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Living The Next Chapter: Candid Conversations with Authors and Writers for Readers Searching for a New Read — Books
Living The Next Chapter: Candid Conversations with Authors and Writers for Readers Searching for a New Read

Living The Next Chapter: Inspiring Conversations with Amazing Authors and Writers – Better Questions, Better Conversations, Better Connections

Are you an avid reader or an aspiring writer seeking inspiration to embark on your own literary journey? Look no further! Welcome to “Living The Next Chapter,” the podcast that celebrates the world of books and writing. Join us as we connect you with captivating authors who have mastered the art of storytelling.

Living The Next Chapter is more than just a podcast. It is a platform built for meaningful conversations, authentic storytelling, and real connection within the literary world. Each episode highlights inspiring authors who openly share their journeys, including the struggles they have overcome, the triumphs they have achieved, and the lessons they have learned along the way.

This is a space where better questions lead to better conversations, and ultimately, stronger connections. Whether you are an experienced author or continuing to grow your voice, this platform offers a unique opportunity to expand your reach, elevate your message, and connect with a global audience that is passionate about books and writing.

This show is always ad free, if you love what you hear, please refill our coffee cup here! https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

https://livingthenextchapter.com/

Author Podcast, Podcast for Authors, Book Podcast, Authors, Writing, Books, Literature, Storytelling, Creative Writing, Bestselling Authors, Interviews with Authors, Writing Tips, Publishing Insights, Book Recommendations, Author Experiences, Literary Discussions, Writing Process, Inspiring Conversations with Authors, How to Write a Book, Tips for Aspiring Writers, Behind the Scenes of Writing, Exploring Author Journeys

Latest Episodes:

E532 - Courtney Hennis - Mailbox Friends, The Loss of A Spouse, Grief and the Power of a Letter Apr 30, 2025

Show notes

Episode 532 - Courtney Hennis - Mailbox Friends, The Loss of A Spouse, Grief and the Power of a Letter

Hi everyone,

I’m a new author, and I’m excited to share my latest book, Breaking: Understanding the Loss of a Partner. This book is deeply personal—it reflects my journey as a widow and was written in the wake of my spouse’s passing. My hope is that it brings comfort and understanding to others navigating this profound loss.

I released my first book, The Healing Letter, in 2023, but it didn’t gain much traction. Still, I believe in the power of writing to heal, and I’m hopeful that Breaking will reach those who need it most.

If you or someone you know is struggling with loss, I’d love for you to check out my books:

Breaking: Understanding the Loss of a Partner – https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Understanding-Partner-Courtney-Hennis/dp/B0DWKN7GF8

The Healing Letter: How Writing Can Help You Process and Overcome Difficult Experiences – https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Letter-Overcome-Difficult-Experiences/dp/B0CM64T59C

Thank you for your support!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1066430593453475/user/100079661670797/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079661670797

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podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/
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E531 - Dr. Veronica Murray - What Do You Want - The Farmer's Orchard - self-discovery, self-love, and a growth mindset Apr 28, 2025

Show notes

Episode 531 - Dr. Veronica Murray - What Do You Want - The Farmer's Orchard

Dr. Veronica Murray, Ph.D., NBC-HWC is the author of the self-help book, The Farmer's Orchard. A book that inspires self-discovery, self-love, and a growth mindset.

Dr. Murray is an Organic Wellness Practitioner with over 30 years of experience in the health and wellness industry and is passionate about helping people experience God's promises of peace and prosperity. Based in Florida, USA, she was motivated to publish a book that fosters self-reflection and connectedness due to the immense benefits she has personally experienced and seen in her students and clients.

Her debut novel is a compelling read that provides invaluable insights and practical guidance for personal development and spiritual growth.

The Farmer's Orchard

The Farmer's Orchard stands out in the realm of self-help literature with its unique approach. It's not just a guide, but an immersive journey of self-discovery, enlightenment, and personal transformation. This book is a whimsical masterstroke, helping readers to delve into their innermost feelings and thoughts, and then, crucially, transform them into actionable insights.

Making and managing changes to achieve our dreams is one of life's most difficult journeys. How can we stay connected to our inner voice and focus on our needs and desires, rather than being influenced by external factors, while navigating this process? Introspection gives us the power to understand our inner world and cultivate prosperous, thriving behaviors.

