Author-editor-lawyer-speaker Michael Ventrella on the Oddcast this week

On the Oddcast this week we interview Michael Ventrella: author, editor, speaker, and lawyer. His latest non-fiction book is How to Argue the Constitution with a Conservative from Gray Rabbit Publications, featuring artwork from Pulitzer-Prize winning editorial cartoonist Darrin Bell. Anthologies include Baker Street Irregulars (co-edited with New York Times Bestselling Author Jonathan Maberry) and, most recently, Across the Universe, a Beatles-themed anthology (co-edited with Randee Dawn) from Fantastic Books. He also heads the Pocono Liars Club. Among other things, Ventrella discusses why you want to refresh yourself on the Constitution, and what it means to write books about The Monkees. With the Oddcast Irregulars: Gregory Frost, Jon McGoran, Kelly Simmons, Merry Jones and Keith Strunk.

Michael Ventrella Oddcast

Gavin Grant Entertains & Informs the Oddcast

This week a terrific interview with award-winning publisher/editor/and now bookstore owner (Book Moon) Gavin J. Grant. His publishing house, Small Beer Press, started in 2000 with a story collection, Stranger Things Happen, which Salon named a “Book of the Year,” and The Village Voice proclaimed as one of its 25 Best Books. He offers sage advice on navigating the mad world of publishing in the 21st century, and speaks to the return of the brick-and-mortar bookstore.

Gavin Grant, photographed by Adrianne Mathiowetz.

Across the Universe

Publishers Weekly and Library Journal weigh in delightedly on the Beatles-themed anthology, Across the Universe, edited by Michael A. Ventrella and Randee Dawn (Fantastic Books), with a December release. The book includes stories by Allen M. Steele, David Gerrold, Nancy Holder, Charles Barouch, Pat Cadigan, Christian H. Smith and yours truly. Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Across the Universe cover art