GAB TALKS

GAB TALKS with J. Chester Johnson, author of Reading WhispersA conversation with NYC Big Book Award-winning J. Chester Johnson, he discusses his new book. In Reading Whispers, Johnson creates an innovative structure: the “triple haiku,” a form that places three haiku in conversation beneath a unifying title.

Live from BookCAMP, The Gab Talks features debut YA fantasy author Sara Fanfarillo, whose captivating work recently earned her a NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite.In this special LIVE episode of GAB TALKS, author Sara Fanfarillo discusses her debut young adult fantasy novel, "Everlasting," which recently earned a NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite. This recording is the live interview from BookCAMP 2026.Transcript:00;00;10;11 - 00;00;40;01Gabby:Welcome to the Gab Talks. This is your hostess, Gabby Olczak. Live from 2026 BookCAMP. Today it is our pleasure to meet, straight from Italy, our author Sara Fanfarillo. And she is going to be talking about her debut novel, “Everlasting.” It was a distinguished favorite in the 2025 New York City Big Book Award in the fantasy category. Sara, welcome and congratulations.Gabby:Looking forward to seeing you at the awards dinner tomorrow night.Sara Fanfarillo:Thank you so much for us to meet, Gabby. It is a pleasure for me.Gabby:So this is your debut novel. Congratulations. Tell us a little bit about it. It’s a fantasy book.Sara Fanfarillo:Yeah. It’s a fantasy fiction novel. And follows the journey of Kendall, who is a young boy who never tasted life. And he slowly aware of what he was made to believe was real. He will go on search for a nefarious piece and face different challenges, but will cause him to doubt his mission, but will find in himself the courage and the source to move forward. There will be a different time axis who finds himself in a new realm and a strong cover even secrets discovered land and a new place. There will be another destiny. And another all this dynasty who is not really related to him.00;01;27;28 - 00;01;59;15something can discover later in the time. And it will be.Gabby: Sara. Did you build a world, a new world for the book? Did you create a world of fantasy worlds in?Sara Fanfarillo:I created a world, exactly.Gabby:So what were some of your inspirations for creating the worlds, and how did you come up with the character Kendall?Sara Fanfarillo:Well, I started writing short stories about fantasy worlds and all things related to that, and I came up with the “Everlasting” because I honestly love to read fantasy fiction.So I took inspiration from the books a lot and the stories I prefer. And so this is the result of all the worlds I, I love.Gabby:Your inspiration! So what is it about Kendall that makes him a special protagonist in the story?Sara Fanfarillo:Kendall is a seemingly normal boy and was soon discovered to be the king, all along the points of the long journey he will find himself in, and it will be the key to unlock a new direction in his destiny.00;02;32;13 - 00;02;52;20Gabby:How would you say your readers are? Is it young adults, adults, or just everyone really could be interested?Sara Fanfarillo:Yeah, it is perfect for young adults, but those as well, yeah.Gabby:Is this, do you have another book that you’re thinking of as a follow up to this book?Sara Fanfarillo:I’m currently writing a sequel for this site and yeah. This journey is not finished yet. There’s still so much to cover.00;02;52;22 - 00;03;11;21Gabby:Do you see into the future? Do you think that it’s your fantasy to come up with a whole series of books based on Kendall?Sara Fanfarillo:Yeah, probably.Gabby:Aw, that’s exciting.Gabby:So, Sara, where can listeners and viewers hear and find out here a little bit more about you and purchase your books?Sara Fanfarillo:Okay. The book is available worldwide. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.Gabby:Do you have a website?Sara:Yeah, exactly. It’s https://www.sarafanfarillo.com/. You can search for it and find all news and events related to it.Gabby:Fantastic. Thank you so much. Sara Fanfarillo, thank you for coming all the way from Italy and have a wonderful time at the Awards Dinner.Sara Fanfarillo:Thank you so much for us to meet.Gabby:You’re welcome.

