April 2021 Susan Williamson

Dead in the loft
Neal Steele interviews Susan Williamson  about Dead in the Loft

Molly likes her job at the new farm… for the most part. But finding a dead man in the loft could change everything. Who is this man, and how did he die? Then the discovery of yet another body makes everything more complicated, and Molly can’t stop herself from looking into things as the body count piles up.
With the delivery of horses that may or may not be legal and the appearance of animal rights activists intent on doing damage, Molly has her hands full. Clearly, though, her first priority is stopping a killer, as Molly has become the next targets. With lives on the line, including her own, Molly holds onto the reins as she chases down a murderer determined to destroy everything she has.

Amazon 

For More Details: http://www.WilliamsburgBookFestival.org

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Feb 8, 2021 Patti Procopi

Patti p please tell me more

Neal Steele interviews Patti Procopi about her debut novel - Please Tell Me More.

This heartfelt story about sisters, family and the tenuous connections we forge in life will stay with you long after you turn the last page.
Rose was a child when the worst possible thing happened-her sister Lily drowned. While Rose was supposed to be watching her. From that moment, Rose knew it was all her fault. After all, that's what her mother told her. But life must go on, no matter what, and Rose and her sister, Ivy, grow up in a family without their little sister. In a family where alcoholism and arguing defines their parents. In a family that personifies dysfunction. In a family where anger forces their brother away. Was it any wonder that Rose was so excited to get to college? Was it any wonder she sometimes had a date with Mr. Merlot, the wine bottle she hid to help her get through life's tougher moments?
At times whimsical, always genuine, this story looks at the bonds of sisters and how family can become our foundation even when we don't expect it.
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Bradley Harper -
Army Pathologist Turned Writer

My life before becoming an author was as a board-certified Army Pathologist. I have performed over 200 autopsies during my 37 years of active duty as a pathologist, and my clinical years are interwoven with four stints as the commanding officer of various medical units. I was an Infantry officer before medical school, worked in the Pentagon, and learned to speak five languages. Yet, I also happily play Santa each Christmas (with my loving wife as Mrs. Claus). It is this juxtaposition of exploring the body, mind, and humanity that allows me share universal truths with my readers.

Bradley Harper’s second novel, Queen’s Gambit was recently awarded the 2020 Silver Falchion Award both as Best Suspense and as Book of the Year.

A life-long fan of Sherlock Holmes, Harper did intensive research for his debut novel, A Knife in the Fog, including a trip to London's East End with noted Jack the Ripper historian Richard Jones. Harper’s first novel was published in October 2018 and was a finalist for a 2019 Edgar Award by the Mystery Writers of America for Best First Novel by an American Author. Click here for Harper's Website .
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April 13, 2020 Gail Wilson Kenna

From here to there
Neal interviews Gail about her new book, Here to There and Back Again.

n a prologue the author explains how her fact-fiction book is based on her great-great grandfather's 1849 Gold Rush letters.
Against his parents' wishes, Eugene Chase makes plans with boyhood friend Leal to leave Vermont and seek their fortunes in California. Eugene's sister Hortense understands her oldest brother's desire; and she makes him promise to write letters home, addressed to her.
In March 1849, at nineteen, Eugene leaves home for New York City. Leal is to meet him in St. Louis. Eugene's Uncle Lucien, who left Derby Line eight years earlier, lends his nephew the money for his adventure. "The fruits of your journey will reveal themselves in time," he tells Eugene.
In a epilogue, the author recounts that her great-great grandfather earned enough money to pay his passage home by sea, to net a clear one thousand dollars, and to build a fine house in Derby Line, Vermont.

Next CBW Luncheon Meeting
April 15, 2020 in Williamsburg
at Le Yaca French Restaurant

 Malcom Massey will be speaking on
"Writing the Killer Plot."
 
