My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Joanna Monahan, author of the book Welcome to Blooms. Joanna Monahan lives in North Carolina with her husband, children, and two distracting cats.

Before she began writing, Joanna worked a variety of jobs, including marketing, professional organizing, and setting up book fairs. She enjoys theater, baseball, and bookmarking recipes she will never make. A child of the 80s, she regrets that she no longer receives pizza coupons in exchange for reading.

You can find her at joannamonahan.com talking about books, writing, and all things GenX or on Instagram where she regularly torments her characters by participating in fiction writing challenges. Joanna is a proud member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, the North Carolina Writers’ Network and the Author’s Guild.

In my book review, I stated Welcome to Blooms is a humorous women's fiction by Joanna Monahan. You will be delighted to meet Daisy Greene, a woman who is trying hard to outrun an overbearing mother, a hardworking father, a go-along-with-the-flow brother (named Bud), and a family business that makes her sneeze. That's right, Daisy's family owns a flower shop, and not only is she allergic to the flowers, she's pretty certain she's allergic to her family.

She has her life mapped out in a city far away from home and rarely visits. She even screens her calls to keep from talking to her mother or brother unless absolutely necessary. Until the day her father goes into the hospital - and she finds herself smack dab in the middle of the family drama once again.

This is a funny novel - part romantic comedy, part cozy, part midlife coming of age. You will laugh and cry. You will shout at Daisy to get her head on straight. You will cheer her on as she finally figures out what is important. And, if you are like me, you might even feel a few allergies coming on!

This is a must read - so run out and grab your copy today!

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You can follow Author Joanna Monahan

Website: www.joannamonahan.com

IG: @joannamonahanauthor

FB: @Joannamonahanauthor

Pinterest: @joannamonahanauthor

Purchase Welcome to Blooms on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4c5Q3wh

Ebook: https://amzn.to/4t68WW5

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#joannamonahan #welcometoblooms #womensfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Dan Kowalski, author of the book Death by Misadventure. Daniel Kowalski is a novelist, screenwriter, and filmmaker whose work dives deep into crime, history, and the darker edges of human nature.

He writes modern noir stories—lean, character-driven thrillers grounded in real human stakes. His debut mystery-thriller, Suicide Bridge, has been praised for its gritty atmosphere, cinematic pacing, and relentless sense of tension. His follow up novel Family Feud has been critically praised and his third novel Death by Misadventure is set to be published in 2026.

As a screenwriter, Daniel develops grounded crime dramas and neo-noir thrillers that explore flawed people pushed into impossible situations. His scripts often draw from true events, historical conflicts, and the unspoken moral compromises people make under pressure.

Daniel is also the creator of Dan’s Docs, a YouTube channel dedicated to true crime documentaries. Blending investigative storytelling with a filmmaker’s eye, the channel explores real cases, hidden histories, and the forces that shape criminal behavior.

Across novels, screenplays, and documentary filmmaking, Daniel’s work asks the same central question: What happens when ordinary people are pulled into extraordinary darkness — and who do they become on the other side?

In my book review, I stated Death by Misadventure is a noir thriller by Daniel Kowalski. This book kept me riveted to my seat, and I couldn't wait to discover the "who" and "what" behind all that was going on! The main detective is Jennifer, and like with all noir works, although the good guy, she is certainly not a pristine character. She has a past case that haunts her, a family she has abandoned, and drinks - a lot. Even so, she manages to hang on to her career and gets the case of an attorney gunned down in his garage. Is it a robbery gone wrong or something more?

Jennifer follows leads that end up going nowhere, causing her to drink at an even greater rate. At the same time, she meets up with an old flame from high school. As this relationship heats up, she thinks she may be on the road to some personal happiness. A second murder, a jealous wife, a PI with too much information, and someone she learns is more of a predator than a friend, nearly does her in.

Will she solve the case before finding herself in prison? This touch and go thriller is well-written and keeps you guessing right to the end.

