Episode 527 - Bruce Bishop - Future Historical Fiction, A Trilogy and a new book, Grow up, Rory Rafferty

Why I write fiction

Like many authors, I began writing stories from a young age. I was lucky to pursue a career in travel writing from the mid-1990s to the mid-2010s, both online and in print. Those assignments literally and figuratively opened the world to me, but it wasn't until the Covid19 pandemic that I began to take fiction writing seriously.

Oddly enough, having to stay at home for a prolonged period sparked some creative juices to flow. I devoured online instruction about the business of self-publishing.

Now that I have four novels published

I can't see a return to non-fiction writing.

(But never say never, eh?)

My "author brand"

If you had asked me what an author brand is before I self-published Unconventional Daughters in 2020,

I probably would not have known the answer.

While 'Daughters' and the interlinked two follow-up novels, Uncommon Sons and Undeniable Relations, are technically historical fiction,

I'd rather not be pigeon-holed as only that kind of author.

My newest work, Grow up, Rory Rafferty is set in Toronto in 1979, rendering it contemporary adult fiction.

It won't be considered 'historical fiction' until 2029...

but the story most definitely involves a vintage, pre-Internet era.

...and what that brand truly is

I want to give a voice to characters who are often left out in mainstream storytelling. Some may be loosely based on people I've met or known in my sixty-plus years on earth;

others are entirely figments of my imagination.

I'm comfortable in researching the backgrounds of characters who might not be White, male, or gay - characters unlike me who I feel should be given a role in historic or contemporary fiction.

I always use sensitivity readers from that minority group to ensure I'm telling the truth.

The service industry jobs I had as a young man - from being a short-order cook to waiting on tables - were of great value. They were opportunities to be a silent witness and observer.

For example, I've seen or experienced bullies, rich and poor,

from all corners of the earth.

I don't want those characters to have the last word.

The writer doesn't forget these experiences and people;

they inhabit his or her fiction.

https://brucebishopauthor.com/

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Episode 525 - Richard DeVeau - Light's Out - We Paint a Picture of a special forces veteran, CIA officer, and leader of Boston's Homeland Security team

About the author

After majoring in marketing at Bentley University, Richard spent a career as a copywriter and creative director serving such clients as Red Lobster, Ducati Motorcycles, Marriott Hotels, and Clorox. He also brought his writing skills to bear for communications agencies that serve nonprofit organizations, including American Red Cross, Wounded Warrior Project, Toys for Tots, CARE, Special Olympics and many others. And he was a frequent editorial contributor to Fundraising Success Magazine.

In 2000, he helped launch acclaimed author Stephen King’s internet publishing debut and the world’s first mass- marketed e-book, Riding the Bullet. Richard wrote the online ad campaign that prompted more than 400,000 people to purchase and download the novella.

His screenplay, Graven Image, placed in the top twenty percent of the Academy of Motion Pictures’ Nicholl Fellowships international screenwriting competition in 2014.

Richard is also an accomplished fine art painter. Over the past thirty years, he has exhibited work in numerous solo and group shows. His work was represented by two commercial art galleries in his native Boston and is now represented by a gallery in Chicago, where he currently resides.

Richard and his wife have four adult children and two grandchildren.

Book: Light's Out

A retired couple are murdered in their Wisconsin home - art and other valuables are stolen. A Lake Michigan oil tanker explodes and sinks that same night.

Eve Taunt - special forces veteran, CIA officer, and leader of Boston's Homeland Security team - believes there is a connection between these two events.

She and her team quickly find themselves in pursuit of a domestic terrorist - an M.I.T. educated, military trained missile genius with Ted Bundy-like psychopathy - to stop him before he carries out his next devastating attack. This one is even more lethal than the overhwelming inferno he just unleashed on Boston.

As Eve closes in, she discovers these attacks are orchestrated by a US senator and a powerful cabal of highly placed leaders and lawmakers with a hidden agenda.

https://a.co/d/2yD92bj

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Episode 526 - Brenda May Whiteman - UNMET NEEDS NEVER GO AWAY - A New Paradigm for Raising Our Children in the 21st Century

We are all individuals with personal life experiences that shape and mold us in both constructive and challenging ways. It is necessary to integrate and metabolize the emotional, psychological, spiritual and physical components of our total life experience in order to expand and deepen our consciousness. In this way, we move towards a mature, comprehensive and stable personality, capable of experiencing the full human emotional continuum of joy, elation, love and relationship as well as the challenges of pain and sadness inherent in every person's life.

