Joseph Falank combines personal drama with a spooky atmosphere in his newest book

Three couples. A weekend at a secluded lake house. What could go wrong?

Quite a lot, as it turns out. Joseph Falank’s new book, “The Vanishing at Echo Lake” (Oct. 22), combines the each couple’s relationships issues with a mysterious cabin where the living have a tendency to go missing without a trace.

Joseph talks about what inspired the book, not his first in the horror genre, and how he created both the world of the cabin and the people, in a way that makes them matter to the reader. He goes into the force surrounding the cabin and how we learn of its effect on the people there. The book’s set amidst the COVID pandemic and we look at why this was done and how it impacts the story.

Joseph even gives us a sneak peek at his next project, a fantasy story that his daughter helped inspire.

 

Boston Asian American Film Festival celebrates 15 years

The Boston Asian American Film Festival (BAAFF) is an event that will always have a special place in my heart. It was among the first events that we covered on this show, and I loved the diverse assortment of films that were shown.

From its early days hauling the films in a box from venue to venue, BAAFF has grown a lot over the years, showcasing films from around the globe by some of the best in the business. Now, in 2023, it’s entering the 15-year mark, and doing so with works in every genre, from Oct. 12-22. Festival Director Susan Chinsen joins me for a rundown of the event, which will include both in-person and virtual screenings.

Susan and I talk about some of the names you’ll see at the festival, as well as its growth over the last decade and a half. She shares some of the early memories as well as what she sees as BAAFF’s impact on the film world after all this time.

 

Meredith Berlin explores a trio of personal struggles and the growth found therein

To look at the lives of Brooke, Elizabeth, and Susan, one may think they have it all. They’ve made their mark in the city of Manhattan and are living the good life. But a closer look uncovers a variety of challenges—Brooke questions her marriage as she embarks on a new venture; Elizabeth receives a shattering diagnosis and remakes herself to recover some semblance of identity; Susan admits that her sexual and romantic preferences do not lie exclusively with men. Each of these characters has their own journey, and it’s in confronting it that we get “Friends with Issues,” written by Meredith Berlin and available as of Jan. 24.

I’m a little ways into the book and I found myself drawn in by the realistic cast and intertwining plots. Meredith and I talk about the creation process for each character and how it was fueled by her own experiences. We look at her many years as the editor-in-chief of Seventeen Magazine and Soap Opera Digest and how it helped prepare her for the role of novelist, as well as the lessons to be learned.

Dog-lovers unite! Victoria Schade provides a powerful story with “Dog Friendly”

Fans of our four-legged friends won't want to miss this one! Author and dog trainer Victoria Schade recently released her sixth book, “Dog Friendly” a story with amazing depth and thoughtful characters. Here's a look at the summary:

Exhausted veterinarian Morgan Pearce is feeling overworked and under-thanked, so when two favorite clients ask her to watch their special needs senior dog in their Nantucket home, she jumps at the chance for a summer break. She hopes her time on the island will be a reset from the stress of her everyday life, but her chill vacation vibe takes a hit when she gets roped into fostering a challenging, anxious dog and helping plan the local rescue group’s glittery annual fundraiser.

Her trip starts to feel more like a vacation when Morgan begins falling for Nathan Keating, an irresistible entrepreneur who thinks every problem can be solved on a surfboard. Just as the summer is shaping up to be the magical refresh she needs, thanks to a fling that feels like the beginning of something real and Hudson, the foster dog who reminds her how much she loves her job, a visit from her estranged brother and the discovery of who Nathan really is changes everything. Morgan finds herself at a crossroads, trying to determine if mistakes from the past must define the future, or if she should forgive, forget, and grab hold of a chance to finally rescue herself.

This book required a lot of research into the lives of veterinarians, and Victoria shares what she learned, including a condition related to those who get burned out over the years. She's even heard from the experts and talks about that feedback.

Victoria's books have run the gamut from animal care to fiction, and we talk about that transition and what it was like. We look at the sources of the ideas for her various fiction stories and how they're developed from concept to finished work.

