Citywide Blackout

Michael Kaufman brings 2022 to a close with a new book in his Jen Lu series

For our final episode of 2022, I’m happy to once again be sitting down with author Michael Kaufman to talk about is soon to be released book “The Last Resort,” second in the Jen Lu series. Here’s a quick look at the synopsis:

 

It’s March 2034, six months after D.C. police Detective Jen Lu and Chandler, her sentient bio-computer implanted in her brain, cracked the mystery of Eden. But the climate crisis is hitting harder than ever: A mega-hurricane has devastated the ecosystem, and waves of refugees are pouring into Washington, D.C. The rich live forever while the desperate scramble for the modified longevity treatment.

 

Then, the death of lawyer and media darling Patty Garcia, who won a court case for massive climate change reparations to be paid out by oil, gas and coal companies, signals a glaring red flag to a wider conspiracy. Jen and Chandler are called in to crack the case. Signs point to Patty’s ex, James Culpepper, a former oil giant, but as the

duo dig deeper, they turn up more suspects who might have an even greater motive for killing Patty.

 

Jen’s search puts her in the crosshairs of those who will ensure the truth never comes to light, no matter the cost. As she continues to delve deeper into the seedy underbelly of the city, she has to move quickly — before she becomes next on the killer’s list.

 

Michael and I talk about Jen and Chandler, both on their roles in the book and how they’ve changed since the events of the first novel. We dive deep into Chandler’s function and how it reflects current technology as well as its future potential. 

 

Micael’s worked for years to end violence against women through the White Ribbon Campaign and help men to identify their misogynistic tendencies. We talk about the role this plays in his writing and what he hopes to accomplish with Jen as his lead character. 

Michael Harris Cohen collects years of horror tales in new book

• An aging TV star’s murderous plan to rekindle her glory days

• A father who returns from war forever changed

• Human lab rats who die again and again

• A farmer who obeys the dreadful commands of the sky

 

These are just a handful of the 22 short stories that you can find in Michael Harris Cohen's recently released book, “Effects Vary.” We talk about the history behind them, what led to releasing the collection, and the careful process of deciding their order.

 

Part of the publishing process is unfortunately getting rejected and Michael shares some of the “No's” he's received, including the rares time when a publisher gave some insightful feedback. Michael teaches creative writing and literature at the American University in Bulgaria and we talk about the lessons imparted to the students and tips about getting their work seen by the world.

Senseless Optimism and Selfish Bodies talk new music and stage experiences

It’s an all-music episode! Senseless Optimism of Boston joins me to catch up on all that’s happened since we last spoke, and believe me, a lot has happened! The singer-songwriter released the new single "Done" on Oct. 7 with a brilliant music video shortly afterward. She’s also been nominated in the Boston Music Awards and New England Music Awards, taking home multiple titles in the latter. We talk about the new sound and what went into it as well as her planning for the music video.

 

After this, enjoy the new single, which incorporates music of her West African roots, most notably elements of Soukous and Makossa.

 

Following that, Canada-based band Selfish Bodies and I dive into their origin in early 2018 and how their style changed as the lineup shifted. We talk about their plans as a band and how those had to change when COVID hit, and how they’ve gotten back into the flow as things reopened.

 

To close things out, we’ve got their recent release, “Bambi Legs.”

Rhode Island Author Expo Preview: Sharyn Haddad Vicente, Christine Carr

Here’s part two of our preview interviews for this year’s Rhode Island Author Expo! This is just a sampling of the many great writers you can meet there.

 

First up, it’s suspense writer Sharyn Haddad Vicente, for her debut book “Love Me,” first in the Paige Vale Psychological Thriller series. Set in an idyllic New England town, the police soon find themselves facing a dire challenge when a serial killer begins leaving bodies in their wake. Enter Paige Vale, a high school student who uncovers unsettling facts about the crimes and leads the police to learn that little is as it seems.

 

After that, it’s Christine Carr, author of “Mother Daze, Tales from the Imperfect Playground” and “Corwin and Friends: We Can Do It.” We talk about both titles as well as the character of Corwin, who was created in February of 2020 with the idea of sharing heartfelt messages of hope and courage at a time when we all needed a sense of care and reconnection.

Mary Ford shares a lifetime of stories in debut novel

Award-winning journalist Mary Ford has made the transition to novelist with “Boy at the Crossroads: From Teenage Runaway to Class President.” The book is a collection of some of the amazing stories lived by her husband Conley. Here’s a look at what’s contained in the pages:

 

Tennessee, 1955. Conley Ford learned quickly the world's full of hard knocks. Seeking the wrong kind of excitement, the restless 13-year-old falls in with a group of older boys joyriding in stolen Mercury cars... until he is arrested and put on probation. With a harsh father waiting and too embarrassed to face his classmates as a jailbird, the impetuous youth leaves town, making it all the way to New Orleans.

No stranger to demanding work from the age he was old enough to walk, Conley uses his wits and street smarts to commandeer a hot dog cart and make some cash. But when a turf war and a near-fatal accident sends him back home, the resourceful teen faces a choice between staying in misery or once more striking out into a dangerous world.

 

Can this troubled young man ever find somewhere he can thrive?

 

Mary and I talk about her choice to write the novel and the way Conley collected them. She shares some of his experiences and how she decided which to include. She also goes into the research done to set the scenes.

 

The book has gotten some great reviews and Mary has hosted a number of book readings and signings. We talk about what this has meant to Mary and the people she’s met.

An exciting return to Rhode Island Comic-Con

A highlight of my year, the Rhode Island Comic-Con is a place to meet some of the best area creatives—fantasy and sci-fi writers, comic creators, and cosplayers. Joining me was Ben Chou, my co-pilot for these events.

