The 400th "A Book and a Chat" with Cheryl Malandrinos

Back in February 2009, after appearing on a few radio shows, and with experience of running a couple of local TV shows narrating stories from my romance book as well as filming local karaoke, I thought… why not try your own radio show. Loving a good old “chin wag” as we say in England I thought it might be good fun, little did I know just how much.

After a couple of practice runs the first “A Book and a Chat” was aired on March 7th, with my first guest being a fellow radio show starter and author Kim Smith.

Now a couple of years or so later here I am hosting my 400th radio show.

For this special 400th addition of “A Book and a Chat” I am very pleased to say I have Cheryl Malandrinos as my guest. Cheryl is freelance writer and editor, a founding member of Musing Our Children; she is also a Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book. Her first children’s book, Little Shepherd, was released in August 2010 by Guardian Angel Publishing.

Cheryl has been working on blogs, reviews and virtual book tours for more years than the show has been running, and was one of the first people, along with Dorothy Thomson who I met when my own book “Across the Pond” was published.

During an entertaining and I hope informative show, we discussed how things have changed in the world of publishing and promotion since the show has been running.
Cheryl herself has had success with her book “Little Shepherd” which as we learned during the show will be followed by “A Christmas Kindness” next year. About “Little Shepherd”

Obed is in the hills outside Bethlehem when the angels appear to announce the Savior’s birth. Can he trust that the miracle of the first Christmas will keep his flock safe while he visits the newborn King?

With Christmas just around the corner, I can highly recommend her book for those young readers in your family.

Over the last 400 shows, I am very proud of the many, many comments I have received from guests, nearly all love the style and many have come back for a second third, fourth or even fifth time.

I have had some very famous guests on the show during these last two years from Emmy award winners such as Louise Shaffer, to authors such as Steve Berry who have 72 million copies in print throughout the world. I love to involve the YA Bloggers, as I call them the “Sham Wow” of YA literature as they soak everything up. I have made it a point to include bloggers as guests on the show as well as many debut authors. After all they might be debut authors today but they could be the stars of tomorrow. Class of 2K10, 2K11 YA debut authors were great and I already have several from Class of 2k12 signed up for the show.

There are a few drawbacks in having what sometimes has been five shows a week, the jokes and anecdotes tend to repeat themselves, but I always try and make the chat flow and love to laugh as anybody who has listened will tell you. Many guests are what can only be described as “scared” when they first call in and we chat before the show starts, but as I say to them, it’s honestly just a chat over a cup of tea (in my case English PG Tips), and so many have told me afterwards how much they enjoyed the easy going format and style, that they were completely at ease.

One good sign as to how the show is being enjoyed is the way the time seems to rush by for all over them, this I very soon realized and started running some 1hr specials, which again people have enjoyed.

I have in the last 400 shows I have covered subjects from abuse to life coaching, from Picture books to historical fiction. I have within three days covered a multi-million selling author such as Steve Berry, to William Link whose name might not be one you remember straight away until you realize he and his late writing partner wrote all the Colombo series, Murder She wrote and so much more. To be followed by a local author who had written some small books of stories about famous horses which were being sold on local “tack” shops
.

I love the various styles that can appear on the show, learning about people’s fights over illness and abuse, historical novels about periods in history, Leaning about floods, disasters, love and laughter, the eclectic mix of shows not only keeps me looking forward each week to the next show but I hope my listeners as well. I have made many friends along the way learned many things, about the art of writing as well as telling a good story.

Along the way I have come up with this parallel universe theory, which has become a pet theory of mine.

I think there is this parallel universe where all these stories are situated, all us writers are is the conduit that allows the stories to be share din our world. Ask almost any author and they will tell you that no matter how much you outline or plan the story, the characters come along that were not even thought of, and take over the story, you get led down different paths not even thought about as the story develops. When you have completed the novel, and look back on it, often you can’t even remember writing some of it, let alone using some of the language and words which you’d never use. Yes... the parallel universe writes story for you… well that’s my slightly tongue in cheek theory.

As you can imagine I’ve had some shows that have ended up more like a comedy show, while others have brought tears to many a listener.

One show that will always stand out for me was back in November of 2009. My guest was M.M Anderson and we were talking about her book “Werewolf Dreams”. There is an option and for people to dial into the show to chat to my guest themselves, and on this day a call came in to my switchboard, that as a show host you are able to control. I opened the phone connection and asked who wanted to talk to M.M. Anderson. All I got in response was some growling a cross between a dog and Chewbacca; yes a werewolf had dialed in to the show.

My guest thought it might be one of her children and threats were made, but on checking the number it was from a totally different state.

So from Werewolf’s to film stars, multi selling authors to ones with their first book, abuse to humor, peoples to pets, tears to laugher I’ve seen had them all on A Book and a Chat” 400 show downs, and hope to have many more to share with you.

I guess a few new one liners are required, and you never know, perhaps I’ll even have another call from a werewolf.

