Living The Next Chapter: Candid Conversations with Authors and Writers for Readers Searching for a New Read

EPISODE 658 - Jennifer Elwell Comeau - Four Specific Images, One Story, Ireland in 1820 and Untold Family Tales

What happens when a high-powered engineer walks away from corporate life to follow a dream rooted in ancestral wisdom, music, and the magic of nature?

Follow my journey of transformation, where I’ve aligned my gifts - storytelling, songwriting, speaking, and mindful walks in nature - with the needs of the world.

Stepping back in time, I grew up one of eight children just outside Buffalo, New York. Following the dictates of family and societal programming, I jumped into the world of engineering, earning a Masters of Engineering from University at Buffalo, and a Bachelors of Industrial Engineering at General Motors Institute, now Kettering University.

After decades working as an executive for manufacturers in the auto industry and then in information systems, I returned to my early love for how words, music, nature, and beautiful places can enliven the whole landscape of a life. I began to write songs, and stories — speaking and performing them throughout the country, and soon, narrowed my focus to align with my reverence for Earth.

https://www.jennifercomeau.com/

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EPISODE 657 - Sue William Silverman - Selected Misdemeanors - Essays at the Mercy of the Reader

Sue is the author of four memoirs: How to Survive Death and Other Inconveniences, forthcoming, March 2020, the Unversity of Nebraska Press, American Lives Series; The Pat Boone Fan Club: My Life as a White Anglo-Saxon Jew, the University of Nebraska Press, American Lives Series; Because I Remember Terror, Father, I Remember You, winner of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Award Series in Creative Nonfiction.

Her memoir Love Sick: One Woman's Journey through Sexual Addiction was also made into a Lifetime TV Original Movie. Her craft book is Fearless Confessions: A Writer's Guide to Memoir, and her poetry collections are If the Girl Never Learns and Hieroglyphics in Neon.

As a professional speaker and writer, Sue has appeared on many nationally syndicated radio and TV programs including The View, Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN; a John Stossel Special on ABC-TV; CNN-Headline News; the Montel Williams Show; the Ricki Lake Show; and the Morning Show with Mike and Juliet. She was also featured in an episode of "The Secret Lives of Women" on WE-TV. Sue was also interviewed by Rich Fahle for PBS Books.

https://www.suewilliamsilverman.com/

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Episode 656 - Diana Harmon Asher - Author of Sidetracked, Upstaged, and Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz

I’m Diana Harmon Asher, the author of Sidetracked, Upstaged, and the upcoming Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz.

It took me a long time to get a book published. A really long time.

There were a lot of “no’s” before I got to “yes.” But I kept writing and I kept learning. Finally, I wrote Sidetracked, and the answer was “yes!”

One of my teachers used to say that every character you create contains a piece of yourself. I definitely share a lot of worries with Joseph, and I’d like to think I’m a good friend like Heather. I’m an opera fan like Grandpa and I love Inishbofin sheep and Dickens, like Mrs. Fishbein. I hope I have some of Cassie’s goofiness in me, and like Paul, I’ll never fit in with the cool kids. I share Shira’s shyness, some of her stage experience (see photo) and a lot of her stage fright.

Like my newest character, Evie, my father was a cantor at our synagogue (something you’ll find out more about in the book), and he passed away when I was young.  But also like Evie, I was surrounded by love and good friends. I never really did get into a lot of trouble…but maybe I should have! I hope I share Evie’s resilience, her optimism, and most of all, her sense of humor.

Writing itself makes me happy. But knowing that readers are enjoying my books is even better. I love when kids identify with Heather, or when a student proudly announces that they have ADD just like Joseph. I love the thought that some of you might be encouraged to strive for your own personal record, audition for a show, try out for a team, stick up for an old friend, and be open to new ones.

And I hope all of my stories give you a few chuckles along the way.

I look forward to meeting and hearing from more of you in the months and years to come!

https://dianaharmonasher.com/

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EPISODE 655 - David Boop - Speculative fiction author of sci-fi noir, historical, dark fantasy & the Weird Westerns

David Boop is a Denver-based speculative fiction author & editor. He’s also an award-winning essayist, and screenwriter. Before turning to fiction, David worked as a DJ, film critic, journalist, and actor.

