The Happy Meemaw

This week on The Happy Meemaw Reads, I'm joined by my wonderful niece and her husband as we review the wildly popular "Dungeon Crawler Carl" by Matt Dinniman. If you're looking for a new series that combines humor, intense action, and a unique take on the sci-fi genre - without needing to be a gamer or sci-fi expert, this series by Matt Dinniman might just be your next obsession....

Hello and happy to all the dads out there! On today's special episode of The Happy Meemaw, I'm joined by my grandson Tanner and my granddaughter Finley, and I'm trying to get some dirt on their dad (my son). Spoiler alert - they don't give much away! I asked them some questions, and they had fun answering and telling me about what a great dad they have. I hope you all enjoy this -...

So fun to welcome back authors Donna Costello and Jim Palmer and talk about their writer/coach relationship and how Donna's Luna Creative Academy had the answers Jim needed as he wrote his first novel. We cover the writing and editing process, self-publishing and marketing of Jim's novel, "The Bridge at Spuyten Duyvil." You can find his book at Amazon.com: The Bridge at Spuyten D...

There's much to smile about on this episode of The Happy Meemaw. Leona Gaither is a bright, successful 20-something who grew up here in our little county in Virginia. When she suffered the impossible loss of her mother, she found comedy helped ease the pain. Now, she's paying her dues and crafting a stand-up comedy routine in the perfect place - New York City. An all-American girl talks ab...

It's Meemaw Music Monday, and today I'm chatting with a creative who has taken his love of music turned it into a fantastic day job. In addition to teaching students of all ages, he plays with several bands, and even subs in when a band is without a member. I was pretty fascinated at being this musically nimble, and also loved the influence his parents and their musical loves and influence...

Author and animator Crystal Cabrae is so incredibly talented and fun to chat with! I was thrilled to get to explore her Storyteller Planet and her world of ideas. Her website offers lots of opportunities for everyone to explore and find their creative outlet. As for her writing, her romantasy stories offer rich characters that you'll remember for a long time. Most of all, Crystal is pure sunsh...

Author Nicholas Crabtree was raised in England, has lived all over the US, and has made his mark as a science fiction writer with some amazing scenarios and memorable characters. His stories are born from a variety of life experiences that sparked his creativity and compelled him to spend hours at this desk writing. I had a great time chatting with him about his writing process and about the creat...

What is that old adage in Hollywood, never work with kids and animals? Despite these words of wisdom, this week, I'm featuring my two grandsons, ages 4 and 2, as I try to find out more about their mom through their eyes, to include her joy of drinking wine and her potential comparison to Marvel villain Thanos. There is some definite silliness, but there are some gem moments as well. I hope you...

I'm joined this week by the brilliant Janice Jones, whose life as an artist is so inspiring, and her drive to share her love of the arts with her community is laudable. She'll celebrate the opening of the 2 Rivers Arts Center this Sat, May 2, and bring encouragement and education to residents who want to nurture their talents. Janice has lived a great life and never lost her passion for le...

If you've ever had an issue narrowing down what you'd like to do with your life, I have great news for you - you can do it all. That's what you'll learn when you meet Angela Enos, my guest on The Happy Meemaw Reads today. She is an author, motivational speaker, writing coach, former legal assistant, and youth pastor that created the "Under the Roof" neighborhood featuring...

What happens when a lifelong Elvis fan, a fan who just discovered Elvis, and me, never a fan at all, get together and talk about the new documentary, EPIC - Elvis Presley in Concert? A great conversation about the King and his place in music history. Join my bestie Karla Salisbury and her daughter-in-law Lauren as they join me for a great Meemaw Music Monday conversation. Thanks for listening!

There's nothing better, as a mother/grandmother, to see children in your life grow up and become amazing adults. Morgan Schmincke came into my life at the age of 4, a smart, happy girl whose two bouts with leukemia did nothing to dampen her spirit. Now an adult, working as a Speech Language Pathologist, I loved catching up with her active life as a wife and Mom, and discussing her amazing jour...

