Books and Brews Podcast

Laura Vosika

The Books & Brews Podcast is the place where literature and beer meet. Each month we welcome a new guest author to read and discuss their work. Author Laura Vosika leads in-depth interviews to delve into the motivations, inspirations and preoccupations of each guest. Certified Cicerone® Michael Agnew pours beers specifically selected to pair with the writer's work. It's an hour of entertaining erudition that hits your mind and your mouth.

  1. Sep 25

    War and Crime, History and Technology with DV Chernov, Ep #89

    Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet! Don't miss the contest to win a free copy of your choice of DV Chernov's books. This month Chris created one of the cocktails. It needs a name. Whoever gives us the winning name will get their choice of D.V.'s books. D.V. Chernov is an awardwinning and Amazon bestselling author of crime and historical fiction whose highstakes psychological thrillers explore the collision of technology, power, and human vulnerability. His experience as a first generation immigrant from the former Soviet Union informs his books with insight into life on both sides of the Iron Curtain and the global forces shaping today's world. And his 20-year career in the high-tech industry lends his thrillers a level of authenticity that is rare in the genre. His novels have earned multiple literary awards and praise including from Kirkus, Chanticleer, and Midwest Book Review. DV Chernov holds a Master's in English and MBA degrees and resides in the Kansas City area. We talked about the history of the Russian civil war and communism, technology, getting into characters' heads and more. We stayed after for the After Hours conversation that will go up on Patreon. I was also thrilled that finally a Russian speaker understood what I was saying in Russian! 00:00 START 05:37 Drink 1: The Unnamed Drink based on traditional Siberian drinks 9:13 Reading 1: Citizen Dora 15:04 The History behind the Story—WWI, Bolshevik Revolution & the Civil War 26:11 Why is it important to know history? 30:35 Drink 2: 4 Roses OSB bourbon 33:44 Reading 2: T3n (the hacker) 38:33 D.V.'s career in high tech vs research for the book 40:35 Getting into the heads of a multitude of characters 47:43 Drink 3: vodka martini 48:50 Reading 3: Meet Nick Severs 56:36 Showing not telling and developing writing skills 57:58 High tech career, luddite character who hates technology Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with DV Chernov Www.booksandbrews.net www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.glenmirrilfarms.wordpress.com Www.dvchernov.com ~ ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT: Cindy Preston, fantasy Rich Soreson, Art: the Church's Response Edie Cay, romance Trip Buck, science fiction ...and more on Books & Brews Light at youtube UPCOMING EVENTS Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN and AMERICA. See Laura's interview at The Mind of Sai Marie Our music is new, original music Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to get notifications of all our new videos. We have now interviewed more than 115 authors! Would you like to be featured? Leave a comment. If you liked this episode, you might also like these Books and Brews episodes: Back to Olde England with JP Reedman A Pastor's Secret Child with Sharlene MacLaren Technology and Truth and a Paranormal Thriller with Ashley Fontaine and Andrea Emmes Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to get notifications of all our new videos. We have now interviewed more than 115 authors! Would you like to be featured? Leave a comment. https://www.youtube.com/@booksandbrews

  2. Aug 29 ·  Video

    Step into Mysterious Egypt: SB Darkmoor on Episode #88

    Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet! Sandra Niebuhr, writing under the pen name S. B. Darkmoor, is a German-born author of supernatural thrillers that blend folklore, mythology, psychology, and suspense. Living between Europe and Egypt, she draws inspiration from ancient legends, cultural traditions, and the mysteries that connect the seen and unseen worlds. Her novel The Djinn Never Sleep explores family secrets, inherited destinies, and the enduring mystery of the djinn. Through atmospheric storytelling and emotionally compelling characters, Sandra invites readers to question what lies beyond ordinary reality. We talked about Egypt, the supernatural, psychology…and more! You won't want to miss what Sandra has to say about looking in a mirror for too long! Tune in to find out why we used gin in every drink and see our cocktails in the gold and blue of a Pharaoh's headdress. 00:00 START 04:49 Drink 1: Bluebird 6:42 Reading 1: The Hour Stirs 9:29 Inspiration: the mysterious things that happened at Petra 13:32 When the Wall came down 19:31 Drink 2: Lavender Collins 21:16 Reading 2: The Breathing of the Pages 31:39 About those djinn… 35:22 Psychology, Logic, and the Supernatural  38:33 Drink 3: Bees Knees 40:41 Reading 3: Sophie's Call 44:46 Psychology, horror, and why we're drawn to it 48:44 Mirrors, their use in fiction—and why you shouldn't gave too long!   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS interviews with authors Www.booksandbrews.net www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.glenmirrilfarms.wordpress.com Www.sbdarkmoor.com  ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do.   A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT MONTH:  DV Chernov, historical fiction of the Civil War, mysteries in Colorado Cindy Preston, fantasy Rick Sorenson, art and faith UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN and AMERICA.  See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk Our theme music is from www.bensound.com. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to get notifications of all our new videos. We have now interviewed more than 115 authors! Would you like to be featured? Leave a comment. https://www.youtube.com/@booksandbrews

