The Word Count Podcast-Episode 64

The Picture above and the month of March. That’s the prompt for this month’s show.

A huge “thank you” to Ms. Becca B. Jenkins who graciously let me use one of her photographs for this month’s show. Along with her writing talent (and I’d check out her website when you get a sec: Hunt, Gather, Brew), she is a talented photographer.

Four new stories this time around. Two wonderful partners-in-crime return (Maria Haskins and Bill Kirton) along with relative newcomer to the show, John McCaffrey (in a collaboration piece with Jack Gwaltney) and long time absent friend Julia Mae Staley returns as well with a lovely tale.

Feel free to download and listen to the latest show (or previous shows) via iTunes or Libsyn. Here is an embedded player, if you prefer:

A reminder that we are looking to increase the number of likes on the show’s Facebook Page, so hope on over there and tell you friends about us (use the #WordCountPodcast hashtag).

Onto the show!

Show Notes:

Maria Haskins – “Lost”

Maria Haskins is a Swedish-Canadian writer and certified translator. She writes speculative fiction and poetry, and debuted as a writer in Sweden. Since 1992 she lives in Canada, just outside Vancouver, with a husband, two kids, and a very large black dog.

Website: https://mariahaskins.wordpress.com

Twitter: @mariahaskins

Bill Kirton – “The Lochan”

Before taking early retirement to become a full-time writer, Bill Kirton was a lecturer in French at the University of Aberdeen. He’s written stage and radio plays, short stories, novels, skits and songs for revues, and five non-fiction books aimed at helping students with their writing and study skills. His five modern crime novels, Justice, The Darkness, Shadow Selves and Unsafe Acts are set in north east Scotland and his historical crime/romance novel, The Figurehead, is set in Aberdeen in 1840. The Darkness won the silver award in the mystery category of the 2011 Forward National Literature Awards and his spoof mystery, The Sparrow Conundrum, was the winner in the humor category.

He’s published a novel for children called The Loch Ewe Mystery, and his latest publication is a satirical novella about online gaming and the real and virtual worlds.

He’s had radio plays broadcast by the BBC and the Australian BC.  His short stories have appeared in many anthologies, including three of the CWA’s annual collections, and one was chosen by Maxim Jakubowski for his 2010 anthology of Best British Crime Stories. It’s also been optioned by a film company in Los Angeles.

He’s been a Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow at universities in Aberdeen, Dundee and St Andrews.

Website: www.bill-kirton.co.uk

Twitter: @carver22

 Jack Gwaltney & John McCaffrey – “Seldom is Heard”

Jack Gwaltney was born in Virginia, went to the University of Virginia and lives in New York, fortunate to perform as an actor on stage, television and in film. Collaborating with John McCaffrey is one of the wisest things Jack does. Thanks to The Word Count Podcast!

John McCaffrey grew up in Rochester, New York, attended Villanova University, and received his MA in Creative Writing from the City College of New York. He is the author of The Book of Ash and Two Syllable Men. He lives in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Julia Mae Staley – “When on Fire”

Julia Mae Staley is a singer/songwriter, rock harpist and author from Bucks County, PA.  Her music has taken her many places, and even to the silver screen.  She will be releasing her first indie rock album this year.

Websites: http://www.juliamaestaley.com ; http://www.facebook.com/rockharpist

Twitter: @juliamaestaley