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You can follow Author Dan Kowalski

Website: https://dankowalski.com/

FB: @Dan Kowalski: Author and Screenwriter

YouTube: @DansDocs

Purchase Death by Misadventure on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/41zzvXf

Ebook: https://amzn.to/4uSou0F

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#dankowalski #deathbymisadventure #thriller #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Gerald Everett Jones, author of the book Jonathan's Journal. Gerald Everett Jones is a freelance writer who resides in Santa Monica, California. He writes mystery-thrillers and literary fiction for adults interested in intriguing stories. Jonathan’s Journal is my fifteenth novel. I have 20+ book awards I am a board member of Writers & Publishers Network (WPN). Jones has received 20+ book awards, including six in 2020, seven in 2021, and six in 2022. His works often explore themes of morality, justice, humor, and human complexity across multiple genres and settings. Jones holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honors from Wesleyan University, where he studied under notable novelists. He is also the host of the GetPublished! Radio Show and has contributed to the literary community as a book reviewer and radio host. His blog and podcast, Thinking About Thinking, continue to provide insights for readers and writers alike.

In my book review, I stated Jonathan's Journal is a dual timeline historical fiction by Gerald Everett Jones. We meet Jonathan Worthington, an art historian, as he tries to discover why his mother had a WWI diary from a man with his initials. What was the connection? Jonathon hires Elena to help him understand the history. We also meet the man in the diary, a WWI soldier who Jonathan nicknames Fred.

Through the reading of the journal, Jonathan and Elena's thoughts on what they've read and their knowledge of the history, and even Fred's inner thoughts that were never written down, the reader takes a journey to more thoroughly understand the war that didn't end all wars.

But we also get to see the personal journey of Fred as he comes to terms with who he is and what he wants out life while simultaneously experiencing the same for Jonathan. Although touted as historical fiction, Jonathan's Journal has a lot in common with literary fiction speckled with splashes of romance and a bit of intrigue. This was a fun read.

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You can follow Author Gerald Everett Jones

Website: https://geraldeverettjones.com/

FB: @geraldeverettjones

IG: @geraldeverettjones/?hl=en

X: @superscribbler1

Purchase Jonathan's Journal on Amazon:

Ebook: https://amzn.to/3Q7EWu2

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#geraldeverettjones #jonathansjournal #historicalfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Richard Kammen, author of the book Tortured Justice Alabama. During his fifty-year practice, Richard (Rick) Kammen was one of Indiana’s top criminal defense lawyers and a nationally recognized expert in defending homicide and capital cases. He also defended numerous white-collar and complex cases involving alleged obscenity and healthcare issues.

Rick graduated from Ripon College cum laude in 1968 and New York University School of Law in 1971. Admitted to the Bar in 1971, he began his practice after service in the United States Army. Now semi-retired, Mr. Kammen still speaks to groups of lawyers and consults with lawyers throughout the United States.

When he retired, Rick began writing fiction. His first novel, Tortured Justice Guantanamo Bay, inspired by his work in Guantanamo, was published in the spring of 2023. His second novel, Tortured Justice South Carolina, set in the Low Country of South Carolina and Mexico, was published in 2024. Rick’s most recent book, Tortured Justice Alabama, which fictionally describes the prosecution of a physician for performing a legal abortion, was published in March 2025.

Rick now lives and writes in Hilton Head and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

In my book review, I stated Tortured Justice Alabama is a political thriller by Richard Kammen - and this is a book that will get you thinking about what you believe and why. Richard immediately introduces us to the main characters - a 12-year old girl, raped and impregnated by her cousin, her mother who only wants the best for her daughter, a local doctor who isn't allowed to perform an abortion because of state laws, and an out-of-state doctor who lives in a state with legal abortion. When the mother crosses states lines so her daughter can terminate the pregnancy, everything changes swiftly, and we are introduced to the attorney who takes on the case!

Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, I think you will find this story riveting. Why? Because few social issues - or the laws that regulate them - are as cut and dried as they seem. What actually constitutes the health and well-being of the mother - and who gets to decide? Should mental health be a consideration? Or age? Or rape? Or incest? Does someone of 12 have the ability to make these choices? Should a parent be able to decide for a minor? What if the parents don't agree? Can a doctor in a state allowing abortion be tried for performing one on someone from another state that doesn't allow abortion? When does the law supersede the doctor/patient relationship? And so much more!

This is a really well-written book that will make you think. I highly recommend it.

