Tag: Books

J Herman Kleiger Author – “Tears Are Only Water”

by Billy Dees, posted in Books, Media, Podcast

On this episode, I speak with Jim Kleiger, an author and mental health professional with extensive experience in psychology and psychoanalysis.

We discuss Jim’s new book, “Tears Are Only Water,” and how his professional interests influenced his creative writing. Jim shares his background growing up in Denver and his journey into psychology. We also talk about the stigma surrounding mental health, noting that it has improved but still persists.

Jim delves into his foray into creative writing, which began in 2019 and gained momentum during the pandemic. Jim’s novels explore themes of trauma, madness, psychological intrigue, healing, and transformation. “Tears Are Only Water” is described as a psychologically textured suspense and mystery with a hopeful ending.

J. Herman Kleiger

Jim shares a fair amount of light on his background, writing process, and the themes he explores in his books.

J Herman Kleiger, the author’s name otherwise going by Jim, discusses the plot of the book “Tears Are Only Water,” during the episode. The story revolves around characters coping with trauma and a crime investigation. Jim distinguishes his book as a psychological mystery and suspense rather than a typical thriller.

Jim mentions where readers can find his book and his upcoming audiobook release, which will feature multiple narrators and different character perspectives.

You can find the episode on your favorite podcast platform.

-Billy Dees

Chloe Klaus Author “The Treasure of the Reef”

by Billy Dees, posted in Books, Media, Podcast, Social Media

On this episode of the Billy Dees Podcast, we have Chloe Klaus, a first-time children’s book author and illustrator. Chloe discusses her book, “The Treasure of the Reef,” which she began writing in 2017 while in Australia. The book is inspired by Chloe’s love for mermaids and her passion for environmental education.

Chloe talks about her background in mental health and environmental studies, as well as her involvement with the nonprofit organization Green Allies. She explains how her book combines her passions for writing, art, mermaids, and environmental issues, using a simple story as a metaphor for her beliefs and values.

Chloe Klaus

The story revolves around a mermaid and a pirate who must find common ground to save the coral reef and their own survival. Chloe emphasizes the importance of finding good in others and overcoming polarization in today’s world.

The book is targeted towards children aged 8 to 9 but can be enjoyed by all ages. Chloe hopes that children who read her book will take away the message of finding common ground and seeing the good in others.

The podcast also discusses Chloe’s writing process, her use of social media platforms to market her book. The conversation provides insights into the writing process and the role of social media for authors.

You can find Chloe on X (Twitter) @ChloeLynnKlaus

Below is a sample of the conversation.

Peter King Author – “Gold Among the Trees”

by Billy Dees, posted in Books, Media, Podcast

In this podcast episode, author Peter King joins hosts Billy Dees and Kristy Mickelsen to discuss his career, travels, and writing.

Peter has written several books including, “Gold Among The Trees” and “Life’s but a Poem,” and has traveled extensively due to his career and involvement in sports. He shares that his writing process involves postulating a problem and solving it, often with unpredictable endings. Peter draws inspiration from current events and historical occurrences. He also mentions his publisher, Lizzy Campbell from Elite Lizard Publishing Company, and expresses his satisfaction with her assistance.

Peter King

The conversation delves into Peter’s experience of self-publishing his books after facing rejections from agents and publishers. The hosts and Peter discuss his reluctance to do in-person events like book signings and his self-doubt as an author. They touch on topics such as imposter syndrome, the importance of discipline in writing, and the impact of feedback from beta readers.

The podcast was recorded December 6th 2023 and they mention celebrating Christmas in Holland. The conversation is light-hearted and entertaining, showcasing Peter’s wit and humor. This podcast is important as it provides insights into the challenges and experiences of a self-published author, exploring themes of self-doubt and the creative process.

You can find the video version on X (Twitter) Billy Dees Podcast and on Billy Dees Podcasts on Facebook.

Thanks to Elite Lizard Publishing.

HumorOutcasts Interview with Daniela V. Gitlin, MD Author of “Practice, Practice, Practice: This Psychiatrist’s Life”

by Billy Dees, posted in Podcast, Uncategorized

PracticeCoverthumbnailThis HumorOutcasts interview is with Daniela V. Gitlin, MD who is the author of, “Practice, Practice, Practice: This Psychiatrist’s Life.”

Daniela’s book gives you a view of therapy sessions from her side of the couch along with transcripts of what’s going through her mind as she’s working. Along with stories from her growing up and training years, the majority of the book spans 25 years of rural psychiatric practice. Written with candor and a light touch, these clinical and personal tales reveal a way of thinking that is essential for living actively, fully, and doing good work with a sense of wonder.

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Daniela V. Gitlin, MD

The interview is lighthearted, informative, and entertaining. Even if mental health fields are not of a particular interest to you, her career journey and life experiences are worth a listen. Much of the same can be said about the book. If you are in the field of mental health I’m sure you will find the material that much more stimulating but even as a novice or just someone who is just curious about human behavior, the book might very well be worth your time.

The interview was set up by the publisher, Corner Office Books and HumorOutcasts.com.  You can find out more about Daniela at DanielaGitlin.com.

