My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Tess Callahan, author of the book Dawnland. Tess Callahan is also the author of the novel April & Oliver. Her essays and stories have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Writer’s Digest, National Public Radio, Agni, Narrative Magazine, AWP Notebook, Newsday, The Common, the Best American Poetry blog, and elsewhere. Her TEDx talk on creativity is titled, “The Love Affair Between Creativity & Constraint.” Tess is a graduate of Boston College and Bennington College Writing Seminars and teaches creative writing and meditation. She curates Muse-feed.com, a toolbox for aspiring writers. A dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, she lives in Cape Cod and Northern New Jersey with her family and number one life coach, her dog.

In my book review, I stated Dawnland is a contemporary family life fiction filled to the brim with family secrets and misunderstandings.

April has been friends with brothers Allen and Oliver since childhood. Al was bold, athletic, and always pushing boundaries. Oliver was quiet, studious, and always towing the line. April came from a bad home and though she loved Oliver, never felt she deserved him - even after they share their love for one another while in Ireland. In the end, April chooses Al, making the next fifteen years difficult, at best.

The main portion of the story takes place during a one-week summer vacation on the Cape - something the family has done for years. Only this time, the pretense unravels and secrets come roaring out. The question is, who will survive unscathed when the dust settles?

I loved this story and can't get April, Al, Meredith, Oliver, Hal, Beryl, and the children out of my mind. It's a great read.

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Website: https://tesscallahan.com/

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2745954.Tess_Callahan

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Paperback: https://amzn.to/3BlPJJG

Ebook: https://amzn.to/4e8MfZR

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*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Kathryn Dodson, author of the book Portrait of Deception. Kathryn writes about women who have to become their own heroes - whether they're solving a crime or figuring out the next phase of their lives.

She grew up writing and riding horses in far West Texas. She graduated from SMU in English/Creative Writing and went on to get an MBA from Thunderbird and a PhD from Clemson. Now she spends her days writing about women who become their own heroes.

She has worked on both sides of the US/Mexico border and has held jobs with governments, chambers of commerce, and other businesses. Kathryn loves to travel and has visited 30 countries and 44 states. This inspires her novels about interesting women in fascinating places.

Originally from Texas, Kathryn had the good fortune to live in Spain, Mexico, Tanzania, and several U.S. states, and the good sense to end up in Carlsbad, California. She loves travel, fiery food, hanging out with the neighbors in the front yard on Friday evenings, and reading.

In my book review, I stated Portrait of Deception is a wonderful suspense novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Margo, a photographer on her way to fame, soon finds herself entrenched in a madman's attempt to take over first his country and then those countries around him. Although she's hired to take photos of the despot, she soon learns that his plan includes owning her. Unless she can escape, she'll never leave the grounds - at least not alive.

Unfortunately, Margo is not completely innocent. Can she figure out how to get free? Save her family and friends? Find a new path forward?

This is a gritty story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. But it is also character-driven enough that you cheer Margo as she learns lessons about herself and her past and makes decisions for a better future.

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FB: @kathy.dodson.31

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*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is George Sirois, author, podcast host, and audiobook narrator. Today, he is here to chat with us about audio dramas – what they are, why an author might want to consider audio drama, and how to go about producing them.

George is the author of the international bestselling young adult / science-fiction novel Excelsior, its two sequels, and the five-part science-fiction / sports serial From Parts Unknown. He served as President of the Missouri Writers Guild from 2017-2018 and is the host and producer of the podcasts Excelsior Journeys and From Duck Till Dark: Outside the Marvel Studios.

In 2023, after directing a live performance of an audio drama adaptation of Excelsior, George became the co-founder of the Once Upon a Podcast Network, a group of podcasts meant to motivate, celebrate, educate, and even rejuvenate creatives of all kinds. He is also an audiobook narrator, lending his voice to books of all genres. A New Yorker since birth, George now lives in St. Louis, Missouri with his wife and daughter.

