Online For Authors Podcast

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Lorraine Norwood, author of the book The Solitary Sparrow. Lorraine is a former journalist and archaeologist who lives in Western North Carolina. Her short stories and essays have been published in Minerva Rising, New Southerner, Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors, Volume 3, and Talking Writing, and have won awards in the Atlanta Writers Club contests. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Womens' Fiction Writers Association, and Author Accelerator. Her debut novel, The Solitary Sparrow, will be published in the spring of 2024. She is at work on the sequel, A Pelican in the Wilderness. The novels are part of a series set in 14th century England and France. Lorraine is also a certified Book Coach and developmental editor. She writes with an always-hungry yellow Lab, Sally, by her side and an aloof cat, Macavity, who sometimes deigns to be touched.

In my book review, I stated The Solitary Sparrow is an amazing historical fiction set in 14th century England and France. I loved the premise - a child, Meg, considered evil due to a birth deformity eventually finds her passion in medicine. But how will she move forward given her facial disfigurement, her family's station in life, and the fact that she is a woman?

Early in the book, Meg determines that she will become the first licensed female physician in English and hopes to provide care to women. She is tutored by a village healer, then a surgeon and his son, and even a school of medicine, though she must remain hidden from view because no females are allowed to attend. Despite it all, she thrives - gaining knowledge, wisdom, and even love.

If you love a story about persistence and courage, then you will love The Solitary Sparrow. Lorraine's research is top-notch and her characters come to life on the page. It's a must read.

Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1

Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290

You can follow Author Lorraine Norwood

Website: https://www.lorrainenorwood.com/

Social media: FB: @Lorraine Norwood

X: @LorraineNorwood

IG: @lorrainenorwoodwrites

Purchase The Solitary Sparrow on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3ObBQ4e

Ebook: https://amzn.to/3CIKwMK

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

#lorrainenorwood #thesolitarysparrow #historicalfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Karen C Whalen, author of the Tow Truck Mystery series, as well as The Dinner Club Mystery series, both published by The Wild Rose Press. Both are cozy mysteries about strong friendships and family ties set in Colorado. Karen worked for many years as a paralegal at a law firm in Denver, Colorado and was a columnist and regular contributor to The National Paralegal Reporter magazine. Whalen loves to host dinner clubs, entertain friends, ride bicycles, hike in the mountains, walk on the beach, and read cozy murder mysteries.

In my book review, I stated that I’ve read the entire Tow Truck series, which is amazing because I’ve not read much cozy mystery as an adult. However, Karen has me hooked – and here’s why: I love her main character, Delaney.

She is a young woman with a somewhat nagging mother and little direction in her life when she finds herself the owner of a tow truck after her estranged father dies. This shoe-a-hol-ic, who picks what shoes to wear based on the mood their color will evoke, is not a natural fit for tow truck driving, and so, hilarity ensues. But not just hilarity - murder! On Delaney's very first tow, she drives a dead body to the pound and becomes suspect #1 in a murder!
Whalen does an amazing job keeping me guessing by providing half a dozen suspects with 'cause' - and keeps me laughing at Delaney. However, the most impressive part of the series is how Whalen develops Delaney into a well-rounded character. She's way more than a ditzy shoe lover. We follow her through guilt over her father, anxiety about whether she is good enough, and compassion toward others. Simply stated, I'm in love with Delaney Morran and am so glad I read the series.

You can follow Author Karen C Whalen:

Website: http://www.karencwhalen.com

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karen-c-whalen

X: @whalenkc

Instagram: @karen_c_whalen_author

Facebook: @whalencozyauthor

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

#karencwhalen #towtruckmysteries #toesonthedash #handsonthewheel #eyesontheroad #friendscometocall #cozymystery #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Meredith Ritchie, author of the book Poster Girls. Her historical fiction novel takes place in North Carolina during WWII, and is based on the true but forgotten events that happened in her hometown. When her triplets left for college, she wrote Poster Girls as a cure for acute empty nest syndrome. She now lives in Charlotte with her husband, two cats, four chickens and grown adults that occasionally return to her cozy coop.

Poster Girls was named 2022 "Best of the Nest" for fiction by QC Nerve magazine and was recently named as part of the 2024 North Carolina Reads program sponsored by NC Humanities, a division of the Library of Congress. A lifelong learner, Meredith believes history told in the form of stories can never be forgotten, especially history that happened in our own backyard.

