Episodes

Step into the dark and twisted world of C.R. Rice's Denial with Beyond the Pen - the must-listen podcast for fans of thought-provoking, genre-defying stories. Dive deep into the dying towns of America and explore the cultural funeral rituals and views on death that shape our world. From the depths of honor and glory in war to the reality of what lies beyond, join us as we delve into the depths of Rice's visionary novel, unlocking its hidden meanings and unearthing its most powerful themes. With ...

Step into the dark and twisted world of C.R. Rice's Denial with Beyond the Pen - the must-listen podcast for fans of thought-provoking, genre-defying stories. Dive deep into the dying towns of America and explore the cultural funeral rituals and views on death that shape our world. From the depths of honor and glory in war to the reality of what lies beyond, join us as we delve into the depths of Rice's visionary novel, unlocking its hidden meanings and unearthing its most powerful themes. With ...

In this episode of Beyond the Pen, we delve into the heart-wrenching story of a Jewish musical family's escape from Nazi-occupied Vienna to Bolivia in the book "Exile Music." Discover the musical structure and themes that weave throughout the narrative. We explore the deeper topics of antisemitism, shell shock, woman empowerment, and being a lesbian in the 30s. Finally, join us as we travel down the rabbit holes of this captivating story, showcasing the resilience and strength of the human spiri...

In this episode of Beyond the Pen, we delve into the heart-wrenching story of a Jewish musical family's escape from Nazi-occupied Vienna to Bolivia in the book "Exile Music." Discover the musical structure and themes that weave throughout the narrative. We explore the deeper topics of antisemitism, shell shock, woman empowerment, and being a lesbian in the 30s. Finally, join us as we travel down the rabbit holes of this captivating story, showcasing the resilience and strength of the human spiri...

Get ready to take your book to the next level with this captivating episode of Beyond the Pen! Join Maccabee as he sits down with Publishing PR Expert Jessica Dalby to explore the ins and outs of successful book PR. Learn how to find the right PR fit for your book, discover the key ingredients for a successful book roadmap, and steer clear of common PR pitfalls. In addition, Jessica will give you valuable insights on getting authentic reviews, using social media to your advantage, and so much mo...

Get ready to take your book to the next level with this captivating episode of Beyond the Pen! Join Maccabee as he sits down with Publishing PR Expert Jessica Dalby to explore the ins and outs of successful book PR. Learn how to find the right PR fit for your book, discover the key ingredients for a successful book roadmap, and steer clear of common PR pitfalls. In addition, Jessica will give you valuable insights on getting authentic reviews, using social media to your advantage, and so much mo...

In This Episode of Beyond the Pen Unleash the Power Within Exploring the World of Rise of the Ravenisha with P. Grace Lawson. Join us as we delve into the fantastical world of werepanthers, warrior women, and revenge in P. Grace Lawson's debut novel, Rise of the Ravenisha. Discover how the author's anthropological background influenced the creation of her characters and the intricate world-building. Learn about the themes of freeing oneself from bondage and coming into one's power as we delve in...

In This Episode of Beyond the Pen Unleash the Power Within Exploring the World of Rise of the Ravenisha with P. Grace Lawson. Join us as we delve into the fantastical world of werepanthers, warrior women, and revenge in P. Grace Lawson's debut novel, Rise of the Ravenisha. Discover how the author's anthropological background influenced the creation of her characters and the intricate world-building. Learn about the themes of freeing oneself from bondage and coming into one's power as we delve in...

In This Episode Join us as we delve into the dystopian world of Harper Glenn's newest release, Monarch Rising. Set in a chilling near-future America, we'll explore the struggles of protagonist Jo Monarch as she fights to escape poverty and rise to power in the borderlands of New Georgia. But her journey is not without obstacles, as she faces off against a boy trained to manipulate and deceive. Listen as we unpack the themes of interracial relationships, class divide and the power struggle, and d...

In This Episode Experience the heart-wrenching story of Jo Monarch in Harper Glenn's new book, Monarch Rising. Join us on Beyond the Pen as we dive into the chilling near-future world of the New United States of America, where Jo struggles to survive in the impoverished borderlands of New Georgia. But when she's given one chance to change her fate, she must face a boy trained to break hearts. Warning: Our podcast delves into sensitive topics such as drug addiction, mental health, and physical an...

In This Episode We speak to the Queen of Hearts, Kaitlyn Legaspi, about her Young Adult book series, Red Blood - Card Holders. She tells us how a deck of cards and anime inspired her to write a book in high school, and after graduating from the University of Florida, she published said books and is currently working on book three of six. She talks to us about how her pantser style of writing allowed her to create over 52 domains within her world. A tournament to the death for people bound (have ...

In This Episode In this episode of Beyond the Pen, we sit with guest author Kaitlyn Legaspi, the mastermind and Queen of Hearts behind the bestselling series Red Blood - The Card Holders Book 1. Kaitlyn takes us on a journey through her creative process, revealing how a deck of cards and anime-inspired her to write a book while still in high school. After graduating from the University of Florida, she published her first book and is currently working on the third book of the six-book series. Joi...

