Desideratum

10 Days : Dee Rommel Mystery #1 is just the beginning for novelist Jule Selbo.  Her plans for Dee Rommel - the justice seeking cop who was injured on the job - include a countdown style series starting with 10 Days, then 9 Days, then 8 Days... each book's action set in that specific time frame.  Jule has worn several career hats preparing her for this work - playwright, screenwriter, and professor. She shares WHY the mystery and crime genre was something she always wanted to write, and tells us HOW a middle school experience in Fargo, North Dakota was the first step in her journey to Hollywood screenwriter.  Her essential thing will take you to 'plot and beyond'.  And, as a bonus for Desideratum Podcast listeners,  Pandamoon Publishing is offering a special 15% off discount code to purchase the ebook and print editions, including hardback.  Just enter the discount code DP15 at checkout on the Pandamoon Publishing website. https://pandamoonpub.com/ to save 15% on 10 Days. Thank you to Allen and Zara Kramer at Pandamoon for their generosity and support.  Here's Jule Selbo's website to stay in touch with her and get the latest on her exciting new crime series. https://www.juleselbo.com/

Thanks for listening.

Desideratum is a Latin word meaning 'things that are desired as essential'. The Desideratum Podcast celebrates storytelling as an essential thing - the art of telling and the journey of listening. I am Theresa Bakken - an audiobook narrator. Join me and my wordsmith friends for new episodes every Friday showcasing the talents of authors and narrators. Listen to conversations with writers and scenes from their audiobooks. I hope you’ll tune in to hear an artist you love or to find your new favorite storyteller. Thanks for listening.

The real story of The Second Mrs. Astor is told with rich detail and a romantic's touch.  When Madeleine Force fell in love she was a teenager. Who she fell in love with fascinated the press and the public. How the love ended is revealed on the very first page. But, then there is so much more to her story.  New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly & Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Shana Abé shares how she envisioned this true story of opulence, scandal, a young woman's strength, and a love drenched in both devotion and loss.  

We talk about the Titanic, the language of flowers, a beloved dog captured in historic photographs, the real Margaret Brown (yes the unsinkable one),  and the strength of kindness (as an essential thing).  Find out more about Shana and her novels on her website, and hear the rest of The Second Mrs. Astor's story in the audiobook narrated by the talented Lauren Ezzo.  Thanks for listening. #kensingtonpress, #tantoraudio, #titanicstory, #audiobook, #authorinterview, #historicalfiction, #narrator

https://www.shanaabe.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Second-Mrs-Astor-Novel-Titanic/dp/1496732049

Our featured story comes from freelance photographer and writer Jeannee Sacken.  In her debut novel, Behind the Lens, Sacken honors strong women. She champions their education and freedom to follow their hearts and passions.  Her characters are courageous and complicated.  She takes us to a war zone with a photographer who focuses on truth and witnesses cruelty, love, cultural beauty and betrayal. It's a riveting, multifaceted story set in Afghanistan. You will hear a scene from the novel and find out why Sacken's own life trajectory changed - why she followed her heart and started sharing women's stories.  You can find out more about Jeannee Sacken, connect with her on social media and buy her book in the links below.  She has also shared the names of charities helping refugees from Afghanistan right now. Thanks for listening. 

Links to Jeannee Sacken's work: 

https://www.jeanneesacken.com

https://www.facebook.com/jeanneesacken

https://instagram/authorjeanneesacken

Link to Amazon to purchase Behind the Lens:  https://amzn.to/3gNzfOo

Organizations accepting donations of new clothing, shoes, supplies, and money: Islamic Society of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Muslim Women's Coalition, Lutheran Social Services, International Institute of Wisconsin, Jewish Social Services (based in Madison)

Volunteering assistance: [email protected] (Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse), teamrubiconusa.org/resettlement, cclse.org/afghanistan-refugee-assistance

Our featured story is a harrowing tale, a heart wrenching story about a journey through compassion and cruelty.  Author Debra Thomas spent years writing the novel Luz and more years finding just the right publisher for the story - She Writes Press.  In our conversation, she shares personal insight into the life lessons about perseverance and living with regrets that she wove into the characters. She talks about real life experiences that gave the story its authenticity and explains why she thinks fiction is the best vehicle to move us towards empathy and truth.  You can find a great book club study guide for the novel put together by author and Bookish Road Trip founder Mary Sheriff on Debra's website. https://debrathomasauthor.com/planning-the-perfect-book-club-with-luz/ 

Thank you to the International Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Club and Reading Nation Magazine for shining a light on Luz and leading me to it.  And, thank you for listening. 

Our featured story comes from Marjorie Herrera Lewis. Marjorie is a career sports writer covering football at all levels in Texas. In fact, she was the first female sports writer to cover the Dallas Cowboys. So when, through a happy set of coincidences, she found out about another female sports enthusiast who stepped up during WWII and coached high school football in Texas,  she knew it was a story she had to tell. Tylene Wilson's story was lost to the dust bins of history before Marjorie wrote her novel When the Men Were Gone.  Now, the book has made the Best Books lists in Sports Illustrated and Newsweek, is a Book Club selection of Readers Digest and the International Pulpwood Queens, and is now under a film contract. Listen to how Marjorie found Tylene's voice in late night writing sessions,  and what Marjorie's big picture themes of the book are (hint: it's bigger than Texas football). Her audiobook narrator, Eva Kaminsky, is an accomplished television, film and broadway actor who has won multiple Earphones Awards for her narration work.  

Find the rest of the story and more about Marjorie Herrera Lewis on her website https://marjorieherreralewis.com/ and see a picture of the real life Tylene Wilson posing with her football team on the Desideratum Podcast website. https://desideratumpodcast.com/ Thanks for listening.