16-year-old pop artist Sydney <3 joins the newest Citywide Bytes episode to share the backstory for her two singles, “Picture Perfect” and “Anywhere But Here.” Both songs were recently released, marking her debut as an artist.

Sydney <3 talks about what inspired her to go into music, including working with industry greats like Adam Hurstfield and Orlando Calzada. She also shares her memories of being in the recording studio for the first time. 

Her music includes both English and Korean lyrics and she shares about why this was done and what it adds to the music. And of course, I ask about the symbol after her name.

Opening the song is an excerpt from “Picture Perfect,” and “Anywhere But Here” closes out the episode.

Sister Shalom’s journey through faith and music

For Dallas-based artist Sister Shalom, music began at a young age and has taken many turns along the way. Likewise, her life as a person of faith has seen some changes and in this interview, she shares both aspects of her life.

Sister Shalom began her ministry as an independent artist in 2020 and since then has releases some singles and the EP “Genesis” earlier this year. She talks about her style and the other types of music she explore growing up. We go into her time away from the Word of God and what brought her back, as well as sharing her faith through her music.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Sister Shalom has called Dallas, Texas, home since 2018. She talks about some of the venues she’s been to and tackles the question: Is this her home now?

Opening this show is an excerpt from her song, “Clean Heart,” and closing the episode is the complete “Don’t Let the Devil Ride.”

Five By Five—“God Bless the Child” spans multiple lives

By Max Bowen 

“Five By Five” is the name for our series of written Q&A interviews with writers and musicians. The name actually refers to audio signals, which ties in with our regular podcast. Five By Five is another way to say “good signal strength” or “loud and clear,” but can also mean “exceptional quality,” which certainly lines up with the artists we speak with. Now with that out of the way, on to the book!

Anne Heinrich’s debut novel “God Bless the Child,” (June 7, 2024, Speaking Volumes) grew from a single story into a three-book series, and in this interview, she speaks

on how it started and diving back into the story years later. She also talks about the alternating viewpoints the story takes as it spans across two women’s lives. We also go into the different topics she goes into that surround motherhood and what we can expect next. 

Here’s a look at the story synopsis:

Mary Kline has always confronted the challenges of her obesity and infertility with unyielding determination, refusing to succumb to societal expectations. But she desires one thing above all; a child of her own. When her vulnerable friend Pearl unexpectedly finds herself pregnant, Mary steps forward as both caregiver to Pearl and guardian to her child, Elizabeth. Mary sees an opportunity in motherhood to heal the wounds of her own loveless past, but Elizabeth resents Mary, finding her repulsive and stifling her upbringing. As the years pass, Elizabeth grapples with unresolved anger and struggles with her mental health, seemingly destined to repeat the same mistakes with the family she makes for herself. Can Elizabeth break free from the pains of her adolescence finding forgiveness for her mothers' shortcomings, in order to become the mother she’s always wanted?

I read that this book was 18 years in the making. How did you develop it over that time?

When I started writing this and collaborating with an editor, our youngest daughter was only 3 years old and too little to get on the school bus for preschool in the next town. I scratched the first draft of “God Bless the Child” on a stack of yellow legal pads three afternoons a week in a little café while she went to her school. I finished the draft and even started pitching to agents, but life as a working mother to three children kept getting in the way. I let the manuscript sit in a drawer for quite a while but did find myself sneaking away when I could to write new stories. It always felt self-indulgent.

My children are grown, and I decided to reach out to my editor to see if he would give my new stuff a read. He agreed and encouraged me to pull the finished novel out of the vault. I did. It needed a little more work, but still had legs. He thought it could be pitched, along with some of the new pieces I’d written, as a three-book series. Things happened quickly after that. We found an agent, and just months later, I had a contract with a traditional publisher. I like to think that the timing was just better this time around. The universe said yes!

Who are the alternating viewpoints?
The story unfolds over three generations, with staggered viewpoints of the primary characters throughout. The plot is not presented in a linear fashion, so the reader must pay attention to who’s doing the talking and what they are revealing. The chapters are shared by the book’s two primary characters, Mary Kline and her surrogate daughter Elizabeth, along with a host of other characters who drive the story forward and backward in their own distinctive voices. Some of the chapters are long, and others quite short.

Other characters who get a fair amount of real estate, or voice, in the book are David, Elizabeth’s husband; Little Mary, Elizabeth’s and David’s young daughter; Johnson Kuhlman, a quirky bystander who become essential to the plot and provides equal shares of solid observation and comic relief; and James Pullman, the pastor’s son, whose unwise dalliances with a vulnerable young Pearl Davis, Mary Kline’s only friend, lead to the a central plot line.

