BookSpeak Network

A devastating earthquake strikes part of the United States where one should never, throwing sisters Quinn and Riley into a desperate struggle to merely get home. But Point A to B is hardly a straight line, as the sisters must overcome their own differences and mistakes. Along with those they meet along the way, the sisters make their way to a hopeful safety in "Darkness Falls," the first of the Nature's Fury Series.A.E. Faulkner brings the reader a dystopian world that appeals to more than the young adult audience. Her interest in the dark, and the creation of strong yet flawed characters makes its way through all five volumes of the series. Her writing brings out the concern of the repercussions we will face when nature no longer tolerates human destruction.A Pennsylvania native, Faulkner embeds us in a familiar atmosphere. A lover of the outdoors, Faulkner can be found hiking, biking and exploring nature with her husband and two sons. She lives in Harrisburg.

Bioterror, geopolitics, detective work and a virus with no cure collide in The Red Mutation, the latest work by Barry Libin. A Chinese-inspired virus could bring about world domination--Dr. Jeffrey Moss is assigned by the NYPD to find an antidote and destroy the virus, before it's too late.Barry Libin has brought to life writings that combine his experiences with a sense of history. A periodontist and medical researcher, Dr. Libin is a graduate of the University of Rochester, where he majored in History and Biochemistry. He studied writing ot Hofstra University and the University of Iowa. His work includes The Mystery of the Milton Manuscript, released on Urim Publications in 2014. Sunbury Press Books also has released the acclaimed The Vatican's Vault in 2018. In addition, Libin is a playwright, lyricist and composer. His play THE TRIANGLE tells the story of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory disaster. He lives in New York City.

The life (or perhaps lives) of a man who made a career change in mid-stride of life to serve his nation, and the struggle for validation and vindication are brought to life by Dr. Scott Zuckerman, in his second book for Sunbury Press. Nothing Left to Prove, Nothing Left to Hide: The Long and Winding Road to Redemption of Major Sebastian Thomas Tosto, Zuckerman tells the story of a man who grew up in the shadow of his father and other relatives, and his quest to get out from under it.The son of a World War II veteran, Tom Tosto was a successful physician, who at age 50 gave that up in the wake of September 11th, 2001. He joined the Army and served in the 82nd Airborne Division as a paratrooper and brigade surgeon. He saw action in Iraq and Afghanistan, where Tosto earned the Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medals. His story, however, leads Tosto to become a patient of Dr. Zuckerman's, and he tells of what has haunted him.A Brooklyn, New York native, Scott Zuckerman's four-decade career as a physician brought him back to the advice given him by his high school English teacher, Frank McCourt, who encouraged him to "cultivate" his gift as a writer. Dreams of My Comrades was released by Sunbury Press in 2017, and earned First Place in the Non-Fiction category of the 2015 Utah Original Writing Competition. Zuckerman also contributed two pieces to the Sunbury Press anthology, After the Pandemic: Visions of Life, Post COVID-19.

Linda Schifino's memoir, Neighborhood Girl: A Memoir of Loss, Longing, and Letting Go takes the reader back to her Italian-American roots, in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh. On this episode of the Sunbury Press Books Show, Schifino discusses a time when neighbors looked out for each other, trust was paramount, and the values of another place and time made their home in America.Most of what Schifino recalls is no longer there, but she brings the customs, traditions and memories back to life. Recollections of her confirmation, the neighborhood grocery, and her brief career as a numbers runner(!) collide with the now. When her son asks if it's all right to bring a ham to the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, there is a fear of dismantling these traditions further, but also there's the letting go.Linda Schifino holds a Ph.D in Rhetoric from Duquesne University, and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Carlow University. She writes with Madwomen in the Attic, and her essays have been published in Adelaide Magazine, Avalon Literary Journal, Northern Appalachia Review, and Brevity Blog. You can find more about her at her website.

Author, educator, and writer Dr. Catherine DePino discusses her second volume in the Help Yourself Every Day Series on the Sunbury Press Books Show. Thirty Magical Meditations to Boost Your Emotional Well-Being offers the reader practical ways to deal with stress, anxiety, loss and fear. Whether experienced or new to the spiritual journey, this book allows you to harness the power of your mind, and to heal by way of quick and simple meditations. Catherine DePino is the author of 22 books for parents, teachers and children on topics that include spirituality, mindfulness, bullying and women's issues. Her writings have also appeared in national magazines, and she served on the board of the Philadelphia Writers' Conference.Dr. DePino earned degrees in education plus a doctorate in Curriculum Theory and Development and Educational Administration from Temple University. She worked the Philadelphia School District as a teacher department head of English and world languages, disciplinarian and curriculum writer. She also returned to Temple as an adjunct assistant professor and student teaching supervisor. In addition, Dr. DePino is a professional tarot reader and Reiki Master. You can find out more about her writings and activities at her website.

