A Book and a Chat with Jonathan Maxwell

Back in April of 2010 Jonathan Maxwell was the guest on “A Book and a Chat” talking about his award winning book "Murderous Intellectuals: German Elites and the Nazi SS".

As I said at the time…

“Sometimes you come across a book about something that is well known, yet my guest author still finds a new way to look at the subject.

In Murderous Intellectuals: German Elites and the Nazi SS, Jonathan Maxwell sets himself two daunting and urgent tasks—to explain why the Holocaust occurred and to prevent future genocides. In doing so, he takes the reader from the minutest of details about individual Nazis to grandiose narratives about human nature, psychology and civilization.”

Today Jonathan is back with some totally different, though again full of stories and issues we all know yet showing us the readers a different side to subject.
In his new book “Piltdown Man and Other Hoaxes” Jonathan explores scientific frauds through history from Bigfoot to Atlantis, Sea monsters to Mermaids, he focuses especially on the Piltdown Man Hoax, which is sometimes casually called the Missing Link Hoax.

In the early 1900s, a group of men unearthed a human cranium and jaw from an excavation in Piltdown, England. Soon, many scientists hailed the discovery as being Charles Darwin’s “Missing Link.” Decades later, the discovery was revealed to be an elaborate hoax. The cranium came from a thoroughly modern human being, while the jaw came simply from an ordinary ape. In the process, the fraud cast a dark shadow on the emerging scientific field of anthropology and the study of human origins.

Jonathan is already at work on his next book, once again a totally different and perhaps known about subject taken from his now normal investigative different angle. I am looking forward to this next book “Tragedy at Altamont” Where he investigates the Rolling Stones, the Hell's Angels, Death, and Sympathy for the Devil, a work which chronicles the Rolling Stones‘ disastrous 1969 tour

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Jonathan Maxwell

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Jonathan Maxwell

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Jonathan Maxwell"

You can find out more about my guest at:
"Jonathan Maxwell - Piltdown Man and Other Hoaxes"


Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK Including my Olympic Blog - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Daniel Haight

Daniel Haight is today’s guest on “A Book and a Chat” raised on Star Wars and Star Trek he has always been a fan of science-fiction. He wrote his first story when in Sixth Grade, an epic tome featuring the adventures of a guy named ‘Daytona Titanium’. From this early experience Daniel went on to write short stories which received rave reviews by fans and professionals alike from all over the world.

This success and contact from fans lead him to make the step and create “the big one” his debut novel “Flotilla”.

About Flotilla (Taken from Daniels Web Site)

Flotilla is the gripping post-apocalyptic science fiction novel that has been described as “Mad Max meets Master & Commander.” Jim Westlake is a teen in the near future just out of rehab raising fish with his father on an ocean colony off of the coast of Los Angeles. Jim wants to put his past behind him but the fact that they live with several thousand strange and dangerous people, doesn’t help.

All of this changes when disaster strikes. Multiple terrorist attacks force Jim’s father to abandon him and head to the mainland. Now Jim has to save his sister from angry drug dealers and pirates. How will Jim rise above his past to survive his future? The answer will keep readers hooked until the very last page.

This first book of what now promises to be a series has already received some great reviews and is being enjoyed by all ages. As one reviewer wrote…

Every once in a while, a book will come along and remind you what storytelling is all about. Flotilla is one of those books. A fast-paced tale with plenty of laughs and thrills while a troubled teen survives two very crazy summers on an experimental ocean-based colony.

There's two things I love about Flotilla: Interesting ideas and lovable characters. You won't have any trouble identifying with Jim, the recently-sober teenager who has to overcome some poor choices and grow up fast among some dangerous and hysterical adventures. The lifestyle on the Colony in Flotilla has a lot to recommend it - living aboard a yacht while raising fish for sale in a community that's long on freedom and short on safety.

Despite his poor start, Jim has to take a big step forward to adulthood when his estranged father is drafted and sent to shore due to a national emergency. Some angry drug pirates, the DEA and some half-crazed colonists line up to exact revenge - now what is he supposed to do? I found Jim's fear and love to be a great metaphor for some scary life choices that I had to make when I was his age.

A second book is already planned along with a book of Daniels short stories and I can see the name of Daniel Haight being on many people’s must read books.

