The Miami Book Fair was an amazing event and Life Improvement Radio was proud to be a contributing media source. Pictures, video and audio interviews will be posted shortly.
 |
River Jordan, “Praying For Strangers”
River shows others how prayer does not have to be specific to religion, friends, or family members. As she describes stories of people she met along the way of her year dedicated to praying for others she helps to change the world and inspire others to care just a little bit more. |
 |
Bill Clegg, “Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man”
Bill shares his personal story of living a dual life of being a successful book agent and a drug addict. Through losing everything and sharing his story, Bill inspires others who may struggle with addiction to learn there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The journey is hard and the stories are raw, but the inspiration of strength and learning you are not alone makes this interview compelling. |
 |
Alexandra Stryon, "Reading My Father"
Alexandra shares with Julie how her father’s depression affected the whole family. Although her father was known for his writing, Alexandra only knew him as dad. She discusses what it was like to have a father suffering with depression and relates to listeners about what you should know when you love someone with depression.
|
 |
Peter Selgin, “Confessions of a Left-Handed Man”
Peter and Julie explore together the inner workings of finding a career that you love while ensuring your identity is not solely defined by what you do. How does an artist find himself and is it okay to have a path of many interests? |
 |
Martha Southgate, “The Taste of Salt”
As Julie meets with Martha to discuss her fictional book, we learn how a family must deal with the disease of addiction. Through the eyes of a family member who is not the addict, Martha explores the impact of addiction on each family member. During this interview, Martha relates to readers on how to repair tears within your own family even if it means walking away. |
|
|
Alison Thompson, “The Third Wave”
Alison speaks about her journey as a volunteer while travelling from NYC during 9/11 to Japan for the Tsunami to Haiti for the Earthquake. She is a simple woman who just wants to help others and teaches others that you do not have to called a “professional” to do so. |
 |
Lisa Napoli, “Radio Shangri-La”
Have you ever just felt stuck? Or thought, “Is this all I have in life?” Or even just got to mid-life and questioned why you took the path you did? In Julie’s interview with Lisa Napoli they discuss how Lisa was able to break free and discover her passions as she created new paths for herself and embraced her own independence. |
|
|
John Dufrense, “Blue Christmas, Holiday Stories For The Rest Of Us”
Who said the holidays have to be cheery? Through this interview and John’s book, he really lets others know not to judge your self for not liking the holidays as much as others. |
|
|
Roy Peter Clark, “Help! For Writers”Thank goodness for Roy! He shares about his book and how important it is for everyone to know that you can learn to be a writer just as easy you can learn to play the piano. He and Julie also get into why when younger we often think of writing as something horrible to do. Everyone has something to say, so even if it isn’t for others to read, at least jot it down for yourself and learn how to do it! |
|
|
Chenjerai Hove
Neil and Chenjerai discuss the social injustices that led to Chenjerai’s exile from Zimbabwe. This interview is inspiring and reminds you to stand up for what’s right and learn from the mistake of others throughout history. |
 |
Jim Ray Daniels, “Trigger Man”
Jim discusses his stories in his latest book with Neil as they contemplate the similarities between Pittsburg and Detroit. They touch on the economy as Neil gets Jim’s thoughts on whether or not Detroit will ever be the same. |
 |
Dr. Richard Friedman, "The Bible Now"
The Bible is often a heated subject for people to discuss…until now. Dr. Friedman discusses with Neil the purpose for his book and how people often misinterpret the text of the Bible. Listen in as they cover subjects such as homosexuality, abortion, marriage, and women as Dr. Friedman shares what the text of the Bible really says. |
 |
Jeff Hirsch, “The Eleventh Plague”
