Tag Archives: Memoir

Journey to Africa with Juliet Cutler, Books & Brews Episode #83

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Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet!

Juliet Cutler is a writer, educator, and a designer of award-winning exhibits for museums, parks, and cultural centers around the world. In 1999 and 2000, she lived in Tanzania where she taught English at the first school for Maasai girls in East Africa. In her first book Among the Maasai, Juliet recounts her experiences as a young American teacher working in a context where women and girls face unimaginable challenges. Twenty-five years later, she illustrates the positive impacts of educating women and girls in her second book Lessons in Hope, which features the stories of Maasai women working in education, health care, government, nonprofits, and business.

She regularly travels to Tanzania to support causes that uplift Maasai women and girls. All proceeds from the sales of her books support these causes.

We talked about Juliet’s work in the earliest years of the school for Massai girls in Tanzania, African cultures, National Geographic’s portrayals of those cultures, attitudes toward disabilities, how Massai culture is changing, and designing exhibits for museums and parks…in addition to many other things!

Readings, Drinks, and Discussion Timestamps:

00:00 START
07:03 Drink 1: Hakuna Mata
09:42 Reading 1: Intro
14:20 Inspiration and Preparation for Africa
19:44 The Distinct & Iconic Massai Culture
26:17 Drink 2: Dowa (medicine)
30:06 Reading 2: Neema’s Dreams
34:44 How has life changed since the school started?
39:22 Adapting vs Maintaining Tradition & Culture
42:53 Drink 3: Ama-lekkerlicious
45:52 Reading 3: Kafika House
52:48 Changing Attitudes toward Disabilities
52:48 What did Africa DO to you!? (or How the African Experience Changed Juliet)
 
Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with other authors

www.booksandbrews.net
www.lauravosika.com
www.gabrielshornpress.com
www.glenmirrilfarms.wordpress.com
www.julietcutler.com

~ ~ ~

If you liked this episode, you might also like these Books and Brews episodes:

If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited 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 booksandbrewslive@gmail.com

COMING NEXT: 
Laura Creedle—horror
JK Divia — dark fantasy, mythological horror, paranormal
Barry Black — former FBI master bomb technician
Randy Lerch — former MLB player
Charles Graham — sci-fi drawing from military & rescue experiences

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Gabriel’s Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN and AMERICA
See Laura’s interview at Central Valley Talk
Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to get notifications of all our new videos, including our Books and Brews LIGHT guests, available exclusively on YouTube. We have now interviewed more than 115 authors! Would you like to be featured? Leave a comment.

https://www.youtube.com/@booksandbrews

Meet Juliet Cutler who worked in the early days of a school for girls in Tanzania and now interviews many of those former students on how their lives have changed for eduation.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like:

Surviving a Terrorist Bombing

Hey, Y’all, Come on in and Chat with Ms. Rat!

From Nomad to Ph.D.

Episode #64: Fitness and World Travel with Kathy Murray

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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 PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with KATHY MURRAY

COMING NEXT MONTH: 

  • Steve Downes, Irish author, poet, and children’s writer

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

If you liked our interview with Kathy, you might also like:

Episode # 63: Hidden Treasure & Atomic Dollars with Frank Warner

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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

SEE OUR PATREON FOR OUR AFTER HOURS WITH FRANK WARNER VIDEO.

COMING NEXT MONTH: 

  • Devrie Donalson, comedian and author

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

If you liked our interview with Frank, you might also like:

Episode #51: PTL Perrin

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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.

www.ptlperrin.org

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

  ·       Dragons and Atlantis – 15:13

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

  ·       Best Marketing Practices – 34:35

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

  ·       Advice to Misfits – 48:19

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

 UPCOMING EVENTS:

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

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

 Our theme music is from www.bensound.com 

An American Kid in Saigon with Sandy Hanna, Episode #31

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Sandy Hanna talks about her memoir, The Ignorance of Bliss: An American Kid in Saigon

Sandy Hanna is an award-winning author for her memoir “The Ignorance of Bliss: An American Kid in Saigon,” a true coming-of-age story about growing up in Vietnam in the early 60s. She current resides in Lambertville, New Jersey.

As a military BRAT (British Regiment Attached Transfer) her story reveals a turbulent time where politics and intrigue resided between plot and counterplot and where, as children, she and her siblings lived in the continuous present – perhaps the only way children can live.

Ms. Hanna graduated from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois with a BA in Interdisciplinary Programs in Science and Literature and University of Massachusetts with a MED in the Biology of Cognition. Her background is one of working with children and designing learning environment for museums, theme parks, and communities. However, she sees herself as a life-time storyteller and artist.
Sandyhanna.net

Sandy’s Readings:

  • Witnessing the Coup – 9:35
  • Baby Powder & Hershey Bars – 28:27
  • Brink’s Bomb – 43:44

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

Harvey Weissbanger Recipe

  • 1 oz. Galliano
  • 2 oz. Orange Juice
  • 6 oz. Weissbier

Fill a collins glass with ice. Add the Galliano and orange juice. Top with Weissbier. Garnish with orange peel.

Interview Highlights:

  • Did you take it for granted you survived a shooting spree? – 15:34
  • The Dragon Lady and Colonel Sam’s Expose – 19:12
  • Did your brother’s basketball start the Vietnam War? – 23:26
  • Everything in life lies in acceptance – 35:26
  • Military kids taking control in an out-of-control world – 36:58
  • Military transport to Saigon – 51:05

COMING NEXT MONTH:

Christine Madline Ellsworth, poet and 1st time novelist

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

  • Gabriel’s Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology
  • Laura will be signing books Sunday, November 7, 2 to 5 pm at Maple Grove Lutheran Church, 9251 Elm Creek Blvd N, Maple Grove, MN. Several other authors from Night Writers will also be signing books.

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

If you liked this episode, you might also like these Books and Brews episodes:

HELP US GROW

If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited 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 booksandbrewslive@gmail.com

Life after Death with Philip Watling, Episode #24

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Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet

Philip Watling was killed by a bus. In his memoir, he talks about his life after death.

Philip Watling talks about his life after death. Philip lives in Milton Keynes, England with his American wife and their amazing cats, Spirit and Shadow. Unable to work, he still manages to do a few things… 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.

We talked about his accident and all that followed it.
philipwatling
Amazon
Mardibooks
Facebook   

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.

If you liked this episode, you might also like these Books and Brews episodes:

HELP US GROW

If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited 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 booksandbrewslive@gmail.com

Renaissance Man Dr. Chris Powell, Episode #22

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Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet

Dr. Chris Powell, a true renaissance man, talks about his medical memoir, poetry, music, and more.

Dr. Chris Powell is a true renaissance man: author, poet, musician, woodworker, builder, 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.

We talked about life, love, death, the hurdy-gurdy he built and much more. Another fun Books and Brews interview!
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.

If you liked this episode, you might also like these Books and Brews episodes:

HELP US GROW

If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited 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 booksandbrewslive@gmail.com