Citywide Blackout

Authors share tales of their world

In this episode, we’re pairing authors Kris Spisak and Daniel Kim to talk about their books. Thanks to Books Forward PR for arranging these interviews!

 

Kris Spisak takes on a tour of her family’s history with her debut fiction novel, “The Baba Yaga Mask.” When their Ukrainian grandmother is lost on a trans-Atlantic flight, sisters Larissa and Ira are swept into a quest across eastern Europe to find the woman who had always told more tales than truths. Kris talks about the real-life events that factor into the book, which has two intertwined stories—one in the past and the other in the here and now. We talk about the extensive research and the unexpected error that was caught. This novel also has an audiobook version and Kris shares how this changed the story in a great way.

 

Daniel Kim, at only 14, has published six books with his brother Benjamin on the environment, the animals who call it home and our role to make things better. They’ve made waves in Korea and on June 8, the books make their U.S. debut with “The Whale Who Refused to Poo.” In this interview, we talk about how the brothers discovered their love for the environment and what inspired them to become activists. We look at the book series and how they work together on the writing and illustrations. Dan also shares his hopes for the series.

Plastic Angels talk about life in Nashville, favorite stages and new tunes

I’ve known the duo of Plastic Angels (Bethany and Jeff Lawson) for years and when I heard they moved to Nashville, a catch-up interview was always on my mind. Well, here we are! Bethany and Jeff talk about what prompted the move and those early days, especially as COVID set in. We look how things were in Nashville during the pandemic and the work to keep the legendary music scene on track. Compared to where I live in Massachusetts, it’s a very different experience.

 

Everyone knows Nashville is a haven for the best of the best of the music world and I hear about the big names they’ve encountered in the most random situations (one story involves onion rings). We look at the influence of being among such greats and if it’s had an impact on who they are and what they do.

 

Since Plastic Angels became Nashville residents they’ve been very active, both on stage and off. I ask about live shows and some of their favorite places—trust me, it’s a nearly endless list of options. We hear about the recent releases, “I Want Me” and “Living Proof” and the stories behind them plus their plans for the future.

 

Wrapping things up is “I Want Me,” a truly powerful song. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get my bags packed, ‘cause Nashville is calling.

Miles Gunter brings us a world of ghost KOs in “Grammaton Punch”

Writer Miles Gunter, artist Briane Andan, colorist Lee Loughridge, and letterer Taylor Esposito have created “Grammaton Punch,” an action-packed comic book series about a boy who sees and fights ghosts, available only on Comixology. I’ve been loving this series and getting the chance to talk with Gunter about how it came to be was a blast.

 

Gunter and look at the series origins, including the concept and working with Andan, Loughridge, and Esposito. He and I dive into the horror and video game influences, with a bit of anime thrown into the mix. We talk about main character Van Nguyen, who has the ability to see and touch ghosts, his struggles in the role of protector, and how he approaches being the hero in the series.

Michael Bland’s second book pushes his character to new limits

In Michael Bland’s debut novel, “The Price of Safety,” we’re introduced to Dray Quintero and his mission to save his daughter from a crime she didn’t commit. As intense as that was, things get taken to a whole new level in “The Price of Rebellion.” Here’s a look at the synopsis.

It’s 2047. Secrets have been revealed. And Washington wants revenge. Dray Quintero learned an ugly truth: the leaders in D.C. are fake. Using his technology, they’ve stolen the identities of those duly elected to Congress and are determined to stay in power. After revealing the dangers of their government-mandated implants to his fellow citizens, Dray joins the already-underway rebellion. Before he can strike, The Agency attacks with devastating consequences. Dray and the other survivors are forced to run as Agents hunt them.

 

Michael and I talk about how Dray has grown as a character from the first book and the challenges that await in the second. We look at how Dray learning his tech has led to the takeover of D.C. affects him and how he manages as a part of the rebellion.

In the future, everyone has a microcomputer in their brains and computer-screen lenses in their eyes. Kind of like what we have now. Michael tells me how current technology and politics influenced that of “The Price of Safety” and what awaits us in the next book.

The truths about leadership training and being a caregiver

This episode has some great lessons to share. To open, Jonathan Kroll has taken his 20 years’ experience as a leadership trainer and provided the best lessons in his new book, “Preparing Leadership Educators.” In this book, Kroll helps leadership educators who want to refresh their pedagogical knowledge and revitalize strategies. We talk about what makes a strong leader, elements of leadership from the past that need to change in 2023 and what the book provides that sets it apart from the many others on this topic.

 

Following this, Suzanne Marriott and I talk about her soon-to-be released book, “Watching for Dragonflies: A Caregiver’s Transformative Journey.” The book follows Suzanne as she becomes her husband Michael’s caregiver after he’s diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. We talk about how she took on the role and the changes it created for their relationship, both good and challenging. We also look at the resources she had access to, how it helped her, and how she’s transformed from the experience.

