Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

S3 E10: D Wallace Peach on Writing and Publishing “My latest trilogy is titled Unraveling the Veil. It’s about three races – goblins, elves, and changelings – and how blame and lies almost destroy their lives and civilization. My trio of heroes are products of their cultures and biases, and yet they have to trust each other and work together to learn the truth of a series of mysterious disappearances. Things get awfully grim before they accomplish their goal.” D Wallace Peach Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted and thrilled that my blogger friend and writer, D Wallace Peach, has joined me on Tea Toast & Trivia for a discussion about writing, connecting, and engaging within the world of writing and publishing.  Diana is on my side of the world, just south of the Canadian Border.  She lives in a log cabin, situated on a mountain, with her husband, two owls and a horde of

Season 3 Episode 9: Darlene Foster on Writing Amanda Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia Thank you for listening in! Never let a day go by without a dream” Darlene Foster I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted and thrilled that my blogger friend and writer, Darlene Foster and I are bridging approximately 8,784 kilometers, as the crow flies, between Costa Blanca, Spain and Vancouver, Canada. A distance that would be 11 hours and 25 minutes by air has taken seconds via technology. Darlene’s short stories have won prizes and have appeared in several anthologies. She has seven published books in a series about a spunky 12-year-old girl who loves to travel, Amanda in Arabia – The Perfume Flask, Amanda in Spain-The Girl in the Painting, Amanda in England-the Missing Novel, Amanda in Alberta – The Writing on the Stone, Amanda on the Danube-The Sounds of Music, Amanda in New Mexico – Ghosts in the Wind and Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action. Readers from

S3 E8: Klausbernd Vollmar on Ugliness Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am travelling over 7,500 kilometers to Cley-Next-The-Sea, an idyllic artists’ village situated on the River Glaven in Norfolk, England. I am meeting up once again with my dear blogger friend, and professional author, Klausbernd Vollmar, who is an authority on colour theory and in the language of symbols in dreams and art.   In our last podcast, we explored the idea of beauty. Klausbernd has come back for another riveting conversation on the concept of “ugly” and ugliness. This promises to be an extraordinary discussion. So, put the kettle on and add to your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia. Klausbernd Vollmar graduated with a (MA) in German and Nordic literature, philosophy, geology, and linguistics at the University of Bochum/Germany. In Finland and Germany, he worked as assistant professor specializing in symbol systems. Winning a postgraduate scholarship by the Canada Council, he came to Canad

S3 E7: Paul Andruss Reading Jack Hughes and Thomas the Rhymer  Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper.  They created the characters,  structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline. Living in the reality of Covid-19, book readings at public libraries and bookstores have been curtailed.  We are learning to embrace technology in new ways.  Welcome to a new podcast series, “Authors Reading their Books”, which will recreate the reading spaces in a virtual venue.  I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am thrilled to introduce Paul And

S3 E6: The Trio on the Family Book Challenge 2021 Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to discuss a subject that is close to my heart.  Books! We have embarked on the Family Book Challenge 2021, championed by my nephew Aaron. Join us as we discuss how books transform our lives and how reading within a community of readers expands our knowledge and inspires us to read more. So put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Thank you for joining Frances, Sarah, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Looking forward to hearing about your reading adventures. Until next time, dear friends, be safe and be well. Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” Charles W. Eliot

Season 3 Episode 5: Elisabeth Van Der Meer & Dave Astor on Why Should We Read The Books We Do Not Want to Read Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, science-fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer and co-writer of the 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey said:  “Any sufficiently advanced technology is equivalent to magic. Today we are working magic by bringing together Porvoo, Finland,  Montclair, New Jersey, and Vancouver, British Columbia.  Elisabeth Van Der Meer and Dave Astor have joined me in connecting three times zones within seconds to bring you a discussion on “Why should we read the books we do not want to read?” We are entering a new adventure in podcasting here at Tea Toast and Trivia.  Thank you to Elisabeth and Dave for taking the plunge with me.  And a very special thank you to Don, my techie, who is in the background making this happen. Thank you for joining Elisabeth, Dave, and me on Tea

Season 3 Episode 4: Celebrating Robert Burns with the Address to a Haggis Welcome to a special episode of Tea Toast and Trivia. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Tonight, we celebrate Robert Burns, affectionately known as Rabbie Burns, the great Scottish poet and lyricist. He has been given the honoured titles of National Bard, Bard of Ayrshire and the Ploughman Poet. He penned in the language of the Scots, even though much of his writing is in light Scots dialect and in English. This year’s celebration will be different from all other Robert Burns Suppers that have been held throughout its history. January 25, 2021 will be the first time that the Burns Suppers will be going virtual across the world. Thank you for joining me in celebrating the life and works of Robert Burns.