For your convenience the interview is available below at the bottom of this post. Just hit play. The podcast episode is also available on most of the major podcasting platforms including Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and many others under the Billy Dees Podcast.

The episode is titled on these services as:

HumorOutcasts Interview with Daniela Gitlin Author of “Practice Practice Practice …”

HumorOutcasts Interview with Concha Alborg – Author of “My Mother, That Stranger, Letters from the Spanish Civil War”

by Billy Dees, posted in Books, Podcast

Concha Alborg CoverThis episode is an interview with Concha Alborg who is the author of “My Mother, That Stranger, Letters from the Spanish Civil War.”

This interview was done with our partners at HumorOutcasts.com.

Concha Resize1This book is a memoir about Concha’s mother based on the letters her mother wrote to her fiancé who was fighting against Franco’s forces during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939).

During this fascinating interview Concha talks about the scope of the Spanish Civil War, the plight of immigrants, and how she rediscovered her mother by researching and writing this book. We also discuss how certain historical elements and past political ideologies have relevance in today’s world.

You can find out more about Concha Alborg at ConchaAlborg.com.

Concha Resize2For your convenience the interview is available below at the bottom of this post. Just hit play. The podcast episode is also available on most of the major podcasting platforms including Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and many others under the “Billy Dees Podcast.”

The episode is titled on these services as:

HumorOutcasts Interview with Concha Alborg Author of “My Mother, That Stranger, Letters from the Spanish Civil War”

People of Twitter Podcast Interviews

by Billy Dees, posted in Podcast, Uncategorized

Dorothy Rosby and Billy Dees
Dorothy Rosby and Billy Dees

Are you on Twitter? Do you use it to help market your blog, books, photography, or other creative endeavors? Have you been on Twitter with an active account for at least five years?

We are launching a new series of podcast interviews with Twitter users to talk about why they joined, how they have utilized the social media platform, and how the user experience has changed for them over the years.

On this episode we talk to Dorothy Rosby who is on Twitter @DorothyRosby

I originally met Dorothy working on an interview for HumorOutcasts.com.

coverjDorothy Rosby is a speaker and syndicated humor columnist whose writing appears in publications across eleven states. Her column has been recognized by the South Dakota Newspaper Association. She was a finalist in the 2015 Robert Benchley Annual Award for Humor Writing and was the 2015 first-place winner in the Humor Column category of the National Federation of Press Women contest.

Rosby Cover HODorothy is the author of “I Used to Think I Was Not that Bad and Then I Got to Know Me Better,” who refers to the book as the book for people who read self-improvement books and never get any better. She also is the author of “I Didn’t Know You Could Make Birthday Cake from Scratch, Parenting Blunders from Cradle to Empty Nest.”

For your convenience the podcast interview is available below at the bottom of this post. The Billy Dees Podcast is also available on nearly all of the major podcast networks including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and Stitcher. You can follow Billy Dees on Twitter @BillyDees.

People on Twitter by Billy Dees Interview with @DorothyRosby Author and Humor Writer

HumorOutcasts Interview with Jim Saunders Author of “Animal Dances”

by Billy Dees, posted in Podcast, Uncategorized

Produced for HumorOutcasts.com 

Animal Dances coverThis podcast is an interview with Jim Saunders who is the author of, “Animal Dances.” (Available on Amazon.)

“Animal Dances” is a World War I historical fiction novel which combines extensive research of WWI along with eyewitness accounts documented in letters to form a backdrop for the fictionalized story of, “Harry.” The story follows Harry as he is caught up in the events of conflict while he longs for his former more carefree time back at home dancing to the ragtime beat of the Animal Dances. His journey through his wartime involvement will present a set of experiences that will impact him for a lifetime.

The story of the writing of this book is an interesting one by itself. While settling the estate of his Aunt Emily, Jim stumbled across a series of letters that documented several years of correspondence between Emily and her brother who was a soldier fighting abroad during WWI. Jim’s initial idea was to take the events described in the letters and to somehow synchronize them into the historical events of WWI.

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Jim Saunders the author of, “Animal Dances”

However, finding an interesting angle to this process proved itself to be cumbersome. After having a lunch conversation with a friend, Jim began to develop the concept of a novel by adding a fictionalized story.

Jim has a plethora of experience and training in various fields of science including that of a researcher. He also has a great appreciation for history and the human experience. This combination alone makes him the perfect author for this type of story. However, Jim had such a dedication to the project that he felt he needed to further develop his storytelling skills in addition to his already well-practiced scientific writing. As a result, Jim enrolled himself into fiction writing classes, workshops, and other various courses.

The product of Jim’s 8 years’ worth of hard work and dedication is an excellent and well-reviewed book. I would certainly hope that you will accept our invitation to listen to our podcast to hear more about this fantastic and creative journey from Jim himself. For your convenience the interview is available below at the bottom of this post. Just hit play. The podcast episode is also available on most of the major podcasting platforms including Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and on your favorite Alexa device under the “Billy Dees Podcast.”

The episode is titled on these services as:

HumorOutcasts Interview with Jim Saunders of “Animal Dances”