At a time when political and social discourse is fractured, beyond repair some may say, Pennsylvania's former Lt. Governor, Mark Singel offers wit, wisdom and guidance regarding events on the state and national levels. Seeking Truth in America is Singel's third book with Sunbury Press, and he discusses this collection of articles with host and founder Lawrence Knorr. These selected pieces are meant to provoke thought, and perhaps action, and Singel's desire for these was to make Pennsylvania and the nation a better place, and to pursue what the Founding Fathers called, "a more perfect union."A native of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Mark Singel was elected to the state Senate in 1980, and won the Democratic nomination for Lt. Governor in 1986. He joined Governor Bob Casey, Sr. in Harrisburg and the pair won re-election in 1990.During their second term, Casey was diagnosed with a rare liver disorder, which forced Singel to step in and serve as Acting Governor between mid-June and mid-December, 1993. His experience was chronicled in A Year of Change and Consquences, his first book for Sunbury Press.Singel also discusses The Life and Loves of Thaddeus Stevens, a biography of the Pennsylvania Congressman who played a pivotal role in the Civil War period.

Following the First World War, conflict between the United States and Japan was considered an inevitability. In an effort to protect vast expanses of US shoreline on two coasts, the Navy needed craft that could conduct surveillance and cover a lot of ground. Borrowing from German technology and the zeppelin, the Navy turned to the airship. In Far Away Places: Vice Admiral Charles Emery Rosendahl and the Navy's Airship Program, Dr. M. Ernest Marshall documents the history of a time that saw great advances in aviation, but also the internal issues within the Navy Department. Using the unpublished, detailed memoir of Vice Admiral Rosendahl as a guide, Marshall brings this part of American history into focus.M. Ernest Marshall is an award-winning author and historian whose research examines the US Navy during the World Wars and the inter-war period. His book, Herbert V. Wiley, USN: A Career in Airships and Battleships has won the Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison Award for naval literature. He is also the author of That Night at Surigao: Life on a Battleship at War.

Legend, fiction, and reality collide in the Dead Man Who Walks Away series, brought to the Milford House imprint of Sunbury Press Books. Author Herbert Dean Ely tells of the Peralta Mining Expedition in the mid-19th century and its annihilation, verified by the bones of men, horses, and mules in a place called "Massacre Ground." The story goes, however, that there was one survivor, who was assisted in a bar fight by Jacob Waltz. In gratitude, Waltz is shown what became known as the "Lost Dutchman Mine." While fiction, Ely follows the trail and has determined that the above legend is the only one that makes sense, regarding the origin of the gold that came out of the mine. Ely examines the Peralta expedition, as well as the point of view of the Yavapai and Apache tribes. Ely served in the US Air Force, including time within the Strategic Air Command--Underground. He later worked in management and executive positions in the cement and armored car/ATM industries. For the past 40 years, he has lived in Arizona near Superstition Mountain. This has resulted in his keen interest in legends of the Southwest US, and he is also one of the few who has located and indeed seen the Lost Dutchman Mine.

The topic of gun violence in the United States is a highly-charged and emotional issue. As part of an effort to discuss the issue, an eclectic group of award-winning authors come together to craft American Roulette, a novel that brings eight people to a mall food court, on a day they think will be like any other. The collaborative efforts of these writers takes a different tack to examine the tension, dread and action of a novel with the real-life question for all readers: could this happen to me or someone I love?Two Sunbury Press authors involved in the project join Sunbury Press founder and publisher Lawrence Knorr on this podcast to talk about the subject of gun violence, what brought them all together, and what they hope to accomplish with a book that garnered rave reviews from the outset. Sherry Knowlton is no stranger to the BookSpeak Network, as host of the Milford House mystery podcast, and the author of several mystery works, including the Alexa Williams series. Pat LaMarche is an author, political activist, historian and homeless shelter director. They are joined by Matthew Best, Robert Bradshaw, Andy Carey, James Dodds, Cheryl Dunn Bychek, Phyllis Orenyo, J.M. West and Cheryl Woodruff Brooks.All proceeds from this book will go to gun violence prevention, by way of the non-profit Charles Bruce Foundation. Find out more about the book and its authors here.

Artist Brandon Colyer joins the Brown Posey Press Show to discuss his work, including his debut children's story, "Ferdinand, the Gnome Knight." Ferdinand is a fearless and standout knight, who seeks adventure and will charm readers of any age with what he gets up to!Colyer discusses growing up in a family of gamers, and how comics and video games were a part of his early life. He tells of his inspirations, and what drew him to create and write. This program also deals with the art of the sale at conventions, engaging one's audience, and tackles the question of Artificial Intelligence.Brandon Colyer lives with his family in York Haven, Pennsylvania. He can be found at conventions and shows, as well as offering art tutorials on Twitch and other sites. You can catch up with all of his activities here.