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Hello My Happy People,

Today’s episode features my incredible conversation with Lady Dr. Dhyana Ziegler, author of Midnight Train from Georgia. This powerful memoir chronicles the rise of Gladys Knight and the Pips through the eyes of founding member William Franklin Guest, offering a rare, behind-the-scenes look at one of music’s most iconic groups.

From humble beginnings singing in a small Atlanta church to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Dr. Ziegler shares the deeply personal story of family, faith, and the sacrifices behind success. But this conversation goes far beyond the book.

We also discuss her remarkable career as a professor, multimedia creator, information technology educator, songwriter and arranger, along with the honors she has received for her work in academia, including being awarded the title of Dame Commander of Justice (DCJ). Her accomplishments stand on their own, making her story just as compelling as the one she tells about the music that shaped generations.

We also touch on the broader cultural impact of her family’s legacy, including their connection to Michael Jackson and other artists of the time, as well as her personal connections to the Apollo Theater, Walter Cronkite, and Alex Haley, just to name a few.

Throughout the conversation, Dr. Ziegler highlights William Guest’s legacy, the lasting impact of Gladys Knight and the Pips, and what she hopes readers take away from this inspiring story.

If you love music history, memoirs, and stories rooted in culture and resilience, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Midnight Train From Georgia Info Site

Dr. Zeigler's Website

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Two bleeped words: b0mb!ng, T3rror!sts

Hello My happy People,

Michael Hingson has spent his life proving that limitations are often more about perception than reality. Blind since birth, he was raised by sighted parents who believed strongly in independence and encouraged him to live life fully. He grew up doing many of the same things as other kids, riding bikes, mastering math in his head, and learning to read and write in Braille. He later earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in physics from the University of California, Irvine, and spent nearly thirty years working in the high-tech industry.

His life changed dramatically on September 11, 2001, when he and his guide dog Roselle safely evacuated the 78th floor of Tower One in the World Trade Center moments before it collapsed. Their story of trust, courage, and teamwork captured international attention and later became the #1 New York Times bestselling book Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust.

Since that day, Hingson has traveled the world sharing his experiences and the lessons he learned about courage, teamwork, and perseverance. Our conversation explores what it means to face fear without letting it control you and learn how to move forward with confidence.

His latest book, Live Like a Guide Dog: True Stories from a Blind Man and His Dogs about Being Brave, Overcoming Adversity, and Moving Forward in Faith, shares the principles he has learned from decades of working with guide dogs and how those lessons can help anyone overcome challenges, trust themselves, and live their lives with purpose.

For speaking engagements email: Speaker@michaelhingson.com

Michael's Website

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Hello Happy People,

Today’s episode is a special April 1st podcast takeover of Book Banter with Dianne Burckhardt — Book Talk Podcast... or is it?

Sebastian Dureaux-Russell steps in as guest host, and for a minute, it might feel like you’ve landed in the wrong show. But stay with it, because this “takeover” has a twist.

Sebastian is joined by his guest paranormal romance author, D.S. Stephens and the show focuses on her new Haunted Hearts series, a seven-book paranormal romance built from real ghost hunting experiences the author had in college. Starting with Book 1, Langston Watch Hotel, this series brings together real haunted locations, emotional tension, and that constant fight between science and belief.

And if something about D.S. Stephens sounds a little familiar… well, you’re not imagining that either.

This episode pulls back the curtain on how this romance author persona came to life, where the series is headed, and what’s coming next.

So is this a takeover? Or is mischief afoot?

Links to Sebastian Dureaux-Russell’s previous episode (S3 EP143) and website, along with D.S. Stephens social media, can be found below.

Be sure to follow, share, and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Book Banter with Dianne Burckhardt — Book Talk Podcast.

Sebastian's S3 EP143 Interview

Sebastian's Website

D.S. Stephens on BurckhardtBooks.com

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Bleeped word: Murd3r

Hello My Happy People,

We are down to the final two episodes of the Lovefest for Season 5, and today’s episode brings a little romance and a lot of heart. Romance author Maria Jane joins Book Banter with Dianne Burckhardt — Book Talk Podcast to talk about love, storytelling, and the magic found in imperfect journeys.

Maria Jane, the romance pen name of Tricia Copeland, believes that love is not always clean or easy, but it is always worth the ride. We spoke with Tricia in Season 4 episode 192 about her epic fantasy series the Realm Chronicles. Today we chat with her about her Perfect Romance series. This series delivers sweet moments, unexpected turns, and characters chasing their happily-ever-after or happy-for-now endings, all wrapped in stories that feel both fun and emotionally real.

