Your Write Path Podcast: An Interview with David Bushman, MWA-NY Board Member and True Crime Specialist
This interview can also be found at the Mystery Writers of America-New York website.
Fasten your headphones for an audio interview with David Bushman, MWA-NY Board Member and true crime specialist. David is the author of five books, including, Murder at Teal’s Pond: Hazel Drew and the Mystery That Inspired Twin Peaks (2022), Conversations with Mark Frost (2020), Forget It, Jake, It’s Schenectady, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About Sunnydale’s Slayer of Vampires Demons and Other Forces of Darkness. David is also the the editor of a series of Doctor Who essay books: The Companions of and Villains of Doctor Who (2022, 2024).
David is a former television curator at The Paley Center for Media and TV editor at Variety. He’s a cofounder and copresident of Fayetteville Mafia Press and Tucker DS Press. He lives in NYC with his wife, two daughters, and strangely recalcitrant dog, who is named after Agent Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks.
Triple Header: 3 Workshops in March – Fiction Writing Essentials, Character Creation, and Self-Publishing with Kindle Direct Publishing
Three workshop intensives in one package: Fiction Writing Essentials, followed by Character Creation, and concluding with Self-Publishing with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing. Each of these is a separate workshop, being offered together for three Mondays in March – and at a savings! Join Mark and the other participants to learn the essentials of writing fiction, how to create characters who will step off your mind onto the page, and how to publish your work yourself as an independent author.
You can see workshop descriptions at YourWritePath.com, address any questions to YourWritePath AT Outlook. com.
WHEN: 3 Mondays in March (3, 10, 17)
TIME: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm eastern
VIA ZOOM
REGISTER HERE ($100)Another Happy Book Client: A Normal American Life, by Robert Montagnese
Did I mention I love my job? Another client satisfied!
A Normal American Life, by Robert Montagnese
If the currency of life is time, then the currency of truly living is making decisions.
Meet Katie and Claire, two young girls living in the Midwest who are about to graduate high school. On that one warm Spring Day, they decide to skip classes to go to the lake; a rumor spreads not based on any facts but rather a perception. It is the end of innocence as previously embraced and the start of truly living, and the clock ticks. There is an enormous world to discover beyond small-town people and their gossip.
A Normal American Life is a bar set high by how deeply you can go within to define yourself and live by those standards. It is a story about people using words to demonize and promote their own skewed beliefs. It’s also a tale about small-town traditions and beliefs, both good and bad. The characters are universal, and they all come from Elkhart, Indiana. Welcome to this America, the land of the free, if you look, talk, and live your life like a “normal” American.
The author, Robert Montagnese, brings a unique perspective to this narrative. Growing up in a small town in Connecticut, he remembers the turbulent late 1960s and the rapid changes of the 1970s. A bell-bottom boy in platform shoes, he ventured out to explore the world, learning quickly that what sometimes feels normal may not be normal to others.
This is Robert’s 4th novel. His career in beauty marketing provided a deeper insight into women and their worth, which is the heart of this new novel. Robert moved to NYC to start his career as an OR Nurse at New York Hospital and completed it as the Global Brand Director for L’Oréal years later. Along the way, his interest in writing became a reality with his first collection of short stories about influential women in his life, Lucky 7. Praise for Lucky 7 encouraged him to continue with a new-found passion for storytelling, leading to his latest, A Normal American Life. Robert happily resides in NYC with his partner John, of 30-plus years, and a new puppy, Patrick II.
Workshops Coming at Soupcon in Lambertville!
Really excited to schedule my first workshop with Soupcon, a local artists’ collective in Lambertville, NJ, for February. And it’s at my favorite venue, Bucks on Bridge, where Soupcon has sublet the art space. I’ve done book readings and workshops there prior to this, and it’s so nice to have a space and community to pursue in-person workshops with.
Fatal Mistake: A Harry Hell Novella (Audio Edition)
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
THERE WILL BE ONE CHAPTER ADDED EACH WEEK! FIND THEM ALL AT THE HARRY HELL PAGE.
Narration provided by Wondervox.
I am so excited to bring one of my favorite stories to life for your listening pleasure… a novella, actually, that had an incredibly long gestation in the recesses of my imagination. I’d put it off as an audio option because the voice technology I use wasn’t quite good enough. Now I think it sounds terrific. Yes, it’s AI/synthetic voice. I would never pretend otherwise. So fasten your headphones, and let’s get this dark, dark party started.
About Fatal Mistake: A Harry Hell Novella
Buy the eBook Direct and Save!The year is closer than you think. The world has collapsed under the weight of its own insatiable needs, leaving shattered cities where those who still have anything fight to keep it that way, and those who don’t are a constant threat. It’s a danger that must be contained through a tightly controlled society where everyone is observed and everything is kept in its place. Harry Hellerman and his twin brother, Elliot, enter this world three minutes apart. By the time they’re teenagers, they’ve been surrendered to Control to be molded into the perfect assassins. A boy named Harry Hellerman enters, and a man named Harry Hell emerges: a killing machine of the highest order.
Harry’s life takes a drastic turn when he finds himself teamed with a man named Raul, who becomes his partner in every way. Enter the lethal, dreaded Nectar, queen of the Ruins and slayer of hopes and dreams. Even Harry had them once, but no more. His life soon revolves around one mission only: to take his revenge against Nectar, and die someday with Raul’s name still on his lips. It was all he had left to live for.