On this episode of The Gab Talks, we’re so pleased to welcome Gisela Rose, author of "Elixir, A Journey into Ancestral Alchemology," winner of the 2025 New York City Big Book Award and the 2026 Independent Press Award in the cross-genre category. Gisela Rose is an award-winning author, artist, dancer, embodiment practitioner, and ancestral alchemist.She’s the creator of ancestral alchemology, which is a signature method that blends astrology, genealogy, somatic embodiments and mysticism to support ancestral connection, energetic healing and sacred remembrance. Her work centers around ancestral exploration and healing, inviting others to tap into the innate magic of their own bodies. In addition to being an award-winning author, Gisela is also the host of Soma Magical, the podcast with Gisela Rose, where she explores ancestral alchemy, astrology, embodiments, and body-based magic. A lifelong artist, hold it up Gisela, let everyone see the beautiful book, it’s a gorgeous cover, I love it. As a lifelong artist, dancer, and performer.For over a decade, she was known as Gisela Rose, the pain-proof artiste, performing sideshow stunts on stages all around the world, including performing with bands such as Jane’s Addiction and El Nino. Her path also winds through the tattoo industry, where she has worked as a skilled body piercer and permanent makeup artist, and currently as a marketing administrator for Access Rotary.Gisela guides others into this magical remembrance sharing sacred work shaped by both deep lineage connection and lived experience. Gisela joins us today from Kentucky. Congratulations Gisela and welcome to the Gab Talks.___Gisella Rose’s award-winning book ELIXIR introduces Ancestral Alchemology™, a unique method combining Astrology, Genealogy, elemental energies, and embodied ritual. A living map of self-discovery, this book will guide one to reconnect with one's essence through ancestral mysticism. ___Subscribe to "Printed Word Reviews," https://www.printedwordreviews.com/ma...Printed Word Reviews showcases literary talent.

Independent Press Award: GAB TALKS with Jeremy CliftJeremy Clift is the author of Born in Space and Space Vault: The Seed Eclipse in his Sci-Fi Galaxy series, exploring how space colonization might transform humanity. With a background as a former Reuters correspondent and non-fiction publisher, Clift’s fiction is grounded in science and driven by story. He has interviewed Nobel economists, worked on global development initiatives, and now writes speculative fiction about the future of life beyond Earth.Connect with Jeremy Clift Online at:Website: https://www.jeremycliftbooks.comX (Twitter) https://x.com/p_cliftTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremycliftbooksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/cliftL1/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremy_clift_books/___A gripping sci-fi thriller about who owns life, what makes us human, and how far we’ll go to protect the next generation.Alien alliances, corporate secrets, and a vault that could rewrite evolution.Will Teagan Ward protect her daughter—or lose her to a war between worlds?Space was meant to save us. Instead, it’s where the next war begins.And one mother’s love may be the last defense of human freedom.+ From the award-winning author of BORN in SPACE:When competing forces vie to control human evolution, Teagan Ward is thrust into the heart of the conflict. Once a captive on the Moon, she was subjected to genetic experiments—but the true prize wasn’t her. It was her young daughter, Diana, created to survive in deep space and lead a new breed of humanity.Now the ruthless Consortium wants her back.As Earth reels from climate collapse and resource shortages, powerful forces converge to control ecosystems, genetic blueprints, and identity itself. Their prize: the Seed Vault, a lunar repository containing the last viable genetic codes for Earth’s crops, food supplies—and maybe humanity’s future.But it’s not just humans who covet the Vault’s valuable contents.Protests erupt. Alliances fracture. And Teagan, seeking refuge among the Tritans—an endangered alien species—must protect Diana at all costs.In a battle for survival, what remains of humanity may not be who we were—but who we choose to become.The vault is the code. The seed eclipse is the signal. The child is the key.And the question remains: Who owns Life? The corporations trying to patent it? The AIs trying to shape it? Or the mother fighting to protect it?

Dow Creative Enterprises (DCE) creates accessible medical education books for children, simplifying complex medical information and terms.Join Gabby Olczak, President of the Independent Press Award, as she hosts Michael Dow, RN, MS, MHA, MSM, author of the Nurse Florence® Educational Series and the Nurse Dorothea Mental Health series, to explore his work creating accessible medical books for children and teenagers.Michael Dow believes sometimes only a nurse can bridge the gap from technical medical information to a level of understanding that any ordinary person can grasp. The Nurse Florence® book series provides high quality medical information in easy to understand format.By introducing young kids to correct terminology and science concepts at an early age, Dow feels we can help increase our children’s health literacy level as well as help to prepare them for courses and jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.Dow's hope is that many children will enjoy this book series and consider a job involving science.