Laurel McHargue -- Author/Podcaster/Public Speaker

Were you aware of the short stories I’ve been writing and narrating each month for the past year? I recorded my milestone 12th story today–just in time for the vernal equinox tomorrow! (There’s a tie-in to my story).

I hope you might take a listen to “Orbs” and check out some of my other short stories on my podcast “Alligator Preserves“! You can find it on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts! And please let me know what you think! “Like” my episodes (if you do) and share them with your friends!

Listen to “Orbs” Here:

If you enjoy my podcasts, you might enjoy my books!

• Laurel’s Amazon Author page
• https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
• https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
• https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
• Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music

If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!

Please support Alligator Preserves on Patreon.  You will be rewarded!

 

In this episode, author Robert Goswitz takes us to Vietnam with Private Ed Lansky in 1971.

I interview Robert Goswitz about his debut novel–The Dragon Soldier’s Good Fortune–a unique account of a young new draftee’s first tour in Vietnam . . . with a mystical twist!

 

 

Watch our Visit Here:

“Listen Only” Here:

Show Notes with Links:

• Robert introduces himself and admits the main character, Lansky,

  

  is based on his own experience in Vietnam.

• Robert explains why he wrote this book and why it took him “this long” to write it.
• Military Writers Society of America coach Kathleen Rogers, and his agent Jeanie Loiacono of the Loiacono Literary Agency.
• Writing tips for authors trying to hone their skills
• Black Opal Books
• He talks about the racial divide in America in the ’60s and ’70s and how the same issues arose in Vietnam, though the dynamics

  

  between races disappeared in “the bush.”

• The irony of Robert’s Americal Award
• Nixon and his promise to bring the troops home
• Stars and Stripes Magazine
• Names in “The Dragon Soldier’s Good Fortune” and characters (like “Chief” based on real people)
• Importance of “setting” in books
• Reading as a writer
• Loneliness and psychological conditions associated with being in

  

  a foreign environment

• Dragon as good luck in Vietnam
• the 195th Infantry Brigade
• Robert reads a passage from his novel
• Humor, even in harshest situations
• Lansky’s (and Robert’s) evolution as a soldier
• The tiger scene and ceremony
• How Robert chose to end the book, and what’s next
• Shout-outs to those who helped him complete this project

• 

  Link to Robert’s Amazon Author Page

• Robert’s email: rgoswitz@me.com

 

 

More Links:

If you enjoy my podcasts, you might enjoy my books!

• Laurel’s Amazon Author page
• https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
• https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
• https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
• Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music

If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!

Please support Alligator Preserves on Patreon.  You will be rewarded!

Author Kaye Lynne Booth recently asked to interview me for her blog, and then sent a lovely press release to the Chaffee County Times Special Edition Mountain Guide!

I’m honored by the time and care she put into this interview and hope you enjoy it too. Find it here:
Author Hides Away in Leadville! (but most people know where to find me!)

I’m anxiously awaiting the shipment of my books for tomorrow’s book launch party . . . hope they’ll arrive between avalanches!

Thank you, Kaye Lynne! I love how local authors support other authors in this most competitive publishing environment!

 

 

In my 50th episode, I present my Waterwight trilogy–a YA fantasy adventure completed this week and available in full today! I talk about its genesis and narrate the first two chapters of Book I.

Listen Here:

Show Notes:

• I discuss the genesis of my trilogy and how I decided on a title
• Waterwight: Book I
• Waterwight Flux: Book II
• Waterwight Breathe: Book III
• Carol Bellhouse
• Stephanie Spong
• “Miss?” (my first novel)
• Cottonwood Hot Springs
• The Asian Palate restaurant
• I read chapters 1 and 2 of Book I
• Sherry Randall, owner of Cookies with Altitude
• I talk about dreams and the characters that came to me
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• I encourage Language Arts teachers to check out this series!
• My covers were designed by Trif Andrei and Trif Paul, TwinArtDesign. I commissioned them from 99designs.com
• 2019 Denver Pop Culture Con
• Contact me for autographed copies or to find out where I’ll be next!

 

More Links:

If you enjoy my podcasts, you might enjoy my books!

• Laurel’s Amazon Author page
• https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
• https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
• https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
• Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music

If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!

Please support Alligator Preserves on Patreon.  You will be rewarded!

 

After my husband suggested I listen to a Hidden Brain podcast about the difficulties of long marriages, I decided to brainstorm about my own thoughts on the matter before listening. I didn’t think we were having any problems (and we’re not, really)!

This is a humorous look at aging in relationships, and

how to make them work!

 

 

 

 

Listen Here:

Show Notes with Links:

• Laurel discusses long-term relationships and how humor helps in an aging marriage
• The Hidden Brain podcast
• Polly Iyer’s post on The Blood-Red Pencil: Love is 365 Days a Year

More Links:

If you enjoy my podcasts, you might enjoy my books!

• Laurel’s Amazon Author page
• https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
• https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
• https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
• Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music

If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!

Please support Alligator Preserves on Patreon.  You will be rewarded!