In This Episode Human nature, good vs. evil, and the justification of destruction; these are just a few examples of philosophies and ideals that authors use as inspiration for their novels. This successful formula has been used repeatedly in the publishing world for generations. But this week's guest author, Douglas Robbins, has created a narrative that blends fantasy, sci-fi, philosophy, mysticism, and more in Narican - The Cloaked Deception. We discuss everything from Oppenheimer's justificati...

In This Episode Dive into an alternate reality filled with emotional depth and twisting adventure as we explore Douglas Robbins' latest novel, Narican: The Cloaked Deception, a story of a young man's fight to protect Earth from the Toxic Whisperers. This unique blend of science-fiction, fantasy, philosophy, mysticism, and more delves into themes of human nature, good vs. evil, and the justification of destruction. Join us as we discuss everything from Oppenheimer's justification of the Atomic Bo...

In This Episode Have you ever considered creating fan fiction for your favorite book series? Or maybe experiment with a well-known character's backstory to answer the question, what if? Well, this week's guest author, Alice McVeigh, did just that to one of Jane Austen's most infamous villainous characters, Lady Susan. In Susan - A Jane Austen Prequel, Alice shows us that not all villains start evil initially but are gradually changed over time. Her love of Jane Austen is so overwhelming and unp...

In This Episode of Beyond the Pen We dive into the world of fan fiction and explore the possibilities of re-imagining beloved characters and their stories. Our guest author, Alice McVeigh, takes on one of Jane Austen's most infamous villainous characters, Lady Susan, in her new novel, Susan - A Jane Austen Prequel. Alice shares with us how she approached creating a backstory for Lady Susan and delved into whether or not all villains are genuinely born evil. Join us as we delve into the mind of A...

In This Episode Teaching our children about empathy in their early stages of life is very important to any parent. However, it takes talented and passionate people to create these feelings in those around them at any age. This week's guest, Aruna M. Lepore, is a shining example of this with her children's book, Peanut the Penguin. The origin of Peanut has been inspired by the penguins of Cape Town, South Africa, to her roots in Trinidad, located in the Caribbean Islands. Follow us as we discover...

In This Episode of Beyond the Pen We dive into the importance of teaching empathy to our children at a young age. Our guest, Aruna M. Lepore, is a children's author who has created a powerful tool for parents and educators to teach empathy through her book, Peanut the Penguin. Peanut's story takes us on a journey from the penguins of Cape Town, South Africa, to Trinidad, where Aruna was born and raised. We'll discover how Peanut's love for singing and being different teaches children to understa...

In This Episode Dinners are a time to catch up on the goings on in our family and friends' lives. It's also a time when parents ask their single-adult children all those questions no one wants to hear. Are you dating anyone yet? When are you going to settle down and have children? Have you even tried looking for the right guy/girl? This can drive many of us crazy, especially if you're not into the opposite sex. And to make things worse, your best friend blurts out, "Oh, we've been dating for a w...

In This Episode In this episode of Beyond the Pen, we explore the often awkward and uncomfortable conversations that can occur at family dinners. We'll dive into the experiences of single-adult children bombarded with questions about their dating life and how they handle the pressure to settle down and start a family. We'll also talk to Gwen Tolios, author of the queer romance, Returning to You, and discuss how she brought to life the story of Monica and Lisa's relationship and the dynamics of c...

In this Episode Coming from a generation of mental health and trauma can rain on anyone's parade. However, our guest author, Sandy Joy Weston, has always found some way to keep thinking positively no matter the storm has come her way. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. This allowed her to rise from the projects to owning and training her more well-known clients over the years. So, come with us as we go beyond the G.A.M.E. changing system in her book, Train Your Head & The B...

In this Episode We dive deep into the life of Sandy Joy Weston, a bestselling author, and personal trainer. From growing up in the projects to training some of the most well-known clients, Sandy has faced numerous challenges and storms in life, but she has always found a way to stay positive and rise above it all. Join us as we explore her journey and the G.A.M.E. changing system in her book, "Train Your Head & The Body Will Follow," which has helped her overcome mental health and trauma. So get...

In This Episode Are you someone who loves geography or Alchemicals like the Philosopher's Stone? What would you do if you came across a mythical creature who disappeared behind a bolder? Would you find a way past it to travel to a whole new world? Well, that's what Lucy and Dee, our protagonists, did as they traveled down the Silk Road - made of real silk into the world of magic, dragons, and demons. So come with us as we go Beyond the Pen with author Kirsten Marion and her book, Lucy and Dee - ...

In This Episode Join us as we embark on a magical journey down the Silk Road, where two brave and adventurous travelers, Lucy and Dee, come face to face with mythical creatures, dragons, and demons. This week on Beyond the Pen, we sit down with author Kirsten Marion to dive into her captivating novel, Lucy and Dee - The Silk Road. Listen as we explore the world of magic and dive into the pages of this Alchemical-inspired story that takes us on a journey beyond our wildest imaginations. So grab y...