David’s novels run the gambit, such as the sci-fi/noir She Murdered Me with Science; The Soul Changers, a historical, dark fantasy tie-in to Rippers Resurrected; and the Weird Western mosaic novel, The Drowned Horse Chronicle. He co-authored, with NYT Bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson, a near-future graphic novel series called Travailiant Rising.

David edited the bestselling and award-nominated Weird Western anthology series, Straight Outta Tombstone, Straight Outta Deadwood and Straight Outta Dodge City. He’s currently working on a trio of Space Western anthologies starting with Gunfight on Europa Station. He’s editor on the forthcoming Jack L. Chalker Well World tribute anthology.

David is prolific in short fiction with many short stories including media tie-ins for Predator (nominated for the 2018 Scribe Award), Deadlands, Kolchak the Night Stalker, The Green Hornet, and Veronica Mars.

He’s a summa cum laude Graduate from UC-Denver in the Creative Writing program. He temps, collects Funko Pops, and is a believer. His hobbies include film noir, anime, the Blues and the Old West.

https://wolfpackpublishing.com/pages/about-david-boop
https://www.longshot-productions.net/

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podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

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EPISODE 654 - Linda Ambrus Broenniman - The astonishing story of eight generations of her Jewish ancestors

Linda grew up in Buffalo, New York. She is the middle child of seven born to Hungarian physicians who survived World War II and started their new life in the U.S. in 1949.

Linda graduated from Swarthmore College with a BA in psychology and went on to get an MBA from Carnegie Mellon. Several years after graduation, she left mainstream corporate America to follow her path as an entrepreneur. She let her passion for uncovering hidden potential in unexpected places guide her.

And she allowed this passion to fuel the search for her hidden family.

A Wilbur Award recipient, Linda is a GenerationsForward speaker for the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center.

Linda lives in Great Falls, Virginia with her husband, Ed, of 30 years and their dog, Juno.

Book: The Politzer Saga
In this rich narrative, Linda Ambrus Broenniman’s search for truth becomes a remarkable epic – part memoir, part biography, part history – that illuminates the Hungarian Jewish experience over the last 300 years.

Linda finds her family: doctors, lawyers, bankers, entrepreneurs, writers, musicians, art collectors, and philanthropists. And learns of the ir resilience in surviving religious persecution, wars, epidemics, and economic upheavals.

By telling their stories, Linda could honor the memories of her lost family. And she learns how finding your roots helps anchor your own place in the world.

https://politzersaga.com/

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podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

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Episode 653 - Alan Mueller - Improv Comedy and the Art of Leadership - Reading The Room and Active Listening

A sought-after keynote speaker and leadership trainer, Dr. Mueller blends deep expertise with engaging storytelling to spark real change in organizations. As Senior Consultant at Adaptive Challenge Consulting, he draws on decades of experience spanning finance, sales, higher education, and hospitality management to deliver practical, high-impact leadership development.

Dr. Mueller is the author of Leading with Emotional Intelligence and the TEDx speaker behind “Doing the Math: How Do We Measure Privilege.” His work is grounded in intercultural intelligence, helping executives and teams lead boldly across difference. He is also a Myers-Briggs Certified Interpreter, who teaches teams how to unlock the power of this tool to understand how leaders and followers can work better together.

What sets Alan apart? A background in professional improv comedy. For nearly a decade, he performed with an award-winning troupe—and now teaches organizations how to use improv to strengthen executive presence, build trust, and supercharge collaboration.

Whether in the boardroom or on the stage, Dr. Mueller is known for his authenticity, inclusion, and sharp sense of humor. He equips leaders not just to manage complexity, but to rise and thrive within it.

Improv Comedy and the Art of Leadership explores the connections between improv comedy techniques and leadership. This book skillfully borrows key improv concepts and connects them with the critical skills and competencies needed by leaders.

https://www.adaptivechallengeconsulting.com/

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podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

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EPISODE 652 - Randee Dawn - Journalist, Author, Storyteller - Short Stories, Non-Fiction and Standalones

I’m a Brooklyn-based author and journalist focusing on speculative fiction across the categories (science-fiction, fantasy and horror) at night, while writing entertainment and lifestyle stories during the day for publications including Today.com, Gold Derby.com, Variety, The Los Angeles Times and Emmy Magazine.

You may have seen my name in other publications over the years, including Soap Opera Digest and The Boston Phoenix, E! Online, New Musical Express and Mojo. I contributed to a French book about American television, Les Series Tele and co-authored (with Susan Green) The Law & Order: SVU Unofficial Companion.

I’ve got a fair amount of short fiction in anthologies, and authored the short story/poetry compilation Home for the Holidays. I’m currently  represented by Bridget Smith at JABberwocky Literary Agency, and I frequently appear at conventions and workshops on panels and to give readings.

My first novel, Tune In Tomorrow, was published by Solaris/Rebellion in 2022 and re-issued with additional bonus content in 2024 via Solaris Nova. Arc Manor will publish my next two novels in 2025: The Only Song Worth Singing (April) and Leave No Trace (August), and Solaris Nova will publish my follow-up to Tune, We Interrupt This Program in spring 2026.

Currently, I reside with the love of my life with a lot of books and never enough mangoes. No, I don’t have a fox, but if you want to meet a fox like this or donate to their care, JAB Canid Education and Conservation Center can help.

https://randeedawn.com/

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podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

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EPISODE 651 - Mark J Wilson - Full of Beans - A dead professor. A missing student, And a time-traveling detective.

Mark is a scientist who works in gene therapy and very foolishly decided he had to write a novel about a time-traveling detective in his spare time.

I live in Washington, DC with my wife, Carrie, but I was born and brought up in Reading, England. My favourite place in the world is in the Cotswolds, just down the road from Oxford (where most of Full of Beans is set).

I went to college in Canterbury where I studied biochemistry and got a PhD. I have worked in biopharmaceuticals for the last 35 years or so.

I’m currently working in gene therapy, helping to develop a much-needed cure for Rett Syndrome.

I worked in Nottingham and Cambridge before moving back to Reading (so it can’t be all bad, right?). Then I came to America in 2009. It does seem like a drastic move just to get out of Reading again. I lived in North Carolina for 7 years before moving to the DC area.

Growing up in Reading gave me a fascination with trains and planes, being as how there wasn’t much else there to interest a kid. I loved hanging around at the west end of Platform 5, and when Concorde would fly over. And there was a Model Shop. I loved the Model Shop. And Eames’ model train shop.

My dad gave me lifelong passions for astronomy, physics, chess, cooking, and model-making. And I love model trains. Over the years, in my spare time, I’ve also been a watercolor artist and a music producer. I love electronic dance music.

Full of Beans is my first published novel and it is dedicated to Carrie and her coffee machine, which would constantly instruct us to “Fill Beans,” whether the hopper was full or empty. Without either of them this book might never have been written. It took over two years to write, on the weekends and holidays, and I learned a lot about writing.

I heard they are bringing back Clippy... ‘I see you’re writing a novel. Do you need help with that?’ I did need help, but instead I have relied on some actually talented hooman-beans for that.

The book was an editor’s nightmare to work on. We chose British English spellings (like ‘colour’) and phrases (such as ‘bugger off’) to go with most of the settings and characters. However, we also chose to go with the Chicago Manual of Style for other stuff like punctuation, rather than the Oxford Guide to Style. Sorry Oxford. Please check the CMOS before levelling criticism at the editing; it was a heroic effort. Thanks Kevin and Avery.

Feel free, however, to debate the choice to liberally use the Oxford comma. And to jolly-well split some infinitives. And start sentences with conjunctions.

If strict British grammar is your passion, rather than a fun read, then hard cheese. It isn’t meant to be bloody Shakespeare. I’m sure there’ll be a new Booker Prize nominee along any minute now.

The artwork was accomplished with help from artlist.io, using its Comic Noir algorithm and many, many attempts, amalgamations, and many hours of editing images to get what I wanted. The book cover was a team effort with Joe and Michelle.

https://markjwilson.com/

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podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

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EPISODE 650 - Jeff and Andy Crocker - Mister and Mischief - Mister and Mischief - Infinite Right Answers

When you’re asking big questions, chasing connection, and reminded why you started making things in the first place

We're pretty fun and we think you are too.
Mister & Mischief (a.k.a. Jeff and Andy Crocker) create fun-forward interactive experiences designed to delight audiences and turn strangers into pals. Mixing games, theater, and comedy into playful, participatory events, Andy and Jeff are passionate about increasing the visibility of immersive design and audience-empowering art wherever they go.

Infinite Right Answers
Part creative manifesto, part behind-the-scenes brain dump, and part choose-your-own-reflection, this zine explores the deeply human art of making stories with your audience, not just for them.

Whether you’re an artist, educator, producer, or general play-loving human, Infinite Right Answers is a companion for the moments when you’re asking big questions, chasing connection, and need to be reminded why you started making things in the first place.

Coming in October 2025.

https://misterandmischief.fun/

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E649 - Roger Chiocchi - From Advertising Executive to Author, The Brushy Ridge Militia - Parents Take Gun Control Into Their Own Hands

About the author
Eclectic is a word that aptly defines Roger Chiocchi. Constantly questioning, How does it work?, Chiocchi graduated from Ithaca College and then the Wharton School (MBA) with distinction. He then rose through the ranks at mega-agency, Young & Rubicam, to Senior VP where he ran the advertising campaigns for Advil, TWA, AT&T, Sears (the “Softer Side of Sears” campaign), among others. He then went on to eventually become President of Y&R subsidiary, The Lord Group, where he helped transition NYNEX to Bell Atlantic then to Verizon, while bringing in new accounts like The Sports Authority, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, and HIP Health Plans.

Chiocchi regards himself as a perpetual student, constantly scouring YouTube for lectures on astrophysics, quantum mechanics and human consciousness and whatever else suits his fancy next. But why not? His appetite for knowledge is eclectic.

How a School Shooting Turned Suburban Parents into Federal Criminals.

Book: The Brushy Ridge Militia is about how the intersection of grief and helplessness leads a group of parents to become so enraged after a mass shooting to conclude that enough’s enough, compelling them to commit a major act of civil disobedience.
After progressing through the many stages of grief, the parents of the deceased children of Brushy Ridge, Ohio High School lobby Congress to pass tighter gun control legislation. When they attempt to meet with conservative Speaker of the House, Fred Grantham, he refuses and walks right by, emotionless, as they stand outside his office, displaying pictures of their precious children.

At that point, they conclude enough’s enough.

Upon return to their hometown, the parents feel like they’ve banged their heads against a wall. Why when over half of Americans want stricter gun laws, even after the tragedies of Sandy Hook, Columbine, Marjory Stoneman Douglas and, now, Brushy Ridge, why won’t Congress budge?

Hank Patrick, an attorney and father of one of the deceased students, tells them it’s because of twenty-seven ambiguous words called the Second Amendment. While many gun advocates hide behind those words to protect their right to unfettered access to guns of all types, those words say nothing of the sort, Patrick explains. What they do say is that Americans have the right to form citizen militias to fight a government that has become tyrannical.

They decide to be true to the words of the Second Amendment as originally intended and form a citizen’s militia, The Brushy Ridge Militia, and scheme to take Speaker Fred Grantham hostage until he agrees to bring more reasonable gun legislation to the floor.

By surreptitiously following Grantham’s moves and cleverly evading the FBI, the parents intercept Grantham at an apartment building in DC and bring him to a spot in rural West Virginia where no radio transmissions are allowed. For four days, they force him to watch the security cam video of the shooting and morgue shots of their cherished children.

Finally, he agrees, but shortly after, recants.

https://www.facebook.com/RogerChiocchi/

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podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

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