As an experienced Psychotherapist, I approach all life issues from a perspective that seeks to illuminate these fundamental aspects of our human structure that comprise the spirit of every individual.

Optimism, faith in oneself and universal creativity, positive psychology and transformative emotional experience are vital to a rewarding and uplifting life journey. This is the one true path to healing.

https://www.brendawhitemanpsychotherapy.ca/

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Episode 524 - Josh Mendoza - Filmmaker, Storyteller and Author of Shadow of the Eternal Watcher

Josh Mendoza is a screenwriter, director, producer and author.

Mendoza is the founder of Strike the Sun Entertainment, and his movie work has been recognized by film festivals and competitions alike. He is best known for his feature film, WHAT STILL REMAINS, which he wrote, directed and produced. Decider called the movie a “great follow-up to Bird Box” and described it as a “hidden gem” on Netflix. The Los Angeles Times said, “Writer-director Josh Mendoza finds a fresh angle on the post-apocalyptic thriller” creating a “fascinating ‘what-if’ imagining society’s possible future.”

Mendoza’s debut novel, SHADOW OF THE ETERNAL WATCHER, will be released on January 28, 2025. The novel is a noir detective mystery that spirals into a science fiction adventure. The novel has already received positive reviews from Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus Reviews. It was recently featured as one of the best upcoming sci-fi books for 2025 in New Scientist.

Prior to his writing career, Mendoza received a BA in English and Creative Writing from Stanford University and an MFA in Film and Television Production from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. He was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona and lived for over 15 years in Los Angeles, California. He splits his time between the deserts of Arizona and the city of angels with his wife and two children.

Mendoza is currently developing multiple feature-length scripts and writing his next novel.

https://www.joshmendoza.com/

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Episode 523 - Paul Vecchiet - The Disclosure Paradox, science fiction novels

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul Vecchiet was born in Trieste, Italy and came to the United States with his parents at the age of three. He’s lived most of his life in Chicago suburbs. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in architecture design. Soon after, he joined the Air Force to be a Civil Engineering officer where he had an experience that caused him to be cynical of conventional wisdom. After thirteen years, he left the service and practiced architecture in Illinois. He is currently employed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Paul lives with his wife, Janice, and their grandson, Lennon in rural West Virginia, where they can see a canopy of stars at night.

“Though presented in fictional form, anyone familiar with various anomalous phenomena will recognize the fact-based narratives depicted in The Disclosure Paradox. Thought-provoking, even those with deep involvement in those fields will find themselves questioning where reality stops, and fantasy begins. Or does it? Many of the names are recognizable and the narrative extremely well interwoven. The physical and spiritual are merged into Louis Silvani’s life mission to understand a complex and rewarding destiny.”

John B. Alexander
PhD

“A fascinating tale about a secret world that we only glimpse dimly through the eyes of a dedicated and obsessive group who give up everything to find the truth and stop a hideous plot to control our destiny. A beguiling blend of horror, science fiction, and riveting action, with realistic characters and plot twists that will leave you breathless. Highly recommended.”

Frank E. Lee
WXRT-FM, Chicago

“I loved this book! It starts out with Louis on his tedious UFO lecture circuit, easing you into ET culture slowly like getting into a nice warm bath. But before you know it, our unexpected hero is on a cross-country mind-expanding adventure of a lifetime. It is a wild ride! The characters are rich and believable. The ET subject matter is accurately portrayed. In the end Louis finds his roots, and I am left wondering what I can do to improve humanity!”

Steve Jacobson
retired aerospace engineer for NASA, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and the US Navy

https://thedisclosureparadox.com/

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Episode 522 - Julie Strong - The Tudor Prophecy, An epic, literary tale blending Game of Thrones and Little Women

Julie Strong is a soon-to-be-retired family physician in Halifax, Nova Scotia; she has an ongoing shamanic practice where she addresses the spiritual causes of illness.

Julie was born in Manchester, England, grew up in Wales, Australia, and Ireland, and emigrated to Canada in 1980. Her medical degree is from Trinity College, Dublin University, Ireland, and she holds a BA in Classics from Dalhousie University, Halifax. Her shamanism training is from the Foundation for Shamanic Studies in Marin County, California.