Combining storytelling, meditation, and journaling practices to promote introspection, self-reflection, and inner dialogue, The Farmer's Orchard offers an out-of-the-box perspective on unlocking our true potential and achieving our deepest desires.

The Farmer's Orchard is all about practical transformation through an immersive experience. It offers a fresh approach to cultivating, capturing, and evaluating transformative insights that can help readers experience the best version of themselves. With the parable, readers are invited to let the characters take them on a journey of deeper thinking and understanding through whimsy and curiosity. The step-by-step meditation guide aids to cultivate a deeper sense of awareness and inner peace. The journaling prompts provided within the book are designed to encourage self-exploration and growth, allowing readers to capture their thoughts and feelings for enlightenment and personal development.

Whether you're looking for guided assistance for personal growth or simply seeking a captivating and thought-provoking read, embarking on a journey with the farmer as he pursues the apples of his dreams is certain to leave a lasting impression on your mind and heart.

https://www.drveronicamurray.com/

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podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/
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E530 - Wendy A Horwitz - Author of Milkweed and Honey Cake - A Memoir in Ritual Moments Apr 25, 2025

Show notes

Episode 530 - Wendy A Horwitz - Author of Milkweed and Honey Cake - A Memoir in Ritual Moments

Raised in small-town Connecticut, educated in public schools, then Harvard and Temple Universities, I’ve had a mixed metaphor of a career. I’ve been a (happy) fish out of water: a doctoral student in psychology with an undergraduate history degree; a psychologist in pediatric medicine; a clinician among academic scholars; a social scientist working with English professors, engineers, and philosophers; a writer teaching medical students.

But I promised a mixed metaphor. My life is also an improvised, patchwork quilt of pieces gathered from sojourns in Costa Rica, Israel, Gambia, Provence, Ecuador, and the best, continuous journey of all--being a mom. Now, I teach writing workshops on Cape Cod and in Philadelphia. I’m a haphazard birder and a passionate observer of butterflies, unspoiled habitats, and turtles. Hiking, family, books, close friends, religious observance and secular ritual, music and dance: all lend my quilt color and sublime, if elusive patterns. And I’m still working on it, with clumsy stitches that depict me starting to learn the piano, and along the rough edge, a new design for my next book.

In Milkweed and Honey Cake: A Memoir in Ritual Moments, Wendy A. Horwitz shares stories about celebration, loss, change, and the best way to open a pomegranate.

Holidays delight – and disappoint. A couple marrying in the pandemic finds a surprise after a rainstorm, and a topsy-turvy search for a gravestone honors her ancestors. When a graduation is cancelled, Horwitz serves pomp and circumstance on the front porch, and through the shifting seasons of a life, amid the scramble of pet guinea pigs and birthday parties, her children add wonder and comedy to tradition.

With observations from nature, religion, and literature, Horwitz explores how ritual can exalt ordinary moments and frame the extraordinary. A blue heron, an old cupboard's scent, and the lingering feel of an engagement ring long gone prompt reflections laced with yearning and humor. Guiding us along a wooded path, to the kitchen table, in a messy garden, and under a tent reverberating with song, she traces the boundaries of ritual, considering what we do when ritual falls short, and how we might adapt each other's practices. And when the wider world seems broken, new rituals provide hope.

Lyrical and funny, thought-provoking and deeply moving, Milkweed and Honey Cake is at once a meditation on our desire for meaning and the story of a woman's lifelong efforts to create it

https://www.wendyhorwitzauthor.com/

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E529 - Karen Essex - Award-winning journalist and a screenwriter and author of Kleopatra Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

Episode 529 - Karen Essex - Award-winning journalist and a screenwriter and author of Kleopatra

About the Author

Karen Essex is the author of Kleopatra, Pharaoh, Stealing Athena, Dracula in Love, and the international bestseller Leonardo’s Swans, which won Italy’s prestigious 2007PremioRoma for foreign fiction. An award-winning journalist and a screenwriter, she lives in Los Angeles, California.

Here’s a bit more about my novels:

KLEOPATRA: The Early Years, tells the little-known story of the princess’s harrowing
rise to the throne, surviving her murderous family members, exile, war, riots in the
streets of Alexandria. If you think your family has problems…at least they’re probably
not trying to kill you!