Robert Steven Goldstein takes on a new perspective with “Will’s Surreal Period”

After reading just a couple chapters of Robert Goldstein's fourth novel, “Will's Surreal Period,” I have to say I was completely hooked, so it was a blast to speak with the writer on the various ins and outs of the characters, theme, and setting. Here's a quick look at the synopsis:

When William Wozniak, a San Francisco artist who has struggled for years in obscurity, suddenly and inexplicably finds himself painting in a startlingly new surreal style, he is embraced by the art world.

But health issues lead him to a neurologist, where Will discovers that his new artistic style is the result of a life-threatening brain tumor. He must decide whether to have surgery to remove it—relegating him to painting once again in the drab style that defined his years of anonymity—or allow the tumor to grow and most likely kill him.

To make matters worse, William and his wife Rosemary are struggling financially, having been disowned by William’s father Arthur, a cantankerous and homophobic old widower. Arthur is cared for by his younger son, Bertram, in a big house in Scarsdale, New York. But when Bertram, a gay man in the closet due to his fear of being disinherited, finally comes out, Arthur decides to switch allegiance to Will and move to California.

A mess ensues.

And it remains to be seen whether Laurel, a portly, progressively minded California real estate agent who’s taken an improbable liking to Arthur, will make the situation better—or worse.

Robert and I look into the choice that his main character has to make and how this blends with the other storyline of the dysfunctional family. We talk about his choice to retire in his 50s and pursue writing and how it's defined him as a person. Robert shares the stories of his first three novels, how they're all tied together and at the same time, stand alone.

Anne Whitney Pierce takes us to Cambridge in the 1960s in new book

Author Anne Whitney Pierce has called Cambridge home for her entire life, and over the years has seen a lot happen in the 02138 zip code. In her new book, “Down To The River,” we see the lives of Boston elite as they begin to fade into obscurity. Stuck in a powerfully dysfunctional family, their children enter the world of Harvard Square at the height of the Vietnam era. As they cling together for comfort and support, they are pulled by the Cambridge undertow as politics, sex, drugs and rock and roll sound their siren call.

Anne has so many stories of Cambridge to share and in this episode, we see what the area was like—both through the eyes of the teenager she was then and the person she is now. Anne takes us through the character creation and how the environment of one of Boston's most notable neighborhoods shaped them. We look at what it's like to write for the market and how that can pose a challenge when it comes time to decide what the story will be. 

A long-held secret drives Kristine Ochu's “Campfire Confessions”

Annie’s devoted her life to raising four sons and volunteering wherever she’s needed. Most people consider her a saint—but they don’t know she’s hiding a big secret. When this secret finally catches up with Annie, best friends Jo and Sondra rush to her side. An adventure in the great outdoors leads to a sharing of pasts among the three friends in Kristine Ochu's debut novel, “Campfire Confessions,” now available through BooksFluent.

In this episode, Kristine and I talk about Annie, Jo, and Sandra and what each brings to the story and how they drive the plot. Kristine goes into the creation process and how she crafted this cast.

Kristine has a pretty diverse background as a log-rolling champion, international human resource executive, motivational speaker, and longtime screenwriter and we look at how all these experiences factored into the story.

Ariane Torres blends feminism, domestic space, and women’s invisibility in debut novel

Mark those calendars for March 1st, because Somerville-based author Ariane Torres has some big news to share! Her debut book, “We Are The Kings,” is set to release through Bold Story Press.

The story centers around Marcella as she grieves the death of her grandmother, unearths family secrets, and refuses to settle for a predictable life or a boring man. While Marcella is sifting through her family’s conflicting and fading memories, she puts into words what no one else will say out loud, revealing not only what may or may not have happened, but what is truly at stake when a woman tells her story.

In this interview Ariane and I talk about Marcella, her role in the story and the personal traits that she shares with people in the author's life. We look at the different themes and how they're explored in the book as well as why Ariane wanted to include them.

Ariane's background includes majoring in Russian Studies and English Literature and graduate work in prison architecture and aging in prison. These played a role in the book and its writing and we talk about how it happened.

