The Art of “Reinvention,” Part 2:On Becoming a Mystery Writer
May 17, 2021
Hosted by Ron Roel
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Guest Information
Episode Description
Patricia King has had a long, extraordinary career —and she continued to evolve over the last decade, taking on a new literary identity as Annamaria Alfieri. In Part 1 of Ron Roel’s conversation with Pat earlier this year, she talked about her time as an international management consultant, working with Fortune-50 companies like PepsiCo, Chase Bank, and Pfizer and publishing five business books, including Never Work for a Jerk, which landed her on the Oprah Winfrey show. In today’s conversation with Pat — Part 2 of her extraordinary journey — she talks about how she made the transition to yet another career as a historical mystery writer Annamaria Alfieri. It wasn’t easy. Pat will reveal how she used her writing and research skills to produce finely detailed historical mysteries—and get a publisher to take a chance on a first-time novelist. Pat will take us through her early mysteries, set in South America, which have garnered critical acclaim. Some years later, she moved across the Atlantic to set her second series of historical novels in British East Africa. Described as Out of Africa meets Agatha Christie, Strange Gods, The Idol of Mombasa, and The Blasphemers are stories that capture the beauty and complexities of imposing a colonial culture on a foreign land. These adventures, in turn, have led to a surprising chapter in Pat King/Annamaria Alfieri's real-life story: a transcontinental effort to radically change the future of young Maasai girls in Kenya.
45 Forward
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Thanks to advances in medicine and health, most of us are just at half-life when we reach our mid-40s, with many potentially productive years ahead. But there’s no road map to prepare us for this period. That’s where 45 Forward comes in.
My show provides you with strategies to shift the traditional waiting-for-retirement model to a journey of compelling life chapters. Each show tackles an aspect of health, finance, family and friends, housing, work and personal pursuits as part of an integrated plan. Experts discuss topics like revitalizing relationships, creating mini-retirements, managing the maze of technology, finding your next homestead and caring for aging parents.
The show instills confidence, and hopefully some comfort, amid the stresses permeating today’s society. Fear of the future is not knowing how to prepare for it. 45 Forward does not proffer prefabricated answers, but helps you shape your life amid the daily anxieties of our time.
Ron Roel
I’m a veteran journalist who spent a wide-ranging career covering business, politics and social issues, the last two decades focusing on the blend of diverse life skills I call successful aging.
I have written extensively on aging topics, spoken at conferences, radio and TV shows, and launched several entrepreneurial ventures, discovering along the way that the path to aging well also requires an unexpected entrepreneurial vision. I spent 20 years as a writer and editor at Long Island’s daily newspaper, Newsday, helping to found Act 2, a weekly section for 50-plus readers. I created Roelresources.com, a website offering practical advice and inspirational essays for people ages 40 and above. I have been a volunteer and consultant to AARP Long Island, writing articles, advocating for seniors, and developing action plans for the AARP Age-Friendly Communities initiative.
I am active in programs and organizations that support seniors, such as the National Aging In Place Council and the Senior Umbrella Network. I have developed a special expertise in family caregiving, as one of four brothers who took care of their mother for almost 25 years. I regularly collaborate with many professionals who provide services and support for older Americans, and I am completing a book for caregivers on Long Island, “The Caregiving Navigator/How to Plan, What to do, and Where to Turn When Caring for you Aging Loved Ones. And Yourself,” scheduled for publication in early 2021.
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