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You can follow Author George Sirois

Website: hesgotit.com

Social media: IG: @georgesirois

FB: @georgesirois

TikTok: @georgesirois

Purchase Excelsior on Amazon:

Book 1 – Paperback: https://amzn.to/3SEkOOz

Book 2 – Paperback: https://amzn.to/4cnwhcH

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

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My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Pamela Stockwell, author of the book The Tender Silver Stars. Award-winning author Pamela Stockwell was born in Texas and raised in South Carolina. In between, she lived in the Philippines and, along with her big sister, became fluent in Tagalog name-calling. She abandoned her foreign language studies at age five and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of South Carolina. Pamela lives with her husband in Central New Jersey. She has three children in various stages of young adulthood, one dog, and too many cats. She is the author of A Boundless Place and The Tender Silver Stars, which have both garnered awards. Her poetry and creative nonfiction have appeared in several online literary journals and anthologies.

In my book review, I stated The Tender Silver is a historical fiction, though I really hate saying the 1970s are historical because it makes me feel old. The novel is set in South Carolina, a perfect setting for the issues of the times.

Triss is a rich, white girl who isn't allowed to follow in the family business because women shouldn't be lawyers - at least according to her grandfather, the man with the purse strings. Everlove is a working-class black girl who, despite the civil rights movement, can't shop in certain grocery stores let alone pursue her dreams.

What happens when the two become friends - especially when they learn of a lawyer with shady real estate dealings as well as a shady past? And let's not forget to throw in a cast of wonderful neighbors!

I enjoyed this character-driven novel - and I think you will, too.

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Website: https://www.pamelastockwell.com

IG: @PamelaStockwellAuthor

FB: @StockwellInk

Purchase The Tender Silver Stars on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4cIM7yA

Ebook: https://amzn.to/3Z1BZ0K

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My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Frank Winters, author of the book 10 Little Rules for Sharing Your Story. A father of two fantastic men, public speaker, geographer, and explorer, Frank Winters was intrigued and motivated by a random fact: one of the things he loves the most – public speaking – is the thing most feared by many.

His work (as Geographic Information Officer of NYS, President of the National States Geographic Information Council and Chair of the National Pandemic GIS Task Force) gives Frank a breadth of professional experiences to draw from. Outside of work, Frank coached a youth mountain bike race team to a state championship and served for more than two decades as President of a non-profit ski area. Paying back a lifelong debt to the Boy Scouts of America, he serves as Section Director for the National Camp School wilderness guide program. A recent annual tradition for Frank and his oldest son is racing the 90-mile Adirondack Canoe Classic.

In my book review, I stated 10 Little Rules for Sharing Your Story explores his rules for public speaking. However, these rules will help more than those speaking behind a podium.

Do you want to be a better communicator with those you love? Do you want to provide a legacy of stories to your children? Do you want to connect more over coffee and bagels? Then 10 Little Rules for Sharing Your Story is the right book for you. Not only does Frank share his rules, but he provides notebooking pages so you can create your own rules around storytelling.

My favorite rule is #6 - Think Beyond the Elevator Pitch. Frank believes that if you have something important to say, you should be able to adjust it to the time given to you. If you only have 7 seconds, what would you say? What about two minutes? What about twenty? By thinking of our stories this way, we can learn what parts are the most important and the most intriguing. I will definitely be using this idea in my own speaking!

I highly recommend this 10 Little Rules book.

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You can follow Author Frank Winters

Website: https://10littlerules.com/store/10-Little-Rules-for-Sharing-Your-Story-p608565155

LinkedIn: @frank-winters-gio

Purchase 10 Little Rules for Sharing Your Story on Amazon:

Paperback: Hardcover: https://amzn.to/3MuFIwa

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My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Joseph Rein, author of the book Youtopia. Joseph is the author of the Youtopia series (Youtopia, Youtopia Reborn, Youtopia Infinity). His short story collection Roads without Houses was nominated for numerous literary prizes. His short fiction has appeared in over twenty journals, magazines, and anthologies worldwide, and has twice been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. He is also a screenwriter and critical essayist. His second feature-length film, Who Killed Cooper Dunn? (2022), was featured on Showtime and other streaming platforms. He wrote, produced, and acted in multiple other short festival films. He is currently a Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. When not writing or reading, he can be found hiking with his wife Jessica, playing cribbage, or recovering from various small injuries inflicted by his four children.

In my book review, I stated Youtopia is a techno-thriller that still has me thinking. Anabel Downer is an FBI agent assigned to find a murderer. However, this isn't an ordinary murder but one that happened in cyberspace.