So listen now and share an interesting and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today Chat with Cheryl Malandrinos

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Cheryl Malandrinos

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Cheryl Malandrinos"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Cheryl Malandrinos - Little Shepherd"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - 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 Cheryl C. Malandrinos

The name Cheryl C. Malandrinos my guest on the show today, may not be one that drops from readers lists, however it is one known by many authors who have been on virtual tours. Cheryl, is one of the tour guides for the wonderful virtual tour group “Pump Up Your Book”.

I was also lucky enough to join Cheryl as a member of a panel talking about the use of the internet for authors at “Write Angles 25”.

Now Cheryl is herself touring with her wonderful children’s book “Little Sheppard”.

As well as writing and being a Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book, Cheryl is a freelance writer and editor, a regular contributor for Writer2Writer, her articles focus on increasing productivity through time management and organization.

About “The Little Sheppard”

“The Little Sheppard” is a lovely story that tells the birth of Jesus through the eyes of a 5 year old shepherd boy named Obed.

Obed's story gives a fresh and heartwarming view of what it must have been like for a child to have witnessed such a great event. While the book is marked as one for ages 4-8, though with its bright illustrations and sweet story, it will certainly be a hit with all ages!

This book would be a wonderful addition to any Christian family library and perfect to read for a bedtime story.

Through a really interesting an entertaining show we heard how the story went from being originally aimed at the adult market to a story being seen through the eyes of a young child.

Cheryl also shared with us about her recent winning of a picture book month where she had to come up with a different idea throughout the whole of November for a picture book.

With other books already in the production line, and as proved last month many ideas for future book, I’m sure we will hear more of Cheryl C. Malandrinos as an author.

So listen to an interesting and entertaining show as I spent thirty minutes sharing "A Book and a Chat with Cheryl C. Malandrinos"

Barry

Direct link to the show
"A Book and a Chat with Cheryl C. Malandrinos".

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Cheryl C. Malandrinos"

You can find out more about my guests and their books at:

"Cheryl C. Malandrinos - Little Shepard"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - 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 U.L. Harper

My guest on the show today has come a long way since teachers told him he could not be allowed to take a creative writing class. U.L. Harper has come a long way since those days. His current novel "The Flesh Statue" shows just how far.

U.L. went to college for journalism, getting literary feet wet at UCLA (University of Cypress Lincoln Avenue). His writing developed, as U.L shared with us, through the realms of a part time slam poet, moving around different cities cursing at the audience in the name of art and style. From there his writing continued as Editor in Chief for the Cypress Chronicle.


"The Flesh Statue" is a novel that touches many if life’s issues, many of which U.L shared with us during the show, from Alzheimer’s, which leaves the books main characters Langely’s Grandfather sitting like a statue made of flesh (hence the book title).

Subjects such as abortion, abuse, death, graffiti, neighborhood watch groups and the police fill the pages of this interesting, entertaining and poignant novel. As “The Flesh Statue” follows Langley on this search for answers, and the array of characters he meets along the way.

As U.L shared during the show, there is another novel in the pipe line and I’m sure we’ll hear pleny more about my guest on today’s “A Book and a Chat with U.L. Harper"

So why not sit back and listen to the show or else download it and share the broadcast at another time.

Barry

Direct link to the show
"A Book and a Chat with U.L. Harper"

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"U.L. Harper"

You can find out more about Kathi and her books at:
"U.L. Harper - The Flesh Statue"


Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:
Book Information and Things UK - 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 "Christa Allan"

My guest on tonight's book and a chat is mother of five (plus two grandchildren), English teacher an author Christa Allan whose debut novel "Walking on Broken Glass" was released this year.

Christa has been called "A true Southern woman who knows that any cook worth her gumbo always starts with a roux and who never wears white after Labor Day". And while I come from the south as well, in Christa's case it's not the south of England, rather Louisiana.

During the show Christa shared with us from her earliest writing exploits to how her own life experiences have helped her to write this powerful book about alcoholism, SIDS, and facing up to the realities of life.

Christa went on to explain how the book nearly was lost when she had to leave her home with a half completed manuscript stuffed into zip-lock bags thanks to hurricane Katrina. However like her own life the Christa's writing could not be stopped even by not one but two hurricanes.

Eventually with the help of a fellow author, Christa linked with Rachel Gardner of WordServe Literary. Rachelle's blog, Rants & Ramblings on Life as a Literary Agent, has won the Writer’s Digest 101 Best Blogs for Writers award for two years.

A year later Abingdon Press, a Methodist publishing house launching fiction for the first time, bought her novel, and started this talented lady on the path to literary success.

So sit back and listen to show or else download it's mp3 file and listen later to "A Book and a Chat with Christa Allan"

Barry

Direct Link:
"A Book and a Chat with Christa Allan"

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Christa Allan"

You can find out more about Christa and her book at:
"Christa Allan - Walking on Broken Glass"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)