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Daniel Haight

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Daniel Haight

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Daniel Haight"

You can find out more about my guest at:
"Daniel Haight - Flotilla"


Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK Including my Olympic Blog - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Zenaida Roy-Almario

When Zanaida Roy- Almario, my guest on today’s “A Book and a Chat” was told that teens and tweens should not be expected ‘to know how to resolve issues and concerns positively and proactively, by a life coach she was upset. Then, when she attended her oldest son’s freshmen college orientation, the dean of admission indicated that the number one thing that incoming freshmen in college do not know how to do is resolve issues and concerns! Whether it is with a dorm roommate, a friend or a professor, young adults are quick to ask someone else to fix the problem versus trying to do it on their own,” On hearing this and with her experience as a daughter, sister, aunt, wife, school volunteer, banking/lending professional and most of all mother to try and help teens tweens and parents.

Zanaida created “BRAGN™ – Be Real And Great Now. Zenaida wrote BRAGN™ as a result of her frustrations, suffering from internal negative self-talk, shyness and lacking self-esteem. Zenaida wanted to provide empowering communication skills that young adults and parents can utilize today, to spare them the trials and heartaches she experienced as a teen and adult. Zenaida has an Associate In Arts in Communications Studies. She also studied various communication programs.

Zenaida realized the tremendous value mentor-ship can bring young adults and parents, which is why she has made it her mission to encourage, inspire and guide them to “Get BRAGN™” to increase their lives’ positive results!

Following this she has now released a great book for all ages titled "Rhymes and Reasons to Inspire Positive and Proactive Communicating Young Adults" is intended as a guide to help young adults live life positively and to the fullest.

About BRAGN (Taken from Amazon):

BRAGN - Be Real And Great Now’s Rhymes and Reasons to Inspire Positive and Proactive Communicating Young Adults acknowledges and supports tween and teen feelings on matters that they face daily, as they try to find their way and develop their roles in this wonderful thing-we call life. The big take away is to inspire, encourage and promote a way of life on being constructive, proactive and living with purpose and intent to increase life’s positive results. There is no better time than to Be Real And Great Now, as young adults. BRAGN has rhymes and reasons to inspire without lecturing.

There are also creative journaling and activities that promote tween and teen ownership on the life lessons learned and action steps to take next. Parents, guardians and other adults that have tweens or teens in their lives can trust BRAGN as a brand that teaches and cultivates a way of living life from the heart. This is a ‘must have’ book in any home, school or public libraries. BRAGN will inspire change, while capturing the heart and soul of each and every reader!

As a parent myself of young children I know how hard it is not just for the children but also for the parents to bring a child up today. With this book a copy of which I am please to say is already being read by me tween daughter help is at hand.

As one reviewer put it…

Author Zenaida Roy-Almario, has created a wonderful resource for Tweens,Teens and Parents. The foundation of this novels is about connecting with your "GREATNESS". The author uses Poetry, Wisdom, Powerful Discussion and Life Experiences to engage her audience. I could not place, "Be Great and Real Now (BRAGN)", down once I started reading it. I encourage all to spend time with this phenomenal read!!!

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Zenaida Roy-Almario

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Zenaida Roy-Almario

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Zenaida Roy-Almario"

You can find out more about my guest at:
"Zenaida Roy-Almario - ™ – Be Real And Great Now"


Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK Including my Olympic Blog - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Corrine Jackson

Corrine Jackson and that is sounded “Cor-een” is one of the Class of 2K12 debut YA authors for this year, however in her case it’s not one book coming out this year but two.

Corrine wrote her first short story in second or third grade. Which she still has.. Oddly enough, it was about a girl whose best friend was being physically abused by her dad. That theme somehow made it into her first novel “Touched”, so maybe everything comes full circle?

She continued writing through her school year moving around a lot, she actually attended eleven different colleges, has earned bachelors and master’s degrees in English, and an MFA in Creative Writing. She is its lead to believe a dab hand in creating pies, cup cakes and the odd bowl of Mac and Cheese.

Along with a normal job and her educational studies Corinne now has produced two totally different books both of which are due to be launched in 2012.
“Touched” is the first book in a trilogy, the second already going through the editing stage with the third shortly to get underway.

About “Touched -Sense Thieves” (Taken from Corrine’s Web page)

Remy O’Malley heals people with touch—but every injury she cures becomes her own. Living in a household with an abusive stepfather, she has healed untold numbers of broken bones, burns,and bruises. And then one night her stepfather goes too far.

Being sent to live with her estranged father offers a clean start and she is eager to take it. Enter Asher Blackwell. Once a Protector of Healers, Asher sacrificed his senses to become immortal. Only by killing a Healer can a Protector recover their human senses. Falling in love is against the rules between these two enemies.

Because Remy has the power to make Protectors human again, and when they find out, they’ll becoming for her—if Asher doesn’t kill her first.