“What should my next short story be about?” I asked one of my sons and his girlfriend recently.  They gave me a couple of challenging suggestions, and The Foxhole is the result! It will be included in a “linked short story” collection I’m working on with the link–or common element–being West Point, The United States Military Academy.

Enjoy! Please “Like” it (if you do) and leave me a comment or another suggestion!

Listen Here:

Show Notes with Links:

• I read my short story! Take a listen and check out some of my previous episodes and short stories!
• Link to short story Anchors Aweigh!
• My author/editor friend Stephanie Spong‘s Amazon Author page
• All about West Point, USMA

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Links:

If you enjoy my podcasts, you might enjoy my books!

• Laurel’s Amazon Author page
• https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
• https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
• https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
• Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music

If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!

Please support Alligator Preserves on Patreon.  You will be rewarded!

Author Howard Levine talks with Laurel about “Last Gasp,” his new political thriller, and about his writing process and where he finds inspiration.

Laurel still can’t believe Howard hasn’t read Dan Brown . . . !

 

 

Watch the interview here:

Listen to “audio only” here:

Show Notes with Links:

• 

  Howard Levine introduces himself and his work.

• Laurel is reminded of Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code.
• Link to Howard’s interview in The Big Thrill (Oct ’18).
• How Howard was able to make readers feel some compassion for his villain.
• Religious zealotry and its manifestation in our world.
• Laurel discusses Howard’s stunning sentences and sense of place, and asks about when he knew he could write well. (He had a short story class with author Joseph Heller, who validated Howard’s writing! YIKES!)

• 

  Who inspired him to write “Last Gasp”?

• Howard discusses his characters and how he comes up with names.
• Blues singer Susan Tedeschi.
• Developing the brother relationship.
• Vietnam Vets Against the War (VVAW)
• Howard talks about his writing routine and offers advice to writers and authors.
• Transcendental Meditation in his daily routine.

• 

  Shout-outs!
  Black Opal Books
  Literary Agent Donna Eastman
  Authors Carol Bellhouse and Stephanie Spong (Laurel’s editors!)

If you enjoy my podcasts, you might enjoy my books!

• Laurel’s Amazon Author page
• https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
• https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
• https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
• Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music

If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!

Please support Alligator Preserves on Patreon.  You will be rewarded!

Award-winning author Kathleen Kaska visits with Laurel and discusses “A Two Horse Town,” the second book in her Kate Caraway murder mystery series.

An animal rights activist herself, Kathleen focuses on those she relates to best: the underdogs.

She writes in multiple genres, including historical fiction, and also talks about her Sydney Lockhart mystery series and mystery writer “triviography”!

Watch the interview here:

 Listen to “audio only” Here:

Show Notes with Links:

• Kathleen Kaska’s Amazon Author page

  

• Her website

Kathleen introduces herself and talks about her involvement in publishing world, and then answers the following questions:
• Why an Animal Rights mystery series? What in your background set you up to be an animal rights activist?
• What did you do as a child for fun?
• Who inspired you to write?
• Would you read a passage from A Two Horse Town, your  most recent novel?
• What is your writing routine?

• Please discuss your character’s greatest fear (in “Run Dog Run” Kate’s is failure). What’s her fear in A Two Horse Town?
• What’s YOUR greatest fear?
• IDA! Counterweight to her twin sister Veda. Real people?
• Another scene to read?
• Any personal experience with Native American tribes?
• What’s next for Kate Caraway…how many?
• Sydney Lockhart historical fiction series–Might you come to the Delaware Hotel in Leadville?

• San Juan Islands
• West, Texas

• How many more books are waiting for you to write them?
• Do you have a favorite book of yours?
• Shout-out to Black Opal Books
• Preserves?

 

 

If you enjoy my podcasts, you might enjoy my books!

• Laurel’s Amazon Author page
• https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
• https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
• https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
• Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music

If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!

Please support Alligator Preserves on Patreon.  You will be rewarded!

Visit with me as I share a humorous essay about my experiences with medically induced menopause and discuss the (oftentimes ridiculous) realities of aging!

Listen Here:

Watch this episode on YouTube Here:

Show Notes with Links:

(coming soon!)

More Links:

If you enjoy my podcasts, you might enjoy my books!

• Laurel’s Amazon Author page
• https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
• https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
• https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
• Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music

If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!

Please support Alligator Preserves on Patreon.  You will be rewarded!

I believe we do birthdays wrong! To celebrate the start of my 6th decade, I honor those who raised and tolerated me, and those who’ve helped to make me the person I am now.

In addition to pieces I wrote about my Mum and Dad, there’s also a poem I wrote for them while they were still alive called “Don’t Leave Me.”

Listen Here:

Show Notes with Links:

• SuperMum part 1 with more photos
• SuperMum part 2 with more photos
• Poem “Don’t Leave Me”
• Waterwight Breathe available for Kindle pre-order!

More Links:

If you enjoy my podcasts, you might enjoy my books!

• Laurel’s Amazon Author page
• https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
• https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
• https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
• Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music

If you enjoyed this episode and others, please subscribe to Alligator Preserves on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends about it! I’d love it if you “liked” the episodes you listen to, and I’d love it even more if you’d post a quick comment!

Please support Alligator Preserves on Patreon.  You will be rewarded!