Writers and publishers in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula have found a new place to connect with their audience – a podcast channel accessible from every major podcast aggregator service, including iTunes and Audible.com
This is an official press release brought to you by MyNorth News Service and The Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association.
The Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association (UPPAA) launched its first podcast channel, “The U.P. Notable Books Club” on November 18th to serve as the digital audio platform for showcasing the works and words of the winners of the U.P. Notable Books Award. This award is curated by UPPAA’s Notable Books Committee as chaired by Mikel Classen (Sault Ste. Marie) which releases its “ten best U.P. books” list each year in early January. The podcast channel is freely available to all residents of the U.P.
Why on Earth would you want to listen to a podcast? Well, it makes the time fly by while you are shoveling your driveway, driving the Seney Stretch, working out at the gym, or if you’re lucky… on your job! You can listen on your iPhone, iPad, Android phone, or any Windows, Mac, or Chromebook with a low-speed internet or cellphone connection.
The U.P. Notable Books Club Channel Team
The name behind the new podcast channel is Brandy Thomas, of Thomas Editing (Marquette), a professionally trained audio/video editor. “Brandy was invaluable in converting our shows from the Zoom recordings on our YouTube channel to an enjoyable and accessible podcast format,” says Victor R. Volkman, President of UPPAA and Senior Editor at Modern History Press of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The show host is Evelyn Gathu, Director of the Crystal Falls District Public Library. It was her initiative that led to the U.P. Notable Books Club, so she played a critical role in launching the podcast. Victor Volkman manages public relations and author outreach. He credits the authors across the country:
We are all grateful for authors around the USA who have responded positively to invitations to appear at the U.P. Notable Book Club.
Always Free to Listen for U.P. Residents
The U.P. Notable Books Club podcast is available on all major podcast search engines including those in the following list:
Each of these services offers a handy “Subscribe” option so, for example, the next time you open iTunes on your phone, you’ll see the latest episodes in the “Ready to Listen” list.
Series Two is Underway
The U.P. Notable Books Club has posted all the available recorded episodes of the first two seasons as a free podcast. Each episode is typically 60 minutes in length, consisting of a 20 to 30-minute author presentation, followed by a lively Q&A with residents across the U.P.
The series currently comprises the following episodes:
S1: E1: Phil Bellfy | Three Fires Unity: The Anishnaabeg of the Lake Huron Borderlands
S1: E2: James H. McCommons | Camera Hunter: George Shiras III and the Birth of Wildlife Photography
S1: E3: Michael Carrier | Murder on Sugar Island / Jack Handler Book 1
S1: E4: Ann Dallman | Cady and the Bear Necklace
S1: E5: Mikel Classen | Lake Superior Tales: Stories of Humor and Adventure in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
S1: E6: UP Notable Books Club: Susan Purvis | Go Find! My Journey to Find the Lost — and Myself
S2: E1: Susanna Ausema | I Spy… Isle Royale
S2: E2: Craig Brockman | Dead of November
The U.P. Notable Books Club podcast is free to listen to and online at www.upnotable.com/podcast/ New episodes are released around the 3rd week of each month. Interested readers can visit the upnotable.com page to learn how to join upcoming discussions with authors.
About the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA)
Established in 1998 to support authors and publishers who live in or write about Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, UPPAA is a Michigan nonprofit association with nearly 100 members, many of whose books are featured on the organization’s website at www.uppaa.org. UPPAA welcomes membership and participation from anyone with a UP connection who is interested in writing.
