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Talk Show Program Schedule
More Interviews LIVE from
Orlando, Florida
October 9, 2009 4:00-5:00 (PM) EST
To Listen 24/7 Go To:
http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19487 Episode 117
WATCH 24/7 AT: http://www.youtube.com/user/bobc9246
GUESTS ON THESE INTERVIEWS WERE ALL NOMINATED FOR THE BOOK AWARD IN THEIR BOOK CATEGORIES
AT THE 2009 MILITARY WRITERS SOCIETY OF AMERICA - 2009 Annual Conference
And "People Choice Awards"
People on the Internet Voted For the Winners!
www.militarywriters.com
SEE BELOW THE FINAL BOOK AWARD WINNERS AND THE FINALISTS FOR THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS!
Talk Show Host: Bob Calvert
GUESTS:
John Raymond Takacs
Vietnam Combat Wounded Veteran
Author of The Take-Us
http://thetakeus.com
John Raymond Takacs is an inventor, adventurer and avid outdoor enthusiast. A combat wounded veteran he was awarded a purple heart during the Vietnam War while serving with the 101st Airborne Division. He resides on the west slope of the Sierra-Nevada Mountains in California
The Ledger Dispatch Highlights Local Author's Book - Local author John Raymond Takacs takes readers on a ride - August 12, 2008 By Scott Thomas Anderson
Local writer John Raymond Takacs is preparing for a cross-country tour to promote his first novel, "The Take-Us," which will be released locally Sept. 6. John Raymond Takacs is many things - a war veteran, an imaginative inventor, a physical and emotional survivor. But as a first-time novelist, he's something just as unique - a storyteller who tackles what he calls the "U.S. enslavement to oil" by throwing the country's biggest crisis into a high-speed, fictional fast lane.
Takacs grew up the little Hoosier backwater of Mishawaka, Indiana. Within days of graduating high school he was on his way to Vietnam. Takacs became part of the U.S. Army's highly elite paratrooper core, the 101st Airborne. they were better known as "The Screaming Eagles." For five months he put his life on the line in a series of jungle drops - until a helicopter he was riding in was shot down by mortar fire. As the chopper attempted to land it flipped completely into the earth, leaving Takacs's body riddled with shrapnel and broken bones.
Today he views this experience as a defining moment in his life. "When I got back to the states after I'd recovered from the crash, everything changed because the war was so unpopular in 1971," Takacs said. "You didn't dare tell people you'd been wounded in Nam, because no one would hire you. In fact, I literally couldn't find a job until I stopped putting down that I was a war veteran."
The lack of opportunities in Indiana brought Takacs out west to California and eventually Pioneer. In 1994, he began writing. While he believes he had a number of good stories back then germinating in his mind to create various novels, a sudden series of tragedies put his aspirations on hold. Takacs lost his wife to a fatal car accident. Then his father, his only brother and both his brothers-in-law all passed away from illness that very same year. Takacs had to leave writing behind to focus his energy on being a single father and holding his family together.
While grief and personal calamity had appeared to end Takacs' career as an author, it was ironically another trying time that set it back on track. In 2006, Takacs became gravely ill with an internal condition. He remembers overhearing two surgeons discuss whether he was going to live or not. "It may sound strange," Takacs said, "but I just laid there thinking, 'I don't want to die with all of these stories trapped inside of me.'"Takacs lived through two major operations.
Once he was fully recovered he set to writing his first novel, "The Take-Us." In a few weeks it will finally hit bookshelves.
"The Take-Us" is the story of John Christenson, a man who invents a prototype car that could finally ace the world's oil cartel out of its strangle-hold on the United States.
To prove that his new machine can actually do what everyone's been waiting for - namely run without gas or plug-in technology - Christenson decides to trek across the country in it on live television. What ensues is an adventurous race against the dark corporate forces that would keep his technology from the public.