As stated this is the first of what is a trilogy; however in the mean time her she has a debut novel coming out next month which is totally different to Touched.
In a way “IF I LIE” has somewhat a similar theme to “Touched” where a girl keeps a secret at great cost to herself. It is however a deeper book that covers the gray space between truth and perception.

About “If I Lie” (taken from Amazon):

Cheater. Traitor. Slut.

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Shunned by everyone she knows, Quinn loses her friends, her reputation, and her identity. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s a Marine who’s serving overseas, and beloved by everyone in their small, military town.
But Quinn didn’t cheat. She could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. So she stays silent, and waits for Carey to come home.

Then Carey goes MIA, and Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.



As one reviewer put it…

"If I Lie" is easily one of the better written contemporary debuts I've come across this year, if not the best. It is powerful, thought-provoking, and is beautifully written. While it touches upon a variety of subjects and something or the other is constantly happening throughout the novel, at its core, it is a character-driven story like no other. I guess if I had to, I’d describe If I Lie as a cross between The Scarlet Letter and Speechless, but really, it is a novel that manages to hold its head high and stand all on its own, for although it covers a similar subject matter, it also covers so much more. It is a novel not only about bearing burdens, facing a cold shoulder of shame, torn families, friendship, and the army; it is also a story about hope and perseverance and the ability to find strength and courage even in the darkest of times.

With two different styles yet the same creative talent, I can well see the name of Corrine Jackson being on many YA readers book shelves.

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Corrine Jackson

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Corrine Jackson

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Corrine Jackson"

You can find out more about my guest at:
"Corrine Jackson - If I Lie"


Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK Including my Olympic Blog - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Rustie MacDonald

Here are those people in this world whose aim in life is to help people, to make the lives of others better and no matter what is thrown at them, they take the negative, turn it around and use it to aid others. As Eric Idle sang those who “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”.
My guest on today’s “A Book and a Chat” is one of those people, who though she had enough suffering and turmoil in her own life, took time and made it her aim to help others.

Rustie MacDonald had this overwhelming desire to help others from an early age. Growing up in the 1980’s she had personal knowledge of queuing up at the Salvation Army for food, yet even at the age of four she had already begun to save food to help the local Salvation Army “feed that long line of people who are hungry.”

Throughout her childhood this compassion and need to help others showed in many ways despite her own life being far from uncomplicated and without its own issues. She began to volunteer for various organizations including Big Brother Big Sister.

In 1996 came a pivotal moment in her life when she was invited by the State Of Vermont’s Children Services (DHS) to Speak at a Foster Care Conference in 1996. She spoke about the difficulty of attending college as a foster child. Her motivational speech was made in front of Legislators, DHS employees and 100 foster youth. Her speech helped to create opportunities for foster children to attend college.
That was the moment she took the first steps on her path as a coach, mentor and lifelong advocate.

In 2005 Rustie was diagnosed with Celiac disease a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten, which is primarily found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods containing wheat, barley or rye. People with Celiac disease who eat foods containing gluten experience an immune reaction in their small intestines, causing damage to the inner surface of the small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients.

Shocked to find that there was little support, that her insurance did not cover the nutritionist, whom she so desperately needed and the general lack of information to understand how to live with this disease. Instead of giving in Rustie began to fight learning more about the illness sharing with others starting web sites and groups to share her knowledge.

As I started of on the blog, she is a person who was born to help others and her work, radio programs, web sites and teaching do just that.

Soon you will be able to find out more about Rustie and her fascinating life as she has written a book called “Having tea with my Skeletons” , in which she shares some of the darkest moments of her life with her many fans.

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Rustie MacDonald

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Rustie MacDonald

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Rustie MacDonald"

You can find out more about my guest at:
"Rustie MacDonald"


Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK Including my Olympic Blog - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Shannon Delany

Back in June of 2010 I had a debut YA author on my show, one of the Class of 2K10 who’s first book was due out that month. An interesting part of the interview was that this author had been the winner of the first-ever cell phone novel contest in the western world.

This debut author was Shannon Delany who in 2009 she following the success of the phone novel contest was contracted by St. Martin’s Press to create a trilogy based on the original serial 13 to Life story.

From that early appearance on “A Book and a Chat” and in the case of actually meeting Shannon, it has been a huge privilege to see her career go from strength to strength.
The original “13 to Life” was followed in 2011 by “Secrets and Shadows” and “Bargains and Betrayals” Such was the success of these books; in 2010 Shannon’s contract was extended to include five books. The fourth and fifth in the series being produced in 2102 namely “Destiny and Deception” and “Rivals and Retribution”.


