Online For Authors Podcast

From LSD Experiments to Literary Fiction: How History Sparked a Novel with Author Ben Hawken

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Ben Hawken, author of the book Chandelier. Ben is the award-winning creator of several beloved video series and a small handful of children. Previously, he was the author of zero other books and graduated with honors from a community college, as well as a real college.  He lives outside Seattle with his family.
 
In my book review, I stated Chandelier is a can't-put-down thriller that kept me reading long past my bedtime! We meet Sienna as a young child who finds herself working on a government project because of a small ridge present in her brain. According to the scientists, this ridge is like an antenna that picks up Russian signals. Sienna loves that she is part of something big, but when her part in the project is over, she feels unfulfilled - as though she failed. She spends the rest of her life trying to outrun that feeling.
 
As an adult, Sienna is a wife, mother, and expert in her field. She is also somewhat aloof and has never revealed to her secret life as a child. Until ... the past comes barreling into her present and threatens to destroy her carefully laid future.
 
I love Sienna's character. She is tough and smart, but also scared and scarred. Like me, she would do anything for her children - and that resolve is tested as she reveals long-hidden truths and makes difficult decisions for her family. I was on the edge of my seat and loved the twists and turns of this story. It's a must read!
 
Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1
 
Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290
 
You can follow Author Ben Hawken
Website: https://www.benhawken.com/
IG: @chandelierthebook
FB: @Chandelier
LinkedIn: @Ben Hawken
 
Purchase Chandelier on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4dLGvWz
Ebook: https://amzn.to/456W0G9
 
Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com
FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor
IG: @terimbrown_author
X: @terimbrown1
 
Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors
 
#benhawken #chandelier #thriller  #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Deadly Waters: A Medical Mystery Unfolds at Sea with Author Kevin Hwang

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Kevin Hwang, author of the book The Regression Strain. Kevin O. Hwang, MD, is a professor of internal medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston where he sees patients and teaches residents. His academic work has appeared in leading medical journals. He attended Rice University and The University of Texas Medical Branch. He is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) and the Independent Author Network (IAN).
 
Nothing excites him more than chicken enchiladas, index cards, and appropriately sized packaging.
 
In my book review, I stated The Regression Strain is a medical thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The novel starts with Dr. Peter Palmer joining the medical team aboard the cruise ship, Paradise. Unfortunately, as he soon learns, the ship's moniker is as far from the truth as it gets - nor is the laid back job helping happy vacationers laid back!
 
The novel takes place after COVID restrictions have lifted and life has gotten back to normal. However, when people start coming into the clinic, first with minor respiratory symptoms, and later with aggression in its many forms, Peter begins to suspect a virus. Slowly, everyone in his new life begins to change - and his hope for a rest from the anxiety of his life turns to fear and dread.
 
Is the virus natural or man-made? Is someone behind its spread? Can he stop the rest of the ship from getting sick? Will anything he does be 'too little, too late'?
 
This is a quick read that will have you breathlessly turning the page to find out if Peter can save first the ship - but more importantly, the world.
 
Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1
 
Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290
 
You can follow Author Kevin Hwang
Website: https://www.kevinhwang.com/
IG: @kevinhwangmdauthor
X:@KevinHwangMD
LinkedIn: @kevinhwangmd
 
Purchase The Regression Strain on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4k8MW7G
Ebook: https://amzn.to/4lsYR1b
 
Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com
FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor
IG: @terimbrown_author
X: @terimbrown1
 
Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors
 
#kevinhwang #theregressionstrain #thriller #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Secrets, Seduction, and Mystery: A Twist on Love and Loyalty with Author Jen Sinclair

Carole O’Neill’s guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Jen Sinclair, author of the book There's Always a Price. Jen Sinclair pens personal essays and contemporary fiction that explore complicated relationships, love, loss, and all the messiness of life. Jen lives in Saint Augustine, Florida, with her husband, kids, and spoiled pups. When she isn’t working out story elements, belting out songs from one of her Spotify playlists, or having conversations with imaginary friends, she enjoys spending time outside walking beaches and trails, paddling waterways, or driving around with the top off her Jeep. She’s published two women’s fiction books, There’s Always a Price and According to My Science and collaborated on the dark friendship fiction novel, The Accidental Death of MF Ascher.
 
In my book review, Carole O’Neill stated: There's Always a Price is a contemporary novel. I enjoyed this book from page one. Thirty-six-year-old Cassie has stopped painting because of some neurological damage to her hand and her once-held dream has been shattered. Her husband Jason has kept their money problems from her and is about to lose everything, including Cassie’s trust fund.
 
Enter investor Lucas Dalton who offers to save Jason’s business and allow him to put the money he stole from Cassie back before she discovers it missing. Problem solved. Or is it? There’s always a price. Jen Sinclair’s story takes us into a world where billionaires can have almost everything.
 
This novel has been named a finalist in the Women’s Fiction Category by the Feathered Quill 2025 Book Awards. Once you begin reading, you’ll feel it should be the winner.
 
Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1
 
Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290
 
You can follow Author Jen Sinclair:
Website: https://jensinclairwrites.com/
IG: @jensinclairwrites
FB: @Jen-Sinclair-Author
 
Purchase There's Always a Price on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3T926i3
Ebook: https://amzn.to/3HSfPrn
 
Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com
FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor
IG: @terimbrown_author
X: @terimbrown1
 
Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors
 
#jensinclair #theresalwaysaprice #contemporaryfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Werewolves and Witches: Writing Grief, Magic, and Friendship with Author Max Shippee

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Max Shippee, author of the book Moonshine: Path of the Raven. Max grew up in rural Maine and knows the woods well. His own journey took him to Hollywood, California by way of Oklahoma, Nevada, Texas, DC, and even Bali, Indonesia. For the last 20 years, he has been busy as an actor, a gym owner, a husband, and a father. Along the way, he’s had some stories brewing in that silver-haired head of his. He thought he best write them down. You can find his spontaneous science-fiction installments on Reddit, and now, MOONSHINE: THE SERIES has begun with Book One: Path of the Raven.
 
In my book review, I stated Moonshine: Path of the Raven is a wonderful young adult fiction novel full of magical realism. I'm going to be honest - I rarely read werewolf books because I find them to be too fantastical for my liking. However, this novel kept me captivated from the beginning. I immediately fell in love with Sam, the young boy on the brink of manhood, and his protector, John. Plus, the extended cast of characters is just as enchanting!
 
Sam starts out life as a sharecropper in the early 1900s. His family still works on the plantation that used to hold them as slaves. Although poor, Sam believes his life is good. However, everything changes the day the young plantation daughter notices Sam working. Although his life was destined to change anyway as the next Jack for a coven in upstate New York, Sam soon finds himself without a family or a place to call home. Fortunately for Sam, he soon learns that he doesn't have to journey through life alone.
 
I love that many of the characters we meet are incarnations of legendary figures - King Author, John Henry, and more! This is a great read.
 
Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1
 
Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290
 
You can follow Author Max Shippee
Website: www.readmoonshine.com
IG: @readmoonshine
FB: @readmoonshine
TikTok: @readmoonshine
Threads: @readmoonshine
BlueSky: @readmoonshine
 
Purchase Moonshine: Path of the Raven on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/43TUuoL
Ebook: https://amzn.to/3ZmnTGH
 
Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com
FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor
IG: @terimbrown_author
X: @terimbrown1
 
Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors
 
#maxshippee #moonshine #pathoftheraven #YA #magicalrealism #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Marketing Mastery: Essential Tips for Indie Authors with Author Rodney Miles

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Rodney Miles, author of the book The Book Dude's Guide to Self-Publishing. He is here to chat about indie marketing.
 
Rodney is a self-publishing expert, consultant, and provider of author services.  In over 14 years he has helped create and publish over 300 books for clients and helped launch careers for authors and speakers, including self-help, business, memoir, fiction, and children's books. He writes about his experiences and methods anyone can follow in his latest book, The Book Dude's Guide to Self-Publishing: The Modern Author.
 
At the age of 40 Rodney re-created himself by going back to college and ghostwriting for a penny a word. Fourteen years later he brings all of that life and professional experience together and shares it now so we can all make our own contribution to what he calls the "Great Library." 
 
His message is that (A) your story is important, (B) you really don't know how much you know until you write a book, and (C) the process of creating a book when done right is fun, revealing, surprisingly therapeutic, and life-changing. 
 
He finds almost all authors only regret not doing it sooner, and with a good process, almost anyone can and should write a book.
 
The Book Dude’s Guide to Self-Publishing, Book 1: The Modern Author, brings you up to speed on the industry as it is now versus where it has been in the past. It reveals secrets and exploited misunderstandings that will save you time, effort, even embarrassment, so your book project as well as your finished book are the best they can be and just as important, accomplish your goal(s). It explains platforms, procedures, and the publishing industry as it was and as it is today. It lays out those things typically explained in intro and strategy calls with new clients diving into creating a book for the first time. It’s about being safe and savvy.
 
Start your adventure! Discover not only your best path forward with your project and book, but the myriad options we enjoy today as indies. Buy, read, review, and share The Book Dude’s Guide to Self-Publishing. Add your ideas to the Great Library and live your dreams as an AUTHOR.
 
Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1
 
Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290
 
You can follow Author Rodney Miles
Website: www.RodneyMiles.com
 
Purchase The Book Dude's Guide to Self-Publishing on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3FCJ3cO
Ebook: https://amzn.to/3ZBTG6H
 
Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com
FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor
IG: @terimbrown_author
X: @terimbrown1
 
Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors
 
#rodneymiles #thebookdudesguidetoselfpublishing #bookcraft #authorhowto #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Hidden Heroines of History: Writing the Women They Forgot with Author Kit Sergeant

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Kit Sergeant, author of the book Nancy Wake. With eight historical fiction novels to her name, including riveting tales of real-life spies like Marie-Madeleine Fourcade and Nancy Wake, Kit weaves narratives that bring history to life through the lens of women who defied the odds. In addition to her historical fiction, Kit has also penned two novels in contemporary women's fiction, one of which, What It Is, was a previous Kindle Scout winner. A teacher by profession and at heart, Kit loves to impart little-known facts and dares you to walk away from one of her books without learning at least one new thing.
 
In my book review, I stated I love a good historical fiction and can't resist the historical fiction when the story centers on a real-life woman! Nancy Wake checks all my boxes!
 
Nancy is a woman who sees Hitler's atrocities, and rather than turn away, she determines to do what she can to stop him. Because Nancy is married to a wealthy man, she has the money and connections to help the Resistance when Northern France is under siege. She gathers food and clothing, she passes information, and eventually, she begins helping escaped prisoners find their way back to England.
 
But what will happen when France falls? Will 'The White Mouse' be able to continue to evade capture? Will her husband? And what will be her role?
 
I was captivated by Nancy and her dedication to the cause - even at the expense of her own health and safety. If you love a good WWII historical fiction with a strong women characters, then this is definitely the book for you!
 
Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1
 
Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290
 
You can follow Author Kit Sergeant
Website: https://www.kitsergeant.com/
IG: @kitsergeant
LinkedIn: @Kit Sergeant
X: @kitSergeant
 
Purchase Nancy Wake on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3HnPf9a
Ebook: https://amzn.to/4kNclEz
 
Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com
FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor
IG: @terimbrown_author
X: @terimbrown1
 
Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors
 
#kitsergeant #nancywake #historicalfiction #WWII #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Fiction With a Mission: Exposing the Hidden Crisis in Women's Prisons with Author Amanda DuBois

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Amanda DuBois, author of the book Unshackled. In addition to writing the Camille Delaney series, Amanda is the founder and busy managing partner of DuBois Levias Law Group, a woman-owned boutique family law firm on Lake Union in Seattle, where she  maintains an active family law practice. Over the past thirty years, she’s represented thousands of individuals – both in divorces and medical malpractice cases. She’s also provided pro bono legal representation for parents who served time in prison and has become very familiar with the issues they face. Prior to becoming a lawyer, she was a high-risk labor and delivery nurse at University of Washington Medical Center.
 
Having a background in both medicine and the law has given her unique insight into the inequities of both systems. That perspective drove her to create the Camille Delaney mystery series. Camille’s adventures weave questions about justice into a fast-paced reading experience with the twists and turns one would expect from a good thriller. Her purpose in writing the series is to raise awareness of injustice and create an opportunity for readers to reflect on how our system could work better for those most marginalized.
 
When she’s not lawyering or writing, she’s usually working on the same social justice issues that she’s sending Camille out to explore. In 2015, she founded Civil Survival Project, an organization that teaches advocacy skills to formerly incarcerated individuals. Civil Survival also provides civil legal aid to individuals struggling with the consequences of incarceration and helping them with reentry. In addition to the Civil Survival Project, she is heavily involved in the community. Plus she has created a newsletter called The Ripple Haven. If you’d like to follow the stories of some amazing women, please subscribe here, https://www.amandadubois.com/blog/announcing-ripple-haven.
 
In my book review, I stated Unshackled is the third in the Camille Delaney Mystery series - and it was so good! You know how I love great characters, and Unshackled is full of them. Camille is an ER nurse turned lawyer, who is exposed to the oxycontin crisis and women in prison when she volunteers at the local prison. What she finds is appalling at best.
 
Abused, traumatized, and addicted women are put into prison and given no help. There is no therapy. No addiction resources. And no help keeping their families together. In fact, Camille soon learns that many women in prison are forced to give up their parental rights. When the mothers make it out of jail, they have no access to their children, which often leads them straight back to addiction. And the kids? Without understanding why their mom's 'abandoned' them, they are likely on their way to a prison sentence as well.
 
Camille meets Charli and agrees to take on her case. But it isn't as simple as getting her child back. Instead, she runs into drug dealers, drug kingpins, drug addicts, and a system that is against everything she wants to accomplish. This story will have you gripping your seat and praying for the right outcome! It's a must read.
 
Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1
 
Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290
 
You can follow Author Amanda DuBois
Website: https://amandadubois.com/
FB: @amanda.dubois.author
X: @AmandaDuBoisCS
Linked In: @Amanda DuBois
IG: @amandadubois206
 
Purchase Unshackled on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/44dy3Lk
Ebook: https://amzn.to/3FOKy85       
 
BONUS: Her publisher has created a 20% discount code for Unshackled. It can be used on the INDIEPUBS.com website using the code: UNSHACKLED20
 
Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com
FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor
IG: @terimbrown_author
X: @terimbrown1
 
Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors
 
#amandadubois #unshackled #mystery #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

From Pirates to Popes: The Wild Journey Behind a Sweeping Historical Epic with Author Kent Merrell

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Kent Merrell, author of the book The Conquest of Liberty. Meet A. Kent Merrell, a man whose creative spark has ignited award-winning advertising campaigns, inspired global leadership talks, and now fuels the pages of his vivid historical fiction. With his latest book, The Conquest of Liberty, Kent invites readers on a rollicking journey through the reformation in Europe, the discovery of the New World, and the dramatic fall and liberation of the Inca Empire. His storytelling, steeped in travels to far-flung lands and two years living atop the Andes, breathes life into history with a flair only a master of “ideas that work” could muster.
 
Kent’s creative journey kicked off in a small Utah town, where he co-founded an advertising agency fresh out of Brigham Young University. His knack for crafting messages that make phones ring and perceptions shift drew heavyweights like Disney, VISA International, HBO, and Comcast to his doorstep. Recognized as a creative trendsetter in direct marketing, Kent’s trophy case boasts 27 international awards, and his creative presentation expertise has lit up stages from Europe to Latin America. In the mid-1980s, a Madison Avenue legend advised him to stay in Utah, promising the work would come—and it did, in spades.
 
But Kent’s story isn’t just about ads that pop. Leadership runs deep in his veins, sparked by watching his father, an entrepreneur with no formal power, wield profound influence through honorable character. After his father’s passing when Kent was 16, he devoured leadership books and seized every chance to lead—from Boy Scout troops to serving as President of Utah’s Vocational Industrial Clubs of America in high school. Later, Dr. V. Dallas Merrell tapped him to transform “Leading Global Principles” into accessible wisdom, crystallizing Kent’s understanding of influence and impact. Whether guiding corporate giants or mentoring youth, Kent’s leadership is as creative as his advertising, always aiming to inspire and engage. Kent’s take on leadership brings with it tasty chocolate chip cookie recipes with each leadership principle. Soon to be published will be the first ever delicious leadership recipe book “Leaderchip Cookies.
 
Now, Kent channels his global adventures and creative prowess into historical fiction. His debut, The Blade of Safavid, whisks readers across Ancient England, Persia, India, Africa, and the Americas. The Conquest of Liberty continues this tradition, blending meticulous research with storytelling zest. When he’s not penning epics, Kent’s busy with his wife of 46 years, raising five children and doting on 22 grandchildren. Follow his literary adventures at www.kentmerrellauthor.com or catch his broader musings at www.kentmerrell.substack.com.
 
With Kent, expect a tale well-told and a legacy that inspires.
 
In my book review, I stated The Conquest of Liberty is a detailed, many POV, Renaissance historical fiction. We follow the journey of several people - all of whom have incredible stories - and it isn't until the very end that we find out how all of these stories wind together into one. I was immediately hooked despite knowing next to nothing about the Moors, monarchs, and monks of the time.
 
Kent is a master at creating characters. For instance, Miguel, an archbishop's right hand man who lives in Granada should be very foreign to me. But within a few pages, I felt as if he were alive in my living room as he fled persecution, was kidnapped by pirates, and found himself questioning both his King and his Pope. Then, there is Alessandro, a young boy in the care of Balboa, the explorer, Maria, a women who fled her home and lived with the Gitanos, and Vano, the next leader of the Gitanos, not to mention Sayyida al-Hurra, a Morracan Privateer, Jalaf Morisco, a Morracan Exile, and Talavera, the Archbishop accused of heresy.
 