Imagine a world in which you have just hit the reset button and 2/3 of people are gone? Jeff shares how watching the news inspired him to write his first young adult novel in which a 15 year old boy is exploring the world with his father after most of it has just been destroyed. Would you do things differently? Would you stay the same? Jeff and Neil have lots to say about this futuristic idea that doesn’t seem so far away. |
 |
Esmeralda Santiago, “Conquistadora”
We often rely on history books to teach us about past events. During her interview with Neil, Esmeralda reminds us that we cannot forget about Puerto Rico. Did you know that slavery existed in Cuba, Brazil, and Puerto Rico until early 1900s? There are many comparisons as well as differences to slavery for sugar and for cotton. Also make sure to listen to why Esmeralda says it’s important to understand why Puerto Rico is different than other countries. |
|
|
Mat Johnson, “Pym”
Mat shares with Neil his reasons for doing a sequel for Edgar Alan Poe and why it took him 9 years to write. They also discuss life as a teacher, writer, and a father as well as the eclectic genres of work Mat has completed. |
 |
David Unger, “The Price Of Escape”
|
|
|
Robert Venditti, “The Homeland Directive” |
 |
Elizabeth Nunez, “Boundaries”
We often have heard about the glass ceiling and how it affects women, but Dr. Nunez takes a real life look at the glass ceiling concept as it relates to Caribbean Americans and African Americans. Dr. Nunez and Neil discuss the obstacles for immigrants and the social obstacles of the interaction between Caribbean American immigrants and African Americans. |
|
|
Linda Urban, “Hound Dog True”
Linda and Neil have a great discussion on being a child and fostering that passion for writing and finding yourself while taking in all the pressures that come with being a child. As Linda shares her own story of being a child and sharing her work with the class when younger, you’ll find yourself enjoying her spirit as she inspires you to find your own courage. |
 |
Grace Lin, “Ling & Ting”
With her amazing talents of being a writer and an artist Grace Lin speaks with Neil about her path of creating children’s books. She also discusses how she used her book to help break stereotypes of the Asian culture as well as the notions of people who look identical must be exactly the same. Make sure to also check out the tips Grace Lin gave about being a children’s book author. |
 |
Carmela Ciuraru, “Nom de Plume”
Did you know so many authors used pseudonyms when writing books? Carmela helps to explain why authors would do this and shares some great inside information to classic author, Mark Twain, and poet, Sylvia Plath. Plus she also sparks Neil to come up with his own pseudonym. |
|
|
Amir, “Zahra’s Paradise”
It’s easy to not think about something or be aware of the atrocity when you are far removed from other countries and their situations. Make sure to listen to this interview as Amir and Neil discuss Iran’s civil rights or what Amir reveals in his graphic novel, a lack of civil rights. |
 |
Dava Sobel, “A More Perfect Heaven”
Imagine being so far ahead of your time that any idea you may have runs the risk of being humiliated even though years later you are deemed a genius. Dava discusses with Neil her passion for sharing the story of Copernicus, whom she describes as the man whom “turned the universe inside out.” |
|
|
Victoria Griffith, “The Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont”
Wright brothers who? Victoria educates us on what most Brazilians already know…that it was Alberto Santos-Dumont who invented the airplane. What a fascinating interview as we learn about different perspectives of history and what needs to be kept in mind when developing history curriculums in school. |
|
|
Robert Cohen, “The Free Speech Movement”
Dr. Cohen shares his knowledge of the 1960s to help listeners learn more about the early 60s and college students at Berkley University gaining the right to freedom of speech on campus. Neil and Dr. Cohen also discuss today’s current movements with Occupy on Wall Street and compare it to protests in earlier decades. |
 |
Wayne Wiegand, “Right Here I See My Own” “Main Street Public Library”
