In The Author's Voice

Welcome to this edition of In The Author's Voice.  Today (4/20/21), a new psychological thriller hits the book stands from author Cate Holahan.  "Her Three Lives" tells the story of a family that must discover who the real enemy is after a violent home invasion breaks their trust in one another.  WSIU's Jeff Williams talked Holahan about her new novel.

"Her Three Lives" is from Grand Central Publishing. 

Author Steve Berry's latest installment in his Cotton Malone series is out today (2/23/21).  WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Berry about "The Kaiser's Web" for this edition of In The Author's Voice.

WSIU's Jennifer Fuller talks with author Laurent Pernot about his new book, "There and Here: Small Illinois Towns with Big Names."

WSIU's Jennifer Fuller talks with authors Cary O'Dell and Thad Heckman about their new book, "Bucky's Dome."

WSIU's Jennifer Fuller talks with Illinois News Anchor Dan Klefstad about his novel, Fiona's Guardians.

So far this year, we've experienced extreme forest fires as well as a very active hurricane season.  Brandon Derman is a Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Illinois Springfield.  His new book is Struggles for Climate Justice: Uneven Geographies and the Politics of Connection.  WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Derman about his book and the environmental, political, and social impact of our changing climate.

In The Author's Voice turns its focus on the changing work force in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

For many of us, working from home has become a necessity as businesses, schools and other organizations have had to de-centralize and isolate their work force.  But is this change simply a reaction to the pandemic or the acceleration of a new paradigm for the workplace?

WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Sunil Prashara, President and CEO of the Project Management Institute about the impact COVID-19 is having on how we work.

What do you need to know about keeping your car safe during the Coronavirus pandemic?  In this edition of In The Author's Voice, WSIU's Jeff Williams talks with Brian Moody, the Executive Editor for Autotrader as he provides tips on minimizng the spread of the virus in your car as well as sharing insights for getting your car serviced or buying a new car.

Author Ido Kedar's book, In Two Worlds, is the story about a non-speaking autistic teenager who discovers his voice.   It's story similar to the real-life story of the author.   Ido and his mother, Tracy, recently talked with WSIU's Jeff Williams about Ido's novel and their effort to change how autism is viewed and treated. 

For this edition of In The Author's Voice, Ido communicated using speech generating software.

Missing baseball?  Author Emily Nemens is out with her debut novel The Cactus League.  It's a tale of an all star outfielder and the intriguing cast of characters that make up the annual rite of passage known as spring training.   WSIU's Jeff Williams talks with Nemens about her novel for this edition of In The Author's Voice.

Fans of former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone can dive into his latest adventure with the release this week of Steve Berry’s new novel, The Warsaw Protocol.  WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Berry about his latest adventure that takes readers to one of Berry's favorite places - Poland.

The Warsaw Protocol, from Minotaur Books,  is out this week in all formats.  In The Author's Voice is an online feature of WSIU.

As we start a new year and a new decade, author and columnist Sarah Ban Breathnach is out with a revised 25th anniversary edition of her iconic book Simple Abundance and its companion, The Journal of Gratitude.  

For this edition of In The Author's Voice, WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Ban Breathnach about the book and introducing it to a new generation.

An effort is underway by environmental groups to reduce the use and reliance on single-use plastic – things like plastic bottles and those shopping bags that many grocery and retail stores use.     In an effort to reduce the plastic footprint, Greenpeace has been urging retail and grocery stores to voluntarily curb their single-use plastics.

WSIU's Jennifer Fuller talks with Author Jeremy Finley about his book, The Dark Above.

Right now, only about half the world’s population has access to the internet - but that’s about to change in a big way.

Jim Cashel is a researcher and visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and chairman of Forum One – a web strategy and development firm.  His new book, The Great Connecting, examines the emergence of global broadband and how it will likely impact the world.   

WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Cashel about his research and what it will mean to have worldwide internet service.

In this edition of In The Author's Voice, WSIU's Jeff Williams talks with author Steve Berry about his new Cotton Malone novel The Malta Exchange.

WSIU's Jennifer Fuller talks with author Jeremy Finley about his new book, "The Darkest Time of Night."

So, what is a giraffe's favorite shoe?   Answer: Hightops!    Just in time for a good summer read for your kids or grand kids is the latest children’s story from long-time educator, and former college president Karen Gross.    Her new book, Lady Lucy’s Laugh Giraffe Journey is the latest in her Lady Lucy series.  

