Nationally syndicated radio show host Patzi Gil launches "Joy on Paper Live!" by interviewing best-selling author Ridley Pearson today (3/17/24) at 4 p.m.

LINK:

https://youtube.com/@joyonpaperlive

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA -- Nine years ago Patzi Gil launched a radio show called “Joy on Paper” (https://radio-joyonpaper.com) that went on to become a nationally syndicated program. Now she’s adding a new program on YouTube.

The goal of both: Promote authors and inspire readers.

“I launched the radio program on March 17, 2015 — St. Patrick’s Day,” Patzi said.

Patzi’s program can be heard in the Tampa Bay area Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m.” (Eastern Time) on WTAN 1340-AM and 106.1-FM, which is part of the Tan Talk Radio Network, http://www.tantalk1340.com.

The new YouTube program starts St. Patrick's Day, Sunday, March 17. It’s called “Joy on Paper LIVE!” (https://www.youtube.com/@joyonpaperlive) and builds on the success of the radio show.

Among her first guests will be Ridley Pearson, who has penned more than 60 novels, including two New York Times #1 best-sellers. His works for younger readers include “Kingdom Keepers” for Disney Books, a series following a group of friends as they try to save the Disney theme park from villains.

Pearson plays in a band with fellow authors Stephen King, Dave Barry, Amy Tan, and Scott Turow.

“I have spoken to more than 250 New York Times best-selling authors, and I’m very proud that many debut authors and Indie authors have joined me to celebrate the release of their books,” Patzi said.

Here’s what Mary Glickman had to say about Patzi and her program. Glickman is the author of “By the Rivers of Babylon” and a National Jewish Book Awards Finalist in Fiction with “One More River.”

"Joy on Paper is a beacon of light in the wilderness for authors,” Glickman said. “Patzi's passion for books and her incisive insights into them runs deep, making ‘Joy on Paper’ one of the most entertaining hours on radio. There's a reason I call her The Last of The Red Hot Book Lovers!”

Here’s what Jonathan Santlofer said. He’s the best-selling author of “The Last Mona Lisa” and “The Lost Van Gogh.”

“Nobody loves books and authors more than Patzi, whose show, ‘Joy on Paper,’ is stimulating, fun, and a total pleasure!”

When Gil launched “Joy on Paper” in 2005, she had no experience in radio or publishing. Her secret weapon: She’d read 10,000 books.

“When I first got the idea, it was a whim,” the radio host said. “I never imagined it would grow into a magical carpet.”

And what a ride it’s been.

Along the way, Patzi expanded her format, adding fellow book lovers to her team, including:

Natalie Thomas — Natalie is Patzi’s sister and is known as the Connoisseur of Cozy Mysteries. “She has an amazing talent to spot new and talented authors. One of her finds was Rita Moreau. The other is Carol J. Perry.”

Rita Moreau, contributor of Book Buzz: The Best of Mysteries — Moreau is author of “The Ghost & Camper Kooky Mysteries.” She contributes quick, lively, summaries of the best-of-the-best mysteries on the market.

Davon Miller, contributor of Book Buzz: Children’s Book —Davon is author of the “Mr. Tickety-Toc Clock” series. He was appointed as a Sunshine Ambassador for the City of St. Petersburg.

Bria Burton, contributor of Book Buzz: Science Fiction — Burton writes inspirational and speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction). Her motto, “Rekindle Your Wonder,” stems from her desire to renew a sense of awe and wonder in her readers.

Bill Larson, the Legal Eagle — Bill Larson of Larson & Larson answers questions from listeners about how to protect intellectual property, with a focus on the legal-related aspects of writing and publishing.

Jim Lamb — Retired journalist and author of ”Herding Butterflies & Other Poems,” Lamb creates radio spots for “Joy on Paper” called “Literary Gems,” little audio tidbits designed to encouraged new writers.

