An Authors Kiss with Sara Troy and her guest Susy Smith, on air from September 5th.
What would you do if society crumbled? How would you survive if you had to fend for yourself? Would you be able to live off the land? Susy Smith explores these questions and much more in her gripping “Asylum” book series. Finding inspiration from The Walking Dead, Susy can talk about how she created this dystopian world, as well as universal themes of human nature, including the fight for survival and freedom.
Packed with adventure and suspense, blending elements of science fiction, fantasy, and dystopia, Ascendant transports readers to a disintegrated world where civilization has collapsed and chaos is the new normal. In an interview, Susy talks about:
How she explored the ideas of survival, freedom and the ugliest side of human nature
How she had to “lean into” the dark side
How she found inspiration from the television series, The Walking Dead
How her dystopian world also compares to those of The Hunger Games and Divergent
Being from a small town in Oklahoma and how that has influenced her writing
Her position as a curriculum specialist for the Kanza Tribe, also known as The Kaw Nation, a federally-recognized, self-governing American-Indian tribe, headquartered in Kaw City, OK
Susy Smith is a celebrated dystopian storyteller, author, and curriculum specialist for the Kanza Tribe in Oklahoma. Armed with a deep understanding of language, the resilience of the human spirit, and a bachelor’s degree in English, she weaves captivating, award-winning stories that leave readers wanting more.
Smith’s literary journey commenced with Asylum, a gripping novel that clinched the 2020 Writer Con contest in the novel category. She continues to engage audiences with Ascendant, the second installment in the “Asylum” series, further probing the intricacies of survival, freedom, and the dark side of human nature. In addition to her novels, Smith occasionally writes poetry. Her authentic writing style echoes her experience of living in a small Oklahoma town with her husband, four grown children, and two furry dog-children.
All of our shows/interviews are done by donation, if you enjoyed this show please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support, thank you..
Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Natalie McQueen, on air from September 5th
Natalie McQueen became a legacy designer after a near death experience that made her completely re-evaluate the legacy she was leaving in this world. Her mission now is to help people craft and preserve the legacy they want to live and preserve for future generations to enjoy.
The problem today is that two thirds of people will go to the grave with their wisdom and life experiences undocumented and unsaved. Natalie will share 3 effective ways to analyze if you are living your best legacy life, what actions to take to start creating your desired legacy, and easy ways to start preserving your legacy and why it is important to do so.
Natalie McQueen is an International Publisher and legacy Expert who has successfully brought over 500 authors to #1 Bestseller. She is a seven-time Bestselling Author, including Gifts Of Legacy: The Ultimate Blueprint for Generations to Enjoy.
Natalie’s?mission is to guide people to share the wisdom of their life stories and heartfelt messages in Legacy and business books, letters, videos, anthologies, and memoirs.
Through Natalie’s Legacy System, it is easier than ever to get your Legacy pieces together, including essential legal documents to protect family, words of wisdom, traditions, and stories stored safely and made into beautiful keepsakes that will last more than a lifetime.
All of our shows/interviews are done by donation, if you enjoyed this show please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support, thank you..
Why readers love a literary thriller that draws from magical realism, 1990s rock ‘n’ roll, myth, and romantic suspense
Why her book centers around a spiritual war that’s been fought for thousands of years
How the research she did to create her musician characters led her to study music, form a band, and tour around the USA
Why the book is set in the early 1990s – before the Internet, cell phones, or 24/7 streaming
Whether practicing criminal defense law later influenced her decision to release the book, which explores themes surrounding the law
Why she chose to leave a hard-won tenure-track position teaching British literature to write fiction
The Maenad’s God explores a variety of thorny topics:
Alienation. Why some people are cynical and ‘done with society’
The nature of divinity; creativity as a way into some kind of higher reality; imagination as a sacred space
How creativity is an art of rebellion – and a healing force
The degree to which reality and fantasy inform each other
Whether creating a private world is a subversive act against a toxic culture
“Michalson’s prose, as narrated by the loquacious Pete, is by turns wisecracking and obsessive. . .. Even so, Pete’s quest takes him in unexpected occult directions, opening up an intricate world of ecstasy and paranoia. … the novel’s angst and atmosphere-both authentically ’90s-make for a strangely alluring reading experience. An engaging, snaking, and spirit-tinged murder tale about obsession and control.” —Kirkus Reviews“
TheMaenad’s God receives 5 stars and the ‘Highly Recommended’ award of excellence.” —The Historical Fiction Company Chosen by Independent Book Review as one of the best books of 2022, Karen Michalson’s fourth novel, The Maenad’s God, is the story of a war that’s been fought for thousands of years, the war between the ancient arts of music, poetry, and love; and the equally ancient forces of artistic envy, oppressive law, and authoritarian religion. Boston 1992. Alienated FBI agent Pete Morrow discovers a murder and becomes obsessed with Jade McClellan, a mysterious mafia-backed rock musician. Tough-guy Morrow has never been in love before—but Jade is almost magical, creating a private imaginary world from his songs and stories that rapidly become the only thing Morrow values in his otherwise empty life. Unfortunately, Morrow is investigating the mafia family that is investing in Jade’s musical career. Being open about their relationship could get both of them killed.
Michalson, who has taught nineteenth-century British literature, performed across the USA with her rock band, Point of Ares, and runs a criminal defense practice, is uniquely suited to write this book. “If you like hard boiled gritty realism with an edge of surrealism – you will like this book,” promises the author. “If you like rock band fiction, stories about the mafia and the music business, or ever engaged in any kind of creative pursuit, you will like this book. If you like romantic suspense, particularly if it involves complex multi-dimensional characters whose conflicts with society extend beyond their relationship, you will like this book.” “The Maenad’s God is never the same book twice: flowing from intrigue to mysticism, romance to mythology, Karen Michalson weaves an epic and constantly surprising narrative.” —IndieReader “The Maenad’s God deserves attention. . . . it also deserves the highest rating, for it seems to me a work of substance and original thinking.” —Reedsy“ . . . gripping, satisfying, and impossible to put down even after you’ve finished it.” —Readers’ Favorite
Karen Michalson has assumed many identities – criminal defense attorney, scholar and teacher of nineteenth-century British literature, and progressive rock band performer. All her experiences find a home in her writings as an award-winning, critically acclaimed author. She has written four novels, including The Maenad’s God, which was selected by Independent Book Review as one of the best novels 2022 and by IndieReader as one of the Best Reviewed Books of March 2023. It also received a 5-Star Highly Recommended Award of Excellence from The Historical Fiction Company and a Literary Titan Gold Book Award (2022). Her earlier novels form the Enemy Glory Trilogy: Enemy Glory, Hecate’s Glory, and The King’s Glory. Enemy Glory, the first book of the trilogy, was one of the books that received the most votes for the Locus Award for Best First Novel. It was chosen for Locus’s Recommended Reading List of Best First Novels. Michalson’s first book, a non-fiction work, Victorian Fantasy Literature’s Literary Battles with Church and Empire, examines the non-literary and non-aesthetic reasons underlying the bias in favor of realism in forming the traditional literary canon of nineteenth-century British fiction. Her books have been favorably reviewed by Clarion Foreword, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, Independent Book Review, Literary Titan, Blue Ink Review, and numerous others. Michalson practiced criminal law for a decade. She left the law profession a little over four years ago to return to her full-time novel-writiPh.D.full-timeBefore. Prior to what she calls her “detour into law,” she wrote novels, formed a progressive rock band, Point of Ares (she plays bass guitar), and ran a small record label-distributor (Arula Records). Point of Ares released four CDs, two of which are concept albums based on her Enemy Glory books. The band received airplay in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Belgium, Brazil, and Italy and what she calls “embarrassingly kind reviews.” Before rocking out on music and fiction writing, she began her literary career as an assistant professor of English at the University of Connecticut. She holds a PhD in English (British literature) from the University of Massachusetts and a JD from Western New England University School of Law. She lives in New England.
All of our shows/interviews are done by donation, if you enjoyed this show please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support, thank you..
Building Your Business with Sara Troy and her guest Krystal Hille, onm air from August 15th
Do you want to publish your book or be part of an anthology in a book? Krystal specializes in guiding people who work in a higher consciousness to get their words out to the right audience.
Krystal Hille is the Founder of Hille House Publishing, Soul Leadership Coach and international #1 bestselling author. She is passionate about gathering change makers and conscious creatives who align with her mission to awaken and empower humanity into deeper sovereignty and connection. She helps them to step into their zone of flow, claim the essence of their leadership and makes them into international bestselling authors so that their passion can ignite global change and enhance their authority and reach.
Since early 2021, Krystal has helped over 201 thought leaders become international bestselling authors and has attracted the likes of Dr John Demartini into her latest book.
With 30 years in leadership, a background in theatre directing, ancient tantric practices and female empowerment, Krystal is a winner of the CREA Brainz Global Business Award 2021 and host of the Soul Leadership Podcast. Aware of her multi-dimensional self, pre-Covid, Krystal facilitated spiritual retreats to Egypt and ran temple nights across Australia.
She holds a BA (hons) in English Literature & Theatre Studies, a diploma in Life Coaching, NLP and TimeLine Therapy and is a certified Master Healer and Tantra teacher. She is a popular contributor to international festivals, summits and podcasts and has written two solo books and contributed to a further four anthologies.
Originally from Germany, she now lives with her two children on the subtropical outskirts of Brisbane, Australia and loves spending weekends in the rainforest.
All of our shows/interviews are done by donation. If you enjoyed this show, please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support. Thank you..
An Authors Kiss with Sara Troy and her guest Donna Knutson, on air from July 25th
It is time to finish that book you’ve always wanted to write. I want to help.
Whether your story is a completed draft or still in your head, I’d be delighted to guide you through the process of preparing your writing for publication.
I believe almost everyone can tell their own story. You may just need support to get started, organize your thoughts, and stay on track.
I will use everything I’ve learned over my career as a journalist and educator to assist and encourage even the most hesitant writer toward completing their project. I’ve edited business books, children’s books, young adult fantasy, and poetry. I can help solidify your ideas, create a blueprint for your project, work through content and flow issues, provide advice on continuity and character, and book editing.
I love problem-solving. I am talking about that moment where the author has an unresolved issue with their piece. It is so satisfying to uncover new possibilities in the work that allow the author to feel their true voice and intention can shine through.
The key is listening. I listen deeply to my authors to feel what they intend to convey.
Your work may be closer than you imagine to becoming publication-ready. Email me and start the conversation to make your dreams of authorship a reality donnaknutson@ymail.com
Donna’s goal is to make the process of writing your college essays as easy and stress-free as possible. She spent 16 years teaching teens how to write, report, anchor, and produce television news shows. As an adjunct professor, she taught college students how to write. In her business, she helps people write their books. Donna is the mother of a high school student. She’s aware of the anxiety teens can feel and the pressure they can face when applying to college. Write Journeys LLC. College Essay Writing Course | 2-essays done in 4 weeks | 12 students| LIVE virtual instruction Sessions Begin in: July – August – September SIGN UP:
You must be logged in to post a comment.