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You can follow Author Richard Kammen

Website: https://richardkammen.com/

FB: @authorrichardkammen

FB: @RichardLKammen

IG: @kammenlaw

LinkedIn: @Richard Kammen

X: @kammenlaw

Purchase Tortured Justice Alabama on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4bMl2Ml

Ebook: https://amzn.to/4lOUNJS

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#richardkammen #torturedjusticealabama #politicalthriller #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guests today on the Online for Authors podcast are Jan Comfort, Karen W. Prescott, Lisa M. Pritchard, Lynda Stoy Stear, Carol Stigger, Jennifer E. Tirrell and myself, authors of the book Carolina Tides.

In my book review, I stated Carolina Tides is a beach-read anthology of short stories by seven authors: Teri M. Brown, Jan Comfort, Karen W. Prescott, Lisa M. Pritchard, Lynda Stoy Stear, Carol Stigger, and Jennifer E. Tirrell. The premise of the anthology is to provide stories for those vacationing on the coast for a week - a story a day for a week-long stay. Each story is vastly different with the coast of North and South Carolina, and authors living on the coast, as the anchor.

Inside you'll find clean romance, adventures, historical fiction, redemption, hurricanes, family ties, and even a creative nonfiction piece on the history of the area. There's something for everyone.

Just as importantly as the stories, 100% of the proceeds from the book are going to support women in need in Brunswick County, NC and Horry County, SC. You don't have to vacation at the beach to love this book, so grab your copy today!

Teri M Brown: Teri is a writer of character-driven fiction and introduces readers to characters they’d love to invite to lunch. Learn more at www.terimbrown.com.

Jan Comfort: Jan enjoys working part-time, reading, volunteering, (occasionally) quilting, hanging out with her faithful cat Boomer, and spending time with family, friends, writer colleagues, and her friends at St. James the Fisherman Episcopal Church in Shallotte.

Karen W. Prescott: Karen is the author of both historical fiction and nonfiction, with a particular interest in place-based stories that blend history, imagination, and human connection. Learn more at www.karenwalczykprescott.com.

Lisa M. Pritchard: Keenly aware that God gifted her with the love of writing, she listens to His voice to guide her work. Learn more: https://www.praying-prodigals.com/media-page

Lynda Stoy Stear: Lynda is a freelance writer living in coastal South Carolina. Lynda is a published nurse author and writes nonfiction, historical fiction, and poetry. Living Seasons Ministry is Lynda’s online ministry at https://livingseasonsministry.com.

Carol Stigger: Carol Stigger wrote for international charities and the travel industry before turning to novels. Life has gifted her with friends and adventures across the globe, but the greatest blessing is her family.

Jennifer E. Tirrell: Jennifer E. Tirrell was orphaned by the age of three, and kinship-adopted. Now a transparent and encouraging writer and speaker, she uses her personal story to connect deeply with others. Learn more at www.writingwithjet.com.

Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1

Purchase Carolina Tides on Amazon:

Paperback: https://www.terimbrown.com/carolina_tides.html

Ebook: https://www.terimbrown.com/carolina_tides.html

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#beachread #anthology #carolinatides #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Ken Webb, author of the book Trapped in Deception. Ken Webb is a retired U.S. Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel with thirty three years of total service and eighteen years of active duty through mobilizations and deployments. He also spent twenty two years with American Airlines before making a major life transition that led him to relocate to Lima, Peru. There, he focused on personal reinvention, studying Spanish, improving his health, and pursuing the creative work he had long envisioned. His debut crime thriller, Trapped in Deception, launches a developing series shaped by the leadership pressures, complex human dynamics, and lived experiences that defined his career. Ken’s writing explores themes of identity, transformation, and moral conflict, bringing authenticity and depth to crime and intelligence fiction. From his home in Peru, he continues to expand the series while advocating for reinvention at midlife and the healing power of storytelling.

In my book review, I stated Trapped in Deception is a crime thriller by Ken Webb. This is a fast-moving novel that captured my attention quickly. The main character, Shawn Larson, is the kind of guy we've all met: good-looking, charismatic, and a complete con-man. We learn right away that he works the scam and is willing to be deceptive for years in order to get the payout. More than that, Shawn is ruthless.

But what happens when he cons the wrong person, and this person, Eddy, realizes he has the chance to get even? That's the story that Ken weaves, and this story takes us from Dallas to Miami to Peru, as Shawn begins his next con.

I especially love how the 'good guys' though good, aren't pristine. They each have a past, and this past isn't always pretty. Ken did a great job pulling me into the story - and leaving just enough room for a sequel! You're going to love this book!

