The dog days of summer are upon us, and the cool evening breezes bring about the perfect time to settle on the back porch with a glass of wine and a good book.
Our first guest today delivers a compelling exploration of family, politics, and the fight for racial equality in her debut novel, The Talented Ribkins. Author Ladee Hubbard won both the 2016 Rona Jaffe Foundation Writer’s Award and the William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition in the Short Story category.
Glen will also share his approach to living up to the lofty expectations set by his first two books, and what it takes to develop a realistic character who grows with the series.
Dan Millman provides a calm harbor in the storm of today’s ever-changing daily news cycles and stresses in his new book, The Hidden School: Return of the Peaceful Warrior. He intertwines fiction and autobiography, and shows how to stay centered, focused, and present.
Dan Millman is a former world champion gymnast, coach, martial arts teacher, and college professor, and has authored 17 books.
Later, Mary Simses gives a valuable lesson in the futility of striving for perfection in her second novel, The Rules of Love and Grammar. Bestselling author James Patterson calls it a “… smart, well-told story about memory, family, and of course, love.”
Mary Simses enrolled in a fiction writing course while working as a corporate attorney, and her experiences getting short stories published led her to write her first novel, which was adapted into a Hallmark movie.
With the arrival of early June weather and late sunsets, it’s time to end each day with a page turner and a cool drink on the back porch.
First, New York Times and USA Today bestseller Heather Gudenkauf returns to Conversations Live with her latest work, Not A Sound, in which a shocking discovery combines with chilling secrets to create an emotional thrillride.
We’ll end today’s show introducing two debut novelists. Benjamin Ludwig “was inspired to write Ginny Moon in part because of (his) own experience adopting a [young] lady with Autism.”
And, if you believe Kraft macaroni and cheese with hot dog pieces and a side of store brand ketchup deserves a spot on the food pyramid, Bunmi Laditan’sConfessions of a Domestic Failure is for you.
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.
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.
In your most vulnerable, fragile emotional moments, no elixir can cure what ails you like your partner. A great relationship, built on trust and love, can get you through the hardest times. But what happens when that security is shattered when you find out the relationship… and perhaps even your partner… doesn’t even exist? Therapist Shira Block examines catfishing, non-sexual cheating, and other faux relationships and how to identfy and cope with the fallout in her new book Limerence.
It is estimated that 76% of transactions for sex with underage girls start on the Internet. In King County, WA, a study conducted over a 24-hour period revealed that 8,800 people were online soliciting themselves for sex, and 27,000 were soliciting to buy. At any given time, 300-500 under aged girls are trafficked in King County. The average age of entry is 12-14 years old, with some as young as 8 or 9. Vicki talks with Carol Loya, founder of Escape to Peace, to discuss how we can raise awareness about the horrors of sex trafficking right in our own backyard.
Catch Conversations Live with Vicki St. Clair every Monday at noon Pacific on KKNW 1150AM or 94.9FM HD. Like us on Facebook and follow Vicki on Twitterfor exclusive updates and contests!
Limerence by Shira Block is a psychological journey through a world of deception, phantom relationships, family secrets, self-destruction and recreation that draws on Shira’s years as a therapist and tackles modern day issues affecting millions of people and relationships. She covers such topics as emotional, non-sexual cheating that still impacts relationships; catfishing, the act of luring someone into a relationship using a fake online persona; and limerence, an obsessive infatuation with another person or a need for a relationship that interferes with the ability to see life clearly. Shira is a therapist, accomplished lecturer, writer, and personal coach.
Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, generating $32 billion a year in profit, tied with arms as the second largest, behind drug dealing. A modern form of slavery, it is estimated that 76% of transactions for sex with underage girls start on the Internet. And it’s happening right here in King County at an alarming rate. Carol Loya, a local resident and owner of Truce Spa, founded Escape to Peace after she witnessed the horrors of the sex trade during a 2012 mission to Pattaya, Thailand. As a former Ambassador for the non-profits Shared Hope and Not Abandoned, Carol’s mission was to rescue girls being sold as sex slaves. She often did this by taking them to dinner to talk, then bringing them to a designated safe house.
What would it feel like to drop the struggle in life? To love the life you have? To heal the angst of “get more, do more, do it faster, better … and be more? Dropping the Struggle: Seven Ways to Love the Life You Haveby bestselling author Roger Housdengives a definitive answer to these questions, helping the reader find peace and contentment in life.
Martha Hall Kelly wrote Lilac Girls, a powerful story inspired by actual events during WWII and her very first novel, at age 59 and it was an instant New York Times bestseller upon publication. The story comes from firsthand research as Martha traveled from Paris to Berlin to Warsaw and then even to Ravensbrück Concentration Camp, until she was finally prepared to write this rare and emotional tale about Caroline Ferriday and her Rabbits.
Enjoy 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!
Is it possible to love the life you have, acknowledging and accepting the conditions of your life exactly as they are, and drop the struggle to make you and your life different? That is the question that Roger Housdengives a definitive answer to in Dropping the Struggle: Seven Ways to Love the Life You Have. He surmises that to get past the limitations our own egos force on us in the never-ending quest to find the things we want the most… love, freedom from anxiety, acceptance of our mortality… we need to surrender, letting go of our resistance to life as it presents itself. Known for his courses on Living and Writing wild, Roger is the author of 22 books including the bestselling Ten Poems to Change Your Life, and his writing can be found in O The Oprah Magazine, New York Times, and the LA Times.