Does your plot provide the structure your work needs & deserves? Will your plot line grab the attention of readers, reviewers, agents? With this seminar, your story becomes more powerful, your characters reach their full potential. Writing the Killer Plot (WKP) works for fiction or non-fiction, providing unique perspective and concise diagramming tools. From early concept to your work in progress, WKP is for writers of all levels. 

Join us at the CBW meeting on Wednesday, April 15 to hear this program at Le Yaca French Restaurant, 1430 High Street, Williamsburg 23185. Social Hour with cash bar will be on the patio and in the bar at 12:30, but you're welcome to arrive a little earlier. The meal will be at 1:15, with the program to follow.

Meal selections will be made at the table. The luncheon includes soup or salad, a wonderful French entree and dessert, served with water.  The price includes tax and gratuity. Members $25, Guests, $30.

The form for prepaid reservations is below, and the reservation deadline is April 12th. For any questions, email CBWreply@gmail.com or call (804) 725-6163.

March 9, 2020  Jan Hoffman 

Four fairy friends hoffman
Neal Steele interviewed  Janice (Jan) Hoffman about her children’s book, Four Fairy Friends.

Four Fairy Friends live in a magical forest. Join them as they frolic from sunrise to sunset.

 2020 Anne Eichenmuller

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Anne Eichenmuller interview with Neal Steele about her new book, Drowning in Lies, the fourth book in the Sandi Beck murder mystery series.

Sandi Beck’s sail down the Intracoastal Waterway is thrown into chaos when a deadly explosion rocks Riviera Beach, nearly killing her fiancé. Sandi’s attempt to help a grieving daughter leads her to the dark underside of the Palm Beach elite, where everyone has a secret, and the truth kills. With a community torn and her own relationship in jeopardy, she races to expose the shadowy force behind the evil. If she fails, another girl will die, drowned forever in a sea of lies.
The fourth Sandi Beck murder-mystery, Drowning in Lies delivers a unique flesh-and-blood heroine and a fast-paced plot with heart-stopping twists. With action that stretches from the little town of Irvington, Virginia, to Florida’s Gold Coast, this latest novel is sure to satisfy new listeners and dedicated fans alike.

Jan 13, 2020 Dawn Brotherton

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Neal Steele interviewed Dawn Brotherton  about her book, The Road to Publishing.
Dawn said, "It’s a long, twisting road to publishing—don’t let anyone tell you differently. There’s no one path, and results are as varied as the methods to get there.” The Road to Publishing describes options available from self- to traditional publishing, providing helpful hints along the way.

Dec  9, 2019 Brad Harper 

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Neal discusses Bradley Harpers new book, The Queen's Gambit
Margaret Harkness, now in her early 40s, must leave England for her health but lacks the funds. A letter arrives from her old friend Professor Bell, her old comrade in the hunt for Jack the Ripper and the real-life inspiration for Sherlock Homes. Bell invites her to join him in Germany on a mysterious mission for the German government involving the loss of state secrets to Anarchists. The resolution of this commission leads to her being stalked through the streets of London by a vengeful man armed with a powerful and nearly silent air rifle who has both Margaret and Queen Victoria in his sights. Margaret finds allies in Inspector James Ethington of Scotland Yard and his 15-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, who aspires to follow in Margaret's cross-dressing footsteps. 
The hunt is on, but who is the hunter, and who the hunted as the day approaches for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee when the aged empress will sit in her open carriage at the steps of St Paul's Cathedral? The entire British Empire holds its breath as the assassin, Margaret, and the Queen herself play for the highest of stakes with the Queen's Gambit.
2019 CBW ALL STARS GALA LUNCHEON
and All Stars Contest on Nov. 6th
at the Two Rivers Country Club in Williamsburg was a great success!
 
Members shared their work and competed for prizes! Those in attendance voted for the winners. There was a great assortment of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, and everyone enjoyed the readings.

First Place winner Andrew Ball received a $75 prize, Ann Skelton won Second Prize and received a $50 prize, and Bradley Harper received $25 for Third Prize. Andrews Ball also won the separate contest for the Rick Baily Humor Award and $25 prize.