  3. Jul 25

    Episode #87: A Flight from Books and Brews Light

    Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet! This month we bring you a compilation of three authors who have been on Books and Brews Light, which is in addition to our regular podcast. You'll find many more Books and Brew Light authors at our youtube page @booksandbrews Today we feature Tara Hodgson, time travel and the high school experience; Calvin Schwartz with 10 Things I Learned from a Billionaire; and Anne-Marie Amiel with a ghostly cozy mystery featuring the ghost of Edwin Booth, brother to the infamous John Wilkes, and Anne-Marie's own Westie terrior! 00:00 START 00:54 Tara Hodgson 01:15    How school has changed for kids; social media and tech 06:43 First reading: Emma, 2022 11:45 How the high school experience has remained the same 14:20 Second reading: Sarah, 2002 19:51 Calvin Schwartz 20:21 A life's journey from pharmacies to writing 26:10 Calvin's Reading: Losing 100 pounds 30:11 Things he learned from a billionaire 37:13 Miracle Healing 40:10 Anne-Marie Amiel 43:45 About her newest book and the ghost of Edwin Booth 53:03 Anne-Marie's Reading: Haunting Justice, prologue 58:12 Historical basis for the girl who haunts the theater   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with Ashley and Andrea Www.booksandbrews.net www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.glenmirrilfarms.wordpress.com  ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika  Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT:  SB Darkmoor — psychological thrillers UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN and AMERICA  See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk Our theme music is from www.bensound.com. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to get notifications of all our new videos. We have now interviewed more than 115 authors! Would you like to be featured? Leave a comment. https://www.youtube.com/@booksandbrews

  4. Jun 30

    Something Fishy This Way Comes: Fantasy Worlds with Benjamin Schwarting, Ep 86

    Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet! Benjamin Schwarting is a fantasy author, high school English teacher, and co-owner of Williams & Rose Publishing. Author of The Sum of Ages series & the Daughters of the Storm prequel series, Ben's work emphasizes writing complex fantasy cultures that highlight real-world issues of systemic oppression and social injustice. After earning his MAT, Ben has taught as an adjunct professor of Education at the College of Idaho and designed creative writing and young author's courses for high schoolers. We talked about languages, cultural differences, the inspirations behind Ben's two fantasy series, and much more. 00:00 START 05:45 Drink 1: Vieux Carre 8:20 Reading 1: Out-swimming Destiny 17:50 Connection to Asian Cultures 23:26 A Cascade of Consequences and the 5 Ideas 27:26 Drink 2: Dark and Stormy 29:38 Reading 2: 5 Trapped in a Trunk 33:45 Getting in a Character's Mind 35:59 The Bechtold Test and Erasing Part of Humanity  41:45 Drink 3: Fish House Punch 44:14 Reading 3: The Bartender's Shady Business 52:50 Writing villains who aren't 1-dimensional 55:15 Biggest difficulties for new writers   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with Ashley and Andrea Www.booksandbrews.net www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.glenmirrilfarms.wordpress.com Www.benjaminschwarting.com  ~ ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika  Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT MONTH:  Randy Lerch — memoir, former MBL player  UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN and AMERICA.  See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk Our theme music is from www.bensound.com. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to get notifications of all our new videos. We have now interviewed more than 115 authors! Would you like to be featured? Leave a comment. https://www.youtube.com/@booksandbrews