Youtopia is a place where one can live in a perfect world of their own choosing - every single day - in a virtual reality environment. People tired of life with all its up and downs and disappointments can choose to immerse themselves into Youtopia, living out the rest of their days without pain, discomfort, or disease. As you can imagine, some people love the idea and others abhor it. But who hates it enough to murder?

This book is fast-paced and has plenty of twists and turns, especially as we see Anabel's past and her connection to Youtopia. Mostly, it will make you think. What would you give up to have a perfect life? And is perfect really what you want after all?

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Purchase Youtopia on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3SpjvDc

Ebook: https://amzn.to/4c3pSmw

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*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Guest-host for Online for Authors, Carole O’Neill chats today with Donna Jones Alward, author of the book When the World Fell Silent. Since 2006, New York Times bestseller Donna Jones Alward has enchanted readers with stories of happy endings and homecomings that have won several awards and been translated into over a dozen languages. She’s worked as an administrative assistant, teaching assistant, in retail and as a stay-at-home-mom, but always knew her degree in English Literature would pay off, as she is now happy to be a full-time writer. Her new historical fiction tales blend her love of history with characters who step beyond their biggest fears to claim the lives they desire.

Donna currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and two cats. You can often find her near the water, either kayaking on the lake or walking the sandy beaches to refill her creative well.

In Carole’s book review, she stated When the World Fell Silent is a WW1 tragedy that shakes the core of Canadian Army Nurse, Nora Crowell as she tries to do her part to save the many wounded from the Halifax Harbor explosion. She spends day and night stitching up French soldiers, hardly finding time to nourish herself. On the other side of town, new mother, Charlotte Campbell tries to accept a life with her difficult in-laws after her husband is reported dead in the trenches across the Atlantic.

Both women find themselves searching for the same miracle until an amazing twist reveals the need for each to move on to a life neither thought possible. As one woman’s strength gives acknowledgement to her weakness, the other’s weakness shows her a way to accept a life she could only dream about.

Donna Jones Alward’s well-written historical fiction, When the World Fell Silent, was released on July 20, 2024. The pages won’t turn fast enough as you wait to see if Nora’s sister and her family will survive the destruction; or will Charlotte’s secret change everyone’s life.

Put this one at the top of that book pile on your reading table.

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Purchase When the World Fell Silent on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3SOefcj

Ebook: https://amzn.to/4cBwkl4

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*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Rachel Callaghan, author of the book Under Water. Rachel, novelist, award-winning essayist, ex-short story writer, and former editor of In Posse on WebDelSol, learned a thing or two about traumatic circumstances and the emotional and psychological damage they cause. Starting Hahnemann Medical College (now part of Drexel University) when only one out of eleven students in her class were women, she startled the administration by choosing to have a child her senior year. Even the teaching physicians were put off-balance: one ordered Dr. Callaghan from rounds for being visibly pregnant, as that might scare the patients. Post medical school, she had Internal Medicine, OB-GYN, and ER training and experience, working until her career was cut short when she was diagnosed with stage IV lymphoma. A stem-cell transplant was the cure. What followed was a decade of profound fatigue which left her mourning the loss of patients she loved as friends. The treatment for that was writing about people and making them come alive on the page. Besides writing, she is now a wife, mother, serial home renovator, dog and cat owner, and former traveler who circled the globe at age 21. Dr. Callaghan’s rich life has been instrumental in shaping her fiction.

In my book review, I stated Under Water is a dual timeline historical fiction you won't want to miss. Iris pushes her husband, Benny, to move across the country to pre-Civil-War-era home. During the renovations, Iris makes a gruesome discovery - a baby, perfectly preserved at the bottom of their pond. Little does Iris know that her past parallels this infant's past, and learning the secrets will unearth the secrets in her own life.

This novel provides the reader with a great story, but also looks at love, relationships, loss, social status, and racial tension, while seamlessly weaving between two worlds. I've always wanted to find a secret in an attic or a diary tucked away in the walls of a home, though I never considered finding a body!

Lorraine's book is well-written, heartwarming, and funny, with many laugh-out-loud moments mixed in with heart-wrenching ones. Definitely add this to your TBR.

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You can follow Author Rachel Callaghan

Website: www.rachelsfiction.com

FB: @Rachel Callaghan Author

Purchase Under Water on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3ZjHlVf

Ebook: https://amzn.to/3XiHZja

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

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X: @terimbrown1

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*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.