 

Kicking things off is Stevie Oaks, whom I met at last year's RICC. He was just starting out, and has had one hell of a year! We talk about his TikTok channel and the amazing response he's had, working at other cons, and plans for the next year.

 

After that, it's author M. Z. Medenciy for her recently-released book “Island Eight.” It's a cool story with a main character that takes a page from M.Z.'s life and an epic world we get to explore together.

 

If you've been to any of the New England cons, you've likely had the pleasure of meeting Matches Malone, who's been cosplaying as the Dark Knight for 30 years. We talk about how he got into the role, and people he's met, and working with all sorts of area charities.

 

To close out this episode, here's an interview I did with author Debra Zannelli. We talk about her five-part realistic vampire series, with themes of family and abuse, and the work that went into it.

Jade Lowder takes us to a real horror show with debut comic

In this episode, I have the pleasure of chatting with comic creator Jade Lowder for his soon-to-be-released “It’s a Horror Show: The Date,” his first book (hopefully of many) with Lesser Known Comics. Have a read at what's in store:

 

“It’s a Horror Show: The Date,” is the tale of a Werewolf Punk Rocker roaming the empty desert highways of the American southwest in a vintage hot rod searching for the next gig, mayhem and a healthy dose of carnage. But what happens when this lycanthropic motor-head encounters a group of local reprobates harassing a seemingly defenseless damsel in distress and furthermore what happens when this apparent damsel is not as she first appears and is keeping some secrets of her own?

 

As you can see from the cover, Jade has some amazing artistic skills, and we talk about how he developed them following his classes at the Kubert School. Jade has a Kickstarter for the title which has already surpassed the goal and shares that experience.

 

Jade and I dive into his work with Lesser Known Comics and the chance posting that led to this partnership. We look at the changing landscape of the comics industry and how he got his start, both as a creator and a fan.

Jonathan Janz shares some classically-themed horror in “The Dismembered”

Who wants to hear from more horror writers? If your hand’s in the air, then kick back and enjoy hearing from author Jonathan Janz, who has a new book out on Nov. 11 through our friends at Cemetery Dance Publications. Here’s a look at the story:

 

In the spring of 1912, American writer Arthur Pearce is reeling from the wounds inflicted by a disastrous marriage. But his plans to travel abroad, write a new novel, and forget about his ex-wife are interrupted by a lovely young woman he encounters on a London-bound train. Her name is Sarah Coyle, and the tale she tells him chills his blood.

Sarah's younger sister has been entranced by Count Richard Dunning, who is rumored to dabble in bizarre religious rites and experimental medicine. Arthur agrees to help, but he has no idea of what awaits him at Altarbook, Sarah's ancestral mansion, or the remote English countryside, where Count Dunning and his followers are about to unleash an unholy supernatural power.

 

Jonathan and I head right into the story—we talk about Count Dunning and how he came to be, Sarah’s role, what leads Arthur to join her, and what inspired some of the settings.

 

Brian Keene has called Janz “One of the best writers in modern horror to come along in the last decade,” and we talk about what such praise means, as well as the influence that Keene has had on his work. Jonathan and I dive into his personality and how he sees himself after publishing more than a dozen books. Jonathan works as a high school writing and film teacher and we discuss how he works with young creatives.

Rhode Island Author Expo preview: Evelyn Audet, Keith Carreiro, and Debra Zanelli

It's that time again! The Rhode Island Author Expo is around the corner and leading up to this I'm chatting with some of the great writers who will be there. The expo takes place on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Crowne Plaza Ballroom in Warwick, Rhode Island.

 

First up, Evelyn Audet and I talk about the soon-to-be-released book about her years spent living on a boat and sailing around the Caribbean, along with a delightful children's book, and environmentally-conscious YA story.

 

Keith Carreiro is a longtime friend of the show and we dive into his nine-part series, “The Immortality Wars.” We look at the world he spent a long time creating and the different creatures that inhabit it.

 

To close out this episode, here's an interview I did with Debra Zannelli at the recent Rhode Island Comic-Con. We talk about her five-part realistic vampire series, with themes of family and abuse, and the work that went into it.

Author David Sklar heads to new heights in “Moonstone Hero”

Hope you're not afraid of heights, because in this episode, we travel all the way up Mt. Kilimanjaro. Author David Sklar and I talk about his recently-released book, “Moonstone Hero,” and here's a look at the story.

 

What do you owe to someone whose life you’ve saved? What does that person owe you? In the early 1970s, an international group of tourists find themselves intimately connected to one another as they attempt to ascend Mount Kilimanjaro. After several miles of progress, the expedition suddenly becomes derailed when one of the climbers becomes gravely ill. Struggling with the effects of high altitude and freezing wind and snow, the climbers must confront their fears and personal limitations as well as their responsibilities to a sick stranger.

 

After a young medical student struggles over a mountain pass, determined to keep this man alive, he must soon grapple with the aftermath of his actions. Romantic feelings crop up where they shouldn’t, and he worries that he may cross a line, betraying the man he saved, and possibly his own integrity.

 

This book is largely true, and we explore the real-life story and what inspired David to turn this into his new novel. We look at the people behind it and David talks about meeting up with the one of the people from the book.

 

David's no stranger to the publishing house, having authored or co-authored more than 200 articles about medical education, emergency health care, and global health. He's also written “La Clinica,” a memoir of his experience as a volunteer in a rural Mexican clinic and “Atlas of Men,” an award-winning novel about a secret research project. We look at what was new with the writing process for “Moonstone Hero” and the challenges it provided.