Conrad Johnson's Blog, page 33

A Respectable Year at Writers Alive

I started this blog to fight writer's block a few years ago. Since then, I have interviewed over two hundred authors and have made some friends, some enemies (go figure--who cares?) and a small dent in the firmament. It is enough. The most rewarding moments I've had are those of unsolicited publicity such as David Mack granting me a shout out on his personal blog and working with the ever gracious and talented, Rebecca Forster. A warm hearted "thank you" to all of the authors who I have had the pleasure talking to. As Oliver Wendell Homes, Sr. said: "It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen."

Warren Bell and Hold Back the Sun

U.S. Navy veteran, Warren Bell, spins a highly detailed account of WWII and especially the Pacific Theater of Southeast Asia in his latest novel, Hold Back the Sun, on January 21st at 1pm EST.

Ellen Airgood and South of Superior

Bookmark this page and join the conversation as I interview Ms. Airgood  at 8pm EST this Tuesday, January 13th. Please click here to read my five star review on Goodreads about her novel, 

#JeSuisMontag

I hate all politics. I don't like either political party. One should not belong to them - one should be an individual, standing in the middle. Anyone that belongs to a party stops thinking--Ray Bradbury


I lost my political virginity on September 11, 2001. It was not by choice either. How does one survive a trauma such as brain rape?

My immediate family was overseas, unable to make their scheduled flight home. I sat at night on my couch listening to fear high above in the stratosphere. It sounded like Bullet the Blue Sky and I looked out the window to see nearly all the houses on my street defiantly flying the flag into the face of an unknown enemy. My dog barked viciously at the TV screen when The News posted a picture of a turbaned, grinning Osama bin Laden, his head wrapped in white death, buzzing with white noise. My dog jumped up off the floor from a sound sleep with hackles raised and barked viciously at the set. It had never paid attention to the television before. It never did again. My dog was smarter than I.

Dying a sudden, violent and unexpected death is not something that I would wish upon anyone. But living a prolonged, unbearably painful lie may be worse.

I did all the research for years, watched the videos, sifted through the forensic data and came to the conclusion that I had been duped. Conned. Roped in. Left holding the bag with nobody to pass it to.
But getting cerebrally shafted once wasn't enough. No. I, we, everyone, had to be brutally gang banged again and again until we were dumb and numb. And if we stirred from somnolence and dared to demonstrate our pain, our politics and patriotism were questioned until we submitted once again--asses high up in the air like female baboons.

#Je ne suis pas Charlie. Je suis Montag!  

                                                        

Dustin Hoffman and Quartet

This one will make you laugh and cry at the same time. Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut...

Awake! Awake! and Where The Streets Have No Name COVER

Eric Czuleger and Immortal L.A.

Eric Czuleger is the author of Immortal L.A. and the forthcoming novels, Eternal L.A. and Farnoosh. He is the resident playwright of Coeurage Theatre Company and a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Albania 2011-2013). His plays have been seen in Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C Louisville, and live streamed around the world. He currently lives in Los Angeles. He tweets at @Eczuleger, and you can find his website at EricCzuleger.com. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO HIS LIVE INTERVIEW ON BLOG TALK RADIO ON DECEMBER 18TH AT 8PM EST.

Joanna Kurowska and The Wall & Beyond

Critically acclaimed Polish-American poetess, Joanna Kurowska, immigrated to the USA in 1988 and has a PhD in Polish and English Literature (Joseph Conrad). Her poems have been published widely and written in both Polish and English. Tune in and listen as she explains her fascinating background and the symbolism behind one of her best collections, The Wall & Beyond, on December 10th at 6:30 pm EST. Go here to Blog Talk Radio to listen LIVE and FREE! Also, you can read my 5* star review of it here at Goodreads.

Rebecca Forster and Dark Witness

Listen HERE AT BLOG TALK RADIO to USA Today best selling thriller author, Rebecca Forster,takes us in between the covers of her latest Witness Series novel, Dark Witness.

Authors Ellen Airgood, Rebecca Forster and Joanna Kurowska at WRITERS ALIVE.COM

Relax this holiday season. Listen and enjoy. Marta Merajver and I will interview internationally Penguin published novelist, Ellen Airgood, about her heart moving, best seller South of Superior. Also, USA Today Best Selling Author, Rebecca Forster, graciously rejoins Writers Alive to talk about her JUST released Witness Series novel, Dark Witness. And this Trilogy of Talent completes itself with critically acclaimed poetess, Joanna Kurowska. (Time and dates to be announced soon!)