May 13, 2019 Mary Montague Sikes

Hearts across forever
Neal Steele interviewed Mary Montague Sikes on her novel, Hearts Across Forever.

Kathryn Calder is dedicated to her NY city career until an unexpected assisgnment to Jamaica changes the path of her life. From the moment she arrives on the exotic island, she is haunted by odd memories from a distant past. Is Flynt Kincade, the stranger she meets in an art gallery, part of that past? Kathryn senses he is, especially when dreams connecting her with Flynt grow more vivid. A visit to Rose Hall Great Plantation draws Kathryn into a scene from long ago when evil reigned in Jamaica and the white witch of Rose Hall was a part of the danger. Can a love affair from old Jamaica reach across forever and bring Kathryn and Flynt together?

When artist/writer Mary Montague Sikes first visited Jamaica, she has no thoughts of writing a book set there. But the bright tropical colors and the sweet, perfumed scents inspired her. Somewhere along the way, she visited Rose Hall Plantation and grew fascinated with the tale of Annie Palmer, the white witch of Rose Hall. That excursion started her thinking, “What if?”. What if a love lost over 200 years ago could be revived in the present day? Would that love be lost again, or were lessons learned long ago enough to create love found?Sikes’ fascination with a simple love story and her desire to study more about reincarnation in the works of University of Virginia scientist, the late Dr. Ian Stevenson, led to the writing of her first novel, Hearts Across Forever. The award-winning book was re-released, April 18, 2019 by High Tide Publications.

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"It's Never Too Late to Write"
with Dr. Bradley Harper

We started off CBW 2021 with a wonderful program on Zoom on January 27.  Dr. Bradley Harper was our guest speaker and he was great! His talk was informative and inspiring.

Jeanne Johansen of High Tide Publications hosted the program and is preparing a recording for us. Watch for it to be posted in the near future.

Brad began writing at the tender age of 63 after a thirty-seven-year career in the US Army. He will talk about his journey to becoming an award-winning author, addressing both the creative and business side of writing. Brad says it's never too late to pursue your dreams and hopefully, his experience will help you take your dreams and make them goals.
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On April 2, 2019 Sally Stiles on
"Aha! Moments: Inspiration through Haiku" in honor of National Poetry Month

Chesapeake Bay Writers and Yorktown Library presented Sally Stiles: “Aha! Moments: Inspiration through Haiku,” at the  Yorktown Library on April 2nd.

It was a great presentation! The bad weather kept attendance down, but we'll look into setting up another date for this program.

Sally Stiles has called four continents, six countries, eight states and one small trawler home. She holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has taught and published poetry, fiction and non-fiction, including hundreds of magazine articles.  She worked in New York City as an editor and advertising executive. Among her five published books are two volumes of haiku.

Her interactive program led participants to seek aha! moments through haiku which can enrich and add depth to a writer's work.

CBW Meeting and Election
 Wednesday, February 19
Peter Stipe spoke on “Writing With Both Sides of Your Brain”

Thirty-three members and friends attended and enjoyed the luncheon meeting on February 19. After the election and luncheon, those attending heard how the two sides of your brain impact the ways you think and write differently.  The left side contributes to logic, order, discipline and analytical thinking.  This side helps you stay organized and write coherent sentences.  The right side of your brain inspires creativity, intuition, artistic and innovative writing.  This helps you imagine new stories with intriguing plot twists.  For the most effective writing, use both sides of your brain to be both creative and to have the discipline necessary to organize your thoughts.  This session helped us you understand the ways your brain works and how to apply your natural tendencies most effectively to your creative writing process.
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June 11, 2018 Sharon Dillon

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Sharon Dillon will be interviewed by Neal Steele on June 11th about her new work, Gemstones and Dimes, a compendium of several writing genres.

She includes humorous stories, other fiction, and thoughtful, serious essays varying in length from short one-pagers to several pages. Her stories derive from her life experiences and topics that she considers worthy of discussion or that may provide a few laughs.