Season 3 Episode 3: Robbie Cheadle on Writing Children’s Books Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today, I am travelling the distance of 15,174 kilometers that takes me over the Atlantic Ocean and across the equator to South Africa.  What usually takes 18 hours and 20 minutes by air travel, has been accomplished within minutes via technology. I am meeting up with Robbie Cheadle, a prolific writer whose books span the ages of children, young adults, and adults. In order to clearly separate her children’s books from her adult books, she writes for older readers under the name Roberta Eaton Cheadle. I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.  I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Thank you for joining Robbie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you to Robbie.  You can connect with Robbie on Robbie’s Inspiration.  There is always an adventure

Season 3 Episode 2: Klausbernd Vollmar on Beauty Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am travelling over 7,500 kilometers to Cley-Next-The-Sea, an idyllic artists’ village situated on the River Glaven in Norfolk, England. I am meeting up once again with my dear blogger friend, and professional author, Klausbernd Vollmar, who is an authority on colour theory and in the language of symbols in dreams and art.   In our last podcast, we explored the influence of colour. Klausbernd has come back for another riveting conversation on the concept of ‘beauty’. This promises to be an extraordinary discussion. So, put the kettle on and add to your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia. Klausbernd Vollmar graduated with a (MA) in German and Nordic literature, philosophy, geology, and linguistics at the University of Bochum/Germany. In Finland and Germany, he worked as assistant professor specializing in symbol systems. Winning a postgraduate scholarship by the Canada Council, he came to

S3 E1: Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia Season 3 Happy New Year 2021. Dear friends, welcome to the third season of Tea Toast & Trivia Podcast. Thank you for listening in and joining the conversation. I am deeply grateful and humbled by your support and encouragement over the past two years. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. As we walk together, let us think of the words of Rainer Maria Rilke, “And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.” May peace, love and hope be your constant companions in 2021. Until next time we meet, be safe and be well.

Season 2 Episode 62: Aaron Launches Family Book Challenge 2021 Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading over the Canadian Rockies to St. Albert, Alberta to meet up with my nephew, Aaron, who has challenged our family to the Book Challenge 2021. As background, it all started in January 2020, when I received Aaron’s message challenging me to participate in a 2020 Family Challenge which was to read 25 books in the Year 2020. Incidentally, Aaron is a prodigious reader, much like his Aunt Sarah, who is well known to consume vast qualities of books, moving from genre to genre with a dexterity that leaves me breathless. Aaron has joined me to today to launch the Family Book Challenge 2021. I want to be the first to know his plans for the coming year and to have head start on my competitive siblings.  Of course, I do not have a competitive nature, but this is survival of the reading fittest. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. T

Season 2 Episode 61: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Clement Clarke Moore, born July 15, 1799 was a writer and American Professor of Oriental and Greek Literature, Divinity and Biblical Learning at the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in New York City.   Clement Moore had strong ties to the seminary for I understand that it was his generosity that led him to donate land, which was his private apple orchard, upon which the seminary was built.  The Seminary remains on the same parcel of land, which is located at Ninth Avenue between 20th and 21st streets, in an area known as Chelsea Square Clement Moore became a wealthy man through the ownership of the estate “Chelsea,” an inheritance he received from the passing of his mother and grandfather.   Fast forward to present day, the “Chelsea” area is located on

Season 2 Episode 60: Brian on Music & Celebration Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading over the Canadian Rockies to St. Albert, Alberta. Brian, my brother, has come back to continue the conversation on embracing a greater journey.  In our last two podcasts together, we discussed the stages of life, from childhood to old age and then the idea of FOMO or fear of missing out. As we enter December, the month of festivities, many of us will not be going home for Christmas in the usual way.  We will be joining family and friends through virtual channels to celebrate and connect. Today, Brian and I will be discussing the relationship between music and celebration.   Music has always been integral to memorable events. When we remember important moments in our life, we remember music.   On wedding anniversaries, couples may recall the first song that brought them together.  At graduation, music of pomp and ceremony play as graduates cross the

Season 2 Episode 59: Hanne Siebers on the Art of Photography Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading to Blakeney National Nature Reserve on the north coast of Norfolk, England, to meet up with my dear blogger friend and photographer, Hanne Siebers.  I have been looking forward to once again witnessing the uninterrupted views of the spectacular North Norfolk coastline, feeling the wind coming across the water and breathing in that unforgettable clear air. This is your invitation to join Hanne and me in an extraordinary conversation on how photography increases self-understanding of our environment, nature, other people and society. Over the years, Hanne has taught me that photography embraces a creative journey that gives meaning and purpose. So, put the kettle on add to this exciting discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia Thank you for joining Hanne and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Hanne, for sharing your insights on photogra