  5. May 29

    Survive! on an Alien World with Charles P. Graham, Episode #85

    Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet! Dr. Charles P. Graham: sci-fi author author, semi-retired chiropractor, Navy nuclear submarine veteran, survivalist, squadron leader, search and rescue pilot and more!  After serving aboard the USS Plunger during the Cold War, Charles built a chiropractic practice in St. Johns, Michigan, and became a leader in Civil Air Patrol and search and rescue work.  He Survive! series — Marooned on Planet Tau Ceti g, First Alien Contact, and the soon to be released Galactic War — draws on his extensive experience in survival training and search and rescue. When he's not writing or treating patients, he develops puzzle games on Steam and Google Play under Simple Software Solutions.  We talked about Charles' experience in search and rescue—can you really eat that?—how his books stand out in the sci-fi field, the writing craft, his scariest airplane experiences and more. Oh, and of course—are Bigfoot and Dogmen out there? What drinks would you pair to readings about a strange new alien creature, an attack by a bear-like animal, and a man alone on a damaged spaceship? 00:00 START 03:16 Drink 1: High Canopy Sour 04:44 Reading 1: Jay Meets the Pidogg 14:52 Writing ourselves into corners 17:01 Life in Search and Rescue  21:46 Drink 2: Growing Friendship Cucumber Cooler 23:12 Reading 2: Risking Wild Alien Animals for Water 30:17 A futuristic take on women and flawed heroes 34:47 Balancing the amount of science presented in fiction 40:27 Drink 3: Heroes Risk-Taker Dacquiri 41:50 Reading 3: Lezah Faces the End 51:30 Faith in sci-fi  55:03 Civil Air Patrol and airplane disasters   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with authors Www.booksandbrews.net www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.glenmirrilfarms.wordpress.com Www.charlespgraham.com  ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT:  Barry Black — former FBI master bomb technician Randy Lerch — former MLB player UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN and AMERICA  See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk Our theme music is from www.bensound.com. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to get notifications of all our new videos. We have now interviewed more than 115 authors! Would you like to be featured? Leave a comment. https://www.youtube.com/@booksandbrews

  6. Apr 30

    The Deep Well: Exploring Horror with Laura Creedle, Episode #84

    Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet! Laura Creedle is the author of The Deep Well and The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily, which Kirkus Reviews described as "entertaining, thought-provoking, and unsettling—in a good way." When she's not writing, Laura can usually be found playing pinball or watching indie horror. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and a feral cat named Hellman who was found with her head stuck in a mayonnaise jar. We talked about how indie publishing has changed the horror genre, writing novels with ADHD, Russia's Kola Superdeep Borehole, the place of AI in writing, and much more. What drinks would you pair to readings about a super deep borehole and a stalking cult member!? 00:00 START 04:49 Drink 1: Mexican Coffee 05:48 Reading 1: 5-Year-Old April at the Deep Hole 13:49 A book with lots of moving parts 14:38 Authors killing our darlings 15:33 Drink 2: B-52 17:59 Reading 2: Wikipedia on the Ojo de Cristo Mining Disaster 19:50 Many questions & stories on the Kola Superdeep 25:19 Stories? Vampires & Werewolves 32:17 Drink 3: Verdant Lady 35:07 Reading 3: Marianne Returns 40:16 Marianne vs the Cult (and more on cults) 51:04 AI and more AI Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with Ashley and Andrea Www.booksandbrews.net www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.glenmirrilfarms.wordpress.com Www.lauracredle.com ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT: JK Divia — dark fantasy, mythological horror, paranormal Barry Black — former FBI master bomb technician Randy Lerch — former MLB player Charles Graham — sci-fi drawing from military & rescue experiences UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN and AMERICA Our theme music is from www.bensound.com. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to get notifications of all our new videos. We have now interviewed more than 115 authors! Would you like to be featured? Leave a comment.

  7. Mar 28

    Journey to Africa with Juliet Cutler, Episode #83

    Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet! Juliet Cutler is a writer, educator, and a designer of award-winning exhibits for museums, parks, and cultural centers around the world. In 1999 and 2000, she lived in Tanzania where she taught English at the first school for Maasai girls in East Africa. In her first book Among the Maasai, Juliet recounts her experiences as a young American teacher working in a context where women and girls face unimaginable challenges. Twenty-five years later, she illustrates the positive impacts of educating women and girls in her second book Lessons in Hope, which features the stories of Maasai women working in education, health care, government, nonprofits, and business. She regularly travels to Tanzania to support causes that uplift Maasai women and girls. All proceeds from the sales of her books support these causes. We talked about Juliet's work in the earliest years of the school for Massai girls in Tanzania, African cultures, National Geographic's portrayals of those cultures, attitudes toward disabilities, how Massai culture is changing, and designing exhibits for museums and parks...in addition to many other things! 00:00 START 07:03 Drink 1: Hakuna Mata 09:42 Reading 1: Intro 14:20 Inspiration and Preparation for Africa 19:44 The Distinct & Iconic Massai Culture 26:17 Drink 2: Dowa (medicine) 30:06 Reading 2: Neema's Dreams 34:44 How has life changed since the school started? 39:22 Adapting vs Maintaining Tradition & Culture 42:53 Drink 3: Ama-lekkerlicious 45:52 Reading 3: Kafika House 52:48 Changing Attitudes toward Disabilities 52:48 What did Africa DO to you!? (or How the African Experience Changed Juliet)   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS with other authors Www.booksandbrews.net www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.glenmirrilfarms.wordpress.com www.julietcutler.com   ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode.  Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT:  Laura Creedle—horror JK Divia — dark fantasy, mythological horror, paranormal Barry Black — former FBI master bomb technician Randy Lerch — former MLB player Charles Graham — sci-fi drawing from military & rescue experiences UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN and AMERICA See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk Our theme music is from www.bensound.com. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to get notifications of all our new videos, including our Books and Brews LIGHT guests, available exclusively on YouTube. We have now interviewed more than 115 authors! Would you like to be featured? Leave a comment. https://www.youtube.com/@booksandbrews