How did you combine them and how does this drive the story?
When I started the manuscript, I just let things spill out onto the page, and put shape to it over time. This is a character-driven story, and the way the narrative builds demonstrates just how deep and wide the shelf life of trauma can be for families. Some of the minor characters were created expressly to answer questions, provide a back story, or just move characters across town. I’ve been able to do a fair amount of what I would call “taking care of business” that a book just must have with dialogue and memory sequences, too. It is just as interesting to consider the characters who are essential to the plot but have no voice at all.

What are some of the topics you take on in this book and how are they presented?
A theme throughout the book is a complicated set of questions around the definition, nature and nuances that define motherhood. None of the characters in God Bless the Child have particularly good mothers and they are flawed as mothers themselves. There is an abortion and some intimate scenes that are visceral, but not gratuitous or loaded with judgement. In fact, these pivotal moments in the story are tucked in tight right next to other harsh, sad realities that exist when children are placed in the care of adults who are ill-equipped to nurture and love in ways that are natural or socially acceptable.

There is a fair amount of emphasis on parents (both biological and adoptive) who are driven by their own needs and desires rather than what is best for the children in their care. The book delves into mental health issues, abuse and even challenges the sanctity of places and people who should be safe harbors for the vulnerable — but often are not. All the characters grapple with the choices they have made, as well as those that have been thrust upon them by others. I think the story has the potential to lead to rich and necessary conversations about love, loss and forgiveness at a time when we’re craving connection more than ever.

This is your debut book. Are others planned?
Yes. “God Bless the Child” is the first in a three-book series to be published by Speaking Volumes. The series is called “The Women of Paradise County.” Book Two, “Violet Is Blue,” will release in June 2025, to be followed by Book Three, “House of Teeth.” I have a healthy start on another stand-alone novel, “A Room for Candace,” but will not be diving back into that one for a while.

It’s a musical journey with Jennifer Tefft & The Strange

Following her appearance last August, Boston-based musician Jennifer Tefft is back, this time to talk about her new band, Jennifer Tefft & The Strange. Joined by her bandmate “Sharky” we talk about their new album, “Strange Beginnings,” which dropped on May 17.

Jennifer and Sharky share the musical journey that the album takes us on, starting with the recent single releases “Caffeine” and “Going Out.” We go into their upcoming shows, including a performance on WMFO for Live Music Day.

Along with his music, Sharky is also a visual artist, and designed the band’s merch along with working on the cover art for the recent releases. We also get some hints as to what the future has for Jennifer Tefft & The Strange.

Opening this episode is an excerpt from “Caffeine” and closing the show is “Going Out” in its entirety.

Five By Five—Brian Morra’s second book inspired by 1980s history

By Max Bowen

“Five By Five” is the name for our series of written Q&A interviews with writers and musicians. The name actually refers to audio signals, which ties in with our regular podcast. Five By Five is another way to say “good signal strength” or “loud and clear,” but can also mean “exceptional quality,” which certainly lines up with the artists we speak with. Now with that out of the way, on to the book!

Following the success of his debut novel, “The Able Archers,” author Brian J. Morra returns with a sequel, “The Righteous Arrows” (Koehler Books, April 16).

In the sequel, readers reconnect with American Kevin Cattani and his older Soviet counterpart, Ivan Levchenko in the mid-1980s for a chilling Cold War saga of superpower confrontation. After Cattani barely escapes with his life from an East German bunker, he and Levchenko find themselves on opposite sides of the Soviet Union’s brutal war in Afghanistan, where Cattani supplies the Islamic resistance with advanced weapons to kill Russian troops. In facing new homegrown adversaries, both men question the roles they play in the deadly superpower duel.

In this interview, Brian goes into the history behind this story and how real-life events played a role. He talks about the lessons learned from “The Able Archers” and how his work as an intelligence officer came into play.

"The Able Archers" was your debut novel. What were some of the lessons you learned that you applied to "The Righteous Arrows"?
I learned a great deal about the writing process from my experience with “The Able Archers,” but I think I learned even more from writing the television treatment for that book. Writing for TV taught me a lot about brevity and story arcs and that influenced the final manuscript of “The Righteous Arrows.” I also applied lessons about dealing with conflict and character development–at least I hope I applied them! I think one becomes a better writer by composing in different forms.

What about this time period–the 1980s–inspired you?
Ah, the 1980s. I was an intelligence officer during the 80s and it was a formative time in my life. Also, I find that there is an interesting paradox in America’s collective memory of Cold War history. Despite the fact that the Cold War reached its second climax during the 1980s, most people in the US think of the 1960s and the Cuban Missile Crisis when they recall the Cold War. I find it ironic, because during the 1980s there was great consternation in the media and in academia about Ronald Reagan’s policies toward the Soviet Union as causing a new Cold War, which seems to be forgotten in large part.

I believe that the 1980s are better understood in Europe where the deployment of new NATO nuclear missile systems and fears of provoking the USSR reached a fever pitch in 1983 and 1984. To answer your question about “inspiration,” I think I am inspired to educate readers about the critical events of the 1980s Cold War and how those events reverberate in today’s geopolitics. These events ought to be as well known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.