Rhode Island Author Expo, Part 2

In the second episode of my interviews with some of the many authors who attended the ninth annual Rhode Island Author Expo, I'm talking with Michelle Fishpaw for her debut novel, “Claire's Voice,” which chronicles her family's quest after their daughter is shaken by a babysitter. We talk about how she shared such a personal story and the process of writing her first book.

Next up, I welcome back Keith Carreiro for his nine-part fantasy series, divided into three three-part sections. He's currently in the process of writing the second part and walks us through the story so far and what people can expect.

Herb Weiss was on the show a few years ago for his book, “Taking Charge,” a collection of columns he's written on issues facing senior citizens. For this interview, he's back with a second collection, and we talk about the issues facing seniors today.

J.J. Partridge is a new face for the show, and he's got a lengthy series of mystery books featuring his character Algy Temple. J.J. and I talk about Algy and how they came to be, as well as the different stories he's written.

Rhode Island Author Expo returns!

Me with Angelina Singer

A couple weeks ago, one of my favorite events, the Rhode Island Author Expo, saw its big return to an in-person format. Over 100 authors attended, and there were panels for book marketing, hybrid publishing, world-building and much more. I was there to emcee the show, as well as interview some of the great writers.

Opening this episode is Tim Jones, creator of the Sour Grapes comic. We go into the origins of the comic, its many characters, and how Tim's gotten it into so many newspapers over the years.

After that, Angelina Singer and I catch up after two years, and she has quite a bit to share. She's released her Rewind Duology and worked with Chelsea Kwoka to create the audiobook version.

To close out this episode, MC Madjoucoff and I talk about her book, “Fried Catfish,” a comedy/drama all about the world of catfishing.

Rhode Island Author Expo, Episode 2: Elizabeth Devlin and Apryl Scott

In this second collection of interviews previewing the annual Rhode Author Island Expo, I'm talking with Apryl Scott about here recently-released book of poetry, “The Book of Jade.” The book was written following a powerful spiritual moment in the author's life and we talk about what that was and the change it led to. We also get a few readings from the book, and also talk about Wrestless Communications, which she founded.

Following that, it's writer Elizabeth Devlin for her book, “Home Waters.” It's a blend of drama and science thriller when Becket Fallon learns of a toxic algae that could threaten the entire East Coast. Elizabeth talks all about the research she did for this novel and the amazing folks she worked with to develop the very realistic scientific threat.

Patry Francis' newest book follows the lives of a diverse foster family

 

Author Patry Francis' third book, “All The Children Are Home,” follows a foster family through 12 years of dazzling triumph and wrenching heartbreak. The book is full of wonderfully diverse characters, and we talk about the creation of each and what they bring to the table. Patry also looks at the real-life story that influenced the book.

This book is very different from her first two, and Patry talks about what brought about this change, as well as the new experiences that came with it.

Rhode Island Author Expo, Part 3

Well, here we are, the final round of interviews from the Rhode Island Author Expo. Up first, Angelina Singer talks all about her soon-to-be-released book, “Forgetting What I Couldn't Remember.” Like much of her previous work, it touches on a personal part of her life.

Up next, The Pie Sisters make their big return! Leigh Brown and Victoria Corliss talk about their fourth book and how they co-write effectively.

Mary Catherine Volk believes that loved ones that have passed still have things to tell us and do so through signs, as she explains in her book, “Believe in Forever.”

Wrapping things up, Sam Kafrissen has a new book out in his Doherty Mystery series, and shows us how the character has evolved over the many titles.

Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival Podcast

One of the many post-film Q&A sessions of PAAFF

Here is the Citywide Blackout podcast from the annual Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. I had the chance to attend the festival and speak to some of the amazing creatives who brought there drama, horror, documentary, comedy, and much more to the big screen. For this podcast, I spoke to:

-Alex Chu, writer and director of “For Izzy”

-Brett Kodama, writer and director of “Heartseeker” 

-Isaac Ho'op'i, subject of the documentary “Corridor Four”

-Pratima Agrawal, a Philadelphia-based performing artist who wrote, directed, and performed “Voided”

-Jun Stinson, writer and director of the documentary “Futbolistas 4 Life”

I want to offer my thanks to Rob Buscher, the festival director, for allowing me to cover the event and for his help with the interviews.