancestors’ lives as South Dakota immigrants.
Lisa Gurine resides in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, with her husband of more than thirty years. Her passion for cross-cultural understanding led her to volunteer with an international high school exchange program. She and her husband have hosted six foreign exchange students at their home and have engaged with many more. Her other favorite pastimes include international travel, volunteering with her church and honing her writing skills with her Night Writers critique partners.
Lisagurinebooks.com
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Lisa’s Readings:

  • Letter to Emma – 8:56
  • The Boy from the In Between – 27:11
  • Hulda and the White Cake – 44:43

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

  • Guinness Draught, Guinness Ltd. (paired to Letter to Emma) – 5:22
  • Mango Mango Mango, Dugges Bryggeri & Stillwater Artisanal Ales (Paired to The Boy from the In Between) – 23:32
  • Cake’d Up Celebration Cake, Mankato Brewery (Paired to Hulda and the White Cake) – 41:08

Interview Highlights:

  • The story behind Letter to Emma – 13:35
  • Turning fact into fiction – 15:42
  • Developing as a writer; exercises and writers groups – 21:40
  • Hosting exchange students – 34:20
  • Perceptions of the Land of Snow – 35:35
  • What’s the deal with cake! – 50:01
  • The importance of telling our family stories – 52:26

COMING NEXT MONTH:  Sandra Lynn Reed, author of The Drive in ’65

UPCOMING EVENTS:

  • Gabriel’s Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology
  • Lisa Gurine will be one of three authors at a book signing, Maple Grove Lutheran Church, 9251 Elm Creek Blvd N, Maple Grove, MN, Sunday, November 8, 2020, 1 – 5 pm

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.