Enter Eastward, and the Ruins, and the Slopes beyond them. Make your way to the river’s edge, misted in darkness, where many have tried to escape but none have ever returned. ‘Fatal Mistake’ begins the journey of a man whose heart had not always been stone. Will it beat again, or will he use it to sink his enemy down, down, down, straight to hell?
Your Write Path Podcast: A Conversation with Lenny Gallo, Author of ‘Unstill: The Ordeal of Anxiety, Pills, and an Undiagnosed Disorder. A Memoir.
I had the pleasure of talking with Lenny Gallo about his life, his experiences, and his new book. This is a powerhouse memoir that grabs you from the first page and never lets go. It’s harrowing, in a very positive way, and I recommend it to anyone interested in surviving medical crises. From his difficult childhood to his horrendous experiences with medication-induced movement disorder, Lenny tells it exactly like it is. I think this will be a must-read resource for people who have had these experiences, and many who struggle with them. It also serves as a call to survival and perseverance in the face of enormous challenges.
About Unstill: The Ordeal of Anxiety, Pills, and an Undiagnosed Disorder. A Memoir
by Lenny Gallo (Author), Sondra Beaulieu (Editor), Don Weise (Editor), Louise D. Stahl (Editor)
Lenny Gallo
Special Color Edition Paperback
Treatment for anxiety all too often includes medication—but at what cost to the patient? After struggling with a lifetime of clinical anxiety, author and artist Lenny Gallo was confronted with the decision to try medication to help manage his symptoms. The medication did not work as expected and caused a misunderstood and often misdiagnosed movement disorder. This book reflects his journey to find the answers that redirected the course of his life.Your Write Path Podcast: A Conversation with Author Bruce W. Bishop
Enjoy a conversation with author Bruce W. Bishop. I’ve long admired his historical fiction, with meticulously research details interwoven with can’t-put-down stories. It’s been an added delight to get to know him as a friend, despite the distance between Halifax and New Jersey! Today we talk about his trilogy, his new book, his writing, and his plans. Fasten your headphones!
I discovered author Bruce W. Bishop’s engrossing historical fiction a few years ago, including Unconventional Daughters, Uncommon Sons, and Undeniable Relations: A Novel, all books in his Families Storytelling series. His research is as impeccable as his writing, and he has the gift of bringing readers into a book’s world so completely you may find yourself startled to be back in your own when you turn the final page. I also had the great pleasure of meeting Bruce when I was on a cruise that stopped in Halifax. He’s as delightful in person as he is talented with a keyboard.
His new book, ‘Grow Up, Rory Rafferty‘ is both a coming-of-age story and a coming out story, told from the perspective of young Rory Rafferty. It takes place in 1979 in Toronto, a city and time the author knows well. It shows in his vivid details and his in-the-moment narrative. As with his other books, I feel as if I’m on those Toronto streets and in those restaurants, eavesdropping on a cast of characters I won’t soon forget – if I ever do. This is a heartwarming and poignant journey to youth on the cusp of adulthood, in what may seem like a simpler time but is as complicated as growing up can be.
The Guided Autobiography Online Summit December 11 – 13, Registration Now Open
From the Guided Autobiography Summit Page.
I will be presenting on December 13 on Professional Growth.
Transformative Storytelling: How GAB Empowers Personal & Professional Growth
From Wednesday, December 11th, at 11.00 AM to Friday, December 13th, at 6.00 PMEastern Time (US and Canada)Whether you’re eager to begin writing your life story or a Guided Autobiography (GAB) instructor seeking fresh insights and professional growth, the GAB Summit 2024 offers something for everyone. This three-day event brings together life writers and GAB instructors from around the world to explore, share, and celebrate the transformative power of storytelling.
For Life Writers: Uncover the Power of Your Story
If you’ve ever wanted to write about your life but didn’t know where to start, GAB is a proven method that will guide you through the process. At the summit, you’ll hear from experienced GAB instructors as they share their unique approaches to helping students like you discover the meaning and lessons within your personal history.
WHAT IS GAB?
Guided Autobiography (GAB) is a unique method for writing about your life, two-pages at a time, created by gerontologist Dr. Birren and now carried on by Dr. Cheryl Svensson at the Birren Center. There are now over 600 instructors worldwide and when you take a class with any one of them, you’ll:
- Explore Your Life Journey: Guided Autobiography helps you dive deep into your personal story, acknowledging not only the challenges you’ve faced but also the strength, resilience, and positive experiences that have shaped you. Through thoughtful prompts and structured writing, GAB empowers you to find clarity, meaning, and even healing as you reflect on your past.
- Thrive in a Supportive Community: The GAB Summit offers a safe, non-judgmental space where your story is valued and celebrated. There’s no critiquing—just the joy of sharing, being seen, and connecting with others who are also reflecting on their lives. Whether you’ve been writing for years or are just beginning, you’ll leave feeling more confident and inspired.
- Connect with a Like-Minded Community:
One of the most powerful aspects of GAB is the sense of connection it fosters. At the summit, you’ll join a community of fellow life writers who share your passion for storytelling and personal reflection. As you listen to others’ stories and share your own, you’ll forge meaningful connections with individuals who understand the value of reflecting on life’s journey. These connections can lead to lasting friendships, support, and inspiration long after the summit ends