Two Pens, One Porch

Cheryl and Dagny are on the road for this special episode. Carroll Lee Ashburn, the president of the Kilmarnock Historical Museum, takes them on a guided tour of the museum's treasures. Check out images of the items we discuss here: https://graceful-quill.com/writing/a-visit-to-the-kilmarnock-history-museum-f8dj For more about Carroll, see https://rrecord.com/carroll-lee-ashburn-named-grand-m...

In this episode Cheryl and Dagny finish the reading of Dagny's play, Grounds for Murder, which was performed on September 11. Did you guess who the murderer was?  We then discuss what we've been reading and discuss our next episode, an interview with the president of the Kilmarnock Museum, Carroll Lee Ashburn. 

Dagny's play, Grounds for Murder, was a smashing success. Cheryl and Dagny read the script on this episode. In addition, they discuss their excursions to Tangier Island.  Dagny's Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dagny-Jackson/author/B074QRQK5Z?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=a74fc6a1-d285-4acb-90e9-2731153319d0 Cheryl's Blog: https://graceful-quill.com...

In the second part of our interview with Chris Abernathy, he describes the nuts and bolts of publishing on Amazon and marketing with Facebook. What happens when you publish 20 books? Chris aims to find out as he begins the 10th book in the Paw and Order series.  Guide for 20 books to 50k: 20BooksTo50K Guide for Indie Authors The opinions shared in this interview belong solely to our guest. We&apos...

Chris Abernathy, aka Chris Wright, has a fascinating history that he shares on today's episode of Two Pens, One Porch. Chris is the local celebrity behind the radio station 101.7 FM. But he's also a successful indie author. Cheryl and Dagny will be exploring his writing career and the inspiration for Whiskers the cat detective.  Books by Chris Abernathy: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Chri...

How does Zorba the Greek make someone a successful NASA engineer? We will probe the mind of Gary Giles, whose accomplishments with NASA have resulted in his inclusion on the Smithsonian Wall of Honor.  From the Smithsonian Web site:   Dr. Giles worked at the NASA Langley Research Center from 1964 to 1998. His contributions in aeronautics focused on the development of computer aided methods for des...

Dagny and Cheryl sit down for an entertaining discussion with Lisa McLaughlin, the owner of the Bookshelf on Church. Her local bookstore is the talk of the town, and we wanted to figure out what's made it so successful. She is full of great ideas, just like her store is full of great books.  The Bookshelf on Church Tickets are now on sale for Dagny's play, Grounds for Murder! Grounds For...

How do cats and dogs appear in literature? Dagny and Cheryl explore the implications of various pet metaphors as Dagny's dogs provide inspiration. Then they expand their discussion to include aliens before returning the Earth and the ramifications of local bookstores on communities.  Links: How Independent Bookstores Have Thrived in Spite of Amazon.com | Working Knowledge Compass Cinema Six -...

Cheryl and Dagny take a deep dive into how community shapes our lives and appears in popular fiction such as Star Wars and Harry Potter. Exactly how many hugs is too many? They will leave no stone unturned. 

Cheryl and Dagny explore their childhood memories for clues about why they became the people they are today. From the whacky to the tragic, their memories run the gamut. They round out the episode with a discussion of their latest reading adventures from the works of Elizabeth Strout and Oliver Sacks. 

Cheryl and Dagny just couldn't wait two weeks to get together again. In this special episode, they provide an update on the missing scientists mentioned during their interview with Richard Stead. They then discuss what they've been reading and their opinions of the latest Star Wars installment.  Links to programs mentioned this episode:  The Lancaster Players | Northern Neck Community Th...

Dr. Richard Stead joins Cheryl and Dagny this week. His expertise in geophysics notwithstanding, he is a very interesting person. Our interview runs the gamut from missing Los Alamos scientists to the worst sci-fi movies ever made. 

In their second episode, Virginia writers Cheryl Stead and Dagny Waldron compare and contrast characters in the literary/cinematic universe of the recent past. How does Harry Potter measure up to Luke Skywalker? How did these stories impact the lives? Get ready for a very nerdy episode. 

Cheryl and Dagny describe how they both arrived on the Northern Neck and their current writing projects. They explore their childhoods for common themes. Rescue animals and science fiction emerge.