"This novel was brought about by the fact that I've been researching the global oil crisis and the struggle to make alternative vehicles for some time," said Takacs. "The kind of drive technology that's in my book is something I'd hoped to actually invent for the car market. I later came to believe I didn't have the knowledge and talent to create the real hard, and sometimes it's tedious, but when a homeowner comes up to you and tells you that you've really made an impact on their life, then everything becomes more than worth it."
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Erin Rainwater
Veteran and Nurse
Writer of historical love stories:
True Colors, 2006
The Arrow That Flieth By Day, 2006
www.erinrainwater.com
Erin Rainwater is a Pennsylvania native who probably should have been born in the 19th century but somehow got flash-forwarded into the 20th. There was never any question that she would be a nurse when she grew up, regardless of which century she was in.
And beginning in about the seventh grade, there was no question that she’d launch that nursing career in the military. The daughter of a WWII intelligence officer, she entered the Army after graduating from nursing school.
As an Army nurse during the Vietnam War, she cared for the bodies and spirits of soldiers and veterans, including repatriated POWs and MIAs.
Her military experience has helped in writing parts of her novels.
In addition to her career writing wholesome fiction, she serves as a nurse in the National Disaster Medical System, and has deployed to disaster areas around the country. Her support of the military has been life long and is ongoing, and one of her favorite pastimes is volunteering at the USO in Denver.
Erin now lives in Colorado with her husband of 35 years, has four children and the four most adorable grandchildren on the planet.
Check out Erin’s web site at
www.erinrainwater.com
Contact information can be found there
Erin Rainwater
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D. H. BROWN
Decorated vietnam Veteran
Author of HONOR DUE
D. H. BROWN is the son of missionary parents. Between their travels and another world travel plan courtesy of his Uncle Sam, he has touched base in more than 40 countries.
He was teaching Sunday school at age 8, was first ordained at the age of 12, graduated HS at 16, and was for awhile an associate pastor with the largest Assembly of God church in Missouri. His writing experience ranges from nonprofit communications to movies.
In 1986 he produced the independent children's film Lessie's Rainbow. During the late 80s and early 90s, he wrote the book Common Sense and delivered the seminars of the same name for the Community Action Network of Seattle (CAN).
While doing his early Vietnam recovery work, he counseled Veterans and spoke widely to men's groups in Washington State, and was a founder of The Lodge of the Wolf. He is also a proud Life member of Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and the Southeast Asia ASA Veterans Association (SAASAVA - aka - Old Spooks and Spies).
A Vietnam veteran, D. H. BROWN earned the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal and the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Gallantry Cross Medal w/Palm.
His professional associations are:
Pacific Northwest Writers Association (PNWA);
Military Writers Society of America (MWSA);
Associate Member to International Thriller Writers, Inc. (ITW
American Authors Association (AAA).
D. H. BROWN has worked as a Logistics and Weapons Specialist in Vietnam; day laborer; Director of Security; Armored Car Driver; Police Officer; Professional Hunting Guide; Trapper; Dog Sledder; Homesteader; Truck Driver; General Contractor; Minister; Editor; Writer; Speaker; Restaurateur; Movie Producer; Antique Restoration Specialist; Personal Care Worker; PC Repair Specialist; Computer Instructor; Webmaster and Web Designer. He writes about what he knows.
His first book in the Citizen Warrior series, HONOR DUE, was received with critical acclaim winning the 2008 Silver Medal for Fiction by the Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) and a Honorable mention from the American Authors Association (AAA).
He lives a life of solitude deep in the Pacific Northwest rainforest with his wife, author and editor R. J. Brown and the spirit of Buddy Dog, working on his next book. People who bother him end up in one of his books, dead.
Book II in the Citizen Warrior Series, HONOR DEFENDED continues the adventures of Major Westfall, a denizen of the Pacific Northwest rainforest who has built himself a wilderness compound complete with hot tub & killing fields, good neighbors & his faithful companion, the three-legged Black Dog.
