BookSpeak Network

What would a mystery or suspense novel be without a villain? The villain is one of the most important characters in this genre and is usually a driving force for the plot, even though he or she may not be fully revealed until the end of the book. In developing the villain for their stories, authors consider a wide range of characteristics and rely on a combination of research and imagination.  In this podcast, Joan and Sherry discuss the types of violence that villains -- both fictional and real -- may commit and the challenge of writing a believable bad guy/girl.

Join Joan and Sherry for this episode of the Milford House Mysteries  Violence in Villains.

Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.  Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring.

Jack the Ripper Suspect Dr. Francis Tumblety highlights the most recent groundbreaking discoveries concerning one of Scotland Yard's top Jack the Ripper suspects in the 1888 Whitechapel murders investigation, Dr. Francis Tumblety.  Among the discoveries is over 700 pages of never-seen-before sworn testimonies revealing not only a picture of an antisocial narcissist with a single-minded lifelong drive for exploitation but also damning evidence that he may indeed have been the Whitechapel fiend.

Michael Hawley has published over a dozen research articles in journals dedicated to the Whitechapel murders/Jack the Ripper mystery and published online articles for numerous websites.  He was awarded Article of the Year for 2016 for the most popular Jack the Ripper website, which is based out of London, England. He was honored to lecture at the Jack the Ripper Conference (RipperCon) in Baltimore, Maryland, in April 2016, and the Jack the Ripper Conference in Liverpool, England, in September 2017.  Hawley is also the author of The Ripper's Haunts (Non-fiction, 2016) with the top book reviewer and author, Paul Begg, stating "Hawley's Magnum Opus" is "head and shoulders above the new Ripper offerings in 2016," and "for that matter, 2015,"  He was a commander and naval aviator in the U.S. Navy (retired) and resides in Greater Buffalo, New York. Find him at http://www.MichaelLHawley.com

Sherry Knowlton goes it alone without co-host Joan West in this episode called One Writer's Journey.  Knowlton will talk about her journey to becoming a suspense author.  She'll talk about her life-long love of books, her background in various types of writing, and her later-in-life leap to suspense novelist.  She'll also talk about some of her literary influences and favorite authors.

Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.

"Whispers in the Alders...is one of the best books I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing this year. H.A. Callum's novel redefines the concept of love and friendship...told in an engrossing first-person narrative, the plot is swift, and the pacing is excellent. I couldn't put this one down." ---Arya Fomonyuy for Readers' Favorite

"...elements of classics like To Kill a Mockingbird, The Thorn Birds, and The Fall of the Year, written with the skill of Howard Frank Mosher, Truman Capote, or Harper Lee." ---The Publisher 

About the Author:

H. A. Callum is a poet and writer hailing from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The rolling hills, weathered stone walls, and meandering woodland streams interspersed with quaint farm-lots serve as the inspiration to his writing and to his eye as a naturalist and wildlife proponent. Having crossed the United States several times over, and after calling the American West home for several years, Mr. Callum's understanding of America serves as his eyepiece to a culture that is constantly changing, like the landscape defining the continent. The ever-evolving definition of what it means to be American can be reflected in his writing and love of the written word. Stop by and strike up a conversation at his blog (www.hacallum.com) as Mr. Callum always looks forward to engaging with his readers. When not writing, Mr. Callum can be found with his wife and two daughters - his greatest sources of inspiration.

Taylor is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner who is passionate about helping clients improve digestive health, prioritize stress relief, and create a positive relationship with food. 

For many years, Taylor struggled to find a 'diet' that worked but realized that health is not about finding a label or diet and sticking to it. Health and wellness is about listening to your body to find out what it needs every day in regards to nutrition, sleep, relaxation, lowering stress, relationships and more. It is her mission to help her clients find balance and healing while empowering them to create sustainable nutrition and lifestyle changes that will help them reach their goals. 

Taylor founded Arrow Nutritional Therapy in Linglestown, Pennsylvania where she works with clients 1:1 (online and in-person) and will soon be offering group sessions. She also puts on workshops in the community and speaks with local athletic organizations on the importance of food as fuel and the benefits of proper digestion.  

Learn more at arrownutritionaltherapy.com

Shortly before he passed away from the effects of Parkinson's disease, master chef Paul Boucuse was interviewed by his good friend, Giulio Alberoni, a writer of gastronomy books and biographies. It was the last interview the French chef gave and he related the story of the beginning and rise of Nouvelle Cuisine, his modern style of French cooking.

Boucuse credits the contributions of many others including his great friend and colleague Gualtiero Marchesi. Rather than focusing on himself, Boucuse tells the tale of the evolution of a cultural phenomenon, born from the union of different lives, different experiences, and the realization of their dreams.

