Reader's Entertainment Radio

Shirley Reva Vernick writes award-winning MG and YA fiction, including ALA Best Fiction pick and Sydney Taylor honor book The Blood Lie. Her essays have appeared in Salon, Cosmopolitan, literary journals, and city newspapers. Shirley also helps run Storybee.com, a storytelling web service that is used as a literacy tool on five continents. NASA used it as a model for its Imagine Mars program, which combined storytelling and science for K-12 students. You can learn more at her website: https://www.shirleyrevavernick.com/ And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!

Author and Book Lights Podcast host, Lisa Kessler, joins me today to talk all about what helped her writing in 2021 and what her goals are for 2022.  On Lisa's 2022 to do list? To pen her 50TH book!  Lisa Kessler is a Best Selling author of dark paranormal fiction. She’s a two-time San Diego Book Award winner for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror and Best Published Romance. Her books have also won the PRISM award, the Award of Excellence, the National Excellence in Romantic Fiction Award, the Award of Merit from the Holt Medallion, and an International Digital Award for Best Paranormal. Her short stories have been published in print anthologies and magazines, and her vampire story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award. When she’s not writing, Lisa is a professional vocalist, and has performed with San Diego Opera as well as other musical theater companies in San Diego. Stay up-to-date on new releases and giveaways by subscribing to Lisa’s newsletter here: https://goo.gl/56lDla or

International Bestselling Author Kathrin Hutson has been writing Dark Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and LGBTQ Speculative Fiction since 2000. With her wildly messed-up heroes, excruciating circumstances, impossible decisions, and Happily Never Afters, she’s a firm believer in piling on the intense action, showing a little character skin, and never skimping on violent means to bloody ends.  In addition to writing her own dark and enchanting fiction, Kathrin spends the other half of her time as a fiction ghostwriter of almost every genre and as Fiction Co-Editor for Burlington’s Mud Season Review. She is an active member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and the Horror Writers Association.  Kathrin lives in Colorado with her husband, their young daughter, and their two dogs, Sadie and Brucewillis.  You can learn more at: https://www.kathrinhutsonfiction.com/ And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!

Writer Angela Terry is an attorney who formerly practiced intellectual property law at large firms in Chicago and San Francisco. She is also a Chicago Marathon legacy runner and races to raise money for PAWS Chicago—the Midwest’s largest no-kill shelter. She resides in San Francisco with her husband and two cats, and enjoys throwing novel-themed dinner parties for her women’s fiction book club. Her latest release, The Trials of Adaline Turner, is out now.  You can sign up for Angela's newletter at her website and reach out to her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. 

Linda Thomas-Sundstrom is an award-winning author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy, with books from Kensington, Amazon Montlake, Harlequin Nocturne, and GothicScapes. Linda lives in the west and swears she has "paranormal" in her DNA. A teacher by day and a writer by night, Linda delivers gothic, supernatural fare, both contemporary and historical, and invites you to come on this wild ride with her. You can find Linda on Facebook at - www.facebook.com/LindaThomasSundstrom and her website: http://www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com/ And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!

By day, Becky Monson is a mother to three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. An award-winning author, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life.  She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last... but it probably won't. Readers' Favorite Book Award Recipient  2016, 2017, 2018, & 2019 You can find her latest book How To Ruin the Holidays out now.  Give Becky a shout at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Bookbub, and Goodreads. Even better, sign up for her newletter at BeckyMonson.com. 

Mia Heintzelman is a polka-dot-wearing, horror and romance movie lover, who always has a book and a to-do list in her purse. She writes fun, unforgettable, more than just laughs romance about strong women, and men with enough heart to fall for them. When she isn’t busy writing fictional happily-ever-afters, she is likely reading, playing board games, or eating sweets.  She currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with her husband and two children. ​Look for her books soon with Tule Publishing. You can learn more at her website: https://www.miaheintzelman.com/ And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!  

