From his grandparent’s bra and girdle store, to a stint in one of the most fashionable psychiatric hospitals after a suicide attempt, Steven Gaines takes us on the tragically joyous ride of a 15-year-old Jewish boy in 1960’s Brooklyn.
One of These Things First includes conversion therapy and Broadway dreams, and an array of eccentric characters he met along the way. Steven is a noted journalist, bestselling novelist and biographer, whose work has appeared in Vanity Fair, The New York Times, the New York Observer, and New York magazine, where he was a contributing editor for 12 years.
Also today, what has the power to draw thousands of people of all ages to the often blustery shores of Washington’s coastal beaches every year?
Seattle Times contributor and author David Berger shares the secrets of our regional razor clam phenomenon in Razor Clams: Buried Treasure of the Pacific Northwest. David Berger has worked as a visual arts critic for TheSeattle Times, and started razor clamming when he moved to Washington. You can see him at Third Place Books on October 5, at 7 PM.
Connie May Fowler lives “on the edge of the world, alone except for the occasional boyfriend or husband, always in the company of pets, books, art, friends, (and) sundry wildlife.” On April 10th, 2010, her idyllic existence was torn apart as a nearby oil rig exploded, spewing over 200 million gallons of oil that impacted nearly 70,000 miles of coastline.
In her memoir, A Million Fragile Bones, Connie documents the heartbreak and loss suffered at the hands of this man-made disaster, and the beauty and peace that followed as nature proved resilient. She is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and teacher.
Later, for those who believe romance novels are fluff, author Julia Quinn is here to dispel the notion that intelligence and romantic storytelling are mutually exclusive. She’ll also share what it takes to pen a #1 New York Times bestseller and discuss her new book, The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband.
Julia Quinn is a bestselling author specializing in historical romance. She is one of only 16 members of Romance Writer’s of America’s Hall of Fame.
Norma Jean Bauerschmidt lived a quiet northern Michigan life for 90 years, never even crossing a state line. It took the death of her husband of 67 years, followed by her own diagnosis of a terminal illness two days later, for Norma to stop existing and start living. Refusing a hospital bed, she told her doctor, “I’m 90-years-old. I’m hitting the road.”
Also today, being the last remaining child of Angela of Angela’s Ashes fame, coupled with being Irish, Malachy McCourt has a certain expertise on death. His latest book, Death Need Not Be Fatal, is of course about the rituals of death … for instance, why do we keep our lights on in funeral processions … but it also is about laughing, tears, brotherhood, poverty, the famous, and living life to the fullest.
Malachy McCourt is an actor, writer, politician, and younger brother of famed writer Frank McCourt. He was the 2006 Green Party candidate for Governor of New York, has appeared in numerous television shows and movies, and authored several books.
Connie May Fowler lives “on the edge of the world, alone except for the occasional boyfriend or husband, always in the company of pets, books, art, friends, (and) sundry wildlife.” On April 10th, 2010, her idyllic existence was torn apart as a nearby oil rig exploded, spewing over 200 million gallons of oil that impacted nearly 70,000 miles of coastline.
In her memoir, A Million Fragile Bones, Connie documents the heartbreak and loss suffered at the hands of this man-made disaster, and the beauty and peace that followed as nature proved resilient. She is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and teacher.
Later, for those who believe romance novels are fluff, author Julia Quinn is here to dispel the notion that intelligence and romantic storytelling are mutually exclusive. She’ll also share what it takes to pen a #1 New York Times bestseller and discuss her new book, The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband.
Julia Quinn is a bestselling author specializing in historical romance. She is one of only 16 members of Romance Writer’s of America’s Hall of Fame.
What? That’s right, A Vegetarian’s Guide to Eating Meat. Growing up in a household of food-loving Italian-Americans, Marissa Landrigan was always the black sheep, and barely knew how to boil water.
But at college, buoyed by animal rights activism and a feminist urge to avoid the kitchen, Marissa transformed into a hardcore vegan activist, complete with shaved head. So what happened?
A search for ethical food — part memoir, part journalism, all Marissa Landrigan. Join us to find out more, with this self-described “writer, professor, all around nerd”.
Also today, happiness is … well, we all know that sentence can end a thousand different ways. For those who tend to dwell in the somber valleys of unhappiness, climbing the hill to happiness can be a lot of work.
After experiencing success as a model, actress, and host of TV shows for the World Wrestling Federation, Maria followed her true calling and became a reverend.
Crime fiction novelist Julia Dahl brings her popular character Rebekah Roberts back for a third book in Conviction. Her heroine investigates a crime that took place over two decades ago in New York City, spurred by a simple letter from the accused saying “I didn’t do it.”
Julia is a noted journalist who specializes in crime and criminal justice fiction. She is currently with CBSnews.com and previously worked for the New York Post.
Also today, when life came crashing down around Kassi Underwood at the tender age of 19, the penniless, pregnant, and suddenly alone teen found solace at an abortion clinic. In May Cause Love: AnUnexpected Journey of Enlightenment After Abortion, she chronicles her post-abortion, cross-country road trip to personal liberation, complete with Buddhists, a zany rabbi, a wedding ceremony, and many more adventures.