“Keenly researched and brimming with exotic, erotic detail, Essex’s style is as seductive
as her subject.”
— Dallas Morning News

PHARAOH: Book II of Kleopatra begins when twenty year-old Kleopatra meets Julius
Caesar and takes the reader on her fascinating journey partnering with him and another
powerful Roman, Mark Antony. But rather than concentrate on mere romance, the novel
also explores Kleopatra’s extraordinary political acumen, diplomacy skills, and foresight.

“This stunning sequel to Kleopatra completes the story. Readers will enjoy the vivid
portrayal of Kleopatra and the period in which she lived.”
— Library Journal

LEONARDO’S SWANS puts Leonardo da Vinci’s rivalrous female muses at its core,
aristocratic women who shaped the art and politics of the Italian Renaissance. The novel
was a runaway bestseller in Italy and won the prestigious Premio Roma for foreign
fiction.

“Essex combines art, political intrigue, family feuds and sex to create a page-turner.” —
USA Today

STEALING ATHENA is a sweeping historical saga from the perspectives of two
fascinating women, Aspasia, philosopher and mistress to Pericles, and Countess Mary
Elgin, who twenty-three hundred years later saw the demise of Pericles’s great Athenian
monuments.

“Stealing Athena firmly entrenches Karen Essex as one of the top historical novel writers
of our time.”
— Bookreporter.com

DRACULA IN LOVE, born from my love of fellow New Orleanian Anne Rice’s work and a
childhood fascination with reruns of DARK SHADOWS, retells Bram Stoker’s classic tale
from the perspective of the vampire’s obsession, Mina Harker, who surprises readers
with her own supernatural lineage.

“Brilliant. Sweeping. Breath-taking. Essex’s journey into the social expectations of Victorian women through the telling of the Dracula story is genius.” —Book Banter

“An intensely erotic story of romance and obsession. . . . Lusciously sexy and
outrageously chilling by turns.” – Newark Star-Ledger

https://karenessex.com/

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podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/
Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!
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E528 - Samantha Rose - Emmy award-winning television writer and bestselling author, specializing in literary support and book collaboration with celebrities Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

Episode 528 - Samantha Rose - Emmy award-winning television writer and bestselling author, specializing in literary support and book collaboration with celebrities

Samantha Rose is an Emmy award-winning television writer and a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who specializes in literary support and book collaboration with celebrities, experts and industry leaders. Her narrative, non-fiction projects fall under the categories of health & wellness, spirituality, personal growth, how-to, business, parenting and memoir, including titles that have been translated into more than 20 foreign languages, featured in the Wall Street Journal, Harper's Bazaar, Time and selected as Reese's Book Club and Target Bookmarked picks. Samantha is the principal of literary development and the head of client relations for Yellow Sky Media, her company in Petaluma, California.

On an ordinary Wednesday I received the call every writer wants to get. It was from a New York literary agent who’d been following my blog. She said, “I think you have a book here. I wonder though--could you go a little bit deeper? Keep the humor, but also tell your story with more vulnerability?”

More vulnerability? I cringed.

I’d already made my personal life very public. Putting myself even further out there felt scary. It also felt daring.

I csn say now that writing The Package Deal: My (not-so) Glamorous Transition from Single Gal to Instant Mom was one of the most challenging and liberating experiences of my life.

I told my story as honestly and authentically as I could. I extended myself beyond what was comfortable in an effort to help other women like me feel a little more normal and less alone

Redbook called it a “refreshingly honest memoir.” Library Journal praised it as “clear-eyed,” “candid and optimistic.” Fellow stepmothers cheered me as "heartfelt" and "hilarious."

I learned that readers respond well to honest storytelling and to storytellers who dare to be seen and heard. By telling my truth, I was giving others permission to tell theirs.

Since The Package Deal published in 2009 (Penguin Random House) and premiered on the San Francisco Chronicle bestseller list and as a Target club pick, I’ve been giving voice to and empowering others who have a story to tell. I’ve collaborated with celebrities, experts, entrepreneurs and all sorts of amazing individuals who need that first shot of courage and clear guidance forward, to help striking the right tone, organizing ideas into chapters, and building your book― word to word― from beginning to end.

Translating your voice and singular story onto the page is what I'm trained to do, and I'm uplifted, instructed, and both challenged and inspired by your one and only perspective.