The result is a fitting portrait of the great chef and the modern French cooking that he popularized.

Giulio Alberoni is a food writer, professional gastronome, culinary historian, biographer, and author of novels.  He lives in Milan, Italy.

Our guest, author Wendy Tyson, likes to write about "determined, gutsy women. Women who aren’t afraid to go after what they want. Women who aren’t afraid to speak up, to laugh, to fight for the underdog, to fall in love. Women who aren’t afraid to live." The heroines of her two mystery series fit that bill: Megan Sawyer of the Greenhouse Mysteries and Alison Campbell of her eponymous series are both memorable characters. In this episode of Milford House Mysteries Co-hosts Sherry Knowlton and Joan West talk to Wendy about her new novel Rooted in Deceit and her other books. We also discuss her move to rural Vermont and whether it's as an idyllic spot for an author as it seems. Wendy Tyson's mystery novels include Killer Image, Deadly Assets, Dying Brand, Fatal Facade, A Muddied Murder, Bitter Harvest, Seeds of Revenge and Rooted in Deceit. Wendy's short stories have appeared in literary journals, and she has short fiction in two anthologies.

Milford House Mysteries Co-hosts - Sherry Knowlton is the author of the Alexa Williams series of murder mysteries including Dead of Autumn, Dead of Summer, and Dead of Spring. Joan West (JW West) is the author of the Carlisle Crime Cases series including Dying for Vengeance, Courting Doubt and Darkness, Darkness at First Light, and Had a Dying Fall.

Susan explores the ancient spiritual path, Buddhism, and its role in today's modern age. Guest: Zen Buddhist Nun, Kelsang Chondzin.

Kelsang Chondzin has been practicing Kadampa Buddhism for 14 years under the guidance of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and his senior Teachers.  She has been ordained for 12 years.  In 2013 she was selected to study on the Special Teachers Training Program held at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Center taught by Gen-la Dekyong, the General Spiritual Director of the New Kadampa Tradition.  She is known for her kindness, humor and practical presentation of Buddha’s teachings that are easy to apply in modern daily life.

Karen Severson, M.D., has spent the last twenty years as a Geriatric Psychiatrist wandering the halls of those dreaded destinations called nursing homes. She became mentally exhausted from watching people with Alzheimer's disease decline and suffer. She wrote about the unnecessary suffering caused by doctors, nurses, and families who are on totally different pages regarding end-of-life issues. She realized doctors tend to avoid these conversations and families can remain in extended denial of dementia. This book is intended to help families understand dementia and its associated behaviors in a down to earth manner. Dr. Severson uses a great deal of humor as not to scare people from the subject. She also discusses several other important issues, but mainly how we can better allow families to learn to let go of those with end-stage illness. Dr. Severson hopes to prevent unnecessary and potentially harmful medical interventions as well as allow more geriatric patients to die in peace.

Dr. Michael Barton is Professor Emeritus of American Studies and Social Science at Penn State Harrisburg, where he was also Director of the Center for Pennsylvania Culture Studies. He received his Ph.D. in American Civilization at the University of Pennsylvania in 1974. Barton is known for his writings, both popular and scholarly, on Harrisburg history. His local histories include Life by the Moving Road: An Illustrated History of Greater Harrisburg (American Historical Press, 2009), now in its third edition; Harrisburg’s Old Eighth Ward (Arcadia, 2002), which became the basis for “The Bloody 8th,” an original musical theater production; To a Harmony with Our Souls: A History of Jazz in Central Pennsylvania (Benchmark, 2005), a team project for which he was editor-in-chief; Citizen Extraordinaire: The Diplomatic Diaries of Vance McCormick in London and Paris, 1917-1919 (Stackpole, 2004), which involved over fifty student co-editors; Steelton, a photographic history co-authored with Prof. Simon Bronner; and Bellevue Park: The First Hundred Years, co-edited with Judge Jeannine Turgeon and other residents of that neighborhood. Most recently he and his students have edited Paul Beers’ writings, published as City Contented, City Discontented: A History of Modern Harrisburg. He has recently co-edited As the Paint Dries: The History of the Art Association of Harrisburg, and Along the Bethel Trail: The Journey of an African American Faith Community—Bethel AME Church of Harrisburg, 1835-2015. The digital local history research of Barton and his students can be seen at and . The latter site, an on-going project, shows selections from the multi-volume diary kept from 1830 to 1865 by Charles Rawn, a Harrisburg defense attorney and anti-slavery activist. While in college, Barton won a prize for his stand-up comedy.