In my book review, I stated that Meredith tells a delightful story about a group of "Rosie the Riveters" working in a bullet factory in Charlotte, NC during WWII. The story comes from two points of view - Maggie and Cora. Both women are married to soldiers, have moved to Charlotte from other areas, and love books - enough to start a friendship. However, others aren't quite as keen to see this relationship, since Maggie is a white woman of privilege and Cora is a poor, black woman.

These two women are strong and fight for themselves and for one another. I enjoy how Meredith shows how, despite her good intentions, Maggie often 'gets it wrong.' I also love how she shows that Cora, who interprets life through a lens of racism, also gets it wrong. Most importantly, I love how the two characters persevere despite it all.

​If you love a good historical fiction, especially one that makes you think about issues we face today, then, this is the book for you.

You can follow Author Meredith Ritchie

Website: meredithritchie.com

IG: @postergirlsbook

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com
FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

#meredithritchie #postergirls #historicalfiction #womensfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Bookologist Stephanie Affinito of A Lit Life. She’s going to chat with us about a new concept called Bookology, which is the study of books and reading and notebooks and writing, mixed with mindfulness and creativity to bring you restorative reading and writing.

Stephanie states on her website that “books and reading have the power to transform our lives. We meet new friends, travel to locations, experience new perspectives and learn valuable life lessons with each turn of the page. And, when we explore the themes of the book in our own lives, from love and relationships to baking and gardening, magic happens. The book leaves us a better person than when we started.”

Stephanie is a passionate advocate for the transformative power of books and writing. Through her blog, podcast, and coaching endeavors, Stephanie delves into the profound impact of literature on our lives, weaving together stories of personal growth, healing, and empowerment.

Her journey from a childhood immersed in books to navigating through life’s challenges with the solace of literature showcases the profound influence of reading and writing on our well-being. She has an inspiring vision and commitment to fostering restorative reading practices for a brighter, more connected future.

She blogs about the power of leading literate lives at www.alitlife.com and podcasts weekly on books and reading, writing and notebooks and everything in between on Get Lit(erate). She also chats with a new children’s literature author every week on her KidLit Love podcast, too.

You can follow Stephanie Affinito:

Website: www.alitlife.com

FB: @AffinitoLit

IG: @AffinitoLit

X: @AffinitoLit

Threads: @affinitolit

Patreon: www.getliterate.co

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

#stephanieaffinito #bookology #bookologist #notebooking #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Rachel Callaghan, author of the book Under Water. Rachel, novelist, award-winning essayist, ex-short story writer, and former editor of In Posse on WebDelSol, learned a thing or two about traumatic circumstances and the emotional and psychological damage they cause. Starting Hahnemann Medical College (now part of Drexel University) when only one out of eleven students in her class were women, she startled the administration by choosing to have a child her senior year. Even the teaching physicians were put off-balance: one ordered Dr. Callaghan from rounds for being visibly pregnant, as that might scare the patients. Post medical school, she had Internal Medicine, OB-GYN, and ER training and experience, working until her career was cut short when she was diagnosed with stage IV lymphoma. A stem-cell transplant was the cure. What followed was a decade of profound fatigue which left her mourning the loss of patients she loved as friends. The treatment for that was writing about people and making them come alive on the page. Besides writing, she is now a wife, mother, serial home renovator, dog and cat owner, and former traveler who circled the globe at age 21. Dr. Callaghan’s rich life has been instrumental in shaping her fiction.

In my book review, I stated Under Water is a dual timeline historical fiction you won't want to miss. Iris pushes her husband, Benny, to move across the country to pre-Civil-War-era home. During the renovations, Iris makes a gruesome discovery - a baby, perfectly preserved at the bottom of their pond. Little does Iris know that her past parallels this infant's past, and learning the secrets will unearth the secrets in her own life.

This novel provides the reader with a great story, but also looks at love, relationships, loss, social status, and racial tension, while seamlessly weaving between two worlds. I've always wanted to find a secret in an attic or a diary tucked away in the walls of a home, though I never considered finding a body!

Lorraine's book is well-written, heartwarming, and funny, with many laugh-out-loud moments mixed in with heart-wrenching ones. Definitely add this to your TBR.

Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1

Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290

You can follow Author Rachel Callaghan

Website: www.rachelsfiction.com

FB: @Rachel Callaghan Author

Purchase Under Water on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3ZjHlVf

Ebook: https://amzn.to/3XiHZja

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

#rachelcallaghan #underwater #historicalfiction #literaryfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.