So tell me: what's your story? What have you always wanted to share with the world? Together we can manifest the book inside you waiting to be written.

https://www.yellowskymedia.com/

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podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/
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E527 - Bruce Bishop - Future Historical Fiction, A Trilogy and a new book, Grow up, Rory Rafferty Apr 18, 2025

Show notes

Episode 527 - Bruce Bishop - Future Historical Fiction, A Trilogy and a new book, Grow up, Rory Rafferty

Why I write fiction

Like many authors, I began writing stories from a young age. I was lucky to pursue a career in travel writing from the mid-1990s to the mid-2010s, both online and in print. Those assignments literally and figuratively opened the world to me, but it wasn't until the Covid19 pandemic that I began to take fiction writing seriously.

Oddly enough, having to stay at home for a prolonged period sparked some creative juices to flow. I devoured online instruction about the business of self-publishing.

Now that I have four novels published

I can't see a return to non-fiction writing.

(But never say never, eh?)

My "author brand"

If you had asked me what an author brand is before I self-published Unconventional Daughters in 2020,

I probably would not have known the answer.

While 'Daughters' and the interlinked two follow-up novels, Uncommon Sons and Undeniable Relations, are technically historical fiction,

I'd rather not be pigeon-holed as only that kind of author.

My newest work, Grow up, Rory Rafferty is set in Toronto in 1979, rendering it contemporary adult fiction.

It won't be considered 'historical fiction' until 2029...

but the story most definitely involves a vintage, pre-Internet era.

...and what that brand truly is

I want to give a voice to characters who are often left out in mainstream storytelling. Some may be loosely based on people I've met or known in my sixty-plus years on earth;

others are entirely figments of my imagination.

I'm comfortable in researching the backgrounds of characters who might not be White, male, or gay - characters unlike me who I feel should be given a role in historic or contemporary fiction.

I always use sensitivity readers from that minority group to ensure I'm telling the truth.

The service industry jobs I had as a young man - from being a short-order cook to waiting on tables - were of great value. They were opportunities to be a silent witness and observer.

For example, I've seen or experienced bullies, rich and poor,

from all corners of the earth.

I don't want those characters to have the last word.

The writer doesn't forget these experiences and people;

they inhabit his or her fiction.

https://brucebishopauthor.com/

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E526 - Brenda May Whiteman - UNMET NEEDS NEVER GO AWAY - A New Paradigm for Raising Our Children in the 21st Century Apr 16, 2025

Show notes

Episode 526 - Brenda May Whiteman - UNMET NEEDS NEVER GO AWAY - A New Paradigm for Raising Our Children in the 21st Century

We are all individuals with personal life experiences that shape and mold us in both constructive and challenging ways. It is necessary to integrate and metabolize the emotional, psychological, spiritual and physical components of our total life experience in order to expand and deepen our consciousness. In this way, we move towards a mature, comprehensive and stable personality, capable of experiencing the full human emotional continuum of joy, elation, love and relationship as well as the challenges of pain and sadness inherent in every person's life.

As an experienced Psychotherapist, I approach all life issues from a perspective that seeks to illuminate these fundamental aspects of our human structure that comprise the spirit of every individual.

Optimism, faith in oneself and universal creativity, positive psychology and transformative emotional experience are vital to a rewarding and uplifting life journey. This is the one true path to healing.

https://www.brendawhitemanpsychotherapy.ca/

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E524 - Josh Mendoza - Filmmaker, Storyteller and Author of Shadow of the Eternal Watcher Apr 11, 2025

Show notes

Episode 524 - Josh Mendoza - Filmmaker, Storyteller and Author of Shadow of the Eternal Watcher

Josh Mendoza is a screenwriter, director, producer and author.

Mendoza is the founder of Strike the Sun Entertainment, and his movie work has been recognized by film festivals and competitions alike. He is best known for his feature film, WHAT STILL REMAINS, which he wrote, directed and produced. Decider called the movie a “great follow-up to Bird Box” and described it as a “hidden gem” on Netflix. The Los Angeles Times said, “Writer-director Josh Mendoza finds a fresh angle on the post-apocalyptic thriller” creating a “fascinating ‘what-if’ imagining society’s possible future.”

Mendoza’s debut novel, SHADOW OF THE ETERNAL WATCHER, will be released on January 28, 2025. The novel is a noir detective mystery that spirals into a science fiction adventure. The novel has already received positive reviews from Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus Reviews. It was recently featured as one of the best upcoming sci-fi books for 2025 in New Scientist.

Prior to his writing career, Mendoza received a BA in English and Creative Writing from Stanford University and an MFA in Film and Television Production from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. He was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona and lived for over 15 years in Los Angeles, California. He splits his time between the deserts of Arizona and the city of angels with his wife and two children.

