August Podcast Lineup
We kick off the month of August with history, starting with Frye Gaillard, the award-winning author of over 30 books, where we explore his sweeping story, “A Hard Rain, America in the 1960’s, Our Decade of Hope, Possibility, and Innocence Lost,” followed by Vanessa Riley’s “Island Queen,” a historical novel based on the true-life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free woman of color who rose from slavery to become one of the most successful and powerful landowners in the colonial West Indies.
We have two guest hosted episodes this month. Novelist Sarah Archer interviews Joani Elliott, author of “The Audacity of Sara Grayson,” in which Sara Grayson, a 32–year-old greeting card writer, is tasked in her mother’s will to write the final book in her bestselling suspense series. And memoirist Rachael Brooks leads the interview with Hope Andersen, author of “How to Remodel a Life: A Guide to Living Well with Alcoholism and Bipolar Disorder,” a memoir and self-help guide for those struggling with addiction and mental health issues.
Other episodes dive into more history, more truth, and mystery, with themes involving resilience, race, hope and overcoming, with Carolyn Baker, Dr. Augustus White, Paul Attaway and Muriel Sheubrooks. And we find out from Holly Hughes, an intuitive healer, about “Real, Not Perfect: How to Become Your Happy, Authentic Self,” a guide for the lost, for healing past wounds, and breaking free from limiting beliefs.
Here’s the line-up:
August 3 Frye Gaillard Explores Social and Political Movements of the 1960’s in “A Hard Rain”
In this episode 232, we visit with Frye Gaillard, the award-winning author of “A Hard Rain: America in the 1960’s, Our Decade of Hope, Possibility, and Innocence Lost,” a reconstruction and remembrance of the transcendent era of the 1960’s.
Gaillard explores tragedy and hope through the political and social movements of the times, from civil rights to Black power, feminism, and the Vietnam war protests, as well as the arts, literature, science, and religion.
Howell Raines, former executive editor of the New York Times and winner of the Pulitzer Prize had this to say about the book, “A child of the Sixties and one of the leading civil rights reporters of his generation, Frye Gaillard has given us a riveting tour along what he calls the fine line between history and journalism… A Hard Rain is essential reading for a time when an American president has willfully ignored the hard-earned lessons from our passage through the most tumultuous decade of social change since the Civil War.”
Plus, exclusive Patreon episode: Non-fiction, Biography and Memoir with Frye Gaillard
August 6 Vanessa Riley Illustrates the Remarkable History & Legacy of Dorothy “Doll” Kirwan in “Island Queen”
In this episode 233, we visit with Vanessa Riley, author of “Island Queen,” a novel based on the true-life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free woman of color who rose from slavery to become one of the most successful and powerful landowners in the colonial West Indies.
Born into slavery, Dorothy, called Doll, bought her freedom from her Irish planter father and became an entrepreneur, merchant, hotelier, and planter whose wealth spanned from the islands of the West Indies to the drawing rooms of London. She defied the rules and conventions of the time, both as a former enslaved person and a woman.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Dray had this to say about the book, “Island Queen is the magnificently reconstructed life story of Dorothy “Doll” Kirwan Thomas, whose fascinating legacy of grit and success desperately deserves to be better known. With lush prose and raw emotion, Riley vividly captures the complexity of bringing to life a time of rebellion and possibility.”
Plus, exclusive Patreon episode: The Historical Novel with Vanessa Riley
August 10 Dying Literary Icon Tasks Daughter to Write Final Book in “The Audacity of Sara Grayson”
In this episode 234, guest hosted by novelist Sarah Archer, we visit with Joani Elliott, author of “The Audacity of Sara Grayson,” in which Sara Grayson, a 32–year-old greeting card writer, is tasked in her mother’s will to write the final book in her bestselling suspense series.
Despite her lack of confidence, Sara takes on the project, even with her mother’s publisher actively working against her. As family secrets begin to surface, she realizes
Maddie Dawson, bestselling author of “Matchmaking for Beginners,” had this to say about the book, “Joani Elliott has written an enjoyable, funny, page-turning novel about the ups and downs of a woman’s quest to find herself and the family she thought she knew.”
Plus, exclusive Patreon episode: Writing Group Advice with Joani Elliott
August 13 Carolyn Baker Reflects on Racism and White Complicity in “An Unintentional Accomplice”
In this episode 235, we visit with Carolyn Baker, author of “An Unintentional Accomplice: A Personal Perspective on White Responsibility,” a narrative of one woman’s path to confronting internalized racism, white guilt, and the complexities of racism in America.
Carolyn Baker was 62–years-old when she learned about the murder of Emmett Till, which sparked a personal investigation into her own personal biases. Starting with her cookie cutter upbringing in Southern California, Carolyn confronts white privilege with directness and honesty.
Richard L. Mitchell, PhD, a professor at Cornell University, had this to say about the book, “In ‘An Unintentional Accomplice’, Carolyn Baker lulls us through her “cookie cutter” Southern California childhood and Girl Scout ‘white bred’ mantras–that mirror of Disneylandish life–as we bask on the beach in our own smug skins. Then, like a stiletto, she slips in Emmett Till’s American tragedy making Klan enablers of us all without any need to dress-up in a great white sheet. Baker has clearly called out racism as the timeless tragedy in our time.”
Plus, exclusive Patreon episode: Writing About Your Writing with Carolyn Baker
August 17 Dr. Augustus White III Shares Twenty Real-Life Tales of Resilience and Hope in “Overcoming”
In this episode 236, we visit with Dr. Augustus White III, author of “Overcoming: Lessons in Triumphing over Adversity and the Power of Our Common Humanity,” a collection of real-life profiles of men and women united by the theme of overcoming adversity.
After the collective trauma America experienced during the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. White, whose been called “the Jackie Robinson of orthopedics,” was motivated to introduce us to everyday individuals whose grit, determination, and resilience serve as inspiration to make it to the other side of this crisis.
Arne Duncan, former Secretary of Education under President Barack Obama, had this to say about the book, “In Overcoming, Dr. Gus White has fashioned a timely and terrific treatment of the human condition and instructive roadmap for negotiating one of the most perilous periods in American history. A prescription of hope for an ailing nation beset by racial and ethnic disharmony and a pandemic that has struck us at our most vulnerable core. An inspiring journey certain to lift spirits and help us all to overcome.”
August 20 Murder, Deceit, and Betrayal in Charleston, SC in Paul Attaway’s “Blood in the Low Country”
In this episode 237, we visit with Paul Attaway, author of “Blood in the Low Country,” a thriller in which the idyllic life of one man is forever changed after a shocking and brutal murder.
Monty Atkins has a wonderful life, with his beautiful wife, successful business, and the Southern tranquility of living in 1970’s Charleston, South Carolina. With shocking betrayals, murder, bigotry, and a conspiracy of lies, Monty races to save everything that is important to him.
Jeff Andrews, author of “The Freedom Star” and “The Gandy Dancer” had this to say about the book, “Paul Attaway’s riveting debut novel introduces readers to the genteel South of the mid-twentieth century and then rips off that façade to reveal a treacherous underbelly of greed, deceit, violence, and bigotry. Attaway’s gripping tale unfolds through richly drawn characters that will engage readers and keep them enthralled through one suspenseful chapter after another. This is a story that will stay with you long after you close the final page.”
Plus, exclusive Patreon episode: Writing as a Career After a Career – Act 3 – with Paul Attaway
August 24 Hope Andersen Offers Life-Lessons and Tools for Your Toolkit in “How to Remodel a Life”
In this episode 238, guest memoirist Rachael Brooks leads the interview with Hope Andersen, author of “How to Remodel a Life: A Guide to Living Well with Alcoholism and Bipolar Disorder,” a memoir and self-help guide for those struggling with addiction and mental health issues.
Using a house remodel as a metaphor, Hope provides the necessary tools and life lessons to uplift spirits while speaking candidly about her own life.
Michael D. Lemonick, author of The Perpetual Now, had this to say about the book, “If you are going to rehab a house that has fallen into disrepair, you obviously need the proper tools. If you’re going to repair a life overshadowed by addiction and mental illness, you need tools too – but you can’t exactly run down to the local hardware store to find them. What you can do, however, is read this intimate, powerful and uplifting book. Hope Andersen has transformed her own, very challenging life into what she calls ‘an oasis of serenity’ and she’s used the lessons she has learned to create not just one, but a series of toolkits that could do the same for you. It’s a remarkable achievement.”
Plus, exclusive Patreon episode: Get Unstuck and Get Published with Hope Anderson
August 27 Rediscover Your Authentic Self in Holly Hughes’ Meditative Guide, “Real, Not Perfect”
In this episode 239, we visit with Holly Hughes, intuitive healer and author of “Real, Not Perfect: How to Become Your Happy, Authentic Self,” a guide for the lost, for healing past wounds, and breaking free from limiting beliefs.
Holly is an intuitive healer with a lifetime of experiences overcoming loss, trauma, and regaining self-worth and power. Using personal healing stories, guided meditations, mindfulness, and her own intuitive gifts, “Real, Not Perfect” provides a step-by-step process to regain your voice.
Clinical psychotherapist Danielle Duchatellier Boucree called the book “…informative, motivating and validating. It’s the absolute best combination of a warm, fuzzy blanket in front of a fireplace and that perky little cheerleader we all knew in high school. You will love how easy it makes being actionable with its workbook feature and how its meditations feel like they are customized for you. I plan on incorporating some of it in my private practice as a clinical psychotherapist. This is a must-have for everyone’s bookshelf.”
Plus, exclusive Patreon episode: Tips for Writing a Self-Help Book and Self-Publishing with Holly Hughes
August 31 From Rural Kentucky to Milan – Young Girl Comes-Of-Age in Muriel Sheubrooks’ “Beyond the Fences”
In this episode 240, we visit with Muriel Sheubrooks, author of “Beyond the Fences,” a coming-of-age novel in which a young and ambitious woman journeys from her safe and familiar home in rural Kentucky to join the high-cultured European fashion industry.
Throughout the 1950’s, Marilyn White meets a world of wealthy, educated, and worldly people who introduce her to art, fashion, and propel her career forward. At the same time, she must balance her hometown familial values with her ambition and drive.
One reviewer had this to say about the book, “Great story of a young girl who wants more out of life than what her parent wants for her and the struggles that go along with seeking independence but wanting and sometimes needing to stay close to your roots. Beautifully written. One you start, you won’t want to put down!”
Plus, exclusive Patreon episode: Publishing with a Hybrid Publisher with Muriel Sheubrooks