  8. Feb 27

    Hey Y'all, Come on in to Chat with Ms. Rat! Southern Humor in Episode #82

    Books and Brews: the place where beer and literature meet! Marlene and her family have experienced a number of tragedies and frightening experiences. Any one of which could have been their undoing. If she could find one little spark of humor in that tangle of fears she could make life better. She is a southern humorist who enjoys a bit of the dark-side. After nearly 35 years of teaching and counseling adolescents and their parents, she retired, only to begin writing the Hey Y'all column for Gwinnett Citizen Newspaper and for Anything Goes for Inspirations for a better World online magazine. In 2020 she received the Georgia Independent Author of the Year Award and the Christian Women Writers Award for Life is Hard. Soften it with Laughter. A Place with a Past received the award in 2021. Ladies of All Nations, International presented her the Global Woman of Courage Award. We talked about rings, family history, the importance of humor, her father's experiences in world war II and how he acquired part of Hitler's tea set…and more! You won't want to miss her reading about Tasteful Native Costumes! 00:00 START 07:15 Drink 1: Butterbean Cocktail 9:22 Reading 1: Take Cover! We at War! 13:46 Becoming Ms. Rat 22:01 Hope, Faith & Medical Experts 27:54 Drink 2: 5 Gold Rings 31:31 Reading 2: 5 Gold Rings 38:58 Sentiment even without knowing whose the rings were 40:04 Dad and Hitler's tea set 46:15 Drink 3: Skip and Go Naked 49:33 Reading 3: Tasteful Native Costumes 54:10 Boys' and parents' reaction! 55:31 What does being southern mean to you?   Visit our PATREON for our extended AFTER HOURS Www.booksandbrews.net www.lauravosika.com www.gabrielshornpress.com www.glenmirrilfarms.wordpress.com Www.msratwrites.com  ~ ~ If you enjoy our interviews or have benefited from them, we invite you to help us continue our work. It takes a great deal of time and money to produce Books and Brews. We've been doing interviews since January 2017 as a free service to authors. We continue to promote those authors on our social media for years after their interviews. Subscribing, following, liking, commenting and sharing all help us to keep doing what we do. A $5 tip helps us pay for our many expenses: Libsyn hosting, web hosting, Google meets, providing the drinks for the interview and the many hours of preparation and editing that go into each episode. Patreon: patreon.com/BooksandBrewswithLauraVosika Tip Jar: paypal.me/booksandbrewsMN * Books and Brews products: https://www.zazzle.com/store/books_an… (more to come) Sponsor an episode to promote your product or service: contact us booksandbrewslive@gmail.com COMING NEXT MONTH:  Juliet Cutler — travels to Africa and girls' education Laura Creedle — horror JK Divia — dark fantasy, mythological horror & paranormal Barry Black — former FBI master bomb technician Randy Lerch — memoir, former MBL player  UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEMES: CHILDREN and AMERICA.  See Laura's interview at Central Valley Talk Our theme music is from www.bensound.com. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to get notifications of all our new videos. We have now interviewed more than 115 authors! Would you like to be featured? Leave a comment. https://www.youtube.com/@booksandbrews

About

The Books & Brews Podcast is the place where literature and beer meet. Each month we welcome a new guest author to read and discuss their work. Author Laura Vosika leads in-depth interviews to delve into the motivations, inspirations and preoccupations of each guest. Certified Cicerone® Michael Agnew pours beers specifically selected to pair with the writer's work. It's an hour of entertaining erudition that hits your mind and your mouth.