IT wasn't enough for Jim Palmer to be amazingly successful in the marketing world - he knew writing was something he needed as well. Taking a title given to him by his late father, an inspiration as a former journalist, Jim crafted The Bridge at Spuyten Duyvil, his WWII historical fiction novel. I had a great time learning about Jim and his writing journey and I hope you will too. Thanks for l...

Happy Meemaw Music Monday! Join my friends Julie Pietryla, Kathy Nicol, and me as we take a stroll down memory lane and share our top 5 songs by the iconic band Queen. I will always be partial to my favorite Queen album, "A Night at the Opera" - every song a true gem - but Queen has made great music since their inception, and I loved sharing and hearing stories from my friends about the...

Talk about diversity - Lynette Creswell is out there creating stories for adults and children alike, giving us the Sinners of Magic trilogy, and turning the gift to her readers of a short story about the Hoglets into a wonderful set of children's books. The real hero here is her Lynette's husband, though, who provided her with what she needed to create all of these amazing stories. Learn more...

Seth Whitten has a fantastic sense of humor, and I think you'll be riveted by the story he tells about surviving a catastrophic accident in his youth and finding his calling at disAbility Resource Center, a Center for Independent Living in Fredericksburg, VA. He is candid about his journey and shares the great work he and the folks at dRC are doing for members of our community. You can learn m...

I'm so happy to welcome back my friend, author Donna Costello, as we do a deep dive on her recent ADHD diagnosis and how it answered lots of questions about not only her behaviors, but about her drive for writing. While often we associate ADHD with kids, Donna shares how it affects her life and ways she's come to adapt and tailor her writing habits to fit the diagnosis. Be sure to follow T...

Join me for this week's The Happy Meemaw Reads with Author Chris Grooms as we discuss his love of all things fantasy, and the creation of Gaiand and his character, Wulf Blackhawk. Chris is a retired US Marine who loved all things fantasy as a kid, found D&D, and shared his love of all things fantasy with his sons. We chat about his books, including the soon-to-be-released "Tales from...

Imagine looking around for some property on the water where you can escape for the weekend, and that search takes you to the cutest little retro inn in need of some TLC. That's the story of Riverview Inn owner Kelly Woods Vaughn and the adorable boutique hotel her family owns and operates in Colonial Beach, VA. Kelly discusses the journey to the inn, its renovation, and its role in the revital...

It's Meemaw Music Monday and this week I'm picking my top 5 songs by the iconic group Chicago with my friends Julie and Kathy. We've all been fans for nearly 50 years and have some very difference preferences when it comes to this legendary band, their songs the sound of our childhood. Here's hoping you find a new listen, and maybe a new favorite! Thanks for listening!

Few writers out there cranking out great thrillers can boast the resume that Jeffrey James Higgins has - he has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor, and has appeared on CNN, Fox News, and ABC News , among others. And now he has created the N...

I'm so happy to welcome back author Wendy L. Anderson for this Friday's The Happy Meemaw Reads as we discuss her newest release, "The Dragon Thief's Heart." The book released Jan 13 and we discuss this stand-alone novel, Anderson's 15th release, and the coming-of-age story of Kieran and Una and how Kieran's quest to become a warrior gets him much more than he bargaine...

This week on The Happy Meemaw, I'm joined by my wonderful friend, Dr. Mary Margaret Carrillo, to catch up on her amazing project, the Latina Voices Institute. Borne from her life's journey and pathway to her doctorate, Mary Margaret is the founder, CEO, and driving force behind the Latina Voices Institute. She leads initiatives that provide learning opportunities and cultivate leadership a...

This week I'm joined by Sue Henderson, a military veteran who has traveled to over dozens of countries throughout her life. Last summer she and her husband took an extended trip to Italy and we discuss how they planned, tips and ideas to make your planning easier, and details about their fantastic Italian visit. Sue and her husband will be hosting an info session on travel planning in the Frederic...

For my first episode of 2026, I once again sit down with my friend Rob Fagan to discuss the release of his book, "31 Days to Emergency Preparedness and Personal Resilience." We talk about his vast experience in emergency preparedness and disaster management, and how he's working to educate anyone interested through his book and a course he's developed. Learn more about it at Unli...