Carla Luna was born in Los Angeles but spent most of her childhood on Vancouver Island, B.C., surrounded by beaches and forests. Her love for writing started at the tender age of eight when she wrote a short story about three witches who debated the best way to spend Halloween (riding broomsticks vs riding vacuum cleaners). In college, she studied history and archaeology and was fortunate enough to work on digs all over the world. She still dreams of traveling to far-off places and now channels that wanderlust into her stories. Her love of romance began when she discovered the rack of Harlequin romances at the library where she worked as a teen. From there, she moved on to steamy historical epics and Gothic romances set on windswept moors. At present, she writes contemporary romance and romantic comedies with a dollop of humor and a pinch of spice. When she’s not writing, she works in a spice emporium where she gets paid to discuss food and share her favorite recipes. Her passions include baking, Broadway m

Eliot Parker is the author of four novels, most recently A Knife’s Edge, which was an Honorable Mention in Thriller Writing at the London Book Festival, and is the sequel to the award-winning novel Fragile Brilliance. His novel Code for Murder was named a 2018 Finalist for Genre Fiction by American Book Fest. He is a recipient of the West Virginia Literary Merit Award and Fragile Brilliance was a finalist for the Southern Book Prize in Thriller Writing. He recently received with the Thriller Writing Award by the National Association of Book Editors (NABE) for his novels. Eliot is the host of the podcast program Now, Appalachia, which profiles authors and publishers living and writing in the Appalachian region and is heard on the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network and Blog Talk Radio. A graduate of the Bluegrass Writers Studio at Eastern Kentucky University with his MFA in Creative Writing and Murray State University with his Doctorate in English, he teaches English at the University of Mississippi and l

Journalist and sports lover Tracy Solheim loved writing since the 4th grade when she sold out of her first book--because her father bought all the copies.  Nevertheless, she was hooked on telling a good story. A bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee landed her in Washington, DC, where she wrote reports for Congress while pursuing a Master’s degree in Legislative Affairs from The George Washington University. Not totally exciting, but writing. Then she had a brief stint in television production for NBC Sports at the Seoul Olympics (1988), but most of her early writing consisted of crafting lengthy government reports.  In 2012, her first book Game On, was published and Tracy has been penning amazing romances ever since.  Her latest series, Men of the Secret Service is out and her latest holiday release, Second Chance Christmas are available now.  You can find Tracy at her website, Facebook, Instagram, BookBub, Pinterest, and Goodreads.  You can find her book list on her websi

USA Today bestselling author Aven Ellis began her publishing career in 2013 with her debut release, Connectivity. She currently writes romantic comedies featuring royals, billionaires, aristocrats, and athletes. Her books are designed to make readers laugh out loud and fall in love. Happily-ever-after endings and good-boy heroes are guaranteed. Aven lives in the Dallas area with her family. Aven loves shopping and fashion and can spend hours playing with fragrances in any department store. She can be found chatting it up on social media, eating speciality M&Ms, and crushing on the latest outfit the Duchess of Cambridge is wearing. You can find Aven at her website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and BookBub. You can find links to her books here and her upcoming release Making Spirits Bright on December 22, 2021.

Stephen L. Brayton is a Sixth Degree Black Belt and certified instructor with over 30 years experience in The American Taekwondo Association. He began writing as a child; his first short story concerned a true incident about his reactions to discipline. During his early twenties, while working for a Kewanee, Illinois radio station, he wrote a fantasy based story and a trilogy for a comic book. He has been involved broadcasting, trucking, hospitality, newspaper graphic design, and a pre-press camera operator at a publishing company. He has written numerous short stories both horror and mystery. You can learn more at his website: https://stephenbrayton.wordpress.com/ And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!

Charlotte Anne Hamilton is a blue-haired mermaid-wannabe who lives in Ayrshire, Scotland with her two fur-children, Izzy (chocolate lab) and Smudge (queen cat). She is currently studying Astronomy and Planetary Science and in her spare time she enjoys reading and gaming, as well as dabbling in all forms of art and her craft as an eclectic witch. Her main source of inspiration in writing and in life is the popular phrase: "but make it gay". Join her on various social media sites @cahwrites or her website charlotteannehamilton.co.uk And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!    

