The post-war baby boom is becoming something else, more than half a century later. But is that something else a bust? In his new book, Baby Boomer Bust?—and the title ends in a question mark—Roger Chiocchi (pronounced KEY-o-key) says it may be a problem that the average baby boomer nearing retirement only has $68,000... Continue Reading →
Monte Schulz writes of Jordan, tells of cartoonist dad Schulz! PODCAST INTERVIEW
Today's Guest: Novelist Monte Schulz, author of This Side of Jordan, son of Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz. When his father wrote adult characters, they sounded like muffled trombones. When Monte Schulz writes grown up dialogue, there is no doubt that the words are not from the mouths of babes. To wit: Something blunt struck Alvin... Continue Reading →
YA novelist Sara Zarr finds third time the charm! PODCAST INTERVIEW
The life of young adult novelist Sara Zarr has changed dramatically in the last three years, following publication of her first book, Story of a Girl. That book led her to be a finalist for the 2007 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. She didn’t win, but as I told her in our... Continue Reading →
After Richard Doetsch’s ’13th Hour,’ baby, I want more! PODCAST INTERVIEW
Regular listeners know I’m not prone to breathless hyperbole about my guests or their work. If I like a book I’ve read, I tell you straight out. And if I don’t like a book, you probably won’t hear the author interviewed on Mr. Media Radio because to me, lying isn’t worth the effort. Today, I’m... Continue Reading →
Chet the Dog, mystery author, leads Mr. Media astray! PODCAST INTERVIEW
Dogs that can express themselves in a language we can all understand are nothing new. Remember the movie Cats & Dogs? One dog had the voice of Tobey McGuire, another the sonorous tones of Alec Baldwin. But how many dogs have written books about their adventures? Point for Chet the Dog, sidekick of Bernie Little... Continue Reading →
Adriana Trigiani shares her recipe for Valentine’s amore! PODCAST INTERVIEW
Valentine Roncalli is 35 and feeling every bit of her years. While her friends and siblings all have families of their own, she lives in her 80-year-old grandmother’s home, amongst all of her grandmother’s trinkets and memories, running her grandmother’s shoe company. Valentine wants—needs—a man. ADRIANA TRIGIANI podcast excerpt: "Thematically, the two things my... Continue Reading →
412 YA novelist James Dashner plots course with The Maze Runner! PODCAST INTERVIEW
Today's Guest: James Dashner, novelist, The Maze Runner Recommendations are worth what you pay for them, so I don’t always accept them at face value. But the same literary agent who turned me on to young adult novelist Sara Zarr two years ago thought I’d also enjoy James Dashner’s new YA book, The Maze Runner,... Continue Reading →
408 Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran puts the bite on Mr. Media! PODCAST INTERVIEW
Today's Guest: Barbara Corcoran, entrepreneur, "Shark Tank," author, Shark Tales Shark Tank's Barbara Corcoran has a sense of humor. She must: an incredibly successful real estate mogul, she’s the author of three books, including my favorite title, If You Don’t Have Big Breasts, Put Ribbons on Your Pigtails. Yikes! On her ABC show, which airs... Continue Reading →
Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid: The book! PODCAST INTERVIEW
Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee didn’t just co-author the new book Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid, they actually live together as a couple. My experience, many years removed, is that working on a book with my spouse, a gifted editor, wa s that to continue doing so would generate the title, “Women... Continue Reading →
Novelist Thomas E. Sniegoski shares his Legacy! PODCAST INTERVIEW
One of the most daring challenges in writing novels for young adults is transferring the four-color escapades of superheroes to narrative form and still retaining the boldness ad glory of the comic book medium—while adding meat to the bones of the structure. I think Thomas E. Sniegoski (website) accomplished that—and more—with his new novel... Continue Reading →