Among the special guests Patzi has interviewed:

Juan Felipe Herrera — “When I was a teenager, I listened to a handsome young poet wearing a red bandanna recite his poetry on the streets of Berkeley. I would never have imagined that one day I would be interviewing him — Juan Felipe Herrera, Poet Laureate of the United States.”

Carol J. Perry — Patzi’s first in-studio guest. Carol has two series going and received the coveted Starred Review for the first book in her “Haunted Haven” series.

Eugenia Lovett West — Author of “Firewall,” a mystery about cyber-crime. West celebrated her 101st birthday in February. She is currently working on a sequel to her Revolutionary War spy thriller, “Sarah’s War.”

Lee Child — “Who knew that while I lived in England Jim Grant (a.k.a. Lee Child) was working at Granada Television as a producer and would soon be fired, eventually inspiring him to pen the Jack Reacher series. It was fun to connect with Lee as a guest for an hour-long birthday interview.”

Andrew Child — Also known as Andrew Grant, Drew is now guardian of his brother’s Jack Reacher franchise. He and his wife Tasha Alexander are both best-selling authors. They were Patzi’s guests on her seventh anniversary show.

Margaret George — Author of “The Autobiography of Henry VIII” and “Confessions of Young Nero,” among others.

Cyrus Friedheim — Wrote a book called “Commit & Deliver.” He was the Vice Chairman of Booz, Allen and Hamilton, the consulting firm.

One more thing: Why is it PatZi with a Z?

“It’s because Jimmy Hoffa gave me the name,” she explains. “When I was a little girl, my father would take me to his Teamster local headquarters and whenever Jimmy saw me he would say: ‘Two bits, four bits, six bits a dollar — if you don't give me a hug, I'm gonna holler’.”

ABOUT: “Joy on Paper” is heard in the Tampa Bay area on the WTAN 1340-AM and 106.1-FM, Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 11 a.m. (Eastern Time). The new YouTube program starts St. Patrick's Day, Sunday, March 17. It’s called “Joy on Paper LIVE!” (https://www.youtube.com/@joyonpaperlive)

My new book of poetry "Herding Butterflies" is available in paperback, Kindle, and Kindle "Unlimited." My publisher describes it as "An eclectic collection of thought-provoking poems that will intrigue you, delight you, and make you ponder the beauty of words." ... Makes a great gift for less than the price of a Turkey, Provolone & Pesto on Ciabatta with a Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino. ...

Such a deal!

LINK: https://www.amazon.com/Herding-Butterflies.../dp/B0CN9PH8FD

By Jim Lamb

Woke up this morning with a blue spot on my nose. It was toothpaste. That tells me two things: 1) Must have brushed my teeth last night. 2) Apparently without the bathroom light on … and that’s not the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. Not even close.

Some years back (in the early 1990s) I was a section editor at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. As I stepped out of my cubicle, one of my colleagues made an observation:

“Your shoes don’t match,” he said.

Looking down, I realized that my socks didn’t match, either ... Embarrassing. And that’s still not the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.

(Drum roll, please.)

In an interview with the then-Saint Petersburg Times, I showed up looking sharp—shoes matched, socks matched, etc.

After the interview, I stopped by the restroom only to see a big booger hanging from my nose. Disgusting.

Did not get the job.

What about you? What’s your most embarrassing work-moment. (G-rated, please.) Can you top toothpaste on the nose? Shoes that don’t match? A booger? Share your story, and help bring a smile to my face.

Thanks.

By Jim Lamb

There’s a small pond in my back yard fed by a river connected to the Gulf of Mexico. I’ve seen mullet jump, baby tarpon turn, and alligators lurk like semi-submerged submarines waiting for prey to slide by.

The pond is a stone’s throw from my writing room. When I’m stuck on a paragraph, I look out the window for inspiration. Birds and butterflies fly by. Squirrels zip through trees, jumping from limb-to-limb, defying gravity. Before long, inspiration returns, and I’m back hacking on the keys of my iMac.

As I’m writing this, the sun has not yet risen. Tops of trees are mere shadows. The pond has yet to appear. I’m listening to the late great R. C. Sproul, founder of Ligonier Ministries, who was born in my home state of Pennsylvania and later moved to Florida, where I now live.

His sermon title this day: “Is God Just?”

Or, to put it another way, “Is there unrighteousness in God?”

“Of course not,” I think as I watch the pink-orange orb bull-doze into the sky.

Why then, Sproul asks, did God choose Jacob over Esau before they were born?

Not based on their behavior. Not based on what they would do. God sovereignly chose one over the other so that His purposes would stand. He didn’t need anyone’s permission. He owed no one an explanation.

The sky is pink now with swatches of light blue—layer-by-layer-by-layer. The pond picks up on the sun’s glory and honors it by adding a slight shimmer-glimmer.

Beauty begets beauty. Light begets light.

The orchestration of this sunrise happens with no help from me. Not one drop. Not an iota. Not a speck, jot, dot, tittle, or particle. Yet I am blessed by its appearance.

R. C. Sproul has just quoted from Romans 9:15 …

“For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”

Today, God will have mercy and compassion as He sees fit. With His sunrise, He has already blessed me. It almost seems greedy to ask for more—yet I will. It’s my nature.

The world is spinning out of control with wars and rumors of wars—but that’s not the topic of conversation in the Lamb family. Why? Because we lost a friend this week, a chocolate lab named Bailey.

She was friendly. Confident. Fun-loving.

As a puppy, Bailey was awkwardly curious, in that way only labs can be. The most serious exploration became a humorous escapade. Puffy toys turned into willing accomplices. Slippery floors transformed into a center-stage.

Bailey belonged to my son Jesse and his lovely wife Shawn. When they lived in Florida, I visited their home each day and let their pup into the backyard where we played Frisbee-toss over and over and over again.

She loved that game.

When she got tired, she hunkered down under a tiny tree for shade and a rest.

When the kids moved “up north,” Bailey tagged along. She was equally at home playing in the snow on the streets of New York City as she was running in the sand under the Tampa Bay sun.

When the kids moved back to Florida, they brought with them a little Lamb named Clara. It wasn’t long before they had another little Lamb—this one named Isabella, nicknamed Bell.

Bell, Clara, and Bailey got along just fine. Playing together. Napping together. The perfect little family. But you could tell Bailey was getting older (15) and slower. Visits to the vet didn’t seem to help. After all, age catches up with pups as well as people—and it shows.

Dylan Thomas wrote a line in “And Death Shall Have No Dominion” that seems appropriate:

“Though lovers be lost love shall not.”

Bailey may be lost, but not our love for her.

The world is spinning out of control with wars and rumors of war — but that’s not the topic of conversation in the Lamb family. Why? Because we lost a friend this week … and we miss her.

Is that a Sax I hear?

Backed by drums,

clicking in time

with eternity?

Can’t be.

Not with a piano part

that sounds like

children’s play.

Too chaotic.

& painful.

Is love like that?

Some love, I guess.

Love with pain?

With panic?

Pressing on my chest?

Insane!

I take a breath

so deep

(gulping)

that I can't swallow.

Stare

into a sky so blue

(blinking)

that I go blind.

Painful love.

Panicked love.

Love …

Supreme.

Copyright 2023

According to WIKI, Achilles was a hero of the Trojan War and the greatest of all Greek warriors. In addition, he’s a central character of Homer's Iliad. Famous dude. Lived in the spotlight. An MVP. Big-time. He had just one weakness.

His heel.

How could that be?

Great question. Here’s the answer: “…when his mother Thetis dipped him in the river Styx as an infant, she held him by one of his heels.”

That dip made him invulnerable—except, of course, for where his Mom held him.

Flash-forward to Monday night, Sept. 11, 2023. Another hero. Another warrior. “Grade A.” Numero Uno. MVP.

His name?

Aaron Rodgers.

After a stellar career with the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers went from Cheese-head to Apple-head, when he became a quarterback for the New York Jets, where he was touted as a savior for a franchise that hadn’t been a consistent Super Bowl caliber team since Broadway Joe Namath led the J-E-T-S to a 16-7 upset victory over the Baltimore Colts at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida.

By the way, that was the third AFL–NFL Championship Game in pro football and the first to bear the moniker “Super Bowl”—but let’s get back to our tale of terror and tendons.

Aaron Rogers stepped on the field Sept. 11 to kick off a new era of hope for the Jets. There was even talk of Super Bowl run … finally.

The hope didn’t last long. Minutes into his first drive, the aging quarterback (he turns 40 in December) was sacked, injured, and helped off the field, never to return. It was later announced he was out for the season. The culprit: a torn Achilles tendon.

Rogers was a five-time All-Pro and 10-time Pro Bowler. An all-around MVP. To get him, the Jets gave up a first-round draft pick, a second-round pick, a sixth-round pick and a conditional 2024 second-round.

So much for so little return.

There are many lessons in the Aaron Rogers saga … “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket comes to mind.” What about you? Have you ever done that? I have … one time, long ago, I remember planning my future around winning one of those big-money contests at McDonald’s. … Didn’t win, but at least I got a great burger and fries out of it—which is more than what the Jets may end up with.

WRITER'S TIP: If you're crafting a story about a hero, remember to give him/her a weakness. For example, Indiana Jones was afraid of snakes. His Dad feared rats. Having a vulnerability raises the stakes in a hero's journey.

I’m sitting in my writing room, eating a home-made scone, sipping on a cup of hot tea, laced with real milk and fake sugar. It’s the anniversary of 9-11, a disaster that nearly put the company I worked for out of business—but that’s a story for another day.

This morning I tuned in to a call-in talk show that asked listeners to share memories from that wretched day.

“I remember it well,” said one caller. “It was a Monday …"

Of course, you and I both know Sept. 11 was on a Tuesday that year. Such is the collective’s memory—but at least they remembered something.

A few years back, a newspaper here in the Tampa Bay area forgot to commemorate Dec. 7, 1941, which President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called “a date which will live in infamy”—not a great move in a state populated by old people with long memories.

In a century or two, who will remember Dec. 7? Or Sept. 11? Or Nov. 22, the day U.S. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated.

This year, it will be 60 years since shots rang out in the streets of Dallas, Texas. Sixty years since CBS interrupted a telecast of the soap opera “As the World Turns” with a Bulletin saying JFK had been shot. An hour later news anchor Walter Cronkite reported “… President Kennedy died at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time…”

I was a senior at Windber Area High School in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, when news of the assassination piped over the school’s PA system. Remember it well—as well as can be expected after 60 years. Also remember walking into my Uncle Angelo’s house after going to church at Saint Anthony’s and hearing someone shout, “They shot the bastard!”

The bastard in question was Lee Harvey Oswald.

* * *

There’s a cardinal outside my window, pecking away at the bird-feeder hanging in my backyard, the one my wife just filled the other day. This is the first time I’ve seen activity out there. I guess it takes time for news to travel.

Birds and squirrels are fun to watch when the feeder is full. They don’t know what day it is … Sept.11. Nov. 22. Dec. 7. They worry about important things like, “Did the Lambs fill their bird feeder?”

Kind of makes you jealous of birds, doesn’t it?

Could it be a letter?

Secret sign — or better?

Treasure map?

Mindless Rap ....

Cat or Irish Setter?

Let’s dig way too deep.

(Cry until we weep.)

With dirty nails,

day-old mail

& legend-making leaps.

Try & try again.

With bloodied iron pen.

Change our stripes

with dreams & hype —

until we cry again.

.