My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Ted Aukerman, author of the book A Farmboy, a Tom Boy, Jesus Freaks, and Divine Appointments. Ted was born in Ohio and moved to Oklahoma with his parents in 1978. He lives in Muskogee, OK, with his wife, Patti, his sweetheart of 38 years. They have three children and six grandchildren. With one on the way!

His first novel published in 2024, is actually four shorter works that were combined to make the Skips Sparks Anthology, A Farm Boy, a Tomboy, Jesus Freaks and Divine Appointments.

Ted is a singer-songwriter writing songs for Aukrocket Records. His albums are available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and Reverbnation to name a few. Movie fans will appreciate his contributions to the soundtrack of God, Where Are You? directed by De Miller from Lazarus Filmworks. Ted produces music and podcasts in his studio, Ted’s Auto Repair. His podcast Tales From The Road of Life is available on many platforms.

Also, on Reverbnation is music from Skip Sparks, one of his characters and Ted’s alter ego.

In my book review, I stated A Farmboy, A Tomboy, Jesus Freaks, and Divine Appointments is a Christian historical fiction filled with music, laughter, hard times, and saving grace. I thoroughly enjoyed Ted's characters, all of whom had problems, issues, disappointments, and poor decisions - and yet, they also had kindness, love, determination, and a need for something more than the world seemed ready to offer.

This is a meandering story where you get to meet the characters, remeet them at earlier and later points in their lives, and finally see how they all come together, each touching the other. I enjoyed the music and poetry sprinkled throughout the pages, as well as watching characters go from dark places to places filled with light and hope.

If you want a book that takes you on a journey, then this is the book for you!

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FB: @Ted Aukerman

https://www.reverbnation.com/tedaukerman

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Purchase A Farmboy, a Tom Boy, Jesus Freaks, and Divine Appointments on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/44TYoOO

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*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Reenita M Hora, author of the book Vermilion Harvest. Reenita is a founder, executive-level content, operations, and marketing leader, and prolific writer. With multiple years of experience in media, entertainment, communications, tech/innovation and wellness industries in the USA and Asia, she grows organizations, ranging from early-stage startups through mid-size businesses, through storytelling, creative marketing and business strategy. She has served as Head of Marketing at SRI International, Silicon Valley's pioneer science and deep tech research institute, VP of Content at hibooks/Otto Radio producer/presenter for Bloomberg and award-winning host for RTHK Radio 3 in Hong Kong. Reenita founded, built and sold Ayoma, a health and wellness brand, and has written seven books - five non-fiction and two fiction. She has contributed to The Hindu, South China Morning Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CNN, Asian Investor, Times of India and National Geographic Kids, Cartoon Network Asia, Disney and more. She is a limited partner in the How Women Invest fund which specifically invests in women owned companies. She is working on her next novel and has recently launched Chapter by episode, a digital publishing platform for immersive chat fiction stories with diverse themes.

In my book review, I stated Vermilion Harvest by Reenita M. Hora is a historical fiction set in 1919 India during the time of Ghandi's peaceful resistance. As I read historical fiction, I realize how much history I know very little about. Of course, I have heard of Ghandi, but I knew nothing of General Dyer or his attack at the Jallianwallah Bagh. Although fiction, this novel helped me understand the goings-ons prior to, during, and immediately following this attack that eventually changed the fate of the nation.

Reenita did an amazing job with her characters Aruna, who is an Anglo-Indian schoolteacher, and Ayaz, a Muslim law student with political leanings - as well as a host of minor characters. I also loved how she didn't shy away from difficult topics like British rule that kept the Indian population as nothing more than slaves, the tension between three different religions in the region, romance between those of different backgrounds, the plight of Anglo-Indians, single mothers, standing strong in the face of adversity, and more. Finally, I loved a philosophy put forth that good often comes from bad. It is something I needed to hear.

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FB: @ReenitaMalhotraHora

IG: @reenita_storyteller

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LinkedIn: @Reenita Malhotra Hora

Purchase Vermilion Harvest on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/46mBlhO

Ebook: https://amzn.to/46poOu1

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

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#reenitamhora #vermilionharvest #historicalfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Gregory Grosvenor, author of the book Second Pocket First. Author Gregory Grosvenor grew up in Ansbach, Germany. He moved to the US, earning an MFA from Old Dominion University. For two decades, he has taught writing and the art of the short story at various colleges in Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Grosvenor currently lives in Somerville, Massachusetts with his three cats, Dinah, Theo, and Bramlet Abercrombie. Second Pocket First is his debut novel. Grosvenor is available for readings, interviews, podcasts, speaking engagements, and book signings.

In my book review, I stated Second Pocket First is humorous mystery that is heavy on the humor. The protagonist, Issey, is a thief. However, Issey is more concerned about the artistic and creative nature of thieving rather than the items themselves - which makes him a less than ideal crook. You see, he pays more attention to his hat, his gloves, and his lock pickers than to the items he steals. And he often breaks the items on the way home because he carelessly tosses them into a duffle bag.

Issey finds himself back in his hometown where the need to steal from people first began, offering the reader great flashbacks into Issey's early years, as well as getting to meet people who knew him as a child. And suddenly, through no fault of his own, he becomes a hero - and everything about his life changes.

He's respectable. He has a romantic partner. He has business cards. Now what?

I loved the humor throughout and found this to be an enjoyable read.

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Ebook: https://amzn.to/3V2j0Qp

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FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

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X: @terimbrown1

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#gregorygrosvenor #secondpocketfirst #mystery #humor #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Twila Mason, author of the book Piece by Piece. Twila is an award-winning romance author. She has been writing her own stories since she learned how to read. She is a writer of romance, women's fiction, poetry, and short stories. Her work explores raw emotions and the complexities of life while finding the hope within every obstacle.

After obtaining a PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology, she switched gears to follow her lifelong dream of putting her fictional stories out into the world. She lives the rural, small-town life in Missouri with her husband, two kids, and menagerie of animals. When she's not reading or writing, Twila can be found crafting, farming, doing home improvement projects, or going on adventures with her family.

In my book review, I stated Piece by Piece is a friends-to-lovers contemporary romance that takes a hard look at the drug culture - and what it does to families. Aria spends her childhood looking after her baby brother, Ben, because her mother simple cannot. As a drug addict, she is often high, always unreliable, and rarely offers motherly support. When her mother spends the rent money, Aria arrives home to find the family is now on the street. She turns to an old friend, Luke, who found a way out of the old neighborhood.

Although there is an immediate spark between them, Luke and Aria dance around the attraction because neither is ready to commit. We get front row seats as we watch them battle their demons and navigate a new world where peace, hope, and love have a chance to exist. As completely foreign concepts, neither one really knows what to do when life isn't a battlefield.

That's not to say everything is easy. Moving past trauma and finding the right path is not easy. Nor is forgiveness - of others or of self. And what to do when the ones you should love are the ones that keep hurting you?

This story is sweet as two young people fall in love. But it is also edgy as we see what happens when drugs and alcohol cause childhood trauma and can easily create a family cycle of abuse.

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Purchase Piece by Piece on Amazon:

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Ebook: https://amzn.to/4kq9XDg

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FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#twilamason #piecebypiece #contemporaryromance #friendstolovers #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Jo Taylor, author of the book Margaret of Thibodaux. Jo is an obstreperous, retired ER Nurse who is likely an obstreperous writer too. She grew up with three stepmothers (not at the same time). She's lived on a boat and traced her genealogy back to the year 310 (maybe, probably, you know how genealogy is). She's been married for 33 years and all her hero characters are based on her husband, a hero in real life. Her first book, Postcards: Collected Poems and Short Stories, came out in July 2024. Margaret of Thibodaux, her first novel, released on March 18, 2025.

In Carole’s book review, she stated: 14-year-old Margaret is not going to let her father erase the memory of her deceased mother by bringing another woman (certainly not a stepmother) into their home. Her best friend, Honey tries to convince her there’s nothing to worry about. The new woman is a doctor after all, loved by the entire town. But for the past six years her mother has appeared at her feet and lulled her to sleep with her favorite lullaby. Margaret is convinced that couldn’t possibly continue if another woman occupies the master bedroom.

Jo Taylor masters this coming-of-age story which takes place in Louisiana during the summer of 1974. You can almost feel the heat of the bayou as Margaret and her friends solve the problems of the world on the swings at the water’s edge.

The local town medium is the one person Margaret feels can help her contact her mother to make sure their routine won’t change. But no medium, or talk with friends, or even pleading with her father can assure her things will be fine. It isn’t until she finds a poem at her mother’s grave that she begins on a path to a solution she can live with.

This is a story you’ll want to put on your TBR list.

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You can follow Author Jo Taylor

Website: https://www.jotaylorauthor.com/

Substack: https://jotaylorauthor.substack.com/

https://x.com/JoTaylorAuthor

https://www.instagram.com/jotaylorauthor/

Purchase Margaret of Thibodaux on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/463ocIY

Ebook: https://amzn.to/45I7GiE

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

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#jotaylor #margaretofthibodaux #YAfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Deonna Kay, author of the book The Measure of Enough. Deonna Kay is a native Texan. She is the proud mom of a young adult daughter, an over-sized dog, and the fuzziest cat you’ve ever seen. Her passion for writing began as a child and has carried over into her adult life. She tutors youth in writing and works as a contract reader and editor, providing feedback to other budding writers. She is also a business owner in the world of finance and loves to travel, particularly to Walt Disney World. THE MEASURE OF ENOUGH is her debut, and she's excited to share it with the world.

In my book review, I stated The Measure of Enough is part women's fiction and part psychological thriller. This makes The Measure of Enough a perfect read for those who love strong character development but like twists and turns.

We meet Kacee who runs her own non-profit to help abused women after leaving her hometown full of broken promises, unfulfilled dreams, and an image she can't shake. Although confident at work, she is an emotional wreck on the inside. We soon learn she must use pills and alcohol to make it through her days and her nightmare filled nights.

What's the worst thing that can happen to Kacee? She is called home where she will have to face her mother and her best friend - two people she hasn't spoken to in years. And then there's the matter of her estranged father as well. Add to this the gray truck the seems to follow her everywhere, a home invasion, and cryptic messages telling her to back off.

What does it all mean? And will getting to the bottom of it help Kacee move forward in life - or embroil her further in emotions she doesn't want to face?

This is a great story that deals with mental health issues, abuse (both sexual and physical), addiction, and eating disorders. It is a definite must-read.

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Website: https://deonnakay.com/

FB: @deonnakayauthor

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Purchase The Measure of Enough on Amazon:

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

Ebook: https://amzn.to/41FRNXw

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

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#deonnakay #themeasureofenough #domesticsuspense #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Roseanne D'Ausilio, author of the book Pain, Pumpernickel, and Profound Forgiveness. Roseanne D’Ausilio, Ph.D., is an industrial psychologist, consultant, best-selling author, executive coach, customer service expert, and President of Human Technologies Global. Known as ‘the practical champion of the human,’ in a high-tech world, she authors 15 mostly non-fiction books. Her first book was Wake Up Your Call Center: Humanize Your Interaction Hub now in its 4th edition. Pain, Pumpernickel, & Profound Forgiveness: A Daughter’s Story of her Punishing & Loving Relationship with her Father is Rosanne’s first memoir--A very different genre. Rosanne splits her time between Northern Virginia and the Caribbean and can be found doing Zumba nearly every day. It’s her body/mind/spirit dance.

In my book review, I stated Pain, Pumpernickel, & Profound Forgiveness is a beautiful memoir. Through the use of short essays, Rosanne helps us understand her relationship with her father - and her mother - the good and the not-so-good.

As I read, I often felt that Rosanne learned the lessons of the book - love doesn't always look like we think it will, we can change how we see things, compassion is possible even when hurting, and you can be at peace with your past - as she wrote down her memories. Her surprise at what she found was evident!

Rosanne's tales are full of what she calls Divine Interventions - times where logic doesn't adequately explain the outcomes and miracles abound. And through these Divine Interventions, Rosanne learns so much about her father, herself, and their often-troubled relationship.

As someone who has struggled with familial relationships, I enjoyed watching the author discover that there is more than one way to see the past - and how you think about the past is entirely up to you! This is a quick, easy read that will leave you thinking deeply.

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You can follow Author Roseanne D'Ausilio

Website: https://drrosanne.com/

FB: @rosanne.dausilio

LinkedIn: @rosannedausiliophd

Purchase Pain, Pumpernickel, and Profound Forgiveness on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4kT39ia

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

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

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#roseannedausilio #painpumpernickelandprofoundforgivenss #memoir #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Peter Gunn, author of the book The Amazons. Peter Gunn is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and served his country proudly for over two decades. His unique writing style comes from a love of poetry and considers himself to be a poet first before being a content writer.

In my book review, I stated The Amazons is a YA fiction that is a cross between historical fiction and fantasy - all done in verse! Peter invented LLP - linked-lyrical-poetry. LLP has the flavor of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Shakespeare's sonnets, and hip-hop/rap music. However, unlike Homer and Shakespeare, The Amazons is easy-to-read and understand.

The Amazons is a perfect introduction into epic poetry - but be sure to have a dictionary handy. In order to keep the rhyming scheme going, Peter relies on his extensive vocabulary (and a thesaurus or two!).

In addition to his unique style, I loved his storytelling and how he linked the history of England after the Napoleonic Wars to the fabled Amazons who supposedly lived in Peru. The story is fun, fast-paced, and filled with adventures. And for those who get hooked on the style, Peter has planned a series and is working on Books 2 and 3.

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You can follow Author Peter Gunn

Website: https://www.petergunn.net/

Tiktok: @petergunnpoetry

Purchase The Amazons on Amazon:

Ebook: https://amzn.to/4lyT6if

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

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#petergunn #theamazons #linkedlyricalpoetry #LLP #YAfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.