With this series just completed Shannon has set her sights on breaking new ground and not just with her writing; she has recently written short stories for two charity anthologies. Starting work on an up and coming steampunk trilogy has allowed her to work with the two other guests on today’s show.

Both are musicians but distinctly different…

Max Scialdone whose dark and edgy style of music caught Shannon’s attention and they have since co-wrote “Pieces of Eight” for Month 9 Books’ "TWO AND TWENTY DARK TALES" (releasing this fall).

Wade Mulvihill was introduced to Shannon at an “Open Mic Competition” where she asked for help in creating a song for her up and coming steampunk trilogy. Wade dully obliged creating a song that connects the characters in a powerful and pivotal way with his music

Both Max and Wade have been playing, loving and making music for years and have strong voices all their own, and it was interesting hearing about how their music can also be developed into Shannon’s writing.


As I said at the start of this blog it has been great seeing the success of Shannon and her “13 to Life” series, now though I am looking forward to following the success not just of the writing but also the music created by Max and Wade in the future. That is why I am also providing their links on this blog.

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Shannon Delany and Friends

Barry

Direct link to the show
"A Book and a Chat with Shannon Delany"

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Shannon Delany and Friends"

You can find out more about my guests, their books and music:
"Shannon Delany - 13 To Life Series"
"Max Scialdone"
"Wade Mulvihill"


Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK Including my Olympic Blog - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Ray East and Sam D

I am back from my trip back across the pond to England, and what a wonderful time I had there, the whole country during the Olympic Games seemed to be walking around with a smile on its face. From the first to the last it was a truly magical event.

You can read my Olympic blogs at http://acrossthepond-storyheart.blogspot.com

Talking about magical it’s great to have on my first show back a writer of another truly magical time and location.

Ray East along with her partner Sam D is the author of the magical, mythical, adventure, romance, coming of age YA fantasy novel VOLUSPA- A Magical World.

While the book is a YA fantasy. It is a crossover between urban fantasy and paranormal romance with a mythological and dystopian twist. This book showcases a unique coming of age story of a fifteen year old girl who struggles with the ramifications of forbidden love, obscure parentage and in essence struggles to find her place in a world that is threatened by her very existence.

One reviewer described the book as having “the edge of Harry Potter, the vibe of Narnia and the twists of Twilight”… now that puts this book as a must read, which it is.

About VOLUSPA- A Magical World(Taken from Amazon)

Twilight meets Harry Potter Amy, a forlorn fifteen year old girl from NYC, never thought that she would attend school on a magical mountain with wild animals as her classmates and that she would go to a prom on a flying carpet.

Its love at first sight when Drake- a shape shifter rescues her from a pre-historic beast and befriends her. Little does she know that Drake’s father is the tyrannical leader who has always wanted Amy and her kind dead. In her struggle to challenge the supremacy in the magical world, she realizes her powers, confronts aspects about herself that she may not be comfortable with, makes lasting friends while excelling in her school - something which she had not been able to do in her human world.

All hell breaks loose, as Drake goes missing and Voluspan mercenaries try to hunt Amy down. Amy and her friends use strategic warfare, pit adversaries among themselves and use every last drop of strength, skill and courage as they take on warriors far more ruthless and skilled than themselves. But Amy is in for a rude shock when she finally finds Drake.

The book has already received many rave reviews with readers clamoring for the next in the series, it is indeed a book for the whole family. As one reviewer wrote..

A plot which sucks you in and you wish for more. The 5 main characters of Amy, Drake, Jacek, Amelio and Cornelius are very well fleshed out, and this is something you dont get to see a lot in middle grade books. I love Amy, the 15 year old heroine and i felt i could relate to her a lot.

What makes books for me is the writing, and this story is amazingly written. There are ancient creatures, gnomes, kapas, griots, niads,gangrels, magic, and you think to yourself "This is true fantasy as far as fantasy will go" but because of the writing, you also feel for the characters, and it all seems so real, so normal, and so true. The events in the book are grand and fantastical, but the emotion that the characters feel, and that you feel with them, is very grounded and personal.

The writing and the story caters itself well to the teen reader, but I enjoyed every bit of reading it with my 12 year old.

I now also add my voice to the many others saying bring on book two…

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Ray East and Sam D

Barry

Direct link to the show
"A Book and a Chat with Ray East and Sam D"

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Ray East and Sam D"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Ray East and Sam D - Voluspa: A Magical World"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK Including my Olympic Blog - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry