Online For Authors Podcast

Togetherness: A Story About Friendship, Identity, and the World We Live In with Author SM Stevens

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is SM Stevens, author of the book Beautiful and Terrible Things. S.M. Stevens began writing fiction during back-to-back health crises: a shattered pelvis and ovarian cancer. She writes contemporary novels designed to make readers laugh, cry, and think. Her most recent novel, Beautiful and Terrible Things, has won seven awards including Indies Today’s Best Literary Book of 2024, and an Honorable Mention in the Social Issues category of the 2024 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest. Her novella The Wallace House of Pain won the 2023 American Fiction Award for Best Novelette, and First Place in the Short Fiction category of the Chanticleer International Book Awards. A lifelong New Englander other than stints in England and Italy, she lives in Washington, N.H.
 
In my book review, I stated Beautiful and Terrible Things is a contemporary fiction by SM Stevens. We start by meeting Charley, a 29-year-old who believes she is cursed to lose everyone she loves. To combat this, she lives a very rigid and lonely life - until she meets Xander. He invites her to meet his band of diverse race, gender, and sexually oriented friends Terrance, Sunny, Jessica, and Buwan.
 
Charley is a social misfit, but from the beginning, I was cheering her on. Her rigid schedule and self-harm made me want to wrap my arms around her and help her see it was going to be okay - when I wasn't stamping my feet because she was being ridiculous! Of course, I felt the same way about each of the friends. At times, they seemed to have their heads on straight - at others? Not so much. And isn't that just like me, you, and everyone we know?
 
SM doesn't hold back. She brings in social components of our time including race and sexual orientation, but also mental health issues and green initiatives. With characters all along each of these spectrums, we are given the opportunity to see these topics from all sides - from those who live them to those who wonder if they really exist. We also get a glimpse into what we might do when we see something that isn't to our liking - and learn that there isn't just one way that is the right way.
 
This is a wonderful story about friends and what that can look like despite different life experiences. I really enjoyed this book.
 
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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 SM Stevens
Website: https://authorsmstevens.com/
IG: @s.m.stevens
FB: @ AuthorSMStevens
TikTok:@author.smstevens
 
Purchase Beautiful and Terrible Things on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4oDp2UW
Ebook: https://amzn.to/4ovRRSW
 
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
 
#smstevens #beautifulandterriblethings #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.

From Laughter to Shadows: The Unforgettable Life Behind the Stick Figures with author DJ Quinn

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is DJ Quinn, author of the book Stick Figures. Dennis ‘DJ’ Quinn is a three-time Big Brother / Big Sisters volunteer and assists with mentor programs in the Pierce County WA Juvenile Court system. His honest and humorous writing style came to life during his editing and writing jobs for airline labor unions, lifestyle magazines, and real estate advertising. The second oldest of nine children raised in Helena, MT, he currently resides in Gig Harbor, WA. He is also the author of Raft Island Treasure Hunters, an adventure tale for young readers.
 
In her book review Carole O'Neill stated: Stick Figures: A Big Brother Remembers is a memoir by D. J. Quinn. As he navigates between time with his Little Brother and his memories of those years, we unravel a happy, sad, guilty, loving, and grateful man who wishes he could have done more for his Little Brother.
 
Quinn meets Betty who is the foster mother of his potential Little Brother in the caseworker’s office. The meeting was set up to allow them to get to know each other and discuss the expectations of both. Mike is not the average candidate the organization tries to match. He didn’t start talking until he was four and is in special education. He is an energetic seven-year-old who loves to swim but doesn’t like to go to the mall. Within the first few outings, D.J. quickly discovers he and Mike like to talk about Santa, God, showgirls, and speech therapy.
 
Above all, he is a gamer. Their time together always ended with a look at the calendar to make plans to meet the next time as they drew stick figures to document the time they just spent together. Mike looked forward to those drawings almost as much as the activities they enjoyed. During that time, they often were joined by D.J.’s partner and his Little Brother, Nate. The four of them found swimming off their boat to be one of their favorite pastimes.
 
During their thirteen-year journey, we follow their intimate true story told with humor and compassion. The twists and turns of their relationship from Mike’s time on the run, to his time in prison, and finally to his final days, we laugh, we cry and we applaud D.J. for taking the interest in a young boy who needed help to grow into a man.
 
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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 DJ Quinn
Website: https://www.DJQuinnAuthor.com
Social media: FB: @DJ Quinn Author
IG: @djquinnauthor
 
Purchase Stick Figures on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/48IkuWk
Ebook: https://amzn.to/4aEqyBR
 
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
 
#djquinn #stickfigures #memoir #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.

The Legend Lives: A Family Saga Wrapped in Magic and History with Author Joseph Bolton

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Joseph Bolton, author of the book Old Grandmother's Tree. Joseph Bolton was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island during the twilight of the golden age of French-Canadian culture in New England. Growing up emersed in his mother’s French-Canadian family, Joseph enjoyed hearing the stories told by his grandparents and great aunts of a mysterious and magical place called Québec, otherwise known as “the place we came from.”
 
After high school, Joseph’s adventurous nature led him to enlist in the U.S. Army and he served in the Army’s airborne forces as a paratrooper jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, much to the worry of his mother.
 
Although he originally intended to stay in the Army for two years, he was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and after graduating in 1989, he decided to make the Army a career. After West Point, Joseph graduated from the Army’s Ranger Training School, a grueling and physically demanding combat leadership course. Over the next 18 years, Joseph served in the army in various positions of growing responsibilities culminating with a combat tour in Afghanistan as one of two Space Operations Officers with the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division.
 
Since he retired from the Army, Joseph has worked in various project manager roles as a civilian contractor for the U.S. Air Force. While writing Old Grandmother’s Tree, Joseph took a sabbatical from the U.S. Air Force and taught mathematics to young students for a semester at Holy Family Academy in Gardner Massachusetts. He considers it the most fulfilling job he has ever had and hopes to return to teaching full-time in the near future.
 
Bolton is of French-Canadian, Native American, Spanish, English, and Irish descent, and is profoundly inspired by the stories of his heritage. He lives with his wife in Massachusetts, and, in his free time, enjoys hiking and skiing through Québec and New England landscapes. His favorite places to go for outdoor adventure are the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts and Mont-Orford in Québec. When he is not writing, hiking, or skiing, Joseph enjoys reading about science, history, philosophy, mathematics, and worldwide mythologies. Old Grandmother’s Tree is his first book.
 
In my book review, I stated Old Grandmother's Tree is a series of historical fiction short stories written by Joseph Bolton. These stories are based on family stories and mixed with Canadian and French folktales - and the illustrations are incredible!
 
I loved learning about Joseph's family and the stories he heard as a young child about a many times great grandmother who belonged to a native tribe and her marriage to a French soldier - and how this story reaches through the years to the present day. Along the way, we meet many family members, trickster animals, and Quebec as it was in the 17th century and is today.
 
The trickster animals were favorites, especially since I've always loved the African and Native American fairy tales with such tricksters. I enjoy hearing how different cultures explain what can be unexplainable.
 
I understand that there will be more - and I can't wait to get my hands on the second volume!
 
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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 Joseph Bolton
Website: https://oldgrandmotherstree.com
 
Purchase Old Grandmother's Tree on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4433Qz9
Ebook: https://amzn.to/4qHRRki
 
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
 
#josephbolton #oldgrandmotherstree #historicalfiction #folktales #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.

Echoes Across Time: The Stories That Bind a Carolina Family with Author Jim Gulledge

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Jim Gulledge, author of the book Green Forest, Red Eath, Blue Sea. Jim Gulledge is the author of A Poor Man’s Supper. The novella was selected for inclusion in the North Carolina Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill and the W.L. Eury Appalachian Collection at Appalachian State University. Over the course of his academic training, Dr. Gulledge earned an A.B. degree in Christian education from Pfeiffer University, an M.A. in English from Clemson University and a DMin in theological studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His career highlights included participation in the Adult Development Institute at Harvard University, the Fulbright German Administrators Exchange Program and the C.S Lewis Summer Residence program in Oxford, England. A life-long resident of the Carolinas, Jim and his wife, Linda, enjoy visiting with their four children and son-in-law and daily life with their miniature schnauzer, Luka.
 
In my book review, I stated Green Forest, Red Earth, Blue Sea is a beautiful Southern fiction set of short stories. I fell instantly in love with these stories that take place in the state I call home - North Carolina. Each of the three stories takes place in a different part of the state and follow three connected families. The stories, though they take place during different times and in different places, stay connected through a family heirloom.
 
Unlike most books I enjoy this one has many varied characters, so there isn't one character to fall in love with. Instead, readers fall in love with place. And Jim did an excellent job helping readers come to love North Carolina, from the green hills of the mountains to the red clay of the piedmont to the sandy shores of the ocean. I also enjoyed discovering how each family connected with one another and how they managed to cover the state in a few generations.
 
We start in the mountains as trains bring change - meeting two young lovers whose time together is fleeting. Next, we find ourselves saving peaches from a deadly spring freeze. Can this couple eek out a living in the clay? The last story asks us to cheer for an orphan boy and the chance to find buried treasure against the backdrop of a tropical storm. And finally, catch a quick glimpse of a story yet to be told when a boy from the beach glimpses a girl from the mountains - and we feel that it will all start again.
 
Jim tells a delightful series of stories, and you won't want to miss this book. It would make a great gift for any NC native!
 
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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 Jim Gulledge
FB: @jim.gulledge.12
 
Purchase Green Forest, Red Eath, Blue Sea on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4oI77Mw
Ebook: https://amzn.to/47IXRAE
 
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
 
#jimgulledge #greenforestredearthbluesea #southernfiction #shortstories #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.

Crossing 3,100 Counties: What a Road-Level Look Reveals About America with Author Danny Zimny-Schmitt

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Danny Limny-Schmitt, author of the book 10 Little Rules for Understanding America. Danny works at NREL leading prize competitions for entrepreneurs and students in the American-Made Challenges program, while also serving as the Principal Investigator of the U.S. Utility Rate Database.
 
In his previous roles at NREL and work in graduate school, he led and supported urban science and sustainable transportation research. He seeks to integrate his skills in the geospatial sciences, research in urban environments, and entrepreneurial networks to build a career focused on sustainability in the energy and/or transportation sectors.
 
He has an enduring interest in better understanding the spatial dimensions of the current economic and sociopolitical challenges, and has traveled to all 3,144 counties in the United States in an attempt to better understand the country he calls home.
 
In my book review, I stated 10 Little Rules for Understanding America is an inspirational memoir you won't want to miss. Danny has visited every county in the United States (3,000+) including those found in Alaska and Hawaii! Why? He wanted to explore what made America tick. In the process, he learned a lot about how where a person lives affects what they believe about politics, social norms, religion, and more.
 
Do you have to see every county to get something from his rules? Absolutely not! His rules are perfect for anyone who wants to understand this great country we live in as well as the people who populate it. For instance, the rule Say Hello to Strangers can help any traveler understand just a bit more about those around them, and the rule to Take the Road Less Traveled can help you be more than a tourist.
 
I also loved how Danny recognized his own biases and continues to work hard to eliminate them. In today's world, his idea that there are good people on both sides of an argument is refreshing - and much needed. The best part is that he gives guided questions at the end of each chapter to help you develop your own rules for understanding America.
 
Don't miss this book!
 
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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 Danny Limny-Schmitt
Linked In: @Daniel Zimny Schmitt
FB: @danny.zimnyschmitt
IG: @dannyz3142
 
Purchase 10 Little Rules for Understanding America on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/47a0BHc
Ebook: https://amzn.to/42y0Ytv
 
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
 
#dannyzimnyschmitt #10littlerules #understandingamerica #memoir #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 Black and White to Color: A Memoir of Healing and Hope with Author Jenn Todling

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Jenn Todling, author of the book Dancing on My Own Two Feet. Jenn is an author, speaker, executive coach, and adjunct instructor at the University of Denver. With over twenty years in global professional services and more than a decade as an ICF-certified executive coach, she helps leaders integrate head and heart—bringing purpose, presence, and humanity back to the workplace. Jenn lives near her hometown of Boulder, Colorado, with her husband (and dance partner) and young daughter. Her memoir Dancing on My Own Two Feet was recognized as a 2025 NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite in the Motivational category.
 
In my book review, I stated Dancing on My Own Two Feet is a memoir by Jenn Todling. Although we meet Jenn as a child, the bulk of the story begins when she decides to get married as a freshman in college and concludes when she finally discovers how to stay true to herself. I love a memoir that shows a woman who gains confidence in herself and learns how to ask for what she needs - and Dancing on My Own Two Feet delivers.
 
Jenn explores relationships - what makes them good, what makes them not-so-good, and what is needed to stay in one to work through the tough times. She also looks at the caregiver role women often find themselves in, self-care, emotional abuse, and even the idea of a soulmate and whether such a thing really exists.
 
Throughout it all, Jenn talks about dancing and traveling - two of her passions she almost let go in order to appease. I enjoyed seeing both through her eyes and how her experiences changed as she became more confident in herself. Add this to your TBR!
 
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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 Jenn Todling
Website: jenntodling.com
IG: @jenntodling
FB: @Jenn Todling
LinkedIn: @jenntodling
 
Purchase Dancing on My Own Two Feet on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3WtGnD8
Ebook: https://amzn.to/48T9ZkM
 
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
 
#jentodling #dancingonmyowntwofeet #memoir #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.

Crossing Boundaries: A Story of Identity, Love, and Legacy with Author Kendra Saldana

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Kenda Saldana, author of the book Shades Between Reality and the Dream. Kendra Saldana is an author of literary fiction who likes to joke about being born and raised in the South Bronx but civilized by attending college in Virginia.  Specifically, Norfolk State University.  She admits to being a college dropout like Kanye West.  Yet, Kendra credits those years spent studying journalism at the HBCU as essential to honing her craft and writing style.  She loves character-driven stories that connect to the readers so strongly they become flesh and blood.  Shades Between Reality and the Dream is Kendra's first novel.
 
In my book review, I stated Shades Between Reality and Dream is a romance by Kendra Saldana. However, it isn't just any romance. Instead, we are thrust into the social divides of racism and classism and what happens when men and women refuse to stay within the confines of these borders.
 
This is a wonderful multigenerational story that explores racism and classism from the 1950s to present day - and gives the reader a glimpse into lives that may be quite unlike their own. We start with a wealthy white man who has a child with a black servant. Is it love? We move to his child - who although half black, can pass as a white man. Will he? Should he? Does he? And then there is the socialite who marries beneath her station. Does her new husband want help of his newly acquired family? Do they give it willingly? Can the two find a way to bridge the divide? And then it comes full circle as these two families collide.
 
Throughout the book, the reader faces prejudice on all sides and must start looking at their own life and feelings to determine where they fit in the puzzle. I suspect that is exactly what Kendra was hoping to achieve. It is a beautiful love story - with all the ups and downs. But more importantly, it is a social commentary. Don't miss this one!
 
Author Note: There is quite a bit of sexual content in this book. Skipping over these scenes does not substantially change the book.
 
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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 Kenda Saldana
IG: @bxfuerte
FB: @bxwriter
 
Purchase Shades Between Reality and the Dream on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4nPIbS1
Ebook: https://amzn.to/4hU67CL
 
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
 
#kendrasaldana #shadesbetweenrealityandthedream #romance #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.

Logic vs. Whimsy: How Two Unlikely Heroes Share One Soul with Author Brent Lindstrom

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Brent Lindstrom , author of the book One for the Money, Two for the Soul. Having lived in Utah most of his life, you might say that he’s known a lot of Christians. He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He love a good adventure novel or movie, but frustrations over content have influenced him to write adult type novels without the annoying sex and profanity that litter so many books today.
 
He’s always enjoyed a good book, and he’s enjoyed writing.  At this time, he’s only able to write part time.  Some day, when he’s had enough fun at his day job, he might hope to make storytelling more of a career.  His ambitions are currently to write about one novel per year.  Then hopefully as more people come to enjoy them, he’ll shift gears and start a production studio, bringing all his stories to the big screen. So many people get stuck doing something their whole lives that they aren't passionate about. He says "Live your dreams!"
 
In my book review, I stated One for the Money, Two for the Soul effectively combines fantasy and suspense. Although these are not usually my 'go-to' genres, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and believe you will, too!We quickly meet Winnie, a whimsical child full of curiosity and imagination. Unfortunately, she becomes the latest casualty in a soul-snatcher's plot. But the plot runs awry, snatching only half - the logical half - of Winnie's soul. The rest of the story follows Winnie and the recipient of the logic, Garm. The two halves couldn't be more different - and yet, both realize they are missing something needful.The evil doctor is working on how to put souls into new bodies with a memory intact - as a way to live on forever. An assassin is actively working against the doctor. Garm and Winnie find themselves in the middle, along with others they meet along the way.This novel is filled with whimsy and suspense, allowing the reader to both laugh out loud and turn the pages to find out what happens next. A must-read!
 
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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
Website: https://www.bluehpublishing.com/
FB: @LightMindedArts
IG: @lightmindedarts
 
Purchase a copy of One for the Money, Two for the Soul:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4mZIvNC​
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4mZIvNC
 
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
#brentlindstrom #oneforthemoneytwoforthesoul #fantasy #suspense #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.

Resistance, Redemption, and Love: An 1800s Saga of Hardship with Author Holly Brough

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Holly Brough, author of the book The Name I Choose. Award-winning author, Holly Brough didn't enjoy reading until she was an adult. Diagnosed with dyslexia, it wasn’t until high school when a religious teacher told her if she read the scriptures every day, she would get over her dyslexia. She read faithfully every night. By the time her first child came along, reading had become a favorite past time.
 
At the age of 19, Holly was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Over the years as her body deteriorated, she learned to reinvent herself by trying new things and finding new passions. Though writing a book never made her bucket list, after three children, a bonus daughter and granddaughter, she decided to give it a try when she had a unique experience driving on the freeway. A scene play out in her mind that was both intriguing and discomforting. After studying family names, family history, countries, etc she decided her story needed to go back two generations and start with the grandmother. The Name I Choose, her first novel, was published in May of 2022.
 
In my book review, I stated The Name I Choose by Holly Brough is a historical fiction set in 1823 Spain. We meet Amalia, a 15-year-old girl being sold off by her parents to become a servant so they can acquire land. Amalia is devastated to leave her family, especially her baby brother, Thomas, especially when she learns she will never be allowed to return - even for a visit.
 
Between her new master's ruthlessness and her own naivete, Amalia's life becomes more and more complicated until she finds herself running from her situation and the law until she lands in Menorca.
 
She meets many people along the way - good and bad - and each have a hand in teaching Amalia about life, but more importantly, about herself. When independence comes calling, will she be able to grasp it or will she still see herself as nothing but a lowly serving girl with too many mistakes to forgive?
 
Holly did a great job with all the characters. I loved Amalia, though I wanted to shake her at times. I feared Manuel and urged her to get as far away from his as possible. I enjoyed the banter between the naval officers. And I loved those people Amalia befriended and how they helped one another despite the overbearing patriarchal society. It's a must-read.
 
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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 Holly Brough
Website: www.hollybrough-tnic.com
IG: @hcnbrough_art 
IG: @h_brough
FB: @Hcnbrough
 
Purchase The Name I Choose on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3JLM2kV
Ebook: https://amzn.to/42hQf69
 
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
 
#hollybrough #thenameichoose #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.

Before You Write a Word: The Hidden Framework Behind Great Memoirs with Author Wendy Dale

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Wendy Dale, owner of Memoir Writing for Geniuses and author of The Memoir Engineering System. We are chatting about writing memoirs. Ever hear the phrase “Just write” or “Write a crappy first draft”? Author Wendy Dale is leading a revolution to destroy this common writing maxim. What should you do instead? Make your first draft your final draft.
 
She believes that crafting a memoir is like learning any other skill. No one would hand a person a flute and tell them, “Just play until you figure it out.” Instead, you need to learn the concepts that go into crafting a great memoir.
 
Wendy spent fifteen years reading thousands of imperfect manuscripts in order to figure out the components that make all memoirs work. The result is the book The Memoir Engineering System, which was just published, January 2025! Wendy is also creating the world’s first reality show for writers, “Write or Flight,” based in Peru.
 
Wendy is a seasoned memoir-writing coach whose clients have come from Entertainment Weekly, the New York Post, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Simon & Schuster, Seal Press, Wiley, NBC, National Geographic Wild, and Nickelodeon.
 
The author of the memoir Avoiding Prison and Other Noble Vacation Goals (Three Rivers Press/Penguin Random House), Wendy lives with her husband and two bunnies in Cusco, Peru.
 
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You can follow Author Wendy Dale, owner of Memoir Writing for Geniuses about writing memoirs.
Website: https://www.geniusmemoirwriting.com/
FB: @memoirwritingforgeniuses
LinkedIn: @writerwendydale
 
Purchase The Memoir Engineering System on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4pnbcpC
Ebook: https://amzn.to/3Kb4UdC
 
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
 
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