Let Me Tell You A Story With Steve And Becky Lyles

WHY RWANDA? When we learned Bill Miller has made several trips to Rwanda, we had to ask why. In this podcast, we talk about what first caught his interest in such a beautiful but faraway country. He's been privileged to serve a school there by training teachers how to teach the children English. In turn, they've taught him how to become a better trainer. (Podcast sound effects source: http://www.freesfx.co.uk)

Christian Chapter Book Author Wendy Mattox's enthusiasm for kids and books for kids shines in this podcast. Her three series include stories about time-traveling twins, a boy who shrinks, and an animal spy team. Wendy describes her stories, which can be read in any order, as books kids love and parents trust. Wendy's website: https://www.wendyannmattox.com/  Podcast sound effects source: http://www.freesfx.co.uk

Utopia Abandoned Laurie Bower joins Steve and Becky to talk about the latest book in her Utopian Series. This one is titled "Utopia Abandoned" and features a beautiful city beneath the treacherous wasteland that lies outside the dome. We talk with Laurie about the skill and research required to write dystopian fantasy and conclude with her reading the first chapter of "Utopia Abandoned" for listeners' enjoyment. https://llbower.com/ (Podcast sound effects source: http://www.freesfx.co.uk)

Crimson Arches Here's your chance to hear Becky read the prologue to the second book in her "Children of the Light" series, Crimson Arches. Like Shadow Ranch, the first book in the series, this one is named after the ranch where the story is set and continues to focus on modern-day polygamy. Steve follows her reading with questions and comments sure to entertain. :-) (Podcast sound effects source: http://www.freesfx.co.uk)

Cold Turkey, Warm Culture "Cold Turkey" follows an American schoolteacher's sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating romp through Istanbul, a metropolis bustling with welcoming, warmhearted citizens--who speak another language. Talking with the novel's author, Jodi Cowles, who experienced many of the same ups and downs when she was a foreign aid worker, was definitely on the fun side. With a subtitle like "How Much Chaos, Crowds, and Colorful Adventure Can One Woman Take?" you can understand why the book is a great read for explorers, travelers, teachers and those who enjoy clean comedy with a hint of romance. https://www.jodicowles.com/

Cruisin' with the Lyles We had a fun time interviewing Steve's brother, Don, and sister-in-law, Karen, about the many ocean cruises they've enjoyed. If you've ever been on an ocean cruise or hope to someday go on one, you'll enjoy their descriptions of places they've gone, sights they've seen, friends they've made, and the myriad of fun things to do on a cruise ship and shore trips.

Hands of Gold Award-winning author Roni Robbins talks with us about her novel, Hands of Gold, a fictionalized account of her Jewish grandfather's immigration to America. His journey was long and arduous, and his life in the USA not easy. All too soon, he learned it's not a land of milk and honey and the streets are not paved with gold. But he was a survivor and made the best of it with hard work, humor, and the support of his loving wife and family. https://ronirobbins.com/ Podcast sound effects source: http://www.freesfx.co.uk

Walking the Terminal We like to talk with people who have unusual occupations. Our interviewee for podcast #143, Warren Milanowski, retired from 39 years of airline work and stepped into a new role, one he'd never before considered. Tune in to learn all about it.

Zaidy's War Four Armies, Three Continents, Two Brothers. One Man's Impossible Story of Endurance. Martin Bodek penned his grandfather's WWII story, and quite a story it is. The author and his book can be found on social media, anywhere books are sold online, and at martinbodek.com.