What kind of research was needed?
My research differed for “The Able Archers” and “The Righteous Arrows” in the following way. In regard to “The Able Archers,” I relied a great deal on my own memory of events and I conducted research with aim toward validating those memories. For events I had no personal connection with, I had to conduct research. One example from “The Able Archers” would be the “Petrov ICBM incident.” I had less personal involvement in many of the events in “The Righteous Arrows,” although I had some. For example, I did a great deal of research about how the Soviet military conducted operations in Afghanistan during the war in the 1980s. I wanted my depiction of the climactic Soviet raid into Pakistan to be based on the way that Soviet Spetsnaz forces really fought.

I read that you’ve worked as an intelligence officer. How did this inform your books?
As I have mentioned, my experience as an intelligence officer is central to my writing. It would never have occurred to me to write these historical novels had I not had that experience. I think my experience allows me to write realistically about how intelligence works and the challenges that one confronts as an intelligence officer. The feedback I have gotten from people in the intelligence field and from special operators has been very positive.

Any real-world stories that found their way into these books?
Oh my. My books are historical fiction, so they are based on real events. I also tap into my personal memory and write from that perspective. At times, I get a sensation of time travel. When composing a scene that is based on personal memory, I get into a zone where I travel back to the event. Sometimes I can hear the dialogue and see faces from those long ago times. At times like those, I feel I am transcribing rather than composing.

Doug Knight returns to talk about a series dedicated to the doctors

Douglas Knight of Crosseye Comics is back to talk about the newest issue of “Super Wicked White Cell Squadron,” a series launched last year and based on his time in the hospital as a kid undergoing cancer treatment. 

The comic is dedicated to the doctors that took care of him and which Knight wrote, drew and colored.

This series features a team of heroes inspired in part by the doctors Doug knew as a child and we talk about these real-life heroes. The 70-page first issue was released in 2023 and we look at how the story of SWWCS continues with the second issue. 

Unlike others in the creative fields, Doug chose not to back this through sites like Kickstarter and goes into what led to this decision.

The series gives a nod to shows like “Power Rangers,” and Doug shares how the costumes, mech designs, and villains all came to be. We also get a look at what he plans next in this series, and the many other projects he has in the works.

Citywide Bytes-Ryan Estrada shares some heartfelt stories in his new comics

The newest guest on the Citywide Bytes live show has worked on award-winning titles such as “Banned Book Club,” “Occulted,” and is here to talk about two great new titles.

Ryan Estrada joins me to dive into “The Silver City,” the second part in the “Student Ambassador” series, which features a new adventure with main character Joseph Bazan. We talk about Joseph and how he came to be as well as how he fares in the newest mystery. This comic is based on a very real place and Ryan goes into how he world-built the newest comic.

For “No Rules Tonight,” Ryan worked once again with his wife Kim Hyun Sook on this very real look at South Korea in the 1980s. We talk about what the country was like in this time period and how this influenced the story. Ryan shares the collaboration process with his wife and how this continues the story found in “Banned Book Club.”

Don Silver’s new book takes on a powerful coming-of-age story

Many know Don Silver for years in the music industry as a producer, talent scout and much more. But Silver’s also an accomplished author, as we see in his soon-to-be-released book, Scorched (May 7, Holloway Press). Here’s a look at what’s in store:

After his father's sudden death, 14-year-old Jonas tries to support himself and his mother by selling weed and tranquilizers at parties–until he gets busted and sent to a boarding school for fatherless boys. To survive Lafayette Academy, Jonas and his four roommates form a tight bond. The boys vow to have each others’ backs for life--but that promise is broken the weekend before graduation when they’re drawn into a violent encounter that results in a man’s death. Twenty years later, when one of his old roommates shows up unannounced, Jonas is forced to confront his complicated past once and for all.

Max and Don talk about the origins of the book, how he got into the head of Jonas, and how the main character changed over the course of the writing process. Don talks about how he got into writing in the first place and three books later, if he feel he has “arrived.”

This is Don’s second book in the “coming-of-age” genre and we go into what about this type of story appeals to him. We also shed light on the rest of the cast, and how they grow the story in different ways.

Citywide Bytes-Mark Femino talks 30 years of music

In our most recent episode of the live show Citywide Bytes, I’m joined by Mark Femino, and if you’re in the Boston music scene, that’s a name you likely know. 

Mark’s been a professional musician, performer, and teacher for nearly 30 years and actively toured in the mid-90s with the jam band, Blind Man’s Sun.

Today, Mark is a seasoned musician and, in this interview, we talk all about the path he took to get here, including the recent release of his single, “Damn Girl,” a really interesting take on a breakup song. 

Mark also has a new acoustic album called “These Are The Moments,” and he shares some of the stories he’s captured in these eight songs. We also get a couple live songs!

Following this interview is the new single, “Damn Girl,” in its entirety.