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This article was submitted by  Francine Silverman, author of
Talk Radio for Authors: Getting Interviews Across the U.S. and Canada

As an on-line publicist for some 80 authors, I try to get them spots on talk radio shows. I have been successful in matching guests with hosts in many instances, but in the process have discovered an interesting phenomenon – something I call “rookie radio.” This does not refer to the caliber of the show or station, but rather the lack of information on the website.

Go to any talk radio station, especially terrestrial (those on the air with call letters), and you’ll find them sorely lacking. You may find the bios of the hosts but not the theme of their shows, or the theme of their shows but no contact information, or whether or not they invite guests, and, if so, what kind?

In contrast, authors with websites seek to promote their books on their sites with a bio of the author, excerpts, guest book, articles, and myriad other ways to showcase themselves and their books.

This shortage of information not only shortchanges guests but listeners as well.

Most shows stream on the Internet, but how does someone on the East Coast know that a show on the West Coast would interest them if there is no description of the show?

Seems to me that radio hosts want as many listeners as possible so why keep their shows a secret from the public?

I studied five talk radio sites at random and wrote to each station, including the above paragraphs of my article and pointing out to them what was missing from their websites.  I only received one reply – from Tom Collins, acting general manager at WBCK/WBFN/WRCC and operations director at WBCK/WBXX/WRCC/WBFN in Battle Creek Michigan. Continue reading »

Room Service
by Adam Raphael

Grady Harp is an Amazon Top Ten Reviewer

Adam Raphael continues to explore the highest plane of sensual male photography with the release of this very elegant, sophisticated book ROOM SERVICE. 

In his introduction Raphael speaks of his affinity for grand hotels and their prepared lush atmospheres he sees as perfect settings for the privacy of adding his extraordinarily beautiful male models as artistic and erotic accoutrements. 

For two years he has traveled to some of the most elegant hotels of the world, accompanied by models, and  the resulting spontaneous ‘studios’ he finds offer some of the more sensitive, quiet, private views of these carefully selected young men, completely at ease in the solitude of beauty that mirrors their personal gifts: ROOM SERVICE calls upon us to open the door to an amazingly successful portfolio.

This hefty book speaks of eloquence from the size, the cover, the design (courtesy of J. C. Suarés and Paul Perlow), the unique first few pages that open the door to full page views of handsome men before a colophon or words distract the viewer, and the added subtle art pieces by Nina Duran the quietly remind us of the title – room service delivered.  And then once inside the ‘room’ there are page after uninterrupted page of full color photographs of thirty-seven masculine, very handsome men, completely at ease with their sole observer Raphael and his camera.  Continue reading »

The Children’s Blizzard
by David Laskin

Imagine sending your children off to school on an unusually warm day in January, 1888, without coats, hats, or any outer garments.

Then, just as school was getting out, the temperature dropped 18 degrees in 3 minutes, a wall of ice blasted the prairie, and by morning more than 100 children lay dead on the Dakota-Nebraska prairie–one of them very likely yours.

A fictional triller?  No. The Blizzard of January 12, 1888 really happened, and author David Laskin captured every gritty, tense moment of an American tragedy.

Laskin’s story reads like a novel. He deftly intersperses historic weather reports with firsthand narratives and family lore to craft one of the most fascinating accounts of the deadly blizzard that touched hundreds of families–mostly immigrants–living on the Northern Plains.

Meet the Norwegian and German families who came to the Dakotas for the promise of free land: Gro and Ole Rollag, the newlyweds whose illusion of paradise on earth was quickly shattered by long harsh winters, prairie fires, and grasshoppers that devoured the crops. Continue reading »

Hot Water is Kathryn Jordan’s first novel. 

In her first novel, Hot Water, Kathryn Jordan depicts a woman who takes wants to escape her abusive marriage for a weekend retreat in a luxury spa. So, she hires a gorgeous man through the Internet as her escort, buys sexy lingerie, and leases a red Lamborghini Murcielago to complete her fantasy. While at the resort, she goes by the name Julia Reeves and names her escort William.