Kassi has been published in several periodicals, and taught for three years at Columbia University in the Undergraduate Writing Program. She lectures nationwide, and has appeared as a guest on MSNBC, Fusion, and HuffPost Live.
Sometimes it takes the convergence of extraordinary circumstances to make us face our own demons. For many years, Dr. Patricia B. McConnell grappled privately with intense fear, shame, anxiety, and guilt.
Dr. McConnell is a Zoologist and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. For more than 25 years she’s specialized in canine aggression, consulting with pet owners on serious animal behavioral problems.
Chuck Wendig is a novelist, graphic comic writer, screenwriter, and game designer.
He talks “… a lot about writing. And food. And pop culture. And his kid. [And] uses lots of naughty language.” Best know for his New York Times Bestselling Star Wars: Aftermath series, Wendig’s latest book is Thunderbird, the fourth installment in the continuing saga of Miriam Black.
There’s adversity, and there’s extreme adversity. Most of us can handle life’s daily ups and downs. But how do you cope when doctors tell you there’s a good chance you’ll never walk again? What goes through your mind? How do you wrap your head around a forever changed life?
It’s the story of an animation company that was $50 million in the red, until Steve Jobs called Lawrence Levyone day, and made him the offer of a lifetime.
Working daily with Jobs, Levy became CFO of Pixar and implemented a plan that transformed the Toy Story company into one of Hollywood’s greatest success stories — it made Jobs a billionaire and resulted in a $6 billion sale to Disney. Levy shares his journey and how the ancient Buddhist philosophy, The Middle Way, played into his personal and business success.
Talking with Erik Weihenmayer about the way he lives his life, and helps others live theirs, is beyond inspirational.
Weihenmayer astounded the world when he became the first, and only, blind person to climb Mount Everest. He’s also the only blind person to climb the Seven Summits, the tallest peaks on each continent.
And as if that wasn’t enough, along the way he took blind Nepalese teenagers climbing, and helped navigate injured soldiers through the mountains.
Today, he shares stories from his memoir, No Barriers: A Blind Man’s Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon — an inspirational odyssey through Ecuador and Peru, to Nepal and Tibet. Weihenmayer embodies the motto of his organization, No Barriers: “What’s in You is Greater than What’s in Your Way.”
Also today: In just 50 years, the number of lions on our planet dropped from 450,000 to 20,000. Who better to shed light on this than the Jouberts, back from Botswana, just in time for Big Cat Week.
Derek and Beverly Joubert are award-winning filmmakers who have been National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence for more than four years. They helped establish the Big Cats Initiative with National Geographic to raise awareness and halt the decline of these magnificent mammals. This year’s Big Cat Week features their latest film, Soul of the Cat, which takes an in-depth look at how domestic cats and their wild cousins are as alike as they are different.
From NY Times Bestselling author David Elliot Cohen comes the heartwarming and often hilarious tale of Simba II, a mischevious white labrador retriever puppy bought home by accident. Included in The Wrong Dog: An Unlikely Tale of Unconditional Love is the author’s 3300 mile cross-country odyssey that chronicles the unbreakable bond between a dog and it’s people.
Bestselling mastermind James Rollins joins Vicki today to discuss the latest entry in his popular Sigma Series. The Seventh Plague blends scientific intrigue with historical mystery, and reveals an ancient threat hidden within the pages of the Bible that has a puzzling connection to Mark Twain’s travels, the genius of Nikola Tesla, and the adventures of explorer Henry Morgan Stanley.
Listen to Conversations Live with Vicki St. Clair every Monday at noon Pacific on KKNW 1150AM or 94.9FM HD. For exclusive updates throughout the rest of the week, like us on Facebook, and follow Vicki St. Clair on Twitter!
David Elliot Cohen demonstrates with great precision the vast and benevolent role dogs play in American family life in his latest effort, The Wrong Dog: An Unlikely Tale of Unconditional Love. As the accidentally adopted new family member grows from an energetic puppy into an enormous ninety-pound dog with a huge personality, Simba cements the bond between two families and enriches their lives in countless ways. A Yale graduate, David has produced numerous titles for Barnes & Noble’s in-house publishing division including four presidential photo-biographies and a book about the power of socially-conscious photojournalism. As an editor and author, he has created books that have sold over 6 million copies worldwide, including 4 NY Times bestsellers.
Featuring an ‘Elon Musk’ like character and a unique perspective on the friendship between Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla, The Seventh Plague by James Rollins weaves several relevant themesthroughout including Trump, Tesla and a secret energy source; whether or not a virus could cause one of the biblical plagues, and the frightening reality of electric-eating bacteria. James Rollins is a New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers, translated into more than forty languages. In each novel, James unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets…and he does it all at breakneck speed and with stunning insight.
From his grandparent’s bra and girdle store, to a stint in one of the most fashionable psychiatric hospitals after a suicide attempt, Steven Gaines takes us on the tragically joyous ride of a 15-year-old Jewish boy in 1960’s Brooklyn.
editor for 12 years.