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You can follow Author Ken Webb

Website: https://www.kenwebb69.com

FB: @Trapped in Deception

IG: @webbinator2000

Purchase Trapped in Deception on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4d1Agzq

Ebook: https://amzn.to/4rYKbdM

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#kenwebb #trappedindeception #thriller #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Laura Van Wormer, and we are going to talk about her project of serializing a soap opera about her high school class.

Laura Van Wormer is the creative force behind "The Class of ’74," a serialized fictional podcast that blends nostalgia, drama, and meticulous historical detail. Set in 1971–1974 in a well-heeled Connecticut suburb of New York City, the show has been praised for its authenticity and period-accurate setting, detail and events, and draws on Laura’s decades of experience as a novelist, editor and researcher, with a specialty in the ways the past informs the present.

Her storytelling style is rooted in a good sense of humor, character psychology, the rhythms of small-town life, and creates a world listeners fall in love with. She herself was a member of the Class of '74 in Darien, Connecticut and was infamous for stopping high school parties to read stories she had written.

Laura started her career at Doubleday as a secretary (in the era Jackie Onassis worked there) and worked her way up to editor. She left to pursue her own writing and while learning how to write a novel, supported herself by creating books with the creators of the hit night-time TV serials, "Dynasty," "Dallas" and "Knots Landing."

Laura's first novel, RIVERSIDE DRIVE, was a bestseller when it was published in 1988. She published 13 more novels with major houses but in 2015 she was on her way to the airport to visit Betty White in Los Angeles when a drunk driver going the wrong way on the Merritt Parkway in CT hit her head-on. She woke up a month later in Yale New Haven hospital with a crushed collar bone, 16 broken ribs, torn diaphragm, broken knee, and a severed foot that required four surgeries to save.

Ten years later she attended her 50th high school reunion and was sad because no one could hear her. When she went home her other half suggested why didn’t she write a story as a podcast so her classmates could hear her – and THE CLASS OF ’74 was born, a weekly narrative soap opera about teenagers starting high school in 1971. While the story is fiction, it faithfully recreates the fascinating time before cell phones existed and is guaranteed to take the listeners' minds off their problems – at least for half an hour each week.

Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1

You can follow Author Laura Van Wormer

Website: https://classof74podcast.com/

FB: @Laura Van Wormer

LinkedIn: @Laura Van Wormer

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#lauravanwormer #serializedbooks #theclassof74podcast #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Michael Kell Mahoney, author of the book The Land of Broken Toys. Michael Kell Mahoney is a retired New York City detective who somehow found his way from Manhattan to the Balkans. After his time with the NYPD, Michael spent two decades working internationally for the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations, and the U.S. Department of Justice as a police and security consultant.

Land of Broken Toys: Kosovo is a fictional account, based on real events, from Mr. Mahoney's one year police mission in Kosovo. Michael’s writing blends reportage, reflection, and storytelling, inviting readers—and now listeners—into a landscape where the past is never far away and every story carries weight.

The Land of Broken Toys: Kosovo is a crime thriller by Michael Kell Mahoney. But it is so much more than that. Readers will get a history lesson to help explain the issues in Kosovo, as well as a young cop's journey figuring out what he really wants out of life.

We meet an NYPD cop named JB who wants to be a detective. However, a series of mishaps leaves him shaken and certain that he will never make detective. With that knowledge, he decides to open a chocolate store. But he'll need money, so he signs on for a year-long UN policing mission in Kosovo. What he believes will be a simple 12-months training local police recruits turns into so much more than he bargains for.

We meet a host of characters who have chosen to go on the same mission for a variety of reasons - and with a variety of belief systems in place. We also meet the antagonist, Gashi, an Albanian who hates the Serbs - and anyone who disagrees with him, even Albanians. Gashi's men wreak havoc across the area, and JB is right in the middle of the action.

This story moves quickly, has fun, quirky characters, and keeps you guessing. This is a fun read.

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You can follow Author Michael Kell Mahoney

Website: https://jbbyrnenypd.com/

Purchase a copy of The Land of Broken Toys:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4v2vWq9​

Kindle: https://amzn.to/4s54zJj

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

#michaelkellmahoney #landofbrokentoys #crimethriller #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.