This novel is far more than a historical fiction - it contains within the pages action, adventure, mystery, and love. You won't be able to put this book down.
 
Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1
 
Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290
 
You can follow Author Kent Merrell
Website: https://kentmerrellauthor.com/
FB: @KentMerrell
IG: @akmerrell
LinkedIn: @A Kent Merrell
 
 
Purchase The Conquest of Liberty on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3HqCg6A
Ebook: https://amzn.to/43ZaOFQ
 
Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com
FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor
IG: @terimbrown_author
X: @terimbrown1
 
Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors
 
#kentmerrell #theconquestofliberty #historicalfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Breathing Dust: Why One Girl Refused to Run with Author Jann Alexander

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Jann Alexander, author of the book Unspoken. Jann is an author, photographer, and artist. Her characters face down their fears, in novels that are as close-to-true as fiction can get.
 
She specializes in time travel. Read Unspoken, the first novel in her Dust series that stars historic Texas during the Dirty Thirties and beyond. Explore her photography featuring Vanishing Austin, Mother Earth, and Texana. Journey into the American southwest and Mexico, along the Mission Trail, as she captures the colors in her paintings and photos.
 
In my book review, I stated Unspoken by Jann Alexander is a gut-wrenching historical fiction detailing one young girl's experience during the Dust Bowl in the Texas panhandle. If you are looking for a simple read with no drama, then this is not for you. However, if you want the hard, gritty truth about life during the dustbowl of the 1930s, then run right out and grab your copy.
 
We see one dozen years of Ruby's life starting at the tender age of 11. She has lost her baby sister and grandmother to dust pneumonia, also known as the brown plague, and almost succumbs herself. That's when her father sends her away to live with a cousin in Waco, and Ruby's entire life unwinds. We also see snippets of her mother's life - a woman confined to a mental institution. And Jan did a remarkable job showing how both those lives intertwined!
 
I was horrified by conditions at the state welfare home for children as well as the insane asylum. It makes me wonder how anyone could survive either place - and how a child like Ruby Lee figured out not only have to survive but eventually thrive. Although a difficult book to read because of the raw honesty, it was well worth the effort. A definite 5 stars.
 
Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1
 
Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290
 
You can follow Author Jann Alexander:
Website: https://www.jannalexander.com/
FB: @JannAlexanderAuthor
IG: @jannalextx
LinkedIn: @jannalextx
 
Purchase Unspoken on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4n2u7p7
Ebook: https://amzn.to/3FZrhR6
 
Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com
FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor
IG: @terimbrown_author
X: @terimbrown1
 
Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors
 
#jannalexander #unspoken #historicalfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Love, Loss, and Resilience: A Survivor’s Story with author Christine Sadry

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Christine Sadry, author of the book 13 Years Lost. Christine Sadry was born in Krasne, Poland, and was adopted in 1964 by a Polish American couple who lived in the United States.  After graduating from West Catholic Girls' High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Christine worked at the United States Social Security Administration from 1973 to 1979.
 
She started her 31-year career with the United Nations in 1979. Christine was a single mother to her daughter and the wife of a United Nations diplomat. After dedicating most of her life to service, she now resides in Naples, Florida.
 
In my book review, I stated Unspoken is a gut-wrenching historical fiction detailing one young girl's experience during the Dust Bowl in the Texas panhandle. If you are looking for a simple read with no drama, then this is not for you. However, if you want the hard, gritty truth about life during the dustbowl of the 1930s, then run right out and grab your copy.
 
We see one dozen years of Ruby's life starting at the tender age of 11. She has lost her baby sister and grandmother to dust pneumonia, also known as the brown plague, and almost succumbs herself. That's when her father sends her away to live with a cousin in Waco, and Ruby's entire life unwinds. We also see snippets of her mother's life - a woman confined to a mental institution. And Jan did a remarkable job showing how both those lives intertwined!
 
I was horrified by conditions at the state welfare home for children as well as the insane asylum. It makes me wonder how anyone could survive either place - and how a child like Ruby Lee figured out not only have to survive but eventually thrive. Although a difficult book to read because of the raw honesty, it was well worth the effort. A definite 5 stars.
 
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You can follow Author Christine Sadry:
Website: https://christinesadry.com/
FB: @csadry1
IG: @christinesadry
LinkedIn: @Christine Sadry
 
Purchase 13 Years Lost on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4n2u7p7
Ebook: https://amzn.to/3FZrhR6
 
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FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor
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X: @terimbrown1
 
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