The Hidden Springs Spa is a place of privacy and intimacy for its guests. For Julia and William, Hidden Springs opens and heals old wounds. Their intended encounter was supposed to be only sexual. However, their sexual, emotional and intellectual interaction leaves them questioning the possibilities of the future.

Kathryn Jordan is a talented writer. One of her strongest points is her descriptive ability. Readers are transformed into the moment. Throughout Hot Water, Jordan gives amazing descriptive images of Hidden Springs. Readers are easily taken on a beautiful journey into a world of waves, sand, water, trees, and plush living.

While the backdrop is glorious, the characters needed a little more highlighting. Jordan’s sporadic philosophic conversations between Julia and William begin to highlight their mental strengths. I was hoping for more conversational characterization development. Overall, her novel is provocative, intriguing, and a worthwhile read. I hope to see more novels by Kathryn Jordan in the future. Continue reading »

Ron Standerfer served as a fighter pilot in Vietnam, and is the author of The Eagle’s Last Flight, a semi-autobiographical tale of his years spent as a pilot in the Air Force.  Ron wrote this post in response to the breaking news about a lawsuit involving Vietnam vets and John Kerry.

I am a war criminal. Yes, you heard correctly—a war criminal! Let me explain why.

In 1971, then Lt. (j.g.) John Kerry testified before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and portrayed American soldiers as murderers, rapists and torturers “who ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam . . . [and] razed villages in a fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan.”

I don’t know about the rape and torture part, but I do know that every time I took off on a mission in Vietnam I made a sacred vow that any Viet Cong or North Vietnam Army soldier I caught attacking or trying to ambush our troops on the ground was going to suffer a lot of pain and probably lose his life. Is that any different than razing a village where insurgents hid during the day and launched attacks at night? I don’t think so. As I see it, if the Americans who fought so valiantly on the ground during the Vietnam War are war criminals, then so am I. Continue reading »

Eating Up Italy: Voyages on a Vespa
by Matthew Fort

Matthew Fort is a British food critic and television personality.

Interview by Simon Barrett

Q: If I read it correctly you split your journey into 3 sections, one month for each. I heard a rumor that this was so you could check into a spa and get rid of the extra pounds (Just kidding!). Actually what I want to know is how many miles you actually traveled on that scooter?  (I did note that the 50cc did not last long, why did you change up to  the 150cc)?

A:  The total journey was roughly 3,000 miles. I had delegated the job of finding me a scooter to my nephew George, who lived in Rome. Make it a 125cc, I said. He consulted his mother on the advisability of 125cc, “Uncle Matt will kill himself,” it seems he told his mother. “I’ll get him a 50cc. He’ll never notice.” And I didn’t. Not until I got a 125 for the second and third legs of the journey. This was kindly lent to me by Piaggio.

Q: From reading the book it seemed that for the most part you had very clear goals, not only of the towns and villages that you wanted to visit, but the actual restaurants, and in some cases even the actual people involved. This takes a lot of planning. How long did you spend planning this wonderful adventure, and how did you do your research?

A:  I think the sense of purpose, direction and orderly control is slightly misleading. I had a general idea of where I wanted to go before I set off, and some key places in mind, but I wanted to leave as much as possible to chance. Chance looked very favorably on me. 

Slow Food suggested a number of people to talk to. Above all I was   fortunate to have my sister-in-law, Mary in Rome to act as my project manager. I would ring her up or email her saying that I would be near, say Castrovillari or Acoli Piceno the following day. She would then check the guide books, web sites and her extensive network of friends, and phone or email me back with a suggestion about where to say, where to eat, and, at times who to go and talk to. Continue reading »

Behind the Eyes
by Francisco X. Stork

This is Francisco X. Stork’s second novel, and like his debut effort, The Way Of The Jaguar, it is aimed at the young adult market. He writes in a clear and straightforward style that is ideal for this genre. This is a style that many other authors should consider using. Why use complex words and grammar structures when simple ones will work?