Her book is available at Amazon.

April 8 Bob Kunzinger

Bob Kunzinger interview on
Blessed Twilight: The Life of Vincent van Gogh 
 
In it, Vincent van Gogh tells his own life story, and rather than focusing on the art, it focuses on his love of God, of art, of life, and his thoughts about death and family.
 
Bob's family moved to Virginia Beach from New York in 1975. At 14, he wandered up to a radio broadcast for a new Radio Shack opening near his home, and the DJ for FM 99 asked him a few questions about what it was like to move from New York to Virgina. That DJ was Neal Steele!
 
Bob Kunzinger is a writer and professor who lives near Deltaville in Middlesex County. His non-fiction essays have appeared in many publications, including the Washington Post, World War Two History Illustrated, and St Anthony Messenger. He has published eight collections of essays, and his book A Third Place: Notes from Nature, which mostly takes place around Middlesex, comes out in August. Several of his essays have been noted by Best American Essays.
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CBW LITERARY LUNCHEON MEETING
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
"Everything you always wanted to know about literary agents (including how to get one)" presented by Nikki Terpilowski
 
The September 18th Literary Luncheon at Le Yaca French Restaurant in Williamsburg was great!  Those assembled enjoyed a very social time on the patio before a brief meeting. After lunch was served, Nikki Terpilowski, Founder and Senior Agent of Holloway Literary Agency spoke on "Everything you always wanted to know about literary agents (including how to get one)."

CBW members who registered for a pitch session after the luncheon discussed their finished work with Ms. Terpilowski. 
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CBW Summer Celebration Dinner Meeting
Wednesday, June 19
Abigail Putnam spoke on
"Flash Fiction: Small Stories with Big Impact."

The Chesapeake Bay Writers held its dinner meeting on June 19th in Hayes to celebrate the winners of their new annual Keating Award and award prizes.

Abigail Putnam from the Muse Writers Center in Norfolk spoke on, "Flash Fiction: Small Stories with Big Impact."  As our attention spans are shrinking and the age of online literary magazines and journals are on the rise, flash fiction is in greater demand than ever. This talk is dedicated to the art of making bite-sized stories feed the minds and imaginations of your reader long after the story’s end.

Abigail Putnam, Editor-in-chief of Penultimate Peanut Magazine, is from Suffolk, VA where the humidity just might kill you and the nearest museum keeps a hundred-year-old ham on display. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Arcadia University and her fiction has appeared in Maudlin House, Five on the Fifth, the Dirty Pool, and Frostfire Worlds AND teaches fiction classes at the Muse Writers Center.
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About the Author

David served in the CIA for 31 years before retiring in 1997. During his career he was a political analyst for 22 years in the Directorate of Intelligence, specializing in Balkan affairs. In this capacity he produced finished intelligence for all levels of the U.S. government, from the President to working level counterparts throughout the Community. He has designed intelligence analysis/writing courses and taught them throughout the Intelligence Community.

He has given writing workshops at the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) in Alexandria in 2005, in Mexico City in 2006, in Vancouver, Canada in April, 2007, and in Boston in 2008. David presented a similar writing workshop at the Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit’s national meeting in Tempe, Arizona in June 2006. He has conducted intelligence analysis training for the Criminal Intelligence Service of Canada and for the Canadian police.

On January 16, 2002, tragedy struck David and his family. Angela Dales, the mother of David’s grandchild, was shot and killed on campus at the Appalachian School of Law by another student. The book, A Question of Accountability: The Murder of Angela Dales is a record of events that occurred both before and after the shootings. It is David’s hope that this book will help to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.
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February 13, 2019  Tim Holland spoke on "Product Management for Writers: For whom do you write?"