Dr. Strong has given presentations in Canada, the US, and Europe on the subject of insanity in ancient Greek literature. She presented a three-part series on Greek mythology at Halifax Central Library in spring 2018 and also “Finding Comfort in Difficult Times,” an overview of shamanism, in fall 2021. She is a lecturer with the Senior College Association of Nova Scotia (SCANS) and delivered a six-week course, The Goddess in Antiquity, in spring 2024, which emphasized humanity’s need to reconnect with Nature and the Divine Feminine.

Book: The Tudor Prophecy

England, 1541. An ailing Henry VIII reigns from a contested throne. In parallel story lines, The Tudor Prophecy follows two young women, Lady Alice Grantmire and Hester Vaughan, cousins who each suffer greatly from the King's unjust decrees. Lady Alice and her mother are evicted from their estate and take residence in a cottage where they earn a subsistence selling herbal remedies--until they are accused of witchcraft. After being molested by the King, Hester is summoned to her estranged father's home in Wales. There she becomes betrothed to a Welsh bard whose mentor has visions foretelling the ascendancy of Henry's second daughter, Elizabeth. When Hester encounters the eight-year-old Lady Elizabeth, the two forge a relationship whereby Hester can persuade the future queen to temper her own rule with mercy. This epic, literary tale—a Game of Thrones meets Little Women—is also for readers who loved the Wolf Hall trilogy by Booker-Prize winner Hilary Mantel

https://ocpublishing.ca/julie-strong

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Episode 521 - Mario Halim Wissa - Empowering minds, one word at a time and Unleashing Communication for a brighter tomorrow

With over two (2) decades of experiences in the field of communication [interpersonal and intrapersonal], I have dedicated my journey to fostering meaningful connections and driving positive change through effective dialogue. My expertise spans various industries, from finance to technology, where I have honed my skills in empowering individuals and organizations to communicate with impact and with long lasting impression.

Having worked as a Personal Banker at Bank of America, I quickly rose to prominence by delivering exceptional customer service, conducting insightful account analysis, and consistently referring clients to tailored services. My dedication led to a promotion within just six months, a testament to my commitment to excellence.

In my role at Expedia as a Database Management professional, I undertook the complex responsibility of overseeing the company's database for over 30 applications used by employees across the globe. This experience sharpened my ability to handle intricate data structures, ensuring seamless access and optimal performance for diverse teams.

My time in the United States Navy as an Automated Data Processing (ADP) specialist added a unique layer to my skill set. Managing a squadron database of 2,200 sailors and spearheading a complete database restructuring project, I was recognized for my meticulous work and commitment to efficiency.

As a Communication major at the University of Washington, I further cultivated my passion for effective communication strategies, deepening my understanding of human interaction and behavior. This academic foundation provided me with a strong theoretical grounding that I have translated into practical success in various professional contexts.

My achievements reflect my dedication to facilitating meaningful conversations, empowering personal growth, and fostering collaborative relationships. With a proven track record of creating impact and driving change, I am committed to helping individuals and organizations unlock their potential through the power of communication.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-wissa-b0470628a

https://www.instagram.com/ecu_mariowissa

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EPISODE 520 - Vincent Valkier - Author of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror stories

Book: Digital Soul is a collection of three short stories bookended by two novellas that seeks to examine humanity's rapidly changing relationship with technology and the hidden dangers and costs associated with technological evolution. The opening novella is set in the recent past, and the successive stories move forward in time and are set in the present, near future, far future, and very far future.

In Raven, the first novella, a high school senior has lost his faith and struggles to find his new spiritual identity. He becomes instantly drawn to a new classmate, only to discover that she may not actually exist. She leads him to an abandoned house, the site of a terrible tragedy, which may also serve as a key to another world. But is the higher power that world represents good or evil?

In Missing Links, a video from a college party spread without a girl's consent has dire consequences for both the victim and the group of friends responsible.

In White Knight, two game developers explore their nearly completed virtual world. However, some of the game's characters are behaving erratically and seem to have developed consciousness, leading to a schism between the two designers.

In The Broken Man, a game show in the future releases a murderer into the house of unwitting contestants, who must fight to survive. One contestant's forced participation makes him unsure which is more important to him: his love for his spouse, or the fame and glory his victory will bring.

In Genesis, the final novella, a journalist interviews a scientist whose discovery unlocked untapped knowledge about the brain and mental illness. The interview reveals the unforeseen consequences and horrible costs when the initial discovery evolved into a key to immortality.

https://vincentvalkier.com/
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