Major Westfall is Back in a New Breath Snatching Thriller
In HONOR DEFENDED, Book II of the Citizens Warrior series, the War on Terrorism slithers into Major Westfall's neck of the woods when a brother officer, home on leave from Iraq, is beheaded and his wife abducted by terrorists planning attacks his beloved America.
Major Westfall is awakened before dawn one freezing late winter Saturday by a frantic call from an old friend and War Brother. Already in bad mood, he sets out to hunt for those who burnt a woman's house on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, abducted her, and left behind her beheaded Marine Corps husband's body.
After finding sign of someone coming ashore on the last high tide on the beach behind the family's home, he puts his ear to the Hoko grapevine and hears of a break-in where explosives were taken. A neighbor's grandchild mentions a missing school janitor, and the nickname the kids gave him, Aladdin. When the Major takes a sneak and peek he unearths a terrorist sleeper. Once again the cry of war comes calling to this citizen warrior.
Calling in the troops, he prepares to do battle deep in the Olympic Peninsula wilderness where a cadre of evil guys have gathered, intent on creating havoc with Washington State's ferries.
HONOR DEFENDED occurs over one 24 hour period of heart-pounding, breath-stopping action in which old friends are met, new ones made, the young must grow up fast as lives are broken, and the honor of a War Brother and his family is defended.
If you haven't joined the Major before,
check out Book I of the Citizen Warrior series, Honor Due.
Give both of them a read. We know you'll enjoy them!
VITAL INFORMATION:
TITLE: HONOR DEFENDED
AUTHOR: D. H. BROWN
PUBLISHER: BIG RIVER PRESS
Hardcover - $22.95 - ISBN: 978-0-9798744-5-1 buy here from Amazon
Paperback - $14.95 - ISBN: 978-0-9798744-6-8 buy here from Amazon
Order a autographed copy using your by clicking this link.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Big River Press, P. O. Box 371, Clallam Bay, WA 98326
360-963-3112
business(at)bigriverpress(dot)com
www.bigriverpress.com
Watch for HONOR REDEEMED, D. H. BROWN'S next thriller this fall.
The Sex Slave Trade decides the Major's territory is a good place in which to hide it's wares. So begins a quiet war that encompasses the whole west coast. If you want to die, abuse a woman.
KEYWORDS: thriller, action, mystery, HONOR DEFENDED, D. H. Brown, citizen, warrior, series
SOURCE: BigRiverPress.com, P.O.Box 371, Clallam Bay, WA 98326
DH Brown
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Jim Greenwald, Navy Veteran
Jim Greenwald served in the Navy in a variety of capacities. “Join the Navy and see the world,” whether you want to or not. It provided an opportunity to see much of the world and to meet two presidents. He holds degrees in Computer Science, Business Administration, Business Management and a Masters in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations. He is happily divorced, his three children quickly growing older than he, and has four beautiful teenage granddaughters.
He is a two time survivor of cancer who enjoys each and every vertical day, crediting the Creator and a positive attitude for his survival.
His writing is a reflection of his multicultural background; Ojibwe, French and German. A professional photographer for many years who now takes pictures almost exclusively at Native American powwows.
His poetry has been published extensively in e-zines, magazines and anthologies here and internationally. He has published seven books of poetry to date mixing emotional poetry and Native American oriented poetry and stories, he co-authored a volume of Native poetry and stories. He has received several awards for his writing, including two gold medals from the MWSA. He lives by a quiet stream in the middle of nowhere in Bedford County, PA.
Jim Greenwald
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Raymond Scurfield - Vietnam Veteran, and Professor, PTSD Expert and Author of - The Vietnam Trilogy
Raymond Scurfield will be calling in to the program via phone line
Raymond M. Scurfield is a Professor of Social Work at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast and Director of the Katrina Research Center. Dr. Scurfield was a Distinguished Military Graduate, Army ROTC, at Dickinson College, in Carlisle, PA, and his four year active duty service included being the social work officer on one of the Army’s two psychiatric teams in Vietnam in 1968-1969.