Season 2 Episode 58: Elizabeth Gauffreau Reading Telling Sonny “I am drawn to the inner lives of other people – what they care about, what they most desire, what causes them pain, what brings them joy. These inner lives become my characters.  I am here to share their stories.”  Elizabeth Gauffreau, Writer, Poet, Storyteller Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper.  They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that introduced  bumps in the storyline. Living in the reality of Covid-19, book readings at public libraries and bookstores have been curtailed.  We are learning to embrace technology in new ways.  Welcome to a new podcast series,  “Authors Reading their Books

Season 2 Episode 57: Dave Astor on Comics, Cartoons & Confessions “Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, ‘Where have I gone wrong’. Then a voice says to me, ‘This is going to take more than one night.”  Charles Schulz Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Dave Astor and I are once again  bridging the 3,923 kilometers between New Jersey to Vancouver. Listeners, you will remember that Dave Astor’s book, Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels” was one of my first 2020 reads! It was a marvelous collection of delicious literary trivia. And you know how I love trivia!! Today, Dave has come back to talk about comics, cartoons, confessions, and his first book, “Comic (And Column) Confessional,” which covers an extraordinary period in media history that witnessed the advent of the digital revolution, media mergers, and the shrinking newspaper business that changed journalism forever. This conversation came about when I read Dave’s post on Octob

S2 E56: Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene Reading Hullaba LuLu Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something special about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are  nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper.  They created the characters,  structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline. Living in the reality of Covid-19, book readings at public libraries and bookstores have been curtailed.  We are learning to embrace technology in new ways. I am thrilled to introduce Teagan Geneviene, who will be our guest author reading her freshly published book, Hullaba Lulu – a Diesel-punk Adventure. We are embarking on a wild and woolly 1920's fantasy story. I am looking forward to meeting Lulu and tagging along on her adventure. But first put the kettle on and join the conversation  on Tea Toast &

Season 2 Episode 55: Resa McConaghy on Glamour, Fantasy and Art “Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl named Virginia who lived in the Empire D’Amore. Unfortunately, she was very poor, a seamstress for the wealthy merchants of the kingdom. One day, the Emperor D’Amore demanded that his son, Prince Will, marry. He decreed a holiday with a royal procession throughout the empire.” Resa McConaghy, Empress D’Amore – A Cheeky Fairytale Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading over the Rocky Mountains across the Prairie Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to the vibrant city of Toronto, Ontario to meet up with Resa McConaghy, a dear blogger friend, artist, photographer, and established costume designer in film, television, and digital media.  Resa has worked her costume designer magic on productions for Showtime, ABC, Disney, CBS, CBC, Hallmark, and more.   She brings out personalities with her costume designs and adds dramatic moods to each

Season 2 Episode 54: Paul Andruss on Myths, Travel, Language & Writing Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in! I am heading across the ocean to Wales, that beautiful country full of magic, mystery, music, and great writers. I am excited to introduce one of those great writers – Paul Andruss. He was born and reared in Liverpool. The city’s legendary Scouse wit and dogged stoicism has left its mark. Keen to get out into the world, Paul dropped out of college at 17. A year later he was taking exams at night school, while working in the local Tax Office.  Today, we are going to talk about Paul’s love of writing. Paul is the author of the Young Adult magical realism trilogy, the Jack Hughes Books, and the forthcoming (very adult) Finn Mac Cool – a mythological saga. He has also written several short stories and novellas. Listeners, thank you for sharing this moment with Paul and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. I invite your to meet up with Paul on Goodreads and on his website, Jack Hughe

Season 2 Episode 53: Sisters Unscripted on The Book Dialogue Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Much to the chagrin of my father, over 500 Harlequin romances were delivered to our doorstep in the early 1970’s, a gift from an uncle who owned a bookstore and had a delicious sense of humour. My sister, Sarah, and I were delighted by the stack of 1950’s and 1960’s romances with such names, if I remember correctly, as “A Promise is for Keeping,”  and “A Song to be Sung”.  Soon the marathon was underway, even as my father tempted us with non-fiction books strategically placed around our home. Sarah has always been a voracious reader, moving from genre to genre with a dexterity that leaves me breathless. While I followed my father’s footsteps into non-fiction, she embraced fiction from sci-fi to fantasy to historical to romance. And then quite suddenly, the trajectory of our reading changed. I have rediscovered the marvelous world of fiction and Sarah has made a pivotal foray in