In this episode, we talk about her transition into romance, how her writing has evolved across genres, and the inspiration behind her Perfect Romance series. If you are looking for a story that reminds you why love is worth the chaos, this is one you will not want to miss.

Maria's Website

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Maria on Amazon

Finding the Magic Book Podcast

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Hello My Happy People,

Due to a brief illness, today’s episode is a Best of Season 4 Lovefest replay. Be sure to check the listings on burckhardtbooks.com/podcast for updated scheduling.

Today I am thrilled to bring you this Best of S4 Lovefest replay with another historical fiction author. Being one myself, I love promoting authors who take accuracy and research seriously, and today’s guest is definitely one of them.

Barb Warner Deane is an award-winning author and public speaker who has given more than 130 presentations on American women in World War II, including at the Historical Writers of America conference in Williamsburg, Virginia.

She attended Cornell University and the University of Connecticut School of Law. She grew up in New York’s Finger Lakes region and has lived in Frankfurt, Germany, and Shanghai, China.

After leaving her law career, Barb opened Barb’s All Romance Book Store and later worked as a substitute teacher and in school tech and media. She has also been published as a travel writer and now writes full-time, alongside volunteer work and travel.

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Hello My Happy People,

We are heading into the homestretch of Lovefest for Season 5 but we still have some incredible authors to introduce you to before we are done. In this episode, I am sharing my thought-provoking chat with award-winning science fiction author Jeremy Clift. Jeremy is a former international news correspondent with Reuters and the creator of the Sci-Fi Galaxy saga.

We touch on all of his books in this series and give you a detailed glimpse into his latest novel, Space Vault: The Seed Eclipse. In this second book in the series, his characters must fight for humanity’s future as the tide shifts from survival to control. As civilizations deal with climate collapse, food shortages, and corporate power overreach, will one genetically altered child determine what humanity becomes next?

Jeremy shares how his background in journalism and global reporting shaped the ethical and political questions at the heart of his fiction, why genetic sovereignty and seed vaults became central themes in this book, and how moral choice drives the story forward. We also discuss writing complex futures without losing the human core, and what comes next in the Sci-Fi Galaxy universe.

This is a conversation about power, protection, and the question at the heart of great science fiction. It's not just about how humanity survives, but who gets to decide what that survival looks like.

Jeremy's Website

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Hello My Happy People,

Welcome to the last month of Lovefest. We move into March with a different kind of love: not romance, but the steady, sustaining love of friendship, mentorship, and belonging.

Award-winning scriptwriter Kristine Jensen has spent her career shaping narratives across film, marketing, and documentary storytelling, earning three Telly Awards along the way. Now she brings that storytelling depth to her debut novel, Wednesday Club.

Inspired by the real handwritten minutes of her grandmother’s rural women’s club in South Dakota, Wednesday Club takes readers back to 1963. Sixteen-year-old Ivy Hanson is sent to live on her grandparents’ farm after her Hollywood-bound mother leaves her behind. Reluctantly serving as secretary to a group of older women who meet monthly to discuss current events, serve their community, and share the realities of rural life, Ivy slowly finds herself drawn into their world.

In this episode, Kristine shares how a box of forgotten notebooks that became the inspiration for her novel, what it took to write her first book while working full-time, and why stories about women and friendships matter.

This Lovefest episode celebrates the love that holds communities together and the quiet power of women who show up for one another.

Wednesday Club Website

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Hello My Happy People,

We are wrapping up our first month of Lovefest, and this week we’re highlighting a dystopian kind of love story.

Today, I am joined by award-winning author Monte Schulz to talk about Undercity, his chilling dystopian novel that explores authoritarian collapse, survival, and finding love in midst of it all.

Monte always knew he wanted to be a storyteller and spent decades immersed in the creative arts. He earned his M.A. in American Studies from UC Santa Barbara, spent ten years crafting Crossing Eden, a sweeping Jazz Age epic, and has produced original music under the name Seraphonium.

He not only has his own publications, he owns and teaches at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, where he continues to mentor new writers. Raised in a home filled with creative energy (his father is Charles M. Schulz, the mind behind Peanuts) Monte carved out his own artistic legacy through music and fiction.

In this episode, we talk about his writing process, how history informs his work, and what it means to create art that reflects the world we live in, and the one we hope for.

Monte's Website

Undercity Website

Metropolis Website

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