Tag Archives: Time Travel

Episode #49: Margaret Anderson

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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 J. Anderson – Homepage (peak.org) 

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: 

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: 

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #45: Jen Gilroy

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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.
www.jengilroy.com

Jen’s Readings:

  • Tearing up the Ticket – 12:53
  • DNA…Surprise! – 27:11
  • From Canadian Schoolgirl to French spy – 42:07

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

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: Eva Glyn, romance and relationships

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

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #44: Christina Courtenay

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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 Courtenay

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: 

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: Jen Gilroy, author of romance and women’s fiction

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

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #40: Janet Raye Stevens

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Meet award-winning author Janet Raye Stevens – mom, reader, tea-drinker (okay, tea guzzler), and weaver of smart, stealthily romantic tales. A Derringer Award finalist, Janet’s work has been recognized multiple times, including winning the Daphne du Maurier award for the WWII-set paranormal A Moment After Dark and RWA’s Golden Heart® award for the fun and flirty holiday romance Cole for Christmas. Janet writes mystery, time travel, paranormal, and the occasional Christmas romance with humor, heart, and a dash of suspense. She lives in New England with her husband, who’s practically perfect in every way, and their various family members, all geniuses and good-looking to boot.
janetrayestevens.com

Readings:

  • To the Rooming House from Beryl Blue, Time Cop – 14:04
  • At the Nightclub with the Soldiers from Beryl Blue, Time Cop – 27:18
  • A Moment After Dark – 44:18

Michael’s Beer Pairings:

  • Northern Standard, Fulton Beer (paired to To the Rooming House) – 11:41
  • Coors Banquet, Coors Brewing Company (paired to At the Nightclub with the Soldiers) – 24:40
  • Saporro Premium Beer, Sapporo (paired to A Moment After Dark) – 41:30

Interview Highlights:

  • A childhood immersed in WWII – 18:52
  • What was good about the 1940s? – 19:39
  • The Day My Teacher Wore a Miniskirt to School – 32:18
  • Why do some wars get more fictional attention than others? – 38:22
  • Why a mortician with paranormal gifts? – 49:43
  • Getting into the minds of others – 53:35

COMING NEXT MONTH: Nancie Laird Young, Author of Tea with Dad: Finding Myself in My Father’s Life

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.

Episode #28: Jeff LaFerney

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Jeff LaFerney was a full-time language arts teacher in Davison, Michigan, for 30 years. After coaching basketball for most of his career, he decided to write books instead and took on his new hobby. Now he spends his free time reading, writing, and editing books. He and his beautiful wife have two adult children. His Clay and Tanner Thomas series focuses on a father and son team who use parapsychological abilities to solve mysteries. Jumper is a time-travel science fiction adventure. Lost and Found, is a unique mystery/treasure hunt with ties to World War II history. His latest, Planer, is the sequel to Jumper, his best-selling novel. He has a blog called The Red Pen where he usually infuses humor to share about himself or to give inspiration or writing tips.
jefflaferney.blogspot.com

Jeff’s Readings:

  • Loving the Rain – 13:28
  • Lost and Found – 30:22
  • Jumper – 43:35

Michael’s Beer Pairings: 

Interview Highlights: 

  • What led to the very strong disclaimer that your work is fiction! – 22:15
  • Mixing secular and faith – 23:52
  • What’s historical, what’s not – 38:19
  • Research on time travel – 49:11
  • Dropping crumbs that readers want to follow – 51:54
  • How to hook the reader – 54:30

COMING NEXT MONTH: Nicole Burnham, romance author

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

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.