Lynne Reeves is an internationally recognized family counselor and novelist. Her short fiction, essays, and articles have appeared in Parents, Psychology Today, Solstice Literary Magazine, Chautauqua Journal, Craft Literary, Fiction Writers Review, Brain, Child and more. Lynne regularly appears as a media guest expert to discuss contemporary family life and preventive mental health. This is her first novel of domestic suspense. You can learn more at her website: https://www.lynnegriffin.com/ And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!

Hailing from Northern Virginia, Yasmin Angoe is a first-generation Ghanaian American who grew up in two cultural worlds. She taught English in middle and high schools for years, served as an instructional coach for virtual teachers, and works as a freelance developmental and copy editor. Yasmin received the 2020 Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for Emerging Writers of Color from Sisters in Crime, of which she’s a proud member. She lives in South Carolina with her beautiful blended family, and when she’s not writing, Yasmin’s editing for clients, trying new recipes, or absorbed in an audiobook. You can learn more on her website at: https://yasminangoe.com/ And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!

Matthew FitzSimmons is the author of the bestselling Gibson Vaughn series, which includes The Short Drop and Poisonfeather. Born in Illinois and raised in London, England, he now lives in Washington, DC, where he taught English literature and theater at a private high school for over a decade. You can learn more here: https://matthewfitzsimmons.com/ And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!

Douglas Clegg is a writer of imaginative dark fiction (including horror, gothic, fantasy, supernatural, and suspense thrillers) and has been a professional novelist since he signed his first book contract with Simon & Schuster in 1987. He considers much of his horror fiction as being on the surrealistic side of the equation, venturing into the logic of nightmare and dream. His books have been published worldwide and translated into various editions. His short fiction has won the Bram Stoker Award, the International Horror Guild Award and the Shocker Award, and has been included in several Years’ Best anthologies. Keep in contact with him via his Newsletter. Also check out  Patreon.com/DouglasClegg to get special pre-publication editions of his newest stories, novelettes, and novellas. And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!

Ever since she was little, Amy was especially intrigued by horror books and movies. Raised in Northern Arizona, she sustained herself on a steady diet of Goosebumps, Fear Street, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books before discovering Stephen King in her mother's bookshelf.  When Amy isn't reading or writing, she enjoys playing roller derby, cooking, crafting, and playing games across many platforms. Her novel The Ravenous was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award in the Superior Achievement in a YA Novel category, and Daughters unto Devils was a YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers 2017. You can learn more at her website here: http://www.amylukavics.com/ And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!

Edward Willett is an award-winning author of more than sixty books science fiction, fantasy and non-fiction for both children and adults. He's also host of the Aurora Award-winning podcast The Worldshapers: "Conversations with science fiction and fantasy authors about the creative process." (http://www.theworldshapers.com). He successfully Kickstarted and edited a new anthology, Shapers of Worlds, featuring authors who were guests during the first year of the podcast. Besides being a writer, Willett is a professional actor and singer who has performed in dozens of plays, musicals and operas in and around Saskatchewan, hosted local television programs, and emceed numerous public events. He's married to a telecommunications engineer and has one daughter and a black Siberian cat named Shadowpaw. You can find out more about him at: https://edwardwillett.com/ And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!

Lisa Morton is a screenwriter, author of non-fiction books, and prose writer whose work was described by the ALA’s Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror as “consistently dark, unsettling, and frightening.” She is a six-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award®, the author of four novels & over 150 short stories, and a world-class Halloween and paranormal expert. Her recent releases include Night Terrors & Other Tales and Calling the Spirits: A History of Seances; her latest short stories appeared in Best American Mystery Stories 2020, Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror and Other Spectacles, and In League with Sherlock Holmes. Her weekly original fiction podcast Spine Tinglers is now live at My Paranormal Network; forthcoming in 2021 is the anthology Weird Women 2, co-edited with Leslie S. Klinger . Lisa lives in Los Angeles & online at www.lisamorton.com. And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!