Following discharge from active duty, Dr. Scurfield had a distinguished 25-year career with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, directing regional and national PTSD programs in Los Angeles, Washington, DC, the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii and American Samoa, to include being the initial Director of the Pacific Islands Division of the VA’s National Center for PTSD in Honolulu (1992-97).
Dr. Scurfield has 15 teaching and service awards since arriving at USM in 1998, to include MS NASW Outstanding Social Work Educator of the Year (2001), and MS NASW Social Worker of the Year (2006) in recognition of his post-Katrina counseling and disaster recovery leadership.
His 60+ publications include several about Hurricane Katrina and a trilogy of books about war trauma, the most recent War Trauma. Lessons Unlearned From Vietnam to Iraq. He has made over 350 media appearances, conference and training presentations and is recognized nationally and internationally as an expert in PTSD in the areas of war-related trauma and post-disaster recovery.
See his university web site (http://www.usm.edu/gc/health/scurfield/) that includes over 20 writings that are accessible to the public.
Dr. Raymond M. Scurfield
Photo taken by my wife as i sat in the midst of the destruction of Hurricane Katrina two days after Katrina destroyed our department's building and my office
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Sara Jensen-Fritz, MS, Psy.S., LP
Paula Jones-Johnson, BSW, M. Ed.
Thea L. Zitzow, BS, M.Ed.
Authors of: You and Your Military Hero
www.uflipp.com
About UFLIPP, LLC
Our company is the result of our passion for kids.
We believe children should be allowed to enjoy life, free of worry and stress. However, we also understand the substantial challenges for children in today’s world.
You and Your Military Hero was born out of necessity, as families experience the stress of having loved ones away fulfilling military commitments. In response to a community support training at Camp Ripley in Minnesota, the authors were inspired to create a unique, child-focused resource that would support and complement existing military family services.
Visit Our Website at: www.uflipp.com
Contact Us At: uflipp@uflipp.com
Authors:
Sara Jensen-Fritz, MS, Psy.S., LP
Sara has a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology (Applied Behavioral Analysis) and a Specialist degree in School Psychology. She has 18 years of experience and currently works in the school system with children from Kindergarten through Eighth grade. She enjoys working with children of all ages, but feels that young children, in particular, need consistent instruction in positive reframing to create a solid base of early coping skills.
Paula Jones-Johnson, BSW, M. Ed.
Paula has worked as a School Social Worker in an elementary setting for 17 years. She helps the child find success by advocating for the child within the home, school and community. Paula serves numerous children by helping to promote their social well-being and sense of responsibility. She finds her most enjoyable time is when she is able to connect with the children individually, in one of her many groups, in the hallways, or in the classrooms.
Thea L. Zitzow, BS, M.Ed.
Thea has degrees in speech pathology and special education. She has over 25 years of experience working with children as a speech/language clinician and/or special education teacher. Over the past 5 years, Thea has primarily worked with children with autism spectrum disorder. She enjoys helping children discover ways to interact with others and cope with the daily stressors in their lives.
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Larkin Spivey Lt. Col. U. S. Marine Corps (ret)
Military historian, speaker, and author of:
God in the Trenches
Miracles of the American Revolution
Battlefields and Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II (2009 Silver Medal Winner-Military Writers Society of America /First Place 2009 Branson Stars & Flags Book Award)
larkin@larkinspivey.com
LARKIN SPIVEY is a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War and a retired Marine Corps officer. He commanded infantry and reconnaissance units in combat, and was trained in parachute, submarine, and special forces operations.
He was with the blockade force during the Cuban Missile Crisis and served President Nixon in the White House. As a faculty member at The Citadel, he taught courses in U.S. military history, a subject of lifelong personal and professional interest.
He now writes full-time and resides in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with his wife, Lani, and their four children. He is a lay eucharistic minister of the Episcopal Church and has been actively involved in the Cursillo Christian renewal movement and the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association.
He has made numerous television and radio appearances nationwide and speaks frequently to church, veteran, and other groups with his patriotic and spiritual message.