Behind The Eyes chronicles the life of a 16-year-old Chicano boy growing up in the projects of El Paso, Texas. This is not the greatest start to anyone’s life. Hector must come to terms with the turbulent world of poverty, crime, and the ever-present gangs in the area.

He is an intelligent young man who finds solace in school, and works very hard to maintain a ‘cloak of invisibility’ - that way the gangs will just ignore him

Unfortunately, Hector’s older brother Fili does not share the ‘cloak of invisibility’ theory and brings danger to the whole family. He antagonizes one of the gang leaders by stealing his girlfriend. Needless to say, this results in a very bad situation. Hector’s brother dies in a game of chicken with the gang leader, and Hector finds himself in a reform school for trying to avenge his brother’s death. Continue reading »

In celebration of books and authors, World Book and Copyright Day is observed today,  April 23. What are YOU reading?

The idea for the celebration originated in Catalonia in Spain where on April 23, which is St. George’s Day, a rose is traditionally given for every book that is sold. It is also the day when three great world authors passed away in 1616 – Cervantes, Shakespeare, and Garcilaso de le Vega.

As someone who grew up in a household of readers, I learned to value books; books were treasures to be kept forever, and we wouldn’t think of dog-earing pages, writing in the margins, or highlighting passages. Who would ever deface such a gem! 

For centuries, books have broaded the world for readers–both children and adults. Books spark creativity, build vocabulary, clarify feelilngs, and give an appreciation of language. Books introduce us to new people, places, and ideas.

Today, let’s all pay tribute to books and writers. Let’s encourage children to read, and tonight let’s all sit down with a good book.    

Green 61: An Anderson Parker Legal Thriller
by Cody Fowler Davis

Attorney Anderson Parker wanted to succeed and he chose the high profile law firm of The Law Offices of Justin Cartwright II in Tampa to achieve the fast track to the top. After three years he is beginning to wonder if the price to be paid is worth it. Anderson works hard, but still values his family life and finds it hard to put them on the back burner as his boss, Justin Cartwright,does.

Justin is willing to do anything to win for a client, even if it veers towards being unethical. Anderson is really not ready to move on, but after a confrontation with Justin he has no choice, but to go out on his own.

It is truly serendipity, in a twisted sense, when the two former colleagues end up on opposing sides in a lawsuit involving a tragic boating accident that claimed three lives, including two young children.

The Green 61 of the title refers to the marker in the Intercoastal Waterway near Useppa Island and is the pivotal setting of the story. Green 61 is truly a legal thriller since the reader knows early on who is responsible for the horrific tragedy that changes so many lives in an instant. The true suspense that will keep you turning the pages is to see to what lengths the defense of Cartwright will go to win and whether true justice has a chance.

Often thrillers are mainly plot driven with lots of action and very little character development. In his debut novel, Mr. Davis shows he can do a fabulous job at providing both elements in equal measure. In the very first chapter we get a telling glimpse inside Justin Cartwright’s life when we are told, “Gossip at the firm had Cartwright’s wife on the brink of divorcing her husband, whom due to his 65-to-75-hour workweek she never saw, but the ‘golden handcuffs’ of her prenuptial agreement prevented her from actually making good on her threat.” Continue reading »

Don’t Hate Your Enemies Just Step on Them: The Art of Loving People with CD (Audio)
by E.E. Jenkins

How many times have you been tempted to complain about other people? How many times have you ridiculed, complained at or been hurt by another person’s actions? Surely we all have dealt with these types of situations. What is the best way to handle these situations in a God pleasing manner?

E.E. Jenkins has written a book that will help you deal with some of these destructive circumstances that you find yourself in. “Don’t Hate Your Enemies Just Step on Them” will have you looking at these situations differently. Is it really the person who you hate or is it their words and actions?

It’s not really the individuals that are treating you this poorly. There is only one to blame: Satan. Blaming certainly has been around since the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God has his reasons for putting these type of people in our lives for His purpose. In Romans 8:28 it is written “and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Continue reading »