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly reveals the little known historical tale of New York debutante Caroline Ferriday, a Francophile, Broadway actress and philanthropist who was working at the French consulate when World War II broke out. Aiding the French Resistance fighters, Ferriday learned of a group of young Polish women used in horrific ways to advance Nazi medical science by having their legs gashed and operated on. Hopping around on crutches, they were called the Lapins, the Rabbits. Making it her mission, by 1959 Caroline brought thirty-five of the Lapins to the United States for medical treatment. Martha has worked as an advertising copywriter for many years and splits her time between her native New England and Atlanta Georgia. Lilac Girls is her first novel, and she is currently hard at work on the prequel.
Could you imagine a world without Giant Pandas? It’s estimated there are only 1,600 of these magnificent mammals roaming wild, and China is racing to save them from extinction. Photographer Ami Vitale joins Vicki to share highlights from the premiere episode of National Geographic WILD’s new series, Panda Babies: Mission Critical — featuring three maternity centers leading the way in raising and releasing pandas into the wild.
New York Times bestseller Carla Neggers returns today to discuss the sixth installment in the celebrated “Sharpe & Donovan” series, Liar’s Key. With settings in the US and Ireland, Liar’s Key delivers an international flair and Reader to Reader calls it a “suspenseful, fast-moving thriller filled with plot twists and excitement to the delightful conclusion.”
Conversations Live with Vicki St. Clair airs each 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 on Twitter!
For an estimated 8 million years, Giant Pandas have been a part of the Chinese countryside, and with their numbers dwindling fast, the Chinese government is racing to keep them from the brink of extinction. Photographer Ami Vitale was on the front lines of this effort as a part of the premiere episode of National Geographic WILD’snew series, Panda Babies: Mission Critical. She shares her experiences, including some of the unique methods in getting Pandas to procreate (which are not limited to Panda porn and Panda sex toys), and some surprising facts about Panda babies. In addition to her work with National Geographic, Ami is a Nikon Ambassador who’s lived in mud huts and war zones, contracted malaria, and donned a panda suit—all in keeping with her philosophy of “living the story.
Carla Neggers latest work in the “Sharpe & Donovan” series, Liar’s Key, is a thriller that hooks readers instantly with a fast-paced narrative involving whirlwind travel, a nemesis art thief and a mysterious death. Carla is the bestselling author of more than 60 novels of suspense and contemporary romance. Her popular “Sharpe & Donovan” and “Swift River Valley” series have been sold in more than 30 countries and translated into 24 languages. A world traveler herself, she lives with her family in New England.
Our second guest today has been crowned “Queen of Romantic Suspense” but along with the complications of love and romance her work also features action worthy of Ian Fleming! New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard joins Vicki to discuss her latest book, Troublemaker.
Enjoy 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!
The word abandonment conjures up children left at birth, fathers packing up and moving out, sudden lovers betraying one another’s hearts, and sudden death. But abandonment breaks our hearts in subtle ways, too, as when we are not recognized for our accomplishments, dismissed by a friend, or not invited to a party. The Abandonment Recovery Workbook: Guidance through the Five Stages of Healing from Abandonment, Heartbreak, and Loss emerged from author Susan Anderson‘s thirty years in the field of abandonment recovery, including founding the Abandonment Recovery movement, as well as from her personal healing experience. Susan is the founder of the Outer Child and Abandonment Recovery movements, and has devoted three decades of clinical experience and research to helping people resolve abandonment and overcome self-sabotage.
Troublemaker is a gripping, emotionally intense novel of intrigue,romance, love and danger… along with a generous helping of action-adventure. Author Linda Howard and her husband, a “Bass Master”, run a cattle farm. (“Professional fishing has taken us to some of the worst places on earth!”) She is an award winning and NY Times and USA Today bestselling author.
Nothing is more relaxing than laying back on a quiet beach, with the company of the waves lapping peacefully at the shore, and a great way to while away the hours is with a compelling novel. Today’s guests have delivered the goods.
Also today, Conversations Live will be giving away four books from last week’s show, so listen in and be prepared to jot down the giveaway number to get your chance at a free book!
Acclaimed novelist Erin Duffy used her experience working on Wall Street as inspiration for her first novel, Bond Girl, and today she will discuss her latest work, Lost Along The Way, an exploration of women’s friendships and the critical ways they can grow, bend, even break, and be mended again.
Television shows like American Pickers and Antiques Roadshow that tease viewers with the universal dream of finding out that your dusty old painting is worth millions inspired versatile journalist Diane B. Saxton to pen her debut novel. Peregrine Island is a tale driven by mystery, as an unravelling family strains to stay together as their lives are picked apart.
Enjoy 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!
In Lost Along The Way, Erin Duffy explores the critical moments in all women’s friendships… marriage, motherhood, death, and divorce… and writes about the intricacies of family, friendship, and personal growth while dealing with the ups and downs life undoubtedly throws our way. She illuminates the moments that make us, the betrayals that break us, and the power of love that helps us forgive even the most painful hurts… a book not to be missed this summer. Erin graduated from Georgetown University with a B.A. in English and worked on Wall Street. She lives in New York City with her husband (whom she met the old-fashioned way… in a bar).
Peregrine Island is the story of the Peregrine family, living on an island off the Connecticut coast, whose lives are turned upside-down one summer when so-called art experts appear on their doorstep to appraise a favorite heirloom painting. When incriminating papers along with other paintings are discovered behind the painting-in-question, the appraisal turns into a full-fledged investigation. As summer progresses, the Peregrines discover facts about their past in the course of the investigation and learn that people are not always who they appear to be… themselves included… and art is often a reflection of life. Diane B. Saxton was a journalist with Vanity Fair UK, Holiday Magazine, and Greenwich Review, and covered everything from torture victims to psychics, animal rights activists, exotic travel, and movie producers.
Our first guest today delivers a compelling exploration of family, politics, and the fight for racial equality in her debut novel, The Talented Ribkins. Author Ladee Hubbard won both the 2016 Rona Jaffe Foundation Writer’s Award and the William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition in the Short Story category.
