November 30, 2007 by Victor Volkman.

On Thurdsday, November 29th, Victor R. Volkman and Tyler Tichelaar spoke with author, poet, and educator  Beverly Matherne. She is a professor in the Department of English at Northern Michigan University and a former director of its Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing. Beverly has published two chapbooks and two full-length books of poetry in facing pages of French and English, including The Blues Crying, a collection of blues poetry. The work is available in both book and CD format, the latter featuring Beverly’s performance of the poems to slide guitar and fiddle. Beverly addressed key questions in learning to write poetry and the process of getting published including: what is poetry, where does poetry come from, how do you become a poet, and how to approach publishers about getting in print.

Beverly’s poetry is also the subject of a dissertation on bilingual writers, also including Samual Beckett, by a student at the Sorbonne in Paris.  While on sabbatical last year, she completed a third full-length book, a bilingual collection of linked prose poetry about the founder of Detriot, titled Lamonthe-Cadillac: His Early Days in France.  This book, which required a residency and field research in southern France, as well as Blind River, another collection of prose poetry, are forthcoming in 2008. Beverly’s work is widely received. She has published in many English-language publications, including Great River Review, Runes, and Verse.  French publications include Eloizes, Feux chalins, and Langage et Créativité.  Her poetry appears in many anthologies including, most recently, French Connections: A Gathering of Franco-American Poets, published by Louisiana Literature Press, in 2007.  She also has a short, short story in Resurrecting Grace:  Remembering Catholic Childhoods, from Beacon Press in Boston.Also a poet translator, Beverly did the French translations of a bilingual portfolio of poetry by former U.S. Poet Laureate Stanley Kunitz.  The portfolio, featuring original lithographs by Bulgarian artist Stoyan Tchoukanov, is now on exhibit in the Huron Mountain Club Art Gallery in Peter White Library.  In addition, Beverly won the “Best of Submission” award for her translation of a long prose poem by Charles Baudelaire, in Sojourn, a journal published at the University of North Texas.Beverly did an hour-long interview on National Public Radio with Grace Cavalieri on her show “The Poet and the Poem” and has performed three times in French on CBC Radio Canada Internationale.  From Tulane University in New Orleans to the United Nations in New York to venues in Canada, France, Belgium, and Germany, she has done over 145 poetry readings in English and/or French. Most recently, in May of 2007, she read and performed at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea, Wales.

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November 17, 2007 by Victor Volkman.

On November 15th, 2007 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with award-winning author Carolyn Howard-Johnson, creative force behind the HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for writers. She has just released  second book in the series, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Carolyn shared her best tips and strategies for low-cost/zero-cost marketing campaigns and also talked about what NOT to do to market your books.  She also talks about the value of editing and how it directly controls how your proposals, books, and marketing are peceived in the marketplace.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s first novel, This Is the Place, won eight awards. Her book of creative nonfiction, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, won three. An instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program, her book The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won’t was named USA Book News’ “Best Professional Book 2004,” and was given the Irwin Award. Her second book in the How To Do It Frugally series is The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her chapbook of poetry Tracings, was named to the Compulsive Reader’s Ten Best Reads list and was given the Military Writers’ Society of America’s Silver Award of Excellence. She is the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award, and her community’s Character and Ethics Committee awarded her work promoting tolerance with her writing. She was also named to Pasadena Weekly’s list of 14 “San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen.”

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November 9, 2007 by Victor Volkman.

On Thursday, November 8th, 2007 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with novelist Jo Whittemore. She is the author of three novels: Escape from Arylon, Curse of Arastold, and Onaj’s Horn. Jo has been a member of the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) since 2003 and is one of the founding members of AS IF! (Authors Supporting Intellectual Freedom). She shared with us practical guidelines for writing for the demanding yet rewarding market segment of teens and young adults. We covered issues of language, fashions & fads, realism, research tips, how to portray edgy behavior, and what to expect as an author in this genre.

At the age of 30, Jo has exceeded a goal she set for herself as a child—to publish a novel. In fact, she is now the author of three novels: Escape from Arylon, Curse of Arastold, and Onaj’s Horn. She has been featured in the national magazines For Me, East West, andAudrey, as well as several Texas publications. Jo is represented by the Andrea Brown Literary Agency and lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Roger.

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November 2, 2007 by Victor Volkman.

The new Show Lineup is now fully scheduled through March 2008. Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman invite you to join them each week as they explore the myriad issues involved in planning the production of your first book. If you would like to post a question in advance for any of the guest speakers, please contact us at info@authorsaccess.com Authors Access is where authors get published and published authors get successful.

Join us every Thursday night from 8PM to 9PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

For PODCASTS of past shows, please visit the PODCAST Archive

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November 2, 2007 by Victor Volkman.

On Thursday, November 1st, 2007 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with author, criminologist, and consultant Andrea Campbell from her home in Hot Springs, Arkansas. in Hot Springs Arkansas. Her latest title is the Legal Ease: A Guide to Criminal Law, Evidence and Procedure (2nd Ed.), a reader-friendly book that is now a college law textbook published by Charles C. Thomas Publishers. Andrea shared with us how to find authoritatives sources for crime-scene forensics, evidence handling, police procedure, and court proceedings. She also shared many insider’s tips including how to find and use forensics experts and a realistic look at what it takes to write for the True Crime genre.

She is the author of ten nonfiction books on a variety of topics, but specializes in forensic science, criminal law, and entertaining with interactive parties. Andrea is also Editor for the Arkansas Identification News, a quarterly that goes out to forensic scientists and law enforcement, whom all belong to the International Association for Identification. A trained forensic artist, Andrea is capable of building a bust out of clay from a skull and can do cadaver drawings and fugitive updates. A Diplomate and Fellow with the American College of Forensic Examiners International, Andrea frequently attends forensic science training conferences and blogs on several topics. Currently, she is working on a book about the world’s first detective for Overlook Press.

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