For more information about the author, his other books, and speaking engagements visit: www.larkinspivey.com
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Book Award Winners List:
Anthology:
GOLD -- Jeffery Hess -- Home of the Brave
SILVER -- Gail Chatfield -- By Dammit, We're Marines!
1st Runner Up -- Andy Luben, et. Al. -- Uncle John Salutes the Military
Children:
GOLD -- Thea Zitzow, et. al. -- You and your Military Hero
SILVER -- L. M. Romognoli -- Memories of Me
1st Runner Up -- Sandra Miller Linhart -- The Elementary Adventures Books 1-4
2nd Runner Up -- Mary Sullivan and Autumn Rayne Sullivan -- If I had a Daddy
Fiction:
GOLD -- John Takacs -- The Take-Us
SILVER -- Michael Angley -- Child Finder
1st Runner Up -- David Lucero -- The Sandman
2nd Runner Up -- D. H. Brown -- Honor Defended
Historical Fiction:
GOLD -- Erin Rainwater -- True Colors
SILVER -- Kathleen Rodgers -- The Final Salute
1st Runner Up -- Margit Liesche -- Hollywood Buzz
2nd Runner Up -- Jack Woodville London -- Virginia's War
Memoir:
GOLD -- Virgil Erwin -- Cat Lo: A Memoir of Invincible Youth
SILVER -- Del Staecker -- The Lady Gangster: A Sailor's Memoir
Music CD:
GOLD -- James Jellerson -- Goin' Home
Non-fiction:
GOLD -- Tom Ruck -- Sacred Ground: A Tribute to Veterans
SILVER -- Ray Morris -- The Ether Zone
1st Runner Up -- Lee Kelley -- Fire in the Night
2nd Runner Up -- Raymond Scurfield -- A Vietnam Trilogy
Poetry:
GOLD -- Jim Greenwald -- Tears for Mother Earth
SILVER -- James Jellerson -- Poems of Passion and Songs for the Soul
1st Runner Up -- Jim Greenwald -- Sugar, Zeroes, and Lemon Drops
Reference:
GOLD -- Dwight Zimmerman -- The Book of War
SILVER -- Phillip W. Stewart -- America's Film Vault
Spiritual:
GOLD -- Charles Sasser -- God in the Foxhole
SILVER -- Larkin Spivey -- Battlefields and Blessings
1st Runner Up -- JM Barnes -- Bible Promises for Soldieres
2nd Runer Up -- Derek W. Clark -- I Will Never Give Up on God Again
Army:
GOLD -- Latoya Lucas -- Immeasurable Spirit: Lessons of a Wounded Warrior
Navy:
GOLD -- Tommy Thomason -- Strike from the Sea: U.S. Navy Attack Aircraft from Skyraider to Super Hornet, 1948-Present
Air Force:
GOLD -- Dennis Jenkins and Tony Landis -- U.S. Air Force Prototype Jet Fighters Photo Scrapbook
Marines:
GOLD -- Wesley Gray -- Embedded: A Marine Advisor inside the Iraqi Army
Congratulations to the winners! I hope to see you in Orlando to shake your hand and have my photo taken with each of you! They will be keepsakes that I will treasure my whole life.
Now, for the People's Choice Award Finalists. Like the Book Awards, the judging went on for several days -- and the list changed constantly as the various pieces were scored and ranked. The very nature of trying to winnow the works down to a workable number means that some excellent work cannot appear among the finalists.
Peoples Choice Award Finalists
Mindy Phillips Lawrence -- Calling
Jack L. Wells -- Six Bronze Men
James R. Jellerson -- Freedom isn't Free (MP3)
Jerry Yellins -- Iwo Jima, August 14, 1945
Bonnie Bartel Latino -- A Rush of Butterflies
John Cathcart -- Flag from a Grateful Nation
Marlyce Stockinger -- The Choice We Make (MP3)
Jeff Senour & CTS -- Way Back Home (MP3)
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