  • Should writers/authors look at their output as literary art or a commercial product?
  • Does it matter? Can it be both? Should it be both?
  • Why knowing who you are writing for is the first step in writing both non-fiction and fiction.
  • From the Brontë sisters to Louise Penny.
  • A look at other elements in managing a product.   
Tim Holland left the world of international banking and product management in 1997 (he had been vice president and senior product manager of the Bank of New York and also served as Chairman of the Forum of Bank Product Management of the Bank Administration Institute). He has given speeches and presentations in twenty-two states and twelve countries covering a variety of financial and literary topics. Since leaving the banking world, he has written for a variety of magazines, newspapers and literary journals. He is also the author of the Sidney Lake mystery series and the stand alone novel What the Mirror Doesn’t See. The next Sidney Lake lowcountry mystery, The Murder of Amos Dunn will be released on September 7, 2019.
 
In addition to being a member of Chesapeake Bay writers (Virginia Writer Club) he is also a member of Mystery Writers of America and The Brontë Society of Haworth England.

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2018 CBW ALL STARS GALA
Wednesday, November 28th
at the Two Rivers Country Club in Williamsburg
Annual Gala Luncheon and All Stars Contest!

Those in attendance voted for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize winners who received cash prizes of $75, $50 and $25 and a separate contest for the Rick Baily Humor Award and $25 prize.
And the winners were:
1st Place – Ann Skelton
2nd Place–  Frank Milligan
3rd Place – Cindy Freeman
Rick Bailey Humor Award – Cindy Freeman

CBW Luncheon Meeting - Thursday, September 15

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Speaker: Daisy Howard-Douglas
"Experiences in Writing African-American History"
Click here for details.

(Not sure if you made your reservaton? Reservations list is at bottom of page.)
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Frank Milligan, Past President

Saturday, October 27, 2018 Frank Milligan on "How to Get Started as a Writer"

As part of the Kickoff for National Novel Writing Month, in a joint project between the Williamsburg Library and Chesapeake Bay Writers, Frank Milligan presented a free 2-hour program in the Williamsburg Library Theater.
 
Whether retired and ready to live the long deferred dream of becoming a writer or need to fit writing around school or  job and family, this fast- moving and fun session gave an overview of the writing life from thinking like a writer to publishing your work. Learn the four critical elements every successful story must include; to discover techniques that will make fiction and nonfiction stories come alive, and, understand the two critical skills required to create successful fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama. This was a great  opportunity to get down-to-earth answers to all the participants' writing questions.

Frank Milligan is author of the writing reference book: Time to Write: Discovering the Writer within after 50, published by Quill Driver Books, and winner of a 2009
Silver Award at the National Mature Media Awards. He has published and won awards for both fiction and non-fiction. He holds a bachelor’s in psychology; a master’s in business and public administration; and a master of arts in writing (fiction) from the Johns Hopkins University. Frank has taught creative writing at Northern Virginia Community College, the College of William and Mary’s Christopher Wren Association, and at various other venues. He is past-president
of Chesapeake Bay Writers.
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September 18, 2018
The Fictional Dream
with Lauran Strait

Chesapeake Bay Writers sponsored “The Fictional Dream,” a workshop geared toward helping writers hide the narrator. Lauran Strait conducted the workshop at the Yorktown Public Library at 7 PM. Hiding the narrator, whether in a first person story or a limited third one, greatly enhances reader engagement with the characters and is something all writers should learn how to do. When the narration is limited and hidden to the extent possible, the FICTIONAL DREAM will result. In this workshop, participants will learn what the fictional dream is, about its advantages, and how to achieve it. Hurricane Florence kept some folks away, but those who attended enjoyed the evening!

Lauran Strait, former writing instructor and workshop facilitator at the Adult Learning Center in Virginia Beach, is the founder and executive director of Hampton Roads Writers. She occasionally teaches writing workshops for HRW and the Muse Writers Center. She also works as a freelance book editor for a few select clients.