New sound, new album from Dany Horovitz

It was just one year ago that I first interviewed singer-songwriter Dany Horovitz and it was such a blast I figured “Let’s do it again!”

 

So here we are, recording one year exactly from the date the last interview dropped and so much has happened. Earlier this year he released a new EP, “The Candle is Worth the Game,” and since then he’s dropped the singles “Don’t Look to Me” and “Sorry From the Road,” both of which will be on his next album, “Phanerorhyme,” named in part for mind-altering drugs. Yeah, you can bet I ask what that’s all about.

 

Along with the new album, Dany and I spend some time talking about the new sounds and instrumentation he’s explored while recording the new tracks. We go into the folks he’s worked with, what they’ve brought to the table and the amazing music that’s come from it. His debut album “Free Times” was released a little over a year ago and we talk about how he’s grown as an artist.

 

Afterward, kick back and enjoy “Sorry From the Road” and “It’s No Use Trying to Change Me.” If you’ve heard some of his earlier work, you’re gonna like the new paths he walks with these.

He’s back! Jon Merz returns to talk vampire books and the changing industry

It seems like he was just here, but nevertheless, we welcome back Jon Merz, this time to talk about his lengthy writing career. Standing above his many, many titles has to be the Lawson Vampire Series, now being developed into a television pilot. This series began with the first book, “The Fixer” in 2002. Now, 35 books later, it’s still going strong.

 

Jon and I dive into the story behind the story, how it all kicked off and why it was originally intended to be just one book. Things changed, however, and we look at the expansion of the series and the different adventures the main character has been on.

 

Speaking of which, meet Lawson: vampire by birth, Fixer by trade. His mission: preserve the secret existence of living vampires by any means necessary. Jon and I take a walk through the vampire world, Lawson’s role in it and how he’s changed over 20 years.

 

It's no secret that writing today is a very different industry. An author can’t expect to make it with just print or even e-books, and Jon shares some of his insight and what led him to pursue different avenues to make his writing career pay off.

Lackadaisy makes the jump from comic to animated pilot

I’ve been a longtime fan of the Lackadaisy webcomic, so when I heard it had been adapted into an animated pilot, my only question was “How do I see it!!” The pilot, around 23 minutes long, is a superb creation with stunning animation (Don Bluth’s movies came to mind), brilliant music and some of the best voice work I’ve heard in awhile. I’m sincerely hoping that more episodes get released.

 

Joining me for this episode is Comic Creator Tracy Butler, Director Fable Siegel, and 3-D Layout Artist Zachary Nall. We talk about how this pilot came to be and the adjustment to the story. Tracy and Fable share how they met and the collaboration process. Zachary goes into about the different challenges of animating a series set in the 1920s and we dive into the extensive research needed for everything from trash bags to firearms.

 

But this show wouldn’t be complete without the sounds. We also talk about the exceptional music done by Sepiatonic and the diverse and talented voice crew that brought this fantastic cast of characters to life. And of course, we look at what’s next for the series, both comic and animated.  

Haunted desk? Hell yes!

A haunted item is a familiar element in horror novels, but a haunted desk? That’s a new one to me and I am here for it! Continuing our series of interviews with authors on Cemetery Dance,  Philip Fracassi joins me to talk about his recent novel “Gothic.” Here’s a look at what lies in store:

 

On his 59th birthday, Tyson Parks—a famous but struggling horror writer—receives an antique desk from his partner Sarah in the hopes it will rekindle his creative juices. Perhaps inspire him to write another bestselling novel and prove his best years aren’t behind him.

A continent away, a mysterious woman makes inquiries with her sources around the world, seeking the whereabouts of a certain artifact her family has been hunting for centuries. With the help of a New York City private detective, she finally finds what she’s been looking for.

It’s in the home of Tyson Parks.

 

Philip and I look at the haunted desk and why he went this route, as well as its history and why others are looking for it. We talk about Tyson and how he’s changed, as well as where he falls on the hero/villain spectrum. We also take a look at his forthcoming novel, “Boys in the Valley,” out later this summer.

A chance meeting leads to an amazing musical duo with The A.M.s

In 2019 on Piano Day, Adrian happened to tune Mariko’s piano. He asked if she wanted to play together; she said maybe. Realizing she might be able to return to her long-lost passion, music, they connected and started rehearsing with the hopes of playing out.

 

And then the pandemic happened.

 

But that didn’t stop Adrian and Mariko. They kept playing and sending ideas and soon after had a catalog of 50+ songs, which led to their first album, “Ignite the Sky.” In this episode, we talk about the origin of the A.M.s and how the experience has allowed them to grow as artists. We examine the story of “Ignite the Sky,” which chronicles Mariko’s journey of finding her birth parents during COVID, while processing the events and struggles of 2021 in quarantine. We also see how the two—despite living several hundred miles apart, have been able to play out now and again.

 

Following this, enjoy the single, “Ignite the Sky.” I really enjoyed this entire album, and hope that you check it out.