Adoption Adventure After several years of marriage and still no children in their home, Andrea and Adam Graham decided to look into adoption alternatives. They are now the proud parents of cute little EJ, but their journey to parenthood wasn't easy. The long process required persistence, flexibility and faith. https://nightlight.org/snowflakes-embryo-adoption-donation/ (Podcast sound effects source: http://www.freesfx.co.uk)

The Irresponsible Reader We often invite authors to talk with us on this podcast, but today we’re speaking with one of the many people authors value the most—readers! H.C. Newton is not only an avid, and I mean avid reader, he hosts a blog and a website called The Irresponsible Reader that's all about books and their authors. You can read his reviews and connect with him here -- hc.newton@gmail.comhttp://irresponsiblereader.comhttps://twitter.com/HCNewtonhttps://www.facebook.com/irresponsiblereaderhttps://www.goodreads.com/HCNewton

The Secret Life of a Secret Service Agent Bob West's career with the United States Secret Service is long over, but you'll enjoy his memories of the days when he conducted criminal investigations and protected U.S. political leaders and their families as well as visiting foreign heads of state. Want to know which president he most enjoyed serving? Take a listen. :-) (Podcast sound effects source: http://www.freesfx.co.uk)

Old Time Radio with Adam Graham We usually bring authors to our podcast to highlight their books, but we talked with Adam about his books and his podcasting because he’s a prolific podcaster, with five old-time radio podcasts to monitor. You can find them under these names: Great Detectives, The Old Time Dragnet Show, The Old Time Radio Superman, The Amazing World of Radio, and The War. Feeling nostalgic for the good ol' days? Take a listen. Website: https://www.greatdetectives.net/detectives/ (Podcast sound effects source: Adam Graham)

What's In Your Howl? Author Doug Gamble has written a beautifully illustrated story for young children that features an armadillo and a coyote who learn to appreciate each other's differences. We had a fun conversation with Doug and are sure you'll enjoy our talk as much as we did. https://www.xulonpress.com/bookstore/index.php?keyword=what%27s+in+your+howl&searchtype=title&qfunction=search&record_per_page=40 (Podcast sound effects source: http://www.freesfx.co.uk)

Idaho Black Bear Rehabilitation Terri and Larry Limberg spent several years transporting young black bears around the West. Tune in to learn the whys and hows of such a potentially dangerous endeavor -- and to learn about the Idaho Black Bear Rehab program.  https://www.bearrehab.org/

We were privileged to interview Oren Schneider, author of "The Apprentice of Buchenwald: The True Story of the Teenage Boy Who Sabotaged Hitler's War Machine," and know you'll enjoy learning about his amazing grandfather's survival tactics. Here are a few lines from the back-cover blurb. Using their last reserves of wealth and  influence to escape extermination, the Rosenbergs go underground to avoid the Gestapo. Eventually exposed, captured, and taken to Buchenwald, the largest concentration camp in Germany, Alexander and his father collaborate to survive one day at a time. A  chaotic chain of events puts young Alexander at the heart of a massive armament sabotage scheme. When his father is gravely injured and disappears after an air bombing, it is up to industrious Alexander to create leverage and use wartime machinations and raw talent to save his father’s life. https://apprenticeofbuchenwald.com/ (Podcast sound effects source: http://www.freesfx.co.uk)

The Road to Karachi When Drew Brown came to our house to help us with audio equipment, we learned something about him and his family that piqued our curiosity and generated lots of questions. Join us to learn where they've journeyed so far and where they're headed in the future. It's a fun story! https://drewallenbrown.com/ https://chogglobal.org/team/dsbrown/ (Podcast sound effects source: http://www.freesfx.co.uk)

What Lurks in the Shadow Ranch Shadows? In episode #133, Steve and Becky talk about her latest novel, the first in the Children of the Light series, and finish off with Becky reading the Shadow Ranch prologue -- just to wet your appetite for the rest of the story. :-)

Living a Principled Life Our guest, Richard Matteson, has been with us before, and we always enjoy talking with him. This time, we discuss some of the "80 universal principles of life" he writes about in his new book. Toward the end of the podcast, we asked him to read an excerpt titled the "Peace Principle." I think we can all agree this war-weary world is in need of a good dose of peace. :-)  

Raptor Rapture Considered a sport by some and an art form by others, falconry has been practiced for hundreds of years in the United States and in other countries. Many have called the sport a "bond with the wild." It can be both exciting and disappointing, and requires much dedication and hard work. (Podcast sound effects source: http://www.freesfx.co.uk)