Her print and online work appears in Dog-eared, The Gator Springs Gazette, Atomic Petals, Retrozine, The Copperfield Review, A Woman of a Certain Age, Moondance Magazine, Monkey Bicycle, Insolent Rudder, LongStoryShort, Edifice Wrecked, The Virginian Pilot, Whistling Shade Literary Review, Somewhat.org, The Green Tricycle, Reading Divas, The Angler, Salome Magazine, Quiction, Bewildering Stories, Tiny Lights—a flash in the pan, Down in the Cellar, Tuesday Shorts, Six Sentences, and HeavyGlow. Some of her other fiction and creative nonfiction appears in anthologies such as Random House’s Knitlit the Third—We Spin More Yarns,Better Non Sequitur's See You Next Tuesday, and Smith Magazine’s Six-Word Memoirs on Love & Heartbreak.
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June 20, 2018 Alice Osborn
"How to be a Rock Star at PR"

Wow! What a great program! Alice Osborn showed us how to stand out from the crowd and make others remember who we are through our personal brand at our June 20th dinner meeting! Alice started her own successful writing and editing services company over a decade ago and shared her secrets with us after playing her guitar and singing while we visited and networked before the meeting. Her workshop, showed us how to build our brand by highlighting what makes us different from the crowd through our personal story, how we show up, and how we network/volunteer our time. A great program where we learned how all of our printed and online materials (website, social media networking, and business cards) work together to create a powerful brand will help attract, engage, and retain new readers and fans as it builds the loyalty of our current ones.

 Visit Alice's website at www.aliceosborn.com and check out her music at www.reverbnation.com/aliceosborn.
 
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April 18, 2018
Ann Eichenmuller on
"Writing for $$$: 5 Steps to Getting Published in Magazines"

If you love to write, it is possible to turn that skill into a fulfilling and even lucrative second career. Ann Eichenmuller will introduce you to the world of freelance magazine writing and share from her own experience the possibilities and pitfalls of getting paid for what you write.
      Learn about the markets available to writers, the kinds of articles magazines want, and how to research, develop, and pitch winning ideas. Become familiar with the business side of this kind of freelance writing, from contracts and invoices to payments to kill fees. No matter what your age or interest, there is an audience out there waiting to hear from you.
     The library is located at 117 N. Church Lane, Tappahannock, to the right off US 17N, between Tappahannock Elementary School and Queen Street (Route 360). There is no charge and non-members are welcome to attend.

About Ann Eichenmuller
     Ann Eichenmuller is an award-winning educator and writer and creator of Motorhome magazine’s popular “Classic Ride”  series. A regular contributor to Chesapeake Bay Magazine, Chesapeake Style,  and the Caribbean All at Sea, her articles were recognized at the 2016 and 2017 Boating Writers International Annual Awards. She is a former recipient of the WashingtonPost Agnes Meyer Award for Excellence in Education and the author of two mystery novels, Kind Lies (2017) and The Lies We Are (June 2018). Ann has recently completed her first non-fiction book, The Writing Cure, about the healing power of writing.
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April 9 2018 Ashley Brotherton 

On April 9th, Neal Steele will interview Paige Ashley Brotherton, student memberof CBW and daughter of member
Dawn Brotherton, about her debut middle grade book, Avery Appreciates True Friendship. Currently a high school sophomore, Paige is interested
in everything, but she always comes back to writing. Her book is to be published April first and has already won a LitPick Award, so the interview is sure to be  interesting!
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February 14, 2018
Dan Duke, of The Virginian-Pilot
spoke on
"Fake News and
Non-Fiction"

Dan is entertainment editor at The Virginian-Pilot, directing coverage of arts and entertainment and the Flavor section. In 23 years at The Pilot, he also has worked as a copy editor, copy desk chief and assistant business editor, while staying busy outside the newsroom as, at various times, a Cub Scout den leader, a youth soccer coach, a writing and editing teacher and an amateur musician trying to do right by his 1981 Gibson ES 335.
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May 14, 2017 Carol J Bova 

Neal Steele interviewed Carol J. Bova about her novel, Chestnut Springs, on the CBW Second Monday Radio Show on Xtra 99.1 FM WXGM, Monday May 14. Chestnut Springs is about a business woman who loses her job at 55 and moves from Los Angeles to a modern off-the-grid cabin in West Virginia while she job hunts online. Instead of another job in a big city, she finds a place for life, love and second chances. It's an upbeat story of small town life and friendships. The interview will be posted soon on our CBW podcast page.

Carol found a new lifestyle as a writer in 2004 after moving from California to Mathews. In 2014, she wrote a nonfiction book, Drowning a County. to unmask the urban myths the Virginia Department of Transportation created to explain decades of inadequate state road ditch maintenance. Carol is a columnist for Chesapeake Style magazine and a past president of the Chesapeake Bay Writers. She has three works in progress--a new novel also set in Chestnut Springs and two nonfiction books. less
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January 16, 2017 Gail Priest Radio 

On January 16th, host Neal Steele discussed Gail Priest's new release, Annie Crow Knoll: Moonrise, a story about the power to reinvent life after surviving loss and trauma.

Breezy and Jemma, are world-class cyclists until violence at a race leaves Breezy with permanent physical disabilities and kills the man she loved. With her Olympic dream shattered, guilt and shame threaten to destroy her future happiness. Her sister Jemma escapes with only minor injuries, but the psychological damage she experiences shakes her self-worth, her Olympic potential, and her capacity to accept love.

The young women return to Annie Crow Knoll, their childhood home on the Chesapeake Bay, to heal and reclaim their lives, and with their parents and grandparents, struggle to make sense of life after this tragic and irrational incident

Her third novel in this fiction series, Annie Crow Knoll: Moonrise, can also be read as a stand alone. It is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks.  less
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October 10, 2016  Sharon Dillon 

Neal Steele interviewed Sharon Dillon about her new book, Echoes of Your Choices, on Monday, October 10th.

Echoes of Your Choices guides readers to find peace, joy and laughter in their stressful lives. Compiled from “Thoughts to Ponder” (Sharon’s acclaimed blog of many years), the short lessons in this book mark a steady journey through the turbulence and vicissitudes of ordinary life.

Compassion and forgiveness of self and others are themes underlying this journey. The author demonstrates that life must be fun as well as serious and spiritual as well as practical. Her lessons utilize a wide-angle lens to view the world and the people who inhabit it.

Quoting Maya Angelou, Rev. Angela Peregoff, Albert Einstein, Martha Beck, Oprah Winfrey and an eclectic assortment of historical, literary and contemporary figures, Sharon applies their teachings and philosophies to the life she has known. This is a life guaranteed to look familiar to the reader! less
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Sept 12, 2016 Feather Schwartz Foster

On September 12th, Neal Steele interviewed Feather Schwartz Foster as the Chesapeake Bay Writers featured guest on the CBW Second Monday Show on Xtra 99.1 FM (xtra99.com).

They discussed Feather’s new book, Mary Lincoln’s Flannel Pajamas and other Stories from the First Ladies’ Closet. Feather describes it as “lively assortment of real stories about the ‘old’ First Ladies, via an article of their clothing - a gown or hat, a piece of jewelry or shoes.”

The podcast will be online soon! less
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May, 2016 David Cariens

David Cariens

Author of The America We All Want: Protecting Your Community from Gun Violence


Tune in to XTRA 99.1FM to hear the Author interviewed by Neal Steele on CBW's Second Monday monthly broadcast, May 9th at about 8:05AM. If you miss the live broadcast, click here.


About the Book

Mass slaughter on school grounds, in theaters, in churches, and in shopping malls may be the most serious and complex problem in this nation’s history. Solving the problem will take careful and deliberate thought, but thinking is hard work and there are no easy solutions. Those few who do propose ways to reduce the epidemic of gun violence are met with a fusillade of emotions on why their ideas won’t work.

Retired CIA analyst Dave Cariens gives the reader hands-on suggestions and strategies to curb gun violence. He presents evidence showing where practical application of these strategies has worked in communities all over the country.

Recognizing the stalemate in Washington, this is a guide to action at the local level.