Mendoza is currently developing multiple feature-length scripts and writing his next novel.

https://www.joshmendoza.com/

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E523 - Paul Vecchiet - The Disclosure Paradox, science fiction novels Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

Episode 523 - Paul Vecchiet - The Disclosure Paradox, science fiction novels

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul Vecchiet was born in Trieste, Italy and came to the United States with his parents at the age of three. He’s lived most of his life in Chicago suburbs. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in architecture design. Soon after, he joined the Air Force to be a Civil Engineering officer where he had an experience that caused him to be cynical of conventional wisdom. After thirteen years, he left the service and practiced architecture in Illinois. He is currently employed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Paul lives with his wife, Janice, and their grandson, Lennon in rural West Virginia, where they can see a canopy of stars at night.

“Though presented in fictional form, anyone familiar with various anomalous phenomena will recognize the fact-based narratives depicted in The Disclosure Paradox. Thought-provoking, even those with deep involvement in those fields will find themselves questioning where reality stops, and fantasy begins. Or does it? Many of the names are recognizable and the narrative extremely well interwoven. The physical and spiritual are merged into Louis Silvani’s life mission to understand a complex and rewarding destiny.”

John B. Alexander
PhD

“A fascinating tale about a secret world that we only glimpse dimly through the eyes of a dedicated and obsessive group who give up everything to find the truth and stop a hideous plot to control our destiny. A beguiling blend of horror, science fiction, and riveting action, with realistic characters and plot twists that will leave you breathless. Highly recommended.”

Frank E. Lee
WXRT-FM, Chicago

“I loved this book! It starts out with Louis on his tedious UFO lecture circuit, easing you into ET culture slowly like getting into a nice warm bath. But before you know it, our unexpected hero is on a cross-country mind-expanding adventure of a lifetime. It is a wild ride! The characters are rich and believable. The ET subject matter is accurately portrayed. In the end Louis finds his roots, and I am left wondering what I can do to improve humanity!”

Steve Jacobson
retired aerospace engineer for NASA, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and the US Navy

https://thedisclosureparadox.com/

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podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/
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E522 - Julie Strong - The Tudor Prophecy, An epic, literary tale blending Game of Thrones and Little Women Apr 07, 2025

Show notes

Episode 522 - Julie Strong - The Tudor Prophecy, An epic, literary tale blending Game of Thrones and Little Women

Julie Strong is a soon-to-be-retired family physician in Halifax, Nova Scotia; she has an ongoing shamanic practice where she addresses the spiritual causes of illness.

Julie was born in Manchester, England, grew up in Wales, Australia, and Ireland, and emigrated to Canada in 1980. Her medical degree is from Trinity College, Dublin University, Ireland, and she holds a BA in Classics from Dalhousie University, Halifax. Her shamanism training is from the Foundation for Shamanic Studies in Marin County, California.

Dr. Strong has given presentations in Canada, the US, and Europe on the subject of insanity in ancient Greek literature. She presented a three-part series on Greek mythology at Halifax Central Library in spring 2018 and also “Finding Comfort in Difficult Times,” an overview of shamanism, in fall 2021. She is a lecturer with the Senior College Association of Nova Scotia (SCANS) and delivered a six-week course, The Goddess in Antiquity, in spring 2024, which emphasized humanity’s need to reconnect with Nature and the Divine Feminine.

Book: The Tudor Prophecy

England, 1541. An ailing Henry VIII reigns from a contested throne. In parallel story lines, The Tudor Prophecy follows two young women, Lady Alice Grantmire and Hester Vaughan, cousins who each suffer greatly from the King's unjust decrees. Lady Alice and her mother are evicted from their estate and take residence in a cottage where they earn a subsistence selling herbal remedies--until they are accused of witchcraft. After being molested by the King, Hester is summoned to her estranged father's home in Wales. There she becomes betrothed to a Welsh bard whose mentor has visions foretelling the ascendancy of Henry's second daughter, Elizabeth. When Hester encounters the eight-year-old Lady Elizabeth, the two forge a relationship whereby Hester can persuade the future queen to temper her own rule with mercy. This epic, literary tale—a Game of Thrones meets Little Women—is also for readers who loved the Wolf Hall trilogy by Booker-Prize winner Hilary Mantel

https://ocpublishing.ca/julie-strong

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