Did you know that 200 Million Americans frequented a library last year? Wayne shares with us the reasons why libraries are continual staples to our lives. He also discusses how library activities are not new and all have historical prefaces. |
|
|
Meghan O’Rourke, “The Long Goodbye”
Grief and loss is a hard topic and in fact it’s one that most people are uncomfortable talking about. Meghan shares her own grief after losing her mother on Christmas in 2008 and discusses how important it is for people to allow themselves to grieve after the loss of a loved one. She also helps to share some tips on what you can do for friends or family when they are going through a period of loss. |
 |
Alan Cheuse “Song of Slaves in the Desert”
Alan helps to educate us about the different types of slavery that not only occurred many years ago, but still are seen today. He reminds us during this interview that our eyes must be opened as we make a choice to see everyone as equal. |
 |
Christina Gonzalez, “The Red Umbrella”
Some times parents make the hardest decisions when thinking about their children, and deciding to send your child to a foreign country without you is definitely difficult. Christina shares with Neil how her Young Adult Historical Fiction is based on an exodus of 14,000 children from Cuba to America. Through this interview we learn the importance and appreciation of our parents and grandparents through a child’s perspective. |
 |
Cedella Marley, “One Love”
Cedella really brought the Life Improvement Radio family together as she led us in singing her father’s hit, “One Love.” This also happens to be her latest children’s book in which she discusses the importance of joining her family’s movement in getting together! |
 |
Jorge Castaneda, “Manana Forever”
Jorge shares with Neil what he has learned from lots of research about the views Mexicans have of themselves as well as why it is important for Americans to learn about them. |
 |
Ellen Prager, “Sex, Drugs, and Sea Slime”
Ellen provides so much passion as she shares the secrets behind her title of her book, which she wants to spark people’s interest into the world of underwater life. She and Neil discuss the importance of water life as well as how we can protect our waters from further damage. |
 |
Matt Phelan, “Around the World”
Matt explores the lives of three people from the early 1900s who made trips around the world in varies transportations. He also shares with Neil how his passions have developed, changed, and strengthened with each idea he has. One of those passions, being getting a chance to go to schools to share his books to help with children’s education. |
 |
Peter Godwin, “The Fear”
Peter educates us about the atrocities in Zimbabwe that serves as a backdrop for understanding the common themes of dictatorship around the world. He also identifies why it is important for people to vote in their own countries. |
|
|
Nell Irvin Painter, “The History of White People”
As a Historian, Nell certainly provides an interesting interview as she discusses race as a concept and something that changes. She also shares a few of the views from the experts in her book, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph Emerson. |
|
|
Connor McCreery, “Kill Shakespeare”
Who said Shakespeare had to be boring? Certainly not Connor McCreery! His humorous take on Shakespeare sparks an interest for people of all ages. In this funny interview Connor gets you excited to read his graphic novel while letting you know Life Improvement Radio means business! |
 |
Tom Franklin, “The Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter”
Tom discusses his Crime Novel characters and how they are loosely based on his own personal experiences growing up in Alabama in the late 70s and not being allowed to be friends with a male of another race. What’s also neat about this interview is Tom shares his journey in being a writer and the many jobs he had while working through college that led him to meeting some very interesting characters. |
 |
Bob Edwards, “A Voice in the Box: My Life In Radio”
This radio icon laughs with Jeb as he shares stories from his memoir, including how grateful he was to be part of the draft. Bringing you the news for over 30 years, listen to what Bob Edwards shares with Jeb when he’s on the other side of the mic. |
|
|
Mireya Mayor, “Pink Books and a Machete: My Journey From NFL Cheerleader to National Geographic Explorer.”
Mireya takes us on her journey through the jungles around the world and shares what motivates her for these adventures. Often being told she did not look like a scientist, Mireya shows us that anyone is capable of the extreme. |
|
|
Mark Kurlansky, “Hank Greenberg: The Hero Who Didn’t Want To Be One”
Back in a time where Jewish people were not to be accepted and especially were thought not to be made for sports, Hank Greenberg emerged without knowing he had become a hero to others. Mark and Jeb discuss how to break barriers and how sports, especially baseball, played an important part in the Jewish assimilation to the United States. |
 |
Sam Barry, “Write That Book Already: The Tough Love You Need To Get Published Now”
Jeb and Sam explore the important things you need to know and consider when writing a book and getting it published. From writing to editing to agents and publishing, what do you need and why do you need it? Plus did you know Sam is in a band? Tune in and learn more than you could ask for. |
 |
Gina Amaro Rudan, "Practical Genius: The Real Smarts You Need To Get Your Talents and Passions Working For You" |
 |
Jeff Lindsay, “Double Dexter”
Do you ever wonder what a typical day is like for the person who dreams up fictional stories about a serial killer that becomes so attractive to you that you just can’t get enough of the series? Jeff shares with Erik some of his typical day adventures and also discusses what life as a writer is like. He shares about his family, travels, and what it was like to have his book be the basis of the hit show, “Dexter.” |
|
|
Linda Gassenheimer, “Fast and Flavorful”
Linda and Erik discuss the daunting tasks of eating healthy, grocery shopping, and then cooking. Linda shares her secrets such as how to select meat, great tips for not wasting vegetables, and how to enjoy your meals while staying healthy. She explores myths of the diabetic food world as she makes your mouth water with sample recipes. |
|
|
Terry Walters, “Clean Start”
We all know what we eat is important to being healthy, but in this interview Terry shares the many ways that you can begin to change your thinking about food while building better relationships with your children and others in your community. She discusses how easy her cookbook is to follow and shares how her children are her biggest critics. Most importantly Terry provides you with information and resources during this interview so you may make your own decisions about what and how you eat. |
 |
Dr. Vijay Vad, “Stop Pain”
Dr. Vad discusses with Erik the changes the medical profession should be encouraged to make in order to remember their oath upon graduation of “do no harm.” They speak about the prescription pain medication epidemic in America and Dr. Vad’s research and solutions to ending chronic pain naturally. |
 |
Dr. Arthur Agatston, “South Beach Wake-Up Call”
Erik enjoyed being able to meet and interview Dr. Agatston, founder of the South Beach Diet. Together they discuss the struggles with being healthy in America and the concern for health of society. Dr. Agatston provides an update to the American health culture and trends since the South Beach Diet was created in 1995. |
|
|
Sandra Gutierrez, “The New Southern-Latino Table”
This interview provides so much education on how similar the Latino and Southern American cultures are. In fact Sandra tells us they are so similar that she is the first to document the melding of these cultures into a cookbook. With the Southern-Latino movement on the rise you do not want to miss out on this great interview. |
 |
Sandra Beasley, “Don’t Kill The Birthday Girl: Tales From An Allergic Life”
Having allergies can be stressful, especially if you are a parent of a child whose allergic reactions could lead to death. In this interview Sandra shares with Erik her life experiences of being allergic to several foods and products and provides advice to parents about how to empower your child to manage their allergies rather than teaching them to live in fear. |
|
|
Katherine Magnoli, “The Adventures of Kat”
In this brief, on the street, interview from the Miami Book Fair International, Diane speaks with a young author who is creating a series of books about the adventures of a superhero helping people with different disabilities. |
 |
Paul Levine, “Lassiter”
Paul speaks with Diane about his latest book in his series of novels about a Miami lawyer fighting for redemption. Paul shares about the many similarities and differences between his own life and the life of his main character. |
 |
Rose Lewis, “Orange Peel’s Pocket”
Sometimes life is tough when you’re a kid, but imagine what it’s like when you add in bullying and stereotypes. Rose and Diane connect about being a mother completely in love with your child and discuss that love along with other topics Rose writes about in her books. |
 |
Ellen Hopkins, “Perfect”
Writing Teen Books is a passion of Ellen’s and she shares with Savannah what makes her stories different. She and Savannah also discuss the pressures of society on being beautiful and what that means for being a teen. |
|
|
Jonathan Auxier, “Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes”
Jonathan shares his inspiration for his children’s book with Savannah as they discuss what truly makes children’s books great books to read for children and adults. Jonathan also shares why this book is the book he wanted to be given when he was ten years old. |
|
|
Colleen Houck, “Tiger’s Voyage”
A dream comes true for Savannah as she sits down with Colleen Houck to learn the insider information about her Tiger’s Series. Colleen also shares how she became an author and what her advice is for teens out there that may be interested in writing. |