MOTOR CITY MUSIC - KEENER 13 AND THE SOUNDTRACK OF DETROIT
Growing up, my favorite radio station was WKNR, an under-powered miracle of a Top-40 rocker in Dearborn, Michigan. I had to work hard to pull it in on my car radio in Ann Arbor, but it was worth it to hear the great music, the engaging disc jockeys and the high energy that powered me through my high school days. The station inspired my own radio dreams, but by the time I was old enough and good enough to audition for a coveted spot among the Keener Keymen, WKNR had faded into history.
Broadcasting became my “magnificent obsession.” I made a living in the biz for awhile, before realizing that a better career path lay in business management. But I never lost my love for Keener. Along with my college roommate, Steve Schram, I collected Keener memorabilia. And years later, Steve and I created Keener13.com, as a tribute to our beloved WKNR. The website became a phenomenon for others who grew up in the Detroit area in the 1960s and soon, we were inundated with gems donated by Keenerfans around the world. That led to two defining projects. In 2023, Steve and I launched a 24 hour audio stream, recreating the Keener format at Keener13.com. In 2019, I scanned my collection of WKNR Music Guides, wrote some Keener history and published “Motor City Music - Keener 13 and the Soundtrack of Detroit.” Without much promotion, it has sold well, beyond the generations who experienced Keener, perhaps more as a reference book for readers interested in immersion in a time when our world was changing and rock radio helped us make sense of it.
THE JESSICA RAMIREZ THRILLERS
When we moved back to Florida to be closer to our children, I was at loose ends. Too old and damaged to continue in a traditional career, I turned to writing fiction under the pen name, “Terry Shepherd.” During my executive years, I wanted to use my privilege as a white guy with authority to open doors for women, people of color and the challenged. I created the Jessica Ramirez character, a Latina cop with an iron moral compass who didn’t always make the right decisions, even when doing so for the right reasons. I surrounded her with a diverse cast of characters and put her in untenable situations. That concept lead to four books (so far), where Jess battles equally interesting antagonists. Readers have compared her to a “female James Bond,” but I like to think of her as a fish out of water, determined to swim with the sharks and prevail. The books aren’t meant to be life changing literature. But I hope they provide an escape from the uncertainties of today’s world, a fun distraction on a long plane ride, a beach read that takes you around the world with people who care about what’s right and have adventures in the process.
Each character is based on real-life people I know. Some of my friends join the cast in roles very different from their actual resumes. I hope you find the stories entertaining and fun.
HOW TO BE A DYNAMIC PODCAST GUEST AND SELL STUFF
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most in my “Terry Shepherd” persona has been interviewing authors. It’s a passion I discovered in 1970 when I would be called upon to interview low-level political candidates on my Ann Arbor hometown radio station, WPAG. Over the years, I’ve talked with hundreds of famous and near-famous personalities and began podcasting in 2005 with a group of college buddies, in a time when that involved signing into a telephone conference bridge. As the new century dawned, I turned my questions toward writers, at first to learn how to write better fiction. But it’s evolved into a love for ideas and a fascination with the people who write about them.
I discovered along the way that there are learnable skills to help you become an effective spokesperson for your own life and work. In 2025, I distilled the essence into “How to be a Dynamic Podcast Guest and Sell Stuff.” I talk about messaging, technical gear and the small things one can do to make a big impression. The digital version of the book is purposely inexpensive. If you find yourself in front of a microphone, I hope it helps you shine.
CURIOUS BOOKS
Over my years as a writer, I’ve experimented with may different genres and formats, submitting a variety of short stories to anthologies. A few were picked up. Most were rejected. Undaunted, I invested in editors to help me punch them up and wrapped all in a paranormal mystery, centered on a real-life independent bookstore we all frequented while in college. The overarching plot for much of the book surrounds a college senior who finds himself one credit shy of what’s required for graduation. His adviser offers an independent study credit, if the kid spends the day with the eccentric owner of a local book store and writes about the experience. What the student learns about the proprietor and himself leads to a life-changing twist. Also included are a few longer short stories, one from Jessica Ramirez’ early days as a cop and others that lean toward science fiction and the Twilight Zone. Joseph S. Walker, the king of short fiction, was kind enough to write a generous foreword and the stories are easily digestible in either short tastes or a delectable binge.