This week the United States officially opened its US Embassy in Jerusalem.   A move, that has generated praise, as well as controversy and unrest in the region.  Michael Sfard is a human rights lawyer in Israel and author of the recent book The Wall and The Gate: Israel, Palestine, and the Legal Battle for Human Rights.  As an advocate for human rights, he offers a different perspective on the much covered conflict. 

A southern Illinois native is the author of a new children's book.  Dr. Kimberly Gordon Biddle grew up in Colp.  She now lives in California where she teaches at Sacramento State University.    LaDonna Plays Hoops is a picture book that tells the story of a young African-American girl who goes to visit her grandma for a family reunion.  

In this edition of In The Author's Voice, WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Dr. Biddle about her book and a reading she will give on Saturday, March 24, 2018 at the Carbondale Barnes & Noble beginning at 12:00pm. 

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the assignation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.   After nearly five-decades there remain many unanswered questions surrounding the killing of Dr.

As China's trillion dollar "Road and Belt" infrastructure initiative continues working to re-shape global trade, a new book, Young China, works to bring a new understanding of China to the world - especially of Chinese millennials known as the Restless Generation.   In this edition of In The Author's Voice, WSIU's Jeff Williams talks with author Zak Dychtwald about his book and his experience with China and its people.

The Vietnam War was a time of much change in America that still echos through our country's culture nearly 50 years later.  Les Arbuckle spent nearly two years of his life growing up in Saigon at the start of the Vietnam War. His father was stationed there and signed on the air Saigon's Armed Forces Radio station. Arbucfkle talks with WSIU's Jeff Williams about being a teenager in Saigon and his new memoir, Saigon Kids: An American Military Brat comes of Age in 1960's Vietnam.

More of the Conversation with Les Arbuckle:

The May cover story for National Geographic Magazine is Genius.    Author and journalist Claudia Kalb delves into the issue exploring where geniuses come from.  And, what role does society play in their development or is genius simply a genetic lottery?  

WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Kalb about those questions and more for this edition of In The Author’s Voice. 

This week (Thursday, April 27, 2017) the Mystery Writers of America holds its 71st Annual Edgar Awards in New York City.   Named after Edgar Allan Poe, the Edgar Awards honors the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2016.   Southern Illinois based author Laura Benedict is a finalist in the Best Short Story category for her work "A Paler Shade of Death."  WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Benedict about her nominated story and the Edgar Awards.

New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry is out today (Tuesday, April 4, 2017) with his new novel The Lost Order.  It’s the latest in his Cotton Malone series.   WSIU’s Jeff Williams talked with Berry about the story and the real life history of the Knights of the Golden Circle that forms the foundation of the tale…

The Lost Order is published by Minotaur Books.  In The Author's Voice is a series of original interviews from WSIU and is a listener supported service of Southern Illinois University.

Geo-biologist and research scientist Hope Jahren has spent her scientific career studying plants. Her new memoir Lab Girl chronicles her journey of scientific discovery from playing in her father’s lab as a child to her ground breaking research on trees and plants.  It’s an honest and frank look at the life of a research scientist.  WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Jahren about her work, the book, and trees.

Thomas Nickell is an 18 year old classical pianist.  This past summer he appeared in recital in London and Italy.  He's also played with orchestras in Spain, Poland, and Japan.   On Sunday he makes is solo debut at Carnegie Hall where he will give the North American premiere of Britain's contemporary composer David Matthew's Piano Concerto, Op. 111, with the the Orchestra of the Swan.  

WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Nickell about his music and his upcoming performance for this edition of In The Author's Voice.

Welcome to this Edition of In The Author's Voice.  In 1980 Jonathan Sanger's first feature film debuted.  That movie was The Elephant Man.   It starred John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins and John Gielgud.  It also helped launch the career of director David Lynch.

Jonathan Sanger is out with a new memoir, Making The Elephant Man.   WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Sanger about the book and his career.

Social media and its influence on today's children presents a disturbing reality.  Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Vine, Tinder, and many others form the social media landscape that continues to evolve and intertwine itself into the fabric of our lives - especially the lives and the socialization of today's youth.    Writer Nancy Jo Sales is the author of American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers.